Category: PM News

Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has said he has the capacity to reset Nigeria within four years if elected president in the 2027 general election.

Makinde made the declaration on Monday during the North Central Town Hall meeting of his campaign in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

The governor described himself as a ‘re-setter’ and said his proposed agenda would focus on security, education, the economy and the country’s socio-political environment.

According to him, the reset agenda could be achieved within one term of four years.

‘Listen to me very carefully. The reset agenda can be concluded in four years,’ Makinde said.

He cited the example of a former military head of state who, according to him, took major political decisions within a short period, including ending military rule and ushering in democracy.

The Oyo governor said that if elected, his administration would operate a transitional government of national unity aimed at creating a new direction for Nigeria’s development.

‘We can reset this country, reset and give Nigeria a new security architecture. Reset and give Nigeria a new path for education. Reset our economy, utilising data science and logic,’ he said.

Makinde also said effective leadership requires energy and commitment, pointing to his activities in the past 24 hours, which included travelling from Ibadan to Abuja, then making a three-and-a-half-hour journey to Lafia before continuing with engagements until 2am.

He said the 2027 election would ultimately be decided by Nigerians rather than political influence, financial strength or predictions from analysts.

‘This election is not going to be determined by the number of billionaires you have in your corner or how much billion you have to spend. This election will be determined by the people of Nigeria,’ he said.

Makinde thanked Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule and residents of the state for welcoming his campaign team, saying political differences had not affected the hospitality extended to them.

He added that his proposed reset would focus on creating a new direction for Nigeria through reforms in key sectors.

Osun State University (UNIOSUN) has secured a US$60,000 research grant from the US Naval Medical Research Unit 3 (NAMRU-3) to support mosquito surveillance and research activities in selected states across Nigeria.

The University’s Public Relations Officer, Ademola Adesoji, disclosed this in a statement, saying the grant was won by Dr Dapo Adeogun of the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, with support from other vector experts in the department.

According to the statement, the project will strengthen mosquito surveillance and generate scientific data to support efforts to control vector-borne diseases in Nigeria.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye, congratulated Dr. Adeogun and other members of the research team on the achievement.

Professor Adebooye commended the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology for its commitment to impactful research, noting that the grant would further enhance the University’s research profile and visibility.

He also encouraged members of the University community to continue pursuing competitive local and international research grants.

The latest award adds to UNIOSUN’s growing portfolio of externally funded research projects and underscores the institution’s commitment to research that addresses critical public health and societal challenges.

The University management described the achievement as further evidence of UNIOSUN’s growing profile as a research-driven institution with increasing international visibility.

XEJet Airlines has been cut off from ground handling services by members of the Aviation Ground Handlers Association of Nigeria over an alleged outstanding debt of about N300 million.

The association said the decision was taken after the airline failed to fulfil payment commitments made to companies providing services to it.

AGHAN President, Olaniyi Adigun, and Vice President, Bashir Ahmed, disclosed the development in a joint statement on Monday.

According to the association, ground handling companies had previously tried to resolve the dispute by engaging the airline and accepting payment arrangements proposed by its management.

It said the efforts did not produce the expected result, prompting the withdrawal of services.

‘We decided to direct our members to withdraw services from XEJet Airlines because it has over time failed to meet up with its payment plans. Our members have made every effort to ensure that the airline complied, but its management has been recalcitrant,’ the statement said.

Adigun said the amount owed by XEJet had accumulated to approximately N300 million.

‘As it stands, the company owes our members about N300 million. Hence, we have instructed our members to withdraw services from the airline and this has been complied with 100 per cent,’ he said.

The dispute has affected the airline’s handling arrangements at the airport, with reports indicating that some passengers’ luggage had to be transferred to another airline as an alternative arrangement.

Ground handling companies provide airlines with a range of essential airport services, including baggage handling, passenger processing and ramp support.

AGHAN said the failure of airlines to settle bills for services already provided was placing additional financial pressure on ground handling companies and threatening their ability to sustain operations.

‘We can’t continue to operate like this. Why are some companies not willing to pay for services rendered to them? This is intentional. It is affecting our members at all cadres,’ the association said.

The latest action followed an earlier attempt by AGHAN to compel indebted domestic airlines to address their outstanding bills.

The association had given affected carriers a seven-day window to settle at least 75 per cent of their debts or face withdrawal of ground handling support.

According to AGHAN, the planned action was suspended after some airlines submitted payment proposals and began implementing them.

