Author: Nouman Ali

The Hausa Community in Ondo State has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima remain the best leadership option for Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

They made the declaration on Friday in Akure during a mobilisation programme organised by the Grassroots Movement for Tinubu (GMT), a political support group backed by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

Speaking at the event, the State Leader of the Hausa Community in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Bala Umaru, expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s administration’s ongoing reforms in agriculture, security, infrastructure and other sectors.

Umaru said the Hausa community, from the 18 local government areas of Ondo, has endorsed President Tinubu and his Vice President, Shettima, to reposition the country for sustainable development.

He observed that the administration inherited significant economic and social challenges but had demonstrated commitment to addressing them through reforms and interventions targeted at food security, infrastructure, transport, investment, job creation and economic growth.

‘Today is more than a political gathering. It is an opportunity for us to speak with one voice about the Nigeria we want, and the kind of leadership we believe can take us there.

‘The leader is none other than His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and our decision as the Hausa community in Ondo State is to support his administration and endorse him alongside our Vice President, His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, for a second term in office,’ Umaru said.

He also lauded the Federal government’s road construction projects, saying improved road infrastructure was essential to the economic activities of northern Nigerians who transport agricultural produce to different parts of the country.

‘In the history of Nigeria, there is no President who has embarked on massive road construction like the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

‘Good roads play a significant role in the economy of we northerners. They make it easier for us to transport our goods, especially farm produce, to any part of the country,’ he said.

Umaru also appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the administration, stressing that some of the reforms would require time before their full impact could be felt.

He further cited Tinubu’s contribution to the political emergence of former President Muhammadu Buhari as one reason the Hausa community should reciprocate the support.

‘These are not things that can be achieved overnight. They require patience, consistency and cooperation from all Nigerians.’

‘President Tinubu also played a significant role in installing the late former President Muhammadu Buhari. It is just natural for any northerner to support President Tinubu’s second-term bid,’ he said.

Umaru said the community’s decision was also motivated by its desire for a peaceful, prosperous and united Nigeria.

He applauded the Minister of Interior, Dr Tunji-Ojo, for his leadership, commitment and development initiatives.

The Director-General of GMT, Hon. Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, said the Hausa endorsement was part of the group’s wider mobilisation of ethnic communities and non-indigenes across Ondo State for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election.

Yusuf-Ogunleye said the group had previously secured endorsements from the Ebira and Igbo communities, adding that the Hausa community had now joined the campaign.

‘Different ethnic groups in Ondo State have been endorsing President Tinubu. We started with the Ebira community. Last week, the Igbo community did their own. Today, the Hausa people from all 18 local government areas are here to endorse the President’s second-term bid,’ he said.

He said the Hausa community had acknowledged what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration and decided to support the President despite the possibility of other aspirants from the northern region contesting the presidency.

‘That is the spirit of sportsmanship. That is the spirit of oneness,’ he said.

Yusuf-Ogunleye added that the Hausa community, which he described as committed and loyal, supported Tinubu in the 2023 election and had resolved to back him again in 2027.

He also commended Tunji-Ojo for providing resources to mobilise residents and non-indigenes across the state in support of the President.

Similarly, a member of the GMT Board of Trustees, Hon. Adekola Olawoye, SAN, described the gathering as a significant mobilisation event and expressed satisfaction with the turnout of Hausa residents from the 18 local government areas.

Olawoye said the group had been engaging different ethnic communities in the state as part of its mobilisation strategy.

‘We have been mobilising non-indigenes in the state, different ethnic groups, to support the President. Our target is one million votes for the President,’ he said.

The Osun All Progressives Congress (APC) Stakeholders Forum has called for a comprehensive review of the remote and immediate causes of the party’s defeat in the August 15, 2026 governorship election, and has proposed a broad restructuring of the state chapter to restore unity and rebuild party members’ confidence.

In an open letter to President Bola Tinubu dated August 18, the group identified internal divisions, concerns over candidate selection, and the distribution of political appointments as factors that contributed to the party’s defeat.

The forum, coordinated by Professor Akin Adeyanju and Secretary Sola Ajayi, said that the concentration of political appointments and electoral decisions around the immediate past governor of the state and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, had raised concerns among certain sections of the party.

