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Opposion coalition can’t defeat Tinubu, says Lamido

Well, to be frank, I’m not aware of this group. If they are really a group of 100, tell me who they are so that I can comment. I don’t know them. Who are they?

They are reportedly a group of opposition political parties, including the ADC, NDC and other opposition parties and their leaders.

When you say the group, not political party. Who are the people behind it?

They include presidential candidates, former vice presidents, former governors and other political stakeholders. People like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rotimi Amaechi and others are said to be part of it.

So, you are talking about people like Amaechi, Malami and others, isn’t it?

Yes, sir.

What is my business with that? They are from the same political background. They are from the same group, their own family. It is a civil war. So why do I come into it? What should I comment?

All of them have, at one time or another, been part of the APC or its political family. From 2014 to date, those who are claiming to be opposition are, in many ways, people from the same political family.

So, in their own civil war, what is my business? I am PDP. I have been PDP since 1999 and I remain PDP till date.

But from your experience in politics, do you think such a coalition can succeed in defeating the APC and President Tinubu in 2027?

What I am saying is, what is my business? In your own family, you are fighting. What concerns me about your family fight? You should know your family better than me. You should understand your own family better than me.

All of them have been in different political parties. They moved from ANPP to PDP, ACN, CPC and eventually APC. I have been PDP all along.

All these people who came together are from the same APC family that fought PDP, maligned PDP, abused PDP and destroyed PDP. They wanted to remove us from office, and they did.

Now, from 2014 to date, they have been changing their political platforms and alliances. But they are still from the same family. Therefore, it is a family civil war. It is their problem and their business. Let them go and fight their own war.

How do you assess the political activities and preparations of your party, the PDP, ahead of the 2027 general elections?

Look, it is a very simple thing. Political parties are formed with a purpose. Parties are formed based on certain principles and programmes, and they articulate their positions on issues.

For any given election, you tell Nigerians what you are going to do on the economy, security, human development and other important areas.

These are the issues political parties normally present to the public. They tell the people: this is what we are going to do if we win the election.

For me, our purpose is to win the election. Simple.

Therefore, like all political parties, our programme and the election are ultimately about Nigeria.

What, in your view, should Nigerians look out for as the 2027 election approaches?

Nigerians should look at the political parties, their backgrounds and the political pedigree of the various actors. They should examine their records and determine who is sincere and who genuinely has the interest of Nigeria at heart.

The issue is for Nigerians to see through these people and ask: who is talking? Who is saying what? Who is sincere? Who is honest? Who is there for Nigeria?

Then they can make their own choice.

You have on several occasions expressed concern about the possibility of defeating President Tinubu in 2027.

What exactly do you mean by that?

No. When you say fear, what do you mean by fear?

Fear in terms of his political capacity and ability to win the election?

It is about capacity and what he can do, and to what extent. You understand, this is somebody who has been a survivor in politics.

Those who have worked with him at one time or another should know him better than me because they were with him. They belonged to the same political family.

Therefore, they should understand his political capacity better than I do.

How do you forecast the 2027 general election?

My focus is that Nigerians should look at the political parties, look at their background and look at the political pedigree of the various actors. They should ask themselves: is there anybody among them who is sincere, who is genuine and who is committed to Nigeria?

Then they should make their choice.

The political environment is very murky and unconventional. It is difficult to make a realistic political analysis in terms of sincerity and honesty.

Political analysts should be able to look at issues based on national interest, national stability, security and other considerations.

But today, look at the main players and their characters. Let Nigerians look at them and determine how sincere and genuine they are.

Do you think national interest has been given enough attention by the political actors?

To me, Nigeria has been abandoned by all of them.

I am not making any spiritual claim that I am more Nigerian than any other Nigerian. But look at the country today and compare it with what it was in 1999.

People who emerged as governors, vice presidents, presidents and ministers since 1999, across different political parties, have benefited from Nigeria.

Now, having benefited from Nigeria, when the country is going through these difficulties, are they willing to pay back Nigeria what Nigeria gave them?

That is the issue.

What do you think is the future of Nigeria’s democracy, given the current political and economic challenges?

Nigeria will be there.

This is part of the whole evolution. All nations go through difficulties. Some are caused by the players, while some are natural, but nations go through a process.

