Politics
Akpabio and Abbas Seek to Reconcile Discontented Lawmakers and Revamp Committees
By Daniel Edu
With the Senate set to reconvene after its annual recess, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, are reportedly planning to make changes to the standing committees of the National Assembly.
There have been reports of some discontented lawmakers who are contemplating taking action against Akpabio due to their dissatisfaction with his handling of the Senate leadership selection and committee assignments.
A source within the National Assembly informed Leadership on Monday that Akpabio and Abbas had received numerous protests from their disgruntled colleagues during the holiday period.
Reportedly, the two leaders have assured the lawmakers that they will review the committee assignments when plenary resumes today.
Akpabio and Abbas have apparently devised two options to address the diverse interests of their colleagues who were dissatisfied with the July 27 committee assignment process when committee chairmen and vice-chairmen were designated to lawmakers.
Reliable sources close to the presiding officers have revealed that they have agreed to swap committee leadership positions and establish new committees to accommodate the concerns of lawmakers who were displeased before the National Assembly’s closure in July and August.
The decision to overhaul the National Assembly’s committees was reaffirmed by Akpabio and Abbas during a retreat held in Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, last Thursday.
The allocation of committee positions and the appointment of chairmen and vice-chairmen had sparked protests and anger, with some aggrieved members threatening to remove the presiding officers once the National Assembly resumes its plenary sessions.
Investigations have shown that the tension arising from committee assignments in the Senate fueled rumors of a plan to impeach the Senate president during the recess.
For instance, it was learned that the three senators from Delta State strongly protested that no chairmanship positions were allocated to any of them from the state.
These three senators, namely Senators Ned Nwoko (Delta North), Ede Dafinone (Delta Central), and Joel Onowakpo (Delta South), wrote a strongly-worded petition to Akpabio, claiming that they were all denied the opportunity to chair any committees.
Speaker Abbas had also faced criticism during the holiday, particularly from members of his support group, the Joint Task Group, which played a significant role in his election in June.
Members of the group, led by Hon. Usman Bello-Kumo (APC, Gombe) as chairman and Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) as co-chairmen, felt neglected and slighted by Abbas in the distribution of committee leadership positions.
Bello-Kumo and Chinda, the latter of whom later became the minority leader of the House, urged Abbas to take significant steps to address the apparent marginalization of group members when the House reconvenes.
One source stated, “There will be a reshuffling of leadership positions in the various committees of the National Assembly to address perceived marginalization and exclusion by some states and legislators.”
Another source disclosed that this development had sparked renewed competition among lawmakers for leadership positions in new committees or for prestigious committee assignments in the planned reshuffle announced in July.
“The disgruntled lawmakers are hopeful and expectant that the presiding officers will ensure justice and fairness when the National Assembly reconvenes today so that everyone can be content and work together in the nation’s interest,” the source added.
Politics
Gov AbdulRazaq inspects multistorey hospital in Ilorin

Says states spending on people-focused projects
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has inspected ongoing construction work at the multistorey Oluremi Tinubu Hospital in Ilorin, the state capital, a few days after he approved N20bn additional funding for statewide public school infrastructure in the State.
In an interview with reporters at the site, the Governor said the hospital project is one of his administration’s investments in public health, education, road networks, and social investment across various demographies.
Last Tuesday, the Governor inspected different rural road projects in Asa Local Government, including 23.23 kilometres Oko Olowo Express-Sokoto-Tafatafa-Elere-Owode Oja Baba Kudu-Akopari-Otte Oja road and 17.7km Madi Peeke road.
Governor AbdulRazaq said the government has constructed many roads within and outside the capital city Ilorin, while many others are ongoing.
He said that many other states of the federation are also doing well in project execution, citing massive hospital projects in Lagos, Kaduna, and many other states.
He tied the surge in project executions across the states, including in road, school, and health sectors, to the rise in allocation that followed the removal of fuel subsidy,commending President Bola Tinubu for his support for the state.
The Governor said: “The First Lady of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu was here six months ago to lay the foundation of this world-class hospital.
“And work has progressed tremendously. Hopefully, in the second quarter of next year, we’ll be done with it. The majority of the equipment have been ordered already: radiography machine, a CT scanner, MRI, PET scan machines, and all sorts of equipment have been ordered.”
He added that the administration is also working on other projects, including in other parts of the state such as the International Conference Centre, ICT Centre Shonga, Patigi (Regatta) Motel, Sheabutter Factory in Kaiama, and Ibrahim Taiwo Road in Offa.
“This is not the only thing going on in the state. We have other major infrastructure projects ongoing, and this is not just in terms of healthcare all over Nigeria,” he said.
“A lot of infrastructural projects are also going on in different states of the federation. We were recently in Kaduna with the President to commission a hospital (built by the Kaduna State Government).
“Lagos State is building a huge hospital (New Massey Clinic), I believe, children’s hospital. Katsina is doing the same. So, all over the country, healthcare has been improved by the sub-nationals. All this is due to the increased funding from the federal revenue.
“Work will continue in all other major aspects. What people see majorly is road infrastructure, but in terms of education, a lot of investments are going on. I have recently approved another N20bn spending on education infrastructure. Education is not part of what you call a low-hanging fruit. So people don’t quickly see investments in that. They mostly only see investments in roads. But a lot is going on in agriculture and other sub sectors. And we’ll continue to do more and deepen investment in all these areas.
“For example, if you go to Kwara South, we’ve done the Oro to Arandun Road. Ajase-Ipo to Oke Ode is still ongoing, done in phases. We’ve done Omu-Aran to Oko. We have done Orisa Bridge along Oro-Ago. We are doing the road to Owu waterfall as well. We’ve done road in Offa. We’re also about to do the Ilemona bypass, among others.”
End
Politics
Kwara Artisans hail AbdulRazaq’s empowerment for members

