A Kano State High Court on Tuesday dismissed a motion filed by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the 11-count corruption charge brought against him and seven others.

The ruling was delivered by Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, who declared that the preliminary objections raised by Ganduje and his co-defendants were “incompetent” and lacked merit.

Justice Aliyu, presiding over the case, confirmed that the court had the authority to hear the charges, which include allegations of bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds amounting to billions of naira.

The judge emphasised the legitimacy of the case, stating, “The charges before this court are competent. The power to investigate criminal matters does not reside solely with the police. The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission is equally empowered under the law.”

In a critical move, the judge ruled that the trial would continue even in the absence of Ganduje and the other six defendants.

Furthermore, she summoned Lamash Properties Limited, the sixth defendant in the case, and adjourned the proceedings to July 30 and 31 for further hearing.

The accused include Ganduje’s wife, Prof. Hafsat Umar, as well as other individuals and companies, including Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Safari Textiles Limited, Lasage General Enterprises Limited, and Lamash Properties Limited.

Their involvement in the alleged corruption case is under intense scrutiny, with each facing allegations linked to the mismanagement of public funds.

In response to the preliminary objections, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, counsel for the state, urged the court to dismiss all applications filed by the defense, describing them as “deliberate attempts to frustrate the trial.”

Adedipe argued that the objections lacked legal foundation and called for the court to proceed with the case and allow justice to take its full course.

Ganduje’s legal team, led by Lydia Oluwakemi Oyewo, had filed a preliminary objection on November 18, 2024, seeking to quash the charges and halt the trial, citing the lack of jurisdiction by the court.

Similar motions were filed by counsels for the third, fifth, sixth, and eighth defendants—Chief M. N. Duru, Mr. Muhammad Shehu, Mr. Abubakar Ahmad, and Mr. Faruk Asekome—between September and October 2024, all challenging the legitimacy of the charges and the competence of the court.

Despite the objections, Justice Aliyu ruled that “None of the applications have merit. The case must proceed in line with due process.”

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has fueled speculation about a possible defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Naija News reports that Governor Eno, on Sunday, revealed that he is unsure about his future political platform but remains committed to serving the people regardless of their party affiliation.

Speaking at a Thanksgiving Service organised in his honour at The Apostolic Church, Maboju Assembly in Lagos on Sunday, Governor Eno assured his supporters that his core focus would remain on uniting and connecting with the people of Akwa Ibom State, regardless of his political party.

“I don’t know where I’ll be tomorrow, whether PDP, APC, or YPP,” Governor Eno stated, referencing some of the major political parties in Nigeria. He emphasised that party affiliation should not define his leadership approach.

“These are just for political convenience and enlightened state interest. But it will never define who I am,” he added.

Despite his comments, the governor clarified that he was not announcing a departure from his current party. “I will remain a governor connected to the people, regardless of party. I will continue to unite all our parties, regardless of where God will take me to. That is not to say I am going anywhere,” Eno stressed.

The governor then drew inspiration from a popular Christian hymn, complementing his statement with the lyrics, “Oh, the future lies before me,” which he sang along with the congregation.

The hymn, drawn from the Bible verse James 4:14, expresses uncertainty about the future while seeking divine guidance.

“Oh, the future lies before me, and I know not where I’ll be, but where’er my path be leading, Saviour, keep my heart with thee,” he sang.

Governor Eno went on to encourage the people not to fear, advising them to understand the political landscape as it evolves. Citing the biblical sons of Issachar, who were known for their wisdom and ability to discern the times, Eno urged the congregation to be aware of the changing seasons in politics.

“There is no need to be scared. Those of you in politics know that there are no two elections that are the same. People must always understand,” Eno said, quoting the children of Issachar who were reputed for understanding their times and seasons.

He added, “We must clearly understand the time and seasons so that we do not swim against the tide.”

The governor concluded his speech by urging everyone to be open to spiritual wisdom, echoing the phrase, “He that has ears, let him hear what the spirit says to the church.”

UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has launched a sharp rebuke of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour-led government, demanding urgent action on immigration through the adoption of the Conservatives’ proposed Deportation Bill.

