The Nation Newspaper

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  • Onitsha Market: Matters arising

    Onitsha Market: Matters arising

    By IfeanyiChukwu Afuba

    To the disbelief and disappointment of many a critic, traders at Onitsha main market complied with Governor Charles Soludo’s directive for resumption of business on Monday, February 2. For the first time in over four years, excepting for Christmas periods, the market opened for activities on a Monday. News reports spoke of a ‘bustling main market’ and environs, with the protagonist of change, Soludo and team marching through the market streets in proclamation of a new season.

    The blacklisting of Monday as a no-business, no movement, people’s crusade was a terrible siege on the population. The very people who were promised liberation became the major victims of an intervention.

     But the greater tragedy lay in the climate of fear that paralysed reasoning. It was a setting in which it was a virtue to be pedestrian about self-determination. And among those not held hostage by populism, some preferred to politicise a bid for reclamation of the public space.

    And so, a strong pushback by Anambra State governor, Charles Soludo on the lingering Monday sit-at-home protest in Anambra State, and indeed the southeast, sparked heated debates in the last week of January. Soludo’s order for the sealing of Onitsha main market for one week had the trappings of a Donald Trump move – surprise, audacity, and with the objective of redefining the subject.

    The traders, remnant of the IPOB leadership – the group behind the imposed disobedience – and their apologists were caught off guard by the move. Anger, emotion, and finger-pointing dominated reactions. Neutral voices raised the issue of personal freedom within the orbit of law and society. Amidst the storm, Soludo succeeded in shifting the balance on the subject.

    It was a necessary but hazardous task that the Anambra governor waded into. The trying circumstance of the matter was another case of who will bell the cat. Who will brave through the evil forest to retrieve the twin babies mercilessly left to die? The Onitsha market knot was one infused with power of chain reaction. By its strategic positioning as commercial hub east of the Niger, Onitsha main market symbolised not just the face of markets in the region, but the fate of trade as well.

    On the surface, Monday boycott of buying and selling at Onitsha main market bordered on economic impact. But the controversial observance had political and social implications as well. By their three dimensions, the Monday ritual posed challenges of governance. Together, these manifestations of separateness, of a parallel order, constituted a leadership test. Perhaps, other southeast state governors had their different approaches to a common problem. Their steps, if they were not timid and tentative, would have emerged as measures to reckon with. The difference now is that Soludo has moved from the exploratory stages of engagement to now take the bull by the horns.

    A lot of the opposition to Soludo’s initiative thrived on specious argument. Much stock was placed on the presumed indictment of denying traders means of livelihood with the one week market closure. The charge of insensitivity, of putting families on hunger path is a line that’ll whip up emotions any day. But this accusation in the face of available facts is disingenuous. It’s akin to saying that omelette can be made without breaking eggs. Why didn’t he use other options? Why didn’t he engage the traders? Such stuff sound like effort to slyly send someone on a wild goose chase. The governor since coming into office in March 2002 severally engaged stakeholders, including traders towards overcoming the sit-at-home cul de sac. In any case, where lay the greater threat to the economic wellbeing of the traders? Since imposition of the lockdown in 2021, the traders had suffered 225 days of no sales. Without Soludo’s decisive action, the wasted business days would continue on the 300 track. This staggering loss cannot be compared to the one-off seven day shutdown. The former was a disaster, the latter a corrective surgery.

    Much capital was also made about security being a principal factor in the continued Monday “sit at home”. Still, rationalising desertion of markets on Mondays on account of security inadequacy does not preclude the government from restoring the hijacked market day. The linkage reinforces the need for government action. Government’s security responsibility does not involve encouraging the people to live in fear. A government’s mandate on security is not about abandoning citizens to restrictions on their lives by non-state actors. The task of security of lives and property is about the freedom of the people to go about pursuing their legitimate aspirations. Located in this perspective, Soludo’s markets’ reopening reflects integrated security architecture.

    Do we need to stress that the ubiquitous presence of gun-toting operatives is not synonymous with societal safety? But in demonstration of the priority accorded protection of the people, the Soludo administration has invested in different forms of security resources – with good results to show for it. The Agunechemba outfit continues to play an active complementary role to the police. Reduced crime rate is obvious in Anambra State today. The sense of improved security led to resumption of trading in markets on Mondays in most parts of the state. Schools are in session every Monday. Commercial vehicles ply their routes on Monday. So, there is something out of sync about insecurity being behind Onitsha main market Monday closures. It was most unlikely that the state government would have embarked on the Onitsha mission without security threat level assessment.

    For some other critics, it was a straightforward, people have right not to open their shops, if they so choose. That is correct. But it’s also the case that rights go with responsibilities. When organisations entice us with mouth-watering prizes to buy their products, it comes with a caveat. The line “terms and conditions apply” at once protects the interests of the firm as well as limits the claims of the customer in the bargain. Shop holders at the market asserting their right to lock up the stalls as it suits them must contend with the power of government as owner of the property to state the clauses for their use.   Government has the option of revoking the allocations of recalcitrant traders. What answer have those who insist on the personal right to lock shops on Monday to the right of those who want to open their stores the same Monday?

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    Access to the market has been locked against the latter group for about five years now. Does their plight not deserve redressing? A responsible government endeavours to cater for the common good. An objective assessment of Soludo government’s response to the markets closure cannot but situate it in the public interest. The restoration was to the state’s and Southeast’s overall benefit.

