The All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured all 13 chairmanship positions and 171 councillorship seats contested in the Ebonyi State local government election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• The Cost of Isolation: An APC chieftain, Ikenna Azomchine, has cautioned that the south-eastern region’s self-imposed political alienation from President Bola Tinubu’s administration is deeply disadvantageous to the Igbo nation.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

• • A Shift Toward Collaboration: Speaking during a regional mobilization tour in Nibo, Anambra State, Azomchine emphasized that meaningful progress and a future path to the presidency rely on active engagement and collaboration with the federal government rather than opposition or confrontation.

  • Acknowledging Policy Shifts: Reflecting on his own years in opposition, Azomchine noted that he previously criticized the administration’s policies, but commended the president for listening to feedback and making necessary policy adjustments.

  • Tangible Benefits: He highlighted that the current administration has delivered increased federal appointments and vital infrastructural projects to Igboland compared to previous eras.

  • Building Broad Alliances: Azomchine concluded that no single geopolitical zone possesses the unilateral capacity to produce a president, underscoring the necessity of building strong political bridges across Nigeria’s diverse regions to achieve national aspirations.

Hajiya Hadizat Isah, the Niger State Programme Coordinator for the Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development (FG/IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), has called on members of the Commodity Alliance Forum (CAF) to unite and preserve the achievements of the initiative as it approaches its conclusion.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking in Minna during a stakeholders’ meeting focused on establishing market linkages and contractual agreements between off-takers and farmers’ organizations, Isah emphasized that the programme’s exit should not break the networks built for smallholder farmers. She noted that CAF members must first cultivate internal synergy before forging external partnerships.

“The activities of VCDP will stop, but those who want to sustain VCDP intervention need to come together. They need to have that synergy within themselves first before they can collaborate with others,” Isah stated, highlighting the importance of regular executive meetings to address challenges and coordinate efforts.

To ensure long-term sustainability, Isah urged stakeholders to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture and non-governmental entities. She also raised concerns about the underutilization of certain processing and aggregation centres established by the programme, encouraging leaders to engage local government chairmen to make them fully productive. Furthermore, she stressed that skills and knowledge acquired through VCDP training must be passed down to broader groups.

As part of transition efforts, the Commodity Alliance Forum signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Agricultural Graduates Association of Nigeria (AGAN). Niger State AGAN Chairman, Hussani Usman, explained that the collaboration will connect financial institutions, input suppliers, and off-takers to continuously support beneficiaries.

The Niger State CAF Chairman, Engr. Ibrahim Mohammed Kanko, added that the partnership aims to secure better access to training, funding, and agricultural inputs for smallholder farmers. Mrs. Elizabeth Yisa, the Business and Marketing Development Officer for VCDP, noted that the agreement will also reinforce transparent relationships and prevent contract disputes between farmers and off-takers.

During the gathering—which brought together traditional leaders, financial experts, farmers, and industry stakeholders—participants encouraged farmers to increase their production output, particularly for cassava and rice, while emphasizing the value of processing over traditional raw sales.