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Rivers varsity bets big on tech-backed open and distance learning system

The long wait for open and distance learning scheme of the Rivers State University (RSU) seems to be here at last. A board has been inaugurated to establish the centre to run the scheme.

It is thus becoming real that the plan to transform the RSU into an e-university, e-campus system, and top three best universities in Nigeria seems to materialize.

The RSU has now taken a significant step towards expanding access to higher education with the inauguration of a governing board for its ‘Centre for Open and Distance Learning (CODL).’

Talks about RSU, formerly University of Science and Technology (UST), emulating most UK and US universities on access to learning from around the world got strong when they brought in CINFORES, an edutech firm that is helping them to conduct most activities online.

The long wait for open and distance learning scheme of the Rivers State University (RSU) seems to be here at last. A board has been inaugurated to establish the centre to run the scheme.

It is thus becoming real that the plan to transform the RSU into an e-university, e-campus system, and top three best universities in Nigeria seems to materialize.

The RSU has now taken a significant step towards expanding access to higher education with the inauguration of a governing board for its ‘Centre for Open and Distance Learning (CODL).’

Talks about RSU, formerly University of Science and Technology (UST), emulating most UK and US universities on access to learning from around the world got strong when they brought in CINFORES, an edutech firm that is helping them to conduct most activities online.

Cross section of Rivers State University top management and ODL committee members

On the other hand, ‘Distance Learning’ specifically refers to studying remotely when the teacher and student are separated by space or time.

Experts say while they are often combined into ‘Open and Distance Learning’ (ODL), they describe different aspects of non-traditional education.

Speaking during the inauguration, Isaac Zeb-Obipi, professor of management studies and Vice-Chancellor of RSU, described Open and Distance Learning as an indispensable pathway for addressing the growing demand for higher education in Nigeria.

The Vice-Chancellor noted that the physical infrastructure and facilities available in conventional universities are insufficient to accommodate the increasing number of people seeking admission into higher education institutions.

He referred to discussions at a recent Vice-Chancellors’ Conference in Ilorin, where a presentation highlighted the widening gap between available university infrastructure and the rapidly growing demand for higher education, largely driven by Nigeria’s increasing population.

According to him, Open and Distance Learning provides an important bridge for closing this gap by enabling more people to access quality university education without necessarily being physically present on campus.

Zeb-Obipi further emphasized the critical role of technology in modern education, noting that online learning platforms have made it possible for students to participate in academic programmes and undertake examinations remotely.

The VC’s explanation seemed to agree with what Asawo Ibifuro, managing director of CINFORES Ltd, the tech firm installing and managing the university’s online transition, who told BusinessDay in an exclusive interview last month that by the bold tech steps going on at the RSU, that in the next five years, the university was going to be a fully digital university. ‘In terms of their learning, they will move from what they do traditionally to hybrid, and to a solid one in terms of their virtual learning.

‘In terms of office administration, they are putting a workflow and a document management system. So they will be fully paperless in the next five years, in all the things that they are doing.’

Ibifuro said the RSU’s revenue should triple, ‘If they continue in this trajectory because they will now have virtual courses that people will be able to do from anywhere in the world and be generating quite a lot of revenue.

‘They will not be constrained by the physical infrastructure they now have. The digital infrastructure that they are building now will be able to warehouse hundreds of thousands of students, if not millions. They will be in the mold of the likes of Harvard and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) with millions of students around the globe.’

For the RSU, the CINFORES boss went on, ‘We are expecting that most of the things done in the campus will be digitized, down to their transportation in the next five years.

‘So, in the next five years, if they continue, the University will be making massive impact on how things happen in River State. They will be able to support some of the advancements that the state would require at that particular point in time.’

The vice chancellor at the inauguration cited examples of successful online course delivery and remote examinations, including programmes where students outside Nigeria have participated effectively through technology-enabled learning systems.

The Vice-Chancellor commended the leadership and members of the ODL Centre for their commitment towards establishing the Centre, particularly in developing the necessary policies and securing Senate approval.

