A Federal High Court in Lokoja has set aside its earlier judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, Justice Isah Dashen nullified the December 10, 2025 judgment, declaring it a nullity on grounds that it violated the principles of natural justice.

Justice Dashen held that all parties with a direct interest in the matter must be given a fair hearing before any substantive decision is made. He upheld an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which joined the suit as an interested party, ruling that PMP successfully established its legal interest.

The judge noted that the earlier proceedings were constitutionally defective because the interested party was not heard. He further observed that material facts were suppressed during the initial proceedings, which necessitated setting aside the previous ruling.

Justice Dashen ordered that the status quo be restored pending the hearing of the substantive suit. He directed that the case commence afresh, with INEC, the Peace Movement Party (PMP), and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) properly joined as parties.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has directed the Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and other relevant agencies to ensure early action against flooding across the country as the rainy season intensifies.

VP Shettima gave the directive on Thursday during a meeting of the AATF at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He stressed the need to shift from reactive emergency response to proactive preparedness.

“The administration of President Bola Tinubu is committed to preventing floods and other climate-related disasters through timely intervention,” he said, emphasising that preparedness, coordination, and early action must become the standard practice of how risk is governed in the country.

VP Shettima who is also Chairman of the AATF observed that while climate and disaster risks are becoming more frequent and more severe every passing season, government’s responsibility should no longer be confined to responding only when emergencies arrive.

“We are called to act early, to reduce losses before they multiply, and to protect vulnerable communities before crises unfold around them,” he stated.

• Olatunji Ridwan Disu, Inspector General of Police (Federal)

EARLY this week, the Senate passed a historic bill – the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026. Here are the ten things to know about the bill, as compiled by Ohibaba.com:

(1)The existing Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is renamed the Nigeria Police Service (NPS)

(2) The bill formerly establishes State Police in Nigeria for the first time, giving each of the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory their own independent Police structure.

(3) The bill restructures and strengthens the Nigeria Police Council which now plays a critical oversight role.

It comprises the president of the federation as the chairman of the council, the governor of each state, chairman of police service commission , and the Inspector General of Police .

(4)The bill stipulates that each state must established a State Police Service Council chair by the governor and including the State Commissioner of Police as secretary. Other members are determined by state law.

(5). The bill introduces a dual funding model to prevent financial strangulation of state police. They will be funded from the consolidated revenue fund of the federation.

(6) Under the bill, the Inspector General of Police at the Federal level will serve a single term of 4 years non-renewable and the State Commissioners of police also serves a single four years term, non-renewable.

(7) The Police Service Commission is retained but restructured to cover only the Federal Police Service. States are required to establish their own Police Service Commissions to handle.

(8) To prevent abuse, the Inspector General of Police and State Commissioners are to operate independently; neither the president nor governors can give them unlawful operational orders.

(9) The bill detailed transitional arrangement as all existing officers of the Nigeria Police Force are automatically transferred to either the Federal Police Service or State Police Service based on their current deployments.

(10) The bill acknowledges it must work in tandem with amendment of the 1999 constitution as amended particularly to the third schedule ( Nigeria Police Council) and the exclusive legislative list to move policing from an exclusive federal matter to concurrent one share between the federal and state governments.

Source : President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre