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South Cotabato campus gun attack planned a month prior

The student who killed two schoolmates with a pistol and wounded six others in a shooting incident inside a school campus in Banga, South Cotabato, on Friday, September 18, had long planned the attack, and his friends knew about it.

The attacker attacked schoolmates at Banga National High School (BNHS) in Banga town, South Cotabato, not too distant from the provincial capital, Koronadal City.

Banga Mayor Albert Palencia and South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. separately told reporters on Saturday that the attacker’s phone had a Messenger group chat where he had told classmates that he planned to attack schoolmates at their campus, possibly agitated by family and personal problems.

Tamayo said the BNHS campus is guarded by 11 security guards. He and Palencia had separately told reporters that the student who perpetrated the attack was an intelligent student whose father is an employee of the Department of Education 12, which has jurisdiction over schools in South Cotabato and the three other provinces and four cities in Region 12.

‘According to one of the Messenger group chats with his friends, he planned the atrocity in August. He had told his friends then he was to execute his plan on September 3, but did not push it through,’ Palencia said.

The attacker had told his friends, in his last chat with them, not to attend classes on Friday, for he was to proceed with his plan to attack schoolmates with a gun, according to Palencia.

Barangay officials and teachers had told reporters that he entered the campus during the noon break Friday, barged into classrooms and fired at students eating packed food.

Palencia said the attacker, armed with his father’s 9-millimeter pistol, reportedly got a low grade in one of his subjects during their most recent grading period.

One student died at the school, while another died later at a hospital. Six other students were injured and are receiving treatment at different hospitals.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara was at the BNHS campus on Saturday and, while there, told reporters that there is a need to tighten security in schools to prevent such incidents and that security guards guarding campuses ought to have metal detectors to prevent the entry of students carrying guns.

Angara said they need to wait for the police to disclose the findings of investigators on the real circumstances of the incident.

The DepEd chief said the attacker had left a letter stating he knew what he was about to do was wrong, but still perpetrated the attack.

Tamayo, now in his third term as governor, has tasked the chief of the South Cotabato Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, nurse Rolly Aquino, to extend essential relief supplies to the wounded students now undergoing treatment in hospitals.

Tamayo, presiding chairperson of the multi-sector Regional Peace and Order Council 12, said local executives in Banga, officials of the Banga Municipal Police Station and the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office, and their superiors in the Police Regional Office 12 are cooperating in bringing closure to the incident.

Airy

President Marcos was last heard trying to minimize the significance of the country’s indebtedness. By doing so, he does our citizens as disservice.

Marcos described the debt as a meaningless number floating in the air. He made it sound like it was not worth thinking about. That is an irresponsible thing to say.

Before this year ends, and depending on how fast the peso crashes, our outstanding sovereign debt will hit P20 trillion. Our debt-to-GDP ratio has climbed up to 66 percent. About a third of our national budget goes to automatic debt service allocation – taking money away from economic investments and social services.

Our indebtedness is a major factor explaining the weakness of the peso – now among the worst performing currencies in the world. The weak peso pushes up the inflation rate.

Oil, for instance, is expensive because of geopolitical concerns. With our weak currency, we pay more pesos per barrel of this entirely imported product. The price of everything rises because of escalating energy costs.

To meet its need for revenues, government raises taxes on everyone. Our consumers are hit once more: having paid more for basic needs, we are now asked to pay more for taxes.

As the debt grows, the debt service becomes more burdensome. Funds that might go to better education and public health are redirected to pay interest on debt. Our children’s future is compromised by the debt load.

Our economic growth is hampered by poor infrastructure. But we can devote only so much to economic investments because we must pay down the debt. Our decrepit logistics framework raises the cost of producing and transporting goods our people need. Our food is expensive not only because our farms are inefficient but also because it costs more to move goods from the farms to the consumers.

The debt overhang prevents us from building the infrastructure our economy needs. Because government cannot fund economic investments, it relies on the private sector to build ports, airports and roads. The cost for building and maintaining them passes directly to the consumer. Our best roads are tollways.

Because government does not have the funds to invest in power generation, we rely on private investments. That makes our power more expensive than the rest of the region. Private investors pay higher financing costs than government would.

Because large amounts of taxpayer money goes to debt service, we have little left to fund research. We could not build the talent base that will enable our economy to be more competitive. We have no money to advance our scientific cadre that is essential to discovering new products we could trade.

