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NNPP sues INEC, 45 lawmakers for defecting from party

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and 45 lawmakers before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged defection of lawmakers elected on its platform in 2023 without completing their resignation processes.

The suit, filed through the party’s counsel, Lex Firma LP, seeks judicial interpretation and enforcement of constitutional provisions governing the defection of elected legislators from the political parties on whose platforms they secured their mandates.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the originating summons, the NNPP is challenging the alleged defection of 45 lawmakers, comprising members of the Kano State House of Assembly, the House of Representatives, and the Senate, who were elected on its platform in the 2023 general elections.

The party alleged that the affected lawmakers abandoned the NNPP and joined other political parties while still occupying the legislative seats they secured under its platform, without following the procedures required for terminating their membership.

The NNPP further alleged that some of the lawmakers had already been listed by INEC as candidates of other parties for the 2027 general elections, raising questions about the legality of their nominations and their continued occupation of their current legislative seats.

Specifically, the party identified several Kano State lawmakers whose names reportedly appeared on INEC’s list as candidates for other parties in the 2027 State House of Assembly elections.

In a letter dated Oct. 19 addressed to INEC, the party stated that it had drawn the commission’s attention to the alleged defections and requested an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the lawmakers’ purported resignations and subsequent membership in other parties.

It expressed concern that the affected legislators still have their names on the NNPP membership register while simultaneously being registered as members of other parties-a situation it argued violates statutory provisions regulating political party membership.

The party maintained that the alleged defections occurred without the requisite clearance from its Board of Trustees and electoral guidelines, citing Articles 8.2(a), 8.2(b), and 8.3(a) of its constitution.

The NNPP relied on judgments delivered by the Abia State High Court on Nov. 1, 2024, in Suit No. HUZ/11/2024, and the Court of Appeal on March 30, 2026, in Appeal No. CA/OW/271/2025, which it said affirmed the authority of its Board of Trustees and founder in matters relating to the party’s administration.

The party further argued that it had not merged with any political party nor ceased to exist as a registered entity, insisting that the circumstances surrounding the alleged defections do not fall within the constitutional exceptions permitting legislators to defect without forfeiting their seats.

Consequently, the party is seeking a judicial determination of the constitutional implications of the alleged defections under Sections 68(1)(g), 68(2), 109(1)(g), and 109(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

‘These provisions address circumstances under which members of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly may lose their seats following a change of political party membership, subject to constitutionally recognized exceptions,’ the party stated.

‘We also want the relevant legislative authorities to be notified of the alleged defections and appropriate constitutional steps taken concerning the affected seats, including the possibility of declaring them vacant and conducting bye-elections.’

The NNPP added that it is prepared to participate in any bye-elections lawfully conducted in the affected constituencies.

The affidavit in support of the originating summons was deposed to by Junia Oludare, a litigation secretary with Lex Firma LP, and sworn to at the Federal High Court Registry, Abuja, on Oct. 27, 2026. (NAN)

Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the NNPP, stated that the party will not accept interventions to backdate the resignations of members who failed to complete the process before the party notified INEC of their alleged non-compliance.

He warned that any attempt to falsify resignation records would amount to criminality, urging individuals approaching party leaders for backdated documentation to desist immediately.

In its Oct. 19 letter to INEC, the NNPP alleged that Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, 18 members of the House of Representatives, 28 members of the Kano State House of Assembly, and two senators elected on its platform in 2023 had failed to fulfill the statutory requirements for lawful resignation.

According to the party, the affected politicians have since moved to other political parties and are pursuing political ambitions ahead of the 2027 general elections without completing the necessary resignation procedures.

The suit is expected to test the constitutional boundaries of political defection by elected lawmakers, the circumstances under which legislative seats may become vacant, and INEC’s responsibilities in ensuring compliance with electoral laws ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Axxela receives ‘great place to work’ recertification

Axxela Limited, a leading gas and power portfolio company in Sub-Saharan Africa, has been recertified as a Great Place to Work by the globally recognised Great Place to Work Institute.