It said that the limited involvement of some party elders and stakeholders in key decisions affecting the state chapter had also weakened internal cohesion and may have contributed to the loss of support among critical stakeholders and communities across the three senatorial districts.

To address the situation, the stakeholders urged President Tinubu to facilitate an independent review of the Osun APC leadership structure and candidate-selection process, alongside measures to reconcile the various interests within the party.

As part of its proposed way forward, the group called for the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to convene a state congress to produce what it described as a genuinely representative state executive.

It also proposed a stakeholders’ reconciliation summit bringing together all factions, party elders and interest groups within the state chapter.

The forum urged the APC to establish a transparent and inclusive framework for future candidate selection, based on broader consultation rather than the preference of any individual leader.

It also called for a more equitable distribution of federal appointments and future electoral opportunities across the three senatorial districts and the party’s various interest groups.

The stakeholders said the proposed measures were necessary to reposition the APC and improve its prospects in Osun ahead of future elections.

They expressed confidence that timely intervention by President Tinubu would help reunite the party, restore members’ confidence and position the APC for stronger performance in subsequent elections.

The forum commended Tinubu for what it described as his leadership and commitment to the party before and after the August 15 election, while expressing regret over the APC’s defeat despite his support.

Noor Takaful Insurance Limited and its subsidiary, Noor Health Limited, have distributed N427.96 million in surplus to participants and enrollees who did not make claims during the 2024 financial year.

The companies shared a combined N427,963,044.68 at a ceremony in Lagos, marking what they described as a demonstration of the principles of mutuality, fairness and shared benefits underpinning the Takaful model.

While more than 1,000 participants are expected to receive various amounts from the surplus distribution, 22 Noor Takaful participants and two Noor Health enrollees received their payments at the ceremony.

Among the organisations that received surplus payments were Jaiz Bank, Lotus Bank, Sterling Bank, The Alternative Bank, Payvantage Limited, Integrated Indigo Limited, Smadac Securities and Taxaide Logistics.

Speaking at the 2024 Surplus Distribution and Claims Celebration Ceremony, themed ‘Promise Kept: Celebrating Takaful’s Commitment to Shared Reward, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) described the surplus distribution as a practical demonstration of the principles of cooperation, shared responsibility, fairness, ethical conduct and collective prosperity.

The NAICOM Commissioner for Insurance, Ayo Omosehin, who was represented at the event by Deputy Director, Insurance, Technical, Usman Jankara, said the development showed that Takaful participants were not merely buyers of insurance protection but contributors to a system based on cooperation and mutual benefit.

Jankara said the payment had demonstrated that Takaful could create measurable value while remaining faithful to its ethical foundation.

On the ongoing recapitalisation of the insurance industry, Jankara said Takaful operators were exempted because they had undergone a similar exercise four years ago.

He said there was currently no compelling need for another recapitalisation of the Takaful segment, stressing that all Takaful operators were adequately capitalised.

He added that NAICOM would continue to support the growth of Takaful while maintaining regulatory oversight.

The Board Chairman of Noor Takaful, Ambassador Shuaibu Ahmed, disclosed that the distribution was more than a financial reward but a demonstration of gratitude, accountability and the fulfilment of promises made to participants.

According to him, Noor Takaful’s consistent surplus payments have shown that the concept is not merely theoretical but a model capable of delivering tangible benefits to participants.

He said the growing acceptance of Takaful in Nigeria reflected increasing recognition of the model as a credible alternative to conventional insurance.

‘At Noor, however, we believe it is more than just an alternative. We believe it is a better alternative,’ Ahmed said, citing equity, fairness, mutual responsibility, transparency and shared benefit as core values of Takaful.

The Vice Chairman of Noor Takaful, Aminu Tukur on his part said the 2024 surplus distribution was based on the performance of participants’ risk pool after claims and other obligations had been settled.

Tukur added that the company had grown from about 60 participants at inception to approximately 4,000, adding that it would continue to work with regulators and other stakeholders to deepen Takaful awareness and insurance penetration in Nigeria.

He said the company would mark its 10th anniversary in 2027.

