Category: Daily Trust

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the North-West zone have distanced themselves from the endorsement of former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), as the region’s consensus candidate for the position of National Chairman.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday night, the party’s National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, said the purported endorsement did not reflect the collective decision of stakeholders from the North-West.

Bature, who spoke on behalf of the zone’s leaders, described the announcement as unilateral and lacking proper consultation.

‘The North-West has not met to agree on that position. What we want to make clear is that this zone has not adopted anybody as a candidate for the position of PDP National Chairman,’ he said.

His comments followed Wednesday’s announcement by the Chairman of the PDP National Convention Organising Committee and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, that Turaki had been adopted as the North’s consensus candidate. Fintiri, however, added that any aspirant not satisfied with the decision was free to contest.

The development comes as the PDP prepares for its national convention scheduled for November. At its 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on August 25 in Abuja, the party resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South and the National Chairmanship to the North. The position was subsequently micro-zoned to the North-West.

Bature explained that the North-West stakeholders were yet to hold any formal meeting to decide on a consensus candidate, stressing that the process should involve wide consultation among leaders of the zone.

‘Consensus is achieved through consultation. We were not consulted before the announcement was made. The meeting that was supposed to hold yesterday at the instance of the Zamfara governor was postponed, and yet a candidate was adopted without the zone’s input,’ he said.

He added that the North-West, being the party’s strongest zone, would soon present its preferred candidate for the chairmanship position.

‘We are the strongest zone in the PDP, and we disagree with the decision announced by the governors. We will have our own candidate whom we will nominate for the position,’ Bature stated.

Prominent PDP leaders and stakeholders present at the Abuja briefing included former National Secretary Ibrahim Tsauri, the PDP’s 2023 Kaduna governorship candidate, Isa Ashiru Kudan, and Mustapha Lamido, son of former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido.

Three suspected kidnappers have been arrested by operatives of the Kwara State Police Command while allegedly plotting to abduct a businesswoman.

The incident, it was gathered, happened along the Iponrin-Oke Oyi route in the Ilorin East Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects, identified as Abubakar Yusuf (20), Tukur Yahaya (22), and Kabiru Muhammed (22), were apprehended during a joint operation involving the police and local vigilante groups at the Iponrin Maraffa axis.

According to police sources, the suspects were intercepted while allegedly making arrangements to kidnap a woman known for her frequent business trips along the route.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi, said the suspects were cooperating with investigators and have provided credible information to aid the recovery of weapons and the arrest of their accomplices.

‘Items recovered from them included a wooden plank and several mobile phones. However, intelligence gathered by the command indicates that the fleeing accomplices are in possession of firearms used in previous criminal operations,’ she noted.

A late afternoon fire outbreak has destroyed more than 500 stalls at Shuwaki Market in Ghari Local Government Area of Kano State.

The incident occurred around 3:25pm on Wednesday, according to a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Yusif Abdullahi.

Abdullahi said the fire service control room received an emergency call from Abdulmalik Muhammad of the Ghari Fire Station, reporting the inferno.

He said, ‘The crew on duty from the Danbatta Fire Station was immediately dispatched to the scene. On arrival, they found that the market – measuring about 3,000 by 2,500 feet with approximately 1,000 temporary stalls – was engulfed in flames. About 529 stalls were completely burnt to the ground.’

He added that the firefighters successfully contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading to other parts of the market.

The service attributed the cause of the fire to suspected activities of individuals believed to be intoxicated residents of the market area.

No lives were lost in the incident, but the fire service reiterated its warning against unsafe practices that could lead to fire outbreaks, particularly in public markets across the state.

However, several traders who suffered losses in the fire expressed their devastation and called on the government for urgent assistance.

Malam Abdullahi Mudi, a groundnut seller who lost goods worth over N2 million, said the inferno had ruined his only source of livelihood.

‘I just restocked my store a day before the incident. Everything I had is gone. I don’t even know where to start from,’ he lamented.

Amina Ibrahim, who sells female clothing materials, said she narrowly escaped the fire while trying to rescue some of her wares.

‘The fire spread so fast that we couldn’t save anything. I lost over N1.5 million worth of goods. I am appealing to the state government to come to our aid,’ she said.

