Author: user user

Trump goes for broke

United States President Donald Trump made a pledge last week to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House of Representatives and Senate in the mid-term elections. It was an extraordinary gambit to reverse his party’s sagging fortunes in the November poll, and it wasn’t clear how he hoped to fund the pledge or whether it was even legal under the country’s law.

Watchers of American political-economy said it would take some $1.3trillion to fulfil the offer to an estimated 270million adult Americans. This portends worsening the country’s nearly $1.8trillion annual budget deficit and compound consumer inflation, against the backdrop of the national debt that topped $40trillion for the first time last month.

Speaking at the GOP’s mid-term convention in Dallas last Wednesday, Trump told the crowd: ‘If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000. It will be called the Trump dividend.’ He likened the payout to a corporation’s dividends to shareholders, citing ‘our tremendous strength and success economically.’

Within an hour of Trump speaking, Vice President JD Vance assayed tempering the proposal by suggesting the payment would not go to wealthy persons. He also suggested it could be paid for by U.S. tariff revenues, but the amount involved dwarfs what America has received through the protectionist exertions by Trump. ‘We’re taking in an extraordinary amount of revenue because the President of the United States is actually standing up to foreign companies, and also foreign countries that have been taking advantage of America’s workers for pretty much my entire life,’ Vance said in an interview on Fox News. ‘I don’t think it’s a controversial idea. It’s actually the President of the United States saying we’re all working together. We’re all on the same team, and if we continue to create wealth, that wealth is going to go back to the American people,’ he added.

But the math does not add up. A body known as the Bipartisan Policy Center reported that it tracked tariff revenue since Trump began raising rates in 2025 and, as of 8th September, the US had collected about $210billion in tariff and excise tax revenue in 2026. At a rate of $21bn a month, Washington would have to collect tariffs for nearly five years to cover the $5,000 payment promised to American adults – and that is assuming every dollar of tariff revenue went to the payment, and discounting tariff payments refunded to retailers in legal challenges. These calculations put the funding of the proposed payout up in the air.

Many Americans described the proposal as bribery and vote buying. Trump had often lamented that in modern era, the president’s party almost always loses seats in Congress during the mid-terms. ‘We’re going to change that, there’s no reason for it,’ he said. He is looking for unorthodox ways to change the trend, and the dividend proposal is one. Nigeria copied the American political model, but this Trumpian tack is surely something not to be emulated.

Navy’s raid of warehouse uncovers 10,000ltrs of diesel in Rivers

The Nigerian Navy has uncovered a warehouse containing approximately 10,000 litres of products suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), otherwise known as diesel in Eleme-Okrika-Onne axis of Rivers.

The Director of Naval Information, Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, in an operational report on Sunday said the raid exposed a suspected storage and distribution point within the illicit petroleum supply chain.

According to Folorunsho, the products were discovered during an anti-crude oil theft operation around the Eleme Express area of Rivers.

‘The discovery was made by the Nigeran Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER on Saturday during a patrol of the Eleme-Okrika-Onne general area.

‘The product, contained in 400 jerrycans of 25 litres each, was suspected to have been sourced from locations outside the immediate community and stored for onward sale to buyers. No illegal refining site was identified at the location.

‘Beyond the volume recovered, the operation was significant because it disrupted a critical link in the illicit petroleum supply chain,’ he said.

He said that the operation denied illicit operators a facility to accumulate and move illegally refined products to the market, thereby constraining the commercial network that sustained illegal refining activities.

Folorunsho said that the recovered products were subsequently handled in accordance with established anti-crude oil theft procedures.

He also said that no arrest was made as the suspected operators fled upon sighting the naval patrol team.

Refereeing body admits judgement error over Haaland derby winner

The Premier League refereeing body Pro Ref has admitted an error of judgement in awarding Erling Haaland’s Manchester City winner against Manchester United.

