Nelson Ugwuagbo

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has announced plans to commence a nationwide strike on Thursday over poor working conditions and other unresolved issues.

President of the association, Dr. Osundara Zenith, disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Wednesday, noting that the decision would be ratified at a National Executive Council meeting.

He said the action became necessary after the expiration of a 10-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government, which he claimed was ignored.

“The reasons are because of the poor working conditions of our members, the shortage of manpower, the downgrading of certificates, the non-payment of salary arrears and allowances, and the issue of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for over 2,000 resident doctors across the country,” Zenith explained.

The NARD president added that the strike is also in solidarity with resident doctors in Abuja and Oyo State, who are already on strike over similar grievances.

He called on both the Federal Government and affected state governments to urgently address the demands to avert a complete shutdown of public hospitals nationwide.

Efforts by the Federal Government to avert the looming strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) hit a brick wall on Monday, as a closed-door conciliatory meeting with the Dangote Group ended in deadlock.

The meeting, convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, alongside the Minister of State, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, was aimed at resolving the industrial dispute triggered by alleged attempts by the Dangote Refinery to bar its compressed natural gas (CNG) tanker drivers from joining labour unions.

In attendance were national executives of NUPENG, representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

NUPENG had last week announced plans to withdraw its members from work starting Monday, September 8, in protest against the alleged anti-union practices. Although the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) distanced themselves from the action, the union on Sunday reaffirmed its readiness to proceed with the strike.

Alarmed by the potential impact on the economy, the Federal Government had earlier appealed to NUPENG to shelve the action and allow dialogue to continue. Dingyadi, in a statement issued through the ministry’s spokesperson, Patience Onuobia, urged the union to reconsider its decision, warning that even a day’s disruption in the petroleum sector could result in huge revenue losses and hardship for Nigerians.

“The petroleum sector is very important to this country. It constitutes the core of the economy. A strike, even for just a day, will have an adverse impact, leading to heavy revenue losses running into billions of naira and causing untold hardship for Nigerians,” the minister said.

He also appealed to the NLC to withdraw its red alert to affiliate unions to prepare for solidarity action, stressing that the matter would be resolved amicably.

Despite the government’s intervention, Monday’s conciliation talks ended without an agreement, leaving the threat of a nationwide disruption in the petroleum sector unresolved.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, is set to return to the National Assembly this month following the completion of her six-month suspension.

Her counsel, Victor Giwa, confirmed the development in Abuja, noting that the lawmaker is currently on vacation in London but has made arrangements to resume plenary when the Senate reconvenes on September 23.

“Actually, she’s ready to resume her term. She’s in London. Everything is in place, and the six months have expired. The only thing left is her resumption,” Giwa said.

He added that the Senate leadership is not expected to hinder her return. “We have been told that even the leadership of the Senate is ready to welcome her. So that’s the situation at the moment. There is no obstacle at all,” he assured.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has expressed concern over Nigeria’s escalating debt profile, cautioning that it has reached a level capable of undermining the country’s economic stability.

Abbas raised the alarm on Monday in Abuja while speaking at the 11th Annual Conference and General Assembly of the West Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (WAAPAC).

He disclosed that Nigeria’s total public debt stood at ₦149.39 trillion (about $97 billion) in the first quarter of 2025, a significant increase from ₦121.7 trillion recorded the previous year.

According to the Speaker, the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio has climbed to 52 percent, surpassing the 40 percent legal threshold.

“This is no longer just a budgetary issue but a structural crisis,” Abbas warned. “We must strengthen oversight, embrace transparency, and ensure every loan we take delivers real benefits to citizens.”

The Department of State Services (DSS) has given human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, a one-week ultimatum to delete a social media post it described as “false, malicious, and inciting” against President Bola Tinubu.

In a letter dated September 7, the DSS accused Sowore of making criminal and derogatory remarks in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on August 26, in which he referred to Tinubu as a “criminal” and accused the president of lying to Nigerians by claiming that corruption no longer exists under his administration.

According to the agency, the remarks have provoked public outrage and could potentially incite “disturbance, disunity, and even insurrection.”

The warning, signed by the DSS Director of Legal Services, Uwem Davies, stated that failure to comply would leave the service with no option but to “explore all lawful means” to safeguard national security and public order.

Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and a prominent pro-democracy activist, has not yet issued an official response to the directive.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned recent incidents in Kaduna, Katsina, and other parts of the country, describing them as a dangerous assault on civic freedoms under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Atiku’s reaction followed Thursday’s invitation of former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai and seven leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by the Kaduna State Police Command over alleged conspiracy, incitement, and public disturbance.

In a statement issued on Friday, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faulted the police action, warning that such moves amount to an attempt to silence opposition voices.

He also pointed to the attack on former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and the violent disruption of a meeting of the Katsina Elders Forum on security reforms as part of what he described as a disturbing pattern.

“These incidents are not isolated. They signify a coordinated assault on dissenting voices, civic freedoms, and the essence of pluralistic democracy,” Atiku said.

The former Vice President cautioned that criminalizing opposition activities and undermining civic engagement risk pushing Nigeria towards authoritarian rule.

He urged citizens to recognize the urgency of defending democratic values, stressing that safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy must be a shared responsibility.