Because we never have the funds, we could not modernize our agriculture. The result is a more expensive food price regime. Our people’s access to better nutrition is constrained. Malnutrition and stunting happens.

We could, for instance, dramatically bring down our power costs by investing in nuclear power. Only government can properly make such investments. But a heavily indebted government could not do this.

In most countries, urban mass transport is government-run. This enables commuters to get to work at least expense. But a debt-ridden government cannot devote funds to running mass transport. Therefore, we have a stressed-out working class.

To help pay down our debts, our government has been forced to sell off its prized jewels. Privatization is a necessity created by indebtedness.

Government should, ideally, subsidize communications. This helps build an informed citizenry. But our debt-strapped government cannot afford to fund a national broadband.

In a word, the debt punishes our people daily in multifold ways. It increases our people’s misery by the day. It penalizes our ability to build a modern economy that raises incomes and eliminates poverty.

In the best of all worlds, debt might have served our people if it was wisely invested to produce economic expansion. Over the past few decades, however, our debt always grew faster than our growth. At present debt levels, especially over the last four years, we can no longer hope to outrun the debt service.

We have a political order addicted to borrowing. The debt we incurred was not used productively. The debt we continue to incur funds dole-outs rather than productive economic activity.

And then we have lost so much to rampant corruption. Much of what was stolen was also borrowed, to be repaid by future generations. This is double jeopardy.

Our politics runs on indebtedness. Governments buy their legitimacy through subsidies. They win popularity through dole-outs. The nature of our politics puts us on the road to bankruptcy.

It is the President’s responsibility to educate our citizens on this matter. The economy is on its back and the currency is collapsing because we borrowed much and used the money wantonly.

It is the leader’s task to educate the people about the importance of fiscal discipline to shape a better society than what we now see. It for the President to enlighten our people of our current predicament: a large debt that is pushing the whole economy towards failure.

But instead of doing that, Marcos Jr. mystifies our fiscal situation. He instructs our people not to think much about the debt. He tells us the debt ‘is just a number.’

And then he gaslights our citizens by claiming that our national economy is better than all the rest.

Government offices half day on September 28 for National Family Week

Work in government offices is suspended on Sept. 28 starting at 1 p.m., to allow state workers to celebrate the 34th National Family Week.

Malacañang said the shortened work hours apply to all government agencies and instrumentalities under the executive branch including government-owned and controlled corporations as well as state universities and colleges.

The suspension order is provided under Memorandum Circular 136 signed on Wednesday by Executive Secretary Ralph Recto by the authority of President Marcos.

‘Agencies whose functions involve delivery of basic and health services, disaster preparedness and response, and other vital services must continue their operations,’ the memorandum read.

The order encouraged government workers to fully support activities related to the observance of National Family Week.

It also allows the suspension of work in other branches of government and independent commissions or bodies as well as in the private sector to give families time to celebrate the occasion.

The circular was issued pursuant to Proclamations 60 and 326 issued in 1992 and 2012, respectively.

Proclamation 60 declared the last week of September as Family Week, while Proclamation 326 declared the fourth Monday of the same month as ‘Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga’ Day.

Typhoon threat looms over Asian Games 2026 opening in Nagoya

Aichi-Nagoya, already grappling with an accommodation crisis ahead of the Asian Games 2026 opening ceremony, is now bracing for a possible typhoon that could disrupt the early days of the multi-sport event.

Tropical Storm Dujuan was, as of Thursday, positioned off Japan’s Pacific coast and moving northwest towards central Japan, where Nagoya is located, with maximum sustained winds of 90 kmph and gusts of up to 126 kmph. The storm is forecast to approach Japan’s central Pacific coast on 21 September, days after torrential rain flooded parts of the city, disrupted train services, forced school closures and pushed several hundred athletes and officials into temporary evacuation.

Japan’s Chef de Mission for the Games and Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) executive board member Kosei Inoue said organisers were preparing for possible severe weather. ‘Due to the heavy rain and severe weather, some competitions have already experienced delays or postponements, and there is also a possibility that a typhoon could approach on 21 September,’ Inoue said, adding that the JOC was holding detailed meetings to ensure it could respond appropriately to changing conditions.

Nagoya Mayor and Games Deputy President Ichiro Hirosawa said competition would continue under normal rainy conditions, but that emergency measures would be introduced if severe weather posed a risk to athletes. ‘Under normal rainy conditions, the Games will carry on as usual. However, in the event of torrential rain that triggers emergency alerts, we will arrange for the athletes to evacuate temporarily,’ he said.