He also disclosed that Noor Takaful had paid about N22 billion in claims to beneficiaries and participants since inception, comprising N7.4 billion from General Takaful and N14.5 billion from Family Takaful.

He said the company’s responsibility extended beyond managing and investing participants’ funds to ensuring that genuine claims were paid promptly and without unnecessary stress.

Noor Takaful was established and licensed by NAICOM in April 2016 as Nigeria’s first full-fledged composite Takaful operator, with 100 per cent indigenous Nigerian ownership.

Noor Health, a National Health Maintenance Organisation licensed by the National Health Insurance Authority, operates on principles inspired by Takaful, including fairness, transparency and shared value.

Multinational professional services network, PricewaterhouseCoopers, also known as (PwC) has projected Nigeria’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth by 4.3per cent in in the second half (H2) 2026 supported by higher crude oil production and stronger performance in dominant sectors.

‘Nigeria’s economic outlook remains positive, although the second half of the year will continue to be shaped by domestic and external risks. Real GDP growth is projected at 4.3% for 2026, supported by higher crude oil production and stronger performance in dominant sectors. Inflation is expected to moderate, although food-price pressures, other supply-side shocks and pre-election spending could create upside risks,’ PwC’s latest Economic Outlook released yesterday noted.

It said the naira is expected to remain broadly stable, supported by improved external buffers and foreign-exchange market reforms, but it remains exposed to shifts in oil prices, capital flows and domestic FX demand. Monetary policy is expected to remain relatively tight, with room for gradual rate reductions if the decline in inflation is sustained. Fiscal pressures may also persist as continued spending needs, the budget deficit, and government financing requirements place demands on available resources.

‘The central task for Nigeria in H2 2026 is therefore not simply to preserve macroeconomic stability. It is to make that stability work more effectively for households and businesses. Progress will depend on lowering essential costs, expanding access to finance, improving infrastructure and productivity, and converting stronger investor interest into productive investment and jobs.

‘Successfully navigating this next phase would allow Nigeria to move beyond stabilisation and begin unlocking the broader reform dividend through stronger incomes, improved welfare and more inclusive economic growth,’ it said.

According to its latest Economic Outlook released yesterday, PwC said fiscal pressures may persist in H2 2026, driven by continued spending needs, a persistent budget deficit and elevated government financing requirements.

In its bullet highlight of the report on exchange rate outlook, it said: ‘The naira is expected to remain broadly stable but susceptible to volatility from global oil prices, capital flows and domestic foreign exchange demand conditions.’

On interest rate outlook, it said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is expected to maintain a tight monetary policy stance, with scope for gradual rate cuts if the decline in inflation is sustained.

Co-authored by Partner, Chief Economist and Lead, Strategyand West Africa, Olusegun Zaccheaus; Partner, and Clients and Market Leader, West Market, Pedro Omontuemhen; Director, Akolawole Odunlami; and Manager / Lead Economist, Adesola Borokini, PhD, the report also examined the performance of the first six months of the economy,

According to PwC, economic activity remained resilient in the first half of the year, but the pattern of growth was uneven.

‘GDP growth in Q1 was driven by stronger activity in ICT, Finance and Insurance, Construction and Agriculture. At the same time, the PMI weakened during the second quarter, recovering only marginally to 50.1 in June. Agriculture remained in expansion, while industry, services and new orders were below the 50-point threshold. Seventeen of the 36 subsectors tracked were in contraction, highlighting the continued pressure on parts of the real economy,’ noted the report.

Foreign exchange conditions, it said, strengthened, there was improved official-market liquidity, and larger external buffers supported naira stability, while capital importation rose to $10.37 billion in Q1 2026. ‘Yet the composition of these flows remain important. Foreign portfolio investment accounted for $9.86 billion, or 95.1per cent of total capital inflows, while FDI (foreign direct investment) accounted for only 1.3per cent. This underscores the need to convert improved investor confidence into longer-term investment in productive assets, businesses, and infrastructure.

‘Fiscal revenue also strengthened, although execution pressures remain. Total distributable FAAC revenue rose to ?2.55 trillion in June, supported by stronger statutory revenue and VAT collections. At the same time, revenue performance against budget targets has been uneven, while continued spending requirements, government borrowing, and overlapping budget cycles may constrain fiscal flexibility and the pace of capital-project delivery.

