The house of representatives is considering a bill seeking to prohibit landlords, property managers and estate agents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from demanding more than 12 months’ rent as a condition for granting or renewing a tenancy.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Paul Nnamchi (Enugu east/Isi-Uzo federal constituency) and Ahmed Doro (Bindawa/Mani federal constituency in Katsina), seeks to establish an authority to regulate rental payments and protect tenants from unlawful practices.

The bill also proposes measures to prevent landlords from circumventing the restriction through intermediaries, compulsory service charges, artificial tenancy renewals, separate agreements, or other arrangements designed to compel tenants to pay more than 12 months’ rent upfront.

Under the proposal, tenants could voluntarily pay rent for more than one year if they initiate the arrangement without coercion, threats, discrimination, or retaliation, provided the agreement and payment are documented in writing.

The proposed legislation also requires landlords and authorised agents to provide written tenancy agreements before or at the start of a tenancy, specifying the rent, payment schedule, tenancy duration, refundable deposits, additional charges, and the rights and obligations of both parties.

The bill aims to establish the Federal Capital Territory Rent Regulation and Tenants’ Protection Authority, which would investigate complaints, monitor compliance, facilitate dispute resolution and order refunds of unlawful rental payments.

If the authority finds that a tenant paid rent in violation of the proposed law, it may order a refund of the unlawful amount within 30 days of serving the order.

The bill proposes fines of between N500,000 and N5 million for individuals convicted of knowingly violating the restriction on advance rent payments, while corporate offenders would face fines ranging from N5 million to N20 million.

The proposed law also provides for a fine of up to N1 million for anyone convicted of failing to comply with a valid compliance notice issued by the authority.

Tenants and landlords would retain the right to seek judicial redress, while anyone dissatisfied with the authority’s decisions could appeal to the FCT high court within 30 days.

Last year, the parliament proposed capping rent increases nationwide at 20 percent and urged the federal government to enforce the measure, but the resolution has not been verifiably implemented.

The Directorate of Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) has promised to mobilise a minimum of five million votes across the country to secure the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in next year’s presidential election.

Speaking to newsmen after the second inaugural leadership meeting of the Directorate held in Abuja, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Muhammad Abba Isa, stated that the PWD community remains an integral pillar of the current administration.

While commending President Tinubu for establishing a dedicated presidential office for special needs and ensuring the integration of persons with disabilities into the party and government structures at both federal and state levels, he assured that the community is ready to come out in force to vote for him.

“I want to use this medium to commend Mr President for creating the Directorate for Persons with Disabilities in line with the belief that no one should be left behind. The community of persons with disabilities is an integral part of this administration.

“APC is the only party that has prioritised the rights of the disability community in Nigeria. Currently, almost 29 states have signed and established agencies to safeguard the lives of persons with disabilities. The community is ready to come out in force and re-elect President Bola Tinubu so he can continue his good reforms,” he said.

On the controversy surrounding their voting strength, Abba Isa emphasised that the political weight of the disability community extends beyond standard estimates.

He revealed that active engagements are ongoing with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address accessibility and voting rights at all polling units nationwide.

“To win an election is all about strategy and organisation, and we are well-organised. From our Directorate, we are going to mobilise at least five million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“We have been engaging with INEC to ensure accessibility in the electoral process — how wheelchair users, visually impaired voters, and others can cast their ballots seamlessly so that no person with a disability is disenfranchised. We are a strong political mass, and we are ready to deliver,” Abba Isa stated.

Equally speaking, the APC National Leader for Persons with Disabilities and Co-Director of the Directorate, Aare Durotolu Bankole, reiterated the party’s confidence ahead of the general elections, declaring that rival political parties lack the structure to challenge the ruling party.

Bankole said: “We are committed to putting in our best to ensure that the re-election of the President and all APC candidates comes with a big vote margin. In APC, we are confident. We want to show clearly to the world that APC is the only ready party in Nigeria. Others know they are not ready and cannot win this election; they will only make media noise. We are here to strategise and tell the world that come 2027, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock.”

While highlighting gender inclusion within the campaign hierarchy, Deputy Director for Women with Disabilities, who is also a board member of the Maryam Abacha National Centre for Women Development, Lois Auta, lauded the party for giving women with disabilities a prominent seat at the decision-making table.

” President Tinubu has done remarkably well for persons with disabilities, including women. He established the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, and work is ongoing on the Reserved Seats Bill for women and PWDs.

“This is the first time a political party is having a dedicated woman with disability in the PCC Directorate leadership. We are proud of this inclusiveness. We have the numerical strength and the political power to ensure the re-election of President Bola Tinubu,” she said.

The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including the Directorate Secretary, Misbahu Lawan Didi, and the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Ayuba Burki Gufwan, underscoring the party’s organised structure to mobilise disability support nationwide.

Amnesty International has condemned what it tagged the arbitrary arrest, detention, and rushed sentencing of a 23-year-old journalist Farida Isiak by authorities in Kaduna State.

“Her arrest and subsequent punishment were clearly because of her attempt to expose abuses by the police. Sentencing a journalist to 4-years in prison after a sham trial is a travesty of justice”the human right body said.

“Farida Isiak, a reporter with Nagarta Radio in Kaduna, was taken into custody around 10:00 p.m. on Monday, 20 October, by officers under the command of the Divisional Police Officer of Mararaban Jos, Usman Adamu. The situation began as a minor disagreement between her mother and a neighbour over a 100 naira change dispute during a sale of charcoal. Police officers initially arrested her mother and later detained her father when he went to secure her release, using their detention as leverage to force Farida to come to the police station.

“When Farida arrived at the station, police officers accused her of defaming them because of a Facebook post she wrote criticizing their unlawful treatment of her parents. Even though she complied with police demands to delete the post and apologize in the hope of securing her parents’ release, officers kept her in custody and rushed her to a Sharia Court in Kawo. “The presiding judge sentenced her to four years in prison or a fine of 1.75 million naira on charges of defamation, completely ignoring the initial police misconduct and the abusive actions that led to the incident.” the human right body narrated.

Reacting in a statement it published through its Facebook account on Thursday, Amnesty International said “the arrest, detention, and hasty sentencing of Farida Isiak are a flagrant abuse of power by the police and weaponization of the judicial system to silence free speech and intimidate journalists.

“Arresting and holding a citizen’s parents to force a journalist to hand herself over is an unlawful tactic that violates rule of law” the body said and thus request that the

Nigeria Police Force launch a full and independent investigation into the conduct of police officers involved in the unlawful detention of her family.

Insisting that the sentence be withdrawn including the monetary fine, Amnesty said Nigerian authorities must stop using defamation charges and the legal system to harass journalists and restrict press freedom.