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45,000-litre petrol tanker overturns in Epe, no casualty

A 45,000-litre tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) has overturned at Isimi, inward Itokin, Epe, Lagos State, with no casualty recorded.

The incident occurred when the tanker, with registration number T-18212LA, was attempting to manoeuvre past a Ford Pickup van, KJA-13FJ, which had developed a fault and was stationary on the carriageway.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said one of the tanker’s rear tyres slipped into a pit during the manoeuvre, causing the tanker to overturn and fall on the van.

The accident resulted in the spillage of the highly inflammable product on the roadway.

LASEMA said it received a distress call about the incident at 10:19 a.m., prompting the immediate deployment of its LRT Beta Whales Team stationed in Epe to the scene.

The agency said it activated its multi-agency emergency response protocol in collaboration with the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Nigeria Police Force.

The emergency responders secured the scene, controlled traffic and diverted vehicles to prevent a secondary incident.

To reduce the risk of fire, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service applied chemical foam around the overturned tanker and its immediate surroundings.

The affected section of the road was also temporarily closed to traffic while emergency operations were carried out.

LASEMA said the remaining PMS in the damaged tanker was successfully transferred into an empty tanker without incident.

The overturned tanker and the affected pickup van were subsequently removed from the road with the aid of a private tow truck and taken to Ketu Police Station.

Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, commended the emergency responders for their swift response and coordination, saying their professionalism helped to avert a potentially major disaster.

He urged motorists, particularly drivers of heavy-duty vehicles and tankers conveying combustible products, to ensure their vehicles are in good mechanical condition and comply with traffic regulations.

Protests erupt in Minna over deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody

Properties worth millions of naira have been damaged in parts of Minna, the Niger State capital, as youths protested the deaths of 37 suspected illegal artisanal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The protest, which began on Thursday night, escalated on Friday morning and spread to several parts of the city.

Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago had planned to visit the families of the deceased to commiserate with them but could not proceed with the visit because of the unrest.

The demonstrations started in Tunga and Maitumbi before spreading to Kpakungu, Bosso, Tudun Natsira and Berger areas.

The protesters blocked roads, including the Flamingo Junction, while demanding justice. Vehicles, public property and campaign materials were also reportedly damaged in some areas.

Security personnel, including policemen and soldiers, were deployed to restore order. There were reports of the use of tear gas and, according to some unverified accounts, live ammunition as protesters confronted security operatives.

Unconfirmed reports also said some youths were shot during the protest. A video circulating online appeared to show a youth with an injury to the face at the NSTA park.

The NSTA park was reportedly invaded by protesters who vandalised buses, including vehicles preparing to depart and others that were parked at the facility. Shops and traders’ goods around the park were also damaged, forcing passengers to flee by jumping over fences.

Two banks located near the NSTA park, GTBank and Access Bank, were also reportedly attacked, while traders at Tunga Market hurriedly closed their shops as the situation deteriorated.

Along Bosso Road, protesters reportedly damaged the glass windows of a security post at the Bahago Sports Complex in an attempt to gain access to the facility.

Posters bearing the governor’s image were also destroyed, while the Chanchaga Local Government APC secretariat, opposite Bahago Secondary School, was reportedly attacked.

Vehicles, windows, a security post, televisions and other property were reportedly damaged at the secretariat, while its watchman was said to have sustained injuries from stones and shattered glass.

An AEDC Hilux vehicle and other vehicles belonging to residents and businesses were also reportedly targeted during the unrest.

Motorists have been advised to avoid affected roads as authorities work to restore normalcy.

The state government has imposed a curfew in Minna to prevent further destruction and restore order.

Strengthening healthcare resilience through local pharmaceutical manufacturing

Healthcare resilience is often discussed in terms of hospitals, doctors, infrastructure and public funding. Yet one of its most important foundations sits further upstream: the ability of a country to reliably produce, procure and distribute quality medicines when they are needed most.

