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President Bola Tinubu has commended Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State over his defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the defection of Enugu State governor signifies the coming of South-East to the Country’s mainstream politics.

The President represented by the Vice President Kashim Shettima quoted Ali Mazrui, the great Kenyan writer that once described the Igbo as the Nigerian Jews, geographically mobile, economically enterprising and educationally ambitious.

He said ‘Sadly, in the last 10 to 12 years, Ndigbo, one of the most vibrant tribes in Africa, have been in the margins of the Nigerian politics’.

According to him ‘with the coming of Governor Peter Mbah; with the continuous energy being exhibited by Governor Hope Uzodimma and Governor Francis Nwifuru, I believe the Ndigbo have come to the mainstream of the Nigerian politics. ‘I want to assure you that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our leader, is a man for all seasons and all people. A man who has a sense of inclusion, a rare capacity to listen and believe in merit over sentiments, has made the APC the most formidable political party in Africa.

‘To Governor Peter Mbah, let me say this, you are already one of us. You’re a progressive through and through. And I believe you had a broom hidden in your umbrella for all these years, waiting for the right moment to bring it out. ‘We want to warmly welcome you to the APC. From the convention and constitution, the governor is the leader of the party in his state. Your Excellency, you’re now the leader of APC family in Enugu State.

‘I’m the vice president, but the leader of APC in Borno State is Prof. Babagana Zulum. The President of the Senate is number three citizen in Nigeria, but the leader of the party in Akwa Ibom State is Governor Umo Eno. Also the Speaker of the House is Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas is the number four citizen in the country, but the leader of APC in Kaduna State is Senator Ubani Sani. We’re one family tied in common destiny.

‘I want to assure all of you that you are very much welcome in the APC and we’re one big family. Be rest assured that you’ll be treated justly and fairly and all the federal government initiatives that have been planned for the Southeast, will certainly reach the South-East.

‘I want to thank most profoundly, our leaders in the Southeast. The courageous and generous Hope Uzodimma and Francis Nwifuru and now we have an addition in the kitty, the performing governor of Enugu State. In deed tomorrow is here.’

Earlier, Nentawe Yilwatda, the National Chairman of APC, welcomed Enugu State to APC and thanked Governor Peter Mbah for taking this right decision, saying, ‘You took your people from Egypt to the promised land, from depression to progress. Today we are seeing the new Enugu State. The PDP cannot house the kind of progressive mind that you have. ‘As I was coming, I saw the roads. Mbah have built new roads. The infrastructure you built speaks so loudly. We saw the water, the electricity, the education sector. He has touched virtually all aspects in Enugu State. That is why we need him to come back to the progressive side so that he can help to expand the renewed hope agenda so that it can reach the grassroots. Therefore, on behalf of the National Working committee of the millions of members of the All Progressives Congress, your Excellency, I welcome you to this family. I welcome you to APC. I welcome you to success’.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), on Tuesday, cautioned the National Assembly against its proposed amendments that may move the 2027 general elections to November 2026, warning that it could undermine governance in the country.

In a statement signed by Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary, of the ADC, the party argued that advancing the election date ‘would push Nigeria into a perpetual campaign cycle, shorten the effective period for governance, disrupt development planning, and further weaken institutional focus.’

The ADC urged lawmakers to abandon the idea and instead pursue genuine electoral and judicial reforms that ensure credible elections and timely resolution of disputes without undermining governance stability.

Recall that as part of the ongoing efforts to amend the 2022 Electoral Act, mulled the November date for the election to ensure that all election matters are addressed by the Courts before the swearing in.

The ADC in the statement, kicked against the proposal by the National Assembly to amend the Constitution in order to hold the 2027 general elections in November 2026.

‘While we understand the stated intent, which is to provide more time for the resolution of election petitions before the inauguration of a new administration, the ADC believes that this amendment risks creating deeper problems for Nigeria’s democracy than it seeks to solve.

‘By cutting the current political calendar by six months, the proposal threatens to push Nigeria into a state of permanent electioneering, where politics dominates governance and development is perpetually on hold.

