In a captivating revelation, Datti Baba Ahmed, former Vice Presidential candidate for the Labour Party, has shared the intriguing story of his ancestry, tracing his roots back to jihadists who migrated from North Africa to Nigeria in 1925. In an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on the Mic On Podcast, Ahmed detailed how his family lineage comprises “Quran memorizers” who played a pivotal role in establishing educational institutions throughout the region. Ahmed’s father, originally from the French colonies of present-day Mauritania, Algeria, and Morocco, chose to settle in close proximity to a British-owned publishing press in Nigeria, integrating education with commerce.…
Author: National Update
By Ehichioya Ezomon Politicians – in or out of power – don’t seem to learn any lessons from mistakes that cause negative reactions, embarrassment, odium, and even legal action. Hence the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) constituted, and inaugurated a 223-member Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) that includes some questionable characters, for a second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 General Election. The party should’ve learned some useful lessons from a similarly-discreded initial presidential pardon and clemency list released by the Tinubu administration in October 2025 that faced severe public backlash and outrage due to its inclusion of…
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has accused critics of Defence Minister Christopher Musa of twisting the minister’s comments on former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai. Lawal said the criticism of Musa was an attempt to create ethnic and religious tension over the minister’s remarks on insecurity in Kaduna State. Musa, during a Channels Television programme, had alleged that the el-Rufai administration contributed to the killings in Southern Kaduna. He also claimed that some people who attended peace meetings with the authorities later became targets of attacks. Lawal urged those challenging Musa’s comments to focus…
Residents of Cross River and Edo State communities in Kogi State have pledged their support for Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s re-election, vowing to mobilise substantial votes for him in the upcoming 2027 governorship election. The communities expressed their backing during a familiarisation and mobilisation tour in Lokoja, led by the governor’s Special Adviser on South Mobilisation, Abu Michael. Supporters highlighted the Ododo administration’s commitment to inclusive governance, empowerment initiatives, and efforts to foster peace and unity throughout the state. Austin Edun, representing the Cross River community, noted that the administration has made residents from outside Kogi feel acknowledged and included…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Auwalu Mahmuda, has charged troops in Kogi State to maintain relentless pressure on criminal elements following their recent success in rescuing 21 abducted persons, including 15 NYSC members. Mahmuda gave the directive during his maiden operational tour of formations and units under the division, including the 12 Brigade Area of Responsibility, from September 2 to 4. He commended the troops for the successful rescue operation, saying their sustained activities had helped suppress criminality and improve security in Kogi and adjoining states. The GOC said the progress…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the Nigeria Police Force to prosecute Senator Francis Fadahunsi, Kuje Area Council Chairman Samuel Shekwolo and Borno State Commissioner Sainna Buba over alleged inflammatory political statements. It warned that failure to act could encourage violence ahead of the 2027 elections. In a statement by its national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the Fights Group said the three cases should not end with invitations and questioning. It insisted that prosecution, where investigations establish prima facie cases, would send a strong deterrent message to politicians who may seek to intimidate opponents or…
By Tunde Olusunle The principal mandate of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, is to build capacity for Nigeria’s lawmakers at all levels and to deepen the foundations of democratic governance. For decades, the parliament bore the brunt of military rule. While the executive and judiciary were retained to run the machinery of state, the legislature was repeatedly dissolved. Academies for the military, civil service, and judiciary existed. But institutions to nurture legislative expertise did not. The result was a huge human capital gap in lawmaking. It was to fill that gap that NILDS was established in…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to yield to political pressure before the 2027 elections. He stressed that Nigerians must be allowed to freely choose their leaders. Obi spoke during a thank-you tour in Ogugu, Kogi State, after High Chief Peter Ameh was nominated as the NDC’s Kogi East senatorial candidate. He emphasized that the credibility of the elections depends on INEC’s ability to resist manipulation and ensure every vote is counted. He also highlighted that the responsibility for credible elections does…
By Friday Idachaba A German electrical engineering expert, Prof. Ralf-Dieter Rogler, has urged Nigeria to make massive investments in power generation, transmission, distribution and specialised engineering education to address its persistent electricity crisis. Rogler, Chair of Switchgear Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (HTW) Dresden, Germany, made the call at the weekend while delivering a Distinguished Public Lecture at the Federal University Lokoja (FUL). The lecture, titled “Comparison Between the Nigerian and German Electrical Grid: Lessons and Challenges to the Nigerian University System,” was held at the university’s Felele Campus. Rogler said Nigeria’s installed generation capacity…
The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, says Nigerians are increasingly demanding a government that delivers security, jobs, functional schools, working hospitals and economic opportunities rather than excuses. Obi made the declaration after a series of political engagements across Kogi, Benue and Enugu states, where he met party supporters, community stakeholders, traders and residents. In Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Obi, alongside the NDC’s Kogi East senatorial candidate, High Chief Peter Ameh, engaged stakeholders and party faithful on the challenges confronting their communities. He said the concerns raised by citizens reflected the depth of…