Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Buba Marwa, has made good his threat to quit PDP by defecting to Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
Marwa who was registered as a CPC member in a ceremony at the party’s secretariat in Yola on Sunday evening also picked the party’s governorship form.
Marwa had on Friday addressed a news conference where he expressed his disappointment with the cancellation of the state PDP ward congress, which he said was done by the party leadership to favour Gov. Murtala Nyako.
Marwa and his supporters were received at the Adamawa CPC office by the party executives led by the state Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri.
Waziri thereafter registered Marwa and issued him with the party’s membership card.
Bauchi
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi on Monday picked the PDP governorship ticket after defeating his opponent Alhaji Ahmed Iliyasu at the party primaries on Sunday.
The returning officer, Alhaji Adamu Mustafa, who announced the result on Monday in Bauchi, said that Yuguda polled 774 votes to defeat Iliyasu who got five votes.
The third aspirant Sen Baba Tela boycotted the election.
Yuguda thanked the delegates for electing him, promising the people of Bauchi that they would notice the desired changes in the state of affairs.
He gave the assurance of his administration’s determination to tackle poverty in the state in order to reduce the people’s suffering if re-elected as governor at the April polls.
Ekiti
The judiciary in Ekiti State treated 12,189 cases in its various courts during the 2009/2010 legal year.
Mr Rufius Fasoro, the Public Relations Officer of the state judiciary, told newsmen on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti that 1,633 cases were handled by the High Courts, while the Magistrate’s and Customary Courts dealt with 3,899 and 6,659 cases respectively.
He said 7,207 cases were thrown out during the period, with 578 of them discarded at the High Courts, while the Magistrate’s Courts got rid of 2,750 and Customary Courts, 3,879 cases.
Fasoro said 4,982 cases were still pending in the various courts during the period, with 1,055 of them in the High Courts; 1,149 in the Magistrate’s Courts; and 2778 in the Customary Courts.
FCT
The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) on Monday in Abuja said it had commenced negotiations to stem the ongoing mass sack in the banks.
Mr Sunday Salako, the National President of the association, told newsmen that the union would only embark on an industrial action if it failed to reach any amicable agreement with the banks.
The union had on January 7 urged customers of Unity Bank Plc, Intercontinental Bank Plc and Oceanic Bank Plc to make mass withdrawals in order not to be caught unawares by its strike action.
The union’s leadership said it had perfected strategies to paralyse business activities in the banks from January 12 over the mass sack of their workers.
Gombe
The PDP in Gombe State said it was not aware of a court order restraining the use of elected ward delegates for gubernatorial primaries pending determination of a suit before it.
The PDP gubernatorial primaries took place in the 36 states of the federation on Sunday, January 9.
The state Chairman of the party, Mr Jack Gumpy, gave the explanation in an interview with newsmen in Gombe.
But a Federal High Court in Abuja had issued an interlocutory injunction restraining the use of such delegates for the gubernatorial primaries in the state.
The suit was filed in Abuja by a member of the party, Alhaji Hassan Ahmadu and 10 others.
Jigawa
The Emir of Dutse in Jigawa, Alhaji Nuhu Sanusi, on Tuesday called on women in the state to come out and contest for elective positions in order to be part of the development of the state.
Sanusi made the call in Dutse at a two-day sensitisation workshop for women electorates from Jigawa and Kano states.
The theme of the workshop is “Violence Free 2011 Elections”, and is organised by an NGO, Gender Education Empowerment Foundation of Nigeria (GEEFON) in collaboration with INEC held in Dutse.
He said that the number of women occupying elective positions in the North particularly in Jigawa was negligible when compared to the women in the Southern part of the country.
Kaduna
Kaduna State Government says the annual Kaduna Festival of Arts and Culture (KADFEST) will hold in May.
A Deputy Director in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Abdulmumin Ashafa made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Kaduna.
Ashafa said the festival would hold in May to commemorate the Democracy Day celebrations.
He explained that the event could not hold last year due to logistics problems, adding that “arrangements for a successful hosting of KADFEST 2011, are in top gear” .
Ashafa said that although, this year’s budget had not been passed, the festival would hold as planned.
Katsina
One of Nigeria’s leading industrialists, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has redeemed his pledge of N200 million donation to the Katsina University, owned by the Katsina Islamic Foundation.
The Secretary-General of the Foundation, Alhaji Sani Lugga, told newsmen in Katsina on Monday that Dangote had released the second installment of N100 million to the university on Sunday.