The association said XEJet, however, failed to meet the terms agreed with its members, leading to the latest sanctions.

The development adds to the financial pressures confronting operators within Nigeria’s aviation industry, where airlines and service providers depend on one another for the uninterrupted movement of passengers and aircraft.

XEJet had not, at the time of the reports, publicly responded to the allegation of indebtedness or the withdrawal of ground handling services.

The Kebbi Caucus of African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the National Assembly has called on the police and Amnesty International to investigate the alleged illegal detention of party members and supporters in the state.

The ?????????caucus made the call at a news conference organised in collaboration with the state party Chairman, Mr Safiyanu Bala, in Abuja on Tuesday.

Speaking on behalf of the caucus, Sen. Garba Maidoki (ADC-Kebbi) said that the circumstances surrounding the arrest raised serious questions about due process in the exercise of police powers and citizens’ fundamental rights.

Maidoki said that the caucus recognised the legitimate responsibility of the police and other law-enforcement agencies to investigate suspected offences.

While stating that ADC did not place any of its members above the law, he, however, argued that political affiliation must never become a substitute for evidence, and that political difference must never become a basis for deprivation of liberty.

According to him, where criminal allegations exist, they should be investigated objectively and dealt with through established legal procedures.

‘We wish to make a respectful but strong appeal to the Judiciary to exercise the highest degree of circumspection, scrutiny independence and fidelity to the law whenever orders affecting the liberty of citizens are sought.

‘We trust that the judiciary will continue to serve as an independent safeguard for the rights of every citizen, irrespective of political affiliation,’ he said.

Maidoki said that a formal complaint concerning the conduct of certain police officers would be submitted to the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Inspector-General of Police.

He urged the authorities to examine the complaints and determine whether any police officer acted contrary to the law, police regulations or professional standards.

The senator stressed the need to investigate alleged political interference, arbitrary detention, unlawful instructions or improper conduct by individual officers.

‘We therefore appeal to the Inspector-General to examine the cases presented to his office and take whatever action is appropriate within his powers.

‘We will also bring the relevant cases to the attention of Amnesty International, particularly with respect to allegations of excessive or arbitrary use of police powers against political opponents and supporters of the opposition.

‘Where citizens are detained or subjected to criminal proceedings in circumstances suggesting that their political activities may have influenced the actions taken against them, such allegations raise legitimate human rights and democratic concerns,’ he said.

Maidoki said that the Kebbi chapter of the party demands an immediate end to any arrest, detention or prosecution undertaken for the purpose of intimidating citizens because of their political affiliation or peaceful political activities.

He said that every ADC member or supporter currently in custody must be treated strictly in accordance with the constitution.

The senator maintained that detainees have the right to know the basis of the arrest, access legal representation and be brought before a competent court.

He called on Kebbi State Government and all relevant authorities to ensure that public institutions were not used to intimidate citizens because of their political affiliations or peaceful political activities.

Maidoki urged members and supporters of the party to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding, saying that no provocation should be answered with violence or unlawful retaliation.

‘We therefore call on the relevant institutions to give these concerns the attention they deserve and we urge all parties to ensure that the rights and dignity of every citizen are protected, regardless of political affiliation,’ he said.

Earlier, the Kebbi State chairman of ADC said that issues of alleged illegal detention of innocent citizens should not be treated with kid gloves, as it breached fundamental human rights, due process and the rule of law.

‘Our concern is not about political affiliation. It is about the principles that should govern a democratic society and protect every citizen, regardless of party, status or political persuasion.

‘We have therefore assembled here to present the facts as we understand them, raise the concerns of stakeholders and call the attention of the relevant authorities and the Nigerian public to the matter,’ he said.

An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) expert and digital literacy advocate, Israel Ihaza, has called for stronger community involvement in protecting telecommunications infrastructure, including incentives for local security personnel, following more than 5,000 fibre-cut incidents recorded across Nigeria in the first six months of 2026.

Ihaza made the call during a radio programme on Radio One 103.5 FM, where he warned that damage to fibre-optic cables was no longer simply a telecommunications industry problem but one capable of affecting banking, businesses, startups and everyday digital services.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) disclosed in August that more than 5,000 fibre-cut incidents occurred in the first half of 2026, largely from road construction, excavation and related civil works.

The Commission has warned that damage to communications infrastructure can disrupt banking, commerce, government services, healthcare, security and emergency communications.

