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“Ka’abah has no spiritual purpose” Islamic Group Slams Atiku’s aide over statement

“Ka’abah has no spiritual purpose” Islamic Group Slams Atiku’s aide over statement

Islamic Faith based group under umbrella of Muslim Youth Forum(MYF) has condemned the controversial remarks attributed to Phrank Shaibu, a media aide to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, concerning the spiritual significance of the Ka’abah in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

The group described the remarks, reportedly made during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, as insensitive, reckless ,inappropriate and capable of offending the religious sensibilities of millions of Muslims across the world.

Shaibu, who serves as Director of Strategic Communications of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, reportedly made the comments on Monday, November 2, 2026, while reacting to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

Reacting to the development, the Forum expressed concern over what it described as an unfortunate attempt to drag a deeply revered Islamic religious institution into partisan political arguments.

It stressed that matters relating to faith and worship should be treated with respect, responsibility and sensitivity, regardless of political differences.

According to a statement signed by its Coordinator, Alhaji Ahmed Shehu Mohammad, the Forum maintained that the Ka’abah occupies a central position in Islam and represents the direction towards which Muslims across the world turn during their daily prayers. It is also the focal point of the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.

The group argued that political disagreements should never become an excuse for making statements that could be interpreted as disrespectful to the religious beliefs and sacred institutions of others.

It further maintained that political leaders and their spokespersons have a responsibility to exercise restraint when discussing religious matters, particularly in a religiously diverse country such as Nigeria.

The Forum stressed that Shaibu’s political disagreement with President Tinubu over his recent Umrah pilgrimage should not be allowed to diminish the spiritual significance of the holy site or create unnecessary religious tension.

It also called on political parties and their spokespersons to focus on critical national issues, including governance, economic development, insecurity, poverty and national unity, rather than making comments capable of generating religious controversy.

The group urged Shaibu and other political commentators to demonstrate greater sensitivity and respect when discussing issues concerning Islam and other religious faiths.

The Northern Progressive Forum noted that freedom of expression, which remains fundamental to democratic governance, must be exercised with a sense of responsibility, particularly when comments have the potential to offend the religious convictions of millions of Nigerians.

It called on Nigerians, irrespective of their political affiliations, to promote mutual respect, religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence, warning against allowing political competition ahead of the 2027 general elections to divide the country along religious lines.

The Forum reaffirmed that political criticism is legitimate in a democracy but must never come at the expense of respect for religious beliefs, sacred institutions and the need for peaceful coexistence.

The Missing Exports and Hidden Royalties – Gold

The Missing Exports and Hidden Royalties – Gold

By Biliyaminu Suraj

Nigerian Federal Government authorities do not publish any reliable data about the export of lithium nor gold despite the continuous hype from Minister Alake about the alleged billions of dollars of foreign investment in Lithium production.

In Part 1 of THE MISSING EXPORTS AND HIDDEN ROYALTIES, we examined Nigeria’s Lithium exports and the royalties that should be generated by these exports. In Part 2 we examine gold exports and the royalties due to Nigeria.

In Part 1 we saw the lack of transparency and accountability of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (MSMD) and the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) in failing to publish operator-level royalty and production data disaggregated by mineral type. Hence, as explained in Part 1, we must rely on mirror data for trade statistics as recorded by the importing country rather than by Nigeria’s own authorities. The two primary destinations for Nigeria’s lithium and gold exports are China and UAE respectively. Both publish data for minerals imported from Nigeria. In regard to gold, the UAE is the most significant destination for gold mined in Nigeria. Fortunately, the UAE records and publishes statistics on the amount of gold imported from Nigeria.

Gold Exports and Royalties

The mirror data for Nigeria’s gold trade is found in the UN Comtrade dataset which is a comprehensive global record of international trade statistics maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division since 1962, covering over 200 countries and more than 99% of world merchandise trade including minerals.

The UN Comtrade dataset shows gold imported by UAE from Nigeria in 2024: US$2.71 billion

This figure is explicitly listed under “gold, unwrought or semi manufactured forms” within the UAE’s imports from Nigeria.
This is the only year for which a disaggregated, Nigeria specific gold value is published (see Table 1).

