The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • BREAKING: EFCC detains Malami over alleged terrorism financing

    BREAKING: EFCC detains Malami over alleged terrorism financing

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) for alleged terrorism financing.

    The ex-Minister is also to explain issues relating to money laundering, especially operation of suspicious accounts.

    Malami has been asked to account for his investment of about N10billion in Kebbi State, whereabouts of $322million Abacha loot recovered from Swiss account and about $22million from Island of Jersey in the UK.

    The EFCC was holding on to Malami as at 10pm on Tuesday because he has not been able to meet his bail conditions.

    But the ex-AGF said his public record in office stands in direct contradiction to any insinuation of complicity in terrorism financing.

    A top EFCC source said the allegations against Malami were many which will require some days to go through.

    The source said:”We have detained the ex-Minister for terrorism financing and the whereabouts of Abacha loot recovered from Switzerland and Island of Jersey in the UK.

    “His sudden wealth of N10billion investments in Kebbi State are under investigation. We may attach some of these assets.

    “We are likely to interrogate one of his wives on her role on N4billion Anchor Borrowers cash advanced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

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    “He has a lot to clarify but he has not been able to meet bail conditions. He might be with us until he fulfils these.”

    But Malami has rejected allegations of terrorism financing.

     He cited his key roles in Nigeria’s AML/CFT Reforms and FATF Grey-List exit to dismiss the terrorism financing insinuations.

    In a statement on X, Malami said: “My attention has been drawn to a recent publication in which my name was mentioned in connection with allegations of terrorism financing and so-called “links” to persons described as terror suspects or alleged financiers.

    “I consider it necessary, in the interest of truth, justice and public record, to make the following clarifications.

    “First, I state clearly and unequivocally that I have never at any time been accused, invited, interrogated, investigated or charged by any security, law-enforcement, regulatory or intelligence agency—within or outside Nigeria—in respect of terrorism financing or any related offence.

    “Secondly, even the retired military officer cited as the principal source in the said publication categorically admitted that he was not accusing me, or other named individuals, of financing terrorism.

    ” His own account, as reported, was limited to a vague assertion that certain suspects allegedly had some form of “business” or “institutional” relationship with various persons.

    ” That important clarification was, unfortunately, overshadowed by a headline and framing capable of misleading well-meaning members of the public into drawing inaccurate and damaging conclusions which was unfortunately politically manipulated by my political opponents to create mischievous insinuations implying my involvement in terrorism financing.

    “Terrorism financing is a grave crime with devastating consequences for national security and human life. Any attempt—whether by direct allegation or indirect innuendo—to associate an individual with such an offence must be grounded in verifiable facts, due process and lawful findings, not in conjecture, speculation, or guilt by association. To suggest that lawful professional or institutional engagements can, without more, be read as evidence of terrorism financing is both mischievous and unjust.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, my public record in office stands in direct contradiction to any insinuation of complicity in terrorism financing. During my tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, I worked with other arms of government and relevant institutions to strengthen—not weaken—Nigeria’s legal and institutional framework against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

    “Among other efforts:

    ●The Federal Government, through collaborative work involving the Federal Ministry of Justice, the National Assembly and other stakeholders, established an independent Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) by law, in order to meet global standards on operational autonomy and to restore Nigeria’s standing within the international financial-intelligence community.

    ●We supported and saw to the enactment of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which repealed the older Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and provided a more comprehensive and stringent framework for combating money laundering and related offences, including those that may underpin terrorism financing.

    ●We similarly worked on the passage and implementation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which strengthened Nigeria’s legal regime against terrorism, updated offences and penalties, and reinforced provisions dealing specifically with the financing of terrorism in line with international standards and United Nations obligations.

    ●In furtherance of these laws, my office cooperated closely with key domestic institutions—such as the NFIU, the Central Bank of Nigeria, law-enforcement and regulatory agencies—and with international partners, to improve coordination, information-sharing and compliance across the anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism-financing (AML/CFT) architecture.”

  • Alake unveils incentives to attract global mining investors

    Alake unveils incentives to attract global mining investors

    …positions Nigeria as mining powerhouse

    In a strategic push to transform Nigeria into a major mining hub, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has rolled out a series of incentives for investors, including seamless profit repatriation and duty waivers on imported mining equipment.

