'President' Saraki, PVC extension and other top stories of the week

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, might be eyeing a different presidential seat in 2019 as he disclosed that he might be contesting against President Muhammadu Buhari next year.

During an interview with Bloomberg this week, he said he's actively considering running for President of the Republic of Nigeria, and this has been interpreted to mean he'll definitely throw his hat into the ring for the 2019 presidential election. Interesting times.

The Senate President's revelation might be the biggest story about him this week, but he had other interesting things going on as the All Progressives' Congress (APC)accused him of committing 'high treason' for refusing to reconvene the National Assembly to consider the budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 general elections.

In a statement jointly issued by Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, they noted that recalling members of the National Assembly at the moment would be 'irresponsible' as joint Senate and House Committees don't yet have reports on the budget.

Since this statement was issued on Tuesday, INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has met a couple of times with both committees and the breakdown of the budget is...interesting.

INEC also extended the deadline for the continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise for permanent voter's card (PVC) from August 17 to August 31. 21 new political parties were also registered to take the country's total of parties to 91.

End...SARS?

After months of social media pressure from Nigerians for the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to be scrapped, the federal government ordered an 'overhaul' this week.

Even though the Force has announced 'sweeping' changes after Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, gave the directive, it's not immediately clear how it will play out yet.

In other news...

Even though the Nigerian Army's Operation Python Dance II controversially led to the proscription of separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and the disappearance of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in 2017, the Army announced that the training exercise will soon return to the southeast region for a third run.

This was announced just days after soldiers took over the Maiduguri airport and shot in the air for hours in protest of their redeployment to a restive region of the Boko Haram-ravaged Borno State.

Nigeria's defection bug does not seem to be over as five members of the Ogun House of Assembly dumped their parties for other parties.

Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, might also be eyeing President Buhari's seat as he disclosed this week that he's under pressure to run against the man he described as unhealthy and under the control of a cabal.