Tinubu’s Aide Dare to grace NNL AGM in Owerri

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigeria National League (NNL), scheduled for Friday, August 21 at the Rockview Hotel in Owerri, has received a boost with confirmation that Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, will attend.

Dare, a former Minister of Youth and Sports who has continued to lend his weight behind sports, confirmed on Wednesday that he would be in Owerri to support the league.

‘I will be in Owerri to support the NNL where George Aluo and his team are doing a great job,’ Dare said.

Dare, a Chief from Ogbomosho and a communications expert, also praised Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma for his investment in sports.

‘My friend and brother, His Excellency Hope Uzodimma, is doing well on all fronts. He is giving good attention to every sector including sports. I was recently in Imo State and whoever visits the state cannot but give kudos to the governor,’ Dare said.

2027 polls: INEC plans nationwide mock accreditation exercise for November

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) plans to conduct a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November to test its readiness for the 2027 general elections, its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said.

Amupitan disclosed this on Friday when he received the Chargé d’Affaires of the Canadian High Commission to Nigeria, David Sproule, and the Country Representative of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), Moritz Sprenker, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He described the August 15 Osun State governorship election as a ‘superlative benchmark’ in electoral administration, saying the commission would use the experience to guide its preparations for the 2027 elections.

According to him, 3,556 of the 3,763 polling units in Osun State, representing 94.5 per cent, opened for accreditation and voting by 8:30 am.

He attributed the outcome to the effective deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), seamless transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal and proactive crisis management by field officials.

‘We view the success in Osun not as a final destination, but as the gold standard that will guide our preparations for 2027,’ he said.

Amupitan said the planned November mock accreditation exercise would serve as a rigorous field test of the BVAS and other electoral processes ahead of the general election.

He said the exercise was intended to identify and address possible operational gaps before the 2027 elections.

The INEC chairman appreciated Canada’s continued partnership with the commission, while also highlighting the need for a voter revalidation exercise.

He said a significant number of voters, particularly elderly persons who registered as far back as 2011, would need to validate their records.

He, however, said the revalidation exercise could not be conducted ahead of the 2027 General Election because of time constraints, adding that it remained necessary to avoid delays in future electoral processes.

He admitted that both engagements came at a pivotal point in the Commission’s calendar, with the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, 16 January 2027, and the Governorship and House of Assembly elections slated for 6 February 2027.

He said Wednesday, 19 August 2026, marked the official start of public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 General Election, while the Commission, days earlier, joined presidential candidates and party chairmen at the National Peace Committee’s signing of the first National Peace Accord on issue-based campaigning.

The INEC Chairman said the visit of the Canadian delegation reinforced the long-standing bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Canada, anchored on democratic values, the rule of law, and good governance.

He commended Canada’s sustained support for electoral governance, civic education, institutional strengthening, and gender inclusion in Nigeria.

He outlined five areas of shared strategic priority with the Canadian delegation: consolidating the technological gains recorded in Osun; deepening electoral inclusivity for persons with disabilities, women, youth, and underrepresented groups across the Commission’s 176,000 polling units; strengthening institutional capacity through technical assistance and training; countering election-related misinformation; and the planned mock accreditation exercise.

Prof. Amupitan also informed the Commission’s guests that the Commission had established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Unit to strengthen data management, voter registration, and results transmission, while guarding against the misuse of such technologies.

In his remarks, Leader of the Canadian delegation, Mr Sproule, commended INEC’s commitment to a free and credible electoral process and reaffirmed Canada’s readiness to support the Commission in areas it deemed necessary, including election observation. He expressed particular interest in the active participation of women and other segments of society in the electoral process, and said Canada was confident in the Commission’s capacity to conduct credible elections.

Receiving the delegation from Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), led by the Country Director, Moritz Sprenker, the INEC Chairman described KAS as a longstanding partner of the Commission and commended the Foundation’s contributions to constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and good governance globally.

According to him, INEC and KAS had collaborated on regulatory frameworks for political parties, including technical retreats held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Lagos, which he said contributed to the Commission’s preparations for the Osun election.

He listed strategic priorities for continued collaboration with KAS, including civic education and democratic culture, electoral technology, institutional capacity building, countering misinformation, and deepening inclusivity for persons with disabilities and marginalised groups, and interagency dialogue for peaceful electoral processes.

Responding, Mr Sprenker said KAS is active in more than 100 countries and has worked in Nigeria for over 25 years across government, civil society, academia, and the media. He recalled a capacity-building workshop on procurement held with INEC in Lagos in March 2026 and expressed KAS’s continued interest in strengthening its partnership with the Commission.

Prof. Amupitan used both engagements to reassure the international community of INEC’s independence, neutrality, and commitment to democratic integrity, as the Commission scales its logistical capacity to deploy approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide for the 2027 General Election.

US Open offers biggest prize fund in Grand Slam history

The US Open will offer the biggest prize fund in Grand Slam history with a total of $108 million (£79.2m) on offer – marking a 20% increase on last year.

The singles’ champions will receive $5.5m (£4.03m) each in a 10% increase on 2025.

First-round losers will take home $140,000 (£102,667) – which is $30,000 and 27% more than last year.

The prize pool includes a $2m (£1.47m) contribution to a welfare fund, which leading players have been demanding from all the Grand Slams.

The four Grand Slam tournaments have also jointly announced the formation of a Grand Slam Player Council. This was another key request from players, some of who limited media appearances at the French Open and Wimbledon to 15 minutes to highlight their grievances.