He said Dangote pledged the N200 million at the investiture of the Chancellor of the university, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, about two years ago, after which he paid the first installment of N100 million.
Lugga said that so far, the university had realised about 60 per cent of all the pledges made by individuals and corporate organisations at the ceremony.
Kogi
A banker, Alhaji Jibril Isah, on Monday emerged as the PDP governorship candidate for Kogi, after defeating 17 other aspirants in the party’s primaries, held on Sunday in Lokoja.
Isah, a former Director of a bank, clinched the ticket after polling 361 votes to beat his opponents in the party’s primaries.
Among his opponents were the nation’s former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo who scored no vote. Businessman, Alhaji Abdulrazak Kutepa scored 303 votes while the state’s incumbent Deputy Governor, Chief Phillips Salawu, scored 24 votes.
Plateau
Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau has emerged the PDP governorship candidate for Plateau.
Jang, who was unopposed, got the nod from 756 out of the 763 delegates that attended the state congress held at the Rwang Pam Stadium, Jos.
Mr Emmanuel Ibeshi, the Returning Officer for Plateau, who announced the results, said that seven votes were voided.
He said that the election was held in spite of the absence of any opposition “because some of the delegates may not be disposed to Jang’s aspiration and may want a replacement’’.
He expressed happiness that the election was “peaceful and orderly, saying that he was particularly impressed that the people came in spite of the violence in some parts of Plateau.
In his acceptance speech, Jang thanked the delegates for electing him to contest for the governorship election in April and called for unity of purpose among party faithful to ensure victory in the general elections.
Sokoto
Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has advised politicians to approach the 2011 general election with high sense of political maturity.
Wamakko stated this in an interview with newsmen in Sokoto on Sunday shortly after being announced winner of the PDP governorship primaries.
He said that, politicians must play politics without bitterness in order to ensure peaceful conduct of the election, pointed out that it was the only way Nigerians could boast of a free, fair and credible election.
Wamakko also tasked politicians to embark on aggressive campaign to educate their followers on the dangers involved in political violence.
He said that, what we needed as a nation was political tolerance and understanding for the overall political growth of the country.
Wamakko also said that PDP as a party had come to stay in Sokoto state as the party would continue to implement policies and programmes that would enhance the well-being of the people.
He called on the people to continue to leave in peace with one another to enable government to implement its laudable programmes for the overall political development of the state.
Zamfara
The lingering leadership crisis in Zamfara PDP on Sunday resulted in the conduct of two parallel governorship primaries.
Both Governor Mahmuda Shinkafi and former Information Minister, Ikra Bilbis, separately claimed victory in the primaries.
Our correspondent reports that the PDP leadership in the state under Ibrahim Mallaha held its congress at the old motor park near Kantin daji.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has inducted and given orientation to 100 Ogoni youths for training on Creative Arts. The beneficiaries were drawn from Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The induction and orientation ceremony, which took place at the CRAB of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt on Wednesday, was a prelude to the training proper, billed to commence next Tuesday.
As usual, HYPREP issued undertaking forms to the trainees, for them to complete and submit as a guarantee that they would subject themselves to the requirements of the programme as well as be of good behaviour throughout the four-month duration of the training.
HYPREP also announced that it would pay N150,000 to each of the beneficiaries monthly, as transport and feeding allowance, stressing, however, that only those who fully participate in the training would be entitled for the allowance.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, welcomed the trainees to the programme, saying, HYPREP’s projects are evolving and that one thing that is happening today is that the Project has gotten leadership right, by making promises and keeping those promises.
According to him, the Project had equally promised to move away from rudimentary skills acquisition to high impacts acquisition levels, which it has kept today by sponsoring the training on Creative Arts.
He noted that in planning its livelihood programmes for Ogoni youths, HYPREP has taken time out to look for skills that would add value to the lives of the beneficiaries.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by the Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi said by packaging the Creative Arts training, it was expected that the Ogoni people would have their own version of Nollywood known as Ogoniwood just as Nigerians are familiar with Hollywood, Bollywood, Kannywood and Nollywood.
To achieve this goal, the Project Coordinator explained that it was the reason for choosing a reputable establishment like Halibiz Consult Limited, to partner with the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt, which he described as one of the most prestigious in the Niger Delta, for the training of the beneficiaries.
He also indicated that in doing this, HYPREP was desirous of going for talents that would help the Ogoni people grow in the film industry, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously.
Zabbey equally enjoined the trainees to put in their best so that in the next three to five years, they would carve a niche for themselves and become forces to reckon with in the film industry.
