The organisation noted that the funds relate to the procurement of ballot boxes, electoral devices and materials, sensitive materials, and result sheets, among other goods and services required for the conduct and administration of elections.

The call was contained in a statement issued on Saturday, September 12, 2026, by the organisation’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and made available to PUNCH Online on Sunday.

It referenced the 2023 audited report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on August 7, 2026, which covered periods between January and December 2022 and, in some cases, extended to December 31, 2023.

“SERAP urged INEC to account for the over ₦126 billion, including the amounts paid, the beneficiaries of the payments, the contracts and procurement processes, the contractors and suppliers involved, and evidence of delivery, utilisation and the current status of the goods, services and electoral assets concerned,” the statement partly read.

The organisation also urged the INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan and the commission “to refer the alleged diversion, unlawful expenditure, procurement violations and other financial misconduct documented by the Auditor-General to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for investigation, prosecution and recovery.”

It added that Amupitan and INEC should “identify the public officials, contractors, companies, suppliers and consultants responsible and take all necessary steps to recover any of the over ₦126 billion found to have been unlawfully or irregularly paid, lost, diverted, or paid for goods and services not supplied or properly utilised.”

The organisation said, “Electoral resources are public resources. INEC must be able to account for every naira, demonstrate that it was lawfully spent and show that it served the purposes for which it was appropriated.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and INEC to comply with our request in the public interest.”

Adding further, SERAP stated that “these findings are particularly disturbing given the constitutional importance of INEC and the fact that the expenditure concerns resources appropriated for the administration of Nigeria’s electoral system.

“These findings suggest a grave violation of the public trust and the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), national anti-corruption laws, and the country’s obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption.

“According to the Auditor-General, INEC ‘irregularly paid’ over ₦112 billion [₦112,155,597,845.00] ‘for ballot boxes, electoral devices, items and materials without competitive bidding or a BPP Certificate of No Objection.’”

“The Auditor-General found ‘no evidence that the items were procured.’ The ‘contracts were awarded to companies whose competences, experience, capacities, addresses and factory locations were unknown.’ He is concerned that the money ‘may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered.”

The organisation also stated, “INEC also ‘paid over ₦1 billion [₦1,058,925,000.00] for Toyota Prado TXL 2021 Model without advertisement, competitive bidding, bid evaluation or a BPP Certificate of No Objection.’ The Auditor-General fears that the money ‘may have been lost’ and that the contracts ‘may have been inflated.’

“INEC ‘paid over ₦3 billion [₦3,136,806,050.00] to four contractors for ballot guides, sensitive materials and result sheets before the contracts were awarded, with no evidence of payment.’ The Auditor-General is concerned that the money ‘may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury.

“INEC also ‘paid over ₦9 billion [₦9,245,965,502.60] for 22 contracts for similar goods and services’, with the contracts ‘split to circumvent procurement procedures and awarded on the same day.’ The Auditor-General said the money ‘may have been lost’ and that ‘the payment may have been made for items not supplied.’

“INEC ‘paid over ₦129 million [₦129,375,000.00] to 19 accounting firms for financial audit services without evidence of utilisation or requests and expenditure by the consultants.’ The Auditor-General raised concerns that the money ‘may have been diverted.’ He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury,” among others.

It urged the electoral body to ensure that “no electoral equipment, material or other public asset covered by the Auditor-General’s findings is disposed of, transferred, destroyed, written off or otherwise dealt with in a manner that could frustrate accountability or recovery pending completion of the reconciliation and any resulting investigation.

“Any referral to the EFCC and ICPC should expressly cover the contractors, companies, suppliers and consultants who irregularly received public funds, as well as any INEC officials or other public officials who authorised, processed, facilitated or benefited from the transactions.

“The recommended investigations should determine, among other things: whether the contracted goods and services were actually supplied; whether payments corresponded with goods and services actually delivered; and whether contracts were deliberately split to circumvent procurement requirements,” among others.