    Alake announced the measures on Tuesday at the Resourcing Tomorrow Exhibition and Conference in London.

    According to a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Adviser, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan, the Minister assured global mining companies and stakeholders of Nigeria’s readiness for large-scale investment.

    He highlighted recent breakthroughs in mineral processing, noting that the country has attracted more than 2 billion dollars in investments in lithium and rare earth projects over the past two years.

    Alake linked the rising inflow of foreign direct investment to the value-addition policy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which has halted pit-to-port exports and prioritised local processing.

    “Since last year, companies such as Canmax Technologies, Jiuling Lithium, Avatar New Energy Nigeria Limited, and Asba Group have collectively invested over 1.3 billion US dollars in lithium processing projects across Nigeria. These are not speculative ventures; they are bricks, mortar, and machinery,” he said.

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    He added that construction is ongoing outside Abuja on a 50-million-dollar lithium processing plant — the first in a planned network of industrial clusters spanning Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara, and Ebonyi states.

    “On November 19, this year, Nigeria broke new grounds in the processing of rare earths ores with the groundbreaking of the $ 400 million rare earth plant of the Hasetins group. It is expected to be ready in 15 months. Also, a multi- billion dollar iron ore to steel project using the latest technology is in the pipeline.” 

    The ministers also cited the establishment of the Mining Marshals to enforce the mining law and protect miners, adding that the government is strengthening the security architecture with satellite technology that will track mining operations nationwide. 

    The Minister presented the Nigeria Solid Minerals Company as the government’s partner of choice for joint venture business that leverages on mineral assets inherited from the Nigerian Mining Corporation to meet partners’ demands. 

    His words: “The NSMC embodies our philosophy of shared prosperity through shared investment. It functions as a sovereign partner, co-investing in high-value mineral projects, de-risking exploration, and catalyzing downstream processing. ” 

    Assuring the global mining stakeholders, Alake disclosed that the government has done the needful to prepare the solid minerals sector for investment, as the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and exploration investors have covered over 80 percent of the country with geological mapping. 

    He also said the federal government has finalised the Solid Minerals Export Guidelines to align the country’s export system with international traceability and environmental and governance standards. 

    Addressing concerns of the conference on the declining delivery of global supply chain systems, Alake advocated local value addition in source countries as the win-win solution .

    He narrated how the decision to form the Africa Minerals Support Group is influencing the formulation of local beneficiation policies across the continent. 

    Drawing examples of domestic integration from Nigeria, Alake said several states in Nigeria run mining companies, thus developing a sense of belonging. 

    He also cited the signing of 427 community development agreements between Nigerian communities and mining companies as a key strategy to ensure that economic, social, and governance principles are applied in Nigeria’s mining sector. 

  • Why I decided not to celebrate my birthday – Akpabio

    Why I decided not to celebrate my birthday – Akpabio

    The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said he decided against an elaborate celebration of his birthday because of the mood of the nation.

    Akpabio clocked 63 on Tuesday but there was no elaborate celebration of the occasion except the cutting of birthday cake presented to him by the staff and aides in the office of the Senate President.

    The cake was presented to the celebrant in his office after the Senate plenary on Tuesday, with some senators in attendance.

    Speaking after the cutting of the cake, Akpabio said he decided not to make his birthday celebration elaborate because of the mood of the nation.

    The Senate President explained further that “for some of our children to still remain in captivity, as parents, our hearts are wounded.

    “On the one hand we continue to do our business. On the other hand, we go home to pray that soon, God will enable our security chiefs to recover all the children in captivity.

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    “And for those that lost their lives in the course of trying to protect those children from being abducted, we say may their souls rest in perfect peace.”

    In his remarks at the occasion, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin described Akpabio as a wonderful man.

    “The Senate President is a special person, a wonderful man. A man that even if you are sad, he will make you laugh. He will make you happy. God has given him that gift.

    “What we need to do for him is to continue to pray for him and his family for good health, long life and prosperity so that he can continue to work the way he has been working all these years,” Barau said.

    The Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele said Akpabio had demonstrated a “high cerebral capacity” as Senate President.

    Bamidele remarked further, “I don’t think any Nigerian is in doubt as to your cerebral capacity. Even those who are not totally in support of you will concede that. As much as possible, we will continue to show our support for you.

