News
Defence Stakeholders Resist Plan to Reserve NDA Entry for Military School Alumni
By Gloria Ikibah
A proposal to grant automatic admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) for graduates of military secondary schools has drawn strong opposition from defence stakeholders, who argue that the measure could compromise merit-based selection and conflict with constitutional provisions governing access to higher education.
This was the concerns raised on Tuesday during the second day of a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Defence, as lawmakers considered a series of amendments to existing military legislation.
The proposed amendment to the NDA Act seeks to create a pathway for students graduating from military secondary schools to gain direct entry into the academy without undergoing the standard competitive admission process.
However, participants at the hearing cautioned that such a provision could unfairly disadvantage other qualified candidates seeking admission into the country’s premier military training institution.
The hearing considered four defence-related bills, among which includes a Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigerian Defence Academy Act, 2024 and for Related Matters (HB.1709), which proposes automatic admission for graduates of Nigerian military schools into the academy.
Presenting the position of the Nigerian Defence Academy, the Director of Military Training, Brigadier General Taiye Ahmed, explained that the proposed amendment seeks to alter Section 8(2) of the Second Schedule to the NDA Act by granting what he described as “automatic admission, right of first refusal” to applicants from Nigerian military schools.
He argued that admission into the NDA should remain open to all eligible Nigerians through a transparent and competitive process, regardless of educational background or institutional affiliation.
Ahmed said the proposed amendment provides that: “The board shall offer automatic admission for successful graduates from Nigerian military schools.”
According to him, the justification advanced by the proponents is “to prevent the graduates of the schools from being handy tools in the hands of non state violent actors because of the graduate military background.”
He further explained that the proposal also seeks to introduce an interpretation section defining “The Board” as the Board of the Nigerian Defence Academy, “Applicant” as candidates applying to the NDA, and “Nigerian Military Schools” as military schools that provide full military and academic training, including the Nigerian Military School, Zaria; Air Force Military School; Air Force Girls Military School; and the Nigerian Navy Military School.
However, Ahmed said the academy does not support the amendment in its current form.
“However it was observed that if the amendment is passed as phrased, it has the potential of creating statutory bottlenecks on the constitutional principle of federal character. The NDA operates on this principle to ensure national unity and equal representation across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory FCT,” he said.
He added that the proposal could also face legal hurdles because it would unfairly disadvantage other Nigerians seeking admission into the academy.
“Moreover, the proposed amendment could face legal challenges for being discriminatory against applicants who did not attend the military school as it could be perceived as disenfranchising them for admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy”, he added.
Ahmed maintained that graduates of military secondary schools already enjoy equal opportunities under the existing admission process.
“The graduates of military schools currently have equal opportunity to seek admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy to be commissioned as regular combatant officers by competing with other interested Nigerians.
“The process has consistently ensured that the NDA selects the best candidates irrespective of the secondary school they attended.
“Moreover graduates of the military schools have the opportunity for immediate enlistment as soldiers, especially the Nigerian Military School, Zaria upon graduation from military secondary schools and thereafter proceed to higher military institutions through military sponsorship. Upon graduation from higher institutions these graduates could apply to be commissioned as officers through the short service commission or the direct short service commission when advertised by any of the three services of the Armed Forces of Nigeria”, he said.
According to him, officers who do not secure commissions through those channels still have another opportunity later in their careers.
“Furthermore those unable to secure admission through the short service commission or the direct short service commission could apply for the executive commission later in their career.
“It is pertinent to state that the NDA has a very strict admission criteria including minimum JAMB score as well as very high standard physical, psychological and medical standard”, he asserted.
He further disclosed that available records indicate that civilian applicants sometimes outperform graduates of military secondary schools during the selection process.
He urged lawmakers to retain the current admission framework.
“Available record in the Armed Forces show that civilian candidates could be better than some military school graduates based on their earlier mentioned criteria to avoid disenfranchising excellent candidates that did not have the opportunity of attending military schools from admission into NDA.
“The NDA is of the opinion that the current admission process into the NDA should be maintained”, he stated.
Stakeholders also expressed concern that automatic admission for a particular category of applicants could limit opportunities for talented candidates from civilian schools and potentially weaken the diversity of the officer corps in the long term.
Besides the proposed amendment to the Nigerian Defence Academy Act, the committee also considered bills seeking to establish a Joint Doctrine and Warfare Centre to enhance coordination and effectiveness of military operations; establish the Armed Forces Medical College, Abuja; and establish the National Defence College of Nigeria as a postgraduate degree-awarding institution and centre for strategic research and professional military education.
