The Minister of State in the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, has stressed the need for collaborative efforts in the battle against cancer.
Mahmoud made this call at the opening ceremony of the 2025 International Cancer Week held at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre in Maitama, Abuja.
She noted that the theme “Redefiningthe Future of Cancer Prevention, Access, and Equity for All” underscores the urgent need to guarantee all Nigerians, regardless of background, timely and affordable access to prevention and treatment services.
The minister emphasised that cancer continues to be a leading cause of illness and death globally, with Nigeria facing the impact directly.
She outlined the FCTA’s ongoing commitment to supporting cancer prevention, citing sustained investments in awareness campaigns, early detection programmes, and public-private partnerships.
Mahmoud reiterated the administration’s goal to strengthen the healthcare system, focusing on disease prevention and accessible, quality care for all FCT residents.
Addressing the need for broad-based action, the minister said, “The fight against cancer extends beyond medical interventions, requiring empathy, education, innovation, and research investment.”
She commended the role of International Cancer Week in fostering dialogue, encouraging partnerships, and mobilising collective action to alter the fate of families and communities affected by cancer.
Mahmoud also commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, the Nigeria Cancer Society, and all partners for their dedication.
She, therefore, reaffirmed the FCTA’s ongoing support for initiatives aimed at improving healthcare delivery, fostering partnerships, and building a future free of cancer.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has presented the party membership card to Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah.
Governor Mbah received the APC membership card from the party’s national working committee a few hours after he defected to the party.
In a broadcast, the governor said, “Today, after a long reflection, we have decided to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and join the All Progressives Congress.”
Governor Mbah further noted that “Today, I stand before you to announce a break from the past and to share a decision that will shape the road ahead. “This concerns our values, how we organise ourselves politically and how we secure the future of our project and our people.
“Leadership sometimes demands painful decisions in the service of higher principles and goals. And there comes a time when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny,” the governor noted.
Governor Mbah was welcomed to the APC by governors and National Assembly members of the party.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Ganye Local Government Council of Adamawa State, North-East Nigeria, has intensified efforts to boost immunisation coverage and promote better hygiene practices in local communities.
The renewed campaign, which targets male household heads through a grassroots initiative, was officially launched during the unveiling of the “Fathers for Good Health” programme in Ganye.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman of Ganye LGA, Mr. Farouq Mohammed, emphasized the significance of public health and community involvement in driving sustainable change.
Mohammed said; “Healthcare is a vital sector that demands active community participation.
“As a local government, we pledge our unwavering support to the Fathers for Good Health initiative. We are fully committed to strengthening immunisation campaigns, WASH.”
President Bola Tinubu has formally written to the Senate, seeking the confirmation of Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The request was read on the floor of the Senate by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during plenary on Tuesday.
According to the letter, the nomination is in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, which mandates Senate confirmation for such appointments.
Professor Amupitan, 58, is a professor of law at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Plateau State, where he also serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (administration).
Senator Akpabio also read other communications from the president regarding appointments that require legislative approval.
The request has been referred to the committee of the whole for further legislative consideration.
Last Thursday, the President presented Amupitan’s name as his preferred nominee to fill the leadership vacancy at the electoral commission.
The Council of State unanimously approved his nomination as the next INEC Chairman, following the exit of Mahmood Yakubu.
President Tinubu told the council that Amupitan, an indigene of Kogi State in the north-central geopolitical zone, is the first person from the state to be nominated for the role of INEC chairman.
The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad hoc committee headed by the Speaker, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas, to avert the strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The House also calls on the federal government to establish a permanent joint consultative platform with recognised university unions for continuous engagement to prevent future strikes.
It also mandated the Committees on University Education and Labour, Employment and Productivity to immediately intervene between the Federal Government and ASUU and facilitate a mutually acceptable, lasting resolution to the ongoing dispute.
The House also urged both parties to exercise restraint, embrace dialogue, and prioritise the interests of students and national development above all other considerations.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance titled ‘Urgent Need for Legislative Intervention to Avert a Breakdown in the University System Following ASUU’s Warning Strike’, moved by Mr Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan, at plenary.
Leading the debate on the motion, the lawmaker said that the House notes with concern the declaration of a two-week warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over unresolved issues relating to the implementation of prior agreements with the Federal Government, particularly on revitalisation funding, earned academic allowances, salary structure, and university autonomy.
