Politics
Group advocates passage of gender bills
Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), a non-profit civil rights organisation, has urged the National Assembly to consider passing the five gender bills into law as part of the ongoing constitution amendment.
WARDC, in collaboration with USAID and SCALE/PALLADIUM, made the call at a knowledge-building roundtable for media professionals in Lagos State.
The bills are aimed at greater constitutional inclusion of gender/women’s rights.
The bills are seeking, among other things, affirmative actions in political party administration and ministerial and commissionership appointments.
They also seek expansion of the scope of citizenship by registration.
Recall that WARDC and some other women groups and private individuals had stormed the National Assembly in March 2022, demanding the passage of the gender bills.
The Executive Director of WARDC, Dr Abiola Akioyode-Afolabi, said that one of the bills sought reservation of 111 seats to women in the National Assembly to address the low representation of women.
“The National Assembly should ensure affirmative action for women in political party administration to enable more women participation and voice,’’ she said.
She noted that one of the bills sought granting of citizenship to foreign husbands of Nigerian women, adding that one of the bills sought allocation of at least 10 per cent of ministerial positions to women.
“The fifth bill sought to ensure indigeneship rights to women to avoid the discrimination and violence women suffer in a bid to participate effectively in society.
Akioyode-Afolabi spoke on ‘Beyond the Five Gender Bills – The Unfinished Gender Business of the Buhari Administration’’.
She called on President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the National Gender Policy to show his administration’s approval of 35 per cent affirmative action.
She said that some African countries had mandated reservation of seats for female federal lawmakers.
According to her, South Africa reserved 46 per cent of such seats for women.
“Ethiopia has 38 per cent for women, Senegal has 41 per cent.’’
The executive director also called on Buhari to sign the sexual harassment bill into law before the expiration of his administration.
She urged women to continue to raise their voices.
“There is no retreat, no surrender,” Akioyode-Afolabi said.
In her keynote address, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, Dean Emeritus from the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said that there was nothing strange about the five gender bills.
She spoke on ‘Building Knowledge around the Five Gender Bills and the 1999 Constitution’’.
“It is essential to include women in the constitution of any country; this is founded on international law and the rights of women to participate in the government of their nation.
“It is important to have more women in politics.
“However, the constitution of Nigeria has excluded female legitimacy.
“This is inequality, injustice and exclusion of women to participate in decision-making process.
“Fortunately, most women cannot hold themselves bound,” Ezeilo said.
The Executive Director of the International Press Centre, Mr Lanre Arogundade, called on the media to correct the anomalies surrounding women’s rights.
Arogundade said that signing the sexual harassment bill into law and passage of the five gender bills in the ongoing constitutional amendment process would foster unity and development of the country.
He expressed optimism that the media would make a difference by setting agenda.
He said: “Gender equality will make half of the world’s population active players in economic and political development process.”
Five hashtags were composed at the event to further create public awareness on the bills.
Politics
Tinubu Assures Investors Nigeria Is Open for Business, Welcomes Coca-Cola’s $1bn Plan
By Francis Wilfred
President Bola Tinubu has assured local and international investors that Nigeria remains open for business, saying his administration is implementing reforms aimed at creating a more predictable, competitive and investment-friendly environment.
Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, at the 75th anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) in Abuja on Monday, the President said the government is addressing key challenges facing businesses under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Our message to investors, both Nigerian and international, is clear: Nigeria is open for business,” Tinubu said,
He noted that reliable infrastructure, efficient logistics, access to foreign exchange, stable regulations and a supportive tax system are critical to attracting investment and expanding production.
According to Yomi Odunuga, the President said ongoing economic reforms are designed to build a more productive and competitive economy, reduce dependence on imports, strengthen local manufacturing and create jobs for Nigerians.
Tinubu welcomed the Coca-Cola System’s proposed $1 billion investment in Nigeria over five years, announced in 2024, describing it as a strong vote of confidence in the country’s economy.
He said the administration is focused not only on the volume of investment attracted but also on its impact on employment, skills development, technology transfer and local sourcing.
“We are interested not only in the amount of capital that comes into Nigeria, but in what that capital does here,” he said.
The President also praised NBC’s continued expansion of production capacity, including new production lines in Oyo and Kano states, describing such investments as vital to strengthening Nigeria’s industrial base.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving policies, infrastructure and regulations to support businesses, while urging the private sector to complement government efforts through investment, innovation and job creation.
Tinubu further highlighted the importance of human capital development, commending NBC’s Supply Chain Academy for training over 1,400 young Nigerians and supporting women’s empowerment and community development initiatives.
He urged investors to take advantage of opportunities across Nigeria, expressing confidence that the country can build a stronger economy driven by local production, exports and globally competitive industries.
Politics
Kano Governorship: Accord Party Governorship Candidate Gashash Getting More Endorsement From Kano Electorates.
By Jabiru Hassan.
The movement for Democratic Protection and good governance (MDSG) declared it's full support to the Accord Party Governorship Candidate Ambassador Dr. Mukhtar Gashash in the forthcoming general elections.
In a chat with our correspondent in kano, the national president of the movement, Alhaji Dauda Mohammed Ali, stated that it is time for the people of kano state to bring new steward who is seriously planning to transform the state with highest regard.
He expressed his confidence that Ambassador Dr Mukhtar Gashash will do his best to ensure that kano state becomes more examplary at both sector without bias which is the task previous administrators failed to achieve.
Alhaji Dauda Mohammed Ali reiterated that " this time around, our movement is working day and night to make sure that Kano people mostly youths remained Committed to actualize real change in the state's politics, leadership and transformation under the Accord Party government".
He called on the people of kano state especially the eligible voters to vote Ambassador Dr Mukhtar Gashash due to his Transformation plans for the progress of kano state and it's citizens at both Urban and rural settlements.
Responding to a question about Accord party's strength in kano state, Dauda Mohammed Ali disclosed that in today's democracy, competent candidates should be tipped for an elective positions not the popularity of the political parties stressing that Ambassador Dr Mukhtar Gashash has been found to be the best option for kano state due to his track record on competency, transparency as a real democrat.
Politics
Caught in the middle: Ortom’s silent dance between two camps.
There are growing questions about where Mr. Samuel Ortom, a former Governor of Benue State and a prominent figure in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), truly stands politically ahead of 2027.
Ortom was a key figure in the divisions within the PDP before the 2023 general elections and was widely associated with support for Mr. Peter Obi, who finished third in that contest. More recently, however, he has publicly expressed support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
The latest discussion began after a visit by Mr. Peter Obi to Benue State. Reports indicate that a vehicle said to belong to Ortom was used to receive Obi at the Air Force Base airport in Makurdi. It is not clear who authorized the use of the vehicle, and Ortom has not commented publicly on the matter.
During the same visit, Obi was reportedly prevented from travelling to Yelewata, where he had intended to condole with families affected by violence. Obi’s team attributed the blockage to supporters of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The Governor’s spokesman, Sir Tersoo Kula, denied any involvement by the Governor. He suggested the incident may have been staged to damage the Governor’s reputation, or that it could have resulted from disagreements within Obi’s own support base.
Ortom has not issued a statement clarifying his position on the 2027 elections or on the vehicle in question. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
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