Speaking at the close of the session, Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Hon. Babajimi Benson, commended participants for their contributions.
“This is the peoples Parliament. The contributions have been worthwhile,” Benson said.
The debate formed part of broader deliberations on defence-related legislative reforms currently before the National Assembly, with lawmakers examining proposals aimed at strengthening military institutions and improving the effectiveness of Nigeria’s security architecture.
The House Committee on Defence, chaired by Hon. Babajimi Benson, is expected to review submissions from stakeholders before making recommendations on the contentious amendment and other defence bills under consideration.
The Iluelogbo Grammar School Old Students Association (IGSOSA), Owhelogbo, has unveiled a series of measures aimed at strengthening its nationwide structure, improving members’ welfare and accelerating the development of the alma mater.
The decisions were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Owhelogbo, where old students from various sets and branches participated in deliberations on the growth of the association and the development of Iluelogbo Grammar School.
A major outcome of the meeting was the appointment of five Zonal Coordinators to improve grassroots mobilisation and deepen participation among members across the country.
The newly appointed coordinators are Dr. Israel Adaigho for Asaba Zone; Barr. Faith Enajedu for Port Harcourt/Akwa Ibom/Abia Zone; Mr. Ben Akelemo for Lagos Zone; Dr. Fortune Erume for Warri Zone; and Mr. Simon Enajedu for Abuja Zone.
According to the communiqué, the coordinators are expected to mobilise old students within their respective zones and serve as a link between the zones and the National Executive of the association.
The AGM also approved the establishment of a Welfare/Benevolent Trust Fund Committee to coordinate welfare-related matters affecting members.
The committee is chaired by Dr. Tony Alabi, with Mr. Patrick Nebe, Mr. Nathais Otobo, Barr. Ovah Frederick, Dcns. Vivian Okpobrisi, Mrs. Flora Utunedi-Whiskey and Chief Jonathan Orife as members.
Engr. Lawrence Enna was appointed Secretary of the committee.
In another major resolution, the AGM proposed an amendment to the association’s constitution to accommodate three additional positions — Legal Adviser, Internal Auditor and Board of Trustees (BOT).
The proposed constitutional amendment is to be posted on the association’s general online platform for members to consider and vote on within one week from the date of the communiqué.
The association said the measures were part of its broader effort to strengthen its administrative structure, promote members’ welfare and ensure greater participation in the affairs of the old students’ body.
IGSOSA expressed appreciation to members for their continued support and called on old students who are yet to join the association to connect with the appropriate Zonal Coordinators.
The communiqué was signed by the National President of the Iluelogbo Grammar School Old Students Association, Owhelogbo.
Ven. Moses Edeki
Secretary General.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has again adjusted his return schedule from Europe, with the President now expected to return to Nigeria on Tuesday, September 29, according to sources familiar with his itinerary.
Tinubu had been expected back in the country this weekend after the Presidency announced on September 21 that he would extend his working vacation by a few days and return before the end of the week. However, his itinerary has since been revised. The reason for the latest change has not been disclosed.
Sources had earlier indicated that Tinubu would return to Lagos and remain there for up to a week before travelling to Abuja.
The President left Nigeria on August 30 for London to begin a three-week working vacation as part of his annual leave. After spending about a week in the United Kingdom, he proceeded to Paris, France, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré.
The Presidency had initially announced that Tinubu would return after the three-week vacation. It later said on September 21 that his stay in Europe had been extended by a few days, with a weekend return planned.
According to the Presidency, Tinubu has remained in contact with officials in Nigeria and continued to direct government affairs while abroad. Vice-President Kashim Shettima was delegated to represent him at some official functions during his absence.
Shettima, however, travelled to New York on September 20 to represent Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has also represented the President at some official engagements.
The repeated adjustment to Tinubu’s return schedule has renewed public and political debate over the length of his absence from the country and the constitutional procedure for transferring presidential powers when the President is away.
Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution provides for a President proceeding on vacation to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, after which the Vice-President performs the functions of the President in an acting capacity.
Opposition figures have questioned whether the prolonged absence requires a formal transfer of presidential powers to Shettima, particularly as the President’s stay abroad has extended beyond the period initially announced.
The Presidency has maintained that Tinubu has remained engaged in governance throughout his stay abroad.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio also dismissed suggestions of a leadership vacuum, saying Tinubu remained in charge despite his absence from Nigeria.
