By Our Correspondent

As the nation marks its 66the Independence thursday the Nigerian public servants under the umbrella of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) have concluded plans to embark on a three-day warning strike from October 2 , if the Federal Government fails to address their demands over the rising cost of petrol, wage award and negotiations for a new national minimum wage.

The council, comprising of eight public sector unions, gave the Federal Government until September 30 to reduce the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to ₦500 per litre, approve a wage award and begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage of not less than ₦500,000 from 2027.

The JNPSNC said it had mobilised public servants nationwide for the warning strike if the Federal Government failed to address the issues raised in its letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The council had, on September 21, written to Tinubu demanding a reduction in petrol prices, an immediate wage award and the commencement of negotiations for a new national minimum wage, among other measures.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the National Secretary of the JNPSNC and General Secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Gbenga Olowoyo, the council said its September 30 deadline remained sacrosanct.

Olowoyo said the concerns of Nigerian workers could no longer be ignored, warning that failure to address the issues would lead to the commencement of the three-day warning strike from Friday, October 2.

He said, “The three critical issues requiring urgent attention are as follows: reduction of fuel price to ₦500 per litre. The Federal Government should take urgent steps to bring down the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to ₦500 per litre.

“This can be achieved through the provision of an intervention fund to address landing costs and support oil and gas operators.

“It is equally important for the Federal Government to ensure the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery and operators of modular refineries at appropriate terms to facilitate increased domestic refining and help bring down the price of petroleum products.

“The current price of PMS, ranging from ₦1,450 to ₦2,000 and, in some locations outside major communities and cities, as high as ₦2,500 per litre, is unacceptable to Nigerian workers.

“The council said the high cost of petrol had placed severe pressure on workers, their dependants and the wider population.

“The council maintains that the economic hardship occasioned by the high cost of fuel is placing the survival of Nigerian workers, their dependants and the general populace under severe pressure, making it increasingly difficult for Nigerians to live normal and dignified lives”.

On the demand for a wage award, the council said, “The Federal Government should urgently approve a wage award for Nigerian workers to cushion the effects of the prevailing harsh economic conditions being experienced by workers, their dependants, and vulnerable Nigerians.”

It added that such intervention would support public servants to remain productive despite the economic pressures.

“The council believes that urgent action on this demand will further enable public servants to consolidate their loyalty, commitment and productivity within the public service ecosystem,” it said.

The workers also called on the Federal Government to urgently constitute a tripartite committee to begin negotiations for a new national minimum wage ahead of 2027.

“The Federal Government should urgently establish a tripartite committee to commence and facilitate negotiations for the new national minimum wage expected to become due in 2027,” the council said.

The workers said: “The Nigerian workers’ demand for the immediate constitution of the committee is informed by the need to avoid any administrative or procedural delay that could affect the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage once it is eventually negotiated and passed into law by the National Assembly.”

The council said the Federal Government’s response before September 30 would determine whether the planned industrial action would go ahead.

“Consequently, the council states that failure by the Federal Government to take the necessary steps to address these issues on or before 30th September 2026 will leave Nigerian workers with no option but to commence a three-day warning strike, with effect from Friday, 2nd October 2026, to press home their demands,” it said.

The council further urged the President to use his Independence Day address to respond to the issues raised by the workers.

“It is imperative to state clearly that the Independence Day address of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should adequately address these critical issues,” the council said.

It warned that failure to address the demands would deepen dissatisfaction among workers and other Nigerians affected by the economic situation.

“Failure to address the concerns raised, according to the Council, will attract the displeasure of Nigerian workers and their dependants, as well as other vulnerable Nigerians who continue to bear the brunt of the prevailing economic hardship,” it said.

The JNPSNC comprises the Nigerian Civil Service Union; Medical and Health Workers Union; Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria; National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives; Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees; Nigeria Union of Public Service, Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers; National Union of Printing, Publishing and Paper Products Workers; and National Union of Agriculture and Allied Employee

Chief Chekwas Okorie, Pioneer Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)and National Chairman, Igbo Agenda Dialogu has said that Nigerua has had 26 years of unbroken democracy but 66 years of retrogressive governance.

