A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Zamfara State, Hadiza Liman has defected to the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, with her supporters from 14 local government areas of the state.

Liman announced her defection on Friday while addressing journalists at her residence in Gusau.

She attributed her decision to what she described as neglect by Governor Dauda Lawal, saying she and her supporters had supported him during his emergence as governor in 2023.

“Since we followed Governor Dauda Lawal from the PDP to the APC, Governor Dauda Lawal has failed to take care of us,” she said.

Liman expressed support for the NDC governorship candidate, Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa, ahead of the 2027 governorship election in the state.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for Ibadan North-East State Constituency 2 in the 2027 general elections, Hammed Ademola, and an Accord aspirant for the same constituency, Adedapo Ojo, have defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State, alongside more than 3,000 supporters.

Ademola, popularly known as Lucky, said his decision to leave the PDP was influenced by his assessment of the political situation in the state ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I did my due diligence and realised that any ticket outside the APC is a mere tissue paper that cannot take a candidate anywhere in 2027.

“We are here in our hundreds to formally join the APC, and we promise to do our best in the interest of the progressive party and our dear country, Nigeria,” Ademola said.

Ojo, who was seeking the Accord ticket in the same constituency, also announced his decision to join the APC, describing his previous political efforts with Accord as unproductive.

“We thought about making Accord a credible alternative in the state, but we later realised that the APC was far ahead of other parties.

“We wasted our time, energy and resources on an unproductive exercise. We later realised it wasn’t worth it, so we decided to pitch our tent with the progressive party,” Ojo said.

The defectors were received by the Oyo State Chairman of the APC, Chief Moses Alake-Adeyemo, who assured them that they would have equal opportunities within the party.

He also urged the new members to work towards strengthening the party and securing victory in the 2027 general elections.

The APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, also welcomed the new members and promised that his administration would be inclusive if elected in 2027.

“It is a thing of joy that reasonable individuals are abandoning their parties to join the APC at a time like this.

“The hope is getting brighter every day, and it is now important for us to prepare because Oyo State deserves the best from May 2027,” Alli said.

The event was attended by the APC deputy governorship candidate, Adesoji Adedeji, the party’s Oyo South Senatorial candidate, Aderemi Oseni and other party leaders.

Amid ongoing row over the legitimate version of the Nigerian Law Society, NLS, the Office of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, has written to recognize Ambassador Dahiru Aliyu and Dr Tonye Clinton Jaja, as the President and Executive Director, respectively, of the organisation.

Currently, there are two versions of the Nigerian Law Society in the country – one led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Chief JK Gadzama, and the other led by Aliyu and Jaja.

However, the Office of the IGP, in a letter dated 10th March 2026, with reference number: CB:5180/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.43/41, signed by Commissioner of Police Lateef Adio Ahmed, Principal Staff Officer to the IGP, acknowledged Aliyu and Jaja as the executives of the NLS.

The letter from the Office of the IGP was a response to an earlier letter signed by Aliyu and Jaja, and addressed to the IGP.

The said letter from the Office of the IGP is addressed to the President of the NLS, with office address at No. 4 Sefadu Close off Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nigeria.

Reacting to the development while commenting on the legitimacy row surrounding the NLS, on Friday, Jaja noted that the “address is the office address and National Headquarters of the legitimate and registered Nigerian Law Society (NLS) which received its certificate of registration dated 30th December 2025 from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN)”.

Jaja, while making clarifications on the dispute over the origins of the NLS, refuted reports that Gadzama is the founder of the organisation and is being impersonated by a parallel leadership.

He noted that the NLS led by Aliyu and himself is not part of an ongoing lawsuit between the Gadzama-led NLS and the CAC and NBA.

“The truth is that JK Gadzama and his associates are currently engaged in a lawsuit at the Court of Appeal Abuja Division against the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

“JK Gadzama and his associates have not yet received any certificate of incorporation, therefore how can they claim that anyone is impersonating an organisation for which they had at no time in recent times received certificate of incorporation?

“The reason for the ongoing lawsuit at the Court of Appeal is that JK Gadzama and his associates are seeking an Order of the Court of Appeal to compel the CAC to register them as an Association of lawyers and alternative to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

“Both the NBA and the CAC are opposed to registration of any parallel Bar Association for lawyers in Nigeria. Their reasoning is that the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962 recognises only the NBA.

“We, the registered organisation registered by the CAC and SMEDAN as the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) are 100% in agreement with the logic and reasoning of both the NBA and the CAC,” Jaja clarified.

Explaining further, he said, “We, as the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) are an association of non-litigation Nigerian lawyers unlike the lawyers under the NBA who are legal practitioners as recognised under the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962.

“The distinction is that the lawyers who are members of the NBA having passed the Bar examinations are qualified as litigation lawyers permitted to be called to the Bar with the right to make appearances in all courts of law within Nigeria in accordance with the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962.

“In contrast, the members of the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) are lawyers who have completed the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and some of them have not received additional qualification by attendance at the Nigerian Law School and called to Bar in accordance with the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962.”

According to him, the lawyers who are members of the NLS are LLB degree graduates, and even those who have been called to the Bar, who have made the conscious decision to specialise in fields of law that do not require courtroom litigation.

He listed non-litigation areas of law which members of the NLS are engaged in to include legislative drafting, law lecturing and legal research, arbitration, mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR, practice, company secretarial services and law revision and reforms, among others.

The Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, has expressed worry over the glaringly deplorable state of public schools in the state

Drawing the attention of the Cross River State Government to the situation, the NUJ Cross River State Council, led by Comrade Archibong Bassey, said that many roads in the Calabar metropolis were deplorable and a death trap.

These observations were raised during their congress held yesterday at the Ernest Etim NUJ Secretariat in Calabar.

In their nine-point communique signed by Comrades Essien Ita and Aniekan Aniekan, chairman and secretary respectively, they called on the relevant agencies responsible for the education sector to urgently address the situation.

They called for a state of emergency to be declared in the education sector in the state so that it can be brought up to modern educational standards.

“The Congress expressed concern over the deplorable condition of some public schools and roads across the state.”

The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has announced Wednesday, November 4, 2026, as the official start date for the 2026 Batch ‘C’ Stream II Orientation Course.

A statement issued by Caroline Embu, Director of Information and Public Relations, indicated that the exercise would be held across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

According to the statement, the enrolment of Corps Members will take place from Wednesday, November 4, through midnight on Friday, November 6, with the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Friday, November 6, 2026.

The NYSC further announced that the closing ceremony will be held on Tuesday, November 24, 2026.

The Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, has stopped Jonathan Akuns from presenting himself as the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election.

Justice S.T. Ishaya issued the order on September 28 after considering an ex parte application filed by Alfred Dapal, a governorship aspirant challenging the party’s nomination process.

The case, marked FHC/J/CS/87/2026, has Mr Akuns as the first defendant, the NDC as the second defendant and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the third defendant.

The judge ordered Mr Akuns not to announce, publish or otherwise present himself as the NDC governorship candidate until the court hears and determines the case.

Mr Dapal told the court that he was the candidate produced by the NDC during its governorship nomination exercise held on September 15 at the party’s secretariat in Dogon Karfe, Jos North Local Government Area.

He is asking the court to stop the NDC, its officials and agents from replacing, withdrawing or removing him as the party’s candidate until the case is decided.

He also wants the court to stop the NDC from submitting Mr Akuns’ name to INEC as its governorship candidate in his place.

Mr Dapal further asked the court to prevent INEC from accepting, recognising, publishing or acting on Mr Akuns’ name as the NDC candidate for Plateau State.

Another request seeks an order directing all parties to maintain the position that existed after the September 15 nomination exercise until the case is finally determined.

The plaintiff also asked for an accelerated hearing because of the statutory deadlines for pre-election cases.

Justice Ishaya ruled that the application had succeeded in part and adjourned the case until October 5 for hearing.

The order was signed by the judge and issued under the seal of the Federal High Court by the Registrar, Chioma A. Eze.

The order does not amount to a final decision on who should hold the NDC governorship ticket in Plateau State. The court will still consider the competing claims arising from the party’s nomination process.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kebbi State has reinstated its State Chairman, Abubakar Muhammad Kana-Zuru, more than three months after his suspension.

The decision was announced on Thursday by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Isah Abubakar Assalafi, at a press conference at the APC secretariat in Birnin Kebbi.

Assalafi said the State Working Committee (SWC) revoked Kana-Zuru’s suspension after reviewing subsequent developments surrounding the decision taken in June.

The SWC had, at its meeting on June 20, 2026, suspended Kana-Zuru from office through Resolution No. KSWC/010/2026.

However, at a meeting held on October 1, 2026, the committee resolved to revoke the suspension and restore him to office with immediate effect.

The decision also terminated the interim arrangement under which Adamu Mudi Augie had been serving as Acting State Chairman.

“Accordingly, Alhaji Adamu Mudi Augie shall cease to act as Acting State Chairman and shall resume his substantive office as Deputy State Chairman,” Assalafi said.

He added that all official records and documents relating to the office of State Chairman should be handed over to Kana-Zuru.

The party directed its state secretary to communicate the resolution to the appropriate party organs, including the national headquarters, for information and necessary action.

The APC said Kana-Zuru had resumed all the functions, powers and responsibilities of the State Chairman with immediate effect.

As Nigeria commemorates its 66-year independence anniversary, Toyin Amuzu, a PDP chieftain in Ogun State, has urged citizens to break free from political slavery that keeps them trapped in hardship and dependence.

According to Amuzu, true independence must go beyond flag celebrations to include freedom from hunger, hardship, hopelessness and a system where a few people determine the future of the majority.

He noted that government must exist to serve the people and not turn public resources into instruments of political control.

“Citizens must not allow themselves to be permanently subjected to a system where a few people determine their future while the majority continue to struggle,” he said.

Amuzu, who is the House of Representatives candidate for Abeokuta South, urged people of the constituency to recognise the power of their votes as a tool to demand leadership that respects their dignity, welfare and aspirations.

He said the cost-of-living crisis has placed enormous pressure on households, hence the need for people-centred leadership that provides practical support.

The PDP candidate said the 2027 election offers an opportunity for residents to renew their commitment to a better Nigeria and enthrone leadership that prioritises their welfare.

He added that his party was prepared to restore hope and rebuild confidence in governance in Ogun State.

The PDP House of Representatives hopeful also urged residents to see the Independence Anniversary as an opportunity to renew their commitment to a better Nigeria, saying true independence must include freedom from hunger, hardship, hopelessness and policies that leave ordinary citizens behind.