Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the report that the Independent National Electoral Commission rejected a fresh plot to deregister the African Democratic Congress days after the Supreme Court verdict.

In a viral court document, INEC, in its submission, dismantled the legal foundation of the application, insisting that it fails to meet the constitutional conditions required for the deregistration of a political party.

According to the filing contained in the court document, the Commission made it clear that the power to deregister political parties is neither discretionary nor susceptible to political pressure but is strictly governed by extant laws and constitutional provisions.

Reacting to the development, Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication Atiku described the move to deregister the ADC as “a desperate and failed plot conceived in the shadows of fear.”

“What we are witnessing is the unraveling of a poorly scripted political ambush designed to cripple opposition voices. The fact that INEC itself has come forward to puncture the legal vacuum of this application speaks volumes. It confirms what Nigerians already suspect—that this was never about law but about intimidation.

“No democracy survives where the ruling party seeks to eliminate competition through the backdoor. Today, it is ADC. Tomorrow, it could be any platform that refuses to bow. But let it be known: Nigeria is bigger than any administration, and its democratic space cannot be shrunk to accommodate political insecurity,” he added.

Recall that the Supreme Court last week, vacated the order of the Court of Appeal which barred the recognition of David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has lost its remaining representation in the Senate following the defection of Senator Rufai Hanga (Kano Central) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

The development was formally announced on Tuesday when the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, read Hanga’s letter during plenary.

In the letter, Hanga blamed his exit on unresolved internal disputes within the NNPP, stating that factional disagreements and conflicting leadership directions had made effective legislative work difficult. He said the situation created an unstable political environment that hindered his responsibilities as a senator.

He added that his decision followed consultations with his constituents and political stakeholders, and that the NDC better aligns with his political priorities and vision for governance.

With the defection, NNPP now holds no seat in the Senate. The current composition is: APC – 89, ADC – 7, PDP – 4, NDC – 3, APGA – 1, NNPP – 0, Accord – 1, and Labour Party – 1.

The lawmaker representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Abdul Ningi, has called on Nigerians to take the xenophobic war to South Africa.

Ningi made this call on Tuesday at the plenary in reaction to the killings of Nigerian nationals in South Africa.

Recall that South Africans have killed a hand full of Nigerian and Ghanaian nationals in the recent xenophobic attacks.

Reacting to the development, the lawmaker said, “Nigeria and Africans know where South Africa is, and we can take this war to their territory if need be.

“We cannot sit down and lament while this is happening. Life has no duplicate, and Nigerians are being killed for no reason.

“If this is the only thing the Senate discusses now, let it be,” the senator said.

DAILY POST had reported that Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole had asked Nigerian government to take action against South African companies in Nigeria.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has called for justice and strengthening of the national accountability following the alleged extra-judicial killing of 28-year-old Mene Ogidi.

Addressing lawmakers on the brutal murder, Akpabio described the incident as “a matter that strikes at the moral fabric of our nation,” and said it demanded urgent attention from both the legislature and security authorities.

“Before we proceed with business, I consider it necessary to address the tragic extra-judicial killing of citizen Mele Ogidi, just 28 years old,” he said.

Ogidi, an indigene of Ujevwu in Udu Local Government Area, was reportedly shot dead on April 26, 2026, in circumstances that have triggered public outrage and renewed concerns over alleged police brutality and misuse of force.

On behalf of the Senate and the National Assembly, Akpabio extended condolences to the bereaved family, the Ujevwu community, and Nigerians affected by the incident.

“Every Nigerian life is sacred. The strength of our Republic rests on the assurance that the life of every citizen, regardless of status, location, or circumstance, must be protected under the law,” he stated.

He stressed that national unity and stability depend on public confidence in state institutions, particularly security agencies.

“Every nation is built on trust—trust that the uniform of the state will protect, not harm; trust that authority will be exercised with restraint, not impunity; and trust that when wrong is done, justice will be swift, fair, and certain,” Akpabio added.

The Senate President acknowledged steps reportedly taken by the Nigerian Police Force, including the identification, dismissal, and prosecution of officers allegedly involved in the killing

“Such decisive action sends a clear message that Nigeria will not shield misconduct and that accountability remains a cornerstone of our democracy,” he noted.

