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By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the digital rights of Nigerians through fair and well-considered digital legislation.

It also restated its dedication to accurate and innovative public communication as a way of strengthening institutional trust and improving service delivery across the country.

The House Spokesperson and Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Akin Rotimi, stated this during a joint capacity-building retreat of Legislative Aides and the House of Representatives Press Corps on digital governance and legislative reporting, organised by the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs with support from Paradigm Initiative in Abuja on Monday.

In his opening remarks, the House Spokesperson stressed that democracy works best when citizens are properly informed, noting that access to clear and reliable information is essential for meaningful public engagement and accountability.

He said “Our vision is clear: to position the 10th Assembly as The People’s House, a Parliament that is trusted, responsive, and results-driven. Our mission is equally clear: to deliver timely, factual, and innovative public communication that strengthens institutional credibility and supports effective service delivery.

“This retreat reflects a deliberate commitment by the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs to invest in professionalism, ethics, competence, and institutional coherence in legislative communication.

“It reflects a broader reform journey guiding the work of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs. Democracy functions best when citizens are well informed, when institutions communicate responsibly and when the media ecosystem upholds professionalism and public interest”.

Rep. Rotimi noted that “As the volume of digital-related legislation before the National Assembly continues to grow, the responsibility to report such matters with insight,
balance, and technical understanding also grows.

“This gathering is timely and strategic. The legislative environment now operates within complex questions of digital governance, data protection, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, online safety, and digital rights.

“The responsibility to interpret these issues accurately and present them clearly to the Nigerian people rests on two key groups represented here today: the accredited Press Corps covering the National Assembly and the media teams that support members and House leadership”.

In his goodwill message, Executive Director, Paradigm Initiative, Gbenga Sesan sad Nigeria’s desire to achieve a trillion dollar economy cannot be attained without digital security.

According to him, the media and youths in Nigeria can make digital communication an emergency issue.

While speaking on mapping digital legislation in Nigeria, Sesan took an overview of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, AI and Innovation Bills, Digital Rights and Freedoms Bills, National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill, Cybercrimes Acts amendments and the Child Online Access Protection Bill.

He explained that child protection laws affect adult access as they lead to “Over protection of documents/information in the guide of child protection”.

Earlier, welcoming participants, Chairman House Press Corps, Comrade Gboyega Onadiran commended the praised the organisers for the Initiative of putting together the event.

He noted that journalism has moved beyond headlines as the media.

“Now work in a digital ecosystem shaped by data, algorithms, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and online rights.

“How we understand these issues and how we explain them to the Nigerian public matters deeply.

“As members of the Press Corps, our duty is not just to report what happens in the House, but to make the work of Parliament understandable, credible, and relevant to citizens. This, we have been doing patriotically and ethically“, he stated.

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Chief Imam of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara Council of Ulama, Sheikh Bashir Solihu, is dead.

He died at the age of 75.

The Chairman of the Islamic Missionaries Association (IMAN), Sheikh Abdullahi Nurudeen-Adana, confirmed the demise of the Chief Imam in Ilorin on Monday.

Nurudeen-Adana, who spoke with NAN at the Palace of the Emir of Ilorin, said the late Chief Imam died during an undisclosed illness.

According to him, Solihu rose through years of dedicated Islamic scholarship and service to become one of the most influential religious leaders in Kwara.

He served as the 12th Chief Imam of the Ilorin Emirate, a position he held for over four decades, following his appointment in 1983.

“Throughout his long tenure, the late Chief Imam was widely known for his deep understanding of Islamic teachings, firm leadership in religious affairs, and consistent advocacy for peace, unity, and religious tolerance among Muslims and the wider society,” he said.

The IMAN chairman described the death of the Chief Imam as shocking and an unmitigated disaster.

He condoled the Emir of Ilorin, members of the Kwara Council of Ulama, and citizens of the Ilorin Emirate.

Meanwhile, the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Mai-Martaba Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Shaykh (Dr) Muhammad Bashir Imam Solih.

The monarch conveyed his condolences in a statement on Monday by his Press Secretary, Dr. Abdulazeez Arowona, describing the cleric’s death as a monumental loss to the Ilorin Emirate, the Muslim Ummah, and humanity at large.

Reacting to the sad development, the Emir said the news was received with total submission to the will of Allah.

“Inna lillahi waina ilaehi roji’un, it is with total submission to the will of Almighty Allah that we receive the news of the demise of the 12th Chief of Ilorin, Shaykh Muhammad Bashir Imam Solih Onida OON,” he stated.

He further paid tribute to the late religious leader, highlighting his exceptional character and lifelong service to Islam and society.

“He was a cleric with unique features, intelligence, honesty, loyalty, dedication and tolerance. His demise has caused us in Ilorin Emirate great sadness of no particular measure. We reflect on his lifetime as a man of great of honour and piety,” the Emir said.

Alhaji Sulu-Gambari also praised the late Chief Imam for his unifying role among Islamic scholars and his commitment to peaceful coexistence.

“Late Imam Solih was full of wisdom, and he was notable for unifying the entire Muslim clerics as well as promoting inter-religious harmony in the state,” he added.

The Emir announced that funeral prayers for the deceased would be held later on Monday.

“The Janazah will hold at the Palace Square of the Emir of Ilorin by 4 pm today, Monday 19th January 2026,” the statement said.

He prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive the late cleric, accept his good deeds, and grant him eternal rest.

Alhaji Sulu-Gambari also extended condolences to the family of the deceased and the entire Ilorin community, urging all to take solace in the exemplary life lived by the late Chief Imam.

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The Federal Government has announced the commencement of applications for the 2026 Petroleum Technology Development Fund Overseas Scholarship Scheme, providing opportunities for Nigerian postgraduate students to study in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Malaysia.

This was confirmed in a post shared via X( Formerly Twitter) by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, on Monday.

“FG has announced the commencement of applications for 2026 Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Scholarships overseas,” the post said.

According to the statement on scholarship board website, the scheme targets MSc and PhD candidates in disciplines relevant to the oil and gas sector, offering benefits such as tuition, return flight tickets, accommodation and living allowances, health insurance, and bench fees where applicable.

The PTDF statement said, “The 2026 Overseas MSc and PhD Scholarships provide access to world-class training, research facilities, and global expertise, while developing indigenous capacity in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.”

For PhD applicants in the United Kingdom, scholarships will follow a split-site arrangement, allowing research to be conducted between the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna (CPESK), and selected UK partner universities including Robert Gordon University, University of Strathclyde, and University of Portsmouth.

The agency emphasised that the scholarships are highly competitive. “Only candidates who demonstrate outstanding merit and suitability will be considered,” the statement said, adding that applicants will be evaluated based on academic credentials, research proposals, membership in professional bodies, and the relevance of their studies to the oil and gas industry.

Requirements for MSc applicants include a minimum of Second Class Lower (2.2) in a first degree (or 2.1), completion of the NYSC programme, computer literacy, and five O’Level credits including English Language and Mathematics. PhD applicants must also submit a research proposal of up to five pages outlining objectives, methodology, and data collection approaches.

“All applicants must ensure their National Identity Number (NIN) is verified prior to application, and multiple applications or submission of falsified documents will result in automatic disqualification,” the PTDF statement added.

Interested candidates are advised to apply online at scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng for approved programmes at PTDF partner institutions. The closing date for applications is 27th February.