In a video message posted to her official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, Badenoch noted that the changes being proposed is far off the desired change on immigration.

“I think Labours are taking us for a fool. Quite frankly, they are taking us for fools. This is nowhere near the scale of the change we need to see,” she said in the strongly worded address. 

Badenoch criticised Labour’s immigration policies as inadequate and contradictory, arguing that the government is opposing reforms it now claims to support.

“Many of the things he was announcing are part of the things they are voting against right now. I’m talking about putting serious things into legislation, like a cap on the number of people coming into the country,” she stated.

She stressed the need for “systemic change” and cited measures such as disapplying the Human Rights Act and extending the path to citizenship.

“Take indefinite leave to remain, we wanted it to be 15 years: it’s too quick the rate at which people get British citizenship. He’s watered that down to 10 years and again kicked it into the long grass,” she said.

Badenoch also pointed to pressure on public infrastructure as evidence of a system in crisis.

“The fact of the matter is that public services are being strained. There’s not enough housings, people can’t get GP appointments,” she added.

Reinforcing her stance in a written post on X, Badenoch wrote: “Labour have blocked every serious step to stop illegal and legal migration. Today’s vague promises come with no plan and no timetable. Our Deportation Bill is tougher and ready to deliver. They should stop taking the public for fools and back it.”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo stated that Nigeria’s leaders’ objectives have not been accomplished, emphasising that their work in the country remains unfinished.

The former President made this remark at the ongoing public presentation of former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido’s autobiography, “Being True to Myself”, held at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja.

Obasanjo, who encouraged Lamido and others not to retire yet, stated that it is their duty to ensure Nigeria reaches its desired destination.

He said, “Nigeria that we are working for, we haven’t gotten there. And I believe it is the responsibility of each of us to ensure that we get there.

“Our job is not finished until we are finished.”

Details shortly…

The World Bank says the petrol subsidy removal has not fully translated into expected revenue gains for Nigeria, as only half of the proceeds are being remitted by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

Alex Sienaert, the World Bank’s lead economist for Nigeria, spoke on Monday during the launch of the May 2025 Nigeria Development Update (NDU) in Abuja. 

On May 29, President Bola Tinubu said the petrol subsidy regime was over. 

Three months later, TheCable reported that Tinubu was considering a “temporary subsidy” on petrol as crude oil prices and foreign exchange (FX) rates soared.

Although the federal government had consistently denied the return of petrol subsidy, the NNPC, on August 19, said the federal government owes it N7.8 trillion for under-recovery.

Speaking at the event, Sienaert said NNPC started using the official FX rate for transactions in October 2024, marking the end of implicit subsidies. 

“Other things to keep an eye on at present include the good news, of course, that the PMS subsidy was effectively ended last October, but revenue gains from this are yet to fully flow to the federation,” he said.

“NNPC began applying the official exchange rates for all its kind of transactions and fiscal revenue calculations back in October, so no more implicit subsidy. 

“But as of January, NNPC was still only transferring about half of the resulting revenue gains from the subsidy elimination to the federation, and that’s because of arrears and counter-arrears and what have you.

“It’s just going to be important in the coming months to keep tracking this, and ultimately that all revenue gains from the difficult job of eliminating the subsidy do flow to the federation, so that that can support a continued healthy fiscal picture, and in turn stand in on the government priorities for Nigeria.”

‘2025 BUDGET AMBITIOUS… REVENUE TARGETS HARD TO MEET’

The World Bank said Nigeria’s 2025 budget is ambitious and may face difficulty achieving its revenue targets.

Sienaert said key assumptions such as daily oil production of 2.1 million barrels and an average crude price of $75 may be too optimistic.

“Even with the very positive revenue sort of tailwind that I described, it looks like it’s going to be pretty hard to meet some of the ambitious revenue targets that are in there,” he said.

The World Bank official warned that failure to meet revenue expectations may lead to increased borrowing or renewed deficit financing through ways and means, which the government had pledged to avoid.

