The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • THE 2026 OUTLOOK: PROLOGUE

    THE 2026 OUTLOOK: PROLOGUE

    Nigeria’s audition year

    Nigeria does not step into 2026 so much as it drifts there, bearing the weight of a previous year that refused to end quietly.

    The country arrives with receipts folded into its pocket—grievances, catastrophes, breakthroughs and aspirations—each rustling to fate’s torrid leash.

    This is not a threshold crossed cleanly. It is a season entered with the gait of a people who have learned to listen for danger and opportunity at the same time.

    Nothing about 2026 feels incidental. Politics hums beneath ordinary speech, turning casual conversations into coded rehearsals. And every movement of the state seems angled toward a reckoning that lies a year ahead. The 2027 elections have leaked into the present, colouring legislation, stiffening alliances, and accentuating betrayals. The country senses this instinctively; a republic can feel when it is being tested, after all.

    This is the year when institutions reveal their efficiency depths, perhaps. Habits, hardened over decades will surface under pressure. The reflex to litigate politics, manage dissent instead of listening to it, and celebrate reforms faster than outcomes can mature, will meet a citizenry whose patience has thinned into hostile scrutiny.

    The ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), enters the year psyched with ambition yet plagued by unease. Size, in Nigerian politics, has never guaranteed coherence. It breeds factions, competing centres of gravity, and rival interpretations of loyalty. Party congresses loom, and with them the familiar permutations: parallel meetings, disputed delegates, and consensus discovered after dissent has been buried. Courts, once again, will be invited to settle quarrels that party execs and ideology fail to resolve.  The judiciary will be tasked with lending legitimacy to disputes that should have been resolved long before robes entered the picture and injunctions became headline.

    Opposition politics moves differently, less encumbered by incumbency yet equally haunted by fragmentation. Economic pressure has given opposition language an edge it lacked in easier years. Inflation, transport costs, food prices no longer sound like abstract failures when spoken aloud. The impact is felt in kitchens and register at bus stops. Whether opposition figures cohere into a credible alternative matters less, for now, than the fact that competition itself has grown volatile. The certainty of outcomes has thinned as opposition politics, once strategised and choreographed, now improvises with guerrilla tactics.

    Inside the National Assembly, re-election anxiety influence behaviour as legislators listen more closely to party structures than to public mood. Oversight softens and controversial bills travel faster than persuasion ever could. The logic is brutally simple: survival first, principle later. Or never.

    This atmosphere makes law itself feel provisional. Nowhere is this clearer than in the arguments surrounding taxation. The tax reform laws scheduled to take effect at the beginning of 2026 have exposed a deeper crisis than statutory interpretation. Civil society groups question process as lawmakers dispute texts. The Presidency distances itself even as the chair of the tax reform committee offers clarification. Each political actor attempts to anchor/project authority, yet the real issue lies elsewhere.

    Trust is scarce in the Nigerian clime, hence, the process requires moral substance beyond procedural detail. When citizens suspect that laws can shape-shift between passage and publication, obedience erodes irredeemably. Taxation, more than any other policy, depends on belief, but while the state may compel payment, it cannot compel consent. Thus, compliance may congeal to resentment and even, sabotage, as distrust persists. This is the terrain 2026 inherits.

    Through it all, the economy splays into the year bearing bruises. Subsidy removal, currency volatility, and inflation have morphed from economic shocks to social conditions. Small businesses have collapsed and those that haven’t remain locked in an intense struggle against doomsday contingence. As households learn resilience in the face of militating odds, the government’s mantra of hope remains disciplined and insistent. Yet, the citizens adamantly ask: where is the relief?

    The figures are sobering. The proposed 2026 federal budget stands at roughly N58.18 trillion, ambitious in scale yet constricted by obligation. Debt servicing alone consumes N15.52 trillion. The deficit, projected at about 4.28 percent of GDP, bellows a familiar truth: the state dreams loudly while interest waits patiently. Nigeria’s public debt, reported at N152.4 trillion by mid-2025, shadows every promise made at the podium.

    A vast federal budget, heavy debt service obligations, and a persistent deficit sketch a portrait of ambition under constraint. Public debt figures requires governments at all levels to demonstrate that borrowing translates into tangible improvement. As the pressures of reform travel downward, impacting citizens already stretched thin, anger will not stem solely from hardship. Nigerians have endured difficulty before, what stings is asymmetry: sacrifice preached downward the economic totem pole, while insulation persists above. Calls for citizenry endurance must be matched by ruling class restraint. Evidence of transparent accounting and governance will matter more than rhetoric.

    Yet electoral pressure will accelerate action: 2026 will witness a surge of visible projects. Roads will multiply, power interventions will be announced, the security architecture will expand even as agricultural programmes reappear. But while some initiatives will reflect genuine intent, others will manifest as hurried legacies dressed for inspection.

    For business and investment, activity will persist despite macroeconomic stress. Agriculture will draw attention, driven by food insecurity’s political and economic weight. Agro-processing and value-chain infrastructure will beckon capital. Technology will continue its ascent, powered by a youth economy impatient with inefficiency. Fintech, digital services, and innovation hubs will expand where regulation allows scale. Energy will remain central as renewables, mini-grids, and embedded generation attract focus, responding to a power supply that taxes every enterprise. Still, opportunity will coexist with hazard. Policy inconsistency, regulatory surprises, insecurity, and permit politics will test resilience while agility rivals capital as a survival skill.

    Read Also: Oyetola, Basiru, APC leaders, group plot winning strategy for 2026 Osun guber seat

    This year, global currents will reshape domestic stakes. As the competition for critical minerals intensifies, supply chains will reorganise under protectionist pressure. For Nigeria, endowed with resources yet scarred by extractive history, the moment intones dual potential: local value addition could open doors to jobs and industrial depth. Transparent licensing and processing capacity could also shift the country’s role in global supply chains. Beyond the signalling of reform and intent to revolutionise the sector, the measure of success will lie in due process and credible institutions. Systems that resist corruption and reward patience will determine whether 2026 marks an industrial pivot or another chapter of export bereft of development.

    Security, too, enters the year wearing a harder face and heavier boots. The 2026 budget assigns N5.41 trillion to defence and internal security—the largest single allocation to any sector—thus signalling more proactive and aggressive security measures. A new model of surveillance and consolidation of military operations: unified command, and intelligence-led operations, may trigger a decisive shift in the extermination of bandits, terrorists, militias, and armed separatists. Such a measure could also ignite a reclassification of such non-state actors into a single category—terrorists—stripped of romantic euphemism.

    As President Tinubu’s administration emphasises a new culture of digital sovereignty, AI-assisted intelligence, nationwide digital forensics laboratories, and cyber defences built around financial and energy infrastructure, it must assert legitimacy at the grassroots through the Renewed Hope Ward Development Plan, an attempt to seed community intelligence across 8,809 wards.

    Yet money and digitised architecture may not adequately resolve geographic threats, if the northwest and northcentral regions remain porous, letting bandits and kidnappers exploit roam free. This may manifest more severely as humanitarian agencies warn of disruption of farming cycles at the peak of May season.

    Baring more decisive military operations, the northeast may further herald terrorist persistence in the blind spots of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa; the southeast may simmer with separatist terror that flares unpredictably, despite official claims of gradual normalisation. The Niger Delta hums with the threat of sabotage as militancy and electoral bargaining converge around pipelines and protection contracts. Nigeria remains ranked high on the Global Terrorism Index, travel advisories urge caution, as Sahelian disorder seep toward the country’s weakened borders.

    Over all, these tarnish projections for 2027, a season analysts fear could loosen restraint and invite politically induced instability, even as non-physical threats like cyber fraud and sabotage of financial systems rise in sophistication. The state chooses scale and technology as its answer, but the year will test whether intelligence can outrun distrust, and security, pursued ambitiously, can still be felt in ordinary lives.

    Yet 2026 will not manifest only through anxiety. It also arrives swathed in spectacle and rhythm. Nigeria’s story has never been told by power alone. It has always been completed elsewhere: on dance floors, in recording studios, inside stadiums, and across glowing phone screens held by young hands that refuse to be “handled.” If politics triggers tension, culture will provide the counterpoint.

    Nigeria’s entertainment industry enters 2026 quite confidently. According to PwC, the country’s entertainment and media sector, valued at about $9 billion, is projected to reach $13.6 billion by 2028, making it the fastest-growing in Africa. This growth outpaces global averages and places Nigeria ahead of peers like Kenya, projected at $4.8 billion, and narrows the gap with South Africa’s more mature market.

    The drivers are visible everywhere: social media amplifies culture and monetises it, and internet advertising revenue, alone, is expected to double reflecting 2023-2028 estimates. Afrobeats and Nollywood will continue their outward spiral, reaching audiences that once seemed unreachable as culture becomes Nigeria’s most persuasive diplomat.

    Indeed, entertainment is no longer a side conversation, it has become a serious economy and technology deepens the transformation: artificial intelligence transforms production as 5G reconstitutes space for cloud gaming, immersive streaming, and new storytelling forms. Infrastructure gaps persist yet the direction is unmistakable.