He also acknowledged the contributions of another professor, Blessing Jaja, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Boma Dambo, the Director of the Centre, the Deputy Director and other members of the implementation team for their dedication towards bringing the initiative to fruition.

Zeb-Obipi formally inaugurated the governing board and charged members to provide the strategic direction required to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of Open and Distance Learning at Rivers State University.

Earlier, Boma Dambo expressed appreciation to the RSU management and other stakeholders for their support towards establishing the Centre.

Dambo disclosed that the necessary policies for the operation of the Centre had been developed and approved, adding that the institution had entered the critical stage of building the capacity of personnel who would drive the programme.

She explained that the Centre was currently training course writers, facilitators, e-tutors and other personnel required for the effective implementation of Open and Distance Learning programmes.

The Professor expressed confidence that, with the continued support of the VC and other top management leaders of the university, the Centre would achieve its objectives and contribute significantly to expanding access to higher education.

In his acceptance speech on behalf of members of the Governing Board, Jaja, the Chairman, expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor for finding them worthy to serve in the pioneering governing body of the new Centre.

Jaja described the establishment of the Open and Distance Learning Centre as a major milestone and strategic intervention by Rivers State University to address the challenges confronting higher education in Nigeria.

He assured the University Management that members of the board would work diligently to ensure that the vision and objectives of the Centre are achieved and where possible, exceeded.

He also appealed for continued institutional support required for quick and sustainable success.

Why I built a 50-bed-capacity hospital – Taraba PDP rep candidate

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate for House of Representatives for Ibi/Wukari Federal Constituency of Taraba State, Hon. Muktar Galadima, on Sunday said his decision to build a 50-bed-capacity hospital in Ibi Local Government is to tackle the longstanding challenges of access to healthcare in the constituency.

Alhaji Muktar spoke in Wukari, Wukari Local Government, while launching his campaign for his 2027 National Assembly bid.

According to the former Director of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), the project was not to draw political attention but to address the health needs of the constituency.

‘Long before now, access to healthcare in the my constituency has been a challenge, especially in Ibi local government. My decision to build the hospital is not to draw political attention, but to guarantee the health needs of the people.

‘I have considered it necessary that the health of the people is primary before politics. The 50 bed capacity hospital which will be due for commissioning in a month time, I believe will go a long way in liberating constituents from the plight’. Galadima explained.

The PDP Rep candidate also assured that he will primarily focus on partnership with government agencies and organisations to attract jobs for constituents.

He said youth empowerment through ICT and other skills innovation would reduce the rate of dependants and progressively transform the people to be self-reliant.

‘If elected, I will primarily focused on partnership that would create job opportunities for people especially the youth. While I see security as a key areas of focus; I will ensure collaboration between local and conventional security to boost safety of the constituency’. He Assured.

While urging constituents to intensify mobilisation free from actions capable of attracting violence across the constituency, Alhaji Muktar pledged to ensure legislation that would bring mining into the concurrent list, allowing states and local communities to carry out mining activities within their domain.

This is just as he also promised to regularly consult with constituents to enable him to approach government with the desired needs of the people.

Meanwhile, the state party chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Sale, called on supporters to work collectively to strengthen the party’s grassroots structure and improve its winning chances at the polls.

He also appealed to political actors and supporters to conduct their campaigns peacefully and avoid actions capable of creating tension among communities.

SERAP gives INEC seven days to account for ?126bn flagged in audit report

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seven days to explain the spending of about ?126.46 billion in electoral funds flagged by the Auditor-General of the Federation over alleged breaches of procurement rules and a lack of evidence that some of the goods and services paid for were actually delivered.

In a letter dated September 12, 2026, and addressed to INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SERAP demanded a detailed account of the contracts, payments and assets identified in the Auditor-General’s 2023 report, published on August 7, 2026.

The accountability organisation said the audit raised serious questions about the management of funds meant for electoral materials and services, including ballot boxes, sensitive election materials, result sheets, vehicles, accreditation devices, audit services and digital archiving.

SERAP wants INEC to disclose the names of companies and individuals who received the funds, explain how the contracts were awarded and provide evidence that the materials and services were supplied as paid for.