Their other main demand is for each Grand Slam to dedicate 16% of its revenue to prize money, with the figure rising to 22% by 2030.

It is possible the US Open has become the first Slam to hit that target, but the US Tennis Association (USTA) has not yet published its financial statement for 2025.

Player representatives have also not seen the figures. However, if you allow for 10% growth to the $559.7m (£410.5m) the US Open generated in revenue in 2024, then prize money of $98.5m would have be in line with player expectations.

The USTA says the financial statement will be published before the start of the main draw.

Chief executive Craig Tiley, who previously headed up Tennis Australia, described the offer as ‘a significant first step in a multi-year investment in athletes’.

EFCC arraigns two over alleged illegal supply of bank access code in Lagos

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, yesterday arraigned two men before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over the alleged unlawful supply of bank access credentials.

The defendants, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho and Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, were arraigned alongside a third suspect, identified as Scott, who is at large, before Justice F.N. Ogazi.

They face an eight-count charge on the alleged unlawful supply of access credentials to a bank database.

The charges were brought under Sections 27 and 28(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.

The EFCC alleged that between July 24 and 26 this year, the defendants conspired to supply Aghogho’s access code to the bank system through a local administrative credential known as ITSD.

According to the prosecution, the credentials,which could grant access to the bank’s Virtual Center Platform, were allegedly supplied to facilitate the commission of an offence.

In another count, the commission alleged that Aghogho, between April and May, last year, without authorisation disclosed access credentials, including the bank’s server IP and domain credentials, to gain access to a bank’s database.

The prosecution further alleged that the disclosure was made in exchange for $15,000.

Aghogho pleaded not guilty to the charges, while Chukwuebuka pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.

Following Aghogho’s plea, prosecution counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, asked the court to fix a date for trial and sought an order remanding him in a correctional facility.

In respect of Chukwuebuka, the prosecution asked the court to allow it to review the facts of the case following his guilty plea.

Justice Ogazi adjourned the matter until August 27, this year, for a review of the facts and other proceedings.

The judge also ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional centre pending the next hearing.

Maracana to stage 2027 Women’s World Cup opener, final

Brazil will stage the opening game and final of the 2027 Women’s World Cup at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana?Stadium, according to the match schedule unveiled for the 32-team tournament.

The hosts kick off the event on June 24 in a fitting opening to the first Women’s World Cup held in South America, ?with the Maracana – one of the game’s most famous venues ?and the site of Brazil’s heartbreak defeat by Uruguay ?in the 1950 men’s World Cup decider – also hosting the July ?25 final.

FIFA confirmed that all eight host cities will stage at least ?seven matches and a minimum of one knockout game.

Brasilia, Porto Alegre, Recife and Salvador will stage matches through to the last 16, while Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, ?Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo will hold the quarter-finals.

Sao Paulo ?and Rio will host the semi-finals.

‘I already have goose bumps thinking about the incredible , ?colour and energy that Brazilian fans will bring to the tournament as they welcome the world to eight vibrant host cities,’ FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

The Maracana will become only the ?third stadium to ?host both a ?men’s and women’s World Cup final, following Stockholm’s Rasunda Stadium and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

‘Each host ?city will add its own unique flavour, making this ?a ?colourful, joyful and unforgettable celebration,’ former Brazil captain Aline Pellegrino said.

‘The world’s best players will feel that energy from the stands and they will ?give ?it back on the pitch through moments ?and performances that will inspire girls and boys around the world.’

The final schedule will ?be published later this year.

How I will close Lagos infrastructure gap, by Hamzat

There is the notion that Lagos State is rich. However, it still has a lot to do in terms of infrastructure. What’s your plan in this regard?

As you build infrastructure, so also is the need to maintain that infrastructure. So, for example, now, we have a new Massey Hospital, Lagos Island. We have the new Ojo General Hospital. So those hospitals will require maintenance, those hospitals will have equipment. So, to say that Lagos is rich, well, we are doing well, but it could be better. But, let us look at other cities that we should be comparing ourselves with. The city of New York is eight million people. The state of Lagos is 24 million people – that’s three times. Our budget is N4.4 trillion, it’s about $3.2 billion. But the budget of the city of New York is close to $600 billion. The New York Police Department has a budget in 2025 of about $6 billion – just the police. So, far back as 2011, when I became Commissioner for Works, the first budget that I put together in 2014 was about N260 billion. And in Lagos, when we move people, or cars, we also move water. For example, the drain in Wemco is taller than me. So I went in, people have to pull me out. And it’s because everything coming from Agege is passing through that, all the way to Odo Iya Alaro. So if it’s not that deep, it’s a challenge. So for a lot of the road, the cost of the drainage is about 40 per cent. And so it must be solid. So, when we say we must do this, we must do that, we look at high-traffic roads, we look at roads that lead to market, we look at roads that leads to schools. Our bill was about N260 billion. At the time, the budget of Lagos was about N490 billion, the whole budget. So, the governor asked how do we fund it? So, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure got N68 billion, which was interesting, because the budget of the federal government was N22 billion to do roads in Nigeria. So, Lagos got N68 billion, and it’s not enough. So when we say we are rich, well, we are rich, but we need to be richer. And the way to do that is how do we build our economy. And those are the type of infrastructure on a national scale that Mr President is doing. Imagine Badagry to Sokoto. That’s a 1,000-kilometer road. On that road, we have 64 farm settlements that is today moribund. We have about 46 dams that is totally useless, projects over the years. So building that road is not just to move cars, it’s to lift economic activities across our country. So when those happen, your resources go up. You’re able to have more money and be able to do more.