I hope people understand that beyond the next four years, five years, 10 years or 15 years, many of these people will no longer be there.

They will leave, but Nigeria will remain.

Therefore, don’t despair and don’t give up. Nigeria will be there.

But the evolution is very stressful. The living conditions in the country are now very stressful, with a lot of difficulties. But we shall overcome, I believe.

What is your advice to Nigerians at this critical period?

What kind of advice?

You advise people when you think there is ignorance, lack of understanding, fear or something like that.

But when the environment is very clear, you know that people are no longer ignorant. Nigerians are not ignorant. They know what they are doing politically.

Nigerians are politically very conscious. Look at social media and the way people discuss politics. They know what is happening. There is no ignorance and there is no fear. They say anything and read anything.

So, you advise where there is ignorance. But that is no longer the situation.

Every Nigerian, whether from the North or South, Christian or Muslim, knows what we are going through. We are politically conscious and very aware.

It is up to us to determine what is best for Nigeria.

What have I done? What have you done? What have they done? What are we doing?

What do you think is the major factor responsible for the challenges facing Nigerians today, particularly poverty?

Poverty.

But whether God caused poverty or whether poverty was human-induced, that is the question.

Was it caused by God or was it caused by human beings?

Would you taken t is both natural and human-induced?

No. It cannot be both.

Because Nigeria is well endowed by God. We have resources underground. We have minerals. Our land is very fertile. We can grow almost anything through agriculture.

We have people with very strong cultural backgrounds and traditions. We have highly educated people who are respected around the world.

Therefore, when you say poverty is natural, you are not being fair to nature.

So, what is the missing link?

Look, you have been asking questions. You ask me what the problem is and what the solution is.

I told you: look at whether the poverty is human-induced or natural.

You said both.

I said it cannot be both.

Jigawa State has clocked 35 years. Your administration lasted eight years and is often credited with significant human and infrastructural development. What is your assessment of the state’s journey and its future?

All of us, in the last 25 or 30 years, have made our contributions. We have all put in our maximum best.

All the governments, whether military or civilian, whichever political party was in power, have contributed. The people, the emirs and everybody have contributed to making Jigawa great.

It is a process of evolution.

No one person can claim that, during his time, he did everything. You do what you can and leave, then somebody else comes in.

Whatever you see today is a collective achievement. It is through the collective efforts of the people that you got Jigawa as it is today.

It is not the achievement of Sule Lamido or anybody else alone.

Cybersecurity agency clarifies extension granted only to Reddit, not Discord

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) clarified that the extension granted to online platform Reddit does not cover Discord, which was also directed to establish a local presence in the Philippines.

In a clarification issued Wednesday, September 23, the CICC said Reddit was granted an extension after its officials met with the agency online within the prescribed 24-hour period and discussed commitments to strengthen online child safety.

Marcos honors Quirino Gov. Cua’s legacy in public service

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has paid his last respects to Quirino Governor Dakila Carlo ‘Dax’ Cua, who died on Sept. 15 at the age of 48.

Marcos visited the wake of Cua on Wednesday evening at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City together with his son Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, and other Cabinet officials.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shares a speech honoring Quirino Governor Dakila Carlo ‘Dax’ Cua.

In a social media post, Marcos condoled with Cua’s family over the lawmaker’s untimely passing.

‘I came to say goodbye to Dax as President, leading the Executive and Cabinet contingent. As a colleague whose work I valued and relied on. And above all, as a friend,’ he said in a social media post.

‘To his wife, Midy, and his parents, Junie and Angela, my deepest condolences. And to his three children, whom I had the chance to meet, I am so sorry about your dad,’ the President also said.

Cua’s quarter-century career in public service, marked by youth leadership, legislative reforms, and local governance advocacy, was cut short by a battle with lung cancer, which was diagnosed in 2024.

He was elected vice governor of Quirino at the age of 23, serving from 2001 to 2007 and becoming the country’s youngest vice governor at the time.

Cua then ran for and won the governorship of Quirino, serving from 2007 to 2010 and again from 2019 until his death in 2025.

He also represented the lone district of Quirino for three terms in the House of Representatives, serving during the 15th, 16th, and 17th Congresses from 2010 to 2019.

