News
Tinubu finalises new cabinet list, bars lobbyists from UK residence
There are strong indications that President Bola Tinubu has finalised the names and roles of those who will form his revamped cabinet, PUNCH reported Saturday.
According to multiple sources within the Presidency, Tinubu has completed the list of ministers set to be retained or removed and was expected to release it on Thursday night, just a day after arriving in the United Kingdom for his two-week annual leave.
Amid growing economic challenges and the widespread protests that occurred in August, the President has been under increasing pressure, both from within his party, the All Progressives Congress, and external forces, to dismiss underperforming ministers.
Despite repeatedly issuing warnings regarding underperformance, the president’s cabinet has remained largely
intact, with the notable exception of the suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, in January 2024.
During a three-day retreat for cabinet members and presidential aides in November, Tinubu introduced a Central Delivery Coordination Unit, overseen by his Special Adviser on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman. This unit was tasked with evaluating the performance of ministers and other top officials.
The President made it clear that these performance assessments would determine who would stay or leave the cabinet.
“If you are performing, nothing to fear. If you miss the objective, we’ll review it. If no performance, you leave us. No one is an island and the buck stops on my desk,” Tinubu told the attendees.
Nearly a year after the president’s cabinet was inaugurated in August 2023, reports suggested that a reshuffle was forthcoming, although officials remained unclear about the exact timing.
It was revealed that the changes would go beyond a simple swapping of portfolios. Certain ministries, such as the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, were expected to be scrapped, while other portfolios would likely be merged or split.
Speaking under anonymity, officials disclosed that while the list was initially slated for release on Thursday, the President decided to “sleep on it” for a bit longer.
“We are just waiting for the go-ahead. All I know is that we are expecting him to send the new names of those he wants to drop and those he wants to appoint,” one source shared.
Another official added, “I’m surprised the list did not come out yesterday. That list is nearly finalized.”
Reports suggesting that lobbyists were crowding Tinubu’s residence in the UK were also dismissed by officials. “That’s not true. Even if they know where he is, access is restricted. He’s resting, and no one can just walk in to see him like that,” one source clarified.
On September 25, 2024, the Presidency confirmed that a cabinet reshuffle was imminent, based on performance data gathered by the Central Delivery Coordination Unit.
Tinubu’s working leave in the UK commenced on October 2 and is scheduled to end on October 16.
News
18 States Move To Block Trump’s Order Ending Birthright Citizenship For Immigrant Children In US
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday to block President Trump’s executive order aimed at eliminating birthright citizenship.
Shortly after taking office on Monday, Trump used presidential powers to initiate his long-promised immigration crackdown. His executive actions included an order directing the federal government to stop issuing passports, citizenship certificates, and other documents to many children born in the U.S. whose mothers are in the country illegally or whose parents are not legal permanent residents.
According to CBS News, the lawsuit, filed by 18 states in federal court in Massachusetts, argues that Mr. Trump’s initiative violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which has long been interpreted by the federal government to grant citizenship to those born on American soil.
The cities of San Francisco and Washington, D.C., have also joined the suit.
The 14th Amendment says: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
“The great promise of our nation is that everyone born here is a citizen of the United States, able to achieve the American dream,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement to CBS News.
“This fundamental right to birthright citizenship, rooted in the 14th Amendment and born from the ashes of slavery, is a cornerstone of our nation’s commitment to justice.”
The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction to stop the enforcement of the executive order and ultimately aims to have it invalidated.
The states participating in the suit include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
“The President’s executive order attempting to rescind birthright citizenship is blatantly unconstitutional and quite frankly, un-American,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.
The states are asking the court to immediately block the order from taking effect.
Mr. Trump directed that his order should be enforced in 30 days.
In a historic attempt to decolonise the country’s judiciary, President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso has formally banned judges from wearing wigs from the British and French colonial eras.
President Traoré emphasised in his announcement the importance of eschewing colonial-era traditions and implementing customs that respect Burkina Faso’s cultural identity.
The action is in line with his larger plan to fortify national identity and declare the nation’s autonomy from outside influences. The colonial wigs, which have traditionally stood for outside authority in African legal systems, are gradually being abandoned.
Covenant University (CU) has again been listed as Nigeria’s overall best university in Times Higher Education (THE) 2025 Rankings.
In the 2025 rankings, the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria came second, displacing the University of Ibadan which occupied the position for the 2024 ccrankings.
The Times Higher Education World Rankings is a comprehensive global ranking of universities published annually.
The 2025 rankings THE said it ranked more than 2,000 institutions from 115 countries and territories.
Globally, Oxford holds on to the top spot for the ninth consecutive year, bolstered by significant improvements in industry engagement and teaching. MIT rises to second place, overtaking Stanford, which drops to sixth.
The ratings were done based on 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across five areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international outlook.
University of Oxford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Harvard University
Princeton University
University of Cambridge
Stanford University
California Institute of Technology
University of California, Berkeley
Imperial College London
Yale University
Top ranked Nigerian universities
1. Covenant University
2. Ahmadu Bello University
3. Landmark University
4. University of Ibadan
5. University of Lagos
6. Bayero University
7. Federal University of Technology Akure
8. Federal University of Technology, Minna
9. University of Benin
10. University of Ilorin
11. University of Nigeria Nsukka
12. Ekiti State University
13. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
14. Federal University of Technology, Owerri
15. Federal University Oye-Ekiti
16. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
17. Lagos State University
18. Nnamdi Azikiwe University
19. Obafemi Awolowo University
20. University of Port Harcourt
21. Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
22. Abia State University
23. Akwa Ibom State University
24. Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike
25. Ambrose Alli University
26. Baze University
27. Bells University of Technology
28. Benson Idahosa University
29. Bowen University
30. Delta State University, Abraka
31. Evangel University, Akaeze
32. Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun
33. Godfrey Okoye University
34. Lagos State University of Education
35. Lagos State University of Science and Technology
36. Nasarawa State University, Keffi
37. Niger Delta University
38. Nile University of Nigeria
39. Osun State University
40. Rivers State University
41. Thomas Adewumi University
42. University of Cross River State
43. University of Maiduguri
44. Veritas University, Abuja
18 States Move To Block Trump’s Order Ending Birthright Citizenship For Immigrant Children In US
Burkina Faso outlaws colonial-era judicial wigs to embrace cultural identity
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