The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, has withdrawn a bill seeking to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians. 

The bill, co-sponsored with Hon. Daniel Asama Ago, aimed to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to enforce compulsory voting as a means of deepening democratic participation. 

In a statement issued Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, the Speaker said the decision followed “extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders” across the country.

“From the outset, the bill was introduced with the best of intentions—to bolster civic engagement and strengthen our democracy by encouraging higher voter turnout,” the statement read.

The bill had earlier passed second reading on the floor of the House on March 21, 2024, sparking widespread debate among lawmakers, civil society organisations, and the general public.

While proponents argued it would significantly increase voter turnout, critics raised concerns about its implications on individual rights and the feasibility of enforcing such a law in Nigeria’s diverse electoral landscape.

Citing global examples, the speaker noted that compulsory voting has helped sustain participation rates above 90 per cent in countries such as Australia, Belgium, and Brazil, with similar practices adopted in Argentina and Singapore. However, he emphasised that Nigeria must pursue democratic reforms that reflect its unique context and public sentiment.

“Lawmaking is ultimately about the people it serves, and any reform must respect individual freedoms,” Speaker Abbas stated.

Rather than compel citizens to vote, he expressed commitment to exploring alternative, non-coercive measures that incentivise participation, especially among young and first-time voters.

“This withdrawal will allow time for further dialogue on how best to cultivate a culture of voluntary participation that honours both our democratic ideals and the rights of our citizens,” the statement concluded.

The bill had drawn a mix of reactions from Nigerians who called for sustained efforts to address the root causes of voter apathy, including electoral violence, lack of trust in the system, and logistical challenges on election days.

A northern Islamic group has advised President Bola Tinubu to consider choosing a northerner of Christian extraction as his running mate in the forthcoming 2027 presidential election.

The group known as Concerned Northern Muslim Ummah, made the call in a press statement on Sunday and signed by its convener, Bala Duguri.

Duguri said the advise followed wide consultations across northern states with various Islamic organisations.

Duguri said: “Our group has undertaken wider consultations across the northern states with different Islamic organisations in a bid to speak with one voice over the political direction in the APC-led administration. The outcome is very encouraging.”

He said based on their findings, there was a growing consensus that political equity and fairness demanded a religious balance in the 2027 ticket.

“We have carefully considered the present situation of our country, coupled with deep concern for the well-being of our people, in the spirit of fairness, equity, and justice,” he said.

The group acknowledged the success of the Muslim-Muslim ticket during the 2023 elections, attributing it partly to the support of the Christian community, and called for the gesture to be reciprocated.
“The sacrifices made by our fellow Christian brothers and sisters in the 2023 presidential elections, in the spirit of unity and national progress, need to be acknowledged. It’s time for Muslim political actors to make similar sacrifices,” Duguri added.

The sstatement further appealed to potential Muslim vice-presidential aspirants within the APC to step aside and support the nomination of a Christian running mate in 2027.

“As a Muslim organisation, we use this opportunity to call on all potential Muslim nominees for the vice presidential slot to make the necessary sacrifice by dropping their ambitions for the good of the country,” the statement added.

The group also urged President Tinubu, and all APC stakeholders to consider its advise in the spirit of unity, equity, and justice.

Duguri said the group’s advise is rooted in genuine concern for national cohesion, democratic stability, and the continued success of Tinubu’s government.

“After extensive consultations across religious, ethnic, and political lines in the North, we believe the most appropriate step forward is for a Northern Christian to be selected as the Vice Presidential candidate in 2027,” he said.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, a Muslim, ran as a running mate to Tinubu in the 2023 polls.

Before now, there have been rumours that Shettima, a former governor of Borno state could be dropped by Tinubu.

Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi, has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and other members of the opposition coalition to be wary of President Bola Tinubu, describing him as a master of “dark politics.”

Amadi, who is also the Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, suggested that the Atiku-Obi-led coalition aiming to unseat President Tinubu is weak in both strategy and organization.

He made this statement on Monday while fielding questions on Arise Television’s Morning Show, warning that the opposition is prioritizing elite politics over meaningful reforms.

Amadi noted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) demonstrated intentionality and a higher level of seriousness as an opposition party prior to the 2015 general elections, unlike the current coalition.

He said: “They’re not really working harder. And the issue around alliance and ego, I think the problem is that, in 2015, you had a situation where politicians perhaps understood who should go first. It was clear that Buhari had the votes of at least a significant constituency. He always had more than nine million votes in each election he lost, bankable votes. And the leaders were perhaps clear in their minds that this is where to go.

“Here, I think there’s a problem of people perhaps exaggerating their importance, their right to govern. And so, the ego crisis is going to be a problem.

“Again, Jonathan wasn’t that intense and didn’t play the type of politics that Tinubu, a master of dark politics, does. The PDP took it as, ‘Oh, we’ll get everything done at the last minute.’

“We had a more independent INEC back then. In fact, their body language was even against the ruling government. So, it was a difficult proposition, but the APC managed to overcome it. Now, you have a government that understands the dark arts of politics, and is perhaps proficient and unrestrained in using them. They’ve learned from their successes and from the PDP’s failures.

