The Governor of Niger State, Umaru Bago, has announced the termination of all his special advisers in a bold move aimed at restructuring governance and improving administrative efficiency.
According to reports, Governor Bago made the announcement on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, during his first State Executive Council meeting with newly sworn-in commissioners at the Government House in Minna.
Clarifying the decision, Bago emphasized that the terminations are strategic, not punitive. The governor explained that the action is intended to realign and optimize the portfolios of his aides to ensure better performance in line with the New Niger Agenda.
“The termination of their appointments is to allow us to rejig and reposition their portfolios with the view to making them more effective and efficient in delivering on our agenda,” Governor Bago stated.
Despite the reshuffle, the governor expressed gratitude to the affected advisers, acknowledging their contributions and sacrifices toward the progress achieved under his administration. He also wished them success in their future endeavors.
Oyo Court Dismisses Osun APC Chairmen’s Bid to Unfreeze Council Funds
Meanwhile, an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has dismissed an application by sacked local government chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, who sought to overturn an earlier order freezing disputed council funds held at the United Bank for Africa (UBA).
Justice Ladiran Akintola delivered the ruling last Thursday, stating that the former chairmen lacked legal standing to challenge the court’s ex parte order issued on September 26, 2025.
The chairmen, referred to in court documents as “Persons Affected,” had filed Suit No. I/1149/2025: Attorney General of Osun State & Anor v. UBA PLC, requesting the court to lift the freeze on the grounds that it hindered governance at local council levels and violated constitutional provisions.
In his ruling, Justice Akintola noted that the chairmen had earlier withdrawn their application to be joined as parties to the case, effectively acknowledging that they had no legitimate claim to the funds.
“They are strangers to the suit and lack locus standi. The withdrawal of their joinder motion by senior counsel amounts to a concession that they have no legal claim,” the judge stated, dismissing the application in its entirety.
Representing the Osun State Attorney General, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN) appeared alongside E.Y. Ajayi and D.G. Egunjobi, while Oluwatomiwa Fadeyi represented UBA.
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Following the judgment, Adetunbi described the ruling as “well-reasoned” and informed the court that the state intends to obtain a clearer copy of the recent Supreme Court decision in SC/CV/773/2025: Attorney General of Osun State v. Attorney General of the Federation to guide its next legal steps.
