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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The appointment, announced on Monday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, takes immediate effect.

Prof. Ogundipe succeeds Olufemi Raphael Aina, who resigned from the position after serving for less than a year. Aina had been appointed by President Tinubu in July 2025, while the NUC Governing Board was inaugurated in November 2025.

A renowned professor of Botany, Ogundipe served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos from 2017 to 2022. His academic career spans decades, with expertise in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany and ecological conservation. He also holds an MBA from UNILAG and currently serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.

According to the Presidency, the new NUC chairman is expected to provide strategic leadership for Nigeria’s university regulatory agency, with emphasis on improving funding, strengthening academic standards, enhancing global competitiveness and promoting stability across the nation’s tertiary education system.

The appointment is in line with the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope agenda, which seeks to expand access to quality higher education while reinforcing integrity and excellence within Nigeria’s university system.

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday, declared that the era of neglect of satellite towns in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is over, saying his administration remained committed to ensuring that basic infrastructure and public services reach communities long excluded from development.

Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, made the declaration while commissioning the Water Supply Network to Karu Satellite Town and Environs in Kurudu Community along the Karu-Karshi Road, Abuja.

Describing access to clean water as a fundamental human right, the President said the project was a practical demonstration of the administration’s resolve to translate the Renewed Hope Agenda into tangible benefits for ordinary Nigerians.

“We are here not just to cut a ribbon, but to breathe life into a fundamental human right that has eluded this bustling community for far too long. Today, we declare that the era of neglect for our satellite towns is officially over,” Tinubu said.

He recalled that when the administration launched the Renewed Hope Agenda, it entered into what he described as a “sacred covenant” with Nigerians to ensure that governance delivers meaningful improvements in people’s lives.

According to him, the government was determined to move beyond policy pronouncements and provide critical infrastructure to underserved communities.

“When we launched the Renewed Hope Agenda, we promised that governance would no longer be a theoretical exercise confined to the boardrooms of city centres while our people in the periphery thirsted for basic amenities. We promised a government that listens, plans and delivers,” he said.

The President revealed that the Karu Water Supply Project was conceived following his directive that the Greater Abuja Water Supply Project should not be limited to the city centre but extended to satellite communities where a large proportion of the FCT’s working population resides.

He noted that the administration approved funding for the project without bureaucratic delays, enabling contractors, CGC Nigeria Limited, to complete the work ahead of schedule.

The project, he said, comprises more than 194 kilometres of secondary and tertiary pipeline networks designed to provide treated and potable water to residents of Karu, Orozo, Jikwoyi, Kurudu and neighbouring communities.

“To demonstrate our commitment, we did not allow the traditional shackles of bureaucratic delay to obstruct funding. Because we paid on time, the contractors worked on time. Today, ahead of schedule, we are commissioning over 194 kilometres of pipeline networks bringing safe and potable water directly to the doorsteps of our people,” he said.

Tinubu used the occasion to commend the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for what he described as impactful leadership and efficient project execution.

“Leadership is not measured by the eloquence of television commentary or the bitterness of empty rhetoric. Leadership is measured by tangible, verifiable impact on the lives of ordinary citizens.

“What we are witnessing in the FCT today across transport, healthcare, education, housing, roads and now water infrastructure is a testament to what happens when vision meets executive capacity. Thank you, Mr Project, for your leadership,” he said.

The President observed that residents of Karu had, for decades, depended on boreholes and water vendors despite the rapid growth of the community, stressing that the project would improve public health, sanitation and economic productivity.

He also urged residents to protect the infrastructure from vandalism and illegal connections.

“This infrastructure belongs to you. It was built with your commonwealth and designed for your well-being. I urge you to safeguard these installations and treat this water as the precious resource that it is,” he added.

Earlier, Wike expressed appreciation to the President for supporting people-centred projects across the FCT, particularly in satellite communities that have historically suffered infrastructure deficits.

The minister said the Karu Water Supply Scheme was executed in direct response to Tinubu’s directive that critical infrastructure should extend beyond the city centre to communities on the outskirts of Abuja.

According to him, the FCT Administration remained committed to implementing projects and programmes that improve the quality of life of residents across the territory.

