Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB) has decried the increasing rate of consumption of alcohol by some primary school teachers during working hours.
The board’s Director of School Servives, Hajiya Fuloh Maikano, made the observation on Tuesday in Yola at a “train the trainer” workshop on abuse of alcohol for primary school headmasters.
The workshop was organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in collaboration with ADSUBEB.
Maikano said such teachers, who were mostly in the rural areas, engaged in the consumption of local gin, popularly known as “Ogogoro” which had adverse effect on their health.
Borno
Another bomb exploded on Monday in Maiduguri near the customs round about, killing two children.
Maj.-Gen. Jack Nwaogbo, the Commander of the Military Task Force code named “Operation Restore Order’’, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri.
Nwaogbo said that three customs officers were also injured in the explosion, suspected to be a car bomb.
“Two people died in the blast; they are children believed to have accompanied their mothers hawking in the area.
“Three custom officers were also injured although the injuries were not life threatening,” he said.
Ekiti
The Ekiti Government has said that its decision to raise bonds from the capital market was because of the need to fast-track development in the state.
Mr Oladapo Kolawole, the state’s Commissioner for Finance, gave the explanation in Ado-Ekiti on Monday while addressing stakeholders at a public hearing on a bill to raise the bonds.
The bill is titled, “Ekiti State Bonds, Notes and Other Securities Issues Bill 2011”.
In the bill, the state’s governor is seeking the state legislators’ approval to enable the state government to raise bonds from the capital market for the execution of pressing capital projects at minimal and affordable interest rates.
While debating the bill during its first and second readings, most of the lawmakers expressed support for the executive bill.
FCT
The Cameroonian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Salahudeen Abbas, has commended the remarkable progress recorded so far by the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola.
A statement by Mr Abbas Tahir, AUN’s Vice-President, Public Relations and Communications, on Tuesday said.
Abbas made the commendation when he visited the university while leading a 10-member Cameroonian officials to Yola for a diplomatic meeting on interconnection of power between the two countries.
The meeting also facilitated the inauguration of a bilateral technical committee of 23 members with respect to electricity sharing between the two countries.
Jigawa
The Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in Jigawa, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdul, has decried the high rate of drug trafficking and drug abuse in the state.
Abdul bared his mind at a seminar to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse, last Tuesday in Dutse, saying that the development had led to an upsurge in other crimes in the state.
He said that the high intake of hard drugs in the state had also caused a wave in the rate of armed rubbery, prostitution, pastoral and farmers’ conflicts as well as kidnapping.
The commander said that within five months, his command alone had arrested 156 suspects with 46 kilograms of various drugs of abuse in the state.
Kaduna
Bee-keeping Extension Society, a Kaduna-based NGO, has appealed to the Federal Government to engage youths in bee-keeping business to curb restiveness.
The president of the society, Mr Idris Mohammed, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Mohammed stressed the need for the government to provide the enabling environment to enable bee-keepers compete favourably with their international counterparts, as Nigerian honey had been adjudged the best worldwide.
Lagos
The Chairman of Conoil Plc, Dr Mike Adenuga, says exposure of shareholders to the provisions of International Finance Reports Standard (IFRS) will aid corporate governance.
Adenuga, who made the observation at a workshop in Lagos said that there was the need to educate shareholders on the new accounting method.
He promised that his company would train members of its audit committee on the new method.
Our correspondent reports that Adenuga, who was represented by a director in the company, Dr Moses Omatsola, charged shareholders to organise “exploratory workshop” on IFRS.
Oyo
The Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN) has suggested channelling flood waters to dams as an effective flood control strategy.
Mr Rotimi Oloye, the national Secretary-General of the association, made the suggestion while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Tuesday.
Oloye said that the strategy could also pave the way for more fish ponds in the country, adding that the numerous inland waterways in the country could be made viable for fish production.
Ogun
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun last Tuesday said that given the poor financial situation of the state, his administration might not be able to pay the N18,000 minimum wage.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minimum wage issue has pitched most of the state governors against labour, for claiming that they had no adequate resources to pay.
