Nelson Ugwuagbo

President Bola Tinubu is currently presiding over a meeting of the Council of State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he is expected to present nominees for consideration as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The hybrid session, which commenced at 1:29 p.m. on Thursday, comes 48 hours after Prof. Mahmood Yakubu concluded his 10-year tenure as INEC Chairman, a period that spanned two administrations and three general elections.

According to a draft agenda sighted by reporters before the meeting went into a closed-door session, President Tinubu is expected to present three nominees for the Council’s consideration — Prof. Joash Amupitan, Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman, and Prof. Lai Olurede.

The three nominees, all distinguished legal and academic professionals, are being screened as possible successors to Prof. Yakubu.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In a statement issued in Abuja by the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, the commission announced that the exercise, earlier scheduled to end on Wednesday, will now continue until Sunday, October 12, 2025.

According to Eta-Messi, as of October 7, 2025, a total of 55,346 new voter registrations had been recorded in the FCT. The figure includes 38,528 online pre-registrations and 16,818 completed physical registrations.

The extension, INEC said, is aimed at allowing more eligible residents of the FCT to participate in the registration process ahead of the next electoral cycle.

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has rewarded Mrs. Marbel Ijeoma Duaka, a health worker from Anambra State, with a fully furnished two-bedroom house in recognition of her dedication and service to the state.

Governor Zulum also announced an automatic employment offer for her son, Anthony, a graduate of Banking and Finance, at the state-owned Kashim Ibrahim University, Maiduguri.

Presenting the house key to Mrs. Duaka, the governor commended her for over two decades of selfless service at the Primary Healthcare Centre in Mafa Local Government Area, where she continued to work throughout the height of the Boko Haram insurgency.

“She has been working here for over 24 years and has never left Mafa for a single month. During the Boko Haram crisis, most people fled the town, but she stayed throughout the conflict despite being a non-indigene,” Zulum said.

The governor further revealed that Mrs. Duaka had treated many members of his family, including his late mother.

“The allocation letter should be issued in your name. Do not leave Mafa, even after you retire,” he directed.

Zulum added, “Your son, Anthony, will be given automatic employment at the Kashim Ibrahim University, Maiduguri. His employment takes effect immediately.”

The Kano State Government has enrolled 380 youths into the State Corporate Security Institute in Gabasawa for paramilitary training aimed at curbing phone snatching, thuggery, and other related crimes across the state.

The Commandant of the institute, Captain Muhammad Mai Gaskiya (rtd), said the training programme is designed to equip participants with skills in phone snatching prevention, VIP protection, and defensive driving. He added that the exercise also includes lectures by officials from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and counselling sessions conducted by Hisbah personnel.

According to him, parade drills and physical fitness exercises are also key components of the training, intended to build discipline and resilience among the trainees.

Captain Mai Gaskiya urged the participants to take the training seriously, noting that upon successful completion, they would be absorbed as civil servants to support security operations and help maintain law and order in Kano State.