The African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Enugu State has criticised Governor Peter Mbah over the appointment of one of its House of Representatives candidates, Hon. Chinedu Onyeagba, as an aide.

Onyeagba, the ADC candidate for Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency, was among 101 aides recently appointed by Mbah.

The appointments were contained in a public service announcement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia.

According to Onyia, the appointments comprised seven Special Advisers, six Senior Special Assistants and 88 Special Assistants, all of which took immediate effect.

However, in a statement on Wednesday, the ADC Caretaker Secretary in Enugu State, Comrade Adolphus Ude, commended Onyeagba for rejecting the appointment.

Ude also questioned the timing of the appointments and expressed concern over their potential financial implications for the state.

“Someone does not ask somebody returning from the market to help him buy something, but the person going to the market.

“Governor Mbah is returning from the market. His reign is coming to an end. He knows that the people of Enugu State no longer want him. Who are those going to vote for him in 2027? Is it those that he demolished their properties at Ogige Market Nsukka or Old Park Enugu, Holy Ghost Enugu or Gariki?

“He knows that people in Enugu can no longer bear his policies, particularly his ruthless and inhuman taxation policies. Even if he appoints all the Nollywood actors and actresses, and other celebrities in Nigeria as aides, he will still lose re-election,” Ude said.

He alleged that the latest appointments were linked to what he described as Mbah’s concern over the 2027 governorship election and his declining political support in the state.

Ude also argued that the appointments would increase the state’s recurrent expenditure and reduce funds available for infrastructure development.

“Enugu ADC condemns the recent appointment of 101 aides by Governor Peter Mbah at the twilight of his current administration. The latest appointments were announced three weeks after the appointment of 23 aides by the Governor.

“It means that in less than one month, the Governor of Enugu State has appointed 124 aides. This appointment bazaar going on in Enugu State calls for concern.

“The appointment of 124 aides with multiple communication and media portfolios and vague advisory roles when the current Peter Mbah administration is winding-up is sheer executive recklessness.

“Beyond political strategy, there is no rationale whatsoever for this quantum of appointments. The Governor is only interested in regaining his dwindling political influence and mobilising grassroots support across sectors for his re-election and nothing more,” he said.

The ADC official further claimed that salaries and allowances for the aides could place additional pressure on the state treasury.

He warned that increased recurrent expenditure could make the state more vulnerable to a decline in allocations from the Federation Account and potentially force the government to borrow to meet its overhead obligations.

“Already, under Mbah, the debt of Enugu State surged by over 128 percent, climbing from N82.5 billion he inherited in May 2023 to N188.42 billion by early 2026. One could imagine what will happen in the near future when the state borrows to pay the newly appointed aides of the Governor,” Ude said.

A United States-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has said that the United States will not allow Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu to rig the 2027 general elections.

Von Batten-Montague-York made the assertion in a post on its verified X handle on Thursday.

The firm also alleged that, regardless of political leaning, there is a growing consensus that the Nigerian government and its leader, President Bola Tinubu, represent a bastion of corruption.

According to the firm, Tinubu appointed an individual whom the US Department of Justice said had embezzled billions from Nigeria’s treasury during a previous administration to serve as Nigeria’s current minister in charge of the nation’s budget.

“The US cannot afford to allow President Tinubu to rig the upcoming Nigerian election.

“This level of lawlessness in the Nigerian government puts Nigeria on a path similar to those seen in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.

“Free and fair elections in Nigeria are essential to protecting US interests in Nigeria and the broader region,” the firm tweeted.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the commencement of the Faculty of Law and 30 new academic programmes at the Federal University Dutse (FUD), beginning from the 2026/2027 academic session.

The approval was contained in a letter dated September 11, 2026, with reference number NUC/AP/F33/VOL.II/15, signed by the Director of Academic Planning, NUC, Abubakar M. Girei, and addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Ahmad Mohammed Gumel.

Among the newly approved programmes are LLB Common and Islamic Law, BSc Artificial Intelligence, BSc Data Science, BSc Information Systems, Medical Laboratory Science, Community Health, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Physiotherapy, Radiography and Optometry.

Others include Parasitology and Entomology, Environmental Standards, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Applied Geology and Remote Sensing, as well as several education programmes, including Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Educational Management, Early Childhood Education, Adult Education, Arabic and English.

The commission also approved postgraduate programmes in Forestry and Wildlife, Accounting, Treasury and Finance, Banking and Finance, and Information Technology, alongside Master’s programmes in Banking and Finance and Accounting and Finance.

Reacting to the development, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ahmad Mohammed Gumel, described the approval as a significant milestone in the university’s efforts to expand its academic programmes.

Professor Gumel said the new programmes were introduced to respond to emerging educational and manpower needs, particularly in technology, science, education and health-related fields.

He added that the expansion would provide students with relevant knowledge and practical skills needed to meet changing industry demands and address contemporary societal challenges.

According to him, the initiative is also aimed at producing graduates who are adequately prepared for the workforce and capable of contributing meaningfully to national development.

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said he stood by his former colleagues, friends and family members at a “considerable personal cost.”

El-Rufai said that despite standing by them during their difficulties, some of his former colleagues, friends and family members have now gone silent amid his current legal and political travail.

In a statement titled “My Relationships and the Aftermath,” dated September 23, 2026, El-Rufai said he had always been guided by his Islamic faith, Arewa upbringing, personal values and conscience.

He said his support for people was never based on expectations of praise, gratitude or reciprocity, stressing that those were choices he made freely and remained responsible for.

El-Rufai acknowledged that some people may now choose to speak, remain silent, deny relationships or “try rewriting history.”

He said, “Some people have mentioned that they are worried about the quiet behaviour of some colleagues, friends and family members whom I used to support or have close ties with publicly.

“My own opinion about this is pretty straightforward, and I’m going to share it now.

“Throughout my life, I’ve tried to do my best for my co-workers and friends, my family, and people everywhere, based on my Islamic beliefs, my roots in Arewa, my personal values and, most importantly, my conscience.

“Over the years, I have supported people and stood up for causes I believed in, even when things were tough and it cost me a lot personally.

“I did it not because I expected praise, thanks or anything in return, but because I thought it was the right thing to do. Those were decisions I made on my own, and I am still responsible for them.

“In the same way, the people I have supported are now free to make their own decisions since the situation has changed. Some may speak; others may remain silent.

“Some people might even refuse to acknowledge our relationship or attempt to rewrite the past. What I’ve learned during tough times, like the last few months, might make me quietly think again about some relationships and what people who look up to me expect from them.”

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has cautioned politicians and public office holders against sponsoring pilgrims to Mecca and Jerusalem with stolen public funds.

The Sultan spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC, themed “Shared Sacred Flourishing in Nigeria.”

He said using corrupt funds to finance religious activities could not be justified by the spiritual purpose of such activities.

“You cannot steal money and send people to Jerusalem or Mecca with corrupt funds and think God will accept your deeds.

“God is not corrupt, so you cannot use corrupt money for Hajj or anything else,” he said.

Abubakar also urged religious leaders to work with anti-corruption agencies in tackling corruption and promoting accountability.

He called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to carry out its duties without political interference.

The Sultan further urged religious leaders to promote mutual understanding between Christians and Muslims, saying stronger interfaith relations were necessary for peaceful coexistence.

He also cautioned clerics against making inflammatory statements, particularly during election periods, and urged them to pray for national leaders rather than use religious platforms to cause division.