The House of Representatives has approved far-reaching amendments to the Electoral Act, introducing stiffer penalties for vote buying and selling, including a minimum of two years’ imprisonment or a N5 million fine, or both, alongside a 10-year ban from contesting elections.

The House reached this resolution during the clause-by-clause consideration of the report of the Committee on Electoral Matters at the Committee of the Whole, presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu.

According to the amended Clause 22 (a and c), individuals involved in the buying or selling of votes and voter cards now face significantly tougher sanctions than previously provided, where penalties were capped at N500,000 or a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.

The green chamber further amended the sanctions for presiding officers who deliberately breach procedures on counting, announcement, and transmission of polling unit results.

A new Section 60(6) prescribes a minimum fine of N500,000 or at least six months’ imprisonment, or both, for any presiding officer who willfully contravenes the provisions.

The House also approved a clause mandating the release of election funds to INEC at least one year before a general election, in a bid to enhance early planning and efficient conduct of polls.

To curb electoral fraud, lawmakers increased penalties for multiple voter registration.

Under the amended Clause 12(3), offenders now risk a minimum fine of N100,000 or at least one year’s imprisonment, or both.

Addressing newsmen after the consideration, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Adebayo Balongun, said that the House has shelved plans to repeal the Electoral Act 2022, resolving instead to pursue targeted amendments after far-reaching reform proposals failed to secure broad consensus among lawmakers and key stakeholders.

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The President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has thrown his weight behind the death penalty for kidnappers, declaring that capital punishment remains a necessary deterrent against the rising tide of violent crimes in the country.

Akpabio also commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as decisive leadership in tackling insecurity, particularly the recent rescue of abducted children, while pledging the National Assembly’s full support for tougher laws to curb kidnapping and terrorism.

The Senate President spoke on Thursday at the 14th National Caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

Akpabio hailed Tinubu’s handling of national security challenges, noting that recent rescue operations reflected renewed commitment by the Federal Government to protect lives and property.

He offered prayers for the safe return of the remaining abductees and expressed condolences to the families of soldiers and civilians who lost their lives during rescue missions.

“We condole with families who have lost loved ones, including members of the armed forces who died protecting lives and property. We will stand with their families in this moment of grief,” he said.

The Senate President disclosed that the National Assembly had taken concrete legislative steps to strengthen deterrence, stressing that kidnapping had now been categorised on the same legal level as terrorism.

According to him, kidnappers would face the ultimate punishment once President Tinubu assents to the bill.

“Kidnappers will face the death sentence once the President assents to the bill,” Akpabio said.

He warned that failure to impose and enforce capital punishment could embolden criminals, leading to more jailbreaks and loss of lives.

Akpabio also linked Nigeria’s internal security to stability in neighbouring countries, commending Tinubu’s diplomatic intervention in the Benin Republic to safeguard democratic order.

“If our neighbours are not stable, Nigeria cannot be stable,” he said, adding that the Senate fully supports the President’s regional engagement efforts.

Turning to party politics, Akpabio celebrated what he described as a new wave of alignment behind the APC, welcoming recently defected governors, including the Plateau State governor.

He credited the National Chairman of the party, Dr Nentawe Yilwatda, for consolidating gains and strengthening the party’s structure nationwide.

The Senate President urged newly defected governors to work harmoniously with party elders in their states, drawing from his own political experience in Akwa Ibom State.

“Thank them for tolerating you, for accommodating you, for accepting you,” he advised.

Recalling past struggles over political positions in the South-East, Akpabio said valuable lessons had been learned and stressed the need for unity and cooperation across states as more governors join the APC.

He expressed optimism that the cordial political relationship seen in Enugu would be replicated in Rivers, Delta and across the South-South region.

Projecting confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections, Akpabio told caucus members that the growing strength of the APC must translate into unity and collective electoral success.

“At the end, this should result in bloc votes and victory for the APC come 2027,” the Senate President said.

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…Says conflicting accounts on Kwara arms show ‘dangerous sabotage’, security cover-up

A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Friday, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order an immediate and independent investigation of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, over allegations of arming Fulani bandits and other non-state actors in the state.

Frank also urged the United States government to impose visa bans on the two officials and to exercise caution in sharing intelligence with Nigeria until the controversy is fully investigated.

In a statement issued in Abuja, Frank described the unfolding situation as “a chain of official contradictions, confessions, denials and reversals” which, according to him, has exposed “dangerous fault lines within Nigeria’s national security architecture.”

