Year: 2025

In a heartwarming and empowering move, Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday handed over the reins of his office to 14-year-old Joy Ogah, a teenage advocate for girl-child education – but just for a day! This symbolic gesture underscores the Tinubu administration’s commitment to promoting education and empowerment for all, particularly the girl child.

As the one-day Vice President, Ogah addressed the nation, emphasizing the importance of inclusive education, protection of girls’ rights, and provision of essential amenities like sanitation and nutrition in schools. Her powerful words resonated with the audience: “When girls are protected, peace becomes possible.”

Ogah stated: “I may be the Vice President for a day, but the struggles I represent cannot end in a day. They must continue in our policies, our classrooms, our conversations, and our budgets.”

Before passing on the torch, Vice President Shettima reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s dedication to girl-child education, highlighting the administration’s efforts, including the school feeding program. He also praised First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu as a symbol of female empowerment. He recalled that when the First Lady served in the Nigerian Senate, she contributed actively to debates, especially those relating to girl-child education.

This inspiring moment was part of a meeting between the Vice President and a PLAN International delegation, led by Helen Mfonobong Idiong, to discuss advancing girl-child education in Nigeria. The organization has provided interventions for over 11 million Nigerian children in areas like education and entrepreneurship.

Ogah’s one-day tenure as Vice President comes with a message that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the nation’s leaders and citizens, emphasizing the need for continued support and investment in girl-child education.

Kenneth Udeze, national chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), has dismissed reports that a contempt judgement was issued against Professor Mahmood Yakubu by the Federal High Court in Osogbo.

In a statement on Thursday, Udeze described the claim as “false, misleading, and a product of mischief,” insisting that neither he nor the Action Alliance initiated any legal action against the former INEC boss.

“The party did not sue Professor Mahmood Yakubu and did not mandate anyone to do so. Those spreading such rumours should present the alleged court order if it truly exists,” he said.

Udeze explained that the purported judgement being circulated was part of an ongoing leadership tussle within the party, which, according to him, had long been resolved by the Court of Appeal in favour of his leadership.

He noted that the matter was previously heard in several courts, including the FCT High Court, the Federal High Court in Abuja, and the Court of Appeal, where all rulings upheld his position as the authentic National Chairman of the party.

“Those who lost at every level of the judiciary are now running from one division of the Federal High Court to another, seeking contradictory judgements to confuse the public.

“The latest filing at the Federal High Court in Osogbo was done secretly to mislead the court and create the false impression of a ruling against INEC and its former chairman,” Udeze said.

He also urged Nigerians to disregard reports of any contempt proceedings against Yakubu, saying, there’s no such judgement anywhere.

“The busybodies making noise with such frivolous propaganda should allow the retired INEC chairman to enjoy his retirement, having contributed immensely to electoral reforms and the deepening of Nigeria’s democracy,” he reiterated.

Udeze directed the party’s legal team to take immediate steps to vacate the Osogbo judgement allegedly obtained by Adekunle Omoaje and his associates, describing their actions as “a desperate attempt at forum shopping.”

He further called on INEC to ignore the disputed ruling and continue recognising the Udeze-led national leadership of the party based on existing appellate court decisions.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is hereby urged not to give recognition to the judgement obtained by Adekunle Rufai Omoaje, his agents, and privies from the Federal High Court, Osogbo.

“INEC should continue to recognise the Kenneth Udeze-led national leadership of the Action Alliance in line with the multiple Court of Appeal judgements already delivered,” the statement read.

Udeze also advised Omoaje and his supporters to “wait for their appeal at the Supreme Court” rather than “shopping for favourable rulings across different judicial divisions.”

PRESIDENT TINUBU PARDONS HERBERT MACAULAY, VATSA, LAWAN, GRANTS CLEMENCY TO 82 INMATES

Major General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, sentenced to death over a treason charge in 1986, has received a posthumous pardon from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Vatsa, a poet, was among the 17 people who received presidential pardons following the endorsement of the National Council of State, which met in Abuja on Thursday.

President Tinubu also granted a posthumous pardon to Herbert Macaulay, a Nigerian nationalist and co-founder, along with Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). Macaulay was the party’s first president, which played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s struggle for independence. However, in 1913, Macaulay was believed unjustly convicted by the British colonialists and banned from public office. Macaulay died in 1946, but the stigma of being an ex-convict was not exorcised from his records until now.

President Tinubu also pardoned four former convicts, including former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan, Mrs Anastasia Daniel Nwaobia, Barrister Hussaini Umar and Ayinla Saadu Alanamu. They were pardoned to enable them to integrate into society, having demonstrated sufficient remorse. Nweke Francis Chibueze, serving a life sentence for cocaine, was pardoned, along with Dr Nwogu Peters, who had served 12 out of his 17-year sentence for fraud.

The Ogoni Nine: Ken Saro Wiwa, Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel and John Kpuine were formally pardoned. At the same time, the President awarded national honours to the Ogoni Four- Chief Albert Badey, Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Samuel Orage, and Theophilus Orage.

In exercising his constitutional power of mercy, President Tinubu granted clemency to 82 inmates and reduced the prison terms of 65 others. He gave a reprieve for seven inmates on the death row by commuting their sentences to life imprisonment.

President Tinubu acted on the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy(PACPM). The committee has 12 members, with the Attorney General and Justice Minister, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, as chairman. The other members are Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi, CON; Prof. Alkasum Abba; Prof. (Mrs.) Nike Y. Sidikat Ijaiya; Justice Augustine B. Utsaha; and the Secretary, Dr Onwusoro Maduka, a former Permanent Secretary.

The institutional representatives on the Committee are: the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs; representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Correctional Service, National Human Rights Commission, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

The committee’s final report was presented to the Council of State on Thursday in Abuja, as required by the constitution.

The report noted, “A total of 175 inmates were interviewed, and 62 applications were received on behalf of 119 inmates considered by the committee, making it a total of 294.

“One hundred and sixty of the inmates interviewed were male, while 15 were female. Eighty-two inmates were recommended for clemency; two (2) for pardon; sixty-five (65) inmates for reduction of their terms of imprisonment, and seven (7) inmates on death row for commutation to life imprisonment.

“Also, fifteen (15) ex-convicts were recommended for Presidential Pardon, eleven (11) of them are deceased (including Ogoni 9). The Ogoni four (4) were also recommended for the Post-Humous National Honours Award.

“On the whole, a total of one hundred and seventy-five (175) beneficiaries are recommended.’’

The committee had acted on the following criteria: old age (60 years and above); ill health likely to terminate in death; young persons (16 years and below); long-term convicts who have served prison terms of 10 years or more with a good record; and convicts serving three years or more.

“Those who have been in Custodial centres, learnt sustainable vocational trades capable of keeping them away from crime; those who are adjudged remorseful; those who Correctional Officers recommended for exemplary behaviour and Nigerian prisoners deported from other countries.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, inaugurated the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM) on January 15, 2025, as a significant step towards promoting justice, rehabilitation, and human rights in Nigeria.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

October 9, 2025