By Abigail David

Chairman of the Northern Christian Association (NCA), Rev. Joseph Hayab, has said President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were elected with votes from Nigerians across religious communities, not Muslims alone.

Hayab made the remarks while reacting to comments by Islamic cleric Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, who recently defended the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket and urged Muslims to use their numerical strength to advance their political interests ahead of the 2027 elections.

Jingir also reportedly referred to Christians as “infidels” in a viral video, prompting criticism from Hayab.

Speaking on Channels Television, Hayab said the Tinubu-Shettima ticket received significant support from Christian-majority states during the 2023 presidential election.

He argued that the controversy was not simply about Muslims supporting Muslim candidates but about inflammatory statements that could deepen religious divisions.

Hayab criticised Jingir’s description of Christians, saying Nigerians should not be insulted or demeaned because of their faith.

He also expressed concern that the comments were made in the presence of political leaders who, according to him, did not publicly condemn the remarks.

The NCA chairman called on the Federal Government, political leaders and governors to state their positions on such rhetoric and take steps to prevent religious tensions from escalating.

Despite the controversy, Hayab said Christian leaders would continue engaging Muslims, government officials and other stakeholders through dialogue.

He also renewed his call for religion to be included in Nigeria’s national census, arguing that reliable demographic data could help address competing claims about religious population and influence.

By Abigail David

Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, has clarified his viral “Kill Accord” comment, saying he was referring to defeating the Accord Party at the ballot box and not promoting violence.

A video circulating on social media showed Fadahunsi speaking in Yoruba while addressing supporters in Ilesa ahead of the August 15, 2026, Osun governorship election. In the video, he appeared to urge supporters to “kill” the Accord Party and accused its members of attacking All Progressives Congress supporters.

However, in a statement issued by his media office on Tuesday, Fadahunsi said the comment was political and metaphorical, urging APC supporters to reject the Accord Party through lawful and democratic means.

The statement said the senator had never advocated violence, intimidation or physical attacks against Accord members or supporters of any political party.

Fadahunsi also urged political actors and voters to maintain peace before, during and after the election. He called on security agencies to remain professional and ensure voters could exercise their constitutional rights without fear or intimidation.

The senator maintained that elections should be decided by the people’s votes rather than force, adding that he remained committed to democratic values and a credible electoral process.

Meanwhile, the campaign council of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to investigate Fadahunsi’s comments and take appropriate action.

By Abigail David

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it froze the bank accounts of the Osun State Government to prevent the alleged diversion of public funds, stressing that the action was based on an ongoing investigation and not the forthcoming August 15 governorship election.

In a statement shared on its official X account, the anti-graft agency said it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over the alleged handling of about N11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations.

The EFCC said several state officials, including the Accountant General, had been questioned as part of the investigation. It added that while the probe alone did not warrant freezing the accounts, it detected what it described as suspicious transfers of funds beginning on August 2.

According to the commission, large sums were allegedly moved from government accounts into several corporate accounts, prompting it to place a Post No Debit order to prevent further transactions.

The EFCC maintained that it has a legal responsibility to safeguard public funds and said it could not ignore suspicious financial activities because of the impending governorship election. It also stated that other state governments are under financial scrutiny as part of its broader accountability efforts.

The commission urged Nigerians to disregard what it described as false narratives about the account freeze, insisting its actions were non-partisan and aimed at protecting public resources.

The statement followed criticism from Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, who described the account freeze as illegal and challenged EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede to publicly justify the decision. Adeleke also directed the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada (SAN), to challenge the action at the Federal High Court in Osogbo, arguing that the EFCC requires a court order before freezing government accounts.