JAMB Results: Peter Obi Decries State of Nigeria’s Education Sector

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May 6, 2025

Former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the recently released results of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), describing them as a reflection of Nigeria’s deteriorating education system.

In a statement released via his verified social media handle, Mr. Obi reacted to the data published by JAMB, which revealed that 1,955,069 candidates sat for the 2025 UTME. Out of this figure, only about 420,000 scored above 200, while over 1.5 million candidates scored below the 200-mark.

“This means that over 78% of the total candidates failed to meet the 200-mark threshold – a reflection of the deep-rooted challenges in our educational system,” Obi lamented.

He attributed this poor performance to long-standing neglect and underinvestment in the education sector, stressing that education must be repositioned as a cornerstone of national development.

“The latest JAMB results once again highlight the consequences of decades of underinvestment in education, a sector that should be central to our national development strategy,” he said.

Mr. Obi also drew comparisons between Nigeria and other countries with significantly stronger educational outcomes. He noted that Nigeria’s total university enrollment is currently about 2 million students. In stark contrast, Bangladesh’s National University, a single university, has an enrollment figure of over 3.4 million students, despite the country having only about 75% of Nigeria’s population.

“Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every measurable development index, now surpasses us in all key areas of development and in the Human Development Index (HDI),” he remarked.

Citing another example, Obi referenced Turkey, which has a population of about 87.7 million but boasts more than 7 million university students — over three times Nigeria’s entire university enrollment.

He reiterated his long-standing position that education is not merely a social service but a strategic national investment.

“Education is the most critical driver of national development and the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty,” Obi asserted. “We must now invest aggressively in education at all levels if we are serious about building a prosperous, secure, and equitable Nigeria.”

Mr. Obi’s comments come at a time when stakeholders in the education sector continue to call for reforms, increased funding, and a comprehensive overhaul of the system to meet global standards and effectively prepare Nigerian youth for the future.

2027: How Tinubu’s Northern Support Base Crumbled, Why He Is Rallying South

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The Source

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May 5, 2025

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By Akinjide Aina, Abuja Bureau Chief

In the run up to the 2027 presidential election, there are credible indications that President Bola Tinubu’s hitherto impregnable huge support base in the North of Nigeria has crumpled.

After massively voting the President in the 2023 Presidential election, the North has withdrawn its support for his re-election in 2027 and now wants the crown itself and are resolute in getting it, that’s, wrestling power from him and by extension, the South in 2027, this magazine can authoritatively reveal

The President’s trip to Kastina last week to confer with his immediate predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, the magazine was informed, was principally to seek his intervention and support in appealing to the Northern political establishment who have sworn to see his back in 2027. Buhari was reportedly non-committal

The North’s disenchantment with President Tinubu, it was gathered, is conditioned by two factors: The brazen Yorubanization of his government and the tax reform bill which the region’s political leaders and intelligentsia insist is skewed against it( the North).

The President himself, the magazine, has been informed, has come to the grim realisation that he has lost the North hence his frantic rallying of the South for support.

“President Tinubu is frantically building a strong southern front as a counterpoise to the lose of Northern support”, a source familiar with the intrigues told this magazine.

Atiku Abubakar — Atiku: Mega coalition arrowhead

He added that “I can tell you that all Southern governors across party lines and virtually all Southern National Assembly members across party line are supporting the President’s re-election. Apart from PDP’s Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta state who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, one or two more opposition Southern Governors are on their way to the APC too.

“Those who for strategic political reasons will not be defecting to the APC have pledged to support the President 100 percent in his re-election bid.

“The idea is to prove to the so- called Northern political leaders who often boast of the region’s monopoly of choosing and installing presidents that such claim is hogwash”

The North’s opposition to the President Tinubu’s re-election, blew up in the open last year in the guise of the volcanic EndBadGovernance protests that gripped the region last August.

Late last year, a highly placed source in the presidency who is also an APC stalwart had confided in the magazine that the anti- Tinubu fervour that swept across the core North last August during the End BadGovernance protest was a rude awakening, for the President.The heartbreaking invectives hurled at him and insulting caricatures made of him by thousands of the angry protesters, this magazine was told, convinced him of his loss of support in the region.

