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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Friday conducted promotional examination for junior workers under the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

About 450 junior staff participated in the computer based test examination at Ade-Ola International School, Kubwa – a suburb in the nation’s capital.

Speaking with journalists at the end of the exercise, the Director in charge of Abuja zone for JAMB, Hajia Zainab Hamzat said the exercise went smoothly.

She noted that 476 staff under the HoS were expected to participate in the promotion exercise but only 450 workers showed up for the exam.

The Director said: ‘Everything went well as usual. We call it third party exam. It is a promotion exam for HoS. All their officers sat for the exam for the purpose of promotion.

‘We had two sessions – morning and afternoon. In the morning we expected 250 but 232 were present. In the afternoon we expected 226 and eight were absent.

‘The exam was smooth. Everything went well.

The examination was for all the junior staff of HoS. We had immigration officers, fire fighters, civil defence and other paramilitary organisations under HoS for the examination.’

Also speaking, Durector of Ade-Ola International School, Kubwa, Mercy Olaosegbe lauded JAMB for setting high standards in professional examination.

She said: ‘The examination went well. We have all the facilities to conduct this examination. JAMB will not allow you to participate in these exams if your facilities are not up to standard. Because our centre is doing well, we have been participating in third party examination organised by JAMB.’

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Akinola Awodeyi-Akinsehinwa, has applauded Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for the historic approval of 101.036 kilometres of road projects and sweeping upgrades to public institutions, describing the initiative as a masterstroke in inclusive governance and a catalyst for Ondo State’s socio-economic renaissance.

In a statement yesterday , he praised the Governor’s foresight in balancing urban renewal with rural transformation, noting that the blend of 66.421 km of brand-new roads and 34.615 km of rehabilitation works will dismantle long-standing barriers to progress across the state’s three senatorial districts.

‘This is leadership with a human face. The 21.2 km Omotosho-Igbotako-Iju-Odo Road will revolutionise agriculture and trade in the south; the 8.5 km College Road-Irewole dual carriageway in Igbokoda will decongest coastal traffic; while the 15.720 km Danjuma-Bolajoko-Isikan-Shoprite-Secretariat network in Akure will restore the state capital’s pride as a modern hub,’ he declared.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, refused to grant an application filed by former Gov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa, seeking an order restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from proceeding with its scheduled national convention.

Lamido, in the motion ex-parte moved by his lawyer, Jeph Njikonye, SAN, had prayed the court to make the interim order, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed alongside.

Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling, rather ordered the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that are defendants in the suit to come and show cause why the ex-governor’s reliefs should not be granted.

Justice Lifu, who gave the defendants within 72 hours from the date they were served to respond, adjourned the matter until Nov. 6 for hearing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lamido, who is the plaintiff in the fresh suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2299/2025, named the PDP and INEC as 1st and 2nd defendants.

In the ex-parte motion dated and filed on Oct. 28 by his team of lawyers led by Njikonye, Lamido sought two orders;

‘An interim order of the honourable court restraining the 1st defendant from conducting its national convention scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State (or any other place or state) Nov. 15 and Nov. 16 or any other date(s).

‘An interim order of court restraining the 2nd defendant (INEC) from monitoring, supervising and recognising the 1st defendant’s national convention’.

Giving seven grounds why his application should be considered, Lamido averred that once an action is pending in court. parties are bound to maintain status quo to avoid subjecting the court or the plaintiff to a fait accompli.

The ex-governor said the court has an inherent jurisdiction to preserve the subject matter of litigation.

He said if the PDP is not restrained by the court, the party would be violating its constitution, and by implication denying him the opportunity to contest for the position of the national chairman of the party of which he is eminently qualified to contest.

‘The plaintiff/applicant has established a prima facie legal interest in the subject matter of litigation entitling him to the grant of the interim preservative relief sought,’ he said.

Lamido said where an action sought to be restrained had already been completed, the equitable remedy of interim injunction may no longer be available to him, ‘hence why this application is necessary at this stage.’

According to him, the plaintiff’s suit raises a serious triable issue.

He also averred that balance of convenience is in favour of the grant of the interim preservative reliefs sought.

The matter, which was the only one on Friday’s cause list, was heard in the judge’s chamber.

After Njikonye moves the motion, the judge said it would be necessary to hear from the parties.

‘The court has carefully perused and painstakingly considered the motion ex-parte, the affidavits, exhibits and the written address, including the decided cases commended to the court by learned senior advocate.

‘I have equally advised myself on the issues raised in the originating summons which of cause raises triable issues,’ he said.

Justice Lifu said that the court was not also unmindful of the balance of convenience and the undertaking as to damages as held in the three cases cited.