As City celebrated a remarkable derby victory over Manchester United, there were questions as to whether Haaland’s winning goal should have stood in a match fraught with controversy.

The striker scored in the 60th minute at Old Trafford, turning home at the back post from Josko Gvardiol’s cross before it was disallowed on the field for offside.

Following intervention from the video assistant referee, the goal was awarded – the Norwegian ruled to have been played onside by Patrick Dorgu’s boot.

But there was debate as to whether the offside Enzo Fernandez, diving at the ball in a more central position than Haaland, was interfering with play.

In a statement, Pro Ref said: ‘It was established that Enzo Fernandez did not play the ball and therefore that makes any offside offence subjective.

‘However, on this occasion, the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his position and should have recommended an on-field review.

‘Contact has been made with Manchester United this evening to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgement. A review of the incident will take place.’

United defender Lisandro Martinez said it was an ‘injustice’ while boss Michael Carrick said he was ‘confused’ by the decision.

The goal came after City had gone down to 10 men in the first half when Phil Foden was shown a straight red card for kicking out at United captain Bruno Fernandes.

Foden was dismissed by referee Michael Oliver on 23 minutes after kicking the midriff of Fernandes while he was on the turf.

Yilwatda to lead Nigerian delegates to 7th Africa Public Sector Conference

The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda will lead a high-level delegates to the 7th Africa Public Sector Conference (APSCA 2026).

Tagged: ‘Governance 2030: Delivering Resilient Institutions for a Digital, Green and Secure Africa.’, the conference will place from 14-16 October 2026 at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, Ghana.

A statement by the organisers said: ‘Prof. Yilwatda is expected to deliver the keynote address and spearhead the session titled: ‘The Party as Platform: How Governing Parties Can Architect Digital, Green and Secure Governance for 2030,’ with a broader focus on ‘Beyond Elections: The Strategic Mandate of Political Parties in Building Resilient Institutions.’

‘In a formal response to the invitation, the APC National Chairman expressed strong interest in the continental dialogue: ‘I look forward to joining African and international leaders at APSCA 2026 and to sharing Nigeria’s experiences, perspectives, and aspirations as we collectively examine the governance architecture required to build a more resilient, digitally enabled, environmentally sustainable, secure, and prosperous Africa by 2030.

‘The APC considers APSCA 2026 an important opportunity to contribute to a continental dialogue on a question central to sustainable development: how political parties can evolve beyond their traditional role as electoral vehicles to become enduring institutions capable of providing strategic policy direction, sustaining reform agendas, strengthening democratic governance, and helping to build institutions that deliver measurable and lasting improvements in the lives of citizens.’

‘The former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction further affirmed that APSCA 2026 offers a fitting stage to project Nigeria’s development trajectory under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to a continental and global audience.

‘We see this as an opportunity to present Nigeria not only as a market of immense potential, but also as a country actively developing ideas, institutions, and solutions capable of contributing to Africa’s broader development journey,’ he said.

‘Reacting to the APC’s official acceptance, Akin Naphtal, Convener and Host of APSCA, Group Chief Executive Officer of InstinctWave Group, welcomed this development as a defining moment for the conference’s 2026 edition.

‘Having the All Progressives Congress and Prof. Nentawe Yiltwada on the APSCA 2026 platform is exactly the calibre of engagement this conference was built for,’ Naphtal said. ‘This is not just about Nigeria showing up in Accra, it is about a governing party stepping forward to say that institutions, not just elections, are the real currency of development. That conversation deserves a continental stage, and we are proud to build it.’

Naphtal further noted that this reflects the very theme of the year’s conference. ‘Governance 2030 is about resilient institutions for a digital, green and secure Africa. When a party as significant as the APC chooses to engage that conversation directly, and back it with a Pavilion, a documentary and real institutional participation, it validates why we created APSCA in the first place: to give African governance its own stage, on its own terms,’ he said. ‘We look forward to welcoming Prof. Yiltwada and the Nigerian delegation to Accra.’