‘In practice, elections happening in November 2026 mean campaigns will begin as early as 2025.’

The ADC stated that this, ‘leaves barely two years of real governance before the political noise takes over.

‘The President, ministers, governors, and other public officials vying for office or campaigning for others will shift their focus from performance to positioning. Policies will stall, projects will be abandoned, and the entire system will tilt towards 2026 instead of 2027.

‘Even without the amendments, we can see with the current APC government what happens to a country where an administration is obsessed with power rather than the welfare of the people. ‘Even under the current timetable, the incumbent structures at the state and federal levels are already campaigning. In this regard, moving the elections backward will only accelerate this unhealthy trend and reduce our democracy to mere electioneering.

The party noted that ‘the goal of the proposed amendment is to ensure that election petitions are concluded before inaugurations, the answer is not to cut short tenures or rush the electoral process.

‘The solution lies in strengthening our institutions by enforcing strict timelines for tribunals, reforming electoral laws, and improving the capacity of the judiciary and INEC.’

The party also noted that, ‘democracies have shown that it is possible to maintain fixed electoral timelines while ensuring quick adjudication of disputes. In Kenya, for instance, the Supreme Court must resolve presidential election petitions within 14 days under the 2010 Constitution.’

Citing Indonesia’s Constitutional Court, the party said the Court decides similar disputes within 14 working days after hearing, while Ghana’s Supreme Court is required to conclude presidential petitions within 42 days.

‘Even in South Africa and other democracies, electoral cases are handled through expedited judicial processes. As these examples have shown, the amendment that we need is the one which ensures timely electoral justice through institutional efficiency, not by altering the election calendar to accommodate inefficiency. ‘Changing the date of elections without fixing the underlying weaknesses in our electoral matters adjudication and other fundamental electoral weaknesses will not solve the problem. Countries that manage early campaigns effectively do so with firm institutional safeguards.

‘The people of Nigeria are not just voters, they are citizens who expect good governance as dividends of democracy. Nigeria cannot afford a system that allows government to campaign for two years and govern for two.’

The ADC therefore called on the National Assembly to ‘shelve this amendment and instead focus on comprehensive electoral reform that guarantees credible elections and quick dispute resolution, without making real service to the people appear merely incidental to politics and politicking.’

The leadership of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy have reiterated their commitment to community development and the promotion of civil-military relations across the country.

Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Army Staff, and Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff, made this pledge on Monday during the inauguration of Special Intervention Projects jointly executed by both services in Koya community, Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State.

The projects which include a newly constructed mosque, a borehole, a healthcare facility, and a tree-planting initiative was said to have been embarked upon as a way of improving living standard of the residents of the community, as well as promote environmental sustainability.

Oluyede, who was represented by Usman Yusuf (major-general), Commander, Infantry Corps, said the Nigerian Army remained committed to contributing to the welfare of host communities through civil-military cooperation programmes.

He said the projects reflected the Army’s resolve to foster mutual trust and partnership with civilians, adding that such initiatives help strengthen national unity.

The COAS commended the commander of the Army formation in the state, Muhammad Ahmad, a major-general, for embarking on the projects, describing the initiative, as exemplary and impactful.

In his own remarks, Ogalla, represented by Emmanuel Anakwe (Rear Admiral), Commandant, Nigerian Navy Logistics College, Kano, said the projects, which included two 20,000-litre solar-powered boreholes and the reconstruction of a primary healthcare centre, were executed under the Navy’s Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) initiative.

He said the quick-impact projects, introduced in 2024, were designed to promote mutual trust between the military and civilians while improving social infrastructure in host communities.

‘These projects are avenues for the Nigerian Navy to honour its accomplished senior officers and demonstrate that beyond securing lives and property, we remain committed to serving Nigerians in other impactful ways,’ he said.

Ogalla commended Ahmad, an indigene of Koya Gari, for sponsoring and executing the projects, describing them as a reflection of the Navy’s humanitarian commitment.

‘His gesture typifies courage and kindness, and we salute his exemplary service.’We are convinced that this project will greatly improve the quality of life in this community and ensure that the Navy’s impact endures in the hearts of the people,’ he added.

