Category: Nigerian Tribune

Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dayo Mobereola, has revealed plans to introduce body cameras for enforcement officers who board vessels in order to further enhance transparency in the agency’senforcement operations.

He disclosed this when he received a delegation of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN).

The director general appreciated MACN’s continued engagement and contribution to strengthening conversations around integrity, transparency and accountability in the maritime sector and expressed the Agency’s readiness to deepen collaboration with MACN towards building a more transparent, predictable and efficient maritime sector.

Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Engineer Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, Mobereola emphasised the importance of data in demonstrating and communicating the progress being made in the sector.

‘Data is essential to show the progress being made in the maritime sector. We need to be able to demonstrate what we are doing and showcase the impact of these reforms,’ he stated.

Mobereola also hinted at efforts to further enhance transparency in enforcement operations to include the introduction of body cameras for enforcement officers who board vessels.

‘The initiative would provide greater transparency in interactions between enforcement personnel and operators, while also promoting more efficient and accountable operations’, he said.

The NIMASA DG also advocated the replication of successful reforms across maritime administrations in the region with a concomitant impact on trade and investment, stressing that a more transparent maritime environment would create opportunities for businesses and strengthen regional competitiveness.

Speaking earlier during the visit, Chief Executive Officer of MACN, Cecelia Torbrand, commended NIMASA for the reforms being implemented in the maritime sector, noting that the measures have contributed to the increased transparency and improved business environment currently being witnessed across the sector.

Torbrand highlighted the importance of collective action in addressing corruption risks within the maritime industry, noting that sustainable change requires strong collaboration among government institutions, industry stakeholders, civil society and other relevant actors.

She explained that MACN’s work is anchored on three key pillars: Capability Building, Collective Action, and Collaboration/Culture of Integrity, emphasising that provision of innovative tools, training and compliance resources; sustainable, on-the-ground change; and partnerships across board are critical to addressing the root causes of maritime corruption.

The MACN CEO commended NIMASA for the reforms undertaken to improve transparency and integrity within the Nigerian maritime space, stressing the importance of sustaining the momentum and documenting the progress being achieved.

Also speaking, a member of MACN and Chief Executive Officer of the Convention on Business Integrity (CBI), Mr Olusoji Apampa, said the progress recorded in Nigeria’s maritime sector deserved greater visibility.

He noted that the reforms being implemented in Nigeria are attracting attention across the sub-region, with countries including Ghana and Senegal developing mechanisms inspired by the Nigerian experience.

Apampa described the development as ‘the Nigerian Miracle’, noting that the experience demonstrates what can be achieved when government and industry stakeholders work together to address systemic challenges.

The Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said Nigeria’s major challenge is not a lack of resources but the failure of successive governments to convert the country’s abundant resources into human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity.

Obi, who stated this in his Independence Day address to Nigerians on Thursday, said the 66th anniversary of the country’s independence should serve as a period for sober reflection on Nigeria’s progress and the direction of its development.

He said national leaders and citizens must continually ask where the country was, where it wanted to be and how it could move from its present situation to its desired destination.

According to him, despite the promises made by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration in 2023, Nigerians continue to contend with poverty, insecurity, food insecurity, unemployment, poor access to education and healthcare, drug abuse and low life expectancy.

Obi cited figures which he said showed that more than 140 million Nigerians were living in poverty and severe hardship, while more than 18 million children were out of school.

He also said more than 35 million young Nigerians were unemployed or underemployed, while more than 40 million Nigerians could face extreme hunger by the end of 2026.

The NDC candidate further expressed concern over insecurity, saying terrorism, banditry and kidnapping continued to threaten lives and livelihoods across the country.

He said Nigeria’s challenges could not be attributed to the country being ‘cursed’, arguing that the nation had sufficient human and natural resources to achieve development.

‘Our greatest problem is not a lack of resources; it is the failure to convert our enormous resources into human development, productivity, security and shared prosperity,’ Obi said.

He spoke after returning from a two-day visit to Sokoto State with the NDC Vice-Presidential Candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, where he said they consulted with residents on insecurity, poverty, out-of-school children, youth unemployment and drug abuse.

