Nation

THE STATES

Published

11 years ago

April 1, 2015

L-R: Commissioner for Political Affairs, African Union Commission, Dr Aisha Abdullahi, Head, Commonwealth Observers Mission, former President Bakili Muluzi of Malawi, former President John Kuffour of Ghana, President Goodluck Jonathan, the Head, African Union Election Mission, former President Amos Sawyer of Liberia, Vice President Namadi Sambo and ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Mrs Salamatu Suleiman, during the visit of Heads of International Observer Groups to President Jonathan in Abuja last Monday. Photo: NAN

Bauchi
The candidate for All Progressives Congress (APC) vy
ing for the Bauchi South Senatorial seat, Malam Ali Wakili, has defeated Gov. Isa Yuguda of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to represent the District in the National Assembly.
Announcing the result of the election in Bauchi on Monday, the INEC Returning Officer for the Senatorial District,Dr Shuaibu Musa, said Wakili polled 341708 votes to defeat Yuguda, who secured 115341 votes
Yuguda and Wakili were the only candidates that contested for the seat.
Wakili 55, a 1982 graduate of Bayero University, Kano, had served with the Bauchi State Government, before transferring his service to the Nigeria Customs Service in 1991.
While in Customs, he held command positions at Ikeja Industrial Area, Tin Can Island, Seme Area Command as well as Commandant, Kano Training School.
He retired from the Nigeria Customs Service in 2009 as Comptroller of Customs.
Bauchi South Senatorial District comprises of seven local government areas, namely Kirfi, Alkaleri, Toro,Tafawa-Balewa, Bogoro, Dass and Bauchi.
Benue
Governor Gabriel Suswan has lost in his bid to return to
the National Assembly after an eight-year stint as governor of Benue state.
Our correspondent reports that Suswam was elected governor in 2007 after serving two terms as member of the House of Reps.
Suswam lost to a former National Chairman of the PDP Barnabas Gemade, who contested under APC.
Announcing the results last Monday at the INEC headquarters in Makurdi, the returning officer for Benue North East Senatorial election, Prof Mohammed Adah, said Gemade polled 140, 715 votes to beat Suswam, who polled 118, 603 votes.
The returning officer also announced that a total of 661,067 voters registered for the election with 290,446 accredited, while 266,232 votes were counted as valid.
He said rejected votes were 5,096 while total number of votes cast was 271,328.

FCT
All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Zakari-
Angulu Dobi was last Monday declared winner of the Abuja South Federal Constituency election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, Dr. Sani Saka, who announced the result Kwali, FCT, amid tight security, said that Angulu polled 14,486 votes.
Saka said that Angulu defeated his opponent, Mr. Danladi Etsu Zhin, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 12,431 votes, while Usman Jiya of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) got 888 votes.
Our correspondent reports that all the four INEC collation officers comprising Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Kuje had earlier announced their results separately.
Reacting to the result, Dobi commended INEC for conducting a peaceful and transparent election in the history of the country.
He commended the of people for coming out en-masse to exercise their civic duty, which led to his victory.

Jigawa
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in
Hadejia, Jigawa State, Alhaji Muhammad Gabi has described the victory of the party in the Jigawa North-East Senatorial election as a ‘’welcome development’.
Gabi said this in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Hadejia.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the APC candidate, Alhaji Ubali Shitu, winner of the
election.
Shitu scored 193, 960 votes to defeat two other candidates, Alhaji Ahmad Sarawa (PDP) and Ahmed Kaugama (PDM), who polled 97, 196 and 1, 266 votes, respectively.
Gabi said that the outcome of the election was a reflection of the popular wishes of the people.
Kaduna
Human rights activist, Shehu Sani of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), last Monday was declared winner of the Kaduna Central Senatorial seat.
The Returning Officer, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mohammed Kabir-Yakubu, who declared the result in Kaduna, said Sani scored 268,964 votes to defeat five other contestants.
He said Sen. Ahmed Aruwa of PDP polled 168, 241 votes; Talatu Shehu of AP, 2,415 and Sherifat Abdullahi of ADC got 982 votes.
The returning officer said other contestants, including Salihu Halliru of APCN and Inuwa Haruna of PPA, scored 390 and 409 votes, respectively.
Our correspondent reports that with this result, the APC won two senatorial seats and PDP, one.