Usman Ali, a butcher, described the incident as a ‘disaster beyond words,’ adding that many traders were thrown into sudden poverty.

‘Most of us operate on loans. Now that everything is gone, we are left with huge debts and no business,’ he said.

For Rukayya Sulaiman, who trades in foodstuffs, the tragedy has left her family in distress.

‘I lost bags of rice, beans, and other items I bought on credit. I have five children to feed. This fire has destroyed everything we worked for,’ she said.

Another trader, Garba Musa, who sells mobile phone accessories, said he lost both his goods and cash savings.

‘I just withdrew N300,000 to buy new stock. The money and everything I had inside are gone. I don’t know how to recover from this loss,’ he told Daily Trust.

The victims appealed to the state government and well-meaning individuals to provide relief materials and financial assistance to enable them to restart their businesses.

At the time of filing the report, the total worth of properties lost could not be ascertained as officials said they are still trying to collect the data.

Speaking on the development, a seasoned businessman who patronises local markets, Bashir Adamu, described the Shuwaki Market inferno as ‘a severe economic setback’ for the affected traders and the local economy.

He said, ‘Incidents like this go beyond individual loss; they disrupt local supply chains, reduce household income, and increase poverty levels in already vulnerable communities. Many small traders depend entirely on daily sales for survival, so such fires can push them into long-term debt.’

Adamu also called for urgent policy intervention, noting that ‘most market structures in Kano and across Nigeria are not designed with fire safety in mind, especially those in the villages or rural areas.’

He advised the government to ‘enforce standard fire prevention measures, provide insurance schemes for small businesses, and establish emergency recovery funds for traders affected by disasters.’

Eight years later, the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) has lifted the suspension placed on the shares of Aso Savings and Loans Plc, ending almost a decade of inactivity by the company.

The resumption of trading was effective October 21, 2025, after eight years of inactivity.

At the close of trading on Thursday, October 23, 2025, the stock price rose by 9.9% to close at N0.60 kobo per share, up from N0.55 kobo.

A total of 11, 300,155 units were exchanged in 17 trades valued at N6.78 million. Thus, the stock price rose by 10 kobo in two trading sessions between Wednesday, October 22 and Thursday, October 23.

It would be recalled that the mortgage institution’s shares had been frozen at N0.50 since July 5, 2017, following its failure to meet statutory filing obligations under the NGX’s Default Filing Rules.

In a formal notice signed by the Head of Issuer Regulation Department, the Exchange announced that Aso Savings had successfully submitted all outstanding financial statements, thereby satisfying the conditions for lifting the suspension.

‘Trading License Holders and the investing public are hereby notified that the suspension placed on trading in the shares of Aso Savings and Loans Plc has been lifted,’ the statement read.

The price of foodstuffs, especially local rice, beans, guinea-corn, maize, millet, cassava flour, yam, and garri, has further crashed by up to 50 percent in various rural markets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), our correspondent reports.

Abuja Metro, who visited Abaji main market on Wednesday-a market that holds every five days in the area council-reports that a mudu (measure) of local rice, which was sold between N2,000 and N1,800 two months ago, is now sold between N1,500 and N1,300 during the market day.

Findings also showed that a mudu of maize, which was sold between N800 and N600, is now sold between N350 and N400 per mudu.

Similarly, a mudu of white big beans, which sold at N2,500, is now N2,000. A mudu of guinea-corn, previously sold at N1,000, is now N750, and a mudu of millet, which sold at N1,200, is now N900.

However, some traders at the Abaji market, who spoke to our reporter, said prices for some foodstuffs vary, especially beans and rice, which they said are of different types.

‘We have local rice that is so clean you might mistake it for foreign rice. But there is also another locally harvested rice whose appearance makes the price different, though the difference is not more than N200,’ said a trader, Mrs. Asibi Haruna.

Further findings also showed that five tubers of yam, which cost between N10,000 and N15,000 two months ago, are now sold for prices ranging from N4,000 to N7,000, depending on their sizes.

A visit to Kwaita market in Kwali Area Council on Thursday, which holds every four days, showed that a mudu of rice, which was sold between N1,800 and N1,600 few months ago, is now sold for N1,200 and N1,100, though sellers noted the price depends on the variety of rice.