SERAP cautioned that “Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions, including INEC, to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power. Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on INEC to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the Constitution.”

The post Account For ₦126 Billion ‘Missing’ Electoral Funds, SERAP Tells INEC appeared first on City News NG.

Emami accused Umahi of failing the people of the South-South, particularly over the condition of federal roads across the Niger Delta.

The APC chieftain described the minister as a “disaster” to the region, arguing that the poor state of the highways was discouraging residents and motorists.

Emami made the remarks in a video shared on social media while lamenting the deterioration of roads linking communities across the region.

He said the Federal Government needed to urgently address the condition of the roads ahead of the 2027 elections.

“When you place the right people in the right position they will know what to do especially somebody who comes from where there are issues,” he said.

“The only problem that I have is Umahi, I don’t know where my father (Tinubu) brought him from.

“Umahi is like somebody that hates us in the South South. I’m not a lifestyle politician, I love to travel by road.”

Emami said he frequently travelled by road between Warri and Lagos and had noticed the worsening condition of the highways.

According to him, the state of the roads had also affected his ability to travel to Oshiomhole’s retreat centre, where he said he usually went to meditate and reflect.

He further blamed the poor roads for potential damage to vehicles he had recently purchased.

“All the cars I recently purchased will start developing issues due to lack of proper usage and who is the cause, it’s Umahi,” Emami said.

The APC chieftain urged Tinubu to take action against Umahi before the 2027 election, insisting that the minister’s continued stay in office could further alienate voters in the South-South.

“Tinubu should act fast about Umahi before the election, Umahi is now a disaster in the South South, I say it as it is,” he said.

Emami further suggested that the Ministry of Works should be merged with the Federal Capital Territory administration, which is headed by Nyesom Wike.

“Umahi is trying to discourage people, if he’s no longer interested in his work, he should leave and Tinubu should add it to Wike’s ministry,” he said.

“The Ministry of Works should be added to the Federal Capital Territory so that the two can be under Wike.”

His comments come amid heightened political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with opposition and ruling-party figures increasingly trading criticisms over governance and political strategy.

Meanwhile, the APC has criticised the Vice Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Rabiu Kwankwaso, over his appeal to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and support the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, questioned the opposition’s confidence in negotiating over the presidency before Nigerians decide who will occupy the office.

Morka, in a social media post, accused opposition politicians of engaging in hypocrisy and “horse trading” over an office they had not won.

“At last, the veil comes off  behold the whited sepulchre. They pretend to be saints on the outside but filled with stench of corruption and malignant hypocrisy on the inside,” he wrote.

Kwankwaso had appealed to Atiku to shelve his presidential ambition and support the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket, citing the former vice-president’s age and health.

He also said Atiku would be taken care of if the opposition coalition succeeds in winning the 2027 presidential election.

The post He’s A Disaster – APC Chieftain Asks Tinubu To Sack Umahi Before 2027 appeared first on City News NG.

Politics Nigeria gathered that the list puts the number of presidential candidates at 19, with each candidate accompanied by a nominated running mate.

The publication brings further clarity to the field ahead of the presidential election and places the candidates’ credentials and other personal information before the Nigerian public.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seeking another term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Vice President Kashim Shettima remains his running mate.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is contesting under the African Democratic Congress, ADC. The former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is his running mate.

Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi is also on the list. Obi is contesting under the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate.

The publication also includes the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which is fielding Sandy Onor as its presidential candidate. Umaru Babangida is listed as his running mate.

African Action Congress, AAC, has Omoyele Sowore as its presidential candidate, with Haruna Garba Magashi as his running mate.

Other candidates include former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, with Buba Musa as his running mate.

The National Democratic Party, NDP, is represented by Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori, while Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka is listed as her running mate.

The Young Progressives Party, YPP, is fielding Anita Zugwai Chukwu as its presidential candidate, with Egbeola Olawale Mertins as the vice-presidential candidate.

