Category: Nigerian Tribune

‘They were susceptible to fever constantly,’ she said.

But Saratu added she began to notice a change after her children received azithromycin during a house-to-house distribution round under the Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin in Nigeria (SARMAAN) Project.

According to her, a community health worker visited her home, explained the purpose of the medicine, administered the dose to the children and responded to her questions.

‘Since collecting the medicine, my children have stopped experiencing fever like they used to,’ she said.

Saratu’s account reflects the confidence some caregivers say they have developed after participating in the programme. In Sokoto South Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Mrs Asmau Aliyu, a mother of five, gave a similar account.

Aliyu said she was initially indifferent when her husband mentioned the azithromycin campaign but after hearing about it on radio she became more comfortable. It also helped when health workers explained the intervention to families in her community and she observed other caregivers participate.

‘My husband convinced me to have our children receive the medicine,’ she said. ‘By the time my children were set to receive it, I had zero doubts.’

She recalled that the health worker explained how the medicine would be administered, mixed it with water and gave it to her child in her presence. Aliyu said that in the weeks after the administration, she noticed that her children appeared stronger and more active.

For the two mothers, the programme has moved beyond messages heard randomly to reinforcements on radio and announcements in the community through peers. It has become part of their daily understanding of how to protect their children.

SARMAAN is a child-survival initiative that supports the supervised mass administration of azithromycin to eligible children aged one to 59 months in high-mortality communities. It is implemented through government health structures, trained health workers, community drug distributors and partners, with monitoring for safety and antimicrobial resistance.

The project has reached more than 16 million children across 11 northern states and works hand in hand with other tools in the child survival tool box and essential child health services.d-health services.

Nigeria continues to carry a high burden of deaths among children under five, with preventable conditions such as malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea remaining major threats. The country’s 2023-24 Demographic and Health Survey estimated under-five mortality at 110 deaths per 1,000 live births, meaning approximately one in every nine children dies before reaching age five.

For programme managers, however, reaching a child is only one part of the work. The other is building the trust needed for parents and caregivers to make informed decisions.

This has made community engagement central to the campaign. Health workers, community women leaders, traditional leaders, religious leaders and male champions are expected to help families understand what the intervention is, why it is being offered and how safety is monitored.

The project’s approach emphasizes the need for clearer communication and how it works in peri-urban and rural communities as Nigeria fights to reduce its child mortality rate.

For Saratu and Asmau, the value of that communication was straightforward as they were able to ask questions, observe the process and make decisions they felt were right for their children.

As Nigeria seeks to reduce preventable child deaths, their stories show that public-health interventions may be designed in offices and coordinated through state systems, but their success is ultimately decided in homes through one caregiver, one question and one child at a time.

The Guild of Medical Directors (GMD), Lagos State branch, has called on private hospitals and healthcare facilities to strengthen their preparedness and response mechanisms for emerging and re-emerging diseases.

The Guild said the call had become necessary given the increasing threat of infectious diseases and the vulnerability of densely populated cities such as Lagos to rapid disease transmission.

Chairman of the GMD, Lagos State branch, Dr Omoniyi Fagbemi, made the call at the Guild’s 2026 Scientific Conference, Annual General Meeting and Founder’s Dinner/Awards held at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Fagbemi said the theme of the conference, which focused on emergency preparedness for emerging and re-emerging diseases, was particularly relevant to the Nigerian healthcare system.

He said the GMD comprised owners of hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres and other medical facilities established by medical practitioners, adding that members were committed to providing quality healthcare while ensuring the sustainability of private medical practice.

According to him, members are encouraged to develop their facilities to international standards and provide Nigerians with quality healthcare at affordable costs.

‘Our goal is to ensure that private practice in Lagos and Nigeria is both clinically standard and sustainably profitable. To that end, we have resolved that all members must be enrolled in a quality improvement programme,’ he said.

Fagbemi recalled the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, noting that the proximity of disease outbreaks in other African countries remained a concern for Nigeria.

He also paid tribute to the late Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh for her role in containing the spread of Ebola in Nigeria during the 2014 outbreak.

Speaking on emerging and re-emerging infections, an infectious disease specialist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Dr Adefolarin Opawuye, explained that emerging diseases were those that were newly identified or had spread beyond their previous geographical or epidemiological boundaries.

He cited COVID-19 as a major recent example of an emerging disease, while describing the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa as an emerging threat that affected Nigeria.

Opawuye said re-emerging infections referred to diseases that had previously declined or disappeared from a population but subsequently returned.

He identified Lagos’ high population density as one of the factors that could facilitate the rapid spread of infectious diseases.

