The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • Mbah and the imperative of revamping security training institutions

    Mbah and the imperative of revamping security training institutions

    By Uche Anichukwu

    It is no longer news that the National Economic Council, NEC, has appointed the governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, to chair a new committee tasked with overhauling all institutions for the training of security agencies across Nigeria. That appointment followed NEC’s endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proposal for a comprehensive reform of security training facilities nationwide. The proposal was presented during the 152nd NEC meeting held on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Other members of the committee include Governors Uba Sani (Kaduna); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Kefas Agbu (Taraba); Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom); Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) and Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), while former Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, will serve as Secretary.

    Tinubu, while addressing the NEC Council, stressed the urgency of the assignment, saying: “We have to make the conditions of the training facilities more conducive for both the trainers and trainees.” According to Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, who briefed the press, the Mbah-led committee has just one month to submit a detailed blueprint for the renovation and modernisation of police and other security training institutions.

    Only a few days ago, the president, in a further demonstration of a renewed effort to reinvigorate the security of lives and property, relieved the service chiefs of their assignments and appointed new ones. So, Mbah’s new assignment, which came just about a day or two ahead of this major development, no doubt places him at the centre of Tinubu’s renewed effort to strengthen Nigeria’s internal security architecture through institutional reform, improved training conditions, and enhanced capacity development for security personnel.

    This is no doubt a demonstration of Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and NEC’s confidence in the governor’s leadership qualities. But even more importantly, it is an affirmation of his giant strides in the security of lives and property less than 29 months in the saddle. Yet this did not come as a surprise, at least to those who have keenly followed developments in Enugu since Mbah took charge at the Lion Building, as the office of the Enugu State Governor is known.

    READ ALSO: Commanding from the front: Tinubu strengthening national security architecture

    For instance, on October 4, 2024, Vice President Shettima was in Enugu to commission the Enugu State Garment and Fashion Hub as well as unveil the 5th Expanded National Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME) Clinics. Both are collaborative efforts of the Federal Government and Enugu to boost MSMEs in the state. He also used the opportunity to tour some of the infrastructural projects by the Mbah administration, including the Command and Control security infrastructure built by the governor from scratch in just a little over one year in office. Mbah had crossed over to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. But it did not matter to the VP. According to him, the time for politics was over and the federal government was ready to work with visionary leaders like Mbah anywhere they were found, party divides notwithstanding, in order to move the country forward.

    On the Command and Control Centre and Mbah’s investment in the security sector in general, Shettima said, “If I say I was impressed by what I saw in Enugu, it is an understatement. I was overwhelmed by the giant strides recorded by Governor Mbah and his team. He has embraced modernity. He has embraced digital technology. Most of the things I saw are avant-garde technologies, state-of-the-art security infrastructure. He is doing excellently well and he is worthy to be emulated by other governors across the length and breadth of this nation. He is one of the few CEOs who are versatile in the potentiality of the Information Technology industry.”

    A few months later, the President himself was in Enugu on January 4, 2025, to inaugurate some of the breathtaking projects accomplished by Mbah in one year and six months, including the Command and Control Centre and over 150 security vehicles. For context and in brief, the Enugu Command and Control Centre, adjudged by many security experts as the biggest and most modern one in the country at the moment, is the endpoint of many fibre optic cables laid across the state and connected to AI-embedded cameras for effective surveillance of Enugu State. The cameras are capable of face and number plate recognition, among others.

    The security vehicles are manned by the Distress Response Squared, DRS, a special police unit. The vehicles are equally fitted with AI-enabled cameras. In addition, the DRS operatives wear bodycams while on duty to ensure proper monitoring.

    On the occasion, Tinubu said, “He (Mbah) is doing a fantastic job. I am glad that Enugu got a very good tomorrow, today. I salute Peter Mbah for his commitment to development. You have encouraged me on the technological advancement of the state. The commitment you have from the private sector is commendable. The election is over and we have to move the nation forward. I don’t care which party you come from. You are my friend.”

    Besides the President and Vice President, Mbah’s strides in security had even much earlier been acknowledged by no less a person than the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu himself. That was during the commissioning of the reconstructed Economic and Financial Crimes Commission South East zonal office in Enugu on December 19, 2023 – barely six months after Mbah was inaugurated as governor.

    Narrating what difference Mbah had made in so short a time, Ribadu declared, “Before the coming of this administration, police stations were being attacked, law enforcement personnel were being attacked. People were giving selfish orders. Those who are not even in Nigeria would sit somewhere in the comfort of the countries where they live and selfishly give instructions that people should not go to work; that people should not go out to look for their own livelihood, and people used to take such orders. But no more; it is no longer happening.”

    Back to President Tinubu’s push for the revamp of all institutions for the training of security agencies. It is noteworthy that it was never a whimsical venture, but flows from a well-thought-out plan to improve security sector infrastructure and manpower, especially the security training institutions that have been so neglected over the decades that they have become thoroughly decrepit and an embarrassing assault on human dignity.

    In 2013, Channels TV aired a damning report on the inhuman state of the Police Training College in Ikeja, Lagos. A Punch newspaper report of April 23, 2016, entitled “Decay, filth rule police training colleges as new recruits warm up for resumption” recalled the eyesore as captured by Channels TV.

    “The documentary showed the sad state of the dormitories, the toilets and other vital facilities needed to address the daily needs of occupants. Some students were seen urinating at the back of the building where the drainage system had broken down completely, while the toilets and bathrooms in many of the hostels were seen to be in terrible conditions. Electricity supply within the college was also a big issue. The Police College, Ikeja, which was initially built to accommodate only 700 students, housed over 2,554 occupants as at January 2013,” Punch recollected.

