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Nigeria @66: Fed govt opts for low-key celebration, Tinubu to address nation Oct 1

The Federal Government has announced that activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary will be low-key, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expected to address Nigerians in a nationwide broadcast on October 1.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, disclosed this at the inaugural meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for the anniversary celebration in Abuja.

Akume said the commemoration would provide an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on the sacrifices and enduring legacies of the country’s founding fathers and heroines, while the administration would also use the occasion to highlight its reform efforts and achievements amid prevailing socio-economic challenges.

The SGF, who chairs the committee, was represented at Thursday’s meeting by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Mrs Bekearedebo Augusta Warrens.

According to a statement on Friday by the Head, Information and Public Relations Department in the Office of the SGF, Chris Ugwuegbulam, Akume stressed that activities for the anniversary would be deliberately modest.

He urged members of the committee to work with urgency because of the limited time remaining before the October 1 anniversary.

Nigeria attained independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960, and this year’s commemoration marks 66 years of independence.

Akume said the anniversary should go beyond celebration to provide an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on the contributions of the nationalists who fought for the country’s independence and laid the foundations on which subsequent national achievements were built.

He said the country’s progress since independence could not be separated from the sacrifices of its founding fathers and heroines, stressing the need to preserve their contributions while assessing Nigeria’s journey over the past 66 years.

The SGF also said the anniversary would enable the Tinubu administration to present its achievements and explain ongoing efforts to reposition the country through its reform programmes against the backdrop of current socio-economic challenges.

The low-key approach follows a similar decision by the Federal Government for the 2026 Democracy Day commemoration in June, when Akume said activities would be ‘modest but purposeful’.

The government has lined up five major activities for the Independence anniversary, beginning with a World Press Conference on Thursday, September 24.

This will be followed by a Juma’at Service on Friday, September 25, and a church service on Sunday, September 27.

An Independence Day Public Lecture will hold on Wednesday, September 30, while activities will climax on Thursday, October 1, with President Tinubu’s nationwide broadcast.

The government had also established an inter-ministerial committee for the 65th Independence anniversary in 2025, charging it with planning, organising and executing approved activities for the national commemoration.

The newly inaugurated committee is chaired by Akume and includes the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.

Others are the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman; Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga; and Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Chief Sunday Dare.

Also on the committee are Permanent Secretary, State House, Engr. Temitope Peter Fashedemi; Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Ms Kachollom Daju; Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr John Chidiebere Ezeamama; Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu; and Director-General of the Department of State Services, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi.

Commander of the Guards Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Adebisi Olusegun Onasanya, and Warrens are also members.

Akume said the committee had been mandated to plan, organise and execute all approved activities for the October 1 celebration and could co-opt organisations or individuals considered necessary for the successful implementation of the programme.

It is also expected to document activities connected with the anniversary for posterity and undertake other assignments required to ensure a successful commemoration.

Cabinet nod to host SAARC Workshop on Renewable Energy Financial Modelling in Colombo

The Cabinet of Ministers has granted consent for the SAARC Energy Centre to conduct a training workshop themed ‘Financial Modelling for Renewable Energy Projects’ in Colombo from 5 to 7 October 2026, with Sri Lanka to extend hospitality for the event.

The workshop is expected to draw participation from two representatives of each SAARC member country, including Sri Lanka. The SAARC Energy Centre will provide all local hospitality facilities and airport transport for participants, excluding airfare.

Addressing the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the decision followed a proposal highlighting the workshop’s importance for building the capacity of public officers and other related parties in project evaluation and financial modelling within the renewable energy sector.

The proposal to this effect was submitted by Energy Minister Anura Karunathilake.

Outgoing LASU VC Olatunji-Bello unveils books

Outgoing Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, has unveiled two books published by Prof Yunus Dauda to mark her exit from the school.

She unveiled the books during the send-off organised by Momentus Men and Women of the Learning Association in the University (MOWLAS and MOMLAS), at the LASU campus, Ojo.