Year/Period UAE Gold Imports from Nigeria Nigeria Reported Gold Exports to UAE Data Status

2024 US$2.71 billion No published figure Nigeria did not record these exports
2025 Not published Not published No Nigeria specific data

Nigeria’s gold export data does not match the UAE’s gold import figures because most gold leaving Nigeria is not formally declared, moving instead through illegal mining sites, informal aggregators and smuggling networks that bypass customs and official reporting. Nigeria’s institutions—Customs, NEPC and the Ministry of Solid Minerals—record only licensed, documented exports, which represent a tiny fraction of actual production.

Meanwhile, the UAE’s refinery and import system captures all incoming gold, including shipments that originated in Nigeria but were mislabelled, under invoiced, or routed through third countries. The result is a persistent statistical gap: Nigeria reports almost no gold exports, while the UAE records billions of dollars’ worth of Nigerian-origin gold, revealing the scale of the informal corridor that operates outside Nigeria’s regulatory reach.

This mismatch has become structural: most Nigerian gold moves through informal buyers, middlemen, and smuggling networks that bypass Customs and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council. These illegal informal channels through Dubai and Sharjah are well known. Regardless of the channel, the UAE’s gold refinery system logs all incoming metal, including gold that was misdeclared, under invoiced, or routed through third countries.

But the gap is not only about undeclared exports—it is also about missing royalties.

Two pathways explain how gold royalties could have been paid yet never appeared in Nigeria’s federal accounts:

Legal miners may have paid royalties in Nigeria, but the payments were not remitted upward into the Central Bank—lost through administrative leakage, diversion, or corruption within the chain of custody.

Illegal miners and aggregators may have paid “royalties” informally—not to the Nigerian Government, but to local officials, security actors, or gatekeepers who pocketed the money while allowing gold to move through illicit channels.

In both scenarios, the state loses three times:

first, the gold is not recorded as an export;

second, the royalty revenue never reaches the Central Bank;

third, the company exporting the gold does not pay corporate tax in Nigeria.

Royalty Calculation: What Nigeria Should Have Earned from Gold in 2024

Nigeria’s statutory royalty rate for gold under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act is 3% of the value of the mineral exported.

The royalty due for 2024, if the UAE reported gold had been declared, would be:
“Royalty Due”=US$2.71″ billion “×0.03=$US81.3″ million “

Nigeria’s lost gold royalty revenue for 2024: ≈ US$81.3 million (N110.9 billion)

This is the amount the Nigerian Government should have collected if the gold recorded by the UAE had been formally declared and taxed in Nigeria.
Instead, the combination of undeclared exports, informal payments and royalties diverted or pocketed, means the federal treasury may have received none of this revenue.

Where is the missing US$81.3 million gold royalty for 2024?

The Combined Narrative

The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development says that the Federal Government of Nigeria made more than N70 billion from mining in 2025.

According to Segun Tomori, the Solid Minerals Minister’s media assistant, income went up from N16 billion in 2023 to N38 billion in 2024 and then to N68 billion in 2025.

Calculated only on gold imported from Nigeria into the UAE, the gold royalty payable for 2024 was N110 billion and yet the Solid Minerals Minister’s media assistant says the aggregated income from mining all minerals in 2024 was only N38 billion; N72 billion short when only counting the contribution of gold.

Compounding the shortfall in declared income from mining is the fact that the windfall described by the Solid Minerals Minister’s Office was primarily from an astronomical increase in the cost of tenement fees imposed on Nigeria’s small-scale miners (Nigeria’s mining lease application fees are 29 times higher than Canada’s fees).

If gold mining companies are not officially paying royalties, then they are likely not paying taxes, further compounding the loss to Nigeria.

The gap in unrealised royalties from gold and lithium mining is huge and demands answers. The payment of royalties and taxes by mining companies demands a serious and independent review.

Approximately US200 million in royalties payable on lithium and gold is unaccounted for under the current Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.

Where is the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative? Where is the World Bank? Like the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, they have both failed Nigerians.

Where are the missing royalties?

THE MISSING EXPORTS AND HIDDEN ROYALTIES – LITHIUM

THE MISSING EXPORTS AND HIDDEN ROYALTIES – LITHIUM

By Biliyaminu Suraj

biliyasuraj1980@yahoo.com

The Ministry of Solid Minerals has failed to disclose massive export of lithium to China and gold to the UAE and has hidden from the Nigerian public any evidence that royalties on the lithium and gold have been paid. Where are the royalties?