In his post, Marcos honored Cua for devoting his life to public service, stressing that ‘his legacy will always be closest to home, in Quirino, in the communities he helped build and in the lives he made better.’

‘Let us only hope that we can live up to the legacy that he has left for us. Rest well, Dax. You will be deeply missed,’ he added

Cua’s burial is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 25, at the Manila Memorial Park.

Asian Games: Joanie Delgaco vows to bounce back after rowing 6th

Joanie Delgaco finished sixth in the women’s single sculls final at the 2026 Asian Games on Thursday, ending her campaign without a medal but already looking ahead to her next chance at Olympic qualification.

Delgaco clocked 8 minutes, 1.63 seconds in Final A at Nagaragawa International Regatta Course.

China’s Zhang Xinyu won the gold in 7:21.53, with Uzbekistan’s Anna Prakaten taking silver and Iran’s Fatemeh Mojallal Topraghhale claiming bronze.

Delgaco said she was satisfied with her performance despite missing the podium.

‘Even though I didn’t make the podium, I’m thankful that I was able to finish the race. I think I performed well, and I have no regrets because I gave it everything I had,’ Delgaco said in Filipino.

The Filipina said she thought about the work that went into her Asian Games campaign, including a two-and-a-half-month training camp in Germany after preparations in the Philippines.

‘Even at the starting line, I was thinking about everything we went through in training. We started in the Philippines, then trained in Germany for two and a half months. I kept thinking about all the work we put in. I hoped I could bring all of that here, but I still came up short,’ she said.

Delgaco, a Paris Olympian, admitted she became emotional after the race but said she would use the result as motivation for her next competition.

Her focus now shifts to the Olympic qualification campaign next year.

‘Right now, all I’m thinking about is making up for this next year in the Olympic qualifiers. That’s one of the things motivating me to bounce back,’ she said.

DOE cancels coal bid round to revisit policies

The Department of Energy (DOE) has terminated the 2026 coal bid round to reassess the parameters for awarding coal operating contracts. Through the move, the agency aims to ensure that future agreements provide clear and measurable benefits to the country.

DOE Secretary Sharon Garin, in a virtual press conference on Tuesday, said the bidding process would be re-announced within the next two weeks, covering the same mine sites but under revised rules.

‘The Department of Energy has terminated the 2026 coal bid round in order to reassess the parameters of awarding coal operating contracts to ensure that any future award will bring real and clear benefit to our country and to the Filipino people,’ Garin said.

Garin said the coal reserves are state-owned assets, giving the government the authority to reassess or terminate a bidding process when existing parameters are deemed insufficient to protect state resources and maximize the benefits the country receives from them.

She said the DOE also considered concerns raised by stakeholders and recent developments on Semirara Island, which could affect the country’s coal reserves.

Semirara Island hosts the country’s largest coal mining operation and supplies coal for power generation and other energy needs.

Garin said the government wants to optimize not only the extraction of coal but also its utilization, particularly by ensuring that domestically produced coal is used primarily to meet the country’s energy requirements.

‘Kailangan po unang-una po kailangan i-address po ang fuel needs ng Pilipinas bago po tayo mag-export,’ she said.

The revised framework, she said, would give greater weight to clear and measurable benefits to the country, appropriate government revenues and commitments to domestic coal utilization.

Garin said these measures are intended to maximize the benefits from the country’s indigenous coal resources while strengthening domestic energy security.

She also cited the long duration of some existing contracts, including the contract involving Semirara, which she said has been in place for 50 years.

The DOE chief said the cancellation does not mean the government is abandoning the coal bid round.

Instead, the agency is revising its policies before reopening the bidding process.

‘So bakit kami nag-cancel? Kasi marami tayong binago sa mga policies. Kasi gusto natin cancel muna, may bago tayong policies, and then we do the bid round again with the new policies,’ Garin said.

Bisera fires eagle-fueled 67, trails by 1

Yvon Bisera put herself squarely in title contention with a brilliant opening 67 on Wednesday, giving the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour a major boost and raising hopes of a Filipina return to the Taiwan LPGA Tour winner’s circle after nine years.

