News In Bits....

The Independent National Electoral Commission said all sensitive materials for the conduct of Saturday’s bye elections in 12 States have been distributed. National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, who disclosed this in a statement, said all Bimodal Voter Accreditation System has been configured for the elections.

 The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, has said the deployment of inclusive dialogue and non-partisan consultations in the state’s reconciliation process have led to the restoration of calm and political stability. Ibas said this when he hosted the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Emergency Rule Implementation, led by its Chairman, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere.

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 The Federal Government has launched an ambitious national skills programme to connect 20 million young Nigerians to jobs, training, and entrepreneurship opportunities by 2030. Vice President, Kashim Shettima announced the plan as he assumed chairmanship of the reactivated Board of Generation Unlimited Nigeria during its inaugural meeting in Abuja, which coincided with International Youth Day 2025.

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. Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State has announced a three-week medical leave to address health concerns. A statement by Bala Salisu Zango, the state Commissioner for Information and Culture, on Thursday said Radda would begin his medical leave on Monday August 18, 2025.

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 The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has lifted the life-time ban placed on Ms. Comfort Emmanson by its members for unruly behaviour onboard Ibom Air Flight Q9 303 from Uyo to Lagos on August 10, 2025. The group said this followed the intervention of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo.

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 In addition to their regular statutory allocations, the Federal Government said the State Governments, and Local Governments are getting more funds under the current administration leading to a surplus of about N7.1 trillion. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, on Thursday.

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 A yet-to-be-identified boy has been brutally murdered by suspected kidnappers in Anambra State after allegedly refusing their demand to sexually assault his own sister. The shocking incident was revealed by former Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, via Gwamnishu’s official Facebook page.

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 Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has reiterated his administration’s stance against negotiating with bandits, declaring that his government will never engage with those responsible for terrorizing the state. The governor spoke on Thursday as he continued his visit to communities recently attacked by bandits.

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 Police in Ondo State have arrested seven suspected kidnappers of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko lecturer, Omoniyi Samuel, including his regular commercial motorcyclist, Benson Alaba (45), who allegedly set him up. Investigations revealed that Ogungbemi Wasiu, of Okeruwa, Ikare, provided the Itel handset used to contact the victim’s family to demand a ransom of N5,000,000.

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 The Nigeria Labour Congress has threatened a nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to return what it claims to be billions of naira taken from workers’ insurance contributions. It also demanded that the government fill the leadership gap in the country’s pension regulatory commission within a week.

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The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party, LP, has described the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi as an ‘Uber’ politician.
Abure said this in a statement he personally signed on Friday.
Abure slammed Obi, saying that he is now reputed to have elevated subterfuge in the game of politics and had of late been crying wolf where there was none.
According to him, Obi has booked a place for himself in the Guinness book of records as a person affiliated to many political parties pari pasu, all in his desperation to preside over Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate that Obi has turned himself to an irony and a paradox in the Nigeria political space.
“He has turned himself into “Uber” politician, not willing to take a position and stand by his decision,” he said
Abure said this in response to Obi’s directives ahead of the August 16 by-elections across the country.

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‎Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has urged his supporters to back the candidates of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, during the forthcoming by-elections across some states in the country.
‎Obi told his supporters not to vote for the Labour Party because it has no recognised candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, due to the lingering internal crisis.
‎He made this known in a post on his X handle on Thursday.
‎ the elections will take place on August 16, 2025 in 16 states across the country, with two senatorial, five Federal House of Representatives, and nine State Assembly seats available for voting.
‎However, Obi advised his supporters, saying,
“Kindly note that because the Labour Party has no recognised candidates by INEC due to the internal crisis.
‎“I humbly urge every member of Obidient and COPDEM families to go out and vote for the coalition political party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), in their respective states.”
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from Dailypost