Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has once again refuted widespread rumours that he has defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The rumours, which have been circulating for some time, resurfaced recently on various social media platforms, prompting the Governor to speak out against them.

Mutfwang dismissed the claims as false and part of a deliberate effort by mischief-makers to create confusion and question his loyalty to the PDP.

In a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, on Thursday evening, Governor Mutfwang said, “There is absolutely no truth to the rumours circulating online that I have joined the APC. These claims are the work of divisive elements looking to mislead the public about my political allegiance and my commitment to the PDP.”

The Governor also condemned the spread of doctored images that falsely showed him alongside APC governors, allegedly preparing to welcome President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Edo State.

Mutfwang clarified that this fabrication was designed to create doubt about his loyalty to the PDP.

He reiterated his unwavering dedication to serving Plateau State under the platform of the PDP, the party through which he was elected.

Governor Mutfwang further emphasized that he has never considered leaving the PDP.

The Governor assured PDP members in Plateau State and the North Central Zone that ongoing consultations are taking place to address any concerns within the party.

He also reiterated his commitment to working with the federal government, under President Bola Tinubu, for the development of Plateau State.

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has presented a budget proposal exceeding N1.5 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.

The proposed budget, titled “Budget of Hope for Sustainability and Food Security,” marks a 48.3% increase from the 2024 appropriation and was submitted to the lawmakers late Wednesday evening.

The budget allocates more than N196 billion for recurrent expenditures, while capital expenditures account for over N1.3 trillion, representing 87% of the total budget.

The revenue sources include statutory allocation, value-added tax, other FAAC receipts, internally generated revenue (IGR), and capital receipts.

A breakdown by sector reveals that the Infrastructure, Housing, and Urban Renewal sector received the largest share, with over N437 billion, while the Law and Justice sector was allocated the smallest amount of over N3.5 billion.

Governor Bago explained that the 2025 budget is designed to strengthen agriculture as the backbone of the state’s economy, building on his administration’s foundation for rapid socio-economic growth.

He emphasized the participatory approach taken in preparing the budget, which was crafted with input from the people.

“The focus on sustainability reflects our collective commitment to the Niger State Green Initiative and our goal of promoting agriculture that supports long-term environmental health and resilient food systems to foster sustainable prosperity,” Governor Bago remarked.

The budget’s key focus areas include security, agriculture and food security, health, education, water and sanitation, infrastructure development, social security, and environmental sustainability.

Governor Bago also highlighted the success of the 2024 budget, which achieved a 68.88% implementation rate.

He expressed optimism that the 2025 budget would receive the necessary support to meet its goals.

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, AbdulMalik Sarkin Daji, praised Governor Bago for his effective management of state resources and assured him of continued collaboration between the executive and legislative branches to further the state’s development across all sectors.

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has carried out a major cabinet reshuffle, resulting in the dismissal of several top officials, including the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief of Staff, Commissioner for Information, and four other commissioners.

The Governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, confirmed the reshuffle, stating that it was part of a political realignment aimed at improving the performance of his administration and delivering more benefits to the people of Kano State.

Among those affected by the changes are the Chief of Staff, Alh. Shehu Wada Sagagi, whose position has been abolished, and Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, the former SSG, who was removed for health reasons.

Governor Yusuf’s reshuffle also saw the reassignment of several officials to new positions, including the Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdulssalam, who was moved from the Ministry of Local Government to the Ministry of Higher Education.

Other notable reassigned officials include Hon. Mohammad Tajo Usman (from Science and Technology to Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs), and Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim Kofar Mata (from Higher Education to Science, Technology, and Innovation).

In addition, a number of commissioners retained their positions, including the Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Haruna Isa Dederi; the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Danjuma Mahmoud; and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran, among others.

Meanwhile, five commissioners were dropped from the cabinet, including Ibrahim Jibril Fagge (Finance), Ladidi Ibrahim Garko (Culture and Tourism), Baba Halilu Dantiye (Information), Shehu Aliyu Yammedi (Special Duties), and Abbas Sani Abbas (Rural and Community Development).

Governor Yusuf also directed those removed from office, including the Chief of Staff and five commissioners, to report to his office for possible reassignment.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to seek amendments to the Electoral Act 2022 from the National Assembly in preparation for the 2027 elections.

The proposed changes are aimed at providing clarity on result management, particularly regarding the manual transfer and electronic transmission of election results.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, revealed this during a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja on Thursday.

He highlighted that result management was one of the eight key areas identified from the 2023 general election that require legislative action.

One of the major proposals is the relaxation of the accreditation process to allow the use of computer-generated voter slips for voting.

These slips could either be printed from the commission’s website or issued to voters, in place of the current reliance on Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

This change, according to Yakubu, would reduce costs, address issues related to PVC collection, and curb practices such as the buying of PVCs to disenfranchise voters.

Yakubu also emphasized the need for legal clarity on the use of both manual and electronic methods for result transmission.

He further indicated that with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the use of PVCs as the exclusive form of voter identification should be reassessed.