For Sri Lanka, this is no longer a theoretical issue. The economic crisis, foreign exchange constraints and global supply chain disruptions have shown how quickly access to medicines can be affected when systems are heavily import-dependent. In this context, local pharmaceutical manufacturing is not just an industrial priority. It is a core component of national healthcare security.

Sri Lanka’s reliance on imported medicines has long exposed the healthcare system to external risks, from currency volatility to geopolitical shifts. Strengthening domestic manufacturing can help mitigate these vulnerabilities by improving availability, reducing lead times and enabling more consistent access to essential treatments. This is particularly important for chronic conditions where continuity of care is critical, where even short disruptions can have direct consequences for patients.

From supply security to economic stability

Local pharmaceutical manufacturing is not only about access. It also has a clear economic dimension. It supports skilled employment, builds technical capability and reduces pressure on foreign exchange reserves.

For a country managing tight fiscal and external balances, the ability to produce even a portion of essential medicines locally contributes to greater economic stability. Over time, it also creates the potential to move beyond import substitution towards export capability in selected product categories.

At the same time, resilience depends on more than just output. Quality, regulation and traceability remain central. Strong manufacturing standards and regulatory oversight are essential to ensure that locally produced medicines meet the expectations of both healthcare professionals and patients. Without this foundation, scale alone does not translate into trust.

Aligning policy with long-term needs

The policy environment will play a defining role in determining how far and how fast the sector can grow. Recent measures, including tax concessions on pharmaceutical inputs and broader support through the national budget, indicate a recognition of the importance of local manufacturing.

However, consistency is key. Manufacturers require a stable and predictable policy framework to make long-term investments in facilities, technology and skills. This includes clear regulatory pathways, procurement systems that recognise local capacity, and incentives that are aligned with national healthcare priorities rather than short-term cost considerations.

In parallel, local manufacturers have begun building capability in specific therapeutic areas where continuity of supply is particularly important. Strengthening these areas further will require sustained investment and closer coordination between industry and policymakers.

Building resilience ahead of the next disruption

Healthcare resilience is built before a crisis, not during one. A more balanced approach that combines global sourcing with stronger domestic capability can reduce vulnerability and improve responsiveness when disruptions occur.

Local pharmaceutical manufacturing will not replace imports entirely, nor should it. But a stronger domestic base can provide a critical buffer, ensuring that essential medicines remain available even under strain.

For Sri Lanka, the path forward lies in treating pharmaceutical manufacturing not just as an industry, but as a strategic component of national resilience. Done right, it strengthens both the healthcare system and the broader economy, while improving long-term security for patients across the country.

(The author is the CEO of Lina Manufacturing Ltd., and Executive Director of Sunshine Healthcare)

FG backs 50MW Idu Industrial power project, targets 24-hour electricity for manufacturers

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Eno, has urged Welbeck Electricity Distribution Limited to fulfil its commitment to providing adequate electricity to manufacturers operating in the Idu Industrial Layout of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Eno spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony of Phase One of the proposed 50MW Idu Industrial Power Project in Abuja.

The minister said the Federal Government would use the Idu Industrial Layout as a model for similar industrial power initiatives across the country.

Eno said the project would support the government’s efforts to promote local production and value addition.

‘I am glad that Welbeck Electricity believes in the vision. Just imagining that Idu has adequate power supply is satisfying to me. I made a commitment to provide adequate power to the industrial layout and it is being fulfilled,’ he said.

He said the project would contribute to job creation, reduce pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves by supporting local production and strengthen Nigeria’s resilience to global disruptions.

‘Even though we were working behind the scene, I thought it would not happen, but here we are today. This will enable value addition to what the government is presently doing,’ he said.

Eno added that industrial productivity could be improved by making available power that would otherwise remain stranded for industrial production.

He, however, stressed that achieving the objective would require patience, consistency and cooperation between the government, residents and private sector operators.

The Managing Director of Welbeck Electricity Distribution Limited, Afolabi Aiyela, described the company as an Independent Power Producer (IPP) with experience in supplying electricity to industries and data centres.