Rufai Adekunle Omoaje is the candidate of the Action Alliance, AA, while Shehu Hussaini is listed as his running mate.

The Boot Party has Sunday Adenuga as its presidential candidate and Usman Turaki Mustapha as his running mate.

Samuel Memeh is contesting under the Democratic Liberty Alliance, DLA, with Alex Balogun as his running mate.

Daniel Danerechukwu Nwanyanwu is the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, presidential candidate. Hassan Khalid is listed as his running mate.

The Labour Party, LP, is fielding Sunday Chibuzor Okereke, with Hajja Bintu Konto as his running mate.

Iken Esther Okereke is the presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement, NRM, while Samuel Magdalene Gali is the vice-presidential candidate.

Abbas-Bin Aliyu is contesting under the Action Democratic Party, ADP, with Chinazam Ike as his running mate.

The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, is represented by Suleiman Mohammed Dikwa, while Abubakar Isah is listed as his running mate.

The Social Democratic Party, SDP, is fielding Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo, with Usman Mohammed Bugaje as his running mate.

Seyi Makinde is listed as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, with Ibrahim Adamu Bala as his running mate.

The Action Peoples Party, APP, has Kabiru Yusuf as its presidential candidate, with Peace Egobia Ofordile as his running mate.

The publication of the candidates’ details followed the requirement for INEC to make the particulars submitted by political parties and their candidates available for public scrutiny.

The documents contain information such as dates of birth, educational qualifications, occupations and other personal details supplied by the candidates.

The exercise gives political parties, candidates and members of the public an opportunity to examine the information submitted to the electoral commission.

It also provides an important reference point ahead of the commencement of the next stage of the electoral process.

According to INEC, the publication of candidates’ particulars is tied to the provisions of the Electoral Act. Section 29(3) requires the commission to publish the personal particulars of nominated candidates after receiving the relevant nomination documents.

Tinubu is seeking to retain the presidency for the APC after winning the 2023 presidential election.

Atiku is returning to the presidential contest on a different platform after leaving the PDP for the ADC coalition.

Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election, is also returning to the race under the NDC.

Moreover, the information released by INEC contains qualifications ranging from primary and secondary school certificates to university degrees and higher academic qualifications.

For instance, Tinubu’s submitted particulars include a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University.

Shettima submitted records of his primary and secondary education, as well as degrees in agricultural studies, while Atiku’s documents include his First School Leaving Certificate, West African School Certificate and a master’s degree in International Relations.

Amaechi also submitted details of his academic background, including his university education and legal qualifications.

Obi’s records include a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Kwankwaso’s credentials include a Higher Diploma in Civil Engineering from Kaduna Polytechnic and his National Youth Service Corps certificate.

Recall, INEC had earlier fixed the presidential and National Assembly election for February 20, 2027, before subsequent revisions to the electoral timetable.

The commission’s current online election calendar lists January 16, 2027 for the Presidential and House of Assembly election and February 6, 2027 for the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

INEC has also urged political parties, candidates and voters to follow the approved timetable and comply with the rules governing the electoral process.

The post INEC Releases Final List of Presidential Candidates for 2027 Election appeared first on City News NG.

Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said his opposition was not to providing access to education for poor Nigerians but to policies that could leave students heavily indebted.

Olusegun, the President’s Special Assistant on Social Media, had accused Atiku of opposing NELFUND and alleged that the ADC candidate did not believe children from poor families should have access to higher education.

He made the claim in a post on X on Saturday.

Olusegun wrote, “Mr @atiku hates NELFUND and wants to cancel it because he does not believe the children of the poor should have access to education.”

Responding, Shaibu dismissed the allegation as dishonest, arguing that Atiku’s position was centred on making education affordable rather than forcing students to rely on loans after tuition fees had been increased.