In this interview with Ignatius Okorocha on his assessment of Nigeria as it marks 66 years of independence,Chief Chekwas Okorie said,his assessment of Nigeria at 66 is a very chequered one noting that Within that period, “we had a civil war. We have had military interruptions a couple of times. We started with a parliamentary system and now we are in a presidential system of democracy.

The good part is that we can now record 26 years of unbroken democratic practice, and that is on the political side.

But in terms of development, welfare of the people and security – given that the two major purposes of any government, especially with regard to the Nigerian Constitution, is that the primary purpose of government is to ensure the welfare and security of the people – government has failed woefully to live up to this sacred mandate.

Our story has been that of degenerating retrogressiveness instead of progress. We are not making progress; rather, we are retrogressing. Every year we find that the year before was better, and that has been the sad story of Nigeria.

Countries that we were better than at Independence are far ahead of us today, whether you are looking at Africa or Asia. So many countries that we were well ahead of are now well ahead of us, and this is as a result of poor leadership.

The military set the pace, because in handing over to a civilian administration, they had made up their mind as to who they were handing over to, not who the people of Nigeria should elect. From that moment, our leadership recruitment has been that of people who have money and those who have power selecting their cronies. You don’t disenfranchise the people from their inalienable right to choose who they want and then expect development and progress.

That is what has happened, and every subsequent government seems to be worse than the one before it. Whereas naturally government is a continuum – a new government ought to build on the foundation and blocks laid by the outgoing government to do better – that is not our experience. Our experience is that every subsequent government gets worse than the one before it.

That, in a nutshell, is how I will assess our experience so far.

Other than having a continuous democracy for 26 years, there is nothing much to show for 66 years, yet Nigeria is a country blessed with so much material and human resources. No country as endowed as Nigeria would not have done ten times better than we are now. So this is where we are.

As of October 1st, 2026, we will be celebrating our 66th Independence anniversary. We will be looking at 26 years of unbroken democracy and also 66 years of retrogressive governance.

What is your advice to the government of the day?*

Chief Okorie said,”What I can say is that the government of the day, as far as I am concerned, is not in the mood to change the situation. I have not seen the political will to make Nigeria a better place.

The worst that has happened to the country is disunity. If you don’t have unity of purpose, there is nothing that any government can put together as a policy for development that will ever see the light of the day. This country is badly divided.

This government has mismanaged our diversity. In fact, the one before it, which was also an APC government, laid the foundation for mismanaging our diversity, and this particular government has taken it to a higher level. So it is difficult for many people to associate themselves proudly as Nigerians. There are many people who are not proud to identify as citizens of Nigeria, while those who accept to be Nigerians are often those benefitting from our common patrimony. That is not how you grow a country.

We thought that Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidency, being one of those who fought for a restructured Nigeria and true federalism, would make that a priority, so that all federating units, be they states or geopolitical zones, would be able to develop at their own pace and Nigeria would experience phenomenal growth. But no, he is running the government as a military leader. In all material assessments, he is a dictator. Many people feel alienated.

People like me, since last year August when we formed the Igbo Agenda Dialogue, a pro-democracy, socio-political, non-partisan association, have been educating our people, sensitizing them to renew their confidence in Nigeria as citizens. Everybody knows that a majority of Igbo young men and women no longer believe they are still part of this country.

The government of the day is not saying anything new. The president we have today – it was published when he was in NADECO that he had no faith in Nigeria. He said so, the man who is now President of Nigeria. If you see our young men who feel so alienated that they are saying they want a separate country, it is not as if they are saying anything new. In fact, President Tinubu raised this idea in NADECO long before he became President.

And so, the 2027 election becomes a referendum – one that will decide whether Nigerians are happy the way they are today or they want a change. It doesn’t matter what plot anybody may put in place to corner the election as in the past. I think Nigerians are determined to make a difference, to make a statement without actually resorting to violence. At least Osun State has given us a leeway.”

