NEWS
Foundation Introduces Endowment Funds to Reward Outstanding Civil Servants
The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has introduced two categories of endowment funds to recognise and reward outstanding civil servants who demonstrate excellence, integrity and innovation in the line of duty.The Executive Vice Chair of the Foundation, Ms Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, made this known ahead of the inaugural International Civil Service Conference (ICSC) taking place in Abuja.
Aig-Imoukhuede said that the gesture was to further deepen the foundation’s partnership with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) to enhance public service delivery. According to her, the partnership builds on the foundation’s longstanding collaboration with the OHCSF, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing public sector excellence in Nigeria.“The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation is pleased to announce its role as a Diamond Partner at the inaugural ICSC, taking place from June 25 to June 26 in Abuja.“A notable feature of this year’s Civil Service Week is the expansion of the Emily Aig-Imoukhuede Endowment Fund, sponsored by the Foundation.“The Fund recognises and rewards outstanding civil servants who demonstrate excellence, integrity, and innovation,” she said.She said that two new award categories have been introduced.“They are the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award with a cash prize of N500,000 and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation EPIC Award with a cash prize of N250,000.”According to Aig-Imoukhuede, since its inception, the foundation has awarded over N50 million to 111 exceptional civil servants.She said that beyond recognition and awards, the foundation played a pivotal role in supporting the digitalisation of the OHCSF.“This groundbreaking initiative has inspired numerous ministries, departments and agencies to embark on their own digital transformation journeys.“This growing momentum has been further strengthened through the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with several ministries to expand and deepen these digitalisation efforts.“The International Civil Service Conference will provide a valuable platform for leaders across Africa’s public sector to exchange ideas, share innovations and forge new partnerships,” she said.She said that the event would further position Nigeria as a leader in Civil Service reform and highlight the importance of collaborative efforts in shaping the future of governance in Africa.Aig-Imoukhuede said that over the years, the foundation had worked closely with the OHCSF to drive meaningful reforms.“Together, we have co-developed initiatives such as the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP25) led digital transformation projects and invested in capacity-building programmes for civil servants,” she said.Aig- Imoukhuede said that central to these efforts was the foundation’s goal to build a critical mass of about 3,000 highly effective civil servants within the next decade.She said that they would be equipped with the skills and the leadership needed to drive sustainable change across Nigeria’s public sector.“This collaboration reflects our belief in the power of a world-class Civil Service to shape Africa’s future.“The foundation remains committed to building a public sector that truly delivers for all Africans,”she said(NAN)NEWS
The Morka Interview :When Facts Confront Falsehood
Sunday, April 5, 2026, was the Resurrection Sunday when our Lord and Saviour, Jesus, rose from the dead. It was, therefore, a great commemorative day for us as we gathered in Churches to celebrate and give God thanks.
But something else happened too: The APC National Publicity Secretary, Dr.
Felix Morka, was on TV, with Seun Akinbolaye of Channels as his host. It was a significant outing, and I urge Nigerians, irrespective of partisanship, to watch the interview on YouTube.To the teeming members of the overflowing APC Family, it will give them joy and pride that their official mouthpiece can cut through the maze of opposition gimmicky and deliberate obfuscation to tell Nigerians the unvarnished truth.
And members of opposition parties too, especially the ADC, listening to the Morka Interview will enable them to have a clearer understanding of the avoidable mess that the ADC invited upon itself via nonchalance and, perhaps, suicidal longings.
Morka has the reputation of a confident and deliberate speaker who articulates his points with clear, concise coherent and unassailable facts. And he couches them in grammatical finesse. In other words, Morka’s media outings are devoid of circumlocution, verbosity, ambiguities, sophistry, bombast, ambivalence, emotionalism or a recourse to rabble-rousing.
But last Sunday, Morka matched that reputation, and then out-did himself. His candour, his clarity, his delivery, his composure, his marshalling of his points, his photographic memory and his effortless churning of facts all added to his stellar performance.
But that was not all – his sharp mental reflexes were on display too, and he deployed these to deftly dissect political mischief from factual messaging. Plus, he as well firmly refused to have political blackmail and brinkmanship brought to the exalted table of serious political
discourse.
All these point to one thing i.e. the ruling party has made a good investment in the choice of the Harvard Alumnus for its strategic communications-cum-image-management role.
