society
Onaiwu Commends Gov. Lawal for Restoring Hope to Zamfara Students, Slams Past Administrations Over Neglect of Education
Onaiwu Commends Gov. Lawal for Restoring Hope to Zamfara Students, Slams Past Administrations Over Neglect of Education
Earl Osaro Onaiwu, former DG of the Nigeria’s Governors forum and founding Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, has commended Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, for what he described as a humane and visionary intervention that has finally brought relief and closure to dozens of Zamfara indigenes whose academic futures had been left hanging for nearly a decade.
Onaiwu was reacting to the presentation of academic certificates to 50 Zamfara students who graduated from Crescent University, Abeokuta, but were unable to access their results for nine years due to unpaid tuition fees owed by the state government under previous administrations.
Crescent University had withheld the students’ results as a result of the outstanding debt.
The Lawal administration intervened, cleared the accumulated fees, and ensured the immediate release of the results and certificates. Among the beneficiaries are a First Class graduate in Chemistry and several Second Class Upper degree holders—young Nigerians whose talents and aspirations had been unjustly stalled.
Describing the development as “a powerful act of restorative leadership,”
Onaiwu said Governor Lawal had not only paid a financial debt, but also “repaid a moral obligation to the youth of Zamfara State.”
“For nine painful years, these young men and women lived in uncertainty, their lives placed on hold through no fault of theirs,” Onaiwu said.
“By resolving this long-standing injustice, Governor Dauda Lawal has put smiles on faces that had known only frustration, dashed hopes and broken promises. This is what responsible governance looks like.”
While praising the governor’s decisive action, Onaiwu did not spare past administrations in Zamfara State, accusing them of gross negligence and a dangerous disregard for human capacity development.
“It is deeply troubling that successive governments could abandon their own students after sending them to university,” he said.
“This is not just administrative failure; it is a betrayal of the future. Education is not a luxury—it is the backbone of development, security and prosperity, especially in Northern Nigeria.”
Onaiwu stressed that the Zamfara case reflects a wider structural problem across the North, where insufficient budgetary allocation to education has continued to undermine youth development, worsen unemployment and fuel social instability.
He called on governors across Northern Nigeria to emulate Lawal’s example by deliberately increasing funding for education, clearing legacy liabilities, and placing youth development at the centre of governance.
“Governor Lawal has shown that leadership is about courage, empathy and priority,”
Onaiwu added. “By investing in education, he is investing in peace, productivity and the long-term stability of Zamfara State. This intervention is clear evidence that his education reforms are not mere rhetoric, but policies with measurable human impact.”
Governor Lawal, while presenting the certificates, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to education, noting that the move was part of broader reforms aimed at restoring confidence in public institutions and ensuring that no Zamfara child is denied opportunity due to government failure.
For the 50 graduates, the intervention marks the end of a long night and the beginning of renewed possibilities—proof that when leadership aligns with conscience, lives can be transformed and hope restored.
SENATOR ADEOLA YAYI REGISTERS 4000 JAMB CANDIDATES
In continuation of his educational support initiatives and following established tradition, Senator Solomon Adeola (APC,Ogun West) has successfully paid for and enrolled 4000 indigent students for the 2026 Joint Admission Matriculation Board(JAMB) examination.
According to a release e-signed and made available to members of the League of Yewa-Awori Media Practitioners (LOYAMP) by High Chief Kayode Odunaro, Media Adviser to Senator Adeola and shared with (your mediu), the programme financed by the senator under the “SEN YAYI FREE JAMB 2026” ended on Saturday , February 21, 2026, with a total of 4000 candidates successfully enrolled with their PINs provided.
Commenting on the success of the programme, Senator Adeola said the programme is another leg of his personal educational empowerment for indigent but brilliant citizens preparatory to his scholarship and bursary facilitation for tertiary education institutions’ students.
“As far as I can help it, none of our children will miss educational opportunities arising out of adverse economic predicament of their parents or guardians”, he stated.
Successful candidates cut across all the three senatorial districts of Ogun State with 2183 coming from Ogun West, 1358 coming from Ogun Central and 418 from Ogun East.
