Category: Nigerian Tribune

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has again justified his firm resolve to continue with his bold economic reforms, which he acknowledged are tough on Nigerians, but necessary.

Tinubu made the remarks in his 66th Independence Anniversary nationwide broadcast titled ‘From Reform to Prosperity’.

On the inception of his administration on May 29,2023, President Tinubu had scrapped the fuel subsidy regime and equally removed the multiple foreign exchange rates.

Tinubu declared that previous administrations before him deliberately avoided tough economic decisions, necessary to retrieve the nation from the path of economic regression to enduring growth.

He likened the nation’s economic predicament to an individual suffering from cancer but administered with morphine to mitigate the pains while the cancer spreads.

He said: ‘For too long, the promise of Nigeria was undermined by choices that postponed difficult decisions and allowed deep economic distortions to grow.

‘By 2023, poverty was rising, and hope was nearly gone. The country’s situation was darker than ever. We had no choice but to act.

‘Nigeria was like a sick patient who receives the terrible news that he has cancer. His doctor explains that the treatment will be difficult and painful, but that it offers a strong prospect of recovery. The patient has a choice. He can begin treatment, endure its discomfort and fight the disease. Or he can ask only for morphine, dull the pain and leave the cancer to spread.

‘For too long, Nigeria’s leaders chose morphine while praying for a miracle that never came.

‘They focused on symptoms while allowing the disease to take hold deep within the fabric of our society. We spent enormous sums sustaining inefficient arrangements that were never intended to last. We hid from difficult truths and passed the consequences from one generation to the next.

‘When this administration assumed office, we resolved to do things differently. We chose to excise the cancer. The reforms that followed were difficult. The side effects were real. Yet, we must never confuse the medicine with the disease.’

Listing the gains of his reforms three years after, President Tinubu cautioned Nigerians, particularly those who will cast the ballots in the forthcoming general elections, not to be swayed by the rhetoric of certain presidential candidates who have vowed to tamper with his ongoing policy reforms.

He enumerated the gains to include growth in oil and non-oil sectors, soaring external reserves, reduction in inflation and a surge in Foreign Direct Investments.

An excited Tinubu noted that the appreciable growth in the economy had earned the acclamation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and multilateral financial institutions.

He said: ‘Our reforms did not create the weaknesses in our economy. They confronted them. Now, as certain influential but regressive voices would have us abandon the treatment and return ourselves to the abuse of addictive subsidies, we must resist their siren song. We must remember why we began this journey and how far we have already come.

‘Three and a half years later, the evidence that Nigeria’s economic outlook has improved is undeniable. Our economy has grown by over 4 per cent this year. Both oil and non-oil sectors have contributed to the renewed period of stable growth.

‘Oil theft is down. Inflation has fallen substantially from its peak. Our foreign reserves have been rebuilt, our foreign exchange market has stabilised, and in 2025 this country recorded its highest revenue from non-oil exports in its history, exceeding $6 billion. This is real money being made by real Nigerian businesses.

‘These are not idle claims. International observers, journalists, NGOs and multilateral institutions can see the change. Each has concluded that our reforms have strengthened Nigeria’s economic stability and resilience. The private sector has long since delivered its verdict, and foreign direct investment continues to rise each year.’

While stressing the success story of the economy under his watch which he attributed to needed structural reforms, President Tinubu declared that Nigerian economy has ‘reached a turning point’ on the course to what he later described as the phase of ‘shared and widespread prosperity’.

He declared that under his leadership the peasant would be guaranteed access to land and earn a decent living; factories will have seamless access to stable electricity; transportation will be affordable while education will be within the reach of the indigent.

Aside from the cost of living, President Tinubu acknowledged the need to engage multitudes of Nigerian youths, whom he described as the engine of production.

This, he noted, can be achieved through placing jobs, enterprise, and industrial growth at the heart of our government’s policies.

Giving a list of his initiatives, such as NELFUND, CREDICORP, amongst others, to sustain the vulnerable, he admitted that ‘these programmes are not substitutes for prosperity. They are a bridge to aid our nation’s citizens on their path towards it. Our objective is not to manage poverty more efficiently.’

President Tinubu vowed that the phase of shared prosperity would not be derailed.

‘The age of reform has done its work. Now begins the age of prosperity. An age in which the promise of this great nation must finally become the lived experience of Nigerians from all walks of life.

‘We have travelled through difficult years together. We have made hard decisions together. And now, still together, we must build the country those decisions have made possible.

‘I believe deeply in what lies ahead. I believe in the millions of ordinary men and women whose work, courage and determination have always been the true strength of our country.

‘The road ahead will still demand much from us. But we travel it now with firm footing, a clear direction and renewed hope in our collective future.

