The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has assembled a team of 97 lawyers to challenge what it describes as the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s ‘fake lawsuit’ against its interim leadership, including former Senate President David Mark and former Minister Rauf Aregbesola.

The legal team, led by Barrister Mohammed Sheriff, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday, accusing the ruling APC of filing a suit using the names of individuals who are not members of the ADC.

The latest development follows a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja between Senator Mark, who is now the ADC’s Interim National Chairman, and the party’s Kogi State chapter.

At the meeting, Mark assured Nigerians that under his leadership, the ADC would operate with total transparency and would not favour any presidential aspirant.

“I don’t own this party more than any other member… All Nigerians must come together and take ownership of the ADC,” he said.

He, therefore, urged party members to set aside their differences and focus on building a united political force, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could fail if citizens remain passive.

The ADC chairman also criticised the APC, saying the ruling party should focus on fixing its own policy failures rather than targeting individuals.

“If they admitted that insecurity was bad and promised to improve it but instead made it worse, should Nigerians continue to support them? The answer is no,” he said.

The ADC alleged that the APC had fabricated names in its lawsuit against the party’s interim leadership.

According to the ADC, investigations showed that the supposed plaintiffs in the suit were not registered members of the party in either Kogi or Nasarawa State.

“It smacks of desperation that a party entrusted with leading 200 million Nigerians would engage in such dishonesty,” the party said.

Mark used the occasion to call for national unity and encouraged Nigerians to support the ADC’s vision of a reformed and people-centred democracy.

“Let us work together to rebuild this nation for future generations,” he urged.

Barrister Sheriff, head of the ADC’s national legal support team, confirmed that 97 lawyers have volunteered to take up the case.

“We are fully prepared to defend the ADC and its leaders against this politically motivated attack,” he said.

The Managing Director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Aliyu, has said that Nigeria loses at least $25 billion every year due to the lack of electricity.

He stated this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Rural Electrification Agency and Galaxy Backbone in Abuja.

The agreement was aimed at delivering electricity and digital connectivity to public institutions such as schools, hospitals, and security agencies across the country.

The REA boss said the initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu administration’s efforts to drive inclusive development and realise its vision of a $ 1 trillion economy.

Aliyu said: “For us, today (July 4, 2025), we are showing and demonstrating how two different government agencies can collaborate towards the development of this country.

“Today, we are showing we are planting the seed to unlock a $25billion economy. The cost of lack of electricity and associated development initiatives within the country is costing the country $25billion annually.

“The nexus between electricity, financial inclusion, and the digital economy cannot be over-emphasised.

“We have seen it over and over in the study that wherever there is no electricity, there is no financial inclusion, and there is no digital value that has been created within those communities.

“Nigeria has the highest number of people without electricity, which by extension means that the country has the highest number of people that are financially excluded, and they are not reaping the benefit of the digital economy.”

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said it lacks the power to offer amnesty to surrendered terrorists.

The Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, made the clarification during a briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

There were reports recently suggesting that bandit commanders in Katsina State were surrendering and releasing hostages in exchange for amnesty.

The military high command clarified that while the development reflects the success of both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, offering amnesty to terrorists is not within the military’s mandate.

He said: “Anmesty is not what we do. We are to do our job according to our rules of engagement, according to our operational directives. And if, from the operation conducted, people are arrested and handed over, and an amnesty is to be given to them, it’s not the military that determines that.

“Their cases will be studied, and based on that merit, the agencies of government responsible for giving amnesty will do that. It is not for the military to determine whether to give amnesty or not. That is not part of our operation.”

Responding to a question on why the military had refused to release detained leaders of Okuama community in Delta State, despite a court order, the Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, who was also present at the briefing, explained that the military had not received the court order in question, despite reports of its issuance.

On March 14, four officers and 13 soldiers were killed in an ambush in Okuama, a community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, during a peace mission by the military men. The killings attracted wide condemnation from Nigerians. The military, thereafter, stormed the community and arrested alleged perpetrators of the heinous act.

“The DHQ has not received any court injunction in respect of that,” Gusau said.

“If we get it, we have our legal team, which will advise us on the next step to take. But for now, we don’t have such a court injunction being served to us.”

When asked why the military wouldn’t allow community members to visit the detained leaders, the defence spokesman replied that no such request had been made to the military.

“There was no request forwarded to the Defence Headquarters on that,” Gusau said.

“Maybe, perhaps the request is only on the pages of newspapers.

“There is a procedure for everything. If they follow the procedure, we will respond appropriately,” he added.