By George Mgbdleke

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has revealed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has more than enough to tell Nigerians as its achievements in office in the last three years, as the party prepares to kick-start its nationwide electioneering.

Akpabio stated this while receiving in courtesy, members of the Senate Committee on Tertiarty Institutions, TETfund and NELfund led by its chairman, Senator Dandutse Mohammed, in his Uyo residence on Monday.

A statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio, saying,” the current President has done a lot for Nigerians. He met an economy in shambles. When he came in, 27 states could not pay salaries and pensions but today, the story has changed because of his reengineering and thinking out of the box. In 2027 Nigerians will separate the shafts from the grains and re-elect President Tinubu for a second term in office.

” We have a President who thinks outside the box, bringing about innovation. We will have something to tell Nigerians about the unprecedented achievements of Mr President at the campaign grounds. Someone who is challenging him cannot even tell us what he did when he was governor. I can tell you what I did when I was the governor of my state. We will tell them a lot. Those in the opposition know too well, the achievements of this government in the area of the economy, agriculture, security, education and fiscal policy, but because they are in the opposition, they won’t say it”, he noted.

According to Akpabio, ” the 10th Senate under my leadership, has made giant strides and we are very proud of it. We will continue to collaborate with the Executive arm of government to achieve more for Nigerians. Even in this period of our annual vacation, you are here in Uyo doing your job. We don’t need to listen to the social media becaue it is gabage in, gabage out.”

Akpabio assured some of his colleagues who will not be returning to the 11th Senate that their loyalty to the party and Mr President will not go unappreciated, and charged them to continue to give in their best to the progress of the party and the success of the administration.

Earlier in his speech, Senator Mohammed said, “we are here today for a very important constitutional responsibility and to pay homage to our leader. The Senate President of the Republic of Nigeria. Under your leadership, we have enacted the law that is benefiting the Nigerian masses.

“
Nigerian parents are happy because of NELFUND and TELFUND. We are in Akwa Ibom State on sensitization and oversight on all of the infrastructures executed by TETFUND. On behalf of my colleagues, I want to sincerely appreciate your airport. This law is fundamental to the success story of the development of Nigeria, because education is key to success.”,he noted.

By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Minister of Defence General Christopher Musa and the Minister of State for Defence Senator Bello Mattawalle to immediately withdraw from the campaign council of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and devote their full attention to their constitutional responsibilities of supervising Nigeria’s counterterrorism and national security efforts.
HURIWA said the continued involveement of the two ministers in political campaign activities, at a time of worsening insecurity across the country, sends the wrong signal to Nigerians and raises questions about the government’s priorities.
The rights group in statement signed by its national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, expressed concern over the increasing attacks, killings and abductions in parts of the country, including the reported abduction of worshippers during Friday prayers in Niger State.
HURIWA strongly condemned the attack on worshippers in Dekara village and described the reported abduction of women, children and elderly people as unacceptable and a serious violation of their fundamental rights.
The association is particularly concerned by reports that a video allegedly showing hundreds of abducted persons has circulated on social media.

While HURIWA notes that the reported number of abducted persons and the authenticity and location of the video require official verification, the reports are grave enough to demand an urgent and coordinated response from the Federal Government.
HURIWA therefore calls on the Federal Government and the Niger State Government to intensify efforts to establish the whereabouts of the abducted worshippers and secure their safe release.
The association also demands urgent action to rescue citizens held captive by armed groups in Borno, Niger, Kogi and other affected states.
Government Must Put Security Above Politics
HURIWA believes that the primary responsibility of the Defence Ministry at this critical period is to strengthen the capacity of the military and other security agencies to protect Nigerians and defeat terrorism, banditry and other forms of violent crime.
The association therefore considers it inappropriate for the ministers responsible for defence to allow political campaign activities to distract from the urgent security challenges facing the nation.
HURIWA calls on President Tinubu to demonstrate that the protection of Nigerian lives remains a priority by directing all officials responsible for national security to concentrate on their constitutional duties.
The association also urges the government to intensify efforts to protect vulnerable communities in Benue, Plateau and other states affected by recurring attacks.
HURIWA condemns every attack on civilians, regardless of the identity, religion or ethnic background of the victims or perpetrators.
The association rejects the killing of Christians, Muslims and members of other faiths and communities and urges security agencies to investigate every attack thoroughly and bring perpetrators to justice.
Urgent Rescue Operation Needed
HURIWA demands a coordinated rescue operation for all Nigerians being held by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.
The government must also provide accurate and timely information to families of victims instead of leaving communities to depend on unverified reports and social media videos.
HURIWA further calls for stronger intelligence gathering, improved coordination among security agencies and greater protection for schools, places of worship and vulnerable communities.
The association stresses that the fight against terrorism and kidnapping must not be politicised.
The lives of Nigerians must come before electoral calculations or political interests.
The Federal Government must therefore act decisively to protect citizens, rescue those in captivity and restore confidence in Nigeria’s security institutions.