‘Nigeria has corrected its course. We have passed through our own Red Sea. This is not the time to look back. Let us go forward together, with faith in ourselves, faith in our country, and faith that the sacrifices we have made will yield their reward.

‘The Promised Land before us is a Nigeria of abundance and opportunity; a nation where prosperity is broadly shared, where every child can dream beyond the circumstances of his birth, and where our country’s immense promise is finally reflected in the lives of our people.

‘Our destination is in sight. Our foundations are strong. Our direction is clear. So let us go forward. No looking back.’

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has celebrated 30 years since the creation of the state, explaining that his administration had strengthened security logistics and patrol operations, while maintaining a firm position against negotiating with criminal elements in the state.

Governor Lawal paid tribute to the founding fathers, traditional rulers, elders and other stakeholders who contributed to the struggle for the creation of the state in 1996.

He described the 30th anniversary as an opportunity for reflection on the journey so far and the sacrifices of those who contributed to the creation of Zamfara State.

He said Zamfara’s 30th Anniversary also coincided with Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, and described the occasion as a double milestone for the people of Zamfara.

The Governor acknowledged the security and socio-economic challenges that have affected the state in recent years, saying that banditry and other forms of violence had disrupted lives, education, families and livelihoods.

He said his administration had adopted a progressive security agenda, including the operationalisation of the Community Protection Guards to complement conventional security agencies.

‘The measures had contributed to improved security in some communities and the return of displaced residents to their ancestral homes.’

He commended the military, police, Department of State Services, paramilitary agencies and other security personnel for their sacrifices in protecting the state.

He also paid tribute to the families of security personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty, assuring them of the government’s continued solidarity and support.

On development, Governor Lawal said his administration’s Rescue Agenda was implemented across critical sectors, particularly education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and economic development.

‘My administration opens the state to responsible investments in the areas that includes mining, mineral processing and other sectors capable of creating jobs and expanding the state’s economy,’ he stated.

The anniversary celebration, held at the Gusau Trade Fair Complex, was attended by dignitaries that included the first Military Administrator, Col Jibril Bala Yakubu; first civilian Governor, Senator Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura; former Governor Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi; and former Governor Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar and former Governor Bello Matawalle Maradun, who were represented by their former Deputy Governors, Mallam Ibrahim Wakala and Senator Hassan Nasiha, respectively.

There is a lot of misconception and misrepresentation of the truth. 2025 was the year we really took on a very big innovation, especially in the aspect of introducing the Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE) into schools. The era of randomisation and serialisation of questions was introduced and, as we all know, whenever you are embarking on a new idea or process, no matter how you pilot or test it, you are likely to get what are commonly referred to as glitches. Meanwhile, we should not just look at it in isolation. There has been a corresponding drop in examination malpractice, which is a good aspect of the innovations that WAEC is now known for.

From 2024, there has been a drop in examination malpractice. Similarly, in 2025, we had a rate of 9.7 per cent in examination malpractice, whereas this year, the rate dropped to 8.59 per cent, a decline of 1.1 per cent. So, you find that when there is introduction of innovation for good, some people are easily beset by it, but the fact remains that there is a drop in the malpractice rate and a change in the pattern of assessment.This very year, I can confidently tell the whole world that the WAEC examination did not leak. The consequence of this was that the cyber rogue websites or cyber companies that engage in fraudulent activities or malpractice did not thrive, so they were angered. So, they are part of the aggrieved people fuelling this unnecessary controversy. There are records which indicate to us the impact of innovation, reluctance to change, and a drop in malpractice. You will agree with me that if there is no malpractice, no leakage, definitely performance will be affected.

In 2025, you had candidates who sat for English till almost 12 midnight in some centres. Also, this year in some centres, especially in Oyo, some parts of Osun and Kwara, candidates sat till late in the night for this exam. Can you tell us how much this technology that you are so proud of has helped in the conduct of WAEC examinations in Nigeria, when many candidates had to sit for your examination till late in the night? How will you explain this?

This is rather unfortunate and I want to say this emphatically that unless the stakeholders listen to us and adapt to change, we will continue to have issues which rather are surmountable. You will all recall that until the Federal Ministry of Education stepped in, schools were reluctant to come and register, such that registration of what should have been concluded in late 2024 was not concluded until April 2026. This is what you get when registrations are done very late. When we say, give us the entries in good time so that we will be able to prepare for all that needs to be planned for the conduct of the examination, stakeholders will not be forthcoming. When we finally close by our procedure and timing that will allow for a successful conduct of the examination, we closed the window and people went to the ministry saying, WAEC wants to disenfranchise our children and so on and so forth. So, delay in registration delays the preparation of the examination, printing and other logistics.

