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Buhari writes Reps, seeks confirmation of Yahaya as COAS

Published

5 years ago

June 8, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the House of Representatives to confirm the appointment of Major General Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

The President also ask the House to pass a law to increase the retirement age of teachers from the present 60 years to 65 years while also increasing the mandatory years of service from 35 to 40 years.

Yahaya was appointed to replace Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru who died in a plane crash in Kaduna along with ten other officers.

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Shelve State Police Until After 2027 Election, Obi Tells Tinubu

Published

8 minutes ago

June 26, 2026

Trends Admin

Shelve State Police Until After 2027 Election, Obi Tells Tinubu

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, has urged President Bola Tinubu to postpone the implementation of the newly passed State Police framework until after the 2027 general election, warning that the initiative could be exploited for partisan purposes if introduced before the polls .

Obi made the call in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, June 26, 2026, titled “State Police: Commendable Step, but Disorderly Legislation Raises Concerns of Political Misuse” . His intervention comes barely days after the Senate passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police, a landmark reform aimed at decentralising Nigeria’s policing system in response to growing insecurity across the country .

Obi began by acknowledging the significance of the legislative milestone. He noted that the passage of the State Police Bill represents a long-standing demand of the Nigerian people, as many security experts and regional stakeholders have consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse, and complex as Nigeria . “For years, many of us, alongside security experts and regional stakeholders, have consistently argued that a highly centralised policing structure is fundamentally unsuitable for a country as vast, diverse, and complex as Nigeria,” Obi stated .

However, the former Anambra State governor criticised what he described as a flawed and disorderly legislative process that lacked adequate public participation and transparency . He expressed concern that such a sensitive constitutional amendment was rushed through without proper public hearings, which has fuelled suspicion among observers about the political motives behind the initiative . “The mechanism for passing the law appears highly disorganised, with no public hearing on such a sensitive issue. Indeed, the rush to enact the law without proper legislative procedures fuels suspicion among many observers about the political motives behind it,” he said . Obi maintained that such a far-reaching security reform required extensive engagement with citizens and stakeholders, insisting that policing should be more visible at the community and local government levels .

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Obi said his greatest concern was not logistical issues but the possibility that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors to intimidate political opponents, disrupt opposition activities, and manipulate elections . He cited Nigeria’s political history as justification for this fear, warning that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised against political rivals . “The greatest concern does not arise from logistical issues; it stems from history. There is a widespread, justifiable fear that state police forces could become instruments in the hands of governors. The suspicion is that a state-controlled police force could be weaponised to suppress political rivals, disrupt opposition rallies, and manipulate elections,” he warned .

To guard against such abuses, Obi called for the establishment of independent oversight institutions insulated from executive interference before state police become operational . He proposed the creation of state-level Police Service Commissions that are entirely free from executive influence to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite . “For state policing to evolve from a risky political gamble into a genuine security solution, the law must not only permit states to establish police forces but also clearly provide for independent oversight bodies, such as a state-level Police Service Commission that is entirely free from executive influence, to ensure that policing serves the public interest rather than the interests of the ruling elite,” he said .

Obi further expressed doubts that the current administration would resist the temptation to use state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy, given what Nigerians have witnessed so far . He argued that implementing the new State Police law before the next general election could allow governors to deploy state-controlled police forces to intimidate political opponents and influence electoral outcomes . “Going by what Nigerians have seen so far, there is no guarantee that this administration can resist the temptation to take advantage of state policing to influence the 2027 general election by proxy. In view of that possibility and the danger it poses to the polity, it is necessary to defer its implementation until after the general election,” Obi stated . He concluded his statement with his trademark slogan: “A New Nigeria is Possible” .

The Senate on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, passed the landmark Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police across the federation, marking a major step in Nigeria’s decades-long debate over decentralising the country’s policing structure . The bill was approved after a clause-by-clause consideration during plenary and secured the support of more than two-thirds of senators through a manual voting process after the electronic voting system crashed . The proposed constitutional amendment empowers states to establish and operate their own police services, while retaining a Federal Police Service with overarching responsibility for national security, including terrorism, border protection, and other federal offences . The bill now awaits approval by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly before it can be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent and eventual implementation .

