Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has appointed the Chairman of the Board of Enugu Air, Barr. Richard Agu, as Commissioner-designate for the state’s Ministry of Transport.

The appointment was announced in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia.

According to the statement, Agu’s name has been forwarded to the Enugu State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation in accordance with the provisions of the law.

His appointment is, therefore, subject to the completion of the legislative screening and confirmation process.

Agu currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Enugu Air, the state-owned airline established as part of the Mbah administration’s efforts to expand air connectivity and boost economic activities in Enugu State.

The member representing Ezeagu Constituency in the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Barr. Chima Obieze, has withdrawn his proposed Crowd Control and Public Safety Bill following widespread reactions and concerns over its provisions, DAILY GAZETTE reports.

Obieze, who announced the withdrawal in a statement to the people of Enugu State, said the decision was taken to allow for wider consultations and greater public enlightenment on the purpose of the proposed legislation.

The lawmaker maintained that the bill was conceived primarily out of concern for the safety of residents, particularly children, women and persons living with disabilities, in view of the recurring loss of lives during crowded public events.

According to him, Nigeria has witnessed several fatal stampedes in recent years, including the deaths recorded during palliative distributions and public events in Anambra, Oyo and the Federal Capital Territory.

He also recalled previous crowd-related tragedies in Enugu, including incidents associated with large religious gatherings and night shows at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and Okpara Square.

Obieze said such tragedies were often linked to inadequate crowd management, poor emergency medical preparedness, insufficient entry and exit routes and inadequate security arrangements.

He explained that the proposed bill was intended to establish preventive measures and make it a legal responsibility for organisers of large gatherings to provide basic safety measures, including first aid, fire extinguishers, barricades, clearly defined exit routes and adequate security.

The lawmaker cited the Lagos State Safety Commission as an example of an institutional framework for regulating event and crowd safety, while also referencing measures adopted by Ondo, Anambra and Oyo states following stampede incidents.

However, Obieze acknowledged the concerns generated by the bill and said he had decided to withdraw it rather than proceed without sufficient consultation.

“Lawmaking is for the people,” he said, adding that lawmakers have a responsibility to ensure that citizens understand the purpose and intended impact of new legislation.

He said he would formally write the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly to withdraw the bill, while pledging to continue consultations and public enlightenment on the issue.

Obieze thanked those who contributed to the debate, including critics, saying their views were important to the legislative process.

He added that the safety of the people of Enugu would remain his priority.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that political parties that field candidates whose names are not contained in the party registers submitted to the commission will not be allowed to participate in the 2027 elections.

INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Malam Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this while speaking on Trust TV’s Daily Politics programme on Wednesday evening.

His comments followed the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026 judgment, which affirmed the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026 and upheld INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 elections.

Haruna said parties that violated the provisions would not be permitted to substitute affected candidates, arguing that such a move would amount to allowing them to benefit from an offence.

He said the commission expected to make a definitive pronouncement on the Supreme Court judgment by Tuesday next week.

“It’s like you committed an offence. And then, you come and benefit from it. You remember cases that we had of some in Zamfara, you remember Plateau? The same thing. The parties, because they did the wrong thing, they thought they could now steal through the candidates.

“And the law was very clear. Once you do that kind of thing, you cannot benefit from it. You are benefiting from it, if you are able to substitute a candidate.”

According to him, depending on the commission’s final decision, “some parties may not be able to finish with even governorship candidates.”

Haruna said the issue could affect candidates across all levels of elective positions, including the state Houses of Assembly.

“All the candidates, all the way to the houses of assembly, we interviewed them. If their names are not on the party register, they were not members of the party at the time that they contested for those tickets.”

He explained that INEC’s delay in making a final pronouncement was due to the need to obtain legal advice after receiving the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment.

“You can’t be too careful with these things because even when you see copies and they tell you it’s a CTC, it may be forged. We’ve seen instances where people have even gone, have the audacity to forge a Supreme Court judgment. So, we have to be very careful to make sure that when you took us, we did put a lot of pressure and we were able to get it yesterday (Tuesday).”

The INEC commissioner also expressed concern over the tone of political campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly the use of threats by some political actors.

He said such conduct remained worrisome, regardless of the number of people involved.

“Those kind of things, even if it’s a minority, it’s a cause for concern, because nobody should be threatened at all. All those talks, they are not reassuring at all. There are things, there are talks, actions, that really is a cause for worry, not just for us, but it should be a cause of worry for everybody, including the ruling party.”

Haruna further disclosed that the commission was working to secure the funds required to conduct the 2027 elections, stressing that INEC was already operating under significant time constraints.

He said the commission no longer had the luxury of time as preparations for the elections continued.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that political parties that field candidates whose names are not contained in the party registers submitted to the commission will not be allowed to participate in the 2027 elections.

INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Malam Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this while speaking on Trust TV’s Daily Politics programme on Wednesday evening.

His comments followed the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026 judgment, which affirmed the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026 and upheld INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 elections.

Haruna said parties that violated the provisions would not be permitted to substitute affected candidates, arguing that such a move would amount to allowing them to benefit from an offence.

He said the commission expected to make a definitive pronouncement on the Supreme Court judgment by Tuesday next week.

“It’s like you committed an offence. And then, you come and benefit from it. You remember cases that we had of some in Zamfara, you remember Plateau? The same thing. The parties, because they did the wrong thing, they thought they could now steal through the candidates.

“And the law was very clear. Once you do that kind of thing, you cannot benefit from it. You are benefiting from it, if you are able to substitute a candidate.”

According to him, depending on the commission’s final decision, “some parties may not be able to finish with even governorship candidates.”

Haruna said the issue could affect candidates across all levels of elective positions, including the state Houses of Assembly.

“All the candidates, all the way to the houses of assembly, we interviewed them. If their names are not on the party register, they were not members of the party at the time that they contested for those tickets.”

He explained that INEC’s delay in making a final pronouncement was due to the need to obtain legal advice after receiving the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment.

“You can’t be too careful with these things because even when you see copies and they tell you it’s a CTC, it may be forged. We’ve seen instances where people have even gone, have the audacity to forge a Supreme Court judgment. So, we have to be very careful to make sure that when you took us, we did put a lot of pressure and we were able to get it yesterday (Tuesday).”

The INEC commissioner also expressed concern over the tone of political campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly the use of threats by some political actors.

He said such conduct remained worrisome, regardless of the number of people involved.

“Those kind of things, even if it’s a minority, it’s a cause for concern, because nobody should be threatened at all. All those talks, they are not reassuring at all. There are things, there are talks, actions, that really is a cause for worry, not just for us, but it should be a cause of worry for everybody, including the ruling party.”

Haruna further disclosed that the commission was working to secure the funds required to conduct the 2027 elections, stressing that INEC was already operating under significant time constraints.

He said the commission no longer had the luxury of time as preparations for the elections continued.

A fresh controversy has erupted in the Enugu State House of Assembly over a proposed Crowd Control and Management Bill, with the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu, denying knowledge of the bill, DAILY GAZETTE reports.

The development followed criticism of the proposed legislation on social media, with some residents describing it as an alleged attempt to place restrictions on public gatherings and infringe on the constitutional right to freedom of assembly.

Rt. Hon. Chima Obieze, who represents Ezeagu state Constituency in the Assembly, had announced on Tuesday that he submitted a private member’s bill seeking to establish the Enugu State Crowd Control and Management Agency.

He said the proposed legislation, titled the “State Crowd Control and Management Agency Bill, 2026,” was designed to regulate the management of crowds at various events in the state and prevent deaths arising from stampedes, overcrowding, asphyxiation and other crowd-related incidents.

According to him, the proposed law would apply to religious, festive, educational, social, sporting, musical, political and philanthropic gatherings.

Obieze said the bill places the primary responsibility for crowd safety on event organisers, who would be required to take measures including providing safe entry and exit points, engaging qualified professionals for stages and electrical installations, making adequate security and fire-safety arrangements and providing special considerations for children, women, elderly persons, sick persons and people living with disabilities.

He also proposed the establishment of the Enugu State Crowd Control and Management Agency as a corporate body responsible for monitoring and enforcing crowd-management standards, as well as issuing regulations and guidelines.

The proposed agency, according to the lawmaker, would have a chairperson, an executive secretary and five experienced members appointed by the governor for a four-year term, renewable once, alongside representatives of relevant government agencies and security institutions.

Obieze said violations of provisions of the proposed law would attract fines or imprisonment, depending on the nature of the offence.

The proposal, however, immediately generated controversy online.

DAILY GAZETTE reports that a facebook user, Chizoba Ugwuagbo, announced plans to mobilise signatures against the proposed legislation, describing it as an “anti-human rights bill” allegedly disguised as a crowd-control measure.

Ugwuagbo argued that some provisions of the proposed legislation could interfere with the constitutional right to freedom of assembly.

He cited the 2007 Court of Appeal decision in Inspector-General of Police v. All Nigeria Peoples Party & Ors., arguing that citizens should not be subjected to government permission as a precondition for holding peaceful meetings, rallies or processions.

He also questioned the necessity of creating another regulatory agency when institutions such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps, State Emergency Management Agency and Fire Service already have responsibilities relating to public safety and crowd management.

Another major concern raised by Ugwuagbo was the provision defining a large gathering as one involving more than 100 persons.

He argued that the requirement for organisers to liaise with the proposed agency could potentially extend to political, religious, social and traditional gatherings involving more than 100 people.

Ugwuagbo further questioned the prospect of a government-appointed agency monitoring gatherings, particularly political meetings where participants might discuss opposition to the government in power.

