At least seven Osun State governorship aspirants under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have stepped down after meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday. They have all agreed to support Bola Oyebamiji as the consensus governorship candidate in the forthcoming primary. The meeting, called by President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, was boycotted by one of the aspirants, Iyiola Omisore. Omisore had earlier described his disqualification from the primary as a joke. The aspirants who stepped down include former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Kunle Adegoke, Babatunde Haketer Oralusi, and Mulikat Abiola Jimoh.

Former National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Iyiola Omisore, has described as a joke and embarrassment their disqualification from the Osun APC primary election. Omisore made this statement on Tuesday during an interview on Arise Television monitored by ourcorrespondent. The former lawmaker said that there is a limit to what a party can do in candidate disqualification, adding that the Electoral Act says nomination of a candidate is not the prerogative of any party. THENEWSCREDIT reports that the APC Screening Committee had disqualified Omisore and six other aspirants from participating in the December 13 governorship primary over alleged irregularities in their nomination documents. Those barred from the race with him include Babatunde Oralusi, Oyedotun Babayemi, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, Benedict Alabi, Adegoke Rasheed Okiki, and Senator Babajide Omoworare. Reacting, Omisore said, “In Osun State, we lost election in 2022. After the loss, we did a post mortem how we lost election led by the former Minister of Health, Isaac Adewale. “The report was submitted and pointed at the fact that the then governor Gboyega Oyetola made us to lose election. And the report said that there are three or four of his cabinet members who aided the loss. “So it became a problem for the state all over. So that is why we now believe that way further, we should do a thorough primaries. Unfortunately, former governor Oyetola is now sponsoring one of those aiders of the election losses. “So the entire state leadership is against his position, and he started to impose the candidate on the state. And I want to really explain that I don’t want you to drag President Bola Tinubu to this matter. “The President is a leader of the country. He has done well for everybody. He has fair to all concerned. “So in a bit of it as a mixture and confusion about it, we want to win election 2026 so we cannot go the same way, the same route we went to lose election in 2022.”

Islamic cleric Sheikh Gumi has described the kidnapping of schoolchildren as a “lesser evil” compared to killing soldiers, insisting that Nigeria must negotiate with bandits to prevent greater bloodshed. Speaking in an interview with the BBC shared on Tuesday, Gumi said that while the abduction of minors is “evil,” it remains less grievous than murder — particularly in situations where kidnapped children are eventually released unharmed. “Saying that kidnapping children is a lesser evil than killing your soldiers, definitely is lesser. Killing is worse than, but they are all evil. It’s just a lesser evil. Not all evils are of the same power. He cited previous incidents, including the mass abduction in Kebbi State, arguing that the victims were freed without fatalities. “So it’s a lesser evil than, like, what happened in Kebbi. They abducted children, and they were released. They didn’t kill them.” The remarks come as more than 315 people — including 303 students and 12 teachers — were abducted in Niger State. On 7 December, the Federal Government announced the release of 100 students, while an earlier report confirmed the escape of 50 others just days after the kidnapping. “It’s an evil, and we pray that they escape”, Gumi responded briefly when asked what he would say to their parents. Gumi also defended his long-held stance that negotiating with bandits is unavoidable, describing engagement with bandits and other non-state actors as a practical strategy to secure peace and save lives, and noting that “everybody negotiates with bandits.” “That word [‘we don’t negotiate’], I don’t know where they got it from. It’s not in the Bible. It’s not in the Quran. “In fact, it’s not even in practice. Everybody’s negotiating with outlaws, non-state actors, everybody. So who got it, and where did they get that knowledge from? We negotiate for peace and our strategic interests. If negotiation will bring stoppage to bloodshed, we will do it.” The cleric stressed that his past engagements with bandits were not carried out secretly or independently. “I go there with the authorities. I don’t go there alone. And I go there with the press,” he said. Gumi revealed that his last direct meetings with bandit groups were in 2021, saying he made marathon efforts to bring various factions together, but the federal government at the time “was not keen” on the initiative. He said once the groups were officially designated as terrorists, he completely withdrew from any contact. Turning to the wider security situation, the former army captain argued that Nigeria’s military cannot shoulder the burden alone. “We need a robust army… but even the military is saying our role in this civil unrest, in this criminality, is 95% kinetic. The rest is the government, the politics, and the locals. The military cannot do everything.” Gumi also maintained that most bandits are Fulani herdsmen, not urban Fulani, urging a clear distinction between the two. He described their struggle as rooted in survival and cattle rearing: “They are fighting an existential war… Their life revolves around cattle. In fact, they inherit them. They’ll tell you, ‘This cow I inherited from my grandfather.’ They are mostly Fulani herdsmen, not the Fulani town, because you have to differentiate between the two.” Gumi’s remarks underscore the delicate balance between dialogue and enforcement in addressing Nigeria’s persistent insecurity, particularly in the northwest, where kidnappings, bandit raids, and violence continue to disrupt communities.

