₦airaland Forum

The National Boundary Commission has reaffirmed the importance of stronger border demarcation and regional collaboration in enhancing security, trade, and economic opportunities between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

The Director-General of the commission, Adamu Adaji, made this known during a two-day Cross Border Cooperation Programme held along the Nigeria-Benin and Benin-Togo borders on 14 and 15 May, 2026.

Adaji was represented at the event by the Head of Cross Border Cooperation, Farouk Tarfa.
“Clearly defined and properly demarcated borders remain critical to enhancing cross-border cooperation, community resilience, peace, and security across the African continent,” Adaji stated.

The programme was hosted by the Director-General of the National Boundary Commission of Benin Republic, Yousouf Adams.

Officials said the initiative aims to strengthen peaceful coexistence, improve border governance, and deepen regional integration within West Africa.

Adaji noted that many African borders inherited during the colonial era remained unclear at independence, but African leaders chose dialogue and cooperation over conflict in resolving boundary issues.

He also called for continued support from the German International Cooperation toward completing the demarcation of the Nigeria-Benin boundary.

“The successful completion of the demarcation process will pave the way for improved cross-border cooperation, enhanced livelihood opportunities for borderland communities, and strengthened border security,” he said.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned social media influencer and self-acclaimed relationship therapist, Blessing CEO, before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over an alleged N36 million fraud.

Blessing CEO, whose real name is Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, was arraigned on Friday before Justice D.I. Dipeolu on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing.

Court proceedings

During proceedings, counsel to the defendant, P.I. Nwafor, informed the court that his client had refunded N24 million out of the alleged N36 million involved in the case.

“We have an application to make. The defendant approached the nominal complainant and refunded N24 million out of the N36 million.

“We are asking for a short adjournment to resolve the outstanding balance. The nominal complainant agreed that if the balance is paid, they can prevail on the EFCC to drop the case,” he said.

However, prosecution counsel, S.I. Suleiman, told the court that the Federal Government was the complainant in the matter and insisted that the arraignment should proceed.

Former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has said he and his political supporters gained nothing after helping former President Muhammadu Buhari secure victory in the 2015 presidential election.

Mr Kwankwaso made the remarks during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, while reflecting on his political journey and the factors that pushed him toward seeking a new political direction.

“I worked so hard. We brought about 1.9, almost 2 million votes. But as politicians, we are not recognised,” he said.

“We put our lives even on the line at that time. But unfortunately, we could not see any benefit either as individuals or the constituencies that we represented.”

Reflection on past administrations

Mr Kwankwaso did not specify what benefits he expected from the Buhari administration or what he believed was lacking after the 2015 election.

However, he reviewed successive Nigerian governments since 1999, arguing that the country has yet to experience the level of leadership needed for meaningful national progress.

He said former President Olusegun Obasanjo “did his best,” while the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua faced severe health challenges during his administration.

He also stated that former President Goodluck Jonathan governed under political complications linked to a disputed one-term arrangement.

Turning to the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr Kwankwaso said, “Everybody knows there are issues with this administration again.”

A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, says the death of former President Umar Musa Yar’adua created confusion over Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement between the North and South.

Mr Kwankwaso stated this during an interview on Arise TV on Monday while defending the NDC’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.

“We believe the best way to go now is to take it to the south so that we can eliminate the confusion… that emanated from the death of our brother, our friend, Umar Musa Yar’adua,” he said.

Mr Kwankwaso and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi formally joined the NDC on 3 May after defecting from the African Democratic Congress amid internal disputes and litigation within the opposition party.

At its national convention in Abuja, the NDC officially ratified the decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.

Zoning debate and political balance

Mr Yar’adua, who was elected president in 2007, died in office in May 2010 after a prolonged illness, completing less than one term in office.

His deputy, former President Goodluck Jonathan from the South, completed the tenure and later won a fresh mandate in the 2011 presidential election.

Mr Kwankwaso acknowledged that arguments surrounding zoning often depend on where political actors begin their calculations.

“One can argue that from 1999 to date, the south has done more years than the north. But it depends on how it suits you,” he said.

The zoning principle remains one of the most sensitive issues in Nigerian politics, particularly ahead of presidential elections, with major parties often balancing tickets between the North and South to maintain political stability.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has declared that the crisis that rocked the Labour Party has been resolved, expressing confidence that the party is now positioned to move forward ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Otti stated this in a post via official X handle on Friday while reacting to the presentation of a free nomination form to him by the party’s National Working Committee at the Abia State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.

The nomination form was presented by the party’s National Chairman, Nenadi Usman.

Speaking after receiving the form, the governor commended the party leadership for resolving the prolonged internal disputes that had threatened the stability of the party.