Obi said the delegation also visited an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at Ramin Kura in Sokoto metropolis, where he described the conditions of displaced women and children as troubling.

He said many of the children at the camp lacked access to education, while mothers and children had limited access to basic healthcare.

According to him, the situation demonstrated the consequences of insecurity on communities, as people who should be farming, attending school, running businesses and contributing to the economy were instead living as displaced persons.

‘What we saw in Ramin Kura is not an isolated story. It is a reflection of the suffering experienced, in different forms, across many parts of Nigeria,’ he said.

Obi said the NDC would seek to change the situation if elected, promising to make governance measurable, accountable and centred on the welfare and productivity of Nigerians.

He said Nigerians would begin to see what he described as the tangible impact of effective leadership within the first year of his administration.

On security, Obi pledged to confront insecurity in order to enable farmers to return to their farms, children to return to school and businesses to operate without fear.

He also promised to facilitate the safe and dignified return of Nigerians displaced by insecurity to their communities.

The former Anambra State governor said his administration would also seek to shift the economy from what he described as consumption-driven growth to a productive economy based on job creation, agriculture, manufacturing, human-capital development and enterprise.

He identified education, healthcare, security and productive enterprise as priorities, saying they were foundations of a functioning nation rather than luxuries.

Obi also promised that, if elected president, he would spend his holidays within Nigeria during his four-year tenure.

He specifically mentioned Zamfara, Borno, Kwara, Ebonyi, Edo and Ekiti states among places he intended to visit during his holidays.

‘I want to continue to see Nigeria. I want to know Nigeria. I want to spend time with Nigerians, listen to them, understand their challenges and celebrate their resilience,’ he said.

The NDC candidate called on Nigerians to approach the country’s future with hope and determination, saying the country could overcome its current challenges through accountable leadership and citizen participation.

He said his administration would seek to build a Nigeria where children had access to education, mothers could obtain basic healthcare, farmers could safely access their farms and young people could find opportunities to work and prosper.

Obi also said public resources should be deployed strictly for the public good.

He urged Nigerians to use the Independence anniversary to reflect on the country’s achievements and challenges while demanding greater accountability from those entrusted with public office.

‘The Nigeria we desire will not be built by prayers alone, nor by promises alone. It will be built by leadership that understands that public office is a sacred trust, by citizens who demand accountability, and by all of us who refuse to accept failure as our destiny,’ he said.

He called for the building of what he described as a new and productive Nigeria founded on unity, peace, justice and prosperity.

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has assured residents of the state that his administration will use the next four years to consolidate its achievements and intensify efforts to improve their standard of living.

Adeleke gave the assurance on Thursday while addressing the people of Osun State at Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Osogbo, during activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary and the presentation of prizes to winners of the 2026 Osun State Essay Competition.

The Governor thanked the people of the state for their participation in the just-concluded governorship election, saying their large turnout and determination contributed to the successful conduct of the poll.

He pledged that his administration would work with renewed determination to address areas requiring further attention, while consolidating gains recorded in education, healthcare, infrastructure and agriculture.

According to him, his administration’s development agenda is centred on the people, stressing that government programmes must ultimately translate into improved quality of life for citizens.

Adeleke said significant attention had been given to the education sector through the improvement of schools, provision of learning facilities and recruitment of teachers.

He also cited Osun’s fifth position nationally in the 2026 NECO Senior School Certificate Examination as evidence of progress in the sector, noting that the state moved up from seventh position in the 2025 ranking.

The Governor congratulated participants and winners of the 2026 Osun State Essay Competition, as well as their teachers and parents, saying the initiative would encourage young people to think critically and contribute ideas to the development of the state and country.

On healthcare, Adeleke said his administration had continued to strengthen primary healthcare delivery, improve health facilities and expand access to health insurance and other medical interventions.

He added that road construction and rehabilitation, bridge projects, water systems and other infrastructure interventions remained central to his administration’s development agenda.

The Governor further said the state was supporting farmers through improved agricultural inputs, mechanisation and access to markets, stressing that agriculture must serve as both a means of feeding the population and creating wealth for families and communities.