The organisation warned that it would consider legal action if INEC failed to provide a satisfactory response within seven days of receiving or being served with the letter.

At the centre of the controversy is an audit finding involving approximately ?112.16 billion spent on ballot boxes, electoral devices and other election materials.

According to the Auditor-General, the procurement was carried out without competitive bidding and without a Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Certificate of No Objection.

The auditors also reported that they could not find evidence that the items had actually been procured.

They further raised concerns about the companies awarded the contracts, saying their competence, addresses and factory locations could not be established from the records examined.

The Auditor-General consequently warned that the funds ‘may have been diverted’ and recommended their recovery.

Another major query involved approximately ?1.06 billion paid for Toyota Prado TXL 2021 vehicles.

The audit report said the procurement was undertaken without advertisement, competitive bidding, bid evaluation or a BPP Certificate of No Objection. The circumstances surrounding the contracts, it said, raised the possibility that the prices ‘may have been inflated’ and that the funds ‘may have been lost.’

The audit also identified approximately ?3.14 billion paid to four contractors for ballot guides, sensitive materials and result sheets before the relevant contracts were formally awarded.

According to the auditors, there was no adequate payment documentation to establish the legitimacy of the transactions.

A further ?9.25 billion was spread across 22 contracts involving similar electoral goods and services. The contracts were split and awarded on the same day, a process the auditors said might have been designed to circumvent procurement requirements.

The Auditor-General also questioned whether some of the items for which payment was made were ever supplied.

SERAP said the issues went beyond technical breaches of procurement procedures, arguing that the allegations raise fundamental questions about transparency and accountability in the management of resources allocated for Nigeria’s elections.

Other transactions flagged by the audit included about ?129.4 million paid to 19 accounting firms for audit-related services without evidence that the services had been requested or utilised.

The report also questioned the payment of approximately ?504.5 million for accreditation devices. Among the concerns was an expired Advance Payment Guarantee and software whose validity was reportedly limited to four months.

The auditors further flagged about ?235.1 million paid to contractors described in the report as unqualified for the supply of sleeping mats and digital archiving services.

Taken together, the transactions form the basis of the approximately ?126.46 billion in flagged expenditure that SERAP is demanding INEC account for.

SERAP also urged INEC to preserve all assets connected to the transactions while the allegations are being examined.

The organisation specifically asked the commission not to dispose of, transfer or write off any of the assets under review until the reconciliation of the records and any subsequent investigation have been completed.

It further called on INEC to refer the audit findings to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for investigation, possible prosecution and recovery of public funds where wrongdoing is established.

SERAP said any investigation should extend beyond contractors and consultants to include INEC officials or other public officers who authorised, processed or facilitated the questioned payments.

‘Electoral resources are public resources,’ SERAP said, stressing that INEC must be able to account for every naira, establish that it was spent lawfully and demonstrate that the expenditure served the purposes for which the funds were appropriated.

The organisation based its demand partly on Section 15(5) of the 1999 Constitution, which requires the state to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power. It also invoked Nigeria’s obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption, as well as international guarantees concerning access to information and participation in public affairs.

What Atiku’s US lobbyists tell us

When former vice president Atiku Abubakar engaged a United States-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York LC, last March for $1.2m to burnish his public image and give him unfettered access in US policy circles, too many things were intentionally obfuscated in the contract. Few things were expressly stated. Indeed, the real job of the lobbying firm was to excoriate Alhaji Atiku’s main opponent, President Bola Tinubu, in the 2027 Nigerian presidential election, not the projection of the former vice president in the US. Secondly, the deal also tried to shroud the real identity of the real owner of the firm, a man of Nigerian origin but with the German-sounding name of Dr Karl Von Batten. His real name, it turned out is Ikemefuna Okeke, and he had once done image laundering jobs inexpertly for Somalia and DR Congo.