Secondly, the Federal Government had directed all examination bodies in the achievement test industry that all examinations must be conducted in the computer-based mode. So, all our arrangements were concluded to have computer-based testing deployed to schools that complied. It was also in late April that the government now formally informed us to carry out the examination in the mode that was carried out last year. We prepared for the schools that are ready and have the facilities and those schools indicated formally, not that it was forced down their throat. They indicated formally that they were ready and they had the facilities.

It was when examination actually commenced that WAEC had to now go to the press to start printing and that affected the logistics and conduct of examination. While all of this was going on, there was a particular day when teachers were demonstrating against the kidnap of their students and teachers. On that very day, all the supervisors, we had downed tools and before we could salvage the situation, it was late for some of the schools. Technology glitch does not occur in CB-WASSCE because the test environment is a secure one. It is certain that this kind of cutting and shutting off a candidate does not arise in the conduct of the CB-WASSCE. That is the clarification I would want to make here.

How many schools actually participated in WAEC this year and how many schools opted for CBT?

We have over 25,000 schools that enrolled for the examination and out of this number, the number that opted for the CB-WASSCE is in the region of about 200 schools.

Can you give us the percentage?

That is insignificant.

If we now have only 200 and we are claiming that we have opted for CBT, would it be appropriate to say WAEC is preparing for a CBT examination?

I told you that we had plans to do it on a larger scale until the formal directive from the Ministry came. That was why and how we found ourselves here. Otherwise, the plan is for virtually all the schools, particularly in urban and semi-urban centres, to do the exam using CB-WASSCE. It was only the rural schools which did not have access to technology that we would have conducted the pen-and-paper examination for. It was at the last minute that our plans changed based on the directive we received.

Will you say that the logistic challenges that you mentioned, the protest, among other challenges that you faced never affected the results of the students this year?

Yes, I will confirm to you emphatically that it did not affect the results.

Some schools observed that some of their students who did very well in UTME and other international exams such as IELTS, GRE and scored high grades, had some of the same candidates’ records in this year’s WAEC, something that they felt was below their competence. How do you justify that?

I am glad that I am talking to people who are in the education sector. Let me use myself as an example. When I was in Form 5, I took a look at Nigeria’s GCE question paper and I compared it with the London GCE question papers and I also compared it with Nigeria’s, the WAEC question paper. Believe me, the questions are on different standards. You will not expect the performance of candidates to be the same, too. Let me come to that one of the UTME that you mentioned. Did you know that UTME is a ranking test and not an achievement test? The conditions under which you sit UTME are different from that of WASSCE. It is an aptitude test, whereas WASSCE allows you to express what you have learnt in school. Let me also add this, that some people have a wrong impression that if you have an A1 in Further Mathematics, you should also have an A1 or even better grade than in General Mathematics. This is not true.

The logic and precepts of Further Mathematics is different from that of General Mathematics. I have a blood relation who also in his time, passed Further Maths very well, but he did not do well in Mathematics. Some people also think that if you are good in Physics, you should also be good in Mathematics. No, the two subjects are independent. They have different contents. More so, the IQ of the individuals in each of these subjects differs and their delivery and the marks obtained are bound to be different. Hence, I want to emphasise that you doing well in an international examination does not mean you will in WASSCE. If you must, you have to use our syllabus. You have to be guided by other resources like the Chief Examiner’s Report. When I was in secondary school, I bought for myself the WAEC examination syllabuses, which I used to assist myself. Today, I go to schools and I see that nobody has that.

We have even come up with an innovation to say, okay, let us give these candidates the opportunity to have a feel of what the CBT examination environment looks like. As a result, we provided a virtual examination environment for them to test themselves, as well as produced a hard copy of the past questions and answers for candidates to practise, but I heard people resisting and saying they do not need it. How can you sit for an examination without the right resources that will give you success in it?

Has the result of visually impaired candidates been released and what is the percentage?

With regard to results of candidates with special needs, I will say yes. However, we have a peculiar case in this instance. Usually, when we release results, we have those that have one issue or the other that we take time to manually resolve. It happens that the larger numbers come from this category and that is why we always make room for a form of regulated control assistance to be given to these candidates. I am sorry; I do not have the percentage record here with me because I did not expect the issue to come up. I can authentically inform you that we have released results of candidates with special needs.

There are so many private schools that have zero tolerance for examination malpractice that recorded poor results for the first time in their many years of participating in your examination. Don’t you think it is high time for a third-party review of WAEC results before they are released?

Let me quickly clarify here that I did not say that private schools failed because of exam malpractice. I never made such statement. I only said the road to malpractice has been closed against schools that are used to engaging in exam malpractice and that their performance will definitely be affected there. I did not direct the statement to either the public or private schools. However, we know that there are schools that thrive on malpractice and we are on the lookout for them. We are always monitoring them to hold them when we have evidence. So even when we see you or we do not see you and we have made the condition difficult for you not to perpetrate malpractice. I said there was no leakage, there was randomization, there was serialization. Why would they not fail when they are used to copying and committing other forms of exam malpractice? This goes across all the schools. It is not only in a few select school.

