By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Monday ordered the remand of Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of African Action Congress, in Kuje Prison.

Justice Mohammed Umar, in a short ruling, ordered Mr Sowore to be kept in prison pending the hearing and determination of his motion for a stay of the order for revoking bail and bench warrant.

Mr Umar also dismissed Mr Sowore’s earlier application seeking the judge’s recusal from the case on the ground of alleged bias.

The judge then adjourned the matter until June 24 for the hearing of the application for stay.

The motion for stay was filed by the defendant’s new lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika.

Mr Sowore, also the publisher of Sahara Reporters, arrived at the court accompanied by members of his group, who held placards.

Mr Umar had, on June 16, revoked a bail granted to Mr Sowore following his failure to appear in court for his trial.

Mr Umar, in a ruling on an oral application made by the lawyer to the State Security Service, Akinkolu Kehinde, also issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

The SSS is prosecuting Mr Sowore for allegedly making false claims against the person of President Bola Tinubu by referring to him as “a criminal” in a post he made on X and Facebook.

The Federal Government College Kano Old Students Association (FGCKOSA) has instituted a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging what it described as an unlawful attempt to convert part of the land belonging to Federal Government College (FGC) Kano into a private residential estate through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

In a statement issued on Saturday, FGCKOSA said the suit seeks judicial intervention over a land-swap agreement allegedly involving the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Pluck Global Company Limited, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), and other federal authorities.

According to the association, the case has been assigned to Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, with the first hearing scheduled for July 8, 2026.

FGCKOSA stated that the defendants in the suit include the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, the Minister of Education, Pluck Global Company Limited, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The association explained that the Attorney-General of the Federation was joined in the suit because the matter raises fundamental legal questions concerning the powers of federal ministries over public land, the legality of concessions affecting federal educational institutions, and the protection of public assets held in trust for educational purposes.

According to FGCKOSA, the central issue before the court is whether land belonging to a federal government secondary school and reserved for public educational use can lawfully be transferred to a private developer under the guise of a PPP or concession arrangement.

The association said it is also seeking clarification from the court regarding the roles and powers of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Executive Council, the ICRC, and Pluck Global Company Limited in relation to the disputed land.

FGCKOSA alleged that the decision to seek legal redress became necessary after repeated requests for information and transparency concerning the transaction were allegedly ignored by relevant authorities.

According to the association, it had written to the Federal Ministry of Education requesting clarification and access to documents relating to the concession arrangement. It added that a separate request was also sent to the ICRC seeking copies of the PPP agreement and approval documents associated with the project.

FGCKOSA claimed that while the ICRC acknowledged that the Ministry of Education was the contracting authority for the transaction and referred the association back to the ministry, key documents, including the concession agreement, approval records, valuation reports, procurement details, and evidence of Federal Executive Council approval, have yet to be made public.

The association further alleged that despite an existing court order in Kano restraining activities relating to the disputed land, individuals linked to the project were seen entering the school premises and marking portions of the land.

According to FGCKOSA, such actions amounted to an attempt to advance the land-swap arrangement despite the pendency of legal proceedings, a development it described as troubling and inconsistent with respect for the judicial process.

The association also expressed concern over reports that authorities were considering relocating or reconstructing some school facilities outside the concessioned area, arguing that such moves suggest an assumption that the transaction is already irreversible.

FGCKOSA maintained that the land belonging to Federal Government College Kano was originally reserved for educational activities, security infrastructure, recreational facilities, future expansion, and the long-term development of the institution.

According to the association, the proposed concession would involve carving out approximately 30 hectares of the school’s land for private residential and commercial development, a move it said could permanently undermine the future growth of the institution.

The alumni body stressed that it was not opposed to genuine efforts aimed at improving infrastructure and development within the school. However, it argued that any redevelopment initiative must be transparent, lawful, and in the best interest of students, staff, alumni, and the wider public.

