Here is a roundup of some Nigerian newspaper headlines, accompanied by our advocacy-driven demands for government action in addressing citizens’ concerns.
1. Daily Trust: Kaduna Houses, Farms Flooded; Federa Government Issues Fresh Alert in 11 States
Dozens of houses and farmlands have been submerged after a devastating flood swept through Manchok community in Moro’a Chiefdom, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Our Take: The Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) should move quickly to provide relief materials, assess damages, and put long-term flood control measures in place to save lives and livelihoods. It is time for state governments to work closely with these agencies to strengthen drainage systems and raise public awareness.
2. Punch: States Pledge Quality Education as Schools Resume Today
Primary and secondary schools across many states of the country will today reopen for the first term of the 2025/2026 academic session, with state governments assuring parents and pupils of a smooth resumption and quality learning environment.
Our Take: While states are pledging quality education as schools reopen, the real question is what comes after the promises. Are there concrete plans to access and transparently utilise Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds? State governments must move beyond fine words and take deliberate steps to ensure that every child, regardless of location, has access to education.
3. The Guardian: Punish Politicians in Early Election Campaigns, SERAP Tells NEC
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to identify politicians and political parties violating constitutional and statutory legal provisions and international standards, which prohibit early election campaigns, and to ensure the prosecution of perpetrators and their sponsors.
Our Take: INEC must stop acting like a referee who sees players dribbling before the whistle and still insists the game hasn’t started. Political parties and candidates already breaching campaign timelines should face real consequences, not polite warnings. Beyond monitoring, INEC should enforce the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