“@DOlusegun, this is simply dishonest. Atiku does not oppose education for poor children. He opposes turning education into a debt trap after the government first allowed fees to skyrocket,” Shaibu said.

He illustrated the issue with the example of a struggling parent who might be forced to borrow money to pay university fees after government policies had made education unaffordable.

“Imagine a widow selling food by the roadside to send her daughter to university. The government raises the fees beyond what she can afford, then tells the daughter to borrow the money and begin adult life in debt,” he added.

Shaibu maintained that Atiku’s preferred approach was to make education more affordable through scholarships and grants, rather than relying primarily on student loans.

According to him, the former vice president believes poor children should not only gain admission into tertiary institutions but should also be able to complete their studies without carrying a substantial debt burden.

“Atiku’s position is clear: make education affordable again, restore scholarships and grants, and ensure that a child’s future does not begin with a loan burden,” Shaibu said.

He added, “The child of nobody should not only enter school, that child should be able to graduate without being buried in debt.”

The exchange comes amid a war of words between Atiku and officials of the Tinubu administration over the former vice president’s economic policies ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Atiku has also recently clashed with Tinubu’s Senior Adviser on Digital/New Media, O’tega Ogra, over his proposal for a production subsidy for locally refined petroleum products.

While Ogra argued that a similar arrangement had been used during the Obasanjo administration when Atiku was vice president, Atiku rejected the comparison, saying the proposal being presented by him was different from the old crude allocation arrangement.

Through Shaibu, Atiku accused Ogra of attaching figures and assumptions to his proposal and subsequently presenting them as though they originated from him.

He described Ogra’s purported calculation of a N21.9tn annual cost as “political fan fiction with a calculator”, insisting that his proposed subsidy would be tied specifically to fuel actually refined in Nigeria, capped, appropriated and monitored against abuse.

Atiku argued that the policy would exclude subsidies for imported fuel and was intended to increase domestic refining, create jobs and reduce the cost of energy for Nigerians.

The former vice president also took a swipe at Ogra over his absence from the recently constituted APC Presidential Campaign Council, describing the presidential aide as an “APC’s self-appointed attack squad” seeking relevance.

Atiku said Ogra’s exclusion from the campaign structure was an indication of the value the ruling party placed on him.

The post You’re Dishonest – Atiku Blasts Tinubu’s Aide Over Comment on NELFUND appeared first on City News NG.

Many Nigerians from all walks of life have come down heavily on Tinubu’s administration, with some questioning the policies he and members of his cabinet are adopting while piloting the affairs of the country of over 200 million people.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) exposed the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a ghost agency that secured office space, opened Central Bank accounts and received budget allocations.

For much of 2025, nothing set the PFIPC apart from the many other agencies that make up Nigeria’s federal bureaucracy.

The agency presented itself as a body created to attract foreign investment into Nigeria, operating from an office inside the Federal Secretariat in Abuja — the huge complex that houses Nigeria’s government ministries.

It was gathered that career civil servants were assigned to the agency and ran a website on the government’s official .gov.ng domain and even won approval to hire more than 300 staff, at a time when the government had frozen public-sector recruitment. Meanwhile, the website has been taken down, but its Instagram account is still working.

The self-acclaimed director-general of the agency, Adeniyi Adeyemi, was said to have met cabinet ministers, financial regulators, the head of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency and foreign diplomats.

The said agency was in the 2026 national budget when it was signed into law, with an allocation of N1.3 billion ($950,000; £700,000).

Adeyemi had alleged that Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, received N400 million through proxies and demanded another N200 million to facilitate his appointment. He also questioned how a ‘ghost agency’ appeared in official budget allocations.

In response, the Presidency cleared Gbajabiamila of the allegations, dismissing the PFIPC as a non-existent, fictitious agency.

The government called Adeyemi a con artist exploiting public trust to deflect criminal accountability, noting that Gbajabiamila had no knowledge of the circulated appointment letter.