The controversy followed the interception by Nigerian soldiers of armed men carrying AK-47 rifles and operating in a patrol vehicle reportedly linked to the Kwara State Government in Ifelodun Local Government Area.
The arrested men were said to have claimed that the state government provided them with the arms and vehicle.

Frank noted that shortly after the incident, officials of the Kwara State Government publicly confirmed that the arrested men were members of Miyetti Allah, allegedly operating under a federal security arrangement coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

“Barely days after initial denials, the Kwara State Government itself confirmed that the arrested individuals were part of a security operation linked to the NSA’s office,” he said.

According to Frank, the matter became more troubling when a statement from the NSA’s office initially acknowledged that arms had been issued to vigilantes as part of so-called “hybrid security operations” under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act.

“That admission was widely reported and not immediately disputed,” he said.

However, Frank faulted what he described as a “sudden and suspicious U-turn” by the NSA’s office, which later denied arming kidnappers, militias or socio-cultural groups, insisting instead that the armed men were merely “vigilantes known to the NSA.”

“This leaves Nigerians with fundamental questions,” Frank said. “Who authorised the arms? Who recruited these armed men? Why did official accounts change repeatedly within days? Is the Kwara State Governor telling the truth, or is the NSA covering up?”

Describing the situation as a “national security scandal,” Frank said the contradictions could not be dismissed as a media misunderstanding.

“You cannot, as National Security Adviser, first appear to justify or explain the issuance of arms and then turn around to deny it completely. Such contradictions suggest either gross incompetence or a deliberate cover-up to protect powerful interests,” he said.

Frank argued that the incident showed that “top government officials know exactly what is happening and are playing politics with Nigeria’s insecurity,” adding that insecurity was being politicised “within the cabinet, within the government and within the ruling party.”

“When a governor says one thing and the NSA says another, Nigeria is not just confused — Nigeria is endangered,” he added.

He also questioned the deployment of armed Miyetti Allah operatives in Kwara, a predominantly Yoruba area.

“What business do armed Miyetti Allah operatives have operating in Yorubaland under any circumstance?” he asked, noting that communities in the state had repeatedly warned that deploying armed migrant herders would worsen insecurity rather than resolve it.

Frank said that in a “sane country,” Ribadu would have stepped aside to allow a transparent investigation, rather than what he described as “evasions, reversals and damage control.”

Calling directly on President Tinubu, Frank said: “The President must immediately order a full, independent probe into the roles of the NSA and the Kwara State Government, investigate the conflicting briefings from the NSA’s office, and punish any official found to have armed or enabled non-state actors outside the law.”

He warned that the contradictions suggested “that someone is lying — or many people are hiding the truth,” and amounted to internal sabotage of the administration.

Frank also appealed to the United States to be cautious in its dealings with Nigeria’s security leadership.

“America must withhold sensitive intelligence sharing, launch its own investigation into these allegations, and impose visa bans on Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq pending the outcome of credible investigations,” he said.

According to him, “when a country cannot tell the truth about who is armed, who authorised it, and who is responsible, that country cannot be trusted with shared intelligence.”

Frank who currently serves as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East as well as Senior Advisor to the Global Friendship City Association (GFCA), USA,
lamented that the controversy underscored a deeper crisis.

“Nigeria’s insecurity is no longer just about bandits and kidnappers — it is about deception, politics and betrayal at the highest levels of government,” he said, warning that history would judge Tinubu’s administration harshly if decisive action was not taken.

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Popular activist, VeryDarkMan has melted hearts on social media after revealing his decision to sponsor a brilliant young Nigerian boy abroad using the $50,000 gift he received to further develop his talent.

In an emotional video shared on Instagram, VeryDarkMan explained that a benefactor had promised to support him financially after witnessing the humanitarian work he carried out while in China.

The promise was later fulfilled when the donor handed him $50,000 in cash.

However, VDM revealed that as soon as the money arrived, he was reminded of a young Nigerian boy he had come across on Instagram months earlier.

At the time, he admitted he skipped the boy’s page because he was busy.

The boy’s content resurfaced recently after a friend reposted it, and that was when everything became clear to him.

According to VDM, the young boy had built a blender, power bank, and projector completely from scratch, displaying rare creativity and intelligence.

“I will not let that boy’s life or talent die like many others in Nigeria,” he said.

VDM revealed that he contacted the boy and asked him to involve his parents, while stressing that God has helped him rise and placed a responsibility on him.

He pledged to sponsor the boy’s education abroad so he can properly develop his skills and reach his full potential.

