The Nation Newspaper

Tag: tinubu

  • Why Akume-Alia feud should be settled, by Tinubu

    Why Akume-Alia feud should be settled, by Tinubu

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has promised to resolve the feud between Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.

    Tinubu gave the promise yesterday in Makurdi at the wedding reception of the daughter of Msula Atoga Deborah and Samuel Akume, son of the SGF.

    The president, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said Akume had paid his dues and there was no need for the discord with the governor.

    He described the SGF as the longest-serving public servant in the contemporary history of Nigeria, adding  that he has a moral obligation to wade in because what affects Benue would affect the entire North Central and Nigeria.

    The president said Akume, as leader of the Northcentral and in Nigeria, has shown leadership, accommodation and a great deal of kind-heartedness.

    He said: “Benue is too important for us to toy with. We cannot afford to allow the discord between the elder statesman, Sen. Akume and Govenor Alia to escalate.

    “What binds us together supersedes whatever divides us. If this relationship goes asunder, it is the people of Benue, Northcentral and Nigeria that will suffer.

    Read ALso: Bishop Wale-Oke urges Tinubu to flush out ‘moles’ aiding insecurity

    “Sen Akume has paid his dues. He is the longest-serving public servant in the contemporary history of this country.

    “He was director of protocol, permanent secretary, two-time governor, three-time senator and minority leader of the Senate, minister and now SGF.

    “This is why I used to call him a cat with nine lives. He installs governor, dethrones and puts another. He fell out with that one; he dethroned him and installed another one.”

    He emphasised that he would not allow the relationship between Akume and the transformative governor to go asunder.

    According to him, he has the moral obligation as a leader to reconcile the duo.

    He commended the people of the state for voting massively for him in the 2023 presidential election instead of a northern or religious candidate.

    “The 2023 election was the most divisive election ever in the history of our country. But Benue decided to go with the Nigerian candidate, not a religious or Northern candidate,” he said.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) to which both Akume and Alia belong has set up a committee to resolve the differences between the two political leaders.

    The committee is chaired by House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

    Akume, who thanked the president for honouring his family during their moment of celebration, also commended Alia for finding time out of his tight schedule to honour the invitation to witness the wedding of his son.

    He assured the couple of his continuous support and prayers for them.

    He congratulated the new couple and commended them for bringing joy and respect to their respective families, the state and the nation at large.

    Sen. Jack Gyado said God blessed Akume with a good heart, a great family and good leadership qualities.

    Executive Secretary, Nigeria/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Shippers Council Pius Akutah who chaired the occasion, congratulated the couples and prayed for them.

    Guests at the event included serving and past ministers, senators, heads of government agencies among others.

    They include Benue’s immediate past Governor Samuel Ortom, monarchs and others.

  • Tinubu in Europe enroute business summit in Abu Dhabi

    Tinubu in Europe enroute business summit in Abu Dhabi

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is in Europe in continuation his end-of-year break and in preparation for an official engagement in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    He left Lagos yesterday.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the President will proceed from Europe to Abu Dhabi for the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026), billed for January 11-17 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

    President Tinubu was invited to the summit by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE Emirates.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Tinubu leaves for Europe ahead of Abu Dhabi sustainability summit

    According to the statement, the ADSW is a weeklong global platform that convenes leaders from government, business and civil society to advance conversations and actions on sustainable development.

    The summit provides a forum for mobilising ideas, partnerships and investments aimed at shaping the next phase of global sustainability efforts.

    Next year’s edition of the summit will be held under the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go”, focusing on linking ambition with practical action across innovation, finance and people, while showcasing pathways for countries and institutions to move forward with confidence in a rapidly evolving global environment.

    President Tinubu is expected back to Nigeria after the conclusion of the summit.

  • Disorderly rites of orderlies’ recall

    Disorderly rites of orderlies’ recall

    Nigeria is blighted by the ‘big man’ syndrome that modulates everyday conduct of our national affairs. Hence, the 23rd November order by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that police orderlies be recalled from Very Important Persons (VIPs) and reassigned to core policing functions have met with all manners of pushbacks against which the President seems to be holding his ground. The question is: will he hold firm against the pushbacks?

