The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Kafilat Ogbara, has appealed to Nigerians to support a bill seeking to allocate 182 legislative seats exclusively for women across the country.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, the Lagos lawmaker representing Kosofe Federal Constituency highlighted the persistent underrepresentation of women in elected positions, despite their significant population and contributions to national development.

“I urge all stakeholders, government officials, civil society organisations and citizens at large to rally behind this crucial bill,” she said.

“It is time to dismantle the barriers that have historically hindered women’s participation in politics and governance.”

Ogbara explained that the proposal goes beyond politics, it is a deliberate effort to deepen inclusive democracy and ensure that women’s voices are heard and reflected in governance.

“Together, let us champion this cause and pave the way for a more equitable Nigeria, one that values and amplifies women’s voices for inclusive growth and national development,” she added.

According to Ogbara, the bill seeks to create one additional reserved seat for women in each state and the Federal Capital Territory across both chambers of the National Assembly.

Additionally, it proposes three reserved seats for women in every state House of Assembly.

“This bill is not just about increasing numbers, it’s about ensuring that women’s perspectives, needs, and rights are reflected in policymaking. It aligns with international obligations like the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on gender equality,” she stressed.

Supporting the initiative, Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the FCT, reinforced the need for women’s inclusion in national leadership. She noted that when women commit to a cause, they deliver results.

“This bill is not just about more women in parliament, it is about unlocking the full potential of our country for faster, more sustainable development,” Kingibe said.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Representative, Ms Elsie Attafuah, also applauded the 10th National Assembly for championing the cause of gender inclusion. She described the bill as a milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

“This is not just a proposal; it is a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic evolution,” Attafuah stated. She praised the contributions of Nigerian women in various sectors, including the national football team, the Super Falcons, who recently won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Highlighting the urgency of the matter, Attafuah noted that women currently occupy less than 5% of legislative positions in Nigeria.

“It is a call to dismantle systemic barriers and foster inclusive governance,” she emphasized.

Adding her voice, Nikky Onyeri, Secretary-General of the Association of Women Traditional Title Holders in Nigeria, described the bill as “timely and essential,” and urged the legislature and executive arms of government to ensure its passage.

“We plead with lawmakers and the executive to pass this bill. I’m optimistic, especially with President Bola Tinubu’s gender-friendly disposition. The House leadership is showing strong support, and the time is now,” Onyeri said.

Kennedy Ahanotu, the National Youth Leader of the Labour Party (LP), has officially announced his intention to run for president in the 2027 general elections.

With this declaration, Ahanotu becomes the first party member to openly join the presidential race under the LP banner.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with DAILY GAZETTE on Tuesday, the 41-year-old expressed that Nigeria needs a clean slate built on reform, patriotism, and capable leadership.

“I am contesting for the highest office in the land to offer Nigeria and Nigerians a fresh start rooted in institutional transformations and overhauling, so that together we can rise again,” Ahanotu stated.

“At the point where we are today, I think that things have been muddled up too badly that we need to press the industrial reset button so we can start afresh to build a sustainable democracy that works for all Nigerians.”

Arguing for a generational shift in leadership, Ahanotu pointed to historical examples of young leaders in Nigeria’s past, such as former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who assumed power at just 29 years old.

“Every man is born for a purpose. I believe that I carry the burden of impactful leadership. Hence, there is no better time to start the pursuit of the vision than now,” he added.

Though he acknowledged that he may be older than some past youthful leaders, Ahanotu insisted that he is fully qualified for the presidency in every essential aspect—moral, academic, constitutional, emotional, and mental.

Addressing whether he would vacate his position as LP Youth Leader due to his presidential ambition, he clarified that it was not required by party rules, but he is open to stepping aside when the time is right.

“The constitution of my party does not stipulate that I give up my position to aspire for a political elective position.

“However, I don’t mind when the time comes or when we get to a certain point because I believe there is a higher calling for greater leadership impact if I become the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Ahanotu said.

On the possibility of withdrawing from the race if LP’s leadership, under Julius Abure, endorses another aspirant, Ahanotu said he remains a loyal party member and would adhere to internal processes.

“Until such reality dawns before I can be able to answer this because as a loyal party man, I am bound by the party constitution and internal mechanism of my political party.
‘For me, it’s always wisdom to obey convincing institutional (party) directives,” he said.

When questioned about campaign funding and whether he had any political godfather, Ahanotu declined to go into detail, though he acknowledged the cost involved in a presidential bid.