In the course of the investigation ordered by President Bola Tinubu, a Federal High Court issued an arrest warrant for Adeyemi. He was subsequently arrested by police operatives and the case was brought before Justice Umar for legal proceedings.

The ICPC subsequently uncovered another fake agency, ‘National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office’, which was found operating inside the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and promoted by Prince George Buchi Nwabueze.

Following the second discovery, President Tinubu ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries — M.S. Danjuma, Engr. Nadungu Gagare and Richard Pheelangwah — linked to the unauthorised establishment of the second fake office.

Speaking to DAILY POST, some Nigerians expressed shock at how fake agencies could operate in a highly organised government establishment to the point of having office space at the Federal Secretariat.

Divine Akor said the reported existence of fake agencies within the Federal Government is not merely an administrative embarrassment but a serious indictment of the machinery of governance.

According to him, the disturbing question is simple: How can an organisation allegedly without a lawful mandate present itself as a Federal Government agency, operate within government premises and interact with public officials without being detected earlier?

“Government agencies are not private associations that can be created with a letterhead, office and fancy title. They require legal backing, an approved structure, a supervising authority and verifiable government records.

“If the safeguards against fake agencies were bypassed, then the Tinubu administration must accept that there is a serious failure of institutional oversight,” he said.

On his part, Isaac Adeyemo stated that President Tinubu deserves credit for ordering investigations, noting, however, that ordering an investigation after the damage has been done is not enough.

“The more important question is: Who allowed these entities to exist and operate in the first place? The Office of the Head of the Civil Service, the SGF’s office, relevant ministries and other supervisory authorities must explain what checks failed.

“And if insiders facilitated or protected these operations, they must be investigated alongside the alleged perpetrators,” he stated.

Also speaking, Blessing Ede asserted that Nigerians deserve clear answers: Were public funds, government facilities, official documents, contracts or privileges accessed through these entities?

She demanded the publication of a comprehensive register of all legally recognised federal agencies and their establishing laws, as well as the immediate verification of organisations occupying government premises.

“Audit the financial activities connected to the alleged fake agencies. Investigate both external perpetrators and government insiders who may have enabled them. Strengthen digital verification of every federal institution,” she added.

In the same vein, Paul Ogbole asked relevant authorities to hold officials accountable for serious supervisory failures.

According to him, if not for the lawlessness, nepotism, lethargy and inherent corruption that characterise the Nigerian government and governance, the architects of the discovered fake agencies should have been duly prosecuted, as well as the dismissal of regulatory-cum-supervisory agencies under whose watch such illegality occurred.

“The President cannot personally monitor every government office, but he is ultimately responsible for the integrity of the executive machinery. Nigeria does not need another scandal that ends with a few arrests while the loopholes remain open.

“If a fake agency can allegedly operate inside the Federal Government without immediate detection, then the real scandal is not only the fake agency. The real scandal is a system that made its existence possible,” he stated.

The post Tinubu under fire over fake agencies in federal civil service appeared first on City News NG.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, warned Nigeria’s patience is wearing thin, demanding justice for Bishop Michael Taiwo Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo.
• The Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa said suspects shot Fakunle several times at his Kensington home on September 4, while Nwankwo died on September 5 after SAPS interrogation.
• Fani-Kayode said Fakunle and Nwankwo were the seventh and eighth Nigerians killed in South Africa this year, and claimed no suspect has faced arrest or prosecution.

The post ‘Our Patience Is Wearing Thin’ – Fani-Kayode Warns South Africa Over Killing Of Nigerians appeared first on City News NG.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Dangote Industries Limited President, Aliko Dangote, said the Dangote Petroleum Refinery IPO share price of ₦525 could climb to ₦10,000 later.
• Dangote said small retail investors buying ₦50,000 or ₦100,000 worth of shares will get priority allotment before big institutional investors.
• Naija News reported the IPO offers 4.1 billion shares at ₦525, targets ₦2.15tn, runs September 14 to October 13, 2026, with ten-share minimum at ₦5,250.