Nigeria does not publish reliable, timely, or detailed mineral export data. The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (MSMD) and the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) do not publish operator-level royalty or production data disaggregated by mineral type. The Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the Central Bank of Nigeria record mineral export values in aggregate, with significant lags and without the tonne-level detail needed to compute royalty liabilities.

Nigerian Federal Government authorities do not publish any reliable data about the export of lithium despite the continuous hype from Minister Alake about the alleged billions of dollars of foreign investment in lithium production.

Thus, when it comes to knowing how much lithium and gold, Nigeria’s two most important minerals being mined and exported, analysis must rely on mirror data. “Mirror data” refers to trade statistics recorded by the importing country rather than by the exporting nation’s own authorities. The two most significant destinations for Nigeria’s lithium and gold are China and UAE respectively. Both publish data for minerals imported from Nigeria. In this article, we examine Nigeria’s Lithium exports and the royalties that should be generated by these exports.

Lithium Exports and Royalties

Chinese customs data collected by the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC), as published by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) and Mysteel, covering Nigerian spodumene/lithium ore arrivals in China, provides the only publicly available consistent series that allows an approximate assessment of the scale of Nigerian spodumene exports, and by implication, the royalty liability that should theoretically have been generated and paid to Nigeria. (Spodumene is one of the main raw ores or minerals from which lithium is extracted).

A compilation of data published by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) and Mysteel, covering Nigerian spodumene/lithium ore arrivals in China reveals that in 2024 Chinese Customs recorded imports of approx. 450,000t of Spodumene from Nigeria. At a royalty rate of N9,500/t the royalty due to the Nigerian Government was N4.3 billion (see Table 1).

In 2025 Chinese Customs recorded imports of approx. 1.2Mt of Spodumene from Nigeria. Using the same royalty rate of N9,500/t the royalty due to the Nigerian Government was N11.4 billion.

2026 is on track to be on par with 2025 with royalties accumulating to the Nigerian Government of more than N11 billion.

Implied Scale of Undisclosed Exports and Royalty Payments.

A full-year 2025 estimate of approximately 1.1–1.2 million tonnes of Spodumene arriving in China from Nigeria, combined with whatever volumes were exported to other destinations (India, Europe, Japan) or processed domestically, implies a Nigerian spodumene production base significantly larger than anything disclosed in Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Ministry data. The March 2025 reporting period of the Mining Cadastre Office does not identify Nigerian Spodumene production at any volume close to these levels.

The gap between the figures from Chinese customs arrivals of lithium from Nigeria and Nigerian official production data gives rise to serious questions not only about the level of Spodumene production but also about the flow of royalties.

Were the royalties not paid by the Chinese? If the royalties were not paid it seems unlikely the Chinese authorities would publish the import data and thus bring attention to the issue of unpaid royalties.

Companies in Nigeria are now paying all mining royalties directly to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS). All royalty payments began flowing to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) on 1 January 2026. This is the official commencement date of the new royalty‑collection regime. Before 1 January 2026, all mining royalty payments in Nigeria were made to the Ministry of Solid Minerals (formerly the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development).

So, assuming the Chinese paid the lithium royalties in 2024 and 2025 to the Ministry of Solid Minerals why aren’t they shown? More importantly … did the royalties actually reach the Ministry of Solid Minerals own Treasury Single Account (TSA) sub‑accounts at the Central Bank of Nigeria?.

To date we have evidence published by Chinese authorities of the import of approximately 2 million tonnes of lithium from Nigeria. However, there is no evidence published by Nigerian authorities of royalties being paid.

Where are the missing royalties?

If lithium mining companies are not paying royalties, then they are likely not paying taxes. What is the benefit to the nation of the billions of dollars that Minister Alake alleges has been invested in the solid minerals sector if corporate taxes and royalties are not being paid?

BLOOD IN ZAMFARA, ENJOYMENT IN KADUNA: THE HEARTLESS DANCE OF THE NORTHERN POLITICAL CLASS

BLOOD IN ZAMFARA, ENJOYMENT IN KADUNA: THE HEARTLESS DANCE OF THE NORTHERN POLITICAL CLASS

By Comrade Musa Mohammed Moonlight
Kaduna-based Activist, Politician and Journalist

When history will be written about this era, it will be recorded that on October 24, 2026, two things happened in Northern Nigeria at the same time.

