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The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has urged Nigerian youths to vote against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the presidential election.

The Council said the ruling party had not delivered meaningful improvements in the lives of young people.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the ADC-PCC, Kola Ologbondiyan, made the call during an interaction with ADC youth leaders in the Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State at the weekend.

Ologbondiyan said Nigerian youths constitute a significant segment of the population and deserve a government with solutions to their challenges.

‘As youths, you have spent almost 12 years under the APC government confronting difficult economic circumstances, with many graduates struggling to find decent employment,’ he said.

He noted that many young people have been forced into petty trading, recharge card sales, and operating point-of-sale (POS) businesses just to survive.

Ologbondiyan also questioned the petrol price discount announced by the government, which claimed to reduce the pump price to N1,350 per litre.

‘Check the filling stations in your neighbourhood, and you will discover that Nigerians are still paying above N1,400 per litre,’ he said.

He urged the youth to support a candidate with practical measures to make life affordable.

‘Go to your various wards and take the message of affordable living to the people. Tell Nigerians that an alternative is available through our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi,’ he said.

He added that the announced discount had failed to translate into real relief, as motorists continue to battle high pump prices and persistent queues at filling stations.

‘No Nigerian should be asked to celebrate a discount that exists only in government announcements while the reality at the filling stations tells a different story,’ he said.

According to him, Nigerians continue to struggle under the crushing burden of high transportation and operational costs for small businesses.

The ADC-PCC spokesman expressed confidence that Atiku Abubakar would adopt a transparent and people-oriented approach to managing the petroleum sector.

‘His position on fuel subsidy and petroleum sector management is that Nigerians must benefit from a system that is transparent, accountable and responsive to their needs,’ he said.

He concluded by urging youths to assess candidates based on their policies, track record, and commitment to the nation’s future, and to mobilise massive support for the ADC.

E-TRANZACT International Plc emerged as the best-performing stock on the Nigerian Exchange Limited in the week ended October 16, as its share price jumped 42.98 percent to ?17.30, even as its latest financial results showed that rising operating costs continued to weigh on profitability.

The electronic payments company’s weekly rally stood out in a market that declined for the third consecutive week, with losses in major banking and telecommunications stocks dragging the benchmark All-Share Index down 0.3 percent to 247,539 points.

E-Tranzact’s closing price of ?17.30, on Friday, represented an increase of approximately ?5.20 from ?12.10 at the start of the week, placing the fintech company ahead of other stocks in the market’s weekly performance ranking.

The strong price movement came against the backdrop of a mixed earnings performance. E-Tranzact’s unaudited financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2026, showed that revenue increased by 22.6 percent to ?16.28 billion from ?13.28 billion in the corresponding period of 2025.

However, profit after tax declined by 19.1 percent to ?1.22 billion from ?1.51 billion, reflecting the pressure of higher operating expenses and cost of sales on the company’s earnings.

Cost of sales rose 38.9 per cent to ?9.50 billion from ?6.84 billion, outpacing revenue growth and limiting the improvement in gross profit to 5.2 per cent, from ?6.44 billion to ?6.78 billion.

Administrative expenses also increased by 21.9 per cent to ?4.81 billion from ?3.94 billion, while operating profit fell 23.2 per cent to ?1.59 billion from ?2.07 billion.

Profit before tax dropped 19.1 per cent to ?1.75 billion, compared with ?2.16 billion in the first half of 2025. Investment income, however, rose to ?156.8 million from ?98.8 million, providing some support to earnings.

The divergence between the company’s share-price performance and its earnings trajectory highlights the importance of distinguishing market sentiment from reported financial results. The available figures do not establish a direct cause for the rally.

E-Tranzact’s 2025 audited financial statements also showed that revenue grew modestly by 2.4 per cent to ?30.61 billion from ?29.90 billion in 2024. Gross profit improved to ?14.31 billion from ?11.36 billion, but profit after tax declined to ?2.47 billion from ?3.39 billion.

The company’s half-year balance sheet showed total assets of ?39.02 billion as of June 30, down from ?46.14 billion at the end of December 2025. Cash and cash equivalents fell to ?23.69 billion from ?31.65 billion, while total liabilities declined to ?21.60 billion from ?29.95 billion.

Shareholders’ equity, however, increased to ?17.41 billion from ?16.19 billion, supported by retained earnings of ?5.44 billion, compared with ?4.22 billion at the end of 2025.

Established in 2003, E-Tranzact provides electronic payment technology and related services, including transaction-processing solutions. Its financial performance is therefore closely linked to revenue generation from its payment platforms and the cost of operating and supporting those services.