While acknowledging that challenges remained, Adeleke said the achievements recorded so far demonstrated that the state was moving in the right direction.

He described the people of Osun, particularly its youths, farmers, entrepreneurs, teachers and workers, as major assets to the state’s development, expressing confidence that a peaceful, prosperous and self-reliant Osun was achievable.

The Governor also used the Independence Anniversary to call for peace and unity among Nigerians, regardless of political, religious or social differences.

He urged citizens to resolve disagreements peacefully, noting that meaningful development could not take place without peace and stability.

However, the state Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Dr Bashir Tokunbo Salami, also quoted Adeleke as saying that the future of Nigeria depended largely on how the country treated its young people, urging government and other stakeholders to provide quality education, create opportunities, support talents and give youths reasons to build their future in the country.

He called on Nigerians to renew their hope in the country and recommit themselves to building a nation where every child would have a fair opportunity, hard work would be rewarded and citizens could live with dignity.

The Governor concluded by assuring the people of Osun that his administration would continue to listen to their concerns and pursue policies and programmes aimed at improving their lives.

The Ambassador of Nigeria to Spain, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has called for stronger economic cooperation between Nigeria and Spain, particularly in renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture, technology and the creative industries.

Ikpeazu said deeper bilateral relations would create opportunities for investment, trade and business partnerships, contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

The Ambassador made the call in Madrid, Spain, while addressing Nigerians and other dignitaries at an event marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

He said Nigeria and Spain had continued to strengthen their relationship through mutual respect, constructive dialogue and expanding cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

According to him, Spanish companies, including GB Foods, have continued to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s dynamic market, while Nigerians living in Spain are making significant contributions to the country’s social and economic development.

Ikpeazu said Nigeria valued Spain’s partnership and was committed to deepening collaboration in areas of shared interest, adding that the Federal Government would continue to create opportunities for investment and business-to-business matchmaking.

Congratulating President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians, particularly those residing in Spain, on the anniversary, the Ambassador paid tribute to the country’s founding fathers and nationalists whose sacrifices secured Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

He said the anniversary provided an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on the ideals of freedom, unity, progress and dignity, which continue to shape the country’s national aspirations.

According to him, Nigeria remains Africa’s most populous nation and one of its largest economies, with abundant human talent, cultural diversity and natural resources.

He also highlighted the country’s democratic institutions, youthful population and contributions to regional peace, security and development across Africa and beyond.

The Ambassador, however, acknowledged the country’s economic challenges, expressing optimism that ongoing reforms under the Tinubu administration would support economic diversification, improved governance and inclusive growth.

‘We are not satisfied with the present economic realities, but we are making progress as a people,’ he said.

Ikpeazu said the Federal Government remained committed to harnessing the potential of Nigerian youths, the creativity of its people and the country’s diversity to build a more prosperous and secure future.

He stressed that the support and partnership of countries such as Spain would remain important to achieving these objectives.

Addressing Nigerians living in Spain, including students, professionals and entrepreneurs, the Ambassador described them as valuable representatives of the country, whose conduct, achievements and contributions could strengthen relations between both nations.

He urged them to remain united, law-abiding and committed to upholding Nigeria’s image through hard work, integrity, innovation and resilience.

Ikpeazu said the contributions of Nigerians in Spain continued to reinforce the bonds of friendship between the two countries, urging them to sustain their positive engagement with their host community.

He called on Nigerians to use the Independence Anniversary to renew their commitment to building a peaceful, prosperous and respected nation.

The Ambassador expressed confidence that sustained cooperation with Spain and other international partners would help Nigeria expand investment opportunities, strengthen economic ties and advance its development objectives.

He urged Nigerians to remain united in pursuing the country’s aspirations, while reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining friendly relations with Spain.

Plateau State Governor Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has granted absolute pardon to 130 inmates and commuted the death sentences of four others to life imprisonment as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

The governor described the anniversary as an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect on the country’s journey since independence, honor the sacrifices of past leaders, acknowledge existing challenges, and celebrate the nation’s achievements.

In a goodwill message signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Gyang Bere, Mutfwang urged Nigerians to preserve the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the country in honor of its founding fathers.