“Further notes that although ASUU has described the strike as a warning, such industrial actions have historically escalated into prolonged shutdowns that disrupt academic calendars, derail research, and deepen the frustration of students, parents, and lecturers alike.
“Aware that the Nigerian university system remains central to national development, innovation, and human-capital growth, and that any disruption in its operations weakens the country’s economic competitiveness, scientific advancement, and youth productivity.
“Further aware that education is constitutionally recognised under Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as a fundamental driver of social and technological progress, and that both the Federal Government and university unions share a collective duty to safeguard its continuity and quality.
Cognisant that repeated strikes in the tertiary sector have led to student dropouts, brain drain, and loss of public confidence, thereby threatening national stability and the realisation of Nigeria’s long-term development goals.
“Convinced that the lingering impasse between ASUU and the Federal Government requires renewed dialogue anchored on mutual respect, transparency, and good faith, with the Legislature serving as a neutral facilitator in the interest of students and the nation.”
The House, in adopting the motion and the Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Benjamin Kalu, referred it to the relevant committees.
He mandated the Committee on Legislative Compliance to monitor and report progress of the mediation efforts to the House within one week.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rolled out a number of elections and electoral activities to be carried out before the conduct of the 2027 general election.
The Acting Chairman of the INEC, Mrs May Agbamuche Mbu, disclosed this at the quarterly consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja.
The Acting Chairman listed some of the activities to include the bye-elections in 12 States of the Federation on 16th August 2025, the Anambra State Governorship Election on 8th November 2025, the Area Council Elections in the FCT on 21st February 2026, the Ekiti Governorship Election on 20th June 2026 and the Osun State Governorship Election on 8th August 2026.
She also stated some of their activities already carried out to include the bye-elections held on 16th August, 2025, across two senatorial districts, five federal constituencies and nine state assembly constituencies, saying that two court-ordered rerun elections were also held in Enugu and Kano States on the same day.
Others were the declarations and returns made across the states where the bye-elections were held and certificates of return presented in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“The Commission has released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the other elections and some of the activities have already been carried out, the latest being the commencement of the campaign by political parties in Anambra State and the FCT and the publication of the Notices of Election for the Ekiti State Governorship Election on 25th June, 2025, and that of the Osun State Governorship Election on 13th August, 2025,” she said.
Agbamuche Mbu also informed us that in less than a month, precisely on 8th November, 2025, the Anambra State Governorship Election will be held and that the timetable and schedule of activities for the Anambra State Governorship Election details 13 (thirteen) key activities to be carried out by the Commission.
“I am glad to inform you that the Commission has completed 10 (ten) of these activities. The outstanding activities are the publication of the Notice of Poll slated for 25th October, 2025, the Last day for Campaigns – 6th November, 2025, and the date of the Election – 8th November, 2025. The Commission is committed to keeping strictly to the remaining activities as detailed in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities,” she stated.
The Acting Chairman therefore called upon political parties in Nigeria to be mindful of the last day for campaigns and keep strictly to it saying that the Commission has been working assiduously and making arrangements for the successful conduct of the Anambra State Governorship Election and has had several engagements with the security agencies at national, state and local government levels and that all non-sensitive materials for the election have been delivered to the state and voter education and sensitisation is ongoing.
“The Area Council Election in the FCT scheduled for 21st February, 2026, will be held in 68 constituencies made up of chairmen and their deputies for the six Area Councils, namely Abaji, the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali, as well as 62 wards drawn based on 10 wards for each Area Council except AMAC, which has 12 wards on account of its population. The timetable and schedule of activities for the Area Council Election detail 13 (thirteen) key activities out of which 8 (eight) of these activities have been carried out,” she noted.
“The outstanding activities are: last day for the submission of names of polling agents for the election to the electoral officer of the local government areas by political parties, publication of the official register of voters by the commission, publication of notice of poll, the last day for campaigns and the date of the election,” she said.
Turning to other electoral activities, she said, the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) resumed nationwide on 18th August, 2025, for online pre-registration and 25th August 2025 for in-person registration at all INEC State and Local Government Area Offices nationwide, and the exercise will run for a full year and will end on 30th August, 2026.
“The Commission is impressed by the response of Nigerians to the CVR exercise, and for us, this is a testament that Nigerians believe in our democracy and the effort of the Commission towards ensuring that all eligible Nigerians are given the right to determine who leads them. The details of completed online pre-registrations and physical registrations are published on our website on a weekly basis,” she stated.
