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Lawmaker, 6 Others Bag PhD, MSc In Public Governance and Leadership

Published

3 months ago

August 27, 2025

Joel Ajayi

The Abuja Leadership Centre (ALC), at the Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja, on Tuesday awarded Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees to six of its students and a Master’s Degree to another student in Public Governance and Leadership.

Notable recipients of the Doctoral Degree include Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Otobong Effiong Bob, the House Leader of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and representative of the Nsit-Ubium State Constituency, and Samson Imoni, a senior public servant at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

The other PhD graduates are Skari Margaret Dimax, Unuyu Asuquo Eyo, Bernard Akpa, and Alhassan Adamu. While Okutepa Usman Danladi bagged a Master’s Degree in the same field.

According to Professor Philip Dahida, the Director of the Centre, these academic achievements were awarded after the candidates successfully met all requirements, including the defense of their theses and dissertations on August 26, 2025.

Professor Dahida commended the university’s School of Postgraduate Studies and the
examiner for the display of professionalism, knowledge transfer, and passion in evaluating the doctoral and master’s candidates.

He however tasked the recipients to apply their research work to improve the Nigerian society at large, while acknowledging and lauding their resilience and efforts in pursuing knowledge.

In his reaction, Rt. Hon. Otobong Effiong Bob described the doctoral award as a great academic milestone, while revealing that his research work which dwelt on the nature and challenges of the shareholding system in Nigeria can help address the problems and bridge the existing gaps.

The lawmaker commended the Center for providing the enabling environment for knowledge acquisition and “proper tutoring” of master’s and doctoral candidates.

“Today is a significant day for me as a person, and for my family because coincidentally this will be the first PhD in my family. It’s a significant day because it marks a great academic milestone.

“I’m eternally grateful to God. I’m also very grateful to the management of the University of Abuja, most especially the Director of the Abuja Leadership Centre, Professor Dahida.

“There’s a lot of dedication, there’s a lot of academic skill that is needed for you to be able to get to this level. So I thank the Centre again and all the lecturers that we’ve come in contact with because they’ve impacted greatly in my life and on my academic pursuit. So I’m really grateful.

“My research topic is on the nature and challenges of the shareholding system in Nigeria. And from my research we were able to identify gaps in the already existing literature. It would help strengthen the regulatory functions of the regulatory bodies within the shareholding system in Nigeria.

“So, we look forward to the work contributing to protecting shareholders in the way they should actually be protected to help avoid them losing the money they invest in shares.

“I eventually would like to see this research work published and I hope at that point that those in the position of power and those that have the opportunity and ability to be able to push such reforms would refer to this particular piece of work to be able to make meaningful change in this particular sector,” Otobong stated.

On his part, Samson Imoni, a staff of TETFund, described the academic award as a -noble feat that will propel him to see how he can midwife change in the affairs of the larger society, While decrying the impact of poor quality of leaders in the country, he urged for a deliberate training of people in leadership positions in public governance and leadership.

“The attainment of this noble feat will propel me to see how I can midwife a change in the affairs of the larger society because it’s all about public governance and leadership. If you look around, you will see that there is generally a leadership deficit in our country, even the followers may not be performing excellently well in terms of followership, hence there is need for the leadership to be on the driver’s seat so that the followers can naturally follow.

“There should be deliberate effort in getting leaders to acquire the kind of knowledge available at the Abuja Leadership Centre because the buck stops on the leader’s table. So, there is every need for us to enlighten them on what exactly they should do in order to transform the society because any mistake from them can be chaotic,” Imoni asserted.

The Abuja Leadership Centre at the University of Abuja is a TETFUND Centre of Excellence for Public Governance and Leadership, dedicated to enhancing public governance and leadership both in Nigeria and beyond.

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Amb Lion Ogorry Files Landmark Lawsuit Against Sahara Reporters, Sowore For Misleading and Malicious Publication Endangering National Security

Published

3 hours ago

November 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Ambassador Adebayo Lion Ogorry, a renowned public advocacy practitioner and activist, today announced the filing of a high-profile lawsuit against Sahara Reporters Ltd. and its publisher, Omoyele Sowore, in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The suit, numbered FCT/HC/CV/4767/2025, accuses the defendants of publishing a false, malicious, and reckless article that violates Nigeria’s Constitution, the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015, and other laws protecting public discourse, national security, and public order.