On her part, HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee said HYPREP does what it says it will, stressing that the process of training Ogoni youths on specialised skills started three years ago.
According to her, the selection process for the training was rigorous and transparent, and was carried out by renowned actors actresses.
She disclosed that the training consists of three major aspects, which include acting, script writing and make-up, while Nollywood actors like Charles Nnoje, Ngezu J. Ngezu and award-winning make-up artist, Jude Odo would be on hand to drill and groom the beneficiaries.
Mrs Nzidee noted that the programme is a specialised training that does not have anything like starter packs but that it is purely a professional certification programme that would launch the beneficiaries into the Nollywood industry in Nigeria.
According to her, the Creative Arts training is one of the four specialised trainings organised by HYPREP to ensure that the Ogoni people are well positioned in vital industries like Aviation, Maritime, Creative Arts and Mechatronics.
She said the last of such trainings on Mechatronics would take place in the coming months, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously so as to put the Ogoni people on the Nollywood map.
She further indicated that while Charles Nnoje and Ngezu J. Ngezu would take the beneficiaries on the practical aspects, Jude Odo would take them on the make-up aspects.
Also speaking, the External Relations Manager of Halibiz Consult Limited, Alabo Experience Douglas said his company gives much premium to standard and quality, and assured that the firm would give the trainees value for the money spent on the programme.
While charging the beneficiaries to be dedicated and punctual, he stressed the need for them to approach the programme with the mindset of being empty so that at the end of the day, they would benefit maximally.
On his part, the Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ovunda Ihunwo said the CRAB is an acronym for Creative Review of Arts and Books, stressing that it was named by renowned playwright, Prof Ola Rotimi.
According to him, the CRAB had nurtured, groomed and produced Nollywood actors and actresses like Bobmanuel Udokwu, Ejike Asiegbu,Francis Duru, Hilda Dokubo, Monalisa Chinda, Julius Agwu, and a host of others, assuring the beneficiaries that they were on fertile environment to hone their talents.
He noted that symbolically, the crab is a nutritious seafood common in the Niger Delta, and reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to come empty for the training, as it were.
Ihunwo disclosed that the theory classes of the programme would run for three weeks while the fourth week would be for the master classes, and urged the trainees to avail themselves of the opportunity to make a difference by telling the Ogoni story, which he described as inexhaustible by themselves, in order to put Ogoni on the map.
A 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University identified as Jatau Rilokwah, has been reportedly found dead in the university’s senior staff quarters.
A counter-insurgency expert, focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this on his X handle on Tuesday.
According to him, the discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by a security officer at the university, Emmanuel Gyawo.
He stated that Gwayo was directed by Prof. Shedrack Jatau to check on his son upon arriving at the residence, and he found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.
“Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of the State at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.
“The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he further stated.
He added that the student’s corpse had been deposited in the hospital morgue.
He also quoted police sources as saying that investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Ogun State Government has partnered with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun says is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000.
Abiodun disclosed the plan on Wednesday while receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times,” the governor said.
As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre will be repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery.
“I told them to shut it down. Practically, we want to bring it down and turn it into a gallery for you to use as an exhibition gallery,” he told Davies-Okundaye.
He added that the gallery will be ready before the National Sports Festival in May, when the State will host about 15,000 visitors.
“I want them to be able to see our tourist sites,” he said, listing attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.
Highlighting Ogun’s improved infrastructure, the governor said, “Now that we’ve succeeded in having the intra and inter-state roads in place, you can come to Ogun State by rail; you can come by air. We’ve constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria, and very soon, you will be able to come by sea.”
Davies-Okundaye, in her remarks, praised the state’s efforts to promote tourism and pledged to use the new gallery to attract global attention.
“This gallery will bring many Heads of State. The one I opened in Abuja already has more than 10 Heads of State, including those from South Korea and the Czech Republic. The same will happen here,” she said.
She also applauded the Governor for his commitment to the Adire fabric industry.
“Adire is all over Nigeria, but Ogun has been promoting Adire for over 50 years. Today, the only cloth we can call our own is called Adire. This is what we can sell to the Europeans,” she said.
Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s backing of the Adire industry, citing policies such as the Adire Ogun Digital Marketplace, compulsory wearing of Adire in the state, and provision of solar-powered production equipment to support artisans.
He also revealed plans to open a creative arts and entertainment village in partnership with Bolanle Austen-Peters, expected to be completed within two months.