The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • ASUU warns of nationwide varsity shutdown

    ASUU warns of nationwide varsity shutdown

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that it will resume its nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to reach an agreement with the union at the expiration of its one-month ultimatum.

    The union’s Kano Zonal Coordinator, Abdulkadir Muhammad, gave the warning yesterday in Kano while addressing reporters after the zone`s meeting.

    The lecturers in October suspended their warning strike with a month-long ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet its demands, which centre around their welfare and providing a conducive teaching and learning environment.

    Muhammad decried what he called the government’s sluggish approach to renegotiating key agreements aimed at revitalising Nigeria’s public university system.

    The meeting had representatives from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria; Bayero University Kano (BUK); Kaduna State University (KASU).

    Others were Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology (ADUSTECH), Wudil, Federal University Dutse (FUD), Northwest University (NWU), Kano; and Sule Lamido University (SLUK), Kafin Hausa. Muhammad said this followed the report presented at ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on November 8 and 9 at Taraba State University.

    The union leader said the union’s NEC expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of the ongoing renegotiation between the union and the government, describing it as a major obstacle to concluding the process meaningfully.

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    He said the suspension of the strike in October was meant to create and enabling environment and a gesture of goodwill toward Nigerians.

    “However, our hope for a holistic and timely resolution of the issues is increasingly being dashed.

    “It is unfortunate that some government functionaries employ different tactics to undermine the renegotiation process and misinform the public on the state of our engagements,” Muhammad told reporters.

    The zonal coordinator said the government had yet to show genuine commitment to improving lecturers’ welfare or addressing the conditions that fuel brain drain in the university system.

    “What government has offered will neither improve the working conditions of academics nor attract scholars from other countries to our universities,” he said.

    According to him, it is unfortunate that some government officials claim that ASUU demands have been met.

    Muhammad urged the Federal Government to place a moratorium on the establishment of state universities as it did for federal universities.

    “Governors have cultivated the habit of establishing universities in their states without commitment to funding them,” he said.

    Also, the Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to join the resumption of its suspended strike if its National Executive Council (NEC) directs so.

    The union accused the Federal Government of blatant unwillingness to resolve all outstanding issues to restore desired industrial harmony in Nigeria’s public universities.

    The ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Monday Lewis Igbafen, who addressed reporters yesterday in Benin City, the Edo0 State capital, said the union’s areas of intervention remained a sore point that needed a radical approach to stem impending crisis in the system.

    Igbafen said it was wicked and inhuman to leave university lecturers on the same salary regime for more than 15 years.

    The ASUU zonal coordinator stated that actions and pronouncements of government functionaries were antithetical to a genuine and speedy resolution of the issues.

    He said: “The result of this dishonesty is that the Federal Government had been dishing half-truths to the public on the negotiation and this strategy portends an inevitable crisis. The government still has some time at its disposal to resolve all unresolved issues.

    “In fact, the remaining days to the expiration of the one-month window given to the government must be utilised to avert the looming paralysis.

    “The sing song by the government about the paucity of funds or the global economic downturn as an excuse to deny the education sector adequate funding is no longer tenable, considering the prevailing economic reality.

    “The government needs to be reminded that there has been a quantum leap in the revenue profile of both the Federal and state governments.”

    The Benin Zone of ASUU comprises the University of Benin, Benin City; Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma; Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa; Delta State University, Abraka; Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun; University of Delta, Agbor; Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, and Southern Delta University, Ozoro.

    Also, the union has urged the Federal Government to meet its demands on several issues affecting the education sector or face another round of industrial action.

    Its Calabar Zonal Coordinator, Ikechukwu Igwenyi, gave the warning while addressing reporters yesterday in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    It said: “We demand the completion of renegotiation and full implementation of agreements with timelines, as well as fair remuneration and improved work conditions for academic staff to curb the exodus of talent.”