    Sport, however, tells a more complicated story as Nigeria enters 2026 nursing disappointment. The Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup—following a loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in late 2025—resonates jarringly among football fans, even as local sports authorities petition FIFA over DRC’s fielding of ineligible players thus seeking participation through the back door. Symbolically, absence from the world’s biggest stage unsettles a nation that has long prided itself on its football prowess—not minding losses in prize money, global acclaim, and commercial revenue.

    The Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco yet awaits, with Super Eagles preparing for the knockout rounds under pressure to the redeem the narrative. The Super Falcons equally look to reenact their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations championship with storied vigour. Domestically, attention turns inward as the federal government proposes a N78 billion spending for sports development, the largest capital allocation in years.

    Thus, Nigeria enters 2026 with its options intact. The country can refine systems while leaving human experience peripheral. It can also dignify policies with empathy and so doing earn the citizenry’s enduring goodwill and trust.

    In the end, this year will serve as an audition. Every nation approaching an election year lives through a rehearsal. For Nigeria, that rehearsal is called 2026.

  • 2026: Year of realignments, defining political battles

    2026: Year of realignments, defining political battles

    The eyes of the world are on Nigeria as the Africa’s most populous country warms up for 2027 electioneering. Political parties are preparing for congresses and conventions. Aspirants are returning to the drawing board. The National Assembly is amending the 1999 Constitution and reworking the Electoral Act. Deputy Editor, Emmanuel Oladesu, examines the power players, events and factors that will shape politics this year.

    Political conflicts, expectedly, would characterise most parts of the year, being the period of nominations for the general election and a critical year preceding another handover. The contestation would cut across parties, tiers of government, districts, and constituencies.

    Politicians would return to the drawing board to perfect strategies for scheming, horse trading and compromises. Intra-party rifts over shadow polls and inter-party crisis arising from hot competition and campaigns for power may unleash tension on the polity. There would, as usual, be resort to media war and propaganda.

    Attention may wholly shift from governance to politicking. Resignations from the federal cabinet and state executive councils, party congresses, zoning or rotational agitations, and partisan endorsements would serve as a prelude to the titanic battle of choice, change or affirmation of leadership.

    POWER PLAYERS

    Bola Ahmed Tinubu

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is on the hot seat. But he is determined to make Nigeria work. He is living up to expectation by fulfilling many of his campaign promises. But, much still needs to be accomplished.

    According to observers, he faces three challenges as he prepares for the third anniversary of his administration. These are economy, security and his quest for deserving continuity, which would gear up his rivals in other parties for determined or feeble resistance.

    From major indications, the economy is stabilising, thanks to bold socio-economic reforms. But there are still complaints that macro-economic stability without corresponding improvement in the quality of life of the citizenry does not inspire hope. Government has reported a revenue surge, following the blockage of loopholes in the oil sector and the strengthening of revenue generating agencies.

    On this front, the much-heralded tax reforms would come under further scrutiny. Last closed to controversy over the legislations following claims that what was gazetted was different from what the National Assembly passed. President Tinubu and his team insisted that this wasn’t the case and pressed on despite the spirited efforts of opposition figures to delegitimise the reforms. The world would be watching to see if the new legislations help the government achieve its pre-stated goals.

    Economic experts have advised that the money should be channelled into productive activities and promotion of public welfare, particularly by the sub-national units. Improvement should reflect in job creation, infrastructural development, revival of the manufacturing sector, stable electricity, consistent investment flow, and conducive environment for business growth.

    Security, as from this year, would be a major campaign issue. It is gratifying that apart from the military assistance and collaboration with the Unites States military, the Nigerian Armed Forces have doubled their efforts to rid the country of terror. Major breakthroughs are being recorded.

    Many of the security challenges, as argued by observers, may be politically motivated. Despite the improvement much still needs to be accomplished, and with speed.

    Nigerians expect the actualisation of state or multi-layer policing through constitutional amendment by the National Assembly. The lawmakers – many of who cannot even go to their towns, constituencies and districts out of fear of banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violence – should take up the challenge of constitution review with patriotism and passion in the new year.

    Eyes will also be on the highly rated Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, to justify the huge confidence reposed in him by Nigerians across the six zones. He has been pulled back from retirement to take up the patriotic duty of liberating the North from terror and banditry. With the right military tactics, strategies, personnel, equipment and cooperation of all stakeholders, he should be able to make a difference, and without controversy over real or imagined ransom payment.

    There is no doubt that President Tinubu’s re-election prospects would be significantly boosted by any success he is able to achieve in the war against insecurity. Aside collaboration with foreign powers, there is also effort being made to procure more armaments for the armed forces. Hopefully, these efforts would change narrative for the better in large parts of Northern Nigeria.

    In his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu, who has been endorsed for a second term, may be warming up for a coronation as candidate during the presidential convention. But the endorsement by the majority does not prevent interested stalwarts from throwing their hats into the ring. The only difference between APC and other parties is that presidential nomination squabble or tension in the ruling party would be so minimal while the opposition parties may still have to contend with peculiar internal contradictions, division and other inevitable partisan hurdles.

    As a politician and active player, the president’s attention may be distracted by power play and scheming that’s bound to dominate 2026 as the country builds up to next year’s general election.

    Atiku Abubakar and ADC

    At almost 80, the lion is still roaring, but there is no prey in sight to devour. For the old political warhorse, 2026 is critical to a long standing ambition to rule Nigeria, an aspiration he developed 33 years ago.

    On six occasions – 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023, the crown eluded him, owing to a combination of factors, including wrong timing, bad strategy, impatience, miscalculation, inconsistency, zoning and diminishing public affection for his brand. This has cast doubt on his pedigree as a learner at the feet of the great Tafida Katsina, General Shehu Yar’Adua, founder of Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).

    Yet, Atiku can only be ignored to the peril of his opponents in contemporary Nigerian politics. The former vice president came second in the 2023 elections with over seven million votes. He is undaunted and fired by courage. But his platform is now somehow defective, less formidable and fast regressing into a status of mere social club of old Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) comrades.

    His exit from PDP, which he co-founded in 1998/99, to the little known African Democratic Congress (ADC), which affirmed the split in the PDP, was a turning point in his political career.  No governor defected along with him; not even the governor of his native Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri.

    ADC is not waxing stronger, despite the bravado and boastings by the gerontocrats around Atiku, who have lost effective mobilisation prowess in their states. It is not breaking new grounds; it is not making in-roads into the South, Northwest and North-Central.

    Also, the proposed coalition has not seen the light of the day. There is deep-seated friction among the coalition partners neck-deep in discussions on the platform of fragile parties.

    Why the coalition is troubled is that those around the former VP convey the impression that there is a predetermined agenda to make Atiku its presidential candidate. 

    The activities of the party are not held at its secretariat. ADC holds court in the Atiku campaign office in Abuja.

    Zoning is not an issue, and whether there should be power rotation between the North and South is not the concern of those now taking refuge in ADC. If the presidential bid of Atiku collapses, the party goes with it.

    In short, the coalition or alliance isn’t gathering traction because there was no agreement on its leadership structure, philosophy, focus, and candidate. Its goal of removing Tinubu as president is restrictive. There is even quarrel among Southwest, Southeast and South-South members about the choice of presidential running mate ahead of the convention.

    Where is the coalition curator, Nasir El-Rufai, in all these coalition drive? How effective is regional bullying? Who are the new faces being attracted into the so-called movement? Why are governors, ex-governors and National Assembly members shunning the platform and gravitating to APC?

    Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, who has been part of the coalition talks, has finally joined ADC. Not all the chieftains of the crisis-ridden Labour Party (LP) defected along with him. Governor Alex Otti said he preferred to broker peace in the party instead of jumping ship.

    Details of the agreement that motivated him to join the party are unknown. For now, the only implication of his defection is that the 2027 contest may be a three-horse race involving majorly President Tinubu of the ruling APC, and the candidates of PDP and ADC.

    Read Also: 2026: Achudume calls for integrity, accountability

    Peter Obi

    Peter Obi, symbol of the ‘Obedient Movement,’ is intensifying consultations on his presidential ambition, which collapsed in 2023, despite his over six million votes.

    Factors that aided him then were ethnicity and religion, which were exploited to devastating effects. A serial defector, Obi would have defected to the ADC before now, but the potential offer of running mate to Atiku was not encouraging to his group, which hibernated in the crisis-ridden LP. It is confounding that a politician who cannot resolve the LP logjam and unite the Julius Abure and Nenadi-Usman factions is vying for president of the most populous and heterogeneous country in Africa.

    Unless Atiku declines to contest, which is a remote possibility, Obi’s best bet is LP, despite the polarisation and diminishing appeal of a third force. But his ditching the platform for ADC suggests that he no longer sees it as a viable vehicle to actualise his ambition.

    If Atiku contests, it may seal Obi’s chances of getting the ticket. There are strong suggestions that he may have settled for the lesser option of running as Atiku’s number two. That prospect is likely to polarise his base. Already, the likes of Professor Pat Utomi have vowed to withdraw support if the former Anambra governor accepts the undercard option.