The CNS urged residents of the benefiting communities to use the facilities responsibly to ensure their sustainability.

Also speaking, Gold Chibuisi (major-general), Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, said the initiative aligned with the Armed Forces’ broader efforts to support nation-building and humanitarian outreach.

The projects were facilitated by Ahmad and Ahmed, both brothers and indigenes of Koya community, who served as the driving force behind the interventions.

Residents of Koya community expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Army and Navy for the gesture, saying the facilities would enhance access to water, healthcare, and places of worship.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior military officers, government officials, traditional rulers, and community members.

On Monday, Universities across Nigeria fully complied with the strike declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), halting academic activities.

As a result, the federal government directed vice-chancellors of all federal universities to strictly implement the ‘no-work-no-pay’ policy against members of ASUU.

BusinessDay found that nearly all federal universities in Nigeria were closed on Monday, while students were seen loitering on various campuses.

Idou Keinde, ASUU branch chairman at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), told BusinessDay in a telephone chat that the university was fully compliant with the directive of the union’s national president.

‘Who will not comply with the directives from the national office? We don’t have such in our union; everyone is complying,’ he said.

At the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, academic activities were halted.

Ifeanyi Abada, an ASUU chieftain at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said the institution has commenced enforcing the strike as directed by the national leadership of the union.

‘We are in the midst of examinations, but ASUU has started enforcing it, halting the examinations,’ he said.

In Otuoke, academic activities did not go on. Stanley Boroh, a senior lecturer at the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, explained that in line with ASUU policy, all branches were expected to declare a strike, which the university had done.

‘We’ve embarked on a comprehensive and total strike, and all academic activities are suspended,’ he noted.

Amaka Nwachukwu, a student at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), confirmed the strike at the institution when she said, ‘We went to school today, and they drove us back because ASUU is on strike,’ she said.

Similarly, at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Emmanuella Adeyemo, a student, confirmed that the university complied with the directives of ASUU national leaders, leaving students stranded on campus without lectures.

Recall that on Sunday, October 12, ASUU had announced a total and comprehensive two-week warning strike affecting all public universities across Nigeria.

Chris Piwuna, the national president of ASUU, stated that there had been no meaningful progress to prevent the union from moving forward with its planned industrial action.

Piwuna emphasised that the 14-day notice, issued on September 28, had passed without any substantial response from the relevant authorities.

He directed all ASUU branches across the country to commence a full withdrawal of their services beginning at midnight on Monday, October 13.

Mixed realities

Princess Ofia, a student of Nasarawa State University, confirmed that exams were currently ongoing at her school. Conversely, Jemima Samuel from Benue State University said her university was on strike, with students vacating hostels.

However, a student of the University of Abuja, identified as Chidi, said: ‘Non-academic staff are on campus, but no lectures are actively going on,’ he added.

For Aldrich Akpomon, another University of Abuja student, the ongoing uncertainty is emotionally tasking. ‘I just want to graduate. I can’t stay at home doing nothing again. We’ve had enough delays,’ he said.

UniJos campus deserted

The University of Jos, on Monday, also joined the two-week warning strike.

When BusinessDay visited the university, lecture halls were empty, and there were no signs of activity.

The university’s main gate was partially closed, indicating limited access, while students loitered around without direction. Notably, academic staff were absent from campus, in line with the nationwide strike directive issued by ASUU’s national leadership.

Jurbe Joseph Molwus, a professor and chairman of the ASUU UniJos chapter, confirmed the development in a telephone interview with BusinessDay. He said the branch had fully complied with the national directive, and there would be no reversal until further notice. ‘We are fully on strike. There is no going back,’ he stated.

Shutdown at FULafia

No academic activities took place at the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) on Monday.

Sunday Orinya, chairman of ASUU FULafia, confirmed the development in an interview, stating that the decision to join the strike was unanimously adopted during a congress meeting held on Monday.

According to him, the union formally notified the university management of its decision and was monitoring the situation to ensure full adherence across departments.