It is now widely known that since his lobbying firm was hired, Dr Okeke has gone at the job with unremitting viciousness and remorseless falsehoods on two levels. One, he has lied about his status and projected himself to be more important within the US system than he really is. Clearly, he needs to keep justifying the amount being spent on him by the former vice president. He has lied about appointments given him in the US, nearly all insignificant, including hiding facts and distorting the news. And when he is caught, he has blamed, not himself, but the Nigerian ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and presidential aides. Two, he has told colourful and exaggerated stories about the supposed impact he was making. Thus, he has painted stories of visitations to the White House, all but indicated he had met or would meet President Donald Trump, and suggested immoderately that the US president or State Department was poised to take certain actions to humiliate the Nigerian ruling party or President Tinubu.

Unfortunately, Alhaji Atiku’s US lobbyists and their actions appear to evoke the macabre streak in some Nigerians. Most opposition leaders and members, including all kinds of disaffected people, readily believe the worst of their country. Dr Okeke, aka Karl Von Batten, recognises this flaw in Nigerians and has fed them a steady diet of bitter and vindictive stories that demean their national worth and esteem. He has also not spared them of nasal feeding of tendentious and inciting stories about their leaders. Alhaji Atiku is committed to paying the lobbyists $100,000 every month until the end of the contract after the Nigerian elections. The lobbyists will, therefore, do anything, tell any lies, no matter how infamous, and fake any status to justify their pay.

Alhaji Atiku might already be aware of the ignoble reputation of his lobbyists, particularly their failed contracts in other parts of Africa, and the humongous hype that had sustained the firm in business. He is, however, unlikely to care whatever anyone thinks of the firm. The lobbyists may not get the former vice president mileage of any kind, or open doors irrevocably shut against him in US policy circles since his fourth wife Jennifer Douglas Atiku was accused of managing more than $40m slush money on his behalf. But because the Nigerian media have become so unprofessional and gullible, and have continued to regurgitate and even amplify unverified stories about President Tinubu fed them by Dr Okeke, Alhaji Atiku sees these widely sensational and exaggerated stories as evidence of the firm’s effectiveness. He will not terminate the contract.

The lobbying firm’s work, not to say their dubieties, also tells Nigerians something even more eerily disturbing about their mentality. While most of Europe and Asia are weaning themselves off their dependence on the US and replacing the respect bordering on reverence they once had for American power and foreign policies, some Nigerians, particularly opposition politicians who want America to influence the Nigerian elections in their favour, are deifying the US and worshipping at American altars. Alhaji Atiku is made of that same old and jaded mould. In the last Osun State governorship elections, leaders of the Accord Party had appealed to President Trump, reported imaginary infractions to the American leaders, and got the equally suppliant Nigerian media to amplify their messages and argue for either visa ban against Nigerian ruling party leaders and their families or outright sanctions. The self-hate and self-deprecation were so intense that when President Trump threatened to invade Nigeria to avenge Christians, many in the opposition applauded the move and hoped it would lead to the overthrow of the Nigerian government.

Alhaji Atiku could legitimately and effectively make a case for his election as president. In fact, he has only now started to explore that possibility, even though his first hesitant steps in that direction relating to the restoration of subsidy through the production side of the fuel business have been ill-informed and anticlimactic. But in the past few months, after watching his campaign flag and progress remained turgid and unable to gain sufficient traction, especially with the sundering of the opposition coalition, he had become desperate and frantic. Given the setback the subsidy argument has caused him, he is unlikely to look for another hard policy bone to chew because of his geriatric intellectual dentition. He realised too late that even his supporters, many of them ignorant of economic issues, have since reconciled themselves to the subsidy removal policy and exchange rate flotation. None of the 36 states, and no serious member of the policy and business elite, want a return to the ungainly and financially dissonant past. The former vice president will, therefore, press whatever advantage he believes he has in demarketing President Tinubu and the APC. But even here, he has also already begun to meet very limited success.

