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Affirmative action for women, a necessary corrective measure – Speaker Abbas

…as Reps meet state speakers on gender-based violence, constitution amendment bills
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has stated that affirmative action for women is not a privilege and undemocratic, but a corrective measure that must be taken to ensure fairness and gender balance in the polity.
The Speaker said it has become necessary to mainstream women’s and gender issues in the constitution, statutes, policies, and budgetary processes of Nigeria.
The Speaker made this known in his keynote address at a session with Speakers of State Houses of Assembly to Commemorate the Conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) held at the National Assembly on Monday.
Speaker Abbas noted that the session was to commemorate the conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), a campaign that began on November 25, with the People’s House taking a prominent role. He recalled how he led an advocacy walk from the National Assembly to the Force Headquarters to submit a petition to the Inspector General of Police.
“This action signified our resolve to combat violence against Nigerian women and to reinforce our collective commitment to creating a safer and more equitable society,” he added.
The Speaker noted that the 16 days had served as a rallying point, uniting diverse stakeholders in a shared mission to protect and empower women and girls across Nigeria.
He also noted that the National Assembly has long been at the forefront of the fight against GBV and the advocacy for greater women’s representation.
He said since 1999, the parliament has championed transformative legislative reforms, including the enactment of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act; the Child’s Rights Act, and the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act.
The Speaker further noted that the 10th House has amplified these efforts through its Legislative Agenda, which prioritises constitutional reforms to promote women’s political participation and representation.
Speaker Abbas said the agenda reflects the parliament’s recognition of the indispensable role women play in governance and the broader societal fabric.
“Women are the cornerstone of our families and communities, yet their political representation remains unacceptably low. This imbalance must change—not for improved statistics but for the transformative value women bring to governance, leadership, and policymaking,” he said.
While emphasising that the importance of eradicating GBV and promoting women’s representation cannot be overstated, he stated that a society that protects its women and leverages their potential is one that secures its future.
“Women are the glue that holds our families and communities together. Despite this, systemic barriers, including cultural norms, economic inequality, and inadequate legal protections, have hindered their full participation in political and public life,” he said.
The Speaker pointed out that the 10th Assembly has taken proactive steps to address these barriers.
“Recognising past pitfalls, we have commenced the constitutional amendment process early to allow for extensive consultation and consensus-building,” he said, stressing that the House Committee on Constitution Amendment has embarked on robust sensitisation and advocacy efforts, engaging stakeholders to build support for provisions that will constitutionalise greater women’s representation.
Speaker Abbas stated: “These efforts go beyond tokenism. Affirmative action for women is not undemocratic; it is a necessary corrective measure to address historical inequities and unlock our nation’s full potential. Many African countries, such as Rwanda and South Africa, have successfully enshrined affirmative action in their constitutions.”
The Speaker said state Houses of Assembly are pivotal to achieving meaningful constitutional reforms, adding that the active participation and support of state speakers are crucial in ensuring that gender-focused amendments and legislation are adopted at the sub-national level.
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It’s A Lie Not Foreign Herders Responsible for Plateau,Benue, Other Crises- Miyetti Allah Declares

