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Peter Obi disowns merger talks with PDP, Kwankwaso
Four days after New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) leader Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso repudiated the proposed opposition alliance talks, his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi, has disowned the plan.
Obi, former Anambra State governor, said there is no merger deal yet with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the NNPP or any other party.
He told reporters in Abuja that no agreement had been established with other parties on collaboration ahead of 2027.
However, Obi urged Nigerians to come together in 2027 and defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC), which he accused of mismanaging the country’s resources.
Obi described the security situation as unfortunate, saying that many Nigerians are losing their lives to banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping-for-ransom.
He said corruption and the cost of governance are high, leading to an astronomical increase in public debt under the Tinubu Administration.
Obi alleged that government officials mismanaged public funds in 2024 through incessant foreign travels.
However, the APC rejected the allegations, saying that they were unfounded.
The ruling party said the former LP presidential candidate is still nursing bitterness over his defeat in the 2023 poll.
Obi also said the country’s electoral processes are visibly flawed, lacking transparency and credibility.
He said the electoral processes fell below acceptable standards, adding that people’s votes no longer count.
Obi said the single most challenging test for the President is ensuring that future elections are credible and truly reflect the will of the people.
Obi said: “We hold periodic elections that are no longer genuine. Our electoral processes are visibly flawed, lacking transparency and credibility.
“Although Nigeria is a democratic country, the electoral processes fall far below acceptable standards, with the people’s votes often not counting.”
“All future borrowing must be tied to regenerative investments and visible, productive assets that benefit the nation.
“This will ensure both productivity and the ability to service and amortise such loans, rather than continuing the current practice of accumulating massive debt with no tangible returns, which places undue strain on future development revenue.
“Furthermore, it is time for you to visit our national hospitals. Consider, for example, that your next medical examination be conducted at one of our national hospitals or regional federal medical centres, such as the FMC in Sokoto or Birnin Kebbi or Calabar or Umuahia or Akure, among others.
“This will allow you to assess the state of healthcare facilities available to Nigerians. It will also help you understand the condition of our hospitals and clinics, enabling you to make informed decisions on how to upgrade and make them efficient.
Endeavour to travel by road to observe the condition of most highways.
“You can take short trips, for example, from Calabar in Cross River State to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State – a distance of less than 100 km, or from Benin in Edo State to Warri in Delta State.
“I recall taking President Olusegun Obasanjo on a trip from Awka to Onitsha on a federal highway when I was the governor of Anambra State.
“That journey prompted him to immediately approve the reconstruction of parts of the road by the Anambra State government, with subsequent reimbursement by the Federal Government. Such actions are immensely valuable.
“Make both impromptu and planned visits to our tertiary institutions, where our children and future leaders are being trained. It is essential to familiarise yourself with the available infrastructure, facilities, and amenities.
“These visits will provide valuable insight into whether the resources of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) are being utilised optimally and what is needed to sustain the education system.
“Mr. President, many Nigerians are ‘refugees’ and ‘exiles’ in their own country.
“Visit various IDP camps and assure these Nigerians that they will soon return to their communities and that you are working hard to restore peace and normalcy to the country. Nigeria is not a war-torn nation.
”To motivate the soldiers fighting terror, Obi said: “As Commander-in-Chief, visit our military formations and security agencies, especially during their field operations, and provide them with morale-boosting assurances and support for operational efficiency.
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UK court jails Nigerian man for masturbating in front of a woman
British Transport Police said Odutola approached a woman on the train, looked her up and down and became aggressive when she refused to engage with him. He then exposed himself while sitting in a wheelchair and began masturbating while staring at the woman and telling her to “come over”
•A Nigerian man and registered sex offender, Babatunde Odutola
A Nigerian man and registered sex offender, Babatunde Odutola has been jailed in the UK after exposing himself and masturbating in front of a woman on a train travelling towards Manchester.
Odutola, 36, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 44 weeks in prison at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Monday, September 14, after pleading guilty to outraging public decency and breaching a suspended sentence order.
The incident occurred around 7pm on Friday, September 11, on a train travelling through Cheshire towards Manchester Piccadilly railway station.
British Transport Police said Odutola approached a woman on the train, looked her up and down and became aggressive when she refused to engage with him. He then exposed himself while sitting in a wheelchair and began masturbating while staring at the woman and telling her to “come over”.
A fellow passenger intervened and escorted the distressed woman from the carriage.
According to police, CCTV footage showed Odutola continued masturbating as other passengers walked through the carriage.
British Transport Police officers arrested him after the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly. He was subsequently prosecuted and jailed within 72 hours of the incident
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Digital Economy Minister Says NDPC Now Properly Functional With New HQ
” An asset recovered on behalf of the Nigerian people has now been returned to productive use for the Nigerian people. That is reform made tangible,” he said .
Abuja| NDPC new headquarters commission , Tuesday, 15 September,2026.
An EFCC-recovered property allocated to the Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, has been transformed to the new headquarters of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) in Abuja, as its headquarters.
Speaking during the commissioned ceremony of the building, the Honourable Minister incharge of the ministry, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, described the facility as a tangible demonstration of the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his commitment to building strong institutions that can support Nigeria’s growing digital economy.
The Minister emphasised that said the occasion represented more than the opening of a new office, but a reflection of the administration’s commitment to strengthening the institutions required to protect Nigerians and build trust in the country’s digital economy.
Dr. Tijani said, “Shortly after assuming office in 2023, President Tinubu signed the Nigeria Data Protection Act into law, giving the NDPC the appropriate legal foundation and authority to protect the data and privacy rights of Nigerians.
The President also directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government to comply with established data protection laws and frameworks, demonstrating that government must lead by example in upholding the standards it expects from citizens and businesses.”
He added, “In the early days of the Commission, it was difficult to ask an institution to protect the data of over 200 million Nigerians and support one of Africa’s largest digital economies without the institutional resources to do so.
President Tinubu recognised this challenge and moved to solve it, approving the resources required for the NDPC to become properly operational and functional, while building towards becoming a sustainable institution in its own right.
He also directed that an EFCC-recovered property be allocated to the Commission as its headquarters.
“An asset recovered on behalf of the Nigerian people has now been returned to productive use for the Nigerian people. That is reform made tangible,” he said .
Boko Haram has strongly denied reports of a ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government and insisted that it will continue its campaign of attacks.
In a statement released by the group, the militants dismissed claims of any truce or negotiated pause in hostilities, describing such reports as false and misleading.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing operations against government forces and other targets, vowing that its attacks will persist without interruption.
The denial comes against the backdrop of persistent insecurity in the northeast and other affected regions, where the group has maintained a long-standing insurgency.
Security sources note that the latest statement appears aimed at clarifying the group’s position and rejecting any suggestion of dialogue or de-escalation with the authorities.
Military and government officials have not issued an immediate detailed response to the claim, though security operations against the militants remain active. Authorities continue to urge vigilance as the group signals its intention to sustain violence.
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