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Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Wednesday, 30th September, 2026.
1. Tinubu Returns To Nigeria After 28-Day Vacation In France
President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after a four-week working vacation in France.
Naija News learnt that the presidential plane landed at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at about 6:22 p.m. local time.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement issued Tuesday, said Tinubu chose to fly to Lagos first to honour the memory of the martyr of Nigeria’s democratic struggle, MKO Abiola, on Independence Day.
He said Tinubu will attend the premiere of a movie honouring Abiola, the winner of the June 1993 election, at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
According to the statement, while in Lagos, President Tinubu will also hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates over several days in preparation for the 2027 elections before returning to Abuja.
2. I’m Ready To Work, There’s Nothing Wrong With Me – Tinubu Declares After Vacation
President Bola Tinubu has dismissed rumours about his ill health, saying he is in perfect health.
The President attributed the rumours about his ill health to politics.
Naija News reports that Tinubu, who spoke to reporters on Tuesday at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos upon his return from vacation, said nothing is wrong with him and that he is fully ready to work.
The President also declared that he enjoyed his vacation.
Asked about his health and rumours about his ill health which trended while he was away, particularly during his time in France, President Tinubu replied that he is “ready to kick, ready to work, there’s nothing wrong.”
He added that “Rumours will always emanate from politics, but the fact remains that I’m here, healthy, sound and ready to go. Ready to work, and ready to go.”
3. Isa Pantami Wins Gombe PDP Rerun Primary
Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, has won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial primary for the 2027 governorship election.
The primary was held today, Tuesday, across 11 local government areas of Gombe State.
Naija News reports that Pantami defeated two other aspirants, Usman Aliyu Garry and Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki, in the rerun governorship primary conducted by the party.
Following the declaration of the results, Pantami took about 80 percent of the votes cast.
The rerun followed a 24 September Federal High Court judgment in Gombe, delivered by Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed, which voided the earlier process that had produced Pantami and ordered a fresh primary. Mailantarki and Garry had challenged that first exercise.
4. I Was Never In PDP – Akpabio Declares
Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday denied ever being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Naija News reports that Akpabio made the claim during a Senate session while lawmakers considered a motion in honour of former Kogi State Governor, Ibrahim Idris, who died on September 20, 2026.
The issue came up when Senator Jibrin Isah, who represents Kogi East, moved a motion calling on the Senate to honour the late former governor.
While introducing the motion, Isah recalled the political relationship he had with Akpabio and Idris when they were members of the PDP.
He referred to the period when all three politicians were active in the party and noted that Idris had served as Kogi State governor from May 29, 2003, to January 27, 2012.
Akpabio, however, interrupted the lawmaker and rejected the suggestion that he had ever belonged to the PDP.
The Senate President maintained that he had always identified with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and did not consider himself a PDP member.
5. ‘Nigerians Should Not Have To Guess’ – Atiku Demands Full Details Of Tinubu’s $700 Million US Deal
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has questioned the recent $700 million minerals deal between the United States and the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu.
Naija News reports that the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, said in an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday that Nigeria has sufficient minerals that the US wants, dismissing claims of secrecy surrounding the deal.
However, in a statement by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku demanded the immediate publication of the deal details.
He wondered if the deal Tinubu signed with the US is the same as the one President John Mahama’s administration in Ghana rejected over certain concerns.
He called on the Federal Government to publish the complete Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), along with every related protocol, annex, data-sharing arrangement, specimen-sharing agreement, and financial undertaking.
6. ‘Why Are You Still Concerned About Me?’ – Iyabo Obasanjo Blasts APC, Alleges Threat To Life
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ogun Central Senatorial District in the forthcoming National Assembly election, Iyabo Obasanjo, has claimed that there are renewed threats to her life.
Naija News reports that Obasanjo made the allegation in an interview on Splash FM late Monday while reacting to the disruption of a PDP campaign gathering at Ward 16, Trailer Park, Soyooye area of Abeokuta North Local Government Area.
She stated that she was putting the United Nations, the United States Embassy in Nigeria and the international community on notice over what she described as threats to her life and the integrity of the January 2027 elections.
According to her, she had seen videos circulating online showing men, some of them masked and allegedly armed with cutlasses, dismantling campaign canopies and attacking people at the venue shortly before her arrival.
She warned that unless what she described as growing political violence was stopped, she and her political associates would seek the attention of the international community.