FGCKOSA revealed that it had previously proposed what it described as a transparent alumni-led redevelopment initiative for the school, which would focus on raising funds, attracting grants and corporate social responsibility support, upgrading facilities, and improving academic standards without relinquishing any portion of the school’s land.

According to the association, the suit is seeking several reliefs from the court, including a declaration that public land belonging to Federal Government College Kano cannot be converted into private property for the benefit of a private developer through a PPP arrangement.

The association also seeks an order nullifying any concession, transfer, lease, sale, or land-swap agreement found to be inconsistent with the Land Use Act, concession laws, and constitutional provisions governing public assets.

FGCKOSA further requested a perpetual injunction restraining the Ministry of Education, Pluck Global Company Limited, and their agents from selling, allocating, marking, developing, or otherwise interfering with the disputed land pending the determination of the matter.

In addition, the association said it is demanding full accountability from all public institutions involved in the conception, approval, and implementation of the transaction, as well as a judicial pronouncement on whether federal school land can be treated as disposable real estate without proper legal authority and public oversight.

The association maintained that the case extends beyond Federal Government College Kano and raises broader concerns about the protection of public educational assets across Nigeria.

FGCKOSA called on the Federal Ministry of Education, Pluck Global Company Limited, the ICRC, and all parties connected to the project to suspend all activities on the disputed land pending the outcome of the court proceedings.

The association also urged the Attorney-General of the Federation to defend the rule of law and public interest by ensuring that federal educational assets are protected from what it described as unlawful alienation.

FGCKOSA says its committed to protecting public education and preserving Federal Government College Kano for future generations, insisting that no public educational institution should be treated as disposable real estate.

Fresh controversy has emerged within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kano State following allegations by some party stakeholders that the leadership imposed a governorship candidate ahead of the next election cycle.

Reacting to the allegations in a statement, Adnan Mukhtar Tudun Wada said reports from a recent press conference by some individuals claiming to be ADC stakeholders were misleading and did not reflect the position of the party leadership.

According to Tudun Wada, the individual who presented himself as the chairman of the party in Kano was no longer recognized in that capacity following a judgment of the Federal High Court. He stated that the party would constitute a caretaker committee after concluding ongoing efforts to address issues relating to aspirants seeking various political offices across the country.

Tudun Wada further dismissed claims made by a self-acclaimed chairman of an elders committee, insisting that the ADC never endorsed or appointed anyone to such a position. He alleged that the actions of the individual were driven by personal interests and a quest for political relevance.

The party loyalist argued that those making the claims were attempting to create confusion within the party at a critical period when consultations and consensus-building efforts were ongoing. He maintained that such actions could undermine the party’s internal processes and unity.

Providing details of recent consultations, Tudun Wada said the party organized a consensus meeting involving two leading governorship aspirants, Alhaji Ibrahim Ali Amin Little and Ibrahim Khalil. According to him, both aspirants agreed to work together and accept whichever decision the party eventually reaches regarding its governorship flag bearer in Kano State.

He explained that while party members were awaiting the final report of the consensus committee, they were surprised to learn of a press conference where a particular aspirant was allegedly endorsed and claims were made that an election had already taken place.

Questioning the credibility of such claims, Tudun Wada asked why Ibrahim Khalil would have signed a consensus agreement in Abuja if he genuinely believed that a valid election had already been conducted to determine the party’s governorship candidate.

Tudun Wada emphasized that he and other supporters remained loyal members of the ADC and would not engage in any activity capable of undermining the integrity of the consensus committee or the party’s democratic processes. He noted that they would continue to await the final decision of the national leadership.

Expressing confidence in one of the aspirants, Tudun Wada said Ibrahim Ali Amin Little remained committed to the growth and development of the ADC. He added that party supporters were optimistic that Amin Little would eventually emerge as the party’s governorship candidate.

According to Tudun Wada, supporters of Amin Little are prepared to mobilize across Kano State to celebrate his emergence should the party leadership eventually choose him as its standard-bearer for the governorship election.