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party. The governor announced his defection at a stakeholders meeting held at the government house in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. Fubara joined a host of his colleagues who have defected to the APC this year.

‎A yet-to-be-identified student of Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma, has reportedly died in an auto crash while celebrating the completion of his final examinations. Our correspondent reports that the incident happened on Monday, December 8, 2025, around Ujoelen Junction along the Ekpoma-Auchi Expressway. It was also gathered that the deceased was part of the motorcade of the fresh graduates who took to the highway after their signing-out activities. ‎ When contacted, the Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Cyril Mathew, confirmed the incident, adding that only one person died while five others who sustained various degrees of injuries were taken to the hospital for treatment. According to him, the students, after writing their last paper, entered the road in a convoy. In the process, one of them overtook another vehicle and rammed into a stationary truck. ‎ Mathew advised students to celebrate within campus areas and to always prioritise safety, noting that “there is life after graduation”. ‎ ‎THENEWSCREDIT learnt that the group failed to observe basic safety rules during the celebration. ‎ It was also gathered that the deceased attempted to overtake a moving truck when he reportedly collided with a stationary vehicle.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has assured residents displaced by the Boko Haram crisis who fled to Cameroon that the government is ready to provide each of them with N500,000 if they are willing to return home. Zulum made this statement on Monday while addressing refugees at the Minawao camp in Cameroon’s Far North region. According to him, robust security arrangements had been put in place in their home communities, after years of expanded military operations and civilian security initiatives across Gwoza and other parts of the state. “The welfare of refugees, internally displaced persons, and returnees remains a priority for us,” Zulum said. The governor further explained that rebuilding the lives of insurgency survivors is a core pillar of his administration’s humanitarian and development agenda. “Borno State, in partnership with the federal government, will provide a cash assistance of N500,000 to each refugee who is willing to return home, while women households will be given N100,000 each,” Zulum added. According to him, the measure is designed to help returnees begin reconstructing their homes.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo Has Outlined Four Critical Pillars: Intelligence, Training, Equipment, And Technology, As Essential To Overcoming Nigeria’s Persistent Security Challenges. Obasanjo Made The Remarks On Sunday During The Toyin Falola Interviews, Held Via Zoom With Professor Toyin Falola As Host. He Was Engaged In Conversation By Bishop Matthew Kukah, Founder Of The Kukah Centre, And Former Presidential Candidate, Professor Kingsley Moghalu. The Former President Noted That Insecurity Has Reached Every Corner Of The Country, Stressing That Nigeria Must Adopt A Comprehensive And Modern Approach To Restoring Peace. According To Him, Strengthening Intelligence Gathering, Improving The Training Of Security Personnel, Equipping The Armed Forces Adequately, And Integrating Advanced Technology Are Non-negotiable Steps. “When I Talk About Intelligence, Training, Equipment, And Technology, I Know Exactly What I Am Saying. And Beyond All These, We Must Cultivate The Right Attitude, An Honest Commitment, To Confront Insecurity Decisively,” Obasanjo Stated. He Cautioned That The Federal Government Must Ensure That No Region Is Neglected In Ongoing Security Operations, Adding That The Scale Of The Problem Requires Both National Unity And Global Cooperation. Obasanjo Argued That Insecurity Has Grown Far Beyond Regional Boundaries And Should Be Addressed As A Nationwide Emergency. He Urged The Government Not To Hesitate In Seeking International Assistance When Necessary. “We Have Security Challenges Across The South-East, South-West, And North-East. This Is A National Issue. “If Our Government Is Overwhelmed, There Is Nothing Wrong With Turning To The International Community. We Are Part Of A Global Family, And The World Has A Vested Interest In Our Peace And Stability,” He Said. He Also Raised Alarm About The Rising Population Of Out-of-school Children, Warning That Failure To Address The Issue Could Create Significant Long-term Security Threats.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved the outstanding salaries and minimum wage arrears of staff of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso. Makinde made this disclosure on Monday. He spoke while inaugurating the governing board of the teaching hospital. The event was held at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan. Makinde, while addressing the gathering, noted that he will resolve the issue of LAUTECH lecturers embarking on strike soon. He promised that the state government will provide the necessary support to the board to make the facility operational. Makinde said, “One request that I have before this Board is that the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Complex, Oyo, must be totally revamped. It should be operational within 12 months. “So, by this time next year, we will not be going back and forth. I thought it was included in the French grant, but they came back and said no. I said okay, even if it was not included, we will take it on as a state. It is a special project for 12 months. And I will be available to provide and give any kind of support that you may require.”

