Category: Nigerian Tribune

The Ekiti State Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Musa Arogundade, has dismissed reports that he has resigned his position, saying he remains the recognised chairman of the party in the state.

Arogundade described the report as a rumour, stressing that he was duly appointed by the leaders and stakeholders of the party in May 2026.

While addressing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, the NDC chairman said there was no crisis in the state chapter, adding that he and other members of the state executive were working with the party’s leaders to strengthen the organisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

‘I want to debunk the rumour circulating in the media that I, Hon. Musa Arogundade, resigned my appointment as the State Chairman of NDC in Ekiti State.

‘I was duly appointed by the leaders and stakeholders of the party in May this year. There is no issue between me and the leaders of the party. The leadership, the state executive members and I are working together for the progress of the party,’ he said.

Arogundade also explained that any decision by him to resign would be formally communicated to the national leadership of the party, rather than to individuals within the organisation.

‘If I want to resign, I will send my resignation letter to the national body of the party because I was inaugurated at the national secretariat during the last NEC meeting.

‘So, if I want to resign, I will put my signature and submit it to the national body of the party, not to an individual in the party,’ he stated.

The chairman expressed optimism that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would emerge victorious in the 2027 general elections, urging members to remain united and committed to the party’s success.

‘Our presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, will emerge victorious as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We will work collectively to ensure success for all our candidates at the national and state levels,’ he said.

Human rights lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi has said social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has effectively replaced the judiciary as the hope of the common man in Nigeria.

Farotimi made the remark while reacting to the controversy over VeryDarkMan’s invitation to the Nigerian Bar Association’s 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt.

In a video uploaded on YouTube on Saturday, the activist argued that VeryDarkMan’s growing influence was a reflection of Nigerians’ declining confidence in the country’s justice system.

Farotimi said the emergence of individuals who take on roles associated with exposing wrongdoing and seeking redress would be unlikely in a society where the police and courts function effectively.

‘A society that has law and order, that is ruled by law, that has a functional police system, a functional court system, would not even tolerate the presence or existence of a VDM. VDM is the life indictment of a judicial system that is essentially peopled by crooks in the place of jurists. That’s what VDM is.

‘It represents a type, a type that has been tolerated, mollified because of the failure of the system.’

He described VeryDarkMan as a reflection of the wider problems within Nigerian society, arguing that criticism of the activist would not address the institutional failures that had contributed to his popularity.

‘The reality is that you are the one who has to do something to fix the image in the mirror. VDM is merely the image in your mirror. The society you have built requires VDM to find justice.

‘It’s easier to find justice through the types and likes of VDM than through your courts. They say the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. Nah, lie.

‘VDM has become the last hope of the common man in the society that you built. Shame on all of you. And not just the lawyers or the judges, but the entire society that has made this possible.’

Farotimi further warned that the situation could produce more figures operating outside traditional institutions if the underlying grievances remained unresolved.

‘The society you built requires VDM to do justice. Very soon there will be multiplicities of VDM in the society that you have built. And if you have not noticed, there are already copycat VDMs springing up.

‘Because the society requires VDM to find justice. How much of a shameful society have we built? Or shall I say shameless society?’

According to him, the development should be viewed as an indication that Nigeria’s institutions were failing to meet the expectations of citizens.

‘If the courts are useless, the VDMs of this world will emerge. And if you think VDM is the end of it, that’s the best you’re going to get. The ones who will come after, some of them will come behind him and they will carry guns to enforce their laws.’

He urged Nigerians to look beyond VeryDarkMan and confront the institutional weaknesses that had created the conditions for alternative sources of justice to gain public acceptance.

‘The reality of the matter is that, look very well in that mirror. Look well in the mirror that is being held up for you. If you have built a society where the truth has become an offense, it is because the law does not rule that society.

‘In societies where the law rules, the truth is protected almost at any and all cost.’

Farotimi also said meaningful reform of the judiciary could not depend on the removal or death of individual figures, but would require collective efforts to address systemic problems.

‘I wrote a book. It wasn’t about Afe Babaola. My book was about the judicial, is about the judiciary. No matter how corrupt you might deem a single person, human beings are necessarily mortals. You don’t die one day.

‘Would the death of anybody end the corruption and put refraction into the judiciary or society? No. It would take the collective determined to change our sickling reality to ever change it, if they will.’

‘Would the death of anybody end the corruption and put refraction into the judiciary or society? No. It would take the collective determined to change our sickling reality to ever change it, if they will.’

He said the controversy surrounding VeryDarkMan’s invitation should instead prompt questions about why Nigerians increasingly perceive individuals such as the activist as more capable of securing justice than formal institutions.

‘But the reality is that this is what Nigeria has become. If you are going to be bemoaning his invitation, ask yourself what led us to get to the point where we built a society, where justice is better assured with a VDM than your court.

‘It didn’t happen overnight.

‘It didn’t happen by accident. We didn’t stumble into this. We allowed it.’

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to pray for politicians to stop stealing public funds, saying politicians remain the major problem confronting the country.

Obi made the remarks during Sunday’s worship service at Koinonia Global, where he was acknowledged by the founder of Eternity Network International, Apostle Joshua Selman.

Selman invited Obi, who was in the congregation, to share a few words with worshippers.

Surprised by the recognition, Obi said he was unsure of what to say but urged the congregation to pray for the country’s political leaders.

‘I don’t know what to say, but people are here for different reasons.

‘We are all here for prayers, but pray for us politicians to stop stealing,’ Obi said during the service, which was broadcast live on YouTube.

The former Anambra governor maintained that politicians were responsible for many of the challenges facing Nigeria, insisting that there was nothing fundamentally wrong with the country itself.

‘Politicians are the problem of the country. There is nothing wrong with the country, but the politicians are the issue,’ he said.

Obi further appealed to Nigerians not to distinguish between politicians based on political affiliations or perceived performance, but to pray for all political leaders.

‘Pray for us politicians. Let God touch us to cease stealing. Do not say one is good and another is bad. We (politicians) are the problem of the country,’ he added.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s development compared with other countries that gained independence around the same period, Obi urged Nigerians to read the book, ‘Growing Apart’, saying he had seen how other nations had developed by doing things differently.

‘I’ve seen things work in other countries. People should refrain from embezzling public funds. If we do the right thing, things will improve,’ Obi concluded.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports circulating online that it is currently recruiting and training ad hoc staff for the 2027 General Election.

In a statement on its verified social media handle, the Commission described the claim and the link being shared as fake.

‘The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to a message circulating online claiming that the Commission is currently recruiting and training ad hoc staff for the 2027 General Election and directing applicants to: (gvly.xyz/INEC-Ad-hoc-St…),’ INEC said.

‘THIS INFORMATION IS NOT FROM INEC. The website/link being circulated is NOT an official INEC recruitment portal.

The Commission warned members of the public not to click on the link, submit personal details, upload documents or make any payment on the platform.

‘Members of the public are strongly advised NOT to click on the link, submit personal information, upload documents or make any payment through the platform,’ it stated.

INEC said all official recruitment and election-related announcements are published only through its verified communication channels and website, inecnigeria.org.

‘The Commission has previously warned the public about fraudulent websites and fake recruitment advertisements purporting to originate from INEC,’ the statement added.

‘Please disregard and do not circulate this false recruitment notice. Stay informed. Stay safe. Always verify before you click. #StopFakeNews’

A clinical oncologist, Dr Omolola Salako, has expressed concern over the increasing number of young Nigerians being diagnosed with cancer, noting that people between 18 and 39 are presenting with forms of the disease that can be difficult to predict.

Salako, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Pearl Oncology Specialist Hospital, raised the concern during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Sunday.

She said the growing incidence of cancer among young adults was particularly worrying because many of them are below the age bracket at which routine cancer screening is usually recommended.

‘And for young cancers, that’s another thing we’re seeing in oncology, there are young people between the ages of 18 and 39 that are developing cancers and these cancers are unpredictable, too young to recommend cancer screening in the first place,’ she said.

According to the oncologist, the delayed consideration of cancer in younger patients often means that some do not seek medical attention until the disease has progressed.

‘And with the younger adults, they tend to present, you know, late because that’s the last thing on a 20-something years old mind,’ Salako stated.

Salako identified tobacco use as one of the major risk factors for cancer, warning that exposure is not limited to people who smoke directly.

She explained that tobacco contains thousands of chemicals capable of initiating cancer.

‘Smoking contains tobacco. And in tobacco, there are more than 3,000 chemicals that are known to trigger cancer or start cancer,’ she said.

The specialist added that people who spend time around smokers could also be exposed to harmful substances.

‘Whether you’re smoking it or you’re leaving or hanging around the person who’s smoking, all of that are risk factors,’ she said.

She urged Nigerians to take cancer prevention seriously by making use of healthcare facilities for preventive services and early detection.

Salako said vaccination against hepatitis B and human papillomavirus, alongside appropriate screening, could help reduce the burden of cancer among Nigerians.

