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HND Conversion: We Have Over 30,000 Applicants In Top-up Programme – NBTE

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The National Board for Technical Education has revealed that over 30,000 Nigerian Higher National Diploma holders have applied for its top-up programme.

The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education, Prof. Idris Bugaje, disclosed this while speaking on issues around its newly launched top-up programme for HND holders to acquire a Bachelor of Science in their choice course.

He said the board had no power to award degrees to students but able to help HND holders by facilitating the programmes with foreign universities while introducing credit mapping to aid learning.

“We have a software that does credit mapping, we have already fed our HND graduates with that software so it will now pick the curriculum of the foreign university compare them together to bring out what is the difference between the two.

“We are now in discussion with a number of these foreign universities from Malaysia, Russia, India but with time we hope we can populate about 15-20 universities. Though it’s a gradual process and this will offer more opportunities for students.

“So far we have gotten applicants for over 30,000. About two weeks ago, it was 15,000 and within this two weeks, it has doubled and I am very confident that in the next two weeks we may hit about 50,000 applicants.

“These are Nigerian HND holders yearning to have this dichotomy brought to an end by acquiring BSc and unfortunately there are PhD holders who has HND who are also coming back to do BSc.

“This is like a contradiction after a doctorate coming back to BSc and this is what we are trying to avoid by asking the fresh HND holders to go straight to do the top-up programme and get the BSc and be at par with anybody else in the progression,” he said.

He added that HND holders would only be made to pay 10 per cent of the entire tuition fees to run the one-year top-up programme.

On the fears of the university system as against loosing their students, he said the programme would only bring competition.

When asked about the preference of foreign universities over local universities, Bugaje said the local universities were full of prejudice against HND.

The NBTE boss, however, blamed this on the National Universities Commission, who had refused to key into the programme in spite of written letters to inform them about the programme.

“The best dialogue is with the NUC and the ministry of education. We have written letters and sent reminders and even crafted a curriculum and we sent it to the ministry but it is like it has not seen the light of the day.

“We realised they are looking down on the academic board of polytechnics, they said the academic board of polytechnics are not equivalent to universities senate.

“We have been in this since two years I came in as executive secretary of NBTE. I have given the new minister brief on this and I am very confident he is going to endorse what we are doing,” he said.

He urged the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman to take a very strong position against the dichotomy while also hoping that the polytechnic Act would be revisited in no time to put an end to the dichotomy challenge.

He said the Act if reviewed would allow polytechnics to run bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees in technology for their products.

“The polytechnic system is a system parallel to the university, we are not feeders. The Colleges of Education feed the university system.

” This is because anytime the national policy on education changes and they make BSc education the minimum qualification for teaching in basic schools, the role of the NCE will be over even the commission overseeing the programme will seize to exist.

” The COE all feed into the NUC programmes to produce graduates. In the polytechnics, we are a complimentary system, we produce technology and technicians for industries basically.

“But there are components of our systems also that pursue academic career and those ambition should not be stopped so I hope the roadmap committee the minister has set up will come up with a final solution for this dichotomy against HND,” he added.

NAN

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How Rivers Women Spread Wrappers For Wike’s Motorcade During Port Harcourt Visit

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday visited Port Harcourt City Local Government as part of his “thank you” visit across Rivers State.

 

Upon his arrival, a group of women displayed a symbolic gesture of loyalty by spreading their wrappers on the ground for his motorcade.

 

The women and supporters of the Minister were in a jubilant mode as Wike drove on the wrappers.

 

Wike has been going around local governments in the state to appreciate them for their support while reeling out moves ahead of the 2027 general elections.

 

In the course of his visits, the Minister had fired several salvos at political actors in the state, warning that their sudden support for President Bola Tinubu won’t secure them any ticket in 2027.

 

Wike also renewed rivalry with Governor Sim Fubara over the leadership control of the political space in the state.

 

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Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara, Deputy Still Active – Rivers Assembly

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The Rivers State House of Assembly has officially reaffirmed that the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, are ongoing and have not been suspended.

 

The Assembly said the process is still ongoing and is being conducted strictly in line with constitutional provisions.

 

This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Hon. Enemi George.

 

According to the statement, the impeachment process, which began on Thursday, January 8, 2026, remains on course in line with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

 

The lawmakers disclosed that separate notices of allegations bordering on gross misconduct have been served on both the governor and his deputy in line with Section 188 of the Constitution.

 

“The notices of allegations of gross misconduct against the Governor and the Deputy Governor have been duly forwarded to them by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, and the House is awaiting their responses,” the statement said.

 

The Assembly maintained that it is constitutionally obligated to act in the interest of the rule of law and ensure that no public office holder acts outside legal boundaries.

 

Reacting to reports suggesting that the impeachment move had been halted, the House accused some individuals and media outlets of deliberately spreading misinformation to mislead the public and stir tension between the legislature and Rivers residents.

 

The lawmakers described such reports as false and insisted they would not succumb to intimidation, threats, or blackmail.

 

“We are aware of renewed attempts by certain persons and media platforms to misinform the public by claiming that the impeachment process has been discontinued. The public should disregard such falsehoods, as the process remains active,” the statement added.

 

The Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to democratic principles and constitutional responsibilities, stressing that it would not be distracted by what it termed “cheap propaganda.”

 

It also appreciated the people of Rivers State for their support and prayers amid the ongoing political developments and extended goodwill to Nigerians committed to the nation’s democratic journey.

 

JomogNews reports that during Thursday’s plenary session, presided over by the Speaker, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, formally read the notice of allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara on the floor of the House.

 

 

 

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Your Second Coming Was A Chance To Avoid These Political Mistakes – Fayose To Fubara

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Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, says the second coming to office of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, after the elapsing of the state of emergency should have made him better.

 

Fayose’s remarks come as the Rivers State House of Assembly has initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara as of January 8, 2026.

Speaking in an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television on Friday, Fayose said he was removed as governor and went to exile but became a better person upon his return.

Fayose said that President Bola Tinubu hates ingratitude just like any other person else does.

The former Ekiti governor also dismissed the claim that what is happening in Rivers state is politics taken too far.

According to him, the constitution provides rules of engagement for every politician, stressing that it is when one gets out of the rule that he begins to look for public sympathy.

“The coming back of Governor Fubara should have made him a better person .If you made a mistake the first time, the second time you are not supposed to go through that route.

“Politics is a power game. Nobody solves political game for you. With due respect, let me tell you. Fubara is the one enjoying the office of the governor of Rivers state. It’s not the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

“Some people are saying it’s about Tinubu’s election. No! Because Tinubu’s election will come first, don’t forget that. Both Wike and Fubara will all work for Tinubu. Two weeks after, there will be an election for Rivers state,” he said.

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