Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court has rejected the bail application filed by Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, in connection with a money laundering charge of N110 billion.

The judge ruled that the application was prematurely filed, as it was submitted before Bello had been formally arraigned in court.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Anenih stated that the application was filed when the former governor was neither in custody nor before the court, making it incompetent.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought the charges against Bello, who is being tried alongside two other individuals for alleged involvement in the fraud.

In the application, Bello’s counsel, JB Daudu (SAN), argued that his client was entitled to bail, citing that he had been informed of the charges through a public summons.

Daudu also assured the court that Bello would not interfere with witnesses or attempt to flee if granted bail, given his status as a two-term governor of Kogi State.

However, the prosecution, led by Kemi Pinheiro, opposed the application, arguing that it was filed prematurely.

According to the prosecution, bail applications should be submitted after a defendant’s arraignment, not before.

The defense disagreed, asserting that no legal precedent prevented the filing of the bail request prior to the arraignment.

In her ruling, Justice Anenih noted that the bail application was filed on November 22, before Bello was taken into custody on November 26 and arraigned on November 27.

Referring to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), she explained that bail applications are to be made once a defendant has been arrested, detained, or brought before the court.

While the court denied Bello’s bail application, the second defendant, Umar Oricha, was granted bail in the sum of N300 million, with two sureties required.

The sureties must own property in Maitama worth at least the bond amount and must submit original title documents and affidavits of means, along with copies of their passports.

Additionally, Oricha is required to deposit his travel documents and will remain in prison custody until the bail conditions are met.

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, and Labour Party’s Peter Obi are actively reflecting on the lessons learned from the last election.

This was revealed by Atiku’s spokesman, Paul Ibe, during an interview on Channels Television on Monday.

Ibe explained that both leaders recognize the importance of unity within the opposition and are engaging in discussions to ensure past mistakes are not repeated.

“There are ongoing discussions among political stakeholders to avoid repeating the same errors,” Ibe stated.

Ibe also dismissed claims suggesting that Peter Obi’s departure from the PDP was a key factor in Atiku’s loss in the 2023 election.

His comments came in response to a statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, who urged Northern politicians to allow President Bola Tinubu to serve two full terms, until 2031.

Akume suggested that there was a gentleman’s agreement in which Tinubu, as a Southerner, would hold office for eight years before any Northern politician, like Atiku, could aspire to succeed him.

Acknowledging that Atiku has long had presidential ambitions, Akume advised the former vice president to wait until 2031, suggesting it could be God’s will for him to pursue the presidency later in life.

However, Ibe responded by stating that Akume has no right to dictate the aspirations of any politician.

He stressed that Atiku, or any other individual, has the constitutional right to contest for the presidency, and that the All Progressives Congress (APC) must respect the freedom of association and expression.

Last month, both Atiku and Obi fueled speculation about the possibility of a united front in the 2027 presidential race.

Their meeting in Yola stirred discussions about a potential collaboration to challenge Tinubu in the upcoming election.

Obi was also the keynote speaker at the 20th anniversary of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), which is owned by Atiku, marking the institution’s 16th Founder’s Day celebration.

The Nigerian Senate has issued a strong warning to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government, threatening to withhold allocations in the 2025 budget if they fail to provide adequate expenditure records for the 2024 fiscal year.

The warning was made during an investigative hearing led by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, focusing on the remittance of internally generated revenue, fiscal accountability, and financial management in the country.

During the session, senators expressed frustration over inconsistencies in financial reporting, including gaps in revenue collection and expenditure tracking.

Senator Musa emphasized the critical importance of accountability and transparency, stressing: “This performance review for MDAs is vital for the preparation of the 2025 budget. Any agency that does not present accurate records of 2024 spending risks having its allocation for 2025 reduced to zero.”

Several issues were raised during the hearing, including discrepancies in reports from agencies like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the mismanagement of dividends from the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) company, and unexplained financial variances such as loans and grants.

The Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, presented an overview of the 2024 revenue and expenditure, revealing that only ₦2.9 billion out of the ₦8 billion allocated for capital projects had been released by September 2024, severely delaying project completion.

Lawmakers also criticized the centralized payment system managed by the Accountant General’s Office, which forces over 700 MDAs to process payments through a single office, resulting in significant delays in project execution.

There were also allegations that contractors are being asked to pay unofficial fees of up to 5% of contract values to expedite payment processing, a practice that the committee condemned as undermining financial integrity.

The committee requested detailed reports on several key issues, including:

Revenue from public-private partnerships.

Internally generated revenue across MDAs.

Discrepancies in 1% stamp duty collections.

A detailed breakdown of the surge in foreign service allowances from ₦7 billion in 2024 to ₦35 billion in 2025.

In response, the committee resolved to invite other key agencies, such as the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), to address the discrepancies in a joint session.

Senator Amos Yohanna (Adamawa North) noted: “Federal revenue is struggling due to poor budget execution. Taxes are low because payments are delayed, and we need a functioning system.”

In defense of the centralized payment system, the Accountant General argued that it helps prevent the rollover of unspent funds.

However, lawmakers demanded explanations for the delays and inefficiencies.

The committee has given the Accountant General a deadline of Wednesday to submit the requested reports before the follow-up meeting.

They also vowed to hold all relevant stakeholders accountable for ensuring transparency and effective management of public funds.

As the fiscal year draws to a close, the Senate is focused on improving financial oversight processes and restoring public trust in the proper execution of the national budget.

“This committee has the constitutional mandate to oversee every agency,” Senator Musa concluded.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed strong opposition to the notion that the North should wait until 2031 for another opportunity to produce a president.

Atiku’s stance was made clear in a statement from his media aide, Paul Ibe.

In a tweet on the X platform, Ibe revealed that Atiku firmly believes there is no reason for any Southern politician, including President Bola Tinubu, to lead Nigeria beyond 2027.

Atiku, who lost the 2023 presidential election to Tinubu, argued that the South has held power for long enough, and it would be unfair for the North not to regain the presidency in 2027.

Atiku pointed out that by 2027, the South would have had 17 years in leadership, with eight years under Olusegun Obasanjo, five years under Goodluck Jonathan, and four years under Tinubu.

In contrast, the North would have only had 11 years of leadership, with Umaru Musa Yar’Adua serving three years and Muhammadu Buhari serving eight years.

He emphasized that this creates a significant power imbalance, with the South having six more years in power than the North, which he believes undermines the principles of equity and fairness.

Atiku also reminded Nigerians that the power to elect their leaders lies with the people, who should have the right to choose a government based on its performance.

He questioned whether the Tinubu administration had earned the people’s trust for a second term, stating that the answer to this question is clear.