    However, under the Tinubu administration things are changing. Only earlier this October, the President assented to the Nigeria Police Training Institutions Establishment Bill, 2024, which is a comprehensive legislation that provides statutory backing for 48 police training institutions across the country. These include Police Colleges, Police Training Schools, Police Tactical Schools, Police Technical Training Schools, and other specialised institutions scattered across the six geopolitical zones.

    But the police training institutions are just emblematic of the rot affecting those of other security agencies. The good news is that this will soon become a thing of the past, for not only is it good thinking, the assignment has been handed to a well-selected team headed by Governor Mbah, a man that has exhibited not only the political will to wage war against insecurity with demonstrable success, but who has also invested heavily in modern security infrastructure and human capital development in that sector. With this, Nigerians expect nothing but positive results that will change the narrative not just in the quality of training our security agencies receive, but also in the quality of the facilities where they are trained.

    – Anichukwu writes from Enugu

  • UNILAG honours Diri with a book and professorial chair

    UNILAG honours Diri with a book and professorial chair

    By Sola Ojewusi

    In the world of governance, honours are not merely decorations; they are reflections of value, integrity, and enduring impact. On November 5, the University of Lagos will etch a new chapter in the history of academic recognition when it honours Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State with a Professorial Chair in Leadership Studies and the unveiling of a comprehensive book titled Leadership Chronicles of Governor Douye Diri.

    This rare dual recognition — combining scholarship and leadership — speaks to the intersection of intellect and service, where the ideals of governance meet the rigours of academia. It is a statement that leadership, when practiced with vision and integrity, deserves to be studied, preserved, and emulated.

    A Confluence of Scholarship and Statesmanship

    The University of Lagos, one of Africa’s most reputable institutions, has over the decades served as a cradle of leadership — producing thinkers, reformers, and administrators who have shaped Nigeria’s political and economic direction. To confer a Professorial Chair in honour of a sitting governor is both a symbolic and strategic gesture: symbolic because it celebrates character-driven leadership, and strategic because it situates such leadership within an academic framework where future generations can interrogate and internalize its principles.

    Governor Douye Diri’s inclusion in this pantheon of honour reflects the university’s recognition of his quiet but transformative style of governance. His story is not of flamboyant politics or loud self-promotion, but of steady progress and moral steadiness. The Leadership Chronicles of Governor Douye Diri captures this narrative vividly, describing leadership as “the art of translating vision into reality, inspiring people to believe in possibilities beyond their immediate grasp, and deploying power not merely for authority but for service.”

    READ ALSO: Enablers of Kanu self-destructive behaviour

    Bayelsa’s Path and Diri’s Philosophy

    Bayelsa, Nigeria’s youngest state, has a unique political and economic history — one marked by the paradox of wealth and want. As the heartland of Nigeria’s oil resources, it has long borne the scars of environmental degradation, infrastructural neglect, and economic underdevelopment. Against this backdrop, Douye Diri’s emergence as governor was less a political event and more a collective yearning for renewal.

    Since his assumption of office in 2020, Governor Diri has worked to bridge the gap between expectation and reality. His administration’s focus on infrastructure, education, healthcare, and youth empowerment has been both strategic and sustainable. Roads connecting the remotest communities are being constructed, schools are being revitalized, and local industries are being encouraged through agricultural incentives.

    Unlike many political leaders, Diri’s leadership approach is anchored in what political theorists call transformational quietude — a deliberate, calm, and inclusive style that prioritizes substance over spectacle. He often emphasizes that governance should “touch the lives of people in practical ways, not just decorate statistics.”

    The Intellectual Legacy of a Professorial Chair

    By establishing a Professorial Chair in his honour, the University of Lagos is not merely rewarding performance; it is institutionalizing an idea. A Professorial Chair in Leadership Studies under Governor Diri’s name will enable scholars to research leadership ethics, governance models, and the social psychology of development.

    It will create a permanent forum where the values embodied by the governor — vision, humility, pragmatism, and compassion — can be studied within Nigeria’s socio-political context. This move bridges the often lamented gap between theory and practice. Political scientists can now draw lessons from an active case study in contemporary governance.

    Leadership Beyond Politics

    Governor Diri’s political journey also stands as a moral compass for Nigeria’s evolving democracy. His reputation as a “peaceful achiever” in a region historically defined by agitation is instructive. Where others deploy conflict, he employs dialogue. Where others seek to dominate, he seeks to build consensus.

    In this sense, the Leadership Chronicles becomes both a political biography and a moral textbook. It situates his story within the wider discourse of leadership in Africa — one that urgently demands empathy, intelligence, and ethics in public service.

    The University of Lagos’ decision is thus more than an award; it is a reaffirmation of the nation’s hope that governance rooted in character and intellect can still thrive. It challenges future leaders — in politics, academia, and civil society — to recognize that service is not servitude, and that greatness often wears the garb of simplicity.

    A Testament for Generations

    As the November 5 ceremony approaches, one can imagine the grandeur of the occasion — scholars, statesmen, students, and citizens gathering to celebrate a leader whose calm has inspired confidence and whose policies have fostered renewal. Yet beyond the applause lies the deeper purpose: to plant in the hearts of Nigeria’s youth a belief that leadership is not inherited but cultivated through discipline, courage, and thoughtfulness.

    When the pages of Leadership Chronicles of Governor Douye Diri are opened, what readers will find is not a mere collection of achievements, but an anatomy of vision — a leader who saw governance not as a privilege to rule, but as an opportunity to serve.

