Nollywood actor Ricardo Agbor has survived a car crash in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The actor disclosed the incident on Saturday in a video shared on his Instagram page, showing his badly damaged Lexus SUV at the scene of the accident.

The silver vehicle suffered extensive damage to its front section, including a crushed bonnet, smashed grille, exposed engine components and a damaged front-left tyre.

In the video, Agbor identified the location of the accident as being in front of the Cornerstone City billboard in Ibadan.

“This is my vehicle in front of Cornerstone City, Ibadan,” the actor said.

Appearing shaken by the incident, Agbor repeatedly thanked God for sparing his life.

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“Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.

He later added, “This is what just happened to me now. Oh God.”

In an accompanying post, the actor wrote, “As I was saying… Thank God Almighty I made it out of this. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ.”

There was no immediate information on whether the actor or any other person sustained injuries in the crash.

Ricardo Agbor, also known as Rykardo Agbor, was born on February 4, 1973, in Lagos State and hails from Delta State.

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He studied Mass Communication at the University of Ibadan and began his acting career in 1992 after working as a model.

Agbor gained prominence following his appearance in the movie Visa to Hell and has since featured in numerous Nollywood productions in both English and Yoruba.

His acting career spans more than three decades.

Air Peace has reacted to a viral video showing passengers struggling to board one of its aircraft at the Abuja airport.

The video, which has sparked reactions on social media, showed passengers pushing and scrambling to board an Air Peace flight, with airline and airport officials appearing overwhelmed by the crowd.

However, Air Peace said the incident occurred on December 20, 2024, amid flight delays caused by poor weather conditions.

The airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Dr. Ejike Ndiulo, said harmattan-induced haze and fog had significantly reduced visibility and disrupted flight operations nationwide.

According to him, Air Peace deployed three aircraft to Abuja to evacuate affected passengers and minimise disruptions caused by the delays.

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He explained that while passengers were being processed at the boarding gate, the crowd became overwhelming, with some passengers rushing towards the airside.

Ndiulo said officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and boarding officers were overwhelmed by the situation, forcing duty managers and ramp officials to mount barricades around the aircraft stairs to separate passengers booked on different flights.

The airline expressed sympathy to passengers affected by the delays but condemned what it described as misinformation and false claims accompanying the viral video.

The statement read in part:

“On the day in question, there were flight delays because of poor weather conditions, specifically harmattan-induced haze and fog, which is common at this time of the year and significantly limits visibility and impacts flight operations nationwide.”

Air Peace said it deployed three aircraft to Abuja to ensure that passengers could continue their journeys with minimal disruption.

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The airline also urged members of the public to disregard what it described as misleading representations of the incident, insisting that the video did not reflect its normal operations or values.

“We appreciate your understanding and patience during this period and sincerely regret any inconvenience these delays may have caused you,” the airline said.

It added that the safety of its passengers and crew remained its utmost priority.

By Okey Maduforo, Awka

An air of uncertainty currently surrounds the planned inauguration of the newly elected 21 Local Government Area (LGA) mayors and councillors in Anambra State, following a legal challenge by 56 incumbent councillors.

The inauguration is expected to take place early next month, in line with the provisions of the Anambra State local government laws. However, the process is being challenged before the State High Court in Awka by the incumbent councillors, who contend that their constitutionally protected four-year tenure has not expired.

The plaintiffs, in an Originating Summons filed before the court, are asking for declarations affirming that democratically elected local government officials are entitled to a secure four-year tenure, in line with the democratic mandates enjoyed by elected officials at the federal and state levels.

They are also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies or anyone acting on their behalf from dissolving, terminating or interfering with the tenure of elected local government officials at the expiration of two years.

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Among the questions the plaintiffs have asked the court to determine is whether Section 110(4) of the Anambra State Electoral (Amendment No. 3) Law 2024, as well as Sections 44(3) and 64 of the Anambra State Local Government Administration Law 2024, which provide for the compulsory dissolution of elected local government executives and councillors after two years, are inconsistent with Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution and therefore null, void and of no effect.