    There are two probable interests at the root of opposition to Soludo’s action. The first would be the fanatical supporters of IPOB. They are unable to face reality; the impracticality of their goals and the shift by Nnamdi Kanu, the jailed leader of the organisation. Kanu is reported to have called for discontinuation of the Monday protest. But the hard-line school would prefer to blame other actors than concede the failings of the movement. It’s unacceptable to cripple the southeast in the name of liberation struggle. Every progressive Igbo rejects Nigeria’s injustice to the southeast and believes in Biafra of the mind. Even as some did not share the agenda of an independent state, Ralph Uwazurike’s MASSOB was well received because of its persuasive approach. The necessity of protest was appreciated. Trouble began with IPOB’s introduction of violence into the crusade. No benefit has accrued from the resort to violence. Sadly, pockets of the confrontation bloc, unwilling to lose their emergency privileges, continue to invest in disorder. The diatribe issued by a rogue leadership of IPOB condemning Soludo’s thankless job, is a reminder of the group’s desperation for relevance.

    Politics is at the centre of the other front that railed against the (Onitsha) market stabilisation policy. The problem was not about the propriety of the measures but about who would take the credit. Reopening of markets on Monday in the southeast is sure to be counted a mighty job, drawing accolades for architects of the feat. But Soludo, the potential executor, is considered a rival by certain political interests in the region. Media forces aligned to this political movement led the rush to belittle the Onitsha market repositioning. The irony is that a continuation of the “sit at home” isolates the southeast from mainstream national politics. By severing the isolationist cord of “sit at home”, Soludo has sent out a message of confidence in the region. Soludo’s breakthrough boosts the quest for a Nigerian president of southeast origin.

    •Afuba writes via <afubaifeanyichukwu@gmail.com>

  • Kigali, echoes of Rwanda genocide, other stories

    Kigali, echoes of Rwanda genocide, other stories

    By Tunde Rahman

    I had long nursed the idea of visiting Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, given the exciting stories of infrastructure development, well-paved network of roads and other beautiful things I had heard about that country. When, therefore, I needed to travel to the United Kingdom in late last year, I decided to route my trip through Kigali aboard RwandAir. So November 28, 2025 was my first trip to Kigali and my first on RwandAir, as well.

    The wonderful experience I had on RwandAir more or less offered a pleasant hint of the trip itself. Indeed, everything about the trip was flawless. The aircraft we flew in was new and clean. The check-in formality was faultless; the cabin crew were excellent. It was a five-and-a-half hour or so flight, but it didn’t feel like I spent up to five hours in the plane. Everything went smoothly that it seemed time simply rolled by.

    Within minutes of arrival at Kigali International Airport, I had recovered my luggage and passed through immigration with the help of Oluwaseun Akande, a senior official from the Nigerian Embassy in Kigali, who was on hand to receive me and accompany me to the hotel.

    Kigali International Airport is quite small, but what it lacks in size it offsets with an appealing design. A first-time visitor like me cannot help but notice the sheer beauty and cosiness of this airport. It’s also very functional and efficient. The services available at the airport were excellent. The internet wifi was smooth and fast.

    READ ALSO: President rallies relief materials to affected Kwara communities

    Having effectively settled in 2000 Hotel in the heart of Kigali, described as a 4-star hotel, I now began to plan my itinerary.

    I decided to pick a hotel in Downtown Kigali because I really wanted to explore the city, catch a full glimpse of Kigali, meet and interact with the locals. As I indicated, I was en route to London and planned to spend only three nights in Kigali.

    The three nights must be well utilised, consistent with the trip’s objectives to know virtually everything about Kigali: the culture and tradition, the people, their history, and the tourist spots.

     Oluwaseun proved very useful in that respect. Along with a few tourists I encountered at the hotel, I visited several places including the Fazenda Sengha, Mount Kigali, Kimironko Market and, of course, the Genocide Memorial. Chauffered by my Rwandan cabbie, who simply gave his name as Godwin, I also went round the city centre to glimpse some of the important places like Kigali Government House, President Paul Kagame’s residence, some embassies, big conference centres and major hotels.

    Fazenda Sengha is an impressive recreational park. Its features include zip lines, archery, horse/donkey ride, train ride, paintball, and of course a restaurant and a bar. From this park erected on a mountain, one could get a bird’s eye view of Kigali. A river that snakes its way through the whole of Kigali can also be viewed. It was at this place that I saw donkeys again after a long time, and even rode on one.

    At Mount Kigali, a prominent hill in the city, which is 1,853 metres high, one can also have a panoramic view of the entire Kigali. Standing at the summit of Mount Kigali, this awesome hill is easily the main attraction in Kigali.

    Rwanda is a one-city country. Everything about the country revolves around the capital – Kigali. I was told there was no point visiting any of the other towns and villages, which are predominantly rural and far-flung places, because they featured virtually nothing remarkable. Notwithstanding this, President Kagame has made tremendous impact on Rwanda’s development. According to official documents in Kigali, the hallmarks of Kagame administration are peace and reconciliation, women empowerment, promotion of investment and entrepreneurship and access to information technology.

    On the streets of Kigali, President Kagame is good news. The people visibly adore him and commend his impact in the country. His residence is a sprawling structure next to the Government House. The sheer majesty of his residence is understandably so, given his status as the president.