“If the financing requirements exceed what’s budgeted, then that’s either going to create arrears, pressures, which is not healthy for the public finances or the economy, or it could renew risks of recourse to things like deficit monetisation under large-scale ways and means,” he said.

“The authorities have been very clear that they will by no means be going back to large-scale use of ways and means. But were that to happen, it would be extremely destructive to the whole rebuilding of confidence in fiscal sustainability and in the naira, ultimately.”

‘POLICY CHANGES HAS INCREASED COST OF LIVING’

Sienaert said reforms such as subsidy removal have increased the cost of living, particularly affecting vulnerable households, while stressing the need for social support to ease the effects.

He stressed the need to provide as much support as possible to the poorest and the most economically at-risk households.

“Although this government does have an ambitious targeted cash transfer programme, N25,000 a month for three months for 15 million recipients, the implementation has just been quite slow; so only about a third of those recipients have received transfers so far,” he said.

Sienaert said the programme is now being scaled up and implemented more rapidly, which he described as essential to ensuring broader relief.

The World Bank official also noted improvements in fiscal and monetary policies, including unified exchange rates, tighter monetary controls, increased transparency, and the government’s resolve not to monetise its deficit.

In the May 2025 NDU, the global bank also said Nigeria must accelerate economic growth and create more jobs to become a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

‘ELECTRICITY SUBSIDY IS WASTEFUL’

The lead economist called for the removal of electricity subsidy in the power sector, saying it wasteful and regressive.

“There is still one kind of wasteful, regressive subsidy, which is the electricity subsidy, so work to address that,” he said.

He added that progress is being made in boosting non-oil revenues through tax reforms and new legislation, while oil revenue transparency has also improved.

Sienaert acknowledged recent progress in budget credibility, particularly through better assumptions and detailed disclosures, but said further work is needed to cut the cost of governance and improve the budget process.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had said the federal government incurred an electricity subsidy obligation of N471.69 billion in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024.

A Bitcoin mining company backed by the family of United States President Donald Trump announced that it was set to go public this year.

According to Bloomberg, the American Bitcoin Corporation, a newly launched firm majority-owned by crypto company Hut 8 Corp and partially owned by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., will go public via an all-stock merger with Gryphon Digital Mining.

Following the merger, the combined entity will operate under the name American Bitcoin and is expected to list on Nasdaq under the ticker ABTC.

The deal is slated to close by the third quarter of 2025, likely by October.

LEADERSHIP recalls that this is not the first time the Trump’s family is venturing into the cryptocurrency business. 

Previous ventures include World Liberty Financial and meme coins like $TRUMP and $MELANIA. With American Bitcoin, the family is now eyeing a large-scale Bitcoin mining and accumulating a strategic Bitcoin reserve.

Launched in March 2025, American Bitcoin positions itself as a “pure-play” mining firm focused exclusively on Bitcoin infrastructure and accumulation.

Once the merger is complete, existing shareholders, including the Trump brothers, will retain 98% ownership in the company.

Eric Trump will continue as Chief Strategic Officer, according to Reuters.

Eric described the company’s vision as building “the most investable Bitcoin accumulation platform in the market,” aiming to become “the world’s largest pure-play Bitcoin mining operation.”

Hut 8 CEO Asher Gennot added that the public listing would unlock access to dedicated growth capital without weighing on Hut 8’s balance sheet, while allowing shareholders to benefit from long-term Bitcoin upside.

Five former members of the Lagos State House of Assembly have failed to clinch the All Progressives Congress (APC) local government chairmanship tickets ahead of the July 12, 2025, elections.

The lawmakers, including Rotimi Olowo (Somolu LGA), Yinka Ogundimu (Agege LGA), Hakeem Sokunle (Oshodi-Isolo LGA), Fatai Oluwa (Ajeromi/Ifelodun LGA), and Avoseh (Badagry LG), were unsuccessful in securing the party’s nomination.

The party held its primary elections last Saturday at its secretariat on Acme Road, Ikeja, where candidates for the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos were selected.

The local government elections will be held across the state on Saturday, July 12.