    With this honour, the University of Lagos has reminded Nigeria that the true measure of leadership is not how loud one speaks, but how much light one brings.

  • Hold Govs, chairmen accountable on increased FAAC- Yilwatda

    Hold Govs, chairmen accountable on increased FAAC- Yilwatda

    With the tripple-fold increase in monthly allocations to all tiers of government, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has asked Nigerians to hold their state governors and Local Government Area (LGA) Chairmen accountable.

    He stated that no Governor and the LGA chairmen get less than triple or four times of what they used to get as monthly allocations before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. 

    The Chairman spoke on Monday in Abuja at a book launch titled “Vicious Red Circle”, written by Amb. Alex Ugochukwu Oriaku.

    He said: “No governor in Nigeria. Who knows that two years ago, there was a share of about N400 billion per month. But today, the last share they did was N2.2 trillion. No governor in Nigeria today collects less than three times, up to four times what they used to collect before. None.

    “So they can do more for their people. No governor collects lower than three times. None. They are focusing now on bigger projects. And to me, this is a turnaround that we need in governors.

    “I would say, talk to your governors. Talk to your Local Government Chairmen. Let them do more.” 

    While giving indices that the current administration was getting economic policies right, the APC Chairman said it is his dream that Nigeria move forward under his party. 

    “It’s my dream that I have a party that is driving Nigeria in the right direction. To give Nigeria not just optics alone, but a reality that Nigeria is better and open.

    Read Also: NECO opens UK exam centre for Nigerians in diaspora

    “We can turn around the corner. And as a political party, the APC, we like doing the unthinkable. We make changes that look unreasonable to the eye of people, but deep within, and seated in our hearts, are things that we can make changes that can improve the life of our people. That’s at the centre of our hearts. And that’s why we’re working as citizens with the economy, and everybody knows the numbers are changing.

    “The World Bank, the IMF, said we can’t grow up to 3% GDP per annum. We are doing 4.23% now. It was predicted that by now, we can’t do more than 1 million barrels per day. We are doing 1.7, 1.8 million barrels per day. And I can keep giving the numbers. But these numbers must reflect on the people,” Yilwatda stated. 

  • Lagos Lawmakers approve guidelines for administrative procedures in councils, LCDAs

    Lagos Lawmakers approve guidelines for administrative procedures in councils, LCDAs

    Lagos State House of Assembly has approved comprehensive regulations and guidelines to strengthen administrative procedures and governance structures across all Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). 

    The approval was granted, through a Resolution of the House during a plenary session presided over by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.

    The Assembly considered the report on the Regulations and Guidelines presented by Hon. Sanni Ganiyu Babatunde Okanlawon (Kosofe I) on its second allotted date, was extensively deliberated upon by Hon. Members before its adoption.

    According to Section 5 of the newly approved guidelines, the Executive Committee of each Local Government shall comprise the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Supervisors, Special Advisers, Secretary to the Local Government, Council Manager, Council Treasurer, and the Head of Legal Unit.

    Section 6 stipulates that any appointment, not recognized by the guidelines, local government bye-laws, or other relevant laws shall require the express approval of the Governor of Lagos State.

    Further clarifying the administrative hierarchy, Section 8 focuses on the Vice Chairman’s role. Subsection 8.1(a) outlines the functions and performance expectations of the Office, while 8.1(b) designates the Vice Chairman as Chairman of the Tenders Board.

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    In Section 15, the guidelines provide for the establishment of Departmental Standing Committees in each of the departments. These committees are mandated to meet at least twice a month—or as exigencies demand—to recommend departmental projects for the Executive Committee’s consideration and approval. Each committee shall consist of the Supervisor as Chairman, the Head of Department, Sectional Head, and a Representative of the Council Manager.

    During deliberations, Hon. Aro Moshood described the guidelines as “top-notch,” saying that they are capable of positioning Lagos State as a model for effective local governance in Nigeria. He, however, pointed out that discrepancies in numbering between the main law and the regulation, calling for clarification.

    Hon. Kehinde Joseph raised concerns about the omission of the Chief of Staff’s role despite its earlier mention in prior discussions, urging the responsible committee to review the matter.

    In his contribution, Hon. Abiodun Orekoya emphasized the need to harmonize the number of supervisors stated in the guidelines with those provided in the principal law.

    Hon. Bonu Solomon commended the inclusion of community policing provisions, describing it as a progressive initiative that would enhance security and create employment opportunities across the State.

    The approval of these guidelines marks another bold step by the Assembly towards strengthening grassroots governance and promoting transparency, accountability, and efficiency in local administration.

  • Okpebholo appoints ex-Commissioners as Special Advisers 

    Okpebholo appoints ex-Commissioners as Special Advisers 

    Edo Governor Monday Okpebholo has appointed some former Commissioners and former local government Chairmen as Special Advisers.

    A statement by Secretary to the State Government, Musa Ikhilor, named a former Commissioner for Finance, John Inegbedion, as Special Adviser on Tax Reforms.

    Others appointed were Johnson Jibril Adamu as Special Adviser on Humanitarian Affairs & Poverty Alleviation; Shuaibu Elamah as Special Adviser on Law Reforms; Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Imafidor as Special Adviser on Livestock, Aquaculture and Agro-Processing and Omorede Osifo as Special Adviser on Women Mobilization.

    Read Also: Ododo, Okpebholo to conduct APC Ekiti Gov primary

    Others are Esther O Eghaghe as Special Adviser on Women Mobilisation (Edo Central);  Vera Omonkhafe Sadoh as Special Adviser on Women Mobilisation (Edo North); Mrs. Itohan Osahon as Special Adviser on Women Mobilisation (Edo South) and Anslem Adima as Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs

    Governor Okpebholo also appointed Hon. Orobosa Omo-Ojo as General Manager, Bendel Newspaper Corporation.