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio recently mouthpieced the objection by members of the National Assembly (NASS) to the presidential directive. At a joint sitting of the Senate and the House of Representatives for presentation of the 2026 national budget by President Tinubu on Friday, 19th November, he said lawmakers were worried that the withdrawal of their police orderlies put them at risk, such that many were hesitant to visit their respective constituency community for the Yuletide out of fear for personal safety. According to him, such concerns compelled the leadership of NASS to formally appeal to the President for a review of the directive, given the need to ensure adequate protection of elected representatives and other vulnerable targets.

    The President had, in November, ordered the withdrawal of police personnel providing security for VIPs across Nigeria and their redeployment to core policing duties to address security challenges besetting the country. He said VIPs requiring security cover should source armed operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), rather than rely on police personnel. But he also stressed that the recall of police officers on special protection duties should be done in a way that would not leave people exposed.

    In his response after the President had presented the budget address, Senate President Akpabio said: “Only one concern, Mr. President. As we direct the security agencies to withdraw policemen from critical areas, some of the National Assembly members said I should let you know that they may not be able to go home today because they may be picked up (by bandits). So on that note, we plead with Mr. President for a review of the decision. May God bless you, may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria and may God bless our National Assembly.”

    Read Also: Tinubu must complete eight years as president – Wike

    Just a few days earlier, indications had emerged of a brewing political standoff between the executive and legislative arms as senators alleged being targeted with selective implementation of the presidential order recalling police orderlies while numerous political and business personalities yet retained police protection. This, the lawmakers argued, undermined the objective of recalling police personnel for redeployment to address the country’s insecurity challenge.

    The complaint by senators came to a head following a motion raised by Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) through a point of order by which he informed the chamber that his only police orderly was withdrawn in the early hours of the previous day. Ningi demanded that enforcement be carried out across board in the spirit of fairness and equity, saying: “Let’s see what happens from the office of the President, to the Vice-President, to the Senate President, to the Speaker of the House, to ministers.” He argued that enforcement of the presidential directive was clearly uneven: “I saw two convoys of ministers and they were carrying lots of security personnel. Mr. (Senate) President, I have also seen business concerns, Chinese and other businessmen with their complements of orderlies. I have also seen daughters and sons of political officeholders having orderlies and having security cover.”

    The Bauchi senator underscored the indignity lawmakers feel by being targeted first: “I saw singers having orderlies and complementary protection. I cannot ever imagine that a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who has been here for a very long time, will have his only one orderly withdrawn.” He made clear he could protect himself, only there should be equitable application of the presidential order: “I can take care of myself, but let this be done across board. Let me not see governors, ministers and business tycoons being escorted by security personnel… The National Assembly should not be used as scapegoat.”

    In his submission, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided at the session informed senators that the leadership was actively lobbying the Presidency for an exemption of members. “I want to assure you that the issue raised to protect you is being taken seriously, and that at the leadership level we have agreed that the course of action should be reviewed to restore your police orderly to you, because this is in line with international practice,” he said. Barau expressed hope for a positive outcome: “I’m sure we have a listening President. He will listen to us and, by God’s grace, he will save us from that order, which obviously was given in good faith.”

    The senators’ complaints coincided with the President doubling down on his directive during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa. He insisted on total compliance with the order recalling police special protection operatives from VIPs, stressing the critical need to redeploy such personnel to areas grappling with kidnapping and terrorism. The President restated his directive that anyone who must have special police protection must obtain his explicit clearance through the Inspector-General of Police (IGP). “I told the IGP, and I hope the Minister of Police Affairs is here. If you have any problem of security because of the nature of your assignment, please contact the IGP and get my clearance.”

    The President as well directed agencies concerned to coordinate deployment of replacement personnel swiftly. He said: “The Minister of Interior should liaise with the IGP and Civil Defence structure to replace those police officers who are on special security duties, so that you don’t leave people exposed.” For avoidance of doubt over implementation of the recall order, he said: “It should be effected. We face challenges of kidnapping and terrorism; we need all the forces we can utilise.” He restated that concession would be made for those who are genuinely exposed: “I know some of our people are exposed and I understand that we have to make exceptional provision for them. The Civil Defence are equally armed, and I want NSA (National Security Adviser) to ensure our forest guards are armed too. So, take it very seriously.”