    Obi is a critic without facts, a champion of geographical expression, a beneficiary of politico-religious manipulation and an inconsistent contestant – always eager to lean on a borrowed platform, but lacking the leadership skills required for party nurturing, crisis-resolution, reconciliation, cohesion and harmony.

    Still, he remains visible by the grace of his internet warriors who may not be able to convert propaganda to votes. How he will upstage Atiku in ADC is left to be seen.

    Rabiu Kwankwaso

    A lone ranger, the eminent politician remains an idol in Kano, where his party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), holds sway.

    But recently his Kwakwanshiya group has been decimated. APC leaders, including Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau and former national chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, are working hard to pull the rug from off his feet. Some observers, however, don’t believe that this onslaught heralds Kwakwanso’s displacement as a factor in Kano.

    Also, the lone NNPP governor of Kano, Abba Yusuf, has opened talks with the APC on possible defection. Throughout the last week events leading to his decamping have been building up. Matters came to a head with a Kano State High Court court affirming the suspension of Kwankwaso ally, Hashimu Suleiman-Dungurawa, as Kano NNPP state chairman.

    In his place Hon. Abdullahi Zubairu Abiya, favoured by those loyal to Governor Yusuf, was confirmed Acting State Chairman. In reaction the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party dissolved ward, Local Government and state executive committees across the state. All these underscore the cracks in the party.

    APC and ADC are making gestures to the NNPP leader for collaboration. So far, there has been no convincing response. But predictably, Kwankwaso will not be off the radar during the electioneering.

    The PDP factions

    The PDP is currently down. Its two factions, led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN) and Nyesom Wike/Sam Anyanwu, are in court waging a supremacy war. The gladiators in rival camps are flexing muscles.

    The main opposition party has been in turmoil since the 2022 presidential convention. Its leadership has been a subject of dispute. But with four loyal governors – Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo), PDP is still stronger than the Alliance for Democracy (AD) of old which went with the wind of the Afenifere crisis. Makinde is said to be eyeing its presidential ticket.

    The outcome of the litigation over the party leadership will show the way forward for the PDP ahead of the electioneering. The prospects don’t look good. The Bala Mohammed-Makinde wing of party defied two clear judgments to hold its Ibadan convention which threw up the disputed Turaki leadership.

    That legal roadblock recently forced the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to expressly state it doesn’t recognise the outcome of the convention held in the Oyo State capital.

    Those legal woes are also blamed for the mass defection of the party’s governors to APC in recent times out of fear that they may not have a platform to prosecute their re-election.

    Most observers argue that unless calmer heads within the party are able to unite all stakeholders around the caretaker leadership proposal, PDP would still be in legal coma when voters go to the polls in March next year.

    Nyesom Wike and the Rivers factors

    Love him or hate him, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has become a political factor no one can ignore. His bitter fight with Atiku over the 2023 PDP presidential ticket snowballed into the mutually assured destruction that has brought the main opposition party to its knees. While the former fled to a platform where his word would be law, Wike remains in PDP fighting a rearguard battle for control.

    Having fallen out with the Atiku wing of the party, the former Rivers State governor’s embrace of Tinubu’s presidential was a masterstroke that delivered his state’s strategic votes to APC. Ever since, the incumbent president has held him close – no doubt aware of his political value.

    This year would see the political collaboration between the two men continue despite the differences Wike has with his erstwhile godson, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

    The minister is currently executing an interesting political manoeuvre that sees him exercising influence in Rivers APC and PDP. He openly declared last month that the structures of the two parties had coalesced into one to further the reelection bid of President Tinubu.

    It’s a different matter entirely when it comes to Fubara’s second term ambition. Despite the governor’s defection to the APC, many observers say a scenario similar to that which played out in Lagos State, where former Governor Akinwumi Ambode was denied a return ticket, could play out in Rivers. In fact, the peace deal which Fubara signed to secure calm in his domain may well be the noose currently hanging around his neck.

    But more than anything, his relationship with Wike is clearly irretrievably broken. So, in the coming months, expect more war songs and jibes like ‘Dey your dey, make I dey my dey,’ ‘As e dey pain dem, e dey sweet us’, followed by the most comic of dance steps. Rivers State politics is set to serve up the most entertaining drama in the run up to 2027.

    INEC, by-elections and reforms

    The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Ojo Amupitan (SAN), would have an opportunity to prove his mettle as an umpire.

    He has two senatorial by-elections to conduct in Ondo South, where Senator Jimoh Ibrahim is vacating his seat to take up an ambassadorial appointment, and Delta North, where a vacancy now exists, following the death of  Senator Peter Nwaoboshi.

    Then, Ekiti and Osun governorship polls will follow. What Nigerians expect from Amupitan is the sustenance of the reforms initiated by his precedessor, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, in his bid to foster transparency and accountability. The greatest expectation is the electronic uploading, display and transmission of results.

    INEC will be rightly guided by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act.

    Currently, 18 political parties are on its register. In September last year, 14 associations that applied for registration were shortlisted for vetting. The commission would have to take a final decision on their qualification for registration.

    A source said some prominent northerners are behind one of the associations. They look forward to the registration which will provide an opportunity for a platform outside PDP, ADC, NNPP and LP to challenge the ruling APC in 2027.

    INEC will commence the implementation of the electioneering schedule through its observation of the party congresses and convention. APC is likely to hold its national convention in March.

    Ekiti election

    Ekiti is warming up for an off-season governorship election. The candidate to beat is Governor Biodun Oyebanji of APC, who is seeking re-election. The poll would be a referendum on his performance as governor. While Oyebanji would be highlighting his achievements during the campaigns, other flagbearers – Ambassador Dare Bejide of ADC and Dr. Wole Oluyede of PDP – would be soliciting for votes based on their campaign promises.

    Oluyede’s prospects are, however, uncerstain given that his name was missing from the provisional list of candidates released by INEC. It was a fallout of the PDP leadership crisis. INEC has refused to recognise the two factions locked in supremacy battle.

    There are 16 local governments in Ekiti. They are run by APC chieftains. The members of the House of Assembly and Representatives, and three senators also belong to the ruling party.

    Apart from the four predecessors – Niyi Adebayo, Ayo Fayose, Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi – who are rooting for Oyebanji, many prominent indigenes, traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth groups have endorsed him for a second term.

    But there are also those against him in the party over the outcome of the primary that produced him as standard bearer. These are the supporters of Kayode Ojo, an engineer from Ikoro-Ekiti and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Pro-chancellor, who are not happy about his disqualification, based on party guidelines.

    Without them, Oyebanji will win. But the onus is on the party leadership to reconcile the aggrieved elements with the fold. However, no election can be a walk over. Over-confidence should be avoided. The ruling party cannot afford to sleep on guard.

    Certain elements in Ekiti are peddling falsehood about zoning. This is not a factor in the state. The state was divided into three senatorial districts for political expediency. From the days of Pelupelu, Ekiti has been one indivisible zone.

    Osun poll

    This exercise will generate excitment in the Southwest and beyond. Three candidates – Dancing Governor Ademola Adeleke of Accord Party (AP), Bola Oyebamiji of APC and Najeem Salam of ADC will clash during in a titanic battle for the soul of the State of Living Springs.

    The three of them once belonged to APC. Adeleke, son of Senator Ayoola Adeleke, is younger brother of the grassroots politician, Senator Isiaka Serubawon Adeleke. He succeeded him in the Senate after his demise.

    Oyebamiji was a commissioner under former Governor Gboyega Oyetola when Salam was Speaker of the House of Assembly.

    Zoning is a settled matter. The trio are from Osun West Senatorial District to which the tickets were unofficially zoned. Their running mates, who would be announced soon, would come from either Osun Central or Ife/Ijesa axis.

    Adeleke, a populist governor and entertainer, was running from pillar to post after his original party, PDP, ran into trouble. Although a loyal party member, he had to defect to Accord to avoid uncertainties. The elite of Osun believe that his performing is not impressive. But he is popular among the masses who love his unconventional ways.

    Adeleke will lean on the wealth of his illustrious family and the support of the distressed PDP chapter during the poll. The three PDP senators have vowed to support the President’s second term ambition. They are likely to extend the same gesture to the APC governorship candidate.

    The governor has promised to mobilise for President Tinubu’s re-election. But the president’s party is at loggerheads with him. He faces a dilemma.

    The most experienced and prepared candidate is Oyebamiji, former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Lokoja. The people of Osun take him serious because he has no baggage. He is competent, resourceful and highly knowledgeable about state finance and financial engineering. However, there is need for deeper reconciliation to halt post-primary crisis arising from the consensus option. While real opponents pose threats, internal opposition can undermine strategies for victory.

    ADC is seriously mobilising in Osun. The mobilisation has kept the national secretary, Chief Rauf Aregbesola, busy. But, there is a crack in the chapter. The supporters of Moshood Adeoti were dazed that the leader could dump the deputy leader for the former Speaker.