On how WAEC is being marked, our procedure is standard. We follow the best practices in assessment. In fact, let me even say that for this very last examination, we improved supervisors and examiners’ remuneration. Even before this year, WAEC remuneration, compared to others, if not the best, is one of the best. We did not stop there. This year, we ensured that anyone who would mark our script had his or her certificate verified to ensure that we have qualified people to work with. Apart From that, we also have checking activity to ensure that there is adequate transfer and proper computerisation. In any examination where you have humans marking it, there could be some level of subjectivity. The only instance where you can remove subjectivity is when you deploy the zombies or the computer to mark either through the E-marker, or most importantly, the AI, which we have not yet deployed.

This now calls for Nigerians to begin to pray and get prepared for objective methods because as long as assessment has the human aspect directly involved in it, there is going to be some force of subjectivity. For anyone who feels that the scores are not a true reflection of the performance, the right and the only thing, the best thing to do, is to apply and we will do the needful. We have been doing it over the years.

Let me also say that when you apply for review, is the scores could go up or it could go down. So, it is not a guarantee that if you apply, your candidate score will go up. It could go down depending on the assessment. Yes, we have a marking scheme, which is supposed to guide us. All papers are important. To some people, mathematics is more important, some go into the exam hall just to pass Music. For some, it is just to pass Food and Nutrition.

Is the review free? How much does it cost per script?

Definitely, there is a fee but I cannot quote the amount right now. Anywhere in the world, not only with WAEC, there is always a fee to pay if you apply for a review. It is not free of charge.

We would be glad to know the exact amount; you as the head should have it at your fingertips?

It is about N6,000 per script. Yes!

What happens after a school has paid for a review and it was discovered that the error is from WAEC, will they get a refund? And what will be the lot of students whose moving ahead in life is guided by the initial wrong markings?

Yes, of course. You see, WAEC does not operate in isolation. Our practice is the same as is done by other examination bodies worldwide. Serious money goes into the review exercise, but most times, many of the cases do not even warrant the stress. From the statistics I have, which I said will soon be given out, many of the schools are just agitating because they heard that there are marking issues, whereas there are really no issues.

The Federal Government has missed its September target for submitting the 2027 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly, raising fresh concerns over Nigeria’s persistent delays in the budget cycle and the implementation of annual fiscal plans.

Government sources attribute the development to the decision to embark on yet another recess shortly after returning from a prolonged break.

Members of the National Assembly began the new recess after spending 68 days away from plenary. Their 2026 annual recess started on July 23, following the conclusion of legislative activities.

The Assembly was originally scheduled to resume on September 15, but the date was shifted to September 29 to allow for repairs to the sound systems in the Senate and House of Representatives chambers. Upon resumption, the Senate adjourned after deliberating on nationwide security ahead of a planned National Security Summit. The House is set to resume on October 13 to handle pending bills and budget-related matters.

The Federal Government had planned to lay the 2027 Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly in September as part of efforts to restore a more predictable budget cycle and address longstanding delays in budget implementation. The intention was outlined in the 2027 Personnel Costs Budget Call Circular issued by the Budget Office of the Federation and dated September 4, 2026.

In an earlier circular signed by the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, the office noted that the draft 2027-2029 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper had been concluded in July 2026 in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007. This was intended to facilitate the submission of the 2027 budget to the National Assembly by September 2026.

‘As you are aware, the 2027-2029 draft Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper was concluded by July 2026 in line with the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 to facilitate the submission of 2027 Budget to the National Assembly by September 2026,’ the Budget Office stated.

Although no specific presentation date was fixed, the timetable aimed to have the spending plan before lawmakers about three months before the start of the 2027 fiscal year. The move comes against a backdrop of repeated delays and overlapping budget cycles that have complicated the execution of federal budgets in recent years.

More concern lies in the fact that the National Assembly has extended implementation of the 2025 Appropriation Act’s capital component to December 31, 2026, giving federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) three more months. The extension came after the Senate and House of Representatives separately considered and approved President Bola Tinubu’s request for more time to implement capital projects under the 2025 fiscal framework.

This is coming at a time when economic and financial experts have stated that part of the 2026 budget may be rolled over into 2027, noting that the Federal Government is still struggling with the implementation of previous budget cycles. ‘If the budget, for example, the 2025 budget, has not been implemented, and we have to roll over 70% of 2025 to 2026, and that with the promise that 30% will be implemented before March. Up to March, even 30% was not implemented. The National Assembly had to extend the lifespan of the budget up to September to allow government to implement just the 30% component of the 2025 budget,’ one expert lamented.

