The President of women in politics forum, Ebere Ifendu, has described as very embarrassing the gale of defections of Nigerian governors into the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television monitored by DAILY POST on Thursday, Ifendu raised the alarm that Nigeria’s democracy is under threat.

She was reacting to the gale of defections by some state governors from their own political parties into the APC.

DAILY POST reports that the governors of Enugu, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom states have all defected to the ruling party.

Reacting, Ifendu said, “It’s an embarrassing situation if I must be honest with you. In politics, we expect that political parties have different ideologies. It’s either you’re a socialist political party like you find in the Labour Party or you are a conservative political party. There must be an ideology.

“And so when you see these people move from one party to the other, you begin to wonder, is it that political parties in Nigeria are not built with ideology? Because when we vote for a political party, we vote based on those things that we believe that the political party is presenting before us.

“And I think that democracy in Nigeria is threatened because people no longer believe in the people they have voted for.

“Let me also say here that a candidate of a political party is carrying the mandate of the party, and not the person’s personal mandate, and so you get elected based on what your party presented, and then you just dump that party to go to another political party. Are we turning to a one party state in Nigeria?

“If there is no opposition, then there is no democracy. So I think it’s very wrong seeing what is happening in Nigeria today.”

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, says it is completely wrong for Christians to be taken to Sharia courts or forced to follow Sharia rules.

He said this on Wednesday during the opening of the 2025 meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja.

The theme of the meeting was “Collaboration of Inter-Religious Council with Government to Promote Peace in Nigeria.”

The Sultan explained that Sharia is strictly for Muslims, and no Christian should be made to dress, act, or pray like Muslims.

He stressed that Nigeria is a multi-religious country, not a secular one, and that the government supports both Islam and Christianity without adopting either as a state religion.

He also rejected recent calls to scrap Sharia law, saying Nigeria allows all religions to practice freely without interference.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, also spoke at the event. He called for stronger cooperation between NIREC and the Federal Government to help build peace and fight insecurity.

Tajudeen warned that extremist groups are trying to use religion to divide the country, and praised NIREC for promoting unity over the years.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said Nigeria is facing serious challenges, including insecurity, political tension, and declining trust among citizens. He added that the country is also being misrepresented internationally because of misinformation about its security issues.

Akume assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will continue to protect lives and property.

He urged religious and traditional leaders to work together to encourage peace.

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, said Nigeria is at a dangerous point in its history because insecurity threatens national unity.

He noted that religious institutions are highly trusted and can play a major role in building peace.

He called for closer partnership between the government and religious groups to encourage dialogue, unite communities, and promote tolerance.

The Executive Secretary of NIREC, Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua, also spoke.

He said religious leaders must work more closely with the government to defeat terrorism and banditry.

According to him, every human life matters, and all leaders must join hands to protect the people.

He prayed for wisdom for Nigerian leaders and asked for a change of heart for criminals, hoping they will turn into law-abiding citizens.

He also prayed for Nigerians to adopt positive values.

The Nigeria Immigration Service has announced that its Passport Digital Platform will undergo routine system maintenance, resulting in temporary service disruptions for users.

NIS said the maintenance window will run from 12:00 a.m. on 12 December to 6:00 a.m. on 14 December 2025 (GMT).

This was contained in a public notice shared on the service’s X handle on Friday and signed by its Public Relations Officer, ACI AS Akinlabi.

According to the statement, the exercise is aimed at enhancing system performance and improving overall user experience.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service wishes to inform the general public that it is carrying out routine maintenance on its Passport Digital Platform to enhance system performance and overall user experience.

“During this period, users will experience temporary service interruptions, slow response times, or limited access to selected NIS Passport Services,” the notice read.

The service appealed for public patience, noting that the exercise is essential to maintaining a secure and efficient digital passport ecosystem.

“Our technical teams are working round the clock to ensure full service restoration within the stated timeframe,” it added.

NIS also urged users who require assistance during the maintenance period to contact its support team via email at support@immigration.gov.ng or through its official social media handles.

In a related development, NIS announced on Tuesday the activation of temporary complaint-response channels on social media following the takedown of its support accounts.

The service said the new channels were created to ensure uninterrupted engagement with applicants experiencing difficulties with passport and visa processes.