Organisers have also prepared a contingency plan for the Costa Serena, the Italian cruise ship accommodating thousands of athletes and officials, which will move offshore to safer waters if winds reach typhoon strength. ‘If we encounter typhoon-level strong winds, the cruise ship will move offshore. We already have clear protocols in place for situations like these,’ Hirosawa said.

The Games officially open today, though football, basketball and volleyball events are already under way in the region.

Buratai: Military battles may be lost without timely information

Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Rtd.), has warned that the military could lose battles if it fails to provide timely and credible information to the public.

He stressed that effective communication had become a critical component of modern warfare, urging the military to take control of the information space to counter terrorist propaganda and misinformation.

Buratai spoke in Abuja when he hosted the Conference and Award Committee of the Defence Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (DECAN).

‘In modern defence and security, if you don’t protect yourself, if you don’t get your information out as timely as possible, then be rest assured that even your battle will be lost,’ Buratai said.

‘Your strategy will be ineffective, which by implication, your operational execution will also be affected,’ he added.

He said timely dissemination of credible information was essential to the success of military strategies and operations, noting that terrorists and insurgents had continued to exploit the media and information space to propagate their ideology and demoralise troops and civilians.

‘The terrorists, the insurgents, use the media, use information very strongly to propagate their ideas, to demoralise the citizens and even demoralise the military,’ Buratai said.

The former Army Chief described defence journalism as a critical component of national security, saying journalists had an important role to play in communicating the challenges, prospects and achievements of the defence sector.

‘The importance of journalism, especially defence journalism, is that it is a very important tool in disseminating the challenges and, of course, even the prospects, the achievements of the defence sector,’ he said.

Buratai recalled that, as Army Chief, he deliberately opened up military operations to journalists by allowing defence correspondents to accompany troops to the battlefield as part of efforts to counter terrorist propaganda.

‘The best way to counter it, as we did, was to carry the press along and they report right on the scene,’ he said.

He said the policy helped to break what he described as the ‘jinx’ of not allowing journalists to report military operations while they were ongoing.

Buratai recalled an operation during which his convoy came under attack while troops were advancing towards Gamboru Ngala in Borno State.

‘As we started moving, they (terrorists) ambushed the convoy, the leading convoy and unfortunately they killed one soldier, injured one general and then injured another soldier,’ he said.

According to him, the troops nevertheless continued their advance, eventually capturing terrorists and linking up with troops that had already advanced towards the area.

Buratai said the presence of journalists during the operation ensured that the military’s account of events was reported promptly, preventing Boko Haram from controlling the narrative.

‘And those issues were reported live and we now broke the Boko Haram information and media propaganda, and so they could no longer have the monopoly to tell lies or to spread rumour,’ he said.

He said the experience demonstrated the strategic value of journalists embedded with troops during military operations.

‘That was a very important role of the journalists that we saw, we appreciate you,’ Buratai said.

The former Army Chief commended DECAN for its contribution to defence journalism and its efforts to promote a stronger relationship between the military and the media.

He urged journalists, particularly defence correspondents, to uphold professionalism while providing the public with accurate information on national security issues.

Buratai also called for greater confidence in the journalism profession and urged journalists to pay greater attention to defence and security reporting, stressing that the media had an important role to play in shaping public understanding of military operations and national security challenges.

He confirmed his readiness to attend the forthcoming DECAN conference, where he is expected to deliver the keynote address.

The conference, themed ‘Beyond Kinetic Warfare: Harnessing Technology and Intelligence-Led Operations for Nigeria’s National Security,’ is expected to focus on emerging technologies, intelligence-led operations and evolving approaches to national security.

Maxicare rebrands life insurance unit

Maxicare Group has rebranded MaxiLife as Maxicare Insurance as it moves to integrate its insurance business with its broader health care operations.

The rebranding strengthens Maxicare’s shift from a traditional health maintenance organization into a broader health care group integrating health plans, clinic services and insurance, the group announced in a statement.

The transition follows regulatory approval from the Insurance Commission and formally aligns the insurance business with the wider Maxicare Group.

‘This rebrand is more than a change in name. As part of one unified Maxicare Group, Maxicare Insurance extends the care we provide beyond health plans and clinic access to include financial protection for life’s unexpected moments,’ Maxicare Insurance CEO Glanvill Marquez said.

