The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has formally announced his support for Christopher Maikalangu, the APC candidate vying for the Abuja Municipal Area Council Chairmanship in the upcoming February 2026 elections.

Last week, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) authorized political campaigns for the area council elections.

In a statement, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, confirmed campaign activities will span from 24 September 2025 to midnight 19 February 2026.

Maikalangu, who secured the APC nomination at the party primaries on 26 June 2025, obtained 51 votes to win his ticket.

At the flag‑off ceremony for roadworks connecting Tunga Madaki and several neighboring communities to the airport, Wike said Maikalangu had asked him to remind the President of the need to compensate the affected residents for the second runway project at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

Wike urged locals to back Maikalangu in the February polls and anticipated that after the election, the candidate would play a role in commissioning the infrastructure in June 2026.

“Now that INEC has said area councils can campaign openly  you all know where we are heading,” he said.

Wike further asserted that President Bola Tinubu has ordered full compensation for communities whose lands were acquired for the runway and that connecting their settlements by roads had long been their demand.

The Minister described the inauguration as a fulfillment of a promise made by the President and called the day’s project a sign of a “listening government.”

He concluded by urging residents to imagine the development that will follow by June, when roads are completed and “Mr. Maikalangu will do the needful.”

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled against Professor Pat Utomi and his associates, ordering them to cease plans to establish a shadow government in Nigeria.

In a judgment delivered on Monday, Justice James Omotosho declared the concept of a shadow cabinet, often modeled after parliamentary systems, as unconstitutional and inconsistent with Nigeria’s presidential system of governance.

The case was filed by the Department of State Services (DSS), which raised concerns over the legality and implications of forming an alternative government structure outside the one recognized by the constitution.

“Section 14(2)(c) of the Constitution makes no allowance for a shadow government,” the judge stated.

“The defendant cannot use foreign constitutional models to mislead the Nigerian public. Such a concept is alien to our system and is hereby declared void.”

The court emphasized that Nigeria’s constitutional framework does not provide room for any form of parallel governance, regardless of its intended symbolic or advisory nature.

Utomi, a professor of political economy and former presidential hopeful, has recently stirred public debate by proposing a shadow cabinet, a group of policy experts intended to mirror and critique the official federal administration.

He argued the initiative would promote accountability and policy alternatives, similar to systems practiced in countries like the United Kingdom.

In response to the ruling, Utomi has claimed that Nigerians are mobilizing 500 lawyers in his defense, asserting that the court’s decision infringes on freedom of association and political expression.

The court’s verdict comes amid heightened political discourse around governance reforms, with critics warning that parallel political structures could confuse citizens or undermine national institutions.

Former Minister of Information and veteran politician Prof. Jerry Gana has announced that Goodluck Jonathan will contest and reclaim the presidency in the 2027 election under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) platform. Gana made the declaration during the PDP state congress in Minna, Niger State.

Speaking to journalists, Gana asserted that Nigeria has had two presidents since Jonathan’s exit and now people are yearning for his comeback.

“In 2015, Jonathan said his ambition was not worth the blood of Nigerians. Since then, two different presidents have served. Nigerians are now demanding the return of our friend Jonathan,” he said.

At the same event, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State echoed the sentiment that the PDP is mobilizing and preparing for the 2027 contest.

“We’re reshaping the PDP to restore public trust and confidence ahead of 2027,” the governor said.

During the congress, Aliyu Halidu was elected as the new state chairman, while Khadi Kuta retained the position of Secretary and Salome Ndakosu emerged as the Woman Leader.

In his acceptance speech, Halidu called on party members to unite in the mission to bring back a government that serves the people.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the state level criticized Atiku Abubakar for what it described as his exploitation of the recent terror attack in Madagali, Adamawa State. The APC labeled his comments “insensitive and politically motivated.”

According to the APC’s state publicity secretary, Atiku “rushes to issue hollow statements” rather than standing with victims, particularly in crises.

They also accused him of being silent during earlier Boko Haram incursions yet politically opportunistic now.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the country’s deepening security crisis, arguing that Nigeria is in no position to seek a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

In a statement on Saturday, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the Federal Government has failed to fulfil its primary responsibility of safeguarding citizens’ lives and property, and therefore lacks the credibility to campaign for a global security leadership role.

The party described the ongoing spate of killings, kidnappings, and extortion by armed groups across the country, particularly in the northern region, as evidence of the government’s inability or unwillingness to protect its people.

“How can a government that cannot ensure peace or security at home demand a seat at the table where global security is discussed and expect to be taken seriously?” Abdullahi questioned.

He referenced the recent attack on a mosque in Yandoto village, Zamfara State, where gunmen killed worshippers and abducted several others, as well as similar tragedies in Katsina and Zamfara over the past two months that have claimed over 140 lives.

According to the party, Amnesty International reported in May 2025 that over 10,000 Nigerians have died in violent attacks by armed groups since Tinubu took office.

“These are not just statistics, they were human beings, Nigerians, who were promised ‘renewed hope’ by this administration,” the ADC stated.

The ADC also criticised the President for failing to attend the commissioning of 874 new military officers at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna on Saturday, marking the second consecutive year he missed the significant national event.

The party noted that President Tinubu instead travelled to Lagos to commission the renovation of the National Arts Theatre, a decision they called “misplaced and tone-deaf,” especially amid the current security crisis.

“At a time when the morale of the armed forces needs boosting, the Commander-in-Chief chose to celebrate infrastructure instead of standing with our military,” the party said.

ADC further alleged that bandits in Zamfara State have begun operating like a parallel government, extorting over ₦56 million from farmers to access their lands.

