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1995 Constitutional Conference: Abacha Almost Overthrown-Ofanogoro

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Former Minister of Information and Culture during General Sani Abacha regime, Professor Walter Ofonagoro, says the ex-military leader was almost overthrown by ‘his boys’ during consultations on the adoption of the 1995 constitutional conference report.

The Imo State-born elder statesman, said Nigeria would not have been in its current challenges if Abacha had converted the report of the conference to a constitution.

Speaking in an interview with the Tribune, Ofonagoro said the constitutional conference attracted prominent Nigerians, hence, the document churned out by it was in the best interest of the country.

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He said : “I was the chairman of the committee that organised the constitutional conference elections in conjunction with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make sure that there was full participation in the conference and ensure that the West doesn’t boycott the elections so as not to sabotage the efforts of Abacha to get the country back to the civil rule.

“So I say okay, what do we do? How do we ensure that the election takes place when a whole region is determined not to participate in it? So we had to find a solution. In that case, there is no point in going through the normal process of using the voter›s card. So I said what we are going to do is universal adult suffrage, in which on the election day, everybody that is 18 years and above, queues up behind his candidate and we then count manually. And at the end of the process nobody went to court as they all saw transparency in the process.

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Oluwole Awolowo was at the conference. Even [Odumegwu] Ojukwu, who led the civil war, was there in person. Alex Ekwueme was also there. Virtually all the big wigs in the country then were at the conference and we sat down for one and a half years and drafted a constitution that would have saved Nigeria all the troubles we are going through now. But Abacha refused to sign the constitution into law after all our efforts in June, 1995.

“And from that time till 1998 that he died, Abacha did not sign the constitution. He was just seeking opinions from all kinds of people, while his own boys were at the same time planning a coup to remove him.”

Asked if that constitution had been signed, Nigeria won’t be in the current mess, Ofonagoro responded in affirmative.

Yes, if the 1995 constitutional conference reports had been signed into law, Nigeria will not be in the mess it is today. Abacha split Nigeria into six zones (three majority zones and three minority zones), not majority in numbers, but in language like the British, which has four tribes or nations. The Welsh have the Welsh language, while the English have the English language. Then, the Scots have the Scottish language, while the Irish take the Irish language. But four of them make up the United Kingdom or Great Britain. So they rule in four and rotate their leadership. So, if we are going to have a united federation, why force everybody to stay on one unit and concentrate all the powers at the centre, making one ethnic group to dominate the rest? You are simply asking for disaster; it will never work. We have done our best to produce the structures and documents. I took part in the designing of the presidency and the rest.

We have done our parts to make the Nigerian project work. But now, what we see is mass killings. Before, Nigeria used to be one of the most secured people in the world. But now, it is the opposite.

” If you look at the 1995 constitution, which Nigerians agreed to, we said for the six regions, give each of them autonomy, so as to make the federation work. Each of the regions should be allowed to control its own resources and then pool a part of the resources to the central government. And this is what everybody is hoping and ready for, ” he said.

 

 

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Arewa Rents Charts a Digital Future for Northern Nigeria’s Property Market”

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Arewarents.com, a property marketplace startup focused on Northern Nigeria, is positioning itself to transform how people rent, buy, and access short-let properties across the region through technology and innovation.

The startup pitched its idea today at the first Kano Startup Weekend, an event organized by the Kano State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (KASITDA). The event brought together startups, investors, mentors, and ecosystem leaders to showcase emerging solutions addressing real market challenges.

At the pitch, Arewa Rents presented its vision of building a centralized digital platform for property rentals, sales, and short-lets, designed specifically for the Northern Nigerian market. According to the Founder of Arewa Rents, Anas Y. Yusuf, the goal is to “create a single trusted platform where people can easily find verified properties without relying on scattered and unreliable sources.”

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Northern Nigeria’s real estate market remains largely informal, with property listings scattered across social media, local agents, and offline networks. This fragmentation creates inefficiencies, limits visibility for property owners and agents, and makes it difficult for renters and buyers to access verified properties in one trusted place.

Addressing this gap, Anas Y. Yusuf noted that Arewa Rents is “leveraging technology to bring structure, transparency, and trust into the property market, while making it easier for agents and landlords to reach serious clients.”

Arewa Rents is developing a technology-driven property marketplace that aggregates verified listings for homes, apartments, shops, and short-stay properties. The platform is designed to connect renters, buyers, agents, developers, and landlords more efficiently, while improving transparency in property transactions.

As the startup continues to build and scale its platform, Anas Y. Yusuf emphasized that the long-term mission is “to make property renting, buying, and short-let access in Northern Nigeria more efficient and accessible through a trusted digital marketplace.”

With its regional focus and marketplace-driven approach, Arewa Rents is emerging as a startup positioned to play a key role in the digital transformation of Northern Nigeria’s real estate sector.

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News Analysis: Wike in the Wilderness as Fubara Dines with the APC

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

On Friday, December 12, 2025, the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was issued the membership card of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).

The party’s membership card issuance took place at the Rivers State government house, and it marks the official transitioning of governor Fubara to the fold of the ruling party, APC.

Speaking during the officiating, governor Fubara expressed joy, stating that President Tinubu’s vision will now be shared with the state.

“To everything under the sun, there is a time and season and I am happy today that I formally obtained the membership card of the APC.

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This primarily, is to align our dear state with the ruling party at the centre, with a firm belief in Mr President and the Renewed Hope Agenda to rapidly contribute to the growth, stability and development of Rivers State,” Fubara said.

The sudden and shocking defection of governor Fubara from the PDP to APC has been one of the top trending national discourse recently.

Netizens have proclaimed the “use and dump” tactics on Wike, saying that the presidency no longer see value in him.

Unverified reports have it that the FCT Minister might not make it to the next administration of President Tinubu if he gets re-elected since they’re now with governor Fubara, who commands the leadership of APC in the State now.

Also, rumors have it that Wike tried all he could to sabotage the defection of governor Fubara into the All Progressives Congress, but all to no avail.

Consequently, people have been inquisitive:

1. Will Wike now Join APC in order to wield state supremacy?
2. Will he work for or against the very APC he worked for during 2023 presidential election?
3. If he doesn’t join the APC, will 2027 be the end of his political relevance?

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FG Bans New SS3 Admissions Nationwide to Fight Exam Malpractice

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

 

The Federal Government has announced a nationwide ban on the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in both public and private secondary schools, effective from the 2026/27 academic session.

The directive was disclosed in a statement signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, as part of efforts to curb examination malpractice and restore credibility to Nigeria’s education system.

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According to the ministry, the decision follows growing concerns over widespread examination malpractices, including the use of so-called special centres during external examinations. Under the new policy, student admissions and transfers will be permitted only into Senior Secondary School One (SS1) and Senior Secondary School Two (SS2).

“Admission or transfer into SS3 will no longer be permitted under any circumstance,” the ministry stated.

Officials explained that the measure is intended to prevent last-minute movement of students for examination advantages, ensure proper academic monitoring, and promote continuity in teaching and learning.

School proprietors, principals, and administrators across the country have been directed to comply strictly with the policy, with the ministry warning that violations will attract sanctions in line with existing education regulations.

The statement reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to upholding academic standards, promoting fairness, and restoring confidence in public examinations nationwide.

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