The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday dismissed a no-case submission filed by former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, in a N33.8 billion fraud trial.

Delivering the ruling, Justice James Omotosho held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had established a prima facie case against Mamman, requiring him to respond or mount a defence.

The judge stressed that Mamman remains innocent until proven guilty.

Mamman, who served as Minister of Power from August 2019 to September 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, faces a 12-count amended charge alleging he conspired with ministry officials and private companies to misappropriate funds intended for the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects.

He pleaded not guilty when arraigned in July 2024.

The EFCC presented 17 witnesses and 43 exhibits before closing its case.

Mamman’s counsel filed a no-case submission on November 19, arguing that the prosecution had failed to present credible evidence.

The EFCC countered, asserting the evidence was sufficient to establish a prima facie case.

Justice Omotosho ruled that the court’s role is to determine whether a prima facie case exists, not to assess guilt.

He stated, “The evidence all points to the establishment of a prima facie case against the defendant. This ensures he is afforded his right to a fair hearing and to put in his defence.”

The judge emphasised that prima facie case does not imply guilt and that Mamman’s right to defend himself under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution remains intact.

The court adjourned the matter to February 23, 2026, for Mamman to open his defence.

Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed, has refuted reports suggesting he is considering defecting to the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

The clarification comes amid a string of high-profile defections shaking the PDP, including the recent moves by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to the APC and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to the Accord Party.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Mohammed’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, dismissed as “mischievous and completely false” a claim attributed to the PRP’s Publicity Secretary in Bauchi that the governor was not welcome in the party.

Gidado described the remark as “the rantings of an attention-seeker desperate for relevance,” adding that the governor felt compelled to address it to prevent unnecessary speculation.

He stressed that Mohammed has never contemplated leaving the PDP, nor has he engaged in any form of discussion about joining the PRP.

Instead, the governor has remained deeply involved in efforts to stabilise the PDP, which he said is facing “contrived crises orchestrated by individuals intent on undermining multiparty democracy.”

The statement also highlighted Mohammed’s political influence in Bauchi, noting that his repeated electoral victories over PRP candidates reflect his strong grassroots support and track record of performance.

According to Gidado, Bauchi State has recorded significant progress under Mohammed’s leadership, particularly in infrastructure development, empowerment programmes, rural transformation and institutional reforms.

He dismissed PRP’s criticism of the governor’s ongoing reforms, such as restructuring traditional institutions and devolving powers, as evidence of the party’s disconnect from modern governance priorities.

Gidado concluded that no amount of misinformation or political mischief would distract the governor from his commitment to the development of Bauchi State.

He added that while Mohammed reserves the constitutional right to make political decisions, such choices will never be driven by “falsehood, malice or the machinations of political turncoats.”

Bayelsa State has been thrown into mourning following the sudden death of its Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Oborawharievwo Ewhrudjakpo, who reportedly slumped on Thursday. He was 60.

Although full details remain sketchy, multiple sources confirmed that the deputy governor collapsed in his office and was immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, where he was later pronounced dead.

As news of the incident spread, security personnel cordoned off the hospital premises, while senior government officials arrived in a visibly tense atmosphere.

Efforts to obtain official comments from his media aide, Mr. Doubara Atasi, were unsuccessful, heightening public apprehension.

A senior medical official at FMC, speaking off the record, initially said the deputy governor was receiving intensive care and was “stable.”

However, reliable sources later confirmed that all attempts to revive him failed.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, born on September 5, 1965, was a former member of the National Assembly before being elected deputy governor in 2020.

His sudden passing has created a significant vacuum in the state’s leadership and left residents in deep shock.

As of press time, the Bayelsa State Government had not released an official statement on the deputy governor’s death.

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, says he has no personal issues with members of the State House of Assembly, insisting that a reconciliation meeting has stalled only because the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has not convened it as agreed.

Speaking on Wednesday during the inauguration of the dualised Ahoada–Omoku Road, the governor said he had made several attempts, through the Rivers State Elders Council led by Chief Ferdinand Anabraba, to initiate dialogue with the lawmakers.

He dismissed claims that he had been reluctant to engage the Assembly, explaining that he was ready to meet them at any time for the sake of peace and the state’s stability.

Fubara said the reconciliation framework clearly assigned Wike the responsibility of bringing all sides together, but the expected meeting had not been called.

He added that he deliberately refrained from making direct contact with the lawmakers to avoid misrepresentations that he was trying to bypass or manipulate the process.