    The appointments, according to the statement, was to take effect from October 27, 2025.

  • PDP crisis deepens as Lamido threatens legal action

    PDP crisis deepens as Lamido threatens legal action

    Former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido has threatened legal action against the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) if it fails to sell him the nomination form to contest the position of the National Chairman at its convention in Ibadan. 

    Lamido, who stormed the PDP National Secretariat on Monday morning to obtain the nomination form for the National Chairmanship position, said he was shocked to learn that the National Organising Secretary was unaware of the number of forms printed for sale. 

    The former Governor said: “if I am not able to get the form, I will go to court. Simple”. 

    He dismissed the endorsement of Kabiru Turaki as consensus candidate for the National Chairmanship position. 

    Lamido said: “Consensus? If there are consultations, there can be consensus. But if there are no consultations, then we are not united on board. I mean, the zone where I came from, we never met.

    “We were supposed to meet on Wednesday and the Governor of Zamfara state booked a hall at Transcorp Hilton for us from the the Northwest to meet and come up with some kind of understanding. But to pre-empt our meeting, they fixed a meeting for Tuesday. So, we never met. The zone never met. That’s the problem. But it’s not the last one.”

    He said the PDP must put its house in order  to make a headway in future elections, saying “the PDP should be able to organise its own house — to run the party based on the policies of the party, doing the right thing at all times. The only way we can win is by having a party that is disciplined. If the party is not organised, if we don’t follow our own constitution and procedures, how do we win elections?

    “How will a non United party even win elections? So, you see, my main concern is getting the PDP properly restored into a stable, united family that will be able to stay focused on the bigger picture ahead — saving Nigeria and Nigerians from the APC.”

    Asked whether he has made efforts to contact the National Convention Organising Committee on how to obtain the form in view of the earlier announcement that the committee was taking over all activities leading to the convention, Lamido said: “I am not aware of this announcement. It’s a family affair. I mean, it’s entirely for the family. There is no controversy. There is no division. There is no hassle. 

    “You know, if you don’t get organised, how will you run a political party? So, what they did in terms of the announcement, I have no idea. I’ve never heard of it. By tradition, I should know the forms are  being sold. That’s why I came here (Wadata Plaza). So, if they are being sold somewhere else, then I’ll find out where, because they are now under the chairmanship of the National Convention Organizing Committee.

    ‘Fintiri is now holding the forms. So, do I have to go to Adamawa to buy the form.”

    He dismissed speculations that the Governors were not supporting his candidature because of his alleged identification with the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), saying they “(governors) met me in PDP, for God’s sake. All of them met me in PDP. Where were they in 1998? Where were they when we fought for the party all through the last 25 years? Don’t bring up issues that are very, very divisive. I don’t want to lose my composure.”

    The National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu claimed ignorance of the arrangement for the convention alleging that their constitutional functions had been taken over by the convention committee. 

    Read Also: How PDP governors settled for Turaki as consensus candidate

    Anyanwu said he was not aware of the process of the sale of form even though he has an ambition to contest the elections, adding that he does not even know the number of forms printed for the convention not the colour of the form. 

    He said he was aware that the zoning committee said all positions in the North should remain in the North and those in the South remaining in the South and dismissed micro zoning his position to the South West. 

    Bature also insisted that he was not aware of the printing and sales of forms for any elective position during the convention, insisting that it was the responsibility of his office to sell forms for any elective position. 

    The National Convention Organizing Committee (NCOC) has put on hold the screening of aspirants for the elective National Convention, scheduled to hold on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 due to unforeseen circumstances.

    Adamawa Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri said in a statement that a new date will be communicated once fixed. 

  • Why Soludo deserves my support for second term- Igbo Diaspora leader

    Why Soludo deserves my support for second term- Igbo Diaspora leader

    Leader of the Igbos in Diaspora Chief Emeka Obieolom has explained why he and Anambra indigenes at home and in the Diaspora are supporting Governor Charles Soludo for a second term in office.

    Obieolom, who is the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of GEONEFT LLC, an international Oil and Petroleum magnet, said Soludo has acquitted himself creditably with his transformational and impactful leadership within the past four years.

    According to him, the former Central Bank Governor has brought unprecedented number of developmental projects and human capacity interventions in all the local government areas of Anambra state.

    In an e-mail sent to our correspondent on Monday, Obieolom also said Soludo has ensured adequate security of lives, peace and property, adding that this has created a congenial environment for economic growth and prosperity.

    He said: “The Governor of Anambra state has earned by respect and support because of his great performance in his first term as a governor.

    “Anambra  state has witnessed an Unprecedented development across all the local government areas. His Human Capital development is second to none.

    “Today Anambra state in enjoying so much peace because of the security measures the governor has put in place. 

    Read Also: APGA chieftain boosts Soludo’s campaign with N10m, bus

    We have never had it so good.

    “There are visible projects across the whole state, in fact the people are so happy to identify with Soludo’s administration and that is why people are not just campaigning for him but are funding his second term project making it their own project”.

    Obieolom, a native of Nri, Aniocha local government area of the state,said that Soludo should be given a second term to complete the great work he doing for the state.

    “Soludo’s second term will change the face of Anambra and the entire South East states because the state is already creating more Industries and building businesses.

    “I am a Solution ambassador. I am mobilizing our people for a man who has created  enduring programmes for our people.