‘With the previous six editions done across Rwanda, Botswana, South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya, APSCA 2026 will be graced by top public sector leaders from more than 10 African nations, at which there will be twelve (12) forums covering governance and institutional leadership, women in the public sector, energy, public procurement, public finance, trade, digital government, education, public-private partnerships, ESG and sustainability, customer experience, and youth empowerment, to examine how continent institutions can deliver coordinated, future-ready public value.’

OSSAP-SDGs, RHI empower 4,500 South-East Women with business equipment

The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, OSSAP-SDGs and the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI have empowered 4,500 indigent and vulnerable women across the five South-East states with business equipment.

The beneficiaries comprised 500 women each from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states under the core OSSAP-SDGs/RHI programme, as well as an additional 2,000 Imo women supported by the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma.

Nigeria’s First Lady and Chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, also donated ?100,000 to each of the 2,500 beneficiaries in Imo State, amounting to ?250 million.

A statement released by the Special Assistant on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications in OSSAP-SDGs, Desmond Utomwen noted that the intervention was unveiled in Owerri during the South-East flag-off of the RHI Women Economic Empowerment Programme, implemented in collaboration with OSSAP-SDGs.

While the First Lady performed the zonal flag-off in Owerri, similar presentations were held simultaneously in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states, where 500 pre-selected women in each state received empowerment items. The business equipment distributed included deep-chest freezers, maxi gas cookers with ovens, generators and industrial grinding machines intended to help the beneficiaries establish new businesses or strengthen existing enterprises.

The South-East exercise followed earlier phases in the North-Central, South-South and South-West geopolitical zones. Under the core nationwide programme, OSSAP-SDGs and RHI are targeting 18,500 vulnerable women, comprising 500 beneficiaries in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

In her address, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, explained that the initiative was designed to provide women with productive assets to strengthen their livelihoods and enable them to contribute more meaningfully to their families and communities.

According to her, the nationwide programme is expected to empower 18,500 women, comprising 500 beneficiaries from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

She added that women’s economic empowerment remained central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 on Gender Equality and SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth.

Senator Tinubu urged the beneficiaries to put the equipment and financial support to productive use, stressing that the resources were intended to help them establish or expand their businesses, increase their incomes and improve their families’ welfare.

‘Let these items serve as a foundation for creating a better life for yourselves and your families. I hope and pray that what you received today will prosper in your hands,’ she said.

Speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, OFR, described the South-East exercise as another milestone in the partnership between OSSAP-SDGs and RHI to expand economic opportunities for vulnerable women.

She said 500 pre-selected women in each of the five South-East states-Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo-received empowerment items under the core programme. The Imo State Government’s support for an additional 2,000 women increased the total number of beneficiaries across the zone from 2,500 to 4,500.

Orelope-Adefulire explained that the beneficiaries were drawn from vulnerable groups, including wives of fallen heroes, widows and indigent women who possessed the determination to work but required productive assets to improve their livelihoods.

Describing the intervention as a practical demonstration of the principle of Leaving No One Behind, she said its objective went beyond distributing equipment.

‘Our objective is not merely to distribute equipment, but to provide productive assets that can unlock potential, foster economic independence and create opportunities for women to thrive,’ she said.

‘By equipping women with tools such as gas cookers, generators, deep freezers and grinding machines, we are enabling beneficiaries to establish new businesses, strengthen existing enterprises, earn sustainable incomes and provide greater economic security for their households.’

The SSAP-SDGs said women’s economic empowerment was an important accelerator of sustainable development, contributing directly to SDG 1 on No Poverty, SDG 5 on Gender Equality, SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities.

‘When a woman is economically empowered, the benefits extend beyond income generation. Poverty is reduced, and she is better positioned to support her family’s health and well-being, address hunger, invest in her children’s education and exercise her rights with greater confidence and independence,’ she said.

