A Kaduna businessman, Nasiru Musa Idris, has filed multiple criminal complaints against Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and six others, alleging the wrongful detention of his Moroccan wife, Khadija Diab, for about 11 months. According to court documents seen by Podium Reporters, Idris legally married Diab in October 2024 after fulfilling all requisite formalities in Morocco and Nigeria. He claims the trouble began after he met Gumi at a pharmacy and later introduced his wife to him. Gumi allegedly insisted Idris obtain an additional marriage certificate from a Sharia Court, and then requested that his wife come for counselling due…
Author: Abiola
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has declared he is “ready to die” for Nigeria, urging citizens to actively defend their votes ahead of the 2027 general elections. Speaking on Thursday at a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the former Anambra State governor insisted that securing credible elections cannot be left to politicians or electoral officials alone. He called on supporters not to be intimidated by threats, stressing that the objective must be to ensure Nigerians’ choices at the ballot box are respected. Responding to a supporter who expressed willingness to sacrifice…
Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Sadiq Mamman-Lagos, has urged Northerners eyeing the presidency in 2027 to shelve their ambitions and wait until 2031, allowing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to complete his constitutional tenure. Speaking in an interview with journalists in Kaduna, Mamman-Lagos argued that the North should respect the political understanding that paved the way for Tinubu’s emergence. He recalled Tinubu’s role in supporting former President Muhammadu Buhari’s ambition despite his own presidential interest, stating the North should reciprocate by allowing Tinubu to complete his mandate rather than beginning another scramble for power. On electoral…
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected detained Adeniyi Adeyemi’s requests for bail and medical attention in the case involving the disputed Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC). The judge, however, ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to allow Adeyemi access to his lawyers. Justice Egwuatu also directed the IGP, the Nigeria Police Force and the AGF to explain within 72 hours why Adeyemi’s other requests, including bail, should not be granted. The matter was adjourned until September 9 for the respondents to provide their explanations. Adeyemi has…
Newly emerged documents have brought to light allegations against Karl Von Baten, also known as Ikemefuna Okeke, who is accused of perjury related to conflicting claims about his birthplace in US official records. Atiku Abubakar hired Washington-based firm Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. for $1.2 million annually to boost his image in the US, with Fabiyi Oladimeji of the African Democratic Congress signing the contract. This engagement was registered with the US Department of Justice under FARA. The core controversy involves Okeke’s US documents, where he allegedly claims to have been born in the US in one record, but his naturalisation documents…
Podium Reporters obtained intelligence revealing that powerful oil cartels, whose lucrative subsidy racket was dismantled by President Bola Tinubu in 2023, have finalised plans to pour a staggering $2 billion into Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential campaign. Sources close to the cartel say they are “ecstatic” at the prospect of returning to their old, self-serving business model; provided the former vice president delivers on their key demands. At a closed-door meeting with representatives of the ADC presidential candidate in Abuja about two weeks ago, Atiku made a startling admission that he is financially stranded and desperately needs major backing for what…
The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned until September 28, 2026, a suit filed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar seeking to disqualify President Bola Tinubu from the 2027 presidential election. Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), filed the suit with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, listing Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants. The suit is centered on allegations that Tinubu submitted a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to INEC. Atiku alleged in an affidavit that the certificate submitted bore the name “Tinubu…
Nigeria’s GDP expanded by 4.43% year-on-year in Q2 2026, up from 4.23% in Q2 2025 and 3.89% in Q1 2026. First-half growth reached 4.16%, compared to 3.68% in the same period of 2025. Expansion is increasingly broad-based: 27 subsectors recorded above 3.0% growth in Q2, up from 23 a year earlier. Manufacturing grew 3.24% (more than double 2025’s 1.60%), agriculture rose 4.39% (from 2.82%), and the services sector the largest driver expanded 4.60% (from 3.94%). The naira appreciated over 12% between H1 2025 and H1 2026, boosting the economy by roughly 17% in U.S. dollar terms. This trend, sustained alongside…
Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has formally joined an all-opposition coalition aimed at defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections. The PDP officially endorsed the G-100 initiative, a coalition of opposition figures working to build a unified front. National Chairman Kabiru Tanimu Turaki stated that the party’s participation is anchored on transparency and egalitarianism. The PDP confirmed it attended the inaugural G-100 summit on August 31, 2026, signalling its readiness for a single opposition platform. At the Abuja summit, six political parties including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement…
Police officers in Lagos State on Monday fired tear gas at pensioners who had gathered at the Lagos House in Ikeja to protest unpaid pension increases, wage awards, and other outstanding benefits.