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Constitution Review: Reps Unveil Summarized Compendium of 86 Bills to Aid Transparency, Clarity

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By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja

The House of Representatives yesterday unveiled a summarized Compendium of the 86 bills brought to further amend the country’s 1999 constitution.Chairman of the Committee on Constitution Review and Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who addressed correspondents in Abuja, said the essence was to enhance transparency and clarity.

The compendium, as unveiled, is organized into 13 thematic areas, including Electoral Reforms, Judicial Reforms, Legislature, Inclusive Governance, Security and Policing, Devolution of Powers and Strengthening of Institutions.
Others are Traditional Institutions, Fiscal Reforms, Citizenship and Indigeneship, Fundamental Human Rights, Local Government Reform and Creation of States & Local Governments.
In his briefing, the Deputy Speaker and Committee Chairman, Kalu, said the compendium provided a comprehensive overview of the proposed amendments, including explanatory memoranda, long titles, and detailed expositions of each bill.He also said that the move is aimed at fostering public engagement and soliciting inputs from Nigerians on the proposed legislative reforms, revealing that the House intends to use the feedback gathered from the public to inform its decisions when the bills are brought up for voting.Kalu added zonal public hearings will be held across the country, where stakeholders and members of the public will have the opportunity to scrutinize the bills, seek clarifications, and provide constructive inputs.He said: “86 Constitution Review Bills currently under consideration in the House will be presented to the general public in form of a compressed compendium consisting of a collation of explanatory memoranda, long titles and a comprehensive exposé of the Bills for their inputs.”The Bills, sponsored by Members of the House, represent legislative efforts aimed at addressing various developmental challenges affecting governance practices in Nigeria.”The purpose of the summarized compendium are to present the Compendium as reference material to all stakeholders and members of the public during the Zonal Public Hearings, thereby enabling them to understand the legislative proposals; facilitate public engagement by allowing citizens to seek clarifications, critically examine the Bills based on their subject matter, and contribute through constructive input; foster the exchange of ideas during the Hearings, thereby providing Members of the House with valuable insights into the expectations and concerns of their constituents and the wider public. This will help guide their legislative actions and inform their decisions when the Bills are brought up for voting; provide feedback to members of the public who submitted memoranda, informing them whether and how their concerns have been addressed in the proposed amendments.”The House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is committed to ensuring broader participation by Nigerians and other critical stakeholders in the ongoing process of amending the Constitution. To achieve this, we will be embarking on zonal public hearings in 12 centers across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.”These hearings are designed to provide an open platform for citizens, civil society organizations, professional bodies, traditional institutions, and other interest groups to express their views and contribute meaningfully to the constitutional reform process.”The Zonal Public Hearings will hold in six centres of the three Geopolitical Zones in the North from Friday, 11th July to Sunday, 13th July 2025, and in six centres of the three Geopolitical Zones in the South from Friday, 18th to Sunday, 20th July, 2025 while the National Public Hearing will hold on Monday, July 21, 2025″.Kalu encouraged the members of the public to download the compendium, review the proposed bills, and provide feedback to inform the legislative process.”In conclusion, I call on all stakeholders and the general public to actively participate in the zonal and national public hearings. Your contributions and inputs are crucial to the success of this constitutional review process. We encourage you to download the summarized compendium of the bills from www.hccr.gov.ng review the proposals, and provide your feedback during the hearings. Together, we can create a more inclusive and effective constitution that reflects the aspirations of our great nation”, the Deputy Speaker said.”

NEWS

Unique Secondary School Expands Outreach, Honors Ogbodo, Launches Scholarships

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By David Torough, Abuja

Unique Secondary School Makurdi (USSM), a leading private educational institution in Benue State, continues to make significant strides in academic excellence and community impact.

In a bold move to increase accessibility and reward excellence, the school has unveiled a new examination centre in Oju Local Government Area, launched a scholarship scheme for families with multiple children in the school, and honoured a distinguished alumnus, Dr.

Mark Ogbodo, by naming a recreational facility after him.

The newly inaugurated Dr. Mark Ogbodo Park was officially commissioned on July 24, during a colourful ceremony held at the school’s New GRA campus in Makurdi.

The event drew an impressive turnout of students, staff, parents, alumni, and dignitaries.

Chairman of Unique Schools and co-founder of USSM, Engr. Felix Atume led the commissioning, describing it as a tribute to dedication and impact.

Dr. Ogbodo, an author and founder of Lydia Memorial Hospital, Ugbokolo, was visibly moved by the honour.

In a social media post after the event, he wrote: “Who am I to deserve this great honour? What impact have I made on USSM? These thoughts flooded my mind as I stood speechless in awe.”

He praised the school leadership, particularly Principal Mr. Samuel Ortsega, and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) for the recognition.

Also unveiled at the event was a scholarship programme aimed at easing the financial burden on families with more than one child enrolled at USSM.

