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Reps Quiz Federal Polytechnics Damaturu, Mubi, Monguno Over Infractions

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By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has queried the Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Adamawa State, Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Borno State and Federal Polytechnic Damaturu, Yobe State over series of administrative and financial infractions.
This was as Rectors and some management staff of the three institutions appeared before the house Committee on Polytechnics and other Higher Technical Education, as part of oversight function to render accounts of their budget performances.
But the Committee found various infractions in the documents presented by the three institutions which ranged from abuse of Federal Character in employment, Extra-Budgetary spendings and recurring abandoned, uncompleted  projects in one of the institutions.
During presentation by the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Dr.  Abdulrahman Ishaku, the Committee discovered that projects that were to be completed in two to three years were not finished despite adequate release of funds in budget.
Specifically, the Committee was provoked by the non-completion of a staff quarters and an administrative block project by the institution for years.
Speaking, Rep. Emil Inyang who stood in for the Committee Chairman, Rep. Fuad Kayode Laguda at the meeting on Thursday, lamented that, the projects have not been completed and have been recurring in the budgets.
He said, “Physical Planning, can you show me where you rolled over the project to 2023? It’s not here. Is it in 2024? Why do you come here to lie? Where is it? That admin block, is it in use? Has it been completed? So, you have abandoned it.
“Gentlemen, I don’t know what to say to these kinds of people. Construction of staff quarters, Item number Nine under 2022 capital projects. Have you seen it Rector? What is the state of that building? Is it completed? It is completed, that’s what is shown here, and you are saying it is still remaining fittings. Is fittings not part of completion?
“You people are just disgracing yourselves. We are just killing this country from various directions. From our various positions we are just killing this country. Let me ask a question on this staff quarters. In 2022, the amount appropriated was N57.9 million, N28.9 was utilized was released, so remaining N28.9 that’s half.
“But, by 2023, appropriation was 88 and the entire amount has been released. So, is it the same project?If it is the same project, when this appropriation was done, does it mean that, the other 28 that was not done, not utilised that time, is it kept somewhere?”
The Rector however informed the Committee that, the fund was later mopped up.
In his ruling after the submission, the Chairman stated, “What I will tell you now is that, instead of going through this your document that does not satisfy anything, please, you will.list all the abandoned, all the structures you have not completed. When it started, How much was appropriated, How much you have put in till date, the state of those projects one after the other in the entire school.
“Not just in. your regime. From inception till date.So that, we will include them in your 2025 budget. You will not do any new thing as capital. You must complete these abandoned. You have turned some of these projects to conduits of putting money into them and not completing them. Even the ones you have written as completed here. You used your own mouth to tell us here that, you have not installed fittings. That is what you said.
“So, this is why it is necessary for us to go there and see things for ourselves.Because what you are doing here, you are just wasting governments’ resources. These abandoned projects or the state of the jobs especially constructions, let’s have it in one week time. How much you have put in there, at what stage are they, how much you will need to complete”.
Similarly, the Committee criticized the Federal Polytechnic Damaturu over using Insecurity as an excuse for financial malfeasance and other infractions as well the abuse of Federal Character in employment.
Chairman of the Committee noted that, the institution has carelessly spent its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) according to the records presented to the Committee.
In his presentation, the Acting Rector, Dr Ibrahim Babale Gashua said, the institution is faced with the challenge of low IGR as a result of the insecurity being faced in the state, which according to him, has reduced students intake and other activities.
He said, “We that are residing in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, we have three different high institutions. We have to lower our tuition fee because not everybody will come from outside the state. Even those in the state, it is only the course that is not available in their places that they come for in Damaturu because of the insurgency”.
The Committee however discovered that, despite the insurgency claim that reduced the institutions IGR, there was no commensurate reduction in its spending which the Committee said cannot be justified.
Another member of the Committee while commenting on the matter said, “Everybody comes to claim insurgency. Students don’t want to come to the schools. But it doesn’t stop them from spending the whole money.IGR, you blow it, Overhead, and yet, there is insurgency. So, it’s funny. You see, if I have a house and I am supposed to have 10 people occupying it. If 10 people are not occupying it, it means that my NEPA.payment, my PHCN money will reduce, because consumption of power supply will reduce. My water consumption will reduce. My number of cleaners will reduce because I don’t have full occupation. You understand what I am saying? My security personnel will reduce in terms of numbers.
“So, these are the issues.Most of the Polytechnics in the North come here brandishing this insecurity issue as the major reason for non performance. You are not performing on students admission, but you are performing on your expenditure profile”.
Speaking, Chairman of the Committee said, “Ok, this insurgency is a big excuse. Once you mention it, you will all close our mouths.Look at your Nominal Role, a federal Institution. Open to page 47 and 48, you will see how you have obeyed the law of the land, the Federal Character. Have you seen it Acting Rector? That’s the best you can do? You think from all those Zero-Zero states, if you offer them employment they wouldn’t come?”.
The Rector however reacted saying, “Some of them don’t come. Even those that we have left. I am telling you Sir”.
But a member of the Committee, Rep. Adebayo Adepoju faulted the Rector’s claim and said, it was not justifiable.
He said, “You cannot defend it, because if you are trying to defend it, saying that you’ve done everything in your powers and Nigerians have refused to come to your school, at that point, you say you have done the most you can do.
“But, when you did not even given Nigerians the opportunity to apply. We know what goes on in Federal Character. We know. I am telling you, if you go there and you want to apply, everybody has an interest, they give you. And before you know, they give you Certificate of Compliance.
“That Certificate of Compliance, we have shredded it so many times. Give yourself the opportunity to be fair to Nigerians.People want jobs in this country. We have so many jobless people and you will agree with me, there are many that will say, I won’t mind to go to Borno to teach.Please let’s give them an opportunity”.
The Rector and Management of the Polytechnic were directed to remedy the anomalies in their employment and henceforth advertise all vacancies in national dailies in order to give all Nigerians equal opportunity.
Similarly, after a presentation by the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Monguno, Prof. Garba Mohd, the Committee directed the institution to also be diligent in its observance of Federal Character and other issues as the Committee discovered a skewed empolyment in the institution in favour of a particular section of the country.
It reminded the Rector and members of his management that, as a federal institution, it is required by law to treat all parts of the country in terms of employment and other considerations.

