News
Sri Lanka’s president seeks to expand power in parliamentary election
Sri Lankans are scheduled to vote in a crucial parliamentary election on Wednesday, as the country’s president looks to consolidate his power with a majority for his party.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is urging voters to give his party, the Sri Lanka People’s Front (SLPP), a two-thirds majority in the 225-seat parliament.
“I need a strong mandate from the people to implement my promises given during the presidential elections,’’ Rajapaksa said during his campaign meetings.
He was elected president in November.
The president’s elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the current prime minister of the caretaker government, is running as the prime ministerial candidate for the SLPP. He already served as president for two consecutive terms between 2005 and 2015.
A rift in the main opposition party, the United National Party (UNP), has helped the Rajapaksas’ party gain the confidence they will pull off a victory and secure the seats needed for constitutional changes.
After the split in the UNP, led by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, most of its popular members, including deputy leader Sajith Premadasa, formed a new party and are competing separately in the election.
The division of the main opposition has given an added advantage to the SLPP.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa told voters that voting for parties with divisions is futile.
“Vote for a party which is stable.
“It is easy to serve the people if the president and the parliament are from the same party,’’ he said.
During the former government, in office from 2015 to 2020, Sri Lankans witnessed a rift between the president and government and its consequences.
Halfway through his term, former president Maithripala Sirisena decided to support Rajapaksa instead of working with former premier Wickremesinghe’s UNP.
This led to several issues including security lapses, which contributed to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings by extremists group that claimed 268 lives.
Sirisena is now competing in the elections for the Rajapaksas’ SLPP.
President Rajapaksa argues that with a two-thirds majority in parliament, he could amend the constitution to remove certain provisions, for instance, regarding the appointment of key officials.
He said that appointing key officials has been an obstacle to ruling the country.
Rajapaksa has already appointed several former army officers for top civil administration positions.
He is a former military officer, who played a key role as defence secretary in defeating the Tamil rebels in 2009, ending a 26-year conflict.
The coronavirus adds some uncertainty to the election, as this year’s campaign has been curtailed due to the threat of the virus spreading.
Health officials restricted the number of persons attending election rallies to 500, while house-to-house to campaigns were restricted to three people.
“We are calling on voters to come out and vote after assuring them all health precautions have been taken,’’ Mahinda Deshapriya, Chairman of the Election Commission, told dpa.
Election monitoring groups fear that the voter percentages will drop, as many of the elderly may not come out to vote.
Over 16 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots on Wednesday from 7.00 a.m. until 5.00 p.m. (0130-1130 GMT).
Polling has been extended by one hour, as voting will take longer with the coronavirus health restrictions in place.
The counting of votes has been delayed until Thursday, enabling officials to carry out the count under the safety procedures.
Due to the strict health procedures to be followed, electoral spending has doubled to 10 billion rupees ($54 million). (dpa/NAN)
Defence/Security
Banditry: Rep member condemns attack on Kwara community

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Member representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi Ajuloopin, has strongly condemned the recent attack in Idofin Odo-Ashe, Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, describing it as a cowardly act that seeks to disrupt the peace and stability of the community.
Hon. Ajuloopin, in a statement personally signed by him, expressed deep concern over the unfortunate incident and sympathised with the victims, their families, and the entire community affected by the dastardly attack, emphasising that acts of violence have no place in a civilised society, and therefore urged security agencies to intensify efforts in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
While commending the swift response of both the federal and Kwara State governments, as well as the security agencies and local vigilante groups, the lawmaker reiterated that the fight against insecurity requires collective responsibility, calling on traditional rulers, community leaders, and residents to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with security operatives by providing timely and credible information.
“Security is everyone’s business. We cannot afford to leave the safety of our communities solely to government agencies. Every citizen must be actively involved in safeguarding our environment and ensuring that peace prevails,” Hon. Ajuloopin admonished.
He reaffirmed his commitment to continued collaboration with relevant authorities to ensure that lasting peace in all parts of Kwara South and beyond.
Hon. Ajuloopin also appealed for calm, assuring that both the federal and state governments are working tirelessly to address the root causes of insecurity and prevent future occurrences.
End
News
Governor Namadi Attends High profile Ministerial Meeting On Self-Sufficiency In Cairo

From Hassan Taiye
Governor Umar Namadi is currently in Cairo,Arab Republic of Egypt, attending the Third High-Level Ministerial Meeting on Rice Self-Sufficiency, holding from October 7th to 9th, 2025, in Cairo and Sakha.
The meeting, themed “Towards Rice-Based Agri-Food Systems Transformation and Delivering on Rice Self-Sufficiency through Peer-to-Peer Learning: The Case of the Arab Republic of Egypt,” is jointly organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, AfricaRice, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), and other key continental partners.
This high-level gathering brings together African Ministers of Agriculture, State Governors, and agricultural leaders to share practical experiences on achieving rice self-sufficiency and agricultural transformation.
The event will showcase Egypt’s remarkable progress in achieving rice self-sufficiency despite its limited water and land resources, offering valuable lessons adaptable to other African contexts.
Namadi is participating alongside top policymakers, agricultural experts, and private sector players from across Africa to discuss innovations, policy reforms, and strategic investments aimed at strengthening food security and transforming the agricultural sector on the continent.
Over the three-day programme, delegates will engage in high-level ministerial sessions, technical discussions, and a field visit to Egypt’s renowned Rice Research and Training Centre (RRTC) in Sakha.
During the visit, participants will interact directly with Egyptian scientists and farmers to learn about the country’s advancements in high-yield rice varieties, efficient irrigation systems, and modern post-harvest technologies.
Jigawa State’s participation in this important forum underscores the state’s commitment to agricultural transformation, food self-sufficiency, and consolidating Jigawa’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading hubs for rice production and agribusiness development.
The meeting is expected to conclude with a Ministerial Declaration setting a continental roadmap for achieving rice self-sufficiency through collaborative research, policy coordination, and targeted investment across the rice value chain.
Governor Namadi is accompanied by senior officials from the Jigawa State Ministry of Agriculture and related agencies.
News
There’s Political Genocide Against Christians in Northern Nigeria – Aisha Yesufu

By: Fabian Apechihin
Sociopolitical activist Aisha Yesufu has accused Nigerian political leaders of perpetuating what she described as a “political genocide” against Christians in Northern Nigeria.
Yesufu made the remark on Tuesday in response to American comedian and TV host Bill Maher, who recently alleged that Nigerian Christians are facing coordinated attacks.
Maher, speaking on his HBO show, said, “I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over 100,000 since 2009 and burned 18,000 churches. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram.”
Reacting via her X handle, Yesufu criticized what she called hypocrisy among Nigerian politicians who express concern over Christian persecution yet supported the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket during the 2023 elections.
“You are shouting that Northern Christians are being persecuted, but you championed a Muslim-Muslim ticket! Their Christianity was not Christian enough for you during the 2023 election,” she wrote.
She concluded by calling for greater attention to what she termed the “political genocide” against Northern Christians, urging consistency in both words and actions when addressing religious and political marginalization in Nigeria.
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