    Even principals of the judicial arm of government raised issues with the presidential order. Taraba State Chief Judge Joel Agya complained that withdrawal of police orderlies attached to judges exposed them to security risks, and appealed that judicial officers be exempted considering the nature of their job. Speaking when State Police Commissioner Betty Otimenyin, paid him a courtesy visit in Jalingo, he said: “Even though the President directed the withdrawal of police guards from VIPs nationwide, the Force Headquarters had earlier exempted judges because the law entitles them to police protection.” Yet, according to him, orderlies attached to judges in Taraba State were withdrawn on 8th December without prior notice.

    Describing the development as a significant threat to the administration of criminal justice, the chief judge said judges handling sensitive political, criminal, terrorism and corruption cases faced heightened personal risk, with the withdrawal of orderlies likely to compromise judicial independence and embolden intimidation within and outside the courtroom.

    Following the chief judge’s claim, though, Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has denied that police orderlies of judicial officers were withdrawn.

    By the time all solicited exemptions get factored in, the presidential order might end up neutered. Over more than two decades, successive IGPs have tried to scale back special protection services to VIPs but have all fallen flat on implementation; apparently so because not only the VIPs want to keep their orderlies, but police operatives themselves favour – indeed, actively lobby – for the offbeat posting that is far more rewarding in perks while being less hazardous than core policing functions. Even for the police institution, special protection services constitute a cash cow. Meanwhile, a report in November by a European Union agency indicated that more than 100,000 officers were deployed on VIP protection out of a total police workforce of about 371,000 that should serve a population of some 230million Nigerians. Incumbent IGP Kayode Egbetokun rejoined that only 11,566 personnel were attached to VIPs, however.

    All the ‘big men’ want special protection. But what about other Nigerians, unless something decisive is done to secure the space for the safety of everyone including the VIPs? That is where efforts should be focused, not on exemptions that allow special protection for only a few. Happy New Year to all my readers in advance!

    •Please join me on kayodeidowu.blogspot.be for conversation.

  • Who is on talakawa’s side?

    Who is on talakawa’s side?

    The state of the talakawa. That is the story we hardly tell in the whole theatre of banditry. Yet we know that it is the poor in the north who do everything. They are poor so the elite can preen. They wash their clothes, clean their cars, secure their homes, flatter their vanity in songs and dances, cook for them, fight for them. When it is over, they die for them. They are the lambs on the slab.

    For those who know them, they are called the almajiris. They are innocent on the streets, pan in hand with beggary looks. When I was a youth Corps member in Wudil in Kano State, I had one as friend. He ran errands for me. Mosquitoes upended my joy and he was by me day and night like a son as I tried to shake off the pangs and shivers of malaria. I don’t remember his name now. But I know he needed some mentor or official policy to redeem him from the life of a happy mendicant.

    I remember boys like him today, and I wonder what and who he is today. Is he in the throes of banditry?   Oliver Twist or a redemptive tale like Pip in A Great expectation? Is he still in the precinct trying to live out his days under the mercies of a kitchen, or a dinner leftover, or working like another friend I had in Kano city known as Sunusi, who was a security person but who could read every word of the newspaper?

    That was what we should contemplate as we await details of the sweet morsels of 16 tomahawks that rattled southern Sokoto. Some are trying to spin it in different ways. To some, it is America invading northern Nigeria. Some said it is the government of Tinubu, who allowed an imperialist to undercut our sovereign pride. Gumi, the irritant foul mouth, would rather have Turkey do it.

    Read Also: Tinubu must complete eight years as president – Wike

    What is left out is the little boy and little girl, their fathers and mothers in the underbelly of the north. The man who had been paying fines or taxes just to retrieve masara or shinkafa from his farm. The mother who cannot travel without fear to her daughter’s wedding or son in the hospital. The fellow who has lost all hope because the bandits have destroyed all lifelines and he has caved in to their logic of brigandage. He now survives supplying them food and medicine. Of the mother who now carts her daughters to their beastly arms as aquiline comforts.

    They are the ones who live in the underbelly of Sokoto and Kebbi and Zamfara. They are the little fellows whose children lay in bunks and are ferried away by the goons of plunder. They are the ones who get slaughtered on the highways, on the farms, on the way to mosques. They are the defenceless citizens who seek mercy but get death.