Orelope-Adefulire urged the beneficiaries to regard the equipment as tools of opportunity and deploy them to create value, generate income and build sustainable livelihoods.

‘Please do not see them merely as gifts to be received and disposed of. Put them to productive use. Build with them. Grow your businesses with them,’ she added.

Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, in his remarks, described the equipment as start-up tools and economic lifelines for indigent and vulnerable women. He commended the First Lady, RHI and OSSAP-SDGs for implementing the programme and supporting women and vulnerable groups across the country.

‘When you empower a woman, you have empowered an entire household, improved livelihoods and strengthened small businesses,’ the governor said.

The wife of the Imo State Governor and RHI State Coordinator, Barrister Chioma Uzodimma, said the additional empowerment items would be distributed across the state’s three senatorial zones of Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri.

She urged the beneficiaries to use the equipment judiciously and ensure that the intervention translated into sustainable businesses, increased incomes and improved family welfare.

Building the next generation of Nigeria’s energy workforce

Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is entering a defining new chapter. As international oil companies adjust their portfolios and indigenous energy companies assume ownership and operation of the country’s oil and gas assets, the conversation around local participation must evolve. Increasing indigenous participation in this manner is important, but ownership alone is not enough. The industry must also build the depth of technical expertise required to operate those assets safely, efficiently, and sustainably for decades to come.

At the heart of this transition are the people. The engineers, technicians, and professionals who will lead the next era of Nigeria’s energy industry must be identified, trained, and given meaningful exposure today. For indigenous operators, investing in this next generation is therefore more than a Nigerian Content obligation; it is an investment in the long-term resilience of the industry and the communities in which they operate.

It is against this backdrop that on September 4, 2026, Oando Energy Resources Nigeria Limited (OERNL), a subsidiary of Oando PLC, in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Hilong Oil Service and Engineering Nigeria Limited, commenced a 12-month Human Capacity Development Programme in Port-Harcourt, to equip young Nigerians with specialised drilling engineering skills and practical industry experience.

The programme reflects Oando’s commitment to developing Nigeria’s technical talent and creating pathways for Nigerians, particularly those from its host communities, to gain industry-relevant knowledge, technical competence, and practical experience.

Over 12 months, participants will move from intensive classroom learning to structured on-the-job training, bridging a gap that remains critical to technical capacity development: the ability to translate theoretical knowledge into competence in real operational environments.

Their training will cover Basic Drilling Engineering Operations, Well Planning and Design, Measurement While Drilling (MWD), Logging While Drilling (LWD), drilling rig operations and well-log data analytics. Beyond technical competence, participants will also receive training in entrepreneurship, business management, and digital skills, broadening their ability to create and participate in opportunities across the energy value chain.

The programme is linked to the Provision of Turnkey Joint Venture (JV) Services for Workover and Recompletion of the Obiafu 44 Well, providing an opportunity to connect capacity development to the realities of industry operations.

For Oando, this investment comes at a particularly important point in the evolution of Nigeria’s energy sector. As indigenous companies take on larger operational roles, building a sustainable talent pipeline becomes increasingly critical. Experienced professionals will eventually exit the workforce, making deliberate knowledge transfer and succession planning crucial to preserving and expanding Nigeria’s technical capability.

Speaking to the participants, Manager, Nigerian Content Division, Oando Energy Resources Nigeria Limited, Deji Agboola, underscored the responsibility that comes with the opportunity. ‘Oando, NCDMB, and Hilong have given you an opportunity of a lifetime, to play a role in the development of Nigeria. Being here equips you with the capacity to contribute meaningfully to the future of the oil and gas industry, as well as the country.’

The Nigerian government’s approach to local participation recognises that capacity building must go hand in hand with creating opportunities for host communities. The objective is not only to develop energy professionals capable of eventually leading complex operations and to retain critical knowledge within the industry, but also to ensure that communities around these assets are positioned to benefit from the economic opportunities they generate.