However, he insisted that the process must not end at preliminary actions, stressing the need for full and transparent justice.

“This commendable beginning must lead to conclusive justice. The Nigerian people expect and deserve nothing less than a transparent and diligent process that will culminate in justice being done and being seen to be done,” he said.

Akpabio also urged renewed commitment to justice, rule of law, and institutional strengthening, noting that law enforcement agencies must be both empowered and held accountable.

“In this hour of mourning, we are summoned to reaffirm our devotion to the sanctity of human life, the supremacy of the law, and the strengthening of our institutions,” he said.

He called on the senator representing the affected constituency to convey the Senate’s condolences to the family and urged authorities to ensure the case is fully investigated alongside broader police reforms.

“Let this moment of grief spur us to renew our resolve to build a nation where justice knows no bias, institutions command trust, and every Nigerian lives free from fear,” he added.

The Senate observed a minute of silence in honour of the deceased as calls for accountability and security reforms continue to grow nationwide.

Petroleum product marketers and retailers have hinted at a possible fresh petrol price drop as Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, partners with Chinese firms to restart Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

DAILY POST reports that after a long wait, NNPCL on April 30, 2026, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sanjiang Chemical Company and Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co., Limited, to support the completion of Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

Recall that in May last year, the Port Harcourt refinery was shut down for scheduled maintenance.

Since then, the state-owned refinery, together with Warri and Kaduna, has remained closed despite gulping around $18 billion and $25 billion on rehabilitation for the last two decades. Dangote Refinery, a private-owned plant in Lagos, became the lifeline.

While debate on the sustainability of the Nigerian refineries has remained critical, the Bayo Ojulari-led NNPCL’s recent move with Chinese firms leaves more expectations in the minds of stakeholders and Nigerians.

This becomes more important as the over two months old Middle East crisis leaves Nigeria and global economies in a precarious state.

The ripple effect of the Iran-United States-Israel war has made crude oil and domestic petrol prices double.

Checks by DAILY POST showed that Brent AND West Texas Intermediate stood at $112 and $104 per barrel, respectively, as domestic fuel rose to between N1,364 and N1,380 per liter from around N800 per liter in Abuja.

Increased petrol prices have pushed transportation costs up in Nigeria in the last two months, further worsening the economic hardship for many Nigerians.

Speaking on the development, the national president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, said the restart of Nigerian refineries with NNPCL and Chinese firms’ MoU implementation would boost in-country refined product refining, adding that higher competition of local refined petroleum products will shoot down the prices.

“What we know is that the more refined products we get from any country, the higher the competition, driving down the price of any refined product, whether it’s PMS, AGO, aviation petrol, or any other. So it’s a good project.

“It’s been a long time coming, but now it’s there, so we are happy that this has happened,” he told DAILY POST.

Give incentive to Nigerians, marketers — IPMAN tells FG

On his part, spokesperson of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, while noting that the restart of Nigerian refineries is most important at this time, urged the Nigerian government to roll out incentives for Nigerians and marketers to cushion the impact of petrol price volatility.

“Provide incentives for motorists and also marketers in terms of funding. At that level marketers will reduce their prices at the pumps.

Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, has submitted his governorship nomination form to the All Progressives Congress, APC, indicating his intention to seek a second term ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The nomination form was presented on Monday in Abuja, where the APC National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Suleiman Argungu, received it on behalf of the party.

Argungu expressed confidence in the governor’s leadership and electoral prospects, commending his administration’s performance in infrastructure development and social welfare in Kebbi State.

He said the party was satisfied with the governor’s achievements and expressed confidence in his chances in the 2027 election.

Responding through his deputy, Senator Abubakar Umar-Tafida, Governor Idris thanked the party for its support and pledged to build on his administration’s achievements.

He also urged the people of Kebbi State to sustain their support, assuring them of continued delivery of development projects.

The governor was accompanied by political figures and government officials, including the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; former governors and lawmakers; the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Yakubu Bala-Tafida; and the Acting Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Samaila Muhammad Bagudo.