He stressed that nation-building was a shared responsibility passed from one generation to another, adding that every citizen had a role to play in creating a peaceful, stable, and prosperous country.

The governor said Nigeria’s strength lay in the collective determination of its people to rise above their differences and build a nation where everyone had a sense of belonging and opportunities to fulfill their aspirations.

Mutfwang also acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in sustaining the country’s unity and stability and advancing the Nigerian project.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a Plateau State where residents could pursue their aspirations in an atmosphere of peace, security, justice, and inclusive development.

The governor commended the people of Plateau State for their resilience, patience, patriotism, and contributions to the development of the state and the country.

He urged them to remain committed to the Nigerian project despite the challenges facing the nation.

Akwa Ibom State-owned carrier has operated over 65,787 scheduled flights, hitting a major milestone of five million passengers on September 25.

This achievement reflects the enduring trust and confidence that passengers continue to place in Ibom Air, just as the airline joined millions of Akwa Ibomites and Nigerians worldwide to celebrate the 39th anniversary of the creation of Akwa Ibom.

The airline, established as part of the state Government’s strategic investment in connectivity and economic development, has also transported nearly five million passengers within its seven years of operation.

In a statement marking the anniversary, Ibom Air congratulated the Governor of the state, Pastor Umo Eno, his cabinet and the people of the state, describing the airline as one of the key institutions emerging from the state’s sustained investments in infrastructure, human capital and economic development.

Akwa Ibom was created in 1987 and has, over the years, expanded investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education, aviation, tourism and other sectors of the economy.

Ibom Air said the airline was established to improve air connectivity, stimulate economic activity and demonstrate the capacity of Akwa Ibom to establish and sustain a world-class aviation institution.

Since its launch, the airline has expanded its fleet to 10 aircraft and currently serves seven domestic destinations and one regional destination, providing connectivity for business, tourism, trade and investment.

Beyond passenger transportation, Ibom Air said it has become an important platform for human-capital development in the state, with hundreds of Akwa Ibom indigenes engaged in leadership, flight operations, engineering, customer service, finance and other technical and administrative functions.

The airline added that strategic training programmes supported by the state government and Ibom Air had enabled young professionals from the state to receive specialised aviation training in Nigeria, Ethiopia and France.

According to the airline, its economic contribution also extends beyond direct aviation operations, with its activities and supply-chain engagements injecting more than N60 billion into the local economy and supporting thousands of indirect jobs.

Ibom Air said its growth reflects the state government’s broader objective of creating opportunities, empowering its citizens and building institutions capable of contributing to long-term economic prosperity.

‘As Akwa Ibom celebrates 39 years of achievement, Ibom Air is proud to be part of the State’s story of growth, empowerment and transformation,’ the airline stated.

It reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Governor’s ARISE Agenda through operational excellence, improved connectivity, job creation and continued investment in human capital.

The airline said the development of Akwa Ibom and the growth of Ibom Air demonstrate the potential of strategic investment, institutional development and human-capital empowerment in driving sustainable economic advancement.

Kunle is a married father of two in Ibadan. For the better part of the year, he had been struggling. His business had collapsed. He had borrowed money from people he respected and could not repay it. He felt like a man who had failed at everything that mattered, and he had begun to believe, quietly and with increasing certainty, that his family would be better off without him. He went to church, as he had done every Sunday for 15 years. One Wednesday evening, after a men’s fellowship meeting, he stayed behind when the others left. The pastor noticed and asked him how he was really doing. That question, asked by the right person at the right moment in the right place, was the beginning of Kunle not dying.

Fatima is a university graduate in Kaduna living with her parents after two years of unsuccessful job searching. She had stopped eating properly, stopped leaving her room, and had begun writing in her journal about not wanting to be alive anymore. Her family noticed her withdrawal but told her she needed to pray more, trust more, and be more grateful. She feared that disclosing her thoughts would make her a lesser Muslim. She went to the mosque on Fridays just to satisfy her parents. The imam delivered a Friday jumat sermon that focused on patience, resilience and going through challenges. The sermon was comforting, and she began to find hope again.