… insists it’s political
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The National Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-cultural Association, Saleh Alhassan, has claimed that politicians are the real cause of the crisis in Plateau State, not herders.
He made the claim on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he spoke about national security and the farmer-herder conflict.
He spoke against Defence Headquarters comments that foreign herders were behind attacks in Plateau, Benue, and other parts of the country.
Recall that the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, made the statement on Thursday during a media briefing in Abuja.
However, Alhassan dismissed that explanation, calling it “misleading” and “politically motivated.” He said: “The notion and narrative of foreign herders is a distraction. It is a continuation of efforts to deny Nigerian herders their citizenship and a major challenge to achieving peace, especially concerning the farmers-herders conflict.”
On the Plateau crisis, he said: “I schooled and grew up in Plateau, so I know the root causes of these crises. The recent conflict in Bokkos, for instance, started over a motorcycle theft, not grazing or land use. But suddenly, every conflict is labelled a farmer-herder clash.”
He also stated: “If Governor Caleb Mutfwang wants to be sincere, he knows this conflict is political.
There is a clear agenda to expel herders from Plateau State. His political godfather, former Governor Jonah Jang, has been a driver of that narrative, and it has been renewed again.”
Speaking further, he said: “Peaceful herders have no business with banditry. But when governors abandon conventional law enforcement and empower ethnic militias, injustices are committed against herders. In such a setting, herders resort to self-help.”
“We are heading into another election season, and suddenly conflicts are being reignited and mischaracterised as herder-farmer clashes. In Plateau, for instance, this is not even the cropping season, yet such narratives are being pushed. These are pretentious statements. Treat criminals as criminals, treat bandits as bandits.”
Our herders are not armed. What we have are armed bandits in our forests, who are mistakenly or deliberately labelled as herders. We’ve lost many herders and thousands of cattle, yet we’re still accused as the perpetrators.”
“Most of the images we see of armed herders are not even from Nigeria.” And concluded: “There are no foreign herders in North Central Nigeria. What exists in some border communities are bandits and criminals, not genuine herders.”
He accused authorities of ignoring the suffering of herders.
It’s always convenient for security agencies to blame us to avoid engaging in deep conversations that address the root cause of these issues. Let them parade those arrested and show us their nationalities. It’s not just about Fulfulde, Fulani or the language they speak.”
He admitted the difficulty of tracking herders, saying their nomadic lifestyle makes it hard, even though the association keeps a register.
To resolve the issue, Alhassan said integration of livestock across the country should be implemented.
His comments come amid renewed violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, including recent attacks in Bokkos and Bassa LGAs in Plateau State, which claimed over 100 lives in April 2025
News
Why JAMB is withholding 39,834 UTME results

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board is withholding 39,834 UTME results after uncovering irregularities, with over 80 suspects currently being interrogated nationwide during the 2025 examinations.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that it is withholding 39,834 results from the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The results are being withheld due to several cases of exam malpractice.
This update came as the board officially released the results of the 2025 UTME. It had earlier reported that around 1.9 million candidates participated in the exam across Nigeria.
According to JAMB, about 80 suspects are currently being questioned in different parts of the country for their alleged involvement in cheating during the exam. The highest number of suspects so far has come from Anambra State, with 14 individuals under investigation.
While announcing the release of the results, the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, shared more details about the situation. He revealed that only 467 underage candidates were able to meet the required rminimum score for admission. He also said that 50 of those underage candidates had been caught cheating.
GWG.ng reports that the decision of JAMB to withhold the 39,834 results from the UTME trails claims by a senior government official that the increased failure from the exam was a result of the administration’s tough measures against malpractises.
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Defections: It’s a massive betrayal against NNPP -Kwankwaso cries out

Ex-Governor of Kano State and the National Leader of Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso has slammed some key members of the New Nigerian Peoples Party in Kano State, who recently defected to All Progressives Congress, describing their actions as betrayal of the the movement and party.
He made this remark at his Miller Road residence in Kano on Friday evening when he received hundreds of supporters from Takai Local Government who refused join the All Progressives Congress.
Recall that Senator Abdulrahman Kawu, who represents Kano South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, recently defected to the APC along with some federal lawmakers from Kano State.
Even though Kwankwaso did not mention their names, he said,” Kano South is a lesson. Voters rejected superghetti, N200 and Atamfa (wrappers) and were patient to vote for the NNPP.
“But those who won the election among us decided to abandon the masses and join those who do not have the masses at heart but are only after what they will get for themselves and their families.
“There is no worse political sin than leaving the party that gave you the opportunity and support but later you abandoned the party. This is the highest level of betrayal,” Kwankwaso said.
He, therefore, advised the youth to be wary of such politicians who are not after their well-being but rather they are after their pockets.
The former governor, who appreciated the decampees for “taking the courage to return to their base, said all those who betrayed Kwankwasiyya would regret their actions sooner or later.
“Fighting Kwankwasiyya is not an easy task, they will not know until when they engage in the fight.
In his remark, the state NNPP chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa thanked the decampees for taking the right step and assured them that the party would treat them equally.
The occasion was witnessed by the Senator representing Kano Central, Senator Rufai Sani Hanga, former Commissioner of Religious Affairs, Falali and chairman of Takai local government, Ibrahim Faruruwa among others.
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