The initiative was met with excitement and gratitude from parents in attendance. Furthermore, the newly established Oju exam centre was widely applauded for eliminating the long travel often required for external examinations, especially for students living in remote areas.

Founded on September 1, 1998, by Engr. Atume and Mrs. Juliana Atume, a noted philanthropist, USSM has built a strong reputation for nurturing students through academic rigor and character development.

Originally a day school, it added a boarding facility in 2007 to cater to growing demand. Situated in a serene environment, the school provides a secure and conducive atmosphere for learning.

USSM is part of the larger Unique Schools family, which began with Unique Nursery and Primary School in 1995.

The secondary arm offers a comprehensive curriculum infused with entrepreneurial and vocational training in areas such as catering, fashion, cosmetology, and design—preparing students with practical skills for life beyond the classroom.

The school boasts modern infrastructure, including science laboratories, an ICT centre, a digital library, spacious classrooms, quality boarding facilities, a healthcare unit, and the expansive Engr. Felix Atume Hall. Recreational amenities include courts for basketball, volleyball, tennis, a football pitch, and indoor games like chess and scrabble.

In keeping with global trends, USSM has embraced digital innovations such as an online result-checking system and is planning an enhanced presence on social media.

The school runs a three-term calendar and prepares students for key national examinations including BECE, WAEC, and NECO.

Ambitious plans are underway to launch Unique Technical College, which will focus on technical and vocational education.

As the evening of July 24 transitioned into a celebratory dinner in honour of the 2025 graduating class, guests—including PTA members, parents, alumni, and staff—shared heartfelt goodwill messages. The PTA Chairman described the event as “unparalleled in the school’s history.”

Through initiatives like the Oju centre, new scholarships, and the celebration of alumni impact, Unique Secondary School Makurdi continues to set the benchmark for holistic and community-rooted education in Benue State.

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Foreign News

Zelensky Announces New Draft Law on Anti-corruption Bodies after Protests

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has approved the text of a draft law guaranteeing the freedom of two anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine – days after nationwide protests broke out over changes curbing their independence.

Kyiv’s Western partners had also expressed serious concerns over the legislation.

On Thursday, Zelensky seemed to backtrack, saying the new bill was intended to safeguard the independence of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap), and to protect them from Russian influence.

He said the text of the bill was “balanced”, but did not provide any details.

The law passed earlier this week brought Nabu and Sap under the control of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president.

At the time Zelensky justified his decision to curtail the bodies’ powers by citing Russian influence. The day before, Ukraine’s security services had carried out searches and arrests targeting alleged Russian spies at the agency.

The passing of the legislation instantly sparked the largest protests since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 in several cities across Ukraine, with many worrying the law would severely undermine the Nabu and Sap’s authority and effectiveness.

Thousands of people gathered in streets and squares across Ukraine, holding placards calling for the legislation to be vetoed.

Several commentators accused Zelensky of democratic backsliding. Their concerns were further exacerbated when Ukraine’s Western partners signalled their displeasure with the bill.

Ukraine has official EU candidate status and a spokesman for European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen previously warned Kyiv that the rule of law and the fight against corruption were “core elements” of membership to the bloc.

On Thursday, the Commission said it “welcomed” the Ukrainian government’s decision to take action against the bill.

“We are working [with the Ukrainian government] to make sure that our concerns… are indeed taken into account,” the spokesman said.

Nabu and Sap were created in 2014-15 as one of the requirements set by the European Commission and International Monetary Fund to move towards a relaxation of visa restrictions between Ukraine and the EU.

Writing on Facebook, opposition MP Oleksiy Goncharenko noted Zelensky said that “the independence of anti-corruption institutions must be guaranteed.”

“First we take it away, and then we say that it must be guaranteed. So why was all this necessary?”

In his message on social media on Thursday, Zelensky did not acknowledge the protests or the backlash but said it was “important that we respect the position of all Ukrainians and are grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine.”

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NEWS

Why I Quit Banking for Music – CDQ

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Nigerian rapper CDQ has revealed that he left a stable banking job to pursue his true passion, music.

In an interview, the hip-hop star shared that becoming a banker was a move to honor his late father’s wishes, but it wasn’t where his heart truly belonged.

“I quit my bank job.

I couldn’t tell my mother or any family member then.
I left the house and went to stay with Masterkraft in the studio,” he said.

CDQ admitted that while at the bank, he often found himself scribbling lyrics during work hours instead of focusing on his official duties.

The internal conflict eventually led him to a bold decision, quitting his job to chase a career in music.

According to him, even his close friend and producer, Masterkraft, was shocked when he learned about the decision. Interestingly, Masterkraft used to lend CDQ suits to wear to the bank.

“I told him banking isn’t my passion. I will probably just do it to make ends meet. But music is something that, whether it gives me a return or not, I’m still happy doing it,” CDQ added.

CDQ’s gamble paid off. He shot to fame in 2016 with his hit single “Indomie” featuring Masterkraft and Olamide.

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