Plateau State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Tuesday, re-elected Hon. Rufus Bature as the Chairman of the party at its State Congress in Jos.

The well attended Congress had in attendance Gov. Caleb Mutfwang, deputy governor Josephine Piyo, members of the National Assembly, the Speaker and members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, elders and stakeholders of the party, chairmen of the 17 local government areas, local government party chairmen, and duly accredited delegates from across the state, as well as observers from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

In his remarks at the end of the exercise, Chairman of the State Congress Committee, Hon. Oscar Yelwa, commended party members for embracing consensus and democratic engagement, noting that the congress was convened to formally usher in a new state executive to steer the affairs of the APC.

In his acceptance speech, Bature pledged to reposition the party for greater strength ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that failure is not an option

Bature, who highlighted his long-standing service to the state, including working under three administrations of former governors Joshua Dariye, Senator Simon Lalong, and the incumbent governor, described his emergence as the party chairman as a huge responsibility, but assured party faithful that the new executive would uphold the ideals of the APC and meet the expectations of Plateau people.

In his address, Gov. Mutfwang described the Congress as historic and urged party members to remain united as one big family.

Mutfwang also emphasized the need for aggressive grassroots mobilization, and charged every registered APC member in the state to campaign massively and recruit at least 10 new members.

The suspended Commissioner for Works in Ebonyi State, Lebechi Mbam, has tendered a public apology following his indefinite suspension by the State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, over alleged dereliction of duty.

Recall that Governor Nwifuru at the weekend announced the indefinite suspension of Mbam and his Infrastructure Development for Concession counterpart, Ogbonnaya Obasi Abara, citing lapses in the discharge of their responsibilities at the Ministry of Works.

In a statement issued on his social handle after the suspension, Mbam acknowledged the weight of leadership and accepted responsibility for the unmet expectations under his watch.

“Leadership and mentorship come with the ability to take accolades and the courage to take correction and reprimand,” he stated.

The embattled commissioner reaffirmed his loyalty and accountability to the governor, describing him as his leader and mentor.

He emphasised that performance in the Ministry of Works remains a priority to the governor and noted that disciplinary measures, whether public or private, are intended to strengthen governance and improve service delivery.

“I take responsibility for the unmet expectations of the Ministry of Works under my watch. On behalf of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Works, I accept responsibility for the observed lapses,” he said.

Mbam further expressed regret over what he described as perceived disappointments and assured that recent developments would serve as motivation to reassess operations, improve weak areas and build on existing strengths.

“Your Excellency, I apologize for every perceived disappointment. We will do better, and a second chance will not be taken for granted,” he added.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has approved the appointment of Muyiwa John Adetola as the state’s new Accountant-General and Permanent Secretary of the State Treasury Office.

The announcement was made in an official circular issued by the Office of the Head of Service and shared on the Lagos State Government’s Facebook page on Tuesday.

Adetola assumes the position following the statutory retirement of his predecessor, Abiodun Muritala.

Prior to this appointment, he served as the State Auditor-General, a role from which he was redeployed to lead the State Treasury Office.

The appointment took immediate effect from Monday, March 2, 2026.

In the statement, the Head of Service, Mr Bode Agoro, wished Adetola success in his new role and urged all stakeholders to facilitate a smooth transition by cooperating with the circular’s directives.

“The strategic redeployment demonstrates the State Government’s commitment to ensuring efficiency, accountability, and continuity in public financial management,” the statement added.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Regional Colligate Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, South-South, Onochie Osheokwu, has urged the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to zone its presidential ticket to the South.
Osheokwu made this call on Monday while fielding questions in an interview on Arise Television monitored by DAILY POST.

His remark is coming as political parties gather momentum for next year’s general elections.

According to him, Nigerians are well aware of who would be the strongest candidate, adding that the former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, from the Southeast, also represents the South

He said, “We in the South-South want the ADC to zone it presidential ticket to the South.

“Among all the contenders, we in the Obidient movement believe the best candidate is clear. The one who embodies the conscience of the movement and the leadership that Nigerians are seeking.

“What happened at Chief John Odigie-Oyegun was a consultation. Like every other person is saying. But it’s so bad that the politics of Nigeria has been reduced to propaganda and not the basic issue confronting the country.”

The Action Peoples Party, APP, has dissolved its Imo State Executive Committee and set up an Interim Caretaker to manage the affairs of the party till further notice.

The party reached the resolution during an emergency meeting held by its National Working Committee, NWC, which was approved by the National Executive Committee, NEC.

Eight-member Interim Caretaker Committee was appointed to oversee the affairs of the party pending its congresses.

The Interim Caretaker Committee members include, Ernest Njesi as Chairman, Emeka Onwukwe as Secretary, Henry Alaribe, Deputy Chairman Owerri zone.

Others are: Ogemdi Ezemonye as Deputy Chairman, Orlu zone, Ernest Ezirim, Deputy Chairman, Okigwe zone, Cajethan Duke as Publicity Secretary and Peter Etoh as Treasurer.