‘The strike is total. There will be no lectures, accreditation, or supervision of students’ theses. All academic activities, whether for part-time or regular students, are suspended for the duration of the two-week warning strike,’ Orinya affirmed.

This week, Kigali is hosting the 4th Africa HealthTech Summit (AHTS 2025). With the theme ‘Connected Care: Scaling Innovation Towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC),’ this gathering offers more than a conference; it is a crucible for shaping how health systems, communities, governments, and innovators converge around digital health. The conversations unfolding here won’t only shape what’s possible in the short term; they’ll test whether digital health in Africa is ready to move from ideas to actual systems change.

As someone whose work sits at the intersection of programme design, systems delivery, and strategic partnerships, I approach this summit not as a spectator but as a participant intent on grappling with the tough tensions and significant possibilities of health innovation on the continent. ‘Connected care’ is not a technical ideal. It’s a moral one. When we talk about interoperability, APIs, or platforms, the actual goal is simpler and deeper. It’s about this: when a mother gives birth in a rural clinic, when a child’s immunisation record follows her seamlessly, when a community health worker in a remote ward can access a patient’s history in real time, those are the moments when technology protects dignity.

‘ The shift we need is from projects-for-use to systems-in-use, solutions that outlast funding cycles because they’re woven into how countries actually work.’

Digital health, at its best, is not about gadgets or dashboards. It is about giving people visibility, predictability, and a voice in how they access care. That’s why empathy must sit at the centre of every line of code we write, every app we deploy, and every partnership we form. When empathy is missing, innovation becomes abstraction, and we risk losing the people we are meant to serve.

At AHTS, I expect ‘interoperability’ to be front and centre, and rightly so. But it’s not a checkbox we tick at the end of a project. It’s an ethic that needs to be embedded from the very beginning. Any solution we build must plug into national health systems, not stand apart from them. That means open APIs, modular designs that work with legacy infrastructure, co-design with government partners, and a clear path for capacity transfer. It’s how we move from short-term pilots to systems that actually stick. I’ve seen firsthand how solutions built in isolation may look good on paper, but they often break trust and stall momentum on the ground. The shift we need is from projects-for-use to systems-in-use, solutions that outlast funding cycles because they’re woven into how countries actually work.

The same logic applies to technology trends. Artificial intelligence, drones, and blockchain – these tools are powerful, but they are not impactful in themselves. The real question is, what difference will they make in maternal health, in vaccine delivery, in closing the gaps for zero-dose children? It’s not enough to generate data; we must demonstrate progress. I’ve long believed that outcome-based metrics should be the backbone of digital health financing, because when innovation is judged by measurable improvements in coverage, access, and efficiency, it earns its legitimacy.

This year’s summit also reminds us that partnerships are not optional; they are survival. No organisation, no matter how resourced or visionary, can solve systemic health challenges alone. AHTS is one of the few convenings where ministries, donors, investors, innovators, and private sector actors share the same room and sometimes, the same aspirations. But collaboration cannot be ceremonial. It requires clear roles, mutual accountability, and a willingness to pool not only money but also influence and insight.

As we gather in Kigali, I also hope we remember that inclusion is not achieved through invitations alone. Innovation must serve those often left out: young people, women, rural communities, and people in fragile contexts. The summit’s youth and ministerial dialogues are a step forward, but real progress will mean giving these groups control over funding, technology, and decision-making. Without moving power, we risk replicating old hierarchies in digital form.

And even though ambition drives innovation, pragmatism sustains it. Boldness without grounding can alienate the very systems we hope to transform. Countries across Africa differ widely in digital maturity and governance readiness; success lies in sequencing actions thoughtfully, layering new modules on what already works, iterating within real constraints, and building feedback loops that turn pilots into policies.

AHTS 2025 arrives at a hinge moment. Across the continent, digital health has reached an inflection point where proof-of-concept is no longer enough. We need proof of performance. If we can leave Kigali with stronger partnerships, tighter alignment across public and private sectors, and a collective commitment to person-centred, outcome-driven systems, then this convening will have lasting meaning.