VDM also clarified that although part of the money would be used to settle personal debts, supporting the boy’s future remains a top priority.

The revelation has since sparked widespread reactions online with many praising him for his kind-hearted move.

Watch video below…

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Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang has revealed that President Bola Tinubu personally invited him to decamp from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and join the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

According to him, after months of consultations and personal introspection, he had to make the move in the interest of the state.

Mutfwang, who made the revelation on Thursday shortly after defecting to the APC, said he did not make the move for personal gain but as a form of respect to Tinubu, who has shown a special interest in Plateau State and its challenges.

Mutfwang has made it clear that though the President had extended the invitation to him to join the APC on several occasions, he had politely declined.

“I pay my respects to President Tinubu for honouring our earlier decisions not to move to the APC and still maintaining a cordial relationship with us despite that,” he said during a meeting with political appointees and stakeholders at the Government House in Jos.

He noted that there had also been the beckoning of highly placed personalities, including fellow governors from the APC, too, but the whole time, he stood by his decision.

He however, stated that what finally changed his mind was the challenges and chaos within the PDP at the national level.

“Until recently, when it became clear that the PDP at the national level has undeniable problems with its structure, the need to decamp to another party was already quieted. We have zero challenges at the state level but all our efforts are vain without a solid structure at the national level,” he said.

“The risks involved in staying back in the PDP are too high for us to carelessly gamble with the mandate Plateau people gave us. No one can tell reassuringly when and how the crisis will end, or what wins or losses could be incurred.

“Bearing in mind the emotional torture our dear people went through, we can’t, by our actions or inactions, subject ourselves to another experience like that.”

Gov. Mutfwang confessed that he could have easily moved to another party but that history had taught him that it is one thing to be voted massively, and another to make sure the votes count.

“Although we’ve had our issues with Plateau APC, we can’t deny the favour and cordiality with which the Tinubu-led administration has related with us. And since the President didn’t try to force us to join the APC before things went completely south in the PDP, it’s fair enough that we considered joining the APC.

“We have a chance to attract and be entitled to so many good things, from appointments, to favours that will richly impact Plateau. Is it really wisdom to forfeit all that? No! Already there’s good news to be announced soon. Stay tuned,” he added.

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Plateau State Governor, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, has disclosed the reason why he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to Mutfwang, after months of consultations and personal reflection, he concluded that leaving the PDP was in Plateau State’s best interest.

Speaking on Thursday shortly after formally joining the APC, the governor stressed that his decision was not driven by personal gain but by respect for President Tinubu, whom he said had shown genuine interest in Plateau State and its challenges.

Mutfwang noted that although the President had repeatedly urged him to join the APC, he had previously declined.

“I respect President Tinubu for honouring our earlier decision not to move to the APC, yet still maintaining cordial relations with us,” he told political appointees and stakeholders at Government House, Jos.

He added that other influential figures, including APC governors, had approached him, but he chose to remain in the PDP until recent developments.

According to him, what finally convinced him to leave was the escalating crisis within the PDP at the national level.

“Once it became clear that the PDP at the national level has undeniable structural problems, the idea of remaining in the party no longer made sense. We have no issues at the state level, but without a solid national structure, our efforts are wasted,” he said.

He argued that remaining in the PDP posed too much risk to the mandate given to him by the people of Plateau.

“No one can say when the crisis will end or what losses it may bring. Given the emotional hardship our people endured, we cannot, by action or inaction, expose them to another round of uncertainty.”

Mutfwang said he could have defected to a different party, but political history had taught him that winning votes is one thing and ensuring they count is another.

“Although we have had disagreements with the Plateau APC, we cannot deny the goodwill and cooperation shown by the Tinubu administration. Since the President did not force us to join before the PDP situation deteriorated, it is only fair that we consider joining the APC.

“We now have an opportunity to attract appointments, support and benefits that will positively impact Plateau. Would it be wise to forfeit that? Certainly not. There is already good news on the way, stay tuned,” he added.

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The Federal Government has accused certain individuals of sabotaging the success of the new tax laws through misinformation and disinformation.

The allegation was made on Thursday in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, Tope Fasua, during the inauguration of a Joint Committee of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms.

Fasua stated that the new tax laws contain pro-poor measures and are designed to recalibrate national revenue generation.

He added that the committee’s primary task would be to counter false narratives surrounding the reforms, which he claimed were being circulated by alleged saboteurs.

“Some people are trying to ensure that, if they can manage it, these reforms do not succeed.