‘For households, improvements in headline inflation have provided limited relief. Food inflation rose to 17.52per cent in June, while the cost of a healthy diet reached ?1,589 per adult per day in April. Buying conditions for consumer durables, vehicles, and property also remained weak; reflecting the continued pressure of essential spending on household budgets,’ PwC said in the H1 2026 outlook.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday took a swipe at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his pledge to reverse the removal of petrol subsidy if he is elected in the January 16 presidential election.

Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said he would restore subsidy on fuel, adding that the funds freed for use as a result of subsidy withdrawal could not be traced.

The Presidency also knocked Atiku, describing his position as an about-turn on the issue out of desperation for power.

Tinubu described the position as a demonstration of ‘serious ignorance’ about governance and the economy.

The President spoke while receiving the re-elected Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, at the State House, Abuja.

He said the abolition of the subsidy regime had strengthened the finances of states and enabled them to meet their obligations.

‘I saw one of my opponents now say he will go back to subsidy. I read it. That is a demonstration of serious ignorance on governance and economy.

‘Before I came here, 27 states were unable to pay salaries, not to even talk of pensioners, salary of workers. In your state, I know a man that I raised… who’s nicknamed ‘half salary’.

‘They come to the federal, cap in hand, unable to do anything. The salaries you pay feed families. They (workers) are at the local governments; they are in the states. Where is the concentration of population? It is in the states,’ Tinubu said.

The President’s remarks came against the backdrop of Atiku’s declaration that he would reverse the removal of fuel subsidy if elected President, reopening debate over one of the most consequential economic decisions of the Tinubu administration.

At his inauguration on May 29, 2023, Tinubu boldly and courageously declared: ‘Fuel subsidy is gone.’

Tinubu told Adeleke that increased resources available to states should translate into tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary Nigerians, particularly through payment of salaries and investment in infrastructure and social services.

According to him, state governments bear substantial responsibility for the welfare of Nigerians because much of the population lives within communities where state and local governments are responsible for providing essential services.

‘Take out the president, regard every other person as common men; they have families to feed.

‘The infrastructure you embark upon, the road network, housing, school rehabilitation, resuscitation of healthcare, training of teachers, training of health workers to protect our vulnerable families – they’re part of your responsibilities,’ he said.

Atiku vows to restore petrol subsidy, questions N15.8tr savings

African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku backtracked on his position on fuel subsidy removal.

Although he vowed to dismantle the subsidy regime during his campaigns four years ago, he said he could not sustain his previous stance because the proceeds had allegedly been mismanaged.

The three major presidential candidates in 2023 – Tinubu (All Progressives Congress), Atiku (Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi, then of the Labour Party – promised to remove fuel subsidy because of the corruption associated with it.

Atiku, who promised to restore subsidy during a Hausa-language online interactive session, queried how the funds generated from the subsidy removal had been utilised by the Federal Government.

He said: ‘I did not oppose the removal of the oil subsidy, but where is the money? Where did it go? It was intended to reduce poverty and help children attend school. Where is the money now? It seems they are just stealing it.’

He promised to reinstate the subsidy while pursuing the recovery of funds allegedly misappropriated, if he wins.

Atiku said: ‘If elected, I will bring back the oil subsidy, and whoever stole the money must refund it.’

He said the removal of the subsidy would have been easier for Nigerians to accept if the savings had been channelled into critical areas, including security, education, job creation and expanded opportunities for young people.

Atiku said: ‘The government successfully removed the subsidy, but we do not know where the money went.

‘If they had used the money for development, to solve security problems, for education, and to create opportunities for the youth, it would be different. If elected, I can remove the subsidy and use the money to do all these properly.’

In the last three years, N15.8 trillion has accrued to the country following the subsidy removal.

The Federal Government explained that, due to the surge in revenue, more funds had been channelled towards developmental projects while the money shared among the three tiers of government had increased exponentially.

The minister said N5.4 trillion went to the Federal Government and N10.4 trillion was shared between the state and local governments.

On the part of the Federal Government, Oyedele said N30.64 trillion was spent on additional expenses over the same period, with the largest portions going to public-sector wages, debt servicing and infrastructure.