“Well, I don’t have to talk about that now because I do understand adequately what it takes to run for presidency, given the current monetisation reality of our electoral system.

“I believe when the time comes for nomination/expression of interest purchase, we’ll see if money can stop us,” he said.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Deputy Controller-General Olumode Samuel Adeyemi as the next Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service.

His appointment will take effect from August 14, 2025.

The announcement was made in a statement released on Wednesday by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), and signed by its Secretary, Major General A.M. Jibril (retd.), on behalf of the President.

“This appointment follows the imminent retirement of the current Controller-General, Engr. Abdulganiyu Jaji, on August 13, 2025, upon attaining the age of 60,” the statement noted.

According to the CDCFIB, Olumode is well-qualified for the role, having risen through the ranks after moving from the FCT Fire Service to the Federal Fire Service.

He most recently served as Deputy Controller-General in charge of Human Resources at the Service’s headquarters.

“In the course of his career, the Officer has attended and passed all mandatory in-service trainings, command course as well as other courses within and outside the country,” the statement added.

Olumode holds memberships and fellowships in multiple professional organizations, including the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, the Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria, the Institute of Public Administration of Nigeria, and the Chartered Institute of Treasury Management of Nigeria.

The Board also expressed gratitude to the outgoing Controller-General, describing his leadership as impactful.

It said, “The Board appreciates his remarkable contributions to the development of the Federal Fire Service,” and praised his “dedication and commitment to the service, and the numerous initiatives he spearheaded during his period of service.”

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has disclosed that it turned down significant financial offers aimed at persuading the party to withdraw from its role in Nigeria’s opposition bloc.

The revelation was made by ADC’s founder and pioneer National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday evening.

Addressing top party officials, including members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT), Nwosu described the attempted inducements as part of a broader scheme to undermine Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.

“We have taken these steps so that Nigerian democracy can return to the right path,” he said.

“While some individuals or one party try to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, a fascist state, it was only the ADC that said, No. Our party, the ADC, stood firm. And Nigerians embraced us for that.”

Nwosu condemned what he described as the excessive monetization of politics in Nigeria, asserting that ADC leaders refused every financial proposal both domestic and international over the past year.

“No matter how much money you spend, you can’t fight all Nigerians. Some politicians, opportunistic as they are believe it’s all about money. They say, ‘if you can’t get them with this amount, just add more.’ But in the ADC, especially among the NWC members, we said, No. We rejected every offer, both in Nigeria and abroad, over the past year,” he stated.

“ADC leaders stood firm and said, ‘Enough is enough.’ We are determined to put our democracy first. Our democracy is back on track. And you know what. We are expanding everywhere because of competence.”

Reflecting on the party’s evolution, Nwosu noted the transformation of ADC from a relatively minor political party to one of the most prominent in the country, despite mounting political and economic challenges.

He added, “If you go to every local government in this country whether it’s in the North, Southeast, Southwest, North Central, Northeast, or Northwest the number of people registering every day exceeds that of any other party. Our website crashed three times because of the number of young people trying to register online.”

Describing recent party milestones, Nwosu highlighted how internal collaboration among NEC, NWC, and BoT members strengthened the ADC.

“Navigating the process that brought us here what we did on July 1st was one of the toughest processes. But we did it together,” he said.

“We’ve gone from being a party that struggled to win five House of Representatives seats we won about five or six, but three were lost at the tribunal, and we ended up with two.”

“Now, that same party, because of clear steps taken, is running for Nigeria and for our democracy. We all agreed to do everything possible. Today, your party has over 100 elected persons even without an election about 28 senators and 46 House of Representatives members. The number of State House of Assembly members we have is hard to count, but they are over 50.”

Also speaking at the NEC meeting, ADC interim National Chairman, David Mark, assured party members of a new era of principled leadership and inclusiveness.

He promised to uphold democratic values and reject any form of imposition or favoritism within the party.

“I assure you that under my leadership, we shall be committed to full democratic practices and principles that abhors imposition and special privileges. Internal democracy, transparency and accountability will be our mantra,” Mark said.

“We will guarantee collective leadership at all levels. We will build a technically competent bureaucracy for the party and ensure a structured financing. All members will truly own the party,” he continued.

“We will be fair and just to all party members. We promise to be totally transparent. ADC will have zero tolerance for anti-party and other forms of indiscipline.”

