Senate President Godswill Akpabio returned to the country Monday morning after a brief vacation in London.

A statement issued by his media aide, Jackson Udom, said that Akpabio’s return puts to rest reports that he was critically ill and admitted to a hospital abroad.

Akpabio, who touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 4:00 a.m dismissed the rumours about his ill health and assured Nigerians of a more vigorous legislative agenda when the Senate resumes.

“We are ready for robust legislative engagements on resumption, while justifying the participation of a strong Nigerian delegation at the Inter-Parliamentary Union conference in Geneva”, he said.

He further pledged closer synergy with the executive and judiciary to deliver on governance, saying Nigerians should expect “more derivatives of democratic governance and effective collaboration with the other arms of government.”

• From left: Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdukadir Mohammed., Mr. Li Zhensheng, Economic Adviser to the state government.

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdukadir Mohammed, has appointed a Chinese national, Mr. Li Zhensheng, as Economic Adviser to the state government.

Mohammed made the announcement yesterday during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the China Global Promotion Cooperation Research Centre in Bauchi.

Governor Mohamed said that the move is aimed at positioning Bauchi as a rising hub of international cooperation, with the long-term partnership expected to accelerate investment, infrastructure development, and bilateral collaboration across sectors such as agriculture, education, healthcare, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, and trade facilitation.

The MoU outlines a framework for cooperation, with specific project agreements to be developed on a case-by-case basis.

In his remarks, Zhensheng, who is the Chairman of the China Global Promotion Cooperation Research Centre, pledged the Centre’s commitment to mobilising global resources to support Bauchi’s economic transformation.

“We are committed to helping Bauchi achieve sustainable growth, modern infrastructure, and improved livelihoods,” he said.

Ohibaba.com reports that following the appointment , Nigerians from various fields and works of life, have been expressing mixed feelings about it on the X social media:

” Before you start expressing your frustration, remember that there are thousands of Nigerians in important positions worldwide.

Plus, we can all at least read news about economic developments in China, particularly in trade, engineering, and tech. So, if a state governor in Nigeria appoints a national of such a country as his economic advisor, it doesn’t seem like a bad move, as long as the appointee is capable of doing the job.”

In his remarks, Zhensheng, who is the Chairman of the China Global Promotion Cooperation Research Centre, pledged the Centre’s commitment to mobilising global resources to support Bauchi’s economic transformation.

“The junk talk about his color and where he comes from is really annoying.   

There are Nigerians elected and appointed in the US, UK, Canada and others. Are there no capable citizens there too?Wrong! Nigerians in the countries you refer to identify as nationals of those countries, not as Nigerians.”

” The man here identifies as Chinese national, not a Nigerian.That’s absolute truth. No Nigerian has a position in any foreign government as a Nigerian citizen.

Most of them identify as the national of that country, I asked him to name one foreign government with Nigerian citizen working in they government, not the private sector,Lol, there are many positions Nigerians are occupying abroad without being citizens.

“Nigerians excelling abroad but only as Nigerian citizens can be found in professions like medicine, not in government.

These kind of things where other country’s citizens are appointed into government only happens in Africa. I’m hopeful to see the results such appointment will bring to Bauchi cos they have reserves & resources.

Well Nigerians and other foreigners that are not citizens work in Civil service . I am sure of the UK.”

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has declared Yobe as the most affordable state to live in and commute to other parts of the country.

It attributed the low costs of living to the state’s falling inflation rate from 13.5 per cent to 11.43 per cent, while food inflation continues to decrease from 17.9 per cent in June to 15.1 per cent in July 2025.

These were revealed in the bureau’s 2025 July Report released to newsmen at the weekend in Damaturu, the state capital.

The report stated that the State’s Agricultural Empowerment Programme (SAEP) has impacted the productivity of over 5,300 farmers to generate more income by flooding the markets with last year’s crop harvests.

It added that the SAEP, launched by Vice President Kashim Shettima, along with Governor Mai Mala Buni, has wooed many youths and women into the agricultural sector to boost food security and employment in the state.