A mudu of beans, which was sold at N2,500, is now N2,000. Traders clarified that the big beans variety is sold at N2,000, while the small white beans is sold between N1,400 and N1,600.

A mudu of guinea-corn, which sold at N1,000, is now N750 per mudu, and a mudu of millet, which sold at N1,200, is now N900.

A trader at Kwaita village market, Malam Garba Abdullahi, said the crash in foodstuffs was due to the bumper harvest experienced by farmers in various rural communities in the FCT.

‘Unlike last year, when I always traveled to the north to buy bags of beans to bring here to sell, this year, local farmers are bringing their harvest to the market to sell in droves. However, one cannot only attribute the crash of foodstuffs to the bumper harvest alone; rather, the lack of money in people’s hands to buy the foodstuffs is the major challenge,’ he said.

Also, at Paikon-Kore and Dobi markets in Gwagwalada Area Council, findings showed that prices of foodstuffs have further crashed by up to 65 percent in the area.

Some traders, who spoke to our reporter on Thursday, said prices of foodstuffs, especially grains, have crashed beyond expectations, noting that consumers mostly come from neighboring towns with trucks to buy in large quantities.

‘For example, a big bag of maize, which was sold for N30,000 two months ago, is now sold between N18,000 and N20,000. Similarly, a bag of guinea-corn, which sold at N35,000, is now N25,000,’ a trader identified as Mathew Nyiste said.

Nyiste said despite the challenges of crop destruction by cows in rural communities, the majority of rural farmers were still able to enjoy a bumper harvest this year.

‘Although, the major problem is that there is no money in people’s hands, as the country’s economy is biting harder on the people. This has contributed to the crash of foodstuffs in the market because the majority of consumers have no money to buy the food, despite the crash,’ he said.

Further findings at Kwaku village market in Kuje Area Council of the FCT also showed that the prices of foodstuffs-comprising rice, beans, guinea-corn, millet, yam, and cassava flour-have crashed.

It was gathered that the price of a mudu of rice, beans, millet, and cassava flour, as well as tubers of yam, had crashed by up to 67 percent during the last village market, which held on Sunday in the area.

Mr. Wabari James, a resident of Kwaku village, told our reporter that a mudu of rice, which sold at N1,700, is now N1,100. A mudu of beans, which sold at N2,300, is now between N1,600 and N2,000. He added that a medium size of five yam tubers is now sold for N3,500 to N4,000.

‘But the major problem is that there is no money. If not for that, foodstuffs in Kwaku market this year are cheap. However, only a few traders who come from Abuja city and parts of Kogi and Edo states are buying in large quantities,’ he said.

Major General (rtd) Mainasara Abdul Masanawa, a defence innovation and industrial development expert, has said that Nigeria must be self-sufficient in military equipment production to end terrorism.

Masanawa stated this at the 6th Abuja Forum 2025 held at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in Abuja on Thursday.

The programme, themed ‘Deepening the Implementation of the ‘China-Africa Cooperation 2035 Vision’ – Forging a Closer China-Africa Community with a Shared Future: Putting Theory into Practice’, was organised by The Gusau Institute and attracted participants from within and outside Nigeria.

He said that if Nigeria finds a way to produce military equipment locally, it would be easier for Africa to tackle terrorism.

‘How do we support the Sahel region in fighting terrorism or counter-terrorism? We need to be self-sufficient. How can we be self-sufficient if we are dependent on imports virtually on our defence list, which actually take a minimum of one year to arrive when that contract is awarded?

‘So, the solution is for us to be able to produce all or most of our defence list. And that’s why the military industrial companies are working.

‘And if Nigeria gets its own military defence industrial companies regular rights, you’ll find that we can supply most of this defence equipment to our friendly neighbouring Sahel and other parts of African countries,’ he said.

According to Mainasara, if there is no peace, there can’t be any meaningful development.

He added, ‘If we have the facilities and the equipment to fight or to suppress terrorism absolutely, then there will be development, not only in Nigeria but in the whole of the Sahel region and other parts of Africa.

‘China has been very cooperative in supplying us, because I know in the past, they were able to establish the 7.62mm by 39 ammunition production line in Daikon.’