There was once a clamour for special status for Lagos, before Bola Tinubu became President. That agitation seems to have slowed down…

It has not slowed down. Let us look at it. We are the only subnational in the world, that has done rail infrastructure on her balance sheet. Look at London, look at New York, look at everywhere, Caracas in Venezuela. In fact, in Caracas, it was the Venezuelan government that funded it 100 per cent. So we are the only subnational doing such rail. The rail in the city of New York, the Federal Government put in 48 per cent a few years back. They are building a tunnel that links the city of New York to Long Island, the one that President Trump is saying he’s going to stop because he wants it named. The point is, it’s going to stop because Federal Government is funding it. Both cities are within the state of New York, but enormous amount of people know that Manhattan is the financial capital of the United States. A lot of people live in Long Island, and therefore, moving them on a daily basis is very important. And Federal Government embarked on it. Do we do that here? So, creating a special status of Lagos is an economic necessity for the development of our country. So we are pushing it. But you have to convince everybody across the country to make sure that that is possible.

What is your plan for agricultural development in a state where land availability is an issue? For example, what is happening to the Imota rice mill?

We have to look at our advantages. We have water, so fishing, that economy is something that we need to build. For Imota rice mill, we don’t have the size of land to grow rice. So we must still work with other states. And that’s why we have the N500billion agricultural project that we are doing, to say that if you produce it, we guarantee it. So we have offtakers that will go around. We wanted to buy 2,000 CNG trucks that can load from Lagos to Taraba and come back without refilling, to say that if you produce the paddy. So, we will have people going around to say, as long as you produce to this quality, these are the seeds that you must use. The moment we test it, whatever you produce, we will buy. So we are paying you. So instead of what happens today where farmers supply and it takes three months to get their money because they give it to Mr A. Mr A brings it to Ketu market. He sells, and then after some time, pay people back. This is different. The moment you offload, you get your money, and then we deal with it. That is why we are building the logistic hub that can house rice, that can house everything. It also allows us to track, to say that for example we have 3,000 herds of cattle that comes to Lagos every day. Our veterinary doctors are doing an unbelievable job. But today, if a cow or a cattle is not healthy, they take it out, kill it, and burn it off so that it doesn’t affect others. But the challenge is we are not able to say, this one is from this state, and for the next two months, we are stopping any herd coming from this state because of this issue. We go there to help them solve the problem. With that logistics hub, we will be able to track where they are coming from, track diseases better, and be able to control. And it makes it easier for people to buy. The middlemen will take a share but the ordinary consumer will buy it cheaper. We consume a lot of food but we can’t produce but at least let us manage the supply to make sure that we are able to do the right things.

How do you stem japa syndrome in the health sector?

As someone who also relocated abroad, I look at it from that perspective. What we need to do, which is part of our master plan, is to be the human capital of the world. We should be able to train more doctors, nurses. That is why we say we are building a University of Medicine and Allied Sciences. With the nature of our country, you can’t stop people from going anywhere they want to go to, as long as they are not doing anything illegal. What you can do is to train more. That is why we are talking to the medical council. Today, our Lagos College of Medicine graduates just about 300 every year, that is ridiculously small. If we have the capacity to build a 1,000, then let’s do it, let’s train more. If you recall, who are the doctors that sustained the health system in England? They are the Indians. But they went back home because, at a stage, you will realise that you have to go back home. The reality is we must train more doctors, nurses. And ultimately, after some time, a lot of them will come back. Of course, some will leave. But, how many do you train in a year? So, let us increase that. Lagos can start by saying it wants to increase its own by fivefold. If other states increase theirs, good. There must be that national coalition to increase the number of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and medical workers generally. It applies to other sectors too. Our banks are squeezing themselves because the IT guys are also leaving. So we must train more. We are a very huge country. We can serve the world. We can do a lot of outsourcing in Nigeria. We just need to change the attitude.

There is also the challenge of housing. Do you consider having the housing scheme of the state tailored to the needs of the poor?

It is important that we start thinking along the line of how we build houses for our vulnerable people. Today, we subsidise our homes by 35 per cent, but is it sustainable? You build this one, how do you build the next one? They say low-cost housing, but there’s no low-cost cement, there’s no low-cost sand, there’s no low-cost steel. The cost is still the same. So, the question is, how do you make sure that you have a revolving fund to be able to do it? We all say that, education should be 15 per cent; health should be this per cent, environment should be this percent. So, what is for housing? And that is the struggle for a state government. As a people, they say that it takes an average of 17 years for a typical African to build a house. And in trying to build a house, they mortgage the children’s education, mortgage their own health, because whatever money he sees, today, he buys block, in the process, everything suffers. This means we cannot continue to build houses the way we buy rice in the market. So, it is mortgage. We must find a way. It is the same way for health insurance. It must be mortgage. Most Europeans, most Americans, the biggest investment in their life is their house. That’s what they refinance to send their children to school. That’s what they refinance to go on vacation. So, for most of them, it’s about their houses. Therefore, we must get into that principle of how to build a sustainable model? And that’s what we started, but it is struggling because our banks must key in, Central Bank of Nigeria must key in, everybody must key in. That is why we started building Lagos State Residents Registration Agency so that I can evaluate you to say that, Mr Adeola borrowed 10 naira to buy shoes and he’s paying me back. He’s not a debtor, therefore, I can give him a mortgage. I said it initially that we need to organise. If you don’t organise, you can’t manage what you can’t measure. So, we need as a people, as a state, as a country, as West Africa to be better organised. We are not organised enough. If we are organized, a lot of things will start to be in place. But it takes all of us to change attitude. And it’s gonna be tough because we are used to disorganisation. So, it will be a challenge to organise. But, we have to do it for the future of our grandchildren.