The former vice president, who is now the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, will continue to welcome and disseminate the mendacities Dr Okeke’s lobbying firm dishes out. Alhaji Atiku’s instincts tell him that many Nigerians are fetched by falsehoods, are too lazy to verify news or social media posts, are too superstitious to separate fact from fiction or truth from falsehood, have appalling low self-esteem, are still neocolonial in orientation, believe their salvation lies with outsiders, especially President Trump, and have little faith in their own institutions and leaders. Trapped in this vicious circle, together with their bought media, they will remain vulnerable to lies from outsiders and lobbying firms as well as the propagation and reiteration of those lies by local leaders still shackled by feelings of racial inferiority. The disgraceful appeal to outside powers and leaders will not disappear anytime soon. Politicians like Alhaji Atiku and the still unsophisticated and undiscriminating but loud Nigerian media will make freeing the minds of Nigerians difficult in the short to medium run.

Datti Baba-Ahmed’s symphony of confusion

Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed’s recent outburst that Peter Obi and other presidential candidates across the political divide, except perhaps, those in his current party, lack what it takes to redeem Nigeria from its present quagmire, has brought the former Labour Party presidential running mate under serious scrutiny.

For keen observers, his outburst could be the eruption of a tightly subdued political volcano whose consequences may extend beyond Baba-Ahmed himself to the wider political class. Could this, once again, affirm that old political maxim that there are no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests?

Baba-Ahmed is one of the more intellectually distinctive figures to have emerged in contemporary Nigerian politics. An economist, businessman, educationist and politician, he has built a significant profile, particularly as the founder of Baze University, Abuja – a prestigious institution by virtually any parameter.

No doubt, he achieved his greatest national political prominence when, in July 2022, he was selected as the vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party alongside Peter Obi for the 2023 presidential election. The choice was politically significant. Beyond the credentials he brought to the ticket, it was expected to strengthen the Obi candidacy in Northern Nigeria, particularly among Northern Muslim voters.

Coming from a well-respected family and carrying an unusual mix of credentials, Baba-Ahmed appeared to bring several advantages to the ticket: Northern Nigerian political identity; a strong academic background; experience in both chambers of the National Assembly; business and entrepreneurial experience; Islamic and Northern establishment credentials; and, perhaps most importantly, a reputation for independence and outspoken political views.

The Obi/Datti ticket resonated with millions of young Nigerians across the country. It was touted by many as a political masterstroke that shook the foundations of the established political order. Their perceived integrity and character, together with their promise of a different political direction, connected with Nigerians in a way that few political movements had done before. And a movement was born.

Baba-Ahmed traversed the length and breadth of the country, projecting his principal, Peter Obi, in glowing colours and articulating their manifesto and covenant with the Nigerian people. Few people on that 2023 political train could have come as close to Peter Obi as Baba-Ahmed did.

Such close interaction would ordinarily make one another an open book. Baba-Ahmed would have seen sides of Obi that many Nigerians could not have seen. Yet both men, like an inseparable, love-struck couple, went the entire hog – all the way to the Supreme Court – seeking to reclaim what they believed was their mandate as the winners of the 2023 presidential election.

The political conjugation between the two men remained largely rosy and peaceful until Peter Obi decided to join the ADC, effectively ending what had appeared to be a continuing political partnership with Baba-Ahmed as his likely vice-presidential running mate in the 2027 presidential election.

Baba-Ahmed has since spoken publicly, albeit in measured bursts, warning Obi against what he appears to regard as a godless union with the people of the ADC. He sat in the front row at that August meeting, but apparently could not stomach the optics of what he considered a union of strange bedfellows – one that, in his view, diminished what he and Obi represented.

He has told Nigerians that everything he warned Obi about regarding his association with those people has come to pass, and that Obi has already had his fingers burnt.

So, what precisely is Datti Baba-Ahmed trying to tell Nigerians when he says Peter Obi does not have what it takes to lead the nation?

If one were to hazard a safe guess, is he saying Peter Obi was a fluke? Does he mean Obi was grossly incompetent all along and merely masqueraded as a messiah?

Was the Obi/Datti ticket therefore a lie – or a grand political sham designed to seize power by any means necessary, only to unleash an incompetent leadership on Nigerians had they won?

Was Baba-Ahmed actually the intelligent half of the ticket? Would he have had to constantly rein Obi in had they won? Or did Obi suddenly begin to deteriorate the very moment he contemplated leaving Baba-Ahmed behind in the 2027 presidential race?

These are not insignificant questions.