Oyedele’s scorecard showed that N9.39 trillion was spent on wage adjustments, minimum wage increases and allowances for public servants.

Another N9.37 trillion went into servicing external debt following the impact of exchange-rate depreciation, while N6.5 trillion was spent on strategic infrastructure.

Presidency: desperation for power behind Atiku’s subsidy U-turn

The Presidency attributed Abubakar’s proposal to restore petrol subsidy to desperation for power, accusing him of abandoning his long-held economic position five months to the presidential election in an attempt to win popular support.

It said Atiku, who had campaigned for the elimination of petrol subsidy ahead of the 2023 general election, had now reversed himself by promising to reinstate a system he once acknowledged should be abolished.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the assertion in a statement titled, ‘Restoring petrol subsidies: Atiku’s volte-face and desperation for power’.

According to the Presidency, Atiku’s change of position was driven by political expediency rather than sound economic considerations, arguing that the former Vice President was making a promise he should know was fiscally unsustainable and contrary to Nigeria’s current petroleum-sector realities.

‘It is not difficult to explain why Atiku has latched onto the abandoned subsidy regime, five months to the election. Desperate for power, he needed to make a promise that he knew, if he were candid with our people, does not make fiscal sense, is retrogressive, and is against the genuine interest of the people,’ Onanuga said.

It accused him of opportunistically recanting what had been a major plank of his economic programme, rather than presenting what it called a creative alternative to the policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

Onanuga, however, acknowledged Atiku’s constitutional right to change his position and propose alternative policies, but said Nigerians were entitled to demand explanations about how the proposed subsidy would be funded and implemented.

The Presidency also disputed Atiku’s claim that the Federal Government had accumulated N30 trillion in subsidy savings, saying no such fund existed.

It explained that the previous subsidy arrangement essentially involved the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) selling petrol below its supply cost, thereby accumulating under-recoveries and losses.

According to Onanuga, trillions of naira in subsidy costs incurred under the old arrangement remained in the NNPC’s books.

‘Contrary to Atiku’s claim in his interview, no N30 trillion subsidy windfall or savings exists anywhere except in his imagination,’ he said.

The Presidency further argued that returning to the pre-2023 subsidy system would encounter legal and structural obstacles because the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) had established a market-oriented framework for the downstream petroleum sector.

It said the PIA had already provided for subsidy removal by the end of June 2023, maintaining that Tinubu’s announcement on May 29, 2023, merely brought forward the implementation by a few weeks to halt further financial losses.

Onanuga said reinstating subsidy could therefore not be achieved merely by announcing a lower petrol price, but would require a clear legal, fiscal and administrative framework, including identification of the source of funding.

The Presidency also said Nigeria’s petroleum industry had changed fundamentally since 2023, particularly with the emergence of substantial domestic refining capacity.

It cited the Dangote Refinery as a major source of locally refined petrol, contending that its production for domestic consumption was facilitated by the market-driven environment created after subsidy removal.

According to Onanuga, restoring the old subsidy arrangement could reverse the progress made in local refining and threaten the viability of smaller domestic refineries.

‘Atiku’s proposal portends a reversal of current local production, and it will spell bankruptcy for smaller local refineries like Aradel’s, causing attendant job losses and a loss of foreign exchange,’ he said.

The Presidency recalled that under the former subsidy system, government absorbed the difference between regulated pump prices and the actual cost of supplying petrol, imposing substantial and often unpredictable costs on public finances.

It said the government had at various times resorted to borrowing and other financing arrangements to sustain the system, including pledging millions of barrels of crude oil against loans.

Onanuga added that the NNPC had reached a breaking point in 2024, owing suppliers billions of dollars.

Wike: Opposition is dead, says Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, berated Atiku for regressing into ‘voodoo economics’, saying that his shifting stance on the critical economic issue demonstrated a lack of genuine commitment to the nation’s welfare.

The minister, who spoke with reporters while inspecting some projects in Abuja, accused Atiku of desperation for power.

He said: ‘Leadership is about integrity and consistency. Atiku is confused, and acts like a voodoo economist. Atiku will say anything just to be president.