    Reminded that Kagame has been in office since April 2000 and was recently sworn in for a new five-year term in August 2024, my cabman Godwin simply retorted: “That is not important to us. He is doing well and we love him. He treats all of us equally. Our country is okay. We don’t count how long he has been in power.”

    The impressive sights nonetheless, this is an unsolicited advice to President Kagame: after 26 years in power and still counting, it’s time he started thinking seriously of grooming a suitable successor to continue with his progressive policies, and quitting the stage when his present term expires. Otherwise, he would be putting at risk the good legacies he has built in the country and the huge impact he has made on Rwandan people.

    Like I said, that was unsolicited. The three-day trip to Kigali was generally eventful. It was exciting. There is so much to write about. Yet, there were also depressing and humbling moments during the trip. This was at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, built to commemorate the 1994 Rwandan genocide as a place of remembrance for the more than one million victims of the genocide against the Tutsi.

    Inside this memorial, the remains of over 250,000 people, the bones of those massacred – mostly of Tutsis – are interred. In this place, one is confronted with grim stories and pictures of how the Hutu turned against Tutsi; how brothers turned against brothers, friends against friends, families who had all along related well and inter-married turned against one another. The graves were well arranged in this large and sombre ground, evoking the tears and blood that flowed from the Rwandan civil war.

    Some accounts of those who survived the genocide were also pasted on the walls of the memorial centre.

    In his book “Conspiracy To Murder: The Rwandan Genocide,” Linda Melvern gave a chilling account of the killing in Rwanda during the war, quoting a part of the report of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued on April 29, 1994: ”Whole families are exterminated, babies, children, old people, women are massacred in the most atrocious conditions, often cut with a machete or a knife, or blown apart by grenades, or burned or buried alive. The cruelty knows no limit.”

    As I criss-crossed the memorial, moving from one room to another, from one point to another, reading the narratives and viewing the haunting and saddening pictures, tears welled in my eyes. I prayed silently that this should never happen anywhere again to any set of people or nation.

    Those alleging genocide in Nigeria and spreading the narrative of genocide do not know what they are talking about. Yes, Nigeria is battling security issues. Yes, there are killings, very unfortunate and disturbing, but the government is confronting them headlong. However, there is no genocide in Nigeria, whether of Christians or Muslims, and we should not pray for one. Anyone who has seen the magnitude of the Rwandan massacre as documented in Kigali Memorial will perfectly understand this fact.

    We must commend President Kagame for his post-war efforts on peace and reconciliation, and the people of Rwanda for how they have all embraced peace after the ruinous genocide. Speaking on his own personal efforts in maintaining peace after the war, Lydie Mutesi, a guide officer at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, wrote on the wall of the centre: “The memorial is a very important place. I feel responsible and humbled because I’m contributing to teaching the world and my community about building peace after genocide.”

    *Rahman is a journalist and media aide of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu.

  • Celebrating 50 years of Ogun State

    Celebrating 50 years of Ogun State

    By Gboyega Nasir Isiaka

    When Ogun State was created on February 3, 1976, I witnessed that moment as a fourteen-year-old student on the assembly ground of Nazareth High School, Imeko. We stood under the watchful eyes of our Principal, Reverend Akosile, and cheered with the innocence of boys and girls who sensed significance without fully grasping its weight. History arrived quietly that day. Its meaning unfolded over time.

    That same year, my father, Prince Tijani Adebowale Isiaka, passed on. He was a transporter, a philanthropist, and a man devoted to community service. His life revolved around the people. His death left a deep silence. In that fragile season, the newly created Ogun State awarded me a scholarship that enabled my transition from a day student to a boarding student at Nazareth High School. The State became a steady presence when certainty disappeared.

    Life at Nazareth broadened my understanding of Ogun beyond geography. I studied alongside children of farmers, traders, artisans, and civil servants from across the State. We shared classrooms, meals, struggles, and aspirations. Those bonds endure. Many of my classmates chose paths outside politics and became teachers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in other fields. They became the quiet backbone of Ogun. When I meet them today, I am reminded that leadership finds its true meaning in how policy shapes everyday lives, often far from public attention.

    Secondary school formed my habits and values. Those habits later became the core of my ambitions. Discipline, fairness, teamwork, respect, and honesty defined daily life. Effort carried consequences. Responsibility demanded consistency. Through those years, Ogun was quietly forming my character, long before public service entered my thinking.

    READ ALSO: The dynamics of Kano governor’s defection

    After a brief stint in the Mass Communication Department of the then Ogun State Polytechnic, like many sons and daughters of this State, I stepped beyond its borders to prepare for professional life and higher responsibilities. University life at Ife expanded my intellectual horizon. I encountered new ideas and perspectives. I observed how institutions thrive under discipline and falter when values weaken. Education sharpened my capacity while my identity remained firm. I carried Imeko with me. I served first as Director of Organization, and then as President of the then Egbado Students Association. That role clarified the meaning of representation. You speak for people who trust you to carry their voice. You listen carefully, balance interests, and act responsibly.

    Ogun stayed present in my thinking, defining my sense of duty and restraint. Each step outward was taken to build capacity, and each time I returned to Ogun, I did so with deeper understanding.

    When I entered the corporate world, the lessons Ogun had planted in me proved essential. Corporate leadership demands discipline, accountability, and clarity of purpose. Targets must be met. Resource management requires prudence. I learned that leadership rests on systems, structure, and trust. The values instilled early prepared me for corporate responsibilities and equipped me to shoulder responsibility when opportunity arose.

