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Hardship: President Tinubu must act now – ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to take urgent steps to address what it described as growing hardship faced by Nigerians.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the call in a statement on Wednesday, citing the price of petrol, transportation, food, education and other rising household costs.

Abdullahi said petrol was selling for as much as N1,470 per litre in some locations, arguing that increases in fuel costs were affecting the prices of goods and services.

He also cited reports of private schools raising fees by between 30 and 40 per cent, while saying household incomes had not risen at the same rate.

According to him, the rising cost of fuel, electricity, taxes, rent and salaries was also putting pressure on school proprietors and businesses.

The ADC spokesman said the party believed the government needed to respond more urgently to the economic pressures confronting families.

He further linked the issue to the 2027 presidential election, presenting the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as offering an alternative economic programme.

Abdullahi said Atiku would seek to reduce petrol prices by restoring subsidy to support domestic fuel production, which he argued would help lower the cost of food, transportation and production.

He said the 2027 election would give Nigerians an opportunity to choose between the Tinubu administration and the alternative being proposed by the ADC.

The party also accused the Federal Government of focusing on economic figures while, in its view, many households continued to struggle with rising living costs.

‘President Tinubu must act now,’ Abdullahi said, urging the administration to respond to the concerns over the cost of living.

The ADC statement represents the opposition party’s assessment of the economy and its argument for its proposed policy alternative ahead of the 2027 election.

Tinubu okays economic free trade zone in Anambra

President Bola Tinubu has graciously approved the Economic Free Trade Zone in Anambra State to drive the economy as announced by the state government.

This was disclosed yesterday at the Hollywood event center in Awka, Anambra state during the stakeholders seminar , organized by the Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN)

The stakeholders sensitization seminar, with the theme: ‘Securing Trade Corridors and Unlocking Blue Economy Opportunities’ was organized by IMAN in collaboration with the Anambra State government.

The state governor, Prof Charles Soludo, was represented by the commissioner for, Industry ,C ommerce and Wealth Creation, Nomso Ebonwu.

He said what Anambra needs is no longer importation of goods, rather, producing and exporting, adding, ‘we need local investors to grow our economy.’

‘We need to drive export, we need to convert Anambra into innovation power house, we need to push our economy into production, we need to train the young ones to drive our economy.’

Also, speaking, the Special Adviser on Investment, SPAD and former commissioner for trade and investment, Christian Udechukwu, commended Tinubu for the opportunity of taking Anambra to the status is has been seeking for.

He said the state government is grateful to the president for what he has done for Anambra and in Southeast.

‘Soludo as a visionary governor, made it possible for the first time in the history of, not just Anambra state, but the Southeast.

‘Mr governor and the entire people of the state are very deeply grateful to President, Tinubu for the economic free trade zone status conferred on Anambra.

‘We are looking to see that we accelerate the development of that space so as to be able to contribute to his vision of growing Nigeria’s economy to $1 trillion economy and beyond that.

‘It will create prosperity for the state economy and entrepreneurs, families and others to be recruited to be productive with the same space’ he said.

The national Patron of IMAN, Dr Azubuike Ekweozor, said commerce flourishes where there is security, confidence, infrastructure, sound regulation and opportunity.

He said IMAN in collaboration with the state government is bringing Anambra’s entrepreneurial spirit, manufacturing capacity, commercial networks and strategic waterways, provide a strong foundation for greater participation in the emerging blue economy and the African Continental Free trade zone.

The stakeholders seminar was chaired by retired Deputy Controller General DCG of Customs, Dera Nnadi, while the lead technical seminar lecture was delivered by Dr Obiora Madu, Director-General, African Center for Supply Chain, among others. All the security agencies, para-military agencies were represented.

Edo to partner UAE to develop agro-economy

The Edo State government has reaffirmed its commitment to international partnerships by deepening bilateral ties in enhancing agricultural expansion, livestock production, trade and investment.

A delegation of the state led by the Edo State Commissioner for Livestock Development Mr. Ohimai Ehijimetor who visited the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria at Salem Saeed Al Shamsi said the government was committed to ongoing efforts to strengthen international partnerships and attract strategic investments into Edo State’s agricultural sector.

