President Bola Tinubu has described his journey to the presidency as a challenging path marked by numerous obstacles, attributing his success to perseverance and divine guidance. Speaking at the 15th National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja on Friday, Tinubu reflected on the difficulties faced by both his campaign and the nation in the period leading up to the 2023 general election. He noted that Nigerians endured severe economic and social strains, including food shortages, the currency redesign initiative and widespread fuel scarcity, which resulted in long queues at petrol stations. “I faced obstacles on my path to the presidency,” Tinubu said, recalling that many citizens struggled to afford even a single meal each day. Despite these setbacks, he credited God for his rise to leadership. “God brought us here. I am a symbol of that God because, without Him, I wouldn’t be here,” he stated. Emphasising the importance of faith and gratitude, Tinubu encouraged Nigerians to remain patient and thankful amid difficulties. He also called for unity, tolerance and resilience to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy, warning, “We must continue to be resolute that this democracy we have taken into our hands must not fail.” Highlighting inclusive leadership, Tinubu urged both leaders and citizens to show compassion and create space for others. He cautioned against the forceful imposition of one’s will in governance and reaffirmed his belief that ultimate leadership is determined by God: “God creates the opportunity for individuals, and if God says you will be there, you will be there.”

President Bola Tinubu has warned state governors that he may be forced to issue an Executive Order to enforce direct allocations to local governments if they fail to comply with a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming financial autonomy for Nigeria’s third tier of government. Tinubu gave the warning on Friday during the 15th National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja. In a veiled but stern remark about governors withholding statutory allocations meant for local councils, Tinubu warned that non-compliance may force him to directly allocate local council funds from the Federation Account Allocation Committee. Addressing the NEC members, including governors, National Working Committee members, and other party leaders, Tinubu said, “The Supreme Court has capped it for you again, saying, ‘give them their money directly.’ If you wait for my Executive Order, because I have the knife, I have the yam, I will cut it.” The President continued, “I’m just being very respectful and understanding with my governors. Otherwise, if you don’t start to implement it, fact after fact, you will see.” Tinubu’s remarks followed the July 11, 2024, landmark judgment by the Supreme Court, which ruled in favour of the Federal Government’s suit seeking to enforce financial independence for local governments. In a unanimous decision, a seven-member panel of the apex court declared that it is unconstitutional for state governments to retain or manage funds meant for local councils. The court ordered the direct payment of allocations from the Federation Account to local governments, a practice provided for in Section 162(5-8) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) but widely flouted by most state governments through joint accounts. In his speech, Tinubu reiterated the need for governors to comply, warning that further violations could warrant a federal intervention. “The ultimate goal is our Supreme Court. We have to comply. We have to respect the judgment,” he insisted.

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Friday intervened in the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, summoning the party’s rival factions to its headquarters in Abuja. The meeting brought together the faction led by Tanimu Turaki and the group headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed, which is backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Turaki attended the meeting alongside members of his National Working Committee, secretariat staff and former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, while Mohammed was accompanied by members of his national caretaker committee, including its secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu. Speaking at the opening of the meeting, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the intervention became necessary following a series of conflicting correspondence received from the party. “This meeting has become necessary because we have received several correspondence from various sides requesting one thing or the other. “And we are aware that INEC is charged statutorily under the Act and under the Constitution to monitor the activities of political parties,” he said. He noted that the intervention was also informed by preparations for the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, as well as the governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun states slated for June and July 2026 respectively. “And as a build-up to these elections, we have issued our own schedule of activities to all the political parties. And we are on course to ensure that we have a very smooth election at the area council of FCT and at Ekiti and Osun states. “We have received conflicting correspondence from the PDP, and we felt that rubbing minds together would be a good opportunity for us to forge the way forward concerning the elections. “And I’m happy that this morning we have the very top officials that are present here so that we can discuss as a family and see how the issues can be resolved and we move forward,” he said. The INEC chairman stressed that the commission’s actions were guided strictly by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and its internal regulations, assuring the factions of its neutrality. “So we are mindful of the need for us to maintain the sanctity of the Constitution of Nigeria. Actually, INEC sits on a tripod, comprising three legal regimes: the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the regulations that have been made. So, we are determined to ensure that we follow the provisions of the various laws, the Constitution and the regulations that we have made. “So without much ado, I want to welcome all of you, and I request that we should have very, very frank discussions to ensure that we can achieve the objective of this meeting,” he said. Following the opening remarks, the meeting proceeded into a closed-door session. The meeting is expected to yield recommendations on resolving the PDP’s internal disputes ahead of the forthcoming elections.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said its nationwide protest over rising insecurity across the country has started yielding results, following the response from the Federal Government. Speaking in an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Thursday, the Chairman of the NLC, Kano State Chapter, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, said the protest achieved its purpose by drawing the attention of authorities to the worsening security situation. “The protest was conducted successfully. The message was delivered throughout the country, and we believe it has been fruitful,” Inuwa said. He explained that the seriousness of the protest was reflected in the quick response from the Presidency. He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu invited labour leaders for discussions in the early hours of Wednesday. “Because this was a call to action, the authorities have responded. In the early hours of Wednesday, President Tinubu invited the labour leaders, and a very fruitful discussion was held,” he stated. “An action plan to tackle the menace of insecurity is already on the pipeline,” Inuwa added. The NLC had on Wednesday staged a nationwide protest to express concern over the increasing cases of kidnapping, banditry, and other violent crimes across the country. The congress said the protest was aimed at compelling government at all levels to take urgent and decisive action to protect lives and property.