Bisera overcame a shaky start with a spectacular finish, shooting a five-under-par card to trail local aces Joy Chou and Yu Chiang Hou by just one stroke in the Kenda Tires TLPGA Open at Taichung International Golf Club here.

The in-form Davaoeña shotmaker overcame a three-putt miscue on her opening hole, No. 10, with a birdie on No. 13 before producing the highlight of her round on the par-5 18th, where she chipped in for eagle. She then carried the momentum to the front nine, rattling off three straight birdies from No. 2 to complete a 33-34 card.

Her fast start put her in a share of third with Thai ace Nook Sukapan, Malaysian Genevieve Ling, Japanese Harumi Yoshikuwa and Taiwan veteran Ching Huang, just one behind Chou’s flawless 66.

Future impeachment courts can decide differently in threshold question

Future impeachment courts can compute the two-thirds vote for conviction differently from the court trying Vice President Sara Duterte, which ruled this week that only senators able to take part in the trial will be counted.

Senator-judges voted 13-1 on Wednesday, September 23, to overturn presiding officer Sen. Chiz Escudero’s July 6 ruling that conviction required exactly 16 votes, or two-thirds of all 24 senators.

Under the new ruling, the impeachment court will still follow the two-thirds threshold, but with a criteria that limits “all members of the Senate” to those who can actually participate at the time of the vote.

With four senators currently not taking part in the trial – namely Sens. Bato dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Loren Legarda and Rodante Marcoleta – the number of senators that form the denominator is 20.

Escudero yesterday expressly stated that the new count applies pro hac vice, or for this occasion only, so it sets no binding precedent for later impeachment trials.

House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno (Akbayan) said at a briefing Thursday, September 24, that the courts use the term “just to stress that it applies only here and cannot be used for future possible impeachment proceedings.”

Diokno contrasted the ruling yesterday with decisions of the Supreme Court, which can be applied to similar cases in the future.

That principle, called stare decisis, binds lower courts to follow the high court’s rulings.

Impeachment court rulings do not work that way, Diokno said.

“Hindi natin mahihintulad iyon doon nga sa judicial precedent o stare decisis (We cannot liken it to judicial precedent or stare decisis),” he said.

An impeachment court is not part of the judiciary as it is composed of the members of the Senate, which the 1987 Constitution gives the sole power to try and decide impeachment cases.

One of the defense’s main arguments against dropping the 16-vote threshold yesterday was that it would set a dangerous precedent for other provisions that require a two-thirds vote from the Senate.

Defense counsel Michael Poa yesterday argued there would be potential impacts on the thresholds for extending or revoking martial law, or expelling a member of the Senate, among others.

However, Diokno, during the oral arguments, urged the court to hew to its mandate of upholding an “accountability Constitution” and to avoid the “absurdity” of requiring 16 votes no matter the actual number of senators present.

Escudero, in delivering the court ruling yesterday, stressed that because it is a procedural ruling rather than a formal amendment to the rules, it is not binding and has merely a persuasive effect on future tribunals.

Escudero was the lone dissenter in the vote, which was expected given it was his ruling that was being overturned.

The court’s ruling was made under “extraordinary” and “unprecedented” circumstances, Escudero said.

“The chair hopes that it shall never happen again,” he said.

Three out of four retired justices who advised the court urged it to adopt a “functional” reading of the Constitution. As explained by former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, because the framers purposefully used a fraction (“two-thirds”) rather than explicitly writing out the number “16,” the voting base is meant to be flexible and exclude non-participating senators.

Okonkwo criticises Tinubu’s UNGA absence, links it to US concerns

‘He ought to be at the UNGA in person; he hasn’t been there for three consecutive years. A reasonable man should say he is hiding from the United States of America,’ Okonkwo said.

Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, alleging that the President’s decision not to attend the global meeting in person raises questions about his relationship with the United States.

Speaking on the issue, Okonkwo said the President ought to have been physically present at the UNGA, arguing that Nigeria’s leader had missed the high-level gathering for three consecutive years.

‘He ought to be at the UNGA in person; he hasn’t been there for three consecutive years. A reasonable man should say he is hiding from the United States of America,’ Okonkwo said.

The campaign spokesperson further linked the President’s absence to what he described as ‘the Venezuela option’, though he did not provide details or evidence to support the claim.