‘Lagos is one of the densely populated cities in the world and because of that, it is very easy to spread diseases,’ he said.

The infectious disease specialist also stressed the importance of strengthening the capacity of private healthcare providers, noting that many Nigerians first seek treatment at private facilities before proceeding to teaching or general hospitals.

‘Most people in the country always come to the private sector first before visiting the teaching hospital or general hospitals, and that is a problem,’ he said.

He therefore urged private practitioners to recognise their responsibilities in disease surveillance, early identification and appropriate management of suspected infectious diseases.

‘We are in the private sector and must be able to have the duty of care,’ Opawuye added.

Fagbemi, meanwhile, said the sustainability of medical practice required more than simply expanding facilities, stressing the need for sound clinical standards and effective management.

‘For us to have true satisfaction in our various practices, the business of medicine must not only be stable and grow; growth is not enough, it must be sustained,’ he said.

The high point of the event was the presentation of awards to distinguished medical practitioners in recognition of their contributions to healthcare and medical practice.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, has pledged to work with the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to ensure the actualisation of the proposed Federal Polytechnic, Yabo, if elected governor in 2027.

Dan’iya, who described the institution as a strategic investment in education, skills development and economic growth, questioned the delay in the commencement of the project, saying about two years had elapsed since the preparatory process began.

In a statement issued by his Media Aide, Aminu Abdullahi, on Saturday, the ADC candidate said the prolonged delay in taking the project from the preparatory stage to construction required urgent explanation and intervention.

He said: ‘It is unacceptable that a project intended to expand access to tertiary and technical education in Sokoto State should remain at the preparatory stage for so long.

‘Two years is too long for a project of such importance to remain without a clear path to full implementation, particularly when young people across Sokoto South are waiting for institutions that can provide them with practical skills and higher educational opportunities.’

Dan’iya noted that a Federal Ministry of Education delegation, accompanied by officials of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), inspected the proposed temporary site in Yabo in July 2025.

He also pointed to the provision of N460 million in the 2026 Sokoto State Budget for the renovation of the temporary site of the Federal Polytechnic Yabo.

According to him, the developments indicate that the project has progressed beyond the proposal stage, stressing the need for the authorities to establish a definite timeline for resolving outstanding issues and commencing operations.

The ADC candidate pledged that, if elected, his administration would make the actualisation of the institution a priority in its engagements with the Federal Government.

He said the state government would work with the Senator representing Sokoto South Senatorial District and members of the House of Representatives from the zone to address outstanding issues relating to land, compensation, infrastructure and administration.

Dan’iya said: ‘Working alongside the Senator representing Sokoto South and the Federal House of Representatives members from the zone, our government would pursue the resolution of outstanding land, compensation, infrastructural and administrative issues and demand a clearly defined implementation timetable.’

He said the proposed polytechnic should not merely be established as another tertiary institution, but developed into a modern centre for technical education, innovation and entrepreneurship.

According to him, the institution should have well-equipped laboratories, engineering workshops, digital learning facilities and innovation and entrepreneurship centres, with programmes tailored to Nigeria’s emerging technology and industrial needs.

He added: ‘Students from low-income families should have meaningful opportunities to acquire technical skills, while the institution itself should become a catalyst for employment, entrepreneurship, local commerce and economic development in Yabo and neighbouring communities.’

Dan’iya further said the project would complement his broader education agenda, which includes expanding access to quality education, strengthening science and technical education, integrating technology and artificial intelligence into learning and creating stronger pathways from education to employment.

He urged the Federal Government, NBTE, National Assembly members and other stakeholders to move the project from administrative preparation to construction and eventually full academic operations.

‘The people of Yabo and the entire Sokoto South Senatorial District deserve to see the project become a functioning institution rather than another development promise left waiting for years,’ Dan’iya said.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has set a medium-term target of increasing its annual crude trading volume to 430 million barrels as it seeks to improve returns, strengthen capital efficiency and reposition its businesses for sustainable growth. The Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, disclosed this while presenting the company’s performance and strategic outlook following the release of its annual financial results.

Ojulari said NNPC Ltd. was entering the next phase of its transformation with a stronger focus on commercial performance, operational efficiency, portfolio optimisation and shareholder value creation. Despite softer global oil prices caused by geopolitical tensions, trade frictions and increased supplies from OPEC+ and non-OPEC+ producers, oil and condensate production rose by five per cent, natural gas production increased by nine per cent, while the company’s equity volumes across oil, condensate and gas grew by 11 per cent.

