Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has described ex-Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose as a grassroot politician and a man of the masses.

Sani said Fayose’s appointment as the Chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, would help those in the rural areas have access to electricity.

On Monday, the Presidency had announced President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of Fayose as the Chairman of REA.

Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this while announcing new appointments Tinubu made in various government agencies.

Reacting, Sani posted on X: “My Friend Fayose is a grassroots politician and a man of the masses. He is appointed to an Agency where the Rural masses can have access to electricity.

“Why do you want to judge him by what he said years ago? Let he who has never assured his EX that they will be together forever cast the first stone.”

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has officially transferred forfeited landed properties located in Kaba District, Abuja, to the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN, in accordance with a final forfeiture order issued by the Federal High Court.

The handover happened on Tuesday at the Goodluck Jonathan Estate site in Kaba District, Abuja, and was overseen by the Chairman of ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, alongside the Managing Director/Chief Executive of FMBN, Mr. Shehu Usman Osidi, and senior officials from both organizations.

Dr. Aliyu characterized the event as a crucial achievement in Nigeria’s asset recovery and restitution initiatives, highlighting the importance of returning recovered public assets to productive public use.

He elaborated that the forfeited land was part of a housing project initiated by FMBN in 2012, which was financed through a $65 million loan facility obtained by Good Earth Power Nigeria Limited in collaboration with an American company. The project aimed to provide 962 housing units on approximately 27.92 hectares of land in Kaba District.

The ICPC Chairman noted that investigations indicated the complete diversion of the loan, with no housing units constructed, and that some of the funds were allegedly funneled through Bureaux de Change and taken overseas.

As a result, the ICPC initiated both civil and criminal proceedings regarding the case, with the civil proceedings having been concluded while the criminal case is still ongoing.

Aliyu revealed that on December 11, 2025, the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, under the authority of Hon. Justice M. G. Umar, issued a final forfeiture order in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1124/2025.

The Court mandated the final forfeiture of Plot No. 5 in Cadastral Zone D12, Kaba District, which measures approximately 122,015.80 square meters, and Plot No. 4 in the same Cadastral Zone, measuring approximately 157,198.30 square meters, as properties believed to be proceeds of illegal activities.

The Court has further instructed the Federal Republic of Nigeria, via the ICPC, to facilitate the transfer of the forfeited properties to the FMBN, which is recognized as the victim of the alleged unlawful activities.

Moreover, the Court has mandated the ICPC, in partnership with the FMBN, to oversee and supervise the construction of the planned 962 housing units until their completion, ensuring that they are allocated to the designated end users.

Aliyu highlighted that the court also ordered the formation of a joint committee consisting of representatives from both the ICPC and the FMBN to manage the supervision process effectively.

He mentioned that the Commission would swiftly appoint its representatives, with the Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Division representing the ICPC on this committee.

The ICPC Chairman emphasized that asset recovery must be accompanied by proper management, asserting that the true measure of success for the Kaba District project will be the completion of the housing units and their equitable distribution to Nigerian families.

He assured the public of the ICPC’s unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and the efficient management of recovered assets in accordance with the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

In his comments, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank, Shehu Usman Osidi, expressed gratitude to the ICPC for its diligence and professionalism in securing the recovery of the property and its transfer for the intended purpose.

“This land, designated for the development of this estate, has been neglected and left unused for an extended period. We sincerely appreciate the ICPC for ensuring that all necessary due diligence and legal considerations were carefully undertaken.

“This action is particularly commendable because it demonstrates a strong commitment to protecting public assets and ensuring that properties recovered or forfeited in the public interest are put to productive use for the benefit of Nigerians,“ he said.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has vowed never to persecute opposition if he emerges as Nigeria’s president in 2027.

Obi said he would ensure a viable opposition in Nigeria where he would sit with them to discuss issues that affect the country if elected as Nigeria’s president.

In an interview with DW, the former Anambra State governor said his intending administration would ensure that the system works in Nigeria.

He said: “The system must work the way it should function, I would never prosecute anybody politically, I would never do anything wrong while in office.

“I would not go after opponent, I would make sure that we have strong opposition parties that can stand and say no. In times of problems I would invite them.

“If I was president with what is happening in the North, I would invite all opposition parties and I would sit with stakeholders in the North to discuss and come up with a solutions.”

The Imole Campaign Council, the platform coordinating the re-election bid of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to address alleged shortcomings recorded during recent off-cycle and by-elections ahead of the state’s governorship election.

The Director-General of the campaign council, Lere Oyewumi, made the call while speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Monday, where he raised concerns over the credibility of previous elections and urged the electoral umpire to strengthen its processes.

