Tension reportedly escalated in parts of Benue South after angry youths stormed the office of Samson Okwu, accusing him of allegedly collaborating with Tiv political interests to deny the Idoma bloc the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.

The protesters, who carried placards and sang solidarity songs, warned against any attempt to marginalise the Idoma people in the party’s governorship arrangement, insisting that Benue South deserves a fair chance to produce the party’s candidate.

Amid the growing controversy, the National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, has remained silent on the crisis, a development that has further deepened tension and suspicion among party supporters in the state.

The situation took a more serious turn in Okpokwu Local Government Area after reports emerged that the local chairman of the ADC was allegedly abducted by unidentified individuals.

Following the incident, heavily armed police officers were reportedly deployed to the party secretariat in Okpoga to prevent a breakdown of law and order, as fear spread among party members and residents.

In another development, Ejembi Adaje has called for the outright cancellation of the party’s primary election in Enone, alleging irregularities and insisting that the exercise did not reflect the genuine will of party members.

Agboke made the call while delivering a paper titled “From Ideas to Impact: Harnessing Youth-Driven Innovations for Sustainable Governance and National Development” at a Leadership and Empowerment Summit organised by the Students’ Union and the New Dawn Administration of the University of Ilorin on Friday.

In his presentation, the electoral commissioner described Nigeria’s youth population as the country’s “greatest untapped development resource.”

He stated that empowering young people through education, technology, and inclusive governance would help strengthen democratic institutions and boost economic growth.

According to him, empirical evidence shows that young people can create significant economic and social value when they are given access to funding, mentorship, infrastructure, and innovation opportunities.

He noted that challenges such as poor educational alignment, weak infrastructure, limited financing, and brain drain continue to hinder Nigeria’s innovation potential and long-term development.

Agboke stressed that addressing these challenges is not just a social responsibility but a matter of national security and economic survival.

He referenced countries such as Rwanda, Estonia, South Korea, and Kenya as examples of nations that have achieved economic transformation through youth-focused innovation policies and strong institutional support.

He added that Nigeria has even greater human capital potential than many of these countries but lacks the discipline and political will needed to fully harness it.

Speaking on governance, Agboke commended the growing role of youth-led civic technology initiatives in Nigeria, citing groups like BudgIT and the Connected Development Initiative for promoting transparency and accountability in public administration.

He noted that digital advocacy and innovation have contributed to electoral improvements, including the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) during the 2023 general elections.

The INEC commissioner also referenced the #EndSARS protests, describing them as an example of how Nigerian youths can use digital platforms to organise peacefully and demand reforms.

Agboke encouraged young people to take active roles in governance by voting, monitoring public institutions, advocating reforms, and participating in electoral processes.

He further advised youths to develop both technical and interpersonal skills, stressing that innovation requires ethics, empathy, and effective communication in addition to technological ability.

Addressing the students, he urged them to identify societal challenges, work in teams, and develop practical solutions rather than waiting for perfect conditions.

He concluded by charging them: “Be innovative. Be courageous. Be audacious. Be Unilorite, not with knowledge alone, but with integrity and credibility.”

As part of the initiative, on May 19, 2026, the Ministry held a courtesy and technical meeting with the Kano State Ministry of Health to strengthen cooperation on the adoption and implementation of the National Sodium Reduction Guidelines.

The meeting brought together senior officials of the Kano State Government, led by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, as well as representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health and development partners, including Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL).

Speaking at the engagement, Dr. Yusuf described sodium reduction as a timely and necessary intervention in addressing the growing burden of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases affecting Nigerians.

He stated, “The issue of sodium reduction is both timely and necessary, particularly in the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases, including hypertension and cardiovascular conditions,” while reaffirming Kano State’s commitment to adopting the guidelines.

Representing the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mr. Femi Stephen of the Food and Drug Services Department noted that state governments play a key role in achieving Nigeria’s sodium reduction targets.

He explained that the National Sodium Reduction Guidelines aim to cut sodium intake by 30 percent by 2030 through a phased, multi-sectoral strategy involving public awareness, engagement with the food industry, and healthier food policy reforms.

According to the Federal Ministry of Health, excessive sodium consumption remains a leading risk factor for hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria, making its reduction one of the most cost-effective public health measures.

The Ministry further emphasized the need for states to integrate sodium reduction strategies into primary healthcare services, school feeding programmes, food safety systems, nutrition interventions, and community awareness campaigns.

At the end of the meeting, participants agreed to strengthen collaboration by establishing state-level coordination structures, improving regulatory and legal frameworks, and promoting healthier diets to reduce the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in the country.