    ASUU’s other demands include immediate release of 3½ months outstanding salaries and all withheld salaries, refund of all third Party deductions, and payment of all arrears of promotion.

    The union also demanded the payment of outstanding 25-35 per cent wage award with consequential adjustment, adequate budgetary allocation to education, and sustainable funding of Nigerian Universities.

    It urged the Federal Government to respect university autonomy and end the imposition of policies that undermine academic freedom.

    Igwenyi, accompanied by nine other officials of the union, read the demands during the media briefing in Calabar.

    They threatened to embark on a strike should the Federal Government fail to address the demands.

    “We gave the government a four-week ultimatum to address these issues…

    “We shall remain unbowed, unbroken, and unwavering in this just struggle, with profound faith, secured in the knowledge that victory is sure,” ASUU stated.

    The union emphasized that education is not a privilege, but a right, and that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the education sector is adequately funded.

    ASUU said paucity of funds was not the fundamental issue preventing the government from doing the right thing but a lack of political will to invest in the development of Nigeria.

    “We shall rebuild the Nigerian university system of our dream with the ashes of the struggle,” it added.

  • Minister applauds ARCON DG’s leader

    Minister applauds ARCON DG’s leader

    Two years after the reappointment of Dr. Lekan Fadolapo as Director General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, the supervising minister of the agency and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has declared that the leadership provided by Fadolapo is the best thing that has happened to advertising growth and development in Nigeria.

    Speaking as Chief Host at the  opening ceremony of the 5th National Advertising Conference 2025 in Abuja, the minister showered encomiums on the Director General.

    It described him as a leader with exceptional work ethic and tenacity rarely seen among professionals of his generation.

    Mallam Idris hailed what it described as Dr. Fadolapo’s dynamic leadership and vision in institutionalising the conference as an annual flagship event for Nigeria’s marketing communications industry.

    He admitted that the industry has grown significantly under Fadolapo’s stewardship.

    “Let me first commend the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo and other industry stakeholders for instituting this important conference as an annual event and sustaining it as a premier gathering of leaders in marketing, advertising and communication in our country,” the Minister stated.

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    The minister’s admiration for the ARCON boss was evident as he noted that such dedication is uncommon among his peers.

    “The Director General of ARCON, Doctor Olalekan Fadolapo, I barely see someone with the kind of commitments and passion that this gentleman has for this industry.

    His performance, I can say, is above his age, to be honest. Thank you for all you do, and we will continue to support you,” he said, drawing applause from the audience.

    Beyond the accolades, Minister Idris used the platform to underscore the critical role of marketing communication in contemporary Nigeria.

    He described the profession as the bridge between creativity and commerce, ideas and impact, perception and reality, emphasizing that its power and necessity have never been more pronounced than in today’s world.

    The conference, themed: “Marketing Communication: Transforming Business and Creating Growth in Challenging Times,” attracted a diverse mix of professionals spanning marketing, advertising, media planning and buying, outdoor and experiential marketing, the broadcast sector, academia, regulators, journalists, government officials, students and other key stakeholders.

    Alhaji Idris noted that the theme was both timely and strategic, particularly as businesses navigate economic headwinds, technological disruption and shifting consumer behaviour. “Communication, a tool of persuasion and nation building, has never been more powerful or needed than today,” he stated.

    The minister then placed enormous responsibility on the shoulders of marketing communication professionals, describing them not only as storytellers for brands and businesses but also as custodians of national perception and image. According to him, the industry holds the key to counterbalancing false narratives about Nigeria, especially those that circulate internationally.

    “When false narratives about Nigeria spread, especially internationally, your creativity, strategy and storytelling can counterbalance them. You offer truth, context and compelling narratives of hope and progress,” he said.

    This charge led Minister Idris to call for what he described as a communication renaissance, one that must prioritise facts over fear, unity over division and truth over propaganda. He urged industry practitioners to take up the mandate of projecting Nigeria authentically. “We must project Nigeria as it truly is, a diverse, dynamic and resilient nation of hardworking people who coexist peacefully, aspire collectively and strive daily to build a better society,” he urged.