The meeting was facilitated and coordinated by Mr. Emmanuel Sule, Senior Special Assistant to the Edo State governor on Agriculture and Food Security.

The core focus of the high-level meeting was to establish a framework between the state government and the diplomatic mission to spur long-term private sector investments and value-chain development. Taking advantage of the Nigeria-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. (CEPA), which was signed in January 2026 to eliminate trade barriers and deepen economic cooperation.

The delegation briefed Ambassador Al Shamsi of Edo State’s rich resource base, underscoring major investment opportunities in crop farming-specifically oil palm, cocoa, pineapple, maize and cassava-as well as cattle, goat, poultry and fish farming in the livestock sub-sector. The commissioner assured UAE investors of a favorable business climate, vast arable land, and state-backed incentives designed to yield maximum returns.

The delegation formally informed the UAE diplomat of the forthcoming Edo International Agricultural and Livestock Investment Summit, slated for Abuja in December, aimed at gathering institutional investors, agritech innovators, and global policymakers to explore joint ventures in commercial agriculture.

In his response, Ambassador Salem Saeed Al Shamsi commended the initiative of the Edo State government under Governor Monday Okpebholo. The UAE envoy pledged the full cooperation of his embassy toward the successful hosting of the December summit and committed to mobilizing UAE-based investors and business groups to participate actively.

The high point of the visit was the presentation of an official gift from His Excellency Governor Monday Okpebholo to Ambassador Al Shamsi as a gesture of goodwill and a symbol of the growing friendship between Edo State and the UAE.

Speaking to the Media after the meeting, the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Mr. Ohimai Ehijimetor informed the news crew, that this is the first of series of bilateral engagements scheduled to hold between Edo State Government and diplomatic missions in Nigeria, as the State prepares to host its forthcoming Edo International Agricultural and Livestock Investment Summit later this year in Abuja.

BREAKING: Veteran actor Olu Jacobs dies at 84

Veteran actor Oludotun Baiyewunmi Jacobs, popularly known as Olu Jacobs, has died.

He was 84.

The news of his death was announced in a joint Instagram post on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, by his son, Olusoji Jacobs, and his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva.

‘It is with gratitude to God for a life well lived and fought, that we announce the passing of our dear husband, father, grandfather and uncle. The Lion of Lufodo. Oludotun Baiyewunmi Jacobs (MFR) 11/07/1942 – 16/09/2026.’

The family also appealed to bloggers and social media influencers ‘to respect our family’s privacy at this time.’

Born on July 11, 1942, Olu Jacobs was one of the founding fathers of modern Nigerian acting. With a career spanning more than five decades across stage, television, and film in Nigeria and the UK, he became a defining voice and presence in the industry.

Alongside his wife, Joke Silva, he co-founded the Lufodo Group and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, where both mentored generations of actors.

Known for his commanding baritone and regal screen presence, Jacobs starred in hundreds of productions including The Dogs of War, Vigilante, Omeruah’s Advice, Blood Diamond and Dry.

In 2007, he was honoured with the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic, MFR, for his contributions to the arts.

Funeral arrangements had not been announced by the family as of the time of filing this report.

Olu Jacobs is survived by his wife, Joke Silva, children and grandchildren.

Rhodes-Vivour vows better lives for Lagosians

As political parties and aspirants intensify preparations for the 2027 general election, Lagos State governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has promised to prioritise the wellbeing and quality of life of residents if elected governor.

Rhodes-Vivour, popularly known as GRV, made the pledge in an X post yesterday while outlining his vision for Lagos and the issues he intends to place before voters as the campaign for the 2027 governorship election gathers momentum.

The ADC candidate, who contested the Lagos governorship election in 2023, said his administration would measure its performance by the difference it made in the lives of residents rather than by the amount of internally generated revenue (IGR) collected by the state.

He said revenue generation would only be meaningful if the resources were effectively deployed to improve living conditions and provide better public services.

