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It’s Fair North Concedes Senate Presidency To South -Shettima
Ahead of tomorrow’s inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, Vice President Kashim Shettima has said that he was prepared to go and beg other Senators to support the aspiration of former Senate Minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Jibrin Barau for the position of Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively.
The Vice President said this at a dinner organized for supporters of the Akpabio-Barau ticket by the Stability Group, led by former Governor of Ebonyi State and Senator-elect Dave Umahi.
Shettima’s meeting with Senators may not be unconnected with those who are being swayed by Abdulaziz
Yari’s narrative of marginalisation of the North that voted overwhelmingly for Bola Tinubu.
According to Shettima, with President Bola Tinubu as the President of the country and him being the Vice President as Muslims, justice and equity demand that the number three person must be a Christian as Nigeria must work towards achieving inclusivity.
Speaking at the event, the Vice President reiterated the commitment and strong support of President Tinubu and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) to the candidature of Senators Akpabio and Barau for the leadership of the 10th Senate.
According to the geoup, over 70 Senators attended the meeting alongside Shettima, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, Senators-elect across party lines, among others.
The Vice President said, “We are all in support of the emergence of Senators Akpabio and Barau as President of the 10th Senate and Deputy respectively. This support is intended to further engender unity and stability of the country.
‘’Apart from the religious angle, Senator Akpabio is very competent and he has the capacity to lead the 10th National Assembly. At the same time, he is from a very important zone and he is also a man of Christian faith. So, in line with the Constitution of our country and in conformity with the plurality of our union, the party and indeed, the President, thought it fit to support him.”
Speaking on what should be done to ensure that the country would be together as one indivisible entity, Shettima said, ‘’Personally, my Chief Security Officer (CSO) is an Igbo man, who had worked with me when I was governor. He has been a dedicated and loyal officer, even in the heat of the Boko Haram attacks in Borno.
“My ADC is a Christian from the North, who has been with me for a very long time. When I appointed him, they said he is too junior by rank to be my ADC, but I insisted and even told them to make him my acting ADC pending when he would be promoted to the rank, he stressed”.
The Vice President assured the Senators-elect of his readiness to continue to work for the success and aspirations of the group by talking to those who were yet to join the group which he described as the “winning team”.
He further said, “ I have been campaigning privately for Senators Akpabio and Barau and I will continue to do that till we diliver them on Tuesday. I will be leaving this dinner for another meeting with some senators who are yet to register their support.”
Earlier in his remarks, the chairman of the Stability Group, Dave Umahi, thanked the Vice President and the SGF for attending and solidarising with the group, assuring them of the readiness of the Senators-elect to work for Nigerians and support the Renewed Hope agenda of the President for the benefit of Nigerians.
In his remarks, Senator Akume, disclosed that even before his appointment as the SGF, he was already drumming support for the Akpabio-Barau ticket.
He described the Stability Group as where to be, because the Tinubu-led administration needs all forms of support to kick-off on a very sound note.
On his part, Senator Akpabio who expressed their happiness for the support their aspirations have garnered from their colleagues, when their endorsement was made public by the President and the leadership of the party, said that the SGF has been having meetings with the group, even before the Vice President were sworn in.
He said, “This group is across party lines, we will continue to bond together. This is a group of friends, brothers and sisters. We have one thing in mind, stability of Nigeria. We want to assure you that this is the way to go. I want to assure us that we shall succeed on Tuesday.”
On his part, Senator-elect, Adams Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North, explained that the purpose of support for Akpabio-Barau ticket is to restate that bonding and assure ourselves that we are together.
Also speaking at the event, the candidate for the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau said, “ Your commitment is not to us as a person, but for stability, peace and progress of this country.
“We have seen your commitment to this party. You and Asiwaju want stability and progress. In no distant future, you will reap your efforts”.
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.