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Kwara State Artisan Congress has acknowledged the consistent support that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has extended to the body since 2019, saying he has been with them at all times.
The body said their members have repeatedly benefitted from the government’s social investment scheme, and such support accounted for how they secured their permanent secretariat, which is under construction.
In a remark at their meeting which the Governor briefly attended in Ilorin, Chairman of the Congress Alhaji Jimoh Adesina said the government has done a lot to improve the socio-economic lives of Kwarans, particularly the business community.
On the Governor’s entourage were the Commissioner for Works, Engr Abdulquawiy Olododo; Senior Adviser and Counsellor, Alhaji Saadu Salau; Special Adviser on Special Duties, Alhaji AbdulRazaq Jiddah; and Senior Special Assistant on Religion (Islam), Alhaji Ibrahim Danmegoro; among others.
Adeshina said they owed the purchase of the land for their Secretariat to the support from the Governor.
He requested a continual support of the government for the Congress, particularly in the area of employment opportunities and mobility aides, among other demands.
The Governor, for his part, said the administration will continue to prioritize the welfare of Kwarans, including their members through various social programmes.
He promised to look into their requests, including the completion of their Secretariat.
The Governor said the Artisans and other segments of the society will always benefit from the social programmes, saying he is committed to strengthening legitimate business and initiatives.
The meeting was also attended by BoT Chairman for Artisan Congress, Alhaji Abdulwaheed Idowu; Alangua Gaa-Akanbi, Alhaji Abdulyekeen Usman Akanbi; Lady Vice Chairman of the Association, Chief Mrs Atoyebi Olayinka; among other leaders of the community and the Association.
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Politics
IN DEFENCE OF SHETTIMA OVER ALLEGED NEPOTISM.

By: Dr. Umar Duhu
As I perused the article published on August 4, 2025, I was taken aback by the blatant fabrications and mischievous reporting designed to malign the character and reputation of Vice President Kashim Shettima GCON.
As a concerned citizen and a member of the APC, I feel compelled to set the record straight and correct the misleading narrative perpetuated by the article, which is nothing short of a calumny.
It is imperative to correct the misleading assertion that Vice President Kashim Shettima channeled resources to other states in the North East region during the 2023 elections. In reality, the APC emerged victorious in only Borno State in the North East, rendering the claim of resource allocation to other states in the region patently false. This error betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the electoral dynamics of the North East Region, which is a clear manifestation of ignorance of the pertinent facts.
The article’s claims of nepotism and marginalization are unfounded and lack concrete evidence. The accusations made by certain APC chieftains from the North East region are politically motivated and driven by personal interests, which is a classic case of mens rea. It is surprising that the authors of the article failed to provide any credible evidence to support their claims, relying instead on hearsay and unsubstantiated allegations, which is a clear breach of the principles of audi alteram partem.
A cursory examination of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Establishment Act of 2017 reveals that the Act does not mandate the rotation of the Managing Director and CEO position among the six North East states. In fact, Section 10 (1) and (2) of the NEDC Act provides that the Managing Director shall be appointed by the President and shall hold office for a term of four years, renewable for only one further term of four years. Therefore, the allegations of Shettima’s interference in the NEDC are baseless and demonstrate a clear misunderstanding of the Commission’s Governing Statutes, which is a manifest error.
Moreover, it is essential to correct the misleading narrative that Vice President Shettima is responsible for appointments. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not the Vice President, makes all appointments, as enshrined in Section 147 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). This fundamental fact has been conveniently ignored in the article, revealing a lack of understanding of the constitutional roles and responsibilities of the Office of the Vice President.
Contrary to the allegations of nepotism, the Office of the Vice President has a diverse team with appointments reflecting the federal character of Nigeria. In fact, several persons appointed in the Office of the Vice President are not from Borno State or the North East region. They are not even from the same faith with the Vice President. This demonstrates the commitment to inclusivity and diversity, and belies the claims of nepotism and favouritism, which are nothing short of a mere canard.
The article’s assertion that Vice President Shettima replaced other NEDC Commissioners and Appointees from across the region with individuals loyal to him is a gross exaggeration. The changes made to the NEDC leadership were done in accordance with established procedures and protocols, and were intended to enhance the Commission’s effectiveness and efficiency, which is a legitimate exercise of the powers conferred on the President by the NEDC Act.
It is apparent that the article’s authors are attempting to create a false narrative to support their own political agendas. The ADC party’s desperation to gain traction in the North East region is evident in this malicious report, which seeks to exploit ethnic and regional sentiments for political gain, a clear case of argumentum ad hominem.
I urge the public to disregard this baseless and mischievous article, as it is nothing but a desperate attempt to try to discredit the Vice President Kashim Shettima and create unnecessary tension within the APC. I also call on the authors of the article to retract their false claims and apologize for their malicious and defamatory statements, else, history will not be kind to them and their cohorts.
Umar D. Duhu, LLM, Ph.D.
galadimadluku@gmail.com
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