The governor also addressed his recent political alignment with the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the move was intended to strengthen peace efforts and support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which he said has helped stabilise his administration.

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has revealed why he remains in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) despite voluntarily honouring the agency’s invitation on Monday.

Malami is currently being interrogated over several allegations, including terrorism financing, the ownership of 46 bank accounts, the engagement of multiple law firms in the recovery of the $322.5 million Abacha loot, and the disbursement of funds under the conditional cash transfer scheme.

However, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, the former minister said he was detained without being informed of any new offence.

He noted that the EFCC simply told him his previous administrative bail had been revoked, even though he never violated its terms.

Malami said he had been given fresh bail conditions and was ready to meet them once the EFCC authorises the process.

He firmly dismissed the allegations of terrorism financing and ownership of 46 bank accounts, describing them as “false, baseless, and part of a coordinated media smear campaign.”

According to Doka, Malami has never been questioned by any security or intelligence agency, locally or internationally, regarding terrorism financing.

He added that the retired military officer whose comments were recently cited in the media had already clarified that he never accused Malami of such acts.

The statement also highlighted Malami’s contributions during his time as Attorney-General, including strengthening Nigeria’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing systems.

Doka listed the establishment of an independent NFIU, and the enactment of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, reforms that helped remove Nigeria from the FATF grey list.

Addressing concerns about duplicated legal representation in the recovery of the Abacha funds, Doka explained that the Buhari administration had rejected the terms proposed by Swiss lawyer Enrico Monfrini, who allegedly demanded a $5 million upfront payment and a success fee of up to 40 percent.

He said Malami later negotiated a 5 percent all-inclusive success fee with Nigerian lawyers, saving the country between ₦76.8 billion and ₦179.2 billion, depending on the exchange rate.

He clarified that the recovered funds were repatriated in phases and deployed strictly according to agreements with international partners.

These included the 2017–2018 $322 million from Switzerland, released through the National Social Investment Programme under World Bank supervision, and the $321 million repatriated from Jersey in 2020, which funded major infrastructure projects such as the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, and the Abuja–Kano Highway.

Malami, who served as AGF from 2015 to 2023, had previously confirmed on November 28 that he received EFCC’s invitation and would honour it as a “law-abiding and patriotic citizen.”

Meanwhile, the EFCC has maintained that Malami is being detained for failing to meet his bail conditions and because of ongoing investigations into multiple cases linked to him.

The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has taken a swipe at Nigeria’s political elite, accusing them of treating public office as a private or family enterprise rather than a responsibility to serve citizens.

Speaking in Lagos at the 15th anniversary of Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, Sanusi said the country continues to miss vital opportunities for progress because many leaders prioritise personal gain over national interest.

“We have done enough damage and maybe we need to stop,” he said.

“We miss opportunities not just by accident but sometimes deliberately, because many in public office think it’s about themselves, their families, or those close to them, not the country.”

Sanusi, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said Nigeria’s governance challenges are deepened by ethnic divisions, religious tensions and self-serving political structures that undermine unity and development.

He urged young Nigerians to take ownership of the country and challenge systems that promote dysfunction.

“The nation belongs to us. It does not belong to the government or politicians,” he said.

“Wherever we find ourselves, we must remember we hold a small part of Nigeria and have a duty to contribute our quota.”

The Emir called on youths to rally around a common vision for a new Nigeria, one that breaks away from longstanding tribal, religious and political rivalries.

“What we need is a clear, achievable ideological direction,” he said.

“It has to be a Nigeria different from the one that has been manufactured for us, a Nigeria free from ethnic competition, religious conflict, and the pursuit of personal aggrandizement.”

Sanusi stressed that Nigeria can only take its rightful place globally when citizens collectively reject divisive politics and embrace a shared national purpose.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed ministers and senior government officials to obtain his approval before requesting police escorts for official assignments.

The new directive was issued during Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The president’s instruction follows his November 23 order withdrawing police officers attached to Very Important Persons (VIPs) nationwide after a security meeting with the service chiefs.

Under the revised security framework, VIPs who require protection are expected to request armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

To strengthen security, Tinubu also approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers and pledged collaboration with state governments to upgrade police training facilities.

He noted that recent incidents including killings, abductions, and attacks on schools, necessitated a more efficient deployment of security assets.

Addressing the FEC, Tinubu insisted that the recall of police officers from VIPs, VVIPs and ministers must be strictly enforced.