“I commend Senator Usman for her leadership in steering our party out of the protracted crisis that once plagued it,” Otti said.

The governor maintained that the party had successfully overcome all legal and political obstacles, clearing the way for preparations toward the next general elections.

“Today, I am confident that the coast is clear for the Labour Party to move forward into the next general elections, as all legal impediments have been effectively resolved, with no subsisting litigation against our party,” he stated.

Otti also thanked the National Working Committee for the gesture, pledging continued loyalty and support to the party.

“I sincerely thank the leadership of our great party, including the National Chairman, the National Secretary Hon. Obioma Iheanacho, and all members of the NWC, for this honour. I assure you that I do not take this gesture lightly,” he said.

He further pledged not to disappoint the party and vowed to continue supporting its growth and development.

“I pledge never to disappoint the Labour Party and will continue to support it in every possible way,” Otti added.

The governor dedicated the recognition to the people of Abia State, saying their support continues to inspire his administration’s commitment to governance and service delivery.

The African Democratic Congress has described the departure of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and ex-Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as a setback but not a fatal blow to the party’s 2027 ambitions.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made this known on Monday during an interview on Arise News’ Prime Time programme.

Mr Abdullahi said, “Is it a setback? The answer is yes. Is it a fatal blow? The answer is no, because the objectives are very clear. They are still the same.”

Mr Obi and Mr Kwankwaso had briefly aligned with the ADC as part of efforts to build a broad opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections but have since defected to the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

When pressed on whether their exit had weakened the party’s prospects, Mr Abdullahi said past electoral performance does not necessarily translate into future votes.

“Personally, I’m not happy they left. And I cannot tell you why, because I have my own sentiments. I’m not happy they left,” he added.

He noted, however, that their departure also brought some relief to the party.

“In a way, it’s a bit of relief. Now we can focus on really doing what we need to do without being under the pressure cooker that they were trying to put us in. I am not disheartened. No, no, not at all,” Mr Abdullahi said.

He further stated that the ADC does not consider the two politicians as enemies.

“We don’t think they are our enemies. We are not going to go into a dogfight with them,” he said.

The National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-West, Adedeji Doherty, has warned the former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George, to desist from his incessant criticisms of its national leader and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, or face expulsion from the party.

Reacting to the recent Supreme Court judgment, Doherty maintained that the ruling was timely and had concluded as expected. He insisted that the PDP would, henceforth, “wield its big stick” to sanction any recalcitrant member seeking to play the role of a spoiler.

“We won’t hesitate to expel Chief Bode George from his ward and local government in Lagos State if he continues to malign Wike in the media. Enough is enough!”

stated that he had predicted last year that the South-West convention—spearheaded by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde—would dwindle the fortunes of the PDP. He noted that the event was held without recourse to the statutory framework of the party, which dictates that congresses from the ward to the state level must be concluded before a national convention. He likened Makinde’s actions to the Biblical harlot who suggested the king divide a living baby in two, knowing her own child was dead, simply to spite the rightful mother.

Continuing, he argued that if the aggrieved members were genuine in their pursuit, they would have met with Wike to reconcile with the party following the Appeal Court judgment. Instead, he noted, they proceeded to the Supreme Court despite knowing that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timeline was too tight to accommodate such processes seamlessly.

He was particularly irked by the attitude of Governor Makinde, whom he accused of moving from Ibadan to Lagos in 2019 to disrupt his election as national ex-officio.

“I can assure you, no political party worth its salt, would admit Makinde. You claimed you are working for the PDP but at the same time, you assembled people at Ibadan, claiming that you’re working towards a coalition. Who does that?”

On the future of the PDP given the exodus of several leaders, Doherty claimed the outlook is brightening each day the party secures a legal victory.

“The court experience is a bittersweet pill. It brings an end to the so-called factionalisation of members,” he added.

Doherty also referenced comments credited to the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Kabiru Turaki-led NWC, Senator Adolphus Wabara. Wabara reportedly stated that the Supreme Court affirmed the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature, and Ajibade; however, Doherty dismissed this, suggesting the former Senate President was being “too clever by half.”

“The Supreme Court struck out the appeal; so what’s Senator Wabara talking about? In any case, you have the appellant and defendant. How can you say there is no winner when the apex court nullified their convention in Ibadan?”

“It’s unfortunate that some older people won’t respect themselves. How do you now want young people to respect them? Sen Wabara called a meeting of BoT and he was not there physically.

“Even Chief George, who has made it his rhetoric that ‘the BoT is the conscience’ of the PDP and would take over the running of the party during a crisis, where is that written in our constitution?

“Now, they are jumping out of the party. Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi has joined the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and we learnt Makinde too is on his way out. If they truly believed in the party, they would have joined hands to salvage it.”