    He explained that through integrated campaigns, digital storytelling, strategic partnerships and value based branding, marketers possess the tools to reshape global perception of Nigeria. Rather than being seen as a land of conflict or crisis, Nigeria can be positioned as a land of opportunity, innovation and creativity. This reframing, he stressed, is not merely aspirational but achievable through deliberate and strategic communication efforts.

    Assuring stakeholders of government support, Alhaji Idris disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation will continue partnering with ARCON and all industry stakeholders to ensure that the advertising and communication ecosystem thrives in a regulated but enabling environment. He revealed that the Ministry is retooling its public information machinery to align with the digital age, where truth must travel faster than falsehood and where Nigerians must be empowered to tell their own stories.

    He also highlighted the National Values Charter Framework being implemented by the Ministry, which aims to restore values like truth, integrity, patriotism and national pride. He stressed that these values must underpin all marketing and communication practices in the country, creating a foundation upon which authentic national narratives can be built.

    Minister Idris reiterated that communication remains the strongest instrument for business, governance and nation building, particularly in these challenging times.

    Like a missioner leaving his congregation with a clear mandate, he called on communication professionals to transform not only businesses but also the national image through the power of strategic communication. “Let us therefore use it wisely, creatively and responsibly,” he said in an appeal delivered with a strong sense of responsibility.

  • N1.2tr agric intervention probe: Reps threaten arrest of BOA MD, ARCN DG

    N1.2tr agric intervention probe: Reps threaten arrest of BOA MD, ARCN DG

    The Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Chike Okafor, yesterday threatened to issue bench warrants for the arrest of the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Ayo Sontinrin, and the Director-General of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban.

    Okafor spoke during the resumed investigative hearing on the alleged misuse of N1.2 trillion allocated for agricultural interventions.The chairman warned that the failure of the duo to appear at the hearings would compel the committee to invoke its parliamentary powers.

    “The committee held its maiden investigative hearing on April 8, 2025, with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in attendance, followed by a second session on June 16, 2025, with both the CBN and participating financial institutions (PFIs) present,” he said.

    “While some organisations have honoured our invitations and provided verifiable records to show non-involvement, others have either ignored us or offered flimsy excuses. This is unacceptable.”

    The BOA had cited the appointment of a new MD as its reason for non-attendance, but Okafor rejected this excuse.

    Okafor described the bank as an ongoing institution, saying the change in leadership does not absolve it of the responsibility to appear before the committee.

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    The chairman demanded the presentation of documents and correspondences between prospect micro-finance bank and the CBN concerning a discrepancy in disbursed agricultural funds.

    The bank’s MD, Mr. Isaac Inwang, had claimed that N14.6 million was disbursed to 30 poultry farmers, with N6 million recovered and held pending further CBN instructions.

    The CBN contended that N15.5 million was disbursed and accused the bank of breaching guidelines by retaining recovered funds for over three years.

    Okafor directed the micro-finance bank to submit the requested documents today and provide clarifications on observed breaches.

    Also, the committee has absolved the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) of any wrongdoing. Its DG, Alhaji Fatuhu Muhammed, confirmed that the agency did not participate in the implementation of the Anchor Borrowers Programme, a position corroborated by the CBN.

    Okafor hailed the DG for cooperating with the Committee.

    On July 1, the House mandated its committees on Nutrition and Food Security, Agricultural Production and Services, Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, and Finance to investigate alleged mismanagement of federal agricultural interventions outside the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

  • Reps to hold security debate tomorrow

    Reps to hold security debate tomorrow

    The House of Representatives will tomorrow hold a nationwide debate on national security as Nigeria grapples with worsening insecurity.

    Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced the decision during yesterday’s plenary.