Emmanuel is a chorister in a Pentecostal church in Lagos who had been quietly dependent on alcohol for six years following the death of his wife. The drinking had become his private management of grief he had never properly processed in a church culture where showing such prolonged pain felt like a failure of faith. When his thoughts turned to suicide following the loss of his job, he told no one in the church. He feared judgement. He feared being prayed over and sent home with Bible readings, a fasting schedule and an exhortation to be stronger in faith. He felt somehow it would be viewed as being weak in faith and blamed. So, he decided not to voice his concerns even though he felt lost and that he simply had nothing to continue living for.

Discussion

In Nigeria, as across much of sub-Saharan Africa, faith communities are central social institutions. The church, the mosque, and the traditional religious gathering are places where people already go on ordinary days and socialise. These places take on added salience because they are also the first point of call in moments of crisis. Several studies consistently show that in many African contexts, religious leaders are the first point of contact for people experiencing mental health difficulties, often long before any clinical service is approached. This is a reality to be taken seriously and built upon.

Religious organisations have consistent, repeated contact with large numbers of people across the full span of life. They carry moral authority and trust. They also have existing structures through pastoral care, Jumuah gatherings, small groups, community visiting, youth programmes, men and women groupings, etc., that can be adapted for mental health outreach without requiring entirely new infrastructure. They are also easily present in communities, particularly rural and low-income communities, where no other structured support exists.

How can religious organisations help?

? Demystify the topic and promote open discussions around mental health and suicide prevention. Such openness will encourage people to speak freely.

? Training faith leaders in mental health first aid: Training faith leaders in the basics of mental health first aid is one of the highest-leverage interventions available. Asido Foundation holds comprehensive workshops for religious leaders that have proven effective in improving their psychological first aid expertise as well as confidence.

? Creating safe spaces for honest disclosure: Creating confidential pastoral and counselling structures where people know their disclosure will be met with compassion rather than judgement or gossip can go a long way towards preventing suicide.

? Building referral pathways to professional services: Religious organisations should establish clear and smooth referral relationships with local mental health services, hospitals, and health care workers so that a pastor or imam who sits with someone in distress after Friday Jumuah or Sunday church service has a number to call, a name to give, and a person in the professional system who is expecting that referral.

? Establishing bereavement and grief support structures.

? Engaging men through existing fellowship and brotherhood structures: Men are significantly less likely to disclose suicidal thoughts than women and are at considerably higher risk of dying by suicide. Men’s fellowship groups in churches and the brotherhood structures of mosque communities can be used to foster mental health promotion.

? Involving young people in peer mental health advocacy as well as during youth camps.

Conclusion:

The most powerful suicide prevention resource in many Nigerian communities is not a clinic or a helpline. It is YOU. The person who notices, who stays, who asks the question that nobody else has thought to ask. And encourages engagement with professional mental health services without shame or stigma.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has insisted that the success of the banking sector recapitalisation exercise will be measured by the ability of stronger banks to finance the real economy.

Speaking at the 38th Finance Correspondents Seminar in Abuja, the Deputy Governor of the CBN on Corporate Services, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, explained that the banking sector needed to channel its increased financial capacity into productive sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, services and infrastructure.

‘The wider economy should see the benefit over time. Agriculture, manufacturing, services, and infrastructure need finance suited to their cash flow and investment varieties,’ he said.

The Deputy Governor stated that smaller businesses and households also needed dependable payment services and appropriate financial products.

Abdullahi said stronger bank balance sheets should translate into wider access to finance and better services for customers, including those in rural communities, women and young entrepreneurs.

He therefore charged businesses to improve corporate transparency, governance and sustainability to enable them to access credit more effectively.

Abdullahi said the apex bank would continue to focus on governance, consumer protection, cybersecurity, data protection, reliable payment services and business continuity.

He explained further that the CBN’s supervisory approach would also emphasise risk-based market surveillance and enhanced stress testing.

‘Consumer protection and financial inclusion are integral to resilience. A system that people can access, understand, and trust will better support inclusive growth,’ Abdullahi said.

The Deputy Governor also called on financial correspondents and business editors to continue providing accurate and objective reporting on developments in the financial system.

He said the media remained an important link between policymakers, financial institutions, investors and the public.

