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JUST IN: FG opposes N/Assembly’s proposals for 200 new varsities

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The federal government has expressed opposition to the proposals by the National Assembly for creation of nearly 200 new universities in the country.

It said with almost 200 bills in the National Assembly for establishment of new universities, there is a growing concern that the system is becoming overwhelmed.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, stated this in Abuja yesterday during the third edition of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing.

The country currently has 278 universities, 64 of which are federal; 67, state; and 147, private.

The government had, last month, announced a one-year moratorium on the establishment of new private universities “to enhance the quality and sustainability of private universities, ensuring that only institutions with the necessary financial and academic capacity are granted licenses.”

The minister yesterday emphasised that strengthening the capacities of the existing universities is more important than establishing new ones.

He said: “They (lawmakers) are passing a lot of bills. Today, I can tell you that there are almost 200 bills in the National Assembly. We can’t continue like this.

Even though we have a lot of them, the capacity for a university to admit is not there. What we need to do now is to rebuild the capacities so that we can offer more viable courses to our citizens.

“We need to stop this (the 200 bills for new universities) from happening. There is so much pressure on the president. We have to, at least, be sensitive to it as well.

“I understand the sentiment of our legislators. They want to show that they are working. We know they are working. But then, we have enough assets, we have enough opportunities out there for students to go to universities.

“What we now need to do is to begin to mobilise more resources to develop infrastructures, build engineering workshops, build laboratories in these universities, recruit international standard teachers, so that we can begin to get these universities to develop, to deliver high quality of education that will be known for as a country.

“Today, if you care to know, we have 64 federal universities, 67 state universities and 147 private universities.

If you look at the entire enrolment together, the private universities account for just 7.5% of total undergraduate enrolment.

I will tell you the meaning of the number. The total number of undergraduate enrolments today is just about 875,000, which is, at least, fairly low.

“We have universities with less than 1,000 undergraduate students, and there is this intense demand for more universities to be opened. We have to stop that.”

however, it is not only the legislators that are obsessed with pushing for the establishing of universities as constituency project or for status symbol.

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IGP Disu Wears New DIGs Insignia

Disu, during the ceremony today urged the new Deputy Inspectors-General of Police to uphold discipline, integrity and professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

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• IGP Tunji Disu

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu has decorated the newly promoted senior officers at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja .

Disu, during the ceremony today urged the new Deputy Inspectors-General of Police to uphold discipline, integrity and professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

He said the elevation to the rank of Deputy Inspector-General of Police was not merely the wearing of new insignia but a recognition of years of dedicated service and a call to greater responsibility in the leadership of the force.

Disu emphasised that the rank represents one of the highest levels of professional trust within the police and demands wisdom, courage and a strong commitment to justice and service.

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BREAKING: Court of Appeal Upholds Federal High Court Ruling Halting PDP’s Ibadan National Convention

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In a major ruling that deepens the ongoing leadership crisis in Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from proceeding with its controversial National Convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15-16, 2025.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma, delivered a unanimous judgment on Monday dismissing the appeal filed by the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the PDP.

The court upheld the October 31, 2025, ruling by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, which barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing, validating, or accepting the outcome of the Ibadan convention.

The Appeal Court held that the PDP’s decision to proceed with the convention violated key provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act, INEC’s guidelines on party primaries and conventions, and the PDP’s own Constitution.

It emphasized that the Federal High Court’s intervention was justified to prevent illegality and to protect the rights of excluded delegates from over 14 states where congresses had not yet been conducted.

The panel further criticized INEC for failing to adequately monitor the party’s processes as required by law. In a related aspect of the judgment, a fine of ₦2 million was imposed on the Turaki-led faction.

Rejecting arguments from the appellants that the matter was purely an intra-party affair outside judicial jurisdiction, the Court of Appeal ruled that violations of constitutional provisions, the Electoral Act, or a political party’s constitution confer jurisdiction on the courts.

This decision marks the first in a series of nine consolidated appeals stemming from the PDP’s protracted internal crisis, which pits the Turaki faction against a rival caretaker leadership aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed.

The appeals challenge multiple Federal High Court rulings that halted the Ibadan convention and recognized the caretaker committee.

The ruling represents a significant victory for the Wike-aligned faction and could have far-reaching implications for the PDP’s leadership structure, upcoming elections, and INEC’s recognition of the party’s national officers.

Further judgments in the remaining appeals are expected later today or in the coming days as the Court of Appeal continues its sittings on the consolidated cases.

The PDP has yet to issue an official reaction, though sources indicate the Turaki faction may pursue further appeals to the Supreme Court.

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IWD: My greatest investments are my three daughters – Otedola

Tolani is a singer, Florence a renowned disc jockey and Temi is an actress and fashion blogger.

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“My greatest investments are my three daughters who make me proud every day. Happy International Women’s Day my angels,” wrote the billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola.

His three daughters are Tolani, Florence (DJ Cuppy) and Temi.

The Chairman of First Holdco Plc stated this in an X post on Sunday to commemorate International Women’s Day.

The billionaire’s daughters are high flyers in various areas of personal endeavour. Tolani is a singer, Florence a renowned disc jockey and Temi is an actress and fashion blogger.

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