Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reaffirmed his support for Shehu Yohanna as the Acting/Interim Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Paul Ibe, Atiku urged all ADC stakeholders in the state to operate under the party structure led by Yohanna.

Ibe further noted that Atiku has endorsed the Sadiq Dasin-led Transition Team, encouraging it to work closely with the Yohanna-led executive to strengthen and fully establish the ADC in Adamawa.

According to Ibe, Atiku’s directive to the state executive and the Transition Team comes after all legal disputes were resolved, with key actors in the state signing binding agreements.

“I am particularly elated that we, in the Adamawa ADC family, are ending the year on a very positive note with the resolution of all extant issues. No house divided against itself can stand.”

“To this end, I encourage both the Adamawa exco led by Shehu and the Dasin Transition Team to work together in establishing the ADC as the preferred political party of choice in Adamawa State,” Atiku said.

“The Waziri Adamawa noted that in line with the directive of the Sen. David Mark led national executive of the ADC, there will be zero tolerance for all acts of indiscipline and insubordination,” the former Vice President said in the statement

Kabiru Turaki, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has stated that the party has not received any formal communication from Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State regarding his resignation.

Adeleke had announced on Tuesday that he was leaving the PDP, citing the ongoing crisis within the party as his reason for departure.

Speaking to journalists after the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja, Turaki acknowledged that Adeleke is constitutionally entitled to either stay or leave the party.

He added that the PDP only became aware of Adeleke’s resignation through media reports and has yet to receive an official notice from the governor.

“We have seen online a letter said to be from him resigning from our party, but I tell you that we have not, up to this moment, received any formal indication that he has left,” Turaki said.

The factional chairman noted that Adeleke’s name is still listed among the aspirants vying for the Osun governorship ticket.

He added that the party would depend on reports from its officials at the primary to ascertain whether the governor has formally withdrawn or is still participating in the contest.

“As far as we are concerned, even if the letter circulating online is genuine, Gov. Adeleke, like any Nigerian, has the freedom to associate as he wishes,” Turaki said.

Turaki emphasized that the PDP’s true strength resides in its supporters rather than in elected officials who decide to leave the party.

He added that defections by governors in certain states have not substantially weakened the party’s grassroots backing.

“Our people have remained with us, and by God’s grace, when elections come, they will show that the PDP is still solid,” he said.

Turaki stated that the National Working Committee (NWC) had reviewed and approved the congresses conducted in Osun for the election of ad hoc delegates.

He added that preparations for the local government elections in Anambra were also assessed, with the party expressing confidence in achieving a strong performance.

Turaki further noted that former PDP governors nominated by President Bola Tinubu for non-career ambassadorial positions have yet to inform the party.

“If they approach us, we will consider their communication on its merit,” he said.

Addressing the nation’s worsening security situation, Turaki urged the federal government to urgently reassess Nigeria’s security framework.

He remarked that it is unreasonable to designate governors as chief security officers when they have no real control over security operations in their states.

“We call on the federal government to brace up and begin a comprehensive review of the security framework in this country,” he said.

A cross section of Nigerians have initiated a call for Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle’s resignation over an old video of him currently circulating online.

The video recorded by Channels TV in 2021 captured Matawalle, who was then, the Governor of Zamfara State, defending some trouble makers in the state.

Matawalle made the comment at the State House, Abuja after meeting with the then President, Muhammadu Buhari.

While answering questions from journalists on the activities of bandits in Zamfara State, Matawalle said “not all of them are criminals”.

“Not all of them are criminals. If you investigate what is happening, and what made them to take the laws into their hands, some of them, sometimes were cheated by so-called the vigilante group.

“They normally go to their settlements and destroy property and take their animals. They did not have anyone to speak with, so sometimes, they go for revenge. When the vigilante group attacks them, they go for reprisals. That is exactly what happened,” Matawalle said.

The video resurfaced online shortly after Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, tendered his resignation.

Here are some of the reactions from X, formerly Twitter as compiled by DAILY POST correspondent.

@A6udawud: “Matawalle always approach bandits with negotiation rather than fighting them. He negotiated for the kebbi girls’ release.

“Tinubu should take out Matawalle who turns the Defence Ministry into a campaign hub”.

@tkayose: “The now minister of state of defence former zamfara state governor matawalle once said.

“No wonder the APC Tinubu govt keep using bandits in place of terrorist. Why hasn’t matawalle and Gumi been arrested?”

@engr_shaibu_: “Matawalle said bandits aren’t criminals. Just misunderstood victims.

“Now he’s Minister of Defence. This empty head and terrorists sympathizer is now the one writing our security policy. He needs to be sacked immediately!”

Lagos State Government has confirmed plans to gradually withdraw small commercial buses, commonly known as korope, from major highways as part of a broader strategy to modernise the public transport system and improve commuter safety.

The decision was reiterated at a stakeholder meeting held ahead of the launch of the Lekki-Epe Bus Reform Scheme, which is set to begin operations on December 8, 2025.

The meeting brought together the Ministry of Transportation, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA, and representatives of informal transport operators to conclude arrangements for the first phase of the initiative.