Ihaza said the public needed to understand the wider consequences of damaging telecom infrastructure, noting that many people did not regard fibre cables with the same caution given to electricity infrastructure because they posed no obvious physical danger.

‘But what they don’t understand is that these cables power economies. If some of these cables are down, the financial ecosystem is down, banking generally,’ he said.

He said deliberate vandalism and accidental damage were both contributing to the problem, particularly when construction or excavation work was carried out without adequate knowledge of underground infrastructure.

According to him, stronger surveillance should be introduced around vulnerable telecom infrastructure, including the use of closed-circuit television cameras and increased involvement of security personnel.

‘What the government can do in such cases is that if we can put like CCTVs that actually capture some of these people,’ he said.

He also suggested that local security personnel could be incentivised to monitor vulnerable areas and help identify suspicious activities around telecom infrastructure.

Ihaza urged Nigerians to complement such measures by reporting suspicious activities instead of assuming that damage to telecom infrastructure was somebody else’s concern.

Explaining, ‘Because what we’re seeing currently in Nigeria is, ‘Oh, if there’s an accident, what’s my business? As far as it’s not affecting me.’ Meanwhile, it’s affecting everybody.’

He argued that a damaged fibre cable could have consequences far beyond the immediate location of the incident, particularly in an economy where financial transactions, communications and businesses increasingly depend on connectivity.

The cost of dealing with damaged infrastructure is also being borne by telecommunications operators.

MTN Nigeria’s Chief Technical Officer, Yahaya Ibrahim, said the company budgets about ?7 billion annually for fibre relocation projects arising from road expansion and other incidents, including cases where infrastructure has to be moved or repaired. He described the expenditure as money that could otherwise be deployed to new network infrastructure.

The MTN figure provides an industry perspective on the financial burden created by damage and disruption to telecom infrastructure, beyond the immediate impact experienced by subscribers.

Ihaza also called for clearer identification of underground fibre routes to reduce accidental damage during construction.

‘Just the same way we have labeling for pipelines-‘Oh, this area, there are pipelines here’-I think we need to come up with that as well, where we know, okay, in certain areas we have fibre optic cables, so do not disrupt it,’ he said.

He said construction companies, engineers and other professionals whose activities could affect telecom infrastructure should be better educated about the location and importance of fibre cables.

The expert also advocated appropriate consequences for deliberate or negligent damage to telecom infrastructure, while stressing that prevention should remain a priority.

The NCC has similarly called for stronger coordination between telecommunications operators, contractors, government agencies, regulators and security agencies, and said a joint standing committee involving the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy had been established to develop mechanisms for protecting fibre infrastructure during road works.

Ihaza maintained that protecting telecom infrastructure required collective responsibility because the networks increasingly underpin the daily activities of Nigerians.

‘These cables power economies,’ he said, stressing the need for greater public awareness and participation in protecting the infrastructure that connects individuals, businesses and essential services.

President Bola Tinubu has returned to Lagos after concluding his working vacation in France, where he held a series of engagements, including a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Tinubu arrived at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, around 6.22pm on Tuesday, where Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other dignitaries received him.

His arrival was confirmed by the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Olusegun Dada, who announced on X, ‘Landing. Welcome home Mr President!’

Tinubu had left Abuja on August 30 for the working vacation, spending about a week in London before proceeding to Paris.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President travelled from Paris to Lagos, where he is scheduled to meet political leaders and associates over the coming days.

The statement said the meetings would form part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

‘While in Lagos, President Tinubu will also hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates over several days in preparation for the 2027 elections,’ Onanuga said.

The Presidency also said Tinubu’s decision to return to Nigeria through Lagos was partly to honour the memory of the late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 1993 presidential election and a prominent figure in Nigeria’s democratic struggle.

As part of the Independence Day activities on October 1, Tinubu is expected to attend the premiere of a film celebrating Abiola at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos.

The President’s return to Nigeria comes after several weeks of engagements outside the country. During his stay in France, he also attended a private dinner with Macron, among other activities.

His Lagos engagements are expected to continue over the next several days before he returns to Abuja.

Ogun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) has announced plan to host an interfaith praise and prayer concert on Wednesday to seek the face of God for all the party’s candidates for the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

Members of the party will during the concert pray for President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, the incumbent governor of the state and candidate for Ogun East Senatorial district Prince Dapo Abiodun among others.

