Recent developments in Nigeria have brought to the forefront critical issues ranging from fiscal policies in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to national debt concerns and internal party politics. Key figures, including FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Senator Gabriel Suswam, have made significant statements, while matters of education and regional diplomacy also feature prominently.

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has announced plans to increase ground rent in Abuja, citing the urgent need for revenue to fund infrastructural development. He lamented that the refusal of property owners to pay ground rent and other taxes has been a major challenge, with many debtors owing for as long as 20 years despite the rent remaining unchanged. Wike emphasized that Abuja relies on taxes, not oil revenue, for its development. This push for increased revenue follows earlier actions, including the revocation of over 4,700 properties in March for unpaid ground rent amounting to over N6 billion. Subsequently, the FCT Administration began sealing affected properties, including the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), an Access Bank branch, and a TotalEnergies Filling Station. While these actions drew criticism, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intervened, approving a 14-day grace period for payment of dues and penalties. Wike pointed out the irony of elites who comply with tax laws overseas but evade them in Nigeria.

On the national economic front, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticized the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, accusing it of being "addicted to loans" and mortgaging Nigeria’s future. Atiku's concerns were amplified by the government's recent request to the National Assembly to approve new borrowing plans totaling $21.5 billion, €2.19 billion, and 15 billion Japanese yen, equivalent to over $24 billion. He warned that this would escalate Nigeria's total public debt from N144.7 trillion to a staggering N183 trillion. Atiku highlighted that as of December 31, 2024, public debt already stood at $94 billion (N144.7 trillion), and since President Tinubu assumed office in 2023, it has surged by 65.6 percent. He further noted that under the APC-led administration since 2015, public debt has ballooned by 1,048 percent, from N12.6 trillion to N144.7 trillion, pushing the debt-to-GDP ratio beyond 50 percent and the debt-service-to-revenue ratio over 130 percent. Atiku described the situation as a "Ponzi scheme," where new loans are taken primarily to service existing debts, leaving little for development. He called for an immediate halt to this "reckless borrowing plan," urging lawmakers, civil society, and the international community to intervene.

Meanwhile, internal political dynamics within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have drawn sharp commentary. Former Benue State Governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam, described the PDP as being in an "intensive care unit." He attributed the party's struggles to its leadership, specifically accusing Governor Bala Mohammed, Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, and Umar Damagum, the party's national chairman, of failing the party by allegedly reneging on an agreement with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. While expressing hope that the PDP could recover, Suswam voiced doubts about the current leadership's ability to steer the party correctly. He also criticized the Tinubu-led administration for its perceived insensitivity to the hardship faced by Nigerians.

In the education sector, Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa has urged students taking the 2025 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) by the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) to avoid shortcuts and work diligently for success. During an inspection of a CBT test-run center, Alausa praised WAEC's processes for implementing Computer Based Tests, stating they are "extremely difficult to hack" due to operation via a local area network. He noted that CBT would significantly reduce malpractice common with paper-and-pen exams. WAEC plans for all November objective exams to be CBT, with a full transition to CBT for both essays and objectives for WAEC and NECO by 2026. Alausa acknowledged the challenge the government faces in providing the necessary infrastructure for this migration.

In other news, former President Muhammadu Buhari was absent from the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held in Lagos. In a letter to President Tinubu, Buhari explained his absence was due to a routine medical checkup in the United Kingdom. He congratulated ECOWAS on its milestone and paid tribute to General Yakubu Gowon (retd), a founding father of the regional bloc.