    My formal entry into public service came through Gateway Holdings, the investment company of the Ogun State Government, as the pioneer Group Managing Director. The mandate centred on professional asset management, protection, and value creation. I approached the role with a clear sense of duty, serving Ogun as a son of the soil, conscious that every decision reflected on the communities that raised me. Gateway Holdings was a public trust, demanding transparency, method, and respect for resources. Through this work, trust grew steadily, anchored in accountability and fidelity to process.

    I subsequently entered into the journey of partisan politics and electioneering, taking me into the nooks and crannies of Ogun State. Those journeys deepened my understanding of the culture, diversity, and the peculiarities of our people. I saw their resilience, their aspirations, and the ways each community preserves its identity while contributing to the broader fabric of Ogun State. Every encounter reinforced my sense of duty and the weight of responsibility that comes with serving this State.

    Ogun has taught me that trust grows quietly. It is built through consistency, through sustained presence, and through genuine attention to people’s concerns. The confidence I enjoy today rests on years of engagement, patience, and respect for institutions.

    I have remained present beyond election cycles. I have listened more than I have spoken and consulted more than I have announced. I have learned that trust is gradual. It is earned through action, through reliability, and through a lifetime of shared experience.

    I have lived Ogun as a child. I have learned and impacted Ogun through growth and through the communities that nurtured me. Ogun has molded who I am. It has instilled in me values, discipline, and a sense of responsibility that guide every decision I make. The State is in me. Its lessons continue to inform my character, my purpose, and my commitment to service.

    My Ogun story did not begin with politics. It began in Imeko. It grew through experiences. It matured through service and has been sustained by impact. Ogun formed my character before public service shaped my path. It prepared me for leadership long before ambition took shape. It remains the foundation of who I am.

    As Ogun State celebrates its Golden Jubilee, I acknowledge the dedication of our leaders, past and present, whose vision and service have guided our growth and stability. Their efforts, sustained by the enduring belief of the people, continue to inspire our responsibility toward a brighter and more prosperous future.

    May this anniversary renew our resolve. May it deepen our belief in service that places people first, in institutions that endure, and in a future worthy of the trust invested in us. Ogun has given me its values. I continue to believe in its promise.

    Congratulations and happy Golden Jubilee, my dear Ogun State.

    • Isiaka (GNI) is Chairman, House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development

  • Empower Academy will unlock skills development

    Empower Academy will unlock skills development

    The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has described the Empower Academy Nigeria as a strategic national platform to accelerate skills development and unlock our healthcare value chain.

    He spoke after witnessing the inauguration of the academy.

    The Academy, unveiled as a phased programme beginning with a digital learning platform, will expand into hybrid innovation hubs and permanent world-class training centres in partnership with universities and research institutions.

    Prof. Pate said the initiative reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) to reposition Nigeria as a manufacturing hub while creating quality jobs for young Nigerians.

    He emphasized that Empower Academy Nigeria directly addresses the country’s critical gap in industry-ready professionals, especially in pharmaceutical manufacturing and life sciences. According to the Minister, while many Nigerians possess academic qualifications, there remains a shortage of practical “how-to” skills needed for regulated manufacturing, quality assurance, and regulatory science. The Academy is designed to bridge this gap by combining classroom learning, laboratory practice, mentorship, and factory-style training, equipping young people with both technical competence and purpose, while strengthening local production and global competitiveness.

    READ ALSO: President rallies relief materials to affected Kwara communities

    Also speaking at the event, PVAC National Coordinator, Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, announced that the Academy’s courses will be offered free to qualified Nigerians for the next two years, adding that the curriculum is designed to be practical, realistic, and industry-driven. He called on private sector players and academic institutions to actively collaborate with the Academy to ensure learners gain real-world, hands-on experience.

    Prof. Pate commended the National Coordinator of PVAC, the entire PVAC team, Empower School of Health, Prof. Paul Lalvani, and all partners for bringing the vision to life. He also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for providing the leadership and policy direction that made the initiative possible.

    He noted that Empower Academy represents a growing narrative of innovation, hope, and opportunity in Nigeria. The Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to expanding access for young talents nationwide, saying the programme marks a major step toward building a resilient healthcare workforce and a stronger Nigerian economy.

    Pate added: “I’ve heard from Dr. Mukhtar, and also Professor Albani,  is actually this Latin narrative.  The possibility of an exciting future,  repositioning Nigeria on the African continent  for its own people, but also on the global stage. What we’re doing here is world class.

     “And I believe this is just the beginning. That’s why when the President lists the Renewable Agenda, it’s not just a political slogan. There’s a vision, and there is an expectation  that there’s a different reality that you have to imagine,  and then walk the path to realize it.

    “Nigerians will see that this vision is real,  and that Nigeria can be a manufacturing hub, can unlock the healthcare value chain,  can create jobs, quality jobs, not any job.  Because here we’re not talking about just jobs,  because you can have jobs that are short term, no progression, not well-paying, those are not quality jobs.  That’s not the kind of jobs we’re talking about.”

    Prof. Lalvani said: “What we are providing here is practical accessible skills for industry. Good news, under the arrangement that we have under this partnership,  we are providing in the first instance, so this is going to be delivered in three phases that  Paul is going to demonstrate, but the first phase which we are launching today, the virtual platform  is going to provide about 40, at least 40 different courses, ready-to-use courses, and Honorable Minister, these courses are going to be free of charge to all Nigerians for the first two years, for the first two years, every Nigerian.”

