President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor Attahiru Jega, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as Presidential Adviser and Coordinator of Presidential Livestock Reforms.

The appointment was disclosed by Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday night.

Jega, who served as INEC Chairman from 2010 to 2015, will now play a key role in driving livestock reforms across the country.

“President Bola Tinubu appoints Professor Attahiru Jega as Presidential Adviser and Coordinator of Presidential Livestock Reforms,” Onanuga announced.

The appointment follows Tinubu’s decision in July 2024 to create the Ministry of Livestock Development to tackle longstanding conflicts between farmers and herders.

The ministry, established on the recommendation of the National Livestock Reforms Committee, aims to implement policies that will modernize livestock management and reduce violent clashes between farmers and nomadic cattle herders.

Jega, a former Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, had previously co-chaired the Presidential Livestock Reforms Committee alongside Tinubu.

The committee’s work led to the creation of the Livestock Ministry and other sustainable solutions for the sector.

At 68 years old, Jega remains an influential figure in governance.

He is a member of the International Elections Advisory Council and currently serves as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, Kano State.

Students in Anambra State have pledged to purchase the nomination form for Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s re-election ahead of the November 8, 2025 governorship election.

The commitment was made by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council, Anambra State, during a press briefing in Awka on Friday.

Speaking on behalf of the students, Okoye Okpara, Chairman of the council and National Coordinator of the Solution Students Movement of Nigeria, said the decision was driven by Soludo’s exemplary leadership and dedication to youth development.

He urged the governor to publicly declare his re-election bid, warning that if he failed to do so within 30 days, students would stage protests across Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, and Ekwulobia to demand his declaration.

“The protest will not be destructive,” Okpara clarified. “It is simply to compel the governor to make his ambition known. The election is just nine months away, and we believe it’s time for him to declare his intention.”

He highlighted Soludo’s impactful policies, particularly the ‘One Youth, Two Skills’ initiative, which has benefited students across the state.

“We are taking this step to appreciate the governor’s commitment to students’ welfare and the transformation of Anambra State,” he added.

The students reiterated their full support for Soludo’s second-term bid, emphasizing their readiness to mobilize resources for his nomination form as a mark of gratitude for his governance approach.

The Labour Party (LP) has extended an invitation to the 36 Lagos State House of Assembly members who backed the removal of Speaker Mudasiru Obasa and briefly installed his deputy, Mojisola Meranda, as the new speaker.

The party urged the lawmakers to join its ranks alongside its 2023 governorship candidate, Architect Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, in what it described as a mission to rescue Lagos from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The LP accused the ruling party of stifling democracy and called for its removal from power in the state.

Speaking at a press conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State, LP National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, condemned the APC’s handling of the Assembly crisis, particularly its efforts to reinstate Obasa despite allegations against him.

“Lagos State is now under the control of a group of ‘democracy assassins,’” Arabambi declared.

“It is, therefore, imperative to vote out the APC to prevent the total destruction of democratic values in the state.”

He criticized what he called a longstanding culture of political manipulation in Lagos, where, he alleged, a single individual wields power over electoral outcomes.

He also described the APC’s intervention in the leadership dispute at the Assembly as unconstitutional and undemocratic.

Arabambi further called out Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for remaining silent on the allegations against Obasa and demanded a response.

“The Labour Party National Working Committee, led by Barrister Julius Abure and Alhaji Farouk Umar Ibrahim, demands that Governor Sanwo-Olu address the allegations raised by the 36 lawmakers. If he fails to do so, he should either resign or face impeachment proceedings,” he stated.

The party expressed confidence in its ability to win the 2027 Lagos governorship election, positioning Rhodes-Vivour as its candidate.

It also dismissed recent criticisms from Abdul-Azeez Adeniran, a former PDP governorship candidate, insisting that Rhodes-Vivour remains the party’s flag bearer.

“There is no vacancy in the Labour Party for Lagos governorship. Architect Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour remains our sole candidate for the 2027 election,” Arabambi asserted.

The LP urged Lagos residents to support the 36 lawmakers and prepare for what it described as a battle to reclaim democracy in the state.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim, has pledged to mediate in the ongoing dispute between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, was suspended from the Senate for six months on Thursday following recommendations by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct.

The committee cited her alleged violation of Senate rules as grounds for the suspension.

Speaking to State House correspondents after a press conference marking International Women’s Day, the minister expressed disappointment over the situation, calling it unfortunate.

“It’s an unfortunate incident that should not have happened. In the last Assembly, we had nine female senators. Now, we have only four. We don’t want to lose any more female representatives; rather, we want to increase our numbers,” she said.

Suleiman Ibrahim emphasized the need for reconciliation, stating that efforts were already underway to engage all stakeholders and encourage a fair resolution.

“We are working to broker peace. I was at the National Assembly yesterday for the International Women’s Day event, and the Senate President himself mentioned that they are open to reconciliation. We will serve as intermediaries between both parties to ensure that justice is tempered with mercy,” she added.

The minister also underscored the importance of collaboration between male and female lawmakers, calling for continued sensitization and unity within the legislature.

A federal High Court sitting in Abuja has scheduled May 8 to rule on the admissibility of a judgment concerning school fees paid by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to the American International School, Abuja.

Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter on Friday after hearing arguments from both parties in Bello’s ongoing trial for alleged money laundering.

The judgment in question was delivered by an FCT High Court in a case between Ali Bello and the Incorporated Trustees of American International School, Abuja (Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/2574/2023).

It relates to the refund of $845,852, which had been paid in advance for the former governor’s children’s admission.

During the cross-examination of the EFCC’s third witness, Nicholas Ohehomon, an official of the school, Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), sought to tender the judgment as evidence.

However, the EFCC’s lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), objected, arguing that the prosecution had not yet closed its case.

He cited Section 232 of the Evidence Act, stating that only prior written statements of a witness could be introduced during cross-examination to challenge their testimony.

Daudu, in response, insisted that the admissibility of evidence in both civil and criminal cases is determined by relevance.

He cited Sections 4, 5, and 6 of the Evidence Act, 2011, stating that once a document is deemed relevant, it should be admitted.

The court will now rule on the matter on May 8.