    “The Igbos in Diaspora are with him and I have already instructed that all my members across the the world and Nigeria should join hand in the support of our Governor,” he said.

  • Group cautions against attempt to truncate democracy

    Group cautions against attempt to truncate democracy

    Yoruba Assembly, a coalition of diverse Yoruba socio-political and cultural groups, has warned of grave consequences, should there be any attempt to stage a military coup in Nigeria.

    The group said such an action would destabilise the country, erode democratic gains and plunge the nation into turmoil.

    The warning was issued in a communiqué released after the group’s conference on the State of the Nation, held in Lagos and attended by over 1,000 delegates from across Yoruba-speaking states, including representatives from the Yoruba diaspora and other ethnic nationalities like the Itsekiri.

    The Chairman, Olawale Oshun, who read the assembly’s statement, said the group was disturbed by reports suggesting the possibility of anti-democratic conspiracies in the country.

    He cautioned against any attempt to truncate Nigeria’s democratic process, noting such an act would have “unprecedented and irreversible consequences.”

    READ ALSO: Ekiti 2026: 885 delegates to pick APC Gov candidate

    Oshun, Chief Whip of the House of Representatives during the aborted Third Republic, said: “We warn military adventurists to stay away from politics. Any attempt to truncate democracy at this moment will end up creating unprecedented violence and instability.”

    The assembly expressed concern about intelligence reports alleging planned attacks by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) on parts of Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara and Osun states, warning that Yoruba communities must begin to organise themselves for self-defence.

    “Our people cannot remain silent witnesses to the invasion of our homeland. The Yoruba must unite to resist any attempt to subjugate or destroy our heritage,” the group said.

    The assembly condemned the recent spate of killings in Kwara, Kogi states and Itsekiri land, describing attacks on Yoruba people anywhere in Nigeria as “an attack on all Yoruba.”

    It called on the Federal Government to protect Itsekiri communities in Delta State and Yoruba populations in Kogi and Kwara states, warning that ‘’the continued neglect of these vulnerable areas can lead to unrest.

    “The Yoruba in Kogi and Kwara states are facing a declaration of war. Itsekiri people are also facing historical injustice, with pipeline protection contracts handed to their adversaries. These situations can no longer be tolerated,” the communiqué said.

    The body identified restructuring as the most viable solution to Nigeria’s lingering instability, urging the Federal Government to return the country to a true federal system similar to the pre-independence arrangement.

    “The antidote to Nigeria’s instability is to restructure the federation along regional lines, allowing each unit to control its resources and chart its development path,” the statement said.

    The group criticised Southwest governors for failing to collaborate on security and development issues, enjoining them to prioritise governance and work together to establish subnational policing systems to safeguard lives and property.

    “No single governor can protect his people alone. They must work collectively and push for state and regional policing to confront the security challenges head-on,” it said.

    The assembly underscored the critical role of Yoruba traditional rulers in uniting and defending their people, calling for a summit of Yoruba monarchs to be convened by the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo to reassert cultural and ancestral leadership.

    “Our monarchs must take their rightful place as custodians of our spirit and heritage. Their unity is essential to the preservation of Yoruba civilisation,” the statement emphasised.

    It acknowledged recent improvements in macroeconomic indicators — including a decline in inflation from 34 per cent in mid-2024 to 22 per cent by September 2025, and GDP growth of 3.8 per cent — but expressed concern that ‘’these figures do not translate into real benefits for ordinary Nigerians.’’

    “We can recite positive statistics, but they mean little if they do not improve the lives of our citizens. Development must be people-centred, not just paper growth,” Oshun noted.

    The group called for renewed investment in agriculture, small-scale industrial production and the revival of Industrial Development Centres (IDCs), to promote local enterprise and job creation across the Southwest.

  • As Ekiti APC elects governorship candidate today

    As Ekiti APC elects governorship candidate today

    As the All Progressives Congress (APC) elects its governorship candidate for next year’s poll today, Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the significance of the democratic primary based on the consensus option.

    Today is another important day in Ekiti State. The application of Governor Abiodun Oyebanji, who is seeking re-election, would be considered by All Progressives Congress (APC) faithful, represented by five delegates per ward.

    No fewer than 177 delegates are expected to give the ticket to the chief executive of the hilly state at the Ekiti Pavillon in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

    Oyebanji is the lone contestant in the historic shadow poll, which would be conducted by Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, assisted by his Edo State counterpart, Senator Monday Okpebholo.

    Four aspirants started the race in the ruling party. One was disqualified. Another one withrew in dignity. The third, Kayode Ojo, who got a provisional clearance from the Tunji Olawuyi Ajuloopin-led Screening Panel, was disqualified by the National Working Committee (NWC).

    Ahead of the exercise, members have held endorsement rallies for the governor, fondly called BAO by admirers, at the wards, local governments, federal constituencies, senatorial districts, and the state level.

    It was clear from the multiple endorsements that the party knew where it was heading. Those against the majority opinion were left behind in futile rebellion.

    At the weekend, the various wards were busy electing their delegates. Only committed, dedicated and financially compliant members were given the role of primary electors, underscoring the beauty of grassroots democracy, discipline and party supremacy, even at the grassroots.

    So far, there is no single complaint from any of the wards across the 16 local governments about the delegate election.

    Today’s process is simple and straightforward. The congregation is set for a festival of unity. It is a honourable coronation based on consensus as outlined by the party guidelines.  In the absence of a rival, the outcome is absolutely predictable. The coast is clear for the governor to pick the ticket for the second time.

