Category: PM News

Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Bauchi State for the 2027 general elections, has resigned from the party.

Kashim announced his resignation in a letter dated October 16, 2026, addressed to the NDC chairman in Bauchi Local Government Area.

In the letter, he formally informed the party leadership of his decision to leave the NDC, stating that his resignation took effect from the date of the letter.

He explained that the decision followed careful consideration and was based on personal choice. However, he did not give further details about the reasons for his resignation.

Kashim also expressed appreciation to the party’s leadership and members for the opportunity to be associated with the NDC.

He acknowledged the support and opportunity he received during his time in the party, while formally requesting that his decision to leave be recognised.

The governorship candidate further asked the party chairman to acknowledge receipt of his resignation and ensure that the necessary changes were made to the party’s records.

In his letter, Kashim wrote, ‘I hereby formally tender my resignation from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), effective from the date of this letter.’

He added that his decision was made after careful consideration and was a matter of personal choice.

He also thanked the party leadership and members for the opportunity to have been associated with the NDC.

Kashim concluded the letter by requesting that his resignation be formally acknowledged and the party’s records updated accordingly.

His resignation comes as political parties and their candidates prepare for the 2027 general elections.

However, the letter did not indicate whether Kashim intends to join another political party or pursue his political ambition under a different platform.

It also did not provide further information about his next political move following his departure from the NDC.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has warned universities against issuing official admission letters to candidates, insisting that only admissions processed through its Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) are legally recognised.

The board said candidates who accept admission offers outside CAPS risk having documents that may not be accepted for official purposes, including mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, gave the warning when he received a delegation from Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja, during a courtesy visit to his office.

Aina said the Federal Ministry of Education had directed all tertiary institutions to process admissions through CAPS. He stressed that any admission conducted outside the approved platform was illegal and invalid.

He explained that JAMB was the only body legally authorised to issue official admission letters to candidates seeking admission into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country.

The registrar expressed concern that some candidates believe admission letters issued by universities are genuine simply because they carry the names and identities of the institutions.

He urged universities that issue such letters to stop the practice and ensure that candidates obtain their official admission documents from JAMB.

Aina also explained that universities could not replace the official admission letters issued by JAMB with their own documents after candidates had accepted their admission offers through CAPS.

He warned that admissions not processed through the approved platform might not be recognised for official purposes, including NYSC mobilisation.

The registrar urged universities and prospective students to follow the approved admission process to avoid problems in the future.

A changing relationship with automobiles is reshaping what car culture looks like in Nigeria.

For a long time, much of that culture was centred on ownership, maintenance, modification and the social value attached to particular cars. Today, interest in automobiles increasingly extends into fashion, photography, collecting, events, gaming and design.

Zeus3D founder Leslie Abiola sees interior spaces as another part of that evolution.

‘The people who really love cars don’t only think about them when they are driving,’ Abiola says. ‘It becomes part of their taste. You see it in what they watch, what they collect and even the conversations they have. So why shouldn’t it become part of the way they design their spaces?’

That thinking informed Zeus3D’s large motorsport-inspired wall piece, which turns an automobile into décor, part sculpture and part statement piece.

The attraction is not difficult to understand. Motorsport cars have some of the most distinctive shapes in automotive design. Their lines, proportions, surfaces, colours and liveries are designed around performance, but those same qualities become aesthetic when the machine is held still.

‘You can look at a motorsport car without knowing every technical detail and still appreciate the design,’ Abiola says. ‘There is a beauty to the shape, the aerodynamics, the colours.’

The piece allows Zeus3D to bring some of the techniques associated with its automotive customisation work into another environment. Instead of treating customisation only as something done to a vehicle, the company is exploring how automotive identity can exist inside private homes, offices, lounges, automotive businesses and collectors’ spaces.

It is an interesting meeting point between two worlds that usually remain separate: the garage and the interior.

