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…
Author: National Update
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…
***Demands Urgent National Action The African Democratic Congress (ADC) disability leadership has raised fresh concerns over what it describes as the “unfinished state” of Nigeria’s democracy, insisting that millions of persons with disabilities (PWDs) remain systematically excluded from governance, public services, and economic participation. In a Democracy Day statement titled “Democracy Without Access is Democracy Denied,” the National Leader of Persons with Disabilities in the ADC, Chike Okogwu, said Nigeria cannot claim democratic completeness while large segments of its population are shut out by physical, economic, and institutional barriers. Okogwu said Democracy Day should not only be a moment of…
Today, we celebrate democracy and the enduring Nigerian spirit. For 27 unbroken years, since May 29, 1999, Nigerians have chosen their leaders through the ballot, witnessed peaceful transitions of power, and resolved disagreements in courtrooms and legislative chambers—not through violence. We have experienced the longest stretch of civilian rule in our history. Our democracy is not perfect, but it is ours, and we must continue to defend and strengthen it. In the coming days, Ekiti and Osun States will hold elections. I urge INEC, security agencies, and all parties to ensure these polls are peaceful and credible. Democracy fails when…
Frontline National Democratic Congress (NDC) House of Representatives aspirant, Engr. Obi Njoku, has issued a forceful challenge to fellow contenders in the Abuja primary election, demanding a complete break from what he described as “politics-as-usual” and urging a return to people-centred representation. Speaking ahead of the primary, Njoku said Nigeria’s legislative space has drifted dangerously away from the citizens it was created to serve, warning that lawmakers are increasingly absorbed in internal party battles, political negotiations, and resource control while the country’s core problems continue to deepen. He questioned the relevance of current parliamentary priorities, arguing that the lived realities…
Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has called on Nigerians to defend democracy and safeguard the gains of the June 12 struggle, warning that the sacrifices made by Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola and other pro-democracy heroes must not be betrayed. In a Democracy Day message commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election, Adebayo said Nigerians must move beyond symbolic celebrations and recommit themselves to the ideals of free and credible elections, constitutional governance, and the supremacy of the people’s will. According to him, June 12 remains one of…