Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, has called
on PDP members in the state to support the Presidential Committee set up to reconcile factions of the party.
Nyako made the call while addressing party supporters at a solidarity rally in Yola, saying there was hope that things would be better for the party following recent positive changes.
He commended PDP stakeholders within and outside the state for their concern over the crisis and congratulated members of the new executive committee of the party, led by Alhaji Umaru Kugama.
The governor promised to support the party leadership.
Borno
Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima says his
government has taken measures to eradicate polio from the state by September this year.
He said this during the inauguration of the 2013 Special Round of Polio Immunisation in Maiduguri.
Shettima said that the existence of the wild polio virus in Nigeria was a serious embarrassment.
“The year 2013 is a year for serious action against polio virus in Nigeria.
“It is an embarrassment that Nigeria is grouped among the only three countries still harbouring the virus in the world,” he said.
FCT
The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has
banned commercial vehicles from operating in the Wuse Market area to discourage street traders and hawkers from operating along the road side.
The Head Information and Outreach Programme, Mr Joe Ukairo,who spoke to newsmen in Abuja, said that the development would help to sanitise the market.
“Wuse Market is like a no-go area because of street traders and hawkers.
Commrcial vehicles drop passengers anywhere, anyhow they like and pick passengers in the middle of the road which ought not to be.
Gombe
The wife of Gombe State Governor, Hajiya Adama
Dankwambo, has urged orphans, vulnerable and the physically challenged children to be hopeful in life in spite of their conditions.
In a message to a party organised for the children, Dankwambo also enjoined them to be committed to whatever they did to excel.
Represented by Mrs Sintiki Rubainu, the wife of the Deputy Governor, Dankwambo said that the party was organised for the children to have a sense of belonging.
She called on the children to study hard in schools and achieve their goals, adding that their condition should not discourage them.
Kano
Motorists plying Kano-Gworzo-Dayi road have
commended Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) for the ongoing rehabilitation of the road.
Some of the motorists, who spoke to newsmen in Kano, commended the agency for the ongoing rehabilitation being carried out on the dilapidated portions of the road.
They said that the rehabilitation had reduced the rate of accidents being recorded on the highway.
“Before now the road was a death trap as hardly a day passed without people being killed due to accidents,’’ a motorists, Ibrahim Slow said.
Kwara
Head of Department, Business Law, Univeristy of Ilorin,
Prof. Mohammed Akanbi, said in Ilorin that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was not doing enough to fight corruption in Nigeria.
Akanbi told newsmen that the association was a major stakeholder in the fight against corruption and must champion the cause diligently.
“The Nigerian Bar Association is being ceremonial in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
“The NBA is not proactive and that is not good enough,’’ he said.
Lagos
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency
(LASEMA) has opened a relief camp for victims of the recent fire incident in Ebute Meta area of Lagos, an official said.
The General Manager of LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, told newsmen that 1,005 persons had entered the camp in compliance with the directive of Gov Babatunde Fashola.
Fashola had on Thursday given the directive after visiting Oko Oba in Ebute Meta, where fire gutted some sawmills and residential buildings.
Oke-Osanyintolu said that shortly after the governor declared the camp open officials of LASEMA began to move in people displaced by the fire.
Nasarawa
The Chairman, Nasarawa House of Assembly Committee
on Education, Hon. Raphael Saka, has urged the government to revive the role of education inspectors, to save the sector from “imminent collapse’’.
Saka who gave the advice in an interview last Friday in Abuja said the education sector had continued to experience setbacks due to lack of monitoring and implementation of many polices made by the government.
He urged government to employ and train more inspectors as well as provide tools, including vehicles, for them to work.
Saka said although government was trying its best in terms of budget allocation to the sector, no visible results were recorded to transform education.
Ogun
Ogun Command of National Security and Civil Defense
Corps (NSCDC) on Saturday said that NNPC Pipeline located at Arepo village of Ogun was set on fire by suspected vandals.
A statement issued by the command spokesman, Mr Kareem Olanrawaju, said the fire was first noticed late on Friday by the command’s surveillance team.
“We received an earlier call by the same surveillance team of suspicious movement around the water ways.
“Our combat team was on their way at about 22.15 hours when the outbreak occurred.
Osun
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State said the state
government would spend N16 billion to rehabilitate 218 kilometre roads in parts of the state.
The governor who announced this last Friday in Osogbo, while presenting 30 per cent mobilisation fees to contractors handling the projects, said the rehabilitation included some ongoing projects which were at different stages of completion.
Aregbesola said the contractors were selected on merit from the list of those that scaled through pre-qualification test earlier carried out by the government.
Earlier, Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Kolapo Alimi, said efforts must be made to ensure a good job by the contractors.
Oyo
Oyo State Government has promised to ensure rapid
infrastructure development and empowerment of displaced traders in the state who had been “obedient”.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi made the pledge at the Oyo South Senatorial District meeting of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
Ajimobi said the standard of living of the people would only improve with better infrastructure, adding the state government was committed to that through its programmes
He said the state would soon be a model in infrastructure development, adding that protection of lives and property was government’s utmost concern.
. He called for unity within the ACN, adding it was the only way the ruling party in the state would remain in government and provide better governance
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr Adeyemi Adepoju, and Deputy Majority Leader, Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Kehinde Subair, assured the people of better representation at both houses.
Plateau
The Plateau Government said it earmarked N6 billion
for the renovation and construction of new facilities in 15 secondary schools in the state.
The state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Nanle Dashe said, recently in Jos that five schools were picked from each of the three senatorial districts for the project.
Dashe said three schools would be upgraded to science schools to serve each of the districts. He said the schools included GSS Kuru (North), GGSS Shendam (South) and former GSS Mangun (Central).
Dashe said government’s goal was to equip the schools with the desired facilities, adding that furnishing would begin immediately after the renovation and reconstruction of the schools.
He called on wealthy individuals, Non Governmental Organisations (NGO) and corporate firms to support the effort at lifting the standard of education.
Taraba
The Taraba Ministry for Poverty Alleviation and
Cooperatives has said that 300 youths will be trained in various skills before the end of 2013.
The commissioner, Alhaji Isa Musa, disclosed this in Jalingo at the ministry’s 2013 budget defence at the state House of Assembly.
Musa said that the measure was aimed at checking unemployment.
He explained that a team from the ministry would go round all the 16 local government areas of the state to conduct the training.
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