I have referred readers to the Morka Interview on YouTube, and I don’t want to kill the building suspense, but permit me tantalise you with these quotes:
“The political predicament that the ADC has found itself in is self-inflicted. We have nothing to do with it. This latest round of confusion within that party resulted from a decision of the Court of Appeal in an appeal filed by the ADC itself.
Morka, like most Nigerians, asked the natural question: “What exactly is the matter?”
And he answered: “Now, apparently, ADC has a long-standing member of the party who was, in fact, the deputy national chairman of that party.”
But Morka was just warming up:
“Now, fast-forward. When Atiku, David Mark and all of them parachuted into that party to take it over, they did so and apparently one of the members of the party felt aggrieved by the way and manner he was sidelined. This is because, according to him, in line with their constitution, he actually was the successor to the office when the then national chairman quit his position.”
An ADC governorship candidate in Adamawa state, Sen. Ishaku Elisha Abbo, corroborated this when he agreed, a few days back, that Nafiu Bala Gombe was actually promised the position of Deputy National Chairman (North) before he resigned, but the new leadership ignored him, and rather gave the position to ex-SGF, Babachir Lawal!
According to Morka, the question Nigerians should be asking is how the ADC got itself into this legal quandary?
Again, he answered most kindly and most insightfully: “It got to court because the party leaders failed miserably to engage effectively with that individual, apparently.
“The court in dealing with an application for an interim injunction, ordered the ADC to show Cause why the application for injunction should not be granted.
He continued: “And the ADC, rather than show cause (and the court was very gracious in putting them on notice) as at September the 2nd when the case was filed, the ADC decided to rush to the Appeal Court to appeal what was not, in fact, appealable; there was
nothing to appeal as there was no substantive order of court to appeal.”
A bewildered Morka went on: “And in doing so, they did not seek the leave of court as it’s mandatory in all interlocutory matters. The ADC rushed to court without seeking the leave of court. That’s a blunder that’s unforgivable, completely hard to understand. Even a rookie lawyer will not make that mistake.”
Implying that mass or numbers don’t necessarily equate wisdom, Morka rued: “But here are these eminent citizens, highly experienced, vice president, governors, minsters… all of them put together could not instruct themselves to do the right thing which was to apply for leave.”
He explained further: “And the Court of Appeal dismissed that appeal as it should. But the Court of Appeal also granted them a window by saying: ‘Go back to court, the Federal High Court, with an order of accelerated hearing, knowing fully well that the election season was around the corner.'”
Wondering about the strangeness of ADC next course of action, the APC national publicity scribe told Seun: “The ADC rather than go to the legal boardroom to figure out how to order its affairs and respond to this legal exigency, decided to go to the media to issue press conferences and press releases and all of that to castigate the APC, that we are responsible for their predicament.”
These quotes are tantalisers, appetizers that are meant to whet our appetites and prepare us for the main course: the Interview on YouTube. It’s a Must-Watch, a Must-Share and a Must-Discuss.
But even without the video, even from just these snippets, as we say in the Tiv Country: “Dôcutô Felix Morka bee tom.” Translation: “Dr. Felix Morka has finished the work.”
He has diagnosed the ADC sickness correctly (and even jokingly suggested a prescription):
One, after “parachuting” to the ADC high-table, the “twinkle-twinkle little stars” refused, neglected or failed to effectively engage all critical stakeholders.
Two, and when the refusal/negligence eventuated in the courts, the ADC leadership chose loud press conferences over diligent court processes!
On these twin-pillars rests the ADC quagmire. Its promise of replacing President Bola Tinubu with one of its own, Come May 39, 2027, has become powder. And its boasts of upstaging the APC from power have become sneering boos from an overwhelmingly skeptical public.
Let the Nigerian public beware. And so also the international community.
We are fond of quoting the Chinese proverb that says: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” What we fail to understand is that that proverbial “first step” must be in the right direction.
Simon Imobo-Tswam,
a retired newspaper editor and Former Media Adviser to two National Chairmen, writes from Abuja.
NEWS
2027: Tinubu Appoints Yusuf-John as Campaign Director of Transport, Road Safety
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Dr. Suberu Yusuf-John has been appointed as the National Director of Transportation and Road Safety in a leading campaign support group for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The appointment, made by Barrister Seyi Tinubu, was conveyed to Yusuf-John in a letter signed by Arc.