In Kauran Namoda, Zamfara State, bandits killed seven innocent people and abducted several others. Families were wailing. Corpses were being washed for burial. Mothers were waiting for children who may never return. Blood was flowing on the soil of Zamfara.

On the same day, a few hours away in Kaduna, the entire political class of the North was dancing. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Governors, Senators, House of Representatives members, Ministers, all gathered at the Ranchers Bees Stadium to flag-off the APC presidential campaign for 2027.

Blood in Zamfara, enjoyment in Kaduna.

What manner of leaders are these?

WHERE WAS THE GOVERNOR OF ZAMFARA?

The question every Zamfara indigene should ask today is: Where was the Governor of Zamfara State when his people were being killed and kidnapped?

He was in Kaduna. Clapping. Smiling. Shouting Sai Tinubu. While his own people were being slaughtered like animals in Kauran Namoda.

Is this leadership? Is this empathy? Is this the oath he swore to protect lives and property?

A governor whose state is the epicenter of banditry in Nigeria abandoned his bleeding state to go and do campaign in another state. If that is not heartlessness, what is it?

THE NORTHERN ELITE HAS FAILED THE NORTH

I blame all of them.

I blame President Bola Tinubu, who chose to launch his re-election campaign instead of declaring a state of emergency on insecurity in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Niger, and Borno.

I blame Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is from the epicenter of the crisis himself, but has become a campaign MC while his brothers and sisters in the North are in captivity.

I blame the Northern Governors, especially those from the North-West, who left their states that are under siege to go and do political eye-service in Kaduna.

I blame the Senators and House of Representatives members from Zamfara and other affected states. What have you said about the seven killed in Kauran Namoda? Nothing. Your only concern is your return ticket for 2027.

I blame the entire political class of the North that has normalized this tragedy.

CAMPAIGN WHILE PEOPLE ARE IN CAPTIVITY?

How do you flag-off a campaign in Kaduna when people are in bandits’ captivity in Zamfara?

How do you shout “Four More Years” when a mother in Kauran Namoda does not know if her daughter will see tomorrow?

How do you share money, hire crowds and chant “Ba ma yi” and “Sai Tinubu” when the road between Gusau and Sokoto, between Birnin Gwari and Funtua, has become a highway of death?

This is not politics. This is cruelty. This is the height of insensitivity.

For the bandits, it is business as usual. For the politicians, it is also business as usual. Only the poor Nigerian is left to bear the pain.

WHO, HOW, WHEN WILL THIS END?

I ask today on behalf of the voiceless:

WHO will speak for those in captivity if the leaders who are supposed to protect them are busy dancing in Kaduna?

HOW will this insecurity end when our leaders see Zamfara killings as just another news item that cannot stop their campaign timetable?

WHEN will it end? When will the North have leaders who will cancel a campaign rally to go and mourn with Kauran Namoda? When will we have a President who will say, “I will not flag-off any campaign until I rescue my people from the forest?”

The 2027 election is more important to them than the lives of Nigerians in 2026.

If seven people were killed in any part of Southern Nigeria, the entire country would stand still. But because it is Zamfara, because it is poor villagers, it is just a statistic. And the heartless Governor can comfortably go to Kaduna to enjoy.

This is a shame on all Northern leaders.

I call on President Tinubu to know that posterity will not judge him by how many stadiums he filled in 2026, but by how many Nigerians he saved from bandits. I call on the Governor of Zamfara to return home from Kaduna and face his work.

The people of Zamfara need sympathy, security and leadership – not politicians who dance while their people die.

Blood in Zamfara, enjoyment in Kaduna must not continue.

Musa Mohammed Moonlight writes from Kaduna. He can be reached via moonlightnews15@gmail.com
08038895334, 08039282844

Shehu Sani Condemns Threats Against Christians, Says Video Does Not Represent JIBWIS

Shehu Sani Condemns Threats Against Christians, Says Video Does Not Represent JIBWIS

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has condemned threats against Christians contained in a viral video circulating on social media, calling for the individual responsible to be investigated and brought to book.