Also speaking, Minister of State for the FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, described the project as a landmark achievement in the Federal Government’s commitment to improving living conditions through strategic infrastructure investment.

She said the water network fulfilled a long-standing aspiration of residents and reflected the practical impact of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Mahmoud noted that the project would enhance public health, strengthen sanitation, stimulate economic activities and reduce the burden faced by families who have endured years of inadequate access to potable water.

She called on residents to take ownership of the facility to ensure its sustainability for future generations.

Providing an overview of the project, Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Richard Dauda, said the scheme was designed to improve access to potable water in Karu and surrounding communities.

According to him, the project utilised an existing reservoir and connected more than 1,000 distribution lines to serve Karu, Jikwoyi, Kurudu and adjoining settlements.

Dauda thanked President Tinubu for supporting what he described as a transformational intervention that would significantly improve the welfare of residents.

For years, residents of the Karu axis have relied heavily on private boreholes and water vendors, with community leaders repeatedly calling for the extension of municipal water services. The new network is expected to reduce dependence on unsafe water sources and lower water costs for households and businesses in one of Abuja’s fastest-growing satellite towns.

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A pro-democracy organisation, the Advocates of Social Justice for All (ASJA), has warned Civil Society Groups and critics of National Assembly over the controversial N110 billion reportedly spent on the procurement of official vehicles and support allowances for lawmakers in 2023, to stop undermining the institution of the Parliament.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, had penultimate Wednesday, declared that the sum of N40bn used to procure 360 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for Members of the House of Representatives, and 109 SUVs for Members of the Senate; and the sum of N70bn used for support allowances for the newly inaugurated Members of the 10th National Assembly, as appropriated for in the 2022 supplementary budget, did not meet the standard procurement laws.

Declaring the appropriation and expenditure of the total sum of N110bn by the National Assembly as “unlawful”, Justice Yellim Bogoro ordered the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, “to ensure that all future procurements or expenditure of public funds by the National Assembly comply strictly with due process requirements and are also guided by the principles of transparency, accountability and value for money.”

Two weeks after the judgement, the Plaintiff in the matter, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), in a statement, insisted that Members of the National Assembly must refund the said N110bn to the Federal Government coffers.

But in a statement issued on Monday, ASJA questioned the recent judgment of the Court which reportedly declared the expenditure unlawful, arguing that the ruling raises significant constitutional issues concerning the operational autonomy of the legislature.

The statement signed by Dr. Torkuma Asongo, the Executive Director, the group maintained that the National Assembly, as an independent arm of government, possesses the constitutional authority to make budgetary provisions necessary for the effective discharge of its legislative responsibilities.

According to the group, the procurement of official vehicles for federal lawmakers should not be interpreted as an act of extravagance, but rather as a necessary measure to enable legislators effectively carry out oversight functions, constituency engagements, committee assignments, and other official duties across the country.

“The National Assembly remains one of the critical institutions of democracy, and its Members require adequate operational support to effectively discharge their constitutional mandate. Official vehicles for lawmakers should be regarded as essential tools for legislative work rather than luxury items,” the statement read.

The group also criticised the call by SERAP for the refund of the funds, describing the move as premature and potentially capable of generating unnecessary institutional tension.

It argued that, rather than exerting public pressure on the legislature, concerned parties should allow the judicial process to run its full course, including any appellate proceedings.

ASJA further emphasised the importance of upholding the doctrine of separation of powers, cautioning against actions that could undermine the independence and integrity of the legislature.

“The principle of separation of powers is fundamental to constitutional democracy. While accountability and transparency remain essential, care must be taken to ensure that the constitutional independence of the legislature is not eroded through undue interference or public sensationalism,” the group warned.

ASJA urged civil society organisations and other stakeholders to approach issues concerning the National Assembly with objectivity and restraint, noting that sustained efforts to delegitimise the parliament could weaken democratic institutions and diminish public confidence in governance.

The group therefore called for continued respect for the National Assembly as the country’s foremost representative institution, insisting that strengthening democratic institutions remains essential to Nigeria’s democratic consolidation.