IPOB Leader, Maazi Nnamdi Kanu

The Sokoto State Government has debunked reports alleging that Governor Ahmed Aliyu was present during Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti’s recent visit to detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Custodial Centre.

In a statement released by the governor’s spokesperson, Abubakar Bawa, the government described the reports as false, inaccurate, and deliberately misleading, insisting that Governor Aliyu was outside Nigeria when the visit took place.

According to the statement, Governor Aliyu was in Saudi Arabia performing the Lesser Hajj as of November 30, 2025, coinciding with the date Dr. Otti held a private engagement in Sokoto.

The government clarified that upon Dr. Otti’s arrival at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, he was received, not by the governor, but by a team of commissioners and special advisers who followed the established protocol for visiting state executives before accompanying him to Government House.

Reaffirming its commitment to openness and cordial inter-state relations, the Sokoto State Government emphasized the state’s tradition of extending hospitality and respect to all visitors, irrespective of ethnicity, region, or religion.

The statement concluded by noting that Governor Ahmed Aliyu remains dedicated to promoting peace, strengthening national unity, and upholding the principles of good governance.

Sir Paul Chukwuma, the Young Progressive Party (YPP) candidate in the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election, has been unanimously elected the National Leader of the party by its National Executive Committee (NEC).

Chukwuma, who finished third in the recently concluded poll, ahead of the Labour Party (LP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) according to INEC’s results, emerged as a surprise consensus choice during the party’s 24th NEC meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

He succeeds the late Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, the former national leader of the YPP.

At the same meeting, several other key positions were filled.

Hon. Chigozie Gerald Udogu, former Chief of Staff to the late Senator Ubah, was elected Deputy National Secretary.

Hajiya Nana Mahmoud was also elected Deputy National Secretary, while Hon. Owoyombo Gbenga Solomon became the Acting National Youth Leader.

Barr. Uche Levis was named National Legal Adviser, Hon. Olatunbosun Abolarinwa emerged as National Security Adviser while Hon. Sani Darma was elected Zonal Chairman (North West).

The NEC also passed a vote of confidence in the party’s national leadership headed by Comrade Bishop Amakiri.

Additionally, the committee ratified the earlier expulsion of Hon. Peter Uzokwe by the National Working Committee over alleged anti-party activities.

On national issues, the NEC welcomed the appointment of General Christopher Musa as Minister of Defence and warned against any moves that could push Nigeria toward a one-party system.

The resolutions were contained in a statement released in Awka on Friday by Chukwuma’s media aide, Dr. Ebuka Onyekweluji.

Former Edo State governor and current senator, Adams Oshiomhole, has narrated how hackers gained access to his OPay and Moniepoint accounts, sparking renewed debate about the safety of Nigeria’s rapidly growing fintech sector.

Oshiomhole shared the experience during a Senate session debating proposed amendments to the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), urging lawmakers to strengthen regulatory oversight of financial technology companies operating outside conventional banking systems.

Speaking on the Senate floor, the Edo North senator explained that his encounter with cybercriminals exposed troubling gaps in Nigeria’s digital payment ecosystem.

He said the hackers conducted all their transactions using mobile money platforms, specifically OPay and Moniepoint, without routing any activity through registered commercial banks.

“When they hacked into my account, I discovered that all the institutions involved were OPay and Moniepoint. None of the traditional banks were used,” Oshiomhole said.

He added that many fintech operators lack physical offices, have limited staff, and do not engage in visible corporate social responsibility activities, making them less accountable to the public.

Oshiomhole argued that new regulatory proposals must be thoroughly examined to prevent criminals from exploiting loopholes in Nigeria’s digital finance landscape.

He noted that leadership structures of major commercial banks are well-known and traceable, whereas some fintech platforms operate without such transparency.

“I can list the directors of First Bank, Access Bank, Zenith Bank. But I don’t know the directors of OPay or Moniepoint,” he said.

He warned that if any of these major fintech companies were to collapse, the federal government would ultimately be responsible for protecting customers and covering potential losses.

After the debate, the amendment bill sponsored by Senator Tokunbo Abiru successfully passed second reading.

In a related development, OPay issued an official statement dismissing viral claims that the company had shut down its Nigerian operations or lost customer funds.

