Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has criticised Nigeria’s political system, claiming that politicians accused of corruption often appear to be cleared of wrongdoing once they defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obi made the remark during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, where he also argued that Nigeria’s political parties lack clear ideologies.

According to him, the country’s politics has become driven by personal interests rather than principles.

“For me, there is no political party in Nigeria Today that has an ideology. There is none. Otherwise, the ideology of the APC would be that if you are corrupt and you move to the APC, you are no longer corrupt,” he said.

The former Anambra State governor maintained that what Nigeria needs are competent and committed leaders with integrity and compassion, rather than politicians who change parties for personal gain.

He also accused the ruling party of weakening opposition parties, alleging that the crises affecting the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and previously the Labour Party (LP) were not accidental.

“The president said it, and it is happening. When opposition parties are having problems, that is his wish. Because of it, they are destroying the judiciary,” Obi alleged.

He said that, if elected president, he would protect opposition parties and ensure they operate freely without interference from the government or regulatory agencies.

Obi also dismissed claims that endorsements from state governors would guarantee President Bola Tinubu victory in the 2027 presidential election.

He argued that governors’ support does not always reflect the views of the people in their states.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, a faction of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Rivers State, led by its national Chairman, Ibe Kachikwu has aligned with the Rainbow Coalition formed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Nyesom Wike.

In a viral video, the ADC Secretary in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, Samuel Chuku was heard saying that they were instructed by their national leader to back Wike’s coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party leaders, at an engagement meeting in Isiokpo, the headquarters of Ikwerre Local Government Area, said they will work with the Rainbow Coalition for the coming elections.

The faction insisted that they remained the authentic leaders of the ADC in the council and would continue to align with the coalition pending the resolution of the leadership dispute by the Supreme Court.

They urged loyalists of the former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi to stop parading themselves as executive members of the party.

Samuel said, “Our leader, Ibe Kachikwu has directed ADC in Rivers to align with coalition led by Nyesom Wike. We are aware that some persons are parading themselves as ADC leaders in Ikwere local government.

“We are here to tell those people that they are intruders. They want to reap from where they did not sow.

“ADC leadership has directed that we should align with the coalition headed by Wike pending when the Supreme Court will decide who should be the authentic national”

The Kano State Government has directed the recovery of duplicate July 2026 salary payments mistakenly credited to some civil servants, attributing the incident to a technical glitch during the salary payment process.
The directive was contained in a notice signed by Abdulhadi Hamza, Deputy Director, KIPPIS, for the Kano State Accountant General and dated July 26, 2026.

According to the circular, the duplicate salary payments resulted from “a technical issue on the part of the bank during the salary payment process.”

The government said the affected bank has commenced the process of reversing the excess payments directly from the accounts of workers who received the duplicate salaries.

“The concerned bank is currently making efforts to reverse the duplicate payments directly from the affected accounts. In view of this, all affected staff are kindly advised not to take any action at this time and to await further directives from the Office of the Accountant General,” the notice stated.

The government added that where the bank is unable to recover the excess payment through the reversal process, affected workers would be formally notified and guided on the appropriate procedure for refunding the overpaid amount.

The Accountant General’s Office also appealed for patience and cooperation from civil servants as efforts continue to resolve the issue.

Troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, and Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have rescued two kidnapped victims during a fighting patrol in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The rescue operation, carried out in the early hours of Saturday, July 26, followed credible intelligence on the activities of suspected kidnappers operating in the Lande Jessi general area.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, the troops launched the operation after receiving reports that armed criminals had attacked Tashan Musa and Barkindan Fulani villages, abducting two residents and making away with food items.

The statement said the troops conducted targeted search-and-rescue operations across the area, leading to the successful rescue of the two victims, identified as Usman Mohammed and Usman Harusu. The victims were reportedly held captive for about one week before their rescue.

The Commander of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, and Sector 3, Operation Whirl Stroke, Brigadier General Chukwuemeka Michael Akaliro, commended the troops for their swift response, professionalism, and resilience, describing the operation as a demonstration of the military’s commitment to protecting lives and property in Taraba State.

Akaliro said the operation was in line with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, to decisively tackle criminality and restore lasting peace across the country.