The recertification reaffirms Axxela’s commitment to building a positive, inclusive and supportive workplace culture where employees can thrive.

The recognition follows an assessment of employees’ workplace experience, which recorded strong levels of trust, belonging, safety, and professional development across the organisation. It also reinforces the company’s belief that its people remain integral to delivering sustainable value and advancing its commitment to providing innovative energy solutions across West Africa.

According to the survey, 94 per cent of employees feel physically safe at work; 92 per cent said the company celebrates special events, 91 per cent felt welcomed from their first day, 91 per cent feel good about Axxela’s contribution to the community, while 90 per cent affirmed that they are offered training and development opportunities to support their professional growth.

Commenting on the recognition, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Axxela Limited, Moshood Olajide, noted that the recertification reflects the company’s continued commitment to creating a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow.

He stated that the employee feedback reinforces Axxela’s belief that a strong organisational culture is critical to sustaining performance, innovation and long-term growth.

‘We are proud to be recertified by the Great Place to Work Institute, as it reflects the voices and continued trust of our people. For us, creating a great workplace goes beyond policies and benefits; it means fostering an environment where our people feel safe, welcomed, supported, and empowered to grow professionally. This recognition affirms the progress we are making while reinforcing our responsibility to continually enhance the employee experience,’ he said.

The Great Place to Work recognition strengthens Axxela’s position as an employer of choice and supports its efforts to attract, develop, and retain talented professionals passionate about the future of energy in Africa.

Voters renew support for Adebutu

The electorate in Ogun State have renewed their resolve to ensure emergence of the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu, in the 2027 governorship election.

They made the pledge in their remarks at the ward-to-ward tours embarked on by Adebutu and his running mate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, declaring their support for the candidates ahead of the poll.

Adebutu and Sowunmi-Kolapo have in the past weeks been touring wards across the local governments in Ogun, mobilising indigenes and informing them of their seven-point agenda tagged: ‘ITURA DE’.

Grassroots dwellers, who were meeting Adebutu and Kolapo for the first time, were excited to receive the candidates to their communities, as they welcomed them with fanfare.

Indigenes also had the opportunity of having town hall discussions with the PDP candidates, where they enumerated the challenges they are facing in their communities.

They urged Adebutu to fix their deplorable roads and assist farmers with seedlings and modern agricultural equipment, to enable them produce foodstuff in large quantities for the state.

Speaking in turns at ward engagements, stakeholders resolved to mobilise support for Adebutu and his running mate.

At Alagada Ward, Obafemi Owode Local Government, Mrs. Folasade Ogunye, a market leader, said she was backing the ‘Ogun for Ogun Movement’ because indigenes understand the pains of the grassroots.

‘We, the women of Obafemi Owode, have suffered neglect. Our roads to the markets are bad and our children need jobs. We want someone who grew up here, who knows our language and our struggles.

‘Apart from that, it will be a disservice to the memory of our heroes for an outsider to dictate the fortune of our people. This is why we have pledged to go from house to house to secure this mandate. It is about our pride as Ogun indigenes.’

At Alapakooni community in Obafemi Owode Local Government, some members of All Progressives Congress (APC) said they decided to dump the party because they could not continue to support a candidate, who had not been able to state his true identity.

Tunde Akinola, a community youth coordinator at Alapakooni Ward, said: ‘We decided to join this ward meeting today with our incoming governor, Adebutu, because we love our state and can’t trade it on the altar of politics. We want to follow the person we know and that will deliver.’

A stakeholder and farmer at Onidunu Ward, identified as Deji Bamidele, said: ‘In this community, farming is our life, but we have been left with cutlasses while other states use tractors. When Adebutu explained ITURA DE and how agriculture would be mechanised, we saw hope.

‘We are committing our farmers’ cooperative of over 300 members to this ‘Ogun for Ogun’ cause to ensure our land is governed by our own.’

At Owode Ward 3, Obafemi Owode Local Government, Alhaja Sariyu Bankole, a retired teacher, said her commitment was driven by the need to protect Ogun’s political legacy.