“So it’s likely that there will be more intrusions into the opposition camp, more betrayals. They’re going to plant people.

“What I see is that the level of seriousness the APC had as an opposition, their capacity to engage civil society, infiltrate and manipulate various sectors, and even work the media, is absent now. There’s no one leading the movement with the mindset of ‘Let’s get this government out first.’

“Everyone seems more focused on personal opportunities, whether it’s for now or 2031. So, from a strategic and operational standpoint, the coalition is weak on both fronts. It’s far more diverse, diverse in expectations and interests. And crucially, it lacks a unifying ideology. What does it stand for?”

The spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, Bright Edafe has reacted to a viral video of an officer extorting motorists at a checkpoint.

In a video trending on social media, a police officer stationed along the Benin Bypass was captured requesting N5,000 fuel money from different travellers.

The video showed the officer in his police camouflage uniform collecting the N5,000 which he tagged ‘fuel money’ from motorists.

Clips from the video also showed the officer informing the travellers that they could either part with the N5,000 or go ahead to purchase five litres of fuel for the team.

The travellers, according to details gathered vy Politics Nigeria were accused not being in possession of the Electronic Central Motor Registry (e-CMR), a document obtained from from the Police digital system. The registration of vehicles on the CMR is aimed at streamlining vehicle registration and ownership verification across the country.

In his response, one of the travellers said, “Five litres of fuel? But there’s no filling station here.”

To this, the police officer answered, “We will go and buy it.” Indicating that he gives him the money for the fuel.

However, reacting to this, a seemingly shocked Edafe appreciated the affected traveller for recording the video.

He wrote on X, “My God?‍♂️?‍♂️?‍♂️?‍♂️?‍♂️ thanks for recording this. Little by little, all the moles will be taken out of the system.”

A factional Social Democratic Party (SDP) led by Wole Adesina has issued a stern warning against what it called two disturbing developments threatening the integrity and unity of the party.

The faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Alfa Mohammed, in a statement on Monday, condemned the influx of aggrieved politicians forming a coalition aimed at sacking President Bola Tinubu without presenting any clear-cut alternative vision for Nigeria’s transformation.

“The influx of some aggrieved politicians in a desperate coalition to ‘send President Bola Ahmed Tinubu back to Lagos’ without showcasing any clear-cut alternative agenda for Nigeria’s transformation is disturbing,” Mohammed said.

“The party is not for sale or lease to any group and will not be part of any anti-government plots or coalition that lacks a clear alternative agenda for Nigeria’s transformation.”

While distancing itself from any coalition allegedly seeking to derail the administration and undermine the mandate of Nigerian voters from the 2023 general elections, the faction pledged to maintain constructive engagement with the federal government, holding it accountable.

The faction also urged leaders of the SDP nationwide to resist any attempts to usurp their positions.

It further called on them to report such incidents to the appropriate authorities, encouraging party members and supporters to remain calm, as efforts to reclaim full recognition from INEC are ongoing.

“We call on SDP leaders at all levels to resist any attempt to usurp their leadership and report such actions to the appropriate authorities, while leaving the party’s doors open for genuinely intentioned new members,” he added.

The Adesina-led NEC also dismissed what it described as the illegal replacement of constitutionally recognized state executives of the SDP by the coalition group, in collaboration with a rival faction of the party.

The faction likened the current situation to a similar crisis in 2019, when defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party, led by Prof. Jerry Gana, attempted to take control of the party’s leadership.

Nigerian singer and dancer Korra Obidi has revealed that she was nearly removed from a flight recently over alleged indecent dressing.

Obidi, who is known for her skimpy outfits, disclosed this on her social media page over the weekend.

The dancer, dressed in a revealing pink outfit, said she was informed that she needed to wear something over her clothes or risk being removed from the plane.

In her Facebook post, the mother of two asked her fans for their honest opinions on whether the airline treated her unfairly.

She wrote, “I was almost kicked off the plane for this outfit. Be honest, was this airline doing the most?”

However, her post received backlash, with many criticising her for what they described as indecent dressing.

Nollywood actress Adunni Ade, has expressed that physical beauty alone is not sufficient to sustain a relationship.

Drawing from her own experiences, the movie star candidly reflected on her younger years, during which she was often in the spotlight and admired for her looks and charisma.

However, at 48 years old, she regretfully shares that despite her captivating beauty, she remains unmarried.

“I used to be the centre of attention, the most admired, the most talked about in my youthful days. Beauty opened many doors. I was loved, I was desired,” Vanguard quoted her as saying. “But guess what? I’m still not married.”

She clarified that her status wasn’t due to a lack of worth, stressing that being beautiful isn’t enough to secure a lasting relationship.

She also explained that some of the men who approached her had ulterior motives.

“Some came for the face, not the soul. Some wanted the shine, not the substance. I learned the hard way that a woman must be more than just beautiful,” Adunni expressed.

