DAILY RENDEZVOUS

News Rendezvous  The Senator representing Adamawa South Senatorial District, Binos Dauda Yaroe, has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing loyalty to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the need to strengthen opposition politics in Nigeria. Speaking during an interaction with journalists, Yaroe said his decision was informed by consultations with his constituents across the nine local government areas of Adamawa South as well as his conviction that democracy thrives only when there is a strong opposition. According to the senator, the internal crisis within the PDP had created uncertainty over the party’s structure and legitimacy, making it politically risky for aspirants intending to contest future elections. “The PDP has become fractured into several factions and nobody can confidently say which one is legitimate. For anyone intending to contest elections in 2027, it would be dangerous to remain ...

By Dr. Dogo Victor Ph.D Leadership is shaped by timing, structure, and strategic coordination. As Adamawa State approaches the 2027 gubernatorial election cycle, civil servants across ministries, departments, and agencies must begin to reflect carefully on the political direction that will sustain stability, continuity, and good governance. Over the years, the administration of Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has provided an environment marked by institutional strengthening, expanded access to public service opportunities, infrastructural development, and administrative reforms. Many within the civil service acknowledge improvements in coordination, welfare considerations, and governance delivery. As the 2027 elections approach, the central question becomes one of continuity: how can the policies, reforms, and governance trajectory currently in place be preserved and deepened? Understanding the Political Structure Elections in Nigeria are not won solely during the general vote. They a...

News Rendezvous  The imposition of an 18-hour curfew in Abuja by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, demands sober national reflection. No government should take lightly the decision to restrict citizens’ movement for 18 out of 24 hours. Such a measure is extraordinary.  It carries economic, social, and constitutional implications that extend far beyond immediate security calculations. The Nigerian Constitution, specifically the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, guarantees freedom of movement under Section 41. While rights may be restricted in the interest of security, such restrictions must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate. The question before us is simple: Does the present situation in Abuja justify an 18-hour lockdown? Legal scholar and APC stalwart Umar D. Duhu has raised concerns that deserve serious attention. Whether one agrees with his political leanings or not, the constitutional questions he raises are valid. Abuja is not under ...

Introduction The reported intention of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to defect from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has generated significant public debate across Adamawa State and beyond. Critics have framed the development in moral and political terms raising concerns about party loyalty, consistency, and respect for supporters. However, beyond political sentiments lies a more fundamental question: Is the governor legally entitled to change his political party affiliation? This piece examines the issue strictly within the framework of constitutional law, party law, and established democratic principles in Nigeria, and concludes that such a decision is fully permissible under the law. 1. Constitutional Foundation: Freedom of Association The starting point is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). Section 40 – Freedom of Association Section 40 provides:  “Every person shall be entitled to...

By Rendezvous News Desk Some northern stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have warned against any attempt to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima as the party’s vice-presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing such a move as potentially destabilising for the party. The warning followed growing speculation within political circles about possible changes to the APC’s 2027 presidential ticket, although the party leadership has made no official statement on the matter. One of the stakeholders, legal scholar and APC member Umar D. Duhu, said in a statement that removing Shettima would have far-reaching political consequences, particularly in the North, where he said the vice president enjoys strong support. According to Duhu, Shettima’s position goes beyond individual office holding and is tied to the internal balance that holds together the APC’s coalition structure. Concerns Over Party Balance The APC was formed in 2013 throu...

Daily Rendezvous  The Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Transition Committee in Adamawa State, Rt. Hon. Sadiq Ibrahim Dasin, has inaugurated the party’s office in Madagali Local Government Area, describing the development as a major boost to the ADC’s growing presence in the state. In a statement issued by the committee’s Head of Media and Publicity, Martins Dickson, Dasin said the opening of the Madagali office reflects the increasing acceptance of the ADC and the readiness of residents to strengthen the party’s grassroots structures. He commended prominent political figures from Madagali for their decision to align with the opposition party, despite the local government being the hometown of the incumbent governor. According to him, their move underscores a commitment to democratic principles and the pursuit of alternative solutions to the challenges confronting the people. Dasin urged party members to remain united and committed to collective action, ...