Kano
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won
the Kano North senatorial seat, defeating Senator Bello Hayatu, who has been in the Senate since 1999.0
The APC candidate, Alhaji Barau Jibrin, an accountant and World Bank consultant, secured 381,393 votes to end Hayatu’s 16 year’s in the Senate.0
The Returning Officer, Prof. Ibrahim Ahmed, who declared the result on Monday in Bichi, said the incumbent senator, who contested for the fifth time under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), got 107, 845 votes.0
Ahmed said the election had recorded massive turn-out of voters and was conducted peacefully.

Kano
Senator Kabiru Gaya of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) has retained the Kano South Senatorial District in the Saturday’s National Assembly election.
The INEC Returning Officer for the Senatorial zone, Prof. Auwalu Arzai, announced the results at the collation centre in Rano last Monday.
He said that Gaya polled 488, 528 votes, to defeat Alhaji Sani Rogo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 145, 923 votes.
Arzai, who described the election as peaceful and transparent, commended the voters for their peaceful and massive turnout.
Our correspondent reports that with this result, the All Progressives Congress has won all the three senatorial seats in the state.
Osun
A security expert in Osun State, Alhaji Hassan Hussein,
has commended the Police for the professionalism they showed during the last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Hussein, a retired police officer and head of a vigilance group, newsmen in an interview in Osogbo that the conduct of the police was unprecedented.
According to him, the Nigeria Police has “really come of age as a desirable institution in a democratic setting”.
‘’It is very clear that we are developing our institutions as a democratic nation; the police is one of the institutions that have really advanced rapidly with time.
‘’Obviously, the degree of professional acumen exhibited by the force on Saturday clearly showed that Nigeria can rely on the police as an agent of democracy.
‘’I urge the Inspector-General of Police to sustain the tempo even after the results of the elections have been declared, so as to avert any form of post-election violence,’’ he said.
Plateau
Mr Timothy Golu, who was declared winner of House
of Representatives seat for Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam constituency of Plateau State, has urged INEC to improve on its new electoral strategy.
Golu, who won on PDP’s platform, made the appeal on Monday in Pankshin, in an interview with newsmen shortly after he was declared winner of the seat by INEC.
“From what we notice during last Saturday’s Presidential and NASS polls, INEC’s introduction of Card Readers did not give room for our electorate to freely exercise their civic rights.
“More than half of the registered voters did not participate in last Saturdays elections because of the technicalities involved in the innovation, “ he said.
The winner, who expressed gratitude to God and the people that stood by him, called on electoral the umpire to improve on the new system by removing all bottle necks associated with it.
Zamfara
The gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) in Zamfara State, Alhaji Mamuda Shinkafi, has commended security agents for providing effective security during the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
Shinkafi, who was the immediate past governor of the state, told newsmen in Shinkafi on Monday that the conduct of the security personnel at polling centres had assisted in making the election peaceful and violence free.
He said that the 2015 elections was a departure of the ugly crisis witnessed in 2011.
“The arrangement by INEC is better than in the past and I am sure it is out of experience as there was orderliness at polling centres to deter any misbehaviour,” Shinkafi said.
He also commended INEC for the smooth conduct of the elections across the styate.

Nation

HYPREP Marks 15 Years Of UNEP Report, Highlights Major Cleanup Milestones

Published

1 week ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.

In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.

The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.

According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.

Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.

In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.

The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.

Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

2 months ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) says it has strengthened collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to enhance quality control and enforcement frameworks.

Mr Oisereime Lloyd-Dietake, the Head of Communications, REAN, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the collaboration would also involve stakeholder engagement on testing, certification and capacity building in Nigeria.

He said the synergy would strengthen quality control and enforcement frameworks, promote policy alignment, and ensure stronger regulation across the renewable energy value chain.

“REAN reaffirms its commitment to standardisation and quality assurance; tighter collaboration with SON is critical to eliminating fake and substandard renewable energy products from the Nigerian market.

“Enforcement and gaps in existing standards have continued to allow inferior products to circulate, undermining consumer confidence and slowing sector growth.”

Lloyd-Dietake said that at high-level discussions, REAN also highlighted the need for stronger regulatory coordination to address emerging challenges in the renewable energy space.

According to him, the issues include inconsistencies in standards, affordability issues linked to certification processes; and the increasing presence of substandard solar and renewable energy equipment in the country.

“The association further raised concerns about delays in product testing and approval, calling for the establishment of more testing laboratories and certification facilities to improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecks in the system,’’ he said.