The passed bill introduces significant constitutional safeguards to prevent abuse of state police powers by political office holders . Under the proposal, governors would be constitutionally barred from deploying state police services for partisan, ethnic, religious, sectional, or personal purposes . The bill further provides for the establishment of independent State Police Service Commissions in each state to oversee recruitment, promotions, discipline, and general administration . Additionally, federal intervention in state police operations would be permitted only under exceptional circumstances, such as a breakdown of public order, serious violations of fundamental rights, or electoral intimidation, and would require written authorisation by the president subject to Senate oversight .

Shelve State Police Until After 2027 Election, Obi Tells Tinubu

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Rising Cost of Living: FG Signals Fresh Review of N70,000 Minimum Wage

Published

44 minutes ago

June 26, 2026

Trends Admin

Rising Cost of Living: FG Signals Fresh Review of N70,000 Minimum Wage

The Federal Government has announced plans to reassess Nigeria’s N70,000 national minimum wage, acknowledging that the benchmark set in July 2024 no longer adequately reflects the country’s current economic realities. The disclosure came from the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, during the Good Governance Summit 2026 in Abuja, signaling a significant shift in the administration’s approach to workers’ compensation as inflation and living costs continue to surge.

The government’s admission marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s labour landscape, with officials now openly conceding that the wage floor established less than two years ago has been eroded by persistent inflationary pressures. Speaking at the summit organised by Working People United (WoPU) on Thursday, Gbajabiamila emphasised that the Tinubu administration remains committed to ensuring workers’ wages keep pace with economic conditions. He recalled that President Bola Tinubu approved the N70,000 minimum wage in July 2024, more than doubling the previous N30,000 benchmark that workers had endured for years, and described that approval as a historic milestone in the nation’s labour history.

“The N70,000 wage, which was a milestone in 2024, must be honestly reassessed against today’s realities,” Gbajabiamila declared, noting that the administration had already shortened the wage review cycle from five years to three years to allow salaries to be adjusted more frequently in response to changing economic circumstances. He further explained that the government had in January 2025 revised the review cycle to two years, effectively making 2026 the next formal review period, demonstrating a proactive approach to wage adjustment that departs from the rigid five-year cycles of previous administrations.

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The Chief of Staff stressed that the government would approach the upcoming negotiations “not as an adversary of labour, but as a partner,” urging organised labour to continue engaging through dialogue rather than confrontation. He maintained that cooperation would produce better outcomes for both workers and the economy than industrial action, adding that the administration has already implemented other worker-centric interventions since January 2026, including the reintroduction of gratuities for retiring federal civil servants and lifting workers earning up to N800,000 annually entirely out of the personal income tax net.

Organised labour has already begun positioning for the upcoming talks, with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) announcing plans to formally engage the Federal Government for a fresh round of negotiations. The unions insist that workers deserve a “genuine living wage” that reflects the country’s current harsh economic realities, citing soaring inflation, rising food prices, transportation costs, expensive housing, and increasing healthcare expenses as factors that have significantly eroded workers’ purchasing power since the N70,000 benchmark was established.

In a joint address at the 114th International Labour Conference in Geneva, labour leaders rejected any proposal to tax the minimum wage or impose additional fiscal burdens on low-income earners. They warned that taxing the minimum wage would worsen poverty and deepen economic hardship at a time when many citizens are struggling to meet basic needs, insisting that the government must instead focus on creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and generate sustainable employment opportunities.

“We demand nothing less than a genuine living wage that reflects today’s harsh economic realities. We also demand immediate relief measures by governments at all levels until a new minimum wage is signed into law,” the unions stated in their communiqué. The labour leaders confirmed they would formally open discussions with the federal government ahead of the July 2026 wage renegotiation deadline to avoid the delays that have often hindered previous minimum wage reviews, signalling a more aggressive and organised approach to the upcoming negotiations.

The current wage regime is set to expire in 2027, but the government had earlier in January 2025 announced that the minimum wage would be reviewed every two years, effectively making 2026 the next review period. This accelerated timeline reflects the administration’s recognition that economic conditions can shift dramatically within short periods, necessitating more frequent adjustments to protect workers from the eroding effects of inflation.

Also speaking at the summit, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, underscored the importance of measuring governance effectiveness by how policies improve citizens’ lives. According to Dingyadi, governance goes beyond policy announcements and should result in decent jobs, higher productivity, stronger social protection, and expanded economic opportunities for Nigerians, and he emphasised that the true test of any administration lies in its ability to translate policy documents into tangible improvements in the daily lives of working people.