Addressing the Interim Caretaker Committee members, the National Chairman of the party, Uchenna Nnadi, said that the decision taken was to restore internal harmony within party members and urged the newly appointed Caretaker Committee Executive to ensure every member is carried along in their schedule.

In a similar development, the party has officially, written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, notifying the Commission of its preparedness to conduct congresses at Ward, Local Government and State levels.

In a letter dated March 2, 2026, and addressed to the INEC Chairman, the APP National Chairman, Nnadi, and the National Secretary, Abu Ibrahim Bossan, conveyed the party’s notification in line with statutory requirements for a 21-day notice.

The congresses, according to the National Chairman, will hold on March, 24, 2026, at ward levels, March 26 at Local Government levels and

March 28 at the State levels.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has stated it will start enforcing compliance on residents who contravene land use and those defaulting with regard to ground rent as well.

This was part of the decisions taken at the FCT Executive Committee meeting on Monday, chaired by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, at his official residence in Life Camp.

Speaking with journalists after the event, Director, Department of Lands Administration, Mr Chijioke Nwankwoeze pointed out that the administration had given defaulters ample time to comply with the Administration’s directive, hence the need to take action on non-compliance.

Mr. Nwankwoeze, further gave an update on the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy in the Federal Capital Territory. He announced that the process of issuing C of O had greatly improved.

“Unlike before when it took years or even decades, in the current dispensation, C of O issuance is possible in as short as one week. The Minister does not waste time in signing C of Os. Once we send the C of Os to him, within two days, they are back”, he revealed.

He went on to unravel the underlying causes of delay in C of O processing to include non-submission of passport photos and refusal to accept or decline the offer of Rights of Occupancy within the stipulated time of 21 days.

The Director Lands also identified other causes of C of O delay to include non-confirmation of Remita payments and the use of unverifiable addresses such as P. O. Box which are not actual physical locations.

Meanwhile a total of three memoranda were presented and ratified by the committee. TheY are, approval for the purchase of diesel for waste disposal and management plants at four districts in the FCT, ratification and procurement of food and non-food items for victims of flood-affected areas in the FCT and the approval and ratification of the contract for the supply of communication gadgets and other equipment for the support of FCT security agencies.

Elaborating on the memoranda, the Coordinator, AMMC, Chief Felix Obuah, said the purchase of diesel for waste disposal and management plants in Mabushi, Jabi, Durumi and Wuye districts was at the cost of N7,300,000,000.

On his part, Director, FCT Department of Procurement, Alhaji Musa Idris, revealed that the supply of communication gadgets and other equipment for FCT security agencies cost the administration N1,133,802,500.

He stated that the essence of the procurement was to support the agencies in their assignments of securing the FCT.

Also addressing journalists, Chief of Staff to the Minister, Chidi Amadi expressed appreciation to the media for its consistency in the reportage of the policies and programmes of the FCT Administration.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Kano has rejected separate ex parte applications seeking to restrain the Kano State Government from retrieving official vehicles from former commissioners who recently resigned from the State Executive Council.

The ex-commissioners had asked the court to grant an interim injunction preventing the government from taking back the vehicles pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice.

In their suits, the claimants joined the Attorney General of Kano State, the governor, and the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission as defendants.

Represented by Suraj Sa’ed (SAN) and five other lawyers, the former commissioners argued that their applications were filed pursuant to Order 17 Rule 1 of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2017.

The applicants include former Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Yusuf Ibrahim K/Mata; former Commissioner for Internal Security, AVM Ibrahim Umar (rtd); former Commissioner for Special Duties, Nasir Sule Garo; former Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Adamu Aliyu Kibiya; and former Commissioner for Youth, Mustapha Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.

They contended that the vehicles were allocated to them as part of their conditions of service upon appointment and argued that, by convention and in line with the determination of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, commissioners are entitled to retain such vehicles at the end of their tenure.

According to affidavits filed in support of their applications, the former commissioners resigned in January this year and urged the court to grant the interim reliefs in the interest of justice, maintaining that the balance of convenience favoured them.

In his ruling, Justice Mahmood Abba Namtari declined to grant the interim orders sought and instead directed that the defendants be put on notice.

The cases were adjourned to March 10 for hearing of the substantive applications.

The Federal Government has approved N48b to 12 selected universities for engineering upgrades.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made this disclosure on Monday at the inauguration of the Implementation Committee on Tertiary Education Trust Fund Special High-Impact Intervention Projects in Abuja.

Alausa said the funds would either upgrade existing facilities or support the construction of new engineering workshops where necessary while adding that an additional N20 billion has been provided in the 2026 TETFund guidelines to upgrade engineering facilities in other selected universities.

According to him, beneficiary institutions to receive N4 billion each include:

Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State

Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State

Federal University of Technology, Babura, Jigawa State

Federal University of Technology, Ikot-Abasi, Akwa-Ibom State

Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State

Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno State

African Aviation and Aerospace University, Abuja

Shehu Shagari University of Education, Sokoto State

Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences

University of Ilesha, Osun

Delta State University

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University