    He said the scale and spread of violence across the country required decisive and collective intervention from lawmakers and security agencies.

    Abbas said this when Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda sought to move a motion on the recent abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the killing of a senior military officer.

    The Speaker stepped the motion down, saying the House had reserved tomorrow exclusively for security deliberations.

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    “We are deeply saddened by these unfortunate incidents,” Abbas said. “I announced earlier that we will dedicate the whole of Thursday to security-related matters, and this particular event is one of the reasons behind our decision.”

    The Speaker urged security agencies to intensify efforts and reassess their strategies.

    “I call on all security agencies to please step up all actions and strategies to ensure the lives and properties of Nigerians are secured,” he said.

    Abbas also instructed all lawmakers to come prepared with detailed briefs from their constituencies.

    “Every member is invited to make submissions on insecurity in his state or constituency. Thursday will give us the opportunity to hear, in detail, all the security issues bedevilling our constituencies and our states,” he added.

  • Ogun to institutionalise scheme into women trust fund, says commissioner

    Ogun to institutionalise scheme into women trust fund, says commissioner

    Ogun State Government has announced plans to institutionalise Women Empowerment Scheme (Oko’wo Dapo) as a state-backed Women’s Trust Fund Policy.

    It said this is part of efforts to further strengthen women’s economic empowerment across the state, while complementing the gains of the Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), a Federal Government-led women empowerment project aimed at empowering 105,000 women beneficiaries across the four implementing local governments.

    Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Motunrayo Adeleye, who said this during the launch of NFWP Scale-Up phase, held at Awujale Interregnum, Awujale’s Palace in Ijebu-Ode, noted that the institutionalisation of Oko’wo Dapo would guarantee continuity, sustainability and transparency for women-focused initiatives, ensuring empowerment programmes remained active and impactful beyond political cycles.

    She described the new policy as a strategic step to expand access to opportunities and resources for women across the state.

    Expressing that the earlier establishment of the state scheme was consequent upon the success recorded in the first phase of the NFWP held in the four pioneer councils, namely Ijebu North-East, Odeda, Yewa North and Ikenne, the commissioner said 3,792 Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) and 61 Livelihood Collectives/Hubs had been established across the four local governments.

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    She said the hubs had evolved into thriving centres for innovation, savings, skills development and intergenerational learning, demonstrating the transformative impact of structured, community-driven empowerment programmes.

    The commissioner, who announced that the Scale-Up phase targeted the enrolment of no fewer than 25,000 women in Ijebu-Ode, encouraged traders, artisans, entrepreneurs, professionals and women aged 18 and above to participate, noting that the facilitators for the programme were carefully selected from the local communities to ensure accessibility, proper guidance and community ownership.

    Adeleye lauded Governor Dapo Abiodun for providing the political will and visionary leadership that had enabled the project’s expansion.

    She further praised the Multisectoral Coordination Structure, chaired by the Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser, Dapo Okubadejo, for its strategic oversight, which she said had been critical to achieving the milestones of the first phase and the Scale-Up initiative.

    The commissioner said institutionalisation of Oko’wo Dapo together with the NFWP Scale-Up positioned Ogun State as a reference point for women-centred development initiatives nationwide.

    She described the move as key to sustaining socio-economic gains, expanding livelihood opportunities and promoting inclusion for women across diverse sectors of the economy.

    Okubadejo, who doubles as the chairman of the Multisectoral Coordination Structure (MCS), posited that the Project Development Objective of the NFWP-SU aligned seamlessly with the present administration’s vision, noting that “a society that invests in women invests in sustainable development, stronger households and inclusive growth. ‘’This administration has consistently prioritised Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) as a key pillar for removing the structural, social and economic barriers that limit women from participating fully in economic activities.”

    Commending the state Project Coordinator, Mrs Bolanle Fadairo, with affirmation of the readiness of the state government to institutionalise Oko-Owo Dapo into a state-wide Women Trust Fund, the commissioner said the scale-up phase would deepen and expand the state’s capacity to reach more women, more households and more communities.