‘And 40% of cancers are preventable. So it’s important women and men are presented at the primary care health care levels to get screened, get vaccinated against hepatitis B virus, human papillomavirus,’ she stated.

The oncologist also identified a strong family history of cancer as an important warning sign.

She advised individuals who have had several family members diagnosed with cancer to consult specialists and undergo appropriate genetic assessments.

‘Another challenge I must highlight are those with a strong family history of cancer,’ Salako said.

She explained that genetic testing and other specialist assessments could help identify people at higher risk and facilitate early detection.

‘When there’s a strong family history, you should see a specialist, you should do some genetic tests and there are some drugs and tests that can be done to detect the cancers when they are at stage zero, pre-cancers, when they are microscopic,’ she said.

Salako further identified several health and lifestyle factors that could contribute to cancer risk, including kidney disease progressing to renal failure, uncontrolled hypertension and micronutrient deficiency.

She also cautioned against viewing electronic cigarettes as a completely safe alternative to conventional tobacco products.

According to her, heavy and prolonged alcohol consumption can place stress on the liver, cause chronic inflammation and contribute to some forms of cancer.

She also warned about prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation, particularly among fair-skinned people and individuals with albinism, who have lower levels of melanin.

The oncologist explained that reduced protection from ultraviolet radiation could lead to skin damage, including repeated sunburn.

She stressed that chronic inflammation was a common pathway through which several risk factors could contribute to cancer development.

‘At the end of the day, almost everything leads to inflammation,’ Salako said.

She explained that repeated damage to body cells could eventually create conditions that allow cancer to develop.

‘The problem with cancer is, it just takes one arrow in one cell and finds a way to hide. And that’s how cancer can develop,’ she stated.

A household may use less electricity during a difficult month and still receive a bill that seems disconnected from what it actually consumed.

Meanwhile, if that happens frequently, the sensible response is not to argue at the payment counter or pay an unofficial ‘metering agent.’ The better route is to use the regulatory process.

The phrase secure prepaid meter NERC guidelines is therefore about more than getting a device installed.

It is about understanding your rights, applying through the proper channel, challenging an improper estimate and keeping evidence until the dispute is resolved.

What estimated billing means

An unmetered customer is not supposed to be billed according to whatever figure a Distribution Company (DisCo) chooses.

NERC says unmetered customers must be billed according to its approved estimated-billing methodology, while its Customer Protection Regulations require a DisCo to calculate consumption using a method approved by the Commission.

NERC also operates an energy-cap framework intended to prevent unmetered customers from being billed above applicable limits.

That does not mean every estimated bill is automatically correct. It means there is a regulatory framework against arbitrary billing. A customer who believes an estimate is excessive has the right to challenge it.

NERC’s consumer-rights guidance states that customers have the right to transparent billing, a properly installed and functional meter, and the right to contest an electricity bill.

It also states that an unmetered customer disputing an estimated bill may withhold the disputed bill while paying the last undisputed bill during the dispute-resolution process.

Start with your DisCo

The safest way to pursue a prepaid meter is through the electricity distribution company serving your premises and the official metering channels it recognises.

Avoid anyone who appears at your gate promising a ‘special connection’ or asking for money into a personal account.

NERC’s Metering FAQ explains that customers can obtain meters through their DisCo’s approved rollout or, where rollout is unacceptably long, through the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework.

Under that arrangement, customers may pay upfront for a meter and receive reimbursement through energy credits under the applicable regulatory framework.

NERC directs customers to their DisCo’s website for the specific application and payment procedure.

This distinction matters because a genuine metering process should leave a trace: an application, official payment record, customer details and an identifiable provider. If someone cannot explain which authorised channel they represent, do not hand over money simply because they promise faster installation.

Use the meter route when estimated bills become unreasonable

A prepaid meter changes the billing relationship because the customer buys electricity credit in advance rather than receiving a monthly estimate. But obtaining one is not a license to bypass the DisCo’s procedures.

If you have been waiting for a meter, document your account number, supply address, recent bills and previous requests for metering.

Keep screenshots, receipts and correspondence. This evidence becomes valuable if the application stalls or a dispute develops.

NERC’s Metering Code, third edition, published in March 2026, defines a prepaid meter as a meter that requires the customer to pay for consumption in advance before using electricity from the network. The Code forms part of the technical framework governing metering in Nigeria’s electricity supply industry.

What to do if your existing meter is faulty

This is an important distinction because a customer should not automatically be pushed back into ordinary estimated billing simply because a meter has stopped working.

NERC’s billing FAQ states that when a faulty or obsolete meter is removed, the DisCo is required to install a replacement meter and should not place the customer on estimated billing because of its own failure to replace it.