Mark said the party would revamp its grassroots structures to align with modern realities, empowering all levels from polling units to the national leadership.

“We will open the gates for the next generation. Our policies, nominations, and leadership roles will reflect meaningful inclusion of youths and women and not just tokenism.”

“This is why we have reserved 35% of our leadership positions for women. It is also our commitment to have youths below the age of 40 years in our leadership,” he declared.

Looking ahead, Mark revealed that the party would soon initiate a major policy overhaul.

“Within the shortest possible time, the NWC will raise committees to review the manifesto and the constitution of our party to meet and reflect the aspirations of the Nigerian people,” he explained.

“We shall clearly articulate what we stand for. Nigerians must know us as a party driven by unblemished ideology, progressive policies, and patriotic governance. We will not leave it to the discretion of individual candidates to choose what to do with power,” he stated.

Mark announced plans to inaugurate a 50-member Policy Committee to focus on sectors including health, education, agriculture, technology, security, and infrastructure.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has officially withdrawn the controversial indigeneship bill from the National Assembly, citing growing public concern and expert feedback.

In a statement released Tuesday night, Kalu explained that the decision to withdraw the bill was informed by “concerns and constructive feedback received from various stakeholders regarding the bill.”

He further highlighted the role of a detailed analysis conducted by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), which recommended a reassessment of the bill’s provisions.

Although Kalu defended the bill’s intent, stating it aimed “to promote national unity, equity, and inclusiveness among all Nigerians, regardless of where they reside,” he acknowledged that the current climate necessitated further engagement.

The NILDS report underscored the importance of allowing State Houses of Assembly to legislate in a way that would grant settlers in their states equal rights and privileges as indigenes.

Kalu, who also serves as Chairman of the House Constitution Review Committee, reaffirmed his dedication to responsive lawmaking: “I am committed to ensuring that every legislative proposal reflects the wishes of the people.”

Meanwhile, the bill has also sparked confusion over its sponsorship, leading to a clarification from James Abiodun Faleke, the lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency.

Faleke strongly denied any involvement, issuing a firm rebuttal against claims that he co-sponsored the proposal.

“Let me state categorically that I am not a co-sponsor of the Bill. Any suggestion to the contrary is entirely false and misleading,” Faleke stated.

“I do not support the Bill, and I believe it stands no chance of being ratified by the states. It is, therefore, unreasonable to suggest that I would align myself with such a proposal.”

Faleke urged Nigerians to “disregard the unfounded claims and remain guided by verified facts,” distancing himself completely from the legislative proposal.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally warned State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) that announcing local government elections with only 21 days’ notice violates the Electoral Act 2022 and existing Supreme Court rulings.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, issued the caution during a meeting in Abuja with the leadership of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON).

He stressed that insufficient advance notice undermines electoral credibility and legal integrity, particularly highlighting that while INEC doesn’t directly conduct LG polls, it is legally required to provide SIECs with the voters’ register, list of polling units, and the list of registered political parties.

“While both INEC and SIEC are creations of the Constitution, some responsibilities for electoral activities are actually exclusively those of INEC. For example, voter registration is the exclusive responsibility of INEC… We also create and allot voters to polling units, and we make these polling units available to the state electoral commissions.”

Yakubu emphasised that INEC has never withheld these resources and will continue to deliver them promptly:

“No State Independent Electoral Commission has ever been denied the voters register, the list of polling units, or the list of political parties for elections. We have always discharged this responsibility promptly, and will continue to do so.”

Citing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as a model, he noted that INEC had released its local election timetable over a year in advance, without reliance on caretaker committees:

“For instance, the next area council election in the FCT takes place in February next year. But early this year, we released the timetable and schedule of activities for the election, over 360 days ahead of the election as provided by law.”

Yakubu made clear that issuing only 21 days’ notice “…contravenes the judgment of the Supreme Court. It is also a practical problem. Within 21 days, how do you expect political parties to conduct primaries, nominate candidates, organize campaign, and for the electoral commission to conduct voter education, recruit and train ad‑hoc staff, manage logistics, and organize security for the election? It’s practically impossible to do that within 21 days.”

Meanwhile, FOSIECON Chairman and Head of the Kogi SIEC, Mamman Nda Eri, called for increased financial autonomy for SIECs and asked INEC for guidance on aligning state electoral laws with national standards, especially after the Supreme Court’s recent timeline ruling.