The councillor representing Kinkiba Ward in Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Sunusi Hashim, has appointed 18 special advisers to support his grassroots administration.

The new aides were inaugurated on Sunday at L.E.A. Primary School, Kinkiba, during a ceremony that drew the presence of All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, party loyalists, and community members.

Speaking at the event, Hashim said the appointments were made in recognition of the loyalty, dedication, and contributions of the appointees to the progress of Kinkiba Ward. He urged them to serve with “respect, integrity, honesty, transparency, and compassion” while working collectively for the development of the community and the advancement of the APC.

The councillor also commended Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, for his consistent support to local councillors, particularly through the provision of fertilisers to farmers. He pledged to align his team’s activities with the governor’s transformative agenda and deliver projects that would benefit the people of Kinkiba.

The newly appointed advisers will oversee key sectors such as works, finance, education, health, agriculture, women affairs, political matters, media, youth mobilisation, and inter-party relations.

The Labour Party (LP) has ruled out the possibility of former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, contesting on its platform in the 2027 elections.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, made the declaration on Monday while speaking on Channels Television’s Lunchtime Politics.

Arabambi criticised Obi for directing his supporters to back candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) during the August by-elections, describing the move as anti-party. The former Anambra governor had explained his call was due to the absence of LP candidates in many constituencies, but the party dismissed the justification.

According to Arabambi, the Labour Party’s rise in 2023 was driven more by public frustration with the Buhari administration and the #EndSARS movement than Obi’s personal appeal. “We are going to do our 2027 without Peter Obi; he will not have our ticket,” he said.

The spokesman further accused LP’s acting National Chairperson, Nenadi Usman, and activist Aisha Yesufu of aligning with Obi, vowing the party would take action against them. He challenged Obi to formally announce his exit from the party.

Arabambi alleged that Obi was “standing with one leg in LP, one leg in PDP, and one leg in ADC,” adding that the party would no longer accommodate what he described as political extremism.

“If he believes he can win seven million votes in 2027 on his own, let him leave and prove it,” Arabambi said, insisting Obi only used LP as a vehicle for change in 2023.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has thrown its weight behind the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in the ongoing dispute over unionisation rights at the Dangote Refinery.

NUPENG had on Sunday announced plans to halt fuel loading nationwide beginning Monday, citing allegations that the refinery intends to prevent newly recruited drivers for its 4,000 trucks from joining the union.

In a statement issued on Monday, PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, declared the association’s “unwavering solidarity” with NUPENG, stressing that the right of workers to unionise must not be undermined.

The senior staff union warned that if the impasse lingers, it could be compelled to take drastic measures, including shutting down operations at the refinery. “Should the situation persist without resolution, PENGASSAN will be left with no option but to join in shutting down the refinery operations as a last resort to protect our members’ rights and interests,” the statement read.

PENGASSAN accused the refinery management of resisting union membership drives since inception despite multiple interventions. It noted that workers had been repeatedly denied access to both senior and junior staff associations, describing the stance as unacceptable.

The association insisted that NUPENG’s demand for full unionisation across the refinery and its affiliates aligns with Nigeria’s labour laws and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. It stressed that freedom of association and collective bargaining are fundamental rights that safeguard workers’ dignity, safety, and welfare.

While reiterating its support for NUPENG, PENGASSAN urged stakeholders to engage in urgent dialogue to avert disruptions in the oil and gas sector. “Failure to respect workers’ rights will have consequences beyond Dangote Refinery, affecting the entire industry,” it cautioned.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Muhammadu Dingyadi, has summoned all parties to a reconciliation meeting in Abuja as government moves to defuse the crisis.