Nelson Ugwuagbo

The 133 cardinal electors of the Catholic Church on Wednesday took their oath of secrecy and entered into conclave to begin the process of electing a new pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.

The cardinals gathered inside the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, where they listened to a spiritual meditation delivered by the former Preacher of the Papal Household before commencing the election process. In line with tradition, the electors will remain in strict isolation throughout the conclave to prevent external influence.

The process is governed by centuries-old rituals and protocols. A new pontiff will be announced when white smoke rises from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel—a signal to the world that a decision has been reached.

Pope Francis, the 266th pope, was elected in 2013 and served until his death last month.

Among the prominent names being speculated as potential successors are Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, and Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, according to various media reports.

The Nigerian Senate will on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, commence investigative hearings into allegations of abuse and poor implementation of the federal character principle by several government agencies.

The hearings, aimed at promoting fairness in public sector recruitment and infrastructure distribution, will be conducted by the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, chaired by Senator Allwell Heacho Onyesoh (Rivers East). Proceedings are scheduled to take place at the Equal Opportunities Hearing Room 211, Senate Building, National Assembly Complex, Abuja.

The probe follows a motion moved in March by Senator Osita Ngwu (Enugu West), titled Urgent Need to Address Systemic Abuse and Ineffective Implementation of the Federal Character Principle, which the Senate unanimously adopted. The motion decried widespread violations of Sections 14(3) and 14(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandate equitable representation in public appointments and resource allocation.

Agencies cited in the alleged non-compliance include the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and its subsidiaries, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Pension Commission (PENCOM), and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).

Others named are the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), National Library of Nigeria (NLN), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), and Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA).

In a statement on Tuesday, May 6, Senator Onyesoh confirmed that formal invitations and document requests had been sent to the affected Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). He added that the hearings would span several weeks, with the committee expected to present its report to the Senate within three months.

The committee has also called on members of the public to submit memoranda or relevant information, either in person or via email to clerk.scfciga.ng@gmail.com, to support the investigation and promote transparency.

The hearings come amid growing public concerns over marginalization and imbalance in federal appointments, raising expectations about the government’s adherence to constitutional principles of equity and inclusion.