By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal Government has declared Friday a public holiday to celebrate this year’s International Workers Day.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced this on behalf of the Federal Government.

A statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani said the minister congratulated workers across the country on this year’s celebration.

“The Minister commended Nigerian workers for their hard work and dedication to national development. He noted that their efforts are essential for the nation’s growth and prosperity.

“He encouraged workers to embrace patriotism, productivity, and dedication to their duties. These qualities are crucial for sustainable development.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria is committed to supporting the welfare and security of all workers and creating a favorable environment for economic growth.

“While wishing workers a happy celebration, the Minister urged all Nigerians to remain peaceful and law-abiding. He encouraged everyone to use this occasion to reflect on the importance of unity and hard work in building the nation”, the statement added.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Senator representing Yobe East Senatorial District, Musa Mustapha, has withdrawn from seeking a second term in the Senate and declared support for Governor Mai Mala Buni to contest for the seat in 2027.

Mustapha also announced his withdrawal from the race for the All Progressives Congress governorship ticket in Yobe State, pledging loyalty to the choice of party leaders on the state’s succession plan.

The lawmaker disclosed this in a statement on Thursday titled, “A Notice of Withdrawal from Any Contest and Endorsement of Our Leaders’ Decision.”

He said the decision followed a meeting of the Yobe APC Critical Stakeholders’ Forum held on April 23, 2026, at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Damaturu, convened by Buni and the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam.

According to him, participants at the meeting unanimously agreed to support whoever the leaders present as their preferred governorship candidate.

“To exercise the spirit of integrity and responsibility, I hereby formally withdraw from the contest for the APC governorship ticket,” Mustapha said.

He also said, “Additionally, to make it explicitly clear, I am not contesting the senatorial ticket; rather, I will fully support our leader, His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni, to contest the senatorial seat.

He expressed gratitude to Buni and Gaidam for giving him the opportunity to serve the state in various capacities, including Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Scholarship Board, commissioner on two occasions, and now senator.

“I will forever remain grateful to them for this rare privilege,” he said.

The senator also thanked his supporters and campaign team for standing by him, describing their encouragement as a source of strength.

He directed those operating social media platforms in his name to shut them down or convert them into channels for promoting APC candidates in Yobe State and beyond.

“This directive is to further unite the party and ensure its victory in the forthcoming elections,” he said.

Mustapha also urged those using his photographs or campaigning for him for any political office to stop immediately, saying a decision had been taken and he fully supports it.

He congratulated former Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Baba Mallam Wali, whom he described as the preferred choice of party leaders to govern the state.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) has expressed reservations over the Federal Ministry of Education’s plan to introduce a classroom textbook ranking system for basic and secondary schools.

Specifically, it described the proposal as a fundamental policy overreach with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s education sector.

The Ministry had announced that the policy, expected to take effect from the 2026/2027 academic session, would be implemented by a committee constituted outside the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), the statutory body established to develop curricula and oversee instructional materials nationwide.

Reacting to the development, Executive Secretary of the association, Rotimi Iyiola, said the initiative, though presented as a reform aimed at improving learning outcomes and standardising textbook selection, risks undermining established educational structures.

The association argued that textbooks are not creative works subject to competitive ranking, but structured academic outputs developed strictly in line with approved national curricula.

“The idea that textbooks can be ranked like awards in the creative arts sector is fundamentally flawed. Textbooks are the product of a regulated scientific and academic process anchored on the curriculum developed by the NERDC.”

The association further stressed that once textbooks are produced, they undergo a formal vetting process by the NERDC to ensure compliance with curriculum standards before approval for use in schools, adding that introducing an external ranking system would weaken this established regulatory framework.

The NPA also questioned the rationale for establishing an additional committee to reassess textbooks that have already been vetted and approved by the NERDC, describing the move as suggestive of a lack of confidence in the council’s statutory mandate.

“It raises serious questions when a body created by an Act of Parliament, and entrusted with curriculum development and quality assurance, has its processes effectively bypassed. This appears to be a vote of no confidence in an institution that has served Nigeria’s education system for decades.”

According to the group, the policy contradicts globally accepted standards for textbook evaluation and risks destabilising a system that has remained functional over the years. It warned that introducing such a ranking mechanism could amount to “reinventing the wheel in a way that damages a working structure.”

Beyond institutional concerns, the association raised constitutional issues, noting that education falls under the Concurrent Legislative List in the 1999 Constitution, allowing both federal and state governments to play roles in educational administration.

By centralising textbook ranking at the federal level, the NPA argued that the ministry risks encroaching on state authority over instructional materials within their jurisdictions.

“The federal ministry’s role is expected to be coordinative and advisory, not directive or monopolistic. This approach shifts the balance of federalism from cooperation to control,” the group noted.

The publishers also raised concerns over transparency in the proposed system, questioning the criteria for evaluating textbooks and the process for selecting committee members. It noted that key operational details of the ranking exercise had not been made public.

“Who appoints the committee? What safeguards exist against bias or undue influence? Why is a process affecting a national industry shielded from stakeholder scrutiny?” the association queried.

It added that transparency must be demonstrated through clear standards, inclusive participation, and verifiable procedures, warning that closed systems, regardless of intent, undermine public trust.

The NPA further criticised the exclusion of key stakeholders, particularly publishers, from the policy formulation process. It described the publishing sector as central to the education value chain, comprising authors, editors, printers, distributors, and investors whose roles are critical to content production and delivery.

Excluding such stakeholders, it said, raises serious concerns about fairness and inclusivity in policymaking.

On the economic front, the association warned that the policy could have significant consequences for Nigeria’s book industry, which operates as a complex value chain supporting thousands of jobs.