Speaker Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, has pulled the contentious indigeneship bill from consideration in order to engage in further legislative activities.

Speaker Kalu said in a statement on Tuesday evening that the withdrawal was now required due to objections and helpful criticism of the bill from a number of parties.

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He went on to say that he had to resign the bill immediately due to the Bill Analysis Report that was sent by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).

Despite the fact that the bill’s goal was to foster national unity, equity, and inclusivity for all Nigerians, regardless of where they live, the report also recommended that the State Houses of Assembly enact legislation that would grant settlers in various states the same rights and benefits as natives.

“States should make laws that would allow settlers to benefit from the same rights and privileges enjoyed by indigenes without any form of discrimination, as rightly provided for in the Constitution.

“Though the bill seeks to achieve some commendable objectives, however, this can be achieved through the enactment of law. If this bill is passed, it would pose challenges over time, especially on the issue of double or multiple indigeneship,” the report stated.

Deputy speaker Kalu, who is also the Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee of the House, added that he is committed to ensuring that every legislative proposal reflects the wishes of the people.

“As leaders and representatives, we remain committed to ensuring that every legislative proposal reflects the aspirations of the people we serve.

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“The Constitution Review process remains an open, inclusive, and participatory exercise, and no provision or proposal will be pursued without adequate dialogue and consensus-building.

“I therefore call on citizens to continue engaging constructively with the House Committee on Constitutional Review as we work together to build a more just, united, and prosperous Nigeria,” speaker Kalu said.

Salihu Mohammed Lukman, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s opposition coalition, has raised concerns over what he describes as early signs of political manipulation within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Salihu, who previously served as the National Vice Chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) warned the Senator David Mark-led interim leadership of the ADC against allowing the emergence of godfatherism and the imposition of candidates as the 2027 elections approach.

Key opposition leaders including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi have recently come under the ADC banner, appointing David Mark and former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola as interim national chairman and secretary, respectively.

In the statement titled “ADC and the Prospect of Internal Democracy”, Salihu raised the alarm over the power dynamics playing out.

He said the coalition leaders, who were initially nominated to a committee to oversee zoning arrangements, had assumed leadership of their respective zones without broader consensus.

“The truth is that the negative side of almost all our opposition political leaders is already at play,” Lukman said.

He continued, “Many are taking steps to manipulate the process of leadership reformation of the ADC. Loyalists are being promoted in a manner that suggest perhaps the 2027 elections is already won.”

Lukman, who also served as the Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), said the emergence of loyalists in key roles appears to be prioritizing political allegiance over competence, credibility, or popular support.

“The struggle to ensure that loyalists of leaders emerged as the leaders of the reformed ADC to some extent disregard the consideration for intellectual capacity, integrity, performance track records, name recognition across all demographics, respect in community and political circles, independent mindedness and general acceptability to all or majority of stakeholders, which we agreed to,” he noted.

He warned against repackaging the same political culture under a different name, saying Nigerians would not be fooled by appearances.

“We must caution our leaders, Nigerians will not be deceived by any cosmetic design of presenting another party, which is only a duplicated copy of our old parties. With the way things are going, coalition leaders will emerge as godfathers, and the next thing is that they will impose their surrogates at all levels as leaders of the ADC.”

Salihu added that Senator David Mark’s ability to resist these trends and preserve internal democracy will be the first real test of his leadership.

“This will naturally be followed by anointing preferred candidates for 2027 elections. Therefore, the first test of Senator Mark’s leadership of the party is the extent to which he can mitigate all these and ensure that ADC is not a party that will be controlled by godfathers,” Salihu said.

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Former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has argued that instead of the “Renewed Hope” promised during the 2023 campaign, Nigerians are currently experiencing a period of renewed agony under the Tinubu-led administration.

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Oyinlola stated this on Tuesday while featuring on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, and monitored in Abeokuta.

The retired Nigerian Army general was governor of Osun State from May 29, 2003 to November 26, 2010.

Assessing the current administration, Oyinlola expressed deep concern over the state of the nation, accusing the government of failing to deliver on its promises.

“When he was campaigning, he promised a Renewed Hope. What we are seeing now is nothing short of bad governance. The economy is in terrible shape, and it’s affecting every Nigerian,” he said.

Recall that last week, the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state endorsed the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

The endorsement followed a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Oke-Fia, Osogbo.

Oyinlola, while admitting and not distancing himself from the endorsement, described it as a strategic political move and not a declaration of ideological alignment or trust.

He pointed to widespread poverty, insecurity, and the deteriorating quality of life as evidence that the administration has not only fallen short but has worsened conditions for ordinary citizens.

“We have a very bad economy, bad security, and hard-biting poverty. The common man cannot afford basic medication. We are also plagued by religious tension, war, banditry, terrorism, and insurgency. What we have is renewed agony not renewed hope,” he declared.

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Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has distanced himself from a statement purportedly issued by him, which claimed he was joining the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

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Obi has reaffirmed his allegiance to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

The former Anambra State governor made this known via a statement signed by Ibrahim Umar of the Peter Obi Media Reach, POMR, in Abuja on Tuesday.

