Kogi APC Gears Up for LG Battle, ASUU Strike Dodged: Senate Shifts Security Helm While Shettima Quells Viral Fulani Firestorm

Kogi APC Gears Up for LG Battle, ASUU Strike Dodged: Senate Shifts Security Helm While Shettima Quells Viral Fulani Firestorm

By Clarion Newsdesk | December 4, 2025
In a whirlwind of political maneuvering and diplomatic deftness, Nigeria’s governance landscape is buzzing with developments that underscore the nation’s push toward stability and accountability. From the Confluence State’s local election sprint to a timely academic truce and legislative recalibrations, here’s a deep dive into the week’s pivotal stories shaping politics and governance.
Kogi APC Locks in Primaries Date: December 6 Showdown for 2026 LG Polls as Screening Wraps Today
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State has set the stage for a high-stakes internal contest, announcing December 6 as the official date for its primary elections ahead of the 2026 local government polls. This move, detailed in a comprehensive timetable unveiled by State Chairman Hon. Abdullahi Bello, signals the party’s commitment to grassroots democracy amid growing anticipation for the October 17, 2026, elections overseen by the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC).
The schedule, which aligns seamlessly with KOSIEC’s guidelines, has already seen nomination and expression of interest forms go on sale from November 27 to December 1 at the APC State Secretariat in Lokoja. Submissions closed on December 3, paving the way for today’s critical screening and publication of qualified aspirants’ lists. Tomorrow, December 5, is earmarked for appeals and dispute resolutions, culminating in the release of the final aspirant roster. Primaries are slated to run from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with results announced immediately post-verification.
Bello, addressing journalists in Lokoja, emphasized the APC’s dedication to a “transparent and rancor-free process,” assuring aspirants of a level playing field. “We remain committed to upholding internal democracy,” he stated, while praising the unwavering support for Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s administration. “Kogi is one family, one people—irrespective of affiliations, the dividends of democracy will flow to all.”
Yet, whispers of potential interference linger. Reports from Lokoja suggest efforts by some influential figures, allegedly linked to former Governor Yahaya Bello, to sideline genuine primaries in favor of curated selections—a tactic decried as undemocratic and a recipe for defections and weakened grassroots accountability. Party loyalists are urged to resist such maneuvers to preserve the APC’s dominance in the state’s 21 chairmanship and 239 councillorship races. As screening concludes today, all eyes are on whether the process will deliver true competition or echo past controversies.
ASUU Strike Averted: Union Embraces FG’s 40% Pay Hike, Ushering in Era of Enhanced Welfare
Relief swept through Nigeria’s public universities as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) suspended its looming nationwide strike, accepting the Federal Government’s proposed 40% salary increase. The breakthrough, formalized in a progress report signed by ASUU President Prof. Chris Piwuna, caps months of tense negotiations and averts what could have been another academic shutdown disrupting millions of students.
The agreement, hashed out under the Yayale Ahmed-led renegotiation committee, addresses core demands from the 2009 FGN-ASUU pact, including bolstered university funding, enhanced autonomy, governance reforms, and staff welfare. Key wins include the release of N50 billion for earned allowances—building on the 2025 budget allocations—and innovative tax proposals to ensure sustainable education financing. ASUU had previously rebuffed a 35% offer as inadequate, but sources confirm the 40% ceiling was the government’s firm limit, with branch leaders now set to ratify it via votes.
Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa hailed the resolution, crediting President Bola Tinubu’s directive to keep campuses open. “We’ve met nearly all demands; the recent six-day warning strike was avoidable,” he noted, underscoring ongoing talks to prevent future disruptions. ASUU’s pivot reflects a pragmatic nod to economic realities, with the union stressing swift implementation to halt “prolonged stagnation of earnings.” Students and parents can breathe easier, but vigilance remains key to honoring this hard-won truce.
Senate Overhaul: Fresh Faces Lead Security Panels Amid Goje’s Stormy Stand-Off—Unity Prevails
In a bold reconfiguration aimed at fortifying Nigeria’s legislative armor against escalating threats, the Senate has unveiled new leadership for its security-focused committees, injecting fresh expertise into critical oversight roles. Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the reshuffle during Tuesday’s plenary, affecting the National Security and Intelligence, Air Force, National Planning, and Livestock and Animal Husbandry panels.
Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi North) now helms the National Security and Intelligence Committee, swapping from his prior perch at National Planning. The Air Force Committee falls under Acting Chairman Senator Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu South), the Minority Whip, while Senator Mustafa Musa (APC, Yobe East) takes National Planning. Senator Shehu Buba (PDP, Bauchi South), ousted last week from security leadership over cited inefficiencies, pivots to chair Livestock and Animal Husbandry—a nod to rural stability’s security nexus.
Akpabio framed the changes as essential for “improving efficiency and enhancing collective efforts for Nigerians’ security and wellbeing.” This marks one of the 10th Senate’s most sweeping adjustments since its 2023 inauguration, timed for intensified budget scrutiny and policy probes.
Adding intrigue, the reshuffle unfolds against a backdrop of no lingering rift with Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North)—despite a recent face-off. Clarion sources confirm the dust has settled, with the upper chamber prioritizing cohesion over discord as it tackles banditry, insurgency, and resource strains.
Shettima’s Fulani Feast: Viral Video Unpacked as Peace-Building Masterstroke, Not Menace
A resurfaced image of Vice President Kashim Shettima sharing a meal with Fulani herders sparked online frenzy, with detractors baselessly tying it to banditry. Shettima swiftly demystified the moment at the 2025 International Press Institute Nigeria Conference in Abuja, revealing it as a heartfelt outreach to Boko Haram-displaced families—far from the malice peddled by “anarchic” social media actors.
The photo, snapped during his Borno governorship, captures Shettima with impoverished herders whose livestock Boko Haram seized in Sambisa Forest after they aided military intel. “These were once wealthy Fulanis, reduced to penury,” he recounted, noting many later guarded state-built schools. “When war reached them, insurgents slaughtered their cattle and people.” The gesture, he stressed, embodied non-kinetic counter-insurgency: uplifting the vulnerable to uproot extremism’s socioeconomic seeds.
Shettima, sporting a “thick skin” against smears, lauded Nigeria’s media as a bulwark against foreign disinformation, urging ethical rigor. “You’ve stabilized us by fact-checking and holding power accountable,” he told the IPI gathering. His candor not only quells the viral storm but spotlights inclusive governance as the antidote to division.
As 2025 closes, these threads weave a tapestry of resilient progress—from Kogi’s electoral fervor to academia’s accord, Senate’s strategic pivot, and Shettima’s bridge-building. Clarion Newschannel will keep you ahead of the curve. Stay tuned.