    Analysts have predicted a stiff contest in Osun as former colleagues in the same party clash because of political differences.

    All in all, 2026 promises to be an exciting year where some individuals would rise politically and others would consolidate their positions. But it could also presage the retirement of some old warhorses who have dominated the power space in the last three to four decades.  

  • National Security: Prospects and challenges

    National Security: Prospects and challenges

    As Nigeria moves toward 2026, its national security environment is under sustained pressure from multiple, overlapping threats. Terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, separatist violence and election-related risks now cut across regions, stretching the capacity of the state and testing the resilience of its security institutions.
    The challenge is no longer defined solely by firepower. Criminal and extremist networks increasingly overlap, forests and cyberspace have become active security frontiers, and public expectations for both safety and accountability continue to rise. In response, Nigeria’s security strategy is being forced to evolve toward intelligence-led operations, deeper inter-agency coordination and preventive action.
    Against this backdrop, 2026 emerges as a critical test for the country’s security architecture, the military, intelligence services and the police, whose collective performance will shape national stability in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections. NICHOLAS KALU, MUSA UMAR BOLOGI AND GBENGA OMOKHUNU report:

    DSS under Ajayi — Quiet reforms, hard choices and the 2026 test

    As Nigeria confronts one of its most complex internal security environments in more than a decade, the Department of State Services (DSS) has operated largely outside public glare, yet remains central to whether the country stabilises or slips deeper into cycles of violence. Under its current Director-General, Mr. Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, the Service has embarked on a cautious but notable recalibration, one that prioritises intelligence discipline, inter-agency synergy and institutional restraint.

    With 2026 approaching as a politically sensitive and security-heavy year, the DSS stands at a defining moment: to consolidate recent gains or be overwhelmed by rising expectations.

    Ajayi assumed office in August 2024, at a time when confidence in Nigeria’s intelligence architecture had been shaken. His emergence marked a deliberate shift away from confrontation-driven internal security management toward a more methodical intelligence-first posture.

    One of the earliest indicators of this shift was the DSS’s compliance with court orders on prolonged detentions. In 2025, the Service quietly released several individuals previously held without trial and paid court-mandated compensations in cases of unlawful detention. These actions, acknowledged by senior legal stakeholders, helped to de-escalate long-running tensions between the DSS, the judiciary and civil society.

    Though not dramatic in operational terms, these steps restored a measure of institutional credibility and reduced legal distractions that had historically drained the Service’s focus.

    Operational achievements beneath the surface

    Operationally, the DSS under Ajayi has focused less on publicity and more on intelligence coordination. This approach became evident in high-value counter-terrorism outcomes recorded in 2025, particularly the arrest of senior Ansaru terrorist leaders Abu Baraa and Mahmuda, figures linked to the Kuje correctional facility attack and multiple high-profile abductions in the North-West and North-Central regions.

    According to the Office of the National Security Adviser, the arrests followed months of layered intelligence work involving surveillance, human intelligence and technical tracking, signalling a maturation of intelligence fusion involving the DSS, military intelligence and other agencies.

    A key policy turning point came late in 2025 when President Bola Tinubu directed the DSS to deploy trained forest guards nationwide, tasking them with flushing out terrorists and bandits exploiting Nigeria’s vast forest corridors.

    The directive placed the DSS at the centre of a new territorial intelligence strategy, one that recognises forests not just as military theatres but as intelligence ecosystems requiring sustained presence, local sources and long-term monitoring. For Ajayi, the challenge has been translating training into operational effectiveness without over-militarising intelligence roles.

    Challenges moving into 2026

    The DSS faces formidable challenges in 2026 which include expanding threat geography, with terrorism, banditry and separatist violence no longer confined to predictable regions, intelligence saturation, as multiple threats compete for limited analytical and operational resources, election-related risks, with the 2027 general elections approaching, heightening the risk of politically motivated violence, sabotage and foreign interference, and public expectation gaps, as Nigerians increasingly demand visible security outcomes from institutions designed to operate invisibly

    Looking ahead, several trends are likely to define the DSS under Ajayi in 2026:

    Intelligence before force

    The DSS is expected to deepen its emphasis on preventive intelligence, prioritising disruption of plots before they manifest into attacks. This includes tighter monitoring of extremist financing, online radicalisation and cross-border movements.

    Technology-driven intelligence

    With increased budgetary allocation to the security sector, the DSS is projected to expand investments in signals intelligence, cyber-monitoring and data analytics, enhancing early-warning capacity.

    Deeper inter-agency fusion

    Successful joint operations in 2025 are likely to encourage more structured intelligence-sharing platforms between the DSS, the military, the Police and ONSA, reducing duplication and rivalry.

    Election security role

    Without direct visibility, the DSS will play a critical background role in election security, identifying flashpoints, monitoring political violence triggers and advising preventive deployments.

    Rights-sensitive operations

    Ajayi’s early corrective steps suggest the Service will continue balancing security enforcement with legal compliance, aware that legitimacy strengthens intelligence cooperation at community levels.

    Conclusion

    Under Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, the DSS has begun a careful transformation, away from institutional defensiveness toward disciplined intelligence leadership. While the Service remains constrained by secrecy and structural limits, its recent achievements in counter-terrorism coordination, legal compliance and strategic restraint suggest a more mature internal security posture.

    In 2026, the DSS will be judged not by visibility, but by absence, the attacks that do not happen, the crises quietly defused, and the intelligence failures avoided. Whether Ajayi’s reforms endure under mounting pressure will determine the Service’s true contribution to Nigeria’s national security in the year ahead.

    From insurgency to banditry: Nigeria’s Armed Forces stretched across multiple fronts

    Nigeria’s security landscape became increasingly tense towards the end of 2025, as the armed forces found themselves severely overstretched, waging simultaneous battles against a resurgence of terrorism and criminal violence. The military has continued to confront Boko Haram and its splinter groups—the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād (JAS)—in the North East, alongside persistent banditry and kidnappings in the North West, violent herder attacks across the North Central region, and secessionist agitation in the South East.

    The intensity of the threats spread to North Central states such as Kwara, which had hitherto been largely spared since the escalation of insecurity following the emergence of Boko Haram in the North East in 2009; by the tail end of the year, the deteriorating situation was underscored by the abduction and killing of several people, kidnapping of more than 400 students/pupils, teachers, and other citizens in November alone.

    Read Also: Lagos security model standard for sub-national security architecture — APC

    At least 230 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted from a Catholic boarding school in Niger State, 24 girls from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Kebbi State, 34 worshippers from a church in Kwara State, a bride, bridesmaids and several others in Chacho village, Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

    In addition, several innocent civilians were killed by terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers across the North-East, North-West, and North-Central regions. The deteriorating situation became so precarious that President Bola Tinubu was compelled to declare a state of emergency on security. By this declaration, the President directed the Police, Department of State Service (DSS), and the Nigerian Army to recruit more personnel to boost their manpower. He also directed the DSS  to immediately deploy all the forest guards already trained “to flush out the terrorists and bandits lurking in our forests”, declaring that “there will be no more hiding places for agents of evil.”

    The President’s directive put the Armed Forces on high alert, prompting a reorganisation of the command structure through the appointment of new operational commanders and the intensification of operations to crush terrorists and kidnappers, while ensuring the release of abducted victims, including all the 230 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted from a Catholic boarding school in Niger State, 24 girls from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Kebbi State, and 34 worshippers from a church in Kwara State.

    Economic hope, insecurity fears

    At a time when the Tinubu administration was recording economic stability in early 2025, insecurity was on the rise. According to the Nigeria Development Update (NDU) released by the World Bank in October 2025, Nigeria’s economy expanded by 3.9 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2025, up from 3.5 per cent in the same period of 2024. However, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reported that the humanitarian situation in North-East Nigeria continued to deteriorate in April 2025 due to escalating conflict and rising insecurity.

    Military responses

    Despite the setbacks, the Nigerian military also recorded successes against armed groups across the theaters of operations.

    In October, the Defence Headquarters stated that in September 2025, troops rescued 180 kidnapped civilians, arrested 450 terrorists/bandits and killed scores of terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements. It also said that 39 terrorists surrendered to the troops, while 63 assorted arms, 4,475 ammunition and 294 explosive items such as grenades and IED marking materials were recovered.

    The Nigerian military has also confirmed that several terrorists were killed by Nigerian Air Force fighter aircraft along the Triangle, Triangle in Borno and Yobe states.

    In the South East, the military confirmed the killing of IPOB/ESN commanders, including Ifeanyi Okorienta, also known as Gentle de Yahoo, who had terrorised the region for years.

    And just recently, the United States, with the approval of the Nigerian government, launched  “powerful and deadly” strikes against groups affiliated with ISIL (ISIS), in the North West.

    Towards a more secured 2026

     President Bola Tinubu has promised a more secure country in 2026. This followed his presentation of the 2026 budget to the National Assembly, where he earmarked a massive N5.41 trillion to the defence, and security sector.

    The money would be spent, according to him, to increase the fighting capacity of the armed forces and other security agencies through improved personnel strength and the acquisition of advanced platforms and hardware.