‘We cannot mortgage our heritage. Ogun State is the home of great leaders. Allowing non-indigenes to take over will erase our history. I have told all my former students and their parents in this ward that we must vote for our own. This is our covenant,’ she said.

Similarly, in Ward 10, Sagamu Local Government, Comrade Bayo Oduwole, a youth leader, said the youth were tired of being spectators.

‘Courageous indigenes of this state have said we should not allow strangers to rule over us and we agree completely. The ‘Ogun for Ogun’ mandate is not about tribalism, it is about competence and belonging. We know Adebutu’s family history here. We know all that they have done. We know how compassionate Iya Sunnah has been. We will mobilise our youths with voter education and door-to-door campaigns to ensure victory,’ he said.

Responding, Adebutu thanked the indigenes for their warm reception and reaffirmed his commitment to the ‘Ogun for Ogun’ mandate.

‘This tour has shown me that our people are yearning for true home-grown leadership. The ITURA DE agenda is not just a slogan, it is a social contract to restore dignity, fix our roads, empower our farmers, create jobs for our youths and return Ogun State to true glory. We are not just campaigning, we are also listening, and we will deliver,’ he said.

Also speaking, Ogun PDP deputy governorship candidate, Yemi Kolapo, assured residents that their administration would be inclusive and grassroots-driven.

She said: ‘What we have seen in all the wards we have visited is genuine love for Ogun State. As a mother and a daughter of this soil, I assure you that our government will prioritise women, children, education and primary healthcare. We will not disappoint you. This ‘Ogun for Ogun mandate is a mandate for all of us to save our state from dangerous intrusion.’

Barau’s agriculture revolution Bill scales second reading in Senate

A bill sponsored by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, to provide a comprehensive legal framework for transforming and modernising Nigeria’s agricultural sector, on Wednesday scaled second reading in the Senate.

The Senate considered the bill in plenary, presided over by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio.

Leading the debate on the bill, titled A Bill for an Act to Provide a Comprehensive Legal Framework for the Transformation and Modernisation of Agriculture in Nigeria, Promote Food Security, Agricultural Productivity, Mechanisation, Irrigation, Agricultural Financing, Agro-industrialisation, Rural Development and Climate-Resilient Farming, Senator Barau said its objective was to review the agricultural sector, introduce necessary reforms and set the country on the path to an agricultural revolution.

Recalling the glorious days of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, he attributed its decline to the collapse of agricultural production systems that once supplied the country’s industries with essential raw materials.

Describing the present administration as reform-oriented, Senator Barau said the bill intends to complement the government’s efforts to stimulate various sectors of the economy for the benefit of all.

He stressed, however, that the responsibility for driving national development should not be left to the President alone, noting that all stakeholders, including the legislature, have a role to play in complementing the administration’s efforts.

‘This is a reforming government. The government is making changes and introducing reforms across different sectors. I acknowledge that the President is doing well in pursuing reforms in various aspects of our national life.

‘However, we cannot leave everything to the President alone. Government is a collaborative undertaking, and we all have a responsibility to complement what the President is doing.

‘That is why I have introduced this bill. A lot of thought and effort have gone into its preparation. The objective is to examine the agricultural sector, introduce the necessary changes and bring about a revolution in the sector.

‘What does that mean? It means bringing about a fundamental, far-reaching transformation in how we approach agriculture. We need to change the existing trajectory. As we proceed with consideration of this bill, I expect it to provoke conversations and debate. People will bring forward their views and expertise,’ he said.

Seconding the bill, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, said its passage would provide the necessary legal framework to revolutionise the agricultural sector and diversify the nation’s economy.

Three other senators who contributed to the debate: Senator Babangida Hussaini (Jigawa North-West), Senator Anthony Okorie Ani (Ebonyi South), a professor of Agricultural Extension, and Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire Ayodele (Ondo Central) also supported the bill.

They commended Senator Barau for the initiative, noting that the proposed legislation comprehensively addresses critical areas of the agricultural sector.

Following the debate, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, referred the bill to the Senate Committees on Agricultural Production Services and Rural Development, and Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, for further legislative scrutiny.