Datti’s outburst has undoubtedly left a sour taste in the mouth of many Nigerians. A careful observation of his recent interview seems to suggest that there is more he could reveal about Peter Obi’s character if he is pushed further.

Could it be that Baba-Ahmed’s Peter Obi was only a carefully packaged political projection of a man whose true character Nigerians never really knew?

Who, then, is Peter Obi from the prism of Datti Baba-Ahmed?

Staunch Obi supporters have gone after Baba-Ahmed, who appears neither intimidated nor prepared to retreat. He is known to speak his mind, no matter whose horse is gored.

But his critics have also raised another interesting question: what exactly was Datti Baba-Ahmed’s contribution to the over six million votes garnered by the Obi/Datti ticket in the 2023 presidential election?

For a man who, according to claims circulating in the political space, was said to have lost his own polling unit, ward, local government, state and even his region, did Baba-Ahmed really come to the ticket with sufficient political capital of his own?

Was his contribution mainly intellectual, strategic and symbolic rather than electoral?

And is he speaking now from political conviction, genuine concern for Nigeria, or the pain of being left behind in the unfolding 2027 equation?

Could this simply be the ranting of a disgruntled and politically divorced spouse?

Nigerians may not have heard the last from Datti Baba-Ahmed.

This electoral season could yet become far more interesting as Peter Obi’s political character and record come under stronger scrutiny from someone who once occupied the closest possible political space beside him.

Baba-Ahmed may have opened a door he cannot easily shut.

The question is whether what comes through that door will be another chapter in Nigeria’s endless political drama, a revealing political reckoning – or simply another Lord’s Supper in which former allies discover that yesterday’s bread can become today’s weapon.

For now, it looks increasingly like a symphony of confusion, with one of the principal members of the 2023 electoral orchestra suddenly changing the tune.

Cyprus and IAEA to sign Memorandum of Cooperation on nuclear safety

Cyprus Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, Marinos Moushouttas, will sign in Vienna a Memorandum of Cooperation on nuclear safety the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi.

According to a press release issued the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Mousiouttas, is flying to Vienna on Sunday to represent the Republic of Cyprus at the IAEA General Conference, where will deliver the Republic of Cyprus’s National Statement .

During his visit, the Minister will hold a tete-a-tete meeting with the IAEA Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi, to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of nuclear security, with particular emphasis on utilising the capabilities of the Cyprus based CYCLOPS centre as the Agency’s regional training centre, the press release said.

It noted that CYCLOPS(Cyprus Centre for Land, Open-seas and Port Security) is a training centre owned by the Republic of Cyprus, based in Larnaka. The project has been implemented in close cooperation with the US administration, under a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 12 September 2020 between the Republic of Cyprus and the United States of America.

2027: If my ambition will cost a life, may I not win- Ondo ADC candidate Akinyelure

Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for Ondo Central Senatorial District, in the 2027 general elections, Senator Ayo Akinyelure has declared that his ‘political ambition’ should never come at the cost of any constituent’s life.

Akinyelure, a two-term federal lawmaker popularly known as ‘Kilekile’ (Bulldozer), warned his supporters against violence, intimidation and personal attacks ahead of elections.

He said his campaign would be anchored on issues, competence, ideas and his record in public office rather than insults, character assassination or confrontation with political opponents.

Speaking in Akure shortly after arriving in the state, Akinyelure urged his supporters to conduct themselves with restraint and dignity throughout the electioneering period.

He said the emerging political movement under the ADC must distinguish itself by presenting voters with credible alternatives and practical solutions to the challenges confronting the country.

‘Let us make this election a contest of ideas, records, character and competence, not violence, insults or intimidation. Let me make this clear: no political ambition is worth the life of any member of our constituency.

‘My prayer is that if the position I am seeking will lead to the loss of any life among our people, may I not win the election.

‘But if my ultimate desire is to lift people, create opportunities and make life more comfortable for our people when I return to office, then I pray that God grants that wish,’ Akinyelure said.

He added: ‘I therefore urge all our supporters not to fight, abuse, intimidate or attack anyone because of politics. Our campaign must be based on issues, ideas, records and the capacity to deliver meaningful development to the people.