President Bola Tinubu has become the first Nigerian president to receive the United Nations’ proposed budget, according to Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim, who described the presentation as a historic first in 66 years.

Ibrahim presented the seven-volume document, containing the proposed $14 billion budget for 2027, to Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.

The Nigerian envoy, who chairs the UN General Assembly’s Fifth Committee responsible for budgetary and administrative matters, said the development marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s participation in the global organisation.

‘This is the first time in 66 years that Nigeria will share budget in the committee. The first time. So I don’t know when we’re going to do that again in history,’ Ibrahim told journalists.

He explained that the document had been presented to his committee by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and that he considered it appropriate to formally deliver a copy to the Nigerian president.

‘President Bola Tinubu is making history to have been able to receive that budget, being the first President in 66 years that will receive such budget from the United Nations, and it’s not a small issue for a country to receive the whole UN budget,’ he stated.

Giving details of the proposal, Ibrahim said approximately $3.4 billion was earmarked for the UN’s regular activities, while $8.5 billion was allocated to peacekeeping operations.

He put the overall proposed budget at about $14 billion, although the two figures he disclosed amounted to $11.9 billion.

The ambassador stressed that the budget had not been approved and would undergo further examination, negotiations and possible adjustments by member states.

‘The budget still has to be approved. This is a proposed budget. It’s at the proposed stage,’ he explained.

Asked what Nigeria stood to gain from the UN’s spending plans, Ibrahim declined to give specific figures, saying discussions were still ongoing.

He cited the construction of a $267 million UN conference centre in Kenya as an example of how the organisation invests in facilities across member states.

The proposed budget will be subjected to further scrutiny by the UN General Assembly before final approval and implementation.

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday swore in six newly appointed Permanent Secretaries. The appointments brought the number of Permanent Secretaries appointed under Sanwo-Olu’s administration to 135.

The new Permanent Secretaries are Dr Olawale Adegbite, Mrs Folashade Thomas-Orogan, Mr Adebayo Haroun, Mrs Olayinka Oye-Bamgbose, Mr Olatunbuson Ogunbanwo and Mrs Toyin Adekoya.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also swore in chairmen and members of the Local Government Service Commission and the Audit Service Commission in Lagos State.

The members of the Audit Service Commission are Mrs Arinola Dawodu (Chairman), Hon. Bukola Ogunnowo, Ms Omotayo Gbajabiamila-Olamona, Hon. Bowale Shosimi and Hon. Sunday Kappo, while members of the Local Government Service Commission are Hon. Akeem Bamgbola (Chairman), Hon. Adeyinka Durosinmi, Mr Ahmed Seriki, Mr Shamsideen Olaleye and Hon. Folashade Olabanji-Oba.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony held at the Banquet Hall of Lagos House, Ikeja, Governor Sanwo-Olu urged the new appointees to hit the ground running and ensure effective service delivery to the residents of Lagos State.

The Governor urged them to uphold the highest professional standards and ensure the effective implementation of government policies and programmes.

He said: ‘These appointments recognise your experience and service, but they also place greater expectations on you. At this level of public service, the task is not simply to occupy an office or oversee an institution. It is to make that institution work effectively and ensure that its contribution to the development of Lagos State is clear and measurable.

‘Our vision of a Greater Lagos requires a public service that can translate policies into results. The people of Lagos must be able to see the difference that effective governance makes in their daily lives.

‘I expect you to discharge your duties with integrity, fairness and a strong sense of accountability. Be accessible and responsive in the performance of your functions. Encourage initiative, support collaboration and address administrative challenges with professionalism.’

Speaking earlier, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr Olabode Agoro, noted that the appointments represented another significant milestone in the pursuit of excellent service delivery and governance.

Agoro assured Governor Sanwo-Olu that all the appointees were fully ready for the tasks ahead, noting that ‘they are full of zeal and enthusiasm to make their contributions towards the development of public service and the State as a whole.

