Canada has invited 1,000 candidates to apply for permanent residence through its Express Entry system under the Canadian Experience Class.   The invitation round was conducted on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, according to the latest ministerial instructions published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 523 to receive an invitation. The draw was conducted at 10:13:44 UTC, with a tie-breaking rule based on candidates who submitted their Express Entry profiles by 22:09:00 UTC on August 17. The tie-breaking rule applies when more than one candidate has the lowest qualifying score, with the earlier profile submission date and time determining who receives an invitation. The latest round was specifically for the Canadian Experience Class, one of the three federal economic immigration programmes managed through Express Entry. Express Entry is Canada’s main online system for managing applications from skilled workers seeking permanent residence. It covers the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Programme and Federal Skilled Trades Programme. Candidates are ranked using the CRS, which awards points for factors including age, education, language ability and work experience. Those with the highest scores are invited to apply for permanent residence during periodic draws. The Canadian Experience Class is designed for skilled workers with qualifying Canadian work experience. Generally, applicants need at least one year, or 1,560 hours, of skilled work experience in Canada within the previous three years in eligible National Occupational Classification TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupations. Applicants also need to meet minimum language requirements. The programme does not require an education credential or proof of settlement funds, while applicants must plan to live outside Quebec. The latest draw was smaller and more competitive than an earlier Canadian Experience Class round on August 5, which issued 3,000 invitations at a CRS cut-off of 516. According to PUNCH, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada had issued more than 113,000 Express Entry invitations by mid-August 2026, with a significant proportion going to Canadian Experience Class candidates.

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has claimed that the Accord Party spent at least N40bn during the August 15 Osun State governorship election.   Fayose made the allegation during a video interview with TVC journalist Nifemi Oguntoye, posted on the journalist’s X account on Wednesday. His comments came after Afrobeats singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, alleged that the All Progressives Congress spent N110bn on vote-buying during the election. Davido, who is the nephew of re-elected Osun Governor and Accord Party candidate Ademola Adeleke, also claimed that the Accord Party did not spend money during the election but relied on the support of Osun residents. Fayose disputed that account, saying both major parties spent heavily during the poll. “Accord Party led the opponents. The money that went to that election from the Accord party itself cannot be under N40 billion. I stand to be corrected,” Fayose said. He also alleged that more than N7.5bn was distributed to various local governments and wards shortly before the election. Fayose, however, did not provide evidence to substantiate the figures. The former governor said both parties spent beyond the legal limit for election expenditure. “The fact remains that both parties spent stupendously. They spent beyond the threshold like every other political party,” he said. Fayose also questioned the timing of the alleged distribution of funds, referring to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s freezing of accounts linked to the election-related controversy. He argued that money intended for residents could have been distributed much earlier rather than shortly before the poll. The Osun election was won by Adeleke, who secured 511,067 votes against APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji’s 444,815, giving the Accord candidate a margin of 66,252 votes. INEC results showed Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas. Fayose attributed a significant portion of Adeleke’s winning margin to his stronghold in Ede, saying the political strength of the Adeleke family in the area played a major role. He also urged the APC to challenge the election result in court if the party believed there were grounds to do so, particularly over the results recorded in Ede. Fayose further said President Bola Tinubu could have influenced the election in favour of the APC if he had chosen to do so, but instead described the President’s handling of the poll as magnanimous. On the implications of the Osun result for the 2027 general election, Fayose dismissed suggestions that the outcome had significantly strengthened the opposition. He argued that opposition parties had failed to unite, which he said had weakened their prospects ahead of the 2027 elections.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has scheduled Saturday, August 22, 2026, for its primary elections to select candidates for four restored State House of Assembly constituencies and several legislative bye-elections.   According to PUNCH, the timetable was signed by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, and released on Wednesday. The affected restored constituencies are Abraka, Isoko North II and Ughelli South II in Delta State, and Yagba West II in Kogi State. The APC will also conduct primaries for legislative bye-elections in Gombe, Bauchi, Delta and Kano states. They include Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency, Disina and Sakwa State Constituencies in Bauchi, Udu State Constituency in Delta and Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano. The party said the timetable followed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s restoration of four previously suppressed constituencies in Delta and Kogi after court judgments. APC primary timetable The sale of expression of interest and nomination forms began on August 18 and will end on August 20. Completed forms and accompanying documents must also be submitted by August 20. Screening of aspirants, publication of screening results and screening appeals are scheduled for August 21, ahead of the primaries on August 22. Election appeals will follow on August 24. APC fixes N6m fee for House of Assembly aspirants The APC set the combined expression of interest and nomination fees for House of Assembly aspirants at N6m, comprising N1m for expression of interest and N5m for nomination. House of Representatives aspirants will pay N10m, consisting of N1m expression of interest and N9m nomination fees. The party said female, youth and physically challenged aspirants would pay the full expression of interest fee and 50 per cent of the prescribed nomination fee. The Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency seat became vacant following the death of lawmaker Tongo Yaya.

The Nigerian Army has arrested 18 suspected illegal miners and recovered N2.47m in cash and mining equipment during an operation in Izom, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.   The suspects were apprehended by troops of the 102 Guard Battalion during a routine operation after soldiers discovered alleged unauthorised mining activities at a site in the area. Following the arrests, the Army handed the suspects and recovered exhibits to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps Mining Marshals headquarters in Sauka, Abuja, for further investigation and prosecution. The NSCDC Mining Marshals Commander, Assistant Commandant of Corps John Onoja Attah, commended the Army for its cooperation in tackling illegal mining and described the operation as a demonstration of professionalism and commitment to protecting Nigeria’s mineral resources. Preliminary investigations by the Mining Marshals indicated that the suspects allegedly operated without licences, permits or affiliation with any registered mining company. The investigators also said the suspects were unable to provide evidence of lawful mineral titles or authorisation from the relevant regulatory authorities. Items recovered from the mining site included motorcycles, pumping machines, crusher engines, communication devices and cash totalling N2,468,750. Attah said the Mining Marshals would continue intelligence-driven enforcement against illegal mining, which authorities have linked to concerns over environmental degradation, revenue losses and the unauthorised exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources. He added that the NSCDC would continue enforcing the provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and working with security agencies to protect the country’s solid mineral resources. The Mining Marshals said investigations had been concluded and the suspects were being processed for prosecution under the relevant provisions of the law.