General News
Senate ‘ll Remain Open, Accountable and Responsive – Akpabio assures Nigerians
By Saint Mugaga
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has once again assured Nigerians that the 10th Senate under his leadership will remain open, accountable and responsive.
Akpabio gave the assurance on Tuesday in his address to welcome his Distinguished colleagues back in Plenary after about 10 weeks of annual recess.
In the welcome address titled: “Steady Hands For a Great Nation,” Akpabio said: “To the citizens of Nigeria, we say this: we hear you. We know your expectations. You ask not for excuses but for results; not for noise but for substance.
“This Senate will remain open, accountable, and responsive. We will not shrink from scrutiny — indeed, we welcome it, for accountability is the lifeblood of democracy.
“But it must be clearly understood: the foundation of every democracy is its legislature. Those who seek to weaken the legislature, in truth, seek to wreck the substructure of democracy itself.”
The Senate President commiserated with fellow compatriots across the flood-ravaged states and extended hand of fellowship and prayers of comfort to every home affected by other disasters, insecurity, hunger and hardship.
Akpabio charged his Distinguished colleagues to resume work with fresh vigour and steadfast resolve and legislate for future generations.
He said: “Our people do not look to us for lamentations; they look to us for action. The banners of terrorism and banditry still threaten the countryside.
“The cost of living weighs upon the family table like an iron chain. The flickering of our national grid leaves cities in darkness and commerce in paralysis.
“These trials summon us to service of uncommon urgency — and to partnership with the Executive Arm, that together we rewrite the story of our nation.
“We must legislate with boldness. We must press forward with reforms to steady our economy, draw investment, broaden the tax base, and nurture growth.
“We must strike hard at the enemies of ignorance and disease by strengthening education and healthcare. We must give the youths of Nigeria not only hope but opportunity.
“We must revisit the Constitution — to make our federalism stronger, our governance were efficient, and our democracy more inclusive.
“Above all, we must wield our power of oversight with vigilance, so that the people’s money is spent for the people’s good.
“Our relations with the Executive shall remain frank and firm — neither obsequious nor obstructive. Where policies raise our people, we shall lend our strength; where they imperil them, we shall speak on their behalf.
“We must continue to uphold the independence of this Senate, the dignity of this chamber, and the majesty of the Constitution which governs us all.
“Distinguished colleagues, let history record that in our time, we did not shirk from truth, nor flinch from responsibility, but urged our people toward leaders worthy of their trust.
“Let us resume our work with fresh vigour and steadfast resolve. Let us legislate not only for the Nigeria of today but for the generations whose faces we shall never see.
“Let this Senate be remembered as an instrument of national transformation, a citadel of democracy, and a beacon of hope.”
General News
Tinubu Announces 26 New Appointments, Gisaor Replaces Byuan at Federal Housing Authority
By Felix Umande, Makurdi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved 26 new appointments into 10 Federal Government agencies and commissions, in a major shake-up aimed at strengthening governance and service delivery.
The appointments were announced on Sunday, 20 July, 2026 and take immediate effect.
Among the key appointments, Gisaor Vincent Iorja, an economist, legal scholar and academic, has been named Executive Director, Finance of the Federal Housing Authority. He replaces Mathias Terwase Byuan, who resigned to contest the governorship election in Benue State. Gisaor currently serves as Secretary of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, BSIEC.
Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of the Rural Electrification Agency, REA.
He will head the board alongside Alhaji Ahmadu Abubakar and Engineer Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta as members and non-executive directors. The incumbent Director-General of REA, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and three previously appointed executive directors complete the board.
Major General Junaid Bindawa has been named Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission. President Tinubu also made eight other appointments to the Commission.
Former House of Representatives member from Lagos, Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas, was appointed Secretary of the Commission. Commissioners appointed to represent states include Dr. Ogbole Ene Lilian, Benue; Oladele Olatubosun, Oyo; and Yakubu Umar Barde, Kaduna.