The National Treasurer of the Accord Party High Chief Abdulazeez Salaudeen has declared that the party has no factions. Salaudeen, who made this known in a chat with newsmen in Minna, Niger State, further disclosed that the party conducted its party primaries and Senator Ademola Adeleke emerged as the sole Governorship Candidate “Our Party has conducted its primary election in Osun State on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, in accordance with the Party’s guidelines and the Electoral Act, 2022, as amended under the supervision of the state’s members and the Independent National Electoral Commission “The fact remains that His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, was the sole aspirant of the party at then. Salaudeen further made known via a press briefing which held in his office in Tunga – Minna, Niger State, that the delegates of the Party in Osun State as at then were 150 and they were all accredited. He noted the more that “the votes were cast in order to show that they were democrats and they did not opt for affirmation. “We are democrats, instead of affirmation, we conducted a real election and five votes were voided as a result of some delegates’ mis- thumbprinting, while 145 votes were secured. “The votes were counted in the presence of everyone, including the INEC, journalists, observers, security operatives and His Excellency, Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke, was declared the winner by me as the Secretary of the Electoral Committee,” Salaudeen continued. According to the Accord National Treasurer, “We learned that some enemies of democracy who had been expelled from the party since early last year (2024), saying that they conducted their own kangaroo election that was not known to INEC and recognised by the law. “We are reiterating that we don’t know these people and we believe that they are being sponsored by All Progressives Congress party members in Osun State to cause confusion and destabilise the Accord Party for the people of Osun State “Accord as a Political Party, we don’t have party factions. Instead, we are united under the able leadership of Barr. Maxwell Ngbudem and the National Secretary, Hon. Dr Adebukola Ajaja,” Salaudeen insisted. The politician maintained that “Accord (Party) in the North Central Zone, held their meeting, last Saturday, December 14, 2025, and we affirmed, just as we also gave our vote of confidence on the leadership of the Party,” he stressed.

