The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted fresh bail to African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, weeks after revoking his earlier bail and ordering his arrest over his failure to appear for trial. Justice Umar Mohammed admitted Sowore to bail in the sum of ₦200 million with two sureties, imposing stringent conditions aimed at guaranteeing his appearance in court. Under the new bail terms, one surety must be a traditional ruler from Sowore’s community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, while the second must be a property owner within the Federal Capital Territory…
Author: National Update
The Federal High Court has introduced a new set of Practice Directions for the handling of pre-election disputes, in a move aimed at accelerating the determination of electoral cases and strengthening the administration of justice ahead of future elections. The new **Federal High Court (Pre-Election) Practice Directions, 2026**, issued by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Terhemba Tsoho, replaces the 2022 guidelines and establishes a fresh framework for managing pre-election litigation across the country. In a statement issued on Monday by the court’s Director of Information, Catherine Oby Christopher, the judiciary said the revised rules were designed…
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has dismissed legal and political challenges surrounding its registration and party identity, declaring that its attention is firmly fixed on building a broad-based movement capable of reshaping Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections. National Leader of the party, Senator Seriake Dickson, said the NDC remains confident of its place in the country’s electoral process despite ongoing attempts by critics to question its legitimacy and political future. Speaking on Channels Television’s *Sunday Politics*, Dickson brushed aside concerns over a lawsuit seeking the party’s deregistration and defended the NDC’s adoption of the peace sign…
A swift military response has prevented what security analysts say could have become another major school abduction crisis in Nigeria’s North-East after troops rescued 10 students kidnapped during a terrorist attack on a secondary school in Borno State. The students were abducted when suspected insurgents stormed Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area while candidates were sitting for the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination. The incident briefly reignited fears of a return to the era of mass school kidnappings that once dominated Nigeria’s security landscape. However, military authorities said troops of Operation Hadin Kai,…
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that he has permanently stepped away from partisan politics, insisting that his primary concern now is the welfare, progress and future of Nigeria rather than political party interests. Obasanjo made the declaration while receiving the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, including the party’s governorship candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, and his daughter, Iyabo Obasanjo, at his residence in Abeokuta. The former President’s remarks come amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections and renewed efforts by political actors to seek endorsements from influential national figures. Although he received…
A social media post by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has triggered a broader national conversation about patriotism, leadership and the place of national symbols in shaping citizens’ sense of identity and belonging. What began as a simple comparison between two photographs has evolved into a debate over how public officials should relate to the emblems that represent Nigeria’s sovereignty and collective heritage. The controversy erupted after Lamido shared an image of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu standing on a floor-mounted Nigerian Coat of Arms at the Presidential Villa. Alongside it, he posted a photograph of Brazilian football star Vinicius…
Human rights lawyer and activist, Abdul Mahmud, has faulted the decision of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) to suspend Chief Mike Ozekhome from the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), arguing that the move undermines the constitutional principle of presumption of innocence. Mahmud, in a statement posted on his verified Facebook page, expressed concern over the LPPC’s decision to suspend Ozekhome pending the determination of disciplinary proceedings against him, warning that the action could create the impression that allegations alone are sufficient grounds for punishment. The LPPC had announced Ozekhome’s suspension as an interim measure while disciplinary proceedings…
The Senate has mounted a robust defence of the controversial State Police Bill, insisting that the proposed constitutional amendment is a response to Nigeria’s worsening security crisis and not a product of partisan calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the legislation was born out of extensive national consultations and overwhelming public demand for a more effective security architecture capable of addressing threats at the grassroots level. Describing the initiative as “a child of necessity” rather than political expediency, Bamidele argued that the creation of state police has become…
By John Akubo, Abuja Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has raised the alarm over what he described as a coordinated plot involving the Presidency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and elements within the judiciary to prevent the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, from participating in the 2027 general election. Frank, in a statement issued on Monday, warned that any attempt to exclude the ADC from the ballot would constitute a direct attack on Nigeria’s democratic process and could trigger widespread political instability. The former APC…
By John Akubo, Abuja The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed concern over the suspension of Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), warning that the decision could undermine one of the most fundamental principles of Nigeria’s legal system—the presumption of innocence. The rights advocacy group said the suspension of the senior lawyer before the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings against him raises important questions about due process, fairness and adherence to the principles of natural justice that underpin Nigeria’s constitutional democracy. In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its National Coordinator,…