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Consider Halimat Tejuosho for Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Arewa Youth Pleads

The Concerned North-East Youth Coalition has pleaded with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly and other stakeholders to consider appointing Hajiya Halimat Adenike Tejuosho as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The Coalition made this appeal considering the fact that the ministry has remained vacant for a long time following the sack of Dr. Betta Edu who occupied the seat for few months at the beginning of the current administration over allegations of corruption.
In a press statement issued in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital and signed by the Mallam Aliyu Mohammed and Abba Bumsa; Chairman and Secretary of the Coalition respectively, the Coalition expressed frustration at the present humanitarian situation in Borno State and the North-East at large and called for a capable replacement to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country.
The Coalition which is a collection of grassroot youth leaders across the six (6) states that make up the region and social media influencers dedicated to peacebuilding, development, and youth empowerment, insisted that their choice of Hajiya Halimat Adenike Tejuosho is purely based on merit and positive precedents, as she’s known nationally as philanthropist and humanitarian.
“Dr. Tejuosho, Founder and President of the Queen Adenike Tejuosho Foundation (QATFoundation), has an outstanding track record in delivering humanitarian aid, both nationally and at the grassroots level. Her compassion, strategic vision, and deep understanding of the challenges facing Nigeria’s most vulnerable communities make her uniquely qualified for this position.
“Through her foundation, she has successfully financed and implemented numerous philanthropic initiatives that have directly impacted communities across the federation. Her experience spans all regions of Nigeria, and her relentless commitment to uplifting the most marginalized is unmatched.
“She has been actively involved in providing aid and relief services to regions severely affected by poverty and conflict. Recently, she delivered relief materials worth millions of naira to displaced persons and vulnerable populations in Maiduguri, Borno State following the devastating floods. This is just one of her many humanitarian efforts, and she continues to work tirelessly to alleviate suffering in the North-East and beyond”, the statement noted.
Specifically, the Coalition recognized and applauded her recent personal visit to Maiduguri to provide direct moral and material support to victims of the floods arising from the collapse of the Alau Dam, affirming that, this act of selflessness and dedication to alleviating the hardship of those affected by natural disasters further solidified their belief in her capabilities.
“We have watched with admiration, the sterling qualities of this great lady. Her hands-on approach and grassroots engagement are a testimony to her commitment to humanitarian work. It is our conviction that the unique combination of experience, compassion, and leadership will enable her to effectively coordinate the nation’s humanitarian response and poverty alleviation programs.
“Her grassroots outreach and ability to mobilize communities demonstrate her capability to bridge the gap between government interventions and the needs of ordinary Nigerians, particularly in areas hardest hit by poverty and conflict and mostly under represented and under served.
“We, therefore, strongly urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all key stakeholders to support the nomination and appointment of Dr. Halimat Adenike Tejuosho as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, trusting that the ministry will deliver impactful and transformative results towards alleviating the hardship as well as significant improvements in the lives of Nigerians, especially those at the grassroots”, the statement concluded.
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SERAP sues Akpabio over ‘failure to reverse unlawful suspension of Natasha Akpoti’

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The group argues that the suspension is unlawful and violates her fundamental right to freedom of expression.
SERAP is seeking a court order compelling Akpabio to reverse the six-month suspension, reinstate Akpoti-Uduaghan, and restore all her legislative privileges. The organization also wants an injunction preventing the Senate from imposing further disciplinary actions against her for expressing her views.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended after she reportedly spoke without permission and rejected a new seat assignment in the Senate chamber. As part of her suspension, her salary and allowances have been withheld, and she has been barred from identifying as a senator.
In its suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP contends that the suspension deprives Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituents of political representation. The organization also argues that penalizing a senator for exercising free speech creates a chilling effect on other lawmakers.
“No one should ever be punished for speaking without permission,” SERAP stated. “The Senate should uphold the rule of law and protect human rights, not suppress them.”
The group cites constitutional provisions and international human rights treaties, including Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
SERAP maintains that the Senate Standing Orders cannot override constitutional guarantees of free speech. The lawsuit emphasizes that restricting a senator’s expression undermines democracy and violates Nigerians’ right to receive information and participate politically.
No date has been set for the hearing of the case.
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Market associations, women groups knock el-Rufai, rally support for Tinubu, Gov Sani