“However, we must quickly point out that despite this resistance, this is a pro-poor policy, one that recalibrates the country’s revenues to ensure the poorest Nigerians are not affected, except positively,” he said.

This development follows claims by a member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsamman Dasuki, alleging discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and what was eventually gazetted for public use. The National Assembly has since pledged to look into the allegation.

According to this newspaper, the new tax laws are scheduled to take effect from 1 January 2026. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the tax bills into law in June 2025.

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A surge in electronic transactions by Nigerians has helped the Federal Government to beat its revenue target by N88.73 billion by half-year 2025.

This is according to data contained in the Federal Government’s 2025–2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), just released by the Budget Office.

The EMTL performance helped boost the government’s non-oil revenue for the period and cushioned the effect of a weak oil revenue.

What the data is saying 

Based on the N230 billion full-year revenue projection from the EMTL, the half-year revenue expected to be at N134.17 billion surged to N222.90 billion, representing a 66.1% outperformance.

• Non-oil revenue performance was mixed. While Corporate Income Tax (CIT) collections of N5.86 trillion marginally exceeded the prorated projection of N5.44 trillion, a 7.6% overperformance, other segments struggled to meet expectations.
• Value-Added Tax (VAT) performed more robustly, with receipts of N4.82 trillion, surpassing the half year target by N439.22 billion, or 10%.

Despite these bright spots, net non-oil revenue, including receipts from solid minerals, totalled N12.14 trillion by June 2025, marking a shortfall of N1.81 trillion (13 percent) against projections.

The underperformance signals persistent weaknesses in tax collection and economic activity outside the oil sector.

Oil revenue performance 

Gross oil and gas revenue for 2025 was projected at N51.04 trillion. However, by July 2025, only N11.17 trillion had been realised against a prorated target of N29.78 trillion, representing a performance rate of just 37.5 percent.

Weak crude production, price volatility, and limited refining margins continued to drag on receipts from Nigeria’s oil sector.

After statutory deductions, including the 13% derivation for oil-producing states and other first-line charges, net inflows to the Federation Account stood at N9.61 trillion, N15.78 trillion (62.2 percent) below the half year target.

This shortfall has intensified pressure on non-oil revenue streams to fill the gap.

What you should know 

The 66.1 percent outperformance of the EMTL line reflects the deepening penetration of digital financial services across the economy, with more Nigerians using mobile money, bank transfers, and other electronic payment channels.

This reflected in the electronic transactions released by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) which shows Nigerians spent N284.9 trillion electronically in the first quarter of 2025.

The value recorded on the NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP) represents a 22% increase over the N234.4 trillion transactions recorded in Q1 2024.

The NIP is an account-number-based, online real-time Inter-Bank payment solution developed in the year 2011 by NIBSS and it facilitates transactions across multiple electronic channels, including internet banking, mobile apps, Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), POS, ATM, among others.

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ABUJA — PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, yesterday told the 36 governors to hand over local government allocation to the councils in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment.

The President said there would not be an autonomy to councils without funded mandate.

Speaking at the 14th APC National Caucus meeting at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, the President said he had assured the United States and the European Union that Nigeria will establish state Police to tackle insecurity challenges.

He also advised governors and party leaders to be flexible in their actions and ensure that they get involved in what happens in their various places including the rural communities.

He said: “You must yield and continue to promote, tolerate and be flexible, get involved in whatever is happening in your various states, up to local government level.

“I had a very long discussion with the US and European heads. I was bragging to tell that definitely we will pass a state police to improve security. They asked me if I’m confident, and I say, yes, I have a party to depend on. I have a party that will make it happen.

“And if at this level we fail, God forbid, we will not fail. I think the reconciliation, the accommodation, the flexibility, is in your hand, all of you, and we are the majority. We are the leaders.

“Let us equally look at the recent Supreme Court judgment. What can we do with it? And how well we can position our country and our party.

“To me, the local government autonomy, it is and must be effective. There is no autonomy without without funded mandate, we will give them their money directly. That’s the truth. That’s compliance of the Supreme Court. Take leadership seriously.”

The President commiserated with the government of Bayelsa State on the death of the deputy governor and prayed that his soul rest in peace.

He also called for the inclusion of more women in the caucus and asked that provision should be made towards that.

Speaking earlier, national chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, hailed what he described as a surge in the party’s national acceptance, citing recent high-profile defections, an electronic membership registration drive and plans for a new national secretariat in Abuja.

He said it was his first of such gathering since emerging Chairman in July.