    Ododo: I guarantee a free primary

    Ododo has assured of a fair, transparent and credible process in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Ismaila Isah. He promised to be fair to the stakeholders and ensure that the exercise reflects unity, peace, and internal democracy within the party.

    Ododo emphasized that his commitment is to oversee a process that will be acceptable to party members, adding that his committee will uphold the integrity and democratic values of the party

    He assured that every stakeholder will be carried along in line with the APC guidelines.

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    Ododo, who chaired the APC Governorship Primary Election Committee in Ondo State in April last year, expressed confidence that the Ekiti exercise will be peaceful and orderly in line with procedures for internal party democracy.

    He said fairness and inclusiveness would be the guiding principles of the committee, assuring that the process that will strengthen the unity of the Ekiti chapter.

    The APC, in a letter by National Organizing Secretary Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu announced Ododo’s appointment as Chairman of the committee to supervise the consensus primary.

    According to the letter addressed to the Ekiti APC Chairman, Sola Elesin, a lawyer, the Edo governor was appointed Deputy Chairman and Taiwo Sunmonu as Secretary.

    Other members of the committee include Iyom Nikky Ejezie,  Elis Ihijator Abraham, Rufus Bature, Latif Ibirogba, Dr. Chibuzor Nduaguba Agu, Chief Dr. Gabriel Oyibode, Chief Hope Dike, and Shehu Umaru Dange, an engineer.

    Free and fair delegate poll

    The Chairman of the Congress Committee, who is also the Edo State Chairman of the ruling party, Mr Jarret Tenebe, conducted a credible delegates’ Congress ahead of today’s exercise.

    On getting to Ado-Ekiti, he addressed reporters  after meeting with party stakeholders at the APC Secretariat inAdo-Ekiti, where he assured them of a free and fair poll.

    On Friday, he said: “Well, tomorrow is the delegate congress. We just finished addressing the stakeholders for an interactive discussion. So, tomorrow will be the congress.

    “It’s going to happen; we’re going to elect delegates, five delegates from each ward, by tomorrow, and it’s going to be seamless, fair and open. Tomorrow at 10 o’clock, it will begin. That’s what we are going to do.”

    Tenebe and his team lived to expectation.

    The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who spoke with reporters, said the chapter was on course.

    With him at the Stakeholders’ Forum were  Elesin, Senior Special adviser to the governor on Political Matters, Chief Jide Awe, Secretary to the Government, Professor Habibat Adubiaro, former House of Representatives member Bimbo Daramola, and local government chairmen.

    Bamidele said: “From the party, I expect a celebration of life that all of us are alive to witness, yet another season of election. As you all know, the Ekiti gubernatorial election is an off-season election. It will hold in June 2026, according to our INEC timetable.

    “But before then, there will have to be the governorship primary, which is why I’m home. As you also know, our party prescribes three modes of primaries direct, indirect, or consensus.

    “The party, after screening all four aspirants, cleared two. And one of the two who were cleared also wrote a beautiful letter to the party, thanking the party for the opportunity to participate in the process and announcing that she was endorsing the other aspirant, who is our sitting governor.

    “So, at that point, the party decided that the only option left was the consensus option. However, our constitution requires that even at consensus, there must be an affirmation.

    “So, by God’s grace, we are going to be holding our congresses in our various wards. That’s also part of why I’m home because for me to be a delegate, I have to go to my ward and contest election to be one.

    “The delegates will then meet on Monday to ratify the consensus candidate of the party. So, the expectation on the part of members of the APC right now is an expectation of celebration and gratitude to God for being alive to witness another election season.”

    He added: “We expect continuity, anyone familiar with what has happened in Lagos between 1999 and now will understand the beauty and progress that come with continuity, the harvest of development, economic growth and infrastructure advancement that follow a stable leadership trajectory.

    “We’re happy as a state, and we’re looking forward to a governorship primary devoid of rancour where no man will be molested, where no one will lose his life by the grace of God, and where there will be no spilling of blood.”

    On the protest in Abuja over the disqualification Ojo that occurred in Abuja, Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central in the Senate, South senatorial District, Bamidele said it was not a serious protect. However, he assured that there will be reconciliation.

    Bamidele said: “I would put it this way: I would speak first as a politician and then as a democrat and statesman.

    “As a ,politician, I probably would dismiss what happened in Abuja. Members of staff at the national secretariat of the party called me and said there was a protest going on. I told them, please go there and do a video call, let me see the faces of the people.

    “When they did, they counted 17 people at the secretariat, well-dressed, holding placards and it was clear they were well-paid for what they were doing.

    “So, as a politician, I would say it is one of those things but as a Democrat and statesman, I would say that for as long as we still have even one person in Nigeria who can be mobilized for whatever reason to carry a placard and protest over something he or she knows nothing about, it shows that we still have work to do.

    “We’ll continue to reach out to them. We’ll continue to do our best to ensure reconciliation among all forces.”

    He added: “This is not Rivers State. This is not Akwa Ibom State. This is Ekiti, a state with limited resources. Go around the state. Invite our Ekiti people to come home and see what the government has done. Invite those who live outside Ekiti but criticize this administration, challenge them to come and see the developments on the ground.

    “Let them go around and see what is happening with the limited resources of this state. Unless we are looking for a magician as governor, I think the record speaks for itself.

    “As far as I’m concerned, I am where I am not by coercion. I don’t expect magic from the governor, but I know that given the limited resources, our governor has done well.

    “My advice for party members is to be law-abiding, to play by the rules of the game which they have promised to do. I’m sure the party is known for peace. We are very convinced that they will be peaceful in carrying out their activities.”