They are also asking the court to determine whether, in view of the decisions in Hon. Anam Hamisu Mohammed v. Attorney-General of Plateau State & Ors and Attorney-General of the Federation v. Attorney-General of Abia State & 35 Ors (2024) 17 NWLR (Pt. 1996) 425; (2024) LPELR-62576(SC), the provisions of Section 110(4) of the Anambra State Electoral Law can stand.

The plaintiffs contend that the Supreme Court judgment affirmed the democratic status, self-governance and constitutional autonomy of elected local government councils and their officers.

They have further asked the court to determine whether the Electoral (Amendment No. 3) Law 2024 is inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Another issue raised is whether, having regard to Sections 7(1), 135(3) and 180(2) of the Constitution and the principles of Nigerian federalism, elected local government officials can have their tenure reduced to two years while elected officials at the federal and state levels enjoy constitutionally recognised four-year terms.

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The plaintiffs argue that such an arrangement violates the constitutional recognition of democratic governance at the three levels of government.

They are therefore seeking a declaration that Section 110(4) of the Anambra State Electoral (Amendment No. 3) Law 2024 and Sections 44(3) and 64 of the Anambra State Local Government Administration Law 2024 conflict with Sections 1(3) and 7 of the Constitution and are, to that extent, unconstitutional, null and void.

They also want the court to declare that the provisions of the state laws cannot lawfully be interpreted or applied in a manner that permits the defendants to arbitrarily terminate the subsisting mandate of democratically elected local government officials by conducting elections to replace them midway through their tenure.

The plaintiffs further seek a declaration that any decision or action by the first and second defendants, their servants, agents or privies, treating the councillors’ mandates as having expired after two years is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

They are also asking the court to declare that the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) had no lawful authority to conduct elections for the purpose of replacing them or other subsisting elected local government officials during their alleged four-year tenure.

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Among the reliefs sought is an order of perpetual injunction restraining ANSIEC, its officers, agents and anyone acting on its behalf from recognising, swearing in, inaugurating or otherwise giving effect to the purported election or return of persons elected in the local government elections conducted on August 29, 2026.

The plaintiffs are also seeking an order reinstating them, with their rights, privileges and emoluments, pending the determination of the Originating Summons.

In addition, they are demanding N10 billion in general damages against the defendants.

The councillors have also asked the court to order the defendants to comply with the final decision of the Supreme Court in Attorney-General of the Federation v. Attorney-General of Abia State & 35 Ors and Gov. Ekiti v. Olubunmo, as well as Section 287(1) of the Constitution, particularly on democratic governance at the local government level.

They contend that the constitutional provisions prohibit the arbitrary replacement or alteration of the mandates of democratically elected local government officials through arrangements inconsistent with Section 7(1) of the Constitution.

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Meanwhile, it was gathered that the suit, which was expected to come up for hearing last week, was not listed on the cause list of the Awka High Court.

There are also indications that the matter could attract the attention of the Attorney-General of the Federation, as parties continue to canvass the enforcement of what they describe as the constitutional provisions governing democratic local government administration.

With the legal challenge still pending, uncertainty now surrounds the proposed inauguration of the newly elected local government mayors and councillors in the state.

The Federal Government has opened discussions with the World Bank for three new loans worth a combined $1.5bn, even as Nigeria’s public debt rose to a record N166.79tn at the end of June 2026.

Documents from the World Bank indicate that the proposed financing consists of three separate $500m facilities targeting climate resilience, social protection and early childhood development.

The first facility is a proposed $500m additional financing for the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes project, known as ACReSAL. The World Bank is expected to consider the facility on October 29, 2026.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is listed as the borrower, while the Federal Ministry of Environment will serve as the implementing agency.

If approved, the additional financing will increase ACReSAL’s total funding from the previously approved $700m to $1.2bn. The entire facility is expected to be financed through the International Development Association, the World Bank’s concessional financing arm.

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According to the World Bank, the government requested the additional $500m to expand the project’s results and strengthen the institutional, operational and financing arrangements required to sustain integrated landscape management.

The funds are expected to support landscape restoration, watershed rehabilitation, erosion and flood management, irrigation and drainage, water harvesting and storage, reforestation and other climate-resilient initiatives.

Of the proposed $500m, $310m would be allocated to dryland management, $165m to community climate resilience and $25m to institutional strengthening and project management.