Some of the governors had recently hinged the payment of the new wage on the upward review of the revenue allocation, which they said was grossly in favour of the Federal Government.
Osun
Chief Adelowo Adebiyi, the Chairman Osun Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN) has called on the people of the state to support the state government’s environmental sanitation programme.
Adebiyi, who made the call in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo, noted that the programme was one of Aregbesola’s promises to give the state a face lift.
He said that the cause of restoring healthy living in the state, which is one of the items on the administration’s six-point agenda might fail if nothing was done.
“The battle to rid the state of filth is a major task without which the health of our people might be in danger.
Sokoto
Hajiya Luba Hassan, a PDP Ward Secretary in Sokoto South Local Government Area has appealed to the state government to provide some infrastructure in Gagi, to prevent floods in the area.
Hassan told newsmen in Sokoto that the infrastructure, including drainage, if provided, would prevent houses from collapsing.
“We lost two girls and several houses as a result of heavy rain fall about a week ago.
“Our Governor is a listening one and I am very optimistic that he will urgently do something about it because he is concerned about the yearning and aspiration of the governed.’’
Zamfara
The Zamfara Government says it will partner with France to develop irrigation agriculture to facilitate economic growth and place agriculture as a major revenue earner.
The Acting Governor of the state, Malam Ibrahim Muhammad, said this in Gusau when he received the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Jean Michel Dumont, who paid him a courtesy visit.
Muhammad noted that Zamfara is an agrarian state which requires modern agricultural systems to boost its production capacity for enhanced revenue generation and the development of its economy.
According to him, the state looks forward to a partnership that will be mutually beneficial .
He commended the French Government for its foreign policy of non-interference in the internal politics of other countries.
Earlier, Dumont said he was in Zamfara to seek collaboration with the state in area of agricultural development.
The Presiding Bishop of Kingdom Life Gospel Ministries Outreach, Port Harcourt, Bishop Victor Uzosike, has described love as the bedrock of human existence, family stability and societal harmony, stressing that without love, nothing meaningful can thrive.
Bishop Uzosike made this assertion while speaking to journalists during the wedding ceremony of his daughter, Praise Uzosike, to Architect Chibuzor Akubueze on Saturday, December 20, 2025. The solemnisation was held at the Kingdom Life Gospel Ministries Outreach, Port Harcourt, and was attended by dignitaries from across Nigeria and beyond.
According to the cleric, love is not only the foundation of relationships but also a powerful force that determines the success of individuals, families and communities.
“If you do not love a place, that place will not bless you. If you do not love your children, they will not be useful to you. If you do not love your family, your family will become a strange island to you. What you do not love, you do not have. Love is the key,” he said.
Reflecting on his family’s journey, Bishop Uzosike said God’s love had sustained them through seasons of challenges and triumphs, noting that unity had remained their greatest strength.
“We have stayed together as one family. God has shown us love in miraculous and mysterious ways, especially during difficult times,” he stated.
Describing the wedding as an amazing and beautiful experience, the bishop expressed appreciation for the show of love from his daughter’s friends, many of whom travelled from the United Kingdom and Ghana to attend the ceremony. He revealed that some of them personally paid for their flights and accommodation, which he described as a rare display of genuine friendship.
He also disclosed that his first daughter, who lives in Manchester, United Kingdom, with her husband, could not attend the wedding due to tight schedules, but noted that she remains happily married and fulfilled.
While thanking guests for honouring his family with their presence, prayers and goodwill, Bishop Uzosike said he felt proud and grateful to God.
“One of the greatest gifts God can give to a man is children who are sound in all ramifications. My children can see, hear, speak and walk. That alone is enough reason to be grateful,” he said.
He praised the bride, describing Praise as an exceptional achiever who had distinguished herself academically. According to him, she completed secondary school at 15, graduated with First Class honours at 19, and earned distinctions in her MBA as well as her first and second master’s degrees.
“For a long time, people believed that highly educated women may not marry early or at all. Today, Praise has proved otherwise. She has made her mother and me very proud,” he said, describing her as a rare gem.