By Our Correxpondent

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that 9,324,349 young Nigerians were newly registered during the 2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercises, as it unveiled nine returning and new INEC Youth Ambassadors (IYAs) in a renewed drive to deepen youth engagement and boost participation ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure at the investiture ceremony of the newly appointed Youth Ambassadors in Abuja on Wednesday 30th September, 2026. He was represented by the National Commissioner, Prof. Rhoda Gumus.

Prof. Amupitan said the figure underscored the growing importance of youth participation in the electoral process, stressing that the active involvement of young Nigerians was vital to strengthening and sustaining democracy.

“This figure reinforces the critical role of active youth participation in Nigeria’s electoral process, which also helps in shaping electoral outcomes and strengthening public confidence in the democratic process,” he said.

He explained that the appointment of the Youth Ambassadors was aimed at deepening the Commission’s engagement with young Nigerians and broadening their participation in the electoral process.

“The appointment of these distinguished young Nigerians as INEC Youth Ambassadors is therefore a deliberate step towards strengthening the connection between the Commission and the youth population. We believe that the youths are more likely to engage with electoral information when it is communicated through credible, relatable and influential voices within their communities and social networks,” he noted.

The Chairman urged the ambassadors to use their influence to raise voter awareness, promote peaceful and responsible participation, counter electoral misinformation and encourage young people to play an active role in shaping the nation’s democratic future.

He further charged them to uphold integrity, impartiality and responsible citizenship in the discharge of their duties.

In his welcome address, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Outreach and Partnership Committee (OPC), Prof. Kunle Ajayi, called on the Youth Ambassadors to speak against electoral violence and manipulation. He urged young people to protect their future and refuse to be used in activities that could endanger their lives or disrupt the electoral process.

Prof. Ajayi also charged the ambassadors to promote accurate electoral information and responsible online engagement.

“Information now travels rapidly, and a false claim about an election can reach thousands of people before a correction is issued. I therefore ask every Youth Ambassador to adopt a simple discipline: verify before you amplify,” he said.

Delivering a goodwill message, the Minister of Youth Development, Hon. Ayodele Emmanuel Olawande, represented by the Deputy Director, Network and Social Mobilisation Department, Mrs Lami Bature, urged the ambassadors to promote electoral awareness, peaceful participation and responsible citizenship. She also called on them to join the fight against misinformation, disinformation and electoral violence, while upholding integrity, impartiality and respect for the rule of law.

In another goodwill message, the Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Oniru, represented by the Director, Civic Values and Democracy Education, Dr Olukemi Afolayan, urged the ambassadors to use their influence to promote civic responsibility, electoral integrity and peaceful participation ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Giving a strategic overview of the initiative, including the selection process and the expected roles of the ambassadors, the Director, Gender and Inclusivity (G&I) Department, Mrs Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, said the INEC Youth Ambassadors Initiative was established in 2014 to connect the Commission with young Nigerians through credible and influential youth figures.

She explained that the ambassadors promote voter education, informed and peaceful participation, and responsible digital engagement. Ahead of the 2027 General Election, she said, the initiative was being strengthened to reach young and first-time voters through youth-friendly platforms, while countering misinformation, hate speech and electoral violence.

Speaking on the objectives of the investiture, the Deputy Director, Inclusivity, Haj. Habiba Abdulkareem Jatto, said the initiative would strengthen INEC’s partnership with influential young Nigerians and promote greater youth participation in the democratic process.

She added that the ambassadors were expected to advance democratic values, informed and peaceful participation and responsible digital engagement.

The nine ambassadors were drawn from the movie, music and comedy industries, and comprise returning ambassadors who have served the Commission for over a decade as well as newly appointed members.

They are Amal Umar, Christopher Yohanna (popularly known as Uncle CY), Alex Kool Ibeh (Mr Kool), Mike Godson, Emmanuel Ikubese, Seun Ajayi, Ibrahim Tukur Bello (Disability Is Not Inability), Sunday Agbaji and Ambassador Thompson Ukeki.

Highlights of the investiture included the presentation of certificates, plaques and ambassadorial mufflers, as well as the administration of the Oath of Commitment.