Tribune Online contacted the Budget Office of the Federation to ascertain the level of 2026 budget implementation. However, there was no response at the time of filing this report.

Officials had previously linked some implementation challenges to inconsistencies in key macroeconomic assumptions used by fiscal and monetary authorities. Following a joint budget retreat and technical validation workshop, discrepancies were identified in projections for crude oil prices and production, exchange rates, inflation, and non-oil revenues. These differences contributed to gaps between budget estimates and actual fiscal outcomes.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, had emphasised that harmonising the assumptions would help reduce such discrepancies and improve the alignment between budget projections and economic performance.

Ahead of the September target, the Budget Office set a 4pm deadline on September 18, 2026, for ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to submit both hard and electronic copies of their 2027 personnel budget proposals. The circular introduced stricter verification requirements, including the compulsory submission of the laws establishing each MDA alongside its budget proposal. The measure followed controversy over the inclusion of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which was allocated about N1.3 billion in the 2026 budget despite questions over its legal status.

The Budget Office said the new requirement was designed to prevent the inclusion of unestablished agencies in the Federal Government’s budget. ‘To further strengthen the budget preparation process and mitigate against any entry of unestablished agencies in the FGN Budget, it has become compulsory for MDAs to submit budget proposals along with their respective Establishment Acts as failure to do so may lead to rejection,’ it stated.

Beyond agency verification, the 2027 budget circular tightened controls over personnel expenditure. MDAs were warned against providing salaries and allowances for individuals who are not legitimate Federal Government employees. Payrolls must be validated against records on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).

The Budget Office stated that no personnel cost provision would be made for serving Federal Government employees who are not captured on IPPIS or enrolled on GIFMIS, except where an appropriate exemption exists. MDAs were directed to use only salary structures and allowances approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and to verify employees’ grade levels and steps.

The government further barred MDAs from budgeting for anticipated promotions. Only promotions already approved and effective will be reflected in the 2027 personnel budget, while those taking effect during the year will be funded centrally. Unauthorised recruitment that results in salary shortfalls or payroll lock-outs will not attract government funding.

Consultants, contract workers, National Youth Service Corps members, industrial attachment students, outsourced service providers, and other non-permanent workers are not to be included in MDAs’ nominal rolls. Particular restrictions were placed on federal health and education institutions to prevent the multiple capture of consultants, lecturers, and interns on the payrolls of different institutions.

The Budget Office said it would deploy a centralised Personnel Cost Monitoring Dashboard linked to IPPIS and GIFMIS. This will allow MDAs to compare actual personnel expenditure with approved budget provisions in real time. A Payroll Discrepancy Resolution Committee will meet monthly to address differences between MDA submissions and government payroll records, while requests for salary and promotion arrears will be processed quarterly.

MDAs are also required to submit their third-quarter 2026 personnel budget performance reports by September 30 to guide personnel planning for the 2027 fiscal year. Ministers, chief executives, and accounting officers must initial every page of their hard-copy budget proposals and certify the accuracy of the information submitted.

The tighter controls indicate that the 2027 budget preparation process is being used not only to advance the submission timetable but also to strengthen expenditure controls and reduce payroll and institutional irregularities before funds are appropriated.

With the National Assembly now on another recess and the House not expected back until mid-October, the early submission of the 2027 budget remains delayed, continuing a pattern that has long hampered effective fiscal planning and implementation in the country.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged Nigerians to renew their commitment to unity, love and the country’s future as Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.

Akpabio, in a goodwill message issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, described Nigeria as ‘our destiny, our duty, our future.’ He congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians, saying the anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate ‘the gift of nationhood and the enduring promise of our beloved country.’

He said, ‘Sixty-six years ago, our national flag rose to proclaim the birth of an independent Nigeria. With it rose the hopes of millions: the hope of freedom, the dignity of self-government and the conviction that we could shape our own destiny. That flag still flies, and that promise still calls us forward.’

The Senate President honoured the country’s founding fathers and generations of Nigerians whose courage, labour and sacrifice contributed to nation-building.

He said Nigeria’s ‘journey has known triumphs and trials, seasons of confidence and moments of uncertainty,’ but added: ‘Yet through them all, Nigerians have continued to strive, create, serve and believe. We celebrate that resilience today: the strength of a people whose hopes have survived every storm.’

Akpabio said the Nigerian spirit was reflected in the contributions of citizens across different sectors, noting that ‘Nigeria lives in the farmer tending the soil, the teacher shaping a mind, the entrepreneur creating opportunity and the young person daring to dream.’ He added that the country’s music, enterprise, hospitality and achievements by Nigerians across the world were ‘daily expressions of the spirit we celebrate.’