The books are titled: ‘University Governance and Academic Staff Militancy and Global Poverty and Human Development’.

Dauda is a professor of Employment Relations and Human Resource Management.

He is the director, Lagos State University School of Basic and Advanced Studies (LASUSBAS), Badagry.

The former VC called on union leaders in higher institutions to get the books for their usage.

She said the books noted that the repeated strikes and crises affecting universities could not be explained simply as the result of union militancy.

Olatunji-Bello urged students and union leaders at higher institutions in Lagos to have a copy of the book, to enable them have more knowledge of campus governance.

On her exit from LASU, she advised members of staff of the institution to be men and women of integrity.

She urged them to discipline themselves and be focused.

She enjoined them to believe in themselves, saying they had the potential and would get to the top.

Dauda said public universities had been embroiled in conflict between Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and successive governments.

He said the books would give a deeper understanding of the evolving university management and governance and their impact on university service delivery and academic staff militancy.

Dauda said they were published with a view to promoting a university system that could effectively prepare the future generations of leaders and to promote national development.

On the ex-LASU VC, he said during her tenure, she created an enabling environment that allowed academic, social and cultural activities to thrive and blossom in the last five years.

Prof Waidi Akingbade, a lecturer at the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, LASU, reviewed the books.

He said the author presented ASUU’s activities largely as a legitimate and non-violent response to government neglect, administrative injustice, and the decline in the quality of university education.

‘The author draws from her experience as an ASUU-LASU member, trade unionist and researcher in employment relations,’ he said.

Members of MOWLAS and MOMLAS at higher institutions in Lagos presented awards to the former LASU VC.

74,000 fibre cuts in April, 79,000 in May: Telecom operators seek stronger protection

Players in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector have called for concerted efforts to tackle challenges threatening the industry’s growth, particularly persistent damage to telecom infrastructure.

The stakeholders raised the concerns against the backdrop of data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which showed that road contractors, vandals and excavation crews severed 74,276 fibre-optic cables across the country in April 2026.

The figure rose to 79,121 in May, while the NCC had recorded more than 5,000 discrete fibre-cut incidents in the first half of the year by the time it convened a stakeholders’ workshop in August.

Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the impact of fibre cuts extended beyond dropped calls to the wider economy.

‘To a machine operator on a construction site, it may appear to be one buried cable,’ he said.

‘To the nation, it can mean failed calls, stalled payments, interrupted services and missed opportunities.’

The concerns are significant given telecommunications’ growing contribution to Nigeria’s economy.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the sector accounted for 9.72 per cent of real GDP and contributed about N5.2 trillion in the second quarter of 2026.

The sector also grew by 10.38 per cent year-on-year during the quarter, more than twice the pace of the broader economy.

Industry stakeholders said disruptions to fibre infrastructure could affect banking, digital payments, healthcare communications, government services and other commercial activities.

Fibre infrastructure also supports Nigeria’s expanding digital payments ecosystem, which processes about N2.93 trillion in daily transactions.

Despite infrastructure challenges, telecom operators continue to invest heavily in network expansion.

The NCC’s 110th board communiqué, issued on September 9, said mobile network operators had deployed 8,526 of the 12,179 network coverage and capacity sites they committed to building in 2026.

The figure represents about 70 per cent of the target, compared with roughly 5,000 sites completed by the previous board meeting in May.

The commitments followed the NCC’s approval of a 50 per cent tariff adjustment in January 2025, the first increase in more than a decade.

MTN Nigeria, which crossed 100 million active subscribers in July, invested N620.5 billion in capital expenditure in the first half of 2026.

The company said the investment covered spectrum, fibre backhaul and network infrastructure, including more than 730 new 5G sites deployed across 27 states during the year.

Its terrestrial fibre network now extends to more than 43,000 kilometres across the country.

Airtel, which has more than 66 million subscribers, has also continued to invest in network expansion.

However, industry players have raised concerns about protecting the infrastructure after deployment.