He said the company had expertise in power generation and worked with distribution companies to deliver electricity to industrial users.

Aiyela said the first phase of the Idu project would deliver 10MW from a temporary site by December 2026.

According to him, the initial 10MW would be supplied to customers within Idu with the greatest need for electricity.

He said multinational companies operating in the area would not be the immediate focus, as the first phase would prioritise Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large indigenous corporations.

‘We will give the first cluster of manufacturers in Idu 24-hour power by December. We would ensure the inhabitants of Idu have constant power supply too,’ he said.

Aiyela appealed to the government to extend the gas pipeline to Idu to facilitate wider electricity generation and distribution in the industrial area.

Monarchs demand equal opportunities for girls, women, urge fathers to lead

Traditional rulers have called on fathers across Nigeria to champion equal treatment for boys and girls and to help dismantle cultural practices that marginalise women.

The call was made at thus year’s Fathers4Equality Recognition Awards and Traditional Leaders Conference, organised by the Male Feminist Network, an initiative of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, under the theme ‘Redefining Fatherhood for Equality and Justice.’

The Mai of Machina and 77th Emir of Machina, Dr Bashir Albishir Bukar, described the theme as apt, expressing concern over the discrimination women face in various societies. He said human dignity and rights were universal and urged participants to translate the conference’s lessons into concrete action.

‘All human beings were created equal and should enjoy equal rights irrespective of religious or other differences,’ Bukar said, adding that fathers should play an active role in promoting equality between sexes.

The monarch called for equal access to education for daughters and sons, noting that his emirate supports qualified young men and women to pursue university degrees without gender bias.

He urged traditional rulers to lead by example in shifting community attitudes toward gender justice.

The Paramount Ruler, Rumuevuorlu Community in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Prof. Chris Akani, commended the centre for honouring traditional rulers who advance gender equity. He said his late mother’s forced withdrawal from school inspired his commitment to female education, adding that his two daughters were completing doctoral studies in statistics, French and African literature.

Akani urged parents and traditional leaders to promote positive family values, protect girls from early marriage and prioritise education as an equaliser.

The centre’s Executive Director, Monday Osasah, said fatherhood should be rooted in partnership and shared responsibility not domination, describing the initiative, supported by the Ford Foundation, as an effort to build a national movement of accountable male allies alongside women-led gender advocacy.

NAFDAC: Methanol found in suspected concoctions as Ondo deaths rise to 48

The death toll from consuming suspected locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions in Ondo State has risen to 48, with five people reportedly rendered completely blind, NAFDAC has said.

The agency said it has recorded 182 cases so far in connection with the incident, which has affected communities in Odigbo Local Government Area and parts of Irele Local Government Area.

NAFDAC, in an update issued by its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, on Friday, said laboratory analysis of samples of the suspected concoctions detected high concentrations of methanol, a highly toxic substance capable of causing blindness, organ failure and death.

The agency said the preliminary findings strengthened concerns that the locally prepared alcoholic/herbal mixtures posed a serious public health risk, although further confirmatory tests were still being conducted.

The affected communities include New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga, with the incident particularly pronounced in Odigbo Town and Araromi-Obu.

According to the agency, the incident was first reported in early September after residents who had reportedly consumed the suspected concoctions began developing sudden and severe illnesses, with some cases deteriorating rapidly.

NAFDAC said initial reports put the number of deaths at 31, comprising 20 deaths in Odigbo Town and 11 in Araromi-Obu. However, continued surveillance and investigation have raised the reported number of cases and deaths.

Of the 182 affected persons, 90 were admitted to hospital and later discharged, while six remain hospitalised.

Another 31 people were treated as outpatients, while five persons reportedly became totally blind and two others partially blind.

The clinical symptoms reported among those affected include headaches, general body weakness and pain, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness.

NAFDAC also disclosed that 15 people had been arrested in connection with the suspected production, sale and distribution of the implicated locally produced alcoholic and herbal beverages.

