Category: Politics

Reps Panel Clears Gbajabiamila, Names Adeniyi as Face of Fake Federal Agency Scheme

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Reps Panel Clears Gbajabiamila, Names Adeniyi as Face of Fake Federal Agency Scheme

A House of Representatives committee investigating a fake federal agency has cleared Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila of wrongdoing, while identifying Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi as the principal figure behind the alleged scheme. The panel’s preliminary findings uncovered an elaborate operation involving a purported federal agency, fabricated presidential correspondence, a fake Executive Order and an altered document presented as an Act of the National Assembly, with the committee confirming the organisation, referred to as PFIPC, was never lawfully established. Investigators are examining about 58 linked bank accounts and an alleged N400 million transaction tied to the scheme, with Adeniyi Adeyemi identified as the principal person associated with the purported agency. The committee stressed that evidence before it does not establish that Gbajabiamila authorised or participated in the organisation, cautioning that no criminal guilt has yet been established against anyone named in the ongoing probe. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

Continue Reading

Twelve Years and Out: Uber Exits Nigerian Market, Cites Business Review

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Twelve Years and Out: Uber Exits Nigerian Market, Cites Business Review

Global ride hailing service Uber has announced its exit from the Nigerian market effective September 2, 2026, ending a 12 year run that began when the platform first launched in Lagos in 2014. In a statement sent to customers, Uber said the decision followed a thorough review of its business, describing the wind down of Nigerian operations as a difficult but necessary choice, while apologising for the disruption to customers’ daily routines and confirming its help centre would remain available until September 23, 2026 for final account queries. The exit coincides with a broader restructuring at Uber, with CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announcing a roughly 10 per cent reduction in the company’s global workforce of about 34,000 employees as part of efforts to build a leaner, faster organisation with clearer ownership and fewer coordination delays. Founded in 2009, Uber transformed urban transportation by disrupting markets long dominated by taxis and private car companies, and currently operates in over 70 countries, more than 15,000 cities and over 700 airports worldwide. The company’s departure from Nigeria marks one of the biggest shifts in the country’s ride hailing industry in recent years, a development expected to reshape competition in the sector. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

Continue Reading

FG Rebrands University Ranking Body, Sets Sights on Building Africa’s Own Oxford

CSNewsLeave a Comment on FG Rebrands University Ranking Body, Sets Sights on Building Africa’s Own Oxford

The Federal Government is strengthening Nigeria’s national university ranking system with support from expanding its scope to include polytechnics and colleges of education under a rebranded body now known as the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee, replacing NURAC. Officials said the new committee, NTERAC, will go beyond producing rankings to institutionalise the process, helping institutions and their leadership understand the data, methodology and standards required for credible rankings, with the ambition of building a framework not just for Nigeria but for Africa. The national ranking system will sit on the Nigeria Education Data Initiative platform, consolidating education data in one place to give Nigerians a clearer picture of institutional performance, with participation made mandatory for all public and private tertiary institutions. Officials said strengthening the domestic system would help Nigerian universities compete better on global platforms such as Times Higher Education, thanking the NTERAC team led by Prof Peter Okebukola and TETFund for their support. The Federal Government framed the initiative as part of a broader ambition to build Africa’s own version of Oxford and Cambridge, urging Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts to work with the new committee to raise standards across the sector. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

Continue Reading

INEC Unveils AI Defence Plan to Guard 2027 Elections From Digital Disinformation

CSNewsLeave a Comment on INEC Unveils AI Defence Plan to Guard 2027 Elections From Digital Disinformation

