COVER
Soft Landing for Secondus as PDP Fixes Convention for October

It was a sort of respite for the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), prince Uche Secondus as the party settles for its national convention to be conducted before the end of October.
There have been incessant calls for the resignation of Secondus by different party stakeholders including the youths who protested at the party’s secretariat for the second day running as well as members of the House of Representatives who also called for the exit of the Chairman.
Although the tenure of the National Working Committee, (NWC), was due to end by December 6, anxious stakeholders of the party including the 13 PDP governors, the Board of Trustees (BoT) and other organs of the party, in a kind of soft landing for Secondus brought the convention forward in what is seen as a win-win for both the anti and pro Secondus agitators.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the second day of the meeting, Sokoto state governor and chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal, said a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will be convened next week, following which a Convention Planning Committee (CPC) would be constituted.“This meeting has agreed that immediately a NEC meeting should be convened for the party to constitute the national convention planning committee and the national convention should be held latest by the end of October.
“As party members of the BoT, members of the governor forum, members of former governors forum, former ministers, former Senators, former Presiding officer of the National Assembly and various stakeholders, we are very happy to announce that we have discussed all matters and we have resolved to continue to work as a united family.
“Also, the zoning committee for the party should also be constituted by the same NEC immediately,” he said, adding that “the NEC of the party shall meet most likely next week and all the issues will be addressed.”Tambuwal, also announced that Secondus in his capacity as the National Chairman of the party will convene the NEC meeting.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives earlier in his opening remarks, admonished Nigerians to ignore the talks that the PDP governors were on the verge of dumping the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) before the 2023 elections.
“You can see clearly that 13 out of 13 of your governors, your ambassadors are in this meeting, fully committed to not only resolving the issues at hand, but also working assiduously toward delivering good governance in our respective states and moving our party forward.
“Speaking on behalf of my colleagues, we have resolved; we are committed to remaining in PDP.
“Disregard any rumour, every rumour that any of these distinguished leaders are going anywhere.“We are in PDP, we are going to remain in PDP and by the grace of God, we shall be working together to salvage Nigeria.
“If you say you’re going somewhere, where will you go to? The APC is not a party.
“They do not have ward structure as we speak. They do not have a local government structure as we speak. They do not have state structures as we speak. They do not have national structure as we speak.“APC has never had, and is not having, a BoT. So where are you going? Are you defecting to the federal government?
“The federal government is not there because. Ask my colleagues who are in APC.
“One of them came out to say that when his students were abducted that he saw no help. He received no help from the federal government, and he is APC governor. So what are we talking about?
“There is no party to defect to, there is no government to defect to. We better remain and work together, reinvent our party, and work towards the establishment of a government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
However, it is left to be seen how the upcoming events will pan out because while the governors were meeting, the youths continued to protest at the headquarters demanding for the unconditionally resignation of Secondus.
“We are committed to resolving all the issues we have, and you will soon hear from us; what our own views and position are as your children, as people that you have facilitated and helped to put in office, and not your financiers.”
Meanwhile, protesters, Tuesday, again besieged the national secretariat of the PDP, calling for the removal of the national chairman.
The protesters under the aegis of Arewa PDP Support Group displayed placards with inscriptions such as “Red card Secondus”, “Secondus should resign”, “Secondus must go now” while chanting “Secondus Must Go”.
Leader of the group, Yahaya Salisu explained that they were demanding Secondus’ removal over his failure to strengthen the party since his election in 2017.
Reading a letter addressed to the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) dated August 10, signed by the National Coordinator and National Secretary, Desmond Minakaro, the leader said, “the national leadership of Arewa PDP Support Group met with its 19 Northern states coordinators in Kaduna on 5th August 2023 and deliberated extensively on the state of affairs of our party, PDP.
“After hours of deliberations and overall assessment of the crisis rocking the party and a possible way forward, we arrived at our decisions.”
Meanwhile, the PDP meeting was attended by all 13 PDP governors including deputy governor of Zamfara state, Mohammed Mahdi Gusau, former Senate Presidents, Senators David Mark and Bukola Saraki.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state, who chairs the PDP e-registration committee, told leaders of the party that less than 24 hours after the scheme was flagged off, over 10,000 Nigerians have registered as new members of the PDP.
COVER
FG Disburses N5.12bn Pension Arrears to 90,689 DBS Pensioners