The agency said it collected samples of the suspected concoctions for laboratory, forensic and toxicological examination to determine their chemical composition and identify possible toxic substances, adulterants, contaminants or undeclared ingredients.

It said 15 unlabeled samples underwent toxicological, microbiological, and chemical screening.

According to NAFDAC, an acute oral toxicity test conducted using laboratory mice showed that all the samples caused critical illness in the animals, while approximately 50 per cent mortality was recorded in six of the 15 samples tested.

The agency said some of the animals that became critically ill recovered within 24 hours, but noted that further exposure could be fatal.

Chemical screening also detected Cannabis indica in 11 samples, while gas chromatography confirmed high concentrations of methanol.

Methanol is an industrial alcohol that can cause severe poisoning when ingested. It can damage the optic nerve, leading to permanent blindness, and may also cause organ failure and death.

NAFDAC said the combination of the high mortality recorded during the animal toxicity testing and the confirmed presence of methanol suggested that the samples posed a serious public health risk.

However, it stressed that the findings remained preliminary pending further confirmatory analyses.

‘Further confirmatory testing is ongoing to quantify methanol concentration and identify other possible toxic agents,’ the agency said.

It added that methanol in oral preparations was extremely dangerous and could cause severe poisoning, including blindness, organ failure and death.

The agency said surveillance, case management, investigation and risk-control measures were ongoing as authorities worked to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and prevent further exposure.

NAFDAC said the figures remained subject to verification as investigations and surveillance continued.

The agency commiserated with families who lost loved ones in the incident and urged continued vigilance as investigations into the suspected contaminated concoctions progressed.

Charly Boy celebrates daughter’s engagement to female partner

Media personality Charles Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy, has celebrated the engagement of his daughter, Adaeze, to her female partner.

Charly Boy shared a video from the engagement ceremony on his Instagram page, with a caption celebrating the couple.

‘My beautiful Princess and her Husband. Folks, wish dem well for me,’ he wrote.

Adaeze also confirmed the engagement in a separate post on Instagram, sharing a photo with her partner.

‘We’re Engaged!’ she wrote, alongside the hashtag #mrsandmrs.

‘Here’s to a lifetime of love, laughter, growth, and making beautiful memories together. I can’t wait for everything God has in store for us. Forever sounds even sweeter with you,’ she added.

Charly Boy, also known as Area Fada, is known for his outspoken views on social issues and has previously spoken publicly about his family.

COYLE leadership participates in G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance 2026 in Vienna

The Chamber of Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE) strengthened its international business engagement with the participation of Chairman Suren Chandraratne and Immediate Past Chairman Manjula Wijesundera at the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance (G20YEA) 2026 this week in Vienna, Austria.

Bringing together more than 600 young entrepreneurs from G20 countries, the event provided a platform for international dialogue, knowledge exchange, and business networking across sectors including digital technology, renewable energy, education, agriculture, global trade, textiles, manufacturing, social entrepreneurship, tourism, and inclusivity and diversity.

The participation of COYLE’s leadership underscores the Chamber’s commitment to expanding global business relationships, encouraging cross-border collaboration, and creating opportunities for Sri Lankan enterprises to connect with international markets.

Addressing the gathering, Suren Chandraratne said that Sri Lanka, together with COYLE, is ready to welcome international companies and invite them to explore business opportunities in the country. He emphasised Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening global partnerships, facilitating investment, and creating an environment conducive to international business collaboration. His remarks highlighted the importance of connecting Sri Lankan enterprises with the wider global business community and encouraging international companies to consider Sri Lanka as a destination for business engagement.

The G20YEA 2026 program brought together policymakers, Members of Parliament, and distinguished stakeholders from the global business and public sectors to discuss the policy, technological, and institutional frameworks shaping the future of entrepreneurship.

Among the key sessions was ‘Transnational Technological Innovation Ecosystems: Bridges of Innovation, Scaling Across Borders,’ organised by the German Marshall Fund (GMF). The panel examined how interconnected innovation ecosystems can support startups seeking to expand internationally, with discussions covering intellectual property standards, research and development incentives, and Web3.0 infrastructure.