    “I’m sure that you are not in doubt that we have your back…We celebrate your leadership. We celebrate your touching candour. You have always been like a flower in our midst – so sweet, pure and simple. And this means so much to us.

    “On a day like this, all we can just say is that we love you and we will continue to pray for you because to pray for you is to pray for Nigeria. You have led us well regardless of what anybody will say. Yours has not been a regime of grandstanding.”

    Former Governor of Bayelsa state and chairman of the South-South Senate Caucus, Senator Seriake Dickson, while proposing the toast, attested to how uncommon Akpabio was as Governor of Akwa Ibom.

    “Here we are privileged to have him as our colleague, friend and brother and as Senate President. But don’t get us wrong. Sometime we disagree. That is our job. As parliamentarians, that is what we are elected to do. To agree and also to disagree but also doing so, at all times, in the national interest.

    “So we are all here gathered to celebrate our wonderful, friend and brother and colleague and ebulient President of the Senate,” Dickson said.

    In his vote of thanks, Senator Abdul Ningi applauded Akpabio for not discriminating against anyone in the Senate either on account of political or ethnic differences.

    Ningi, on behalf of the Senate, thanked the Senate President “for being around for us, for being around for Nigeria, the Principal Officers, for trying to manage some of us. It is not easy.

    “You have shown us comeradship, brotherhood, and at no time have you ever discriminated against us because we occupy another party platform.”

  • BREAKING: 1,660 delegates to pick Osun APC guber candidate on Dec 13

    BREAKING: 1,660 delegates to pick Osun APC guber candidate on Dec 13

    A total of 1,660 delegates have been elected across the 332 wards in Osun State ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary scheduled for December 13, 2025.

    The Nation reports that the delegate election, held on Tuesday in all wards, produced five delegates per ward in preparation for Saturday’s primary.

    Chairman of the 2025 Osun State Gubernatorial Delegate Congress Committee, Engr. Shehu Umaru Dange, announced the outcome at the APC State Secretariat in Osogbo on Tuesday night.

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    According to him, the committee successfully conducted the ward congress without incident, resulting in the emergence of 1,660 delegates who will vote in the party’s primary.

    He commended the APC National Working Committee and the party’s state leadership for their support, noting that the process was peaceful across all wards.

    Dange also urged APC members in Osun State to continue supporting President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

    “They should ensure unity and harmony beyond the primaries. With that, we will be able to support Mr President in his Renewed Hope Agenda in creating a better Nigeria, with a stable democracy and a very strong party which is the greatest party in Africa which is the APC.”

  • Bildup AI launches N15m National AI Challenge for students

    Bildup AI launches N15m National AI Challenge for students

    Bildup AI has launched a nationwide artificial intelligence competition offering N15 million in prizes, fully funded training and a chance for Nigerian students to build real-world AI solutions that could shape the country’s future. 

    The initiative, known as the National AI Career Readiness Challenge, targets secondary school students, school leavers, and 100-level undergraduates across Nigeria in what the organisation calls a “generational intervention” to redefine youth skills development.

    Announcing the programme, Bildup AI’s Chief Executive Officer, Chibuike Aguene, said the challenge was created to confront the growing skills mismatch that leaves millions of young Nigerians unemployable despite years of schooling.

    He said: “Most of our young people are being prepared for a world that no longer exists. They are memorizing facts while the world is building algorithms. They are chasing degrees while the world is chasing skills”. 

    Aguene warned that the world is advancing at a pace far beyond what local education systems are preparing students for, noting that AI is already transforming sectors from healthcare to agriculture. 

    “Do they know that AI is diagnosing diseases faster than doctors in some rural clinics? That it’s being used to help farmers in Kenya and India predict rainfall and triple their yields? Do they know that the world is not waiting?” he asked.

    He cited global assessments by the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, UNESCO and UNICEF, which all highlight the urgent need for African countries to equip young people with future-facing skills.

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    According to him, the continent is not only battling unemployment but “a talent pipeline collapse,” as businesses increasingly struggle to find workers with the digital competencies needed to innovate and grow.

    The CEO further explained that Bildup AI has developed a platform that helps young people “gain clarity about who they are, build capacity along their chosen career path, and master skills 70% faster and 80% cheaper than traditional methods.” 

    He stressed that the National AI Career Readiness Challenge is designed not just as a programme but as a national movement to democratize AI literacy.