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has urged Yoruba people to remain vigilant as insecurity spreads across the country, warning that recent attacks in northern and central states pose a growing threat to the South-West. A statement issued on Sunday in Ibadan by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, said the monarch made the call in Ode-Omu, Osun State, during the weekend celebration of Ode-Omu Day. In recent weeks, the northern part of the country has recorded a surge in terrorist and bandit attacks, leaving many killed or kidnapped. Fresh incidents in Kwara and Kogi—states that share borders with the South-West—have heightened regional anxiety and prompted governors in the zone to convene an emergency security meeting. Speaking at the Ode-Omu event, Ladoja said the situation demands increased alertness. “Let me use this occasion to urge Yoruba people to be vigilant amid security challenges facing Nigeria,” he said. The monarch commended the community spirit of the people of Ode-Omu under the leadership of the Alaye of Ode-Omu, Oba Bolarinwa Oladipupo, praising their continued investment in development projects. “I want to pledge the readiness of Ibadan to always support Ode-Omu’s development. Next year, an illustrious son and Parakoyi of Ibadanland, Chief Tunde Afolabi, will be drafted to chair Ode-Omu Day,” he added. Ode-Omu Day is an annual celebration during which the community reviews its progress and sets development goals for the future. Earlier, a former Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, reminded attendees of the historical ties between the two communities, noting that “Ibadan ancient warriors settled Ode-Omu in its present location in 1909.” He also commended the royal fathers for their strong turnout, particularly the Olubadan. Members of the Olubadan-in-Council present included the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola; the Osi Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi; and the Ekerin Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Sharafadeen Alli, who represents Oyo South in the Senate. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, was represented by the Salu of Edunabon, Oba Kehinde Oladepo, while the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Francis Adedoyin, also attended with his chiefs.

A young man from Plateau State identified simply as Nengak, has been reportedly beaten to death by a mob in Lagos State after he was caught “sleeping” with the wife of his employer. According to reports sent to our correspondent by one Bitrus Idi who claims to be a close friend of the deceased, Nengak worked as a security man for a family in the highbrow Victoria Garden City in Lagos. Idi said Nengak who was in his early 20s, was more like a general servant who did everything in the house including cooking, washing cars and taking the couple’s children to school. Idi said from what he gathered, the man of the house was hardly at home as he was always travelling outside the country “Being a handsome, strong and hardworking young guy, his master’s wife had a crush on him and began inviting him for other duties outside what he was employed to do,” Idi said. Idi said the affair had been going on for months before the man of the house discovered through a CCTV camera he set up after getting rumours that his wife was sleeping with their houseboy. “On the day Nengak was beaten to death, the man had pretended that he was traveling outside Lagos. Unknown to Nengak, the man had installed CCTV and had gotten enough evidence. “So that day, he told the wife he was traveling but had invited area boys to hang around the house. As usual, the madam called Nengak to their master bedroom and it was in the process that the man and his gang bust in and caught them red handed. “They beat Nengak to death and till now, the case is still to be filed as we have nobody to fight for him. Nengak’s corpse is still in the mortuary and the police have said we must pay for autopsy and other things,” Idi said.