Abbas Yushau Yusuf

An APC chieftain, Inuwa Waya, has said the wave of political defections and realignments currently unfolding in Kano State reflects the evolving dynamics of Nigeria’s political environment as the country approaches another election cycle.

Waya made the remarks during an interactive session with the Kano Online Media Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, where he addressed recent developments in party politics and governance in the state.

He explained that periods leading up to elections are often characterized by strategic political movements, as individuals and groups reassess their positions in line with their ambitions and ideological goals. According to him, such transitions are not unusual but rather a defining feature of Nigeria’s democratic process.

“It is a time of changing parties by individuals and also a time for alignment and realignment,” Waya said, noting that the approach of elections tends to expose political bottlenecks due to the fluid nature of the system.

He emphasized that political parties, by definition, are associations of individuals and groups with shared objectives. As a result, politicians naturally gravitate toward platforms that best align with their goals and offer opportunities for achieving them.

Speaking specifically on Kano politics, Waya pointed to the decision of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to join the All Progressives Congress, attributing the move to internal crises within the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

He said the challenges within the NNPP, including ongoing legal disputes, created obstacles that hindered effective governance. According to him, the governor’s defection has provided the stability needed to focus on developmental projects and deliver on the expectations of the people.

Waya further argued that political desperation among key actors often disrupts societal stability, but maintained that the governor’s move to the APC has helped restore order in Kano’s political space.

He also commended the administration of Governor Yusuf, stating that it has continued to make meaningful impacts on the lives of residents across the state.

Drawing from political theory, Waya referenced British scholar Alan Ball, noting that politics involves everyone in society, from elites to grassroots actors such as traders and artisans. He reiterated the idea that humans are inherently political beings.

Waya future stressed that politics should serve as a unifying force aimed at advancing society and ensuring good governance. He called on political actors to prioritize collaboration and the collective interest of the people over personal ambitions.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed its planned nationwide voter revalidation exercise till after the 2027 general election.

In a statement on Friday, Mohammed Haruna, INEC’s national commissioner and chairman of the information and voter education committee, said the decision was made at a meeting between the commission and resident electoral commissioners (RECs).

“Following deliberations, the commission resolved to postpone the exercise until after the 2027 General Election,” the statement reads.

Since the Commission’s resolve to embark on the revalidation exercise, reactions have trailed, especially from the opposition coalition camp, the ADC.

It cited an allegation of wanting to sabotage eligible electorates in favour of the ruling party.

The World Bank has urged the Nigerian government to reopen the petrol market to competition by reinstating import licences in an effort to reduce the inflationary pressures caused by the fallout of the Middle East conflict.

In its latest Nigeria Development Update released , the Washington-based lender says the suspension of petrol import licences since January 2026 “has reduced competition, allowing prices to exceed import-parity levels”.

Word Bank further says

“Allowing qualified marketers to resume imports would restore competition, reduce pricing distortions and better align domestic prices with global benchmarks,” it says. “Greater market contestability would also strengthen supply security by reducing reliance on a single refinery and broadening sourcing options, while remaining consistent with domestic refining objectives.”

The World Bank recommends reinstating petrol import licences to dismantle a supply monopoly, aiming to lower domestic fuel costs that currently sit 12% above global benchmarks.

“Allowing qualified marketers to resume imports would restore competition, reduce pricing distortions and better align domestic prices with global benchmarks,” it says. “Greater market contestability would also strengthen supply security by reducing reliance on a single refinery and broadening sourcing options, while remaining consistent with domestic refining objectives.”

The World Bank points out that following the recent surge in global oil prices, the Dangote refinery – the main supplier of refined petrol after the regulator ceased issuing import licences in early 2026 – raised its ex-depot petrol price to about ₦1,275 ($0.92) per litre as of 23 March 2026.

That compares to an estimated import-parity price of around ₦1,122 per litre, implying a cost differential of roughly 12%, according to the report.

On 13 March, The Africa Report reported that the battle for survival among Nigeria’s traditional fuel importers had intensified in the first quarter of 2026 following the non-issuance of petrol import licence .

With the Africa report on the World Bank’s stand on Nigeria’s petroleum market, Nigerians continued to express their mixed feelings, noting that other company owners have staff to pay, they were not given the opportunity to import, Nigeria is a big country and a single company and refinery cannot supply sufficient fuel to the teeming millions of Nigerians. It is the nation’s economy; it cannot be handled by a single individual, and if there is a problem, he cannot handle it alone.

Source:Africa Report