Author: Gbenga Olaleye

Former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has publicly condemned FCT Minister Nyesom Wike following a confrontation with military personnel in Abuja. The incident, captured on video and widely circulated online on Tuesday, showed Wike engaged in a heated exchange with soldiers over a disputed plot of land. In a statement, Buratai described the confrontation as a threat to national security and called for an immediate response. “His public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces transcends mere misconduct; it represents a palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity,” Buratai said. He further explained that a…

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is set to establish a $1 billion industrial complex in Zimbabwe, combining cement production, coal extraction, and electricity generation, according to reports. Discussions between Dangote’s representatives and Zimbabwean officials reportedly began during the Afreximbank Annual Meetings held in Abuja in June. Paul Tungwarara, investment adviser to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, confirmed that arrangements are underway for a high-profile meeting between the president and Dangote. “The richest man in Africa is coming to Zimbabwe at the invitation of President Mnangagwa,” Tungwarara said. “The two have been in constant communication, and we are presently working on the…

Legal experts have reiterated that under Nigerian law, ministers have no authority to dictate, countermand, or intimidate military officers while on duty, following a recent confrontation involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and a soldier at a duty post in Abuja. Writing in a legal analysis, Pelumi Olajengbesi, Esq., Senior Partner at Law Corridor, explained that the 1999 Constitution (as amended) vests command of the Armed Forces exclusively in the President as Commander-in-Chief. This authority is exercised through the military chain of command and may only be delegated to members of the Armed Forces, not to civilian…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerian editors to uphold the highest standards of integrity, fairness, and accuracy in their work, describing responsible journalism as vital to the survival of democracy and the preservation of national unity. Speaking at the opening of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) Annual Conference held at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday, the President emphasised that freedom of the press must be matched by responsibility and ethical practice. “The freedom secured through struggle is not self-sustaining. It requires constant vigilance and responsible exercise,” Tinubu said. “A democracy is sustained not only by elections…

The House of Representatives has resolved to establish an ad hoc committee to investigate abandoned Federal Government–owned landed properties and buildings across the country, reportedly valued at more than ₦20 trillion. This resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance moved by the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) during plenary on Wednesday. Citing Order 8, Rule 5 of the House Standing Orders and Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Chinda explained that the probe seeks to prevent further wastage of public resources and ensure the recovery and effective utilisation of valuable…

The Senate has approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to raise ₦1.15 trillion from the domestic debt market to finance the unfunded portion of the 2025 budget deficit. The approval came on Wednesday following the adoption of a report presented by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt during plenary. According to the committee’s report, the 2025 Appropriation Act provides for a total expenditure of ₦59.99 trillion, reflecting an increase of ₦5.25 trillion over the ₦54.74 trillion initially proposed by the Executive. This expansion created a total budget deficit of ₦14.10 trillion, out of which ₦12.95 trillion had already…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed that its 2025 National Convention will proceed as planned this weekend, dismissing reports of postponement as false and politically motivated. In a statement jointly issued by the National Working Committee (NWC) and the 2025 National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) on Wednesday, the party confirmed that the convention will take place from Saturday, 15th to Sunday, 16th November 2025, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. According to the PDP, contrary to circulating claims, preparations are in full swing and delegates have already begun arriving in Ibadan ahead of the event. “The 2025 National Convention…

By Pelumi Olajengbesi, Esq. The recent confrontation in Abuja between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and a Nigerian military officer on duty has sparked an important constitutional question: who commands the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and to whom does a soldier ultimately answer? Under Nigerian law, the answer is unequivocal. The 1999 Constitution (as amended) vests the command and operational control of the Armed Forces exclusively in the President, who serves as the Commander-in-Chief. This authority is exercised strictly through the military’s lawful chain of command and may be delegated only to members of the Armed Forces…

Hon. Engr. Sagir Ibrahim Koki, Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources and Member representing Kano Municipal Federal Constituency, has formally resigned from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), citing deep-seated leadership crises within the party. In a resignation letter dated 11 November 2025, and addressed to the NNPP Chairperson of Zaitawa Ward, Koki said the ongoing internal conflicts at the national level had made it increasingly difficult for him to effectively represent his constituents in the House of Representatives. “I have taken this decision because the internal crisis in the party leadership at the centre has made…

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed that his principal remains a committed member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite ongoing tensions within the opposition party. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, Olayinka dismissed claims that Wike is working to destabilise the PDP ahead of an alleged plan to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He insisted that the minister’s interventions within the PDP are aimed at restoring internal order and ensuring adherence to the party’s constitution. “The…