    Short of men, stretched by Crime: Nigeria Police seek reset in 2026

    In 2026, Egbetokun’s leadership of the Nigeria Police Force will continue to face significant challenges related to funding, managing complex security threats, and institutional reforms; simultaneously, key prospects lie in leveraging community policing strategies, modernization efforts, and enhanced regional cooperation.

    The police this year (2026) face significant challenges in national security, including evolving cyber threats, organized crime fueled by drug and arms trafficking, and strained resources and public trust. Equally, crucial prospects lie in leveraging new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics, enhancing inter-agency and international cooperation, and strengthening community policing initiatives to improve intelligence gathering and public relations.

    The force will contend with a rise in sophisticated, technology-driven crimes, including AI-driven cyberattacks, deepfakes used for disinformation and fraud, and the increasing convergence of illicit drugs and small arms trafficking fueling organized crime and extremism.

    Findings revealed that the police face a “brain drain” of experienced officers through retirement and attrition, and the struggle to recruit new personnel amid a challenging social climate.

    The development limits operational readiness and the ability to respond effectively to new demands of insecurity. This and many more issues has made President Bola Tinubu to order the recruitment of more personnel to tackle the insecurity challenges across the country, especially in the northern part.

    There’s a growing emphasis on creating specialized platforms for real-time, actionable threat intelligence sharing among different security agencies and international partners to combat transnational threats like cybercrime and terrorism.

    The focus on community policing and public engagement strategies is a major prospect for building trust, gathering local intelligence, and fostering a collaborative environment for problem-solving with citizens and partners.

    The crisis in recruitment and retention is forcing a shift toward a more holistic approach focusing on officer wellness, job satisfaction, and a reevaluation of traditional career paths to attract and retain talent. The evolving threat landscape highlights the need for specialized training in areas like cybersecurity, counter-terrorism, and human rights, which presents an opportunity to professionalize the force and improve its legitimacy and effectiveness.

    This year, national security efforts for the police will be defined by a shift toward data-driven policing and managing a persistent workforce crisis. While technological integration offers significant prospects for efficiency, it simultaneously creates new challenges in governance, public trust, and the complexity of modern crime.

    Departments are increasingly adopting unified platforms that break down “data silos,” allowing for seamless information sharing between body-worn cameras, license plate readers, and surveillance systems.

    Findings has also revealed that the use of autonomous units for hazardous tasks, such as bomb disposal or search-and-rescue, is projected to grow, with a global market for law enforcement robots potentially reaching over $4.3 billion by the early 2030s. Virtual and Augmented Reality will become standard for high-stakes training, such as de-escalation techniques and responding to mental health crises, providing a controlled environment for complex scenarios.

    The NPF would also face election pressure, due to the fact that 2026 is preceding the 2027 general elections, the police will be strained by demands to secure polling sites, manage protests, and remain politically neutral in increasingly polarized environments.

    Recall that the Police Service Commission (PSC), in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have commenced the recruitment process of Fifty Thousand (50,000) Police Constables into the Nigeria Police Force, as directed by President Bola Tinubu.

    The Presidential directive is aimed at strengthening community policing, enhancing internal security and expanding the manpower base of the Nigeria Police Force. The recruitment portal for applications from eligible Nigerians has been opened.

    Egbetokun has also sought for proactive policing and collaboration with other security agencies (e.g., the military) and international partners (e.g., AFRIPOL) as well as joint efforts, such as the “G-7” initiative among states to combat cross-border crime.

    Also, the implementation of a revised training curriculum for recruits, covering topics like human rights, computer studies, and the Police Act 2020, aims to enhance professionalism and align with international best practices.

    The police boss recently mandated all commands to implement action plans aimed at a 50% reduction in crime rates which, if successful, will further reduce the pressure faced by the force.  

    The wild north-west is rising into a broad warzone. Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Sokoto are hit hardest by organized bandit gangs. Data gathered show that fatalities in this region exceeded 9,300 in 2023–25. Kidnappings reached 716 incidents. There were 290 incidents in 2024 alone.

    Rival criminal networks now openly terrorize villages: cattle rustling, mass shootings and child abductions are daily reality. In 2025 bandits even struck outside their old haunts – gunmen abducted 303 students in Niger State and 25 girls in Kebbi.

    A new group, Lakurwa, epitomizes the threat: it fuses Islamist extremism with outlaw tactics. These gangs hide in porous forests and demand record ransoms (one Delta family’s kidnappers asked ₦30 billion). The flashpoint is self-sustaining: villagers now pay “levies to NSAGs” (armed groups) just to farm.

    The result is a self-reinforcing insecurity cycle. In 2026, it is expected that these scenarios would be a thing of the past.

  • Group commends Lawal’s security push in Zamfara, rejects calls to revive Yari-Era policies

    Group commends Lawal’s security push in Zamfara, rejects calls to revive Yari-Era policies

    The Arewa Coalition for Peace, Reform and Good Governance (ACPRGG) has commended Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, for what it described as deliberate, courageous and reform-driven efforts to address the state’s deep-rooted security challenges, arguing that the current administration inherited a collapsed security architecture from years of failed leadership.

    In a statement issued on Friday in Kaduna, the group’s president, Alhaji Sadiq Mahmoud, said Governor Lawal deserved support rather than criticism for confronting an insecurity crisis that had been allowed to fester under previous administrations, particularly during the tenure of former governor Abdul’aziz Yari.

    Mahmoud said recent incidents, including the suspected bomb explosion along the Yar’Tasha–Dansadau road in Maru Local Government Area, should be viewed within the broader context of long-standing governance failures that predated the Lawal administration.

    He stressed that the current governor was not responsible for creating Zamfara’s insecurity, describing the situation as the result of years of negligence, poor policy decisions and short-sighted strategies that empowered armed groups, weakened state institutions and normalised violence.

    The group dismissed calls for Governor Lawal to revert to security strategies deployed during Yari’s administration, describing those approaches as ineffective and largely responsible for the spread and entrenchment of armed groups across the state’s forests and rural communities.

    Mahmoud said the so-called strategies of the past neither defeated banditry nor protected communities, noting that armed groups expanded, weapons proliferated and residents were left vulnerable to criminal elements. 

    He added that Zamfara’s security crisis did not emerge overnight and did not originate under the current administration.

    Read Also: Zamfara: First Lady gifts 250 senior citizens N200,000 each  

    According to the ACPRGG, Governor Lawal has adopted a more structured and sustainable approach, with an emphasis on intelligence-led operations, collaboration with federal security agencies and rebuilding trust between communities and the state.

    The group noted that the governor has maintained consistent engagement with security chiefs and traditional rulers, while prioritising reforms aimed at addressing the economic and social drivers of violence.

    Mahmoud also defended the governor against criticism over his movements outside the state, arguing that effective security leadership goes beyond physical presence and includes high-level coordination with federal authorities and security institutions.

    He said security governance was about strategy, coordination and long-term planning, adding that Governor Lawal had demonstrated a clear understanding of these principles while working to reverse years of systemic damage.

    The group urged residents to remain patient and vigilant, stressing that resolving a decade-long security crisis would require time, consistency and collective support. It also cautioned against politicising insecurity or promoting narratives that absolve past leaders of responsibility.

    Mahmoud said meaningful progress would be impossible without an honest assessment of past failures, insisting that the insecurity confronting Zamfara today was the outcome of ineffective leadership under previous administrations.

    As investigations continue into the Maru road explosion, the group called for unity, cooperation with security agencies and sustained support for Governor Lawal’s efforts, maintaining that lasting peace can only be achieved through accountable governance and credible reform.

  • Again, police suspend enforcement of vehicle tinted glass permit

    Again, police suspend enforcement of vehicle tinted glass permit

    The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has again suspended the enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit policy across the country.

    The policy was expected to take off today, but the police halted the enforcement pending the determination of a substantive suit before the court.

    The NPF had announced on December 15, last year, that enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit policy would resume nationwide with effect from today as part of measures to enhance public safety and internal security.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) Benjamin Hundeyin, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), reads: “The force was subsequently served with an interim court order issued on December 17, 2025, directing the police to suspend the enforcement of the policy pending the hearing and determination of the suit or until the order is otherwise vacated.

    “In response, the Nigeria Police Force entered an appearance in the matter, filed preliminary objections, and applied for the vacation of the interim order. The court has adjourned the case to January 20, 2026, for further proceedings.

    Read Also: W’Cup 2026: NFF begs Tinubu, Nigerians over  Super Eagles’ setback

    “In strict compliance with the subsisting court order and in line with constitutional provisions, the Nigeria Police Force has placed the enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit policy on hold nationwide until the court reaches a decision.

    “Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to the rule of law while continuing to fulfill its core mandate of protecting lives and property.”

    The IGP assured that the police would continue to adopt lawful and intelligence-driven strategies to tackle security challenges across the country.

    The force also assured members of the public that further updates and clear guidance would be communicated as appropriate following the court’s determination, in the interest of public order and national security.