The Senate President urged Nigerians to draw strength from the country’s diversity, saying, ‘Across languages, cultures and faiths, we belong to one national family. Let this anniversary renew our affection for one another and remind us that the green-white-green shelters us all. The peace we preserve together is the foundation of the future we seek.’

He also saluted the Armed Forces and security agencies, particularly those who lost their lives in service to the nation.

Akpabio assured Nigerians that ‘as President Tinubu leads our country through this chapter, the National Assembly remains committed to supporting efforts that strengthen our nation and improve our people’s lives.’ He prayed that the anniversary would renew Nigerians’ resolve to serve the country ‘with integrity, compassion and devotion.’

He added, ‘Fellow Nigerians, independence is an inheritance renewed by every generation. Let us celebrate with grateful hearts, extend hands of friendship and keep faith with the possibilities before us. Our past gives us perspective, our present gives us responsibility, and our future gives us purpose.

Akpabio’s message came just as the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, called on political parties and candidates to conduct peaceful campaigns in line with the Electoral Act, 2026 and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Bamidele, who is also Chairman of the South-West Caucus in the National Assembly, said peaceful and orderly political campaigns were consistent with the vision of Nigeria’s founding fathers to build a united, democratic and prosperous federation that would serve as a leading voice for Black people and the African continent.

According to his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, the leader made the call on Thursday to commemorate Nigeria’s 66th independence anniversary, urging political actors to shun incendiary comments and hate speech capable of undermining the seamless conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Bamidele acknowledged the right of every political actor to exercise their political rights, but stressed that such rights must be exercised within the confines of extant laws.

He noted that the exercise of such rights did not extend to hate speech or inflammatory statements capable of triggering political unrest and ethno-religious violence before, during and after the electoral process.

He further noted that the exercise of political rights ‘at this defining moment should be guided by the rules of the electoral contest and not by the rules of the jungle. While every aspiration is legitimate in a democracy, it should be pursued with decorum, patriotism and utmost restraint.’

The Leader added, ‘No ambition is worth setting the nation ablaze. As we mark our 66th anniversary of political freedom and prepare for the 2027 elections, political parties and their candidates must conduct their activities within the ambit of the law.

‘This is consistent with the vision of our founding fathers to build a united, democratic and prosperous federation that would serve as a leading voice for Black people and the African continent globally. This vision must not be sacrificed on the altar of pedestrian politics.

‘Nigeria is our collective heritage. She is greater than the political ambition of any party or candidate. Our activities must be conducted to preserve our collective heritage and not destroy what we have sustainably built.

‘As political parties and their candidates campaign across the states of the federation and unveil their agenda for the future of our fatherland, such agenda must align with the wishes and aspirations of our founding fathers.’

The national president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Archbishop Francis Wale Oke, has urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to tackle insecurity, economic hardship, corruption and illicit drug trafficking in the country.

Oke, in his Independence Day message to Nigerians to mark the nation’s 66th anniversary, also called on citizens to reflect on the state of the country and rededicate themselves to building a peaceful, united and prosperous Nigeria.

The message, contained in a statement issued by the Media Bureau of the PFN, congratulated Nigerians on the anniversary while acknowledging the progress recorded by the country over the past 66 years.

According to him, the Independence Day celebration should not only be a time of thanksgiving and rejoicing, but also an opportunity for Nigerians to engage in ‘deep and honest reflection’ on the nation’s challenges.

‘For 66 years, we have seen much and achieved much. The progress we have made cannot be denied, but the challenges before us cannot be ignored,’ he said.

Oke identified peace and security as essential foundations for national development, urging the government to ensure the protection of every Nigerian irrespective of location, ethnicity or region.

He called for intensified action against banditry and terrorism, particularly in forests and other areas used as hideouts by criminals.

‘We must remove the bandits and terrorists from our forests and bring them and their financiers to justice. The Federal Government must do more and do it now,’ the PFN president said.

On the economy, Oke expressed concern over the worsening hardship confronting Nigerians, urging both the Federal and state governments to take stronger measures to improve citizens’ welfare.

He said Nigeria’s abundant human and natural resources should be deployed for the benefit of the wider population rather than a privileged few.

The PFN president also advocated the review of existing laws and the enactment of new legislation to create an enabling environment for businesses, while calling for aggressive industrialisation to expand the nation’s productive capacity and improve living standards.

Oke described corruption as a major threat to democratic governance, saying it had weakened accountability, transparency, justice and public trust.

‘Governments at all tiers-whether national, state or local-need to try harder and tackle it headlong and wipe it out so that every Nigerian will enjoy the dividends of democracy,’ he said.

He further expressed concern over the production and trafficking of illicit drugs in Nigeria, particularly the danger posed to young people.

He urged the authorities and citizens to intensify efforts to protect the younger generation from the menace.

Oke appealed to Nigerians across ethnic, religious and social divides to unite in building a nation founded on peace, justice, love and righteousness.

