By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has denied reports claiming that he held a closed-door meeting with former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, at his Abuja residence.

Fayemi, immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, dismissed the report in a statement issued by the Head of his Media Office, Ahmad Sajoh, on Thursday, describing the claim as false and urging the public to disregard it.

The report, which circulated on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, was shared by several social media handles alongside an old video clip showing Fayemi greeting Kwankwaso at his residence.

According to the statement, the former Ekiti governor had met Kwankwaso only once in the past year and not in any private political setting.

“Dr Fayemi has only met Senator Kwankwaso once in the last year, and that occasion was at the public book launch of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN,” the statement said.

It added that, “At no time has Dr Fayemi held, or is he holding, any closed-door political meeting with Senator Kwankwaso as suggested by the post.”

The former governor acknowledged that he and Kwankwaso have been friends since their time as governors, but stressed that their relationship is personal and non-partisan.

He noted that the friendship is “based on mutual respect and a shared commitment to the progress of Nigeria, rather than on any political alignment.”

Fayemi also cautioned against attempts by political actors to attach partisan interpretations to private relationships, noting that many of his friends and associates are either not involved in partisan politics or belong to different political persuasions.

The statement added that Fayemi’s associates “span the entire spectrum of Nigeria’s political terrain.”

It, therefore, reaffirmed the former governor’s commitment to national unity, principled engagement, and responsible public discourse.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Anambra State Government has directed all categories of schools in the state to ensure full resumption of academic activities on Mondays, warning that non-compliant schools will be shut down.

According to the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Awka.

She said that a circular conveying the directive had already been issued to school authorities.

“The order, given at the instance of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, applies to all public, private, mission and returned schools across the state.

“Any school that fails to resume activities on Mondays will face immediate closure,” she was quoted as saying.

This development follows the move by the Soludo administration to end the closure of schools, markets, and businesses on Mondays over the sit-at-home originally declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra to protest the detention of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The Anambra State Government has recently issued an Executive Order abolishing the closure of schools on Mondays over the sit-at-home, warning that any teacher or non-tutorial staff who fails to comply will either receive 20 per cent of their salary or forfeit it entirely.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Senate has constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee to harmonise and distil senators’ inputs on the proposed amendment of the Electoral Act, as lawmakers intensify efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral framework ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The decision followed a three-hour closed-door executive session held on Thursday, during which senators further scrutinised the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill currently before the National Assembly.

Announcing the outcome of the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the committee was set up to synthesise lawmakers’ views and address outstanding concerns on the proposed amendments.
He said the panel was “mandated to contribute, galvanise and distil the opinion of senators on the bill.

“In no particular order, the committee will be led by Niyi Adegbonmire, chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters,” Akpabio said.

Other members of the committee are Adamu Aliero, Aminu Tambuwal, Adams Oshiomhole, Danjuma Goje, Tony Nwoye and Titus Zam.

Akpabio added that the committee has a maximum of three days to conclude its assignment and submit its report to the Senate by Tuesday.

The Senate had on Wednesday stepped down consideration of the report on the Electoral Act amendment bill, opting instead for an executive session to allow for deeper examination of the proposed legislation.

The move followed deliberations on the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, which was presented in the absence of its chairman, Simon Lalong. Lawmakers agreed to suspend debate to give senators additional time to study the bill, citing its far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s electoral process.

Although the House of Representatives has already passed the bill, Akpabio stressed that the Senate must exercise due diligence before concurrence.

“This is a very important bill, especially as it’s election time. We must take our time to ensure justice is done to all, so that we do not end up at the tribunal,” he said.

According to the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, a clause-by-clause review indicates that the proposed amendments would strengthen electoral integrity, enhance transparency and boost public confidence in the electoral system.

The committee consequently recommended the passage of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2025, as amended, noting that the reforms would expand voter participation, curb electoral malpractice and strengthen the institutional capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Earlier, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele outlined key components of the proposed amendments, describing the bill as a major step towards improving electoral credibility and safeguarding institutional independence.

He said the bill introduces stiffer sanctions for electoral offences such as vote-buying, including fines of up to N5m, a two-year jail term, and a 10-year ban from contesting elections.

The proposed law also prescribes tougher penalties for result falsification and obstruction of election officials, introduces electronically generated voter identification — including a downloadable voter card with a unique QR code — and mandates the electronic transmission of polling unit results.

Bamidele further disclosed that the bill recognises the voting rights of prisoners, mandates INEC to register eligible inmates, standardises delegates for indirect party primaries, and requires the release of election funds at least one year before polling day.

According to him, the reforms are aimed at guaranteeing credible, transparent and secure elections beginning with the 2027 general polls, subject to approval by at least two-thirds of state Houses of Assembly, in line with constitutional requirements.

“At the end of it all, good governance, enhanced security and the welfare of our constituents shall remain our cardinal objectives,” Bamidele said.