According to the notice, affected applicants can now channel their complaints through the temporary X handles @InquireAtNaija, @nigimmigration, and @InquireAtNaija_, as well as via Instagram

The House of Representatives on Thursday directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Pension Fund Limited to begin payment of all outstanding pensions and arrears owed to its retirees within a three-month timeframe.

The House also mandated its Committee on Pensions to investigate the operational activities of the NNPC Pension Fund Limited, comb through its financial records, investment portfolios, and asset-management practices, and recommend sanctions where infractions are established.

The resolution followed the adoption of amendments to a motion sponsored by Muhammad Shehu, a member representing Fagge Federal Constituency of Kano State.

Appealing to his colleagues to support the motion, Shehu lamented the frustrations faced by retirees and contributors under the scheme.

He condemned what he described as “inappropriate operations, injustice, financial mismanagement, non-payment of entitlements and gross negligence” by the Fund’s management.

The NNPC Pension Fund Limited originated as a Trust Fund in 1983 to manage the pension assets of the NNPC and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

It was reconstituted as the Incorporated Trustees of the NNPC Pension Fund in 1986, and later transformed into NNPC Pension Fund Limited following the enactment of the Pension Reform Act 2014.

Shehu reminded lawmakers that, “The objectives of the Pension Reform Act, 2014, are to establish a uniform set of rules, regulations, and standards for the administration and payment of retirement benefits across the Public Service of the Federation.

“The Retirement Savings Accounts remain the only financial lifeline available to retirees upon retirement.”

Despite this, he said, “Most NNPC retirees are unable to access retirement funds, despite fulfilling all statutory requirements under the Contributory Pension Scheme, causing widespread hardship, inequality, and disillusionment.”

The lawmaker further accused the Pension Fund’s management of routinely flouting judicial directives.

He added, “The management of NNPC Pension Fund Limited has consistently failed to comply with court orders directing payment of harmonised pensions to retirees, leaving the aged retirees to staged protests.”

He noted that the Fund has violated Section 50(1)(a) of the PRA 2014 and Clause (b) of the approved conditions, which states that “The scheme must be fully funded at all times and that any shortfall must be made up within 90 days.”

The lawmaker added that years of “inappropriate financial management, lack of transparency, and disregard for regulatory standards” have weakened trust in the pension system.

He lamented, “Many of the retirees, after decades of dedicated service to the nation, are presently battling health and financial difficulties due to the inaction and negligence of those entrusted with their welfare.

“The current framework of the NNPC Pension Fund Limited is inconsistent with international best practices, and there is an urgent need for the Federal Government to adopt an international standard pension fund structure and framework for sustainable investment, transparency, and accountability in pension management.”

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has dismissed claims that he is sidelining members of the State House of Assembly or loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Speaking in Ahoada West during the commissioning of the Ahoda–Omoku Road extension, Fubara said reports suggesting he had shut out some political stakeholders were false.

He explained that his recent visit to President Bola Tinubu was strictly for state matters.

“There is this insinuation going around.

“I went to see the President a few days ago, but it was purely for state interest.

I have no disagreement with members of the National Assembly or with our state lawmakers,” he said.

Fubara said he had made efforts to meet with the lawmakers but was waiting for party leaders to convene the agreed reconciliation meeting.

“It was agreed that the minister, our leader, would arrange the meeting. Up till now, it has not been fixed,” he said.

He described claims that he refused to meet the lawmakers as untrue, adding that he had no reason to exclude any stakeholder.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised Nigerians to blame governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and not President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for any misfortune that may befall the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

The party made this declaration via a statement made available to DAILY POST on Wednesday.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians have been attributing the misfortunes in the PDP to Tinubu.

APC has, however, said that Nigerians should not blame Tinubu for the challenges facing the party.

The party in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary in Oyo State, Wasiu Olawale Sadare noted that Governor Makinde of Oyo State and his colleagues should be held responsible for the misfortunes in PDP.

Sadare in the statement noted that Makinde has ruined the PDP.

He said, “Rather than look inward for solutions, supposed elders and leaders within the PDP left everything to chance and paved the way for the likes of Gov. Makinde to take over the affairs of their party.