    They have no one to cry to and nowhere to scream, except to their boy wonders of Ak47 and in their lairs in the forest glades of hate. They are the folks we must think about this season. We must not look at the bullets that torch the goons, because they have no mercy in the fibres of their beings. We must not look at it with the eyes of partisan fights because the first people we must fight for are those who have no Ak47 or armoured cars or who do not have bank accounts in Abuja.

    Hence, it was a pity when a section of the northern elite has kept quiet and tried to weaponize the misery of the folks for partisan benefits. But it is this section of the northern elite who have shown no pity for the commonfolk. They are not only politicians but a few clerics and even intellectuals and media. They think the fight to stop the hoodlums is about fighting against a region.  We have heard about the tormented soul of Gumi and his cohorts and a few politicians including men like Nasir el Rufai and Prof  Usman Yusuf, although the small fellow had said nothing at the time of writing. He had tried to turn ploughshares into swords, seeing a north and south duel when it should all be about lifting the real small fellows in the north. His successor is showing him how to do it.

    Thank God not all of the northern big men think like Gumi and some top media fellows who see fire when there is light. The fellows who do live in the secluded luxury of feudal rampart. They are not affected by all the hoopla of bandit carnivores. Their children are not in those schools. none of the reports has indicated that even the Kebbi incident involved a big man’s daughter. No. Their children are either in a top school in an impenetrable enclosure in Abuja or in the London at Eaton, or in Switzerland or in Canada or in Dubai or the United States.

    They do not need the hospitals. They go for checkups in the U.K. or Germany, when they are not splashing huge sums in choice clinics in Abuja or Lagos. They do not have to go to a bank in town. They have dollars at the ready, and they will spend at will. They have their homes in secure precincts, and their security guards are armed to the teeth. If you get past the security, the homes are fortes.

    They do not need to go to the markets where bandits storm and loot and kill. Their kitchens sizzle with aromas inside a fortress of their homes, and all the choice dinners and lunches and breakfasts are chummy between their tongues and lips.

    The poor pray in public mosques. The rich talk to God from beneath their roofs. They pray in peace, except when they fortify their ride to and from the place of worship.

    They are immune from all the news of the slaughters and tears in the villages and towns in the north. Hence some, like Bashir Dalhatu, who was an Abacha crony and now the leader of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), can compare them to the Niger Delta militants. And they are saying we should coddle the goons.

    It is sentiment like this that gave birth to Aminu Kano with his Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) and later the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) and he held sway in Kano and Kaduna, and some of the northern progressives today still see him as their ancestor. Alhaji Kano still personifies the tendency of talakawa empathy today as we can see in Kano and Kaduna where strong strands of people empathy still assert themselves.

    It is a time like this that we know who is on the people’s side and those who are in the cocky circle, looking down on the majority with disdain and make merchandise of the talakawa and politics of their aches and pains. This is not the time to turn the people against their helpers as Shakespeare narrated in his play Coriolanus.

  • Tinubu must complete eight years as president – Wike 

    Tinubu must complete eight years as president – Wike 

    • …says agreement should be agreement in Rivers State 

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Sunday cautioned those he described as “emergency singers” of the slogan “On your mandate, we shall stand” to honour existing agreements, declaring that no one can deceive them with sudden displays of support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    Wike stressed that agreements must be respected, noting that late political sloganeering would not erase past realities. “For us here, agreement is agreement. You can be singing ‘on your mandate we shall stand’ in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is fine, but we have been supporting the President since 2023. Your new slogans will not help you,” he said.

    The minister made the remarks during his Christmas visits to Emohua and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

    Addressing the Ikwerre people, Wike recalled how they took political risks to support President Tinubu at a time when many others were hesitant. 

    He noted that they embraced the slogan when the outcome of the 2023 presidential election was still uncertain.

    Read Also: Wike hails Rivers Assembly members for supporting Tinubu

    “In 2023, when it was difficult and people did not know that Mr President would emerge, those of us from Ikwerre understood that politics is about risk. If you look at the votes that helped him win in Rivers State, they came particularly from Ikwerre,” Wike said.

    “When it mattered most, we stood on his mandate, not this people now coming to shout on your mandate, when it was important they couldn’t shout on your mandate.

    “You take stands when things are tough, not when food is ready. We took this position when things were tough, and we are still standing by it.