President Bola Tinubu is currently presiding over a meeting of the National Caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja. Our correspondent reports that the meeting is the party’s second caucus gathering in 2025, following an earlier session held on February 25. The meeting is also the first since Prof Nentawe Yilwatda emerged as APC national chairman in July. It comes a few days after the party rescheduled its National Caucus and National Executive Committee, NEC, meetings from December 15–16 to 18–19, with the NEC now expected to hold on Friday at the Presidential Villa. Present at the meeting are governors and top party chieftains, including serving APC governors, former governors and principal officers of the National Assembly. THENEWSCREDIT reports that the APC National Caucus is a meeting of the party’s top leadership.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has disposed of counterfeit, prohibited and expired pharmaceutical products valued at more than N55 billion in Oyo State. The destruction exercise was conducted on Thursday at the Moniya dumpsite in Ibadan, within Akinyele Local Government Area. Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said the action was aimed at permanently removing unsafe medicines, medical devices and other regulated products from circulation. Her remarks were delivered by the Deputy Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Mrs Florence Ubah. She explained that the exercise was necessary to ensure that seized expired, substandard and falsified products do not re-enter the supply chain and pose risks to public health. According to NAFDAC, the items destroyed included fake and expired drugs, unsafe cosmetics, contaminated or unwholesome food items, counterfeit products and other regulated goods confiscated from manufacturers, importers and distributors. Adeyeye also disclosed that more than 70 companies, non-governmental organisations and trade unions voluntarily submitted damaged and expired products for disposal. “The total estimated market value of the items destroyed today stands at N55,436,844,470,” she stated. She commended security agencies such as the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services, the NDLEA and other partners for their collaboration in tackling the circulation of fake and unsafe products. The NAFDAC boss further urged religious and community leaders, healthcare professionals, media practitioners and members of the public to intensify awareness campaigns on the dangers of purchasing drugs and food items from unauthorised sources.

President Bola Tinubu is expected to present the 2026 proposed Federal Budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on Friday, December 19, 2025, at 2:00 pm, barring any last-minute changes. This is according to a letter dated December 17 and circulated to all National Assembly staff by the Secretary of Human Resources and Staff Development, Adm. Essien Eyo Essien, which stated that only accredited personnel will be allowed into the National Assembly Complex for the budget presentation. According to the memo, all accredited staff must report to their duty posts no later than 11:00 am, as security protocols will restrict access for anyone arriving after that time. Non-accredited persons have also been advised to stay away from the complex. The directive further noted that, aside from the Clerk of the National Assembly, Deputy Clerk, Chief Secretary, Chief Human Resources Officer, and their deputies, all staff are required to park their vehicles at the Annex or the new car park near the National Assembly gate. Essien urged strict adherence to the instructions to ensure smooth proceedings during the president’s budget presentation. President Tinubu’s appearance before the lawmakers follows the Senate’s passage of the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), which cleared the way for the presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill estimated at N54.4 trillion. The approval came after the Senate considered and debated a report by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, during plenary on Tuesday. The MTEF and FSP had earlier received approval from the Federal Executive Council at its meeting on December 3, 2025. Under the framework, the projected exchange rate was set at N1,512 to the dollar for 2026, N1,432.15 for 2027, and N1,383.18 for 2028, in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s exchange rate stability policy. Despite a cautious oil price outlook, the Senate retained crude oil production estimates of 1.84 million barrels per day for 2026, 1.88 million barrels per day for 2027, and 1.92 million barrels per day for 2028, citing confidence in ongoing reforms in the oil and gas sector. Lawmakers also upheld real GDP growth projections of 4.68 percent for 2026, 5.96 percent for 2027, and 7.9 percent for 2028, attributing the outlook to expected gains from tax reforms and broader economic restructuring. For fiscal operations in 2026, the Senate approved Federal Government retained revenue of N34.33 trillion, new borrowings of N17.88 trillion, and debt servicing of N15.52 trillion, resulting in a fiscal deficit of N20.13 trillion. The framework also makes provisions of N1.376 trillion for pensions, gratuities, and retirees’ benefits; N20.131 trillion for capital expenditure excluding transfers; N3.152 trillion for statutory transfers; and N388.54 billion for the Sinking Fund. Total recurrent non-debt expenditure was pegged at N15.265 trillion, while special intervention funds for recurrent and capital spending were set at N200 billion and N14 billion, respectively. Meanwhile, THENEWSCREDIT reports that the House of Representatives is yet to approve the budget framework as of Wednesday.

