*** Stage protest at Finance Ministry

***Say FG loans increasing burden on Nigerians

***As Soludo releases fresh document linking Obi to ₦127bn loan as governor

By Sam Otuonye

As Nigerians groan under hardship and continuous foreign loans servicing by both the federal and state governments, a group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the ActionAid Nigeria, as well as market women, university students took to the streets in Abuja,   on Thursday to protest the continued granting of killer loans to the federal and state governments by both the World bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Nigeria’s total public external debt is currently  put at approximately $51.9 billion as of the first quarter of 2026, amid mounting economic pressures and rising public concern.

A large portion of Nigeria’s external loans comes from institutions like the World Bank (through the International Development Association) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The National Assembly approved major external borrowing plans exceeding $21 billion for 2025–2026, alongside additional multi-billion dollar credit facilities aimed at infrastructure and port rehabilitation.
The protesters who blocked the gate of the Federal Ministry of Finance in their numbers , displaying sbanners and placards with several anti government and international financial agencies inscriptions  decried what it described as Nigeria’s rising debt stock and the Federal Government’s continued borrowing.

They called on the Federal Government to reconsider further borrowing, while urging the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, IMF, to stop extending additional loans to Nigeria.

They regretted that continued borrowing was placing a growing burden on Nigerians and called on the international financial institutions to “let Nigeria breathe,” expressing concerns over the country’s debt accumulation and its implications for citizens and the economy.

This is as the Anambra state government has released fresh document linking the state’s former governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi to external loans to the tune of $125.77billion obtained during his administration

The government, in a post on its media handle on X on Thursday, shared a graphic listing eight external loan facilities for projects covering malaria control, healthcare, education, erosion management, agriculture and community development.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo had on Tuesday, sparked controversy and debate, when he alleged that Obi left the huge amount in debt as governor, adding that his administration is still servicing the loans obtained by the former governor

The fresh document noted that about eight facilities had a combined original value of $123.77 million, while $92.35 million was listed as outstanding as of June 30, 2026.

The government valued the outstanding amount at about ₦127.37 billion. The figures correspond with those contained in the state government’s earlier statement citing Debt Management Office records.

According to the document, “As of when Obi left office on 17th March 2014, there were 8 different external borrowings for malaria, erosion control, education, healthcare etc (see attached poster) which the present administration services with hundreds of millions of naira monthly,”

Obi has however  rejected the claims, insisting that he left unpaid financial obligations, which were also admitted  by the successive administration of former governor Willy Obiano, before Soludos allegations

Obi in a statement issued on Wednesday by the national coordinator of Obedient Movement, Tanko Yinusa, challenged the state government to provide evidence.

The Obidient Movement, also circulated Obi’s 2014 handover document as part of its response to the allegations.

***Orrire school abductors plead not guilty to seven-count amended charges

By Nkem Okereh

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday re-arraigned five members of the proscribed terrorist Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) organisation who were accused taking part in the May 15, 2026, abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The defendants are also accused of complicity in the killing of two of the victims after they were taken hostages.

The accused were re-arraigned on a seven-count amended charge filed by the DSS on behalf of the Federal Government.

It would be recalled that the Security Services had earlier rejected the life sentence which was passed on the accused when they first appeared in court

All five defendants pleaded not guilty to the amended charges when they were read to them.

Following their not guilty please, head of the DSS legal team, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, asked the court to commence immediate trial of the defendants in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

Rotimi, who is also Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation prayed the court to shield the identities of witnesses scheduled to testify and allow them to wear masks during proceedings to protect them.

The defence counsel, Bala Dakum, did not object to the applications.

Justice Salim Ibrahim subsequently granted the requests of the DSS counsel.

According to the amended charge, Mahmud Muhammad and Abubakar Abbas allegedly ordered the other three defendants, described as their “foot soldiers”, to kidnap and kill Nigerians in different parts of the country in the event of their arrest.

The prosecution alleged that the order led to the abduction of about 46 pupils and teachers from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in Oriire Local Government Area.

The defendants are also accused of causing the deaths of Oyedokun and Olaleye, with the charge alleging that Olaleye was decapitated.

In another count, the defendants were accused of failing to disclose information about an imminent act of terrorism and the planned kidnapping to law enforcement or security agencies.

The prosecution further alleged that the defendants conspired with other persons to abduct about 46 schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire LGA.

Three of the defendants, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani, were separately accused of aiding the alleged kidnapping.

Mahmud Muhammad and Abubakar Abbas were also accused of concealing information about an imminent terrorist act that allegedly led to the May 15, 2026, abduction and the killing of two victims.

The charges were brought under various provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The terrorists in the attack which occurred on May 15, 2026, invaded three schools in the Ahoro-Esiele, Yawota and Alawusa communities of Oriire Local Government Area, where they abducted over 46 pupils and teachers

They held their captives for 56 days at the forest inside the Oyo national park, before they were rescued and freed following a joint security operation.