The company’s latest earnings figures suggest that sustaining revenue growth while containing operating expenses will remain important to improving profitability. Whether the sharp share-price advance is sustained will depend on subsequent market trading and the company’s ability to translate higher revenue into stronger earnings.

While the broader equities market struggled during the week, E-Tranzact’s 42.98 per cent advance made it the standout performer, underscoring the sharply divergent fortunes of individual stocks on the Nigerian Exchange.

The Institute for Dietetics in Nigeria (IDN) has cautioned the National Assembly against the proposed establishment of the Nutritionists Registration Council of Nigeria, warning that the bill could legitimise quackery in nutrition management and compromise patient safety.

The call comes amid the scheduled public hearing on the controversial bill this week at the National Assembly.

The institute urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene urgently and ensure that the already passed Dietitians Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill was assented to, arguing that a unified regulatory framework was necessary to protect the public and uphold professional standards.

The IDN stated its opposition to the proposed ‘Bill for an Act to Establish the Nutritionists Registration Council of Nigeria and for Related Matters’ during a news conference jointly addressed by its National President, Tajudeen Olutope Ahmed, and National Secretary, Aliyu Hassan, at the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday.

The institute said it supported the statutory regulation of qualified nutrition and dietetics professionals but warned that HB 2659, reportedly promoted with the support of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), would create a parallel regulatory body with powers overlapping those provided under HB 515.

The IDN warned thus: ‘Establishing two regulatory councils with competing authority over nutrition and dietetics education, accreditation, registration, clinical practice and professional discipline would create confusion, institutional conflict and avoidable expenditure.

‘It would also weaken, rather than strengthen, the protection available to patients and the Nigerian public.

‘Nigeria must not enact a law that weakens established competency standards or opens the door for inadequately trained persons to undertake sensitive nutrition and clinical dietetic responsibilities.’

It explained that qualified dietitians undertake nutritional assessments, provide medical nutrition therapy and manage patients with conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, cancer and severe malnutrition, noting that mistakes in prescribing therapeutic diets and managing specialised nutritional support could result in serious complications, permanent disability or death.

The institute also cautioned against treating membership of a multidisciplinary scientific society as proof of professional qualification to practise nutrition or dietetics.

According to IDN, NSN accommodates professionals from fields including biochemistry, agriculture, food science, physiology, medicine, pharmacy and public health. While admitting that their contributions to nutrition research and policy are valuable, the institute maintained that such backgrounds do not automatically confer the clinical competencies required to assess patients or provide medical nutrition therapy.

‘Multidisciplinary cooperation must not be confused with professional equivalence,’ IDN said, stressing that membership of a scientific society could not replace the prescribed professional education, supervised clinical training and competency assessment.

The institute argued that HB 515 already provided a framework for regulating professional education, registration, ethical standards, public health nutrition, research and clinical dietetic practice. It warned that a second council could create conflicting accreditation requirements for universities, polytechnics and colleges of health sciences and technology, particularly because many Nigerian institutions offer integrated Nutrition and Dietetics programmes.

It added that overlapping regulatory responsibilities could lead to duplicated accreditation exercises, additional fees and uncertainty over professional qualifications, leaving healthcare institutions, employers and patients unclear about the respective roles of nutritionists and dietitians.

IDN called for the discontinuation of further consideration of HB 2659 in its present form and urged the National Assembly to prioritise the passage of HB 515 as the appropriate legislative framework for regulating nutrition and dietetics practice in Nigeria.

It warned that further delays in establishing a coherent regulatory framework could deepen uncertainty over professional qualifications and clinical responsibilities, insisting that Nigeria could not afford to leave the regulation of a profession directly linked to public health and patient safety unresolved.

IDN further called for clear definitions of protected professional titles, entry qualifications and scopes of practice, with clinical responsibilities reserved for practitioners who possess the requisite education, supervised training and professional competence.

Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, has announced plans to increase the state’s allowances for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and upgrade facilities at the General Yakubu Gowon Orientation Camp in Dutse.

Namadi announced the measures during the passing-out ceremony for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream II corps members at the orientation camp.

He said the planned improvements were aimed at enhancing corps members’ welfare, ensuring their safety, and providing a more conducive environment for orientation and training.

The governor described the NYSC scheme as a critical instrument for promoting national unity, cultural understanding, and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians from diverse backgrounds.

According to him, the scheme continues to shape the outlook, experiences, and leadership potential of young Nigerians by exposing them to different cultures, communities, and ways of life.