Representing the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Board’s General Manager, Human Capacity Development, Mrs Alexis Emelle, described the programme as an investment not only in its participants but in the future of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. That future will ultimately depend on how deliberately the industry prepares people for it.

Developing the capacity of the Nigerian energy sector is a long-term commitment of guaranteeing that its energy resources create value beyond production. By investing in skills, knowledge, and opportunity, Oando is building a pipeline of Nigerian talent capable of sustaining the industry, strengthening host communities, and taking on increasingly complex roles across the energy value chain.

The company is ensuring that as a new generation of indigenous companies take on the responsibility of building Nigeria’s energy future, a new generation of Nigerians are equipped to lead it.

Cross River govt tightens rules for private, mission schools

Cross River State Government has tightened regulatory measures for private and mission schools in the state, warning proprietors that violations of approved education standards could attract sanctions, including withdrawal of approval and closure.

The Commissioner for Education, Senator Prof. Stephen Odey, announced the measures on the eve of the 2026/2027 academic session during a pre-resumption meeting with members of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and representatives of mission schools in the state.

Odey said private ownership did not exempt schools from government regulation, stressing that all private and mission schools must comply with standards and guidelines prescribed by the Ministry of Education.

‘Private schools, though privately owned, remain subject to the regulation of the Ministry of Education,’ he said.

The commissioner directed all private and mission schools to resume on Monday, September 14, 2026, and adhere strictly to the approved academic calendar, warning proprietors against altering official resumption or closing dates without government approval.

He also reaffirmed 2 p.m. as the approved closing time for nursery, primary and secondary schools across the state.

Odey warned that schools found violating the directive would face sanctions, including withdrawal of approval and possible closure.

He urged proprietors to sensitise parents against late registration, moderate school fees and comply with the ‘no lesson, no lesson fee’ policy.

On student documentation, the commissioner directed schools to ensure prompt registration and full compliance with the Student Identification Number (SIN) policy.

According to him, the policy would strengthen student records, improve accountability and educational planning, as well as curb fraudulent enrolment.

Odey also warned schools against using unapproved textbooks, saying the ministry was reviewing instructional materials to ensure their conformity with the revised curriculum.

He disclosed that the ministry had obtained the revised curricula approved by the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), urging private and mission schools to obtain and implement them to ensure uniformity with public schools.

The commissioner further charged proprietors to prioritise the training and retraining of teachers, stressing that competent and properly trained teachers were critical to improving teaching and learning outcomes.

He assured the stakeholders that the ministry would continue to engage and support private and mission schools while intensifying monitoring and enforcement to ensure compliance and improve education standards across the state.

Responding, the Chairman of NAPPS, Pastor Abraham Osok, commended the commissioner for his leadership and reform initiatives, saying his approach and clear communication had helped stakeholders understand the new measures.

Similarly, the Education Executive Secretary of the Catholic Schools Board, Ogoja Diocese, Rev. Fr. Justin Udie, described Odey as ‘the right person to steer the Ministry at a time of significant reforms.’

Udie reaffirmed the commitment of mission schools to supporting the state government’s efforts to improve educational outcomes.

The stakeholders pledged continued cooperation with the Ministry of Education, expressing confidence that the strengthened regulatory measures would promote accountability, raise standards, and improve the quality of education in Cross River.

Anambra still paying Obi, Obiano-Era debts – Soludo’s govt

The Anambra State Government has revealed that it is still servicing loans incurred during the administrations of former governors Peter Obi and Willie Obiano, as the Chukwuma Soludo-led government continues efforts to reduce the state’s debt burden.

The Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, disclosed this during a Ndi Anambra podcast released by the state government’s New Media team on Monday, while giving an update on the state’s financial position.

Okafor said the Soludo administration had not obtained any commercial bank loan since assuming office but had continued to make repayments on debts inherited from previous governments.

‘It’s on record that this administration has not borrowed a kobo from any commercial bank since the inception of this administration,’ he said.