Also speaking, Michael Akuka, Director of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations at the CBN, said the focus had shifted from whether banks could raise capital to how the additional capital would be deployed.

‘The question has changed. It is no longer whether the banking sector can raise capital, but what a better-supervised banking sector does with the additional capital,’ Akuka said.

Akuka noted that stronger balance sheets should enable banks to absorb shocks, support real economic activity and maintain public confidence.

Katsina State Governor Malam Dikko Umar Radda has signed the Katsina State 2027 Appropriation Bill into law, paving the way for the implementation of a ?828.58 billion budget aimed at sustaining development across the state.

Speaking during the signing ceremony held at the Red Chamber of the Katsina Government House on Wednesday, Governor Radda commended the State House of Assembly for the speedy consideration and passage of the bill, describing the lawmakers’ commitment within the limited timeframe as commendable.

The governor explained that the budget followed a transparent three-stage process.

According to him, it began as a people’s budget, was thoroughly defended by ministries, departments and agencies, and was subsequently scrutinised and approved by the State House of Assembly in line with its constitutional responsibility.

Radda urged all implementing agencies to ensure prompt execution of projects and programmes, stressing the need to focus on priority areas that will directly improve the lives of the people.

Earlier, the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Nasiru Daura, formally presented the Appropriation Law to the governor for assent.

He disclosed that the Assembly approved a total budget of ?828,578,844,091.48, comprising ?190,726,262,820.44 for recurrent expenditure and ?637,852,581,271.03 for capital expenditure.

The Speaker reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to supporting the APC-led administration in delivering democratic dividends and called on residents of the state to continue supporting the government to ensure the successful implementation of its development agenda.

Tribune Online reports that in July this year, Radda launched the second statewide ward-level town hall meeting for the collection of citizens’ inputs into the preparation of the 2027 budget, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to participatory governance and people-driven development.

The governor said that many of the projects identified during the first consultations were already being implemented across key sectors.

These, he said, included road infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, water supply, youth empowerment, social protection, community development and security support.

He also noted that sustainable development could only be achieved through active citizen participation.

The Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf, has announced plans to enact a law providing a legal framework for power rotation in the state.

Yusuf made the disclosure at the ongoing Kogi Power Rotation Summit in Lokoja, where traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders, professional associations, organized labor, youths, students, and other stakeholders gathered to discuss equity, inclusion, and political power sharing.

He said the proposed legislation would establish an institutional framework for rotating political power among the different parts of Kogi State.

According to him, ‘The Assembly will pass a law on power rotation. Whoever is not comfortable should go to court. It is time to make history.’

The announcement has introduced a legislative dimension to the longstanding debate over power rotation in the state, which has largely centered on political advocacy and public discussions.

Yusuf urged stakeholders to decide when they wanted the proposed legislation to be presented and passed, stressing that the issue had become overdue.

His position placed legislative action at the center of the summit’s deliberations, with participants expected to examine how equity, fairness, inclusion, and political participation could be addressed through a sustainable framework.

Power rotation has remained a major political issue in Kogi State, particularly regarding the distribution of leadership positions among the three senatorial districts.

The Kogi Unity Accord, a non-partisan platform promoting dialogue on equity, fairness, inclusion, and sustainable power sharing, is organizing the summit.

The event has attracted participants from the three senatorial districts, providing a platform for stakeholders to exchange views on the state’s political future.

Representatives of traditional institutions, religious bodies, professional organizations, labor groups, community associations, youths, and students are among those attending the summit.

With the Speaker’s announcement, the possibility of a formal legislative framework for power rotation has emerged as a key issue in the ongoing debate.

If introduced and enacted, the proposed law would move power rotation from political convention and advocacy into a statutory framework.

However, its specific provisions, scope, and implementation would depend on the legislative process and further consultations with stakeholders.

The summit, chaired by former Chief of Defence Intelligence Vice Admiral Joseph Ajayi (retd.), continues on Thursday, October 1, 2026, with further discussions expected on political inclusion, unity, equitable participation, and shared prosperity.

Attention is now turning to how the proposed legislative process will unfold and whether the planned law will gain support among stakeholders.