Namadi, who disclosed that he participated in the scheme 38 years ago, said his service year contributed significantly to shaping his professional and leadership career.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for increasing corps members’ monthly allowance from N30,000 to N77,000, describing the move as an important step towards improving their welfare.

‘To complement the efforts of Mr President, we in Jigawa State will also review the local allowances of corps members. We have also directed their employers to improve their conditions of service,’ he said.

The governor further disclosed that the state government would direct employers to provide vehicles to convey corps members from the orientation camp to their places of primary assignment.

Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kwara Chapter, has expressed concern that Kwara doctors are among the least paid in the country.

The Chairman, Dr Suleiman Rotimi, stated this on Monday in Ilorin while speaking at a news conference organised as part of the activities for the 2026 Physician’s Week.

The theme of the week is entitled: ‘Securing The Future of Medicine in Nigeria.’

Rotimi raised concerns over manpower shortages, poor welfare, excessive workload and alleged unauthorised salary deductions affecting doctors in the state.

According to him, some general hospitals have only a few doctors, forcing them to work long hours and increasing the risk of burnout.

‘The doctors are underpaid, overworked and over-deducted.

‘Some doctors have between N30,000 and N50,000 deducted from their monthly salaries, despite unpaid allowances and poor remuneration,’ he lamented.

The NMA-Kwara chairman appealed to the state government to address the issues urgently, stating that

‘Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio is about one doctor to more than 9,000 patients, with the situation worse in some parts of Kwara.’

‘The recommendations from World Health Organisation is one doctor to 600 patients,’ he said.

On the ongoing industrial dispute involving doctors in Kwara, Rotimi said the association had engaged the state government and other stakeholders but remains open to dialogue.

‘When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. The patients are the ones suffering from this,’ he said.

He also called for improved mental health support, confidential medical services, safer workplaces, and protection against violence, adding that doctors should be allowed to seek help without stigma.

Similarly, he advocated that doctors should explore the use of telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and robotics, while observing that these innovations will complement and help professionals in the medical field.

He noted that technology could help specialists reach underserved communities while maintaining clinical oversight.

The NMA chairman also urged the government to improve doctors’ pay, working conditions, training, research opportunities, and infrastructure to reduce the migration of Nigerian doctors abroad.

He called for collective action to build a healthcare system where doctors work in safe and dignified conditions and patients receive quality care.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Zamfara State, Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed, has raised the alarm over doctored documents to substitute his name from the race.

In a press statement issued on Monday, the ADC governorship candidate, Mahdi Aliyu, said that despite the report on the primary election, some persons were doctoring documents to favour a non-member of ADC as substitute.

The statement reads in parts, ‘Please recall that I participated in the ADC gubernatorial primary election in Zamfara State on 22nd May 2026 and won the primary election.

‘Thereafter I was given the INEC Form EC9 which I filled and returned to the party for onward submission.

‘Instead of submitting my name to INEC, ADC submitted the name of one Bilyamu Shinkafi, who was neither a member of ADC nor participated in the primary election held on 22 May 2026.

‘This prompted me to approach the court to seek redress, and despite the court papers being served on the party and the said Bilyamnu Shinkafi for over two months now, they have not been able to file any defence in court.

‘My attention has however been brought to the fact that some persons within the party, led by a former Attorney-General of a state, are actively doctoring documents which they intend to file as defence papers at the court.

‘We are aware that the letters have been drafted, backdated and sent to INEC stating that Mr Shinkafi participated in the primary election, despite that the report of the primary election obtained from INEC and already filed in court prior to the non-existent and backdated letter states otherwise.

‘We know that the whole world is watching and know those trying to rig the system in this pre-election matter.

‘My position is simply that, in the event that they decide to fake documents and submit same to the court, reports will be made to the relevant security agencies, INEC as well as to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee against such persons and their collaborators for appropriate investigation, prosecution and discipline,’ he concluded.

Unfortunately, unscrupulous dealers often tamper with building supplies to maximize profits. Re-bagged cement which involves repackaging expired, caked, or intentionally reduced powder into original-looking sacks remains a widespread threat to construction safety across the country.

In this article, Tribune Online examines the telltale signs of adulterated and re-bagged cement, highlighting practical checks you can perform on-site to ensure you get genuine value for your hard-earned money.

Check the stitching and bag seal

Factory packaging uses automated, heavy-duty industrial sewing machines that leave distinct, uniform chain stitches across the mouth of the sack. These genuine stitches are tight, even, and neat, often backed with a specific branded sealing strip along the seam.