The INEC acting chairman, however, said that the Commission received a total of 171 requests for registration of political parties, and each request was assessed based on its compliance with the provisions of section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended); section 79 (1, 2 and 4) of the Electoral Act, 2022; and Clause 2 of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022. Out of the total number of applications received, 14 associations have met the requirements to proceed to the next stage.
Responding, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Mr Yusuf Dantalle, commended the activities lined up by the Commission geared towards improving the electoral process in the country and promised that political parties would continue to collaborate with the Commission.
Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus in the House of Representatives have urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to ensure judges uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process and remain impartial in political matters.
In a statement issued in Abuja and signed by PDP Caucus leader Mr Fred Agbedi, the lawmakers emphasised the importance of maintaining public confidence in the judiciary.
The statement came in the wake of a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, which declined an interim injunction seeking to halt the PDP’s scheduled meetings and national convention. The PDP Caucus stressed the need for judicial prudence to protect the party’s activities while reinforcing the principles of fairness, independence, and democratic governance.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, was filed by some individuals who have consistently opposed the planned national convention of the PDP.
The plaintiffs, namely Austine Nwachukwu, PDP Chairman in Imo State; Amah Abraham Nnanna, Chairman of the Abia State Chapter; and Turnah George, the South-South Secretary of the party, had asked the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevent the PDP from holding any meetings, congresses, or conventions pending the determination of their substantive suit.
Although the presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, declined to grant the ex parte order, he then made pronouncements to the effect that any steps taken by the party during the pendency of the suit would be null and void.
They therefore urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to act decisively to prevent any abuse of the judicial process that could undermine multi-party democracy in Nigeria.
“The survival of our democracy depends on the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary. The NJC must ensure that no court becomes a willing tool for the subversion of the will of the people or the destabilisation of political institutions,”the statement read.
US President Donald Trump and the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey have signed a declaration for bringing peace to Gaza at a summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el- Sheikh.
“A new and beautiful day is rising and now the rebuilding begins,”said Trump, while praising regional leaders who helped cement the truce between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier, in his address to the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, the President told cheering lawmakers that “the long and painful nightmare is finally over”.
Israel is releasing 250 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,700 other Palestinians detained during the two-year military operations in Gaza in exchange for the last 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
The exchange, the first phase of Trump’s peace plan, is also due to include the return of the bodies of 28 dead Israeli hostages.
In Egypt, Trump was all smiles in the company of Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and more than 20 other leaders from around the world.
“Everybody’s happy,” Trump said, adding that he had done “big deals before” but “this has taken off like a rocket ship”.
“This took 3,000 years to get to this point, can you believe it? And it’s going to hold up too,”he said.
After the ceremony, President al-Sisi awarded Trump the Order of the Nile, a necklace made of pure gold considered to be Egypt’s highest honour.
The Egyptian president called the day a “historic milestone that ends an agonising chapter”.
Among the many world leaders at the summit who stood for a photo opportunity with Trump was Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who less than a week ago was blocked by the US from attending the UN General Assembly in New York.
US President Donald Trump and the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the peace summit in Egypt
Although the first phase of the ceasefire agreement has been enacted, there is a lingering question over what role the Palestinian Authority might eventually play in Gaza.
Trump said the second phase of negotiations on a peace agreement were under way.
During his address to the Knesset, the American president suggested the region was experiencing “the historic dawn of a new Middle East”.
His words echoed the phrasing he used when Israel signed landmark deals with several Arab states during his first presidency.
“At last, not only for Israelis but also Palestinians, the long and painful nightmare is finally over,” Trump told the Israeli parliament.
Adding to the jubilant atmosphere in the room were politicians’ chants of “Trump, Trump, Trump”.
The ceasefire that he helped to broker was “the most challenging breakthrough of them all, the most challenging breakthrough maybe ever”,the US leader reflected. He indicated that ending the Russia-Ukraine war would be his next focus.
Trump gave an insight into some of his recent conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he felt the Israeli military campaign in Gaza was becoming “bad” and “heated“.
“I said, ‘Bibi you’re going to be remembered for this far more than if you kept this thing going, going, going, kill, kill, kill’,” Trump recalled.
Introducing Trump to parliament, Netanyahu called the US president the “greatest friend”Israel had ever had in the White House.