    “Every participant will receive a full scholarship covering access to Bildup AI’s career advisory tool, a two-month immersive learning experience that requires only two hours of flexible learning daily, personalised mentorship from AI facilitators and academic advisors, and hands-on project development across health, education, agriculture, tech, finance, energy and more. Participants will also compete for N15 million in prizes; ranging from laptops and internships to a N6 million AI laboratory for the winning school”, he said.

    Aguene described the initiative as both a technological and social justice intervention.

    “This challenge is not just about jobs. It’s about giving every young Nigerian, regardless of background, a fair shot at the future. It’s about breaking the cycle of misaligned education and wasted potential. It’s about turning our greatest liability; youth unemployment into our greatest asset: a generation of AI-literate, purpose-driven, future-ready builders”, he said. 

    He illustrated the potential impact with examples of what young Nigerians could achieve if given the right tools: “Imagine a 17-year-old girl in Bauchi building an AI tool to detect malaria early, or a 19-year-old boy in Enugu creating a chatbot that helps farmers access market prices in real time. Imagine a student in Kano designing a model that predicts flood risks, or an 18-year-old girl in Ibadan creating an AI-powered sign language translator for the deaf community. This is not a dream. This is the future we’re building starting today.”

    Calling on parents, teachers, policymakers and community leaders to take responsibility for preparing the next generation, Aguene described the challenge as “a turning point for Nigeria.” 

    He warned that if stakeholders fail to act, the country could lose another generation to confusion, unemployment and wasted potential. “You are not too young to lead. You are not too young to build. This is your moment,” he told young Nigerians nationwide.

    Applications for the fully funded programme are open until January 20, and Bildup AI encourages early registration to increase participants’ chances.

  • I never said there’s no persecution of Christians in Nigeria – Kukah

    I never said there’s no persecution of Christians in Nigeria – Kukah

    Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, on Tuesday dismissed reports claiming he argued that Christians in Nigeria are not facing persecution.

    Kukah described the allegation as false, stating that he was surprised that, despite the clarity of his stance, some individuals were still determined to attribute such a position to him.

    In a statement titled “Of the persecution of Christians in Nigeria: My response,” the bishop said the media reports misrepresented his comments. 

    Earlier reports had quoted him as questioning the narrative of Christian persecution, allegedly citing the high number of educated Christians and their control of a significant share of the economy.

    He was quoted as saying, “If you are a Christian in Nigeria and you say you are persecuted, my question is: how? At least 80 per cent of educated Nigerians are Christians, and up to 85 per cent of the Nigerian economy is controlled by Christians. With such figures, how can anyone say Christians are being persecuted?”

    However, clarifying his remarks, Kukah explained that he was merely calling for unity among Christians. 

    He emphasised that with the resources and influence available to the Christian community, the major challenge remained unity and solidarity—not the absence of persecution.

    “For over a week, I have been in the news on the basis of multiple claims that I had said that there was no persecution of Christians in Nigeria. The outpouring of emotions is understandable especially against the backdrop of the inviolability of life, the extermination of which must not be undermined by any debates on numbers or intent.

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    “I am grateful to my colleagues at The Kukah Centre, who issued a Statement while I was caught up with a tight schedule. I nevertheless believe that is no substitute for my personal responsibility.

    “First, let me say how sincerely sorry I am to be associated with representations that understandably are a source of great pain and mental anguish to so many of my brothers and sisters within the body of Christ. The outpouring of emotions suggests to me the investment of trust in me, an onus I do not take lightly. 

     “I am baffled that despite the clarity of my position, there appear to be determined efforts to ascribe to me a position as saying that there is no persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Nothing could be further from the truth.

    “So, for the record, I did not say that Christians are not persecuted in Nigeria! Addressing an audience of the Catholic Knights of St. Mulumba in Kaduna on November 28th, I had spoken about the challenges of bearing witness to Christ in a time of persecution. I drew lessons from history and the stories of brave men and women in Nigeria and Africa as models of witnessing in times such as these.

    “ I concluded that the greatest challenge for Christians was unity and solidarity. Given the huge human and material resources that we have as Christians in Nigeria, if only we stood together, I argued, we would have no reason to be victims of persecution. Nothing here implied a denial of the fate of Christians,” the renowned cleric stated. 