‘We must go to the people with facts and tell them what we achieved during our previous representation. Let the people listen to all candidates and make their choice freely and democratically.’

His appeal comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 elections, with political parties and emerging platforms beginning to mobilise supporters and position themselves for the contest.

Speaking further, Akinyelure said politicians should not allow political differences to degenerate into violence, stressing that elections should be contests over ideas, leadership capacity and records of service.

The ADC candidate said his decision to return to the political arena was driven by a desire to continue serving and empowering the people rather than promoting bitterness or division.

According to him, his previous campaigns were largely built around his record in office, which he said would again form a major part of his campaign ahead of the 2027 election.

‘My previous campaigns were built around my stewardship and what I was able to accomplish in office. In 2019, for instance, I presented my record of service to the people and asked them to judge me based on my performance,’ he said.

Akinyelure cited his empowerment initiatives as part of the records he intends to present to voters, saying he provided vehicles to about 150 people in his constituency during his first term in the Senate, when the constituency budget was approximately N221 million annually.

‘These are part of the records that we will present to the people as we commence this campaign,’ he said.

The former lawmaker, who served in the 7th and 9th National Assemblies, said he was returning to seek another mandate because he believed more could still be done to improve the welfare and economic opportunities of constituents.

‘I am not returning to the political arena to promote bitterness or division. I am returning because I believe there is still more work to be done and more people to empower.

‘My commitment remains the same: to use public office as an instrument for service, employment generation, economic empowerment and improved welfare for our people,’ he said. Akinyelure expressed appreciation to the people of Ondo Central for their continued confidence and support over the years.

He urged his supporters to respect every political opponent and avoid actions capable of heating the political atmosphere.

‘Our people deserve a campaign that gives them hope and presents credible solutions to their challenges.

‘Together, let us build a campaign that respects our people, protects our communities and puts the future of Ondo Central above personal ambition,’ he said.

Adeleke’s Ally Shot Dead In Osun

Olalekan Ajagungbade, an ally of Governor Ademola Adeleke, has been shot dead in Osun State.

Ajagungbade, popularly known as Emir in political circles, was said to have been lured to a motor park in Ile-Ife to attend a meeting where he was shot on the head.

The deceased was struggling to take control of motor parks in the state from the current leader of the commercial drivers in the state, Nurudeen Alowonle.

Following his death, there was tension in some parts of the state.

Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke has asked the Osun state police command to track and arrest all those involved in the killing.

In a statement by Mallam Olawale Rasheed, his spokesperson, Adeleke directed the immediate vacation of the motor parks by warring groups and ordered the establishment of a Park Management System with immediate effect.

While calling for calm among the citizens, the governor further directed security agencies to restore normalcy across the motor parks and ensure the maintenance of law and order across the state.

The governor, promised to issue an Executive Order for the establishment of a park management system to restore discipline and orderliness.

‘Law and order must be maintained. There will be no sacred cows as all culprits will be brought to book. We call on members of the public to remain calm.’

‘We will ensure restoration of peace in all the affected parks and areas. The security agencies are under instruction to ensure the sustainability of peace at all cost.

‘We are reintroducing the Park Management System. I will soon issue an executive order to give effect to the new management system to manage parks and garages across the state’, he said.

2027: Bayelsa will deliver bulk votes to Tinubu, TSG vows

The Tinubu Support Group (TSG) in Bayelsa State has declared that the state will deliver ‘bulk votes’ to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

Emerging from its maiden meeting at the weekend in Yenagoa, the group’s pioneer leadership said it is mobilising across political, ethnic and social divides to ensure a decisive victory for the President in Bayelsa.

A statement signed by the Bayelsa State Director of Media, TSG, Engr. Udengs Eradiri, said that the mission to return Tinubu for a second term was both patriotic and in the public interest.

The statement listed members of the TSG Bayelsa State Executive Committee as Engr. Preye Aganaba, State Coordinator; Bar. Edi Orubo, Deputy State Coordinator; Hon. Enaikada Omemu, Secretary; Hon. Amalanyo Yosou, Bayelsa East; Hon. Patrick Ekade, Bayelsa West; and Dr Doodei Weeks, Bayelsa Central.