The reform will introduce exclusive, fully regulated bus services across major transport corridors, including Ajah–CMS (Marina)/Obalende, Ajah–Oshodi, Ajah–Berger and Ajah–Iyana Ipaja. Services will later be extended to Epe.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, LAMATA’s Head of Corporate Communication, Kolawole Ojelabi, said Special Adviser on Transportation, Sola Giwa, who presided over the meeting, explained that the state’s long-term objective is to eliminate unsafe and unregulated vehicles from high-traffic routes and replace them with a more efficient, coordinated system.

He said the government aims to enhance passenger comfort, improve safety standards, and ensure better travel experiences for residents.

“We need to take a lot of bad buses off the road. The Lekki–Epe Expressway is not isolated. We are working on other major transit corridors.

“The State Government also plans to remove the small buses, known as korope, from major highways and reassign them to feeder and community routes to strengthen the First and Last Mile bus scheme,” Giwa said.

Under the new structure, the currently regulated operator on the corridor will continue stage-carriage services, while Oneness, a collaborative group of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, has been approved to operate express services between Ajah, Oshodi and Berger.

All buses under the scheme will bear Lagos State’s official blue-and-white regulated colours and carry quick-response, QR, codes for verification, unique identification numbers, and Touch and Pay, TAP, stickers. Drivers will also be required to wear official Ministry of Transportation badges.

A total of 229 medium- and high-capacity buses will operate in the first phase, with fare payments strictly limited to the Cowry card electronic system.

Giwa cautioned that any transport operator or passenger involved in cash transactions on the corridor will be arrested and prosecuted.

The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has announced the postponement of the opening of its portal for shortlisted candidates to attend physical screening and document verification for the 2025 recruitment exercise.

The portal was initially scheduled to open from Monday, December 1, to Wednesday, December 3.

The board, in a statement signed by its Secretary, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) A.M Jibril, and posted on X on Monday night, said the portal “will now be open as soon as possible.”

The statement urged shortlisted candidates to check the official recruitment portal, “recruitment.cdcfib.gov.ng” for updates on the new opening date.

The CDCFIB apologises for any inconvenience caused and appreciates the interest of applicants in the recruitment exercise.

“Further announcements will be made on the official portal and social media handles,” it stated.

Following the completion of the computer-based tests last month, the board had announced that shortlisted candidates for physical screening and document verification would be released starting December 1.

According to the board, the physical verification phase remains a critical stage of the recruitment process, during which applicants’ identities, documents and physical fitness will be authenticated before they proceed to the final stage of selection.

The recruitment is for the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Federal Fire Service (FFS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Telecommunications companies contributed N4.4tn to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product in the third quarter of 2025, representing 84.5 per cent of the N5.2tn generated by the wider Information and Communications sector, the National Bureau of Statistics stated in its latest report.

The ICT sector, which also includes broadcasting, sound and media production, and publishing, accounted for 9.1 per cent of real GDP in Q3 2025, down from 11.8 per cent in the previous quarter. Despite the decline in quarterly share, the sector achieved year-on-year growth of 5.78 per cent, highlighting its sustained contribution to economic expansion.

These figures show that telecom operators, mainly MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom, and T2, are the backbone of the ICT sector. The broader digital economy, which includes the financial institutions sector, contributed 11.8 per cent of Nigeria’s real GDP, or N6.7tn, to the country’s total N57tn GDP in Q3 2025.

The President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Tony Emoekpere, explained that the sector’s improved numbers reflect greater responsiveness from policymakers.

“The increase in revenue and contribution to GDP is a testament to the policies that have been put in place and the fact that this government has been responsive to industry needs,”

Further, the report stated that broadcasting accounted for N430.7bn (8.2 per cent) and sound and media production contributed N379.2bn (7.2 per cent) to the ICT sector, while publishing remained minimal at N9bn, representing just 0.1 per cent of the total.

Overall, Nigeria’s GDP grew by 3.98 per cent during the quarter, slightly below the 4.23 per cent recorded in Q2 2025 but higher than the 3.86 per cent growth in Q3 2024.

Evidence of recovery is visible in recent financial statements: MTN Nigeria posted a pre-tax profit of N419.61bn in Q2 2025, compared with a pre-tax loss of N179.60bn in the same period last year.

Airtel Nigeria generated $333m in revenue for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, a 30 per cent increase year-on-year.

After years of rising energy costs and currency volatility, a long-sought 50 per cent tariff increase approved earlier this year has given operators more room to invest. They are now pumping $1bn into network upgrades, much of it spent on Chinese equipment.

“When operators pushed for tariff reform, it was implemented. Other concerns, including cost-of-network-infrastructure issues, have been addressed,” Emoekpere said.

He noted that confidence is rising accordingly. “Many operators are now planning to increase their investments in the coming years,” he added. He also points to early progress on the government’s fibre programme: part of the $500m World Bank-backed financing has already been approved.

Analysts say a more stubborn hurdle remains local participation in an industry still heavily reliant on foreign vendors. The minister, according to the analysts, has signalled new policies to encourage domestic players, a promise the industry has heard before but which may finally stick if investment momentum continues.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government is rolling out Project Bridge, a plan to construct 90,000 km of new fibre optic infrastructure, aimed at connecting all six geopolitical zones and increasing internet penetration, particularly in underserved rural areas.

The expansion will build on the existing national fibre backbone, targeting 125,000 km by 2027, and aims to raise internet penetration to 70 per cent by 2025 and 80 per cent for underserved populations by 2027.