He consequently called for the proposed legislation to be stopped before it reaches a public hearing.

Amid the controversy, the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Uche Ugwu, issued a statement denying knowledge of any such bill before the chamber.

“There is no crowd control bill on the floor of the Enugu State House of Assembly. Kindly disregard the purported bill. Thank you,” the Speaker stated.

Seven members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly who recently resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) are considering joining one of three political parties as they weigh their next political move.

The lawmakers, according to one of them, Ibrahim Tukur Bakura, have opened discussions with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Bakura disclosed this in a telephone interview, saying the lawmakers were carefully assessing their options before settling on a new political platform.

He said although the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had also contacted them, they had yet to hold a formal meeting with the party.

“For now, we have not sat with the PDP, though we may do so later. However, we have already met and discussed the possibility of joining either the ADC, NDC, or PRP,” Bakura said.

According to him, the lawmakers are determined to avoid making a hasty decision and would consider the political interests and preferences of their constituents before announcing their next destination.

“In a situation like this, we must exercise caution to avoid making the wrong choice. We need to analyse the situation thoroughly and align with the political direction of the people of Zamfara State before taking a final stance,” he said.

Bakura added that the lawmakers could consult their constituents directly as part of the process of determining which party to join.

“Everything we are doing is in the interest of our constituents. If necessary, we will consult them directly to decide which party to join, as we are here to serve them,” he added.

The lawmaker said the decision would be made soon, stressing that the group would announce its choice by next week.

“We have resigned from the ruling APC and are engaging with other political parties. By next week, we will announce our decision. Our doors remain open for consultations with any party interested in accommodating us. It won’t take longer than next week to decide our path,” he stated.

The seven lawmakers had announced their resignation from the APC last week but did not immediately disclose the political platform they intended to join.

They are Bashir Aliyu Gummi, Nasiru Abdullahi, Bashir Masama, Faruku Dosara, Ibrahim Tukur Bakura, Shamsudeen Hassan and Bashiru Sarkin-Zango.

The lawmakers had previously been suspended by the Zamfara State House of Assembly over allegations bordering on misconduct, conspiracy, mischief and holding an unauthorised sitting.

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has advised candidates whose participation in the 2027 elections may have been affected by the recent Supreme Court ruling on provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 to withdraw from the race.

Sani, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Kaduna Central, gave the advice in a post on X on Wednesday.

On September 24, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Adamu Jauro, restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act after overturning a Court of Appeal judgment that had declared the provisions unconstitutional.

The apex court subsequently restored the judgment of the Federal High Court, which had dismissed a suit instituted by the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) challenging the provisions.

Although the Supreme Court did not expressly disqualify any candidate, the restoration of the provisions has raised concerns over the eligibility of some candidates, particularly in relation to party membership, defections, membership registers submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the processes through which candidates secured their party nominations.

Sani warned candidates affected by the ruling against continuing to expend their resources on campaigns despite the legal implications of the judgment.

He said some of their supporters would continue to encourage them to remain in the contest, but advised them to reconsider their positions.

“If you are one of those candidates affected by the September Supreme Court ruling, you shouldn’t waste your time and resources.

“Your supporters will continue to beat the drums for you to stay in the race but you are heading to nowhere,” he said.

Sani added that his position was informed by his experience as an active participant in electoral contests, rather than that of an analyst or commentator.

“We have the experience of losing and winning elections, not as analysts or commentators but as active, frontline participants; so we know both sides very well,” he said.

The trial of former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, was stalled on Tuesday following Emefiele’s absence from the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja.

Justice Rahman Oshodi subsequently adjourned the proceedings to November 11, 12 and 13, 2026, for continuation of the trial.

Emefiele is facing a 19-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged abuse of office, receiving gratification, making corrupt demands and fraudulent receipt of property in transactions involving about $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.

Omoile, the second defendant, is facing three counts bordering on alleged unlawful acceptance of gifts in his capacity as an agent.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, counsel to Emefiele, Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, SAN, informed the court that his client was unavailable because he was attending another trial in Abuja.

The EFCC prosecutor, C.C. Okezie, also confirmed that Emefiele had written to the court on October 6, 2026, notifying it that he would be attending proceedings in Abuja on the same dates fixed for the Lagos trial.

However, counsel to Omoile, A. Kotoye, SAN, expressed concern that he had not received any notification regarding Emefiele’s absence.

Kotoye complained that the second defendant appeared to be treated as though he was not part of the proceedings.

Labi-Lawal subsequently urged the court to vacate the dates earlier fixed for the trial, arguing that it could be difficult for Emefiele to travel from Abuja to Lagos immediately after appearing before another court.

He noted that Emefiele’s Abuja case was still ongoing and that its schedule and outcome could not be predicted.

After considering the submissions, Justice Oshodi vacated the October dates earlier fixed for the proceedings and adjourned the case to November 11, 12 and 13 for continuation of trial.