Kosofe LGA Chairman, Moyosore Ogunlewe, emerged victorious in the primary, securing a second term ticket after other candidates withdrew in his favour. Ogunlewe’s unopposed win signified a strong endorsement from party members in the area.

Among the other successful candidates, Lawal Jakande, son of the late former Lagos State Governor, Lateef Jakande, won the Odi-Olowo ticket.

Usman Hamzat, the current chairman of Ifako-Ijaiye LGA, also secured his nomination for re-election, paving the way for his participation in the upcoming local government elections.

Full List of Local Government Candidates

Olalekan Aroyewu (Igbogbo)

Rossini Oluyemisi (Ojokoro)

Akindipe Olamilekan (Ajeromi-Ifelodun)

Okeowo Oluremi (Ifelodun)

Yusuf Sule (Surulere)

Ogidan Azeez (Coker-Aguda)

Tola Oyedele (Agboyi-Ketu)

Taoheed Taiwo (Ejigbo)

Muibi Alade (Lagos Island-East)

Sanusi Ismail (Amuwo-Odofin)

Rufai Muibat (Ojo)

Taiwo Oyekan (Lagos Island)

Wale Ameen (Ikorodu-North)

Samsideen Agunbiade (Eti-Osa East)

Other notable winners include:

Hunkpe Babatunde (Badagry)

Sura Animashaun (Epe)

Olasoju Adebayo Babatunde (Isolo)

Sesan Olowa (Ibeju-Lekki)

Anomo Adewale (Ikosi-Ejirin)

Ibrahim Rauf (Badagry-West)

Ladega Adedayo (Ikorodu)

Rasak Oloyede (Oriade)

Abiodun Akinola (Orile-Agege)

Ashimi Lateef (Shomolu)

Bada Abolanle (Ikosi-Isheri)

Oloyede Kehinde (Oshodi-Isolo)

Sunday Benson (Imota)

Kazeem Sulaimon (Ikorodu-West)

Sebanjo Idowu (Apapa)

Ajose Peter (Olorunda LCDA)

Ismail Monsuru (Eredo)

Opeyemi Akindele (Mosan-Okunola)

Agbaje Abiodun (Ayobo-Ipaja)

Akinpelu Ibrahim (Alimosho)

Jimoh Olawale Saliu (Apapa-Iganmu)

Bukola Omofe (Bariga)

Aruwe Tubosun (Mushin)

Olusegun Odumbaku (Ojodu)

Balogun Idris (Egbe-Idimu)

Akinsanya (Igando-Ikotun)

Hakeem Dauda (Ikeja)

Moyo Adebanjo (Onigbongbo)

Tunde Azeez (Agege)

Akinpelu Ibrahim (Alimosho)

Omooba Adeola (Eti-Osa)

Amid the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, has suggested that the party is in Intensive Care Unit, ICU.

Suswan claimed that many people are waiting to see the ultimate end of the party.

He stated this on Tuesday while fielding questions on Arise Television’s Morning Show programme. 

The statement comes a few days after the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike made a surprise appearance at the party’s high-stakes expanded Governors’ Forum meeting in Abuja.

Wike’s appearance marks his first attendance of a PDP function in months amid heightened tensions and defections rocking the opposition Party.

However, the Ex-governor said it was incumbent upon the governors elected on the platform of the PDP to ensure that the party is rescued.

He said: “It is incumbent upon the PDP governors to ensure that the party is rescued. Many people are waiting to see the ultimate end of the party. Whether there will be light at the end of the tunnel through the intervention of Sen. Saraki remains to be seen in the coming days. For now, the PDP is in the hospital, currently in the ICU, but it can be saved if the proper medicines are taken.”

Petroleum marketers and retailers said Dangote Refinery’s latest premium motor spirit ex-depot price reduction on Monday would lead to a retail price drop across filling stations nationwide.

DAILY POST reports that on Monday, the 650,000 barrels per day refinery based in Lekki, Lagos State, offered customers a N10 refund on PMS bought at N835 per litre.