The NCC’s board communiqué linked its infrastructure deployment update with concerns over a spike in fibre disruptions, noting that continued damage to existing backbone infrastructure could undermine network expansion.

The Federal Government has classified telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure and established a tripartite standing committee on fibre protection.

The NCC has also introduced Quality of Service Business Rules, with fines of up to N15 million for operators that fail to meet prescribed performance targets.

Stakeholders, however, said enforcement of infrastructure protection remained uneven, particularly in coordinating road construction, excavation and other physical infrastructure projects with telecom operators.

The NCC also reported a resurgence of call masking, a practice in which international calls are disguised as local traffic to bypass regulated termination charges.

The commission described the practice as economic sabotage, saying it distorts industry revenues and undermines legitimate operators.

Stakeholders said the combination of infrastructure damage and revenue leakage could place additional pressure on operators investing heavily in network expansion.

They called for stronger enforcement of existing regulations, improved coordination among government agencies, road contractors and telecom operators, and greater protection for infrastructure critical to Nigeria’s digital economy.

Wike outperformed Odili, Amaechi in Rivers development, says Nwuche

Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, has said that former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike outperformed his predecessors, Peter Odili and Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, in infrastructure and grassroots development.

Nwuche, Chairman of the Governing Board of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), made the remarks in a statement released in Abuja on Friday.

He said the scale and spread of infrastructure delivered across Rivers State under Wike were unprecedented, noting that more than 1,000 kilometres of roads were completed and commissioned during his administration.

According to him, the projects connected rural communities to urban centres, opened up previously inaccessible areas and stimulated local economic activity.

Nwuche cited the dualisation of the 16.06-kilometre Saakpenwa-Bori Highway through Tai, Khana and Gokana local government areas; the rehabilitation of the 11.53-kilometre Eleme-Afam (Oyigbo) Road; and the completion of the Nkoro-Opobo section of the Ogoni-Opobo-Andoni Unity Road, conceived during the administration of former Governor Peter Odili.

He said the road’s completion enabled residents and visitors to access the historic Opobo Kingdom by road.

Other projects, he said, included the dualisation of the Ahoada-Omoku Road with street lighting, the construction of 10 flyovers in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor, and the award and flag-off of the ongoing 12.5-kilometre Trans-Kalabari Road.

Nwuche said Wike’s administration also executed projects in education, healthcare, security and other sectors.

He particularly commended the former governor for projects executed across Ekpeye Kingdom, describing them as a significant departure from the experience of previous civilian administrations since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

He listed the Edeoha-Ikata-Ochigba Road; Ahoada-Odhiemerenyi-Ihugbogo-Odhieke roads; Ahoada-Ekpena Road; Ogbo-Ihugbogo Road; Odhiemudie Road; Odioku internal roads; Obodhi-Ozochi Road and bridge across the Orashi River; Ula-Ehuda-Odhioku-Odhireke Road; remodelling of Western Ahoada County High School; Ahoada Campus of Rivers State University; Mbiama-Orkaki-Agbo Road; Odhioku Primary Health Care Centre; Ahoada Regional Hospital; and Odido Road and bridge.

According to Nwuche, the Edeoha-Ikata-Ochigba Road was initially awarded under Amaechi but abandoned before completion, and was commissioned in February 2018 under Wike.

He recalled that the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Nwuche said the people of Ekpeye had, before the Wike administration, largely been remembered for their votes during elections and neglected afterwards.

He challenged anyone with a contrary view to identify significant projects executed across Ekpeye between 1999 and 2015.

He challenged anyone with a contrary view to identify significant projects executed across Ekpeye between 1999 and 2015.

He said, ‘I will personally go round every Ekpeye village during the coming campaigns to ensure 100 per cent support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the candidates of the Rainbow Coalition, including our gubernatorial candidate, O. K. Chinda.’

Nwuche, who described himself as a grassroots politician, said he had remained close to his people and understood their needs.