Ultimately, Africa doesn’t need more conferences; it needs more transformation. Transformation is not a single leap but a sustained act of alignment: between people and purpose, between innovation and inclusion, and between courage and care. The future of health in Africa will be built by those who can connect competence with compassion, technology with trust, and ambition with accountability.

As I head into AHTS 2025, my hope is simple: that this moment of connected care will also be one of collective progress. Not for applause, but for the millions who still wait for health systems that work, data that speaks, and care that reaches them where they are.

The rising profile of Enugu State, in Southeast Nigeria, as a livable city and an investment destination is positively impacting the state’s real estate market, especially the residential segment.

Real estate is benefiting from the Peter Mbah administration, which, in pursuit of its determination and quest to make the state business-friendly and grow its GDP from the current $4 billion to $30 billion over the next eight years, is focusing on infrastructure development.

The real estate market in the state has, in the last eight months of this year, recorded an appreciable demand for quality homes, indicating demographic changes and rising city dwellers and home seekers’ taste for well-managed real estate products.

Well-managed estates are establishing standards in the state’s residential market, while the performance of ageing estates such as the Federal Housing Estate indicates a potential for regeneration. It is expected that assets that integrate effective management will excel in both rental and resale markets.

A comparative analysis of housing estates in the state provides some insight into building quality and resident satisfaction across four major developments. A recent survey by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) shows that Riverside Housing Estate scored high on indicators such as foundation as well as quality, which were rated 91percent and 90 percent respectively.

According to the survey, Uwani Estate recorded an internal space rating of 89 percent, indicating a design inclination towards more spacious living quarters.

‘Federal States and Scheme Estate was rated high in liveability and location. It ranked highest in location at 89 percent and compound size at 83 percent. Federal Housing Estate, however, struggles with accessibility to services, including drainage (64 percent) and security (60 percent). These are possibly due to ageing infrastructure,’ the survey noted.

BusinessDay checks show that housing development in this Coal City focuses mainly on blocks of flats and single-family residences. Though more preferred outside the city centre, Bungalows, townhouses, and traditional homes constitute a lesser proportion.

This imbalanced housing composition, along with the effects of inequality, suggests that housing development is yet to match the demand of marginalised groups, thus creating opportunities for investors who would like to have a bite of the cake

However, the findings show that restricted access to education and essential utilities for specific demographics undermines sustained demand for more inclusive housing.

For instance, in this market, gender gaps contribute to restricting market participation; they reduce the potential pool of buyers and renters. This means that constructing housing that addresses societal needs could stimulate demand.

Similarly, rectifying gender disparity is not merely a social responsibility but also a strategic initiative for real estate expansion. This is because homelessness, lack of property rights, and limited access to finance play a major role in slowing down housing development.

Against this backdrop of exclusion and inequality, innovative and sustainable housing alternatives are beginning to gain traction. One of such alternatives is the plastic bottle homes, which have the major advantage of being cheaper in terms of construction cost.

A recent report on that housing model says it costs about 30 percent less to build a plastic bottle home than to construct a conventional brick and mortar house. The homes are also sad to be more durable and are bulletproof.

When a governor chooses to make ordinary people the measure of success, policy stops being performance art and starts being durable. That is the quiet, steady logic driving Governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration in Ebonyi State. Since taking office in May 2023, he has framed his agenda around the ‘People’s Charter of Needs’-a manifesto that reads less like campaign rhetoric and more like a programme for human flourishing. The result, to date, is not spectacular headline-grabbing drama but incremental shifts across rural education, primary healthcare, and basic infrastructure that, taken together, look like the early bones of enduring development.

There’s an important political signal behind the policy choices: Nwifuru has repeatedly said he places his own children in Nigerian public schools, three in Ebonyi and two in neighbouring Enugu, paying modest fees – a claim he uses to demonstrate personal confidence in the system he is rebuilding. Whether or not you accept the gesture as political theatre, it is factual evidence of an accountability posture rarely seen in Nigerian subnational governance – a governor literally staking his family’s welfare on the performance of public services. That message matters in a country where elite flight to private or foreign schools removes political incentives to fund and fix public education.