‘These appointments underscore the commitment of the present administration to meritocracy, professionalism, accountability and transparency. I am confident that the wealth of knowledge and expertise you will bring on board will continue to strengthen our institutional capacity.’

The appointees, in their Votes of Assurance, commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for entrusting them with the responsibility of taking Lagos State to greater heights and pledged to perform their duties efficiently.

A diesel-laden tanker carrying approximately 45,000 litres of fuel fell off Otedola Bridge in Lagos and burst into flames on Monday, prompting a coordinated emergency response by state and federal agencies.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying preliminary reports indicated that the tanker plunged off the bridge before bursting into flames.

Oke-Osanyintolu said two adult males were rescued from the scene and given pre-hospital medical care by paramedics from LASEMA’s Lagos Response Unit and an ambulance team from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

He added that the rescued men were subsequently transported to the Trauma Centre by the Lagos State Ambulance Service for further medical attention.

The permanent secretary said personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the NNPC Fire Service were already at the scene battling the fire when LASEMA activated its emergency response.

According to him, the agency cordoned off the affected area, conducted a rapid risk assessment and provided operational support to the ongoing firefighting and rescue efforts.

Oke-Osanyintolu added that the fire had been brought under control, while dampening operations continued to prevent a possible resurgence.

‘The cause of the incident had yet to be established as investigations were ongoing,’ he said.

LASEMA advised motorists to avoid the affected corridor and use alternative routes while emergency operations continued.

The agency urged members of the public to exercise caution around the scene as responders worked to secure the area and manage the remaining risks.

Billionaire businessman Femi Otedola has revealed a longstanding personal bond with Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, recalling how they shared a bunk bed at boarding school nearly five decades ago.

Otedola made the revelation on Monday after hosting a dinner in honour of Hamzat, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 Lagos State governorship election.

In a post on his X account, the businessman described Hamzat as a man of integrity and expressed confidence in his leadership qualities.

‘Yesterday, I hosted dinner in honour of @DrObafemiHamzat, the incoming Governor of Lagos State. A man of the highest integrity, with whom I shared a bunk bed at boarding school 49 years ago,’ Otedola wrote.

He also highlighted the qualities that, according to him, have characterised their relationship over the years.

‘My experience of his character over the years has been defined by his honesty, sincerity, fairness and strong moral principles,’ he added.

The dinner attracted some of Nigeria’s most prominent business figures, including Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, and industrialist Abdul Samad Rabiu.

Hamzat secured the APC governorship ticket in May after winning the party’s primary election in Lagos State ahead of the 2027 polls.

According to the announced results, he received 657,917 votes, while his challenger, Olanrewaju Jim-Kamal, polled one vote.

The deputy governor has held the position since 2019 under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He is now seeking to succeed Sanwo-Olu, whose second term in office is due to end in 2027.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) has announced that it will hold its inaugural meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, 20 October to deliberate on the flag off of the party’s campaign for re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Secretary of the Council and governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodimma said this in a notice to members of the APC-PCC on Sunday evening.

Uzodimma said in the notice that the meeting is strictly by invitation to the list of attendees which are the leadership and members of the campaign council.

The meeting will hold at the Presidential Campaign Council HQ Plot 781, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District, Abuja.

‘You are hereby invited to the inaugural meeting of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, scheduled to hold as follows: Date: Tuesday, 20th, October 2026 Time: 2 PM Prompt Venue: PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL HQ Plot 781, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District (Central Area), Abuja. Attendance: Directors and Secretaries of Directorates

‘Kindly note that the meeting is strictly by invitation and is open only to the 134 members of the Presidential Campaign Council listed below.

‘The meeting will formally commence the collective assignment of the Council and provide an opportunity to consider and adopt the Campaign Calendar, as well as to deliberate on other ancillary matters, including preparations for the flag-off of the campaign scheduled to hold in Kaduna on Saturday, 24th October 2026,’ the notice read.