‘The main focus and priority of our government will be the wellbeing and quality of life of Lagosians. Our boast will not be in IGR numbers. It will be in how we have used those numbers to make the lives of Lagosians better,’ he said.

Rhodes-Vivour said his vision for Lagos would centre on issues that directly affect residents, including transportation, education, healthcare and the general cost of living.

He promised to pursue a city where residents could move around more easily and where access to quality education would not require families to travel long distances.

‘A city where fathers can take their kids to school and still get to work early,’ he said.

The governorship candidate said schools should be located close to the communities they serve, making it easier for parents to combine their family and work responsibilities.

He also highlighted the challenges confronting working-class residents who depend on public transportation, particularly the state’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

According to him, Lagos should become a city ‘where the working class don’t have to fight to get on to a BRT.’

His proposal also extends to healthcare, with emphasis on strengthening emergency medical response at the community level.

Rhodes-Vivour said residents should be able to receive immediate attention during emergencies within their wards before being transferred to hospitals equipped to provide further treatment.

‘A city where health emergencies can be arrested and stabilised in your ward before transfer to a hospital with a bed waiting to receive you,’ he said.

He said the broader objective was to build a Lagos that restores dignity to working-class residents while pursuing greater economic, technological and cultural ambitions for the state.

‘A city that restores dignity to the working class, a city with big dreams, a city with a vision to become the commercial, technological and cultural capital of the Black race,’ he said.

Rhodes-Vivour’s intervention comes as political parties, aspirants and support groups begin to articulate issues and policy proposals ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Lagos governorship contest is expected to feature competing proposals on transportation, infrastructure, housing, education, healthcare, employment and the management of the state’s growing population.

For Rhodes-Vivour, the emphasis is on translating government revenue into tangible improvements in the daily lives of residents.

He urged Lagosians who want to know more about his proposed agenda to visit his campaign website.

Bond market turmoil is a warning shot for every investor: deVere CEO

A violent sell-off in US government debt that has pushed the 10-year Treasury yield to its highest level since 2007 should be treated as a flashing warning light for investors everywhere, warns the CEO of deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations, as markets brace for the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decision.

The warnings from Nigel Green come as the benchmark 10-year yield jumped past 5.02%, the 30-year bond climbed above 5.38%, and the 2-year note pushed toward 4.68%.

Traders are now pricing a more than 92% probability that the Fed will raise rates by 25 basis points, a move that seemed almost unthinkable even a few months ago.

He says: ‘What we’re watching right now goes well beyond a routine wobble in bond markets.

‘It’s a major repricing of risk, and it’s happening at a speed that should worry anyone with exposure to stocks, property, or long-duration debt.’

Behind the move sits an unusually tight relationship between oil and Treasurys. The one-month correlation between crude prices and the 10-year yield has climbed to 0.96, an extraordinarily high reading that reflects how directly energy costs are now feeding into inflation expectations.

The deVere CEO comments: ‘Oil and bonds are moving almost in lockstep, and that tells you everything you need to know about where the inflation risk is coming from.

‘When crude climbs, yields climb with it, and that pressure doesn’t stay contained to the bond market. It spreads into mortgage rates, corporate borrowing costs, and eventually into equity valuations.’

He warns that a rate hike, rather than the cut many investors spent much of the year expecting, would mark a genuine turning point.

‘A hike here would confirm the inflation fight is far from over,’ he says.

‘Anyone who built a portfolio around the assumption that rates are only moving in one direction from here needs to revisit that assumption immediately.

‘The speed of the move matters as much as the level.’

‘Yields didn’t drift up towards 5%. They surged there in a matter of sessions.

‘A jump like that tends to break something, whether it’s a leveraged trade, a stretched valuation, or a borrower who assumed cheap financing was permanent.’

He also points to the geopolitical dimension of the oil price pressure. ‘The drivers behind crude right now are geopolitical as much as economic, and that combination makes this inflation shock harder to forecast and harder for central banks to talk down.’

Asked what investors should be doing in response, Nigel Green frames it as a moment for discipline rather than panic.