The fintech firm described the rumours as false and malicious, insisting that its services remain stable and fully functional.

In a post on its verified X (formerly Twitter) account, OPay assured customers that their funds were safe and urged the public to ignore misinformation aimed at creating panic.

OPay clarified that there has been no system failure or incident capable of wiping customers’ balances.

The company acknowledged a brief downtime earlier in the week but said the issue was resolved within minutes, adding that such interruptions are normal for digital platforms and do not indicate internal collapse.

The company also reminded users that it operates under full licensing from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and that customer deposits are insured by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).

These safeguards, the company said, reinforce its commitment to secure financial services for millions of Nigerians.

In a separate development, the federal government has begun deducting the N50 Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) on transactions of N10,000 and above carried out on OPay, Moniepoint, PalmPay, Kuda, and other digital payment platforms.

The EMTL, introduced under the 2020 Finance Act, imposes a one-off levy of N50 on eligible electronic transfers processed through financial institutions.

Nigeria’s political landscape was thrust into fresh turmoil on Friday as Senate President Godswill Akpabio instituted a ₦200 billion defamation lawsuit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, escalating a controversy that has gripped national attention for weeks.

In court filings before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Akpabio alleges that a series of interviews granted by Senator Akpoti, aired on television and circulated widely online, constituted a deliberate attempt to portray him as a sexual predator.

His lawyers argue that the allegations, amplified across social and mainstream media, subjected him to “national humiliation, ridicule, and severe reputational damage.”

Akpabio is seeking extensive reliefs from the court N200 billion in damages, removal of all digital content repeating the allegations and mandatory public apologies broadcast repeatedly on national TV, radio, and online platforms.

Court documents also reveal that after unsuccessful efforts to deliver the suit to Senator Akpoti directly, a judge authorised substituted service through the Clerk of the National Assembly on November 6, 2025, paving the way for the legal process to advance.

Reacting on Friday after confirming receipt of the suit, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said she welcomes the courtroom showdown.

She noted that the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges had earlier refused to hear her petition, citing a supposed ongoing court case, a move she insists was designed to protect the Senate President from parliamentary scrutiny.

With the matter now officially before the judiciary, Senator Akpoti declared she finally has the chance to present her evidence.

“I’m ready to prove everything,” she said, vowing to establish that she was sexually harassed and subsequently targeted with “sustained political intimidation and retaliation.”

Her message to Akpabio was unequivocal: “See you in court, Godswill Akpabio.”

The case is now moving toward full trial, with both parties preparing extensive documentation, witness testimonies, and media records.

Beyond the personal clash between two high-profile senators, the lawsuit is expected to test how Nigeria’s political system confronts and adjudicates allegations of sexual misconduct involving top officeholders.

All eyes now turn to the FCT High Court as one of the most anticipated political and legal battles of 2025 begins to unfold.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed that he remains a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) despite the recent mass defection of lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Wike made the clarification on Friday in Abuja after inspecting ongoing road projects, reacting for the first time to the defection of 16 PDP lawmakers to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

During Friday’s plenary, the Speaker of the Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, alongside 15 other lawmakers, officially announced their move to the APC.

Amaewhule claimed that internal divisions within the PDP influenced their decision, adding that he was ready to work with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he said “means well for the country.”

Responding, Wike noted that although the lawmakers did not inform or consult him before leaving, they were exercising their constitutional freedom of association.

“I am still in the PDP, and it is not everybody that has left,” he said.

“I believe 16 or 17 have left out of 27. We still have about 10 members, and we will continue to work together.”

He stressed that those who left were free to take their decision just as those who stayed were free to remain committed to the party.

Wike described the development as “unfortunate,” attributing it to the ongoing factional crisis within the PDP.

According to him, the party’s constitution acknowledges that members may leave when the party becomes deeply divided.

He recalled warning the PDP leadership to address the internal crisis earlier, saying:

“I advised the leadership of the party to put the house in order. At the end of the day, if nothing is done, it is the party that suffers.”

Wike added that efforts were underway to unify the remaining PDP members in the Rivers Assembly to ensure the party remains functional and relevant as an opposition force.