Where a replacement cannot be provided within a billing period, NERC says an average based on the customer’s previous three months’ billing or vending may be used for determining consumption.

That gives customers a practical reason to report meter faults immediately and keep the complaint reference.

If a DisCo removes a meter and then begins issuing unexplained estimates, the customer has a documented basis for challenging the treatment.

Challenge an inflated bill properly

Do not rely on verbal complaints alone. Write to the DisCo’s Customer Complaints Unit and clearly identify the disputed bill, the amount, the period covered and why you believe it is incorrect. Attach previous bills, meter photographs, payment records and relevant communication.

NERC’s Customer Protection Regulations provide that a DisCo must review a customer’s bill when requested.

During the review, the customer is generally required to pay an amount based on the average bills at the premises over the preceding 12 months, or the available period if the customer has occupied the premises for less than a year.

If the review establishes that the bill is wrong, the DisCo is required to amend it. Where an overcharge is identified, the regulations provide for the amount to be credited to the customer’s next bill.

This is different from simply refusing to pay everything. A formal dispute creates a record and keeps the matter within the regulatory process.

Escalate when the complaint goes nowhere

The complaint process has stages. NERC says the first point of contact is the DisCo’s Customer Complaints Unit. If the complaint is not satisfactorily handled or there is unreasonable delay, the customer can escalate to the relevant NERC Consumer Forum and, where applicable, appeal further to the Commission.

For consumers, complaints about disputed bills, metering delays and related DisCo issues should now go to the relevant state electricity regulator rather than NERC as the primary complaint channel.

That means consumers should confirm which regulator has jurisdiction over their electricity market before escalating. The applicable regulator may depend on the state and the DisCo serving the premises.

Be careful with outstanding electricity debt

An old electricity debt can complicate disputes, particularly when moving into a property previously occupied by another customer.

NERC advises new occupants to establish the property’s billing status and notify the DisCo in writing if an outstanding bill belongs to a former tenant.

Do not casually accept responsibility for another customer’s consumption. Put the issue on record when you move in and retain evidence showing the date your tenancy began.

The same discipline should apply when seeking a meter. If someone tells you that you must pay an unofficial fee or settle an unexplained debt before you can apply, request the requirement in writing and verify it through the DisCo or regulator.

Never tamper with a meter to escape estimated billing

An expensive estimated bill can make illegal shortcuts look tempting, but bypassing a meter, interfering with electrical installations or allowing unauthorized alterations can create both safety and regulatory problems.

NERC’s consumer guidance makes clear that customers must not tamper with or bypass electricity installations and must protect metering equipment belonging to the DisCo.

A disputed bill should therefore be challenged through the complaint process rather than through physical interference with the supply system.

Turn frustration into a documented case

The strongest consumer is not necessarily the one who argues the loudest. It is the one who keeps records.

Save every bill, payment receipt, meter photograph, complaint reference, email and official response. When contacting the DisCo, state exactly what you want: a meter, a bill review, correction of an overcharge, clarification of an estimate or escalation of an unresolved complaint.

A clear paper trail makes it much harder for a complaint to disappear into a series of informal conversations. It also gives the next level of the complaint process something concrete to investigate.

A prepaid meter is not a shortcut around the rules

Getting away from estimated billing is a legitimate goal, but the safest route is an official one. Understand the applicable NERC rules, apply through the authorized metering channel, keep proof of payment and challenge questionable bills through the established complaint mechanism.

The secure prepaid meter NERC guidelines approach is ultimately about replacing frustration with procedure.

You do not need to accept an unexplained estimate simply because it appears on your bill, and you should not pay an unofficial intermediary because someone promises to ‘fix’ your meter faster.

Use the regulator’s framework, document every step and escalate when the first level of complaint does not resolve the problem. That is how an electricity consumer protects both their money and their right to transparent billing.

The resolution was reached at the G100 First Summit of Nigeria’s opposition political party leaders and stakeholders with the theme : ‘A national covenant for democratic renewal’, held in Abuja, where presidential candidates, national chairmen, principal leaders and members of the National Executive Councils of the participating parties converged to deliberate on opposition cooperation.

The parties involved are: African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Some of the leaders of Opposition Parties who attended the summit are: ADC National Vice Chairman, South South, Usani Usani; ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; Vice Presidential Candidate of Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Lawal Daura; Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Fred Agbedi; Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), Dr. Babangida Aliyu; Presidential Candidate of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr. Donald Duke; National Chairman of PRP, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed; Vice Presidential Candidate of PRP, Ambassador Kabiru Rabiu; National Chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Professor Sadiq Umar Gombe; Presidential Candidate of SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo; and SDP Vice Presidential Candidate, Usman Bugaje.

