Month: February 2026

Electoral Act amendment: Kukah Centre, Yiaga Africa, TAF, 4 other CSOs want Reps’ version of electoral act

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Photo: Coalition members at the briefing By: Mandy Park …Insist on real-time e-transmission of election results A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), including the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), The Kukah Centre, International Press Centre (IPC), Elect Her, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, TAF Africa and Yiaga Africa, have risen against members of the Senate, demanding immediate action on some sections of the 2025 Electoral Bill, particularly the sections that deal with electronic transmission of election results from the polling unit to a dedicated server for transparency and accountability.…

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Alex Otti and Governance Driven by Data, Not Guesswork

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Photo: Gov. Alex Otti By Daniel Kanu For decades, Abia State was a textbook example of wasted potential. Although the state has had several governors, little was achieved, aside from some commendable efforts during the tenure of Chief Theodore Orji. The truth is that today, Governor Alex Otti has raised the bar in governance, to the excitement of the people. Endowed with industrious citizens, strategic commercial hubs, and enormous human capital, the state nonetheless struggled under the weight of poor infrastructure, weak institutions, and a governance culture that delivered little…

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CAPPA Hails Commissioning of Nigeria’s First PCBs Treatment Facility, Calls for Scale-Up and Strict Enforcement

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Photo: CAPPA  Executive Director, Oluwafemi Akinbode By: Mandy Park Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has commended the Federal Government for commissioning Nigeria’s first dedicated Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) treatment facility in Abuja, describing it as a major milestone in the country’s chemicals and waste management framework. The facility, established under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was inaugurated on Thursday, December 18, 2025. In a statement issued on Monday, CAPPA noted that…

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Obi Slams Senate Over Electronic Transmission Vote, Urges Nigerians to Remain Vigilant

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Photo: Mr Peter Obi By: Mandy Park Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has criticised the Senate’s rejection of a proposal to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory, describing the decision as a calculated move to weaken Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections. Obi in a statement said his reaction to the Senate’s action was delayed by the tragic killing of more than 150 people in communities in Kwara State. He offered prayers for the victims and said the incident underscored the depth of Nigeria’s…

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High Sodium in Packaged Foods Driving Chronic Diseases, Lifelong Disability — Experts Warn

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Photo: CAPPA By Mandy Park Public health experts and food scientists have warned that the rising consumption of packaged foods high in sodium is fuelling the increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria, particularly cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which often result in lifelong disability. They noted that NCDs account for about 29 per cent of deaths in Nigeria, with 11 per cent linked to cardiovascular conditions. Data also show that approximately 27 per cent of Nigerian adults are overweight or obese, while childhood obesity exceeds 30 per cent in some urban…

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E-Transmission: FixPolitics Condemns Senate’s ‘Attack on Electoral Integrity,’ Demands Mandatory Restoration

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E-Transmission: FixP Photo: Goodwill Akpabio, Senate President By: Mandy Park The #FixPolitics initiative has condemned the Senate’s reported rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results, describing it as a direct assault on electoral integrity and public trust. In a statement issued at the weekend by its Executive Director, FixPolitics Africa, Anthony Ubani, the group said Nigerians were rightfully angered by what transpired during the consideration of the Electoral Act amendment, insisting the episode was neither a misunderstanding nor a technical lapse. According to the initiative, the Senate delivered confusion,…

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AE-FUNAI Promotes Dr Ossai Edmund Ndudi to Professor as VC Sunday Elom Earns Wide Praise

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Photo: Dr Ossai Edmund Ndudi By: Mandy Park After years of delay and prolonged anticipation, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State, has elevated Dr Ossai Edmund Ndudi to the rank of Professor in the Department of Community Medicine. This is as education watchers, and commentator’s commend Prof. Sunday Elom, Vice-Chancellor, AE-FUNAI, saying that the elevation of Dr Ossai Ndudi to the rank of Professor stands as a powerful testament to the exemplary leadership, foresight and moral courage of Prof. Elom. The promotion has been widely welcomed within…

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Youth Leader Beheaded, Aide Shot Dead in Suspected Cult Attack in Rivers

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Photo: Masked Gun Man By Mandy Park The President of the Omoku Youth Federation, Comrade Ifeanyi Azuazu, and his aide, Chigozie Oluwu, have been killed in a violent, cult-related attack in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State. The incident occurred on Thursday evening, February 5, at a popular bar along Ogolo Street, off Palace Road. Eyewitnesses said about seven armed men, suspected to be cultists, arrived at the location in two vehicles and immediately targeted Azuazu. According to accounts, the assailants ordered Azuazu into one of the…

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Group writes Trump, EU, advocates US, UAE restructuring model for Nigeria

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PHOTO: President Trump By: Mandy Park A group identified as Lovers of Hope and Care Foundation has made a passionate appeal to President Donald Trump of the United States of America(USA) and the European Union, (EU), to support the group’s advocacy for peaceful and strategic restructuring of Nigeria, modeling it after countries like the United States of America (USA) and the United Arab Emirates, UAE. In separate letters to President Trump and the European Union(EU) the group said it drew inspiration from the governance architecture and federal principles of the…

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Shehu Sani: Trump’s Invitation to Remi Tinubu Signals Softening U.S. Stance on Nigeria

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Photo: Shehu Sani By: Mandy Park Human rights activist and former lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has suggested that the United States is gradually easing its previously tough stance on Nigeria. Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the Senate, made the assertion on Thursday night via a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle. His comments followed the invitation extended to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, by U.S. President Donald Trump to attend the 74th Annual National Prayer Breakfast held on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. During the event,…

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