Metro
Pan Atlantic University Alumni Association Inaugurates New Exco
The Pan Atlantic University Alumni Association (PAUAA) has inaugurated a new set of Executive members to drive the next phase of growth of the group, recognised as one of Nigeria’s most prestigious university post-graduation association, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report,
The new executives include renowned broadcaster Gbemileke Oscar Oyinsan as President. Oscar, who comes with a lot of experience, is an all-round media personality, with established renown in Radio, TV, Advertising and Production. He is household name, as he has been in front and behind the cameras for over 20 years. To assist him as Vice President is the delectable Onyebuchi Odianjo, a Corporate Relations professional in the Energy sector. While Fumnanya Ochei, a prolific Film producer in Nollywood will serve as Secretary.
Other members of the executives are Austen Osokpor, a versatile and strong media advocate heading the Communications & PR Committee, saddled with the responsibility of maintaining transparent and effective communication for the group across all channels. Austen is currently Head of Corporate Communications at Ecobank Nigeria; Efeturi Doghudje, a Communications Specialist with over sixteen years of experience in marketing, public relations, digital marketing strategy and branding will also serve as Head, Membership Committee. This committee seeks to increase and maintain active participation within PAUAA; and Yusuf Oladejo, an experienced Multi-Cloud Support Engineer is the Head, Alumni Chapters Committee, poised to establish and support regional and all affinity-based alumni chapters. He will guide the creation and activities of chapters, ensuring alignment with PAUAA’s mission.
Also in the team are Ginika Frank-Durugbor, Head of Corporate Communications at Lafarge Africa Plc serving as Partnerships and Events Committee Head. She will be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of partnerships with external organizations, plan events and create opportunities for alumni connections; Stella Uwaechue, investor and media relations at GTCO is the association’s Head of Finance and Fund Raising Committee, charged with overseeing the financial health and sustainability of PAUAA; Also, Isioma Elumah, an executive at Guaranty Trust Bank coming in as Head, Young Alumni Committee, will connect with new graduates and facilitate their transition. The committee organizes events, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities.
Barinedum “Barry” Agara, a media and communications professional working with the International Organization for Migration is Head Innovation Committee and will be responsible for fostering creativity and forward-thinking initiatives for the association. The committee also explores and implement innovative ideas; and Opeyemi Olaleye, a Partner at OP Africa, a strategic communications firm, will oversee the affairs of all Committee Heads and ensure optimization of efforts by its members for PAUAA.
Playing host to the new Executive at the University’s main campus, Dr Peter Bamkole, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Pan Atlantic University said the PAU prides itself as an institution helping to form competent and committed professionals as its contribution towards a better society in Nigeria and Africa at large. “We seek, by deliberate design of our programmes, to inculcate and groom the entrepreneurial spirit in our students. The university aims at nurturing individuals who are professionally competent, creative, and enterprising for the common good, and are able to make free and morally upright decisions, and thus act as positive agents of change in service to society”.
Also speaking, the President of the Association, Gbemileke Oscar Oyinsan stated the commitment of the new executives is to promote the aims and objectives of the University and forge stronger links among the alumni and administrators of the foremost citadel of knowledge. According to him, ” the focus of these new executives under my leadership is to ensure that the alumni stay connected and engaged through strategic execution of events and programmes that bring value”. He reiterated that the PAU over the years has earned a well-deserved reputation, locally and internationally, as an institution that provides world class education, and this is the propelling force for the association.
About Pan-Atlantic University Alumni Association
The Pan-Atlantic University Alumni Association (PAUAA) was conceived in 2020 and established in 2021, building on the then-existing School of Media and Communication Alumni Association (SMCAA), set up in October 2009. The constitution in place for SMCAA was reviewed and adopted in 2020, and elections for PAUAA Executives were held in September 2021. The Alumni Association, which consists of over 2,700 members, exists to promote continuous education, and provide a fruitful and sustainable platform for networking among its members. It has a defined set of fundamental rules which guides its working procedures, memberships, elections, and decision-making processes.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Tuesday, raised concerns over the petition for the recall of the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The commission, in a statement signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, acknowledged receiving the petition, which includes six bags of documents that are said to contain signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the district.
However, INEC pointed out that the petitioners failed to provide the necessary contact information, such as their addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, as required under the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.
The petition, presented on behalf of the constituents by Charity Ijese and received by INEC’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, on Monday, was said to be lacking clear contact details for the representatives, with only the phone number of the lead petitioner provided.
Also, INEC noted that the petition represents voters from five local government areas—Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene—covering 902 polling units across 57 registration areas.
However, the commission criticised the petitioners for providing a vague address—simply listing “Okene, Kogi State”—which does not meet the standards outlined in the commission’s regulations.
The statement read in part, “The commission held its regular weekly meeting today, Tuesday, 25th March 2025. Among other issues, the meeting discussed the petition for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.