Re-baggers, on the other hand, rarely have access to commercial packaging machinery. They typically rely on handheld, portable stitching tools or even crude manual needles that leave uneven, loose, and crooked thread patterns.

If the thread looks sloppy, features mismatched colors, or shows visible signs of double-piercing from being opened and resewn, you are likely looking at a tampered bag.

Inspect the bag for wear and pinholes

Genuine cement arrives directly from manufacturing plants in fresh, crisp paper or woven polypropylene packaging that has not experienced prior handling. The printed labels, brand logos, batch numbers, and regulatory markings are bold, crisp, and clean.

Dealers who run repackaging rackets frequently purchase empty discarded sacks from scavengers or previous construction sites. These reused bags inevitably show signs of distress such as faded branding, crease lines, scuffs, and small punctures.

Run your hands along the corners and bottom folds of the bag before loading it into your truck. If you notice tiny pinholes or powder leaking through repaired patches, reject the consignment immediately.

Weigh the bag on a scale

According to consumer protection advisories and technical standards set by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), an official commercial bag of Portland cement must weigh exactly 50 kilograms net at the point of sale.

Re-bagging syndicates routinely shave off between two to five kilograms from each bag, pooling the stolen contents together to create extra bags out of thin air. In other cases, they mix the powder with cheap filler materials like fine sand or stone dust, throwing the exact density off balance.

Never rely solely on lifting the bag with your arms to guess the mass. Place a random sample of five to ten bags from your delivery onto an accurate mechanical or digital platform scale; any bag consistently falling below 49.5 kilograms is a red flag.

Examine the texture and color of the powder

Fresh, high-grade Portland cement should feel completely smooth, velvety, and cool when you rub a pinch between your bare fingers. It should possess a consistent greenish-grey or slate-grey tone throughout the entire bag without streaks or discoloration.

Adulterated cement often feels gritty, coarse, or sharp because crooked vendors blend the product with quarry dust, ash, or sifted silt. If you rub the powder and feel distinct sand granules or rough particles, the mix has been diluted.

A noticeable change in shade, such as a brownish tint or patches of pale white, indicates foreign contamination or early moisture damage that has compromised the chemical bonding agents.

Test for hard lumps and caking

Cement is a hygroscopic material that reacts quickly when exposed to humidity in the air or damp warehouse floors. When bags sit in poorly ventilated sheds for months, the powder begins a process called hydration, leading to partial setting inside the packaging.

Dishonest traders often break down these hardened, expired blocks with wooden mallets, sieve out the larger stones, and funnel the compromised powder back into bags for resale. This processed powder completely loses its binding strength and cannot produce durable concrete.

Thrust your fingers deep into the top, middle, and bottom sections of an open bag. If you encounter stubborn gravel-sized lumps or find that the powder packs into hard chunks under mild pressure, the batch is spoiled and unfit for structural work.

Buy directly from authorised depots

The safest way to avoid counterfeit materials is to bypass roadside vendors who offer prices that seem unusually cheaper than prevailing market rates. Substandard cement is almost always sold through informal middlemen operating outside regulated distribution chains.

Purchase your supplies directly from authorized company distributors, accredited major depots, or recognized building material merchants who issue verifiable sales receipts. Taking this precaution guarantees product traceability and protects your investment from catastrophic structural failure.

A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, has warned that a proposed return to fuel subsidy by African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, could push petrol prices to ?4,000 per litre and worsen the country’s socioeconomic challenges.

Kwankwaso said reversing the removal of fuel subsidy could impose a heavy financial burden on the Federal Government and threaten funding for workers’ salaries, education, healthcare, pensions and infrastructure.

He argued that the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration had eased pressure on public finances, allowing governments at different levels to meet salary obligations more consistently and execute development projects.

Kwankwaso, who is also the Director of Finance at the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, urged Nigerians to consider the financial implications of restoring the subsidy before supporting the policy.

‘As it is now, President Tinubu has, after the removal of the subsidy, stabilised the economy and improved foreign savings, while schoolchildren are enjoying massive Federal Government support,’ he said.

He warned that a return to the previous subsidy arrangement could lead to renewed fuel queues and make it more difficult for the government to meet its financial obligations.

According to him, the debate over fuel subsidy should go beyond political arguments to address how the government would finance the policy without recreating the fiscal challenges associated with the previous arrangement.

Kwankwaso further maintained that savings from subsidy removal had helped state governments across the federation pay workers’ salaries more consistently while pursuing infrastructure development.