What’s the plan to manage both the issue of modernisation of Lagos and also managing slums? Anytime you try to move people away from slums, there is a lot of outcry, for example, the recent Makoko scenario.

First, the issue of Makoko is a bit different. The issue is that people started expanding it to the high tension. And we went there three times. We all agreed with the residents that we should come and take it off by 24th December 2024. But for some reason, we didn’t go there to take it off at that time. Generally, to your question, we cannot develop on the back of the poor. A society gets better by elevating the poor, not killing them. So, the major question for me is how do we move people out of poverty? I recall in Badia, when we were trying to clean up Badia, years back, some people wrote to the United Nations Ombudsman, and all of a sudden, the governor at the time, Raji Fashola just called me to his office and said, we have this lady from United Nations, we want to go and see Badia. And we were so lucky. When we got there, we saw a heap of waste. And on top of it, somebody said, two bedroom apartment for rent. The woman could not believe it. I said, this is why you came all the way from New York. Will your people live here? Is this a livable environment? She couldn’t believe it. So, it is the responsibility of government to also save people from themselves. Whether you like it or not, if you live in a dump site, your health will suffer. And the implication for health facility is a challenge. And that’s what we are seeing. So, the essence is not to take out. The essence is, how do we elevate people? A lot of our politicians misguide us. A lot of public commentators misguide us, because how do you build a nation where the wealth is not there? So, unless we are able to elevate ourselves, we will keep talking about these problems. So it’s not about emotion. It’s about what we work for this country to stop this cycle of poverty that we put ourselves in.

The word on the street of Lagos is that you are a no-nonsense, very disciplined, and strict leader, and that there would be the need for people living in Lagos to tighten up their belts under an Hamzat government.

The truth of the matter is that we all have one aim. Every decent Nigerian wants Nigeria to be better. And nobody, that is sane, wants to be a chairman of the government or a governor, a president, to go and fail. All of us want to succeed. The challenge is, when the pressure comes, hopefully it will not consume leaders. So, for me, I think, like I said, it’s that let us even organize. So when we build roads and there is a walkway, let’s use it for a walkway. That’s all. That’s what we built it for. So when we say this is a market, let it be a market so that I know that, I want to buy this, this is the way to go. I can plan my life. So if we say this is what we want to use this for, let us use it for that purpose. That’s all. So people say discipline. We have to be disciplined as a people. Even God said it. So we have to be disciplined. So, for me, I think we have the blessing of God, we have everything to be a great country. So we must do whatever it takes to get to that. If not, God will ask all of us.

Before you emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 election, you were touted as candidate in the process leading up to the emergence of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and current Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. If you did not emerge this time, would you have described it as a betrayal of some kind? Did you ever imagine not emerging again this time?

Well, the truth of the matter is that my spiritual belief is that it’s God that chooses leaders. We don’t know God’s plan, so you must try. If you are canvassing to be a candidate and the party says no, it shouldn’t be a fight. I tried; I gave it everything that I have. Of course, you must try. And God made it happen this time. Our leaders agreed. So, I’m grateful for that, but I must justify that confidence. And that’s all. So, if it’s not, it is not. The reality is that, at a time there can only be one governor.

Is there any agreement that you are going to spend one term?

Agreement! No, there’s no agreement.

Lagos also battles recurring incidents of collapsed buildings. How is this to be addressed?

There are two types. There are old buildings. There are very old buildings that can also collapse. I think the way to avoid that is to keep checking. But, Lagos is a big place. We have over 890,000 buildings. So, it becomes difficult.

How many are the civil servants that are checking? So, what we rely on, a lot of the time, is people within the community, and then we go and do structural tests. So, old buildings can collapse. The ones that we are trying to totally eliminate is new constructions. There is no reason in the world why we should allow new constructions to collapse. And that’s why we are doing the Certified Accreditors Programme. And then when we zone the whole of Lagos into 10 zones or 20 zones, and then we have all these registered CAPs. If you want to build, they’ll be there. So, these are the people that will do the certification. So that we know. So, if anything happens, those private companies will be held responsible because you are supposed to be an engineer. So, the challenge also is to make sure that we don’t build the way we build. Like I said earlier, just building block by block here and there, just getting one person in the corner to do your drawing. No. You must be certified so that you don’t build something that will kill you. But as government, we also know that the city is developing at a very high rate. We cannot be using civil servants to monitor everything. Let us even give out a big component to private sector, register them, and that process is almost completed.

Local Government autonomy, despite the Supreme Court judgment of about two years ago, still is yet to be fully implemented in many states, how do we empower local government administrations to be more effective?

For Lagos, the autonomy ruling does not really affect us because we have never touched their resources. We collaborate because of inherent problems that we have had before. Local government pays primary school teachers so at a time, they were owing. But our President, when he was governor, said this must stop, because when the news comes out, it is Lagos State owes primary school teachers. So, we said, let us do this as first line charge. So, the moment your money comes, we take out teachers’ salaries. We collaborate also on different areas like land use charge, ground rent, neighbourhood charge with some to be collected by state and others by local government. So, we decided that rather than an individual receiving three bills from government, we give just one bill and we divide behind the scene. There is a board to do this that includes local government chairmen. We collaborate to make it easier for our citizens. We don’t actually do anything with their money. Now that the resources are higher, we need to make sure that we work together because we are serving the same citizens. And for the state, anything we do is in one local government or the other. Part of what we will be doing is creating a new approach where we will be meeting on a monthly basis to do peer review, do assessment and giving ourselves assignment as a team. And we can see who is achieving what we agreed on or who is not, and we call ourselves to be more responsive to the needs of our people.

