General News
PDP rejects Ebonyi council polls, threatens legal action
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ebonyi chapter, has rejected the Saturday’s local government elections conducted in the state, describing the exercise as a “mono-party polls” allegedly conducted in defiance of subsisting court judgments.
The State Publicity Secretary of the Party, Mr Darlington Onwe, made the position known at a press conference in Abakaliki on Sunday.
Onwe said the party considered the exercise “not an election at all,” alleging that the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) and the state government had failed to ensure genuine participation by all registered political parties.
He argued that the exercise was unconstitutional and incapable of conferring legitimacy on any candidate that emerged from it.
According to him, Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution guarantees a system of democratically elected local government councils, while Section 14 recognises the sovereignty of the people and their participation in governance.
He said a local government election substantially contested by only one political party could not meet the constitutional requirement for democratic representation.
The PDP spokesperson also relied on the Supreme Court judgment in Attorney-General of the Federation v. Attorney-General of Abia State & 35 Others, delivered in July 2024.
He said the judgment affirmed the constitutional importance of democratically elected local government councils and addressed the tenure of elected local government officials.
Onwe further challenged the legality of the two-year tenure provided under the amended Ebonyi State Local Government Law, arguing that it was inconsistent with constitutional provisions and the Supreme Court’s pronouncements.
He maintained that any election conducted under a law that was inconsistent with the Constitution could not cure the alleged legal defect.
The PDP also recalled the 2022 local government election in Ebonyi, which it said was nullified by the Federal High Court in Abakaliki over alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act and denial of a level playing field.
The party said the judgment was subsequently affirmed by the Court of Appeal in May 2025.
It further alleged that EBSIEC conducted another local government election on July 20, 2024, despite the ongoing litigation, with candidates of the ruling party emerging across the 13 chairmanship and 171 councillorship positions.
Onwe noted that the election was also subsequently nullified by the Federal High Court, Abakaliki, on Oct. 21, 2025.
He alleged that the court also restrained EBSIEC and the state government from conducting another local government election except in accordance with the Constitution and Electoral Act.
He contended that the order remained subsisting and should therefore, restrain the electoral commission and the state government.
The spokesperson also warned that the alleged conduct of the election could have financial implications for the state’s 13 local government areas.
Onwe cited the Supreme Court’s position on democratically elected councils and warned that any council structure emerging from an allegedly unconstitutional process could face challenges in accessing federal allocations.
He urged relevant federal agencies, including the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to take note of the party’s position.
The PDP spokesperson called on EBSIEC to suspend the electoral process pending compliance with relevant court orders and resolution of what it described as constitutional defects in the state’s local government law.
The party also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take note of the development and urged the Ebonyi Government to comply with all outstanding court orders relating to local government administration.
Onwe said the party would challenge the outcome of the election before a competent court.
The PDP’s position came amid its earlier declaration that it would not participate in the Saturday’s LG elections, citing alleged failure by EBSIEC to open the electoral process to all political parties.
The party said it remained committed to defending democratic participation and the rule of law in Ebonyi.
Reacting to the development, Mr Patrick Enyi, EBSIEC Chairman told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that the election was made open to all political parties and all processes were duly followed.
“We created awareness for all interested parties to participate but they did not show interest, especially PDP,” he added.
Enyi, however, did not name the political parties that participated in the polls.
He subsequently ended the telephone conversation and did not respond to a second call from NAN seeking further clarification on the issue.
Also reacting, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, State’s Chairman of APC, described the election as a “competitive exercise” noting that all political parties were carried along by the EBSIEC.
“It was an open contest for the parties that indicated interest. I believe nothing was done secretly from the beginning to the day of the elections,” Okoro-Emegha said.
NAN reports that results of the Saturday’s Ebonyi LG polls are still being awaited.(NAN).
General News
Panel recommends dismissal of NSCDC commandant, other officers, compensates victims’ families
By Our Reporter
The Chairman of the Independent Investigative Committee on the death of some Niger miners in the state, Jonathan Kure, has recommended that one point four billion be paid to the families of 33 victims and 44 survivors.