In a communique issued at the end of the summit and presented by Spokesman of the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives, Hon. Victor Ogene, the six parties agreed to commit their respective organisations to a structured negotiation process aimed at developing a framework for opposition cooperation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The opposition leaders who expressed displeasure over the worsening security situation, rising cost of living, unemployment and scarcity of opportunities confronting Nigerians, stressed that the challenges required political cooperation that transcended the narrow interests of individual parties.

They also resolved to establish three standing coalition organs: the Central Leadership Committee, Publicity and Communication Committee, and Legal Committee. The committees are expected to provide overall political direction, coordinate the cooperation process, manage joint messaging and media engagement, and advise on the legal and constitutional aspects of the proposed alliance.

The Coalition further agreed to constitute five Working Groups, each comprising one nominee from every participating party, with a four-week mandate to prepare a National Covenant for Democratic Renewal, Single-Term Transition Charter, National Reform Programme, Framework for Opposition Unity and Roadmap to a Common Presidential Candidate.

On the controversy surrounding records allegedly linked to President Bola Tinubu in the United States, the G100 called for transparency and lawful disclosure, while noting that its demand did not constitute a finding of wrongdoing.

Hon. Ogene said: ‘We further resolve that transparency concerning persons entrusted with the highest offices of the Republic is indispensable to democratic legitimacy and public confidence. Accordingly, the G100 calls upon the Government of the United States of America, acting through its appropriate authorities and consistently with applicable law and existing judicial processes, to ensure the timely processing and lawful disclosure of all non-exempt official records concerning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that bear legitimate public interest for the Nigerian people.

‘We note the ongoing Freedom of Information Act proceedings before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and maintain that Nigerians are entitled to the fullest clarity that the law permits on matters touching upon the integrity and credibility of the Presidency. This demand does not presume the contents of any undisclosed record or constitute a finding of wrongdoing.

‘The G100 shall consequently communicate this position formally to the ECOWAS Commission and appropriate Community institutions, requesting their diplomatic and institutional engagement in support of transparency, lawful disclosure and the democratic right of citizens to informed public accountability.’

The opposition parties agreed to reconvene at a Second Summit where the reports of the five Working Groups would be presented for consideration and adoption, with the date and venue to be determined by the Central Leadership Committee.

They also clarified that the G100 would remain a facilitator, observer and provider of technical support throughout the negotiation process, rather than replacing the authority of the political parties and their duly recognised organs.

The parties pledged to sustain the spirit of cooperation demonstrated at the First Summit and work in good faith towards building ‘a credible and united opposition’ capable of providing Nigerians with a viable political alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking earlier, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Fred Agbedi, also threw the weight of the Caucus behind the opposition coalition initiative, saying the Caucus was ready to partner with the G100 to bring opposition parties together ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Hon. Agbedi said the objective should go beyond removing the APC from power, stressing that the ultimate responsibility was to rescue Nigeria from what he described as the hardship and suffering confronting citizens. ‘We want to streamline our ambitions and ensure that we take this government out. Not just take this government out, but salvage Nigeria,’ he said.

The Minority Leader argued that opposition parties must jettison the pursuit of individual interests and embrace unity, insisting that there should be no issue of a preferred candidate at the initial stage. According to him, ‘there is no issue of preferred candidates. There is no issue of one we love more than the other. But that there is strength in unity.’

He urged opposition leaders to learn from the 2015 election when parties came together to defeat a sitting government, saying the same strategy could be replicated in 2027. ‘Some will say it’s late, but we feel it’s better late than never,’ Agbedi said, urging political leaders to make sacrifices and give the coalition process the necessary credibility.

On his part, Convener of G100, Dr. Salihu Lukman, who blamed the opposition’s failure to unite for its defeat in previous presidential elections, particularly in 2023, saying the lessons of past elections should guide the current process, recalled that opposition parties went into the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections divided, but adopted a different strategy in 2015 when they negotiated and agreed on rules before deciding who would emerge as candidate.

Dr. Lukman said the 2015 experience demonstrated that political parties did not need to like one another to work together, but only needed to agree on a common framework. ‘They agreed on the rules before they knew the outcome. That is the entire secret, and it is not a secret at all,’ he said.

