Afternoon recap: Reps withdraw state police bill for Tinubu proposal, probe CBN, NNPCL, other top stories

Nigeria's House of Representatives has stepped back from its own proposed legislation on state police, opting instead to review President Bola Tinubu's executive bill on the matter. The House advanced Tinubu's proposal through its first and second readings before sending it to the Committee on Constitutional Review.

In parallel, the House Public Accounts Committee is scrutinizing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The committee is demanding detailed reports on outstanding remittances, with the CBN reportedly owing N5.3 trillion in unremitted operating surpluses. The probe also extends to automatic deductions from the accounts of various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

Politics saw a defense of direct primaries from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC). This comes after the Court of Appeal upheld a ruling that invalidated congresses organized by the Senator David Mark-led caretaker committee of the ADC. Abubakar and the party maintain that this judgment does not impact candidates who emerged through direct primaries, and they are pursuing the matter in the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has publicly criticized Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for requesting a United Nations investigation into a recent abduction of pupils and teachers. The Presidency characterized Makinde's call as politically motivated and unnecessary, suggesting it could undermine the Federal Government's efforts to combat terrorism and kidnapping.