“I have told the Inspector-General of Police, and I hope the Minister of Police Affairs is here to implement the directive. If you have any problem with security due to the nature of your assignment, please contact the IGP and get my clearance,” he said.

He instructed the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Minister of Police Affairs, and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to ensure full compliance.

The Minister of Interior was also tasked with working with the IGP and NSCDC to fill gaps created by the withdrawal.

Tinubu emphasised that police officers are primarily trained to protect the public, not individuals of privilege.

He further directed the NSA and DSS to review the country’s security architecture and make necessary adjustments.

The president also called for stronger local security structures, including forest guards, given rising threats across states.

He said the ongoing livestock reform must continue, directing the Minister of Livestock Development to identify areas suitable for ranching and reminding stakeholders that land administration rests with state governments.

On the Senate floor, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) protested the withdrawal of his only police orderly, saying the policy must apply equally to all Nigerians, including top political officeholders, business elites, and celebrities.

He argued that while his security aide had been withdrawn in strict compliance with the president’s order, many individuals with no public office still moved around with heavy police escorts.

“It should be done across the board,” he said.

“Let us see what happens from the office of the President to the Vice President, the Senate President, the Speaker, ministers, governors, business concerns, even the sons and daughters of political officeholders.”

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin acknowledged the concern, saying Senate leadership was engaging the relevant authorities.

He asked the Senate Committee on Police Affairs to investigate allegations of selective enforcement.

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka also raised concerns, criticising what he described as an excessive deployment of security personnel around Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son.

Soyinka recounted an incident at a hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he mistakenly assumed a film was being shot due to the large presence of armed men, only to realise it was Seyi’s security detail.

“There were at least 15 heavily armed security personnel,” he said.

“They looked sufficient to take over a small neighbouring country like Benin.”

He added that such displays distort security priorities and send the wrong message about the use of public resources.

“Children should know their place. They are not potentates. They are not heads of state,” he said, warning that excessive protection for individuals who hold no public office undermines Nigeria’s security architecture.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has identified weak telecommunications connectivity as a major obstacle to uploading election results in real time across Nigeria.

Speaking at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room’s Stakeholders’ Forum on Elections in Abuja on Thursday, Amupitan said that despite technological tools like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), network limitations, especially in remote areas, continue to hinder full transparency.

“The deployment of BVAS has fundamentally redefined the process, ensuring only accredited voters cast ballots and reducing over-voting and manual manipulation.”

“IReV has opened up the electoral process to public scrutiny, but technology alone cannot overcome network deficiencies,” he said.

Amupitan explained that with over 176,000 polling units nationwide, many located in areas with poor connectivity, achieving real-time uploads remains one of INEC’s toughest operational challenges.

He added that the commission is collaborating with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and network providers to explore alternative transmission solutions and improve reliability.

Highlighting other election-related issues, Amupitan expressed concern about persistent voter apathy, noting that only about 27 per cent of eligible voters participated in the 2023 general elections.

He cited successes such as a significant increase in PVC collection in Anambra State, attributing it to targeted mobilisation efforts.

On the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, Amupitan revealed that 2,685,725 registrations have been completed nationwide, with Osun State leading at 208,357, followed by Kano (159,669), Sokoto (152,650), and Imo (145,561).

Borno (123,835) and Lagos (123,484) were also highlighted for strong voter engagement.

Preparations for the February 21, 2026, Area Council elections in the FCT have already begun, with relevant information published on the INEC website.

Amupitan stressed that technological improvements must be accompanied by political accountability to curb vote-buying and electoral inducement.

“We are deploying security personnel and intelligence operations at election centres to protect voters. Civil society organisations, like the Situation Room, are crucial in ensuring compliance, promoting civic education, and holding all stakeholders accountable,” he added.

Amupitan concluded that collaboration between institutions, communities, and civil society remains key to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system and enhancing trust in election outcomes.

The Nigerian Senate has formally confirmed former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, as Nigeria’s ambassador, bringing to a close the confirmation process for one of President Bola Tinubu’s key diplomatic nominees.

The confirmation session, held on Thursday at the National Assembly, saw a smooth and largely celebratory process.

During the proceedings, a senator reportedly quipped, “Take a bow and go,” acknowledging Ugwuanyi’s political and administrative experience before voting him through without contest.

Ugwuanyi, who served as Enugu State Governor from 2015 to 2023, is among several high-profile individuals nominated by the President for ambassadorial roles.

The Senate also confirmed several other nominees.