NEWS
Tinubu Flags-off INEC Headquarters in Abuja

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday said the proposed Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters is not about bricks and mortar but it symbolizes strength of Nigeria’s democracy.Tinubu stated this at the official flag-off of the design and construction of a new INEC headquarters in Abuja.
He said INEC has been and remains the backbone of Nigeria’s democratic journey. Tinubu said construction of its headquarters signal the unwavering support from his administration for INEC’s autonomy, capacity and growth.According to him, “Today’s ceremony is not merely about bricks and mortar. It is about the strength of our democracy, the independence of our institutions, and the future of our electoral integrity.”INEC has been and remains the backbone of Nigeria’s democratic journey. Its role in conducting free, fair, and credible elections is central to the trust our people place in their government and in our democratic processes. For this reason, it is only right that such a pivotal institution is housed in a structure that reflects its dignity, responsibility, and national significance.”This new headquarters is a clear signal of our unwavering support for INEC’s autonomy, capacity, and growth. It will provide not just a home, but a hub for innovation, planning, training, and transparency in electoral administration”.He noted that Nigeria’s democracy is still growing and therefore assured that INEC is properly equipped in order to carry out its constitutional mandate with courage, fairness, and excellence.Addressing Nigerians he said, “To all Nigerians, I say this: democracy is not a destination but a journey. Together, let us strengthen our institutions, safeguard our freedoms, and protect the future”.The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike in his address said the project was awarded by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), in March 2025, which will be supervised by the FCT through the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).He therefore assured that the structure will be given all the time it is required to ensure that the project is completed during his first tenure.Chairman INEC Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, lamented that for years the Commission has been grappling with inadequate office accommodation and the present national headquarters is severely congested.He said, “Commissioned in December 1997, it was originally planned to cater for eight Commission members (a Chairman and seven full-time National Commissioners), ten Departments/Directorates and 500 staff. Since then, the activities of the Commission have become more extensive and the staff strength at the headquarters has more than doubled. Today, there are 13 full-time Commission members (a Chairman and 12 National Commissioners), 22 Departments/Directorates and 1,048 staff. Consequently, every facility is overstretched from offices to meeting rooms for the Commission’s 15 standing Committees and other activities, including regular engagements with stakeholders. General staff meetings always take place outside the Commission. In response, the Commission was compelled to rent two buildings in Wuse Zone II to ease the situation.”Over the last ten years, we made every effort to alleviate the situation until sometime last year when the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory came to the rescue. I wish to make it clear that this is not the first time that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) is constructing an office for the Electoral Commission. When the Commission relocated its headquarters from Lagos to Abuja in 1991, it was the FCDA that provided it with offices in Garki to accommodate the national headquarters as well as the FCT office.”When the facility became overstretched, the FCDA again built our present headquarters. The building in Garki now operates exclusively as our FCT Office. In fact, today’s ground breaking event is the third time in the last 34 years that the FCDA, in the discharge of its responsibilities, is stepping in to either provide office accommodation or alleviate the Commission’s space constraint.”As the end user of the facility, our technical department submitted the concept of the proposed building which is what the FCT is currently executing. We made provision for offices, meeting rooms, conference rooms, a 1,000-seat auditorium and offices for some of our IT-based facilities such as the Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC). Beyond these facilities, the building plan has provision for a museum to serve as a repository for the physical and digital history of elections and electoral activities in Nigeria. This will afford citizens, particularly students that regularly visit the Commission on excursion, the opportunity to appreciate the evolution of our electoral history as is the case in many jurisdictions around the world.”The main building opposite the present site shall remain the National Headquarters of the Commission. When completed, the new building will complement the main building. For me personally, this is a special occasion. After almost ten years of persistent effort, the construction of the INEC Annex Building is finally a reality”.The INEC Chairman on behalf of his team thanked Mr. President for making it happen.NEWS
Breaking: George Akume remains SGF – Presidency

The presidency says there has been no change in the status of Senator George Akume, as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
This is according to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Mr Onanuga says President Bola Tinubu, currently in Saint Lucia, has not made any new appointments.
He described the information circulating about Akume’s replacement as untrue, adding that agents of mischief fabricated it.
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NEWS
Diri Campaigns Against Drug Abuse, Trafficking

From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri yesterday, led a campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking as part of activities commemorating the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Diri advised people of the state, particularly the youths, to shun hard drugs and trafficking of illicit substances, saying they were harmful to their health and to the society.
The Bayelsa governor, who spoke shortly after the weekly Prosperity Walk exercise at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa, also urged youths to develop themselves by acquiring a skill and work towards actualising their God-given potential.
“We just completed a nine to 10km walk, which is a test of our fitness. As it is said, health is wealth.
“Today is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. We are not only observing the global campaign, we are also leading it here in Bayelsa.
“No one in his right senses goes to commit crime and violent acts except that individuals are under the influence of hard drugs. My advice to youths is to be self-confident, have the fear of God and develop your innate potential for you to become a star.”
He implored youths to emulate the shining example of a Bayelsa-born United States-based athlete, Victory Godah, who was discovered through the state’s sports programmes.
He commended her gesture of donating sporting equipment as a way of giving back to the state.
“Victory Godah from Ekeremor local government area was discovered here and because of her skill, she is now at the University of Minnesota, United States. She has given back to the state through sports equipment so that more of us can have that access.”
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, emphasised the importance of the weekly walk, stating that participants above 40 years would have their blood pressure controlled after taking about 5,000 steps.
Also, state chairman of the Drug Abuse, Addiction, Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee, Dr Peter Owonaro, said the committee’s outreach in the state had been a huge success, noting that a recent research indicated that the drug abuse prevalence rate in Bayelsa dropped by five per cent from 21.4 per cent.
Also, the state commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kanu Sunny, lauded the state government for its unprecedented support in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
He said the campaign was taken to secondary schools as well as tertiary institutions and encouraged all to join in the war against the menace.
Foreign News
Ally of Cameroon President, 92, Quits ‘Broken’ Government to Challenge Him

Issa Tchiroma Bakary – a prominent minister and long-time ally of President Paul Biya – has quit Cameroon’s government, in the hope of ending 92-year-old Biya’s four-decade grip on power in upcoming elections.
Just four months before the central African nation went to the polls, Tchiroma said the Biya administration he belonged to had “broken” public trust and he was switching to a rival party.
“A country cannot exist in the service of one man,” he said on Wednesday.
While he was communications minister, Tchiroma notably came under fire for denying – then backtracking on his denial – that Cameroonian soldiers had killed women and children in a viral video.
His other roles during almost two decades in government include being a spokesman for the Biya government, and, until his resignation on Tuesday, he was employment minister.
Paul Biya – the world’s oldest head of state – has yet to confirm if he will attempt an eighth term as president. Last year, the country banned reports on the president’s health following rumours he had died.
As this election approaches, high unemployment and soaring living costs are of concern to many Cameroonians, as are corruption and security. A separatist insurgency in the English-speaking provinces as well as jihadists operating in the northernmost region have forced many thousands of Cameroonians from their homes in the past decade.
Cracks in Tchiroma’s relationship with President Biya were blown open earlier this month, when he told crowds in his home city of Garoua that Biya’s time in power had not benefited them in any way.
Tchiroma, widely reported to be 75, continued this criticism in a 24-page manifesto released a day after his resignation – promising to dismantle “the old system” so that Cameroon could move beyond “abuse, contempt, and the confiscation of power”.
One of his proposed solutions is federalism – he is offering to hold a referendum on devolving more power to Cameroon’s 10 provinces. This has long been mooted by many as a solution to the country’s so-called Anglophone crisis.
Specifically addressing English-speaking Cameroonians, who have long complained of marginalisation and discrimination in Francophone-dominated public institutions, he said “you do not need people to speak for you – you need to be listened to” and that “centralisation has failed”.
Tchiroma also used his manifesto to say Cameroon “has been ruled for decades by the same vision, the same system. This model, long presented as a safeguard of stability, has gradually stifled progress, paralysed our institutions, and broken the bond of trust between the state and its citizens”.
As the October presidential election approaches, rights groups have condemned the government’s crackdown on dissent.
Shortly after Tchiroma announced his plans to run for the presidency, the government reportedly announced a ban on all political activities by his Cameroon National Salvation Front (CNSF) party in a sub-district of the Far North region – a part of the country where he is said to be an influential power-broker.
Weeks earlier, fellow presidential hopeful Maurice Kamto had his movements curtailed during a two-day police stakeout in Douala, after promising supporters at a rally in Paris that he would protect Biya and his family if he wins in October.
Parliamentary elections that were also supposed to take place earlier this year have been delayed until 2026.
Reaction to Tchiroma’s presidential bid has been mixed – some think he is canny.
“By positioning himself as the elder statesman who ‘saw the fire coming’, Tchiroma is hedging that his break with Biya will be seen as bold – not opportunistic,” Cameroonian analyst and broadcaster Jules Domshe said.
“From economic fallout to youth unemployment, insecurity, and growing unrest in the North-West, South-West, and Far North [regions], Cameroon is ripe for change.”
Opposition voices are divided – some want Tchiroma to support Kamto, who was the runner-up in 2018 with 14% of votes. But others say he is tainted by his long association with Biya.
“He cannot embody change… He was part of the system for too long. The youth do not trust him,” says Abdoulaye Harissou, a legal notary and prominent critic once detained by the government.
Another member of the opposition – Jean Michel Nintcheu of the APC coalition – simply said: “We don’t see Tchiroma as a potential winner.”
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