What factors led to the choice of your running mate?

The moment I emerged, I know that it is important that the deputy is a Christian, since I am a Muslim; and a lot of our women leaders have been saying they have tolerated us men for eight years, we must have a female. And we agreed that it made sense. And a lot of other people also said that we needed younger minds. Also, I am from the East; the current governor is from Central; so we said let it go to the West. So, all those came together. And Damilola Sonayon-James emerged. She was the Deputy Women Leader of our state. She was a supervisor in Badagry and then we looked at everything she had been doing, and she emerged.

Your party was hit by a calamity of monumental proportion in the 2023 election when President Bola Tinubu lost the presidential election in Lagos, what is your party doing to avert this in the 2027 election?

We did some sort of an autopsy to see what happened, and we saw many things. We saw that we assumed many things. We didn’t take care of a lot of things, as a party. We didn’t move a lot of the pillars that we normally move, in terms of talking to people here and there, and we have tried to correct that so that this time around, it will be better.

There are still grievances from the last primaries of the party, what is your agenda for them?

That is ongoing; if not for this interview, I will be meeting some people now on that issue. So, the Constitution of our country states that you cannot run for election unless you are nominated by a political party. So the political party is supreme because you are representing that brand, and as such, there are many factors that come in in the selection of where the party moves. In some cases, we say the number of females is not enough, let us get more females, and if you settle down on a constituency or an area, the men there will complain. There are so many factors. I was meeting with many aspirants and I said, in 2019, I took my form two days before Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu but the leaders called me and said, ‘You are a Muslim; Asiwaju was a Muslim for eight years; BRF was a Muslim; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is not coming back; let a Christian go; and I said, fair enough.’ And I did a press conference and stepped down. And they looked at that and took me as deputy. It is because they talked to me and I listened. So, maybe if I didn’t listen then, today would not have arrived. So people must learn from that, because there would be many factors that we would have to consider. Unfortunately, when it comes to the emergence of the king of a community, even siblings have issues, but there can only be one king at that time. So, we tell ourselves that, if it doesn’t happen now, you don’t know tomorrow. So, let’s calm down. That process has started and hopefully we will be able to get everybody to understand that things will get better for all of us.

How is the party also handling the Justice Forum/Mandate Movement blocs amid fears that one group may be sidelined if you become governor?

I have met with the two groups. The truth of the matter is that the mother and the father is the Justice Forum. What happened was that it was a group set up by the leadership then to meet because politics was banned by the military. So, it predates 1999. And I have asked the question, what is the philosophical difference between the two? It is zero. So, let us calm down. Don’t let’s use what doesn’t exist to divide ourselves. People make the argument that even in advanced democracies like the United States, that there is the Black caucus, there is the Freedom caucus in the Republican. But there are philosophical differences. The Freedom caucus believes that even in case of incest and rape, a child should be born. Others say they don’t like abortion but in the case of incest, rape. So, there are philosophical differences. Here, what are the philosophical differences? Nothing. So, we cannot be a political party that runs after crumbs and fight ourselves. No. We must rise above that. And I think that everybody seems to understand that now.

If it comes down to stepping on toes, including party leaders, in the interest of moving Lagos ahead, will you do that?

The reality is, you need the collective will of the people to move a state forward. You can’t fight people and say you are just fighting everybody, you will lose. You can’t fight many battles. You can fight some battles but is it not better when you let people see what you want to do. We are all human beings and we have different opinions. Some people might genuinely believe that that goal is wrong. So, it is not a question of crushing their leg but it is to say that it is for the greatest good for the greatest number of people. As a human being, we will never be perfect but this is what my brain can take and this is the direction that we want to go, and you go. But, as much as possible, I think it is better to convince people to let people see why you want to do something. Remember, human beings are naturally selfish, that thing might not be good for that person personally and he might not see the bigger picture. So, it is the responsibility of the leaders to let people see the bigger picture for their children and grandchildren. Hopefully, you are able to convince nine out of 10 people, and then you move.

Talking about organisation, how do you deal with the issue of louts, touts across the city and clearing the blocked waterways which have structures on it without stepping on toes?

What separates us from the so-called developed nations are the rule of law and technology. Part of what you talk about is the rule of law. The organisation is this is where you should be, but you are here. And the rule of law is to say this is where you should be and that is where you would be. You must think about the common good. I recall when we were building the Okota main road. It would have been a lagoon today. But today, the place is clear. When we go there to campaign, I will tell them, it will be unGodly not to vote for our party in that place because those who know what it was and what we went through on that project. We were in court for nine months. We were building the road, we expanded it, we were building massive drains. We have the drain about 1.2 kilometres beyond the road because we can’t go further. It will be too destructive. As we were building, a house was obstructing the road construction. We promised compensation, the building owner declined. He went to court. We were to pay N60 million as agreement but the court said N12 million. Then we demolished and paid him N12 million. Even the neighbours said they told him. Today, they are driving freely in Okota, without issue of flooding. It is about the common good. That road connects many communities. So, because of one building, we must still go ahead and do what we have to do.

In a number of states, there have been cases of successor/predecessor rift. Do you rule out such crisis happening in Lagos State?

