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The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has successfully uploaded Prince Laja Adeoye as its governorship candidate for Lagos State on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

With the upload, Adeoye becomes the first governorship candidate in Lagos State to be formally registered on the INEC portal ahead of the February 6, 2027 election.

The party also uploaded Coker Oluwatobi Adeyemi Grace as Adeoye’s running mate, according to a statement issued after a strategic working visit by the Lagos APM leadership to the party’s National Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.

The delegation was led by the Lagos State Chairman, Mrs. Bunmi Adeyemo, and the Coordinator of the Laja Adeoye Campaign Organization (LACO), Otunba S. Alebiosu.

They were joined by the National Secretary, National Organizing Secretary, Oyo State APM Chairman, APM Director of ICT, and Kwara State APM Chairman.

The meeting focused on reviewing the party’s progress in Lagos and fine-tuning strategies ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking after the upload, Adeoye said Nigerians were seeking a change in political leadership at both the national and state levels.

‘Nigerians are yearning for a new beginning, a decisive change of government at the centre, in Lagos State, and across the federation, to end the continued mis-governance of the APC. The APM is the credible alternative Nigerians need now,’ he said.

Adeoye is expected to square off against the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and incumbent Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, in the governorship election.

In line with its national outlook, APM said it has also uploaded *Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde as its presidential candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

The party described Makinde, alongside *Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, as part of a team of ‘credible and widely accepted’ leaders working under the national leadership of Alhaji Yusuf Mamman Dantale

To strengthen its base in Lagos, the Lagos State Forum of Local Government Chairmen said it has resolved to intensify grassroots mobilisation across the state.

In a communiqué signed by the Forum’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Ayinde, APM committed to ‘aggressive membership recruitment, voter mobilisation, and consolidation of party structures’ across all 20 LGAs, 37 LCDAs, wards and polling units.

The Forum expressed confidence in Adeoye’s candidacy, describing him as a credible alternative for Lagos, and commended his efforts at building the party’s presence in the state.

Anchoring his campaign on what he termed the ‘Atunto Eko Agenda’, Adeoye said the blueprint is designed to reset governance and return power to the people of Lagos.

He explained that ‘Atunto Eko’ focuses on economic prosperity, accountable governance, security, youth empowerment, and infrastructural renewal across the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs.

*According to him, the agenda prioritizes job creation for graduates, support for market women and artisans, affordable healthcare, and fixing the state’s transportation and housing deficit.

‘Lagos deserves a government that works for everyone, not just a few. Atunto Eko is about transparency, inclusion and delivering results that Lagosians can feel in their pockets,’ Adeoye stated.

The Senate yesterday called for tougher safety regulations in Nigeria’s mining sector.

This followed a landslide that claimed 20 lives in a coal mining community in Kogi State.

The Red Chamber also directed the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to carry out a comprehensive audit of all licensed mining operators across the country to strengthen monitoring, enforcement and regulatory compliance.

Besides, the Senate urged the Federal Government, through the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Department (ASMD), to establish a statutory Mining Workers’ Compensation Scheme to be funded by mandatory contributions from licensed mining operators to provide compensation for occupational injuries, permanent disabilities, occupational diseases and deaths arising from mining activities.

In the House of Representatives, the lawmakers yesterday resolved to investigate allegations of corrupt enrichment, including the N2 billion account allegedly linked to a former State Commander of Mining Marshals and similar cases of compromise across the 36 states and the FCT.

The Senate’s resolutions followed the consideration of a motion sponsored by Senator Isah Jibrin Echocho (Kogi East) on the urgent need to address escalating safety risks, environmental hazards and humanitarian concerns associated with unsafe coal mining activities in Ankpa and other coal-bearing communities in Kogi State.

Leading the debate, Echocho recalled that a major landslide occurred on July 14 at Alufele in Enjema District of Ankpa Local Government Area, trapping artisanal miners underground while several trucks reportedly sank into mining pits during loading operations.

He said the incident claimed 20 lives and left several others injured, exposing the dangerous conditions under which many mining activities are carried out.