He said, ‘I regularly visited the village to commune and interact with my people, attend village town hall meetings, and participate in local festivities.

He said, ‘I regularly visited the village to commune and interact with my people, attend village town hall meetings, and participate in local festivities.

We will only follow those who have used power to do God’s work on earth by catering to the welfare of the masses to enhance their well-being, and not those who don’t know what to do with power except to aggrandise themselves, impoverish and oppress perceived enemies and the masses, or sow discord and communal crises that result in loss of lives.’ Nwuche also urged local government chairmen in Rivers State to emulate Wike’s record of grassroots leadership.

Nwuche also urged local government chairmen in Rivers State to emulate Wike’s record of grassroots leadership.

He recalled that Wike had executed several projects as Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area before becoming governor and later Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

He specifically urged the Executive Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Hon. Solomon Abuba Ochoma, to fulfil promises made to the people of Ochigba and prioritise social services and security.

Nwuche said improved welfare and support for security agencies would help tackle criminality, cultism and other crimes, while creating a safer environment for businesses, investment and employment.

He also commended Ochoma for choosing an indigene of Ochigba, Hon. Mrs Florence Odukwu, as his deputy, describing her as a strong pillar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ahoada East.

He also urged support for the APC governorship candidate, Hon. O. K. Chinda, and other coalition candidates, who he said were committed to further developing the state.

Nwuche said he would speak further on the history of Rivers politics and its impact on the state’s development to educate younger generations who did not witness the political turbulence of the past. O. K. Chinda and other coalition candidates, who he said were committed to further developing the state.

Nwuche said he would speak further on the history of Rivers politics and its impact on the state’s development to educate younger generations who did not witness the political turbulence of the past.

He urged Rivers people to remain vigilant and assess the records of individuals seeking elective offices at both state and national levels.

Lagos APC names Ogunsan, Lakanu, Odumosu in 36-man security team

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has constituted a 36-member Security and Intelligence Directorate under its Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The directorate, unveiled as part of preparations for the poll, is made up of retired senior security officers, professionals and community stakeholders drawn from different backgrounds.

Prominent members include the Executive Secretary and CEO of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan; retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Taiwo Lakanu; General Olumuyiwa Okunowo; and retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Hakeem Odumosu.

The directorate is expected to coordinate public safety and security matters during the campaign of the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Kadri Hamzat. It will also handle stakeholder engagement in the course of the party’s political activities.

Other members of the committee are Dr. Rasaq Balogun, retired Colonel Dele Oyefuga, Comrade Sola Omojuwa Omosebi, Sheriff Muhammed, Liasu Rasaq, and Wasiu Ogunlana.

Also on the list are Sefiu Bello, Bolaji Idris Ariyo, Tunde Oyedeji, DCP Fashesan, Kenny Motajo, Adesanya Tolulope, Adedoyin Rojaiye and Sule Yusuf.

The directorate further includes Alhaji Gafar Owolabi, Damilola Bamgbose Ajaja, Abdulrasaq Adewole, Opeyemi Ogunsakin, Yomi Jones, Niyi Olofin, Gbemisola Olusegun Kebku, Wuzu Shakiru, Issa Folami, Comrade Rasaq Olokuoba, ACP Segun Odunlami, ACP Leke Smith and Prince Ifalade Oyekan.

Rounding off the membership are Ireti Ayomide Adewole, Ayo Adesanya, Adeyinka Isiaka, Adekunle Muritala and Chief Dayo Ariyo.

The constitution of the directorate is part of the APC’s broader organisational preparations for the 2027 governorship contest in Lagos State, as political parties across the state intensify plans ahead of the election.

NHRC seeks independent probe of 37 miners’ death in Niger State

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has demanded an independent forensic autopsy and the preservation of all evidence relating to the deaths of about 37 persons suspected to be artisanal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.

The Executive Secretary, NHRC, Tony Ojukwu (SAN), who condemned the incident and commiserated with the deceased’s families and the people of the state, disclosed that a preliminary investigation of the incident has been ordered to ascertain the cause of death of the miners in custody.