The APC had earlier indicated that it will kick off the reelection campaign of President Bola Tinubu on Oct. 24 in Kaduna.

President Tinubu is expected to attend the campaign rally.

The Kaduna chapter of APC had also indicated that it is ready to host President Tinubu and other party leaders for the presidential campaign

The State Publicity Secretary, Mr Muhammad Sani at a news conference in Kaduna on Monday, 12 October said there no better city the president could have chosen to kick off his campaign for reelection than Kaduna.

With his choice of Kaduna, we have no doubt that the march to victory has started,’ Sani said.

‘We are proud that the march to Aso Rock in 2027 is beginning from Kaduna on Oct. 24, 2026.

‘We want to assure Mr President, all APC members and the whole of Nigeria that Kaduna State is well prepared to receive party members and to spearhead the campaign for the President’s victory,’ he said.

Sani the mobilisation, under the leadership of Gov. Uba Sani, was expected to attract hundreds of thousands of people.

‘We are going to mobilise, under the leadership of our governor, Senator Uba Sani, hundreds of thousands of people to welcome Mr President. We are going to show love and solidarity,’ he said.

The publicity secretary also expressed confidence in the party’s pledge to deliver two million votes for Tinubu in Kaduna State during the 2027 presidential election.

He claimed that the state had no opposition, insisting that the political atmosphere was united behind the APC.

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to disclose the state’s financial records dating back to June 2023, amid mounting questions over how his administration has managed public funds.

Justice Hamza Mu’azu of the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, issued the order following a lawsuit filed by Joseph Waya, a former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The court directed the governor to make available records of the state’s federal allocations, internally generated revenue, loans, grants, government contracts and other sources of public funding.

The disclosure also covers foreign donations, personnel costs and pension payments.

Waya had approached the court after accusing the Alia administration of failing to provide comprehensive financial information he requested under the Freedom of Information Act on September 8, 2025.

The court upheld his right to access the records and ordered the state government to comply.

The ruling comes amid controversy over claims by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that Benue receives about ?30 billion monthly from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).

The Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged Alia to explain how the funds have been spent or publicly dispute Wike’s figures.

The opposition party also alleged that combined federal allocations to the state government and its 23 local government areas had exceeded ?1.3 trillion since Alia assumed office in May 2023.

It demanded detailed accounts of expenditure on security, healthcare, education, agriculture and infrastructure, questioning what residents had gained from the increased allocations.

The court’s directive, however, arose from Waya’s freedom of information lawsuit and does not amount to a finding of financial misconduct against Alia or his administration.

A five-storey building under construction on Durban Street, Wuse II, Abuja, has partially collapsed, the National Emergency Management Agency said.

NEMA, through its Abuja Operations Office, said it received an alert about the incident at approximately 6:30 pm on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

In a statement issued by its Press Unit on Sunday, the agency said it immediately activated relevant stakeholders, including the FCT Fire Service, while its AYA Emergency Response Ambulance Bay team was deployed to coordinate search and rescue operations at the scene.

‘Findings at the scene indicated that the incident was minor and involved a five-storey building under construction that had been partially pulled down,’ the statement partly read.

The agency confirmed that no life was lost in the incident, adding that only one worker was injured and evacuated to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

The incident comes weeks after a three-storey building collapsed in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, on September 7, 2026, hours after officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s Department of Development Control reportedly sealed the property and ordered occupants to vacate it over concerns about its structural safety.

According to reports, the building had shown signs of distress before the collapse. No casualties were reported in the initial updates on the incident, which prompted the deployment of emergency responders to the scene.

The Wuse incident followed a more fatal building collapse in the Durumi 3 area, near Gudu Market, Abuja, on May 16, 2026. A three-storey building under construction collapsed, killing at least five people and injuring several others.

Following the incident, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike ordered an investigation into the collapse, with the developer and an engineer linked to the project facing possible arrest.

The minister also warned developers to comply with building regulations and allow relevant authorities to inspect construction sites.