Daily Rendezvous  Yola, December 24, 2025 Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has urged residents to embrace the deeper meaning of Christmas by promoting love, unity and the common values that bind humanity together, regardless of religion or ethnicity. In his Christmas message to Christians and the people of Adamawa State, Governor Fintiri described the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ as a symbol of hope, salvation and renewal for a world in need of redemption. He noted that society would be more peaceful and prosperous if the virtues reflected by Christ’s birth—especially love, compassion and selflessness—were sincerely practiced. The governor extended warm Christmas greetings to Christians and all residents of the state, encouraging them to give thanks to God for His grace, provision and protection over individuals, families, communities, the nation and humanity at large. According to him, the festive season serves as a powerful reminder of shared ...

By News Rendezvous TV Two days to Christmas 2025, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Governor of Adamawa State, exercised his constitutional power of prerogative of mercy, granting pardons and sentence remissions to eight inmates in a gesture described as an act of compassion and restorative justice. The most prominent beneficiary of the governor’s decision is Sunday Jackson, who had been sentenced to death following an incident in which he was found guilty of killing a herdsman during what was described as a self-defence encounter. Jackson, who had been held at the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, has now been granted a full pardon and released as a free man. Also granted full pardons are Joseph Eugene, who was incarcerated at the Yola Medium Security Custodial Centre, and Maxwell Ibrahim, bringing their sentences to a complete end. In addition, the governor approved the remission of the remaining portions of sentences for five other inmates—Joshua James Audo, Adamu Ibrahim, Moha...

Daily Rendezvous  ‎ ‎By Mohammed Ismail  ‎ ‎The recent degeneration of the open conflict between Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, and Ahmed Farouk, the immediate past chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), into a full-blown public war has torn the veil off one of Nigeria’s most opaque and innately corrupt systems; the oil sector.  ‎ ‎What initially appeared to be a regulatory impasse has quickly morphed into a full blown battle that exposes the contradictions, hypocrisies, and entrenched interests that define Nigeria’s oil and gas economy. ‎ ‎It must be stated from the outset that this fight is not being waged in the interest of the Nigerian masses. The ordinary citizen, who has borne the brunt of decades of fuel scarcity, subsidy scams, and economic sabotage, remains a spectator in a contest driven by greed, quest for economic control and intra elite power struggles.  ‎ ‎Since crude oil was d...

Daily Rendezvous - Yola, December 16, 2025 The Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) has announced the near-completion of a major network upgrade project aimed at improving electricity supply, reducing outages, and enhancing overall service delivery across its franchise areas. The large-scale infrastructure upgrade, which is being executed in phases, represents a strategic investment by YEDC to strengthen its distribution network and deliver more stable, reliable, and efficient power to households and businesses. According to the company, the project involves the replacement of aging recline cables, rehabilitation of faulty transformers, and the upgrade of critical distribution infrastructure. These improvements are designed to minimise feeder faults, reduce downtime, and significantly improve network resilience. Key components of the upgrade include the installation of high-capacity transformers to enhance distribution efficiency, the deployment of advanced metering...

Daily Rendezvous  The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has continued to build momentum across Adamawa State, as its Transition Implementation Committee, led by Rt. Hon. Sadiq Ibrahim Dasin, extended its Local Government Area tour to Song, Girei and Yola North, recording massive turnout and renewed grassroots enthusiasm. The visit, held on Monday, was marked by packed venues during the inauguration of local government transition structures, with party members and supporters turning out in large numbers to demonstrate growing confidence in the ADC’s political direction ahead of the 2027 general elections. A major highlight of the tour was the defection of the entire structure of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Song Local Government Area to the ADC, under the leadership of Abubakar Suleiman Nyako. The development further signaled the shifting political alignment at the grassroots and strengthened the ADC’s presence in the area. Addressing party faithful, ...