The post Dangote Gives Fresh Details On Refinery IPO, Says Shares May Hit ₦10,000 appeared first on City News NG.

Nigerians at home and in the diaspora seeking to participate in the landmark Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals can subscribe conveniently through Zenith Bank, a receiving bank for the historic transaction and a designated electronic application channel for the offer. Subscription is open through the Zenith Bank website, the Zenith mobile app, internet banking, USSD, corporate internet banking and any Zenith Bank branch nationwide.

Across all of these channels, anchored by Zenith Bank’s network of 456 branches and 84 cash centres, investors enjoy a secure, fast and reliable route into the offer from anywhere in the world, at any hour. Whether the application begins on a phone in London, a laptop in Houston or across the counter of a Zenith banking hall in Lokoja, the path to ownership opens with a few taps and carries the investor smoothly through to completion. Every subscription is linked to the investor’s Bank Verification Number, a seal of identity and security that accompanies each application from submission to allotment. It is service the Zenith way: first-time and seasoned investors alike enjoy a straightforward and fully protected process, and the quiet confidence that their stake in history is processed through Zenith Bank.

Applications open on Monday, 14 September 2026 and run for 30 days, closing on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. According to the prospectus, the shares are offered at ₦525 each, with a minimum subscription of 10 shares, or ₦5,250. The offer seeks to raise ₦2.15 trillion, the largest equity offering ever undertaken on the African continent, and the prospectus further provides that retail investors who subscribe and hold their shares may qualify for bonus shares under the Retail Investor Incentive Programme, subject to regulatory approvals.

Zenith Bank stands ready to make participation effortless for investors who choose to take part. Nigeria’s largest bank by Tier-1 capital and the country’s most profitable bank, Zenith has built its reputation on combining scale with innovation, and that strength is now at the service of every investor in this offer. This is proven ground for the bank: Zenith Bank’s own most recent public offering was executed mainly through digital channels, a demonstration of digital readiness built on the bank’s robust digital infrastructure. That infrastructure has since been strengthened further through a comprehensive technological overhaul, positioning Zenith to serve its retail customers with the same excellence long enjoyed by its corporate clients, precisely the capability an offer of this scale demands.

Within the wider transaction, Quantum Zenith Capital & Investments Limited serves among the joint issuing houses, while Zenith Bank itself provides the secure and dependable channels through which applications are received and processed. Having successfully taken its own landmark offer to the market through digital channels, Zenith brings that same tested infrastructure and experience to the largest equity offering in African history. It is the same combination of financial strength, digital excellence and customer devotion that has earned Zenith Bank recognition year after year as one of Africa’s foremost financial institutions, trusted by millions of customers and by the corporates and governments behind the continent’s biggest transactions.

For over three decades, Zenith Bank has been the trusted gateway to Nigeria’s defining financial moments, and its channels are open for this one. Investors who wish to participate can fund their Zenith Bank account and subscribe through any of the bank’s platforms before the offer closes on 13 October 2026.

Please note that the details of the offer are provided in the prospectus and guided by extant regulations. Zenith Bank serves as a Receiving Bank and electronic application channel for this offer. Investors are advised to carefully read the Prospectus and, where appropriate, seek independent professional advice before making any investment decision.

The post Subscribe to Dangote Refinery Shares Seamlessly Through Zenith Bank appeared first on City News NG.

In a statement by its National President, Rev Frank Onyekwelu, NICASA said [b]Bishop Taiwo was brutally killed on Friday, 4 September 2026, at his residence in Kensington, Johannesburg, in circumstances that have left his family, friends and the Nigerian community devastated.

“According to the information available to NICASA, two suspects gained access to his residence and opened fire on him, reportedly discharging more than seven bullets.

“This was not merely an ordinary loss of life; it was a horrific and senseless act of violence that has robbed a family of a loved one and the Nigerian community of another precious life,” it said.