The statement read in part: “Peter Obi has been unequivocal in his position in the ongoing coalition and didn’t need anyone to put words into his mouth.

“He has remained focused on his mission but would not accept anybody attributing a statement to him just to satisfy their devious agenda.

“The media office wishes, therefore, to urge the public to disregard any statement purported to come from him outside his media office or his official handle.”

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Ahead of the upcoming National Assembly by-elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has demanded the immediate removal of the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Anugbum Onuaha.

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The call was made on Tuesday in Benin by the Chairman of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, during a press conference.

Aziegbemi alleged that the REC acted in a compromised manner during the last governorship election, resulting in a loss of public confidence in his impartiality.

Recall that INEC had fixed August 16, for the bye-elections in the state Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency to fill two vacant legislative seats vacated by Senator Monday Okpebholo and Dennis Idahosa.

He said that Onuaha’s continued presence poses a threat to the credibility and fairness of the upcoming bye-elections, accusing the REC of playing an ignoble role in the previous polls, undermining the integrity of the entire electoral process in Edo.

The PDP called on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to act swiftly by redeploying the REC and restoring public trust in the process.

It also demanded the removal of certain Electoral Officers, EOs, who served during the 2024 gubernatorial election in the State.

“We also demand that the EOs who were in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, Egor, Etsako West, Etsako East, and Akoko Edo should steer clear of the bye-elections.

“Their involvement in the irregularities that marred the last governorship election makes their participation unacceptable,” he said

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The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has announced a ₦1 billion donation through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) to support families displaced by a recent suspected herders’ attack in Benue State.

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She made the pledge on Tuesday during a condolence visit to the Benue State Government House, where she met with families of the victims and state officials in the aftermath of the June attack on Yelewata community, which claimed over 100 lives.

Oluremi Tinubu stated that the intervention is in line with RHI’s mission to restore hope and rebuild the livelihoods of vulnerable families.

“On behalf of the governing council of the Renewed Hope Initiative, we are making a donation of ₦1 billion to support displaced families to regain stability, return to their sources of livelihood, and build better lives,” she stated.

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The Federal Government and security forces have not given up hope on securing the release of the Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu.

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Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, NCTC-ONSA, stated this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell in collaboration with the United Kingdom National Crime Agency on Tuesday in Abuja.

Recalls that 276 chibok girls were kidnapped in April 2014, from the Government Girls Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno, with 87 still in captivity 11 years after.

About 189 Chibok girls and others have regained their freedom at different times, either through rescue operations by the military or escaped from the terrorists’ den.

On the other hand, Sharibu and 109 other girls were abducted from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, GGSTC, in Dapchi in Yobe on February 19, 2018.

Laka, while responding to questions from newsmen, explained that the government has not forgotten the Chibok girls victims, adding that several of the girls had been rescued by security forces, though, not just at one time.

“Since when they were kidnapped, those who were rescued were not just rescued one time, It was a gradual process. Negotiations were done, trying to get them out. Operations were conducted.

“Luckily, at the beginning of that, towards the year after they were kidnapped, I was in the theatre, and I know what the military and intelligence agencies put in to rescue the initial set of the Chibok girls.

“We have not given up hope on them, some of them were married to some of the insurgents. Some have come out. But let our focus not only be on the Chibok girls because there are others that have been kidnapped.

“There were aid workers that were kidnapped. We have rescued some that are working for UNICEF, UNHCR and IOM and so on.

“So, we have not relented on our efforts. We are not always talking about it. It doesn’t mean we don’t care. It doesn’t mean we have forgotten about them. We are still on it.

“Our prayer is that the whole 87 or 80 plus that are left will be rescued. By God’s grace,” he said.

The UK Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Levers, condemned the recent killing of 33 kidnap victims by bandits in Banga town in Kaura Namoda Local Government Government Area of Zamfara.

Levers described kidnapping as an “unspeakable crime” that has impacts on society, communities, and families.

According to her, it damages people’s mental and physical well-being, retards economic progress and all the other things that we know and we must bring an end to this.

“We must stop this. We must limit this, because we all feel passionately and keenly what the terrible impacts are of kidnapping. This is what we want to try and stop.

“So my condolences to the people of that state and to the affected people and to their families and friends.

She said that the multi-agency Kidnap Fusion Cell had been a three-year initiative to create a collaborative response from Nigeria’s security forces to tackle the threat of kidnap across the country.

According to Levers, the Multi-Agency Fusion Cell’s role was to support the Nigerian Police and Department of State Services, DSS, in finding the chibok girls, kidnap response units nationwide by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data to the Office of the National Security Adviser, as well as providing trend-based information on the chibok girls kidnapping incidents by state.

“The Multi-Agency Fusion Cell and the training that’s going on this week comes out of a deep partnership that the United Kingdom and Nigeria have, called our Security and Defence Partnership.

“It is part of our overall strategic partnership, signed by our foreign ministers last year, and a partnership that’s based on mutual trust and mutual respect and mutual support.

“We met at a Security and Defence Partnership meeting over a few days in London a couple of weeks ago, and this step of rolling out the Mukti-Agency Fusion Cell capability to states was something we agreed on,” she said.