By News Rendezvous Editorial Team | Yola, November 2025 Southern Adamawa, a region once celebrated for its agricultural wealth, cultural diversity, and unwavering political loyalty, has become the symbol of infrastructural neglect in Adamawa State. Despite years of electoral goodwill, the zone continues to suffer from poor roads, lack of federal presence, and an absence of higher institutions, challenges that have left communities frustrated and disconnected from the state’s development pulse. Infrastructure Reality Check A new review of Executive Council–approved projects between 2019 and 2025 reveals a concerning imbalance in infrastructure distribution across the three senatorial zones of Adamawa State. The report highlights how massive investments were channelled into Adamawa Central and Northern zones — including Yola’s urban renewal and multiple flyovers — while Southern Adamawa lagged far behind in major asphalt or bridge projects.   Data Snapshot (2019–2025): A Ca...

Daily Rendezvous “A nation cannot claim progress when its children are hunted in classrooms and its citizens sleep each night with death as a neighbor.” ~ Martins Yanatham Dickson By Martins Yanatham Dickson Nigeria is again standing on the edge of a deepening security abyss. From the renewed Boko Haram onslaughts in Borno State and surrounding communities, to the brazen ambushes of military personnel, to the frightening escalation of banditry and abductions across the North West and North Central,  the national landscape is soaked with fear and far too often, with blood. The most recent horror, the armed bandits’ attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS), Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, where the Vice Principal was brutally killed and several students abducted is yet another devastating reminder that the country is nowhere near safe. When schools have become hunting grounds and classrooms are turned into gravey...

Daily Rendezvous Abuja, Nigeria — November 5, 2025:  Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, has dedicated his award as “Most Outstanding Public Servant of the Year 2025” to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the honour as a testament to the President’s visionary leadership and support for excellence in public service. Rt. Hon. Buba Yakubu made this known in a press statement issued by his Special Assistant (Media and Publicity), Nkem Anyata-Lafia   The award, presented during the 9th Nigerian Assembly Orientation and Awards Ceremony held on Wednesday at the National Assembly Library Trust Fund Hall, Abuja, recognised top-performing public servants in the non-legislative category across the country. Speaking at the event, Publisher of Assembly News, organisers of the annual parliamentary awards, Prince Adeboye Omoboye, said Buba Yakub emerged as the winner following a national poll that identified him as a model ...

Rendezvous By Martins Yanatham Dickson The term “Country of Particular Concern” is not a casual diplomatic phrase; it is an international American classification reserved for nations where grave violations of religious freedom or systematic persecution persist unchecked.  When U.S. President Donald Trump declared Nigeria as such, it was not a hasty or ill-informed decision. It was a response born out of credible reports, consistent patterns of violence, and the glaring inaction of the Nigerian government to protect its citizens. Let us be clear: genocide refers to any deliberate and systematic act intended to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.  The killings, displacement, and destruction of predominantly Christian communities across Northern Nigeria bear undeniable genocidal tendencies. To deny this is to indulge in dangerous hypocrisy. Yet, the tragedy cuts both ways. Muslim communities in the North-West have also suffere...

Daily Rendezvous  Maiduguri, Nigeria — October 25, 2025 The Federal Commissioner representing the North-East at the Code of Conduct and Public Policy Tribunal (CCPT), Dr. Umar D. Duhu, has extended his heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, and the entire people of the state following the recent deadly attack by Boko Haram insurgents. In a condolence message issued on Friday, Dr. Duhu described the attack as a “flagrant violation of human rights and a barbaric assault on humanity,” noting that the incident had left an indelible mark on the collective psyche of Nigerians. He called for unity, compassion, and renewed support for the victims and their families. “This heinous act is a painful reminder of the sacrifices borne by the people of Borno in defence of peace, justice, and national unity,” Duhu stated. “We stand in solidarity with His Excellency, the Government, and the good people of Borno State as they navigate this tryin...

Daily Rendezvous  — Tasks Academics to Appreciate Government’s Efforts, Shun Strikes The Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, has charged twelve newly selected volunteers departing for Uganda and Sierra Leone to uphold excellence, patriotism, and national pride as they embark on a two-year service under the Technical Aid Corps scheme. Buba Yakubu made the remarks in a press statement issued by, the Head, Information & Public Relations, Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ojo Olubunmi,in Abuja. Speaking at the official orientation exercise held at the NTAC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, Buba commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for revitalising Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy through the TAC scheme, describing the President’s continued support as a major boost to Nigeria’s global relevance and development partnerships.  “Since his assumption of office, Mr. President h...