Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 18th August, 2025
1. Fubara: Tinubu Trying To Turn Nigeria Into A Lagos Model – Kenneth Okonkwo
Veteran Nollywood actor, Kenneth Okonkwo, has accused President Bola Tinubu of usurping the autonomy of Rivers State by declaring a state of emergency in the state.
Okonkwo added that the state of emergency declared by Tinubu, which resulted in the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly, has plunged Rivers State into a constitutional crisis as a result of the suspension of its executive and legislative branches.
According to Okonkwo, Tinubu is trying to replicate his political stronghold on Lagos State in Rivers State.
He, however, stated that the time has come for President Tinubu to lift the suspension in Rivers State to avoid anarchy in the oil-rich state.
The Labour Party leader added that there are only two options available to the state based on current developments: either to surrender to impunity or uphold the Constitution and the will of the people.
Naija News reports Okonkwo made the submission in a post via his 𝕏 account on Sunday.
2. APC Vice Chairman, Salihu Speaks On Snatching Election Materials In Adamawa
The National Vice Chairman (Northeast) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mustapha Salihu, has dismissed allegations that he stole election materials during Saturday’s State Constituency by-elections in Adamawa State.
Earlier reports indicated that angry youths in Ganye blocked Salihu’s SUV, accusing him of hiding Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices and a ballot box in his vehicle. A viral video of the incident sparked suspicions that he was attempting to compromise the electoral process.
Speaking at a press conference in Yola, Salihu rejected the claims, insisting that he never attempted to manipulate the election. According to him, his actions were to protect sensitive materials from what he described as a deliberate move by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to disrupt the counting exercise.
3. INEC Declares Zamfara By-Election Inconclusive
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Zamfara State House of Assembly by-election for Kaura-Namoda South Constituency inconclusive.
Announcing the results at the Kasuwar Daji Collation Centre on Saturday, August 16, 2025, INEC disclosed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled a total of 6,999 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured 5,339 votes.
This gave the APC a lead margin of 1,660 votes.
A breakdown of the results from the six wards showed the APC leading in four wards, while the PDP won in two.
Despite APC’s lead, INEC declared the election inconclusive, citing irregularities and the need for a rerun in three polling units of Kyanbarawa Ward and two polling units in Saka Jiki Ward.
The electoral body assured that a new date will be announced for the supplementary election to determine the eventual winner.
4. Bye-election Results Do Not Define Coalition’s Strength – ADC
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said the outcome of the by-elections held on Saturday, August 16th, across 13 states and 16 constituencies of the federation does not define the strength of the coalition.
This is as the party expressed grave concern over the conduct of the by-elections and alleged that the elections were riddled with widely reported violence, vote buying, manipulation, and other administrative lapses.
According to the party, the exercise once again exposed how far Nigeria’s electoral process has deteriorated under President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Naija News reports that the position of the ADC was made known in a statement on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.
According to Abdullahi, the ADC did not field candidates for most of the positions contested in the by-election, hence, the outcome can’t be used to judge the influence of the party going into the 2027 elections.
5. NIS Begins Deportation Of 42 Convicted Chinese, Philippine Nationals
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) will today, Sunday, August 18, 2025, commence the deportation of 42 Chinese and Philippine nationals convicted of cyber terrorism and Ponzi scheme offences.
Naija News reports that the deportees, who form the first batch out of 192 convicted foreigners, are scheduled to depart Nigeria this afternoon. They were among the 759 suspects arrested during a major raid on December 10, 2024, at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to the NIS, the repatriation exercise will continue on Monday and Tuesday, when additional batches will be airlifted to their home countries.
The syndicate had been running a large-scale cyber fraud and Ponzi scheme before security agencies swooped on them in one of Nigeria’s biggest anti-cybercrime operations.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which prosecuted the cases, confirmed that 192 foreigners, comprising both Chinese and Philippine nationals, were convicted in connection with the fraudulent activities.
The EFCC disclosed that the charges included the use of fake online identities to defraud victims, training staff of Genting International Co. Limited in fraudulent practices, and other violations under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Speaking on the development, EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, hailed the deportations as a significant achievement in Nigeria’s anti-corruption war.
6. ADC Does Not Exist, Labour Party Is Dead In Anambra – Soludo
The Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, has commended the people of the state for voting for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Saturday’s by-elections.