Some of the candidates that applied and are yet to get their PINs due wrong information supplied in their profiles and being underage as discovered by JAMB and other reasons are being further assisted to see the possibility of getting their PINs.
The Free JAMB programme of the Senator that has been running for years is well received by appreciative beneficiaries and their parents.
Alhaji Suara Adeyemi from Ipokia Local Government whose daughter successfully got her PIN in the programme said the Senator’s gesture was a welcome financial relief for his family at this period after payment of numerous school fees of other siblings of the beneficiary seeking admission to higher institution.
Also posting on the social media handle of the Senator, a beneficiary Mr. Henry Olaitan, from Odeda LGA said that he would have missed doing the entry examination as his guardian cannot afford the fees for himself and two of his children.
House Committee Seeks Stronger Financial Backing for Federal Character Commission
The Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Honorable Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, has reassured the commitment of her new leadership to reposition the Commission and strengthen enforcement of the federal character principle, despite prevailing funding challenges.
Hon. Omidiran made this known during the Commission’s budget defence before the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Character at the National Assembly on Friday, February 19, 2026.
The Executive Chairman opened up on inadequate funding has continued to constrain the Commission’s statutory activities, including nationwide monitoring, compliance audits and enforcement measures across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“We are focused and determined to do the work that the Constitution and the President have entrusted us with,” Omidiran stated.
The FCC Boss, however, assured lawmakers that the Commission remains resolute in ensuring equity, fairness and balanced representation in line with its constitutional mandate.
“As a Commission, it is our responsibility to engage with relevant government parastatals and ministries to secure the necessary funding we require. We believe that with consultation and collaboration, it will be a successful venture for the Commission.”
Earlier, the Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Character, RT. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, expressed deep concern over what he described as near-zero budgetary allocation to the Commission, stressing that such financial inadequacies severely undermine its operational effectiveness.
The Plateau State lawmaker assured the Commission of the Committee’s firm legislative backing in advocating for improved funding and strengthening the Commission’s capacity to fully exercise its constitutional mandate.
“We cannot reasonably expect the Federal Character Commission to enforce compliance across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies while grappling with insufficient funding,” Hon. Wase remarked.
“If we are genuinely committed to fairness, equity, and national cohesion, then we must be deliberate in adequately funding the institution established to safeguard these principles.
“As a Committee, we shall work closely with the leadership of the Commission to ensure that its budgetary provisions reflect the magnitude of its mandate. The era of skeletal or token funding must give way to realistic and sustainable financial support,” he concluded.
The budget defence session concluded on a note of renewed collaboration between the House of Representatives and the Commission, reflecting a shared determination to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance accountability, and promote equitable representation within Nigeria’s public service.
SIGNED:
Ademola Lawrence
Spokesperson,
Federal Character Commission
February 20, 2026
society
APC Ethiope West Congress Turns Violent: Ibori’s Daughter Escapes Assassination Attempt; Scores Injured
*APC Ethiope West Congress Turns Violent: Ibori’s Daughter Escapes Assassination Attempt; Scores Injured
The APC Ethiope West Local Government Area Congress took a terrible turn today as scores were attacked by gun-wielding thugs allegedly hired by old PDP members that moved to APC. The congress was relocated from its original venue the Oghara Township Stadium to a new venue,Ovade, in the LGA seemingly to disenfranchise original APC members.
Violence erupted when the Member representing Ethiope Federal Constituency Rt Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu daughter of the the former Governor of Delta H.E Chief James Onanefe Ibori arrived at the new venue in Ovade. Apart from clear threats to her life by thugs sponsored by the Governor of Delta State, Rt Sheriff Oborevwori and former Rep member Hon Ben Igbakpa. Her supporters were attacked with dangerous weapons, as she was denied entrance to the venue. There were several attempts on her life which were foiled by her security details. There had been intels that she would have been shot if she had stepped foots on the venue this is terrible at a time when there had been hopes of peace coming into the party with the recent meeting at Asaba , however this recent happening shows peace is still far away .
Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu has appealed for calm among APC supporters and old members amidst the unprovoked attack. Several injured individuals are receiving treatment at undisclosed hospitals.
There are still reports of targeted attacks on on members of the Old APC , calls have been made to security operatives to avert such attempts.
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