Sani, in a statement posted on his social media handle, described the reported threats as condemnable, but cautioned against attributing the views expressed by an individual to the entire Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) organisation or its members.

The senator’s reaction follows widespread outrage over a video reportedly showing a young man leading a group of youths in chants calling for firearms to attack Christians in Enugu and Jos, Plateau State.

The footage, which has circulated widely online, has raised concerns about religious intolerance, threats to public safety and the possible exposure of children to inflammatory rhetoric.

However, the identities of those involved, the location where the video was recorded and the circumstances surrounding the incident require independent verification.

Reacting to the development, Sani said the individual responsible for the inflammatory statements should face investigation and appropriate legal consequences.

He, however, insisted that the remarks did not represent the official position of the JIBWIS First Aid Group or its members.

According to him, the organisation is a non-violent group of volunteers committed to humanitarian activities, peaceful Islamic religious causes, education and community service.

Sani maintained that JIBWIS had, over the years, remained committed to religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence rather than supporting violence against people of other faiths.

He said: “The viral video that showed a young man threatening Christians is condemnable. He should be investigated and brought to book. However, his inflammatory views don’t represent the official views of JIBWIS First Aid Group nor that of its members.”

The former lawmaker added that the organisation was dedicated to humanitarian and peaceful religious activities through education, community service and engagement.

He further stated that the group had never supported or aligned itself with violence against any religious community since its founding.

Sani stressed that the actions or utterances of an individual should not be used to define an entire organisation or religious faith.

“The deranged views of one person cannot be used as the opinion of a group or a faith,” he said.

The controversy has renewed public debate about religious tolerance, the responsibility of religious organisations and the need to prevent the spread of messages capable of inciting violence in Nigeria’s religiously diverse society.

At the same time, Sani’s intervention underscores the need to distinguish between the conduct of individuals and the official position of organisations, while ensuring that credible threats against any religious

As concerns over the video continue, the central issues remain the need to establish the authenticity and context of the footage, investigate the alleged threats and ensure that no Nigerian is targeted or intimidated because of their faith.

THE MISSING EXPORTS AND HIDDEN ROYALTIES – LITHIUM

THE MISSING EXPORTS AND HIDDEN ROYALTIES – LITHIUM

By Biliyaminu Suraj
biliyasuraj1980@yahoo.com

Lithium Exports and Royalties
Chinese customs data collected by the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC), as published by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) and Mysteel, covering Nigerian spodumene/lithium ore arrivals in China, provides the only publicly available consistent series that allows an approximate assessment of the scale of Nigerian spodumene exports, and by implication, the royalty liability that should theoretically have been generated and paid to Nigeria. (Spodumene is one of the main raw ores or minerals from which lithium is extracted).

In 2025 Chinese Customs recorded imports of approx. 1.2Mt of Spodumene from Nigeria. Using the same royalty rate of N9,500/t the royalty due to the Nigerian Government was N11.4 billion.
2026 is on track to be on par with 2025 with royalties accumulating to the Nigerian Government of more than N11 billion.

Implied Scale of Undisclosed Exports and Royalty Payments.

Companies in Nigeria are now paying all mining royalties directly to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS). All royalty payments began flowing to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) on 1 January 2026. This is the official commencement date of the new royalty collection regime. Before 1 January 2026, all mining royalty payments in Nigeria were made to the Ministry of Solid Minerals (formerly the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development).

So, assuming the Chinese paid the lithium royalties in 2024 and 2025 to the Ministry of Solid Minerals, why aren’t they shown? More importantly … did the royalties actually reach the Ministry of Solid Minerals own Treasury Single Account (TSA) sub accounts at the Central Bank of Nigeria?

Where are the missing royalties?

I Remain Grateful To President Tinubu For Opportunity To Serve..,Dr Mustapha

As ECN Records 38 Milestones in DG’s 3 Years, Deepens Nigeria’s Clean Energy Drive

The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) has recorded 38 milestones in three years under the leadership of its Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, with notable progress in renewable energy development, solar power deployment, clean cooking, hydrogen technology and local energy manufacturing.

The achievements, according to Abdullahi, reflect the Commission’s commitment to translating national energy policies into practical interventions capable of improving lives, empowering communities and advancing Nigeria’s transition towards sustainable energy.