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Federal Government has released funds for the disbursement of N5.12 billion in pension arrears to 90,689 Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners under the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate.This was contained in a statement by the Head of Corporate Communications of PTAD, Olugbenga Ajayi.
He said that the directorate had finalised the disbursement of the money. The Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and Prisons Pension Department (CIPPD) pensioners are 8,626, received N276,032, for one-month arrears; the Police, Pension Department (PPD) pensioners are 9,681, received N619,584, for two months as arrears. The Civil Service Pension Department (CSPD) pensioners are 12,773, received N408,736, for one-month arrears, and the Parastatals Pension Department (PAPD) pensioners are 59,609, received N3,814,He said that the payment reaffirms the administration’s commitment to ensuring that pensioners receive their due entitlements in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola TinubuAccording to the statement, the approvals align with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.“This move shows President Tinubu’s strong commitment to senior citizens’ welfare and marks a new era in DBS pension management,” said PTAD, Executive Secretary, Tolulope Odunaiya.Among the key measures is the immediate implementation of an extra budgetary allocation to enforce new pension rates for DBS pensioners.The President also endorsed the adoption of a proposed pension harmonisation policy, which will be incorporated into the 2026 pension budget. Additionally, health insurance coverage for all DBS pensioners has been approved, ensuring access to essential healthcare services.The proposed reforms include a new pension rate of N32,000 and incremental increases of 10.66% and 12.95% for pensioners from defunct and privatised agencies. Other components of the reform package include harmonisation of pension rates across all DBS pensioners and their enrolment into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).In June, PTAD announced the successful disbursement of N8.6 billion in pension arrears to 148,625 eligible DBS pensioners across various sectors. The payments reflect the implementation of the N32,000 pension increment approved by President Tinubu in 2024.PTAD had previously settled arrears related to the first pension increment of 20% to 28%, which came into effect in January 2024.COVER
NAF Offensive Decimates 592 Terrorists, Destroys 372 Assets in Eight Months

By David Torough, Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has killed no fewer than 592 terrorists and destroyed 372 enemy assets in Borno within the last eight months, surpassing the total operational gains recorded in 2024.A statement by NAF’s spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame yesterday said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, said this during a courtesy visit to Gov.
Babagana Zulum of Borno. Abubakar said the offensive had destroyed 206 technical vehicles and 166 logistics hubs in deep hostile territory, with coordinated day-and-night strikes from Gonori to Rann, Dikwa to Damboa, Azir to Mallam Fatori.He said the offensive had been boosted by the deployment of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft capable of precision and night missions, Mi-171 helicopters for medical evacuation and logistics, and enhanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms for round-the-clock target tracking.He added that a new Mi-35 gunship was expected to further intensify close-air support for ground troops in the theatre.“Backed by an upgraded fleet and precision night-strike capabilities, NAF aircraft executed 798 combat sorties, clocking over 1,500 operational flight hours in the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai.“This year, our air war is faster, sharper, and more surgical.“We are taking out high-value targets, crippling their logistics, and hunting down every cell that threatens the peace of the North-East,” he said.The CAS also praised the “Borno Model” of combining community-driven non-kinetic measures with decisive military action, saying it had proven effective in the counter-insurgency campaign.He also inspected facilities at the NAF Base, met with aircrew and ground personnel, and received operational briefings.He reaffirmed the NAF’s commitment to precision air power, intelligence-led operations, and inter-agency collaboration to protect Nigerians.In his response, Gov. Zulum praised the NAF for its sustained air support in degrading terrorist capabilities and protecting communities.According to him, the NAF has been a steadfast partner in their fight against insurgency.“Your operations have saved countless lives and allowed our communities to begin rebuilding.“The people of Borno recognise your sacrifices and stand firmly behind you,” he said.COVER
Over 8,000 Mentally ill Inmates in Custody Nationwide, Says NCoS

By Divine Ndukwe, Abuja
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has disclosed that at least 8,246 inmates across the country’s custodial centres are living with mental health conditions.Assistant Controller General of Corrections in charge of Medical Services, Dr.
Glory Essien, revealed the figures yesterday in Abuja during the third public hearing of the Independent Investigative Panel on Alleged Corruption, Abuse of Power, Torture and Other Inhumane Treatment by the NCoS. Essien described incarceration as a deeply stressful experience, noting that the loss of freedom can trigger or worsen mental health conditions. She explained that inmate-leaders are trained to identify and report cases of psychological distress for early intervention, but available resources remain insufficient.“If you’re in a facility housing 500 to 1,000 inmates, with just one doctor or psychologist, monitoring everyone individually is impossible,” she said, citing logistical and funding challenges that hamper adequate care.Similarly, the NCoS Assistant Controller General in charge of Pharmaceutical Services, Mohammed Bashir, acknowledged that drug shortages and limited staffing remain major obstacles despite government funding.He revealed that a psychological services unit has been established, partnering with psychiatric associations to visit major facilities, though resources still fall short of demand.Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, called for urgent private sector support, stressing the need to deploy more psychiatric professionals to underserved states. “Please come to Macedonia and help us,” she appealed to the Nigerian Medical Association and pharmaceutical companies.Meanwhile, in Kwara State, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has expressed alarm over rising mental health issues among doctors, linking the trend to burnout, workplace violence, and poor working conditions.Kwara NMA Chairman, Prof. Olushola Abdulrahman Afolabi, said a significant proportion of doctors experience depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders, often without seeking help due to stigma.Former NMA chairman, Prof. Issa Baba Awoye, warned that current figures could be worse than past studies, especially in resource-poor settings.The NMA is advocating for mandatory mental health evaluations for doctors, alongside increased awareness and stigma reduction campaigns. “Our healthcare system can only be as strong as the mental and physical well-being of those who sustain it,” Afolabi stated.Both the NCoS and NMA agree that mental health care must be prioritized, not just for inmates, but for those tasked with caring for the nation.