  • Fubara’s friends, Secondus, Omehia, others regroup, vow to back Tinubu’s re-election bid

    Fubara’s friends, Secondus, Omehia, others regroup, vow to back Tinubu’s re-election bid

    Political associates of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara are back in his camp with a promise to join him in pushing the reelection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

    Fubara announced that prominent former leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and known supporters of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar have resolved to back Tinubu.

    The associates were identified as former PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus; former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Austin Opara; former Rivers State Governor Celestine Omehia and one-time  Transportation Minister Abiye Sekibo.

    Fubara spoke yesterday at the New Year banquet organised by the Rivers State Government at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Port Harcourt.

    He acknowledged the presence of the political figures at the event and emphasised that their decisions had dispelled claims and blackmail that he was aligning with persons working against the interests of the President.

    The governor reaffirmed that he remained unshaken in the face of political challenges, declaring that his trust in God gives him confidence and strength.

    Fubara said it was on the strength of that faith that the purpose of governance in Rivers State would be fully realised.

    He said he was not “barking,” but that he clearly understood the political terrain and had put mechanisms in place to successfully navigate the process and achieve his administration’s objectives.

    The governor added that only those, who lacked understanding, would resort to “barking” when they could not interpret unfolding events.

    The governor declared this year will usher in what he described as “complete liberation” for the state, assuring that all the goals set by his administration would be accomplished.

    Read Also: Fubara to Rivers: ignore renewed sounds of war 

    He expressed confidence that, in the end, those who stood with him would be fulfilled and proud of the decisions they made, walking with their shoulders high.

    Fubara said his administration had endured numerous challenges but emerged stronger, noting that the battles he could not fight had ultimately strengthened his resolve.

    He stressed that he had lost nothing, adding that it was only a matter of time to recover all.

    The governor further assured that his administration would never compel anyone to do what was wrong, maintaining that he harboured no fear, as he believed that at the right time every necessary bridge would be crossed.

    The governor said: “There is no way people will be talking about us when we leave office. In fact books will be written about our administration, what we went through and how we survived.

    “The truth is clear and the secret to our survival is just one thing, those who put their trust in God can never be put to shame. And because they can’t put us to shame the purpose of governance for this dear State will be achieved.”

    “I am happy this evening because seated on the high table there are very distinguished names in our dear state. What we are doing here is just to tell the world that these very distinguished persons here which include Prince Uche Secondus, Rt. Hon. Austin Opara, Sir Celestine Omehia and Alabo Abiye Sekibo have come to join us at this new year banquet to tell the world that you stand with the administration of Sir Siminalayi Fubara.

    “You are seating with us boldly so that the people will know that you are not into corner, corner business, you are standing with Fubara. And because you are standing with Fubara, your support is for Mr. President.

    “So, I want to thank you this evening because you don’t know what you have done. We were being blackmailed in several places because of your political activities and not just because of politics but because of your names.

    “But I am happy this evening that you told me you are going to come and seat with us so that the world will know that you are with us.

    “That you have no affiliation whatsoever with any other group that is against Mr. President. Your choosing to support us is not because of me but to protect Rivers State.

    “Let us not be fooled by whatever it is that is happening. Caeser in one of his quotes said the only reason why the dog barks, is when it doesn’t understand.

    “So, we are not barking because we understand. We know where we are going and we are set for the things that are needed to make the journey smooth.

    “So, let me thank everyone for this special evening and finding time to seat with us to celebrate the year of our Lord, a year of peace, a year that will usher in complete liberation.

    “A year that when we look back, we will tell God yes , what happened is because of what you have and designed for us in the years ahead.

    The governor added: “I want to assure us that governance will continue in its full force. What we have set out to do for our state we will continue with it.

    “We will make sure that by the time we finish everyone who stood with us will be proud, honored and can walk in the street of Port Harcourt with your shoulders high that you took a decision that was right at that time.

    “The journey wasn’t easy in 2025, but we give God all the glory that we survived  and became more stronger. Those things that we couldn’t change or fight taught us lessons and made us strong because we followed it in the best way that every situation should be handled.

    “I am very proud to say we have not lost anything, it is just a matter of time and the speed we can use in this year 2026 to go about our businesses we will gain all the lost grounds.  In return what do we need from you? It is your support and cooperation.

    “We have said it both inside and outside, we won’t ask you to what is not right, but stand on the side of truth wherever you find yourself because at the end it is about you and the decisions you took when it mattered most.

    “We don’t have any fear anywhere. We believe that when the time comes we will cross the bridge. Let me on this note wish everyone a Happy New Year; a year that God will use to complete every uncompleted project in our lives. It is also a year God will dismantle things that may cause problems.”

  • Morocco 2025: Mambas offer fascinating 16th Round fight for Super Eagles

    Morocco 2025: Mambas offer fascinating 16th Round fight for Super Eagles

    The Africa Cup of Nations always finds its true rhythm when the group stage curtain falls and the knockout rounds begin. Morocco 2025 has already delivered drama, goals and shifting narratives but the Round of 16 promises something purer:  battles for survival. With the remaining  16  nations , ambition collides with history and there would be little margin  for errors since any  mistake could be terminal. For Nigeria’s Super Eagles, flawless in the group phase, the test now sharpens against an improving Mozambican side eager to redefine its continental story, write MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN and TUNDE LIADI…

    The 35th  Africa Cup of Nations has reached the stage where reputations no longer matter and margins disappear. From tomorrow, January 3, to Tuesday, January 6, eight Round of 16 fixtures across Morocco will decide who truly belongs in the title conversation. Traditional heavyweights such as Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Cameroun,  South Africa  and Senegal are joined by ambitious challengers and fearless underdogs- all aware that knockout football rewrites form books overnight.

    Two teams emerged from the group stage with perfect records, Nigeria and Algeria, underlining their status as early favourites. Hosts Morocco, despite a less-than-perfect run, remain dangerous with home support behind them, while defending champions Côte d’Ivoire have already shown resilience.

     Yet AFCON history teaches that dominance in groups guarantees nothing once the stakes rise as the Super Eagles  tasted that humble pie  at the 2021 edition in Cameroon  when they were shown the exit by Tunisia in the 16th  Round  despite winning their opening  three group matches in convincing style-including the defeat of Mohammed Salah’s Egypt  who would later rose from their opening loss to reach  the tournament’s final match.   

    But at Morocco 2025, Nigeria will clash with Mozambique for only the sixth time at senior level when both sides meet in one of the Round of 16 fixtures. The encounter, scheduled for 8pm on Monday, January 5, will take place at the 35,000-capacity Complexe Sportif de Fès — a venue that has felt like home for the Super Eagles throughout their Group C campaign.

    On paper, this is a mismatch but in reality, it  would  be a test of maturity and focus for Nigeria as well as  a chance for Mozambique’s Mambas to announce themselves on the biggest stage of African football.

    Nigeria swept through Group C like the harmattan haze  winning all the  three matches against Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda. The Eagles scored eight goals and conceded four, combining attacking fluidity with just enough defensive steel.

    Ademola Lookman and Raphael Onyedika each struck twice, while Semi Ajayi, Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi and Paul Onuachu added their names to the score sheet. The spread of goals has been as reassuring as the results themselves.

    Mozambique’s journey was far less comfortable but arguably more instructive. The Mambas opened with defeat against defending champions Côte d’Ivoire, rebounded with a vital win over Gabon, and then pushed Cameroon to the limit in a narrow 2–1 loss. That three-point haul was enough to secure progression — a historic first qualification to the AFCON Round of 16 for the Southern Africans.

    The head-to-head record heavily favours Nigeria: four wins and one draw from five previous meetings. Their only AFCON clash came in January 2010 in Lubango, Angola, when the Super Eagles ran out 3–0 winners. Nigeria also claimed friendly victories in Maputo in 1999 and Lisbon in 2023, while the sides shared a goalless draw and a dramatic Nigerian win during 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

    Yet AFCON is not a competition built on history alone. Mozambique’s current generation has shown resilience, tactical discipline and a growing belief that they can compete with Africa’s elite. Their willingness to stand toe-to-toe with bigger nations makes Monday’s clash potentially explosive.

    Former African Footballer of the Year, Emmanuel Amuneke have cautioned the Super Eagles to approach their Round of 16 clash against Mozambique at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with focus and respect for the opposition, despite Nigeria’s impressive group-stage campaign.

    Amuneke praised the Super Eagles for their perfect run in the group phase, describing their progress as well deserved.

    “They have done so well. They won their games and they are through to the knockout stage,” Amuneke   who scored  the brace  that helped  Nigeria  to a 2-1  win over Zambia at the 1994 AFCON Final Match, told NationSports.

    But  the former Barcelona winger warned that the real test begins in the knockout rounds: “Every team nurses the ambition of progressing but we must be realistic that knockout games are tricky and different. The Eagles have shown that they are eager to win the AFCON for Nigeria and they need our support. We know that the road is still far and the Eagles must brace up.”

    Reflecting on past tournaments, Amuneke noted that the current AFCON presents fresh challenges and should not be compared too easily with previous editions.