‘Can a portfolio withstand yields moving meaningfully higher from here? It’s the question every investor should be asking themselves this week. Duration, leverage, and concentration are the three things I’d want anyone to examine closely right now.’

He continues: ‘Too many portfolios were built for a world of falling rates and cheap money, and this world looks a lot less certain than it did even a few months ago. Repositioning after the fact is always more painful than preparing in advance.’

He adds that the Fed’s decision will reverberate well beyond the United States.

‘Higher US yields pull capital out of emerging markets, pressure currencies, and raise the cost of dollar-denominated debt everywhere.

Nigel Green concludes: ‘Bond markets are screaming right now, and too many portfolios are still built for a world of cheap money that’s disappearing fast. Repricing on this scale doesn’t happen quietly, and it doesn’t reverse on its own. Investors who wait for calm before they act are choosing the worst possible moment to move.’

Suspected Kidnapper Picked From A Hotel In Edo

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a suspected kidnapper, identified as Sunday Irabor, and recovered cash, including dollars, from him.

The suspect was arrested at a hotel near Oluku Market, near Benin City.

The command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said the suspect was arrested on September 8 following credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ekiadolor Division.

She said N897,500 cash and $1,500, comprising 15 $100 bills, were recovered from him.

Other items recovered from the suspect, she added, included multiple phones, a Samsung tablet and a Cartier wristwatch.

According to her, the suspect had been handed over to the Violent Crime Response Unit of the command for further investigation and prosecution.

Origin row: Adeola gives Hunye, Marcus-Bello 24 hours to prove Ekiti claim or face lawsuit

Senator Solomon Adeola (aka Yayi), the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Ogun State, has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to two politicians to provide evidence for their claim that he is an indigene of Ekiti State, or face legal action.

Adeola, who represents Ogun West in the Senate, threatened to sue Hon. Abayomi Hunye, a suspended APC member from Tube in Ipokia Local Government Area, and Ambassador Folake Marcus-Bello of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over statements they made on national television.

The Senator accused the duo of making libelous and unsubstantiated claims about his state of origin and family during separate interviews on Channels Television, which were subsequently circulated on other media platforms.

In a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Chief Kayode Odunaro, on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, Senator Adeola described the allegations as false and outrageous.

‘I watched in utter disbelief as these characters that I hardly know assertive and outrageous lies about my origin without any proof. One falsely claimed on TV that I am from Ekiti and, when asked where exactly in Ekiti, went moronically blank and could not provide an answer.

‘The other was lying about the locations of the graves of my parents as if she was part of the undertakers at the burial, all in a futile effort to justify an unsustainable falsehood. Enough is enough. They should produce their evidence in 24 hours or be ready for my lawsuits,’ Adeola said.

He recalled that the same allegation was used as propaganda to block his emergence as Senator for Ogun West, but failed to stop his victory in the 2023 National Assembly elections.

According to him, the resurgence of the claim is linked to his governorship ambition ahead of the 2027 election in Ogun State.

Baku’s unifying formula: culture, Turkic ties and global diplomacy

For Azerbaijan, the Organisation of Turkic States is no longer simply a forum for cultural affinity. It is becoming an instrument through which Baku can deepen economic connectivity, reinforce political coordination and give greater weight to the voice of Turkic states in a more fragmented international system.

Looking at the history of its birth and development, we can say that the organisation’s transformation is significant. The OTS was established in 2009 by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Trkiye, with Uzbekistan becoming a full member in 2019. Turkmenistan, Hungary and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus subsequently joined as observers. What began as institutional cooperation among Turkic-speaking states has expanded into politics, transport, trade, security, education, culture and investment.

That evolution matters to Azerbaijan because its foreign policy increasingly depends on connectivity. The Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor links China and Central Asia with the South Caucasus and Trkiye, placing Azerbaijan at a strategic intersection of Eurasian trade routes. At the 2024 informal OTS summit in Shusha, members explicitly called for deeper transport integration and greater use of the Middle Corridor.