He gave the committees four weeks to report back to the Senate.

Sule inaugurates campaign team to deliver president, Wadada in Nasarawa

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, yesterday inaugurated the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign team for President Bola Tinubu and the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, at Government House, Lafia.

Sule said members were picked for their local influence because ‘politics is local.’

He said the party would shift from a single-venue campaign to local government and ward-level campaigns.

‘The campaign this time will be different. It will not be a campaign of all the members of the campaign council moving to one location. We are going to focus more on local government and ward-level campaigns,’ he said.

The governor urged the team to ensure victory for the party, beginning with the presidential election, where he said Nasarawa has no excuse but to deliver Tinubu.

He credited the President with policies that increased revenue to the federal, state and local governments, naming the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira.

‘He took the bullet on behalf of all the states, the federal and local governments by the withdrawal of subsidy and the floating of the naira, which has put more resources in the hands of all three tiers of government,’ Sule said.

According to him, the added resources enabled the state to execute several projects without borrowing from banks.

‘The only thank you we can say to President Tinubu is to re-elect him,’ the governor said.

He added that re-electing the President without electing party members to work with him would amount to ‘half of the work done.’

‘If you truly love President Tinubu, you should vote for him and for the people in the same party who will support him,’ he said.

Earlier, Senator Wadada urged party supporters to work hard to deliver all APC candidates to victory.

Carbacid holds dividend as net profit hits Sh1.1bn

Carbacid Investments has maintained a Sh2 dividend per share after posting a 12.2 percent growth in net profit to Sh1.13 billion in the year ended July 2026, helped by gains from its investments in equities.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE)-listed carbon dioxide manufacturer will pay shareholders Sh509.7 million in dividends, matching last year’s payout that came on the back of net earnings rising from Sh1 billion.

Carbacid said on Wednesday the dividend will be paid on or around December 17 to shareholders on record as of November 27.

Top shareholder Baloobhai Patel, who holds a 49.9 percent stake in Carbacid through Aksaya Investment Holdings Limited, a private investment and holding company, is in line for Sh254.34 million gross dividends.

Carbacid’s profit growth was supported by a Sh266.4 million gain from the revaluation of equity investments, more than double the Sh121.2 million recorded in the previous year.

‘Gains from the company’s investment in Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) and Dar-es-Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) equities positively affected the company’s financial results,’ said Carbacid.

The company said it realised gains of Sh67 million from its NSE-listed shares, while investments in equities at the DSE generated an unrealised gain of Sh199 million.

Carbacid is an investment and holding company with three subsidiaries. The principal activities of the main subsidiary, Carbacid Limited, are mining, processing and marketing of natural carbon dioxide gas.

Its other two subsidiaries, Goodison Twenty-Nine Limited and Goodison Forty Seven Limited, are investment companies.

The gains from investment in equities cushioned the impact of a relatively flat performance in its core carbon dioxide business, where turnover rose by 0.6 percent to Sh2.11 billion from Sh2.09 billion.

Carbacid said competitive pricing and changes in market mix limited its revenue growth despite having increased sales volumes by acquiring new customers and growing purchases from existing clients in East and Southern Africa.

The firm, whose carbon dioxide is mostly used by manufacturers of soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, has been expanding its customer base across regional markets as it seeks to grow sales beyond Kenya.

Operating profit remained unchanged at Sh1.35 billion, compared with Sh1.35 billion a year earlier, while administrative expenses rose 8.4 percent to Sh477 million.

The company said transport and other related expenses increased following geopolitical tensions that prolonged shipping lead times and raised freight costs. During the review period, diesel, which is one of its key inputs, rose by more than 20 percent.

Carbacid’s operating cash flow, however, declined 14.2 percent to Sh789.8 million from Sh920.2 million, reflecting weaker cash generation despite the growth in reported profits.

The company’s cash holdings more than doubled to Sh255.3 million from Sh118.6 million, supported by lower investment spending during the year.

Carbacid also reduced its outstanding borrowings to Sh382.3 million from Sh500.6 million, strengthening its balance sheet.

