With barely weeks to the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, have raised fresh concerns over escalating political tension, warning that violence, misinformation and electoral malpractice must not be allowed to undermine the democratic process. The caution came on Tuesday as INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, flagged off a five-day operational assessment of the election with a courtesy visit to the Ooni’s palace in Ile-Ife. The election will involve 2,339,233 registered voters across 3,763 polling units, 332 registration areas and the state’s 30 local…
Author: National Update
A potentially significant realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections may be taking shape, as four of Nigeria’s influential regional organisations have opened consultations aimed at forging a common position on the country’s political future. Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the Middle Belt Forum and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) converged in Abuja, where they reviewed the state of the nation and demanded a new direction in governance amid worsening insecurity, economic hardship and growing political tension. The meeting, held at the Abuja liaison office of PANDEF, brought together representatives of the South-West, South-East, Middle Belt and South-South in what…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, has suspended seven lecturers over alleged sexual harassment and the unauthorised sale of handouts and textbooks, as fresh allegations of cult activities and “sex-for-marks” practices trigger anxiety among students. The institution’s Public Relations Officer, John Amos Onimisi, confirmed the suspensions while responding to allegations of misconduct and other disciplinary breaches within the Polytechnic. Onimisi said six lecturers were suspended on July 22, while another lecturer was suspended separately over allegations of sexual harassment. He explained that the Polytechnic’s disciplinary committee was investigating the allegations and would take appropriate action where culpability was…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja The Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Dr Rabiu Olowo, has commenced the construction of a world-class Accounting Research Centre of Excellence and Digital Library at his alma mater, Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, Kogi State. The project, which is aimed at strengthening accounting education, research and innovation, was formally launched with a groundbreaking ceremony at the university. Speaking on behalf of Olowo at the ceremony, the Project Coordinator, Dr Mohammed Umar, said the facility was conceived in line with global best practices and would provide a modern environment for learning, research,…
By Friday Idachaba, The Federal Government has commenced moves to incorporate mental health, emotional intelligence and psychological leadership into Nigeria’s foreign service as part of efforts to strengthen diplomacy, governance and regional cooperation across Africa. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed this in Abuja when the President of the Pan African Psychology Union (PAPU), Professor Andrew Zamani, paid him a courtesy visit. The meeting, attended by senior PAPU officials and representatives of the Nigerian Psychological Association, FCT Chapter, led by its Chairman, Adejoh Victor, focused on advancing collaboration in mental health, leadership development and diplomatic…
National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, Senator David Mark, has described the Court of Appeal judgment quashing the earlier ruling seeking to deregister the party as a major victory for democracy and the rule of law. Mark, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday, said the verdict had vindicated the ADC and reaffirmed the judiciary’s role as a defender of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy. The former Senate President said the attempt to deregister the party amounted to an assault on multiparty democracy and the constitutional right of Nigerians to freely associate…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja The Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) has launched an aggressive statewide sensitisation campaign on Nigeria’s new tax laws, taking the message directly to taxpayers in Kogi Central with a pledge to dismantle misconceptions, tackle multiple taxation and secure wider public support for the reforms. The first phase of the campaign was held in Okene, where residents, business owners, trade groups and other stakeholders were given the opportunity to question tax authorities and seek clarification on the new regime. The exercise is expected to move to Kogi East and Kogi West Senatorial Districts as the state…
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has cleared a major legal hurdle confronting the African Democratic Congress and four other political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, setting aside a Federal High Court judgment that ordered their deregistration. In a unanimous decision delivered on Tuesday by a three-member panel led by Justice Abba Mohammed, the appellate court held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit that culminated in the deregistration order. The court declared the June 15 judgment of Justice Peter Lifu a nullity, ruling that the case was incompetent because it was instituted by…
The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has identified lack of character among Nigeria’s political leaders as one of the major reasons the country continues to struggle despite producing highly educated citizens. The SDP chairman made the observation while receiving the leadership of the Arewa Students Forum, which visited the party’s national headquarters in Abuja to honour him for his contributions to society. He said Nigeria was not short of educated people, noting that the country was populated by politicians and public officials with impressive academic qualifications and titles, but that education without character had done little to…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called for the immediate redeployment of the Commissioner of Police in Osun State, alleging that elements within the command are working with suspected political thugs to intimidate members of the Accord Party ahead of the August 15 governorship election. HURIWA, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, alleged that the police command had become increasingly politicised and was being used to harass, arrest and attack opposition politicians and supporters. The organisation alleged that police personnel had accompanied suspected All Progressives Congress (APC) thugs to…