NICASA condemned what it described as a “barbaric killing” in the strongest possible terms, adding that the continued loss of Nigerian lives through violent crime “is deeply disturbing and cannot be allowed to become normal or treated as just another statistic. Every Nigerian life is valuable, and every murder deserves justice.”

He said NICASA had already brought the tragic incident to the attention of the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg.

Rev Onyekwelu said that a murder case has been opened at Jeppe Police Station, and investigations are currently ongoing.

“We, therefore, make a strong and unequivocal call on the South African Police Service and every relevant government authority to pursue this matter with the highest level of urgency, professionalism and transparency.

“We demand a thorough and credible investigation that will establish exactly what happened, identify all those responsible, apprehend the perpetrators and ensure that they are brought before the courts to face the full might of the law,” he said.

NICASA further called on the Nigerian diplomatic authorities in South Africa to continue engaging the relevant South African authorities and to closely monitor the progress of the investigation until justice is served.

Oluwafemi Adeniyi, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, promised to get back to our reporter when contacted for a response but did not as of the time of filing the report.

The post Breaking: Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle Brutally Killed In South Africa appeared first on City News NG.

A video circulating online had shown individuals purportedly declaring support for Makinde, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), while also backing Bimbo Adekanmbi as the party’s governorship candidate in Oyo State for the 2027 election.

The declaration has now been disowned by the recognised leadership of several traditional and community institutions in Ibadanland.

The Association of Mogajis in Ibadanland and the Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative (ICPI) said the people behind the video had no mandate to make such a declaration on behalf of the wider Ibadan traditional institution.

In a joint statement, Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori, President of the Association of Mogajis in Ibadanland, and Mogaji Dr Nurudeen Akinade, Coordinator of the ICPI, said their organisations were not involved in the purported endorsement.

According to them, the association, which has more than 400 Mogajis under Ariori’s leadership, was not approached or consulted before the declaration was made.

The two leaders therefore urged Nigerians and residents of Oyo State to disregard the video, describing the action behind it as “a schematic drama and theatre.”

They further stressed that the alleged endorsement could not be regarded as an official position of Ibadanland because the major traditional institutions and community leadership structures were not part of it.

“The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Olubadan-in-Council and CCII including all Baales in Ibadanland don’t know anything about the endorsement,” the statement said.

Makinde entered the 2027 presidential contest under the APM in May and later secured the party’s presidential ticket at its primary election in Ibadan. His campaign has been centred on the idea of resetting the country, with governance, economic development, security and public services forming key areas of emphasis.

The governor is expected to run with former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Musa Daura, as his running mate.

The APM has however received backing from some prominent figures. At the inauguration of the party’s presidential campaign office in Abuja, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed described Makinde as one of the country’s strongest political talents and warned against dismissing the party’s chances in the coming election.

“Whoever disregards us is at his own peril, we are here to reset Nigeria and we are bringing in one of the best human capitals that Nigeria has ever produced at the sub-national and national level, that is Makinde,” Mohammed said.

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), was also present at the event and spoke favourably about Makinde’s qualification to contest the presidency.

“We want a Nigeria of unity, inclusion; we have a candidate who is contesting for President today, my dear brother Makinde. Is he qualified to be President? Yes, he is qualified,” Obi said.

He used the occasion to call for an election in which Nigerians would be allowed to freely choose their leaders, regardless of political differences.

“What we are doing today, for us is not about desperation but we want Nigerians to make their choice. All of us should come together to build a new Nigeria. We can’t continue the way we are going, our people are hungry and poor,” Obi said.

He further stated that politicians should be able to work together after elections in the national interest.

“Whoever wins genuinely from a free, fair, and credible election, we will all work together to save this country from collapse,” he added.

The post Makinde’s 2027 Presidential Ambition Suffers Fresh Setback appeared first on City News NG.