     “Over the years, he stressed that he had spoken extensively on the theme of persecution of Christians and had argued then as now that by whatever name it is described, the bloodshed needed to end as soon as yesterday because common humanity is at stake.

    The government and its security agencies, he said, have an urgent responsibility to bring the perpetrators to account, pointing out that it is their neglect of this duty or their failure to accomplish it that has detained everyone in an appearance of disagreement without difference.

    “As a people, I believe we owe ourselves the collective duty to regain our humanity not as perpetual victims but as equal citizens of our land. Too many innocent souls have been lost, too much blood shed and our children and citizens are in captivity. Amidst the nadir of this pain, it is important that we focus on reclaiming the soul of our nation

    “I am deeply sorry for the unnecessary distraction. These moments are too serious for us to equivocate. This is not the time for us to retreat or be distracted. This is a contest that we must win. The journey may be painful. We may falter along the way but we will only reach our destination by learning our lessons, standing up even when we stumble, and always keeping our eyes on the ultimate prize, peace for our country, justice for those injured, and reconciliation for our people.

     “This is a struggle that I have committed most of my pastoral and intellectual life to. It is a struggle in which I pray that, by clinging to the old rugged cross, we can one day exchange it for a crown. So, let us all get back on the road especially as the spirit of Bethlehem beckons” he added. 

  • We feel nothing but pity for Gov. Fubara, says PDP

    We feel nothing but pity for Gov. Fubara, says PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Tuesday that it feels nothing but pity for Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, saying the governor willingly travelled the path that took him to his present destination.

    Reacting to the defection of the Rivers governor to the APC, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said the PDP wished the governor well.

    The party, however, said the constant defection of opposition members to the APC was shrinking the democratic space and putting democracy in danger, adding that Fubara cannot accuse anybody of abandoning him.

    The statement reads, “The National Working Committee of our great party received the news of the formal defection of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara the Governor of Rivers State from our Party to the ruling party. This news as pitiful as it is, is an exemplar of the old legal maxim Volenti non fit injuria, meaning “to one who is willing, no harm can be done”. 

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    “Everyone who has followed the developments that culminated in this uneventful defection, will recall that the Governor willingly travelled the path that took him to this destination. Having done so voluntarily, he cannot turn around and accuse our party, or any other person or group of abandoning or not protecting him. 

    “Whilst a person who is at a crossroad of threats of existential proportion, will most likely suffer from temporary amnesia caused by trauma, the Governor should have nothing less than praise for our party, civil society organisations, and all Nigerians who freely stood up in his defence since this crisis started until he capitulated. 

    “It is our prayer that the Governor should not suffer from Stockholm Syndrome, where a victim falls in love with his captor. In all, despite these, we pity the Governor and wish him well. 

    “Furthermore, the Rivers situation is a testament to the dysfunctional nature of our democracy, where individuals are bigger and stronger than institutions and can use the apparatus of the Federal Government to obfuscate political life out of their opponents and bring them to their knees. 

    “Democracy is terribly threatened by acts of this kind, and all well-meaning people should unify in condemning this progressive decline of democratic norms. 

    “Finally, we reiterate to Nigerians and the global community that with the unrelenting disposition of the ruling party towards the attainment of a one party state, and the constriction of the political space, democracy is under severe attack in Nigeria. Everyone must rise together to oppose this ignoble trip toward electoral authoritarianism.”

  • Kana, Ezeamama assume duty as perm secs in OSGF

    Kana, Ezeamama assume duty as perm secs in OSGF

    Two newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Dr. Abubakar Ibrahim Kana and Dr. John Chidiebere Ezeamama, have assumed duty at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). 

    While Dr. Kana takes charge of the General Services Office (GSO), Dr. Ezeamama will oversee the Cabinet Affairs Office (CAO).

    Both officials resumed duties at separate handover ceremonies held in Abuja, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the OSGF, Segun Imohiosen.

    Speaking after taking over at the GSO, Dr. Kana expressed readiness to work closely with management and staff of the OSGF to ensure effective implementation of policies and programmes under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. 

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    He pledged to uphold professionalism and discipline, noting that his tenure would prioritise hard work and adherence to rules.

    At his own ceremony, Dr. Ezeamama thanked President Tinubu and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for the confidence reposed in him. 