“Because he lacked capacity, experience and other traits required to lead a national party, Gov. Makinde emerged the final nemesis which consumed the PDP as he is now the only governor belonging to the umbrella party in the whole of Southern Nigeria with only three or four left in the North.

“As a matter of fact, Gov. Makinde cannot deliver the PDP from its current comatose condition.

“If virtually all his governor colleagues can leave the party for him, questions should be asked about his mission and vision for the PDP while President Tinubu should be allowed to focus on his job as the president of the country”.

The Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, has alerted Nigerians to a fraudulent Facebook post falsely claiming that the agency is currently recruiting.

In a statement shared on its official X account on Wednesday, the NIS clarified that there is no ongoing recruitment.

The agency stressed that the only legitimate recruitment exercise was recently conducted by the Civil Defence, Corrections, Fire and Immigration Board, CDCFIB, and results for that process are still pending.

“The public is advised to disregard such posts, avoid any engagement with them, and report the pages immediately,” the statement urged.

The Service emphasized its commitment to conducting all genuine recruitment exercises transparently.

The NIS, responsible for border control, visa issuance, and enforcing immigration laws in Nigeria, reiterated that all recruitment announcements will only be made through official channels.

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Osun State chapter, has announced a temporary relaxation of its ongoing strike to allow staff of the Judicial Service Commission, JSC, to attend a scheduled meeting with commission officials.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its chairman, Comrade Idris Adedayo Adeniran, the relaxation is subject to approval by JUSUN Congress and its national leadership and will last from December 11 to 24, 2025.

The statement revealed that, “the meeting, fixed for 11 December at the Conference Room of the High Court of Justice in Osogbo, will focus on JUSUN’s demands on staff promotion and welfare.”

The union confirmed that the Chief Judge of Osun State, Justice Adepele Bola Ojo, has agreed to reconvene discussions with the JSC to address the issues raised.

JUSUN noted that the JSC, as the body responsible for justice administration in the state, is expected to consider and respond to the concerns of judiciary workers.

“We appreciate the commitment of the Honourable Chief Judge to engage with the JSC on our behalf and look forward to a positive outcome,” the union said.

JUSUN also reiterated that its demands remain legitimate, reasonable, and long overdue and emphasised that its members would continue to push until the issues are resolved.

The Osun JUSUN Chairman also expressed appreciation to union members for their unwavering support, trust and loyalty during the industrial action.

DAILY POST recalled that Osun JUSUN embarked on an industrial action on September 22, 2025 as a result of a disagreement with the Osun State Chief Judge.

The Federal Government has announced that several key reforms and directives will officially take effect in 2026, marking a significant shift in governance, revenue administration, and public service delivery.

The measures, aimed at improving transparency, boosting revenue, and modernising government operations, are expected to reshape how citizens and businesses interact with the Federal Government.

Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Tax Reforms

The government has reformed its tax laws, replacing the former Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) with the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).

The new tax framework will come into effect on January 1, 2026, requiring all taxpayers—individuals and businesses alike—to comply with the updated tax administration procedures.

Fully Digital Public Services & Revenue Collection (Cashless Government Payments)

Starting in 2026, all federal revenue collections will require digital payments.

Services such as passports, licences, and regulatory fees will no longer accept cash.

This move represents a major shift toward digital public services and is intended to improve transparency while reducing leakages in revenue collection.

National Single Window (NSW) for Trade and Customs

The government has directed the NSW Steering Committee to ensure the platform is fully operational by the first quarter of 2026.

The NSW is expected to streamline trade and Customs procedures, reduce bureaucracy, and facilitate easier import/export processes for businesses.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) / Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX)

Set for rollout in early 2026, the DPI and NGDX platforms aim to support e-government services, enhance data exchange between government agencies, and improve service delivery to citizens and businesses.

Budget Rollover: Focus on Completing Ongoing Projects

For the 2026 fiscal year, the government has directed that 70% of 2025’s capital budget be rolled over, effectively freezing the launch of many new major projects.

This strategy is designed to focus resources on completing existing projects in areas such as security, infrastructure, and social services, reflecting caution under revenue constraints.

Revenue Optimisation Platform (RevOp)

The Revenue Optimisation Platform will centralise revenue collection, reconciliation, and monitoring across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

The system integrates with existing Treasury‑Single Account frameworks, financial management systems, and banks, helping to prevent revenue leakages and improve transparency