While those who already possess PVCs can still use them, the commission is considering allowing computer-generated slips for voter accreditation in the future.

In addition to these recommendations, INEC is pushing for reforms to accommodate early and special voting for essential election workers like INEC staff, security personnel, and journalists, as well as for diaspora voting.

The commission also aims to establish an electoral offences tribunal and a separate body to manage political party registration and regulation.

Prof. Yakubu noted that the commission is focusing on cleaning up the voters’ register, working closely with agencies like the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the National Population Commission (NPC).

Other reform areas include improving voter access to polling units, promoting affirmative action for under-represented groups, enhancing voter education, and countering misinformation.

The INEC chairman stated that the recent completion of five off-cycle governorship elections and several bye-elections since the 2023 general elections provides an opportune moment for implementing the commission’s review recommendations.

A total of 142 recommendations were made following the 2023 elections, with 86 requiring administrative action by INEC and 48 needing involvement from various stakeholders such as security agencies, political parties, and civil society organizations.

Prof. Yakubu stressed the importance of engaging with the RECs to ensure the successful implementation of these reforms.

Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, the daughter of former Delta State Governor Chief James Ibori and representative of Ethiope Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, has called her defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) the best decision of her political career.

During a constituency empowerment event, where she distributed vehicles, motorcycles, sewing machines, and water pumps, Ibori-Suenu accused the PDP of trying to stifle her political aspirations.

“The PDP wanted to kill my political dreams, but I am glad I have finally left,” she stated, adding, “We will bury PDP in Ologbo River, the bridge between Delta and Edo States. I am now at home with the APC, which is supreme.”

She also expressed her gratitude to her supporters and APC leaders for their encouragement and support.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the former Deputy Senate President, commended Ibori-Suenu’s decision, referring to her as a “political bulldozer.”

He expressed confidence that her defection, coupled with the support of other APC members, would boost the party’s chances of winning Delta State in the 2027 elections.

“With the backing of Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, APC is now in a stronger position to take control of Delta. Her energy and commitment will significantly enhance our efforts,” Omo-Agege said.

A significant step toward the establishment of state police in Nigeria was taken on Thursday, as the majority of the 36 state governors expressed strong support for the policy during their National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.

The move aims to address the growing insecurity across the country.

However, the meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja was marred by the absence of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, led by Nyesom Wike, who failed to submit its recommendations on the matter.

Despite this setback, there were clear indications that final decisions regarding the creation of state police would be made at the next NEC meeting in January 2025.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani confirmed that all 36 states had submitted their positions on the proposal, with most governors in favor of establishing state police.

He assured that the final decision on the matter would be taken at the next NEC gathering.

At the previous meeting in November, states such as Kwara, Kebbi, and Adamawa had yet to submit their recommendations on state police.

Governor Sani stated, “One of the major discussions at the NEC meeting today was the progress on the creation of state police. As you are aware, states have been submitting recommendations for its establishment. Today, we can confirm that 36 states have now made their submissions, with the overwhelming majority supporting the idea.”

He continued, “However, the council decided to defer further discussion until the next meeting. We need to review the report from the secretariat before engaging in further deliberations, which we expect to take place in January. Additionally, there was a resolution at the previous NEC meeting for further engagement with stakeholders after the panel’s deliberations.”

Sani further explained that the push for state police was fueled by the unique security challenges faced by individual states.

“Each state has its own peculiar issues related to insecurity, and with large ungoverned spaces and insufficient personnel in existing security agencies, the establishment of state police is seen as a necessary step to address these challenges,” he said.

He concluded, “The creation of state police is the way forward to effectively combat insecurity in our country, given the deficit in security personnel and the challenges that our states face in ensuring safety for their citizens.

The Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Bayelsa State for the 2023 election, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, and his running mate, Commodore Benjamin Nathus (retd), have officially resigned from the party.

Sources indicate that several local government chairmen of the party in Bayelsa also joined Eradiri and Nathus in their departure from the LP.

Eradiri submitted his resignation letter to the state chairman of the Labour Party in Yenagoa on December 8, titled, “Letter of Withdrawal as Labour Party Member.”

In the letter, Eradiri explained that his decision was aimed at pursuing his political aspirations with a party that was prepared to offer the kind of leadership Bayelsa needs.

He expressed appreciation to the party members and noted that he was currently in consultations to determine which political platform would best allow him to serve the people.

Eradiri, who finished third in the recent governorship race, mentioned that his decision was fully supported by his loyalists.

He reflected on the collaborative efforts that saw them campaign across Bayelsa in search of leadership but expressed frustration with the challenges within the party.

He emphasized that he and his supporters were in discussions to identify the next party they would join, one that could help move Bayelsa forward.

Similarly, in his resignation letter, Nathus stated that his decision to leave was based on his desire to find a platform dedicated to leadership that would bring prosperity to Bayelsa.

He expressed gratitude for the support and collaboration of the party members, highlighting the valuable experiences he gained throughout the journey.

Nathus also conveyed his honor in having worked with committed colleagues and engaging with communities in the pursuit of transformative governance.