News
Nigeria can create State Police in 10 Days – Ekweremadu
Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Committee on Electoral Act and Constitutional Amendment says decentralised policing remained the way out of the mounting security challenges in the country, noting that with the requisite political will, Nigeria could successfully amend the 1999 Constitution in 10 days to the needed legal framework for state police.
Ekweremadu, who chaired the Senate Committee on Constitution Amendment in the 6th, 7th, and 8th National Assembly, while listing numerous successful electoral reforms and constitution amendments recorded under successive PDP administrations, enjoined the All Progressive Congress-led administration to take the bull by the horns by building on those successful efforts.
He stated this during the inauguration of the PDP Committee on Electoral Act and Constitution Amendment in Abuja, Thursday evening, regretting that the security of lives and property had totally collapsed, hence the need for urgent steps to pull the nation back from the brinks.
“The weaknesses in our structure and the Constitution we operate have never been as pronounced as they are today. I must also add that it is unfortunate that the rain, which some of us shouted on top of our voices, forewarning the nation against and even proposed policies and sponsored Bills to avert, is now beating us heavily.
“I rallied my colleagues and together we sponsored the Bill for the creation of State Police in the 8th National Assembly. I am equally sponsoring a Bill for the Creation of State Police in the current Senate.
“Unfortunately, we do not appear ready yet or show a sense of urgency to stem the tide of insecurity or rebuild our economy through the decentralisation or devolution of power. With the right political will, the amendments to the Constitution to achieve a decentralised police and secure lives and property can be achieved 10 days.
“So long as we run a dysfunctional centralised policing, for that long will our insecurity-induced pains and losses continue to rise. The community policing initiative is illusory, cosmetic, ephemeral, inorganic, and will certainly not change anything.
“It is either we do the right things to get the right results or continue to do the wrong things and live with the consequences of our choices, as is presently the case. We must also have it at the back of our minds that things will probably get worse.
“Therefore, I call on our party faithful, the media, Civil Society, and well meaning Nigerians, to put narrow political, partisan, ethnic, religious, and sectional interest aside, and seize the opportunity of the ongoing constitution amendment exercise to immediately pull our nation back from the brinks”.
On electoral reforms, the lawmaker also enjoined his colleagues, political leaders and Nigerians to support the move to amend the Electoral Act to allow early primaries and electronic transmission of results.
“As earlier stated, we have dealt with the issues of seemingly interminable election-related litigations in previous electoral and constitutional reforms by setting timeframes for dealing with both pre-election and post-election litigations.
“However, INEC is still faced with challenge of short timeframe to conduct elections. The election management body still works under acute pressure in preparing and managing our elections. They still get court orders and counter orders even on the eve of elections as politicians squabble for their parties’ tickets.
“Therefore, the Joint National Assembly Committee on INEC have agreed to recommend to our colleagues an amendment allowing INEC to call for nominations at least 360 days to the election and submission of list of candidates by political parties not later than six months to the election.
“It means that if passed by the National Assembly and signed by Mr. President, INEC will call for nominations for the 2023 general election by February 2022, while the political parties will have up to July 2022 to conclude their primaries and submit their lists of their candidates.
“That way, INEC will have ample time to prepare for the elections and avoid the usual mix-ups, while political parties will also have sufficient time to deal with issues and litigations arising from party primaries.
“Ahead of the 2015 general elections, we amended Section 52 of the Electoral Act, to allow INEC the option of using electronic voting if it so wished. But it has become imperative to further entrench the use of technology in our elections by not only providing for electronic voting, among several others, but also by providing for the compulsory transmission of results from the polling units.
“This is imperative since the worrisome magic that happens between the polling units and collation remain a great drawback to our electoral system. This magic, this manipulation of figures and falsification of results, is the single most corrosive problem that erodes the confidence of the electorate in their votes counting and it is equally largely responsible for the orgy of violence that bedevil our elections.
“But if you transmit results electronically and directly from polling units and also upload them on INEC sites as they come, the electorate and candidates will be able to monitor the votes from anywhere and see that their votes count, transparently”, Ekweremadu said.
Rugby School Nigeria, the newest international school of the esteemed Rugby School Group, is set to open in September 2025 in Eko Atlantic City, Lagos.
To celebrate this significant milestone, an exclusive launch event was held at the British Deputy High Commissioner’s residence in Lagos, attracting over 100 distinguished guests and key stakeholders from the education, government, business sectors, and diplomatic communities.
At the official launch event on March 19, 2025, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Jonny Baxter highlighted the significance of Rugby School Nigeria stating:
“Rugby School Nigeria exemplifies one of the best of UK-Nigeria collaborations, bringing another world-class British education institution to the heart of Lagos. Situated in the dynamic Eko Atlantic City, a symbol of Nigeria’s ambition and innovation, this school is poised to further shape future leaders in a rapidly evolving global landscape.”
Rugby School Nigeria will initially open its doors for Sixth Form students (ages 16-18) in September 2025, with boarding facilities set to be available from September 2026. The Senior School (ages 11-16) will launch in September 2026, offering a broad and engaging curriculum that prepares students for IGCSEs and future academic success.