Reflecting on the 2023 presidential election, the G100 leader said the opposition’s votes were divided among several candidates, allowing the APC to emerge victorious. ‘Nobody stole thirteen million votes. We divided them ourselves, in public, and we did it knowing exactly what the consequence would be,’ he said, urging the parties to avoid repeating the same mistake in 2027.

Speaking for the APM, its representative, Yusuf Burage, described the summit as an opportunity to make history and restore power to the people, saying the parties must place national interest above individual and partisan ambitions. ‘We are here because we all believe in the project Nigeria, not because of our individual interest and for us to succeed…we must look beyond our individual interest, our party interest,’ he said.

Representing the ADC, Usani Usani said the proposed coalition was workable but cautioned against making the emergence of a single presidential candidate the only measure of success. He said the opposition could still win through a carefully coordinated strategy, adding that the parties should not be discouraged if consensus on a candidate was not immediately achieved. ‘It is a matter of strategy,’ Bwala said, adding that ‘for us, it is possible. For us, it is not only possible but mandatory. Because it is now or never.’

The National Chairman of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) said his party was fully committed to the coalition process, describing unity among opposition parties as necessary for rescuing the country. He said the NDC would continue to participate in the initiative with sincerity, seriousness and conviction, stressing that ‘it is a good thing when opposition political parties that are not pretending but are convinced that our country is in comatose’ come together to establish a pathway for national recovery.

The Secretary of the PDP Board of Trustees, Babangida Aliyu, commended the G100 for initiating the summit, saying personal ambitions and pecuniary interests had previously undermined opposition cooperation. He called for the coalition discussions to be taken to the states and local government areas to deepen grassroots mobilisation. ‘We are not here…to pick or to nominate or to tell other parties not to run. No. We are going to lay the foundation that when the time comes, we should be able to say this is the way to go,’ Aliyu said.

The PRP, through Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the party had come to the summit with its presidential candidate, vice-presidential candidate and 20 members of its National Executive Committee because it believed in the substance of the proposed alliance. He declared that the opposition parties were determined to challenge the APC in 2027, telling Nigerians: ‘Don’t lose hope. This coalition is a sign of hope. There is a light being beamed.’

He added that the parties were committed to using ‘all legal and legitimate means’ to secure a change of government in 2027.

In his presentation, PRP Presidential Candidate, Dr. Donald Duke who backed the proposed opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections, argued that the chances of any single opposition party defeating the incumbent would be significantly weakened if the parties continue to contest separately.

Dr. Duke said the coalition should establish clear ‘rules of engagement’ and serve as the first step towards uniting the opposition, stressing that the objective should not merely be to capture political power but to move Nigeria forward.

The former Governor of Cross River, said the proposed alliance must be anchored on a clear national vision, arguing that political leadership should be subjected to more rigorous standards than the existing constitutional eligibility requirements. ‘We must have a vision statement, which we’ve really never had in Nigeria. What is Nigeria all about? What should Nigeria aspire to be?’ he asked.

He also proposed a ‘suitability clause’ alongside the constitutional eligibility requirements for political office, saying leaders should be assessed not only on whether they are qualified to contest but on their capacity to govern effectively. ‘You’re dealing with the lives of people. So you’ve got to take it a lot more serious,’ he said.

Asked whether the presence of the six parties at the summit meant the presidential candidates were not yet fully united on presenting a single candidate, Dr. Duke declined to pre-empt the ongoing negotiations, noting that the attendance of national chairmen and other party leaders demonstrated commitment to the process.

He, however, advocated the emergence of one opposition presidential candidate, saying: ‘For the office of president, I think it’s best for us to come together.’ Duke further argued that after the 2027 election, the opposition parties should consider merging into a single political party, while allowing them to retain their identities and contest other elective positions.

Kidney transplant programmes across Africa are achieving encouraging patient and graft survival rates despite severe financial, infrastructural and health-system challenges, according to a scholarly work published in International Urology and Nephrology.

The research, titled Kidney transplantation in Africa: a systematic review of treatment outcomes and strategies for enhancing care and sustainability, noted that kidney transplantation remains the most effective treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Still, access remains severely limited across much of the continent. One-year patient survival exceeded 90 percent in several countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia and Egypt.

This research, led by Dr Chidera Stanley Anthony and Dr Victor Oluwatomiwa Ajekiigbe, warned that these gains remain vulnerable due to high treatment costs, inadequate transplant infrastructure, limited access to immunosuppressive medicines, and weak long-term follow-up.

One-year patient survival was 90.7 percent in Nigeria, 91.2 percent in Tanzania, 90.4 percent in South Africa, 92.3 percent in Ethiopia and 98.4 percent in Egypt. Living-donor procedures dominate transplantation in Africa, largely because deceased-donor systems remain underdeveloped. One-year graft survival among living-donor recipients was 87 percent in Nigeria and 96.7 percent in Tanzania.