***PGF, Legacy group warn against supporting coalition candidates outside ruling party

*** Reject alleged plots to weaken party ahead 2031

*** Rainbow coalition support only for Tinubu’s reflection, not for state, Wike replies PGF

By Tony Chuddy

Ahead of the 2027 general election, the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), has criticised the alleged plans by some opposition party supporters of President Bola Tinubu to weaken and infiltrate the ruling party’s ranks under the pretext for support for the president’s re election.

The body of governors elected under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected what they described as the cross-party coalition and external political arrangements ahead of the 2027 general election.

Recall that former governor of Rivers state, and minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike had formed what he described as a rainbow coalition in some states to campaign for the re election of President Tinubu in 2027.

The coalition which has swept across Rivers, Katsina, Gombe and Kwara states, has brought members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some aggrieved members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) together, with the APC members picking PDP tickets to contest both governorship and national assembly elections, after losing same in the ruling party.

Rejecting the Nyesom Wike-led PDP’s rainbow coalition move to field its aggrieved members against the ruling , the Progressive Governors Forum said it will officially take charge of President Bola Tinubu’s reelection campaign within their respective states.

The APC governors who met Monday night at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, distance itself from any political coalition that could undermine the President’s interests or weaken the party.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, PGF chairman, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, said the APC will exclusively back its own candidates.

The Forum therefore urged its supporters to ignore any coalition report and support and vote only candidates who emerged on the APC platform .

“The forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate in, support, or endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining the reelection of Mr. President, weakening the APC, or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels.

“In other words, the Forum has no intention to support any candidate at any level that is not an APC candidate, because the election and our candidates are standing election as being sponsored by our party.”

The PGF emphasized that its campaign loyalty remains undivided, adding that “no arrangements that create confusion, divided loyalty, or competing interests within the party will be entertained.”

The governors maintained that they will remain at the forefront of the President’s reelection bid in their various states.

“All levels of the party’s campaign architecture will be aligned to the reelection of Mr. President and the strategic objectives of the APC, while maintaining national coherence,” Uzodimma stated.

The PGF chairman emphasized that the governors’ electoral mandate is strictly tied only to candidates produced by the party’s official organs, warning against competing interests or fragmented loyalties.

In a similar development, the APC Legacy group called on the progressive governors to guard against what it described as external forces that are aimed at destabilising and plot to weaken the ruling party with eyes on the 2031 elections

The group which is made of the legacy members of all the political parties that came together to form the APC in 2014, warned that some political heavy weights, who are not members of the ruling APC are currently using the pretext of coalition support for president Bola Tinubu’s re election to infiltrate and cause confusion in the APC, so as to weaken the party ahead of their 2031 political calculations

The APC Legacy group in a statement issued on Tuesday by it’s coordinator, Fubara Dagogo, called on the ruling party’s leadership to rise in support of the progressive governors, warning that no form of coalition should be accepted to weaken the APC

Dagogo who maintained that the APC has a strong structure to win a second term for President Bola in all the states, noted that “what the external forces are giving now is a Greek gift that could spell doom for the APC after the elections”

The group therefore joined the governors to call on all APC supporters to reject the coalition in their various states, while urging them to vote only candidates by that emerged on the ruling party’s platform

Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, has declared that he had no agreement with the APC governors to support their candidates, noting that his only concern in his rainbow coalition is to support and deliver the re election bid of President Bola Tinubu, while backing his party candidates at other levels of the election.

Wike, the national leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who reiterated his support for the reelection of President Bola Tinubu, said he never promised that the PDP will not field candidates in governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections.

The Minister in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Communication and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said the Rainbow Coalition does not have anything to do with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He noted that the coalition is a platform for other political parties that are pleased with the “good works” of the President and are supporting his reelection, stating further that he would not be the one to help governors win elections in their States

He said, “politics is local and those having problems in their states should resolve them instead of using the reelection of the President to whip up sentiments.”

Wike reminded that he never met with the APC before himself and other members of the G5 supported the President in 2023, and maintained that for 2027, his support will be only for the president .

Querying the governors support for President Tinubu, Wike noted, “In Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodinma, how did APC win two senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day with that of the President and APC had less than 15 percent in the presidential election? Was it rainbow coalition? Were the voters confused?

“Was it rainbow coalition that also made APC to win National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu states where the President did not have ten percent of the votes? If in 2023, the voters in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi voted APC in the Senatorial election and voted another party in the presidential election, they won’t be confused in 2027 provided we all support the president genuinely this time?”

The Minister urged all stakeholders to put the presidential election first, saying; “after the President must have been reelected, we can all go and face elections in our states.

“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the reelection of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections.

“Most importantly, rainbow coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is our own way of mobilising support accross political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” he said.