News
How Dauda Lawal Has Left Zamfara State In Shambles — Zamfara APC Youth League

The Zamfara All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth League has accused the Zamfara State Government of failing to develop the State, while abandoning the State to live in Abuja.
In a Press Statement distributed to members of the Press last week, the group, led by its Coordinator Ubaidullah Yahaya Kaura stated that since the commencement of the Dauda Lawal’s tenure, the “Zamfara has faced a troubling decline—sinking deeper into poverty, insecurity, and underdevelopment.”
The group accused the Governor of spending time and resources of the State on television appearances, while making unfounded claims about developments in the State which were contrary to reality.
“The evidence is visible across the state. Health statistics reveal an alarming rise in mortality rates due to disease and poor maternal healthcare, with no substantial investment in education or infrastructure.
“There is growing unemployment at record levels. Our farms, which once used to thrive, are now lying abandoned, and the record harvests achieved in the last five years have become a thing of the past. Due to welfare concerns, staff in the healthcare sector in Zamfara State are threatening to go on strike.”
Mal. Ubaidullah Kaura further stated that Governor Dauda Laws had dismantled the progress made by his predecessor, Dr. Bello Matawalle, particularly in security.
“Under Dr.Matawalle’s administration, security was tackled effectively with a balanced approach that combined both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.
“It is on record that for nine consecutive months, there were no reported terrorist or bandit attacks in the State—this is a testament to his strategic collaboration with stakeholders and innovative strategies. It is regrettable, that under the current administration, insecurity has surged due to the Governor’s neglect of residents’ welfare and his unwillingness to apply effective security measures like his predecessor did.
“Dauda Lawal has, unfortunately, distanced himself from Zamfara, governing from Abuja and displaying indifference to his responsibilities. We call upon him to return to the state and revisit the handover notes left by Dr. Bello Matawalle, the current Minister of State for Defence, who prioritized peace, development, and employment during his tenure.
“It is an unfortunate situation residents of Zamfara State face today that due to the Governor’s highhandedness, ego and pride, he has refused to meet with stakeholders and engage necessary persons to ending criminality in the State. We want to use this medium to call on the Governor to embrace collaboration and do all that is necessary to tackle insecurity in the state, just as his predecessor successfully did.”
The APC Zamfara Youth League, while lauding Dr. Matawalle’s tenure as Governor urged Dauda Lawal to learn from the infrastructure development, job creation and social investment undertaken by the former Governor in bringing development to the state.
“As Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Matawalle gave infrastructure development in the State priority. He showed that healthcare and education deserved the utmost attention both sectors deserved. He strategically built modernized hostels, schools and hospitals across the state to address shortages of health delivery and quality education. He knew and understood that by investing in these areas of the development of the State, he would be curing age-long menaces of underdevelopment in the State.
“It is on the record that Dr. Bello Matawalle, as Governor of Zamfara State ensured that there was a Primary Health Care Centre built and furnished with the necessary equipment in each of the 147 local government centres of the State.
“We use this medium to call on Dauda Lawal to emulate the successes of his predecessor and continue to build more schools, employ more teachers, doctors and furnish these infrastructures with the needed equipment to ensure that they work to serve the people of Zamfara State.”
The group stated that: “Dauda Lawal must remember that his job is not to complain but to build on the successes of what has already been laid before him.”
News
SDGs must be integrated into development plans – FG

The Federal Government has emphasized that achieving the **Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)** requires their full integration into national and sub-national development plans rather than treating them as isolated initiatives.
The **Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs (SSAP-SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire**, made this call during the **North-East Regional Consultation in Gombe**, part of Nigeria’s **2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR)** preparations for the **High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York this July**. Represented by **Dr. Bala Yunusa, Senior Technical Adviser**, she explained that the **United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)** established the HLPF as a global review mechanism for the 2030 Agenda. Nigeria, now conducting its third VNR, is engaging stakeholders across all six geopolitical zones to assess progress, challenges, and future opportunities.
A statement from her **Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communication, Desmond Utomwen**, highlighted the urgent need to accelerate SDG progress. Citing the **2024 UN Sustainable Development Goals Report**, she revealed that only 17% of SDG targets are on track, nearly 50% show minimal or moderate progress, and over one-third have stalled or regressed. She attributed Nigeria’s slow SDG progress to dwindling financial resources, the COVID-19 pandemic, and persistent insecurity.
Orelope-Adefulire stressed the importance of **robust Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (MER) mechanisms**, including SDG Progress Reports and the VNR, to track achievements and challenges. She called for stronger collaboration among public and private sectors, the UN Development System, donor agencies, academia, and civil society to ensure no one is left behind.
Referring to the **“Pact for the Future”** adopted during the **79th UN General Assembly**, she reaffirmed world leaders’ commitment to bold and transformative actions for SDG acceleration. She also echoed **UN Secretary-General António Guterres’** call for massive investments and strategic partnerships to drive key transitions in food security, energy, and digital connectivity.
She commended **Nigeria’s Multi-Stakeholder Core Working Group for the 2025 VNR**, acknowledging the contributions of members from government agencies, the UN Development System, private sector groups, civil society organizations, and academia.
The **North-East Regional Consultation** brought together 150 participants from six states, focusing discussions on institutional frameworks for SDG implementation, progress across the 17 SDGs, and challenges and lessons learned.
**Gombe State SDGs Focal Person, Engr. Sulaiman Turaki**, described the event as a critical dialogue shaping Nigeria’s next VNR. He urged stakeholders to actively contribute, ensuring the review accurately reflects progress, challenges, and opportunities while ensuring no one is left behind in the country’s development efforts.
News
Nnamdi Kanu’s trial under ‘repealed’ law, mere charade – Lawyer