The researchers said expanding deceased-donor programmes could increase access while reducing dependence on family members but stressed the need for strong ethical protections for living donors.

Affordability remains one of the greatest threats to kidney care. Patients with end-stage renal disease often face the costs of repeated dialysis, medicines, investigations and hospital care. The investigation cited evidence that as many as 98 percent of patients in one setting discontinued dialysis within 12 weeks because they could no longer afford treatment.

But the shortage of kidneys raises a question beyond money and medicine: if someone agrees to sell a kidney because they desperately need the money, is that truly informed consent-or can poverty turn consent into exploitation?

The study noted that demand for kidney replacement therapy far exceeds supply in Africa, creating incentives for illegal markets such as organ harvesting. Commercial donation involving financial compensation has also raised ethical concerns.

The question is therefore not simply whether a person agreed to the transaction, but whether the circumstances surrounding that decision allow for genuinely informed and voluntary consent. Weak regulatory frameworks and limited educational resources further complicate informed consent and donor protection.

Culture and religion add another dimension. The study noted that some religious denominations do not support receiving organs, while others regard donation as a virtuous act. Attitudes towards brain death may also affect deceased-donor transplantation.

Dr Chidera Stanley Anthony, and Dr Victor Oluwatomiwa Ajekiigbe also acknowledged another Nigerian study where very few respondents had previous knowledge of brainstem death, while more than half wanted a brain-dead relative to remain on a ventilator and would not donate the relative’s organs.

The study also identified a striking gender pattern. Women were reported to donate kidneys more often than men, despite end-stage renal disease being more prevalent among men. This has been linked to emotional factors, including closeness to the recipient.

Yet women were also found to receive fewer living-donor kidney transplants than men, while men may be more likely to be excluded from donation because of conditions such as hypertension and ischaemic heart disease.

These findings raise broader questions about consent, culture, gender and fairness in a system already struggling with organ shortages.

Long-term success also depends on access to lifelong immunosuppressive medicines and follow-up. Acute rejection rates ranged from 8 to 43.4 per cent, while delayed graft function and HLA mismatches were associated with poorer outcomes. Loss to follow-up could leave recipients vulnerable to complications and interruptions in treatment.

The study also found that appropriately selected people living with HIV can benefit from transplantation, with HIV-positive-to-HIV-positive programmes recording 84 per cent survival at both one and three years.

The researchers called for stronger national transplant programmes, better financing, improved infrastructure, wider access to immunosuppressive therapy, reliable medicine supplies, transplant registries and stronger long-term follow-up systems.

For Africa, the message is both promising and urgent: transplant centres can achieve strong outcomes despite limited resources, but sustaining those gains will require health systems that make transplantation affordable, accessible and capable of supporting patients throughout their lives.

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, says Nigeria’s newly unveiled Model Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Agreement is designed to end years of uncertainty, lengthy negotiations and inconsistent risk allocation in infrastructure concession deals.

Ewalefoh said the new agreement, unveiled in June 2026, would provide government agencies and private investors with a dependable framework for negotiating PPP contracts while strengthening protections for the public interest.

According to him, Nigeria’s approach to PPPs for nearly two decades after the enactment of the ICRC Establishment Act in 2005 was largely based on project-by-project and ministry, department and agency (MDA)-by-MDA negotiations.

He said the system meant that key provisions, including definitions, risk allocation, default clauses and dispute-resolution mechanisms, were often developed from scratch and differed significantly from one transaction to another.

‘This carried real costs,’ Ewalefoh said, explaining that concessions sometimes took years to negotiate, while disputes could escalate into litigation because of unclear risk allocation.

He added that lenders were also reluctant to provide long-term financing because critical protections, including step-in rights, direct agreements and predictable termination compensation, were either missing or inconsistently applied.

The new Model PPP Agreement, he explained, was developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice and benchmarked against Nigerian law and international best practices.

Ewalefoh stressed that the document was not intended to be a rigid, one-size-fits-all contract, but rather a standard starting point from which MDAs could negotiate individual transactions more efficiently.

At the heart of the agreement, he said, is a deliberate risk-allocation framework that assigns each risk to the party best positioned to manage it.

The agreement also establishes clearer default and termination provisions, including cure periods and compensation formulas, while protecting project financiers through a Direct Agreement that gives lenders defined cure and step-in rights before a concession can be terminated.

