Author name: clickreportteam

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, says the acquittal of former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke by a United Kingdom court will not stop corruption investigations and asset-recovery proceedings against her in Nigeria. HEDA chairman Olanrewaju Suraju said the June 17 ruling by the Southwark Crown Court should be respected, but stressed that it only addressed the specific bribery charges brought before the UK court. The group said the verdict does not determine the outcome of separate allegations and legal proceedings under Nigerian law. HEDA urged Nigerian authorities to continue pursuing any viable cases against the former minister where there is credible evidence, while respecting due process and the rule of law. The organisation also noted that criminal prosecution and asset recovery are separate legal processes, meaning the failure of a criminal case does not automatically determine the status of assets involved in other proceedings. HEDA called on the EFCC and other relevant agencies to clarify the status of investigations and asset-recovery cases involving Alison-Madueke, while demanding greater transparency over recovered and forfeited assets.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has released the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates for the 2027 general elections. The commission cleared President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC; Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC; and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to contest the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027. INEC said 18 political parties submitted presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the election. Other presidential candidates cleared by the commission include Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress, AAC; Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM; Sunday Okereke of the Labour Party; Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; and Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP. The commission also released the list of candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives elections, with several prominent political figures cleared to contest. Among them are National Assembly principal officers, former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma. In Kogi State, the Kogi Central senatorial race is expected to be closely contested, with former governor Yahaya Bello among more than 12 candidates cleared for the seat. He will face incumbent senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the PDP and other contenders. According to INEC, the youngest presidential candidate is 35-year-old Moses Olusoji Adebisi of the Democratic Labour Alliance, while other candidates include 43-year-old Nkem Esther Okereke of the National Rescue Movement and 44-year-old Abbas-Bin Aliyu of the Action Democratic Party.

More than 10 million dollars spent by the camps of President Bola Tinubu and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on lobbying activities in the United States could have supported thousands of small businesses in Nigeria. Documents filed under the United States Foreign Agents Registration Act show that the two lobbying engagements are worth about 10.2 million dollars, equivalent to roughly 14.3 billion naira at an exchange rate of 1,400 naira to the dollar. The amount could theoretically provide 250,000-naira funding packages to about 56,000 micro and small businesses. The Federal Government’s engagement with Washington-based DCI Group began in December 2025, with the firm retained to communicate Nigeria’s policies to US lawmakers and support the country’s counter-terrorism efforts. The six-month contract was valued at 4.5 million dollars, with an option that could raise the total to nine million dollars. Meanwhile, Atiku engaged another US lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, under a 1.2-million-dollar, 12-month agreement. The firm was tasked with improving his access to US policymakers and countering narratives associated with the Nigerian government. The combined spending has sparked debate over whether such funds could have produced greater impact if invested in areas such as small businesses, education, healthcare and infrastructure. An economic expert questioned the spending, arguing that Nigeria faces pressing domestic needs and that political disputes should not unnecessarily be taken abroad. However, Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the key issue is opportunity cost. He argued that public spending on lobbying should be justified by clear, measurable benefits, particularly when millions of Nigerians are struggling with unemployment, poor infrastructure and inadequate public services. The report noted that the comparison is not a direct claim that 14 billion naira would automatically create 56,000 sustainable businesses. Rather, it highlights what could potentially be achieved if the same resources were directed toward domestic economic needs.