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Nigerian Tech Founder Launches AI-Powered School Management Platform To Transform Education Administration

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Nigerian software engineer and technology founder, Ajibola Olajide Shokunbi, has launched EDUCAKESIMS V2, an upgraded school-management platform designed to help educational institutions improve administration, financial transparency, data-driven decision-making and teacher productivity.

The platform combines real-time analytics, financial dashboards, banking visibility and artificial intelligence-assisted report management to provide schools with a unified system for managing academic and operational activities.

Since its launch in 2022, EDUCAKESIMS has grown from a local school-management solution into a platform used by more than 12 schools and supporting the management of over 12,000 students.

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Shokunbi said the platform was developed to address challenges faced by many Nigerian schools, including reliance on manual processes, fragmented records and spreadsheet-based reporting, which often make it difficult for administrators to access timely information about their operations.

As the founder of EDUCAKESIMS, Shokunbi has overseen the platform’s development into an integrated system supporting academic administration, financial management and institutional planning.

The latest version, EDUCAKESIMS V2, introduces several features aimed at improving how schools monitor performance and manage resources.

The School Analytics Dashboard provides real-time insights into student population, admissions, retention, attendance, gender distribution and demographic trends, enabling school leaders to make informed decisions.

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The Income and Expenditure Dashboards allow proprietors and finance teams to track revenue, expenses, outstanding balances and overall financial performance, improving budgeting and accountability.

The School Banking Dashboard uses secure banking integration to give authorised finance personnel near real-time access to school banking transactions, helping to reduce reconciliation delays and improve cash-flow monitoring.

The platform also includes an AI-assisted Report-Card Management feature, designed to help teachers prepare student reports more efficiently while reducing repetitive administrative tasks.

Speaking on the upgrade, Shokunbi said EDUCAKESIMS was built around the realities of Nigerian schools and the need for practical digital solutions.

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“EDUCAKESIMS was built from a deep understanding of the realities of Nigerian schools. Many institutions want to digitise, but they need solutions that are practical, affordable and designed around their own operating environment,” he said.

“With EDUCAKESIMS V2, we are bringing together data analytics, financial intelligence, banking visibility and artificial intelligence to help schools make faster, smarter and more accountable decisions.”

The founder said the platform would help schools operating across multiple campuses overcome challenges associated with managing separate administrative, billing, inventory and academic systems.

Dr Akinleye Akingbami, Proprietor of Grace Spring Schools, said EDUCAKESIMS had improved visibility and coordination across the organisation’s campuses spread across six states in Nigeria.

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He said managing thousands of students across multiple locations was previously challenging due to fragmented financial reporting, payment reconciliation delays and stock-management issues.

“Since adopting EDUCAKESIMS, we now manage all our campuses through one integrated platform with real-time visibility into both our academic and financial operations,” Akingbami said.

He added that processes which previously took days could now be completed within minutes, while financial accountability and decision-making had improved through access to accurate data.