Prominent human rights lawyer, Barrister Christopher Chidera, has raised concerns over the Nigerian government’s plan to prosecute Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the repealed Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013. He described the move as legally unsustainable and urged the administration of President Bola Tinubu to reconsider.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Chidera argued that since the 2013 Act has been revoked, it cannot serve as a legal basis for Kanu’s trial.
“Any attempt to prosecute the IPOB leader under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013 is legally untenable and procedurally flawed,” he stated.
He warned that continuing with the case under an obsolete law could undermine Nigeria’s justice system and attract international criticism.
Chidera further urged the government to negotiate with Kanu before March 20, 2025, to avoid exposing systemic flaws in the judiciary.
“The section of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013 on which the prosecution relies is no longer an active law in Nigeria. The jurisdiction to prosecute Kanu under this Act ceased with its repeal. Continuing with this prosecution would draw scrutiny and criticism both domestically and internationally,” he added.
With Kanu set to represent himself in court on March 21, 2025, legal analysts predict heightened scrutiny of the case.
“Reports that Mazi Kanu will assume his own defence signal a significant shift. His self-representation may reveal inconsistencies and vulnerabilities within Nigeria’s judicial system,” Chidera noted.
Describing the trial as a critical test for Nigeria’s judiciary, Chidera called on Tinubu’s government to seek a diplomatic resolution before the March 20 deadline.
“Political dissent cannot be extinguished by force, and the Biafran struggle will not be subdued by crackdowns or detention without trial,” he emphasised.
As the court date approaches, all eyes remain on how the government will handle the high-stakes legal battle, with potential implications for Nigeria’s political and judicial credibility.
News
2027: Stakeholders allege Akpabio, others have sold APC to PDP in Akwa Ibom

ey stakeholders within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State have raised serious allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, state party chairman Stephen Ntukekpo, and Minister of Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo. The group claims that these leaders have sold out the party to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in return for the latter’s support for Akpabio’s bid for a third term as Senate President in 2027.
The accusations were made public through an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, titled “The Worrisome State of the APC in Akwa Ibom State: A Call for Your Intervention”. The letter was signed by Elder Okokon James, Peter Ibanga, and Chief Victor Affiah, who represent the Uyo, Eket, and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial districts, respectively.
In the letter, the APC stakeholders express their frustration with the actions of the party’s leadership in the state, stating that Ntukekpo and Ekpo have openly claimed to be acting on Akpabio’s orders to deliberately weaken the party in Akwa Ibom. According to the group, this was done to facilitate an easy victory for the PDP in the upcoming 2027 elections. They argue that this arrangement is part of a deal to secure support for Akpabio’s third-term Senate ambitions.
The group warns that if urgent intervention is not taken to revitalize the APC in the state, party members will abandon the party and join a coalition of opposition forces, undermining President Tinubu’s prospects in his second term campaign. They allege that the APC in the state has been effectively dismantled by its own leaders, leaving little support for Tinubu when he visits next year.
“This is a betrayal of trust,” the stakeholders write, accusing Akpabio and Ekpo of undermining the party that helped propel Akpabio to the Senate Presidency. They further allege that if the party’s situation worsens, the responsibility will fall squarely on the shoulders of Akpabio and Ekpo.
The letter also criticizes the inaction of Governor Umo Eno and his team, suggesting that while the Governor is strengthening his political base, APC leaders in the state are failing to make any significant moves to bolster the party.
In response, the Senate President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, dismissed the allegations, calling them “spurious and mischievous.” Eyiboh defended Akpabio’s efforts, pointing to the numerous appointments the Senate President has secured for party members, which he argues are evidence of his commitment to strengthening the party.
Eyiboh further labeled the signatories of the letter as “non-existent” and stated that the claims were baseless and intended to stir unnecessary controversy.
-
News14 hours ago
SDGs must be integrated into development plans – FG
-
News15 hours ago
2027: Stakeholders allege Akpabio, others have sold APC to PDP in Akwa Ibom
-
News14 hours ago
Nnamdi Kanu’s trial under ‘repealed’ law, mere charade – Lawyer
-
Foreign14 hours ago
Trump begins mass layoffs at Voice of America