The NHRC boss noted that the investigation ordered by the Interior Minister and the NSCDC must be transparent and thorough, and must comply with international standards for investigating potentially unlawful deaths in custody.

Ojukwu was quoted, in a statement issued on Friday by NHRC’s Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, Fatimah Mohammed, as expressing deep concern over the incident, which occurred after the miners were arrested during enforcement operations in the Wushishi-Lukoto area on September 15 and 16.

He reminded law enforcement agencies that suspicion of illegal mining does not extinguish citizens’ constitutional rights, adding that every person in custody must be treated with dignity in accordance with the law.

Ojukwu said, ‘Citizens who are arrested on suspicion by law enforcement agents are by law expected to enjoy the full complement of their fundamental human rights in accordance with national and international human rights instruments.’

He urged youths in Minna (the capital of Niger State) to remain calm and refrain from violence, assuring them that the NHRC will ensure accountability and apply appropriate remedies where violations are established.

AKK gas to fuel N50b 50MW Idu industrial power project

The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline is expected to provide the fuel for a N50 billion, 50-megawatt (MW) power project being developed by Welbeck Electricity Distribution Limited for the Idu Industrial Cluster in Abuja.

The first phase of the project, comprising 10MW, is expected to be completed by December and will provide dedicated electricity to manufacturers in the industrial cluster, the Managing Director of Welbeck Electricity Distribution Limited, Chief Afolabi Aiyela, said at the groundbreaking ceremony in Zuba, Abuja yesterday.

The project is designed to use gas available along the AKK pipeline at Zuba and transmit the generated electricity through a 16-kilometre, 33-kilovolt line to the Idu Industrial Estate.

Aiyela said the company was engaging the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Gas Marketing Limited (NGML) and NNPCL Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC) to secure a consistent supply of gas for the plant.

He said: ‘We are starting with 10 megawatts here because it is close to the gas line. I am running a 33KV line down to Idu Estates.

‘That 10 megawatts will take care of the people that need it the most, the Nigerian factories that need it the most.’

According to him, the remaining 40MW would be developed within the Idu Industrial Estate, closer to the customers.

The project is expected to provide 24-hour electricity to the first cluster of manufacturers in Idu and reduce their dependence on diesel and low-pour fuel oil (LPFO), which are used to power their operations.

The project is being developed under the framework allowing embedded and decentralised power generation, while the company is expected to work with the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) on distribution. Existing plans for improving power supply to the Idu Industrial Cluster have also included embedded-generation arrangements involving AEDC.

The Minister of Power, Chief Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, who led the groundbreaking ceremony, pledged Federal Government support for the project and said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was committed to its actualisation. Tegbe has been Minister of Power since June 2026.

Tegbe said the government would review the most cost-effective option for transmitting electricity from the Zuba plant to the Idu Industrial Cluster.

‘We need to ensure the transmission happens. And then even distribution. I am sure Abuja Disco is represented here. Because if you want to actually distribute to you, there must be a handshake,’ he said.

The minister said the project was consistent with the decentralisation provisions of the Electricity Act 2023, which opened greater opportunities for private-sector participation in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.

He said empowering private investors was essential to increasing participation across the electricity value chain and improving access to power for end users.

Tegbe also disclosed that the Federal Government was conducting a technical audit of the nation’s power infrastructure, with the initial focus on three major energy zones.

He said the Lagos axis accounted for about 40 per cent of Nigeria’s electricity demand, followed by the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano axis.

The minister identified vandalism of electricity infrastructure as one of the major challenges confronting the sector.

Aiyela said the N50 billion project would be financed with the support of Wema Bank, Bank of Industry and Sterling Bank, while Mikano would provide the generating engine.

He said the need for reliable electricity in Idu informed the decision to commence the 10MW phase before completing the entire 50MW capacity.

The Secretary-General of the Idu Industrial Cluster, Yakubu Mohammed, commended Welbeck Electricity for fulfilling its promise to provide dedicated power to the area.