‘This allows us to support Filipinos more fully throughout their health care and protection journey,’ he added.

Maxicare Insurance will complement the group’s health care plans and nationwide network of 51 Maxicare Clinics.

The group’s broader health care network includes over 1,100 affiliated hospitals and clinics, 749 affiliated dental clinics and 22,400 partner physicians nationwide.

This gives members multiple points of access to consultations, laboratory tests, diagnostics, specialist care and other medical services. Maxicare Insurance extends that support by providing financial protection for unexpected health and life events.

‘For our members, this means being supported by one organization that understands both their health care and protection needs,’ Marquez said.

‘By bringing these services closer together, we can make it easier for more Filipinos to seek care early and prepare for unexpected events without having to navigate multiple providers,’ he added.

Meanwhile, Maxicare Insurance offers a suite of annually renewable health and life insurance products called the Ease Series.

HealthEase provides critical illness and death coverage of up to P250,000, with premiums starting at P488 annually. LifeEase offers up to P250,000 in life, accident and disability protection, starting at P388 annually.

ProtectEase provides accident coverage of up to P250,000 for workers, with premiums starting at P388 annually.

ProtectEase Professional offers enhanced coverage for gig workers, self-employed professionals and individuals in higher-risk occupations, starting at P398 a year.

Tinubu to witness historic gathering of 150 royal fathers as Kwararafa peoples unite in Abuja

In what organisers describe as the largest assembly of the Kwararafa peoples in modern Nigerian history, more than 150 royal fathers, serving governors and over 2,500 delegates will converge in Abuja, on Saturday, for the Kwararafa Peoples Assembly, themed ‘The Splendour of the Kingdom’.

The event, titled ‘The Splendour of the Kingdom: The Ancient Truths, The New Dawn,’ is expected to be graced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the distinguished guest of honour.

The occasion would also mark the formal public launch of the Kwararafa Development Forum (KDF), a non-partisan civic body aimed at driving collective economic transformation, cultural preservation and policy advocacy for descendants of the historic Kwararafa Confederacy.

The one-day assembly will feature the largest single gathering of Kwararafa traditional rulers since the founding of the Nigerian federation, including over 85 paramount rulers and more than 150 first-class chiefs and traditional council heads from across the Kwararafa nationalities.

The Executive Governor of Taraba State is the convener, while the Aku Uka of Wukari, His Royal Majesty, will serve as chief host.

Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Alhaji Ahmadu Oga Aliyu Onawo, the Andoma of Doma, announced the assembly at a press conference in Abuja.

He said the gathering would provide an opportunity for the descendants of the historic Kwararafa Confederacy to reflect on their shared heritage and articulate a common development vision within the Nigerian federation.

According to him, the Kwararafa peoples, including the Jukun, Idoma, Igala, Nupe, Ebira, Tarok, Alago, Eggon and Kuteb, among others, were historically linked to a political formation that flourished around the Niger-Benue confluence between the 14th and 18th centuries.

He said the assembly would not be a cultural festival or political rally, but ‘a statement of civilisational intent’ and a platform for discussing unity, security, economic equity and development.

Among the activities scheduled for the event is the premiere of a documentary on the history of Kwararafa.

The documentary, he said, was filmed across five states and draws on historical research and oral accounts from community elders.

The forum, he said, would also unveil the Kwararafa Handbook, a publication containing the history, constituent peoples, economic assets and development priorities of the Kwararafa region.

Onawo said copies of the handbook would be presented to the President and the Aku Uka of Wukari.

The organisers will further present the Kwararafa Development Agenda to the Federal Government.

The document, he explained, would outline the region’s resources, needs and proposed contributions to national development.

A communiqué, to be known as the Abuja Declaration, is also expected to be issued at the end of the assembly.

The declaration, he said, will state the forum’s position on issues affecting Nigeria, including national unity, security, economic inclusion and the role of the Kwararafa peoples in the federation.

Onawo described the planned attendance of over 150 traditional rulers as a significant development, saying it would mark the first time such a large number of traditional authorities from the Kwararafa family would meet under one roof.

He said the forum’s objective was to bring together diverse peoples spread across five of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones around a common heritage and shared future.

‘Diversity without organisation is merely dispersion,’ he said, adding that the assembly would demonstrate what collective organisation among the Kwararafa peoples could achieve.

