A High Court in Akwa Ibom State has sentenced Professor Ignatius Uduk of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) to three years in prison for his role in electoral malpractice during the 2019 general elections.

Professor Uduk, who was a Collation/Returning Officer for the Essien Udim State Constituency election in March 2019, was convicted on charges of publishing false election results and perjury.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), under former Resident Electoral Commissioner Mike Igini, had prosecuted Uduk on a three-count charge, which included announcing false results, publishing fake election results, and lying under oath.

While the court acquitted him of the first charge, he was found guilty on the remaining two counts and sentenced to three years imprisonment on each. The sentences will run concurrently.

The case had faced multiple adjournments due to delays from the defense, leading to a change in the presiding judge before Justice Bassey Nkanang delivered the final judgment.

Professor Uduk’s conviction follows a similar case involving another UNIUYO professor, Peter Ogban, who was also found guilty of electoral fraud and sentenced to three years in prison.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revised Nigeria’s proposed 2025 budget upward from ₦49.7 trillion to ₦54.2 trillion, citing additional revenue inflows.

In a letter to the Senate and House of Representatives, Tinubu explained that the increase was necessary due to higher-than-expected revenues from key government agencies.

The updated revenue projections include ₦1.4 trillion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), ₦1.2 trillion from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and ₦1.8 trillion from other Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs).

During plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the President’s letter and referred the budget adjustments to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for urgent review.

He assured that lawmakers would expedite the budget process to ensure its passage before the end of February.

The Appropriations Committee is now tasked with reviewing the new figures, reallocating funds where necessary, and submitting a final report for legislative approval in the coming weeks.

Former Kaduna Central Senator and civil rights activist, Shehu Sani, has taken a swipe at ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai over his allegations that the current Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, secured an undisclosed ₦150 billion loan from the federal government.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Shehu Sani accused El-Rufai of financial mismanagement and lack of transparency during his tenure as governor.

He claimed that El-Rufai received substantial funds from the Muhammadu Buhari administration but failed to account for them.

Sani alleged that El-Rufai collected billions from excess crude accounts, ecological funds, special grants from the Central Bank of Nigeria, and stamp duties without disclosing their utilization to the people of Kaduna State.

He also pointed out that the former governor secured loans from commercial banks, mortgaged the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), and left behind a burden of debt with little to show in terms of development.

The former senator questioned the handling of a $350 million World Bank loan acquired during El-Rufai’s tenure, stating that no one in Kaduna could confidently account for how the funds were spent.

He called on the Kaduna State House of Assembly to launch a probe into the matter.

Mocking El-Rufai’s accusations against Uba Sani, Shehu Sani remarked that if the current governor withheld details of the alleged ₦150 billion loan, he likely learned it from his predecessor.

He further suggested that if Uba Sani’s political allegiance to President Bola Tinubu is linked to financial gains, then El-Rufai’s loyalty to Buhari during his administration should be questioned in the same manner.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ambassador Nurain Abayomi Mumuni, has called on political leaders and officeholders to allow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to focus on governance rather than dragging him into early discussions about the 2027 presidential election.

Mumuni made this appeal in a statement released on Wednesday through his media aide, Rasheed Abubakar, following reports of political meetings and maneuverings ahead of the next election cycle.

He emphasized that Nigeria is currently facing serious socio-economic challenges, and leaders should prioritize addressing these issues over political ambitions.

According to him, the well-being of Nigerians should take precedence over premature campaign efforts.

He urged politicians to set aside electoral strategies and instead support Tinubu in delivering his administration’s promises, which focus on economic recovery, food security, healthcare, and education.

“We are at a critical point in our nation’s history, where unity, focus, and unwavering support for the President are essential,” Mumuni stated.

“The hardships, hunger, and poverty currently affecting millions of Nigerians demand that we allow the President the necessary space and time to implement his transformative agenda.”

He cautioned against the distraction of early politicking, arguing that discussions about 2027 could undermine the essential work needed to stabilize the country.

He stressed that the period leading up to the elections should be used to foster unity and development rather than political rivalry.

Mumuni urged political stakeholders to concentrate on finding solutions to Nigeria’s pressing challenges and to support policies aimed at improving the nation’s socio-economic conditions.

He reassured politicians that there would be ample time for electioneering when the time was right.

“Our people are looking for hope, direction, and practical solutions,” he said.

“Let’s work together to provide that. It is time to rise above partisan politics and focus on the real needs of ordinary Nigerians.”

The APC chieftain called on all political leaders, party members, and stakeholders to give Tinubu the opportunity to fulfill his campaign promises without unnecessary distractions, emphasizing that national progress should be the priority.