Others are Hon. Favour Emmanuel, Director of Women; Hon. Nunieh Odede, Director of Youths; Hon. Lori Ogoro, Director PLWDS; Edison Sorgwe, Director Ethnic Affairs; Joseph Fafi, Director of Logistics; and Udengs Eradiri, Director of Media.

Eradiri, a former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, said the TSG, under the leadership of grassroots politician Preye Aganaba, would take the Tinubu administration’s achievements to every community in the state.

He described Aganaba as a grassroots mobiliser with the political reach, depth and community appeal to rally stakeholders behind the 2027 re-election project.

‘Our target is nothing but total victory. And at the end of the day, we will ensure that Bayelsa delivers bulk votes to President Tinubu in 2027’, he said.

Eradiri, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), said the TSG belonged to all Bayelsans and would work with Governor Douye Diri and the various leadership structures of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to secure what he described as a deserving victory for Tinubu.

He said the Tinubu administration’s performance had simplified the task of winning Bayelsa for the President.

According to him, as campaigns unfold, the group will confront critics with what it described as facts, figures and evidence of the administration’s achievements.

‘Those who speak against the President speak out of ignorance. We are going to show them the facts, the figures and the numbers that will make them change their perception and see the re-election of President Tinubu as a matter of public interest’, he said.

Eradiri said the TSG would embark on a massive mobilisation drive, bringing together associations, groups, youths, women, students, traditional rulers, indigenes and non-indigenes to pursue what he described as a common mission of returning Tinubu in 2027.

He said, ‘The Bayelsa TSG is ready and prepared to spread the gospel of Tinubu’s administration. We consider it a privilege to support the President, who has demonstrated the capacity to take tough decisions in the interest of this country.

‘These reforms are already yielding expected dividends, and another four years will deliver unprecedented prosperity to all. We have collectively weathered the storm; continuity and consolidation remain the best way forward. Bayelsa will surely be counted among other states in this historic journey of consolidation.

‘The results are there in the economy, infrastructure transformation, petroleum sector, energy, security, decentralisation, among many others, and we will bring all of them to the fore. We will never join any move to reverse these gains’.

Eradiri said the group would take its mobilisation campaign to the grassroots, insisting that Bayelsa would not be left behind in what he described as the national movement to consolidate the gains of the Tinubu administration

He added that the group was determined to ensure that the 2027 election in Bayelsa reflected what he described as growing public appreciation of the President’s reforms and policies.

San Juan steakhouse launches special beer-paired dining experience

Steak paired with premium beer forms a special menu for a San Juan steakhouse.

Available this September, Seventeen Steakhouse introduced its collaboration menu with beer brand San Miguel that features a four-course lineup, with each dish matched with a different beer. The menu also includes a beef dish that uses beer as part of the cooking process.

To whet the appetite, diners are served with Smashed Potato, featuring crispy marbled potatoes served with house-made garlic aioli, and paired with San Miguel Cerveza Blanca.

Another appetizer is the Roasted Bone Marrow, topped with garlic confit, gremolata, orange zest, and smoked Maldon salt. Its richness is best paired with the Cerveza Negra.

For pasta lovers, the Vongole features linguine tossed with fresh clams, cherry tomatoes, Calabrian chili, white wine, garlic, parsley, and extra virgin olive oil. The brand’s Premium All-Malt is paired with the seafood fare.

The main course is the USDA Dry Aged Porterhouse, a 30-day dry-aged Australian Wagyu porterhouse served with a choice of chimichurri, Seventeen House Sauce, or mushroom pepper sauce. This indulgent fish is washed away with the Super Dry.

The menu goes beyond beer pairings with the Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Risotto Milanese. The short ribs are slow-braised in Cerveza Negra and served with creamy Risotto Milanese and onions pickled in its Super Dry beer.

Seventeen Steakhouse is located on the second floor of the Ferrari Velocita Motors Showroom in Connecticut Greenhills, San Juan City.