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Breaking: Bola Ahmed Tinubu Arrives At APC National Convention.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived at Eagles Square in Abuja for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) 8th Elective National Convention.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The event is attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, APC governors, ministers, lawmakers, and party delegates. The convention officially kicked off around 8:15 p.m.
However, the event caused significant disruptions across Abuja due to tight security measures. Journalists reported being barred or harassed by security personnel, with heavy police and military deployments blocking major roads leading to Eagles Square. Many accredited reporters were forced to walk long distances to reach the venue.
Despite holding valid accreditation, some journalists were turned back at checkpoints, and there were reports of security personnel threatening to open fire on those trying to gain entry. Others who managed to get in temporarily took shelter at the Nasarawa State Pavilion but were later asked to leave following verbal confrontations with party delegates.
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has declared that it has not endorsed any presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, including incumbent President Bola Tinubu.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The regional socio-political organisation urged voters across the South-South to support candidates capable of advancing the interests and development of the Niger Delta.
PANDEF’s position was announced on Tuesday by its National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, alongside its Board of Trustees Chairman and former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Victor Attah.
The two leaders spoke with journalists after a forum meeting attended by former governors, ex-ministers, traditional rulers and other prominent figures from the six states in the region.
Igali emphasised that PANDEF was neither a political party nor a campaign organisation and would not endorse or support any candidate in the forthcoming election.
“PANDEF is non-partisan and not supporting any candidate. It is not a political party or support group,” he said.
He encouraged residents of the region to participate peacefully in the elections and make their choices based on careful consideration of the candidates’ abilities and plans.
“We call on our people to ‘shine your eyes’ and vote according to their conscience. They should look at candidates who have the capacity to help us as a region and move this country forward,” Igali stated.
The PANDEF chairman also appealed to Niger Delta indigenes occupying federal government positions to demonstrate greater commitment to the organisation’s activities.
Supporting Igali’s position, Attah said the forum had consistently maintained political neutrality.
“We are not aligning ourselves with any candidate. PANDEF has remained entirely neutral and non-partisan,” he said.
The former governor added that voters should support candidates they believe would deliver the greatest benefits to the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.
PANDEF’s clarification comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the South-South regarded as a strategically important region because of its oil resources and contribution to the national economy.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had reportedly cleared 18 presidential candidates, including Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).
Beyond its position on the presidential election, PANDEF renewed its demand for an increase in the derivation allocation to oil-producing states from 13 per cent to 50 per cent.
Igali argued that a higher allocation would help the region tackle environmental pollution, inadequate infrastructure and other developmental challenges.
The forum also called for the abolition of the onshore-offshore dichotomy, insisting that host communities should receive a fair share of the resources extracted from their territories.
These demands reflect longstanding concerns in the Niger Delta over environmental degradation, declining livelihoods and perceived neglect despite the region’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
PANDEF represents leaders and stakeholders from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers states.
The Federal Government has cautioned colleges of education against introducing degree programmes without first ensuring they have qualified lecturers, adequate classrooms and the necessary facilities to deliver quality education.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja while unveiling a new curriculum and a five-year strategic plan for colleges of education across the country.
According to Naija News, Ahmad described the decision to allow colleges of education to award degrees alongside the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) as a positive development but stressed that academic standards must not be compromised.
She explained that institutions must demonstrate that they have qualified teaching staff, adequate infrastructure and effective quality assurance mechanisms before introducing or expanding degree programmes.
The minister noted that the success of the policy should not be measured by the number of colleges offering degrees but by the quality of teachers they produce.
She also charged the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) with ensuring that institutions fully understand and effectively implement the revised curriculum.
Ahmad urged college managements to align their budgets, recruitment plans and infrastructure development projects with the broader education reform agenda.
She further called for stronger collaboration among the Federal Ministry of Education, the NCCE, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and college administrators to prevent confusion over their respective regulatory responsibilities.
Speaking at the national retreat and workshop on implementing the dual mandate and the NCCE Medium-Term Strategic Plan for 2026–2031, NCCE Executive Secretary, Dr Angela Ajala, said the reforms were designed to produce teachers capable of meeting the changing demands of schools and learners.
Ajala stressed that colleges of education must go beyond issuing certificates and focus on preparing students with the practical skills required for effective teaching.
She explained that the revised curriculum would equip trainee teachers with digital skills, inclusive education practices, entrepreneurship knowledge and modern teaching techniques.
According to her, the curriculum was developed through contributions from academics, curriculum specialists, professional bodies and regulatory agencies.
She added that the changes would provide student teachers with more practical experience and better prepare them for the realities of classroom teaching.
However, Ajala warned that the reforms would have limited impact without qualified lecturers, modern teaching equipment and adequate funding.
She urged provosts and other college administrators to assess their institutions’ readiness to implement the new policy, particularly in the areas of staffing, infrastructure, funding and administration.
The minister formally unveiled the revised curriculum alongside the NCCE’s strategic plan covering 2026 to 2031 at the Abuja event.
The plan is expected to guide colleges of education in strengthening their academic programmes and preparing students for careers in teaching.
Ahmad urged education officials and college administrators to work together to ensure the reforms improve teacher training and raise the overall quality of education in Nigeria.
Former Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, has declared his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, urging Nigerians to give the president more time to complete his economic reforms.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Sambo made the remarks in Jalingo, Taraba State, where he expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would perform strongly in the 2027 general elections.
The former minister, who previously served as Minister of State for Works and Housing before becoming Minister of Transportation under former President Muhammadu Buhari, coordinated the Tinubu/Shettima campaign in Taraba State during the 2023 elections.
While acknowledging the economic hardship and rising cost of living affecting Nigerians, Sambo argued that the sacrifices being experienced were necessary to achieve lasting economic and financial stability.
“We are not oblivious to the feedback from the common man and the general increase in cost of living. However, we believe that the sacrifices being made today are necessary for enduring economic and financial stability,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the situation would improve as the administration’s reforms and infrastructure investments begin to produce results.
“Nigerians can rest assured that it will get better. I firmly believe that the reforms, coupled with other interventions, including increased spending on infrastructure projects, will ultimately translate into long-term economic stability and prosperity for the people,” Sambo stated.
However, the former Taraba governorship aspirant acknowledged that the administration’s achievements were not being adequately communicated to Nigerians.
He urged government officials and APC stakeholders to explain the benefits of the president’s policies in simple terms that ordinary citizens could understand.
“Undoubtedly, PBAT is working, but we need men and women who will translate the impact of his work into simple terms that the common man on the street can understand. Many people are not adequately explaining the benefits of these reforms, either in the short or over the long term,” he said.
Sambo also called on Nigerians and political leaders to support Tinubu’s national development agenda.
“I believe it is high time all of us joined hands with President Tinubu to build our country,” he added.
The former minister expressed optimism that the APC would secure widespread support across the country in the 2027 elections.
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