  • Fed Govt ends use of tax credit scheme for road construction

    Fed Govt ends use of tax credit scheme for road construction

    The Federal Government has discontinued the practice of allowing large corporations to directly fund road repairs using their tax obligations.

    It mandated that such payments should instead be remitted to the national treasury.

    The government insists that all road projects must be handled through the normal budget process approved by the National Assembly.

    Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji, said this change complied with the Constitution and financial laws.

    Under the old system, known as the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme, the likes of Dangote, BUA, and MTN were allowed to fix federal roads and then subtract the cost from the taxes they owed the government.

    Adedeji said that even though the plan was meant to help the country, it was causing a problem with how the law works.

    He stated that the job of the tax office is to collect money, not to decide how that money is spent on construction.

    READ ALSO: The dynamics of Kano governor’s defection

    Adedeji said: “No matter how good a programme is, the first thing that it must have is good products.

    “The remits of the Nigeria Revenue Service is to assess, to collect, and to account for taxes. Appropriation is not part of the remits of the Nigeria Revenue Service.”

    He explained that when a company is given a tax credit to build a road, it is like the government is spending money without following the proper rules.

    He said the tax office must collect the money first and give it to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), which is the body mandated by law to share and handle public funds.

    “When you give tax credits for roads, it is an appropriation act, because you spent the money, but your remit is to collect and give it to the constitutional body that will sign that money,” he added.

    Apart from the law, the NRS boss said his agency does not have the engineers or the technical skills to check if a road built by a company is actually worth the amount of tax they are claiming.

    He said while companies are still welcome to fund roads, the government must be the one to approve how public money is used.

    This decision comes after a big gap was created when the NNPC stopped funding roads through this scheme in 2025, leaving about N3 trillion worth of projects without money.

    Before now, NNPC had paid for over 21 roads, including the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

    Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the government was now looking for new partnerships with private investors to finish these roads.

    Many big projects are affected by this shift. For years, Dangote Group used tax credits for the road leading to the Lekki Deep Seaport, while BUA Group worked on the Bode-Saadu-Lafiagi Road.

    Other companies like MTN worked on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, and NLNG funded the Bodo-Bonny Bridge in Rivers State.

    The government believes that by going back to the central budget system, they can make sure all spending is transparent and follows the law.

    This ensures that every kobo collected as tax is properly accounted for before it is spent on infrastructure.

  • APC plans inclusive congresses, convention

    APC plans inclusive congresses, convention

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday hosted key stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) as part of the ruling party’s preparation for an inclusive congresses and national convention in line with its growth and expanding membership.

    The meeting, which held at the State House, Abuja, had in attendance party’s national leadership, sub-national leaders and the APC Caucus in the National Assembly. It was described as a strategic session to align preparations and ensure synergy among the various arms of government and the party structure.

    Speaking after the meeting, the National Chairman of the APC, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, said the engagement with the President was to review the party’s readiness for the forthcoming congresses and convention.

    “It was just a brief meeting to review the preparations for the convention and the congresses and the synergy between all arms of government so that we can be on one page; the sub-national, the national, the National Assembly and the party,” Yilwatda said.

    According to him, the party leadership also assessed the prevailing political environment and resolved to ensure that the process would be broad-based and inclusive, particularly in view of the influx of new members and governors into the party.

    “Same timetable, the same planning activities, but just to study the environment and review our preparation as a party and ensure inclusivity,” he said.

    READ ALSO: President rallies relief materials to affected Kwara communities

    Yilwatda added that the APC was determined to carry all stakeholders along as it expands.

    He said: “Both at national and sub-national, I want to carry everybody along with the party. We have new members who have come in, new governors, new members, the party is expanding every day; we are growing beyond bounds. We want to ensure that in the course of this growth nobody is left behind,” he stated.

    At the meeting were: Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) Chairman, Governor Abdurahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State; Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) Chairman, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State; Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin; House of Representatives Majority Leader Prof. Julius Ihonvbere; House of Representatives Chief Whip Usman Bello Kumo; Chief of Staff to the President; Femi Gbajabiamila and the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru.

    On the President’s role in the party’s preparations, Yilwatda said Tinubu was fully supportive, describing his counsel as valuable.

    “Excellent. Mr. President, as you know, is a shrewd politician, very experienced, and his advice was remarkable,” he said.

    He also credited the party’s continued growth to Tinubu’s political experience and leadership.

    “The expansion, the growth, is because of his experience and his depth of knowledge in political cycle,” the APC chairman added.

    The party recently released the adjusted time-table for its various congresses and the National Convention.

    In the reviewed time-table, the ward congresses has been fixed for February 18; the local government congresses are scheduled for February 20; state congresses for March 7; zonal congresses for March 21; and the National Convention to hold between March 27 and 28, all this year.

    The APC is expected to intensify consultations across the federation ahead of the convention and congresses, as the party leadership seeks to consolidate unity and accommodate new entrants within its ranks.

  • Tinubu’s diplomatic offensive and the harvest Nigeria cannot ignore

    Tinubu’s diplomatic offensive and the harvest Nigeria cannot ignore

    By Jude Obioha

    In Nigerian politics, perception often travels faster than facts. Few issues illustrate this better than the chorus of criticism surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s foreign trips. For months, critics have framed his diplomatic engagements as excessive travel, as political optics over substance. But that narrative is increasingly collapsing under the weight of tangible outcomes. The truth is that Tinubu’s foreign engagements are not leisurely excursions; they are deliberate economic and geopolitical missions, and Nigeria is already harvesting the dividends.