The commissioner explained that deductions are made monthly from Anambra’s Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds to repay loans secured by previous administrations.

According to him, some of the outstanding obligations were accumulated during the tenures of former governors Peter Obi and Willie Obiano.

‘These loans were borrowed during the time of Peter Obi and Willie Obiano, the past governors,’ Okafor said.

He, however, stated that the Soludo administration had successfully reduced the state’s debt profile by more than 83 per cent while clearing several inherited domestic obligations.

The commissioner listed unpaid contracts, gratuity arrears and pension backlogs among the liabilities addressed by the current government.

‘We have been able to manage the state debt very well, that we have brought it down by more than 83 per cent as of today,’ Okafor said.

He added that Anambra’s domestic debt was now close to zero balance following the repayment of several outstanding obligations.

On external debts, Okafor explained that repayments were tied to agreements with lending institutions, including World Bank-backed facilities, resulting in automatic deductions from the state’s federal allocations.

‘Before they limit Anambra’s own allocation, they will deduct it as such because most of them, World Bank loans and other loans, they committed,’ he said.

The commissioner also disclosed that the state recently cleared one of its outstanding debts, known as CAGS, saying the move had created more financial room for the government to execute development projects.

Lagos defends plan to raise Magistrates’ retirement age to 65

Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, has defended the proposed amendment to the state’s Magistrates Law seeking to extend the retirement age of magistrates and law officers.

He said the measure is intended to address a structural imbalance created by the recent extension of the retirement age of High Court judges.

Pedro, in a statement issued on Monday, September 14, 2026, said the proposed amendment had generated controversy because of what he described as a misunderstanding of its origin, purpose and policy background.

He clarified that the bill was not an Executive Bill and was not sponsored by his office, but rather a Private Member’s Bill currently before the Lagos State House of Assembly for legislative consideration.

According to the Attorney-General, the proposal was considered to have sufficient justification in the interest of the state, particularly in strengthening and sustaining the justice sector.

Pedro said the Lagos State Government’s position on the issue was also informed by a longstanding policy of harmonising the conditions of service of law officers with those of magistrates.

He said the policy had been in operation in Lagos since 1997, following a government circular dated March 20 of that year.

The Attorney-General identified the 2023 constitutional amendment raising the retirement age of High Court judges from 65 to 70 as the principal factor behind the proposed change.

He said the amendment to Section 291(1) of the 1999 Constitution, through the Fifth Alteration (No. 37) Act 2023, had altered the traditional progression pattern within the judiciary.

Before the constitutional change, High Court judges were required to retire at 65.

According to Pedro, the regular vacancies created by that retirement pattern provided opportunities for experienced Chief Magistrates and senior law officers who met the necessary requirements to progress to the High Court Bench.

With High Court judges now able to remain in service until 70, however, the frequency of vacancies on the High Court Bench has declined.

Pedro argued that this has created a potential bottleneck for experienced officers at the lower levels of the justice system.

Under the existing arrangement, he said, Chief Magistrates and senior law officers could reach retirement age at 60 while still possessing the experience and qualifications that might previously have positioned them for elevation to the High Court.

‘The consequence is that Chief Magistrates and senior Law Officers who have attained considerable professional experience and institutional expertise may now be required to retire at 60 years,’ he said.

He argued that the situation could result in the premature loss of experienced personnel whose knowledge remains valuable to the administration of justice.

Pedro said the proposed amendment was designed to correct what he described as an unintended disparity in the career structure.

Pedro also rejected the suggestion that the proposed reform was designed to create a fresh privilege for lawyers.

He stressed that the proposal relates specifically to law officers as a specialised professional cadre involved in the administration of justice, rather than lawyers generally.

‘The proposal concerns Law Officers as a specialised professional cadre performing functions integral to the administration of justice, and not lawyers generally,’ he said.