Again sometimes in February, President Tinubu’s kitchen cabinet and trusted allies, after reviewing the groundswell of Northern opposition towards his 2027 re- election bid, realised that the president’s hitherto huge support base in the region has tumbled and that the majority of Northerners would outrightly reject him at the polls. It was also discovered that no politcal patronage, no matter how much, would placate majority of Northern elites and political leaders to support his re-election.

The most devastating of it all, The Source was informed, was the realisation that a number of APC Governors in the Northwest and Northeast and two in the North central are not in support of his second term but are instead in bed with the emerging mega coalition of opposition spearheaded by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

A highly placed APC source from the North corroborates this: “Virtually all APC governors in the North, particularly North West and North East, are poised to shock Tinubu and the APC. They will defect to the Atiku coalition few months to the 2027 presidential election to replicate and overwhelm Tinubu’s Southern solidarity. The 2027 presidential election will be the most divisive in the history of Nigeria, it will pit the two halves of Nigeria- North and South against the other”

“Proffer Solutions To Country’s Security Challenges” – Ibas

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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May 5, 2025

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Senior Course 47 of the Command and Staff College Jaji visits Solad Ibas

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Rivers State Sole Administrator retired Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas has urged participants of the Senior Course 47 of the Command and Staff College Jaji to come up with some practical and realistic measures towards tackling the festering security challenges in the country.

He enjoined them to incorporate into their reports effective and pragmatic ways of getting the country out of its present challenges, particularly, in the area of security.

Admiral Ibas, who spoke on Monday May 5, 2025, when the course members paid him a courtesy call, highlighted the importance of their study tour reports to Rivers, in view of its political and security crises.

A statement issued by his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubo, also quoted the Sole Administrator as emphasising the importance of credible intelligence gathering to the effective combating of the country’s security challenges.

Represented by the Secretary to the state Government SSG , the Sole Administrator expressed concern over the negative impacts of security challenges on the economic growth and development of both the state ,and the country in general.

He noted that the situation has tended to reduce productive activities, Government revenue, as well as hindering investment opportunities.

“It is a fact that most of the human capital that fuel insecurity in the urban and remote areas are being provided by the rural populace.

“Hence, any study channeled towards harvesting grassroots intelligence is worth embarking upon as internal security without proper feedback mechanicisms will be an illusion”, Ibas stated

He charged the participants to ensure that their study goes beyond the level of a mere academic exercise to providing relevant data which can translate into practicable and actionable strategies for the enhancement of security in the country.

Speaking, the team leader, Commodore S O Abdularaheen, informed that participants are strictly guided by the theme of the study – “Harnessing Grassroots Intelligence for Enhanced Internal Security”

Commodore Abdularaheen, who is the Director of Logistics at Jaji, noted that his team is one of the nine teams presently on the study tour of some states in the country. He said that their key mission is on how to relate their findings to national security challenges .

Electoral Fraud: CSOs Insist Senate President Akpabio Must Step Down

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Ayodele Oni

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May 5, 2025

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Godswill Akpabio - Senate President — Godswill Akpabio, Senate President.

By Ayodele Oni

A coalition of 56 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has called on Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to step down following the Court of Appeal’s confirmation of electoral fraud in the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial election.

The Court, sitting in Calabar, upheld a three-year prison sentence against Prof Peter Ogban, the Returning Officer in that election, who was convicted of falsifying results to favour Akpabio, then the APC candidate.

In a joint statement, the CSOs said: “This ruling raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of Senator Akpabio’s mandate.”

They argue that even though Akpabio denies personal involvement, the conviction of the official who declared him winner casts a shadow on the process.

They are demanding that Akpabio temporarily vacate his position to uphold public trust, democratic values, and the rule of law.

The groups also questioned his eligibility to contest the 2023 elections, given the court-confirmed fraud linked to his 2019 victory—an office he later left to serve as Minister of Niger Delta.

The CSOs praised INEC and former Akwa Ibom REC, Mike Igini, for pursuing the case to a conclusion and urged the APC to initiate a rerun or revalidation of the senatorial seat to reinforce public confidence.