Earlier, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau Muhammed (rtd), said that the 2035 Vision for China-Africa Cooperation offers a bold and structured framework for building a more equitable and resilient future.

He said, ‘But as the theme reminds us, the real challenge lies in implementation. This is where institutions like ours-research centres, think tanks, academic bodies, and policy hubs-must step forward to support decision-makers.’

The recent endorsement rally organised by the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has once again exposed divisions within the ruling party.

What was intended to be a show of unity and renewed loyalty to both leaders ahead of the 2027 general election has instead laid bare the enduring rivalry between two major blocs in Kogi APC: the Ododo/Yahaya Bello group and the Faleke/Audu political family.

Held on October 18 at the Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre in Lokoja, the rally attracted large crowds from across the 21 local government areas, including political appointees, lawmakers, and party executives. Among the notable figures in attendance were former Governor Yahaya Bello and Senator Smart Adeyemi. However, the absence of key figures from the Faleke/Audu bloc, particularly Hon. James Faleke, a federal lawmaker and close ally of President Tinubu, and Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, the late Abubakar Audu’s son and current Minister of Steel Development, spoke louder than the speeches and cheers that filled the hall.

The event, which the organisers described as an ‘organic show of support’, quickly became the flashpoint of a renewed debate about inclusion, fairness, and political succession in Kogi APC.

A house divided

According to multiple party sources, the latest rift reflects a long-running struggle for control of the APC structure in Kogi, a conflict that dates back to the aftermath of the 2015 governorship election. The death of Prince Abubakar Audu, then APC candidate, a few hours before his likely victory, set off a political realignment that saw Yahaya Bello, who came second in the party primaries, emerge as governor.

Faleke, Audu’s running mate, was denied the chance to inherit the joint ticket, a move many in the Tinubu camp saw as a slight against their leader, who had invested heavily in the campaign. The fallout from that episode still shapes the political dynamics of the state today.

Political observers say the endorsement rally was therefore less about Tinubu and more about consolidating the Ododo/Bello structure amid growing speculation that Faleke may be positioned for the 2027 APC ticket.

Underlying resentments

Beyond the political optics, deep-seated ethnic and factional sentiments also played out. For years, Kogi West, home to the Okun-Yoruba, has demanded a turn at the governorship. The zone, which has never produced a governor since the state’s creation, sees the current tension as a continuation of its political marginalisation.

Professor Ponle Adeniyi, an Okun elder, said the rally reawakened old frustrations.

He said, ‘The root of this disillusionment often traces back to a fundamental act of betrayal.

‘In 2019, while soliciting support for his second term, the then-Governor Yahaya Bello pledged before prominent Okun elders that his successor would be one of their own. Because the Okun people are virtuous and perhaps politically naïve, our elders believed him and galvanised crucial support, securing his victory.

‘When the time came to honour that pledge, it was breached with utter impunity.’

Structure and survival

For analysts, the crisis in Kogi APC is also about the control of the party’s machinery.

A Lokoja-based political commentator, Jamiu Abubakar, said the current APC structure is the product of Yahaya Bello’s political architecture, which replaced the original Audu-Faleke foundation that won the state for the APC in 2015.

‘The present leadership of the party in Kogi is a continuation of the Bello order. Those who built the initial structure were displaced or sidelined.

He added that the new political order at the national level appears to favour the Audu-Faleke group, a development that has sent jitters through the Yahaya Bello/Ododo camp, which fears that a political payback may be imminent.

He said the endorsement rally was a clear sign that reconciliation efforts within the party have yet to yield positive fruits.

Fallout from Karimi’s criticism

Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West, amplified the discord when he described the rally as ‘unnecessary, insensitive and self-serving’. According to him, President Tinubu’s performance will speak for him when the time comes.

‘There’s no need to march people out like schoolchildren for endorsements,’ he added.

His comments drew swift reactions from loyalists of Governor Ododo. Seven council chairmen from Kogi West issued a joint statement condemning Karimi’s remarks as ‘unfortunate and ungrateful’, insisting that the massive turnout at the civic centre was genuine.

‘The crowd came out willingly to show love and loyalty to President Tinubu and Governor Ododo. The voice vote was not stage-managed,’ the statement, read by Kabba/Bunu council chairman Zacchaeus Dare Michael, said.