Rebuilding The North-East: Ten Years On

It is often said that when knowledge is deployed to solve a problem without personal interest taking precedence, the problem is halfway solved. But when personal interests override the common good, they can undermine even the most potent solutions while denying society the opportunity to learn from experience.

That learning process is particularly important in rebuilding the North-East, where more than a decade of insurgency has left deep humanitarian, economic and social scars. The region’s recovery requires not only resources and infrastructure but also the ability of institutions and other actors to examine what has worked, what has failed and what needs to change.

Despite efforts by government authorities, security agencies, humanitarian organisations and development partners, recovery across the six North-East states remains gradual. However, the rebuilding process is underway, and the experience continues to provide lessons for those involved.

For more than a decade, the North-East has been associated with prolonged conflict and humanitarian crisis. The Boko Haram insurgency and its breakaway factions disrupted security, destroyed communities, weakened local economies and displaced millions of people. Farming, trade and other livelihoods that sustained communities were severely affected.

The humanitarian consequences have been enormous. More than 350,000 people have been estimated to have died directly and indirectly from the conflict, while over 2.5 million people were displaced from their homes. At the height of the crisis, about 8.4 million people required humanitarian assistance, with Borno, Adamawa and Yobe bearing much of the devastation.

Ten years into the rebuilding effort, however, the story is no longer exclusively about destruction. It is increasingly also about recovery, institutional development and the lessons emerging from the process.

One of the earliest major federal responses was the establishment of the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) in 2014 by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The initiative was designed to provide emergency support and position the region for long-term development.

However, concerns about the management and effectiveness of interventions under different programmes reinforced the need for a more permanent institutional framework for reconstruction and development.

The Buhari administration subsequently established the Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative (PCNI), which paved the way for the creation of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC). The commission was established as a permanent institution with a broad mandate to initiate, coordinate and implement programmes aimed at rebuilding and developing the region.

The NEDC has since become one of the most visible institutions in the reconstruction effort. Its interventions cover infrastructure, education, healthcare, housing, roads, livelihoods and humanitarian support. The commission has also provided relief materials to internally displaced persons and vulnerable communities while supporting agricultural activities through the provision of seeds, fertilisers and farming equipment.

Its interventions in dry-season farming and irrigation are also aimed at helping communities restore food production and livelihoods. Infrastructure projects, including roads, schools, healthcare facilities and water projects, are intended to reconnect communities and support economic activity.

Beyond physical reconstruction, the rebuilding process requires social recovery. Traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations and community groups have continued to contribute to peacebuilding, reconciliation and youth empowerment.

Another important actor is the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which has provided humanitarian assistance and coordinated disaster response in affected communities. Its activities have included the distribution of food, medical supplies and other relief materials to displaced persons and victims of insurgency.

NEMA has also worked with humanitarian partners to assess displacement, identify urgent needs and support affected populations in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and other parts of the North-East.

The Nigerian military remains central to the security component of the recovery process. Since the insurgency began, the military has conducted sustained counter-insurgency operations, reclaimed territories and disrupted insurgent strongholds. It has also worked with neighbouring countries through the Multinational Joint Task Force to address the cross-border nature of the conflict.

Military operations have facilitated the rescue of civilians and the surrender of insurgents, while the acquisition of additional air and other military capabilities has strengthened the fight against insurgent groups.

Foreign partners have also played an important role. Germany, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Nations and the World Bank are among the international partners that have supported humanitarian, recovery and development programmes in the region.

Germany, for instance, has supported resilience programmes implemented by UNICEF and the World Food Programme, focusing on areas including child protection, nutrition, education, water, livelihoods and climate-adaptive food systems.

The United Nations Development Programme has also supported livelihoods and stabilisation efforts, while other UN agencies have implemented programmes aimed at addressing trauma, reintegration and community resilience.

Yet, much of the work on the ground is also being undertaken by Nigerian organisations and community groups. Humanitarian partners provide food, healthcare, water, shelter and education, while local civil society organisations operate in communities that may be difficult for international organisations to access.

Traditional institutions, religious leaders and women’s groups are also playing important roles in mediation, community dialogue and peacebuilding. In some returnee communities, women’s cooperatives have received support to establish small businesses and rebuild livelihoods.

Despite these efforts, the rebuilding of the North-East is far from complete. Poverty, weak infrastructure, unemployment, insecurity and governance challenges continue to affect recovery.