Mohammed said electricity was critical to industrialisation and job creation, adding that the cluster has more than 50 factory owners whose businesses require reliable electricity to operate efficiently.

The Idu initiative is also being developed within the broader Federal Government effort to improve electricity supply to industrial clusters and reduce energy costs for manufacturers.

PM, new Chinese envoy discuss education, digital transformation push

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Wei Huaxiang at Temple Trees on Wednesday, with discussions centred on deepening bilateral cooperation in education and digital transformation ahead of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2027.

Ambassador Wei presented his credentials as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on 25 August, 2026.

A key focus of the talks was the Chinese Government’s continued support for providing school uniforms to Sri Lankan students. Both sides discussed shifting from the current annual arrangement to a longer-term framework spanning three to five years, aimed at ensuring the timely and predictable delivery of uniforms ahead of each new school year.

The two sides also reviewed progress on the Chinese-assisted digital education initiative, under which 900 smart devices are expected to support 500 smart classrooms across the country as part of Sri Lanka’s wider effort to digitalise its education sector.

Dr. Amarasuriya briefed Ambassador Wei on the Task Force on the Digital Transformation of Education, which is developing policy for digital education. Ambassador Wei welcomed the initiative and pledged China’s support for the Task Force’s work, with further engagement between the Task Force and the Chinese Embassy expected to follow.

Discussions further covered scholarship opportunities for Sri Lankan students under the Chinese Government Scholarship Program and the Chinese Ambassador’s Scholarship Program, along with the need for stronger regional and international cooperation on children’s online safety.

Dr. Amarasuriya thanked China for its assistance to Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah and conveyed condolences over the loss and damage caused by recent landslides and floods in Tibetan border areas. The two sides also discussed cooperation on strengthening climate resilience.

Uzodinma-Wike Row: Group Calls For Restraint

A group, Imo Lawyers for the Defence of Democracy, has called for restraint in the escalating public exchanges between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.

The group made the call at press conference addressed by its Secretary, Ifeoma Chukwunyere, Esq, expressing concern over the increasing personal exchanges between the two politicians.

The lawyers said the dispute followed the rejection of the proposed Rainbow Coalition by the All Progressives Congress Governors’ Forum, adding that disagreements over the political arrangement should be addressed with the forum rather than through personal attacks on Uzodinma.

‘If he has any axe to grind, it should be with the APC Governors Forum and not Governor Uzodinma,’ the group said.

The group acknowledged the right of political actors to express opinions, criticise policies and participate in political activities but warned that such freedoms should not become a licence for personal attacks, intimidation or unnecessary escalation.

It said Uzodinma, as the constitutionally elected governor of Imo State, should have political disagreements with Wike addressed through democratic engagement, dialogue and the rule of law.

The lawyers urged Wike to desist from further public comments concerning Uzodinma, saying political disagreements should focus on policies, programmes, political positions and verifiable facts rather than personal exchanges.

They also warned against attempts to create political tension in Imo State, stressing that the people should be allowed to determine their political future through constitutional and democratic processes.

The group urged Uzodinma to continue to act within the Constitution and laws of the country while allowing appropriate political and legal institutions to resolve legitimate disagreements.

It also called on President Bola Tinubu to encourage restraint among political actors, saying the exchanges between Wike and Uzodinma should not be allowed to affect peace and stability in Imo State.

Addressing Wike, the group said, ‘Imo State belongs to its people. You are not from Imo, so stay off Imo.’

The lawyers said they would oppose political intimidation, violence and threats against political actors and continue to monitor developments affecting constitutional governance, democratic participation and political freedom in the state.

They also appealed to political parties, leaders, supporters and media platforms to avoid language capable of inflaming tensions or provoking confrontation.

‘Imo State deserves peace. Nigeria deserves responsible political leadership. Political disagreements are normal in a democracy, but personal hostility must not undermine democratic institutions or endanger public peace,’ the group said.