The chairmen urged members to disregard Karimi’s ‘outburst’ and focus on ensuring APC’s victory in 2027.

However, a faction within the party dismissed the council chairmen’s defence as hollow. A group calling itself Concerned APC Members described the rally as ‘a self-serving exercise’, accusing the organisers of trying to curry favour with the state leadership.

‘The local government chairmen from the West district lack the moral standing to speak for our people,’ said the group’s spokesperson, Muhammad Suleiman.

‘They should focus on governance and leave flattery alone. Everyone knows Tinubu’s popularity doesn’t need a choreographed show.’

Another pressure group, Movement for the Emancipation of Kogi State, which has been promoting a red cap insignia as an emblem of uprising, said the rally was not about loyalty but fear of losing control.

‘Kogi APC stands at a crossroads. Behind the smiles and slogans lies mistrust and resentment among stakeholders who feel alienated. What was meant to show unity has instead widened the cracks,’ the group said in a statement.

The Amupitan factor

The internal tension in the Kogi APC has also been stoked by the recent appointment of Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The new INEC chairman hails from the same Kogi West axis as Faleke, who is regarded as one of President Tinubu’s closest allies and is believed in some quarters to have had a hand in his emergence.

Party insiders say Amupitan’s appointment has unsettled the Ododo/Bello camp, which suspects that the move could tilt future political advantages towards Faleke. There is growing speculation that Faleke, who played a key role in Tinubu’s 2023 presidential campaign, may be groomed to succeed Ododo in 2027.

‘The endorsement rally was not just about Tinubu’s second term,’ a top APC source told Daily Trust. ‘It was a pre-emptive move by the Bello camp to reassert Ododo’s legitimacy and send a message to Abuja that Kogi is still under their control.’

According to the source, the Bello bloc sees Faleke’s rising influence at the national level and fears that the combination of his relationship with President Tinubu and the new INEC chairman could reshape the state’s political dynamics.

Analysts say the calculations are not misplaced. The Tinubu camp has never hidden its displeasure over the events of 2015, seeing Yahaya Bello’s emergence as ‘an act of political spite’ against Tinubu by the powers that be at the time.

Now, with Tinubu in the presidency and Amupitan overseeing INEC, observers believe Faleke may finally have the platform to claim what was once within his grasp. ‘If Faleke is ever to become governor, his best opportunity will be under Tinubu. Having an INEC chairman from his zone only strengthens that possibility,’ said a political observer in Lokoja.

Following his appointment, several influential political figures across the three senatorial districts were said to have been making frantic efforts to gain his attention, signalling his growing significance in the unfolding political landscape.

However, in certain quarters within the state’s power blocs, some political gladiators are said to be uneasy over the new INEC chairman’s reputation for being principled and uncompromising. There are fears that his insistence on due process and transparency could frustrate some entrenched interests ahead of the 2027 elections.

‘The fear of the new INEC chairman sticking to the rules of the game has gripped many of the political actors,’ said Godwin Amanabo, a political pundit and retired director in the Federal Civil Service.

Shifting alliances and future battles

The growing speculation about Faleke’s future has intensified political realignments across Kogi’s three senatorial districts. While the Ododo/Bello group consolidates its hold on the state structure, several key politicians from Kogi West and even parts of the East are reportedly re-establishing contact with Abuja-based power brokers ahead of the next election cycle.

Some appointees believed to have fallen out with the current administration are said to be quietly aligning with the Faleke camp, anticipating that national influence may soon outweigh state machinery. At the same time, former allies of Bello who have been politically sidelined see in Faleke’s resurgence a chance to return to relevance.

As the dust from the rally settles, one fact remains clear: the Kogi APC is far from united. The old wounds of 2015, deepened by questions of power rotation and internal exclusion, have resurfaced with renewed force.

For the Bello/Ododo camp, the priority is to consolidate control of the party and ensure Ododo’s continuity beyond 2027. For the Faleke/Audu family, the focus is on reclaiming what they believe was unjustly taken, this time with the advantage of presidential goodwill.

A senior APC member summed it up bluntly: ‘Kogi APC is not one house. It’s two houses under one roof. One belongs to Yahaya Bello; the other to Faleke. The endorsement rally was just a reminder that the roof is already leaking.’

