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Worries Over Unwillingness Of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger To Restore Relations With ECOWAS

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By Gloria Ikibah 
 
 
The Economic Community of West African States Parliament has shown concerns again over the declination of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic to return to ECOWAS despite the appeals from the regional leaders.
 
 
Speaker of the Community Parliament, Honourable Memounatou Ibrahima, disclosed this during the induction training for members of the 6th Legislature at the ongoing 2024 Third Extraordinary Session and Second Parliamentary Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament in Lome, Togo.
 
 
The Speaker noted that the three countries, which announced their exit from the 15-member ECOWAS in January 2024, following disagreements over military takeover of governments in the three countries, have not responded to calls for their return to the region’s most important organisation.
 
 
She said: “We have taken a lot of initiatives at the level of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Council of Ministers and at all levels. We have written to the three countries but they have not responded”. The Speaker assured that West African leaders will continue to reach out to them for reconciliation.
 
 
A member of the Parliament Hon. Shiaka Musa Sama from Sierra Leone had raised concerns over the continued absence of the three countries and the implications for the citizens of the countries and called to intensity efforts to reconcile with the estranged countries and bring them back.
 
 
Naijablitznews.com recalled that Burkina Faso, Mali and Republic of Niger under military governments had made nljnkwn their intention to exit ECOWAS after it threatened to invade Niger Republic, following the overthrow of the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum by the junta led by Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani in a coup in July 2023.
 
 
Prior to the coup in Niger, Burkina Faso’s military had also overthrown the democratically elected government of Mac Christian Kabore, while in Mali Colonel Assimi Goita had forced out the democratic government of Boubakar Keita.  
 
 
This made ECOWAS imposed sanctions on the three countries but it was perhaps the threat of military intervention to restore democracy in Niger by ECOWAS forces that upset the trio.
 
 
The three military leaders have in recent times taken actions that have estranged them further from ECOWAS. They held their first joint summit in July 2024 in the Nigerien capital of Niamey, where they announced a confederation of three Sahel states and adopted a joint statement for a treaty to set up the confederation.
 
 
“This summit marks a decisive step for the future of our common space. Together, we will consolidate the foundations of our true independence, a guarantee of true peace and sustainable development through the creation of the ‘Alliance of Sahel States’ Confederation,’” Capt. Ibrahim Traore, the leader of Burkina Faso, wrote on X.
 
 
“The AES (Alliance of Sahel States) is full of enormous natural potential which, if properly exploited, will guarantee a better future for the people of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso,” Traore added.
 
 
Earlier this September, the three leaders said they will introduce new biometric passports as part of their withdrawal from ECOWAS in favour of a new Sahel alliance.
 
 
Also in September Burkina Faso had threatened   to launch new passports without the ECOWAS logo.
 
 
“In the coming days, a new biometric passport of the AES (Alliance of Sahel States) will be put into circulation with the aim of harmonising travel documents in our common area and facilitating the mobility of our citizens throughout the world”, Malian junta leader Assimi Goita had announced.
 
 
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NNPC slashes petrol price twice within four days

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, has slashed its fuel pump price for the second time within four days.

A market survey on Saturday by DAILY POST showed that NNPCL retail outlets around Airport Junction and Wuse Zone 6 (Berger) in Abuja have reduced their petrol price to N1210 per litre, down from N1260.

This means that the state-owned oil firm slashed the petrol price by N50 per litre.

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This comes barely two days after Dangote Refinery reduced its petrol gantry price by N50 to N1,125 per litre.

Recall that four days ago, NNPCL had adjusted its fuel price pump by N75 per litre to N1260.

With the latest drop by NNPCL retail outlets, petrol prices stand between N1210 per litre and N1305 per litre in Abuja and its environs.

The reduction in domestic fuel comes amid falling crude oil prices, which stand at $69 per barrel and $71 per barrel for West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude, respectively, following the easing of the conflict in the Middle East.

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Recall that President Bola Tinubu has kept mum amid the clamour by Nigerians for a commensurate drop in domestic fuel pump prices due to the significant reduction in crude oil prices.

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Lokoja Court order: INEC speaks on NDC, says it’s yet to receive CTC

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it is yet to receive the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the Federal High Court judgment that set aside an earlier order directing it to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, as a political party.

INEC revealed this in a statement issued on Saturday by its Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola.

According to the commission, although it is aware of media reports on the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja on June 26, it cannot comment on the ruling until it obtains and reviews the certified copy.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is aware of reports circulating in the media regarding the judgment delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order concerning the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

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“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the court’s order,” the statement said.

INEC stated that its legal department would study the judgment upon receipt of the CTC before advising the commission on the next course of action.

“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision in line with the court’s directives.

“Until then, we cannot comment on the specifics of the ruling, and the public is urged to await the Commission’s formal position on the matter,” Oketola added.

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Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja had on Friday set aside the court’s December 10, 2025, judgment directing INEC to register the NDC as a political party.

The court held that the rights of the Peace Movement Party were affected by the earlier judgment because it was not joined in the suit despite claiming ownership of the logo relied upon in securing the registration order.

Justice Dashen consequently ordered that all parties be restored to the positions they occupied before the December 2025 judgment and directed that the substantive suit be heard afresh with all necessary parties joined.

The NDC has rejected the ruling and announced plans to appeal the decision. Its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, maintained that the party had not been deregistered and argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to revisit a matter on which it had already delivered a final judgment.

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The ruling has also attracted reactions from opposition figures, including the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Dickson, and other stakeholders, who described the decision as a threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and vowed to challenge it through all available legal channels.

INEC, however, maintained that it would reserve its position on the judgment until it receives and reviews the Certified True Copy.

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Just in: Police rescue five abductees in Ogun

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A joint police operation rescued five victims abducted near Ogbere Forest in Ogun state on Wednesday.

They were rescued within 25 hours by the Lagos and Ogun Police Commands, which were part of a joint operation codenamed KOSAYE, meaning “No Space” in Yoruba.

The woman was among the victims who were shot in the incident. Her daughter and sister were among those rescued by the police on Thursday.

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