    “The South must complete their eight years, and completing the eight years it doesn’t matter which party we belong to give Mr. President the support to succeed.

    “In 2031, after the South must have completed its eight years through President Tinubu, we will know what next”.

  • Group urges Tinubu to strengthen support for indigenous pipeline security firms

    Group urges Tinubu to strengthen support for indigenous pipeline security firms

    The Ekpeye Oil and Gas Host Families Association (EOG), a Niger Delta pressure group, has called on President Bola Tinubu to sustain and expand federal support for pipeline surveillance contracts, including the allocation of oil blocks to indigenous security firms operating in Ekpeye land, Rivers State.

    The group specifically appealed for oil blocks and operational licences to be awarded to Pipelines Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) and Tantita Security Services Limited, noting that such a move would enhance the companies’ positive impact on host communities.

    The National Chairman of EOG, Comrade Chidi Dogoni, made the appeal during a one-day sensitisation programme in Ahoada East Local Government Area, according to a statement released in Abuja.

    Dogoni highlighted that the engagement of the two surveillance firms by the Federal Government marked the first time the Ekpeye people have meaningfully benefited from the oil and gas resources on their land.

    He added that despite hosting numerous oil wells and critical pipelines for decades, Ekpeye communities saw little or no benefit from the industry until PINL and Tantita commenced operations, employing hundreds of local youths in the process.

    “Let it be on record that Ekpeye remains a major producer of oil and gas in the Niger Delta. We host between eight and 10 oil licences, with pipelines criss-crossing our land. We have seven to eight pipelines and two trunk lines, making Ekpeye a major player in the industry,” he said.

    Read Also: Shettima attends wedding reception of SGF’s son in Benue

    “It is appalling that our people did not benefit from this industry until the intervention of PINL and Tantita Security Services. With the many oil blocks and licences across Ekpeye land, we believe these companies should be given further assignments, including oil blocks, so they can do more for the communities.”

    Dogoni said the two firms had demonstrated capacity and commitment, noting that if given opportunities to operate oil mining leases and other federal licences, they would further enhance local development.

    “Tantita and PINL have shown that there is more to oil and gas beyond what multinationals offered us. Through them, we now realise the blessings God deposited in Ekpeye land,” he added.

    He said unemployment had been a major driver of cultism and criminal activities in the area, prompting the formation of EOG to press for the engagement of Ekpeye youths in oil and gas-related jobs.

    Dogoni said the efforts had yielded results, with over 600 to 1,000 youths gainfully employed through the surveillance companies, leading to a drastic reduction in crime.

    “Today, the story has changed. Crime has reduced because those who would have been involved in criminality are now meaningfully engaged. Our people are smiling again,” he said.

    The EOG chairman also attributed the rise in national oil production—from about 700,000 barrels per day to between 1.8 million and two million barrels per day—to effective pipeline surveillance by indigenous operators. He commended the Office of the National Security Adviser, particularly the Director for Energy, for reforms that ensured smooth operations.

    Dogoni thanked President Tinubu for development initiatives targeted at improving the living standards of Niger Delta communities, describing the current period as the happiest in Ekpeye’s history of oil exploration.

    He also called for the inclusion of Ekpeye youths in the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) to support reintegration and peacebuilding, and urged the Federal Government to ensure Ekpeye representation in the next board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    “Ekpeye is a place to do business and a major host of oil and gas assets, yet we have been neglected. With over 60 oil wells across our land, we deserve full involvement in the industry,” he said.

    Dogoni said vandalism had become rare in Ekpeye land, stressing that communities had protected federal facilities without disrupting production.

    He also cautioned that the Host Community Trust Fund established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was meant for community development and not personal enrichment by board members.

    Expressing gratitude to the Eze Ekpeye Logbo III, HRM Eze Kelvin Ngozi Anugwo, for his leadership, Dogoni urged community leaders to enlighten residents on the proper use of PIA funds.

    In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Barrister Richard Ewoh, said the sensitisation programme was organised to address gaps in public understanding of the oil and gas industry and chart a sustainable path forward.

    Ekpeye land hosts over eight oil mining licences, more than seven pipelines and two major trunk lines, with operators including Shell Petroleum Development Company, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Nigeria LNG, Oando Energy Resources, Aradel Holdings Plc, and Power Gas Nigeria Limited.