He urged the troops to sustain the ongoing operations and remain vigilant in denying criminal elements freedom of movement within their area of responsibility.

The brigade commander also reassured residents of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to safeguarding law-abiding citizens and appealed to members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to aid ongoing security operations

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, for the 2027 general elections, Peter Obi, has accused President Bola Tinubu of turning Aso Rock into a bunker.
Obi made the claim on Sunday during a live appearance on Channels Television.

He challenged President Tinubu to come out of the ‘bunker’ and speak to the Nigerian people whom he is governing.

“A leader must be speaking to his people. The person we voted for in this country is Bola Tinubu. He’s no longer talking.

“President Tinubu has turned Aso Rock into a bunker. He is no longer talking. He should come out of that bunker and speak to the people. Where is the man we gave our mandate?

“We didn’t vote all these characters talking to us. I will be speaking to the people. I’ll be telling them ‘I said I’ll do this’ and that is what it will be. That’s why I said there should be commitment.

“Today, we are talking about fake agency in the government. Where is the man who is leading the country? He should be the one talking to everybody,” Obi said.

About 55 aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State who voluntarily stepped down from various elective contests in the interest of party unity have accused the party leadership and the Kaduna State Government of neglecting and marginalising loyal members.

The aggrieved aspirants, operating under the banner of the Kaduna State House of Assembly APC Aspirants Forum 2026, said they abandoned their political ambitions following appeals by party leaders, believing that their loyalty, discipline and commitment to the party would be rewarded with fairness, inclusion and recognition.

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by the forum’s chairman, Godwin Luka (Maisolar), and Secretary, Tahir Gambo Abubakar, the group lamented that, despite remaining steadfast and loyal to the APC, repeated efforts to seek an audience with the party leadership and the Kaduna State Government had yielded no positive response.

According to the forum, members voluntarily withdrew from their respective contests to preserve party unity and enhance the APC’s electoral prospects, describing the decision as a significant sacrifice made in the collective interest of the ruling party.

The aspirants, however, expressed disappointment that, months after making the sacrifice, they had allegedly been excluded from appointments, consultations and other political engagements.

They further alleged that, while loyal party members who complied with the directives of the leadership had been sidelined, individuals who openly criticised the party or opposed its decisions were allegedly being rewarded with appointments and political opportunities.

The statement said, “We willingly sacrificed our personal ambitions after appeals by the leadership because we believed our loyalty, discipline and commitment to the party would be recognised and appreciated.

“We remain committed to the ideals and success of the APC, but our patience and loyalty should not be mistaken for weakness, neither should our sacrifices be taken for granted.”

The forum stressed that its members were not demanding special treatment but were simply calling for justice, fairness and recognition of those who made personal sacrifices to strengthen the party.

It warned that continued neglect of loyal members could affect the morale of party faithful as political activities gradually gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.

While reaffirming their loyalty to Governor Uba Sani and the APC, the aspirants urged the governor and the party leadership to engage members of the forum urgently and address their grievances before they escalate.

They also noted that many members of the forum command significant political influence across their respective constituencies, adding that their supporters were closely monitoring developments and would expect direction as preparations for the next general elections intensify.

“We have no regrets supporting the success of our great party. However, loyalty should be rewarded. Justice, equity and fairness remain the foundation for sustaining unity and strengthening the APC ahead of future elections,” the statement added.

The forum expressed optimism that the party leadership would resolve the matter through constructive dialogue, insisting that recognising and accommodating loyal members would further consolidate the APC’s unity and electoral strength in Kaduna State.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Kaduna State chapter of the APC nor the Kaduna State Government had issued an official response to the allegations.

A fresh dispute has emerged within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun State after a party chieftain, Ibraheem Adekunle, insisted that he remains the party’s validly nominated candidate for the Osun Central Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general election.

The development followed the announcement by the senator representing Osun Central, Olubiyi Fadeyi, that he had returned to the PDP and had emerged as the party’s candidate for the senatorial district in the forthcoming general election.

Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Friday, Adekunle dismissed the claim and warned against any attempt to substitute his name as the party’s candidate, maintaining that he secured the ticket through a duly conducted PDP primary election.

He stated that he would seek judicial redress if any individual or group attempted to alter his nomination, insisting that the party’s nomination process had already been concluded in accordance with the law.