Other members of the Commission are Dr. Mai Adamu Yau, Borno; Ginika Florence Tor, Enugu; Engineer Lawrence Okoh, Edo; and Bello Morenike Iyabode, Kogi.
President Tinubu also appointed Dr. Abuh Mohammed as Director-General of the National Population Commission.
Dr. Akinola Odeyemi as Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, NBET.
Dr. Anthony Inalegwu Godwin as Chairman/CEO of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission.
Engineer Julius Oloro, a former council chairman, as CEO of the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation, NCAM, Kwara, replacing
Dr. A.R. Kamal who died in January.
Tosin Johnson Adeyanju, previously Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund, NLTF, has been redeployed as Secretary of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission.
The President also constituted the board of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission with Dr. Abdullahi Maikano Saidu as Chairman. Members include Mohammed Asmau, Mohammed Aliyu Makama, Dr. Suleiman Gidado, Louis O. Ndukwe, Amaechi Ugwele and Olaniyi Idowu Onikola.
Shuni Muhammad Dahiru was named Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education. He replaces Professor Shu’aibu Shehu Aliyu, who was reassigned to the Petroleum Trust Development Fund, PTDF, in April.
According to the Presidency, the appointments are part of ongoing efforts to reposition institutions to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda.
By Nick Ibe, Abuja
DSS is prepared to appeal to achieve death penalty for the two Ansaru terrorist group commanders given life sentences in Abuja were given by Emeka Nwite. The were sentenced on Monday after they pleaded guilty to a 32-count terrorism charge.
The convicts: Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar, described as the self-styled Emir of Ansaru, and Mahmud al-Nigeri (a.k.a Malam Mamuda), his deputy and chief of staff.
The judge handed down the sentence after the convicts changed their plea from not guilty to guilty and, through their lawyer, appealed for leniency.
A senior DSS official, speaking after the judgement, said the agency considers the punishment inadequate given the gravity of the offences.
According to the official, the two men had initially indicated they would plead guilty but later changed their position around the period pupils and teachers were abducted in Oriire LGA of Oyo state by suspected members of the same group.
“For the nearly 60 days the kidnappers held on to the pupils and teachers of Oriire, the Ansaru commanders in our custody changed,” the official said.
“One of the top conditions the abductors gave was the unconditional release of these same Ansaru commanders in exchange for the Oriire kidnap victims.”
The DSS official said the defendants, who had earlier pleaded not guilty, later told the court they were undecided on the plea they intended to enter.
“Justice Nwite even had to hand them an ultimatum to make up their minds on or before Monday’s sitting.
“After the Oriire rescue, they came to court to plead guilty to all the charges.
“Allowing the two terror commanders walk away with life sentences will not serve the cause of justice for the two Oriire teachers beheaded by their abductors.
“The reason the terrorists beheaded the two Oriire teacher’s was to put pressure on government to release these two Ansaru commanders.
“It, therefore, wouldn’t be fair to see two men beheaded and their families are made to live with the losses without adequately bringing the culprits to book.”
By Nick Ibe, Abuja
The Honourable Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, (Retd) has denied as malicious and an entirely fabricated rumour circulating across various online and social media platforms alleging that he has expressed an intention to step down from his position.
Debunking this as fake news, a statement signed by Leah Katung-Babatunde
SA (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Defence stated unequivocally, and in the strongest possible terms that:
“These rumours are absolute falsehood borne out of complete mischief.
General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd) remains fully focused on his national security mandate, deeply committed to his duties, and completely dedicated to piloting the nation’s defence strategy with results already being seen.
The release further called the public to disregard the fake news. It also strongly called on the media to desist from spreading unverified information falsehood from the internet and social media platforms but to verify from it before going public.
“The general public is hereby urged to completely disregard this fake news. We strongly advise media outlets and internet users to desist from spreading unverified information and seek clarifications from the office.”
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