7. Violence Is Never An Option – BBNaija Disqualifies Keivo For Beating Tram
Big Brother Naija ‘Show Ya Sef’ housemate, Victor Ikpe, popularly known as Keivo, has been disqualified from the reality television show after getting into a physical fight with fellow housemate, Tram.
Naija News reports that the disqualification was announced by Big Brother on Tuesday after the housemates were called to the lounge to watch footage of the incident.
The clips showed the confrontation between Keivo and Tram, after which Big Brother informed the housemates that Keivo had been removed from the competition.
Big Brother identified Keivo as the person who initiated the physical attack and ruled that he could no longer continue in the reality show.
He said: “Keivo, as the perpetrator, has been removed from the house. He is therefore disqualified from the house. Violence is never an option.”
The announcement came shortly after Keivo’s name disappeared from the official voting platform.
The incident happened on Monday during the final week of the show after Tram accused Keivo of taking a black shirt that belonged to him.
8. I Know What He Can Do, And What He Can’t Do – 2Baba’s Mum Defends Singer Amid Controversies
Rose Idibia, mother of Nigerian music star Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has dismissed reports and allegations published about her son.
Naija News reports that the singer has faced public attention over his personal life since announcing his separation from actress Annie Macaulay in January 2025.
He later made his relationship with Natasha Osawaru, a member of the Edo State House of Assembly, public in February 2025.
Since then, 2Baba has been involved in a number of controversies, including alleged disagreements involving him and Osawaru.
However, his mother said she knows what is true about him despite the various reports circulating in the media.
Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, Mrs Idibia said her son has been able to cope with the criticism because he knows himself and understands what he has and has not done.
She said the constant reports and accusations may affect the singer emotionally, but knowing the truth about himself has helped him remain focused.
9. Guinea-Bissau Thrash Super Eagles Of Nigeria In AFCON 2027 Qualifier
Guinea-Bissau handed Nigeria a 3-0 defeat in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying clash earlier today, September 29, with the Super Eagles suffering their first loss in Group L at the Estádio 24 de Setembro in Bissau.
Franculino gave Guinea-Bissau the lead in the 15th minute after Ronaldo Nhaga set him up. Nigeria enjoyed 56 per cent possession and recorded 12 shots, with seven on target, but failed to convert their opportunities as the hosts held a 1-0 lead at half-time.
Nigeria coach Éric Chelle made two changes at the start of the second half, introducing Moses Simon and Mathias Usor for Taiwo Awoniyi and Frank Onyeka. The Super Eagles continued to search for an equaliser, but Guinea-Bissau extended their advantage in the 66th minute when Mama Balde finished from Mauro Rodrigues’ assist.
Chelle then brought on Tolu Arokodare, Gift Orban and Raphael Onyedika as Nigeria tried to rescue the match. Their task appeared to improve when Guinea-Bissau were reduced to 10 men in the 88th minute after Alfa Semedo was sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct.
However, Nigeria could not capitalise on the numerical advantage. Alexandre Djalo sealed the victory for the hosts in the fifth minute of stoppage time, scoring from Carlos Mané Tamble’s assist to complete a 3-0 win.
10. ‘Manchester City Have Been Found Guilty Of All Charges,’ Premier League Confirms
Manchester City have been found guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons, the Premier League has confirmed.
Naija News reports that the independent Commission found that Manchester City arranged “sham” contracts with several commercial partners and relied on other “sham” agreements to artificially inflate their revenues and reduce their costs.
The Commission also found that the club filed misstated accounts and concealed the true state of its finances from auditors and football regulators.
It concluded that the arrangements artificially increased City’s revenues and reduced their costs by more than £900 million during the period under investigation.
According to the Premier League, the arrangements formed part of a disguised funding scheme involving Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club at the time.
The Commission found that ADUG funded portions of sponsorship agreements and other arrangements that allowed City to record lower operating expenses than they actually incurred.
The findings also established that City significantly breached both the Premier League’s spending limits and UEFA’s financial rules. The Commission said the club would have breached both sets of regulations by a substantial amount if the relevant agreements had been accurately recorded in its accounts.
City were also found guilty of three of four alleged breaches relating to their failure to co-operate with the Premier League’s four-year investigation, which began in December 2018.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the decision established the facts surrounding City’s conduct during the period under investigation.
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