The director general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, Thursday, acceded to the request of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd) for the scheme to deploy corps members with relevant qualifications to the agency’s counselling and rehabilitation centres nationwide.

General Marwa said such centres are already in existence in 30 states with plans to establish seven  more in a bid to ensure that the 36 states and the FCT have one each.

The NDLEA boss made this request when the NYSC director general paid a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja. Marwa called for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies which would streamline their areas of cooperation.

General Marwa congratulated the NYSC chief executive on his appointment and wished him a successful tenure of office.

Speaking earlier, Nafiu paid glowing tributes to the towering achievements that stood as footprints of Marwa’s time as Lagos state governor and his achievements at the NDLEA among others.

The 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has begun at various Computer Based Test (CBT) centres in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and across states of the federation.

It is believed that more than two million candidates would be writing the examination nationwide.

The examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is expected to come to an end on May 5.

At the Sascon International School CBT centre, candidates reported a smooth and hitch-free experience.

One of the candidates at the centre, Emmanuel Ezegwu, said the exam was easier than the previous years.

“This centre is better. I wrote this exam last year but I can tell you that the experience this year is commendable. There are no issues as far as I am concerned with this exam,” he said.

Another candidate, Vitoria Bilala, an 18-year-old candidate and first-timer to write JAMB, described the experience as good, despite feeling a little nervous while writing the exam.

“I quite commend the way they organise the exam because there were little or no hitches in this centre.

“At first, I was having technical problem but immediately I called on the supervisor, it was resolved. I felt nervous being my first time of writing this exam,” she said.

The centre supervisor, Emmanuel Adaji, stated that out of 200 candidates slated for the exam, only 11 were absent.

Speaking on the candidates’ lateness to the centre that resulted to rescheduling of their exam, Adaji advised candidates to arrive early.

He advised candidates coming from neighbouring state to make arrangements to come earlier than the day scheduled for their exams and stay overnight if necessary.

He lauded the synergy between the centre’s management and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officers, for maintaining security and orderliness at the centre.

At Christ Academy International School, Gwagwalada, the examination is going on well without any hindrance.

Abdulrahman Salihu, a candidate, who was among the first batch slated for 6:30 a.m., said the exam was okay, including very good functional computer systems.

Another candidate, Charity Danjuma, also corroborated Salihu’s statement, stating that she did not experience any technical issues with the computer system.

Danjuma, who expressed optimism that she would gain admission with this year’s exam, said that she had written UTME for the fourth time.

Stephanie Okwori, a candidate at Future Gate Academy, Ado in Nasarawa state, described the exam as “stress-free,” commending the officials for rendering assistance, as well as providing a conducive environment.

Okwori noted that the questions were manageable, allowing her to finish within the allotted time.

Joseph Joshua, another candidate at Future Gate Academy, shared a similar experience.

“The biometric verification started by 6:30 a.m., which gave me enough time to settle in before the exam,” he said.

Joshua also commended the calm atmosphere and professional conduct of the invigilators, expressing optimism about his performance.

However, Clara Ajayi, a candidate at Bingham University’s exam centre, reported a minor delay in seating arrangements.

(NAN)

The ruling All Progressives Congress APC on Thursday declared that the 2027 general election was already a “done deal”, vowing to win all off-season elections before then.

National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje disclosed this when he formally received some defectors from the Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP, led by the Senator representing Kano South, Senator Kawu Ismaila.

Ganduje also confirmed that the party is expecting more governors from the opposition parties to join the APC fold very soon, following Wednesday’s defection of the Delta state Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori to the APC.

Aside Senator Kalu, other politicians from Kano state who joined the APC include; Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Rurmum, Representing Rano/Kibiya in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Abdullahi Sani Rogo, Rt. Hon. Zubairu Hamza Massu, member Kano State House of Assembly, Dr. A B. Baffa Bichi, former Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Mohd Digol, a former Commissioner in Kano state government, Hon. Abbas S. Abbas, a former Commissioner in Kano state, Hon. Sha’aban Ibrahim Lawal, a former governorship candidate, Hon. Badamasi Ayuba Danbatta, a former member, House of Representatives, and Hon. Idris Dankuwa, also a former member, House of Representatives.

Speaking after a closed-door meeting with the new entrants, Ganduje said; “In APC, we believe in our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We believe in his economic reforms, we believe in his Renewed Hope Agenda and part of the political renewed hope agenda is trying to canvass for more followership into the party.

“We started by democratically electing governors, especially in Edo State, who was in PDP, we elected, we succeeded in winning the election, he is now in APC.

“Now, there is another channel that has been opened through advocacy, through dialogue, through convincing some highly and even elected governors to come into the party and you can see what has happened now.

“The governor of Delta State is now in APC, including his cabinet, including all the members of the state assembly and House of Representatives, and the timber and calibre of PDP, now in APC, even including the former vice presidential candidate coming into our party.

“So, you can see that we are expanding.
I don’t want to reveal our secret, but what I am telling you is that for APC, 2027 is a done deal.”

Asked about reports of possible defection of some state governors into the APC, Ganduje said, “more governors are coming into APC, I assure you, and places where we have election, APC will by God’s grace, win those elections”.

On his part, Senator Kawu, who led the delegation said; “This is the coming together of likeminds in NNPP Kano state.”

On the value he is bringing into the APC, Kawu said; “I will refer you to 2023 general election. Go and check the results. I mean the Presidential, Senatorial, and House of Representatives elections, where we contested the same day, the same polling unit with Kwankwaso. That will give you the answer to your question.

You will see my result, his (Kwankwaso) result, and various members of the House of Representatives on that very day.

“Then the subsequent election, the senatorial and state assembly members, you will see the difference and you will understand what we are telling you”, he explained.