Adekunle questioned the circumstances surrounding Fadeyi’s alleged return to the PDP, referring to reports that the senator obtained a waiver from the party on May 8 2026 before allegedly participating in the All Progressives Congress, APC, senatorial primary on May 18, 2026.

According to him, “It has been claimed that Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi obtained a waiver from the Peoples Democratic Party on 8 May 2026. However, available records indicate that he subsequently participated in the APC senatorial primary election held on 18 May 2026 for the same office.

“This raises a fundamental question: if he had already become a PDP member through the alleged waiver on 8 May, under what legal or constitutional basis did he purchase APC nomination forms, submit APC nomination documents, undergo APC screening, campaign as an APC aspirant, and eventually participate in the APC primary election ten days later? Political party membership cannot exist in two parties at the same time.”

Adekunle maintained that by the time Fadeyi contested the APC primary election, the PDP had completed its nomination process for the Osun Central Senatorial District and had forwarded his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

He declared, “My name was duly submitted by the PDP to the Independent National Electoral Commission after the primary election and was subsequently uploaded on the Commission’s nomination portal in accordance with the law. I therefore remain the authentic and validly nominated PDP candidate for Osun Central Senatorial District.”

Expressing confidence in the PDP leadership, Adekunle said he trusted the National Working Committee to uphold due process and protect the outcome of the party’s primary election.

“I have absolute confidence in the National Working Committee of our great party and in the leadership of Chief Nyesom Wike. I believe they will uphold the rule of law, respect due process and protect the sanctity of the party’s primary election,” he said.

He warned that he would challenge through lawful means any effort to replace his name as the PDP’s candidate, stating, “I will vigorously defend my mandate and challenge, through every lawful means available, any attempt to unlawfully replace my name with that of any person who did not emerge from the PDP primary election.”

The Nigeria Police Force has reiterated its dedication to enhancing Nigeria’s ability to prevent, detect, respond to, and investigate Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, CBRN, and explosive threats.

This reaffirmation followed the hosting of the Final Phase of the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, C-WMD, Curriculum Development Workshop for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear, EOD-CBRN, Command.

The workshop was organized by the Commissioner of Police, EOD-CBRN Command, CP Hauwa Ibrahim, in partnership with the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency, DTRA, and the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA.

The DTRA delegation was headed by Major Brittany Brown, while Mrs. Pamela West led the ONSA delegation.

The program represented the conclusion of a series of Train-the-Trainers workshops designed to institutionalize the National Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Curriculum across involved security agencies and to bolster Nigeria’s readiness against emerging CBRN and explosive threats.

In his opening remarks on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Department of Operations, DIG Umar Shehu Nadada, characterized the initiative as a strategic investment in the operational preparedness of the Nigeria Police Force.

He emphasized that the evolving nature of Weapons of Mass Destruction threats necessitates that law enforcement agencies remain proactive, well-trained, and operationally equipped, while also highlighting the significance of ongoing inter-agency collaboration and international partnerships in ensuring national security.

DIG Nadada expressed the Inspector-General of Police’s gratitude to the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Office of the National Security Adviser, facilitators, and all partner agencies for their unwavering commitment to enhancing the operational capabilities of the Nigeria Police Force.

He emphasized that the ongoing support, technical expertise, and knowledge transfer from the partners have greatly improved the Force’s ability to safeguard lives, protect vital national infrastructure, and respond adeptly to changing security threats.

The Deputy Inspector-General further urged participants to engage in the workshop with professionalism, dedication, and a commitment to excellence, highlighting that the knowledge and skills gained should be effectively disseminated within the Force to ensure that the National C-WMD Curriculum becomes a lasting element of the training framework for EOD-CBRN personnel, thereby enhancing operational effectiveness throughout the Nigeria Police Force.

EOD-CBRN Command reiterated its dedication to incorporating the curriculum into the Nigeria Police Force training system to guarantee that officers develop the necessary competencies to effectively tackle emerging CBRN and Weapons of Mass Destruction threats.

The Command also conveyed optimism regarding the ongoing support from its strategic partners, particularly in the realms of specialized equipment, technical assistance, and advanced capacity building, to further enhance the operational capabilities of the EOD-CBRN Command in addressing modern security challenges.