The federal government has verified over 960,000 Nigerian youths for training under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative of the Federal Ministry of Education.

Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, announced this during an inspection of partner centres in Abuja, including the AFS Vocational Hub and Golden Finger Farms.

Alausa said over 250,000 trainees are already undergoing practical sessions across 2,600 accredited centres, describing the scheme as a milestone in skills development and youth empowerment.

He explained that 1.3 million people applied within 10 days of registration, after which 960,000 were verified through NIN and BVN. The programme now focuses on 28 priority trades such as fashion design, livestock farming, plumbing, and tiling.

‘Our curriculum is 90 percent practical. We want youths to learn by doing,’ he said, adding that participants will receive starter packs and business grants upon completion.

Alausa reaffirmed that the programme supports President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at turning Nigerian youths from job seekers into job creators.

The Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) is marking its 22nd anniversary with a grand celebration of global cinema, recognizing excellence and honoring notable Nigerians for their contributions to the creative industry.

This year’s edition, which runs from November 6 to 10, 2025, will feature an exciting lineup of film screenings, panel discussions, and capacity-building workshops, reaffirming AIFF’s reputation as West Africa’s longest-running film festival.

Despite global disruptions over the years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival has maintained an unbroken streak since its inception, becoming a symbol of resilience and cultural pride for Nigeria’s film community.

More than 1,500 films from 80 countries were submitted for this year’s edition, with 70 selected for screening. Nigerian titles such as Ajaga, Kakanda, and Safari lead the list of top nominees, alongside international contenders like Iriso from Japan and I Just Live from Russia. In the acting categories, Nigerian stars including Lateef Adedimeji, Daniel Etim Effiong, and Ikechukwu Onunaku were nominated in the Outstanding Actors category, while Osas Ighodaro, Amina Shehu, and Uche Montana made the shortlist for Outstanding Actresses.

According to the festival’s media officer, Abah Duker, several distinguished personalities will receive the Special Recognition Award at this year’s closing gala for their contributions to the Nigerian creative landscape. Honorees include Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Alhaji Abah Mohammed of Kano, and Dr. Supo Olusi, Managing Director and CEO of the Bank of Industry.

Speaking on the festival’s journey, founder Fidelis Duker said the Abuja International Film Festival has continued to evolve as a platform that connects filmmakers, audiences, and investors while spotlighting Nigerian cinema on the global stage.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be honest with Nigerians on the real reasons behind the ‘sudden and rather abrupt change in the leadership of the Nigerian military’.

Daily Trust had reported how the president sacked majority of the service chiefs he appointed two years ago.

In a statement,?Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi,?National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, said the party was concerned that the change happened after the rumoured coup plot.

‘While we acknowledge that the President, as the Commander-in-Chief, reserves the power to make such changes as he may deem fit, we are somewhat concerned that this change is coming in the wake of widespread rumours of an attempted coup.

‘We reiterate our earlier view that the reactions of government to the dangerous rumour have veered between deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion in a matter that required crystal clarity.

‘We note that nearly all the Service Chiefs that have been removed were appointed only 28 months ago, with the current Chief of Defence Staff himself appointed just a year ago as Chief of Army Staff.

‘We also note that this kind of decision has serious and far-reaching implications for stability within the ranks and therefore could not have been taken without strong reasons.

‘Our position remains therefore that the Federal Government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened.

‘As an opposition political party, our interest remains the stability of our country and our democracy. In the light of developments in our neighbourhood of Chad and the Sahel States, we are gravely concerned.

‘Without prejudice to what might have happened in recent weeks, it is obvious that the Tinubu administration is distracted. Insecurity continues to spread with terrorist groups staging a comeback in some parts of the country, while bandits reign supreme in other parts. But this is not the reason the government is changing the Service Chiefs. Instead, the administration’s attention appears fully focused on regime politics rather than securing the lives of Nigerians.

‘This action of near wholesale change in the leadership of the country’s military, if anything, will only further promote rumours and conspiracy theories.

‘We therefore reiterate our earlier position that the Federal Government must address the issue transparently and reassure Nigerians that our democracy is not under threat.’