‘Nigeria can be great again, but we must all play our parts,’ he said, stressing that the country’s progress depended on the collective responsibility of its citizens.

He urged Nigerians to think, speak, and act in ways that would promote national development and accelerate progress, while calling for continued faith in God and commitment to the ideals of the nation’s founding fathers.

The Village Head of Aujarawar Alkali in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, Alhaji Ahmad Yakubu, has reportedly been killed by his abductors.

Ahmad was abducted on Tuesday night, September 17, 2026, when gunmen reportedly stormed the community and took him away.

His body was later recovered from a shallow grave in Danladin Gezawa, where his abductors were said to have buried him after killing him.

Musa Garba, a resident of Gezawa, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with News Point Nigeria.

Garba said the abductors subjected the village head to severe torture before his death, alleging that one of his legs was cut off and his hands were tied behind his back.

‘I attended the funeral prayers today (Wednesday) at around 3pm. The assailants tortured the village head to death by cutting off one of his legs and tying his hands behind him. He was brutalised until he died,’ Garba said.

He added that the abductors subsequently buried the remains in a shallow grave in Danladin Gezawa.

‘Four days later, some villagers discovered the grave and raised the alarm,’ he said.

According to Garba, the deceased’s wife identified the remains, which were taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

He said the remains were subsequently buried after the hospital authorities reportedly determined that they had begun decomposing.

Police authorities in Kano State have yet to issue an official statement on the reported abduction and killing.

The Director of the Institute for Industrial Technology (IIT) in Lagos, David Okechukwu, has called for greater investment in technical and vocational education, saying Nigeria needs a skilled and ethically grounded workforce to drive industrial development and address youth unemployment.

Okechukwu made the call while speaking on the state of the country’s technical and vocational education, youth unemployment, and the impact of IIT, which marked its 25th anniversary last year, stressing that technical skills remained critical to the country’s economic transformation.

According to him, Nigeria’s industrial sector could not afford to entrust expensive equipment to inadequately trained personnel, as poor technical competence could result in equipment breakdown, business losses and reduced productivity.

He said the institute’s approach combined technical training with ethical and moral education to ensure that young people not only acquired skills but also understood how to deploy them responsibly.

‘When you give a young Nigerian a skill, he can do many things with that skill, but you have to give him the ethical foundation to be able to use that skill well,’ Okechukwu said.

He explained that IIT had developed a model that combines technical education with multi-skilling, industry exposure, entrepreneurship and ethical training.

According to him, the multi-skilled approach is designed to make graduates more versatile in the labour market, enabling them to diagnose and solve problems that cut across different technical areas.

He said students also undergo an advanced learning phase involving in-company training, which he described as similar to an internship but with closer supervision by the institute.

‘Students have to go through the advanced learning phase, which is the in-company training. They have to be properly monitored. They report back to the school so that we can get a feel for how they are performing,’ he said.

Okechukwu added that the institute continued to support its graduates through its alumni association, including assistance with employment opportunities.

He said some graduates had secured employment even before completing their industry placements, while others had gone on to establish businesses, occupy management positions or pursue further education.

On youth unemployment, the IIT director said technical education could help address the problem by equipping young people with skills to provide services and establish enterprises rather than relying exclusively on salaried employment.

He, however, stressed that technical competence must be complemented by business and entrepreneurship training.

‘People have to start their own enterprises, start their own businesses, and you can’t just start something without having the skill to start that,’ he said.

Okechukwu also called for a more strategic approach to expanding technical education across Nigeria, arguing that simply replicating the same training institution in every state might not produce the desired result.

He said training programmes should be designed around the economic activities and industrial potential of individual states.

‘If you say replicating each state, it’s not about putting it in each state. It is about what this state is good for, what are the businesses that thrive in this state,’ he said.

He suggested that states with strong agricultural, industrial or craft-based economies should develop technical programmes tailored to those sectors.

On the cost of technical education, Okechukwu said the sector required substantial investment because effective training depended on equipment, workshops and competent instructors.

He disclosed that some equipment in the institute’s automation laboratory cost about $60,000 per unit, underscoring the financial requirements involved in providing practical technical education.

He also called for greater capacity utilisation and more efficient deployment of infrastructure rather than relying solely on large campuses and extensive land.

The director said regulators also had an important role to play in creating an environment where institutions providing effective technical education could expand and contribute to national development.

He acknowledged ongoing efforts by government agencies to promote technical skills, including the development of the National Skills Qualification framework, but urged stronger collaboration between government and institutions already delivering technical training.

Okechukwu further disclosed that IIT’s model had attracted interest beyond Nigeria, noting that the institute had supported the establishment of a technical school in Nairobi, Kenya.

