A former Managing Editor of Daily Times newspaper and publisher of Nationwide Reports, Bonaventure Melah, has thanked the management of Folio Communications Limited, owners of Daily Times of Nigeria and Folio Africa, for considering him worthy to serve as member of the organizing Board of the Times Heroes Awards designed to celebrate Daily Times centenary milestone.

Melah however clarified that he is not a member of Nigerian Guild of Editors and has not served ias the body’s president..

According to a story published in the Vanguard on Tuesday, Bolaji Okusaga, Chief Executive Officer of Precise Platform, one of Africa’s leading strategic communications and PR company was appointed as chairman with Ms Stella Din- Jacob as vice chairman while Bonaventure Melah is to serve as Executive Secretary.

Reacting to the development, Melah said he was proud to associate himself with milestones recorded by Folio Communications and Folio Africa, since the company took over the ownership of Daily Times of Nigeria and commended Mr. Fidelis Anosike for ensuring that the light continued to shine, despite the several challenges over the years .

He said with the calibre of professionals appointed as part of the Board for the awards, Times Heroes Awards is poised to become the flagship platform for recognition of excellence and service to the nation and to humanity.

According to the publication, the Daily Times Centenary Awards forms a major pillar of the newspaper’s 100-year anniversary celebrations and will recognise exceptional achievements across Business and Entrepreneurship, Governance, Community Development, Social Impact, and Media. The initiative is intended to celebrate excellence, honour nation-builders and spotlight individuals and institutions contributing to Nigeria’s progress and prosperity.

“To ensure the highest standards of credibility, transparency and independence, Daily Times has appointed a distinguished three-member Governing Board comprising respected leaders from the media, communications and public affairs sectors.

Speaking on the announcement, Fidelis Anosike, Chairman, Folio Media Group, the owners of Daily Times Nigeria, said the constitution of the Governing Board underlines its commitment to ensuring that the Centenary Awards reflects the values of integrity, excellence and national significance that have defined the newspaper throughout its history.

“The Daily Times Centenary Awards is not merely a celebration of our past; it is an opportunity to honour the individuals, institutions and organisations whose vision, leadership and contributions continue to shape Nigeria’s future. The calibre of individuals serving on the Governing Board reflects our determination to deliver a credible, transparent and nationally respected awards process,” Anosike said.

The Governing Board will provide strategic oversight for the awards programme, guide the nomination and selection process, ensure adherence to established governance principles and uphold the integrity of the awards throughout its implementation.

Established in 1926, Daily Times remains one of Nigeria’s most historic media institutions, having chronicled key moments in the nation’s political, economic and social evolution. As it marks 100 years of service, the newspaper is leveraging its centenary celebrations to promote national reflection, celebrate excellence and inspire a new generation of Nigerians committed to building a stronger and more prosperous nation.

The Daily Times Centenary Awards ceremony will form part of a series of commemorative activities planned to mark the newspaper’s historic milestone and reinforce its enduring legacy as a platform for national development and progress.

As part of efforts to immortalize the memories of an exceptional public servant and celebrate his rare demonstration of integrity, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and other stakeholders, unveiled the Humphrey Nwosu Centre, in memory of the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who conducted the famous June 12, 1993 general election presumed to have been won by Chief MKO Abiola.

The election was however annulled by the military government headed by Gen. Ibrahim Badamasii Babangida.

At the event which took place at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua centre in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, senate President, Godswill Akpabio, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana and many others, praised the courage of Humphrey Nwosu for conducting a free, fair and transparent election, even in the face of opposition and threat by agents of government of the day.

They also called for stronger electoral reforms, improved institutional accountability, and tougher action against insecurity as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.

The event which was part of the Annual June 12 Memorial Lecture organised was organized by NHRC in collaboration with the Professor Humphrey Nwosu Centre for Democracy and Human Rights.

Speaking at the event, Ojukwu described June 12 as a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey, noting that credible elections remain essential to national stability and development.

He said the theme of the lecture, “Electoral Integrity and the Future of Credible Elections in Nigeria,” was timely as the country moves closer to the 2027 elections.

Ojukwu added that the newly inaugurated Humphrey Nwosu Centre would serve as a hub for research, civic engagement, and policy advocacy aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, said the legacy of the June 12, 1993 presidential election remains central to Nigeria’s democratic history, describing it as a symbol of electoral justice and resistance.

Akpabio reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to strengthening the electoral system through legislative reforms and oversight, stressing that credible elections depend on the collective responsibility of political parties, security agencies, the media, civil society, and citizens.

According to him, ensuring that every eligible Nigerian can vote with confidence is essential to restoring trust in the democratic process.

Femi Falana on his part, urged Nigerians to resist ethnic and regional divisions in addressing injustice, insisting that human rights violations anywhere in the country affect all citizens.

“Don’t say this one is from that side of the country or from this side of the country. Injustice is injustice to every Nigerian,” he said.

Falana commended security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, for recent rescue operations, including the reported recovery of about 360 abducted persons in Maiduguri and the rescue of a minister’s sister and her children without payment of ransom.

However, he strongly criticised the growing practice of ransom payments to kidnappers, describing it as a key driver of the country’s kidnapping crisis.

“This criminality of giving money, paying ransom is not acceptable. That is why the business is thriving,” he said.

He also faulted what he described as government-backed negotiations and rehabilitation of terrorists, arguing that such practices undermine justice and contradict existing laws.

Citing the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, Falana said negotiating with or supporting terrorists attracts severe penalties, including imprisonment of up to 20 years.

“The law says they shall be tried. The penalties are clearly set out in the law,” he stated.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been accused of tampering with records of the main opposition Proples Democratic Party, PDP on the electoral umpire’s website.

An advocacy group Opposition Watch Nigeria (OWN), which made the allegation, drew the attention of the Commission’s chairman, attention of the Chairman to the manipulated listings on the PDP section of the INEC website.

This alert is coming in the heels of recent uncovering of unauthorized access of the backend of INEC voter register as exposed in the post by an aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike which development is still under investigation.

In a statement signed by Aisha Bello, Media Coordinator, OWN said the fishy listing of unknown individuals and non-members of the PDP in the political party section of the INEC website as PDP officials was grossly worrisome and should be addressed by INEC and should be investigated by security agencies to unravel those behind the criminal acts.

“We demand an immediate investigation on this matter especially given that all fingers point to the same INEC department that compromised the back end of INEC voter register.

“More importantly, this status is a direct affront to the definitive judgments delivered by the Supreme Court and the recent rulings from the Court of Appeal.

“In light of recent developments, OWN loudly asks the INEC leadership: Is this deliberate manipulation of the PDP leadership list part of the broader compromise and unauthorized exposure of the party membership register that the Commission is currently investigating?

“The public deserves to know if suspected rogue elements within the Commission are being induced by external forces to destabilize the opposition. INEC as a public institution is expected to align its portal with the latest judicial precedents governing political party administration in Nigeria.

“We urge the Commission to audit its platform immediately, investigate the staff responsible for these distortions, and update the PDP section to accurately reflect the true, legally recognized leadership structure of the party as affirmed by the Supreme Court,” the group stated.