The senator attributed the recurring accidents to unsafe mining practices, particularly the widespread use of the room-and-pillar mining method without adequate structural reinforcement such as timber, steel or concrete supports.

Echocho also expressed concern over the siting of heavy-duty loading points close to unstable mining pits, warning that the practice further heightens geological instability and endangers miners, truck operators and nearby communities.

He lamented that many artisanal miners operate without formal employment contracts, health insurance, life insurance, social security or occupational hazard cover, leaving victims and their families without financial protection whenever accidents occur.

Contributing to the debate, senators sympathised with the bereaved families and called for adequate compensation for victims.

They also urged authorities to strengthen safety standards to prevent similar tragedies.

The Senate urged the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, to introduce compulsory occupational accident insurance for all miners, including artisanal and small-scale operators working under recognised cooperatives or community mining arrangements.

It urged the Federal Government to establish a Mine Rehabilitation and Victims Support Fund to provide emergency medical care, rehabilitation, compensation for injured miners, educational support for children of deceased miners and means of livelihood for the affected families.

The Senate mandated its Committees on Solid Minerals Development, Environment, Labour, Employment and Productivity, and Health to interface with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the implementation of the resolutions and report back within six weeks.

Also, adopting a motion on notice sponsored by Abdulmalik Danga (PDP, Kogi), the House of Representatives resolved to investigate the actions and performance of the Mining Marshals across the country to determine if they are operating within their lawful mandate.

The investigation is to cover source of funding for the recent purchase of operational vehicles, all external financial inflows, and the legal/budgetary provisions backing the expenditures of the Mining Marshal as well as statutory compliance of the unit’s creation, structure, and composition to recommend an internationally best-practiced and legally compliant security model.

Danga recalled that on March 21, 2024, the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Interior, inaugurated a specialised security unit known as the Mining Marshals Corps of over 2,200 personnel drawn from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

According to him, the government relied on section 3 of the NSCDC Act alongside the regulatory framework of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 to create the unit, adding that the primary objectives of establishing the Mining Marshals was to secure mining sites, eliminate illegal mining, curb banditry in mineral-rich communities, and safeguard federal revenues generated from the solid minerals sector.

According to him, there reports indicating a deviation from this mandate, characterised by allegations that the Mining Marshals lack deep operational knowledge of the mining sector, resulting in the wrongful apprehension and harassment of legitimate mineral title holders while misrepresenting these actions to the public as successful crackdowns on illegal operators;

He drew the attention of the parliament to grave allegations of financial impropriety within the unit, specifically the reported discovery of over ?2 billion in the bank account of a State Commander of the Mining Marshals.

The Kogi Lawmaker said instead of a formal judicial inquiry, prosecution, or internal disciplinary action, the said Commander (name and state not disclosed) was merely redeployed, fuelling allegations that the Marshals are being compromised by affluent illegal mining syndicates.

He alleged that there exist lack of fiscal transparency surrounding the unit, especially the recent procurement and allocation of operational vehicles to the Marshals without a clear record of legislative appropriation or budgetary allocation from the parent agency, thereby exposing the unit to extrabudgetary expenditure.

He said these operational and financial anomalies directly undermine Nigeria’s economic interests, resulting in mineral revenue leakages, heightened insecurity, and a deterioration of investor confidence in the solid minerals sector.

A former Osun West senatorial aspirant under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Peter Ogundeji, has defected to the Accord Party to support Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election bid, citing the governor’s strong leadership and welfare initiatives.

Ogundeji, who spoke at the Government House open field yesterday while leading thousands of supporters into the Accord Party, said he was previously ‘blind’ to good governance while in the APC.

‘Some time ago, when I was in APC, I was blind and not well enlightened on good governance. But today, I have seen light in the Accord Party of Governor Adeleke,’ he said.

The Ejigbo-born politician praised Adeleke’s welfare programmes for civil servants, retirees and workers across the state, and withdrew earlier criticisms he made against the governor while in the APC.

‘Any statement made against your government was political and just mere fallacy. You have done well, Mr Governor,’ he said.