“Everything changed” in the American attitude to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza when Trump was re-elected as US president last year, he said.
The Israeli prime minister thanked Trump for his “unremitting help” in securing the return of the remaining hostages – part of a group of 251 people seized during the 7 October 2023 attacks in southern Israel by Hamas.
Trump went on to offer a tribute of his own to his counterpart, saying: “He’s not the easiest guy to deal with, but that’s what makes him great.”
Also welcomed to the Knesset alongside Trump were other key US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The names of Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner received particularly loud cheers from Israeli MPs, for their own roles in brokering the ceasefire. Kushner was accompanied by his wife Ivanka Trump.
Members of Trump’s audience wore red caps. Instead of Trump’s signature slogan “Make America Great Again“, they read “Trump the Peace President”.
Trump was told by the parliamentary speaker that there was “no-one” more deserving of next year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
Some Israeli lawmakers who want the war in Gaza to continue did not attend.
Trump’s speech was briefly interrupted as an opposition parliament member held up a piece of paper that said “Recognise Palestine“. At least one person was escorted out of the room.
World leaders at the peace summit in Egypt
The ceasefire in Gaza took effect on Friday morning after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan. The next phases are still to be negotiated.
Trump has said the ceasefire will hold, and that a “board of peace” he is due to head would quickly be set up to administer the territory.
Nigerians have been urged to prioritise their mental health, emphasising its critical importance for overall well-being.
This call was made during the annual Mental Health Symposium, hosted by the Mental Health with Ditty Foundation in Abuja.
The convener, Oladotun Esan, urged employers of labour to take the mental health of their employees with utmost importance. Flexible working policies and regular mental health awareness campaigns should be set up where workers can share experiences and coping strategies.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, represented by the Senior Technical Adviser, Obinna Ebirim, said only a mentally stable individual can benefit from the various initiatives being put together by the ministry.
“A national youth helpdesk is being set up to assist youth with any mental issues that might be affecting them. The help desk is there for everyone to call in, and there’s always a listening ear.’’
Experts at the event noted that mental health challenges, such as stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout, are on the rise among employees across various sectors. Long working hours, high performance expectations, job insecurity, and lack of support from colleagues and management are often cited as major causes.
Dr Aisha Bubah, a psychologist who specialises in occupational health, said, “Workplace mental health should not be seen as a personal issue but as a collective responsibility, where employers promote open conversations, provide resources such as counselling, and encourage teamwork. It creates a culture of trust that benefits everyone.”
Global health expert Olajumoke Dada also reiterated that individuals play an important role in building a healthy work community. “Respecting boundaries, supporting colleagues, and practising empathy can help to create a positive atmosphere where mental health is nurtured rather than neglected.’’
As the conversation on mental health continues to gain momentum globally, professionals stress that a workplace that invests in its people will see the rewards in reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, and stronger organisational loyalty. It requires conscious efforts from both employers and employees to ensure that mental health is prioritised alongside physical and professional well-being.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed sadness over the passing of Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Joy Uche Angela Ogwu.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President described Ambassador Ogwu as a trailblazer and an exemplary diplomat who devoted her life to advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy and promoting peace across the world.
President Tinubu extolled the late envoy for projecting Nigeria’s voice with clarity, integrity, and distinction on the world stage, noting her tireless advocacy for disarmament, international security, and women’s rights.
“Nigeria has lost a trailblazer who rose to the highest level of her vocation through excellence and hard work,”the president said.
He extended his heartfelt condolences to Ambassador Ogwu’s children, grandchildren, siblings, the entire Ogwu family, and members of Nigeria’s diplomatic and academic community, praying for the peaceful repose of her soul and for divine comfort for all who mourn her passing.
Ambassador Ogwu, a respected scholar and former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), represented Nigeria at the United Nations from May 2008 to May 2017.
During her tenure, she twice presided over the UN Security Council in July 2010 and October 2011, a testament to her competence, diplomacy, and global stature.
Ambassador Ogwu’s death was confirmed on Monday by her family; they said the top diplomat passed away in the early hours of the day at a hospital in New York, United States, with her daughter by her side.
Born on August 22, 1946, in Delta State, Prof. Ogwu was a renowned scholar and diplomat whose career spanned academia, policy research, and international diplomacy.
Ambassador Joy Uche Angela Ogwu.
Died at the age of 79.