    Democracy indeed demands scrutiny, and no president should be immune from public questioning. Yet accountability must be grounded in evidence. After nearly three years in office, the president’s diplomatic drive has begun to reshape Nigeria’s global standing, unlock investments, deepen security cooperation, and reposition the country as a confident actor on the international stage. What critics dismiss as frequent travel is, in reality, a recalibration of Nigeria’s foreign policy, moving from its hitherto passive diplomacy to assertive economic statecraft.

    Consider the administration’s approach to global partnerships. Tinubu has revived Nigeria’s relevance as a strategic player across multiple power blocs by working simultaneously with the United States, China, the European Union, Türkiye, Brazil, and the Gulf states, amongst others, without surrendering national autonomy. For decades, Nigeria oscillated between dependence and isolation. Under Tinubu, engagement is now transactional but mutually beneficial and balanced, guided by national interest rather than old master–servant dynamics. The renewed geopolitical confidence is evident in security cooperation, intelligence sharing, and the willingness of global partners to treat Nigeria as a regional anchor in West Africa’s fragile security landscape.

    The economic dividends are equally compelling. The president’s visit to China delivered more than ceremonial handshakes; it secured billions in investments aimed at industrialisation and job creation. The $3.3 billion Brass Industrial Park and Methanol Complex alone has the potential to reduce petrochemical imports and strengthen local manufacturing capacity. Agreements with automotive and technology giants are advancing local vehicle assembly, smart city development, and digital infrastructure, which are practical steps toward modernising Nigeria’s urban economy. Added to these are currency cooperation initiatives designed to ease pressure on the naira, making the picture clear: diplomacy is being weaponised for economic stabilisation.

    In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Tinubu’s diplomacy resolved a tense standoff that had grounded flights and restricted visas for Nigerians. The restoration of travel ties was only the beginning. A sweeping economic partnership now offers the UAE duty-free access to thousands of Nigerian products as well as new infrastructure financing and investment frameworks across defence, agriculture, and logistics. The symbolism was powerful: Nigeria negotiated from a position of strength, securing concessions without immediate conditions for debt repayment; an outcome that restored confidence among investors and citizens alike.

    Brazil provided another strategic breakthrough. The $1.1 billion Green Imperative Project promises agricultural mechanisation on a scale Nigeria has long struggled to achieve. At the same time, direct Lagos–São Paulo flights under a renewed aviation agreement could unlock billions of dollars in investment at the same time, by the end of the decade. Meanwhile, partnerships in renewable energy, biotechnology, and local drug manufacturing position Nigeria to reduce import dependence and expand its technological capacity.

    Read Also: Nigerian, Pakistani navies partner to upscale shipbuilding capacity

    Türkiye, often overlooked in public discourse, represents one of the most consequential security partnerships. Agreements covering advanced drone technology, intelligence cooperation, and specialised military training directly strengthen Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations. Trade relations are also projected to more than double, reflecting a pragmatic blend of defence and economic diplomacy.

    Beyond the numbers, Tinubu’s diplomatic posture has demonstrated crisis management. When tensions escalated with the United States over Nigeria’s “Country of Particular Concern” designation, the administration chose dialogue over confrontation. Through structured engagement coordinated by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria secured deeper defence collaboration and access to much-needed security equipment, as well as training, logistics, and intelligence sharing. It was diplomacy with measurable outcomes.

    None of this suggests that criticism should cease. Nigerians are right to demand transparency, cost-efficiency, and clear metrics for every foreign trip. But fairness requires acknowledging results. The administration’s travels have delivered investments, restored diplomatic bridges, opened markets for Nigerian products, and strengthened security alliances at a time when global competition for capital and influence is intense.

    The gloves may be off in Nigeria’s political discourse, but facts must remain the referee. Tinubu’s foreign trips are not a distraction from governance; they are a core instrument of his diplomatic, economic and security strategy. In a rapidly shifting global order, a president who stays home risks leaving his country behind. By contrast, Nigeria’s current diplomatic offensive is gradually yielding a bounty, one that could define the nation’s economic and geopolitical trajectory for years to come.

    •Obioha is the Director of Strategy, Hope Alive Initiative (HAI), a group dedicated to good governance in Nigeria

  • Remi Tinubu’s presence at U.S. prayer excites Trump

    Remi Tinubu’s presence at U.S. prayer excites Trump

    United States President Donald Trump yesterday acknowledged the presence of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at the 74th National Prayer Breakfast  in Washington, D.C.

    In his address during the event, Trump drew attention to Mrs. Tinubu. He described her as a respected figure and noting her role as a Christian pastor in the largest church in Nigeria.

    The event, a long-standing tradition in the U.S. capital that brings together political and religious leaders, took a notable turn when the American president paused his address to spotlight the Nigerian First Lady.

    President Trump described her as a woman of significant influence and faith, acknowledging her spiritual role back home.

    “We’re honored to be joined today by the First Lady of Nigeria, who also happens to serve as a Christian pastor at the largest church in Nigeria. A very respected woman. First Lady, please, where are you? Thank you very much. It’s a great honor. Thank you very much. Very respected person, too,” Trump said, searching the crowd before acknowledging her presence.