On paper, the People’s Charter of Needs is broad and pragmatic: education, health, roads, welfare, and livelihoods are prioritised as interlocking pillars. That architecture has translated into concrete decisions. The state’s 2025 budget, presented as part of the same people-first narrative, commits substantial resources to basic services, and the government has moved to institutionalise funding for education through an Education Development Trust Fund to create a more predictable financing stream for schools. Predictable financing matters; it changes tasks from firefighting to planning.

In rural education, the approach is deliberate rather than theatrical. Instead of headline schools in the capital alone, provincial investments have focused on school rehabilitation, unified textbooks and standards, and measures to close the quality gap that pushes parents toward private options. Those steps, reinforced by state policy and budgetary allocations, aim to raise the baseline quality of schooling that rural families can expect. Taken over time, a strategy that reduces private-school flight and keeps children in community schools reshapes human capital formation: better teacher attendance, higher enrolment and retention, and more equitable skills acquisition for students who will form the next generation of innovators, leaders, farmers, traders and civil servants. Recent government communications and policy briefs show these priorities being advanced.

Healthcare is being treated with similar pragmatic attention. The state has recently approved recruitments and administrative reforms intended to shore up primary health clinics, and the governor has shown a willingness to hold officials accountable – suspensions and reshuffles have sent public signals that services must improve or commissioners and advisers will answer for failings. The policy emphasis is on expanding frontline capacity rather than only building tertiary hospitals – a recognition that mortality gains in poor communities come from functioning primary care, immunisation, maternal services and drug supply at the point of need. Coverage of the health reforms has highlighted both progress and continuing gaps, which is to be expected in an ongoing reform effort.

Infrastructure choices are also calibrated to rural realities: road repairs that restore market linkages, small bridges that shorten travel time to clinics and schools, and investments in township electrification and water that reduce transaction costs for households. These are not glamorous projects that necessarily make viral headlines, but they are precisely the investments that raise productivity and reduce everyday fragility for rural households. Local reporting and government briefings document a wave of locally focused works and conditional disbursements tied to the People’s Charter priorities.

Two practical features make Nwifuru’s approach promising. First, he is institutionalising reforms – the Education Development Trust Fund is a good example, which increases the odds that gains survive electoral cycles. Second, the personal politics of his public-school stance creates a rare, credible accountability mechanism: if a political leader publicly places his family within the system, the political cost of collapse becomes personal, and incentives align for sustained attention.

Yet the model is not without flaws. The first is capacity and scale: transforming scores of dilapidated rural schools and dozens of failing primary clinics into reliable institutions requires more than intent; it demands technical capacity in procurement, monitoring, teacher training, supply chain management and data systems. Early signs show administrative reforms and recruitments, but building that managerial muscle is a medium-term task. The second flaw is the slow pace of visible outcomes. Structural reforms take time; voters and donors often expect faster, more visible wins. Those competing temporalities can create impatience and political risk. However, the governor’s focused commitment to enduring development results holds the balancing scale to overcome these flaws.

A separate and important shortcoming is one of public perception rather than policy design: a gap in coverage. Partly it is structural: media attention in Nigeria remains highly concentrated in the megacity corridors of Lagos and Abuja and often orientates to national politics and spectacle. Partly it is strategic: an administration that prefers steady, low-key implementation will naturally generate fewer dramatic news cycles than one that stages ribbon-cuttings and high-visibility events. Finally, there is a feedback problem: without consistent reportage of incremental policy wins, success stories do not spread, and policy learning across states suffers. The result is a paradox – a people-centric approach that produces real but quiet gains remains underappreciated precisely because it avoids spectacle.

The National Assembly has proposed that the 2027 Presidential and Governorship elections should be conducted in November 2026 as against in February or March of the election year.

The proposal as contained in the draft copy of various amendments being sought in the 2022 Electoral Act , seeks that election into the two offices should be conducted not later than 185 days before expiration of tenure of the incumbent which is May 29.