“The judiciary has spoken. It is now up to political leaders to act responsibly and prove that no one is above the law—not even the Senate President.”

“He has been a confirmed beneficiary of electoral fraud in the 2019 election to the 9th Senate—which he did not even complete due to his later appointment as Minister of Niger Delta.

“Did Senator Akpabio have the legal or moral standing to contest for a seat in the 10th National Assembly, let alone serve as its President?

“This is not just about one individual. It is about restoring public trust in our electoral process. Allowing the Senate President to remain in office under such serious ethical questions undermines democratic values and sends a dangerous signal ahead of the 2027 general elections.”

They urged the National Assembly, INEC, and the judiciary to take this judgment as a clarion call to strengthen mechanisms that prevent electoral manipulation at all levels.

They further called on the APC leadership to demonstrate its commitment to electoral reform and democratic accountability by initiating a rerun or revalidation process for the Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial seat.

NELFUND Calls For More Student Participation From South-south, South-east

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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May 5, 2025

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By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The authorities of the Nigerian Educational Loan Fund ,NELFUND, have decried the lackadaisical attitude to the scheme by students of the South- south ,and South-east extraction.

At the opening ceremony of a three-day stakeholders engagement session and technical workshop on system automation and the loan application processes,for Heads of Tertiary Educational Institutions in Abuja on Monday, May 5, 2025, NELFUND Executive Director, Operations, Iyal Mustapha, informed that the application figures from the two geo-political zones are the smallest in the country.

Conversely, the North-west region is said to have the highest number of applicants with over 157,000.

The North-west is followed closely by the North- east which, as at May 4, 2025, had a total student applications of about 127,000 .

This is just as the South- west is projected to have about 92,850 applicants.

The South-east and the South-south are having a little above 27,000 and 37,000 applications respectively.

Mustapha blamed the relatively low figures from the South-south and South- east on scepticisms by students about the authenticity or otherwise of the scheme.

So far, the interventionist agency said it has processed and disbursed over N53 billion in loan to about 516,212 students across the six zones of the country,with about 484 ,254 being paid upkeep allowances .

According to the NELFUND Director, so far, a total of 567 ,058 registered on its loan application portal,while over N170 billion is available for the scheme at the moment.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of the agency, Akintunde Sawyerr, appealed to students from the South- south and South-east to redouble their efforts in accessing the loan facility.

He underscored the imperativeness of the stakeholders workshop, noting that it is a critical step towards delivering fully digitized transparent and student-friendly financial aid system for the Tertiary educational institutions in the country.

According to Sawyerr, the first day of the gathering will be for the University administrators ,while their Polytechnic, Colleges of Education counterparts and others will make use of the remaining two days of the talk shop.

In all, he informed that the workshop is principally aimed at evolving pragmatic frameworks for the seamless operation of the scheme, as well as strategies on how to address emerging challenges.

Stakeholders Call For Shakeup In JAMB, Decry Anomalies In 2025 UTME Examination

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Ayodele Oni

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May 5, 2025

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By Ayodele Oni

On the release of this year’s UTME result, parents and other stakeholders in the education industry have called on President Bola Tinubu to carry out a major shake up in the Joint Admissions And Matriculation Board, JAMB.

They have also urged the President and the Minister of Education to probe the activities of the Board, complaining that the mode of coordination has not only been frustrating but discouraging.

JAMB had announced that results of the last UTME results will be announced soon and released statistics about the examination.

Spokesperson of Concerned Nigerian Parents, Dr. Ileola Olatunji and the Vice President, Dr.(Mrs) Chinwe Mehibe urged Tinubu to save the future of Nigerian youths by effecting a major shake-up in the board.

According to a statement, “they are of the opinion that if the present leadership is allowed to continue, the education aspect of the Renewed Hope Initiative of President Bola Tinubu will be threatened.

“President Tinubu should just sack all leadership of JAMB with immediate effect before they truncate the future of many like NNPC had been doing to innocent Nigerians.

“The poor handling of the UTME should stop. Ordinary CBT, we failed as a nation. Many of the computers used malfunctioned.