He described the proposal as a continuation of the state’s existing harmonisation policy rather than the creation of a new benefit for law officers.

The Attorney-General said similar arrangements existed in other states, citing Abia, Kogi, Benue, Imo and Kwara as examples.

He specifically referred to Abia State’s Law Officers Harmonization with Magistrates Law, 2008, which provides for the salaries and conditions of service of law officers to correspond with those of magistrates in equivalent positions.

He also cited Osun State Law No. 7 of 2023, which he said was assented to on December 15, 2023, and raised the retirement age of officers involved in the administration of justice, including state counsel and court registrars, to 65.

Pedro said the proposed reform was not simply about allowing individual officers to remain in their positions for longer.

Instead, he described it as a structural response to changes in the judicial career system following the constitutional extension of High Court judges’ tenure.

He argued that retaining experienced magistrates and law officers for a longer period could help Lagos preserve institutional knowledge accumulated through years of professional service.

The Attorney-General also identified succession planning, mentorship and the transfer of institutional knowledge to younger judicial and legal practitioners as potential benefits of the reform.

He said the state had invested considerable resources in training and developing its judicial and legal personnel and should be able to continue benefiting from their expertise where they remain capable of contributing to the justice system.

While Pedro expressed support for the proposed amendment, the bill remains subject to consideration and determination by the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The Attorney-General urged members of the public to assess the proposal on the basis of its legislative origin, policy objectives and implications for the justice system rather than through emotion or sentiment.

He maintained that whether the proposed changes were ultimately enacted through a single law covering both magistrates and law officers or through separate legislation, the underlying objective remained the same: to maintain a coherent career structure within the state’s justice sector.

Pedro said the reform was intended to prevent the constitutional extension of High Court judges’ retirement age from producing what he described as an unintended consequence for officers seeking progression through the lower and intermediate levels of the judicial system.

2027: Ondo federal lawmaker Ojogo rallies Ilaje, Ese-Odo constituents for Tinubu’s re-election

A member of the House of Representatives representing Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency of Ondo State, Donald Ojogo, has called on his constituents to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general elections.

Ojogo, who made the call while distributing 4,500 bags of rice to residents of his constituency over the weekend, said supporting President Tinubu would help sustain the reforms and development initiatives of his administration.

The distribution, held at Teachers Hall, Okoga, Igbokoda, was attended by political leaders, traditional and religious leaders, youth and women groups, students, artisans and other stakeholders from the constituency.

Ojogo, who is also seeking a re-election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said President Tinubu deserved the support of Nigerians to consolidate his ongoing reforms and deliver more development to the country.

According to him, continued support for the President would enable his administration to consolidate its reforms and development programmes.

He appealed to the people of Ilaje and Ese-Odo to continue supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, he disclosed that the gesture was aimed at providing relief to households amid the economic challenges facing many Nigerians.

He also urged beneficiaries and other constituents to use the rice to support their families and communities.

The Chairman of the event, Hon Victor Kolade Akinjo described the intervention as a demonstration of concern for the welfare of constituents, saying food support had become important amid growing household needs.

Akinjo, a former two-term member of the House of Representatives who represented the constituency, lauded Ojogo for his genuine act of kindness and an expression of legislative responsibility.

‘Interventions that directly affect the lives of constituents should be encouraged,’ Mr Akinjo said.

He added that the exercise was part of broader efforts to ensure that government interventions and opportunities facilitated at the federal level reached people at the grassroots.

Among the beneficiary groups were the Niger Delta Youth Movement (NDYM), Ilaje Patriots (GWAMA), National Association of Ilaje Students (NAIS), Federation of Ese-Odo Local Government Students (FELGOS), Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Arogbo-Ibe Ijaw Youth Council (AIIYC) and Apoi Youth Council (AYC).

Others included the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Federation of Ugbo Youth, Mahin/Aheri Etikan Youths, artisans, religious and traditional leaders, market women, persons living with disabilities and Niger Delta women.