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Basic Information about Tinubu’s SGF Appointee, George Akume

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A former Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF.

Shortly after four days in office, Tinubu has made several appointments, including the outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as his new Chief of Staff and a former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, as Deputy Chief of Staff.

Here are things you should know about Mr Akume

George Akume was born on December 27, 1953, and is from Wannune Tarka Council Area of Benue State.

He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Ibadan in 1978 and a Master’s degree in Industrial and Labour Relations from the same university in 1986.

Akume was a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and served as the Minority Leader of the Senate from June 2011 to June 2015.

He was also the Governor of Benue State from May 1999 to May 2007 and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army.

Akume was re-elected Senator for Benue North-West in the April 2011 elections, running on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria. He won another term in 2015 but lost to Senator Orke Jev of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019.

In 2019, President Buhari appointed Akume as Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.

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Lagos to launch own driver’s license

The driver’s license project, which would be implemented in collaboration with the federal government, is optional for motorists to obtain the Federal license or the new state driver’s license aimed at enhancing safety, sanity, among others, on the roads.

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Photo: Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu

The Lagos State Government is coming out with its owned driver’s license in as part of efforts to ensure sanity and safety on roads across the metropolis.

Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, disclosed this on Monday, at the 2025 annual ministerial briefing, commemorating the seventh year in the second term in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dr. Obafemi, held at Alausa, Ikeja.

According to Osiyemi, the driver’s license project, which would be implemented in collaboration with the federal government, is optional for motorists to obtain the Federal license or the new state driver’s license aimed at enhancing safety, sanity, among others, on the roads.

Osiyemi added that it would ensure prompt issuance, as opposed to the usual delays being experienced with the existing process.

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INEC needs1.4m corps members for 2027 election manpower

The INEC chairman broke down the 2027 deployment figures, saying 707,384 corps members would be required for the Presidential and National Assembly election scheduled for January 16, 2027, and the same number for the Governorship and Houses of Assembly election on February 6, 2027 — bringing the combined total to 1,414,768.

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Photo:INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan and NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu. Photo: INEC|X

INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan said on Monday that the Commission needs more than 1.4 million national youth corps members for the 2027 general election.

Amupitan made the disclosure when he paid a courtesy visit to the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu at the corps’ headquarters, Yakubu Gowon House, in Abuja.

” You provide the heartbeat of our field operations. When we speak of election manpower, we are essentially speaking of your corps members.

They are the most dedicated, educated, and patriotic election duty staff we have, and their presence at the polling units brings a level of neutrality and public confidence that is irreplaceable,” Amupitan told the NYSC management team.

The INEC chairman broke down the 2027 deployment figures, saying 707,384 corps members would be required for the Presidential and National Assembly election scheduled for January 16, 2027, and the same number for the Governorship and Houses of Assembly election on February 6, 2027 — bringing the combined total to 1,414,768.

An additional 52,446 corps members would be needed for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and bye-elections in Nasarawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Kebbi, and Kano states.

The figures represent a substantial jump from the 2023 general election, where INEC deployed approximately 1.2 million ad hoc staff in total, with over 70 percent — nearly 850,000 individuals — drawn from NYSC ranks and student volunteers.

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FG introduces compulsory drug tests for secondary school students

The guideline outlines a comprehensive framework aimed at reducing the growing prevalence of substance abuse among students and creating safer learning environments across schools nationwide.

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The federal government is introducing mandatory drug tests for students in secondary schools nationwide.

According to the new policy, all newly enrolled secondary school students will be subject to mandatory drug integrity testing at the moment of entry.

The directive is contained in the National Implementation Guidelines Against Drug and Substance Use in Schools in Nigeria for secondary schools.

The guideline outlines a comprehensive framework aimed at reducing the growing prevalence of substance abuse among students and creating safer learning environments across schools nationwide.

According to the document, the policy is designed to “create a conducive environment for teaching and learning in the institutions by reducing the negative effect substance abuse has on the mental health and academic performance of students/learners.”

The guideline states that “all new students/learners shall be subjected to drug tests and other measures approved by the schools/learning centres at the point of entry,” adding that the process must be carried out “in collaboration with approved federal/state health facilities and procedures.”

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