Bishop Uzosike also expressed joy over his son-in-law, whom he described as God-fearing, disciplined and professionally sound.
“He is well brought up, passionate about God and morally upright. His parents did a great job. My wife, Pastor Esther, also did an excellent job,” he added.
The wedding ceremony attracted prominent personalities, including the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu; the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Justice Matilda Ayemeyie; and several senior clerics.
Bishop Fidelis Ugbong officiated the solemnisation, while Apostle Chika Onuzo delivered the sermon, identifying communication, sex and money as key factors that can strengthen or weaken marriages.
Prof. Ngozi Odu also prayed for the couple and paid glowing tributes, drawing admiration from attendees.
The reception, held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Port Harcourt, was equally colourful. Justice Matilda Ayemeyie proposed the toast, describing marriage as not always a bed of roses and emphasising patience, commitment and understanding.
The event was chaired by Chief Henry Nwabugo and attended by notable personalities, including retired Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili; Apostle David Zilly-Aggrey; Hon. Otunba Jumbo; Nze Best Anele; and Prof. Henry Ogiri, among others.
Guests were entertained with dance performances by the couple, while the parents’ outing added elegance to the celebration. The master of ceremonies, Ambassador Kingsley, kept the audience engaged with humour and interactive sessions.
Overall, the wedding was a remarkable blend of spirituality, culture and celebration, marked by love, joy and unforgettable moments.
Nation
2027: APC Chieftain Predicts Tinubu’s Victory …Says Bayelsa Stakeholders Supporting President en masse … IPAC Knitted Together, Working In Synergy With His Office
Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC), in Bayelsa State and Special Adviser to the State Governor on Inter-Party Relations, Dr Jackson Ebi Suokiri has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would secure landslide win in the 2027 Presidential polls.
The Governor’s Aide stated this in Yenagoa, the state capital on Wednesday while fielding questions from newsmen against the backdrop of Tuesday’s pioneer Stakeholders meeting of the party convened by the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri as leader of the Party in the State upon his recent defection late last year.
He averred that Party stakeholders in the state were prepared to give the President the massive support needed to return elected, come 2027 following his sterling trajectory of performance and qualitative leadership prowess.
Dr Suokiri stressed that the reason for the governor’s swapping of party was in the best interest of the state, while also noting that the governor took the right decision as there was no need continuing with opposition politics even as the state has to align with the national government for rapid socioeconomic and political advantages for the state and its people.
“Governor Diri’s defection like you’ve personally heard him saying was for the best interest of our state, Bayelsa. When you’ve a President performing well at the national level and being very supportive to your state as a governor, I don’t think you’ve to be in an opposition party anymore, but rather align with the centre.
“Diri is a bridge builder. He is at peace with everybody and willing to work with all, irrespective of party affiliations or political differences for the interest of the state.
“As Stakeholders we’ve resolved to collectively work to return President Tinubu elected for second term in 2027. And you can see the Governor is not pressuring anybody or the structure of his former party, the PDP to defect like he has done.
“The PDP structure in the state is still intact, and for the APC, his new Party even as current leader in the State, he has been working with the structure and everybody he met on ground, hence you can see that the APC Caretaker Committee led by Dr. Dennis Otiotio has been maintained at the pioneer Stakeholders meeting convened by the Governor.
“But you must also know like you’ve seen and I’ve previously said that Governor Diri has outperformed expectations of Bayelsans in all sectors, be it economy, infrastructure, health, education, etc.”, he said.
Meanwhile, as against insinuations that some political parties were not working with the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter-Party Relations, the Governor’s Aide has revealed that as it were currently, all the 19 registered political parties with presence in the state are working in unity with his office as members of the Inter-party advisory council (IPAC).
“IPAC is working in unity with my office. Before the Governor’s defection the only party that wasn’t working with my office was the APC. But since after his formal defection, the APC and even those other parties that were either sympathetic to the APC, the governor’s new party or the PDP, his former Party are all now working together with my office as members of IPAC”, Suokiri added.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