The group’s three-year strategy to 2028 is focused on customer retention in core regional markets and expansion to other markets.

In 2020, the company made an offer to acquire the shares of BOC Kenya, an industrial and medical gas manufacturer that is also listed on the NSE.

However, the proposed transaction was held up for nearly five years by an appeal filed by a BOC shareholder before the Capital Markets Authority Tribunal. The appeal was dismissed for lack of merit on August 29, 2024.

The dismissal of the appeal lifted the suspension of the Carbacid offer, giving it room to complete the transaction. However, Carbacid decided to abandon the proposed transaction, citing changes in circumstances.

Germany commits over Shs230 billion to Uganda for development projects

Germany has committed pound 50 million (about Shs236.2 billion) in grants to Uganda to support local economic development, climate-smart agriculture, energy and water projects, with particular focus on the West Nile sub-region.

The new funding commitment was announced following two days of government-to-government negotiations between Uganda and Germany at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development headquarters in Kampala.

The agreements were formalised through the signing of summary records of the Uganda-Germany government negotiations on development cooperation on November 3.

Uganda’s Minister of Finance, Mr Henry Musasizi, said the funding comprises pound 30 million in financial cooperation and pound 20 million in technical cooperation.

‘These two days of negotiations have concluded with a commitment of pound 50 million in grants, of which pound 30 million is in financial cooperation and pound 20 million in technical cooperation. We appreciate this support. It comes at a time when resources for overseas development support are under pressure across Europe given the ongoing global challenges,’ he said.

Mr Musasizi said the interventions were aligned with Uganda’s National Development Plan and the Tenfold Growth Strategy, which seeks to expand the economy to $500 billion by 2040 through agro-industrialisation, tourism, mineral development, and science, technology and innovation.

He said pound 35 million, representing 70 per cent of the new commitment, would go towards water and electricity, while pound 10 million would support agribusiness and local economies. The remaining pound 5 million would support the participation of refugees and host communities, among other interventions.

Mr Musasizi said the funding would also strengthen trade and investment between the two countries, particularly in coffee, tea, fish, machinery and chemical products.

He called for increased German investment in production, processing, exports and skilled employment, proposing structured engagement to identify viable investment opportunities.

On regional infrastructure, Mr Musasizi said pound 18 million earmarked for electrification in West Nile would support businesses and farms in an area that trades with eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

He said the benefits of German support extended beyond the new commitments, citing water systems at Karuma designed to serve more than 480,000 people and four systems handed over in West Nile in March 2026, expected to benefit about 70,000 people.

He also said the Renewable Energy Training Centre had trained more than 1,000 technicians and practitioners, about 60 per cent of them women.

Germany’s support also contributes to Uganda’s efforts to host approximately 2.05 million refugees and asylum-seekers, alongside the communities accommodating them, he added.

The head of the German delegation and Central and East African Division of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Mr Joachim Schmitt, said the negotiations had reviewed development priorities, ongoing projects in water, energy and rural development, refugee support and opportunities to involve the private sector.

Mr Schmitt said Germany supported Uganda’s ambition to graduate from least developed country status and that its development cooperation would remain aligned with Uganda Vision 2040, the Tenfold Growth Strategy and the Fourth National Development Plan.

He said the two countries would increasingly focus on private-sector participation, including Ugandan, German and other European businesses, to unlock economic opportunities and create jobs.

Mr Schmitt also commended Uganda’s refugee-hosting policy, describing it as generous and noting that the country hosts the largest refugee population in Africa.

The German Ambassador to Uganda, Ms Sigrid Sommer, said the latest commitments marked another milestone in more than 60 years of development cooperation between the two countries.

‘Today’s successful conclusion of our government negotiation marks another important milestone in our relationship. It builds on our long-standing partnership, through which more than 60 years of German-Uganda cooperation have generated tangible results for the people of Uganda,’ she said.

Ms Sommer said the additional bilateral commitments reaffirmed Germany’s partnership with Uganda and provided a basis for cooperation in the coming years, aligned with the country’s development priorities.

She added that Germany accounts for nearly 25 per cent of European Union funding.