    ‘No complaint about delegate congress’

    The Chairman of the Ekiti Delegates Congress Appeal Panel, Dr Dennis Otiotio, said no petition was received from any ward after the weekend exercise.

    Otiotio, who is the Bayelsa APC chairman, hailed the party members for their demonstration of faith and loyalty to the party.

    Speaking with reporters in Ado Ekiti, he attributed the absence of grievance or petition over the delegates congress to the unity and peaceful atmosphere in the party.

    Otiotio lauded the peaceful atmosphere and contribution of delegates towards the transparent exercise.

    He said the panel did not receive a single petition or complaint from any of the 16 local government areas after the congress.

    He said: “As part of the electoral process, the party constituted a five-man appeal panel to receive complaints from aggrieved members regarding the conduct of the delegate congress”.

    The APC chieftain said a public notice had been issued and circulated to all APC local government secretariats, inviting members with grievances to submit their petitions between 6pm on the day of the congress and 6 am the following day (yesterday).

    Otiotio added: “By 10 a.m., we were ready to review any petitions, but fortunately, none were received. This demonstrates the transparent manner in which the delegates congresses were conducted.

    “We commend the committee that handled the process for doing an excellent job.”

    Otiotio, who also praised Oyebanji, attributed the unity and peaceful atmosphere within the party to his inclusive governance style.

    He said: “It is evident that Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s sterling leadership qualities have fostered harmony within the party. The consensus reached across all wards shows the level of cooperation among members.”

    The Appeal Panel chairman expressed confidence that the APC would perform excellently in next year’s governorship election.

    He thanked the NWC for the confidence reposed in the appeal panel.

    Elesin noted that the delegates congress was conducted peacefully and without any form of malpractice.

    He said: “I am glad to inform you that the election was hitch-free across the state.

    “We have not received any report of irregularities, and no committee member is being sanctioned.”

    Elesin lauded the electoral committee for its diligence and transparency, expressing optimism that the appeal panel would find no issue to contest.

    Oyebanji: APC will win all wards next

    Oyebanji said APC is working towards winning all 177 wards during the June 20, 2026 poll.

    The governor, who spoke at his ward at Ikogosi Ekiti during the delegates congress, praised party members for their unity and peaceful conduct, urging delegates to maintain the same fidelity to the party today.

    Oyebanji described the peaceful and orderly conduct as “another demonstration of the maturity and discipline that define the APC in Ekiti State.

    He said: “You can see that our members are happy and united in one accord to exercise their franchise. You can also see that in all the wards, delegates were elected by consensus, which speaks to the unity between the leadership and the membership of the party in Ekiti State.

    “In the last three years that we have been at the saddle, we have made the party more attractive to people. We have had a lot of members coming in from other parties to join APC because we have been able to deliver on various deliverables.

    “I can assure you with God being on our side, the record we want to break, by the grace of God, on June 20 next year, is the record of winning 177 wards. It has never happened in the history of this state before, but on June 20 next year, God being on our side, APC will win convincingly all the 177 wards.”

    Civil societies hail congress

    Civil society organisations and Independent National Electoral Commission-registered observers hailed the conduct of the delegates’ election.

    The Citizen Right For Peace And Non Violence Initiative, Global Development Centre For Rescue Mission Nigeria, and Suitable African Initiative For Suitable And Positive Development released a communique in Ado Ekiti. It was read by their Coordinator, Romanus Azubuike, after the conclusion of the delegates’ Congress.

    The CSOs said: “The election was conducted in a peaceful and conducive manner under the watchful presence of various security agencies”.

    Azubuike, who said that the CSOs observed the congress in the three senatorial districts, said: “The delegate election took place across all the 177 electoral wards covering the 16 local government areas of the state, in accordance with the party’s guidelines.

    “There was an impressive turnout of joyful and enthusiastic party faithful who participated in the exercise. Party officials delegated by the APC National Headquarters carried out their duties credibly and professionally. We appreciate all stakeholders and party members for their orderliness and peaceful conduct throughout the exercise. Ekiti State is peaceful during and after the exercise”.

    Azubuike praised Oyebanji for providing a conducive environment for the exercise to take place.

    He said: “The governor demonstrated true leadership by not interfering in the process, despite being a candidate in the election.

    “We consider this exercise not only crucial but also highly significant, as it represents a vital step toward ensuring a peaceful and transparent primary election, while creating a conducive environment for inclusiveness and fairness.”

  • Gombe politics: The travails of a god-father

    Gombe politics: The travails of a god-father

    • By By Khalil Kashere

    In a rare media appearance, former governor of Gombe State and senator representing Gombe central, Danjuma Goje was in the news last weekend. It thus appears the senator has for a while been consigned into obscurity in the politics of Gombe, a state he once bestrode and held sway like a colossus.

    It was an opinion article titled “Senator Goje: The Mistake APC Must Avoid” written by one Louis Achi. The article bemoans the diminishing leadership status of senator Goje, the erstwhile strongman of Gombe politics casting him as a victim of political subterfuge and betrayal.

    The article presented a pitiable scenario, yet, describing him as “a winning candidate (sic) Danjuma Goje, becoming a pariah in his own party simply because he commands the loyalty of the electorate.” A paradox of some sort that exemplifies the illusion of power and overrated influence of a yesterday man. How can a man that commands the loyalty of the electorate become a pariah in party politics. In the American fantasy drama television series, Game of Thrones, created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, power is aptly described as an illusion, a shadow on the wall. It resides where people believe it resides, not necessarily in the hands of the powerful. The game of power, like in other climes, is ever dynamic. This is the current reality of Gombe politics where power has since changed hands.