He said the institute’s experience had also attracted international attention, including interest from Germany in accessing skilled workers trained in Nigeria.

Earlier, a policy researcher, who participated in the discussion, raised questions about the scalability of IIT’s model and whether it could be expanded across Nigeria and other African countries.

Responding, Okechukwu reiterated that expansion should be based on the specific economic needs of each location rather than simply reproducing the same model everywhere.

He said partnerships with organisations interested in education and skills development could provide opportunities to scale the model.

On the role of the African Development Foundation, Okechukwu clarified that IIT was initiated by the US African Development Foundation and distinguished it from the Nigerian organisation with a similar name.

He said the foundation also initiated what became Lagos Business School before the institution was later ceded to the Pan-Atlantic University Foundation.

Okechukwu said the foundation continued to support IIT because of the need to change the perception that technical education was meant for people who could not pursue conventional academic education.

He argued that technically trained personnel would be needed to operate and maintain sophisticated equipment in sectors including manufacturing, automobile production and refineries.

He said the challenge extended beyond providing equipment, as institutions also needed competent instructors and enough students willing to pursue technical careers.

‘People don’t want to come for technical education,’ he said, adding that perceptions around blue-collar work remained a significant obstacle to the expansion of the sector.

He called for a change in societal attitudes towards technical careers, noting that skilled technical workers play an important role in industrial production and maintenance.

On the adoption of artificial intelligence in technical education, Okechukwu said IIT was considering how emerging technologies could be incorporated into its training, while noting that the institute’s primary mandate was technical education rather than research.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, exercising the progressive power of mercy as enshrined in section 212(1)(d) of the Nigerian Constitution, has set free nine inmates serving various jail terms to mark Nigeria’s 66th anniversary.

The inmates are serving various jail terms in correctional centres across Adamawa and one is serving in Plateau State.

In a statement signed by the chief press secretary to the governor, Mr. Humuashi Wonosiko said the pardon granted to the convicts was to give all of them a second chance.

The Governor also commuted the death sentence of a tenth inmate to life imprisonment.

‘This pardon was part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, adding that the decision takes immediate effect.’

Those pardoned are Abubakar Dajo, held at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Jos; and Zabadi Ayuba and Salvation Nyamso, both at the Numan Custodial Centre. Six others, namely Amir Idris, Mohammed Saidu, Yaro Sambo, Buhari Salisu, Urube Samuel and Bamaiyi Amos, were ordered discharged from custodial centres in Jimeta, Ganye, Guyuk, Yola Old and Kojoli.

According to the statement, the Governor acted on the recommendation of the State Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy,

The state government has concluded all necessary legal and administrative formalities with the Nigerian Correctional Service, clearing the way for the immediate release of the beneficiaries and their smooth reintegration into society.

The gesture, the statement said, underscores the principle that correctional justice is not only about punishment, but also about rehabilitation, reform and the possibility of a second chance. It is also expected to help ease congestion in correctional facilities while strengthening the return of reformed inmates to their communities.

For the families of the nine pardoned inmates, the Governor’s decision is far more than an official pronouncement. It means the return of loved ones, renewed hope and a fresh beginning on Nigeria’s Independence Day.

As Adamawa joins the nation in celebrating 66 years of independence, the Governor’s gesture adds a humanitarian dimension to the occasion, with a message centred on mercy, rehabilitation and second chances.

About 18 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), along with other travellers, have reportedly been kidnapped along the Onitsha-Owerri Road in Imo State by suspected gunmen.

According to an eyewitness account, two commercial buses reportedly conveying passengers from Lagos to Owerri were intercepted by suspected kidnappers during the morning hours.

The attackers were said to have forced the occupants, including the drivers, out of the vehicles before taking them away.

The eyewitness further alleged that the incident was not limited to the two buses, as other vehicles plying the route were reportedly affected.

Some passengers travelling in other vehicles were also said to have been taken away during the attack.

Tribune Online learnt that the precise number of persons allegedly abducted remains unknown. However, the identities of the victims, the exact location where they were taken and their current whereabouts are still unknown.

Meanwhile, the reported incident has heightened concerns among road users, particularly travellers moving between Lagos, Onitsha and Owerri.

Motorists and passengers are urged to remain vigilant while relevant security authorities work to establish the facts surrounding the reported attack and determine the whereabouts of those allegedly taken.

Among the kidnapped victims were corps members from Oyo State travelling to their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Abia State through Imo State for their three-week orientation programme.

The incident occurred at around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday. The source added that the corps members departed from Samonda, Ibadan, at about 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday and later stopped over in Imo State, where they spent the night.

The source said the corps members and other travellers were intercepted by the gunmen on Thursday morning while continuing their journey to Abia State.

The Imo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Okoye Henry, when contacted, said he was already working on a press statement by the Imo Police Command.