“Some questions had no answers. Scheduling and posting of candidates was just frustrating.

“That is exactly why there is always poor output and it deteriorates annually and federal government must come in at this time before it is too late like NNPC had been.

“This is the JAMB we are trusting the future of our children with. President Bola Tinubu should just wade in immediately.”

Cocaine Trafficker: “I Bribed Myself Through With N10k, Testifies In Abba Kyari’s Drug Trial

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Adesina Soyooye

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May 5, 2025

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By Adesina Soyooye

Not a few people were shocked at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday when a convicted drug trafficker, Emeka Ezenwanne disclosed that he smuggled cocaine into the country after N10,000 in bribes. He said with N10,000 he bypassed airport security.

Ezenwanne was made this revelation when he testfied in the ongoing corruption trial which has suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, at its center.

Ezenwanne is currently serving a two-year sentence at Suleja Correctional Centre, and appeared as the fifth prosecution witness in the trial of Kyari and four others.

Kyari was the head of the disbanded Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The four others undergoing trial with him were his subordinates.

They are facing an eight-count charge involving drug trafficking and the tampering of evidence in the case brought against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Ezenwanne, in a detailed testimony said he flew to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 15, 2022 on.an Ethiopian Airlines flight, and received ten sachets of cocaine from two couriers arriving from Brazil.

“They handed me the drugs at the airport lounge, and one even took my photograph after the exchange.”

According to him, he returned to Nigeria through Enugu International Airport on January 19, where he said he was intercepted in company of his associate, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe. Those who arrested them were plainclothes security operatives who were later identified as IRT officers.

He said: “As soon as I approached my companion outside the terminal, a Sienna vehicle pulled up and men jumped out. I was bundled into the car after shouting, ‘Jesus! Jesus! Is this how it ends?’’

On arrest, the drug trafficker said their bags were seized, searched at nondescript police station, photographed, and subsequently transported to the IRT office in Abuja. It was in Abuja that he said he noticed that the weight of the cocaine found on him has depreciated, meaning that it has been tampered with.

His words: “When we saw our bags again on January 25, the weight was clearly reduced. I used to have 10 sachets, but only eight were left. My associate noticed missing items too” , and more so, he testified, some of the confiscated drugs tested negative for cocaine after being handed over to NDLEA. Another evidence of tampering.

The convict said that on the two occasions he smuggled cocaine into Nigeria, nobody stopped him at the airport. Instead, he revealed that Immigration officials at Enugu simply asked for a bribe money. “They told me to pay for a smooth search. I handed over N10,000 and walked through”, he disclosed.

Howevee, cross-examined by Kyari’s defense counsel, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Ezenwanne testified that he never met or spoke to Kyari himself during his arrest and detention. He said: “I did not see the first defendant at any point,” and noted that despite offering to surrender the drugs during the arrest, he was still detained.

Kyari and his officers, according to the NDLEA, tampered with over 21kg of cocaine seized from Ezenwanne and Umeibe. The Agency also disclosed that only a fraction—3.8kg—tested positive during official procedures.

Borno Govt Closes IDP Camps, As Resettlement Efforts Get Underway

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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May 5, 2025

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Professor Babagana Zulum, Borno State governor

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Borno State Government has announced plans to shut down the Muna Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camp in Maiduguri, the State Capital.

On an unscheduled visit early Monday morning, May 5, 2025, the State Governor Prof. Babagana Zulum, informed that plans have been concluded for over 10,000 inhabitants of the camp to return to their homes in the next few weeks.

The Source reports that the Muna camp was one of the several IDP camps established at the tick of the Boko Haram insurgency in the state between 2012 and 2014 to cater for several thousands of displaced persons from the areas taken over by terrorists.

However, following the return of a semblance of normalcy in the last few years, the Borno State authorities have set up resettlement centres across the affected areas with many IDPs returning to their original homes.

Notwithstanding ,the resurgence in terrorism activities of late, Governor Zulum said that all the IDP camps in, and around the State Capital will be closed in no distant time .

According to the Governor, the closure of the Muna camp, is in tandem with his administration’s resolve to close all IDP camps not just within Maiduguri, but adjourning towns.