Okonkwo’s comments come amid discussions over Nigeria’s representation at major international engagements, with President Tinubu represented at the UN General Assembly by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

On the separate controversy involving a $500 million transaction linked to a former US investigation, Okonkwo defended Atiku, arguing that the former vice-president was not a party to the contract at the centre of the matter.

According to him, the $1.7 million transferred to Atiku’s wife in 2002 was for her upkeep and was unrelated to any alleged criminal activity.

‘The President Is Absent and Hiding From the UNGA Because He Doesn’t Want ‘The Venezuela Option’,’ Okonkwo said, while addressing the issue.

He added that the tribunal did not establish criminality against Atiku, arguing that the timing of the foreign transaction and the contract signing did not amount to evidence of wrongdoing.

‘The money transferred was for the upkeep of his wife. Atiku was not invited because he was not a party to the contract,’ he said.

NECO releases 2026 SSCE results

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal, with 84.70 per cent of candidates scoring five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, announced the release of the results on Thursday at a news conference held at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State.

He formally declared the 2026 SSCE Internal results released to the public, urging candidates to continue their academic pursuits with renewed hope and determination.

According to Wushishi, a total of 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females.

He said 1,371,992 candidates eventually sat for the examination, comprising 678,903 males and 693,089 females.

Wushishi disclosed that 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent of those who sat for the examination, obtained five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

He, however, disclosed that 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

The examination was conducted across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as six foreign countries: Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Saudi Arabia.

The examination was held from June 15 to September 4, 2026.

Wushishi said the results were being released 63 days after the conclusion of the examination, following the completion of all processes of marking, verification and quality assurance.

He described the 2026 examination cycle as one of the most challenging for the council, saying it tested its systems, processes and readiness.

He said the council remained committed to ensuring that certificates issued to candidates reflected their true academic performance and were not obtained through impersonation, manipulation or other forms of examination malpractice.

On examination malpractice, the NECO boss disclosed that 1,406 candidates were involved in various forms of malpractice in 2026, representing a 64.74 per cent decrease from the 3,878 cases recorded in 2025.

He attributed the reduction to the council’s sustained efforts to strengthen examination security and quality assurance.

Wushishi also disclosed that 1,334 candidates with special needs participated in the examination.

He said the figure included 640 candidates with hearing impairment, 149 with visual impairment, 84 with albinism, 94 with autism, 136 with low vision and 231 candidates with adermatoglyphia.

The NECO registrar expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, for their support for the council.

He also commended security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), as well as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other institutions for their support during the examination.

Wushishi said candidates could access their results through the NECO website using their examination registration numbers.

He assured stakeholders that the council would continue to uphold the integrity and credibility of its examinations.

Eala up for ‘Star of the Swing’ honor

Tennis darling Alex Eala is on track to earn another recognition before hitting the court for the WTA’s Asian Swing opener in Singapore.

On the strength of her breakthrough triumph at the DC Open in Washington, Eala made the shortlist for the WTA’s ‘Star of the Swing’ – an accolade that recognizes the standout performer of the recent North American hard-court swing through online voting.

Fans get to decide the winner and no surprises, the hugely popular 18th-ranked Filipina stormed ahead of seven other candidates with a whopping 78 percent of over 5,000 votes as of yesterday.

Newly-minted US Open champion and world No.1. Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan ranked a far second at 16 percent followed by Canada Open winner Iga Swiatek of Poland (WTA No. 9) at three percent.

Other candidates include US Open runner-up Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (No. 2), Cincinnati winner Coco Gauff of USA (No.4), Monterey winner Diane Parry of France (No. 30) and Guadalajara winner Iva Jovic of USA (No. 13).

Eala made a strong case for herself in the ‘Star of the Swing’ derby with her brilliant showing in the hard courts of North America highlighted by her clinching 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 comeback victory over home bet Jessica Pegula in Washington and a third-round run at the US Open.

The 21-year-old lefty previously bagged the ‘Star of the Swing’ for the grass-court season in Europe last July following her WTA125 title in Birmingham and Round of 16 finish in Wimbledon.

She aims to carry her momentum into the WTA500 Singapore Open, where she’s seeded third and faces No. 180 Tatiana Prozorova today in Round 2 at the OCBC Arena.