As WFP Country Director David Stevenson noted, food insecurity remains one of the region’s critical challenges, compounded by climate and economic pressures. UNICEF has similarly highlighted the vulnerability of children and women affected by the crisis.

The central lesson from the past decade is that reconstruction cannot be sustained by infrastructure alone. It requires security, effective institutions, accountable management of resources, economic opportunities and continuous learning.

The North-East therefore needs a rebuilding process in which government institutions and development partners regularly assess their interventions, identify failures and replicate what works. Such an approach can help reduce waste and ensure that resources produce lasting benefits for communities.

Ten years after the devastation, the North-East has made progress, but the scale of the remaining challenges demands sustained commitment. The task ahead is not merely to rebuild what was destroyed but to create stronger institutions, resilient communities and economic opportunities capable of preventing a return to the conditions that fuelled the crisis.

The rebuilding of the North-East must therefore remain a shared responsibility. Its success will ultimately be measured not by the number of projects completed, but by whether families can live safely, children can attend school, farmers can return to productive land and communities can regain the confidence to build their future.

Abdulrahman Abu Hamisu

Wike outperformed Odili, Amaechi in Rivers development, says Nwuche

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

Nwuche, who is Chairman of the Governing Board of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), stated this in a statement released in Abuja yesterday.

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 activities.

Nwuche cited the dualisation of the 16.06-kilometre Saakpenwa-Bori Highway through Tai, Khana and Gokana local government areas; rehabilitation of the 11.53-kilometre Eleme-Afam (Oyigbo) Road; and 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 completion of the road 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, 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 was abandoned before it was completed and commissioned in February 2018 under Wike.

He recalled that the road was commissioned by the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba, whom he served as Deputy Speaker during the Fourth National Assembly.

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.

The former Deputy Speaker said grassroots people could identify leaders whose records demonstrated commitment to their welfare and development.

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.

‘I love my people, and I know them. 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.

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, described her as a strong pillar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ahoada East.

The SSDC board chairman further called on the people of Ekpeye and Rivers State to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Rainbow Coalition led by Wike.

He also urged support for the APC governorship candidate, Hon. O. K. Chinda, and other candidates of the coalition, which he said was committed to further development of 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 inaugurates campaign council, seeks unity ahead of 2027

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday inaugurated its campaign council, urging members to work together for mobilisation of voters for the party’s candidates.

The council, inaugurated by the PBAT-KOH Campaign Secretariat, is headed by Senator Musiliu Obanikoro as Director -General (DG), with Mr. Rasaq Ajala as Deputy Director-General and Mr Adekunle Olayinka as the Secretary.

At the event held at the party’s secretariat on Acme Road, Ikeja, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, urged All Progressives Congress (APC) members to intensify grassroots mobilisation for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.

Hamzat, who is also the governorship candidate of APC in Lagos State, urged mobilisation for continuity of APC administration in the state.

He urged members of the council to work together and take the party’s message to Lagos residents, saying that victory at the polls would require active participation at the grassroots.

According to him, APC members must go out to their wards, communities, friends and neighbours to explain the programmes and achievements of the APC administration.

‘We have a job to do. Every member of the party has a role to play in this campaign,’ he said.

Hamzat also called for unity among APC members, saying they would need to work collectively to secure Tinubu’s re-election and sustain his administration’s development efforts.

He said the party’s campaign should focus on engaging the people and communicating the administration’s policies and programmes effectively.

‘We cannot afford to sit back. We have to go out there and tell our people what has been done and what we intend to do.

‘We must work together as one family because there is a lot of work ahead of us,’ he said.

He urged members of the advisory council to remain committed to their assignment and work in the best interest of the party.

Hamzat expressed confidence in the ability of the APC to consolidate its programmes, saying the administration had undertaken measures aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians.

He called on APC members to remain united and focused as preparations for the 2027 elections would be gathering momentum.

The Lagos APC campaign structure released by the Kadri Obafemi Hamzat Media Centre shows that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is Chairman of the party’s Advisory Council, with former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode as Co-Chairmen.

At the campaign council level, Sanwo-Olu is also the Chairman, while Hamzat is Deputy Chairman.

Former Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro is Director-General, with Mr Rasaq Ajala as Deputy Director-General and Mr Adekunle Olayinka as the Secretary.

The structure comprises directorates and sub-committees covering areas including legal and compliance, party and inter-party affairs, administration and logistics, traditional institutions, diaspora engagement, and residents’ associations