Our own is a bit different because the governor is my principal. If we didn’t fight all these years we have been working together, why would we disagree when we are handing over? If the goal is to run a state, then what is the problem? The responsibility is so huge that you can’t do it alone, that is why you have Commissioners, Special Advisers, Special Assistants. Even with that, there are still gaps. So, what is the fight about? That doesn’t mean we don’t have disagreements about issues. And it is about, we want to do this, should we do it this way? At the executive council meeting, we argue, fight, abuse each other. But at the end of the day, we conclude and move on. Governor Sanwo-Olu and I have been friends for years. When I came back, became Commissioner, Governor Sanwo-Olu was already a Commissioner. The current CBN Governor left the administration as Commissioner for Economic Planning. So Governor Sanwo-Olu was the acting Commissioner for economic planning when I joined the cabinet. For some reason, the day I was to be sworn in, it was Governor Sanwo-Olu that was taking me round and showing me the offices and MDAs in the Secretariat before I went to my own Ministry of Science and Technology. And that was the first time I would meet him, and we have been friends since then. Thankfully, we don’t have that crisis in Lagos.

Deputy Governors have this tag of being ‘spare tyres’ and only function at the mercy of their principal. Would you canvass for Constitutional roles for Deputy Governors?

You can’t legislate common sense. So, even if you say legislation gives roles, it doesn’t prevent crisis. You cannot legislate simple good behaviour. If you have people who are jointly on a ticket, it is clear that you must work together. But, thankfully in Lagos, Deputy Governors have various responsibilities in ministries. I think Senator Oluranti Adebule was in charge of Ministry of Education, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire was in charge of Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Adebisi Sosan was also in charge of Education, I am in charge of Works, and Science and Technology. So, for Works, Science and Technology, before the governor approves their memo, it must be signed by me. So, I’m certainly not a spare tyre and I will not treat my deputy as a spare tyre because she is not. She is an intelligent woman that establishes herself well. And the component that we really need to work on is our youth. How do we develop their future? We have issues of youth engagement, development, employment creation. Can a governor do all these by himself? One of the books I love reading is ‘Ego is the enemy.’ Ego is the problem. Wars were started by ego. Great companies collapse because of ego. If you are able to manage your ego in life, all the crisis will not happen. We have a job to do. It is a lot of work. So, if you have someone supporting you to do the job, what should be the problem? You must even encourage that person to help you do more.

What is your plan for the three terminals at Oshodi? At the outset, it was organised but it has now become a shadow of what former Governor Akinkunmi Ambode did.

Interestingly, as Commissioner for Works, I designed that place. I did it with Prof Olusanya of the University of Lagos. The essence is to develop similar things across different parts of Lagos. For example, in London, when you want to go to New York, you go to 34 Street. So, why is it that we have about 260 locations where you can take buses to get out of Lagos? It is disorganisation. Again, let us organise. It is for safety. If everybody queues in Oshodi, and there are manifests, Mr A is going to Osogbo, he takes this bus. If something happens, we know whom to ask. It’s being used but we need to better organise it. And it’s being used not just for buses going outside Lagos, but also intra transportation. That’s the decision we need to make. Do we totally separate intra from inter transportation? Those are the discussions that will have to happen. And we need to have, maybe nothing as big as that, in other areas of the state, like hubs. This is so that, if I am coming from Epe, I should be able to go somewhere, park my car and move and come back and meet my car, even if I have to pay.

There remains the issue of voter apathy. In the interest of democracy, what must be done to improve voter turnout in the next election?

It’s a really bad situation. In most local governments in Lagos State, the highest turnout in the last election was about 18 per cent, which I think was Ikorodu LGA. It is horrible and we need to improve on it. People have given all sorts of reasons for voter apathy, like lack of trust, people don’t see the benefit of democracy. In the United States, most people don’t pay attention to election until maybe three, four weeks. If you are in New York City, and gather 100 people who are New Yorkers and ask them who their governor is, 80 per cent don’t know their governor, because they don’t see it as their business. A lot of them are one issue voter. One is voting only because a candidate is pro-life, the other is voting a candidate because of Israel. You therefore realise that democracy, in itself, has limitations, as a wise man’s vote is the same as a not-so-wiseman’s vote. Therefore, we must get to everybody to convince them on the need to vote. A lot of people aggrieved won’t do anything that is why it is important you let people feel part of the process. But, of course, I will encourage people to vote for me and my party. If we can raise it from 18 per cent to 35 per cent, I’m sure that our votes will be very high.

Why do you think Nigerians should re-elect President Bola Tinubu?