The proposed amendments which came to the fore on Monday during a one-day Public hearing held by the joint committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Electoral Matters , also contained other far reaching amendment proposals.

This is even as many of the Stakeholders who made presentations at the public hearing , demanded for electronic voting and transmission of election results.

Section 4 (7) of the prosed amendment states ‘ Elections into the office of the President and Governor of a State shall be held not later than 185 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office.’

Calculation of the 185 days before May 29, 2027 clearly shows that the election must be conducted in November 2026 , since the number of days from May 28, 2027 to December 1st 2026 are 180 days.

For the federal and state of legislators, Section 4(5) of the proposed amendment to the 2022 electoral act states ‘ Election into the State Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly shall be held not later than 185 days before the date on which each of the Houses stands dissolved .’

In unlocking the constitutional impediments against the amendment , the joint committee states in the draft copy ‘:section 28 now section 27 ( 5 – 7) was introduced due to the amendments to sections 76, 116, 132 and 178 of the Constitution, which seeks to remove the determination of election timeline from the constitution to the Electoral Act.’

The proposed amendment seeking for conduct of election six months before expiration of tenure of incumbent, as explained by Adebayo Balogun, the Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, aims at given enough time for disposal of election litigations before swearing in of declared winners.

According to him, section 285 of the 1999 Constitution will be amended just as section 139 will also be amended.

He said, ‘To ensure that all manner of election litigations are dispensed with , before the swearing in of winners ,we are proposing amendment that will reduce 180 days of tribunal judgement to 90 days , 90 days expected of Judgement by appellate court to 60 days up to the Supreme court , which will all not exceed 185 days.’

Other far reaching amendment proposals being sought for by the joint committee , are early voting contained in section(2) of the draft bill.

It states, ‘There shall be a date set aside for early voting not later than 14 days to the day of the election.’

Categories of Nigerians listed for the pre-poll are security personnel, officials of the commission, accredited domestic observers , accredited journalists and ad – hoc staff of the commission.

Other proposed amendments are mandatory electronic transmission of election results, non – compulsory use of permanent voters card etc.

The proposed amendment as contained in Section 60(5) of the Electoral Act also seeks to ensure compulsory electronic transmission of results.

‘The Presiding Officer shall transmit the results including total number of accredited voters to the next level of excuses both electronically and manually just as it criminalises failure of Presiding Officer or Collation Officer who distribute unstamped ballot papers and results sheets. Such erring officers will be jailed for one year or pay a fine of N1m or both.

‘All the Stakeholders who made presentations at the public hearing including representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), Professor Abdullahi Zuru , aligned with the joint committee’s proposals.’

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has stepped up its continental employment drive with over $105 billion in financing aimed at creating 19 million jobs by the end of 2025, under its flagship Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy.

With Africa’s youth population projected to reach 830 million by 2050, Sidi Ould Tah, president AfDB said the Bank’s focus on youth empowerment, innovation, and private-sector partnerships will be central to unlocking Africa’s next phase of economic growth.

He reaffirmed the banks’ commitment during the World Bank Group’s High-Level Advisory Council on Jobs, held on the sidelines of the 2025 IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C.

The forum brought together global financial leaders, ministers, and corporate executives to design impactful job-creation strategies, a statement by the bank informed.

According to Ould Tah, ‘Africa’s youth are not a burden to manage; they are the engine of our continent’s future.’ He said, ‘We need to invest in the right skills, formalise the informal economy, and back MSMEs at scale.’

The Council focused on tourism and skills development, two sectors holding vast potential for job creation. Tourism already supports one in every 20 jobs across Africa, with women and young people making up a large share of the workforce.

However, over 80% of workers in the sector operate informally, lacking access to finance, social protection, or structured career growth.

To address this, AfDB is expanding digital-first skilling programmes and supporting tourism-linked MSMEs to build sustainable employment ecosystems, he said.

He added that the Bank has also developed a new Youth, Skills and Jobs Marker System to track job quality and inclusiveness in its projects.

