Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

By Udora Orizu “Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.” This timeless thought, widely attributed to former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, underscores the enduring truth that peace is not a one-time achievement but a continuous and deliberate pursuit. It is built patiently through sustained dialogue, institutional commitment, and the willingness to dismantle long-standing divisions. This philosophy found practical expression on the global stage at the recently concluded 152nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Istanbul, Türkiye, where Nigeria’s Deputy Speaker of the House of…

A human rights group, the Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS), has said that the alleged acts of internal victimisation within the Abia State public service and a growing wave of concerns emanating from civil servants across the state regarding wage structures and administrative inconsistencies call for Governor Alex Otti’s urgent attention. Chuka Okoye, Executive Director, CEHRAWS, said that at the outset they acknowledge and commend the visible strides recorded by the present administration in areas of infrastructural renewal; urban sanitation, particularly within the Aba metropolis; and efforts toward fiscal discipline. He said that these gains have…

…urges him to ensure that land owners are compensated   The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on Governor Alex Otti to take a cue from the Federal Government led by President Bola Tinubu by considering the construction of a housing estate in Aba, following federal government’s move to build one in Umuahia. The Abia APC while expressing gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for the proposed construction of a federal housing estate in Umuahia, the state capital, said that if Otti can key in a do something similar in Aba it will help ease the…

Even a child born today is aware of it; even an older person suffering from amnesia has not forgotten that the name Imo State is synonymous with education, both basic and higher. However, the appointment of Professor Bernard Thompson Onyemauchechukwu (B.T.O) Ikegwuoha as the Imo State Commissioner for Education (Primary and Secondary) in Governor Hope Uzodimma’s second term has yielded fruits. Recall that Professor Ikegwuoha lost his place in the cabinet during the first-term cabinet reshuffling and was reappointed when Uzodimma won his second term in 2023, and since then, it has been achievements galore. Teachers Recruitment and Retraining The…

…says that Ogah allegedly sabotaged Otti’s ambition under APC in 2019 …sets to constitute disciplinary committee to take final decision on Ogah The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that it is not surprised at what it termed ‘disgraceful, self-serving press statement and anti-party activities’ of the former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah. This is even as the party through Uche Aguoru, its publicity secretary, accused Ogah of betraying the APC, stressing that “indeed, political sabotage has become synonymous with the name Uche Ogah.” Aguoru said, ‘Let it be clearly stated: Dr…

The Deputy Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has advocated for deeper cooperation between Africa and the European Union. Kalu made the call on Friday, after holding a diplomatic meeting with European Parliament Vice President Nicolae Ştefănuță. The meeting which took place on the sidelines of the ongoing 152nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Istanbul, Turkey, came at the request of the European Parliament delegation. It will recalled that in July 2025, the Deputy Speaker was a guest of the European Parliament in Brussels, where he spent a week with parliamentarians from across…

At the 152nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday, April 16 2026, Nigeria’s Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu spearheaded the adoption of a landmark resolution on post-conflict recovery. The adoption which has placed global parliaments at the centre of building just and lasting peace, came while Kalu served as co-rapporteur alongside Mr. A. Al-Zu’bi of Jordan and Ms. F. Belhirch of the Netherlands. DrumAfricanews reports that Kalu, who also sits on the 12-member IPU Steering Committee overseeing the World Trade Organization, presented the draft resolution on “The Role of Parliaments in…

The Federal Government has announced that 744 former terrorists and victims of violent extremism are to be reintegrated into society. This the FG said came following their graduation from the Federal Government’s De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Camp under Operation Safe Corridor. The Federal Government urged the graduates to embrace the opportunity and avoid returning to violence, warning that they now bear the responsibility of contributing positively to their communities. DrumAfricanews reports that the breakdown of the former terrorists are as follow: Two are from Abia State, 10 from Adamawa State, one from Akwa Ibom State, two from Anambra State, 12…

…as ASMATA demands accountability in revenue collection The Abia State Markets The Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) has lauded the sponsors of the proposed Abia State Markets Safety and Protection Bill, which seeks to establish a clear legal instrument for the purpose of ensuring safety across markets in the state. ASMATA has equally called for a clear legal and legislative framework that will include the body’s taskforce in safety control, regulations, revenue collections, and enforcement exercise at the various markets in the state. Chief Alphonsus Udeigbo, ASMATA President, presented a memorandum to the Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Trade…

The Onyedinma Foundation has commended the Abia State Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, and its partner, the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme for the Inauguration of Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy Drafting Committee. The foundation described the move as timely and courageous, it is commendable decision to inaugurate a dedicated committee for the drafting of the Abia State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. DrumAfricanews reports that the Onyedinma Foundation had earlier advocated for a mandatory child safeguarding policy in primary and secondary schools in Abia State. As highlighted in its formal letter dated February 20, 2026,…