By Our Correspondent

Former President of Liberia, Mr. George Weah, has called for an independent judiciary as the bedrock for safeguarding democracy in Nigeria and across Africa, warning that democratic systems collapse when courts are weakened by political interference.

Weah made the demand while delivering the keynote address at the opening of the ongoing 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

The former Liberian leader said democracy is not sustained by elections alone, but by strong institutions, with the judiciary and the legal profession at the centre.

“Democracy does not survive on the strength of elections alone. Elections are merely the doorway into democracy, not the house itself. What keeps democracy standing are institutions, and among the most important of these are an independent judiciary and a principled Bar,” Weah stated.

He warned that threats to democracy are no longer limited to military coups or leaders who reject election results, but also come from elected officials who erode institutional safeguards after assuming office.

“A tyrant with a certificate of return is still a tyrant,” he declared. “Democracy is tested every single day by how those in power treat the courts, parliament and other institutions established to restrain executive excesses.”

The ex-leader described as dangerous, governments that present themselves as democratic but collude with the judiciary to undermine the rule of law and manipulate society. He also raised concerns over undue influence on the judiciary through budgetary controls, politically motivated appointments and pressure on judges in parts of Africa.

“An independent judiciary protected by a fearless judicial bar is needed in every serious nation,” he said. “Once judicial independence is compromised, public trust, investment, security and national stability begin to deteriorate.”

The former president urged lawyers across the country to remain vigilant in defending judicial independence and ensure that court decisions stand without political interference.

Reflecting on his tenure, Weah cited his decision to concede defeat in Liberia’s 2023 presidential election before the final results, saying the will of the people must always supersede personal ambition.

Also speaking, Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, who declared the conference open, charged judges to be conscious of the broader impact of their rulings on the polity.

Fubara said law, order and national development are inextricably linked to the quality of justice delivered with integrity.

“We cannot continue to insulate our laws from today’s reality; neither should justice remain shackled by unjust precedents, technicalities, inadequate access, undue delays, slavish adherence to rigid processes, political manipulation, or brazen corruption,” the Governor said.

“The prevalence of these serious impediments to justice in our polity has damaged and continues to damage the reputation of the Judiciary and the bar.”

He noted that in a democratic society, the legal system defines the relationship between government, institutions and citizens, and that courts serve as the ultimate refuge for the common man to pursue justice and enforce constitutional rights.

“Consequently, we expect that our judges should not be mere apologists or conformists if they are to be the ultimate guardians of our democracy, the rule of law and the advancement of peace and good governance in our country,” Fubara said.

The Governor urged lawyers, as custodians of justice, to rise above constraints and protect the Constitution in line with the conference theme, “Beyond Limits.”

“In Rivers State, we understand what it means to push beyond limits. We have walked through the furnace of power, may have been bruised, yet remain unbowed in our determination to safeguard our unity, peace and progress,” he added.

Outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, said the association returned the conference to Port Harcourt after democratic governance was restored in Rivers State, in keeping with the NBA’s commitment to the rule of law.

Osigwe said Nigeria’s aspiration to be a beacon of Africa remains unrealised due to institutional weaknesses, and challenged lawyers to deepen access to justice, clear case backlogs, embrace technology and uphold ethical standards.

The conference drew judges, legal practitioners, academics and policymakers from across Nigeria and beyond, with discussions focused on judicial independence, democracy, governance reforms and the future of the legal profession in Africa.