Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Dass Local Government in Bauchi State has released N1.9 million as scholarship for students undergoing studies in various institutions of higher learning within and outside the country.
The chairman of the council, Malam Ado Maigoro, told newsmen in Dass that the money would assist indigent final year students of the council to complete their studies.
He said students studying degree programmes would be paid N10, 000 each as allowances for their thesis while those undergoing HND and NCE programmes would be given N5, 000 each.
Maigoro added that some of the final year students studying Engineering, Medicines and Law would be paid N50, 000 each.
The chairman also said that the council had purchased JAMB forms for students in the area that sat recently for the examination.
FCT
A PDP presidential aspirant in the April elections, Mrs Sarah Jibril, recently urged President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint more women in his cabinet.
Jibril, who made the call in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, said the legislature at the state level had set the pace with the election of speakers and deputy speakers.
According to her, the challenge was now with the executive arm of government to ensure that women were given the chance to contribute to the development of the nation.
The former aspirant noted that Nigeria as a signatory to several international conventions on good governance had no excuse not to carry its womenfolk along.
She said that she contested for the position of president because she believed in actualising the cause of Nigerian women.
The politician maintained that Nigerian women had contributed considerably to the development of the country, adding that more than 50 per cent of the votes that brought politicians into the various positions came from women.
Kano
Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State, has pledged to improve library services to enhance the educational development of the people.
Kwankwaso made the pledge when he paid an unscheduled visit to the state-owned Murtala Muhammed Library.
“Libraries are veritable sources of knowledge for our students in particular and for our people generally; we will do our best to develop them,” he said.
He specifically promised to complete the projects which had been abandoned at the complex in order to avail them to the general public.
The governor directed the director of the state’s library board to liaise with the vice-chancellor of the state-owned university of science and technology in Wudil to examine how the institution could benefit from the library.
Kwara
Kwara State Muslims’ Pilgrim Welfare Board has warned its co-ordinators at the Local Government Councils against airlift of pregnant women, under-aged and over-aged pilgrims.
The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Muslims’ Pilgrims Welfare Board, Hajia Fatimah Jimoh, gave the warning at a parley with the State’s Local Government Hajj Co-ordinators on Saturday in Ilorin.
According to her, the Saudi Arabian authority has vowed to severely sanction any state that violates its rules or airlifts pregnant women and under-aged or over-aged pilgrims.
The Executive Secretary explained that the Saudi Arabian authority had ruled that for every absconder in any state, 10 seats would be deducted from the allotted slots of the state.
She pointed out that the state was ready to ensure a successful Hajj operation this year by eliminating every hitch and unethical practices.
Jimoh further said that preparation for this year’s Hajj and Umrah were in top gear, noting that the welfare of the Pilgrims would be improved upon to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
Kebbi
The Bright Capacity Initiative for Rural Community Enhancement, an NGO, has donated 20 computers to the Gwandu Local Government Development Centre in Kebbi State for training.
Presenting the computers and accessories in Gwandu recently, the NGO Board Chairperson, Dr. Aisha Adamu, said it was aimed at training people who lacked access to credit facilities.
She said that the group had trained 2,000 family members since its inception in 2006.
“To create for them the enabling environment for economic independence, reduce poverty and support assets creation management”.
Adamu said the group was in partnership with SMEDAN for building the capacity of rural dwellers, stressing that an endowment fund would be raised to support operational cost of the centre.
Kogi
The new chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lokoja branch, Mr Mohammed Musa, has called for the establishment of a Court of Appeal Division in Kogi.
In his post-inaugural speech after his election on Friday in Lokoja, Musa said absence of the court in the state was working against the interest of litigants.
Musa, who promised to be diligent, transparent and honest in his new assignment, also pledged that his team would complete the on-going NBA secretariat project .
The new NBA leadership, he said, would liaise with the Judiciary to build a warehouse for safe-keeping of goods seized from litigants.
In the election which took place at Lokoja Chief Magistrate Court 1, Musa polled 72 votes while his opponent, Chief Moses Enwere got 16.
Mr Osas Erhabor, the 2nd Vice President of the NBA who monitored the election, urged the two contestants to the chairmanship position to exhibit maturity over the outcome of the election.