The N10 refund was confirmed by the National Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria and the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, on Monday in separate interviews. 

The latest drop in gantry price of Dangote petrol implies that the refinery’s partnering filling stations, such as MRS, AP (Ardova), Heyden, Optima Energy, Hyde, and Techno Oil filling stations, would adjust their petrol pumps in the coming days.

DAILY POST gathered that MRS and other partnering filling stations with Dangote Refinery currently sell their petrol at N910 per litre as of Monday evening.

A staff member of MRS fillings along Kubwa Expressway, Abuja, told DAILY POST correspondent that the petrol outlet would review downward its fuel pump at N900 per litre between Wednesday and Thursday this week.

“We would start selling our petrol at a new price of N900 per litre between Wednesday and Thursday,” he told DAILY POST anonymously.

An impeccable source at NNPCL, who preferred anonymity said the state-owned firm may further relax its petrol price to around N880 or N900 per litre in the coming days.

Efforts to contact Dangote Group’s spokesperson, Anthony Chiejiena to speak on the fresh petrol price review were unsuccessful as of the time of filing the report.

Meanwhile, DAILY POST reports Dangote Refinery has reduced its petrol price at least three times since the Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, renewed its naira-for-crude deal with the $20 billion refinery on April 9.

On April 10, the refinery dropped the ex-depot petrol price to N865 per litre from N880.

Days after, Dangote Refinery announced a second petrol price reduction to N835 per litre from N865.

Thereafter, the refinery’s latest price dropped to N825.

Reacting, IPMAN National Secretary, James Tor said the petrol price reviews have become common following the deregulation of the country’s downstream petroleum sector.

According to him, a reduction in Dangote refinery petrol prices is most likely to have a ripple effect across the market.

“Our members are used to price reduction; this is because the prices of premium motor spirits are determined by market forces since we have accepted deregulation of the sector.

“We buy from MRS, NIPCO, NNPC, and others, so if there is a decrease in PMS price at their end, it will cut across,” he told DAILY POST.

Speaking on the partnership between NNPCL’s new management, led by Bayo Ojulari, and the Dangote Group, he said it would stabilise the country’s petrol market.

“It will stabilise the downstream petroleum market. It means that the industry will have a sense of direction,” he added.

Also, PETROAN’s president, Gillis-Harry, lamented the continued petrol price instability as a result of Dangote Refinery’s incessant price cuts.

Meanwhile, he said the petrol price would be reviewed downwards across the board in response to Dangote Refinery’s latest price cut.

“The thing is that the constant up-and-down movement of petrol prices really needs to be paid attention to.

“The stability of the industry is based on consistent prices. I don’t think the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) is saying we just wake up and see the new price.

“Probably, it is a strategy to have the biggest market share. Even at that, there must be capital to be able to buy products.

“Certainly, there will be a change in the prices of PMS across the board. But this is artificial. That is the challenge.

“We should allow the market forces to determine prices. There is a style of business that is aimed at capturing the market with heavy investment.

“PETROAN welcomes the relationship and applauds it, provided it will make Nigeria better and boost the access to energy,” he told DAILY POST.

The development comes as the price of Brent and WTI crude blends fell to $64.72 and $61.72 as of 3:47 am on Tuesday morning, according to oilprice.com.

Recall that last week, Dangote Group president, Aliko Dangote and his team visited the new management of NNPCL.

The Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, says it has commenced admission process for all applicants of the 77 Regular Course

In a statement posted on X, the Academy urged candidates who applied and participated in the 2025 Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, and selected NDA as their first choice to take note of the following information:

It said, ”candidates must have scored a minimum of 180 in the UTME for all courses, except engineering courses, which requires a minimum score of 210.

”Only candidates that meet these minimum scores will be eligible to select a centre and participate in the NDA Screening Test

”NDA Screening Test is scheduled to take place nationwide on 24 May 2025, successful candidates from the screening test will later be invited for the Armed Forces Selection Board at the NDA, where they will undergo comprehensive medical, physical, mental evaluations and other tests.

”The final list of admitted candidates will be published in national dailies or on NDA website.