Author: Editor
Ben Ezechime, Enugu Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has said that the South East Development Commission (SEDC) was conceived to drive structural transformation rather than routine administrative activities. Shettima stated this on Wednesday while unveiling the SEDC Vision 2050 in Enugu, describing the economic blueprint as a major departure from short-term approaches that have failed to deliver sustainable results. “This is not another layer of bureaucracy; it is a delivery institution focused on tangible outcomes that translate into jobs, productivity, and growth. “The South-East carries a unique historical burden, which makes deliberate regional planning both urgent and necessary,” the Vice…
Our Reporter, Abuja A civil rights organisation, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), has accused the Nigerian Senate of undermining the country’s democracy following its passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2026, without making electronic transmission of election results mandatory. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Executive Director of RULAAC, Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma, described the Senate’s decision as a “deliberate weakening of electoral safeguards” ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to the group, the rejection of compulsory electronic transmission of results, alongside amendments that compress electoral timelines and limit voter access to digital tools, represents…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Nigerian Senate has dismissed media reports alleging that it rejected the mandatory electronic transmission of election results while passing the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill. Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, made the clarification on Wednesday shortly after the upper chamber passed the bill following a marathon session that lasted about five hours. During deliberations on the bill, reports circulated online claiming that lawmakers voted against a proposal seeking to compel presiding officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal in real time, after…
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Anambra State has disclosed that a total of 4,423 voters have so far been registered in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in the state. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Elizabeth Agwu, made the disclosure on Wednesday while addressing journalists in Awka, the state capital. According to her, the commission has recorded a steady increase in registrations within the first four weeks since the commencement of the exercise on January 5, 2026. “We recorded zero registration in the first week, while 936, 1,832 and 1,455…
By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu The celebration of legendary legal luminary, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, has understandably been more political than poetical. It is in the realms of politics and law that most Nigerians would want to situate the mourned one fondly and simply known as Gani. The man’s lifework in the field of law naturally fed into the annals of the politicos, and he happened to be the veritable stormy petrel against bad leadership. Even so, more than any other Nigerian, Gani has proven over the years to be the pre-eminent subject of modern-day Nigerian poets. He is arguably the most celebrated…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Abia State Government has unveiled the Abia Electronic Health (E-Health) Project, a flagship initiative aimed at digitising the state’s healthcare system and migrating medical records from analogue to fully digital platforms. The initiative, according to the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, received the approval of the State Executive Council. Prince Kanu said the E-Health project aligns with the administration’s broader vision of building a comprehensive digital ecosystem to drive efficiency across governance in the state. “The E-Health project is in line with the state government’s pioneering efforts to establish a digital ecosystem that will drive…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Abia State Government has approved the establishment of an SME Village and Innovation Hub in Aba as part of efforts to stimulate economic growth and strengthen small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in the state. The approval was granted by the State Executive Council and disclosed by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, while briefing journalists at Government House, Umuahia, on the outcome of the Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti. Prince Kanu said the proposed SME Village is aimed at positioning SMEs as a major driver of Abia’s economy. He explained that the…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia, with Agency Report As the activities of terrorists appear to be on the increase in Nigeria following the December 25, 2025 bombing of their hideouts in parts of the northern states, the United States of America, on Tuesday, said it had deployed a small team of troops to the country to help quell the insurgency. This was disclosed by the General in charge of the U.S. Command for Africa. It would be the first acknowledgement of U.S. forces on Nigerian soil. President Donald Trump had ordered airstrikes on what he described as Islamic State targets in Nigeria…
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The Nigerian Army has debunked reports circulating on social media claiming that two soldiers were killed and a military patrol vehicle set ablaze during the Amasiri/Oso Edda communal crisis in Ebonyi State. The clarification follows recent violence linked to the crisis, which reportedly claimed the lives of five indigenes of Idima Okporojo Village, Oso Edda, in Edda Local Government Area of the state. The Cantonment Commander, Nkwagu Military Barracks, Lt. Col. Emmanuel Chielo, made the disclosure while addressing journalists on the efforts of security agencies to restore peace and order in the affected communities. It would be…
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has passed a bill disbanding and delisting Amasiri Development Centre as one of the recognised development centres in the state. The bill, sponsored by the State Executive Council following the killing of five indigenes of Idima Okporojo Village in Edda Local Government Area, was passed into law during plenary at the Assembly Complex along Nkaliki Road, Abakaliki. With the enactment of the law, the number of development centres in Ebonyi State has been reduced from 64 to 63, while Afikpo North Local Government Area now has four development centres instead of…