    READ ALSO: The dynamics of Kano governor’s defection

    The recognition followed a period of complex diplomatic exchanges between Washington and Abuja.

    Recently, the U.S. government has kept a close eye on security and religious dynamics within Nigeria.

    This followed earlier comments from the U.S. administration concerning the protection of faith-based communities.

    The Federal Government had maintained that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains dedicated to upholding the rights of all citizens, regardless of their creed.

    The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event that brings together political leaders, faith leaders, and dignitaries from across the world for prayer and reflection.

  • Nigeria, World Bank strengthen partnership to boost economy

    Nigeria, World Bank strengthen partnership to boost economy

    The World Bank has agreed to provide enhanced supports to speed up Nigeria’s economic reforms to attract large-scale investment and open up more job opportunities for the country’s fast-growing population.

    At a high-level discussions in Abuja between Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and Managing Director, Operations, World Bank Group, Ms. Anna Bjerde, the World Bank said it would provide enhanced supports for ongoing initiatives to deepen Nigeria’s reform agenda to ensure more visible positive impacts on the daily lives of Nigerians.

    Both sides agreed that sustained cooperation between Nigeria and the World Bank would be crucial in ensuring that reforms translate into lasting economic gains and improved living standards for citizens.

    Bjerde said the World Bank would continue backing investment-driven growth strategy, with strong attention on infrastructure delivery and greater involvement of the private sector.

    She said: “Our support will remain focused on helping Nigeria turn its plans into tangible outcomes, especially in infrastructure and private sector-led growth,” Ms. Bjerde said.

    READ ALSO: President rallies relief materials to affected Kwara communities

    She expressed satisfaction with the direction of Nigeria’s economic reforms and praised the government for its clear sense of purpose.

    According to her, international markets and development partners are paying closer attention to Nigeria, as confidence in the reform agenda continues to build.

    She said: “The clarity of direction we are seeing is encouraging, and it is contributing to growing interest from investors and partners”.

    Edun told the World Bank delegation that recent policy steps taken by the administration are beginning to yield positive momentum across key sectors of the economy.

    He said the government is firmly focused on growth, investment and employment creation as central pillars of its economic strategy.

    “Our priority is to create an environment where investment can flow, businesses can grow and Nigerians can find meaningful work.

    “The reforms underway are designed to unlock productivity and place the economy on a more sustainable path,” Edun said.

    A statement issued yesterday by the Ministry of Finance outlined that key areas discussed during the meeting, which involved officials from both sides, included improving access to stable electricity supply, boosting agricultural productivity, speeding up the rollout of digital infrastructure and making trade easier across borders.

     The discussions pointed to Nigeria’s shift from making reforms to delivering real results, with both sides committed to building a stronger economy that provides jobs, stability and shared prosperity for Nigerians.

    The meeting also restated the federal government’s economic path under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with officials noting that confidence in Nigeria’s reform programme is gaining ground among global investors and development partners.

    The country expressed its ambition to deepen changes in the power and energy sectors while positioning itself as a major economic hub in West Africa.

    Officials pointed to Abuja’s status as the host city of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as part of Nigeria’s broader role in driving regional integration, trade and economic cooperation.

  • Senate defends action on Electoral Act Amendment

    Senate defends action on Electoral Act Amendment

    • ADC, NNPP, others fault Red chamber

    The Senate yesterday defended its passage of the Electoral Acts Amendment Bill.

    It also explained that its objection to the real-time uploading of poll results does not amount to the jettisoning of the electronic transmission of results.

    Ranking senators, led by Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the report that electronic voting was discarded was false.

    Also, the National Assembly set up the conference committees to harmonise the different versions of the bill passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the committee was mandated to conclude its assignment this month to enable the National Assembly transmit a harmonised bill to the President for assent.

    The House of Representatives passed the  Bill on December 23, last year, while the Senate approved its version two days ago.

    A key amendments by the Senate is the reduction of the period for the issuance of the electoral timetable from 360 days to 180 days.

    While the House of Representatives approved electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV) in real time and simultaneously with physical collation, the Senate retained the 2022 framework which allows the Commission to determine the mode of transmission..

    READ ALSO: The dynamics of Kano governor’s defection

     Akpabio announced the constitution of the Senate Conference Committee, shortly after the Red Chamber passed its version of the Bill.

    The committee is expected to reconcile areas of disagreement with the version approved by the House of Representatives.

    The Senate committee will be chaired by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Simon Lalong.

    Members of the Senate Committee are Senators Adamu Aliero, Adeniyi Adegbomire, Orji Uzor Kalu, Abba Moro, Asuquo Ekpeyong, Aminu Abbas and Tokunbo Abiru.

    Also, House of Representatives Spokesman Akin Rotimi said the Green Chamber conference committee will work with the Senate team in harmonising the Bill.

    Members of the House committee, led by the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Adebayo Balogun (South West), include Fred Agbedi (South South), Sada Soli (North West), Ahmadu Jaha (North East), Iduma Igariwey Enwo (South East), Saidu Musa Abdullahi (North Central) and Zainab Gimba, representing women.

    Criticisms by opposition elements, including former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Buba Galadima and African Democratic Congress (ADC), have trailed the Senate’s passage of the bill.

    Electronic transmission intact, says Abaribe

    Abaribe told reporters in Abuja that the Senate neither voted against electronic transmission nor called for return to manual processes, stressing that the reports along those lines were incorrect and misleading.