Speaking in Abuja while presenting the report of the committee on Tuesday, Kure said the deaths were avoidable as the victims, including 14 minors, were held in inhuman conditions.
The committee also recommended summary dismissal of the state commandant of the Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and all other officers who were directly involved in the detention and eventual death of the miners.
The committee equally recommended institutional reforms for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in order to strengthen the leadership of the corps.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who received the report, promised to implement the recommendations of the committee in order to ensure justice for all affected persons.
Tunji-Ojo also directed the commandant of the Corps to immediately suspend all officers who cleaned up the detention centre in order to destroy evidence.
By Our Reporter with agency report
President Bola Tinubu has sought the approval of the Senate for a 2026–2027 supplementary external borrowing plan of $20.52 billion dollars and 1.05 billion euros.
Tinubu’s request is contained in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read at plenary on Tuesday.
Tinubu said the proposed borrowing plan would be utilised on critical sectors of the economy, including infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, water supply, security, employment generation and financial management reforms.
He said the funds would help address the country’s infrastructure deficit and bridge the financing gap required to implement critical development projects.
The president said that the projects and programmes under the plan were selected following technical and economic evaluations, with consideration on its anticipated contributions to Nigeria’s socioeconomic development.
“These initiatives aim to generate employment, promote skill acquisition, foster entrepreneurship, reduce poverty and enhance food security, all of which improve the livelihood of the Nigerian child,” he said.
Tinubu said most of the projects and programmes would be implemented across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. (FCT).
He said substantial investment in infrastructure remained necessary to support economic growth and address longstanding development challenges.
“In light of the need for significant infrastructure investment in the country and the vast financial resources needed to address this gap.
“It has become essential to pursue prudent external borrowings to close the financing shortfall,” the President said.
He said the funds would primarily be channelled into critical infrastructure projects, particularly in the power, transportation and healthcare sectors.
Tinubu urged the Senate to give the borrowing plan urgent consideration, adding that approval would enable the government to meet its obligations to Nigerians through timely disbursements and effective project implementation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, said that the borrowing plan had been previously featured in the approved borrowing plan of the federal government.
He thereafter referred the request to the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts for further legislative inputs with collaboration from the Committees on Appropriations and Finance.
“The borrowing plan is attached, but of course, this was even earlier approved in our budget, and also the external borrowing plan was approved as far back as 2025 to 2027,” Akpabio said. (NAN)
England captain Harry Kane has been crowned the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or winner, beating Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé to claim the prestigious individual award.
Kane received the award at the Palladium Theatre in London, United Kingdom, on Monday, becoming the first English player to win the men’s Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001.
The 33-year-old striker enjoyed a remarkable 2025/26 season, scoring 73 goals for club and country. His goals played a key role in helping Bayern Munich secure the German Bundesliga title and reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Kane also captained England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, where the Three Lions finished with a bronze medal.
Meanwhile, Barcelona and Spain legend Alexia Putellas won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time, joining fellow Spaniard Aitana Bonmatí as the only players to have achieved the feat.
Putellas’ latest triumph further underlines her status as one of the most decorated players in women’s football.
Earlier in the ceremony, Arsenal and England forward Bukayo Saka received the Socrates Trophy in recognition of his humanitarian and charitable activities.
Saka was honoured for his charity work, which has supported surgeries for children in Nigeria and other African countries.
Full List of 2026 Ballon d’Or Winners
1- Men’s Ballon d’Or: Harry Kane
2- Women’s Ballon d’Or: Alexia Putellas
3- Best Young Talent of the Year: Lamine Yamal and Vicky López
4- Best Goalkeeper Trophy: Cata Coll and Unai Simón
5- Women’s Best Striker of the Year: Charlyn Corral
-6- Men’s Best Striker of the Year: Harry Kane
7- Best Men’s Coach: Luis de la Fuente
8- Best Women’s Coach: Pere Romeu
9+ Men’s Best Club: Paris Saint-Germain
10+ Women’s Club of the Year: FC Barcelona
11- Socrates Trophy: Bukayo Saka
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