News
Speakership race: Doguwa Abandons G7, Steps Down For Abbas
The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ado Doguwa, and five other aspirants have stepped down from the Speaker and Deputy Speakership race.
The aspirants announced their withdrawal at a meeting of members-elect under the auspices of the ‘10th Joint Task’ in Abuja on Wednesday night.
The speakership aspirants, Ado Doguwa (APC-Kano), Abdulraheem Olaoye (APC-Ogun), Makki Yalleman (APC-Jigawa) stepped down for Tajudeen Abbas (APC-Kaduna)
Also, the deputy speakership aspirants, Abiola Makinde (APC-Ondo), Francis Waive (APC-Delta), and Julius Ihonberev (APC-Edo) stepped down for Benjamin Kalu (APC-Abia)
The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) had earlier endorsed Abbas and Kalu for the office of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively.
The endorsement was further strengthened by the Minority Party Forum, a group of about 70 members-elect, who announced their support for the duo.
Speaking on behalf of the speakership aspirants, Doguwa said they had come to join the Abbas/Kalu campaign, adding that they will support the party’s choice.
He said: “I want to say on behalf of these great men around me here, that we have individually and collectively decided to surrender our bid to become Speaker this time around.
“We have resolved to support our great party and the man they have chosen to be Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.”
Speaking on behalf of the deputy speaker aspirants, Ihonberev said the three of them wanted to be Deputy Speaker, believing that it will be zoned in their favour but it turned out differently.
The lawmaker said: “As loyal party persons, we decided to align with those that have been identified by the party
“The integration, capacity, and ability to carry people along, transparency and the energy to mobilise ideas that would change Nigeria for the better.
“We want to say we are absolutely, undilutedly in support of the ticket as announced by the party that Tajudeen Abbas will be our next Speaker and Benjamin Kalu will be the next Deputy Speaker.
“We want to assure you that we are prepared to do all it takes to ensure the success of this project.”
However, the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, the Chairman Committee on Appropriation, Muktar Betara, the Chairman Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli, Mariam Onouha, and Yusuf Gagdi are still in the race.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, on May 9, zoned the Senate Presidency of the 10th National Assembly to the South-South and the Speakership of the House of Representatives to the North-West.
News
Nigeria now produces 10,000 passports per hour
In an address during the International Civil Service Conference 2026 in Abuja, the minister said that the reform has transformed passport production from a slow, manual and fragmented process into a system driven by automation, integration and efficiency.
Photo: Minister of Interior, Olatunji Olubunmi-Ojo
Minister of Interior, Olatunji Olubunmi-Ojo, said that Nigeria can now produce “nothing less than 10,000 passports per hour.”
The minister attributes the passport production fest to the establishment of a world-class centralised personalisation centre in Abuja, a development he described as the first of its kind since 1963.
In an address during the International Civil Service Conference 2026 in Abuja, the minister said that the reform has transformed passport production from a slow, manual and fragmented process into a system driven by automation, integration and efficiency.
“For the first time since 1963, we have a world-class centralised personalisation centre in Abuja,” said Olubunmi-Ojo.
“And what that means is that from a system that could do 400 or 500 passports per hour, all over the world, we could barely do three, four thousand a day or per hour.
Today, we are in a position to do nothing less than 10,000 passports per hour with a centralised level of control.”
He said the nder the new arrangement, stressing that the innovation marks a major shift in the management of internal security services and public administration.
News
Tinubu, Shettima , Jonathan highlight political lessons from Gowon ‘s autobiography ‘My Life of Duty and Allegiance.’
Gowon, on his part, explained that he wrote the memoir to tell his truth rather than settle scores. “My story and that of Nigeria became intertwined,” he told the audience, describing the book as his “modest attempt to document the opportunity I had to serve Nigeria”.
Former Head of State Gen Yakubu Gowon (retd) on Tuesday launched an autobiography, titled ‘My Life of Duty and Allegiance.’
The book launch was graced by Former President Goodluck Jonathan ; Vice‑President Kashim Shettima, former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rted) with his wife Victoria, Former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rted) Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III , and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, among other VIPs.
Speaking during the public presentation of the book at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, the president, who was represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, urged that the memoir be widely circulated to preserve historical memory and strengthen national unity.
President Tinubu emphasised that accounts from leaders who lived through defining moments are essential to deepening democratic stability.
“A nation that misplaces its memory soon begins to quarrel with its own reflection. A society without memory becomes an orphan in time,” he said.
Tinubu told the gathering that Gowon’s reflections arrive at a critical juncture for Nigeria and West Africa, where insecurity, economic pressure and social fragmentation persist.
He praised Gowon’s post-civil war reconciliatory stance, particularly the “No victor, no vanquished” declaration, as a principle that “helped preserve Nigeria’s unity after the civil war”.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan agreed to that Yakubu Gowon’s “No victor, no vanquished” declaration after the Nigerian civil war helped to create the basis for national healing across the country.
Jonathan lauded the former military head of state for his role in strengthening unity, promoting reconciliation and supporting youth development.
He described Gowon as a “living testimony” of leadership during one of Nigeria’s most consequential eras.
Gowon, on his part, explained that he wrote the memoir to tell his truth rather than settle scores. “My story and that of Nigeria became intertwined,” he told the audience, describing the book as his “modest attempt to document the opportunity I had to serve Nigeria”.
He cautioned Nigerians ahead of the 2027 election against listening to “naysayers”, insisting that the nation “did not fail under my watch” and “will never fail despite the country’s challenges”.
News
Nigeria-U.S kills 175 ISIS terrorists in fresh strikes – DHQ
The operations had also led to the destruction of terrorist checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, military equipment, and financial networks used to sustain insurgent activities.
•Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen Samaila Uba
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced that no fewer than 175 ISIS terrorists were killed on Tuesday in ongoing joint counterterrorism operations conducted by Nigerian troops and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in Northeast Nigeria.
The military high command said that the coordinated operations, which commenced a few days ago, have continued to record significant successes against ISIS and ISWAP elements operating in the region.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen Samaila Uba.
According to the DHQ, the latest assessment as of May 19, 2026, showed that 175 ISIS militants had been eliminated from the battlefield through sustained ground and air assaults.
The statement noted that the operations had also led to the destruction of terrorist checkpoints, weapons caches, logistics hubs, military equipment, and financial networks used to sustain insurgent activities.
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