There are a lot of reasons. But you must also look at the people he’s contesting against. Mr Peter Obi has been governor, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has been Vice President, Rabiu Kwankwaso has been governor. The question is what have these people done? What has Peter Obi done as a governor that you think he will do well as a President? The President was building his political party. Even in the last election, Tinubu fought his party, and didn’t leave. I recall during campaign in Abeokuta when Tinubu said, ‘They may choose to money, food scarce, we’ll still go for the election and win.’ Compare that to a man who will be a member of a party in the morning and another at night. He will be catastrophic as a President. If you can’t fight for something, you will fall for anything. You want to rule a nation of 200 million people and you can’t stand for something! APGA in the morning, PDP at night! Look at other nations. President Donald Trump fought in the primaries. Where will you run to, as President, when you have challenges? Will you run away or you will confront it just like the President is confronting it today? When it comes to saving the state, what are you willing to do? The President confronted the issue. He said, let’s remove subsidy. Do we remember why our refineries don’t work? Was it not because we said let’s introduce subsidy in 1992? And all our refineries were dead. It was supposed to be short term, but look at what we did to ourselves. I have been talking to young men in the private sector and what they tell me is that, because the macro has improved, their businesses are doing extremely well. One of them told me that, the company was started 15 years ago, and they were about 48, but within the last two years, they are now 400 employees. I challenged him for not speaking out and he said they are businessmen out to make profit and they are not politicians. They all promised then that subsidy will go. I recall then that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar said subsidy will go; Mr Peter Obi said subsidy is a scam. And when implementation started, we started hearing something different. You can’t do that, as a leader. Our oil production is going up. We are said to have had the highest production in 74 months of about 1.7 million barrels a day. When President Tinubu took over, it was about 800,000 barrels. It is now almost double. There is Technical and Vocational Education and Training. If you go to London, you see plumbers, and other artisans, they don’t have shops, they just have trucks, with their phone numbers asking you to call them for their services. That is how they built their country. The President is building the fundamentals. Nobody says it will be easy. If you have malaria, most medications are bitter. If you’re injured, you go for surgery, it is painful. There must be rehabilitation. Before now, we all heard of airlines shut down, Emirates did not come to our country for two years because they couldn’t get their money. The N23 trillion Ways and Means has been cleared. So, what will these people do different? They can’t even manage a political party. How will they manage this country? For me, it is a very easy choice. I also meet him, discuss with him and I can see his vision. You may say I am biased but we can all see what he is doing. The President is embarking on an enormous amount of infrastructure, across our country: Sokoto-Badagry road; Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. I remember in 2023, they asked me this same question and I said, how can you compare a goat to a lion? Comparing them is a no-brainer. I am sure Nigerians will vote for him. There are many distractions and political liars all over the place but when people actually see what is happening, I am confident that President Tinubu will come back again, and the country will be better for it.

Nigeria’s defence policy needs think tanks’ expertise – Ikomi

Strategic think tanks and the intelligentsia must be more deeply integrated into Nigeria’s defence policymaking process to address the country’s increasingly complex security challenges, said strategic studies expert Esther Terwase Ikomi.

Ikomi said Nigeria’s inability to translate strategic research and knowledge into policy decisions has weakened the country’s capacity to respond to emerging security threats and to build sustainable national development.

She spoke at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), Abuja, while presenting a paper titled ‘The Role of Strategic Think Tanks in Strengthening Defence Policy and National Development: Building Strategic Advantage for Nigeria in an Era of Complex Security Threats’ to participants of the Leadership and Strategic Studies Course 4/25.

The participants comprised one Brigadier General, 32 Colonels and 11 Lieutenant Colonels.

Ikomi identified the widening gap between research and policymaking, as well as weak coordination among relevant institutions, as major impediments to effective defence policy formulation.

According to her, Nigeria needs to move beyond producing strategic research to creating institutional mechanisms that ensure such knowledge directly informs national security and defence decisions.

Ikomi proposed institutionalising a Formalised National Security Research-Policy Liaison Framework as the most feasible mechanism for closing the gap.

She also recommended establishing regional Strategic Intelligence-Policy Hubs and a National Security Foresight Hub to improve intelligence analysis, anticipate emerging threats, and provide policymakers with timely evidence for decision-making.

To further strengthen the process, she introduced the Defence Knowledge-to-Policy Model, which she described as a practical framework for translating strategic knowledge into actionable defence policies.

The model, she said, would promote evidence-based decision-making, improve institutional coordination and enhance Nigeria’s strategic advantage in an increasingly unpredictable security environment.

She urged stronger collaboration between strategic research institutions and government agencies, arguing that a well-connected knowledge ecosystem would enable Nigeria to anticipate security threats rather than merely react to them.

Halt attacks on APC members in Osun, AMBO tasks Adeleke

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in last Saturday’s Osun State election, Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, on Friday called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to rein in his supporters and halt alleged attacks on members of the opposition party in the state.

Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, made the appeal while speaking with journalists at the State House, Abuja, shortly after meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The APC candidate alleged that attacks on members of his party had continued after the election, claiming that four or five people were attacked in his hometown, Ikire, on Friday morning.

He said the incidents had been reported to security agencies and urged Adeleke to prevail on his supporters to embrace peace and allow political actors in the state to coexist without violence.

‘I want to advise the governor that it’s important for him to talk to his people. Violence against our people is not too good, and he needs to talk to them so that each and every one of us can be on the same page’, Oyebamiji said.

Asked to shed more light on concerns he had earlier raised over alleged attacks on APC members following the declaration of the governorship election results, Oyebamiji said the situation had persisted.

‘Well, yes. Even as of this morning, in my own village, Ikire, some were attacked; about four, five people were attacked. We have informed the security operatives accordingly. That’s what I have to say about that’, he said.

Oyebamiji, however, appealed to APC members and his supporters across Osun State to remain calm and peaceful, stressing that electoral contests should not be allowed to undermine the peace of the state.

According to him, elections should be approached peacefully because the ultimate purpose of government is to serve the people.

‘The most important thing is to run every election with a peaceful mind. It is important for us Nigerians to know that government is about people, and because it’s about people, it is important that we be peaceful. I want to appeal to our people in Osun that they need to be peaceful,’ he said.

The APC candidate also said the party was still reviewing the outcome of the August 15 governorship election and had yet to make a final decision on its next course of action.

He said the party would make its position public after completing its examination of the election results and other relevant records.

‘For now, the APC is still examining the books, and by the time we spread our sheets, we’ll be able to get back to the public on what our own opinions are and what decisions we want to take, but the take-home is that they should be calm,’ Oyebamiji said.