Speaking in Akwa Ibom on September 22, Akpabio said he was not the Acting President because Tinubu remained in power and continued to direct the affairs of government.
If the latest itinerary holds, Tinubu will return to Lagos on Tuesday, September 29, ending a four-week working vacation in Europe. Reports indicate that he is expected to participate in Independence Day activities in Lagos before proceeding to Abuja.
News
Reforms in NNPCL under Ojulari have increased Nigerians’ trust in current administration – Centre
The Centre for Reforms and Good Governance (CRGG) has hailed the transformative leadership of Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari as Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), declaring that the sweeping reforms under his stewardship have significantly boosted public confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Maxwell Onazi, the Centre described Ojulari’s tenure since his appointment on April 2, 2025, as a defining chapter in the commercialisation and professionalisation of Nigeria’s national oil company.
According to the CRGG, Ojulari’s results-driven approach has delivered measurable gains across upstream production, financial performance, transparency, infrastructure delivery and investor confidence, reversing years of opacity and operational inefficiency.
The Centre noted that these outcomes align directly with the Renewed Hope Agenda and demonstrate the administration’s capacity to appoint competent technocrats capable of delivering tangible national value.
“Engr. Bayo Ojulari has shown that with disciplined leadership, commercial focus and commitment to transparency, NNPCL can be transformed from a historically loss-making entity into a profitable, investor-ready national asset,” Maxwell Onazi stated.
“The surge in production, the restoration of regular Federation Account remittances, the unprecedented financial disclosures and the unlocking of multi-billion-dollar investments are not abstract achievements.
“They are concrete evidence that the Tinubu administration’s reforms in the oil and gas sector are working and that Nigerians can once again trust that their most strategic national resource is being managed with integrity and competence.”
The Centre highlighted the dramatic rise in upstream output under Ojulari’s watch.
According to the CRGG, the first half of 2026 alone produced clear evidence of the transformation. NNPCL recorded ₦19.04 trillion in revenue and ₦2.28 trillion in profit after tax between January and June 2026, while statutory remittances to the Federation Account reached ₦6.286 trillion in the same period and climbed to ₦7.913 trillion by the end of July, including a single-month payment of ₦1.627 trillion in July.
These figures, the Centre noted, represent a decisive break from past patterns of irregular transfers and limited disclosure.
“The 2026 half-year numbers speak louder than any rhetoric. Revenue of ₦19.04 trillion, profit after tax of ₦2.28 trillion and nearly ₦8 trillion remitted to the Federation Account in seven months show that NNPCL is now operating as a true commercial entity that delivers value to the Nigerian people,” Maxwell Onazi stated.
“When citizens see consistent, transparent remittances and rising production under a leadership appointed by this administration, their trust in the broader reform agenda of President Tinubu naturally increases.
“Ojulari’s results have made that connection clear and credible.”
The Centre further highlighted the operational gains that underpinned the financial performance.
National crude oil production has been sustained at levels above 1.7 million barrels per day for much of 2026, reaching peaks of approximately 1.73 million barrels per day, the highest in five years.
NNPC Exploration and Production Limited continued to post strong output, with earlier records of 355,000 barrels per day in late 2025 extended into higher peaks of around 365,000 barrels per day.
Gas production also strengthened, hitting 7,841 million standard cubic feet per day in June 2026, supporting the administration’s gas-based industrialisation push.
“Infrastructure progress has been equally notable, the group added. “The Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) and Obiafu–Obrikom–Oben (OB3) gas pipelines advanced to 94 per cent and 98 per cent completion respectively in 2026, while major upstream projects such as Bonga Southwest-Aparo moved closer to delivering additional barrels and jobs.
“Cost discipline remained a priority, with Ojulari’s team achieving $3.4 billion in savings through systematic contract reviews and optimisation.
“These are not isolated successes. Higher production, stronger gas output, near-completion of critical pipelines and multi-billion-dollar cost savings form a coherent picture of a national oil company that is finally being run with commercial rigour,” Onazi said.
The Centre for Reforms and Good Governance concluded that Ojulari’s first year-plus in office has set a new benchmark for public-sector performance and provided a clear demonstration that competent, reform-minded leadership can deliver results that benefit the entire nation.
It called on stakeholders to sustain support for the ongoing transformation so that the gains already recorded can be consolidated and expanded in the years ahead.
IGSOSA Restructures, Names Zonal Coordinators, Moves to Strengthen Members’ Welfare
Tinubu Shifts Return Date Again, Now Expected Back Tuesday
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