On dispute resolution, Ewalefoh said the framework adopts a graduated process, beginning with consultation and negotiation, followed by confidential intervention by the ICRC where necessary, before arbitration in Abuja under the Arbitration and Mediation Act, 2023.

The agreement also provides clearer rules on Conditions Precedent, insurance, Force Majeure and Change in Law, while introducing a Contract Management, Reporting and Performance Monitoring Framework that continues throughout the life of a concession.

According to the ICRC chief, anti-corruption and ethical conduct have also been incorporated throughout the agreement.

He said the standardisation would not create additional bureaucracy but should instead accelerate PPP transactions by giving investors greater clarity before negotiations begin.

‘It gives investors a clear picture of what they are getting into before negotiations even begin,’ he said, adding that this would reduce the back-and-forth that had historically characterised PPP contract negotiations.

Ewalefoh said the Model PPP Agreement was also designed to strike a balance between investor protection and the interests of Nigerians, particularly in sectors providing essential services.

He described the philosophy behind the framework as ‘predictability for Government, protection for investors, and performance for the Nigerian public.’

‘These three objectives are not in competition; they are designed to reinforce one another,’ he said.

On investor protection, he explained that the agreement shields private-sector participants from measures that unfairly or disproportionately target their projects, while also protecting government from liability arising from routine policy and legislative actions.

Investors and lenders would further benefit from the Direct Agreement and the structured dispute-resolution process, which provides opportunities to resolve disagreements before arbitration becomes necessary.

At the same time, Ewalefoh said public accountability would remain central to concessions involving essential services.

The Contract Management, Reporting and Performance Monitoring Framework, he said, would give government continuous visibility and oversight over concession performance and provide the government with step-in capability where necessary.

He noted that long-term concessions could not be expected to operate indefinitely according to assumptions made at the time of signing.

Instead, the agreement allows for periodic reviews and recalibration as circumstances change.

Ewalefoh said the approach would help protect private capital and investor confidence while ensuring that infrastructure and essential services remain accountable to the Nigerian public.

The ICRC chief expressed confidence that the new framework would help create a more predictable PPP environment, attract long-term investment and improve the delivery and sustainability of infrastructure projects across Nigeria.

A rescued National Youth Service Corps member (NYSC), David Ayodele, has recounted how kidnappers allegedly threatened to kill him and other victims after abducting them and taking them into a forest in Kogi State.

Ayodele said the abductors warned that the victims would remain in captivity for one month before being killed, while also threatening to shoot anyone who moved without their permission.

The corps member said the victims were forced into the forest after their vehicle, which was travelling from Bayelsa State to Abuja, was intercepted following their relocation from the NYSC orientation camp.

According to Ayodele, the driver tried to escape when the kidnappers appeared, but the occupants were eventually forced out of the vehicle as the abductors fired shots into the air.

‘Driver tried to escape, but he said, Who’s the driver? Who’s the driver? And I held the driver, then they opened the door, and they started leading us to the bush while they were shooting, you know, rounds of bullets in the air,’ he said.

He said the abductees were subjected to flogging, kicking and other forms of physical abuse as they were marched into the bush.

‘Then we made our way to the bush with flogging and kicking and shouting and stuff,’ he said.

After taking the victims deeper into the forest, Ayodele said the kidnappers told them they would spend a month there before being killed.

‘We reached one kind of bushy area; they asked us to sit down, they asked us who would drink water, that we would be here for one month, so they would kill all of us,’ he recounted.

He said the captors’ warning that anyone who moved without authorisation would be shot kept the victims from attempting to escape or move freely.

‘They warned us that if anybody moved without permission that they will shoot the person, so none of us really attempted to move because of fear and stuff,’ he said.

Ayodele said the victims were subsequently made to cover a considerable distance through the forest before security personnel eventually reached them.

‘So we moved a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot and then thank God the Nigerian Army came to meet us,’ he said.

He commended the security agencies involved in the operation, including the military, police, Department of State Services and local hunters, for their role in securing the victims’ freedom.

Ayodele said he had completed his NYSC orientation programme at the Bayelsa camp before travelling towards Abuja after being relocated.

‘I did my orientation camp in Bayelsa camp,’ he said.

He explained that corps members were being transported in organised vehicles to their various destinations when he joined one heading for Abuja.

‘So, on our way from Bayelsa, because we did relocation back to Abuja, so we were going to Abuja from Bayelsa camp. There were organised vehicles going to different states, so luckily we saw an Abuja vehicle,’ he said.

Ayodele was among 15 NYSC members and six other Nigerians rescued from a kidnappers’ den in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.