    For the avoidance of doubt, it is apt to state the fact in order to correct the misinformation and disinformation in the said article. Curiously, the article concocted some half-truths, half-falsehood narratives in a futile attempt to dress Senator Danjuma Goje in a borrowed robe as the main factor in Gombe politics. Here is a state where there is a sitting second term APC governor, who has not only performed excellently well across indices to the admiration of all and sundry but has demonstrated leadership and unwavering loyalty to the party as being led by President Bola Tinubu.

    In 2023, at a time when the wave of opposition was blowing across the north, especially the north east states, Senator Goje was aloof, only concerned about his own senatorial seat. He lifted no finger in support of the party.

    Unashamedly, the revisionist article coroborrated the fact of Goje’s absence in APC victory in Gombe when it wrote: “While the APC suffered humiliating defeats in Gombe, losing all two other Senate seats and five out of six House of Representatives seats to the PDP, Goje alone stood tall. Without stepping out for a single campaign rally, his constituents overwhelmingly re-elected him.” Yet, with this obvious fact, the writer still naively ascribed to the same man, a messianic role which Providence has since taken away from him. He wrote: “Despite his loyalty and proven electoral value, the APC and the Presidency seem reluntant to tap into Goje’s political capital to strengthen the party in Gombe state.”

    Even after the emergence of President Tinubu and in furtherance of his disdain for the president and the party, Goje chosed to work against the party’s position in the choice of the leadership of 10th senate by siding with the opponent. Where he could not visibly be absent, he arrogantly maintain aloofness. Only recently, APC stakeholders in the north east gathered on self assessment to review the party’s two years scorecard. Everyone that matter rose at that meeting to express satisfaction and voiced their position to pass a vote of confidence on President Tinubu-led federal government. Again, Senator Goje was conspicuously absent. How then can anyone in good conscience blame the people of Gombe for his declining political fortune.

    Let it be known that in the present Gombe, there is no question at all as to where the lever of power resides. Putting it in its proper context, the 2023 elections, federal and state in Gombe, offered a clue as to when the rain started beating the ex-godfather. That was when the people spoke in unambiguous terms with the election of Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya for a second in office. Goje who choose to play double standard by remaining in the All Progressive Congress (APC) but working against the party’s interest was soon to realise that without him, the people could resoundingly vote governor Inuwa Yahaya based on his performance.

    Without doubt, Goje’s previous records vis-à-vis his commitment to party loyalty bear eloquent testimony of his lack of interest in Tinubu presidency. It cannot be overstated that Senator Goje refused to work for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential elections. There is nothing suggesting that he is ready to work for his reelection in 2027. After all, he did not support the re-election of Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya as governor. Neither did he supported, Usman Bello Kumo, the only APC member of the House of Representatives from Gombe and now Chief Whip who despite the obstacles placed before him has continued to win elections courtesy the power of the people. It is on record that Goje spared no effort to undermine Hon. Kumo, his former political son, whose only sin lies in his bourging popularity among his people. But for providence and the determination of Gombe electorates, the state would have lost the chance of producing a ranking member with the attendant benefits for the state. Similarly, the three members of the Gombe State House of Assembly within the Gombe Central senatorial district emerged without any support from Goje who instead worked against the interest of the ruling APC where he now seeks relevance. 

    Let it be clearly stated: Senator Danjuma Goje is not a victim of political persecution but the architect of his own misfortunes. He is reaping the consequences of a long pattern of double standards, self-serving politics and quiet sabotage against the very party that made him what he is today. You cannot claim to love the APC and at the same time undermine its leadership at every turn. While loyal party members were on the field defending the party’s mandate and selling the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Goje and his loyalists were openly fraternizing with the opposition. In fact, his actions and silence during that period emboldened the opposition and weakened party morale. No true party man behaves that way and still expects to be treated as a hero.

    For someone who claims to be the leader of the North-East Senators’ Caucus, it is rather ironic that Senator Goje shunned a major APC stakeholders’ summit convened to strengthen the party and take key decisions, including the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term. At a time when genuine party men were rallying around the President and consolidating unity ahead of 2027, Goje chose to stay away. That singular act exposed his double standards and confirmed that his commitment to the APC begins and ends where his personal interests are served, which is a sharp contrast from the image the vexed article is trying to portray.

    Also, it is inconceivable that a man like Senator Goje who could be rightly be described as an elder statesman would seek to justify his verbal misadventure on the floor of the senate on the so-called lop-sidedness in funding for the north east, when in fact it was a case of an undisguised outpour of long concealed venom and bitterness.

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    As a ranking senator, Goje is not new to budgetting processes. What elders like him does in that circumstance is to use his influence to lobby his colleagues for more allocation rather than speaking to the gallery.  

    To rationalize his action as “Senator Goje was simply doing what a statesman should – speaking truth to power,” is to debase statesmanship.

    Lastly, the article’s attempts to paint a picture of a Gombe APC that cannot survive without Goje is another fallacy and a joke taken too far. Here was a man that was suspended by APC at the Ward level and was later expelled for his anti-party activities; the expulsion was ratified by the party at local government level and approved by the party at the state level. It was on record that Goje, rather than defending himself and seek appeasement rushed to the High Court where to his amazement his expulsion was further affirmed. The matter is currently before the Court of Appeal. Needless to say, this speaks volume. The point is no party does that to a valuable stakeholder. It is a treatment reserves only for a spent force.

    Let it be known that with or without Goje, the APC in Gombe will continue to be stronger, united, and more vibrant. The party is better positioned for future victory than it has ever been, precisely because it has moved beyond personality politics.

    • Kashere wrote from Abuja