“Governance is not merely about policies written in documents or programmes announced from government offices; the true measure of governance is the extent to which policies translate into improved livelihoods, decent work, increased productivity, social protection, economic opportunities, and dignity for the working people,” Dingyadi stated. His remarks underscored the administration’s broader vision of inclusive growth where workers are not merely beneficiaries but active participants in the nation’s economic transformation.

The debate over wage review comes amid growing concerns about Nigeria’s economic trajectory, with stakeholders urging a comprehensive approach to addressing workers’ welfare. Some experts have called for an automatic wage adjustment framework that accommodates inflation, arguing that frequent negotiations are unsustainable and that the labour market should adjust in line with other economic markets, thereby reducing the political tensions that often accompany wage review cycles.

However, the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has cautioned against arbitrary wage increases, warning that politically driven adjustments could destabilise businesses and worsen unemployment. NECA Director General, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, insisted that minimum wage negotiations must be grounded in “economic realism” rather than political pronouncements, arguing that the country’s fragile macroeconomic environment makes arbitrary wage fixing dangerous, and urging both government and labour to consider productivity and business sustainability alongside workers’ welfare.

The National Coordinator of WoPU, Williams Akporeha, described Nigerian workers as the foundation of the country’s economy, stressing that sustainable national development depends on their welfare and productivity. “There’s no economy without the working people, there’s no productivity without the working people, and there’s no national development,” he declared, framing the welfare of workers as inseparable from the broader goals of economic growth and national prosperity.

Akporeha also warned that WoPU would serve as a major sensitisation force heading into the 2027 general elections, describing the movement as “a grassroots volcanic movement” that bridges the gap between policies made in Abuja and the lived realities of Nigerians across the country. He indicated that the organisation would educate and mobilise workers around issues of governance and accountability, ensuring that political candidates are held to account for their promises to the working class.

The Federal Workers Forum has also joined the chorus, announcing plans for a nationwide protest to demand an immediate review of workers’ wages and improved welfare. The forum described the current minimum wage as “inadequate” in view of prevailing economic realities and called for urgent review to reflect the rising cost of living, warning that failure to address workers’ concerns could lead to widespread industrial unrest.

As the July 2026 review window approaches, Nigerian workers and their unions are gearing up for what promises to be intense negotiations over a new wage structure that could reshape the country’s labour landscape for years to come. With both government and labour signalling openness to dialogue, the stage is set for a critical test of Nigeria’s social partnership framework and its capacity to deliver meaningful improvements in the lives of millions of working Nigerians.

Rising Cost of Living: FG Signals Fresh Review of N70,000 Minimum Wage

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Winpart by CFAO Clinches Auto Aftersales Award, General Manager Honoured

Published

4 hours ago

June 26, 2026

Trends Admin

L-R: Editor, Transport Day Media, Mr. Frank Kintum; Dean, School of Transportation and Logistics, Lagos State University, Prof. Ogochukwu Ugboma and General Manager, Winpart by CFAO, Mr. Eric Fantodji at the presentation of the Winpart by CFAO awards to the GM during the 12th Nigeria Transport Lecture held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday, June 18, 2026.

Winpart by CFAO Clinches Auto Aftersales Award, General Manager Honoured

Winpart by CFAO has emerged as the Auto Aftersales Company of the Year, clinching the prestigious honour at the 12th Nigeria Transport Lecture and Awards in recognition of its outstanding contribution to Nigeria’s automotive aftersales industry through innovation, service excellence and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.

The award was presented at a ceremony held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, where key stakeholders and decision-makers from Nigeria’s road, rail, maritime, aviation and logistics sectors gathered to celebrate excellence and discuss the future of the country’s transport industry.

The gathering featured distinguished personalities such as the National President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transportation (CILT), Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi; the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki; and the Dean of the School of Transportation and Logistics, Professor Ogochukwu Ugboma, among other industry leaders.

In addition to the company’s recognition, the General Manager of Winpart by CFAO, Mr. Eric Fantodji, received the Auto Aftersales Personality of the Year Award in acknowledgment of his leadership and contribution to advancing quality standards and professional service delivery within the automotive aftersales space.