Another key session, ‘Regulatory Harmony and Global Trade Certainty: The Policy Mandate, Standardising the Future of Digital Trade,’ explored the importance of stable regulatory frameworks for the digital economy. Discussions addressed international taxation, data privacy, and the reduction of trade barriers to support greater certainty in cross-border commerce.

The program further included a tour of the Vienna Messe innovation zones, followed by country-to-country B2B sessions. These bilateral engagements provided opportunities for delegates to explore trade cooperation, business partnerships, and avenues for international collaboration.

COYLE’s engagement at G20YEA 2026 reflects its continued efforts to connect Sri Lankan entrepreneurs with international networks, emerging markets, and global business opportunities. Through its international engagements, COYLE continues to promote entrepreneurship, strengthen business relationships, and support opportunities that contribute to Sri Lanka’s growing participation in the global economy.

Tinubu orders probe of 37 miners’ deaths, says culpable officials must face prosecution

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday ordered a full and transparent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State, warning that any official found responsible through abuse or negligence must be arrested and prosecuted.

The President said the Federal Government would not tolerate mass deaths resulting from official negligence, dereliction of duty or failure of public officers to protect people placed in their custody.

Tinubu’s intervention came amid growing outrage over the deaths of the detainees, who were among scores of suspected illegal miners arrested during NSCDC enforcement operations around the M.I. Wushishi Estate/Lukoto axis of Minna on September 15 and 16.

Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago put the death toll at 37 and declared three days of mourning, while the tragedy triggered protests in Minna on Friday.

The Niger State NSCDC Command had initially said some of the detainees were found dead in the early hours of Thursday, September 17, following a suspected disease outbreak.

However, the Corps’ national headquarters subsequently cautioned against attributing the deaths to any disease before the completion of medical and laboratory examinations, saying the actual cause had not been established.

There have also been allegations that overcrowding and poor ventilation at the detention facility may have contributed to the deaths.

Against the backdrop of the conflicting accounts, Tinubu, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the incident as a grave matter requiring urgent investigation and accountability.

The President declared that being accused of illegal mining did not diminish the detainees’ fundamental rights or the government’s responsibility to protect them while in custody.

‘While the Federal Government would continue to combat illegal mining and other criminal activities across the country, enforcement operations must be conducted strictly within the law and with full respect for the dignity and fundamental rights of every person in custody.

‘The fact that these individuals were suspected of illegal mining does not in any way remove their right to life, dignity and humane treatment while in government custody.

‘Government will not tolerate mass deaths arising from official negligence, dereliction of duty or failure by public officials to protect the lives placed under their care.

‘Where the investigation establishes that any official, through action, abuse or negligence, contributed to these deaths, such an officer must be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law. There must be accountability’, Tinubu said.

Tinubu directed that the investigation should examine the entire chain of events, beginning with the arrests and the physical condition of the suspects when they were taken into custody.

According to him, investigators must establish the conditions under which the suspects were detained, the number of people held in the facility, medical attention provided to them and the events immediately preceding their deaths.

The President also stressed that the suspension of officials connected with the incident should not be regarded as sufficient punishment if evidence of criminal responsibility emerges.

‘The suspension of officers is only an administrative step and must not substitute for a proper determination of criminal responsibility where the evidence warrants prosecution,’ he said.

The warning followed the suspension of the Niger State NSCDC Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, as investigations into the incident intensified.

The NSCDC has also constituted an investigative team headed by the Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The Niger State Police Command has separately opened an investigation, with Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, directing the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to take charge of the probe.

The bodies were taken to the General Hospital, Minna, for medical examination to determine the cause of death, although reports on Friday said some of the victims had subsequently been buried in accordance with Islamic rites.

Amnesty International has also demanded an independent investigation, saying the probe should be prompt, thorough, impartial and transparent.

The organisation said some of those who died were minors, an assertion that has heightened demands for accountability over the conditions in which the suspects were held.

