News
Group Seeks More Women In Governance
Women have been called upon by the Association of Corporate Governance Professionals of Nigeria (ACGPN) to venture into governance even as they appeal to President Bola Tinubu and state governors to ensure increased women representation into public offices in their political appointments.
President of the association, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, made the appealed at a media briefing in Lagos on Monday to herald its forthcoming maiden Women In Governance (WIG) 2023 Conference.
Ohuabunwa said the forthcoming conference which is slated for July 13 at Providence Hotel in Ikeja is with the theme: “Inspiring Visionary Governance: The Role of Women”.
He noted that the appointment of women into various public offices by the President and the governors would close the gap of gender inequality and to fulfill their campaign promises.
He decried that several women in politics had emerged as candidates of their various political parties but their male counterparts outweighed them.
The groups statement reads:
“We want to use this forthcoming conference to urge the Federal and state governments to appoint more women ministers, commissioners, heads of agencies with a view to closing the gap.
“Especially as the President and other state governors are preparing to release the names of ministers, heads of agencies and parastatals for political appointments.
“The association is urging them to ensure that at least, 35 per cent women representation in public offices is achieved.,” he said.
Ohuabunwa said the association realised that the greatest resource to drive corporate and organisational success was the human capital, in which this capital resided in both male and female genders.
He, however, said that for a long time, most nations, including Nigeria had failed to optimise this resource, often preferring to fire only one engine (male) while sub -optimising the second equally powerful engine( female).
According to him, every pilot knows the danger of flying a twin engine turbo on only one engine. Thrust is low, stability is compromised and safety is imperilled.
Ohuabunwa said since Beijing, Nigeria and many other nations had become more deliberate in creating conducive opportunities for the women folk to climb to the top of their careers hitherto ‘reserved’ for only the men folk.
He noted that the association had, therefore, decided to convene this women In governance conference as part of the national effort to highlight what the women folk were bringing into governance.
The president said this forthcoming conference was also to x-ray those factors that were delaying or inhibiting their orderly trajectory.
He said highly accomplished women in political governance, public sector governance and corporate governance would present papers and lead discussions, followed by panel sessions.
Ohuabunwa said there would be plenty of opportunities for networking and building partnerships during the conference.
He said the invited Special Guests of Honour, Guests of Honour and Special Guests including the Wives of some state governors like Dr Ibijoke Sanwoolu, legislators, and Economic Diplomats like Dr Stella Okoli.
He said the main speakers would be : Mrs Olajumoke Simplice, Past President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation( CITN); Mrs Ebisan Onyema, Managing Director of Avery Nigeria Ltd; Mrs Omotayo Gbajabiamila, Director, Cabinet office, Lagos State Government.
“Others are Prof. Modupe Osho, former vice chancellor, Afe Babalola University: Mrs Felicia David, Managing Director, Alliance and General Insurance Plc; Mrs Afolake Lawal, Managing Partner, Imperial Law Office, Lagos among others.
Ohuabunwa said the association was set to create a national adoption of good governance principles and the creating of the enabling environment to promote women involvement in governance at all levels of the national endeavour.
A suspected improvised explosive device (IED) detonated inside a mosque at Gamboru Market in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, on Wednesday evening, killing several worshippers and injuring others during Maghrib prayers.
The blast occurred around 6:00 p.m. local time, ripping through the crowded mosque and sparking widespread panic in the bustling market area.
Eyewitnesses described thick smoke billowing from the site as traders and residents fled, while others rushed to aid the victims.
Reports indicate at least seven people were killed, though official casualty figures are yet to be confirmed as rescue operations continue. Security forces, including the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, quickly cordoned off the area for sweeping operations and investigations.
No group has claimed responsibility, but the attack bears the hallmarks of previous incidents linked to Boko Haram or its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which have targeted mosques and crowded places in the region despite relative calm in Maiduguri in recent years.
The incident, occurring on Christmas Eve, has heightened fears among residents amid ongoing insurgency challenges in northeast Nigeria.
Emergency responders are battling an intense inferno that has engulfed the 22-storey Great Nigeria Insurance House on Martins Street, Lagos Island, on Christmas Eve, with the blaze showing rapid upward momentum.
According to a situation report from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the fire originated in an apartment on the 4th floor and quickly spread across that level before escalating upwards to the 6th floor.
LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, stated that the Shark Response Team found the building fully engulfed upon arrival.
The number of casualties remains unascertained as firefighting and recovery operations are ongoing.
Multiple agencies are on the ground in a coordinated effort, including LASEMA Response Team, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Nigeria Police, Red Cross, and LRU Paramedics. The Lagos Rescue Unit (LRU) Fire has also been activated.
A total of six fire trucks and a skylift are deployed to combat the blaze and bring it under control.
This incident disrupts festive activities in the commercial hub, raising fresh concerns about fire safety in high-rise buildings across Lagos.
News
President Tinubu Inaugurates High-Powered APC Committee to Resolve Internal Conflicts Ahead of 2027 Elections
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday inaugurated a strategic Committee on Strategy, Conflict Resolution and Mobilisation for the All Progressives Congress (APC), aimed at fostering unity and addressing internal disputes as the ruling party gears up for the 2027 general elections.
The committee, comprising prominent APC governors, federal ministers, and key stakeholders, is chaired by Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, with former APC National Legal Adviser Muiz Banire serving as Member/Secretary.
Members include Senator Adamu Aliero; Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman and Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq; Progressive Governors’ Forum Chairman and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma; Governors Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Bassey Otu (Cross River), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta), and Uba Sani (Kaduna); Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola; Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle; and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Speaking at the inauguration in Lagos, Governor Buni thanked President Tinubu for the appointment and pledged the committee’s commitment to inclusive consultations and proactive conflict resolution.
He emphasised developing strategies that ensure aggrieved parties feel included while urging members to prioritise party interests over personal sentiments.
The move follows President Tinubu’s remarks at the APC’s 15th National Executive Committee meeting on December 19 in Abuja, where he stressed the importance of tolerance, accommodation, and cohesion to sustain the party’s progressive ideals.
This initiative signals the APC’s proactive efforts to strengthen internal harmony and mobilisation in preparation for future electoral challenges.
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