News
Tinubu’s witness says ‘Obi not qualified to contest for president’
A witness of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima told the election petition court on Wednesday that 25 percent of the votes cast in the federal capital territory (FCT) is not a criterion for winning the election.
Here are the major takeaways from the proceedings
Tinubu and Shettima, through their lawyer Wole Olanipekun, told the court that Peter Obi was not a registered member of the Labour Party (LP) at the time he contested the presidential election.
The president and his deputy tendered a copy of the LP membership register for Anambra state.
The respondents’ lawyer displayed the document alongside LP’s letter, which is dated April 25, 2022.
The letter indicated that the membership register was forwarded to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Olanipekun tendered 12 sets of documents in evidence during the hearing.
Opeyemi Bamidele, senator representing Ekiti central and the majority leader of the senate, was called as Tinubu and Shettima’s first witness.
Bamidele said 10,929 votes were deducted from the total number of votes polled by APC in Kano state.
On allegations of drug trafficking against the president, the senator said Tinubu was never convicted in the US, adding that no charge was filed against him in any court.
The legislator was shown the LP voter register to identify whether or not Obi’s name was in it.
He confirmed that Obi’s name was not in the register, which the LP submitted to INEC on April 25, 2022.
Under cross-examination in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bamidele, who was presented as the second and third witness of the respondents, admitted that Tinubu polled only 19 percent of votes cast in the FCT.
Bamidele said 25 percent of FCT votes is not needed to declare a candidate winner of the presidential election.
The senate majority leader told the court that the judgment of a US court on forfeiture of $460,000 by the president was a civil suit and not a criminal matter.
Bamidele was the only witness called by the president and his vice.
Myesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has sacked the Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, FCT-IRS, Mr Michael Ango, of his duties.
The announcement was contained in a statement late Friday by the minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.
The statement added that the decision takes immediate effect.
Olayinka said the minister directed the most senior official of the FCT-IRS to immediately assume leadership of the agency
“The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has sacked the Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, Mr Michael Ango,” he stated.
He added that “the most senior official of the FCT-IRS has been directed to take over the running of the revenue agency with immediate effect.”
The statement did not provide reasons for the removal.
15 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, have left the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Amaewhule disclosed the lawmakers’ decision during Friday’s plenary, attributing their defection to what he called a “clear division” within the PDP.
“Distinguished colleagues, very happily, let me announce that your Speaker has decided, and has indeed written to my ward chairman of my decision, to leave the PDP. APC is my new party,” Amaewhule said.
Amaewhule’s Deputy, Dumle Maol, is one of the 16 lawmakers that joined APC as well.
All the lawmakers, who have jumped ship, are core loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike.
The Central Bank of Nigeria,has rolled out a new framework ito expedite handling of fraud accusations and refund victims.
Customers must report suspected fraudulent transactions within 72 hours under this draft guideline, and financial institutions have 16 working days to look into the matter and repay money.
The action comes in the wake of a dramatic increase in banking sector fraud.
According to data from the Financial Institutions Training Center, losses in the first quarter of 2025 increased to ₦3.29 billion, a startling 603 percent increase over the previous year. In the same time frame, reported cases also increased to 12,347.
The November 26, 2025, proposed regulations seek to improve bank accountability, expedite reimbursements, and boost prevention.
Director of the Financial Policy and Regulation Department Rita Sike signed the circular, which describes stricter regulations intended to prevent fraud before it occurs.
The apex bank’s ongoing fight against financial fraud has advanced with the adoption of this guidance. To enhance cooperation between operators, it established the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum in 2011.
It directed banks to establish specialized fraud bureaus four years later. By requiring BVN or NIN for account opening, it reinforced Know Your Customer checks in 2023.
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