BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA

A Federal High Court in Abuja has turned down the request to stop the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from conducting its planned Local Government and State Congresses in Kaduna state.

The Court also rejected another plea to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring the conduct of the Congresses aimed at electing new officers for the party at the local governments and state levels.

Justice Peter Lifu declined to stop the elections while delivering ruling in an ex-parte application brought before him by six aggrieved members of PDP In Kaduna state.

The Judge after hearing the arguments of the aggrieved members through their lawyer, Mr. Affis Matanmi held that their prayers for restraining orders against the conduct of the Congresses cannot be granted and subsequently refused the request.

However, the Judge advised the party and INEC to stay further action in the matter having become aware of the pendency of the suit against them.

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CD/1144/2024 was instituted by six plaintiffs who claimed to be card carrying members of the party in Kaduna state.

They are Sheu Isa Dan Ina, Mutari Shuiabu, Yusuf Suleiman, Nura Waziri, Malam Mansur Alasan and Jaafar Abubakar.

PDP, PDP Kaduna state chapter and INEC are the 1st to 3rd defendants respectively in the suit.

Meanwhile, Justice Lifu has fixed August 27 for hearing in a motion on notice for interlocutory injunction of the plaintiffs.

By Uche Onyeali

Baring any last minute changes, renowned professor of Statistics in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Polycarp Chigbu on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, emerged victorious at the university’s Senate elections for the race for the vice chancellor of the nation’s leading citadel of learning.

However, this victory will thereafter await the confirmation and further screening from the school’s Governing Council led by eminent Nigerian elder statesman, General Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu.

This is the current position of affairs which supercedes the earlier post describing Prof Chigbu as the new acting vice chancellor of the university.

Ondo State government said it has put the necessary measures in place to tackle the menace of out-of-school children.

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Laolu Akindolire, stated this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

Akindolire spoke on the sidelines of a two-day regional stakeholders’ meeting on children and retention, transition and completion models for South-West states in Ibadan, yesterday.

NAN reports that the meeting, organised by UNICEF, in collaboration with Oyo State Ministry of Education, was attended by commissioners for education, religious leaders and civil society organisations from Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti and Oyo states.

Akindolire said although the percentage of out-of-school children in the state is low, the state would leave no stone unturned to ensure that every child’s right to education was protected.

The commissioner said the state government had concluded plans to commence renovation of 300 secondary schools in the state.

Akindolire noted that the renovation of the classrooms was part of efforts to ensure that facilities were readily available for a conducive learning environment for pupils and students in the state.

According to him, the state government had also introduced entrepreneurship and vocational department in the ministry to encourage school enrolment.

He commended UNICEF for taking the bold steps in proffering workable solutions to the menace and securing the future of Nigerian children.

“We are putting necessary measures in place to reduce the out-of-school children in the state.

“Although the percentage of out-of-school children in the state is not that much, at the same time, we can still do a lot to reduce it to the barest minimum.

“Presently, the state government has commenced comprehensive renovation of schools as a way of providing enough classrooms as well as conducive environment for students.

“Also, we are recruiting 1,000 teachers in the primary schools and also 1,000 teachers in the secondary schools to boost the number of teachers in our schools,” he said.

Akindolire also said that the ministry would work with the state house of assembly to enact a law that would minimise the number of out-of-school children in the state.

Also, the Majority Leader of the state house of assembly, Mr Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, said that combating the menace of out-of-school children in the state was important.

Ogunmolasuyi, who was in company of the House Committee Chairman on Education, Mr Kolawole Ologede, said the stakeholders’ meeting was an eye opener to the fact that government needs to do more to tackle the menace.

“For us to be here shows that the future of our young ones is very important to us.

“It is important for everyone of us to make sure that we do the needful to reduce the number of out-of-school children.

“I know that we cannot eradicate this menace overnight but it is a gradual process, and I know that whatever we are able to put in place today will achieve a lot,” he said.

In his remarks, the Officer-in-Charge, UNICEF, Lagos Field Office, Mr Muhammad Okorie, said government and stakeholders in education sector must develop workable models to protect child’s right to quality education.

Okorie also said that the menace of out-of-school children must be tackled in Nigeria. (NAN)

From HASSAN JIRGI, Damaturu 

Yobe State government convened the inaugural meeting of the Local Organising Committee, LOC, for the hosting of the fifth edition of the Lake Chad Basin Governors Forum meeting in Damaturu.

The fifth edition, scheduled for October 14-18, will bring together, key stakeholders to address critical issues affecting the Lake Chad Basin region. It will be hosted by the Yobe State government.

A statement signed by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Abdullahi Bego and made available to AljazirahNigeria in Damaturu, said Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum is a pivotal regional forum focused on advancing cooperation, stabilisation, peacebuilding, and promoting sustainable development among the member states of Nigeria, Niger, Tchad and Cameroon.

During the inaugural meeting chaired by the LOC Chairman and Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali, members of the committee comprising representatives from the Yobe and Borno State governments and other key stakeholders, discussed details and preparations for organising and hosting the significant regional event.

Mallam Wali emphasised the importance of the forum in promoting regional stability and development.

The statement expressed confidence in the Local Organising Committee’s ability to deliver a well-organized, coordinated, and secure event, highlighting the commitment of the Yobe State government to this regional initiative.

The committee resolved to work closely with the Lake Chad Basin Commission, LCBC, and other relevant entities and agencies to ensure the success of the Forum’s meeting.

According to him, the key areas discussed during the meeting included the proposed dates for the meeting, the structure and objectives of the LOC, venue and accommodation options for participants, logistics planning, security arrangements, and health services, amongst others. 

The LOC will continue to meet regularly to refine these plans and ensure seamless coordination leading up to the event.