    The EOG also outlined its achievements, including contributions to the PIA 2021, advocacy for host community equity participation, exposure of alleged irregular practices, promotion of better MoUs with oil companies, zero pipeline sabotage on OML 58 since June 2024, and sustained campaigns against militancy and cultism.

    Major oil fields in the area include Adibawa, Erema, Enwhe, Ogbelle, Ahia, Ubie, Oshi, Mini Nta, Manuso and Ubeta Deep.

    The association said it would continue to promote peaceful engagement, community participation and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.

  • 2027: Why SDP rejected coalition talks to wrestle power from Tinubu, by Prince Adebayo

    2027: Why SDP rejected coalition talks to wrestle power from Tinubu, by Prince Adebayo

    …says Atiku, Obi will be worse if in govt 

    Prince Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has explained why coalition talks involving his party collapsed, pointing to the lack of credibility, clear ideology, and moral authority among key opposition figures.

    Adebayo, who stressed that the SDP is not opposed to coalition politics in principle, said the party will not align with individuals whose records and motivations contradict its values.

    Speaking to journalists on Sunday during the 2025 Christmas Marathon and Health Walk organized by him and his wife, Queen Lilian Adebayo, he said mere opposition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is insufficient reason to form an alliance.

    “We are talking with the coalition to find a common purpose, and this purpose must meaningfully impact the lives of ordinary Nigerians. The fact that I don’t like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not mean I should accept from others what I dislike him for. That’s why we carefully interviewed some of them, while others we didn’t even consider. Many are known figures whose records contradict their claims of wanting to rescue Nigeria,” Adebayo said.

    Read Also: Shettima attends wedding reception of SGF’s son in Benue

    He further argued that several opposition figures are leveraging public dissatisfaction with the current government’s performance rather than offering genuine solutions. Using an analogy, he warned Nigerians not to be misled by superficial differences among politicians such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who, he claimed, pursue personal patronage under the guise of championing the masses.

    “I think it’s better to make sure that the person who wants to collaborate with you doesn’t have similar tendencies like the person you want to take power from. It will be like what’s the point for a chicken to vote for any of these three people.

    “Someone said the best way to handle a chicken during Christmas is to roast it, another said fry it, another said parboil it. How would the chicken vote for any of them. 

    “Since they could disagree among themselves. None of them could then force the chicken. What we are trying to do is that people don’t capitalize on the obviously bad performance of the government or to come and insinuate to us or ride on the wave of that anger. 

    “So, these people who are coming are going to be worse. When I saw their mascot, Buhari, I was convinced that we would be dead. We should make sure that someone who is not worse is not smuggled in,” he said.

    Adebayo maintained that Nigerians must ensure that individuals “worse than the government” are not “smuggled” into power under the pretence of opposition unity.

    He further disclosed that several politicians who sought to join the SDP were rejected after internal screening, noting that some were not even granted interviews.

    “We told many of them to go away. You can’t say you want to rescue Nigeria when you’re a fraud,” he stated.

    Adebayo further criticized politicians with questionable pasts and character, most especially those facing corruption charges and allegations and planning to take over from President Bola Tinubu. 

    “Some people are doing coalition after leaving EFCC custody on bail,” he said, adding that criminality and opportunism have no place in genuine reform politics.

    “The fact that I am angry with Tinubu doesn’t say I’m blind. How can I say President Tinubu is not capable of governing due to agility and now bring or work with someone who is his senior brother. 

    “In the long run, you must be credible. What drives you to do something must not be hatred or opportunism. You must look at a way to make the country better.”

    The SDP leader also stressed that any coalition must be based on shared ideology and accountability.

    “You must first confess your contribution to the problems we are facing today as a country before you can talk about coalition,” he said.

    He noted that many politicians are driven by dependence on government patronage, positing how he persuaded his party leaders that remaining out of power was preferable to betraying Nigerians.

    “Some people are incapable of being outside government for six hours because they are used to free cars, houses, and privileges. 

    “For me, if you cannot help the Nigerian people, let us not kill them. It is better not to enter government than to become enemies of the people,” he said.

  • 2027: Former legislators back Tinubu for second term, endorse Barau for Kano governor

    2027: Former legislators back Tinubu for second term, endorse Barau for Kano governor

    Members of the National Forum of former legislators have thrown their weight behind the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and endorsed the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, for the governorship race in Kano State. 