Soludo stated that the results from Saturday’s bye-election show that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) does not exist in Anambra and the Labour Party is also dead in the state.
Speaking on Sunday during an event in the Nanka area of the state to celebrate the victory of APGA, Soludo said the people of Anambra have spoken with their votes.
The governor said the opposition coalition wanted to use the by-election in Anambra to test its popularity, but Anambra people “spoke overwhelmingly with over 75%. APGA is our movement”.
Naija News reports that according to reports declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APGA’s Emmanuel Nwachukwu emerged as the winner for Anambra South Senatorial District.
Also, INEC declared APGA’s Ifeoma Azikiwe the winner of the by-election for the Onitsha North Constituency 1 in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
In his reaction to the results, Soludo said many Labour Party stalwarts, including Peter Obi, formed an allied force to convince the people of the area to vote against APGA, but the Anambra people rejected them.
7. You Can’t Call Me A Drug Dealer And Expect To Receive Child Support – Cubana Chiefpriest Fires Back At Alleged Baby Mama
Nigerian nightlife businessman, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has responded to Kenyan woman Hellen Mutimu amid their ongoing DNA test dispute.
Speaking during a live session with popular TikToker Peller, the socialite dismissed Helen’s repeated outbursts, saying her approach to the matter was unnecessary.
Naija News reports that he stated that if she truly had a child for him, it would not require public drama to get his attention, stressing that a child is more valuable than material wealth.
Cubana Chief Priest further challenged Helen to bring the child to Nigeria if she was confident in her claims.
He also reacted to accusations she allegedly made against him, ranging from involvement in fraud to drug-related activities.
He pointed out that it was contradictory for her to make such allegations while still demanding child support from him.
The nightlife mogul maintained that the controversy was nothing more than social media drama, insisting that he does not take her claims seriously.
8. I Battled Depression For 3 Months After Acting Oloture – Beverly Osu
Nigerian actress, Beverly Osu has revealed that she battled depression for three months after working on the Netflix original film Òlòtūré.
She explained that the role affected her mental state because of the way she approaches acting.
Osu described herself as someone who fully immerses into characters, a process that often makes it difficult for her to detach from them once filming ends.
According to her, the deep involvement in Òlòtūré left her facing an identity struggle as she tried to rediscover herself after production.
9. Toke: ‘Why Is A Man So Concerned About Issues Concerning Women’s Bodies And Struggles’ – Uriel Blasts Solomon Buchi
Reality TV star, Uriel Oputa, has reacted to Solomon Buchi’s comments on media personality Toke Makinwa’s pregnancy.
The exchange began after Buchi released a video in which he congratulated Toke on her pregnancy but questioned why she had linked the news to her faith.
He argued that it was wrong to connect God to her testimony since the pregnancy happened outside marriage.
Naija News reports that his remarks sparked online debate, with some agreeing with him while others viewed his opinion as judgmental.
Uriel took to Instagram to address the issue, saying that it was unnecessary for Buchi to criticise Toke’s choice of words publicly.
She said that many women struggle with conception even within marriage, pointing out failed IVF attempts, miscarriages, and surrogacy disappointments.
According to her, Toke’s ability to conceive naturally at 39 was a blessing, and she has every right to thank God for it.
She added that men should not dominate conversations about women’s reproductive experiences.
She stressed that only women truly understand the struggles tied to conception and motherhood.
10. ‘I Am Proud Of Them’ – Amorim Reacts After Man United’s 1-0 Defeat To Arsenal
Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim, has praised his players despite the defeat to Arsenal in their English Premier League (EPL) clash on Sunday evening.
Amorim stated that the performance showed signs of progress from his team.
Naija News reports that Arsenal began their Premier League title charge on a winning note with a narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
A howler from United’s stand-in goalkeeper Altay Bayindir handed Arsenal left-back Riccardo Calafiori the decisive goal, leaving the Red Devils’ much-vaunted ₤200m forward line toothless.
Despite encouraging debuts from Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, and a late cameo from Benjamin Sesko, United failed to find a way past Arsenal’s rock-solid defence marshalled by Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.
Arsenal, who finished runners-up for three consecutive seasons, are under pressure to finally deliver the Premier League title under Mikel Arteta.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
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