Others included members of the National Assembly, state commissioners, APC executives, and other political stakeholders.

A former Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, has resigned from the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

In the resignation letter addressed to the Chairman of the ADC in Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State, Gwarzo said his resignation took immediate effect.

According to the deputy governor, he is leaving the ADC because of the recent political developments and the need to review his membership of the party in line with his political vision.

“The decision comes after deep reflection and wide consultations with my political associates, supporters and well-wishers across the state,” he said.

The deputy governor further stated that the evolving political landscape made it necessary for him to chart a new course.

A journalist with TheCable, Olalekan Fakoyejo, has recounted how he was allegedly assaulted by a soldier following a disagreement linked to a traffic obstruction in the Ogba area of Lagos State.

Fakoyejo, who serves as Assistant Business Editor at the platform, narrated the incident in an interview on Monday, explaining that he was travelling in a tricycle from Ikeja to Ogba on Saturday when he encountered the soldiers managing traffic.

He said the situation unfolded around Pleasant Event Centre, off Ajao Road in Ikeja, where soldiers were controlling vehicular movement.

According to him, the confrontation began when a soldier stopped another tricycle rider and ordered him to disembark and climb onto the vehicle as punishment, an action he believed worsened the traffic situation.

“The soldier was trying to punish a tricycle driver on a different lane. He asked the driver to step out and climb on the roof of his tricycle. What he was doing was causing traffic, and I said this is causing traffic. I was on another tricycle on another lane, which was not far from where the other tricycle was.

“The soldier heard what I said, and he dragged me out of the tricycle. He started threatening me and ordered me to go meet his colleagues who were not close to the incident. I refused to go, telling him I did nothing wrong, and he doesn’t have the right to order me to go report myself to his colleagues.

“During the period, he kept pushing me backwards towards where he said his colleagues were, then one of his colleagues came to speak to me. As I was explaining to the colleague that walked up to us, the soldier that was threatening me just slapped me immediately. I turned my face towards him,” he said.

A report by TheCable indicated that a video recorded by an eyewitness showed the soldier repeatedly pushing the journalist and attempting to strike him with a cudgel picked from the ground.

The report added that Fakoyejo’s phone fell during the altercation, with the screen damaged after hitting the ground.

It further stated that bystanders eventually intervened, urging the journalist to leave the area to avoid further harm.

According to the account, two other soldiers later approached Fakoyejo as he was leaving and allegedly threatened to flog him, before onlookers appealed for calm.

As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain a response from the Nigerian Army spokesperson, Appolonia Anele, were unsuccessful, as she had yet to respond to enquiries.

Rivers State Police Command has arrested 13 suspects over alleged involvement in phone theft, harassment of residents, and the assault of a journalist in a high-risk area of Port Harcourt.

The arrests stem from a reported attack on a journalist, Mr. Allwell Ene, who was allegedly beaten by suspected hoodlums while carrying out a solo investigative assignment in a location authorities have identified as a criminal hotspot.

The Command said the Commissioner of Police, Olugenga Adewole Adepoju, ordered swift action after the incident was reported, including inviting the journalist to provide a firsthand account as investigations were immediately launched.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Agabe Blessing Kaborlo, the Divisional Police Officer of the Olu-Obasanjo Division deployed operatives to the scene, leading to the journalist’s rescue.

“Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Olu-Obasanjo Division swiftly mobilised operatives to the scene to rescue the journalist,” the statement said.

The police added that coordinated operations were thereafter carried out within the Olu-Obasanjo axis and nearby areas, resulting in the arrest of the 13 suspects believed to be connected to criminal activities in the vicinity.

“The suspects are believed to be involved in various criminal activities, including phone theft and the harassment of law-abiding members of the public,” the statement added.

The Command noted that investigations are ongoing, with intensified efforts to track down other individuals linked to the crimes and ensure they face justice.

It also advised journalists and private investigators against conducting assignments alone in dangerous areas, encouraging them to work closely with security agencies.

The police reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding lives and property, while sustaining operations aimed at ridding the state of criminal elements.