Moreover, the political dimension of the organisations has indeed expanded if we simply look at the previous year. The 2025 Gabala Summit, hosted by Azerbaijan, was held under the theme ‘Regional Peace and Security’ and produced decisions aimed at deepening cooperation in foreign policy, security, economics and people-to-people relations. The summit also established an OTS+ format for cooperation with external partners. So, we can confidently say that this is the practical side of Turkic solidarity for Baku.

The OTS doesn’t remain an international intergovernmental entity uniting political coherence, but its historical foundation remains important. Azerbaijan-Trkiye relations, in particular, are rooted in a shared history of political struggle and statehood. The liberation of Baku in September 1918, with the decisive involvement of the Ottoman Islamic Army of the Caucasus, remains part of Azerbaijan’s national historical memory. But today’s relationship extends far beyond history. For instance, it forms one of the principal political and strategic foundations of the wider Turkic cooperation framework.

Azerbaijan is also positioning itself at the intersection of Turkic and Islamic cooperation. The seventh meeting of the OTS Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Boards in Baku, held in September 2026, brought together religious leaders and observers from across the Turkic world. The event adopted the Baku Declaration and discussed issues ranging from science and technology to family values.

President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly framed Azerbaijan’s role in broader terms, linking national cultural heritage with international engagement.

‘The Azerbaijani people have given the world many brilliant personalities, poets, and thinkers who have made significant contributions to world culture. Simply listing their names is enough to demonstrate how rich our people and our land are in talent-Nizami Ganjavi and Khagani Shirvani in the 12th century, Imadaddin Nasimi in the 14th century, Yahya Bakuvi in the 15th century, and Shah Ismail Khatai and Muhammad Fuzuli in the 16th century,’ the President said as he addressed the delegation comprising members and observers of the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Boards of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), co-organizers of the Yahya Bakuvi International Conference, and members of the Supreme Religious Council of Caucasian Peoples.

He also pointed to Azerbaijan’s forthcoming role in hosting major international gatherings:

‘Next year, the Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation will be held in Baku. Against the backdrop of developments around the world, I believe it is no coincidence that such an event is taking place specifically in Azerbaijan. True, this decision was taken some time ago, but it is, in fact, a very appropriate decision. I want to emphasise once again that Azerbaijan acts as a unifying, reconciling, and cooperation-oriented force in all organisations of which it is a member.’

That approach explains why Azerbaijan’s OTS engagement is strategically relevant, while it is obviously known that Baku is not seeking to turn Turkic cooperation into an exclusive bloc. Instead, it is using the organisation to build bridges among Eurasian economies while strengthening the collective diplomatic capacity of its members, and most significantly, the growing number of OTS meetings in Baku illustrates that role.

In 2025, Azerbaijan hosted the organisation’s senior officials and its Council of Elders, while in 2026 Baku has continued to host high-level meetings spanning government, security, religious and analytical institutions.

In a nutshell, the strategic opportunity of the OTS for Azerbaijan lies precisely in converting historical affinity into institutions, institutions into connectivity, and connectivity into geopolitical relevance. In an international system moving away from a single centre of power, the OTS gives Azerbaijan another platform from which to pursue its interests while contributing to the emergence of a more interconnected Turkic world.

FHA MD to Ekiti Parapo UK: sustain development initiatives

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Federal Housing Authority(FHA), Oyetunde Oladimeji Ojo, has commended Ekiti Parapo UK for its impactful work and urged the leadership and members to sustain their social responsibility efforts in Ekiti State.

Ojo spoke during his visit to the executive members of the Ekiti diaspora organisation in London.

The meeting offered an opportunity for robust discussions on the future development of Ekiti State.

Part of the issues centred on infrastructure, rail connectivity, education, tourism, youth empowerment, investment opportunities and the well-being of Ekiti people at home.

Ojo shared his vision for Ekiti towards 2030, stressing the need for stronger collaboration between government, professionals and the diaspora.

President of the association, Olamide Idowu, described the visit as timely and inspiring, and thanked him for his generosity and support to the association.

Members of the association at the meeting also commended Ojo’s insight and genuine commitment to the state’s transformation agenda.

The visit ended with a renewed commitment to partnership for the development of Ekiti State.