‘I have also averted my mind to Order 26 Rules, 8(c) of the Rules of this court and the need fo exercise my discretion judicially and judiciously.

‘Consequently, considering the entire gamut of the entire suit, it is my considered view that Order 26 rule 8(c) of the 2019 Rules of this court be invoked to enable this court balance the scale and equities of the parties.

‘In that wise, the respondents in this suit are herein ordered to show cause within the next 72 hours effective from the date and time of service of this order on them why the prayers of the applicant should not be so granted,’ the judge ruled.

He adjourned the matter until Nov. 6 for further proceedings.

Anambra State Government has reassured of commitment to the vision of having one functional General Hospital in every local government area of the state.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, who stated this in a press conference shortly after tour of health facilities across the state said Governor Chukwuma Soludo had been intentional about bridging healthcare gap between urban and rural communities.

According to him, the facilities scattered throughout the state were part of Soludo’s efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery, especially in rural and underserved communities.

He said: ‘Mr Governor is intentional about bridging the healthcare gap between urban and rural communities. No Anambra citizen should die because they cannot afford or access medical care.

‘So far, we have renovated 130 primary healthcare facilities in the state. Our intention is to have one functional primary healthcare per ward and one functional general hospital per local government.

‘When we came on board, almost six LGAs are without a general hospital but today, the story has changed. We have put 5KVA solar in all the 326 PHCs in the state.

‘We are getting to the Second Phase of PHC s, we have done 130 with solar light and water in 326 PHCs. Last year, we won the Best PHC Leadership Challenge and smiled home with N1.2million dollars.

‘To fill the gap in healthcare system, we built a Trauma Centre, which will be totally digitized with intensive care unit, burns session among others.’

Some residents of Ayamelum who spoke to journalists during the visit, recounted years of hardship and loss from lack of healthcare, describing it as ‘a daily struggle’, before commissioning of the General hospital in the area.

Mrs Nneka Okafor, a farmer from Umumbo community, recounted losing a relative during childbirth because they could not reach a hospital in time.

‘We used to travel several miles by motorcycle just to get medical help at Umueri. Sometimes, people died on the way.

‘My co-wife went into labour one night, and before we could find a motorcycle to take her to the general hospital in Umueri, she passed away. I can never forget that loss.

‘Now, we have a hospital right here in our community. That alone gives us peace of mind,’ she said.

Among the health facilities visited during the tour were General hospital, Anaku, Ekwulobia, Specialist Hospital, Fegge, Rehabilitation center, Nibo and Trauma Centre at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka.

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday issued an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the national convention planned for Ibadan, Oyo State on November 15 and 16 by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Justice James Omotosho, in a judgment, held that the PDP failed to comply with relevant conditions under its constitution and laws stipulating the necessary steps to be taken before conducting such a convention.

Justice Omotosho also held that evidence supplied to the court by INEC and some of the respondents showed that congresses were not held in some states of the federation in breach of the law.

Justice Omotosho equally held that the signing of notices and correspondence of the PDP by its National Chairman, without the National Secretary, violated the law and consequently made such notices and correspondences a nullity.

The judge stated that the PDP failed to issue the mandatory 21 days notice of meetings and congresses to enable INEC carry out its mandatory duty of monitoring such meetings and congresses.

He also said that the failure of the PDP to comply with the law has put the planned convention in jeopardy and subsequently advised the PDP to do the necessary before going ahead with the election.

The judge proceeded to restrain INEC from receiving, publishing or recognizing the outcome of the convention slated for Ibadan, until the law has been complied with.

The judgment was on a suit,asked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025 filed by three aggrieved members of the party.

The plaintiffs – Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP Chairman), Hon Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman) and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South) – said they are unhappy with the manner the national chairman has ran the affairs of the crisis-ridden party.

Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche has delivered encouraging news on the recovery of Nigerian defender Ola Aina.

Aina suffered a hamstring injury while on international duty with Nigeria in September and subsequently underwent surgery.

The 29-year-old was initially expected to be out of action until around December.

Dyche has offered an update on Aina’s progress, along with other injured players in the squad.

‘I have made a note of them because we have got a couple of knocks,’ Dyche told press conference.

‘Angus Gunn hasn’t been playing but is part of the squad, but he has opened up his knee ligaments.

‘Woody [Chris Wood] is going to be possible for the Leeds game. He won’t make this one. We will have to see how that goes.

‘Ola [Aina] is making good progress. Zinchenko is a no at the moment, unfortunately, and it is going to be a bit longer than we thought.

‘Bakwa [Dilane] is still a no, but is making good progress. I’m having to read them off a list so I don’t forget them.

‘We’re hoping no more occur, that’s for sure. A few knocks, but nothing too serious at the moment,’ the former Everton boss concluded about the injuries.