ACReSAL currently operates across 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, focusing on land degradation, water insecurity, climate vulnerability and declining agricultural productivity.

The World Bank estimates that desertification and land degradation affect about 43 per cent of Nigeria’s land area. It also warned that inadequate action on climate change could reduce Nigeria’s GDP by about 2.6 per cent annually by 2030 and as much as 6.7 per cent by 2050.

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$500m Social Protection Loan

The second proposed facility is a $500m IDA credit for the Household Prosperity and Empowerment-Social Protection Project, known as HOPE-SP.

The project is still at an earlier stage of preparation, with a technical design review scheduled for October 30, 2026. The World Bank has tentatively set March 16, 2027, for consideration of the project by its board.

The Federal Ministry of Finance is listed as the borrower, while the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction is expected to implement the programme.

The project has an estimated cost of $500m, comprising a $420m results-based programme and an $80m investment project financing component.

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The proposed programme is aimed at establishing regular social assistance for poor and vulnerable households while gradually increasing the role of federal and state governments in financing social protection.

The World Bank said the programme would support targeted unconditional and conditional cash transfers, modernise the social registry, integrate the National Identification Number into the social protection information system and strengthen implementation at the federal, state and local government levels.

The lender noted that Nigeria spent only 0.14 per cent of its GDP on social safety-net programmes in 2021, compared with a global average of 1.5 per cent and 1.2 per cent among lower-middle-income countries.

The World Bank also estimated that the proportion of Nigerians living in poverty rose from 40 per cent in 2019 to 56 per cent in 2023 and could reach 62.5 per cent in 2026.

It attributed the worsening situation to factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, natural disasters and conflict, while noting that the removal of fuel subsidies and exchange-rate reforms increased living costs in the short term.

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$500m Early Childhood Development Programme

The third proposed facility is another $500m IDA credit for the Nigeria Early Childhood Development Programme, which is expected to be considered on March 15, 2027.

Like HOPE-SP, its technical design review is scheduled for October 30, 2026.

The Federal Ministry of Finance will be the borrower, while the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning is expected to implement the programme.

The project will cover all 36 states and the FCT and is designed to improve access to integrated health, nutrition, early learning, childcare, water, sanitation and other essential services for children aged zero to five.

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The proposed $500m financing will comprise a $400m programme-for-results component and a $100m investment project financing component.

If approved, the three facilities would bring the total value of the Federal Government’s proposed new World Bank borrowing to $1.5bn.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won all chairmanship and Councillorship seats contested in the Sept. 26 Local Government Election in Enugu State.

It would be recalled that the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) conducted election into the 17 Chairmanship and 260 Ward Councillorship positions in the state on Saturday.

Declaring the election results at the ENSIEC headquarters in Enugu on Sunday, the Chairman of the Commission, Prof Christian Ngwu, said that the election was free and fair.

Ngwu said that the election was conducted according to rules guiding the Commission, and “subsequently, we are issuing the winners with certificate of returns.”

Speaking after collecting his certificate of return, Chairman of Enugu South Local Government Area, Chief Caleb Ani, attributed the landslide victory of the candidates of APC to the massive developmental works of Gov. Peter Mbah.

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Ani urged the residents of the state to vote for Mbah en masse in the forthcoming 2027 General Election to continue the good works.

“Gov. Mbah has done well in all ramifications, this is partly while the APC candidates won overwhelmingly.

“I urge the people to vote for him, come 2027 General Elections so that he will continue with his good works and do more,” he said.

Reacting, the APC Chairman in Enugu State, Dr Martin Chukwunweike, said that the resounding victory at the polls indicated the dominance of the national ruling party, APC, in the state.

“We will not rest as we push the developmental efforts of President Bola Tinubu and our amiable governor, His Excellency Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for the world to see.

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“Tinubu, Mbah and all the APC candidates will be reelected in 2027 as they have performed exceptionally well in the past three years,” he said.

In the numerical figures of the results pronounced, APC chairmanship candidates won with margins while the opposition parties trailed behind with minimal votes.

For instance, in Udenu, Igbo-Eze North and Igbo-Eze South local Government Areas respectively, the APC chairmen elect secured virtually the whole votes cast.