Two major highways linking Kogi State with neighbouring Kwara and Ekiti states are set for extensive rehabilitation following the Federal Executive Council’s approval of N128.7 billion for the projects, ending years of neglect that have left commuters grappling with poor road conditions, prolonged travel times and security concerns. The approval, granted during Monday’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council chaired by President Bola Tinubu, forms part of a nationwide N3.9 trillion road infrastructure programme aimed at improving connectivity and boosting economic activities across the country. Under the approval, N104 billion was allocated for the rehabilitation of Sections One and Two…
Author: National Update
The battle over the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to enter a decisive phase on July 7, following a Federal High Court’s decision to hear a suit seeking official recognition of the party’s interim leadership by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The case, filed by the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), centres on a request for the court to compel INEC to recognise the Kabir Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee (NWC) as the legitimate leadership of the party and update its records accordingly. Justice Salim Ibrahim fixed July 7 for the hearing of all pending…
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) may be heading for a prolonged legal and political battle in Kano State after a group of aggrieved aspirants asked the Federal High Court to invalidate the party’s primary elections, a move that could disrupt its preparations for the 2027 general elections. At the centre of the dispute are allegations that the process used to select the party’s candidates failed to comply with both the Electoral Act and the NDC’s internal regulations, raising questions about the legitimacy of candidates produced from the exercise. The suit was instituted by five party members, including governorship aspirant Mukhtar…
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has defended her administration’s grassroots empowerment programme amid criticism over comments referencing “akara sellers,” insisting that the initiative is designed to support thousands of women operating across Nigeria’s informal economy. Mrs. Tinubu pushed back against what she described as misrepresentations of her remarks, stressing that the programme extends far beyond a single category of traders and targets women engaged in various small-scale businesses that sustain families and local economies nationwide. Her response comes after public debate erupted over comments seen by critics as emblematic of the government’s approach to economic empowerment at a time of…
Concerns over transparency, public access and the livelihoods of hundreds of informal workers spilled onto the grounds of Jabi Lake Recreational Park on Tuesday as residents, civil society organisations and traders staged a protest against the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) redevelopment of the iconic waterfront. The protesters accused the FCTA of pushing ahead with a multi-billion-naira transformation of one of Abuja’s most popular public spaces without adequately consulting affected communities or disclosing the terms of its agreement with private developers. Led by Accountability Lab Nigeria, the Federation of Informal Workers Organisation of Nigeria (FIWON) and the Solidarity Center, the…
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…
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…