Ogundeji also alleged that the APC senatorial primary in his zone was not properly conducted, claiming that party elders ‘hand-picked’ the candidate. He said one of the aspirants later told him that even the President had endorsed Adeleke for a second term because of his performance.

‘I am sure the President has seen the good works of Adeleke’s government. I urge all other members in that party to join Adeleke to win his re-election,’ he concluded.

Nigeria’s Quadri Atunwon delivered a heroic performance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, securing gold in the boys’ U-19 team event at the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Championships. His resilience ensured Nigeria retained the crown in Accra, even as Egypt stamped its authority across the tournament by sweeping three of the four team titles on offer.

The boys’ U-19 final against Egypt was a rollercoaster. Nigeria trailed 0-2 after early setbacks, but Sultan Agunbiade sparked hope with a spirited win in the third game, narrowing the score to 2-1. Matthew Kuti, who had earlier lost a tight 2-3 battle to Yassin Gaber, redeemed himself with a 3-1 victory over Abdelmalk Elsayed, levelling the tie at 2-2. That set the stage for a dramatic decider between Atunwon and Gaber.

The final match had all the hallmarks of a classic. Both players traded blows in a contest of power and precision, pushing the tie to 2-2 in games. Atunwon surged ahead 8-2 in the fifth, only for Gaber to mount a stunning comeback, levelling at 8-8 and even reaching match point at 10-8. But Atunwon refused to yield. He clawed back to 10-10, and in a nail-biting finish, clinched the game 16-14 to seal Nigeria’s triumph and preserve their U-19 title.

Elsewhere, Egypt reigned supreme. They swept aside Nigeria, Tunisia, and Algeria to claim the boys’ U-15, girls’ U-15, and girls’ U-19 titles. Nigeria, the defending U-15 champions, struggled through the semifinal against hosts Ghana, edging a 3-2 win, but were dismantled in the final by Egypt’s flawless 3-0 display. Led by talisman Asser Sameh, Egypt dominated: Ahmed Elsabbagh dispatched Marvelous Joseph 3-0, Sameh himself overwhelmed Usman Ayoola 3-0, and Hussein Eyad completed the rout with another straight-sets victory over Samson Joshua.

In the girls’ U-15 division, Egypt reclaimed the crown they had lost to Uganda in 2025, defeating Tunisia 3-1. Their dominance continued in the girls’ U-19 category, where they humbled Algeria with a commanding 3-0 win to retain their title.

With three team trophies secured, Egypt reaffirmed its supremacy in African youth table tennis, while Nigeria found solace in Atunwon’s unforgettable heroics.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has credited China’s success in developing a strong domestic oil and gas industry as the inspiration behind Nigeria’s local content policy, while commending the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for significantly expanding indigenous participation in the sector.

Speaking yesterday at the SweetCrude Dialogue 2026, tagged, ‘Through the Python’s Eye: 70 Years of Oil and Gas Production,’ as theme held at the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Jonathan said he remained fulfilled by signing the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act into law in April 2010.

He recalled that the idea for the legislation was shaped by a visit to China while serving as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, where he observed that virtually every component used in the country’s oil industry was sourced locally.

‘Almost everything used in the Chinese oil industry was sourced locally,’ Jonathan said, noting that China’s remarkable progress in the petroleum sector followed the discovery of the Daqing Oilfield in 1959-just three years after crude oil was first discovered in Oloibiri, present-day Bayelsa State.

The former president said the contrast between China’s industrial development and Nigeria’s dependence on foreign technology, expertise, equipment and production inputs left a lasting impression on him.

According to Jonathan, the experience reinforced the need for Nigeria to establish a legal framework that would promote local participation, build indigenous capacity and retain greater value from its oil and gas resources.

He praised the NCDMB for delivering on the objectives of the Act and commended the organisers of the dialogue, De Mangrove Conversations, led by Biobele Da-Wariboko, for creating a platform for stakeholders to reflect on the industry’s evolution.

Jonathan also stressed the importance of sustained conversations around host communities and governance challenges, noting that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has made notable progress in addressing some longstanding issues.