    The national coordinator of the forum, comprising former legislators at federal, state, and local government levels, Hon. Raphael Nnanna Igbokwe, stated this during a courtesy visit to Senator Barau at the National Assembly in Abuja, recently. 

    He said they decided to endorse President Tinubu to enable him to complete the numerous developmental programmes and reforms he has initiated in the country over the past 30 months. 

    “We have come together as right-minded individuals who believe in this administration and have already established our position as a parliamentary support group for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We have also concurred with our state chapter, which has endorsed Senator Barau for the governorship race in Kano State,” he said.

    Read Also: Shettima attends wedding reception of SGF’s son in Benue

    He, on behalf of the convener, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, extended an invitation to Senator Barau to serve as a Special Guest of Honour at the forthcoming National Summit on National Unity and Nation Building, scheduled for January 24, 2026.

    Responding, Senator Barau commended the forum for evolving from an informal to a formal group of former parliamentarians. 

    “This initiative is timely and necessary. What you’ve done is remarkable. It’s something that should be done, and I strongly support it.

    “This is a time when people who have served in the National and State Assemblies need to come closer to the government and support it, as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is working hard to return our country to the path of prosperity. He needs the support of all in this regard,” he said. 

  • JUST IN: Tinubu leaves for Europe ahead of Abu Dhabi sustainability summit

    JUST IN: Tinubu leaves for Europe ahead of Abu Dhabi sustainability summit

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday departed Lagos for Europe, continuing his end-of-year break and in preparation for an official engagement in the United Arab Emirates.

    A statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the President will proceed from Europe to Abu Dhabi to participate in the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026), scheduled to hold early in January.

    The ADSW 2026 is scheduled to run from January 11 through January 17 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

    President Tinubu was invited to the summit by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates.

    Read Also: Group urges Tinubu to prosecute Gumi over terror-related comments

    According to the statement, Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is a weeklong global platform that convenes leaders from government, business, and civil society to advance conversations and actions on sustainable development.

    The summit provides a forum for mobilising ideas, partnerships, and investments aimed at shaping the next phase of global sustainability efforts.

    The 2026 edition of the summit will be held under the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go,” focusing on linking ambition with practical action across innovation, finance, and people, while showcasing pathways for countries and institutions to move forward with confidence in a rapidly evolving global environment.

    President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria after the conclusion of the summit.

  • Group urges Tinubu to prosecute Gumi over terror-related comments

    Group urges Tinubu to prosecute Gumi over terror-related comments

    The Southern Nigeria Youth Congress (SNYC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order the arrest, thorough investigation, and prosecution of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi over statements it said justify, rationalise, or enable terrorism.

    The youth group commended President Tinubu, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and security agencies for renewed efforts in the fight against terrorism, but warned that the menace would persist unless alleged sympathisers and sponsors of terrorists are identified, investigated, and prosecuted.

    The group expressed hope that the intensified military actions and improved inter-agency cooperation signalled what it described as a much-needed shift towards seriousness in tackling insecurity.

    Speaking at the weekend in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, the President General of SNYC, Comrade Emordi Caleb, said Nigeria must send a clear message locally and internationally that it is not a haven for bandits, terrorists, or their defenders.

    He condemned recent comments attributed to Sheikh Gumi on the United States bomb strike on terrorist enclaves in northern Nigeria, describing them as sympathetic to criminal elements and a direct threat to national security.

    Read Also: Nigerian Breweries, Terra Kulture partner to celebrate women resilience

    According to the group, such comments, made at a time when the country continues to suffer from attacks by bandits and terrorists, are insensitive and dangerously supportive of forces that have consistently destabilised Nigeria.

    Emordi called on security agencies to demonstrate neutrality, courage, and professionalism by treating all alleged terrorist sympathisers and enablers equally, irrespective of ethnic background, religious affiliation, or social status.

    “Nigerians must confront an uncomfortable truth,” he said. “If similar statements were repeatedly made by a southerner or anyone outside certain privileged circles, the full weight of the security apparatus would be swiftly deployed. Selective enforcement of national security weakens unity, undermines justice, erodes public trust, and sends the wrong message that some voices are untouchable, even when national security is at stake.”