Renting properties to terrorists attract prosecution, ONSA tells landlords

The Office of the National Security Adviser, on Tuesday, warned landlords against renting their properties to terrorists and individuals who host preparatory meetings with terrorist groups.

It said that they risk prosecution under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022 if they do so, adding that collaborating with terrorists also attracts a 20 years jail term.

The Director, Legal Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa, stated this at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Abuja at a press briefing on the recently concluded 11th phase of trials of terrorism suspects.

Mijinyawa said the law criminalised several activities associated with terrorism, including preparatory offences and the provision of support to terrorist groups.

He explained that providing support to terrorists could attract a minimum of a 20-year prison sentence, while renting property to terrorists was also a prosecutable offence.

‘For example, providing support to terrorism attracts a minimum sentence of 20 years. Renting your property to a terrorist is also an offence,’ he said.

He urged Nigerians, particularly members of the media and other stakeholders, to familiarise themselves with the provisions of the law to understand the scope of activities classified as terrorism-related offences.

Zakari also warned companies against receiving funds linked to terrorism, saying such transactions could attract severe sanctions regardless of whether the money was eventually used to commit an offence.

‘The principals will be prosecuted, and that company could be wound up,’ he said.

He added that the government was strengthening its investigative capacity to ensure that more individuals and organisations involved in terrorism financing and other forms of support were brought to justice.

Iran sees new strategic threat in Trump’s South Caucasus project

On November 2nd, Armenia’s prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, told parliament that his government would soon start commissioning designs for the railway, highway and power lines of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, or TRIPP. Parliament had voted on the ratification days earlier. Deputy prime minister Mher Grigoryan went further: delimitation of the border in Syunik, the southern province the route will cross, might be carried out in an “etraordinary” fashion, ahead of the eisting schedule, so that the infrastructure can proceed. Pashinyan’s own framing was characteristically grand. We all recognize the project’s effectiveness in ending a blockade that has lasted over 30 years.

But one neighbour was not celebrating the idea, as always. The ambassador of Iran in Yerevan, Khalil Shirgolami, said to the press that Tehran recognizes the sovereignty of Armenia but epects above all that there should not be any foreign military forces stationed on the Armenian-Iranian border, nor any threat of Iran coming out of it. Armenian authorities have assured him. However, Tehran seems to need more than assurances.

The shortest border, with the longest worry

The Armenia-Iran border spans just 44km, following the Aras River in the Syunik region. The border is the shortest land border of Iran, and as described by its strategists, is its lifeline to the north – the only direct passage to the South Caucasus, Russia, and further on to Europe. The goods pass across the border checkpoint of Agarak and Norduz, and there have been improvements made in their bridge capacities. Armenia and Iran traded approimately $104.8 million worth of goods in the first two months of 2026, an increase of 6% from the previous year.

It is clear for Tehran that this is more than an issue with lines in maps. TRIPP is a highway and railway that is going to pass close to the Iranian border and will be run by Americans in great numbers; the ambassador has cited plans according to which American companies are to have 74 percent share in management of the corridor. For Iranian strategists, this situation is nothing less than encirclement, despite all assurances of its non-military nature. It is all made worse by the war; the United States and Israel have launched attacks on Iran since February, and Mr Shirgolami has cited them while elaborating his point of view. Well in that point of view, it could easily be said that, perhaps, as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue, Iran views the South Caucasus as the net chokepoint.

This ambition appears to be more limited than obstruction. Iran is not interested in obstructing the route but in shaping it. He mentioned that technical details are being discussed and that the central issue is the modalities that can ensure that TRIPP is implemented in such a way that guarantees Armenian sovereignty, does not allow for any corridor outside Armenia, and ecludes the use of foreign military. He even proposed a special format of negotiations with Yerevan that will make it possible to settle any dispute quickly. In September, he indicated that the best option to address US concerns was an institutional mechanism. According to President Masoud Pezeshkian, who reportedly spoke to Pashinyan in July, “etra-regional powers” should not meddle in Armenian-Iranian affairs.

