News
FG to enforce ban on underage admission in 2025 – Minister
By Francesca Hangeior
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, on Thursday, reversed his ban on underage admissions following protests by stakeholders at the 2024 ongoing policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examination.
Stakeholders protested the new minimum admission age pegged at 18 years.
Immediately, Prof. Mamman made the announcement, the stakeholders who turned out their members from across tertiary institutions in the country, voiced their resistance which turned the session into a rowdy one.
The minister who was unable to proceed with his address as a result of the uproar, had asked “Are we together?”
However, the stakeholders had responded with a resounding “No!”
The minister who seemed unperturbed with the development, continued with his address as he tried to give reasons for pegging the new admission benchmark at 18.
It took the intervention of the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, to restore order to the policy meeting.
However, after consultations with other stakeholders, Oloyede said, “At the time they (candidates) were taking the examinations, they were not aware. So if we want to enforce it then it should be for subsequent years.”
The minister, however, noted that the ban would be set aside for 2024 admissions.
“Information has revealed that the enrolment of underage candidates is inflicting serious damage on the university and the education system, hence, the need for enforcement of extant rules.
“When I was monitoring the just concluded 2024 UTME, I was alarmed at the participation of a large number of obviously under-age candidates in the examination.
“This necessitated my comment on the need to enforce the extant provisions of the educational policies which made provision for nine years of basic education and three years of Senior Secondary Education before entry into tertiary institution.
“It is clear that a child who, as expected is enrolled in basic school at the age of six and having undergone 12 years of education would be around 18 years old when being enrolled in a tertiary institution.
“Flowing from this, JAMB is hereby instructed to admit only eligible students’ i.e those who have attained 18 years.
“Universities are advised to avoid recommending unqualified children for admission,” he added
News
Ex-VP, Atiku, Amaechi, other stakeholders land Ibadan as opposition leaders hold summit
Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, have arrived Ibadan, Oyo State capital, ahead of the National Summit of all opposition parties.
Ex- governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, and his Kano State counterpart, Rabiu Kwankwaso, alongside other opposition heavy weights, are expected in the summit.
They are being hosted by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Atiku, one of the opposition leaders jostling for the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for the 2027 election, posted the video of his arrival on his Facebook page.
In the video, a large crowd of supporters were seen welcoming the former vice president to Oyo State.
They are being hosted by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Atiku, one of the opposition leaders jostling for the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for the 2027 election, posted the video of his arrival on his Facebook page.
In the video, a large crowd of supporters were seen welcoming the former vice president to Oyo State.
News
Delta PDP threatens Court action against APC defectors over alleged forgery
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta State chapter, has threatened legal action over alleged attempts to forge and backdate resignation letters of party members who defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The PDP Chairman in the state, Mr. Peter Mrakpor, while revealing the move, described the allegation as fraudulent and a clear breach of due process, warning that those behind it would be held accountable.
He confirmed that none of the defectors followed proper procedure by submitting resignation letters to their respective wards before leaving the party.
The PDP chairman further disclosed that the party is prepared to pursue legal action against any individual found culpable in the alleged scheme.
Despite the wave of defections, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) maintained that the PDP in Delta State remains united and structurally strong, expressing confidence in the party’s continued stability across the state.
The attempt to forge and backdate resignation letters is not only illegal but a desperate move that will fail. None of those who defected submitted resignation letters to their wards before the mass defection,” he said.
Just weeks ago, the PDP demanded that the APC state chairman, Chief Solomon Areyinka, vacate the PDP secretariat he occupies immediately.
The PDP further warned that the Delta State Government, which it accused of aiding the occupation, should note that the property’s Certificate of Occupancy remains in the PDP’s name and has not been revoked.
It accused the state government of complicity in what it described as the “illegal and unconstitutional” occupation of its state secretariat by the APC.
The party vowed to explore “every legal avenue” to reclaim the property, especially as some defectors who left for the APC as far back as April 2025 were still allegedly using the party’s bank accounts.
The PDP stated that the secretariat, located on WAEC Road, off Mariam Babangida Way, Asaba, was acquired in its name, with all documents bearing the party’s insignia.
The PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Chief Kingsley Akpos Oturubo, said the secretariat was built long before the APC came into existence as a political entity. He described the situation as unprecedented, noting that the APC already maintains a separate state office on Anwai Road.
“Where in this country does a political party have two secretariats in a state?” the statement read. “Chief Solomon Areyinka should know that he is now a member of the APC. The PDP secretariat and all the assets of the party did not defect with him to the APC.”
The statement linked the government’s actions to the PDP’s National Leader, Nyesom Wike, and his pledge to reclaim the party’s mandate in the 2027 elections.
“The state government is doing everything possible to dismantle the structures connected to the PDP National Leader,” the party alleged.
Describing the situation as “an invitation to anarchy,” the PDP called on security agencies to take note. It warned that Chief Areyinka and the state government would be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order.
We have already alerted the relevant anti-graft agencies to apprehend these fraudsters,” the statement added.
The party appealed to its faithful to remain calm, while insisting that the ruling APC must accept constructive criticism and abandon any dream of a one-party state in Delta.
News
MTN finally begins airtime compensation over poor service rendered in January
Subscribers of MTN Nigeria have started receiving airtime credits from the telecom operator as compensation for poor quality of service experienced in January 2026.
The development became public after several users shared notifications on the social media platform X, showing that their lines had been credited with different amounts.
One of the messages sent to subscribers read: “Dear Customer, your account has been credited with N341 airtime for quality of service issues in January 2026. Thank you for your understanding.”
Findings indicate that the compensation varies across users. While some reported receiving over N300, others claimed they got smaller amounts such as N20 and N91, though these could not be independently verified.
As of the time of filing this report, it remains unclear whether all affected subscribers have received the airtime credit or if the process is still ongoing in phases.
The move follows increased regulatory pressure on telecom operators to improve service delivery and address persistent complaints from subscribers across the country.
Industry observers believe the action is linked to directives from the Nigerian Communications Commission, which requires operators to meet minimum quality-of-service standards and, where necessary, compensate customers for service lapses.
MTN had earlier signalled its readiness to comply with such directives, while also committing to further investment in network infrastructure to improve service quality nationwide.
However, the company has yet to provide details on the total number of subscribers affected or the criteria used in determining the compensation amounts.
Telecom service delivery has remained a major concern in Nigeria, with many users frequently complaining about dropped calls, slow internet speeds and network outages.
Regulators have in recent years intensified oversight of telecom operators to ensure compliance with service benchmarks and consumer protection guidelines.
Compensation measures such as airtime credits are part of broader efforts to rebuild trust among subscribers and enforce accountability within the sector.
Analysts say while the current compensation may offer temporary relief to affected users, long-term improvement in service quality will depend largely on sustained investment in infrastructure and efficient network management.
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