The mother of one urged women to focus on self-development, values, and inner strength.

Popular Kannywood actress, Mansura Isa has confirmed the collapse of her second marriage, describing it as sudden and shocking, almost like a scene from a movie.

Speaking on the BBC Hausa programme Mahangar Zamani, alongside fellow veteran actress, Fati Mohammad, Mansura revealed that she had entered the marriage out of love, believing it was genuine—only to later discover that her husband had ulterior motives.

“I married for love. You know what they say, love is blind. But it turns out he had a different agenda, not real love,” she said. 

Fati Mohammad, in the interview, defended Kannywood actresses against frequent accusations of marital instability. She noted that marriages fail for many women, not just celebrities, but it becomes news when it involves public figures. She argued that many men marry actresses for lust, and once they get what they want, they leave. “People assume women refuse to stay in marriage because they’re used to luxury, but it’s not that simple,” she added.

Mansura’s second marriage gained public attention in June 2024, when news broke that she had remarried after parting ways with her first husband, actor Sani Danja. They share four children together—Iman, Khalifa, Sultan, and Sudais—and their union was once seen as a model marriage in the industry.

Videos from her second wedding went viral, showing that the bride price was set at one million naira. However, Mansura has now disclosed that the marriage has ended.

She explained that she met her second husband through an uncle when she got a contract in Lagos. Since she had no representative there, she contacted the man to oversee the deal. She later found out he had ambitions of controlling the project and used romantic interest as a cover.

“He suddenly proposed marriage, and I accepted, thinking he was genuine. He even said I could continue with my film career. We got married at night, and the next morning he left for Lagos,” Mansura said.

She added that he brought a contract agreement to the wedding, asking her to sign that she approved him to manage a N4 billion contract on her behalf because he was now her husband. From that point, he began communicating directly with the parties involved and completely cut her off.

“I never saw him again after that. He stopped answering my calls, and eventually divorced me,” she said.

According to her, when people confronted him in Lagos, he claimed he had forgotten he was married. He initially refused to issue a divorce, but later did so after being pressured.

Despite the painful experience, Mansura said she has accepted her fate.

Ralph Nwosu, the national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says coalition talks between opposition leaders will be finalised in a few weeks. 

Some influential members of opposition parties have been spearheading a coalition aimed at unseating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

TheCable had reported that opposition leaders are finalising plans to adopt the ADC as the platform to challenge the APC in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking in an interview with Arise TV, Nwosu said the party constituted committees that have met with those involved in the talks, including the civil society organisations (CSOs) and citizens’ groups.

“ADC has started a process in the last 16 months, and what we have been doing is that beyond all the political talks about political leaders, we needed to touch the grassroots because the situation in the country will either one day call for a citizens’ revolt or a patriots’ coalition,” he said.

“Dr. Bamidele Jamilu Jade, one of the deputy national chairmen, is coordinating some arms of the political parties.

“Dr. Mani Ibrahim Ahmad is also dealing with stakeholders in political parties.

“So, what I can tell you as the chairman is what we have done with the citizens and civil organisations.

“They have met a lot more. They have met Rotimi Amaechi, they have met almost all those who ran for president in 2023 either as aspirants or candidates. Dr. Ahmad have also met all the political parties.”

Nwosu said ADC would not be used as a “multipurpose vehicle” to be used and dumped by politicians after the party has served its purpose.

“We made it clear that any politician who thinks that ADC is a ‘molue’ for going to where they want to go, a multipurpose vehicle, must think again because that has made parties the weakest link in the chain of our democratic system,” the ADC national chairman said.

“That is wrong because the weakest link cannot create leaders that can create the kind of transformation that we want. ADC is certainly not the vehicle.”

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, says Nigeria’s northern region can transform the country with its potential.

Obi spoke when he attended a meeting of the national political consultative group (north) held in Abuja on Sunday.

He criticised the poverty levels in the region, blaming the situation on a lack of investments.

“And when you have poverty, you have humanity that you cannot control because when people don’t know where the next meal will come from, you can never control their actions,” Obi stated.

“And they easily recruit,” he said, referring to bandits amid worsening insecurity. “It all rests on government to solve it.”

“I’ve always said the north can change Nigeria,” he added.

“The greatest asset of this country is the north. I have always said it; we can make more money from agriculture than we make from oil.

“This entire country produces less than six million tonnes of rice; that is less than 10 percent of what Bangladesh produces.

“Bangladesh is a country that lives on 148,600sq of land that is the size of two northern states: Niger at 76.3 and Borno at 70.8. equals to what?”

Obi said fixing the region’s poverty levels would have a positive impact on the fight against insecurity and touted other measures.

“The more you pull people out of poverty, the more you solve insecurity. We need to invest in education,” he added.

“We can’t talk about free universal basic education when people are not going to school. Our children are not in school.

“I’ve taken time to go to the north and sat down with the Almajiri children; they are the most brilliant people God created. If they can’t go to school, take the school to them.”

Obi expressed optimism that Nigeria can be reformed.