The Praise and Prayer Concert, tagged ‘Vision 2027 Concert’, is scheduled to be held at Ake Place, Abeokuta, Ogun State and will bring participants together for an interdenominational gathering of thanksgiving, praise, and prayers.

The concert will feature Christian and Muslim praise and prayers, with participants offering prayers for the party’s candidates, committing the journey ahead to God, and seeking divine guidance for the future.

According to APC, the concert was conceived as an opportunity to bring people together in thanksgiving and prayer while committing the future into God’s hands. The concert is also intended to give thanks for God’s faithfulness and seek His direction as the 2027 political season approaches.

The interdenominational gathering would provide a platform for Christians and Muslims to collectively offer prayers, seek divine guidance, and express gratitude for God’s faithfulness.

‘As we look ahead, it is important that we pause to give thanks to God for His faithfulness and seek His guidance for the journey before us. This concert is about coming together in unity, regardless of our different denominations and backgrounds, to praise God, offer prayers, and commit our aspirations and responsibilities into His hands. I look forward to welcoming everyone to Ake Palace on September 30 as we join our voices in thanksgiving and prayer for our nation, our leaders, and the future ahead,’ said the organisers.

The House of Representatives has extended the implementation period of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act for another three months, moving the deadline from September 30, 2026, to December 31, 2026.

The extension followed an executive request submitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu, seeking additional time for ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to complete ongoing infrastructure projects and other capital expenditures captured in the 2025 budget.

The lawmakers approved the amendment bill through accelerated readings during plenary, saying the decision was aimed at preventing the abandonment of critical projects across the country due to funding and implementation challenges.

The latest extension marks another adjustment to the timeline for implementing the capital aspect of the 2025 budget.

The National Assembly had earlier moved the deadline from December 31, 2025, to March 31, 2026. It was later extended to June 30, 2026, and subsequently to September 30, 2026, before the latest approval pushed it to the end of December.

With the fresh extension, federal government agencies will now have until December 31, 2026, to execute capital projects and utilise funds allocated under the 2025 fiscal framework.

The lawmakers said the decision would allow ongoing projects to be completed rather than abandoned because of delays in implementation.

The extension comes as the Federal Government continues efforts to accelerate infrastructure delivery and ensure that budgetary allocations translate into completed projects across sectors.

Operatives of Nigeria Customs Service have intercepted $265,000 in undeclared foreign currency, unregistered pharmaceutical products and more than 3,000 cartons of herbicide containing a prohibited chemical at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.

The Acting Area Controller of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Usman Umar Adamu, disclosed this during a press briefing in Kano on Monday.

Adamu said the foreign currency was intercepted on Sunday, September 26, 2026, from a male Nigerian passenger who arrived from New Delhi aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET941.

According to him, the passenger’s luggage was flagged during scanning and a secondary physical examination that led to the discovery of $265,000 concealed among his personal belongings.

He added that the interception was significant given the command’s sustained sensitisation campaigns on the lawful movement and declaration of cash and other negotiable instruments.

According to the Customs Deputy Controller, the engagements had involved Customs officials, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, traders and other stakeholders to educate travellers and businesses on the requirement to declare currency above the prescribed threshold.

The Acting Controller also revealed that that the command had, from January to date, intercepted undeclared foreign currency and other negotiable instruments worth more than N2.5 billion in equivalent value.

He therefore warned that moving foreign currency above the approved threshold without declaration contravenes Sections 3 and 4 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, as well as relevant provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

He said the passenger, currency and relevant documents would be handed over to the EFCC Kano Zonal Directorate for further investigation in accordance with Section 4(f) of the NCS Act 2023.

Adamu also revealed that the the command intercepted 2,143 sachets of medicaments of different brands, 1,423 packs of empty medicament packaging materials and 10,056 cartons of empty pesticide packaging materials MAKIA.

He added that the products were subjected to a 100 per cent joint physical examination in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) during which it was established that they were not registered.

The Command also displayed more than 3,000 cartons of herbicide identified as ‘Para Best’, which Customs said contained the prohibited chemical ‘Paracot’.

Adamu said the seized pharmaceutical products and packaging materials would be handed over to NAFDAC’s Ports Inspection Directorate in Kano for necessary action.

The Acting Controller said the operation was consistent with the Customs Service’s statutory responsibility under Sections 4(f), 149(c)(v) and 168 of the NCS Act 2023, as well as the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the NCS and NAFDAC.