    He added that the 420 ward facilitators serving as the primary foot soldiers of the project would work towards the formation of 10 Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), which would comprise 25 WAG members per facilitator, resulting in a total of 105,000 empowered women beneficiaries across the four implementing councils.

    “The 105,000 women beneficiaries will be exposed to series of training and retraining programme on Financial Education, Business Skill, GRM and Life Skills among others to enhance and influence entrepreneurial skill for improving women’s contribution to the State Gross Domestic Product. Equally educate them on how best to handle personal and business challenges of life”, Okubadejo stated.

    The Senior Social Development Specialist and Task-Team Leader for the Scale-Up Project, Micheal Ilesanmi, appraised the performance of the state during the first phase of the project, noting that the state was designated by the World Bank as a leading state, resulting in about 16 states approaching the state for peer-learning and capacity building of their respective project workforce.

    He lauded Governor Abiodun, Commissioners for Finance, Women Affairs and Social Development, affirming that they had provided strong guidance, coordination and oversight throughout the lifecycle of the first project, expressing optimism that the state government would surpass the set target in the scale-up phase.

  • Infrastructure, public finance take lion’s share as Aiyedatiwa presents N492b 2026 Budget

    Infrastructure, public finance take lion’s share as Aiyedatiwa presents N492b 2026 Budget

    Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has presented a budget estimate of N492,795,667,939 for the 2026 fiscal year to the House of Assembly.

    The presentation comes amid a simmering leadership crisis in the assembly, following an alleged plot to impeach Speaker Olamide Oladiji over accusations of financial mismanagement.

    Twelve lawmakers had last week passed a vote of no confidence in the Speaker, accusing him of diverting N50 million earmarked for a public hearing and mismanaging monthly operational grants.

    But Oladiji dismissed the allegations as a “misplaced priority,” insisting the assembly would not be distracted from its legislative responsibilities, including the amendment and passage of the re-ordered 2025 Appropriation Act.

    Presenting the 2026 Budget proposal tagged: “Budget of Economic Consolidation”, Aiyedatiwa said his administration remained focused on delivering people-centred projects and programmes across the state.

    He said N281.991 billion was proposed for capital expenditure, while N210.804 billion was earmarked for recurrent expenditure.

    A breakdown of sectoral allocations shows infrastructure receiving the highest vote of N131.991 billion (26.80 per cent), followed by public finance with N89.607 billion (18.20 per cent). The health sector is to receive N69.641 billion (14.10 per cent), while education gets N63.878 billion (13.00 per cent).

    Aiyedatiwa said the 2026 spending plan signalled the state’s transition from “restoration to sustained long-term consolidation,” adding that measurable gains recorded in 2025, despite revenue shortfall, would be deepened.

    With a recurrent-to-capital ratio of 42.78 per cent to 57.22 per cent, the governor said the budget reflected his administration’s commitment to transforming the state’s socio-economic landscape.

    “From the allocation above, Mr Speaker, our intention on the infrastructure revolution is clear. We look forward to completing the plethora of ongoing projects across the state as adequate funds have been allocated to them. Rest assured, no project in Ondo State will be left abandoned,” he said.

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    Aiyedatiwa urged lawmakers to give the spending plan thorough consideration, saying his administration was committed to efficient implementation.

    “We anticipate that 2026 will bring significant progress, prosperity and well-being to our citizens,” he added.

    Oladiji hailed the governor for the timely presentation of the budget to the assembly, saying the leadership qualities of Aiyedatiwa were exceptional.

    The Speaker lauded the governor for intervening in the impasse in the House of Assembly, noting that the lawmakers had already put their house in order.

    Oladiji, who assured the governor of an accelerated passage of the 2026 budget proposal, urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies involved in the execution and implementation of the budget to redouble their efforts, to ensure outstanding success.