Among the key milestones are the gazetting of the National Energy Policy and National Energy Master Plan, solarisation of healthcare and educational facilities, expansion of mini-grid projects, development of local energy manufacturing capacity and strategic international partnerships.

Abdullahi highlighted the achievements as the Commission marked his third anniversary in office, describing the progress as the outcome of collective efforts by the management and staff to strengthen Nigeria’s energy sector.

The anniversary was marked by a surprise reception at the Commission’s headquarters, where staff members, directors and management gathered to celebrate the Director-General’s leadership and the institution’s achievements over the past three years.

Speaking during the event, Abdullahi expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership and support under the Renewed Hope Agenda, as well as the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, for his strategic guidance and partnership in advancing the country’s energy transformation.

He reaffirmed the Commission’s determination to position Nigeria as a leading destination for clean energy innovation and sustainable development.

A major highlight of the Commission’s achievements is the establishment of Africa’s first Barefoot Renewable Energy College in Osara, Kogi State, an initiative designed to strengthen renewable energy capacity and support the development of practical skills in the sector.

The Commission has also advanced solarisation initiatives aimed at improving energy access in critical public facilities, particularly healthcare and educational institutions, while pursuing mini-grid development to expand electricity access to underserved communities.

Other areas of progress include clean cooking solutions, hydrogen development and efforts to strengthen domestic energy manufacturing, alongside international collaborations intended to accelerate technology transfer, innovation and sustainable energy deployment.

Beyond its sectoral achievements, Abdullahi said the Commission had made progress in improving staff welfare, conditions of service and internal infrastructure, creating a better working environment for personnel.

He described the reception organised in his honour as a demonstration of the goodwill and shared commitment within the Commission, expressing gratitude to staff and management for their support.

The Director-General, however, stressed that the achievements recorded in the past three years were not the end of the journey, noting that more work remained to be done in fulfilling the Commission’s mandate.

He pledged to build on the existing progress, sustain improvements in staff welfare and strengthen the Commission’s capacity to deliver on its responsibilities.

Abdullahi said the Commission would remain focused on turning policies into tangible outcomes and ensuring that energy innovation translates into practical benefits for Nigerians.

He added that the overarching objective remained the development of a stronger, more accessible and sustainable energy system capable of supporting national development and improving the quality of life of citizens.

The third-anniversary celebration comes amid growing efforts to diversify Nigeria’s energy mix, expand renewable energy deployment and strengthen the institutional and technological foundations needed to support a sustainable energy future.

I Remain Grateful To President Tinubu For Opportunity To Serve..,Dr Mustapha

As ECN Records 38 Milestones in DG’s 3 Years, Deepens Nigeria’s Clean Energy Drive

He reaffirmed the Commission’s determination to position Nigeria as a leading destination for clean energy innovation and sustainable development.

He described the reception organised in his honour as a demonstration of the goodwill and shared commitment within the Commission, expressing gratitude to staff and management for their support.

He pledged to build on the existing progress, sustain improvements in staff welfare and strengthen the Commission’s capacity to deliver on its responsibilities.

Abdullahi said the Commission would remain focused on turning policies into tangible outcomes and ensuring that energy innovation translates into practical benefits for Nigerians.

2027: PRP Faction Drags Duke, Baba-Ahmed to Court over Leadership, Candidacy

Fresh Legal Battle Rocks PRP as Faction Asks Court to Remove Donald Duke, Baba-Ahmed

A faction of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), operating under the Akida-Left Faction, has instituted a suit at the Federal High Court seeking the removal of former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, as the party’s purported presidential candidate, and Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed as its National Chairman.

The suit, marked FHC/L/CS/444/2026, was filed on October 20, 2026, according to a press statement issued by the Convergence for a Working People’s Political Alternative (COPA) and dated October 21.

COPA, which described the PRP Akida-Left Faction as one of its affiliates, said the action was instituted against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mallam Falalu Bello, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed and Donald Duke over the disputed leadership and presidential candidacy of the party.

In the statement signed by Ayódele Ademiluyi, Lead Counsel to the faction and Co-Chairperson of COPA, the plaintiffs are seeking an order directing INEC to remove Duke’s name from its records as the PRP presidential candidate and replace it with that of Dr. Salih, whom the faction described as a long-standing revolutionary socialist and the party’s valid presidential candidate.

