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[OPINION] IYC ODI CONVENTION 2024: A Call For The Review Of Option A4 Electoral System

First, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the 9th National Executive Council (NEC) of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), ably led by Sir Jonathan Olokpobiri Snr, for achieving what many considered impossible over the years. Their commitment and diligence have resulted in a successful constitution review convention, held in Odi, Bayelsa State.
I also thank God for the peaceful conduct of the convention and extend my sympathy to the Abuja Chapter accident victims. We thank God that no live was lost, and I wish those injured a speedy recovery.
While it is heartwarming to see the Council beginning to function with the spirit and letters of this new constitution, I must raise concerns about the adoption of the Option A4 voting method for electing officers at all levels. For those unfamiliar with the term Option A4, it simply means delegates physically queuing behind their preferred aspirants in an election. Though this method was endorsed at the Odi Convention, I believe its implications require further scrutiny.
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Proponents of Option A4 argue that it will reduce the financial cost of running for an electoral office and curb monetization of the Council’s elections. While these points have merit, we must consider the peculiarities of the Ijaw people and the potential risks of this method.
The history of election-based violence, such as the chaos at Abuloma that claimed lives, underscores the perils of public voting methods. If open-secret ballots, which offer a semblance of privacy, could provoke threats and violence, how much more an entirely open process like Option A4?
We should not contest the fact that Option A4 would further fan the flames of emotional outbursts, intimidation, and retaliation. For instance, if an aspirant sees a delegate who had received money from him standing behind an opponent, it could lead to violence or something worse.
Furthermore, the claim that Option A4 will reduce monetization of the Council’s elections is not entirely true. Aspirants may now feel compelled to invest more heavily in securing delegates’ loyalty, leading to increased financial pressures rather than alleviating them.
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Again, as an institution operating within the framework of democratic principles, the IYC must align with global best practices that prioritize voter privacy and post-election harmony. In no sane society, even in classroom elections for a class captain, is a voting method that compromises secrecy adopted. The sanctity of the ballot is crucial for safeguarding the bond among members after elections. Whoever a delegate or voter chooses to support should remain confidential, known only to them and their conscience, without fear of scrutiny or retaliation.
On a positive note, I commend the correction made touching the term “Secretary General,” which was erroneously used instead of “National Secretary.” This adjustment reflects progress in addressing wrong appellations in the Council.
In the spirit of comradeship, I urge all stakeholders to critically review the Option A4 system for the safety and progress of the Council. A sustainable electoral framework that balances transparency, fairness, and security is essential for our collective advancement.
Icon-James Tam
Former Parliamentarian & Former ZECO Secretary, IYC Western Zone
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NAFDAC Gives Nigerian Food Companies 18 Months To Cut Trans Fats

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has set an 18-month grace period, effectively giving food companies until early 2026 before facing full enforcement of regulations to eliminate industrially produced Trans-Fatty Acids (TFA).
The initiative, launched as a comprehensive strategy and roadmap for TFA regulation, moves Nigeria from simply having the policy to enforcing its world-class standard: a regulatory limit of no more than two grams of industrially produced trans fat per 100 grams of total fat or oil.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, emphasised that the roadmap moves the country beyond policy creation to aggressive enforcement and implementation.
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This was contained in the NAFDAC DG’s keynote speech posted on the agency’s official X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.
Adeyeye stressed the moral imperative of the Agency’s mission.
“The removal of industrially produced trans fats from the food chain is not only a technical achievement, but a moral imperative.
“Eliminating industrially produced trans fats is possible, achievable, necessary, and urgent,” Adeyeye stated, calling for national collaboration.
The moratorium period is designed to allow manufacturers to exhaust existing stock with outdated labels and reformulate their products to comply with the legal limit.
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NAFDAC’s action targets a dangerous dietary risk factor strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and premature death globally.
Adeyeye emphasised the significance of the move beyond technical compliance, noting, “The removal of industrially produced trans fats from the food chain is not only a technical achievement, but a moral imperative.”
This aggressive step builds upon Nigeria’s existing reputation; the country was recognised by the World Health Organisation in 2023 for adopting best-practice TFA elimination policies.
The new roadmap is key to securing WHO validation of Nigeria’s full TFA elimination programme, establishing the nation as a regional leader in public health interventions.
News
Mohbad’s Father Urges Lagos AG To Prosecute Wife, Nurse, Others

Joseph Aloba, the father of late singer Mohbad, has urged the Lagos State government to initiate criminal proceedings against individuals named in the coroner’s inquest into his son’s death.
Mohbad passed away on September 12, 2023, following an injection administered by auxiliary nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe.
Despite being buried the next day, public outcry and ongoing investigations led to the exhumation of his body on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy.
In a letter dated October 3 and addressed to the attorney general of Lagos State through his lawyers, Aloba demanded that criminal charges be filed against those indicted within 14 days.
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“Specifically, we refer to persons indicted by the coroner’s verdict hereunder: Miss Ogedengbe Fisayo, indicted for unlawful medical practice and gross medical negligence; and Mrs. Omowunmi Aloba, indicted for negligence,” the letter reads.
“This includes Ibrahim Owodunni, a.k.a. Prime Boy, and others who either facilitated the invitation of the auxiliary nurse or refused to take him promptly to a recognised medical facility for treatment.”
Mohbad’s father said he was concerned that despite the coroner’s clear verdict, no prosecutorial steps had been taken against those indicted nearly three months after the judgment.
He asked the attorney general to exercise prosecutorial powers within the 14 days, or, in the alternative, grant him and his legal team a fiat to prosecute the matter on behalf of the state.
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“Our Client, as a bereaved father desirous of ensuring that justice is done and seen to be done, is deeply concerned that notwithstanding the clear indictments contained in the Coroner’s Verdict, no prosecutorial steps have been taken against the aforementioned persons since the delivery of the Verdict on 11th July, 2025,” the letter reads.
“The judicial observations amount to clear indictments warranting the prosecution of the said individuals in order to give full effect to the Coroner’s findings and recommendations, and to ensure that justice is manifestly and adequately served in this matter.
“We request that you exercise your prosecutorial power on the above subject matter within 14 Days Next, in view of the high sensitivity of this matter and the public attention and outrage it has generated.”
In October 2023, Naira Marley and Sam Larry were arrested over allegations linking them to Mohbad’s death, but were released on bail after five weeks in detention.
By February 2025, a magistrate court cleared them of any involvement in the singer’s demise.
News
Boko Haram Once Nominated Muhammadu Buhari As Negotiator – Jonathan Revealed

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday, disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents once nominated the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari as their negotiator.
Jonathan said Boko Haram chose Buhari to negotiate with the Nigerian government on their behalf.
He made the disclosure while speaking at the public presentation of Scars, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), in Abuja.
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Jonathan said the insurgents named Buhari after his then-administration set up several committees to explore dialogue with the group.
Jonathan said: “One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government.
“So I was feeling that, oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and had a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns. But it was still there till today.”
Jonathan noted that the inability of Buhari to eradicate Boko Haram terrorists showed that the crisis was more complex than often portrayed.
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