By Samuel Adeola

Architect Chukwudi Eze has been re-elected as Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Abuja Chapter, for a second two-year term.

The election took place on Saturday during the General Congress held at the Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Abuja.

Eze, who first assumed office in May 2023, was returned unopposed. In his acceptance speech, he thanked members for their trust and pledged to usher the chapter into a new era of excellence, partnerships, and growth. He called on members to work together to further reposition ANA Abuja for greater literary impact.

He highlighted key achievements from his first term, including significant membership growth through university outreach and the introduction of student, associate, and honorary categories.

He also cited signature projects like the Reading and Writers’ Dialogue, which featured former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other leading voices in literature, academia, and public life.

Under his leadership, the chapter also launched two major publishing initiatives: the Flights of Imagination Anthology and the Young Authors Publishing Initiative, aimed at grooming and promoting emerging writers across Nigeria.

National President of ANA, Dr. Usman Akanbi, praised Eze’s performance and encouraged him to build more literary bridges.

He assured the chapter of continued support from the national body. Former ANA President, Mallam Denja Abdullahi, commended the bold and visionary approach of the chapter’s leadership and advised increased use of technology to foster a more vibrant literary community.

Other commendations came from Professor Tunde Olusunle and Dr. Joan Oji, who congratulated the newly re-elected team and described their return as a sign of commitment to literary excellence.

They urged the leadership to expand mentorship and publishing opportunities, especially for young and female writers.

Those re-elected alongside Eze include Rukayyat Bayero as Vice Chairperson, Uthman Qasim as Secretary, Adelaja Olufunke as Assistant Secretary, Obinna Okereke as Auditor, Olaitan Abiodun as Treasurer, Adelana Esther as Public Relations Officer, Yemi Mercy as Assistant PRO, Stephanie Abughdyer as Financial Secretary, Charles Iwuchukwu as Legal Adviser, and Abdulmalik Yahya as Exchange and Special Task Coordinator.

The oath of office was administered by Barrister Eric Ibe and witnessed by respected members of the association including retired Commissioner of Police Emmanuel Ojukwu, Salamatu Sule, and Dr. Nyaknno Osso.

By Huldah Shado

Paul Ibe, spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has lashed out at FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over alleged land allocation to his children and recent remarks made in church.

In a statement shared via Facebook on Sunday, Ibe mocked Wike for turning the pulpit of an Anglican Church in Asokoro, Abuja, into a stage for “partisan rhetoric.”

He described the minister as “liquor-loving” and accused him of desecrating a place of worship with political propaganda.

Quoting John 2:16, Ibe criticized Wike’s alleged use of his office for personal gain, particularly in the controversial allocation of prime Abuja lands to his sons, likening it to feudal-style governance disguised as public service.

The attack followed Wike’s comments during the church service, where he dismissed the opposition coalition’s adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as a desperate move to oust President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

By Ade Iyamoye

Public affairs analyst and engineer, Ikenna Okonkwo, has called for the establishment of Polling Unit Marshals (PU Marshals) to ensure free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria come 2027.

In a statement issued on July 6, 2025, Okonkwo decried persistent electoral fraud and accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of enabling rigging in past elections.

He warned that unless Nigerians take proactive steps, the 2027 polls could again be manipulated.

To tackle this, he proposed a grassroots citizen initiative that will deploy 600,000 volunteers across Nigeria’s 200,000 polling units to monitor and report electoral activities in real-time using mobile apps and digital tools.

“These Marshals will quietly monitor voting and collation processes, capture original results, and upload them to a secure platform,” he said. “This will help Nigerians collate accurate results alongside INEC and provide solid evidence in court if rigging occurs.”

Okonkwo stressed that the initiative is non-partisan and open to all Nigerians, regardless of background, religion, or political affiliation.

“We must act now to stop rigging. If we do nothing, we’ll continue to suffer under corrupt leaders,” he added.

He urged Nigerians to volunteer and join the movement, warning that the time to act is now, not in 2027.