Representing the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Board’s Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Esueme Dan Kikile, described the conference theme as an opportunity to assess the industry’s journey, review achievements and define the future of Nigeria’s energy sector.

He acknowledged Jonathan’s role in establishing the NOGICD Act and the NCDMB, noting that local content participation has increased from less than five per cent in 2010 to 61 per cent in 2026.

According to him, the Board has consistently pursued its mandate of increasing indigenous participation by enforcing local content requirements, building local capacity and ensuring more industry expenditure remains within the Nigerian economy.

He said the Board’s Human Capacity Development Initiative has compelled operators to dedicate resources to training Nigerian engineers, geologists, technicians and seafarers, while its flagship graduate training programmes have created a steady pipeline of industry-ready professionals.

Kikile also highlighted several strategic projects undertaken by the Board, including the 17-storey Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, the Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre, the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme in Bayelsa and Cross River states, gas processing infrastructure in Gbarain, the Polaku Gas Project, the Brass Shipyard and alignment with the Nigeria LNG Fertiliser Project.

He added that the NCDMB’s Back-to-the-Creek Initiative is helping to extend development opportunities to grassroots communities directly impacted by oil and gas operations.

‘By anchoring these transformative initiatives, human capital development and high-level investments, the Board is transitioning the cradle of Nigeria’s oil history from a mere extraction zone into an active centre of commercial, technological and industrial value retention,’ he said.

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, represented by Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo Akpe, said Bayelsa was the appropriate venue for discussions marking 70 years of Nigeria’s petroleum industry, given its historical significance as the birthplace of the country’s oil industry.

He commended De Mangrove Conversations for promoting dialogue on the development of the Niger Delta and Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by his Chief of Staff, Johnson Erijo, urged industry stakeholders to renew their commitment to host communities while evaluating the sector’s progress over the past seven decades.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), represented by Chief of Staff Julius Oworibo, said the dialogue provided an opportunity to reflect on the gains recorded in oil-producing communities and identify areas requiring further intervention.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika of the Centre for Advanced Law Research, Rivers State University, said oil had shaped Nigeria’s economy, politics, foreign relations and development over the last 70 years, while also contributing to environmental degradation and conflict in the Niger Delta.

He argued that environmental justice must remain central to future energy policies, describing it as ‘a constitutional, moral and developmental imperative.’

Earlier, the convener of De Mangrove Conversations, Biobele Da-Wariboko, said the initiative was established to preserve the history and contributions of the Niger Delta to Nigeria’s economic development and prevent them from being overshadowed by political and ethnic divisions.

The Nigerian military has cleared Aboubakar Muhammad Zein-Nur, also known as Houdairi, of any links to terrorism following an investigation by troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK).

Zein-Nur was arrested by troops of the 68 Battalion during an exploitation operation after a July 12 terrorist attack on Cross Kauwa in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

The Acting Media Information Officer of OPHK, Capt. Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

Goni said the troops acted in line with established operational procedures by taking Zein-Nur into custody for profiling and further investigation, given the prevailing security situation and the use of border corridors by terrorist groups for movement and logistics.

He said comprehensive intelligence assessments and other investigative processes found no evidence linking Zein-Nur to any known terrorist organisation.

According to him, investigations established that Zein-Nur is a resident of Shattu Anguba Village in Bosso, Republic of Niger, who engages in camel rearing across the River Komadougou.

‘Comprehensive intelligence assessments and other investigative processes did not establish that the individual has any affiliation with any known terrorist group,’ Goni said.

‘Investigations further confirmed that he is a resident of Shattu Anguba Village in Bosso, Republic of Niger, who engages in camel rearing beyond the River Komadougou. Operation Hadin Kai has consequently cleared the individual of any terrorist links.

‘The Theatre Command reiterates that all persons intercepted under suspicious circumstances during military operations are subjected to due process and appropriate security screening to ensure that innocent civilians are distinguished from terrorist elements.’

Goni added that Operation Hadin Kai remains committed to denying terrorists freedom of action while upholding professionalism, respect for human rights and the rule of law.