The originating summons, filed on November 24, 2025, stems from a Sahara Reporters article titled
“EXCLUSIVE: How Tinubu’s Defence Minister Matawalle Maintains Contact With Bandit Leaders, Ordered Them To Compel Communities To Vote For APC—Former Aide,” published on November 19, 2025.

Ambassador Ogorry alleges that the publication contains grave, unfounded accusations against the Honourable Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, claiming he maintains illicit contacts with bandit leaders, orders communities to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC), and engages in activities that undermine counter-terrorism efforts.

These claims, according to the suit, are not only false but also fabricated to incite alarm, hatred, and ill-will, while endangering national security and public safety.

In his affidavit supporting the summons, Ambassador Ogorry, a Nigerian citizen and resident of Abuja with a long-standing commitment to public order and lawful civic discourse, emphasized that the article was disseminated widely across Sahara Reporters’ website, social media channels, X.com (Twitter) account, Facebook pages, WhatsApp broadcasts, and other platforms. He described the publication as a blatant violation of Section 39(3)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which prohibits speech that endangers public safety, national security, and public order. Furthermore, it contravenes Sections 24(1)(a) & (b) of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 by disseminating false, misleading, and harmful information capable of causing alarm or ill-will.

“The defendants’ reckless actions have not only tarnished the reputation of a dedicated public servant but have also compromised ongoing military operations against banditry and terrorism in Nigeria’s North-West region,” said Ambassador Ogorry. “This publication promotes distrust, exposes the Minister to risks, and undermines the morale of our armed forces engaged in counter-terrorism. It is a direct assault on our national security and the freedom of expression that must be balanced with responsibility.”

The lawsuit seeks the following reliefs from the court:
– A declaration that the publication is false, misleading, malicious, and not protected speech under Section 39(1) of the Constitution (as amended).

– A declaration that it falls within restricted speech under Section 39(3)(a), endangering public safety, national security, and public order.
– A declaration that it violates Sections 24(1)(a) & (b) of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 by prohibiting false, harmful, or misleading information.

– AN ORDER OF INJUNCTION restraining the Defendants, their agents, or privies from further publishing, distributing, circulating, or causing to be circulated the said false publication or any other malicious publication especially as it relates to and against the person of Defence Minister, Dr. Matawalle.

– An order directing the defendants to issue a public retraction of the publication and publish a full apology on their website and social media channels for 14 consecutive days.

– General and exemplary damages of N10,000,000,000 (Ten Billion Naira) for the frivolous, false, and malicious publication geared toward endangering public safety, national security, and public order.

Ambassador Ogorry highlighted that the article, based on unverified claims from an alleged “former senior aide,” lacks any official record or evidence, demonstrating the defendants’ disregard for truth and ethical journalism. He urged the court to address this as a matter of urgent national importance, citing precedents such as President F.R.N. v. ISA (2017) and Guardian Newspapers v. AIEH (2011), which affirm that freedom of expression does not protect reckless publications that threaten security.

“This lawsuit is not just about correcting a falsehood; it’s about safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy, protecting public officials from baseless attacks, and ensuring media accountability,” Ambassador Ogorry added. “Sahara Reporters and Omoyele Sowore must be held responsible for their role in spreading dangerous misinformation that could fuel terrorism and disrupt public order.”

The case is set for hearing in the Abuja Judicial Division, and Ambassador Ogorry expressed confidence in the judiciary’s ability to uphold justice and constitutional principles.

About Ambassador Adebayo Lion Ogorry
Ambassador Adebayo Lion Ogorry is a public advocacy practitioner, activist, and Nigerian citizen dedicated to promoting national security, public order, and lawful civic discourse. With a focus on protecting public discourse from malicious interference, he advocates for responsible journalism and governance.

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