Major Shake-Up: Bago Wields Axe On All Special Advisers In Niger State Nigerians React

Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State has dissolved the appointments of all his special advisers as part of a broad move to restructure his administration and strengthen governance delivery.

The announcement was made on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at his first State Executive Council meeting with the newly inaugurated commissioners, held at the Government House in Minna.

Bago explained that the decision was strategic rather than disciplinary, noting that it was intended to enhance efficiency and align advisory roles with the objectives of his administration.

According to him, the exercise is meant to realign and reorganise responsibilities to better serve the goals of the New Niger Agenda.

“The termination of their appointments is to enable us rejig and reposition their portfolios in a way that will make them more effective and efficient in line with the New Niger agenda,” the governor said.

He nonetheless appreciated the outgoing advisers for their dedication and service, commending their sacrifices and contributions to the achievements recorded so far by his government, while wishing them success in their future pursuits.

Meanwhile, an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan last Thursday dismissed an application filed by sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) local government chairmen in Osun State, who sought to set aside an earlier order freezing disputed council funds domiciled with United Bank for Africa (UBA).

Justice Ladiran Akintola ruled that the former chairmen lacked the legal capacity to challenge the ex parte order granted on September 26, 2025.

The applicants, identified in court records as “Persons Affected,” had approached the court in Suit No. I/1149/2025: Attorney General of Osun State & Anor v. UBA Plc, urging it to lift the freeze on the funds, arguing that the action disrupted governance at the local council level and violated constitutional provisions.

However, the judge held that the chairmen had earlier withdrawn their application to be joined as parties in the suit, thereby admitting they had no enforceable interest in the matter.

“They are strangers to the suit and therefore lack locus standi,” Justice Akintola ruled, adding that the withdrawal of the joinder application amounted to a clear concession that they had no legal claim to the funds.

The application was consequently dismissed in its entirety.

The Osun State Attorney General was represented by Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), alongside E.Y. Ajayi and D.G. Egunjobi, while Oluwatomiwa Fadeyi appeared for UBA.

Reacting to the ruling, Adetunbi thanked the court for what he described as a sound and well-considered judgment, and disclosed that the state would seek a certified true copy of the recent Supreme Court decision in SC/CV/773/2025: Attorney General of Osun State v. Attorney General of the Federation to guide its next legal steps.