The tone has varied. A hardline adviser to the Supreme Leader, Ali Akbar Velayati, said last year that the route would become a “graveyard” for Trump’s “mercenaries”. The ambassador’s language is gentler, but the aim is the same: to etract, from Armenia, binding rules that outlast political promises. That is a sensible negotiating position. Iran cannot veto the project, and it cannot afford to alienate a government with a fresh electoral mandate. Its leverage lies in being the neighbour Armenia cannot ignore.

Lines and contest of the maps

Where Tehran’s concerns seem to cross into overreach is on delimitation. As presented by Baku in Azerbaijani commentary, the reason delimiting the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is of no consequence for the Armenian-Iranian border. Delimitation is a legal eercise and an effort to delineate a pre-eisting boundary between two states. The sequence of actions follows a north-south line and comes to a stop at the point of connection between the Armenian-Azerbaijani and Iranian borders. It involves no changes to land ownership and poses no threat to anyone. On the contrary, the eercise helps reduce uncertainty for all parties involved.

This eplanation is valid, as far as it goes; however, it does not resolve the political concern raised by Mher Grigoryan. Linking the delimitation with the construction of TRIPP and increasing the pace at which it is conducted imbues this process with new political dimensions. First of all, the pipeline goes through the border area and, therefore, the regulatory mechanism behind it, including security measures, becomes important for many years to come. Baku can insist on the irrationality of the fear of delimitation by Tehran and still recognize the need to address the project net to it.

Every party has a reason to be wary. For Azerbaijan and Trkiye, it is the constant connection between the mainland and Nakhchivan, and through Anatolia. For Armenia, it is the chance to leave the isolation zone and receive additional routes for trade and transportation. For the US, it is the possibility of having a strong influence in the region it has long neglected. For Iran, its role as a transit gateway to the south in the region and its Aras corridor, which would also connect Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan, would become weaker.

Whether TRIPP brings peace or ignites fire in the South Caucasus depends on how these interests can be reconciled. But the way to achieve this is clear: adopt the rules for implementation of the project, make it impossible for foreign countries to deploy their military forces within the region by writing it down in the documents of the project, and establish the permanent consultation channel between Armenia and Iran that Tehran asks for. It is not a costly option; however, viewing Yerevan as a sort of tributary state or third-degree country will not resolve anything, as this aniety persists. The alternative, a road built over an ally’s objections, in a region where a larger war is already burning, costs a good deal more.

Business group celebrates 10th anniversary

The Thursday Business Group (TBG) will tomorrow celebrate its 10th anniversary with a Founders’ Day Dinner and Awards Night in Lagos.

In a statement, the group’s General Secretary, Gbolahan Alade, said the celebration would bring together members, business leaders, partners and distinguished guests to reflect on the Group’s journey, recognise outstanding contributions and unveil its aspirations for the next decade.

The Guv’nor of TBG, Femi Adeyeye, said: ‘Ten years ago, our vision was to bring people together around trusted relationships, shared interests and mutual opportunity. Today, TBG has grown into a community with a broader purpose. Our ambition is to translate the strength of our network and the relationship capital we have built into greater business opportunities, strategic investments, stronger institutions and sustainable impact.’

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees(BoT), Tope Akande, added: ‘A group’s success should not be measured merely by the number of years it has existed, but by the institutions it builds, the value it creates, the opportunities it enables and the legacy it leaves behind.

Our responsibility is to ensure that TBG’s next decade is defined by stronger governance, purposeful investments, enterprise development and greater contributions to society.’

Beside the dinner, there would be awards for members, individuals, institutions and organisations whose achievements, contributions and commitment reflect the ideals of enterprise, leadership, innovation, public service and social impact championed by the Group.

The group also said the anniversary is a celebration of a collective achievement and a renewed commitment to its founding ideals.

‘The first decade has been about building relationship capital, strengthening trusted networks and establishing a community bound by shared interests and collective purpose. ‘The next decade must be about converting that capital into enduring enterprise, strategic investments, stronger institutions and measurable social impact.

‘We celebrate the journey, but our greater responsibility is to build the future,’ the statement said.