Yilwatda thanked President Tinubu for support and urged stakeholders to rally behind the party’s expansion agenda ahead of planned congresses and the next national convention slated for March 2026.

He told caucus members that the APC leadership was consolidating structures nationwide through a membership drive, while also crediting the President’s leadership with strengthening party cohesion and public confidence.

He listed a number of governors and political actors he said had recently joined the party, while also claiming that the APC now enjoys an “overwhelming majority” in both chambers of the National Assembly.

Yilwatda said, “Recent political development underscored APC’s pan-Nigerian character, including significant defections that have further expanded our influence, particularly several high profile individuals and groups who have defected to our party, especially from the opposition parties.

Yilwatda also announced what he described as an internal organisational milestone: the activation of an electronic membership registration system, which he said would improve transparency, data integrity and internal democracy.

The APC National Caucus is a high-level strategic meeting of the party’s top leadership.

It typically brings together the President, Vice President, national chairman, members of the National Working Committee, APC governors and other key stakeholders to align on political and organisational issues ahead of broader deliberations at the NEC.

Notably, the six governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who recently defected to the APC were present at the caucus meeting, including Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Enugu Governor Peter Mbah, Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri, Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno and Taraba Governor Agbu Kefas.

Both the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas spoke on the importance of working together and giving every member equal opportunity.

Akpabio noted that govenors are leaders of the party in the states and should be accorded the respect.

The post Tinubu to govs: Obey S’Court judgment, handover LG their allocation appeared first on Vanguard News.

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A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has granted an interlocutory injunction restraining a former Abia State Commissioner for Information, Barr. Eze Chikamnayo, from making or publishing allegedly defamatory comments against Governor Alex Otti, pending the determination of a ₦100bn defamation suit filed by the governor.

Justice J.E. Obanor, in a ruling delivered on Thursday, ordered Chikamnayo to desist from “writing, authoring, sharing, circulating, broadcasting, voicing, forwarding and/or syndicating” any defamatory content against the claimant on his Facebook wall, Iyierioba Chikamnayo, or on any other social or digital media platforms, including X, Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp and TikTok, as well as traditional media such as newspapers, radio and television, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The judge stated: “Having carefully considered the application and all the processes before the Court, and there being no process challenging the same, I am satisfied as to the need to grant the interlocutory order sought.

Motion No. M/15807/2025 is hereby granted, and the orders are accordingly made as prayed, pending the determination of the substantive suit.”

The court adjourned the matter to January 19, 2026, for hearing.

The ruling followed a motion on notice filed by Governor Otti’s legal team, led by Dr Sonny Ajala, SAN, accusing Chikamnayo of continuing to publish offensive materials against the governor despite being served with court processes on October 17, 2025.

According to court documents, Chikamnayo allegedly published a series of posts on his Facebook page between October 17 and October 31, 2025, after being served with the originating processes in the suit. Some of the posts allegedly described the governor in derogatory terms.

In an affidavit in support of the motion, deposed to by Ifeanyi Michael Agbo, practice manager at Deeplaw Associates, the governor’s legal team stated that the defendant, described as a legal practitioner, continued to publish offensive materials against the claimant despite being aware of the pending lawsuit.

The affidavit further alleged that the publications were intended to cause reputational damage and incite public hostility against the governor.

In a written address accompanying the motion, Otti’s counsel argued that the continued publications violated the doctrine of sub judice, which prohibits actions or statements capable of prejudicing matters pending before a court.

Dr Ajala also submitted that the conduct complained of contravened Rule 30 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023, which enjoins lawyers to refrain from acts that may obstruct or adversely affect the administration of justice.

The substantive suit, filed on October 8, 2025, followed a demand letter dated October 2, 2025, requesting a retraction of the alleged defamatory publications, which the defendant allegedly failed to comply with within the stipulated seven days.

In the suit, Governor Otti is seeking a declaration that his reputation, goodwill and standing have been gravely injured by the alleged false and malicious publications.

He is also claiming ₦100bn as damages for reputational injury, psychological and emotional trauma.

The governor is further asking the court to compel the defendant to tender an unreserved apology to be published on his Facebook page and in selected national newspapers, as well as an order of perpetual injunction restraining further defamatory publications and ₦250m as the cost of the action.

Earlier, on October 16, 2025, Justice Obanor had granted leave to serve court processes on Chikamnayo through substituted means, including his Facebook wall and phone and WhatsApp number, after the court was informed that those were the channels through which he could be reached.

The defendant was ordered to enter an appearance within 30 days of service or risk judgment being entered in his absence.

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