‘This was a man in 2023 who said he was going to remove the fuel subsidy because it was a fraud. Now in 2026, he was not going to remove the fuel subsidy.

‘Is he going back to the fraud which he had alleged that fuel subsidy was? We should be able to be consistent in what we sell to our people. That is what leadership is all about.’

The minister urged Nigerians to disregard politicians who play to the gallery, insisting that the policy decisions taken by President Tinubu to eliminate the subsidy regime were bold and necessary to rescue the nation’s economy.

WAPTV has reached another ground breaking milestone, as it will be the first TV channel in Nigeria, to broadcast the smash hit Indian Romantic Drama, Rajjo.

The move, according to an official statement from the channel, is an effort to ensure the TV channel maintains its apex position in ensuring premium programming for its millions of viewers worldwide, in the ever rising competitive world of broadcasting.

The show revolves around the trials and tests of an aspiring athlete Rajjo from Uttarakhand. Her mother, Manorama, has a dark past, and hence is against Rajjo’s dreams of turning an athlete.

Rajjo is a family drama, fully dubbed and subtitled in English Language.

Wale Adenuga Jnr, Director WAPTV, excitedly announced; ‘after years of painstakingly pursuing the broadcast license of the hit show: Rajjo, we were delighted when we acquired the rights, as the series is tailor-fitted to our core values at WAPTV, to provide wholesome family friendly entertainment, that will keep our audiences glued to their screens, both TV and Mobile.’ Rajjo will start showing from September 7 between Mondays and Fridays on the WAPTV channels.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency of Taraba State, Mukhtar Galadima, has commended the military and other security agencies for rescuing 18 kidnapped victims in Ibi Local Government Area of the state.

Galadima, in a statement reacting to the development, described the operation as a major boost to efforts to restore peace and confidence in communities threatened by kidnapping and other criminal activities.

He specifically praised troops of Sector 3 deployed in Ibi for their swift response to reports of kidnapping at Kwatan Bajji in the early hours of August 18, which led to the recovery of the victims.

The PDP candidate said the successful operation should reassure residents of Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency that the nation’s security forces remain committed to protecting lives and property and to confronting criminal elements operating in the area.

He congratulated the rescued victims and their families, urging security agencies not to relent until all criminal networks responsible for attacks in the area are identified and brought to justice.

Galadima, however, called for stronger collaboration among the military, police, and other security and intelligence agencies, particularly in intelligence gathering and information sharing.

According to him, effective intelligence remains critical to preventing attacks, tracking criminal networks, and disrupting their operations before they can unleash violence on communities.

He also advocated stronger legislative and institutional support for the Armed Forces and other security agencies to improve their operational and intelligence-gathering capabilities.

Galadima said the government must invest more in modern surveillance equipment, intelligence infrastructure, logistics, and the welfare of security personnel to enable them to confront emerging security threats effectively.

He stressed that security operations should move beyond responding to attacks after they occur to developing a proactive system capable of detecting criminal movements and preventing attacks before they happen.

The candidate also urged residents of Wukari/Ibi to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information on suspicious activities in their communities.

He appealed to traditional rulers, community leaders, youths, and other residents to strengthen cooperation with security agencies, noting that community-based intelligence could play a crucial role in preventing kidnapping and other crimes.

Galadima cautioned residents against withholding useful information out of fear, stressing that early reporting of suspicious movements could prevent crimes and save lives.

He also urged security agencies to protect the identities of credible informants and strengthen confidence in community intelligence networks.

While commending the Federal Government for supporting security operations, Galadima said that sustained investment in security personnel, equipment, intelligence and operational capacity remained essential to achieving lasting peace in Taraba State.

He expressed optimism that stronger inter-agency cooperation, improved legislation, community participation and sustained government support would significantly reduce kidnapping and other forms of crime across Wukari, Ibi and other vulnerable communities in the state.

Barcelona have reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Fenerbahce to sign goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic for pound 2 million, plus pound 2 million in potential add-ons.

Livakovic is expected to become Barcelona’s backup goalkeeper from June 2027, when veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is set to leave the club.

The Croatian goalkeeper, who has established himself as an experienced international, is not expected to join Barcelona immediately despite the agreement between the two clubs.