Speaking on the currency interception, the Zonal Director of the EFCC, Mr Friday S. Ebelo, described the handover as another demonstration of the agencies’ collective commitment to sanitising the financial ecosystem.

According to him, the operation represented a meaningful example of inter-agency collaboration between the Customs Service and the EFCC in tackling illicit financial activities.

On his part, the Assistant Director, NAFDAC Ports Inspection Directorate, Kano, Mr Azik Musa Kanadi, said every interception of suspected substandard, falsified or counterfeit regulated products demonstrated the commitment of regulatory officers who prioritised integrity, intelligence sharing and collective vigilance in protecting legitimate trade and public health.

Kanadi added that successful interceptions also helped strengthen regulatory confidence and protect Nigeria’s standing within the global health community.

‘Most importantly, for substandard and falsified medicine, it is the story of a patient somewhere whose health has been protected and of confidence strengthened in our healthcare system,’ he said.

The NAFDAC official therefore commended the Customs Service for its collaboration with the agency.

He urged stakeholders and members of the public to speak out against the importation, distribution and use of substandard and falsified medical products, as well as other unregulated products.

Adamu also said the intercepted products were potential threats to public health and intellectual property.

He warned that the command would intensify surveillance to prevent the importation and circulation of unregistered medicines, prohibited chemicals and other potentially hazardous products.

He also urged members of the public to cooperate with the Service and other regulatory agencies by providing credible information that could assist in preventing the circulation of dangerous and unregistered products.

The Parliament Support Network (PSN) has dismissed calls for the disqualification of Kingsley Chinda, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers state, describing the campaign against his candidacy as a politically motivated attempt to derail his participation in the 2027 election.

In a statement on Tuesday signed by its National President, Maxwell Idoko, the group said recent attempts to reopen questions around Chinda’s nomination should not be allowed to obscure what it described as the candidate’s compliance with the applicable electoral requirements.

The statement followed a request by the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify Chinda following last week’s Supreme Court judgment on provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 relating to political party membership registers and candidate nomination.

PSN said the Supreme Court judgment should be applied according to its actual legal effect rather than used as a basis for creating a new dispute over Chinda’s candidacy.

‘The attempt to manufacture a disqualification where none has been established is, in our view, a distraction from the substance of the Supreme Court’s decision. Nigerians deserve to see the law applied objectively and consistently, rather than having every political development turned into an excuse to reopen a settled nomination process,’ Idoko said.

The group also cited the position of the Rivers APC, which has maintained that Chinda registered with the party 24 days before the governorship primary, exceeding the 21-day period referenced in the interpretation of the restored provisions.

Idoko noted that those seeking Chinda’s disqualification had failed to establish, on the publicly available facts, that the Supreme Court judgment automatically invalidated his nomination.

‘The relevant question is not whether some individuals are uncomfortable with Hon. Kingsley Chinda’s emergence, but whether the legal requirements governing his nomination were satisfied. The Rivers APC has stated that he became a member of the party 24 days before the primary, while the applicable requirement is 21 days. That factual position cannot simply be wished away because some interests are demanding his removal from the ballot,’ he declared.

PSN accused unnamed political interests of being unsettled by what it described as Chinda’s growing political profile in Rivers and alleged that some opponents were determined to prevent his emergence.

The group said it believed Nigerians should be allowed to judge candidates through the electoral process rather than through what it described as repeated attempts to manufacture legal controversies around their candidacies.

‘We are concerned that those who are uncomfortable with Hon. Chinda’s rising political profile and those who do not want to see Rivers State make progress are now attempting to manufacture a disqualification narrative around his candidacy. Political disagreements are legitimate, but they should not be converted into legal claims without a solid factual and legal foundation,’ Idoko said.

PSN also urged INEC to maintain neutrality and allow the courts to determine any genuine legal dispute arising from the nomination process.

It said the Supreme Court’s restoration of sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 did not, by itself, amount to a judicial declaration that Chinda was disqualified from contesting the Rivers governorship election.

‘The electoral process must be protected from unnecessary disruption. If anyone has a genuine legal objection, the appropriate thing is to present the evidence before the competent court rather than attempt to create a disqualification by public pressure. Hon. Chinda’s candidacy should be determined by the law and the established electoral process,’ Idoko said.

PSN called on political actors and civic organisations to allow INEC and the courts to perform their constitutional responsibilities without intimidation or political pressure, saying the focus should remain on issues affecting the people of Rivers State ahead of the 2027 election.