“When non-state actors collect taxes, control movement, and kill with impunity, it’s no longer just insecurity, it’s a breakdown of the state. The territorial integrity of Nigeria is under threat,” the party said.

They accused the Tinubu administration of ignoring this collapse, noting that while political conflicts in Rivers State received swift federal intervention, mass killings in the North are often met with silence or ‘routine condolence tweets’.

The ADC condemned what it called the “tragic indifference” of the Tinubu-led administration, asserting that leadership on the international stage begins with responsibility at home.

“The world sees through the speeches delivered in New York. They see villages turned into killing fields. They see a government losing control of its territory,” Abdullahi said.

The party demanded an immediate state of emergency in Zamfara State and a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security strategy.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the country’s deepening security crisis, arguing that Nigeria is in no position to seek a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

In a statement on Saturday, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the Federal Government has failed to fulfil its primary responsibility of safeguarding citizens’ lives and property, and therefore lacks the credibility to campaign for a global security leadership role.

The party described the ongoing spate of killings, kidnappings, and extortion by armed groups across the country, particularly in the northern region, as evidence of the government’s inability or unwillingness to protect its people.

“How can a government that cannot ensure peace or security at home demand a seat at the table where global security is discussed and expect to be taken seriously?” Abdullahi questioned.

He referenced the recent attack on a mosque in Yandoto village, Zamfara State, where gunmen killed worshippers and abducted several others, as well as similar tragedies in Katsina and Zamfara over the past two months that have claimed over 140 lives.

According to the party, Amnesty International reported in May 2025 that over 10,000 Nigerians have died in violent attacks by armed groups since Tinubu took office.

“These are not just statistics, they were human beings, Nigerians, who were promised ‘renewed hope’ by this administration,” the ADC stated.

The ADC also criticised the President for failing to attend the commissioning of 874 new military officers at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna on Saturday, marking the second consecutive year he missed the significant national event.

The party noted that President Tinubu instead travelled to Lagos to commission the renovation of the National Arts Theatre, a decision they called “misplaced and tone-deaf,” especially amid the current security crisis.

“At a time when the morale of the armed forces needs boosting, the Commander-in-Chief chose to celebrate infrastructure instead of standing with our military,” the party said.

ADC further alleged that bandits in Zamfara State have begun operating like a parallel government, extorting over ₦56 million from farmers to access their lands.

“When non-state actors collect taxes, control movement, and kill with impunity, it’s no longer just insecurity, it’s a breakdown of the state. The territorial integrity of Nigeria is under threat,” the party said.

They accused the Tinubu administration of ignoring this collapse, noting that while political conflicts in Rivers State received swift federal intervention, mass killings in the North are often met with silence or ‘routine condolence tweets’.

The ADC condemned what it called the “tragic indifference” of the Tinubu-led administration, asserting that leadership on the international stage begins with responsibility at home.

“The world sees through the speeches delivered in New York. They see villages turned into killing fields. They see a government losing control of its territory,” Abdullahi said.

The party demanded an immediate state of emergency in Zamfara State and a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security strategy.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to visit Imo State on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, to inaugurate a series of key infrastructure projects completed by the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma.

This was confirmed in a statement issued Friday by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, and further affirmed by Governor Uzodimma in a separate message released on Saturday.

In his official statement, Uzodimma welcomed the President’s upcoming visit with “great joy and a deep sense of honour,” stating that the visit was a significant moment for the people and government of Imo State.

“On behalf of the government and good people of our dear state, I warmly welcome the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,” Uzodimma said.

During his visit, President Tinubu is expected to commission several completed projects, including the rebuilt Owerri–Mbaise–Obowo–Umuahia Road, a new flyover linking Port Harcourt and Onitsha Roads, with major upgrades around Assumpta Cathedral Roundabout and the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre.

These projects, Uzodimma said, represent major milestones in the state’s infrastructure development agenda.

As part of the itinerary, President Tinubu will also unveil a new book authored by Governor Uzodimma titled:

“A Decade of Impactful Progressive Governance in Nigeria.”

The book is a reflection on the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s journey since it first assumed power in 2015.

Both Tinubu and Uzodimma are leading figures within the APC, which first came to power when Muhammadu Buhari defeated then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

This will be President Tinubu’s second official visit to Imo State this year.

His last visit was in January 2024, when he attended the inauguration ceremony marking Governor Uzodimma’s second term in office.

Tinubu was previously scheduled to visit in August 2025 to commission “legacy projects,” but that trip was postponed.

As part of activities marking Nigeria’s upcoming 65th Independence Anniversary, the Federal Government held a special thanksgiving service on Sunday, September 28, 2025, at the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja.

The service was organised to offer prayers and gratitude for the nation, ahead of the official Independence Day on October 1.

Among the dignitaries in attendance were; Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume (both accompanied by their spouses), Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, Former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Simon Lalong among others.

The service also saw a strong presence of Nigeria’s security leadership.

Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, led top service chiefs, including Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Mrs. Kemi Nandap and Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche.

Their participation underscored the symbolic unity of Nigeria’s civil and military institutions in commemorating the country’s independence.

Earlier in the week, the Federal Government unveiled the theme for this year’s celebrations:
“Nigeria @ 65: All Hands on Deck for a Greater Nation.”

In a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the SGF’s office, Segun Imohiosen, the theme was described as a call to action for unity, collaboration and patriotism across all sectors, government, private enterprise, civil society and individual citizens.

“The theme reflects the collective responsibility required to achieve peace, prosperity, and national progress,” the statement noted.

The church service is part of a series of events lined up to mark Nigeria’s independence, reinforcing messages of hope, resilience and national unity.