    He described his assumption of office as a renewed commitment to service driven by integrity and results, adding that the Cabinet Affairs Office would continue to play a strategic role in coordinating the Federal Executive Council, the Council of State and the Nigeria Police Council.

    Outgoing officials, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office and overseeing GSO, and Dr. Emanso Okop Umobong, outgoing Permanent Secretary, CAO, used their farewell remarks to appreciate staff cooperation during their tenure, urging the workforce to extend the same support to the new Permanent Secretaries.

  • Why I joined Accord Party, by Gov. Adeleke

    Why I joined Accord Party, by Gov. Adeleke

    Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke, said he joined the Accord Party because the party’s mission of welfarism aligns with his passionate focus on citizens and workers’ welfare. 

    Adeleke formally announced his new party on Tuesday at the Government House in Osogbo after weeks of speculations about his political destination following the prolonged crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

    The governor who announce the unveiling of Accord Party as his new platform in the presence of national officers of the party said on his X-handle that he intend to complete ongoing delivery of good governance and democratic dividends to the people of the state on the platform of the new party.

    He said, “Today, we unveiled the Accord Party, our new platform for the good people of Osun State. From Osun West to Osun East to Osun Central, this is our party, our new platform for victory come August next year.

    “I joined the Accord Party more than a month ago precisely, 6th November, 2025, as a platform to seek re-election in 2026. This was after weeks of consultation and deliberations with stakeholders and opinion leaders. 

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    “Stakeholders and residents of Osun State are aware of why we are taking this important decision. We intend to pursue a second term in office on the platform of the Accord Party to complete ongoing delivery of good governance and democratic dividends, which have been applauded at home and abroad.

    “We opted for the Accord Party because its mission of welfarism aligns with our passionate focus on citizens and workers’ welfare. Since I joined, I have been fascinated by the philosophy of this great party. The primary essence of a government is the welfare and well being of the people.

    “I welcome the leadership of the Accord from the National into Osun State. You are now part of us as I am also now part of you. We are united in progress and good intentions for the good people of Osun State and Nigeria at large.

    “Our task is to sustain a united front as we prepare for future elections. We have a duty to ensure an inclusive leadership where the interests of all groups are cared for. Our party, Accord Party, is here to take over Osun governance and sustain the delivery of good governance in our dear state”.

  • Oyebanji to new Commissioners: deliver or lose relevance

    Oyebanji to new Commissioners: deliver or lose relevance

    Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has charged the new commissioners and Special Advisers to justify their return to office through improved performance, commitment, and loyalty, warning that anyone who fails to measure up would lose relevance in the administration.

    Speaking on Tuesday during the swearing-in ceremony held at Jibowu Hall, Government House, Ado-Ekiti, the governor reminded the appointees that their positions were held at the pleasure of the governor and must be matched with demonstrable results.

    Oyebanji recalled that he inaugurated the cabinet on August 8, 2023, but dissolved it in line with constitutional provisions and global practices, noting that the break offered room for evaluation and “necessary refuelling” for the tasks ahead.

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    He said the last three years of working with the cabinet had produced significant progress in infrastructure, agriculture, education, health, arts and culture, and socioeconomic development, but stressed that some members needed to “double up” to remain relevant in the new council.

    He added that the decision to return all former cabinet members was influenced by party leaders’ desire for stability ahead of the 2026 governorship poll, urging the appointees that “you would have to justify your pay going forward.”

    Oyebanji urged the commissioners to immediately get to work, saying the administration’s six strategic Pillars of Development were already familiar to them.

    According to him, “there is no time for frivolities or infantile triumphalism” at a time when the government still owes the people much more.

    Oyebanji urged members of the cabinet to maintain a strong presence in their communities and stay connected to the grassroots, cautioning them against isolating themselves in the state capital under the guise of busy schedules.

    “As the candidate of our great party, the APC, all hands must be on deck. But governance must not suffer, and government processes must not dither. You must find the balance and go the extra mile.”

    The governor restated that the renewed mandate required diligence, transparency, and innovation, insisting that government business must be guided by probity, accountability, and frugality.

    He told the appointees that the final stretch toward the end of his first term was the most critical, saying, “like a relay race, the last leg is the most important. We must give it our best.

    He congratulated the commissioners, urging them to return to their ministries ready to hit the ground running and deliver on the administration’s six-pillar development agenda.