Oyewumi alleged that during some recent off-cycle and by-elections held in Ogun, Oyo, Jigawa and Ekiti states, persons suspected to be “mercenary voters” were issued Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, shortly before election day.

He also expressed concerns over the alleged shortage of ballot papers and other sensitive election materials, claiming that some irregularities were recorded during the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, including the circulation of pre-thumbprinted ballot papers.

According to him, technical difficulties linked to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, affected the conduct of elections in Ekiti State and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Area Council polls.

The lawmaker further alleged that during recent elections in Anambra, Ekiti and the FCT, some political parties that did not participate in the contests were listed on ballot papers and result sheets.

Speaking on specific concerns ahead of the Osun governorship election, Oyewumi claimed that the campaign council had received reports of alleged statements by some All Progressives Congress, APC, leaders regarding the possible preloading of BVAS machines ahead of the poll.

“We have been inundated with boastful statements reportedly made by some Osun APC leaders about preloading BVAS machines ahead of the governorship election in the state,” he said.

Oyewumi described the allegation, if proven true, as a serious threat to the integrity of electronic accreditation and a possible indication of an attempt to influence the outcome of the election.

He also raised concerns over INEC’s ongoing distribution of new PVCs, urging the commission to ensure the process remains open, transparent and free from any form of manipulation.

“We have been notified about the commencement of the distribution of new PVCs by INEC. However, we have serious concerns about the transparency of the process, and we hereby warn that any move to disenfranchise Osun voters by withholding their PVCs will not be tolerated,” he stated.

The campaign council insisted that PVC collection must be conducted transparently, warning against any form of proxy collection.

Oyewumi stressed that the concerns raised were not intended to discredit INEC but were aimed at encouraging improvements and ensuring a more credible electoral process through constructive engagement.

He said the Osun governorship election would provide another opportunity for Nigeria’s democratic institutions to demonstrate their commitment to free, fair and transparent elections.

“The people of Osun are peaceful, politically conscious and deeply committed to democracy. They expect nothing short of a free, fair, transparent and credible election that faithfully reflects the wishes of the electorate,” he added.

The campaign council consequently urged INEC to carefully consider the issues raised and take necessary corrective measures before the August 15 governorship election.

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday held that Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, has no authority to issues licences but can only oversee airtime and data credit services.

The court clarified that the Commission’s powers function alongside those of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, rather than replacing them.

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, who delivered the judgment in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/760/2026, determined that the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations 2025 fall within the statutory and constitutional powers of the FCCPC.

Furthermore, the judge emphasized that the relationship between the FCCPC and sector-specific regulators is one of complementarity, stating that “concurrency means coexistence, not displacement.”

The court confirmed the precedence of the FCCPC in matters of competition and consumer protection as outlined in Sections 104 and 105 of the FCCPA 2018, while also safeguarding the NCC’s technical, licensing, and prudential duties as defined by the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

The court ruled that the FCCPC does not possess the authority to issue licenses, and that the DEON Regulations do not establish a telecommunications licensing framework. The NCC continues to be the exclusive authority responsible for licensing entities within the telecommunications sector.

In April 2026, the FCCPC authorized five companies to function as airtime and data credit providers under the DEON framework.

The court’s decision raises pertinent questions regarding the regulatory foundation upon which those approvals were granted.

This ruling marks the first judicial clarification on the oversight of airtime and data credit services between the two regulatory bodies, in a market valued at between N300 billion and N400 billion annually, utilized by approximately 40 million Nigerians on a daily basis.

Gbenga Adebayo, the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, expressed his approval of the clarity provided by the judgment.

Adebayo said, “The court has done something important. It has confirmed the FCCPC’s authority and, in the same breath, affirmed that the NCC’s role is preserved.

Concurrency means coexistence. The industry now expects both regulators to establish the coordination framework that the court’s reasoning requires.”

Adebayo called on the FCCPC and the NCC to engage the industry in formal consultation before enforcement action is taken, noting that airtime credit services were suspended for three months earlier this year following an enforcement directive and were restored only recently.

“Forty million Nigerians depend on these services.

“The court has made clear that both regulators have a role. The industry is asking them to define how that works before any action that could disrupt access again,” he said.

Adebayo also noted that the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council directive of 6 April 2026, which requires all federal agencies to conduct a Regulatory Impact Assessment before significant regulatory changes, remains in effect.

The judgment is expected to set a precedent for how sector-specific regulators and the FCCPC share oversight as digital products increasingly cross traditional regulatory boundaries.