The deaths sparked protests in parts of Minna on Friday, with security personnel deploying tear gas as demonstrators demanded answers over the incident.

Some protesters clashed with security personnel and attempted to attack government facilities, according to reports.

Tinubu directed the Ministry of Interior and the leadership of the NSCDC to cooperate fully with all authorities investigating the incident, warning that no officer should interfere with or attempt to frustrate efforts to establish the truth.

The President extended condolences to the families of those who died and appealed for calm in the affected families and communities, assuring them that the government would follow the evidence and take appropriate action.

‘We must never allow the pursuit of one form of illegality to create another. The government must enforce the law firmly, but it must also obey the law. The sanctity of human life is non-negotiable,’ Tinubu said.

2027: Forum of formers speakers endorses Tinubu

Former Speakers and Deputy Speakers of State Houses of Assembly under the platform, Forum of Former Presiding Officers of State Houses of Assembly of Nigeria (FOPSHAN), on Thursday unanimously endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s aspiration for a fresh term in 2027.

The Forum passed the resolution at the end of its summit held at the State House Banquet Hall, with the theme, ‘Bold Leadership, Bold Reforms: From Subsidy to Renewed Hope – Affecting the Economic Trajectory and Digital Leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration.’

The host was national chairman of the FOPSHAN, Senator Wasiu Esinlokun, while former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim was Chairman of the event, which had former Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong as guest speaker.

The former presiding officers pledged to mobilise across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure victory for President Tinubu.

‘In recognition of the President’s colourful, visionary leadership and commitment to national development, FOPSHAN unanimously endorses President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for a second term in office in the 2027 general elections,’ the resolution stated.

The Forum appealed to President Tinubu and governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, governors expected to drive his campaigns, and to integrate the former presiding officers in governance, particularly at the level of appointments and policy formulation.

‘The conference calls on the President and governors to continue to tap into the wealth of legislative experience of former presiding officers in appointments and policy formulation for the good governance of the country.’

Ebonyi State governor and former Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru, who incidentally is Chairman of the Forum Board of Trustees, maintained that former presiding officers have strategic role to play in national development.

He said: ‘We have occupied the chambers where laws are made, scrutinised and voices of our constituents were amplified. We therefore cannot afford to be spectators in the journey of national development.’

Former Plateau State Governor and Senator representing Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who was guest speaker, justified the economic policies of the present administration as he noted that previous administrations conveniently avoided tough decisions needed to put the nation on the path of economic recovery and growth. He cited the removal of fuel subsidy regime as tough but necessary economic reform.

He said: ‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has exemplified those bold steps and come 2027, Nigerians will reward him to complete the great work.’

‘For decades, Nigeria consumed what we did not produce. We succeeded in making our future children pay for cheap petrol.

‘Everyone knew the truth but no leader had the courage to confront it.’

‘It was not an easy decision. It was not a politically convenient decision. But sometimes, leadership is tested not by the decisions that are easy to make, but by the courage to make decisions that the moment demands.’

In his opening remarks, former Senate President and Chairman of the occasion, Anyim Pius Anyim equally spoke in glowing terms about the economic reforms of the present administration and its attendant gains.

The former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) called on Nigerians to be patient with the Tinubu administration as he noted that the pain of the reforms was a passing phase.

He said: ‘Reforms at every time had never always been very popular, but only courageous leaders who are not thinking about today but tomorrow actually embark on reforms.’

‘I have observed the political trajectory of President Bola Tinubu, and I am to say he was never a politician of today, but a statesman of the moment and the next levels.’

National Chairman of the forum, Senator Wasiu Eshilokun Sani, said the gathering was meant to provide an avenue for its members to interrogate major policy decisions of the government and its impacts on national development.

In her address, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, described the former presiding officers as eminent politicians imbued with institutional memory to promote democracy.

‘Nigeria still needs your wisdom, experience, and networks. I therefore urge you to use this forum as a platform for preserving institutional memory, mentoring younger legislators, promoting democratic stability and continuing to contribute to the development of the various communities where you served.’