  • Scores of Ondo PDP members defect to APC

    Scores of Ondo PDP members defect to APC

    Scores of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

    The defectors, who are grassroots mobilisers drawn from the 18 local governments, said they could no longer remain in the “crisis-ridden” PDP with what they described as a weakened leadership structure.

    The PDP defectors, who are also members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), attributed their switch to APC to President Tinubu’s economic reforms and ongoing infrastructural projects across the state.

    Speaking on behalf of the defectors under the banner of Asiwaju Transport Movement yesterday,  Mr. Ojo Adewole hailed President Tinubu for what he called the restoration of the country’s “lost glory” through the Renewed Hope Agenda.

    He cited several federal road projects – including the dualisation of Benin-Ilesa Expressway, Ore-Ondo Akure Road expansion, Akure-Ado-Ekiti Expressway and the ongoing coastal highway – as major factors that influenced their decision.

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    “We were encouraged to join the APC by our Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. We thank him for the opportunity given to us, and we will not disappoint him or the party,” he said.

    He added that the continuation of road projects initiated during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari convinced them that President Tinubu was committed to national development.

    Adewole also recalled that the only PDP federal lawmaker from Ondo State,  Festus Akingbaso, and the three remaining PDP members in the state House of Assembly recently defected to the APC – a development he said had left the state “virtually a one-party system.”

    Receiving the defectors at the APC Secretariat in Akure, the state Chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, welcomed them and urged them to mobilise support for a landslide victory for President Tinubu in 2027.

    “This is the party of victory. In the APC, we don’t discriminate -there are no old members or new members; we are all equal,’’ Adetimehin said.

    He noted that the performance of President Tinubu had continued to draw more supporters into the ruling party.

    “President Tinubu has done well for us in this state. We can all see what he is doing. His Renewed Hope Initiatives are favouring us.

    “Work has begun on new road projects in Ondo State, and our people are being given appointments. So, we must work hard to give him a landslide victory here,” he added.

  • Lagos APC to PDP’s Turaki: you can’t return to power when you don’t even have a party

    Lagos APC to PDP’s Turaki: you can’t return to power when you don’t even have a party

    Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has read with customary amusement, the latest declaration by Bello Turaki, who is busy announcing grand plans to “return power to Nigerians.”

    Spokesman for the party, Seye Oladejo, said in a statement yesterday in Ogba, Lagos: ‘’This is a fascinating proclamation – especially from someone who cannot even muster the honesty to introduce himself properly.

    ‘’Turaki is a factional chairman of a broken, scattered, leaderless Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). And it is dishonest – deliberately so – for him to pretend otherwise.

    ‘’Before he dreams of returning power to Nigerians, he should first seek legitimacy from his own party members and leaders. A man who cannot unite his own divided platform cannot unite a country. Someone needs to respectfully remind him:

    ‘’You cannot give what you do not have.

    For 16 long years, PDP had all the power Turaki now speaks about so casually. What did they return to Nigerians? A depleted treasury. Collapsed infrastructure. Rampant oil theft. Monumental corruption. A nation pushed to the brink of economic paralysis. A security architecture weakened by mismanagement.

    ‘’If this is the ‘power’ Turaki claims he wants to return, Nigerians must beware of recycled calamity.

    ‘’Turaki forgets a simple fact: Nigerians reclaimed power in 2015 when they voted PDP out. They reaffirmed it in 2019 and reinforced it again in 2023.

    ‘’The PDP has not only been rejected – it has been reduced to a coalition of bitter factions, each one engaged in endless court battles, contradictory rulings and shameless forum shopping.

    ‘’Before talking about returning power, the PDP should first return order to its house.

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    How can a party drowning in internal disputes talk about saving Nigeria?

    How can a factional chairman with no consensus backing claim authority over a party that is indistinguishable from a political war zone?