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Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in a mocking statement has ruled out the likelihood that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could be overthrown by the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other opposition parties ahead of the 2027 election.

Speaking to hundreds of party members during a solidarity visit to the party’s national secretariat on Tuesday in Abuja under the auspices of the APC League of Professionals, he based his claim on the progress made under the President Tinubu-led administration’s renewed Hope Agenda.

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The lawmaker from the Plateau promised that the party will make sure all of its candidates running for state Assembly seats, governorships, and national seats won.

He said, “The child of the poorest man in Nigeria can now go to school to the peak without borrowing from anywhere. The government has made provision for that. This is the only time we’ve had that in the history of Nigeria. The government has dropped N1.5 billion into the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) to support young men who want to go into agriculture..

“Never before have we had this opportunity. We have the youth fund being given to the youth. Never before has any government done this. And I can tell you that the opportunity for the young people is right under our President.
What I can show you first is a thank you for this support, a thank you for standing by our party, a thank you for believing in this party.

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“Our manifesto targets people like you. The Renew Hope Agenda targets people like you. And I look forward to working with you to ensure that 2027 will deliver the President, the Governors, the Senators, the House of Assemblies and the House of Representatives members.”

Hon. Marlin Daniel, the first secretary of the APC Bayelsa State chapter, thanked President Tinubu and the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), which is chaired by Sen. Hope Uzodinma, for selecting Yilwatda as the party’s national chairman.

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Given his background as a politician and technocrat with years of experience in the political arena, he expressed confidence that Yilwatda would undoubtedly deliver party candidates at the polls.

Economic expert and Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Ltd, Bismarck Rewane, has highlighted the urgent need for Nigeria to address its persistent power supply challenges, warning that ongoing outages present a serious risk to the country’s economic growth.

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Speaking on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Business Morning, Rewane underscored the negative effects of unreliable electricity on Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), particularly in major economic centres such as Lagos and Ogun States.

“There is the opportunity cost, and there is a cost. The cost is that Lagos and Ogun states may constitute about 30% of Nigeria’s GDP. So, if you’re going to have one month of power outage, the impact is effectively one-twelfth of 30%—which is significant,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria’s power challenges are deeply rooted and multi-dimensional, citing issues such as cultural barriers, tariff imbalances, underinvestment, and debt forbearance within the sector.

“You cannot grow the economy with what we’ve seen today without a broad power solution. If there is a power outage in Nigeria, it must be resolved—no question. You can’t put a Band-Aid on it. It has to be done, and it has to be done now,” he added.

Speaking on economic performance, the expert explained that Nigeria’s GDP currently stands at approximately $2.45 billion, with a 3.13% growth recorded in the first quarter of the year.

Rewane also observed shifts within the economy, noting that manufacturing’s contribution has declined, while agriculture has grown in visibility, and the service sector remains the primary driver of economic activity.

Weighing in on oil refining, Rewane explained that the global refining industry is increasingly hub-centered, and that refineries operate on high volume but low margins.

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President Bola Tinubu has declared that his administration will guarantee that no region of the nation is left behind in terms of equitable development.

At a two-day interactive session on government-citizen engagement hosted by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna on Tuesday, Tinubu gave the guarantee.

He claimed that the ministers’ conversations with attendees will reveal data and facts that demonstrated the North was not overlooked.

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Tinubu who was represented by George Akume, discussed a number of current administration measures, such as infrastructure, food security, health, education, security, and economic reforms, while highlighting significant accomplishments under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Regarding economic reforms, the president stated that his administration has enacted daring measures to stabilise and expand the economy, such as reorganising debt profiles and bringing the currency rate into line.

He further emphasised that funds had been allocated for staff upskilling and security equipment modernisation.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry superhighway, continuing rail projects (Kano-Maradi, Port Harcourt-Maiduguri), and housing efforts were among the significant projects he mentioned.

According to NAN, Akume presided over a powerful delegation from the Federal Government that included top political aides from the North and throughout the nation, ministers, and the directors of numerous agencies.

Tinubu outlined the goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which include optimising infrastructure and transportation, improving agriculture for food security, bolstering national security, unlocking energy and natural resources, and transforming the economy for sustained prosperity.

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“The removal of fuel subsidy, though painful, has been a necessary reform that saved trillions of Naira.

“The Palliative Measures Plan and interventions through state governments, MSME support, and public transportation upgrades are mitigating the impacts.

“The savings are now being redirected into critical infrastructure and human development, while states are receiving increased allocations for development,” Tinubu said.

Reflecting on the theme of the event, ‘Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizen Engagement for National Development,’ he said the renewed hope agenda has been a pragmatic vision built on pillars of good governance.

Additionally, he highlighted the students loan as part of the administrations achievement, adding that, over 400,000 students in tertiary institutions had so far benefitted from the Students’ Loan Programme, while an estimated N53 billion had been disbursed.

He also emphasised the value of perseverance and teamwork in accomplishing the agenda’s objectives.

Tinubu praised Sir Ahmadu Bello, the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, calling him a remarkable individual who fostered unity and national coherence in Nigeria.