He, however, stated that over 75% of the occupants have already been taken care of at some of the resettlement centres established across the State.

Consequently, he assured the remnants of the readiness of Government to facilitate their resettlement as well as assist them in improving their means of livelihood .

According to him, the closure of the IDP camps is a significant step towards transiting from the era of emergency humanitarian efforts to that of long-term recovery and resettlement.

Bandits Invade Bauchi State Communities, Kill 15, Injure Many

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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May 5, 2025

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By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Bauchi State Police Command, on Monday, May 5, 2025, said that special operatives drawn from the Tactical Team have been deployed to Mansur area in Alkaleri Local Council of the State to beef up security following a dawn attack by suspected banditry elements.

The Source reports that the surprise and coordinated attacks on Mansur, Digare Sabuwar Sara ,and Yalo, resulted in the death of about 15 persons, with many others said to be seriously injured.

Eye witness accounts, mostly from locals who survived the attack said the hoodlums ambushed the residents of the affected communities while they were asleep between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, thus, residents had little or no opportunities to effectively defend themselves.

Locals who volunteered comments said most of the casualties were members of the local Vigilante groups who have been over seeing the protection of the communities.

There are widespread beliefs that the deadly attacks may have been masterminded by banditry elements from neighbouring States of Gombe, Taraba and Plateau states who are said to be often engaged in cross border activities within the North East and North Central regions.

The attackers who were said to be heavily armed opened fire indiscriminately on both members of the vigilante on patrol and civilians resulting in heavy casualty figures.

The Bauchi State Police Command in a statement on Monday, while condemning the incident also informed that efforts are underway to track down those behind the dastardly act.

The State Commissioner of Police, Sani Omolori Aliyu, described the attack as “utterly reprehensible and a significant threat to the peace and security of the State.

On a visit to the affected communities he reaffirmed the unflinching commitment of the Service towards exploring all options in apprehending the perpetrators.

According to the statement issued by the Command’s spokesman, Ahmed Wakili, the bandits struck while local hunters and members of the local vigilante group were out on the field on a route patrol of the forest corridors between Bauchi and Plateau states.

He noted that the resultant direct confrontation by both sides explain the high

casualty figures recorded.

“Upon receiving the report, a team of operational tactical operatives was dispatched to the scene where they recovered the bodies of the dead.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased include both quasi-security operatives and civilians from Sabuwar Sara village who were mercilessly shot by the bandits while attempting to flee from the attack” the police stated.

EFCC Finally Opens Up On Reason Behind Arrest Of VDM

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Akinwale Kasali

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May 5, 2025

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has finally broken silence on the reason behind the arrest of controversial Social Media Influencer and social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, popular as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over multiple petitions.

It would be recalled that the EFCC arrested VeryDarkMan on Friday, May 2, 20,225, after visiting GTBank with his mother to complain about an alleged deduction from her account.

The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in an interview with BBC News Pidgin on Monday, May 5, 2025, said the activist was taken into custody following complaints from several petitioners.

He said, “We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners.”

When asked if the case was connected to Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Oyewale noted that the petitions were from different individuals and the agency owed them a duty of protection.

Oyewole noted that the social media activist will be released after meeting his bail conditions, adding he will be arraigned in court.

He stated, “We will release him when he meets the bail conditions and we will take the case to court as soon as possible; we are law-abiding.”

Meanwhile, Nigerian musicians, David Adeleke, known as Davido, and his colleague, Raoul John Njeng-Njeng, known as Skales, have joined calls for the release of VeryDarkMan.

Davido, on his social media handle, commended Nigerians for voicing their support for VDM.

He stated that the united voice in support of VDM showed a united youthful voice. He called for the rights activist’s release.

“Outside all the noise, it’s good to see that the good one does actually impact lives and people actually appreciate! The support I’m seeing for VDM everywhere is encouraging.. makes one want to do more for the masses. FREE MY GUY,” he wrote on his X handle.

On his part, “Shake Body“ crooner, Skales, urged the youths to wise up and stand for their rights. He urged Nigerian youths to boycott GTB.