From Abbas Yushau Yusuf

As a result of diligent and transparent consensus supervised by the Kano state Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, between aspirants for House of Representatives seat from Tarauni federal constituency, the former Senior Special Assistant to the President, on Citizenship and Leadership, Nasir Bala Aminu (Ja’o’ji), picks the ticket.

He will contest in the forthcoming 2027 general election, under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), as he got the endorsement of sixteen (16) out of nineteen (19) stakeholders, from the constituency.

As Ja’oji’s opponents accepted consensus as the easiest way for victory, governor Yusuf, assured them of carrying all, as partners in progress in his administration. Thanking them for their foresight in the patriotic effort they exhibited.

On his part, Ja’oji thanked all the stakeholders and other party faithful, for the good understanding they show before and during the consensus period. Urging them to support the candidature for the betterment of the people of Tarauni, and Kano in general.

“I assure you of my total commitment and loyalty to your cause. Which is ultimately ours and party’s. I will also make sure that I always consult those who were there before us, in our legislative engagement,” he pledged.

As his nomination form, has already been handed over to him, by the governor, he thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for supporting youth inclusion in politics and governance.

Adding that, “As one of the pillars of Renewed Hope Initiative, youth inclusion, I will not relent in assuring our youth that, they will have a competent and committed Ambassador to the National Assembly. I will also make our able President appreciate our timely inclusion.”

Other opponents were reported to have appreciated governor Yusuf’s elderly intervention in the entire consensus process. Promising to support Ja’oji with all their political strength and influence.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The National Pension Commission has said that only seven states and the Federal Capital Territory are fully implementing pension reform laws despite widespread adoption of contributory pension frameworks across the country.

The Director-General of the National Pension Commission, Mrs Omolola Oloworaran, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the maiden edition of the bi-annual consultative session for heads of service of states yet to adopt or fully implement the Contributory Pension Scheme or the Contributory Defined Benefits Scheme.

She said, “Out of the 36 states with pension reform laws on their books, only seven states, together with the Federal Capital Territory, are fully implementing these laws.”

The session was organised to encourage dialogue with affected state heads of service and to explore practical ways in which PenCom could provide technical support for the successful adoption and implementation of pension reforms at the sub-national level.

According to Oloworaran, 30 states and the FCT had enacted laws on the contributory pension scheme or the contributory defined benefits scheme, while six states still had pension reform bills awaiting passage in their state assemblies.

She noted that 23 states had pension laws that were either inactive or only partially implemented, leaving many civil servants uncertain about their retirement future.

“That leaves 23 states whose laws are written, inactive, or only partially being implemented. Twenty-three sets of public servants or civil servants whose retirement future hangs in the balance, not because there is no law, but because the law has not been activated,” she said.

The PenCom boss described pension reform as a constitutional and fiscal obligation rather than a policy option, citing Section 210 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees pension rights for civil servants.

She said the old pension structure had failed because it created uncertainty and unsustainable liabilities, adding that the contributory pension scheme was introduced to promote accountability, sustainability, and transparency in pension administration.

Oloworaran stressed that the main challenge facing many states was no longer the passage of pension laws but the discipline required for implementation, including regular remittance of pension contributions and adequate funding of accrued pension rights.

“Across our states, the challenge is no longer the enactment of laws. The challenge is the discipline of execution. It is the regular and timely remittance of contributions. It is the adequate and consistent funding of accrued pension rights,” she stated.

She urged heads of service to see pension reform as part of their governance legacy, noting that the success or failure of implementation in states would largely depend on their commitment.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal Government on Thursday unveiled a major reform in Nigeria’s examination system with the introduction of computer-based examinations, CBE, by the National Examinations Council, NECO, as the nation celebrated the examination body’s 25 years of existence amid glowing tributes to its rise from a troubled national initiative to an internationally recognised.

The minister of education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who announced the reform at NECO’s Silver Jubilee celebration in Abuja, declared that the transition to technology-driven examinations would significantly curb examination malpractice and reposition Nigeria’s assessment system for global competitiveness.

Speaking at the event held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Conference Centre, Garki, Abuja, Alausa described NECO as a “standard-bearer for credible external examinations”, saying the council had become a critical pillar in safeguarding integrity, fairness and accountability in Nigeria’s education sector.

“We are at the threshold of a very important reform, which NECO is spearheading, and that is the Computer-Based Examination, which is to commence this year,” the minister said.

According to him, the new system would provide real-time monitoring of candidates, track suspicious activities and drastically reduce examination fraud that has continued to undermine confidence in public examinations.

The minister said NECO’s 25-year journey reflected Nigeria’s determination to build a credible national examination system capable of guaranteeing equal opportunities for learners across the country.

He noted that the council had over the years strengthened examination security, improved reliability in scoring, widened access to examinations in underserved areas and embraced technological innovations that restored public confidence in national certification.

Alausa said the Ministry of Education would continue to provide policy direction and oversight to ensure NECO examinations aligned with national curricula, learning outcomes and broader development goals.