Ahead of the 2027 elections, hundreds of members of market associations and numerous women groups in Kaduna state at the weekend, occupied Kaduna metropolis in a peaceful demonstration where they reiterated their loyalty and support to the administration of
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The protesters who alleged that they had bitter experiences during the El-Rufa’i administration, said they would remain where Governor Uba Sani stood and advised the citizens of Kaduna not to be deceived by doing the contrary.
They recounted their ordeals during the 8 years of the previous administration, alleging that hundreds of market shops belonging to individuals were either seized, demolished or confiscated, a situation that triggered ill health in many traders and business owners leading to paralysis and multiple deaths of their colleagues.
“We’ve been in the market for over 40 years and have never experienced the kind of set backs we suffered under the previous Governor.”
“A lot of lives were lost,a lot of finances were ruined by reason of his kind of policies. We are here to speak with one voice and say that anything that would kind of revive such kind of philosophy in Kaduna market, we don’t want it,” Daniel Audu Maigari, a stakeholder of the Kaduna Market associations, has said.
He explained that “this incumbent Governor began by healing the wounds, the wounds that were really severed by the former Governor. Governor Uba Sani has been doing so,so very well and that’s why we’ve been with our leader, Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, who like Governor Sani,has been charting the right course, ensuring programmes and plans that will heal these wounds .”
He said there was never been a time they are having the impact of leadership in Kaduna market, like they are having now.
” Now we’ve lots of incentives, lots of policies that are driving us to progress .We are now standing with one voice to denounce anything that would reverse this,” he said.
Alhaji Daiyabu Ismail Mai Gwanjo, Chairman Stakeholders of the Kaduna State Market Traders associations, said on behalf of their leader,Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, his EXCO and all trader leaders in the 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, they have gathered to unilaterally declare an unalloyed support to Governor Uba Sani who had taken care of them and protected their interests.
According to him,” we have to say so,haven had the harrowing experience in the hands of the past administration. The scar still remains and many are yet to recover.”
“But when Almighty Allah sent Governor Uba Sani to us,he declared he would not do anything bad to traders because the world thrives on businesses.All the most cherished countries like China, Canada, UAE, India,are very proud of and supportive to their traders and other business persons.”
“Unfortunately, we found ourselves during the previous administration that neither showed empathy nor sympathy to traders. An approximate number of 36 markets were demolished at that time.None of these markets was completely rebuild ,till date,and we are suspicious of the collaboration between the previous administration and the market developers.”
“We are therefore calling on Governor Uba Sani, our Governor of sympathy and understanding, to look at this issue with a view to resolving it.We are with Uba Sani a hundred percent, ” he added.
Hajiya Hadiza Abdulaziz,a woman leader of the market association,said they have gathered in multitudes to reiterate their support to the APC and Governor Uba Sani who has tremendously supported the market men and women in Kaduna State.
” Most of the market women had no shops because the shops were collected. But now we give God the glory everybody has gotten their shops back and nobody will collect it again,” she said.
She expressed happiness that those making the market women not to achieve, had left the party and government.
“We’ve been crying, a lot of market women don’t have capital, they have been deceiving us.But now,I believe Governor Uba Sani is going to assist us,”she added.
The protesters later took to the streets ,displaying placards with various inscriptions denouncing the previous arrangements, and chanting slogans in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
” Most of the market women had no shops because the shops were collected. But now we give God the glory everybody has gotten their shops back and nobody will collect it again,” she said.
She expressed happiness that those making the market women not to achieve, had left the party and government.
“We’ve been crying, a lot of market women don’t have capital, they have been deceiving us.But now,I believe Governor Uba Sani is going to assist us,”she added.
The protesters later took to the streets ,displaying placards with various inscriptions denouncing the previous arrangements, and chanting slogans in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
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