“The process of recall is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 as well as the commission’s detailed Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, available on our website. All petitions will be treated in strict compliance with the legal framework.
“The petition from Kogi Central Senatorial District was accompanied by six bags of documents said to be signatures collected from over half of the 474,554 registered voters spread across 902 Polling Units in 57 Registration Areas (Wards) in the five Local Government Areas of Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi and Okene.
“The commission’s immediate observation is that the representatives of the petitioners did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition through which they can be contacted as provided in Clause 1(f) of our Regulations and Guidelines.
“The address given is ‘Okene, Kogi State’, which is not a definite location for contacting the petitioners. Only the telephone number of ‘the lead petitioner’ is provided as against the numbers of all the other representatives of the petitioners.”
The commission emphasised that the recall process is governed by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s own detailed guidelines and that once the petition meets all the legal requirements, INEC will initiate the verification of signatures in an open process at each polling unit.
It said the verification will be limited to registered voters who signed the petition, and both the petitioners and the senator facing recall will have the right to nominate agents to observe the process.
Signature verification will be conducted using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and media and other observers will be accredited.
Olumekun explained, “The commission wishes to reiterate that the recall of a legislator is the prerogative of registered voters in a constituency who sign a petition indicating loss of confidence in the legislator representing them.
“Once the petition meets the requirements of submission, as contained in our regulations, the commission shall commence the verification of the signatures in each Polling Unit in an open process restricted to registered voters who signed the petition only.
“The petitioners and the member whose recall is sought shall be at liberty to nominate agents to observe the verification, while interested observers and the media will also be accredited. At each Polling Unit, signatories to the petition shall be verified using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System.”
INEC assured the public that the recall process would proceed in accordance with the law, provided the petitioners fulfill all necessary guidelines.
However, in the absence of complete contact information, the commission is exploring alternative methods to notify the petition representatives.
INEC also urged the public to disregard any rumours or speculations circulating on social media and reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the process is carried out in full compliance with the legal framework.
“Consequently, if the petitioners fully comply with the requirements of Clause 1(f) of the Regulations and Guidelines regarding the submission of their petition, the commission will announce the next steps in line with the extant laws, regulations and guidelines.
“In the absence of a definite contact address, the commission is making efforts to use other means to notify the representatives of the petitioners of the situation.
“The commission reassures the public that it will be guided by the legal framework for recall. The public should therefore discountenance any speculations and insinuations in the social media,” the statement concluded.
The recall petition follows several controversial events involving Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from the Senate on March 6 for alleged “gross misconduct” following a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The petition, titled “Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence,” called for her removal due to accusations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and a pattern of deceit.
The Punch
State governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court challenging President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The President, on March 18, declared the emergency rule, citing Section 305(5) of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999 and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state House of Assembly for six months while announcing Retired Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the sole administrator of the state.
The PDP governors, comprising leaders from Bauchi, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Osun, Plateau, and Zamfara states, argue that the president lacks the constitutional power to suspend a democratically elected governor and deputy governor, adding that they also contend that the appointment of a sole administrator is unconstitutional.
According to the court documents, the governors are seeking a declaration that the president’s actions violate sections 1(2), 5(2), and 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
They further maintained that the president has “no powers whatsoever or vires to suspend a democratically elected governor and deputy governor of a state in the federation of Nigeria under the guise of or pursuant to the proclamation of a state of emergency.”
The governors are also challenging the approval of the state of emergency by the National Assembly, arguing that the use of a voice vote is unconstitutional as the law mandates a two-thirds majority vote from all members of each legislative chamber.
In their submission to the court, the plaintiffs further argued that the emergency proclamation did not meet the constitutional requirements set by Section 305.
“The proclamation failed to meet the stipulated conditions and procedures for such a declaration and was made for reasons beyond those specified in the said constitutional provision,” the governors contend.
The governors are seeking an order to nullify the appointment of Ibok-Ete Ibas as the sole administrator, declaring it unlawful and in gross violation of the constitution.
Additionally, they want the court to restrain the president from further attempts to suspend other governors or interfere with their constitutional duties.
No fewer than 12 inmates have escaped following an early morning jailbreak at the Federal Correctional Centre in Kotonkarfe, Kogi State.
Kogi State Information Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, described the incident as “unfortunate” and assured citizens that the government, working with security agencies, would take steps to prevent a recurrence.
According to him, law enforcement agencies have re-arrested one of the escapees.
“The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns.
“This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the system,” Fanwo said.
The commissioner said Governor Usman Ododo has asked security agencies to ensure that such security breaches do not happen again.
“We call on the public to report any suspicious individuals in their communities. Anyone found harbouring an escaped inmate will be held accountable,” he warned.
“There is no cause for panic. We encourage citizens to go about their daily activities as normal, knowing that the security of lives and property remains our top priority,” Fanwo added.