Lagos
Mr Sijibomi Olusanya, the Acting Provost of Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, on Saturday said that the World Bank’s 250,000-dollar-grant to the institution would be used to facilitate ICT-based learning.
He said this in Lagos, while speaking at a forum organised to sensitise the staff and students of the college of the need to embrace the Science and Technology Education Post Basic (STEP B) project
He said that the project targeted only science and technology-related educational institutions, senior secondary schools, polytechnics, colleges of education and universities, as well as research institutes.
Olusanya said that the primary objective of the project was to improve the quality and relevance of science and technology education, while enhancing the development of positive attitudes and values in ICT practitioners.
He said that with the grant, the college would now join the league of educational institutions and research organisations that had benefited from the immense opportunities provided by the project.
Olusanya said that modern teaching and learning could only be meaningful and purposeful, if they were ICT-based.
He said that the STEB B project was a planned effort of the Federal Government, in partnership with the World Bank, to adopt modern approaches to educational processes.
Niger
The Governor of Niger State, Dr Muazu Babangida-Aliyu, has identified disunity among the Nupes as bane of development of Nupe land.
Babangida-Aliyu made the observation on Saturday as a quest speaker at a lecture entitled: “Democracy and the Development of Nupe Land,’’ as part of activities to mark the 3rd Nupe Day festival.
He noted that the Nupes as an ethnic nationality had produced prominent Nigerians who had contributed numerously to the development of the country.
The governor, who was represented at the ceremony by his Deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Musa-Ibeto, said that lack of unity among the Nupes had retarded the progress and development of the people and the land as a political entity.
Babangida-Aliyu also commended the effort of the Etsu Nupe for bringing together all the people of Nupe extraction for the purpose of assisting one another.
Plateau
Ten years after it was established, the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency is still fighting for the enabling law to function effectively, according to its Executive Secretary, Alhassan Barde.
Barde told newsmen in Jos on Sunday that the absence of such statutory recognition was hindering the efficiency of the body hurriedly put together to coordinate emergency activities during the 2001 Plateau crisis.
“We should also be able to link up with other stakeholders and reach out to sister agencies to work out ways to coordinate the proactive measures. But we just cannot do these without legal backing. We cannot move if we are not recognised by law,’’ Barde said.
According to him, a bill for the establishment of SEMA passed the first reading in the Plateau House of Assembly last year, but was abandoned during the second reading when it was pointed out that it should actually originate from the executive arm of government.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State wing of the NLC has condemned the demand by state governors that petroleum subsidy be removed to enable them to implement the new N18,000 minimum wage.
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum had recently set the removal of the petroleum subsidy by the Federal Government as one of the pre-conditions for the implementation of the minimum wage.
Ahaji Abubakar Tambuwal, the Auditor of the congress in the state, told our correspondent that the call for removal of subsidy would visit untold hardships on the people.
Tambuwal, who is also the state’s Chairman of the Agriculture and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria, said the withdrawal of the subsidy would pitch civil servants against others who are not.
Rather, he said, the governors should look for other means of improving on their internally general revenue to be able to implement the new minimum wage.
Zamfara
Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara on Saturday in Gusau inaugurated a committee to review the dethronement of the Emir of Bakura, Alhaji Muhammad Sani.
The committee, which was given one week to complete its assignment, is headed by a former Assistant Controller General of Prisons, Alhaji Muhammad Jekada.
Sani, who is the elder brother of the former governor of Zamfara, Sen. Ahmad Yarima, was removed last year in the heat of the political rivalry between Yarima and the then governor, Mahmuda Shinkafi.
Shinkafi’s second term bid was, however, truncated by an ANPP opposition led by Yarima which won the April 26 gubernatorial election.
Inaugurating the committee, Yari said the review of the emir’s removal was a fulfillment of his administration’s promise to correct all wrongs irrespective of political leanings.
Yari, who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, said the committee had the mandate to verify the insinuation that the removal was politically motivated.
He advised the committee to make wide consultations and listen to variety of opinions so as to be guided by the truth in handling its assignment.
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
