By Abdulkarim Abdulmalik In Nigeria’s political history, few figures have generated as much admiration, controversy, debate, and sustained relevance as Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. For more than three decades, he has remained a significant player in the nation’s democratic evolution, serving in government, building political alliances, contesting presidential elections, and contributing to national conversations on governance and economic development. Today, as the Presidential Flag Bearer of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku once again finds himself at the center of national discourse. To his supporters, he represents experience, economic competence, and national unity. To his critics, he symbolizes the persistence of…
Author: National Update
Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a man suspected of impersonating a retired Major General in Kaduna State. The suspect was apprehended on June 11 by soldiers of the Nigerian Army attached to the 312 Artillery Regiment and deployed at the Strike Force Base in the Sabo area of Kaduna. Military sources said the arrest followed credible intelligence reports linking the suspect to the alleged impersonation. He is accused of presenting himself as a retired senior military officer, a claim now under investigation. The suspect is currently in military custody undergoing preliminary interrogation to establish the circumstances surrounding the…
The Presidency is set to disconnect the Presidential Villa from Nigeria’s national electricity grid and switch entirely to a dedicated solar power system, citing an annual electricity bill estimated at ₦47 billion. The move follows the completion of a solar mini-grid project at the Presidential Villa, approved under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as part of efforts to cut energy costs and improve power reliability. Speaking during a budget defence session earlier this year, State House Permanent Secretary, Temitope Fashedemi, disclosed that the solar installation was completed toward the end of 2025 and had since been undergoing technical…
Saraki Sounds Alarm Over Weak Legislature: ‘A Parliament That Can’t Say No Is No Parliament’ By Staff Reporter Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has warned that Nigeria’s democracy risks being weakened if the legislature loses its independence and ability to effectively check the executive arm of government. Speaking at The Platform’s June Forum in Lagos, Saraki stressed that a parliament that merely endorses executive decisions without scrutiny fails in its constitutional responsibility. “A parliament that can’t say no is no parliament,” he declared, arguing that the National Assembly must remain strong, independent and accountable to the people. According to him,…
Relief and renewed concerns over press freedom have followed the release of Kogi-based journalist and publisher of Kogi Reports, Mr. Ope Owoeye, after his detention by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Owoeye regained his freedom late Thursday night after spending several hours in custody, ending an incident that drew swift condemnation from journalists, civil society groups and media rights advocates across the state. Speaking after his release, the publisher confirmed that he was discharged at about 10 p.m. but disclosed that he had been directed to return to the NSCDC office on Monday for further…
As Nigeria marks Democracy Day, the National Organizing Secretary of the Labour Party, Oluchi Oparah, has called on citizens to remain committed to national unity, democratic values, and good governance. In a goodwill message released on Wednesday, Oparah congratulated Nigerians on the occasion, describing Democracy Day as an opportunity to reflect on the country’s democratic journey and celebrate the resilience of its people. She noted that democracy thrives when citizens actively participate in governance, uphold the rule of law, and promote peaceful coexistence, stressing that these values remain essential for national development. While acknowledging the challenges facing the country, Oparah…
***Demands Immediate Release A fresh storm is brewing in Kogi State following the arrest and detention of the publisher of Kogi Reports, Mr. Owoeye, with a prominent civil rights organisation accusing powerful political interests of using state institutions to silence critical journalism ahead of the 2027 elections. The Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) has strongly condemned the arrest, describing it as a dangerous assault on press freedom, democracy and the constitutional rights of Nigerians. In a statement issued in Lokoja on Friday, CHRCR Executive Director, Idris Miliki Abdul, alleged that officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil…
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential hopeful for 2027, Peter Obi, has called on Nigerians to use Democracy Day as a moment of sober reflection, urging a return to the transparency, credibility, and national consensus that defined the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election. In a statement marking the 33rd anniversary of the annulled poll, Obi said the significance of June 12 goes beyond commemoration, describing it as a continuing test of Nigeria’s democratic conscience and institutional integrity. He said the essence of the 1993 election—widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest—should remain the benchmark against which the country’s current electoral…
***Dismisses Atiku VP Rumours Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, has delivered one of his most forceful political assessments yet, dismissing speculation linking him to a 2027 joint ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar while unleashing a blistering critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. Speaking on Nigeria Unfiltered on Symphony TV, Adebayo said the question of a political alliance with Atiku Abubakar was secondary to what he described as Nigeria’s deeper crisis of governance, insisting that the real issue is not political positioning but national direction. While acknowledging Atiku Abubakar’s democratic credentials and recalling their political…
Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as a historic and deeply symbolic decision to immortalise the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua through the renaming of a federal academic institution in Kaduna. The President approved the re-designation of the Institute of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna, which will now be known as the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology—a move the senator said restores national focus on a legacy built on sacrifice, patriotism, and democratic commitment. In a strongly worded statement on Friday, Senator Yar’Adua said the gesture goes far…