Founding Principal of Rugby School Nigeria, Dr Adam England expressed his enthusiasm:
“Rugby School Nigeria will offer an exceptional education that nurtures both intellectual growth and character development guided by the Rugby School ‘Whole Person, Whole Point’ philosophy. Students will benefit from a comprehensive A-Level programme, preparing them for top universities worldwide, alongside the Rugby 360 programme, which fosters leadership, community engagement, and personal development.
Our state-of-the-art facilities will include science labs, creative arts spaces, and world-class sporting facilities.”
Founded in 1567, Rugby School is one of the world’s most prestigious UK boarding schools, renowned for its commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and character development. With established sister schools in Thailand, Japan, and now Nigeria, Rugby School continues to expand its global impact, offering transformative educational experiences to students worldwide.
Dr England added, “We are excited by the substantial interest we have already received, with numerous parents’ meetings taking place daily at our offices.”
Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Olajide Ipinsagba Emmanuel has scored himself high in terms of constituency projects deliveries to his constituents.
Speaking in an exclusive interview in his office with journalists, he said “he facilitated Agricultural Training Programs for youths and existing farmers, equipping them with modern techniques to enhance productivity, distributed fertilizers to farmers to address critical agricultural challenges, ensuring increased output and improved local food security.
“Constructed and fully equipped a modern health centre in Akunnu-Akoko, ensuring access to quality healthcare for the community, distributed health equipments and materials to the State Specialist Hospital, Ikare-Akoko, thereby strengthening healthcare infrastructure and improving health outcomes.”
“Trained and Empowered Women and Youth in Confectioneries. He organised training in cake baking and other confectioneries, followed by the disbursement of start-up grants to empower beneficiaries to establish their businesses. Training of women on soap making with start-up funds.
In the same vein, he organized ICT training programs for youths, distributed HP Core i7 laptops, and provided start-up grants to promote innovation and employment in the tech sector.
“Trained youths in tailoring, provided sewing machines, and disbursed start-up grants to enhance self-reliance and job creation. Constructed a 1.5-kilometer road in Oka-Akoko, improving connectivity, facilitating economic activities, and easing transportation for farmers and traders. Spearheaded the construction of the Ikare Modern Civic Center, which serves as a hub for cultural, social, and civic engagements. Facilitated the construction of 28 lock-up shops in Oka -Akoko, providing a conducive environment for entrepreneurs and boosting local commerce.
Dist. Sen. Olajide who is passionate about education, distributed free JAMB forms to students across the Senatorial District, enabling many young people to pursue higher education without financial barriers.
Also, he sponsored a bill for the establishment of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) University in Ikare-Akoko. A public hearing was successfully held on December 28, 2024, reflecting progress toward establishing this vital institution for skill development and education. Lighting up towns and villages with Solar Panels including Adekunle Ajasin University.”
These achievements underscore his commitment to fostering development in agriculture, education, health, and infrastructure. As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Procurement, he also prioritizes accountability and efficiency in national projects, which directly impacts the equitable allocation of resources to Ondo North Senatorial District and Ondo State at large.
Moreso, he empowered Small Businesses through skill acquisition programmes and provision of lock-up shops, he has laid the groundwork for entrepreneurship to flourish within the district. Strengthening Youth Engagement, by bridging the gap between education, technology, and employment. He is equipping youths with the tools necessary to thrive in the modern economy.”
Edo State Government has lashed at the factional chapter of the caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party and the appointed publicity secretary, Chris Nehikhare, for rushing to the press without first understanding the subject at hand.
In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fred Itua in Benin and made available to journalists said, Nehikhare’s latest press release was another embarrassing display of ignorance, completely missing the point Governor Monday Okpebholo raised.
The Governor was referring to the $10 million that Godwin Obaseki budgeted for The Observer Newspaper shortly before the 2024 governorship elections in Edo State, not the refurbished equipment bought from ‘Ogbete Market’ in Enugu State.
Obaseki, a portfolio scam artist, who presided over the looting of Edo’s commonwealth, hurriedly siphoned $10 million, using The Observer Newspaper as a conduit, barely a few days to the governorship election in Edo State in late 2024.
Nehikhare’s desperate attempt to twist the conversation is not just misleading but exposes the habitual dishonesty of the PDP.
On the issue of the so-called “sophisticated machines,” Nehikhare conveniently ignores the real concern—these overused and inefficient machines now require billions of naira to function properly. Obaseki may have procured them at a roadside market, but he left behind a financial burden that the present administration must now clean up.
More troubling is Nehikhare’s confused outrage about the sacking of Observer staff. How does he expect those no longer employed to be available at the premises? His logic is as flawed as the policies of the administration he blindly defends.
Instead of this laughable attempt at deflection, Nehikhare should explain why, in his final days, Obaseki found it necessary to allocate a staggering $10 million to a State-owned newspaper that is practically invisible on newspaper stands across the State and country—at a time when critical sectors like education and healthcare remained underfunded.
If Nehikhare wishes to debate the facts, he should do so with accuracy, not fiction. But then again, fiction seems to be the PDP’s favourite tool.
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