     “The 2021 AFCON is different from the current edition,” he explained.“ Though people will look at previous achievements between both nations, we made it to the final in the last edition and playing up to that extent shows the team has capacity.”

    He warned strongly against complacency, adding: “You cannot go into the game assuming that you have won. The Mozambique team have been making progress for quite some time now. They have been able to have players who are competing at top leagues in Europe. They are not a pushover.”

    Read Also: Nigeria 3-1 Uganda: Three star Super Eagles  complete perfect group campaign

    The 1994 African Footballer of the Year stressed that both teams will be equally motivated to secure victory. “Both teams want to win and the Eagles must take their chances and defend very well,” Amuneke concluded.

    In the same vein, former youth international Taiwo Enegwea said Nigeria’s performance so far has been encouraging, but insisted that the knockout stage demands a higher level of seriousness. “The performance is not bad based on how they began the competition. They were improving with every game,” he said. “It is not an assurance that we shouldn’t get ourselves prepared for the knockout round. The players must be aware that the knockout stage is a different stage entirely and they must play with all seriousness.”

    Enegwea also pointed to the motivation of redemption following Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the last World Cup. “If they are trying to atone for the disappointment of missing the World Cup, they should not only prepare for this one but do the same thing for upcoming games too,” he stated.

    He concluded by urging the Super Eagles to show maximum respect for Mozambique, saying, “Mozambique won’t have qualified for the AFCON if they were not good and again for them to make it to the Round of 16 showed they are good. The Eagles should not underrate Mozambique but play the game as if it would be their last in the competition.”

    Former Super Eagles midfielder, Sani Kaita, has praised Nigeria’s impressive run at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, describing the team’s group-stage performances as dominant ahead of their Round of 16 clash with Mozambique.

     “Firstly, I would like to highlight the performance of the boys so far. We’ve dominated all the three games. Well done to the boys,” Kaita said, hailing the commitment and quality shown by the Super Eagles in the opening phase of the tournament.

    However, the 2013 AFCON winner believes the knockout rounds will present a different challenge, insisting that the real test begins now.

    “The tournament starts now,” he noted, urging the technical crew to tighten up defensively as the margin for error narrows in the second round.

    Kaita specifically pointed to areas that require improvement, especially without the ball. “I hope the coach will work on our defensive responsibilities. As a team, we need to be more compact out of possession,” he said, while also expressing confidence in Nigeria’s attacking strength. “Going forward, we’ve got the quality to beat any team.”

    Turning his attention to Mozambique, Kaita cautioned against complacency, acknowledging the threat posed by the Mambas. “Mozambique is a top team and really aggressive,” he warned, but quickly added his belief in the Super Eagles’ superiority, stressing that Nigeria have enough quality “to beat them or any other opposition team in this tournament.”

    In conclusion, Kaita offered his full backing to the squad as they chase continental glory in Morocco. “We are praying for them to go all the way and win the tournament,” he said, echoing the hopes of millions of Nigerians as the Super Eagles prepare for the decisive phase of AFCON 2025.

    For Nigeria, the challenge will be to marry attacking ambition with defensive concentration. Victor Osimhen’s presence alone demands attention, while Lookman’s movement and Ndidi’s midfield control give the Eagles multiple routes to dominance. However, the concession of four goals in three games suggests there is still room for defensive tightening.

    Mozambique, by contrast, will likely prioritise organisation and transitions. Their success against Gabon and competitiveness against Cameroon were built on compactness and opportunism. If they can frustrate Nigeria early, belief could grow — and AFCON has punished favourites before.

    ROUND OF 16: MATCH-BY-MATCH TRAILER

    Mali vs. Tunisia (Casablanca):  A classic West African versus  North African duel. Mali’s athleticism and direct play meet Tunisia’s tactical discipline and tournament know-how. This could be one of the tightest fixtures of the round.

    Senegal vs. Sudan (Tangier): Senegal enter as favourites with depth and experience, but Sudan’s qualification itself has been a statement. If Senegal underestimate their opponents, this could become uncomfortable.

    Morocco vs. Tanzania (Rabat): The hosts carry expectation and home advantage. Tanzania will aim to stay compact and silence the crowd early, but Morocco’s technical quality should shine if patience is maintained.

    South Africa vs. Cameroon (Rabat): A fascinating clash of styles. South Africa’s structured build-up faces Cameroon’s physicality and tradition. Fine margins will decide this one.

    Egypt vs. Benin Republic (Agadir): Egypt, led by Mohamed Salah, know how to navigate knockout football. Benin’s organisation will be tested against the Pharaohs’ experience and individual brilliance.

    Nigeria vs. Mozambique (Fez): The standout narrative tie. Nigeria’s flawless group form meets Mozambique’s historic ambition. Expect intensity, speed and moments of chaos.

    Algeria vs.  DR Congo (Rabat): Two sides comfortable on the ball. Algeria’s perfect group record makes them favourites, but DR Congo’s physicality and counter-attacking threat loom large.

    Côte d’Ivoire vs. Burkina Faso (Marrakech): A repeat of familiar regional rivalry. Defending champions Côte d’Ivoire face a disciplined Burkina Faso side that rarely beats itself.

  • Hakimi, Salah, Osimhen head star-packed AFCON last-16 cast

    Hakimi, Salah, Osimhen head star-packed AFCON last-16 cast

    A star-studded cast led by Achraf Hakimi, Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen switch to knockout fare from tomorrow , when the Africa Cup of Nations resumes in Morocco.

    Paris Saint-Germain defender Hakimi was crowned 2025 African player of the year in November. Liverpool attacker Salah and Galatasaray striker Osimhen were the runners-up.

    After 36 matches spread across six groups, the 16 survivors from 24 hopefuls clash in eight second-round matches over four days.

    Fit-again Hakimi is set to lead title favourites Morocco against Tanzania, Salah will captain Egypt against Benin and Osimhen-inspired Nigeria tackle Mozambique.

    AFP Sport looks at the match-ups that will determine which nations advance to the quarter-finals, and move one step closer to a record $10 million (8.5 million euros) first prize.

    Senegal vs. Sudan: Veteran Sadio Mane and Paris Saint-Germain’s 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye, in two appearances off the bench, have been amongst the stars as 2022 champions Senegal confirmed why they are amongst the favourites by winning Group D. Sudan, representing a country ravaged by civil war since 2023, reached the second round despite their players failing to score. Their only Group F win, against Equatorial Guinea, came via an own goal.

    Mali vs. Tunisia: “If we carry on playing like this we will not go much further,” warned Belgium-born Mali coach Tom Saintfiet after three Group A draws, although his team did well to hold Morocco. Tunisia were woeful against Nigeria until they trailed by three goals. The Carthage Eagles then scored twice and came close to equalising.

    Morocco vs. Tanzania: A mismatch on paper as Morocco, whose only previous title came 50 years ago, are 101 places above Tanzania in the world rankings. The east Africans ended a 45-year wait to get past the first round thanks to two draws. Morocco boast a potent strike force of Brahim Diaz from Real Madrid and Ayoub El Kaabi of Olympiacos. They have scored three goals each to share the Golden Boot lead with Algerian Riyad Mahrez.

    South Africa vs. Cameroon: South Africa debuted in the AFCON 30 years ago by hammering Cameroon 3-0 in Johannesburg. It should be much closer when they meet a second time with only four places separating them in the world rankings. In pursuit of goals, South Africa will look to Oswin Appollis and Lyle Foster while 19-year-old Christian Kofane struck a stunning match-winner for Cameroon against Mozambique.

    Read Also: CAF set to decide on  AFCON host for  2028, 2032, 2036

    Egypt vs. Benin: Struggling to score for Liverpool this season, Salah has regained his appetite for goals in southern Morocco. He claimed match-winners against Zimbabwe and South Africa as Egypt won Group B. Benin celebrated their first AFCON win 25 years after debuting by edging Botswana. The Cheetahs are a compact, spirited outfit led by veteran striker Steve Mounie, but lack punch up front.

    Nigeria vs. Mozambique: Livewire Osimhen is a huge aerial threat and could have scored hat-tricks against Tanzania and Tunisia in Group C, but managed just one goal. Fellow former African player of the year Ademola Lookman has also impressed. Mozambique lost 3-0 in their previous AFCON meeting with the Super Eagles 16 years ago. It is likely to be tighter this time with striker Geny Catamo posing a threat for the Mambas (snakes).

    Algeria vs. DR Congo: The clash of two former champions is potentially the match of the round. It is the only tie involving two European coaches – Bosnian Vladimir Petkovic and Frenchman Sebastien Desabre. Algeria and Nigeria were the only teams to win all three group matches. Former Manchester City winger Mahrez has been an inspirational captain while scoring three times.

    Cote d’Ivoire  vs. Burkina Faso: This is the only match featuring nations from the same region. Burkina Faso and defending champions Cote d’Ivoire  share a border in west Africa. Manchester United winger Amad Diallo was the only winner of two player-of-the-match awards in the group stage. The Ivorian now faces impressive Burkinabe defenders Edmond Tapsoba and Issoufou Dayo.