    ‘’Turaki should prioritise: Returning honesty to PDP’s leadership. Returning unity to its fractured structure. Returning discipline to its errant members, and returning sanity to its rampant judicial shopping. Until then, his declarations remain beautifully wrapped emptiness.

    ‘’While President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is stabilising the economy, re-engineering institutions, executing infrastructure renewal, driving security reforms, expanding investment inflows and repositioning Nigeria for sustained growth; the PDP is busy producing press statements that sound like bedtime stories for its dwindling supporters.

    ‘’Nigeria needs constructive opposition – not political comedians issuing empty promises.

    ‘’Turaki should first earn legitimacy within his own party before attempting to lecture Nigerians about power. Pretence and grandstanding cannot substitute for reality.

    ‘’A factional chairman cannot speak for a fragmented party. A party without coherence cannot promise national salvation. And a platform without credibility cannot return power to anyone.

    ‘’APC remains committed to a future built on stability, reforms, democratic consolidation and genuine empowerment of Nigerians – not the fantasy politics of those who lost power, lost public trust and now seek attention through hollow declarations.’’

  • Sanwo-Olu: battle to build peaceful Lagos must begin from family

    Sanwo-Olu: battle to build peaceful Lagos must begin from family

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the battle to build a peaceful and tolerant Lagos must begin from the family.

    He noted that the society would not raise a harmonious generation if homes failed to model empathy and respect.

    Speaking at the 2025 International Day for Tolerance at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, the governor said Lagos’ diversity, home to over 25 million people of different ethnicities, cultures and religions, made tolerance a civic duty and the bedrock of the state’s resilience.

     ‘’This year’s theme: ‘Raising a Generation of Tolerant Citizens-The Centrality of the Family’, should force a national reflection on how children were being shaped.

    “The first lessons of empathy, respect, patience, love and acceptance are not learnt in government institutions. They are learnt at home, in the family, from parents, guardians and community elders,” Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, said.

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    He said his administration had strengthened interfaith harmony through participation in Christian and Muslim observances, including Lent and Ramadan, and by institutionalising Isese Day holiday in 2024, an action, he noted, reaffirmed every resident’s right to worship freely.

    Home Affairs Commissioner Olanrewaju Layode said the responsibility of nurturing a peaceful and inclusive society rested on the family, describing it as the “first classroom” where values that shaped future citizens were formed.

    Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr Adewunmi Ogunsanya, praised local government leaders, traders, artisans, guests and the press for their commitment to the cause, urging them to continue supporting initiatives that promoted peaceful coexistence across the state.

  • Olubadan hails Sultan for believing in religious tolerance

    Olubadan hails Sultan for believing in religious tolerance

    Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, yesterday said the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, believed in religious tolerance, harmony, unity and peaceful co-existence of religious adherents.

    He gave the commendation while hosting the Sultan, who paid a courtesy and solidarity visit to the Olubadan at Oke Aremo, Ibadan.

    He said: “His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, a military officer, a diplomat, a religious leader and the National President of Nigeria Traditional Council is a good friend and a brother, who was groomed and tutored in Ibadan as a leader.”

    Describing the Sultan of Sokoto as a detribalised religious and traditional ruler, the monarch said if all religious leaders emulated his (Sultan’s) religious tolerance, there would not be religious war in the country.   

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    Acknowledging the prayers of Sultan that God would endow him with longevity of life in the service of God and humanity, Olubadan appreciated the Sultan of Sokoto, who is the Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, for making the first Ibadan indigene since the establishment of the institution in 1948, Prof. Kayode Adebowale, the Vice Chancellor of the university.

    The Sultan said he was at the palace with his entourage drawn from the six geo-political zones to pay the Olubadan of Ibadanland a courtesy visit.

    He added: “We are here on a solidarity visit to our chief landlord to express our gratitude to him for not only giving us the land on which the university was built, but also providing us with an enabling environment.”

    He assured Oba Ladoja that the university would consult him regularly for his support whenever the need arose.