Oyebamiji’s visit to the Presidential Villa came less than 24 hours after Adeleke met President Tinubu at the State House on Thursday.

Adeleke, who contested the August 15 election on the platform of the Accord Party, was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after polling 511,067 votes.

Oyebamiji, his closest challenger, scored 444,815 votes, leaving a margin of 66,252 votes between the two leading candidates.

Adeleke won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji carried 11.

Following his meeting with Tinubu on Thursday, Adeleke had thanked the President for allowing what he described as a free and fair election in Osun, saying Tinubu’s conduct reflected his longstanding commitment to Nigeria’s democratic struggle.

Oyebamiji’s comments on Friday, however, indicated that the APC was keeping its options open on the election outcome, even as he urged party members to remain peaceful pending the conclusion of its review.

AK Media Concepts unveils new drama series The Family Man

AK Media Concepts Ltd is set to unveil its latest family drama series entitled The Family Man.

The Family Man is a compelling production exploring love, betrayal, family, crime, redemption and second chances.

According to a statement by the production company, the new series expands the company’s portfolio, which includes Family Ties, Face2Face, ‘Nowhere to Be Found,’ ‘City Buster,’ ‘Liberty Villa’ and ‘Oyinmomo,’ a magazine talk show.

The 30-minute drama-crime series centres on Banjo Balogun, a brilliant civil engineer played by Olarotimi Fakunle, who returns home after serving 10 years of a 21-year prison sentence following the governor’s prerogative of mercy. Expecting to reconnect with his wife and three children, Banjo discovers that his family has changed considerably during his years away.

His return is further complicated by his struggle to secure employment because of his criminal record. Once a respected engineer and provider, Banjo now finds himself struggling to get the attention of his family, especially his wife, Chioma, who has built a successful career and become the principal provider. The situation becomes more explosive when Chioma is revealed to be romantically involved with Iredia, Banjo’s best friend and marriage counsellor.

The series features a strong ensemble cast comprising Joy Nmezi, Nifemi Lawal, Jasmine Olarotimi, Eze Ukwa, Femi Branch, Akin Lewis, Kunle Dada, Modola Osifuwa, Kenny Ayanfe, Babaseun Faseru, Halimah Ganiyu and Chy Nwakama, alongside Fakunle.

The inclusion of established actors such as Branch and Lewis adds further depth and experience to the production.

Directed by Tunde Olaoye and executive-produced by Olajumoke Akindeju-Asekun, ‘The Family Man’ is set in contemporary Lagos.

Speaking on the project, the MD/CEO of AK Media Concepts Ltd, Mrs Olajumoke Akindeju-Asekun, described The Family Man as a multi-million-naira production designed to meet contemporary cinematic standards.

‘I want to assure our media partners, and the general public that our new series, The Family Man,’is a content designed to keep viewers glued to their screens. It is our biggest project in recent times, and we have produced it in line with today’s cinematic standards.

‘What we have come up with this time, is a big difference and a blockbuster to reckon with.’

Tinubu hails Gombe’s Maryam Dan’ Azumi for winning global Qur’anic contest

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Maryam Ibrahim Dan’ Azumi of Gombe State on her emergence as winner of the women’s category at the 46th King Abdulaziz International Qur’anic Competition in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

The President described the feat, which saw the Nigerian beat contestants from 132 other countries to win a 300,000 Saudi Riyal prize, equivalent to about N120 million, as a remarkable achievement that has brought immense honour to the country.

In a statement on Friday, President Tinubu said Maryam’s performance at the prestigious international competition demonstrated the excellence, discipline, dedication, and intellectual capacity of Nigerian youths.

Maryam competed in the highly competitive category covering memorisation of the entire Holy Qur’an, recitation, Tajweed and interpretation of all 60 Hizb with Tafsir.

The President said her victory was not merely a personal triumph but a source of national pride, noting that she had placed Nigeria prominently on the global stage through her mastery of the Holy Qur’an.

‘Maryam Ibrahim Dan Azumi’s victory in the highly competitive category covering memorisation of the entire Holy Qur’an, recitation, Tajweed and interpretation of all 60 Hizb with Tafsir is a remarkable achievement that has brought immense honour to Nigeria and further demonstrated the excellence, discipline, dedication and intellectual capacity of Nigerian youths.

‘She has made Nigeria proud. Her achievement in Makkah is a powerful testimony to what our young people can accomplish when talent is matched with discipline, faith, hard work and dedicated mentorship’, Tinubu said.

The President also recalled the achievement of Maryam’s elder sister, Hajara Ibrahim Dan Azumi, who emerged first in a similar Qur’anic competition in Jordan in 2024, describing both sisters as an inspiration to young Nigerians.

He particularly commended their parents, teachers and mentors, as well as others who contributed to their development, saying their accomplishments reflected the sacrifice and commitment required to attain an exceptional level of Qur’anic scholarship.

Tinubu also expressed appreciation to the organisers of the King Abdulaziz International Qur’anic Competition and the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for providing an international platform for promoting excellence in Qur’anic memorisation, recitation, understanding and scholarship.

The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to initiatives aimed at nurturing the intellectual, moral and spiritual development of young Nigerians and creating opportunities for them to distinguish themselves at home and abroad.

‘On behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria, I congratulate Maryam on this remarkable victory. May Almighty Allah continue to guide, protect and increase her in knowledge and wisdom, and may her achievement inspire many more young Nigerians to pursue excellence,’ he said.

Tinubu wished Maryam continued success in her Qur’anic scholarship and future endeavours.