Ould Tah’s participation marks the halfway point of his first 100 days in office and aligns with his ‘Four Cardinal Points’ strategic vision – mobilising capital at scale, unifying markets, industrialising locally, and investing in talent and technology.

Born January 7, 1945, in Asaga, Ohafia, Abia State, Uma Ukpai was a man given fully to the Gospel, and that singular act made him tranverse the globe.

Just like the Apostles in Acts, Ukpai went into all the nations, teaching, preaching and healing the sick. He was called to be an evangelist.

As a dedicated evangelist, Ukpai never thought it necessary to establish a church of his own; instead, he stayed rooted in the evangelic ministry known as the Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association (UUEA), a non-denominational gospel ministry based in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

A unifying preacher

As an evangelist, Ukpai was given to unifying the body of Christ in Nigeria, and by extension, the world at large.

Hence, he was among the founding fathers of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) with his Greater Lagos for Christ Crusade of 1985, without having a church of his own.

His ministry conducted inter-denominational crusades across Nigeria in the early 80s and 90s.

Beyond citywide crusades, Ukpai also conduct medical outreaches riding on the back of the Uma Ukpai Eye Centre, and King of Kings Hospital, a specialist hospital in Abia State, that services communities in some South-east and South-south states.

A preacher given to education

As a global evangelist, Uma Ukpai was given to education, understanding very early the roles education plays in the early ‘Church Movement’

He founded the Uma Ukpai School of Theology and Biblical Studies, Uyo. He was also the proprietor of the Uma Ukpai Polytechnic, Asaga; Uma Ukpai Scholarship Foundation, and Joseph Business School, which is affiliated to Joseph Business School, Chicago, USA.

Testimonials about Ukpai

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella body for all the churches in Nigeria, described Uma Ukpai as ‘God’s General’, whose lifetime of service touched many within and beyond the Church.

‘Reverend Dr Ukpai was a towering figure in the Church in Nigeria whose evangelistic ministry spanned over six decades. Through crusades, teachings, and acts of charity, he devoted his life to preaching the gospel, nurturing faith, and advancing the cause of Christ across denominations and regions.

‘His unwavering commitment to the work of God and his passion for the salvation of souls left an enduring mark on the Christian community in Nigeria and beyond. Generations of believers have been inspired by his message of faith, healing, and hope in Christ Jesus,’ CAN said in a statement signed by Daniel Okoh, its national president.

Emmanuel Udofia, the former Primate of The African Church, described Uma Ukpai as a man fully given to the gospel and the things of God.

‘The Reverend Dr Uma Ukpai was a gift of God to our generation, not only to the church but also to our generation. Because there are so many people even outside the church that have benefited from his light,’ Udofia told BusinessDay.

According to him, Ukpai’s death is a loss to Nigerians and the Church at large. ‘So when it comes to the church, he was a man that by the grace of God was dedicated to the work of God,’ Udofia said.

Joseph Ojo, the presiding Archbishop of Calvary Kingdom Church (CKC), said Ukpai was never obsessed with ambition. ‘Since the call of God came upon his life, he never turned back.

‘He began as a member, a minister in the Assemblies of God; he never left to start a church,’ Ojo said.

According to Ojo, Ukpai knew what God called him for and pursued it with vigour, grace, and great fulfilment.

‘He started with the evangelical ministry all these years. So, he was a man who knew what God called him for. And his impact is not only within this country, or continents, but across the globe,’ Ojo said.

The UUEA ministry was focus on faith, healing, and spiritual leadership, and was also known for large city-wide crusades and prophetic teaching.

Crusades

Uma Ukpai was well known for citywide crusades across Nigeria. Before his death on October 6, 2025, the late Ukpai holds a yearly crusade tagged, ‘Greater Ohafia For Christ Crusade’.

In 2016, Ukpai held the Anioma One-million Man Crusade, in collaboration with Celestine Iwendi, a lecturer and Pastor-in-charge, The Comfort Zone Ministries, Uma.

He also organised the Nsukka 2012, and Greater Ibadan for Christ 1982, before coming to Lagos for the ‘Greater Lagos for Christ Crusade’ of 1985.