    He said: “Yesterday (Wednesday), the Senate did not — I repeat — did not pass transfer of results which was in the 2022 Act. What we passed, and which the Senate President himself clarified while sitting on his chair, is transmission of results. And I need to make this very clear.”

    Abaribe lamented that the distinction between “transfer” and “transmission” had been wrongly interpreted, fuelling the impression that the Senate had taken Nigeria backwards on electoral reforms.

    He said senators were compelled to address the media because the Senate’s action had been misunderstood.

    Abaribe said: “We felt that it would be necessary to make a clarification of what happened yesterday, to put the record straight.”

    Noting that senators are conscious of the public trust placed on the National Assembly by Nigerians, he added: “Every one of us who is a senator, who has the privilege to represent a senatorial district, came here under the trust of their senatorial districts.

    “Each one of us infused in himself or herself a public trust handed to us by Nigerians to do the absolute best for Nigeria.”

    Abaribe explained that the provision for electronic transmission of results was not an afterthought but the product of an extensive legislative process involving both chambers of the National Assembly and key stakeholders.

    He stressed: “There was a joint committee of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, made up of members of the electoral committees in both chambers.

     “These joint committees had several retreats, both in Abuja and elsewhere, and each of those retreats was done with INEC and civil society organisations.

     “Everyone agreed, and at the end of the retreats, that electronic transmission of results was the way to go. That agreement was reflected in the reports laid before both the House and the Senate.”

    Dismissing claims that any clause supporting electronic transmission was removed at any stage of the Senate process, he said: “There was no going backwards,” he said. “As the Senate President reiterated yesterday, we are not going backwards; rather, we are going home.”

    He disclosed that after the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters was presented, the Senate constituted an ad hoc committee to further review it.

    Abaribe said: “It was the report of that ad hoc committee, alongside the report of the Senate electoral committee and the executive session we held, that led to our agreement on Clause 60(3), which provides for electronic transmission of results, including real-time transmission.”

    He noted that confusion arose during plenary because of the crowded chamber and multiple conversations, prompting some senators to seek further clarification after the session.

    Abaribe said: “We went back individually to find out exactly what was done, and we were reassured. The Senate President himself confirmed – and you have the videos – that we passed electronic transmission of results.”

    He explained that a harmonisation committee had been set up to reconcile differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill but stressed that the process was not yet concluded.

    “After our plenary session yesterday, we adjourned but did not come back to pass the Votes and Proceedings,” he said. “That is our rule, and you all here know it.”

    Other senators present at the briefing include, Austin Akobundu (PDP – Abia Central) Peter Jiya (PDP – Niger South), Ireti Kingibe (ADC – FCT), Victor Umeh (LP – Anambra Central), Binos Yaroe (PDP – Adamawa South), Kabeeb Mustapha (PDP – Jigawa South West, Khalid Mustapha (PDP – Kaduna North), Mohammed Ogoshi  Onawo (APC – Nasarawa South), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (PDP – Sokoto South), Tony Nwoye (LP – Anambra North), Abdul Ningi (PDP – Bauchi Central), Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP – Kogi Central).

    Rotimi said the “Committee is mandated to confer with its counterpart from the Senate with a view to harmonising the differing provisions of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill as passed by both Chambers, ahead of final passage by the National Assembly.”

    He added: “The House of Representatives reiterates its commitment to advancing electoral reforms that strengthen transparency, credibility, and public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.”

    Senate has rejected reforms, says ADC

    ADC alleged that the Senate is not interested in electoral reforms.

    The National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said in a statement that reforms are required to strengthen transparency and restore public confidence in elections.

    He also criticised the Senate’s decision to vote against reforms that would have allowed the electronic download of voter cards from I website, reduced the notice period for elections, and shortened the timeline for the publication of candidates’ list from 150 days to 60 days.

    Abdullahi said: “But what the Senate has done amounts to tampering with the laws to expand opportunities for rigging and foist logistical nightmares on INEC that will make future elections even less efficient.”

    Opposition parties: Senate has failed Nigerians

    Factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) counterparts Abdullahiand  Ladipo Johnson, said in a statement that the Senate had failed Nigerians.

    They urged the conference committee to adopt the position of the House of Representatives on real time transmission.

    The statement reads: “Yesterday, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria passed the amendment to the Electoral Act 2022, wherein, among other things, it rejected the proposal to make mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results at the polling units.

    “The grave  implications of this retrogressive act by the Senate has compelled us as spokespersons of the major opposition political parties to jointly address this issue, which is capable of derailing our hard-earned democracy.

    “With this anti-people and anti-democratic action, we are concerned that the APC-led Senate may have set Nigeria’s democracy back by many decades. It is therefore not surprising that it has deservedly attracted widespread opposition and condemnation from Nigerians across all divides.”

    “We are at a loss as to why a party that is currently deploying technology to run an e-registration of their members across the country is averse to using technology to transmit results.”

    Obi asks Nigerians to reject the proposed law

    Obi, who rejected the bill, said: “The Senate’s blatant rejection of mandatory electronic transmission of election results is an unforgivable act of electoral manipulation ahead of 2027.”

    He added: “This failure to pass a clear safeguard is nothing short of a deliberate assault on Nigeria’s democracy. By rejecting these essential transparency measures, they are eroding the very foundation of credible elections.”