The plaintiffs are also asking the court to direct INEC to remove Baba-Ahmed’s name from its portal as the party’s National Chairman.

They are seeking an order recognising Abdulmajid Yakubu Daudu as the duly elected National Chairman of the PRP, arguing that the process that produced Baba-Ahmed was illegal.

The suit comes amid a protracted dispute over the leadership and candidate selection process within the PRP ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC’s official website currently lists Baba-Ahmed as the party’s National Chairman, while the commission’s records also reflect the leadership structure associated with his faction.

In a separate legal development, the Federal High Court in Abuja had, on September 30, dismissed an earlier suit challenging Duke’s emergence as the PRP presidential candidate.

The earlier case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1234/2026, was filed by an aggrieved party aspirant, Yakubu Kingsley, who questioned the validity of Duke’s nomination.

Justice Mohammed Umar dismissed the suit, holding that it was statute-barred because it was filed outside the constitutionally prescribed period for pre-election matters. The court also ruled that the plaintiff had failed to establish his claims on the merits.

However, the latest action, according to COPA, raises further questions over the party’s leadership and the recognition of its presidential candidate.

2027 Elections: Sa-Gbagyi Endorses Tinubu, Uba Sani, Shehu Sani, Vows Massive Votes

2027 Elections: Sa-Gbagyi Endorses Tinubu, Uba Sani, Shehu Sani, Vows Massive Votes

The Paramount Ruler of Gbagyi ,Chiefdom, Sa-Gbagyi, HRH Ishaku Yari (Esu Chikun II), has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, and Senator Shehu Sani for re-election in the 2027 general elections.

Yari said the people of Gbagyi Chiefdom and other ethnic nationalities in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State would be mobilised to vote for the three leaders in recognition of what he described as their contributions to the development and welfare of their communities.

The traditional ruler announced the endorsement when Senator Shehu Sani paid him a courtesy visit at his palace.

He expressed satisfaction with the policies of the Tinubu administration and the leadership style of Governor Uba Sani, describing the forthcoming elections as an opportunity for the people to reciprocate the leaders’ contributions to their communities.

The monarch declared his readiness to mobilise the Gbagyi people and other ethnic groups in Chikun to support the re-election bids of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates at all levels.

He said he would encourage his subjects to participate actively in the electoral process, while urging traditional leaders across the various communities to communicate the message of support to their people.

“I am not afraid to come out and tell my people to come en masse to vote for All Progressives Congress candidates, from the President and Governor to senators and other candidates,” Yari said.

He added that traditional rulers across the various communities had a responsibility to engage their subjects and ensure they were adequately informed about the forthcoming elections.

Speaking on Senator Shehu Sani, Yari recalled what he described as the senator’s longstanding commitment to defending the interests of residents of Chikun Local Government Area, particularly during periods of heightened insecurity and disputes over land ownership.

The monarch also recalled the controversy surrounding alleged threats to demolish Gbagyi Villa during the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, noting that Shehu Sani had consistently spoken out on issues affecting the Gbagyi people and other vulnerable communities.

He commended the senator for his interventions on security challenges in Northern Nigeria, saying he had used his position in the National Assembly to draw attention to the worsening security situation and the plight of affected communities.

Yari further highlighted the senator’s reported contributions to healthcare infrastructure, including the construction of a hospital, describing such interventions as important to improving access to medical services for residents.

The traditional ruler also praised Shehu Sani for challenging alleged land-grabbing practices and defending residents’ rights during disputes over land and property.

According to him, these interventions had strengthened the senator’s relationship with communities in Chikun and informed the decision to support his return to the Senate.

Despite endorsing the three political leaders, Yari appealed to the relevant authorities to reconsider the cases of teachers who were dismissed from service and facilitate their reinstatement.

He said addressing the concerns of the affected teachers would demonstrate the government’s commitment to workers’ welfare and help strengthen public confidence in its policies.

The appeal highlights the continuing concerns over the welfare of affected workers as political parties and their supporters begin preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Issues relating to security, education, healthcare, land rights and economic welfare are expected to remain important considerations for voters in Kaduna State as the election approaches.

The endorsement by the Sa-Gbagyi signals support for Tinubu, Uba Sani and Shehu Sani among the communities he represents.

As preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, the monarch’s appeal for the reinstatement of dismissed teachers also underscores the importance of addressing local grievances alongside political mobilisation.

The Rise And Fall Of Binani: From APC Iron Lady To NDC Stranger

By Tom Garba

There was a time when the name Aishatu Ahmed Dahiru Modibbo, Binani, was not just a name in Adamawa politics, it was a movement.

From 2011 to 2023, Binani was the gold standard of grassroots politics in Adamawa State. As Member, House of Representatives for Yola North, Yola South and Girei Federal Constituency (2011-2015), she built a reputation for accessibility. As Senator for Adamawa Central (2019-2023), she performed credibly, empowering women and youths with projects that touched the wards. She was not just a politician; she was a precious stone and a jewel in the savannah.

Her peak was 2023.

As the only female governorship candidate of a ruling party in the entire federation, she became the most powerful woman politician in Nigeria. In a state that parades giants like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and an incumbent Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, and despite a brutal APC internal crisis where a faction worked openly against her, Binani bulldozed her way and picked the ticket. It was political craftsmanship at its finest.

Then came the infamous declaration. The controversial announcement by REC Barr. Hudu Ari, declaring her winner while collation was still ongoing, a speech she accepted with grace, turned Adamawa into the centre of national and international attention. It was dramatic, it was chaotic, and it cemented her name as the Iron Woman.

That was the rise. This is the fall.

Since that 2023 saga, the political pendulum has refused to swing Binani’s way. The system, the luck, the structure that once obeyed her, now eludes her.

Her restless political moves have become her undoing. After the APC debacle, she pitched her tent with Atiku Abubakar in the ADC, hoping for a soft landing. The ADC structure rejected her, refused her the ticket, and she left. Today, she is the gubernatorial candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC.

And that is the problem.

NDC is a total stranger in Adamawa. The local voter in Fufore, in Michika, in Ganye, knows APC’s broom and PDP’s umbrella with his eyes closed. He does not know NDC. The party has not done the homework of selling itself to the grassroots, and as APC Secretary in Adamawa, Mallam Mustapha Ribadu rightly observed, her campaign structure is still turtling around just trying to make a name.

Her political muscles are weakening. Her tentacles are cutting off. Her 2023 war chest was built by loyalists who are now scattered – Senator Ishaku Abbo, the man who perfected her political jamboree and smart arithmetic in 2023, is now the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate. They have parted ways on party affiliation. Most of her core supporters are now in APC, PDP and LP. The Binani structure has collapsed into fragments.

The tragedy is that the almighty Binani we used to hear from 2011 to 2023 is rarely heard today. In political discussions across the 21 LGAs, names like Ahmed Aminu Galadima of APC, Chief Maurice Vunobolki of PDP, Christopher Nathaniel of SDP and Ishaku Abbo of LP echo louder than Binani. Her name, once a chant among women and youths, is now a whisper.

Worse, the NDC itself is already divided. Claims and counter-claims over her rejection of former SGF, Engr. David Babachir Lawal, as North East National Vice Chairman of the party has thrown the Adamawa chapter into crisis. A faction of enmity has formed against her, and she is working against BD Lawal. A house divided against itself cannot stand. She is in fading pro-max, not progressive mode.

Many now see her as desperate and gullible, jumping from one party to another – recall her PDM days in 2015 when she contested Senate while her husband held the governorship ticket of the same party. That same auto-pilot, now in reverse gear, is playing out.

Can Binani win in 2027? The question on every lip in Jimeta, Yola and Mubi has a bitter answer. It is becoming like the proverbial saying that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for her to reclaim that 2023 momentum. Her chances have become narrower, slimmer than ever.

This is not to write her off completely. One good thing about Binani is her smart way of doing things. She can turn the tide, she can call the shots and spring surprises. She remains a smart political operator.

But as it stands today, the Iron Lady is rusting. From better to worse, from APC behemoth to NDC stranger, the Binani political empire that once shook Adamawa is fading.

Until then, it is not yet Uhuru, because in Adamawa’s unpredictable dynamics, even the popular candidates are not guaranteed victory.

Tom Garba is a Policy, Political and Crisis analyst. Lives and writes from Jimeta – Adamawa State. 08030525759