Instead, Livakovic is set to spend the current season on loan before moving to the Spanish giants.

The agreement forms part of Barcelona’s long-term planning for their goalkeeping department, with Livakovic expected to provide experience and competition between the posts once Szczesny departs.

As we count down to the 2027 general elections, the presidential campaigns have begun, in line with the elections timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Accordingly, I wish to reiterate my view on the hypocrisy of the elites, and how they have largely conbtributed to the current political, economic and social chanllenges of our country, and how the elites of this country should view and participate in governance in 2027 and beyond.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been taking some bold decisions and reforms in the past three years since the beginning of his administration. Those decisions have in many cases, further worsened the hitherto excruciating and brutal microeconomics and social situations of majority of Nigerians. For instance, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, as at two months ago, the number of multidimensionally poor Nigerians have increased to over 140million from the 133million as at the time President Tinubu became the President in May, 2023. Indeed the reforms have yielded some macroeconomic outcomes like the stabilization of foreign exchange. However, at the microeconomic level; the brutal and exacerbating national insecurity, increasing cost of living, rising employment, etc are yet to demonstrably and significantly reduce to bearable levels. This situation, have triggered regional, and national concerns, debates, and/ or controversies, as the government tries to defend, rationalize, justify, deny, and even somtimed push back (rightly, or wrongly).

Consequently, some of those decisions, or reforms have exposed the hypocrisy of the elites of this Country with regard to where they stand on germane issues that affect the masses or generality of the citizenry of Nigeria. In most cases, the hue and cries are louder or sustained, only if those decisions or reforms affect the elites, their families and friends. They are not really concerned or do not demonstrate the same level of emotions and sensitivities with regard to issues that only impact the masses of this country.

By ‘elites’, I mean, the middle-class citizens, who are mostly educated, gainfully employed, and part of the governance and leadership structure of Nigeria; in the civil service, public service, and private sector. We are mostly employees or employers of labor as professionals, traditional leaders, religious leaders, businessmen/women, entrepreneurs, academics, craftsmen, etc.

Except for a few, we, the elites have been serially failing the masses of this Country, by not really taking tangible actions that add value to our national collective good. Most of us remain aloof to our current national, and sub national realities. While some of us engage in ‘armchair ‘criticisms or cynicism’. The key questions are; What contributions and sacrifices are the Nigerian elites really making to better the political, economic, and social situation of our Country? What solutions are we offering, and/ or how are we part of the solutions? Curiously, when things affect our relatively comfortable lives, we try to gaslight the situations and behave as if ‘we are all in it together’ with the poor citizens.

Furthermore, during elections, about 80% of the people who go to vote, are the masses, i.e the poor people and the needy. Majority of the elites do not even turn up to vote during elections. We are not really part of actual political process, except if our selfish and parochial interests will be served, and yet we expect Nigeria to be better. Those are some of the things that I call the ‘hypocrisy of our expectations’.

When reforms or policies affect the masses, most of Nigerian elites do not really care, while some of them only engage in political statements, or play to the gallery. The elites are not persistent, and assertive on things that largely affect the masses. This behavior of the majority of Nigerian elites (which is similar to elitist behaviors in other societies and countries) has been the bane of our growth and development as a nation since independence – over 65 years ago. Sadly, majority of the elites that have been the architects and part of the problems that Nigeria and Nigerians are facing today; from our collusion in wanton corruption, to our deliberate or inadvertent contribution to the political, social, and economic retrogression of Nigeria – either by our actions or inaction.

An instance of some government decisions that further exposed the hypocrisy of the elites of this country was the allegations of ‘forced retrenchment’ of some staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which happened between 2024 and last year (2025) under the current its leadership. There were claims of attempts to force some staff of CBN that are from some sections of Nigeria, out of the CBN. The CBN insisted that the exercise was based on an initiative to downsize an over-bloated CBN. The CBN claimed that part of the initiative, was the offer of exit packages to ‘willing staff’ that will accept to voluntarily resign. There were also allegations that the CBN leadership was planning to the Headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from Abuja (Northern Nigeria) to Lagos.