He cited federal infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Kano-Abuja Highway, and Kano-Maiduguri Highway, as examples of projects being undertaken under the Tinubu administration.

The APC chieftain urged Nigerians to scrutinise Atiku’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy and consider its potential financial implications before reversing the current policy.

He also called for continued support for the Tinubu administration, arguing that the government’s economic policy direction should be sustained.

The governorship candidate of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Prof. Vadlya Tame, has debunked claims that he and other governorship candidates endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term.

In a statement personally signed by Professor Vadlya Tame and made available to newsmen, the DLA governorship hopeful said ‘my attention has been drawn to reports published by’ some media organisations on 16 October 2026, ‘concerning the reported endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in 2027 by so called forum of governorship candidates of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA)’.

He added that, in the reports, his name was listed among those reportedly present at a press conference held in Abuja.

‘For the avoidance of doubt, I was not present at the said meeting or press conference in Abuja, I was in Yola, Adamawa State, and did not attend the event reported by these media organisations nighter did I give any consent to be included ‘

‘ I wish to clarify that my inclusion in the list of persons reportedly present should not be interpreted as evidence of my attendance or personal participation in the meeting, I did not personally make or communicate an endorsement of President Tinubu at that event’.

Noting that the question of whom the Democratic Leadership Alliance may support in the 2027 presidential election is for the National Secretariat, he said, ‘we await the official position and direction of the National Chairman of our party on the matter’.

‘ Much as I respect the right of individuals and groups to express their political preferences, however, I consider it important that public statements and political decisions be accurately reported and attributed, particularly where the names of individuals are associated with meetings they did not attend or declarations they did not personally make’.

‘I remain committed to pursuing my political aspirations under the platform of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) in Adamawa State’.

He called on The Punch and all other media organisations that published the report to take note of this clarification and act appropriately to ensure that the public record accurately reflects his position.

‘I remain committed to truth, responsible leadership, party discipline, and the principles of democratic engagement’.

The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dayo Mobereola, has debunked claims that some of the Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs) involved in the disbursement of the $700 million Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) are demanding cargo guarantees from indigenous shipowners.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the sidelines of the 2026 World Maritime Day celebration held over the weekend, the NIMASA director-general said that none of the 12 banks involved in the disbursement of the $700 million CVFF was requesting cargo guarantees from indigenous shipowners.

According to Mobereola, ‘For the CVFF disbursement, we have made it very easy. We have ensured that everybody that is an indigenous shipowner can apply for the fund.

‘As a shipowner, you will have to apply through the NIMASA CVFF Portal. After then, you have to go to your bank because there is a need for a bank guarantee so that when NIMASA releases the fund to you, the agency will be able to recoup its fund after the loan tenor expires so that other shipowners too can benefit from the loan application.

‘Where we are right now is that some shipowners have applied and they are currently discussing with their banks in order to ensure that they, the shipowners, fulfil all the conditions of the banks.

‘Once this is concluded, they will come to us, we will then process the application, and the funds will be released.’

When reminded that some shipowners had complained that commercial banks were demanding cargo guarantees before proceeding with their CVFF applications, the NIMASA director-general said none of the banks involved in the fund’s disbursement would do so.

‘I can tell you reliably that none of the 12 banks involved in the CVFF disbursement will request for cargo guarantees from shipowners. Most of the indigenous shipowners have been operating for about 20 to 30 years. How have they been operating without cargoes? There is a way they have been doing it, and it is the same system that we are applying.

‘Of the 12 Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs), I am not sure that any of them is requesting for cargo guarantees from indigenous shipowners,’ Dr Dayo Mobereola stated.

In his earlier presentation, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboye Oyetola, assured indigenous shipowners of the government’s support and commitment to the disbursement of the CVFF.

‘To our indigenous shipowners, I wish to reaffirm this Administration’s commitment to the development of indigenous shipping capacity and the effective implementation of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act.

‘I have directed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to work closely with approved Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs) to accelerate the processing and disbursement of the CVFF to eligible beneficiaries. Progress may require patience, but our direction remains firm.

‘The effective deployment of the CVFF has the potential to strengthen our indigenous fleet and stimulate investment across the maritime value chain,’ the minister stated.

He stressed that developing indigenous shipping capacity remained central to the government’s broader objective of ensuring that Nigerians derived greater economic benefits from the country’s maritime resources.

The CVFF is regarded as a critical financing instrument for supporting Nigerian shipowners and expanding indigenous participation in the maritime industry. Its effective deployment is expected to strengthen the national fleet and improve local capacity to compete in the domestic shipping market.