Lloyd-Dietake urged closer collaboration among key regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the Rural Electrification Agency.

He said such team work would ensure harmonised standards and more effective enforcement against fake renewable energy products in the Nigerian market.

In response, SON acknowledged the important role REAN continued to play in supporting standardisation within Nigeria’s renewable energy industry and reaffirmed its willingness to deepen collaboration with the association.

SON further confirmed that REAN would be actively involved in future standard review processes and upcoming stakeholder engagements related to renewable energy and electric mobility standards development.

Lloyd-Dietake said REAN affirmed its willingness to formalise the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

He said the MoU is aimed at deepening cooperation, promoting quality assurance, and accelerating Nigeria’s transition towards reliable and standardised renewable energy solutions.

Nation

Self Help Africa programme expands water access for 320,000 Nigerians

Published

2 months ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) Programme, implemented by Self Help Africa, has expanded access to safe water and sanitation services for more than 320,000 people in Kano and Cross River States.

The organisation disclosed this on Tuesday at the WS4H National Results and Learning Workshop in Abuja, where stakeholders reviewed achievements and lessons from the intervention.

Speaking at the event, Self Help Africa Country Director, Joy Aderele, said the programme demonstrated that sustainable WASH improvements require strong institutions, effective governance, adequate financing and collaboration.

Aderele said the UK-funded programme was designed to strengthen systems that support sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.

According to her, the intervention focused on improving governance, planning, financing, accountability and sector coordination to ensure resilient service delivery.

“More than 320,000 people now have improved or restored access to water services through programme-supported interventions,” she said.

She added that more than 5,520 household toilets were constructed in Yala and Makoda Local Government Areas, boosting sanitation, public health and efforts to end open defecation.

Aderele said the programme also strengthened public investment in WASH, with Cross River increasing its sector budget by 211 per cent in 2026 and Kano by 169.07 per cent.

She added that dedicated WASH budget lines had been established across 40 Ministries, Departments and Agencies in both states, strengthening accountability and institutional commitment.

According to her, both states reviewed and adopted updated WASH policies, while key planning documents were developed to guide future investments and service delivery.

She said Cross River also recorded a major legislative milestone through the passage of the Water Law and Open Defecation Prohibition Bill.

Aderele added that lessons from interventions in Yala LGA were already informing expansion efforts in Obubra Local Government Area.

While commending the achievements, she noted that capacity gaps, resource constraints and climate-related pressures remained challenges to sustainable WASH services.

“The sustainability of these gains will depend on continued government leadership, adequate financing, strong partnerships and investment in institutional capacity,” she said.

Also speaking, the Programme Manager of WS4H, Mr Timothy Ibeawuchi, said the intervention focused on strengthening systems needed to sustain gains and attract future investments.

According to him, the programme engages stakeholders in developing strategies that preserve achievements and support long-term service delivery.

“System strengthening work takes time because it addresses the fundamental issues responsible for sustainable and resilient service delivery,” he said.

Ibeawuchi said the programme strengthened policy development, planning, financing, monitoring and evaluation systems across the WASH sector.

He said two pilot local government areas were supported to develop WASH strategic plans outlining sector goals, targets and activities between 2026 and 2030.

According to him, the plans will guide future interventions and improve service delivery in the affected councils.

Earlier, the representative of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Chidera Chukwu, reaffirmed support for Nigeria’s development efforts in spite of the programme nearing completion.

Chukwu commended the Self Help Africa-led consortium for delivering the programme with professionalism and a strong focus on systems strengthening.

He said the consortium contributed greatly to strengthening Nigeria’s WASH sector through policy reforms, improved coordination and enhanced accountability.

“Together, we have advanced key policy and legislative reforms, including open defecation-free laws and strengthened state WASH frameworks,” he said.

According to him, the reforms represent enduring system-level changes that will continue delivering benefits beyond the programme’s lifespan.

In his remarks, Mr Jamilu Habu, Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, commended the programme’s achievements.

Habu, who represented the Permanent Secretary, said the intervention strengthened governance, coordination, evidence-based planning and institutional capacity in the WASH sector.

He described the workshop as an opportunity to review achievements, share lessons and identify pathways for sustaining and scaling successful interventions.

According to him, the programme’s innovations and best practices will guide future policies and investments aimed at expanding access to safe WASH services.

Habu stressed the need for continued collaboration among governments, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and communities.

He said stronger partnerships remained essential to achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and meeting Sustainable Development Goal 6.