There was a major push back by some elites against the actions of CBN, and the questions I was asking were; How many of the CBN staff are actually children of the 65% multi-dimensional Nationally poor Nigerians – whether they are from northern or southern Nigeria? How many of them are children of the masses? I even heard that in some cases the elites don’t want their children to be transferred out of the CBN Headquarters in Abuja. How many children of the masses are working in those ‘elitist’ federal government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies? Therefore, it is only in the aforementioned cases that you hear Nigerian elites shouting or crying out.

If the elites of the Nigeria, put the level of fervor, gusto, and determination that we use to pursue our individual and collective interests, to pursue good governance, fairness, equity, justice, unity, and demand for accountability; Nigeria would have been far ahead of its current situation, which is far behind its peers across the world, i.e Malaysia, Brazil, etc.

Moreover, Nigerian elites should apply the same sentiments, commitment, and gusto to ensure the performance of political leaders not just at federal level but also at sub-national levels- Nigeria. How are the elites are advocating for, or pushing the agenda for government at federal and subnational levels to deliver good governance, catalyse economic recovery, growth and development, etc? And yet we still expect that by some magic, Nigeria will suddenly recover from the current multidimensional challenges, and zoom to economic prosperity, and social justice! That is why I will continue to talk about the hypocrisy of our expectations.

The elites and conspiracy of

corruption:

Most Nigerian elites have been serially failing the people of this country, even worse than the politicians. And why am I saying so? Because, we constitute the powerhouse of governance in Nigeria; as Presidents, Governors, Federal ministers, Chairmen of Boards, or Managing Directors. Chief Executive Officers, Board members (in public and private sector), Permanent Secretaries, Commissioners, Directors, Businessmen, Businesswomen, Entrepreneurs, Academics, Professionals, Religious Leaders, Traditional Leaders, etc. We are all members of the ‘Elite’ strata of Nigeria, and have been privileged and so Blessed by Almighty God. It is sad, and an ultimate disservice, that most of us that have been privileged to be in those privileged positions (currently or in the past), are in cahoots with the vested interest to further plunder resources or cripple the economy of Nigeria. Most of us have become the key drivers of the corruption value chain in Nigeria. And yet we conveniently blame Presidents or governors or ‘politicians’ at our convenience. What level of shamelessness!

Interestingly, for every politician that commits graft, you will find more that 10 elites that enable, facilitate, and protect corruption. Sadly, most of those corrupt elites are so crafty, that most of the time, they escape justice. While most of the elites share money, political positions, or when some of them engage in corrupt practices; they do not have religious, tribal, ethnic, or regional sentiments. Indeed, Nigerian elites are mostly united in the conspiracy of corruption in all its ramifications.

The elites of Nigeria should stop being ‘happy passive consumers and looters of our commonwealth’. We should dutifully and conscientiously, deliver our respective responsibilities for a better Nigeria.

Newly promoted Coventry City will launch their Premier League campaign tonight at the Emirates Stadium with new marquee signing Taiwo Awoniyi targeting a statement debut against defending champions Arsenal.

The former Nottingham Forest forward, who completed his move to Coventry to bolster Frank Lampard’s attack, is set to spearhead the Sky Blues’ frontline in their first top-flight fixture in 25 years.

Speaking at the club’s Ryton training ground ahead of the curtain-raiser, Awoniyi made no secret of his intentions for the campaign ahead:

I think for sure, goals. Like I said, goals. And hard work as well. To give everything for them,’ Awoniyi said.

The 29-year-old Nigerian international, who described himself as a ‘quiet dreamer’ inspired by his father, also shared light-hearted insight into his life offline. Asked to name the most high-profile contact stored in his phone, Awoniyi pointed to Super Eagles teammate and Galatasaray forward Victor Osimhen.

‘Oh, Victor Osimhen. Of course, Osi-goal, number one!’ he laughed.

Reflecting on his career path, Awoniyi cited his FIFA U-17 World Cup title with Nigeria and his move into the Premier League as his crowning moments so far – a standard he hopes to build on when Coventry face Mikel Arteta’s side in London.

Arsenal enter the opener buoyed by a 3-0 Community Shield win over Manchester City, but Lampard’s side will be eager to write a new chapter on their top-flight comeback. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:00 WAT.