The Independent National Electoral Commission has outlined far reaching measures to safeguard the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 General Election against digital disruption and artificial intelligence, speaking at the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria. Delivering the keynote on behalf of INEC Chairman Prof Joash Amupitan, National Commissioner Prof Sani Muhammad Adam disclosed that the Commission has commenced comprehensive preparations for 2027, including a full audit of its electoral technology infrastructure, penetration testing, disaster recovery planning and the possibility of a mock presidential election to stress test its systems. Adam said lessons from the 2023 election showed that innovations like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the IReV Portal improved transparency but cannot guarantee public trust unless backed by timely and honest communication, announcing that INEC is developing a rapid response digital strategy to detect and counter misinformation in real time. ACSPN National President Prof Rotimi Williams Olatunji called for an integrated electoral information integrity framework involving INEC, political parties, media and civil society, stressing the need for stronger fact checking and AI content detection ahead of the polls. National Orientation Agency Director General Lanre Issa Onilu warned that AI generated misinformation could significantly undermine public confidence in 2027 if left unchecked, urging stakeholders to promote responsible digital citizenship, as the conference honoured Amupitan with a Plaque of Honour for his contributions to strengthening electoral integrity in Nigeria. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

Continue Reading

Umahi Orders Contractors to Spare Homes as 300km Trans Sahara Highway Takes Shape

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Umahi Orders Contractors to Spare Homes as 300km Trans Sahara Highway Takes Shape

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed contractors handling the Trans-Sahara Highway to minimise the demolition of houses and properties along the road alignment, speaking during an inspection of the project. Umahi said Section One covers approximately 123 kilometres from the Ebonyi axis to the Ebonyi-Benue boundary, while Section Two stretches about 173.4 kilometres through Benue, Enugu and Kogi states to the Benue River and Nasarawa boundary, with the completed highway, designed for 100 kilometres per hour, expected to significantly cut travel times and boost trade across the South East, North Central and South South. He disclosed that Section One, currently a single carriageway, will eventually get a second carriageway, alongside an 8.9 kilometre bypass around Afikpo extending toward the Timber Shed area that will be dualised as part of the project. Umahi reaffirmed the government’s resolve to complete the highway by the end of President Tinubu’s second term despite budget constraints, urging the public and media to verify facts before commenting on complex engineering or contractual matters, while appealing to residents to cooperate with enumeration and compensation teams. Project Manager for Section Two, Rabih Munayer, confirmed that field operations are already adjusting to protect local properties, deploying additional drainage measures during the rainy season, while Lead Consultant Akelakpa Edra said engineering designs are being revised to replace select culverts with bridges and adjust alignments to bypass private properties where necessary. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

Continue Reading

Walson Jack Bows Out, Hands Baton to Enitan as Federal Civil Service Turns a Page

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Walson Jack Bows Out, Hands Baton to Enitan as Federal Civil Service Turns a Page

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has formally handed over leadership of the Federal Civil Service to Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, following her retirement upon attaining the statutory retirement age of 60. The handover took place in Abuja, following Enitan’s swearing in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, with his appointment as Head of Civil Service, effective August 27, 2026, having been announced by the Presidency on August 19, 2026. Walson Jack expressed deep gratitude to President Tinubu for the privilege of serving at the highest level of the Federal Civil Service, describing her two years in office as a journey marked by significant achievements and formidable challenges, and thanked Permanent Secretaries, Directors and civil servants across the Service for their support throughout her tenure. She stressed that the transformation of the Civil Service was never about individuals but about Nigeria’s collective responsibility to deliver quality public service. Responding, Enitan thanked President Tinubu for the confidence reposed in him and commended Walson Jack for laying a strong foundation for continued progress, pledging to build on existing reforms while strengthening the Service’s EPIC culture of Efficiency, Productivity, Incorruptibility and Citizen Centredness. He called for the continued cooperation of Permanent Secretaries, Directors and the wider workforce, stressing that the Civil Service’s success depends on collective ownership of its mandate and a shared determination to deliver better outcomes for Nigerians. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

Continue Reading

ECOWAS Honours Peacekeeping Heroes as It Unveils Playbook for Regional Security

CSNewsLeave a Comment on ECOWAS Honours Peacekeeping Heroes as It Unveils Playbook for Regional Security