Felix O. Arome, National Secretary of the “Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria (RTIFN) Support Group and made available to journalists in Lokoja.In the letter, Yusuf-John was directed to assume duty with immediate effect.
According to the letter, Yusuf-John, who currently serves as Senior Special Assistant to Gov.
Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State—brings extensive experience in transportation management and road safety administration.In his new role, he (Yusuf-John) was expected to coordinate campaign logistics and ensure safety operations across all 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The appointment is widely seen as a strategic move that further strengthens his profile as a frontline aspirant for the Adavi/Okehi Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general elections.
In his reaction, Yusuf-John expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Barrister Seyi Tinubu, the RTIFN Director General (DG), Hon. Bala Ahmed, the National Secretary, and all critical stakeholders for the opportunity given to him to serve as director for the 2027 re-election campaign of Mr. President.
He added that the appointment has significantly enhanced his political profile and reaffirmed his commitment to national service.
Yusuf-John also commended the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of President Bola Tinubu, noting that “The Renewed Hope Agenda and ongoing reforms are yielding positive impacts for Nigerians.
“Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 will no doubt place Nigeria on a stronger path of economic growth and development.”
Dr. Yusuf-John, a politician and philanthropist, has recently intensified his grassroots engagement through pre-election initiatives, including the award of scholarships to 40 students and the distribution of food items to over 1,500 indigent persons, financial support to over 100 businesses.
NEWS
2027: Faleke Supporters Declare for Tinubu, Ododo, Collapse Political Structure
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Faleke Youth Vanguard, a political support group loyal to Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, has declared total support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo ahead of the 2027 general elections, announcing the collapse of its political structure into the mainstream of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State.
The group disclosed that the decision followed a directive from Hon.
Faleke himself, signaling a strong alignment with the leadership of the party at both the national and state levels.Speaking at the event, Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, described Hon.
James Faleke as a committed and selfless leader who has consistently invested his time and resources in the service of the people.Governor Ododo urged the people of the state to continue to support the administration, emphasizing that governance is a collective responsibility driven by the mandate of the people.
“We must agree to work together as one family. We must sit at the table to examine our challenges and proffer joint solutions—not for personal interests, but for the overall development of our dear state,” the Governor said.
He assured the people of his administration’s continued commitment to sincere service and called on political aspirants to engage meaningfully with the grassroots in seeking support, stressing that Kogi State belongs to all.
The Governor also expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his sustained support to Kogi State, particularly in advancing critical infrastructure such as the Lokoja-Abuja road, assuring the President of the unwavering loyalty and support of the people of the state.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Forum of Senior Special Assistants (SSAs), Hon. Bode Adeyemi, described the Faleke Youth Vanguard as a formidable political force that has consistently identified with the developmental strides of the Ododo administration. He noted that the collapse of the group’s structure reflects the growing unity within the APC in Kogi State.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of the Faleke Youth Vanguard, Hon. Kehinde Alamo, expressed profound appreciation to Governor Ododo for what he described as visible and impactful development across the state.
He commended the Governor’s leadership style, characterized by humility, dedication, and inclusiveness, noting that it has helped stabilize the political landscape and foster unity within the party.
Comrade Alamo reaffirmed the group’s unwavering support for the re-election of both President Tinubu and Governor Ododo in 2027, adding that the youth would mobilize across all 21 local government areas of the state to ensure victory at the polls.
He further disclosed that Hon. James Faleke has not only pledged total support but has also openly endorsed Governor Ododo’s re-election bid, describing the move as a demonstration of statesmanship and commitment to party cohesion.
The Women Leader of the group, Salihu Nana-Aisha, described Governor Ododo as a humble, committed, and people-oriented leader, assuring him of the continued support of women across the state.
Similarly, the APC Youth Leader in Lokoja, Buhari Lokoja, praised the Governor’s leadership as exemplary and results-driven, noting that it is worthy of emulation. He pledged the unflinching support of the youth for the administration and its 2027 re-election bid.
In their separate remarks, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo, Hon. Deedat Ozigi, Hon. Abdullahi Bello, and Hon. Wemi Jones commended Hon. James Faleke for aligning with Governor Ododo’s vision for the transformation of Kogi State. They highlighted the administration’s achievements across the three senatorial districts and described the growing unity within the party as a catalyst for sustained development.
The event marked a significant step in consolidating party unity and strengthening grassroots mobilization ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ends.