He attributed the rise in oil and condensate production largely to new wells, targeted interventions at Oil Mining Lease 13 and improved asset integrity, which collectively contributed about 32,400 barrels per day. Gas production growth was driven by stronger performance from projects including Uzu field gas and Agbada Non-Associated Gas Train 1, as well as major well interventions, while proactive maintenance improved reliability and uptime across the company’s portfolio.

According to him, the gas segment recorded double-digit growth, with transmission volumes increasing by 18 per cent, sales volumes by 12 per cent and Liquefied Natural Gas volumes by 11 per cent. White-products sales, however, declined by 60 per cent, which Ojulari attributed to the structural change in NNPC’s downstream role following the deregulation of petrol prices in 2024. He said growth in the crude oil and gas businesses cushioned the effect of the decline.

NNPC’s improved operating performance, he said, translated into stronger earnings and cash generation, with profit after tax rising by 33 per cent to N7.2 trillion and dividends increasing by 35 per cent to N5.8 trillion. Operating cash flow grew by 16 per cent to N12.8 trillion, while return on equity increased by 200 basis points to 16 per cent.

Ojulari said the results reflected the company’s growing cash-generating capacity and commitment to delivering stronger shareholder returns.

In the upstream segment, Ojulari said NNPC is targeting daily production of three million barrels of oil and condensate and 12 billion standard cubic feet of gas through lower unit operating costs, portfolio rationalisation and increased deepwater production. It is also targeting annual gas transmission of 960 billion standard cubic feet and gas sales of 1.4 trillion standard cubic feet, supported by investments in infrastructure, LNG and gas-based industries.

The GMD dosclosed that the company plans to raise annual crude trading volumes to 430 million barrels, expand compressed natural gas and cleaner-energy infrastructure, reposition its shipping business and advance Technical Equity Partnerships aimed at restoring refinery operations. It also intends to rationalise non-core and underperforming assets while scaling strategic businesses such as power and trading to improve profitability and strengthen the commercial performance of key assets.

On environmental, social and governance initiatives, he said NNPC delivered nine new CNG sites, bringing its network to 19 stations; facilitated more than 6,000 cataract surgeries; trained over 300,000 National Youth Service Corps members in financial literacy and workforce readiness; and supported more than 15,000 farmers. Its foundation also planted 80,000 trees, while the company developed a Net Zero 2050 strategy.

Ojulari said the Petroleum Industry Act had sharpened NNPC’s commercial focus, adding that governance, transparency, technology, capital discipline, talent development and execution would drive its transformation into a globally competitive energy company.

The media adviser to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has said his principal committed no offence by referring to President Bola Tinubu simply as ‘Bola’ in his Independence Day address.

Ibe, in a post on X on Friday, said some people were outraged that Atiku, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, addressed the president by his first name, but maintained that outrage did not amount to law.

‘Bola is the President’s name, right? There is no Nigerian law that makes it a criminal offence to address a president by his first name,’ he said.

He cited Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that no person shall be convicted of a criminal offence unless the offence and its punishment are prescribed in a written law.

‘So, anyone claiming Atiku committed an offence should produce the law that says Nigerians must always prefix Bola Tinubu’s name with ‘President,’ ‘His Excellency’ or ‘Mr President.’ There is no such law,’ Ibe said.

He maintained that the use of first names among political leaders was not unusual, noting that former United States President Barack Obama publicly referred to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel simply as ‘Angela’ at official events, including a joint White House press conference and a state dinner.

Ibe added that Section 39 of the Constitution guaranteed freedom of expression.

‘People may debate Atiku’s style. They may say they would have preferred ‘President Tinubu.’ That is their opinion. But let us not invent an offence where none exists. Bola is his name. President is his office,’ he said.

According to him, the more important question was whether Atiku’s critics could address the substantive issues he raised in his Independence Day state-of-the-nation address.

A 16-year-old girl in Delta State has alleged that two teenage boys sexually assaulted her at a hotel in Ughelli after she was invited there by a friend.

The teenager said the suspects, identified as Godstime and Goodluck, allegedly assaulted her multiple times, recorded the incident on their mobile phones and demanded further sexual acts before agreeing to delete the footage.

The case came to public attention after a video circulated on social media showing the suspects allegedly mocking the girl after she told them she was menstruating.

The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, confirmed the development and said one of the main suspects involved in recording the video had been arrested.

The victim, who recounted the incident during an interview with Edafe, said she was invited to the hotel by a friend identified as Nice Money.

‘My friend, Nice Money, asked me to visit him in a hotel, but I told him I didn’t have transport fare, and he said someone would pay for the fare when I arrived. When I got into the hotel, I saw two extra boys, and when I told Nice Money that I met the boys at the hotel, he told me he was coming,’ she said.