The Oyo State House of Assembly on Wednesday approved N892 billion as the state’s 2026 Appropriation Bill. ‎The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the lawmakers, after hours of deliberation and consideration, approved at the sitting presided over by the Speaker, Mr Adebo Ogundoyin. Addressing journalists shortly after the passage, Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Appropriation and State Economic Planning, Mr Olasunkanmi Babalola, described the exercise as a historic moment for the state legislature. Babalola, the Deputy Leader of the House, representing Egbeda constituency, said the budget was subjected to a detailed review across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Did you know there’s a festival in India where people willingly get coconuts cracked on their heads?0:00 / 0:00 He said that the assembly effected key adjustments aimed at strengthening spending on infrastructure, including the transfer of N2 billion from overhead costs to capital expenditure. “The total size of the 2026 budget is about N892 billion. We carefully examined the allocations and moved funds from overheads to capital expenditure. “Overhead was reduced from N 389 billion to N 387 billion, and the N2 billion difference was added to capital expenditure for infrastructure development,” he said. He said that capital expenditure now stands close to N505 billion, representing a significant portion of the total budget and reflecting the house’s resolve to prioritise development over recurrent spending. “This clearly shows that the state is investing more in capital projects rather than consuming resources on overheads. “The implication for citizens is simple. The people of Oyo State will continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy under this administration,” Babalola added. The lawmaker assured residents that the house would intensify oversight functions to ensure strict compliance and value for money across all MDAs. He explained that the assembly’s decision to pass the budget before the end of the year was deliberate. “It has become our culture to pass the budget before the year runs out. “The motivation is to allow the state to begin implementation from the first day of the new year without delays,” he said. Makinde, had on November 24, proposed a N891.99 billion Appropriation Bill for the 2026 fiscal year, compared with the N684 billion approved by the House of Assembly for 2025. The presentation ceremony was held on the floor of the State House of Assembly, Secretariat, Agodi, in Ibadan, the state capital.

A renowned firmmaker, Lere Paimo, popularly known as “Eda Onile Ola,” on Wednesday, called on Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Enoch Adeboye and other well-to-do individuals in Nigeria to save him from being allegedly cheated over his long, originally produced “Ogbori Elemosho”. He made this call during a press conference held in Ibadan, the state capital. The classic Yoruba film “Ogbori Elemosho,” starring legendary actor Paimo, gained fame and was a significant epic released around the early 1980s. However, some sources suggest it was a key work in the 1960s that built his reputation, establishing a historical drama genre in Nollywood. The renowned filmmaker insisted that he was the original producer of Ogbori Elemosho, a work he described as pivotal to his career and legacy. He said, “The film earned me national recognition, including the award of the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, and contributed to my chieftaincy title of Are Arobajo of Ogbomoso, conferred by the late Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oyewumi Ajagungbade II. “The current Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, had earlier approached me with a proposal to remake Ogbori Elemosho and requested information on the cost implications. “He estimated the project at about N100 million, after which the monarch suggested that the production could go beyond that budget and requested changes to the script, promising to revert.” The filmmaker alleged that in October 2025, someone, alongside others, visited his residence and claimed they had received approval from the Soun of Ogbomoso to remake the film. “They told me they did not need my permission to remake the movie and that they only wanted to give me a ‘gift’ for the work,” he stated. He further alleged that the group subsequently paid N7.5 million into his bank account, a development his children reportedly described as manipulation and robbery. “Following their advice, I immediately returned the money to the group,” he said. He explained that his legal counsel later issued a cease-and-desist letter to the studio, warning against proceeding with the remake without his express approval. Despite this, he stressed that the parties insisted they had the monarch’s backing and allegedly threatened that legal action would not yield justice for him. Describing the situation as an attempt to destroy his legacy, the veteran Nollywood actor said the original production of Ogbori Elemosho came at great personal cost, leaving him heavily indebted and leading to the seizure of his car at the time. He added, “This work was meant to be a benefit to my children and me, but powerful individuals are attempting to take it away from me. “I want to appeal to Governor Makinde, Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the RCCG, the Commissioner of Police in this state, and sons and daughters of Ogbomoso at home and abroad to intervene in the matter.” He also called on well-meaning Nigerians to help protect him from what he described as injustice at his old age, adding that he suspects those involved might be connected to recent rumours of his death circulating on social media. When our correspondent contacted the Public Relations Officer to the Soun, Peter Olaleye, he said, “The issue, you know, is an in-house matter; Baba (Eda Onile Ola) is one of the Chiefs in Ogbomoso. Baba was contacted when the story was to be released. He was contacted, and he was officially written to. The crew even visited his house. “The issue is that of Ogbomoso, and every bona fide son and daughter of Ogbomoso is entitled to the story. “So, the story belongs to Ogbomoso, and the story they are even making now is not his own story. It is a new story entirely. The bone of contention is that it’s an in-house matter.”