The launch of EDUCAKESIMS V2 comes amid growing interest in Nigeria’s education technology sector, as schools increasingly adopt digital tools to improve efficiency, accountability and communication.

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The platform reflects efforts by local technology founders to develop solutions tailored to the operational needs of Nigerian institutions rather than relying solely on systems designed for other markets.

Shokunbi said the expansion of EDUCAKESIMS demonstrates the role locally developed software can play in strengthening digital infrastructure and supporting the modernisation of education management in Nigeria.

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Rep OK Chinda’s political network sparks across Rivers

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The battle for the political soul of Rivers State gathered fresh momentum on Monday, August 3, 2026, as supporters of the former House of Representatives Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, activated what appears to be an early statewide mobilisation strategy, extending their campaign machinery to all 23 local government areas and ward structures ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The development signals that while the official electioneering whistle is yet to be blown, political camps are already laying claim to the grassroots in what analysts describe as a familiar contest where influence, structure and strategic alliances often determine who eventually occupies Brick House.

The pro-Chinda support group, Our Will, announced the expansion of its political network across the state, directing its state executive members to immediately establish functional local government and ward executives capable of driving voter mobilisation before formal campaigns commence.

State Chairman of the group, King Okene, said the organisation was determined to transform Chinda’s existing political popularity into what he described as an “unstoppable electoral mandate,” insisting that every ward must become a political fortress for the lawmaker’s governorship aspiration.

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According to him, the publication of the electoral timetable has effectively opened a new phase of political calculations, making early grassroots organisation a strategic necessity rather than a luxury.

“We should double our efforts to ensure we meet the targets before electioneering campaigns officially begin. Every local government and ward structure must be fully operational within the first week of August,” he charged members.

In what appeared to be a calculated attempt to frame Chinda as the political heir to a tested governance model, President-General of Our Will, Glory Wobo, declared that the federal lawmaker’s years of public service and close political association with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have adequately prepared him for the state’s highest office.

Wobo argued that leadership is cultivated through mentorship rather than chance, maintaining that Chinda’s political apprenticeship under Wike – combined with his experience as commissioner and long-serving legislator – has equipped him with the administrative depth required to govern Rivers State.

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He cited ongoing infrastructure renewal in the Federal Capital Territory as evidence of the leadership tradition from which Chinda emerged, suggesting that effective governance leaves measurable footprints rather than campaign slogans.

According to Wobo, Chinda enjoys goodwill that cuts across political parties, ethnic groups and religious divides, describing the lawmaker as a consensus figure whose appeal extends beyond partisan politics into credibility, accessibility and public service.

The latest mobilisation drive underscores the intensifying political chess game ahead of the 2027 governorship election, where aspirants are increasingly investing in grassroots structures long before formal campaigns begin.

With support groups already deploying ward-by-ward political architecture and competing camps quietly consolidating influence, Rivers State is once again demonstrating that, in Nigerian politics, the contest for power often begins long before the first ballot is printed.

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NBC files fresh appeal, justifies N5m fine regime for broadcasters

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The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has filed an application seeking the permission of the court of appeal to file a fresh appeal against the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja barring it from imposing N5 million fines on erring broadcast stations.

In the application filed at the court of appeal in Abuja by Dapo Akinosun, counsel to the NBC, the commission argued sanity in Nigeria’s broadcasting sector is under threat and that the public interest would be better served if the court grants the application.

In the application, the NBC urged the court to grant it leave to raise and argue a fresh issue on appeal relating to the legal capacity of MRA to institute and maintain the original suit before the lower court.

The commission argued that the defect in the earlier notice of appeal, which resulted in the dismissal of its appeal, arose “solely from an inadvertent misdescription” of its name by its lawyer.

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The NBC told the court that the subsisting judgement raises questions on the commission’s statutory powers to regulate broadcasting and enforce compliance with broadcasting standards in Nigeria.

The commission argued that the subsisting judgment is capable of creating uncertainty regarding its regulatory powers if it is allowed to stand.

The NBC also argued that without the pronouncement by the appellate court on the issues raised in the appeal, its regulatory framework would be weakened.

“A weakened regulatory framework may embolden non-compliance with established broadcasting standards, thereby increasing the dissemination of false, misleading and unverified information capable of causing unnecessary public anxiety, panic and social unrest,” the NBC said.

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“Absence of effective regulatory oversight may further encourage irresponsible broadcasting practices and the misuse of broadcast and digital media platforms by persons who deliberately publish sensational, inaccurate or inflammatory content to intimidate, harass or unduly influence individuals, institutions and public discourse.”

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