Author: Lawrence Idoko

The Senate has moved to extend the national education funding scheme to Unity Colleges and military secondary schools across the country. The proposed legislation would create state-level education boards and extend federal intervention programs to unity colleges and schools operated by the Armed Forces. Lawmakers said the move is aimed at improving infrastructure, enhancing the quality of learning, and easing the financial burden on students and parents in federally owned schools. The National Senior Secondary Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele of Ekiti Central, cleared a second reading on Tuesday and was referred to the…

The Federal Government has launched a new practical-based training model for agricultural education in the country, unveiling 39 revised or new curricula and 31 occupational standards built around an 80% practical, 20% theoretical training model. The initiative is aimed at equipping students with hands-on skills to boost food production, encourage youth participation in farming, and promote self-reliance in the agricultural sector. Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa said the overhaul is intended to produce job-ready graduates, expand agribusiness, and support the country’s food-security agenda. The reforms, launched in Abuja, cover National Diploma( ND), Higher National Diploma (HND), and Nigeria Certificate…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Tuesday that preparations for the 2027 general elections are on schedule, as its chairman sought to reassure officials and the public that logistics, technology and personnel are being readied for a vote that will test the credibility of the country’s democratic institutions. INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan told staff at a readiness-assessment meeting in Enugu that the commission had completed much of its planning checklist and was moving into the procurement phase for sensitive election materials. “We are on track and moving ahead with most of the checklist,” Amupitan said, adding that non-sensitive…

The Federal Government confirmed its first Ebola case of the current outbreak on Tuesday, after a woman who arrived in the capital from Uganda tested positive for the virus, prompting an urgent effort by health authorities to trace 44 close contacts. The government assured the public that the contacts are being monitored and that necessary measures have been activated to prevent further spread of the virus. Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate said the patient had been admitted to a private hospital in Abuja, where she received treatment for several days before laboratory tests confirmed the infection.…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) on Tuesday refutted allegations that the government is plotting to assassinate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress’s (ADC) presidential candidate, and challenged the claimant to provide evidence to security agencies. The council described the allegation by Timi Frank, an ADC member and former APC deputy national publicity secretary, as “grave” and urged security agencies to invite him to substantiate it. It said any credible threat to life should be taken seriously regardless of political affiliation. “We categorically reject the claim that the presidency or the APC Campaign Council…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) Nyesom Wike on Tuesday said that the Rainbow Coalition will deliver Rivers State and Abuja, for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections. Wike positioned Tinubu’s re-election campaign around infrastructure delivery and grassroots mobilization. Speaking to members of the Rivers Rainbow Coalition Youths in Port Harcourt, Minister Wike said the administration should be judged by roads, bridges and other projects rather than campaign promises. He argued that tangible benefits, not political rhetoric, would determine voter behavior. “We are not playing politics for the sake of it without bringing benefits to our…

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led coalition in Bayelsa State has unveiled a campaign timetable for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, positioning itself as a grassroots mobilisation partner to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) despite its traditional opposition affiliation. The coalition has commenced its campaign for Tinubu’s re-election with a fasting and prayer programme, which it said is aimed at seeking divine guidance and support for the President’s second-term ambition, as well as praying for sustained peace and development in the state and the country. The Bayelsa State Rainbow Coalition said it would use the PDP’s reach across the…

The Federal Government has released an additional ₦4.04 billion for the settlement of entitlements owed to 600 former workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways, bringing announced payments to about ₦22.04 billion as it works through a backlog of claims dating back more than two decades. The payment is part of ongoing efforts to clear outstanding severance benefits owed to former employees of the liquidated national carrier, many of whom have waited for years to receive their entitlements. The latest disbursement covers Batches 010 and 011 of verified beneficiaries and follows a ₦18 billion payment announced in September for 2,700 former…

The Federal Government has announced two major intervention programmes—a free healthcare pilot and a minimum pension floor—aimed at shielding retirees from poverty and health-related hardship after years of service to the nation. The initiatives, which focus on enhanced welfare packages and improved access to affordable healthcare, are designed to ensure that senior citizens live in dignity and are protected from economic vulnerability in retirement.  They are intended to address the twin risks of poverty and medical hardship in old age. Director-General of PenCom Omolola Oloworaran said the measures would move pension reform “from reform to reality,” framing them as a…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has urged supporters of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to set aside a prolonged political feud and mobilize behind President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, promising that a strong electoral showing would bring the oil-rich state more federal appointments and infrastructure investment. Speaking at an interactive meeting with Fubara-aligned supporters and youth leaders in Port Harcourt, Wike framed political unity as a transactional route to national relevance. He said Rivers should aim to rank among the three states delivering the highest vote totals for Tinubu in the next presidential election. “All I…