  • AFCON 2025: How FC Ebedei became  route to glory  for  Super Eagles’ kingpins

    AFCON 2025: How FC Ebedei became  route to glory  for  Super Eagles’ kingpins

    Barrister  Churchill Oliseh is  certainly one notable Nigerian  football investor that  is watching  the Super Eagles’ run at the  on-going  2025  Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)in Morocco with a great measure of satisfaction.

    Churchill, is the elder brother of Sunday Oliseh, a Nigerian football legend and former Super Eagles’ captain  and  coach. Theirs  is  a unique football family because aside  ‘Skippo’ Sunday,  there is also the duo of Azubuike and Eguatu who were  star professional footballers thanks to the steering  efforts of Churchill at the outset of their careers.

     His foresight and personal football career provided  him  with a wealth of knowledge and a unique vision for the sport which led to the birth of FC Ebedei, one of Nigeria’s premier football academies in 1998.

    Last Tuesday, FC Ebedei celebrated a monumental achievement as its products, Paul Onuachu and Raphael Onyedika, propelled Nigeria to a resounding 3-1 victory over Uganda as the coach Eric Sekou Chelle-led Super Eagles concluded their AFCON 2025 group phase with a perfect record of three wins in as many matches  in Fez .

    But as the story goes,  the  foundation of FC Ebedei  can be traced back to 1993 when Churchill, a legal practitioner and sports investor , began his career in player representation/management.

    Confronted with the declining state of Nigerian football,  the eldest Oliseh recognized the reasons behind Nigerian players’ inability to reach the highest levels of the game or to maintain that success.

    “Many African players viewed football merely as a pastime, a means to showcase flamboyance, and a temporary source of income without the necessity for commitment, training, or professionalism,” he averred. “Moreover, there was no distinctive brand of football that could be identified as uniquely Nigerian, unlike those of Cameroon, Ghana, Brazil, or South Africa.”

    But through  his interactions with European football investors and administrators, Barrister Oliseh came to understand that the most influential role in football development was that of  a club’s  president which  partly led him to the dream of

    According to him,  this position allowed for the propagation and promotion of a specific brand of football and professionalism while influencing the growth of the team, its players and the broader society.

    Read Also: NPFL poor officiating  cost Nigerian referees AFCON  assignments, says Soname

    Currently, FC Ebedei competes in the Nationwide League One (NLO), the third-tier of Nigerian football. Oliseh’s vision for the club was to serve as a feeder team for international clubs.

    Unlike many  domestic clubs  of its genre, FC Ebedei  is not been positioned to  gain promotion to Nigeria’s higher leagues such as the Nigeria National League (NNL)  and the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

     This approach, according  to knowledgeable football  people, helps keep the club’s operational costs at a very  manageable level.

    Oliseh’s primary objective is straightforward: Identify outstanding raw talents, develop those players at FC Ebedei and then promote them to overseas clubs as opportunities arise, primarily in  the Scandinavian countries.

    FC Ebedei  have grown  as an institution  and today , it has  a state of the art secondary school, the Ebedei Sports College sited in Apele-Sagamu, in  Remo Land  which incidentally housed NPFL side, Remo Stars.

    Yet  the Akarigbo of Remo Land, Oba (Dr.) Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, Torungbuwa II, on a recent visit to the Ebedei Sports College, along with others notable personalities including the Onipara of Ipara Remo, Alayeluwa Oba Taiwo Taiwo (Amororo II), was pleasantly  shocked beyond words. 

    “I am amazed by what I have seen  here at the FC Ebedei Stadium and Ebedei Sports College,” a visibly  impressed  Oba Ajayi said. “After the tour, I can say that  there’s no emerging talent that comes here that won’t strive to be the next Sunday Oliseh, Obafemi Martins and the many others that have become world football stars.

    He added: ” I want to also thank the President of FC Ebedei, Barrister Churchill Oliseh for investing in Remo Land.”

    For Barrister Oliseh, FC Ebedei aims to provide hope and a future for its members, followers and the community in general as it has done over the years.

    Without gain saying, few football colleges or academies  in Africa can  match  phenomenal impact FC Ebedei  have  made on  successive  generations of Nigerian  players since the 1990s. Many of the academy’s graduates have reached the global stage and are actively contributing to Nigeria’s national teams.

    Notably, FC Ebedei has established itself as the African feeder team for FC Midtjylland, a club in the Danish Superliga. This partnership has facilitated the transfer of over 200 players from Nigeria to Denmark, Norway, Austria, Belgium and beyond.

    Among these players are Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, as well as Ajilore Oluwafemi, Babajide Collins, Taofeek Salami, Rilwan Hassan, Sylvester Igboun and many others.

    FC Ebedei stands out for being the only football academy/club in Nigeria to have three  of graduates including Paul Onuachu, Frank Onyeka and Raphael Onyedika in the Super Eagles silver medal-winning squad at the last AFCON held in Cote d’Ivoire  and the trio  are also  in the  28-man  squad at the ongoing AFCON in Morocco.

     It’s  also the first club in sub-Saharan Africa to  have one of its players  nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award in Onuachu – an award honouring layers for  outstanding individual goals.

    Additionally, Obafemi Martins was transferred from FC Ebedei to AC Reggiana  en route to Inter Milan, while strikers Akintola Babajide David, Adeshina Lawal and Justice John Erhenede were sent to Vejle BK in Norway and forward Akeem Agbetu transferred to Kolding FC in Denmark.

    Accordingly, FC Ebedei also receives huge support from FC Midtjylland in the form of technical, of training equipment, kits and otherwise, significantly reducing the club’s overhead costs.

    According to Barrister Oliseh, the vision of FC Ebedei is inspired by Jeremiah 29:11, which states, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
    He continued: “The club is dedicated to developing and sustaining a football culture and tradition for Nigeria and Africa. It empowers footballers with values that promote progress, success, family, and the fear of God.

    “ Today, graduates from FC Ebedei annually participate in prestigious tournaments such as the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and the Nigeria Premiership .

    “They have also gone on to play in various leagues across Italy, England, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Romania, Greece, Holland, and Serbia, in addition to thriving in Nigeria.”

    FC Ebedei has  undoubtedly become synonymous with youth, talent and professionalism thanks to the foresight of Barrister Oliseh. 

    As one of Africa’s most respected football academies, FC Ebedei consistently produces top-quality players and it  stands out as one of the best-managed football organizations in Nigeria.

    Personally, Barrister Oliseh’s success stories with Nigerian players are extensive, notably with Super Eagles legends  including Precious Monye, Amir Angwe and James Obiorah. He has equally played a pivotal role in the careers of the quintent of  Sunday Oliseh, Dosu Joseph, Paul Onuachu, Frank Onyeka, and Raphael Onyedika- who are all proud awardees of Members of the Order of the Niger (MON).

    To say that  FC Ebedei has become synonymous  to the pathway of many Nigerian players to stardom is perhaps stating the obvious  but as Barrister Oliseh often say , “You ain’t seeing anything yet.”

  • Chelsea sack Maresca amid poor runs 

    Chelsea sack Maresca amid poor runs 

    Chelsea parted ways with Enzo Maresca on Thursday, a dramatic fall from grace for the Italian who was named manager of the month for November before the club won just one of their last seven league games to fall out of the Premier League title race.

    The Italian, who joined Chelsea in 2024 after steering Leicester City to Premier League promotion, leaves 18 months to the day since he was tasked with reviving the club’s fortunes after two years of failing to qualify for the Champions League.

    Maresca eventually guided the London side to Champions League qualification with a fourth-placed finish, the Conference League trophy and the Club World Cup title in his first season with a young but expensively-built squad.

    But a poor run of form in December and an uncharacteristic outburst from the Italian prompted the club hierarchy to take action and part ways with the 45-year-old manager.

    Read Also: Maresca tips Chelsea teen Estêvão for Ballon d’Or

    “Chelsea Football Club and head coach Enzo Maresca have parted company,” the club said in a statement.” With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track.”

    Chelsea were as high as third in November and were among the title contenders, high on confidence after they had also crushed Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge.

    But they have since slipped to fifth in the league to sit 15 points behind leaders Arsenal at the halfway stage of the season.

    Last month, Maresca voiced frustration over issues behind the scenes, saying he felt he had a lack of support from the club, describing a period after a 2-0 win over Everton as “the worst 48 hours” of his tenure.

    The Italian did not clarify what he meant by the comment but the damage seemed to have been done as Chelsea’s league form nosedived.

    Although Chelsea beat Cardiff City to reach the League Cup semi-finals, they picked up only two points in their last three Premier League games.

    Off the pitch, there was also the unwelcome distraction of rubbishing links to the Manchester City job as Maresca pointed out that he was committed to Chelsea where he had a contract until 2029.

    But Tuesday’s 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth — where fans chanted, “You don’t know what you’re doing,” when he substituted playmaker Cole Palmer while they also booed at the final whistle — proved to be his final match in charge.

    The club did not say who would take charge ahead of Sunday’s match against second-placed Manchester City.