ECOWAS has unveiled a series of strategic publications in Abuja designed to preserve institutional memory and strengthen evidence based approaches to peace and security across West Africa, drawing on three decades of regional peace interventions and mediation efforts. The launch brought together an influential gathering of policymakers, defence leaders and diplomats, including Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Gwabin Musa, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs Ambassador Abdel Fatau Musah, and members of the ECOWAS Permanent Representatives Committee from across West Africa. Discussions centred on preserving regional knowledge and leveraging lessons from past interventions to strengthen responses to terrorism, violent extremism and other evolving security threats confronting the region, drawing participation from UNOWAS, WANEP, WACSI and the Centre for Democracy and Development. At the occasion, former ECOMOG Commanders, their deputies and journalists who reported on regional civil wars from the frontlines were honoured for their sacrifices to West Africa’s peace and stability. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

Continue Reading

El Rufai Brothers Clash Publicly Over Loyalty to Kaduna Governor

CSNewsLeave a Comment on El Rufai Brothers Clash Publicly Over Loyalty to Kaduna Governor

Bashir El Rufai, son of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El Rufai, has launched a public attack on his brother, Bello El Rufai, accusing him of prioritising political interest over family loyalty following Bello’s defection to the African Democratic Congress. Bello, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency, remained in the APC after their father left the party in March 2025, before defecting to the ADC on May 7, 2026, to join his father in opposition. In a series of posts on X, Bashir accused his brother of staying loyal to Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani until he realised he was being sidelined, questioning where Bello’s family loyalty had been until that point and describing his conduct as purely self serving. Bashir further alleged that his brother had maintained neutrality while others criticised Sani and had previously asked him to tone down his own criticism of the governor, describing Bello as a hypocrite. The exchange adds to ongoing political and legal tensions surrounding the El Rufai family, with Nasir El Rufai remaining in custody since February 2026 over alleged financial impropriety linked to his tenure as Kaduna governor, an allegation he denies. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

Continue Reading

Shettima Heads to Angola to Represent Tinubu at AU Peace Summit

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Shettima Heads to Angola to Represent Tinubu at AU Peace Summit

Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Luanda, Angola, where he will represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, focused on conflict resolution and lasting peace across the continent. Shettima, accompanied by senior defence and security officials, will join African leaders converging on the Angolan capital to discuss practical solutions to regional security challenges and strengthen collective efforts toward preventing and resolving conflicts. Nigeria, which has continued to play a strategic role in peacebuilding across Africa, is expected to contribute to deliberations on strengthening continental mechanisms for conflict prevention and sustaining peace. The Vice President will deliver President Tinubu’s address at the summit, outlining Nigeria’s position on the issues under consideration and reaffirming the country’s commitment to continental peace and stability, before returning to Nigeria at the conclusion of his engagements. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

Continue Reading

Interior Minister to Atiku: Nigeria’s Borders Were Never Closed to Reopen

CSNewsLeave a Comment on Interior Minister to Atiku: Nigeria’s Borders Were Never Closed to Reopen

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, has pushed back against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s pledge to reopen Nigeria’s land borders if elected President in 2027, stating plainly that the borders in question are not closed and therefore cannot be reopened. Tunji Ojo said Seme, Illela, Maigatari and Mfum were reopened as far back as December 2020, with Idiroko and Ikom following in April 2022, and Kamba and Tsamiya in Kebbi State reopened under the current administration in February 2026, linking Nigeria to Niger Republic and Benin Republic respectively. On the Cameroon border crossings at Banki and Amchidé, the Minister said their prolonged closure had nothing to do with a 2019 trade policy, tracing it instead to 2014, when Boko Haram forced their shutdown for security reasons, with Fotokol and Gambaru reopening in 2021 following joint military efforts by Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad. He said folding this separate security driven history into a single 2019 shutdown wrongly conflates two distinct issues, trade regulation and counter insurgency, arguing that tighter control at some northern crossings reflects a deliberate security judgement given ongoing banditry rather than neglect. Tunji Ojo said modern border management requires balancing security, documentation and customs compliance rather than choosing between total closure and unrestricted movement, urging Atiku to present a concrete new proposal rather than rewriting recent history for political gain. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

Continue Reading