According to her, Nice Money left after she arrived, leaving her with Godstime and Goodluck.

She alleged that a disagreement followed after she told the boys that she was on her period, leading to one of them assaulting her before ordering her to remove her clothes.

‘As we were arguing, one of them slapped me and ordered me to undress, so I removed my clothes, and they raped me and later recorded me with their phones,’ she alleged.

The teenager further claimed that the boys used the recording to pressure her into having sex with them again.

‘I begged them to delete the video, but they said they would have sex with me again before they could delete it, and despite my pleas, they had sex with me again.

‘Two of them, Goodluck and Godstime, took turns on me and had sex with me eight times while knowing I was on my period,’ she added.

She said she later managed to leave the hotel after the suspects fell asleep.

Godstime, who was arrested in connection with the incident, admitted that he participated in the sexual assault and identified himself as an internet fraudster.

‘I was the one speaking in the video, and we recorded it because we were angry when she told us she was on her period.

‘I had never met her before, but we were chatting on WhatsApp before she came over to the hotel,’ he added.

However, Godstime disputed the teenager’s account of how many times she was sexually assaulted, saying he and Goodluck had sex with her twice.

‘When the girl came to the hotel, Goodluck and I had sex with her, but we only did it twice,’ he said.

Edafe said the suspect would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

‘He is with us, and he is going to go in for it because the law says from seven years and above, whatever you do, you will go in for it,’ he said.

The police spokesperson also used the incident to appeal to parents to ensure they are able to care for children before bringing them into the world.

‘Parents, if you know you don’t have what it takes to take care of a child, I beg you in God’s name, don’t bring that child into this world.’

Grade A Customary Court, Court 2, has brought an end to the relationship between a couple, Gbolagade and Omodunke on the account of irresponsibility, lack of love and care, lack of respect for parents, and threat to life.

Gbolagade said that Omodunke, a once loving, caring and dutiful woman became defiant, hostile and a threat to his life, after he failed in his attempt to renew his visa to Dubai.

The plaintiff explained that their home was joyous and his relationship with his wife blissful because he dispensed his responsibilities towards his family to the best of his ability while residing and working at Dubai.

The plaintiff explained that he enrolled their children in one of the best schools around and also ensured they were fed with a balanced diet food at every meal.

According to the plaintiff, he ensured that both his children and wife lacked.

The plaintiff stated that the situation of things later changed in their home and went from bad to worse.

Gbolagade added that the relationship between him and his wife also fell apart all because his fortune nose dived.

He explained that his wife became unreasonable, rude and went as far as attempting murder.

Gbolagade said he has endured his wife’s misbehaviour enough and could no longer tolerate such any longer.

He, therefore, prayed the court to end their relationship.

The plaintiff also entreated the court for their children’s custody.

He further requested an order restricting his wife from threatening and encroaching on his privacy.

Omodunke refused that their marriage be dissolved.

She explained that she had remained supportive of her husband as they faced the financial crisis.

Omodunke stated that she went as far selling her piece of land to pay one of their children’s tuition fee in the tertiary institution.

The defendant said that her husband dragged her to court mainly because he planned to take a new wife.

Omodunke refused that her husband had custody of their children.

She pleaded that they be with her while the court made her husband responsible for their upkeep.

Gbolagade, in his evidence said, ‘My wife and I got married in December 2003 and I paid her bride price.

‘We had a beautiful marriage and a peace

peaceful relationship.

‘Ten years into our marriage, 2013 precisely, I left the country in search of a greener pasture.

‘I was in Dubai working and sending money home for the needs of both my wife and our children.

‘I ensured our children were enrolled in a standard school and I paid their fees although high as at when due.

‘I also showered my wife with attention and met all her needs.

‘Our home was a happy one.

‘All these unfortunately changed at the expiration of my visa and my inability to renew it.

‘My once loving wife became a pain in the neck.

‘She was unfriendly, troublesome, rude and always sought every opportunity to fight me.

‘She also turned our children agains5t me.

‘I also paid the high tuition fee of our first child who is in a private university from her first year to the third as at when due.

‘My wife turned her and her siblings my enemy when it was obvious that I could no longer afford the fee.

‘My wife also became hostile towards me and criticised all that I did.

‘She was always ready to fight me.

‘She was likewise rude to my parents, my father in particular and almost beat him up during a misunderstanding.

‘My wife is not trustw8 realised after I returned to Nigeria that my wife had been cheating me by collecting from me more than our children’s school fees.

‘She did the worst when she attempted to take her life by drinking snipper because I could no longer afford her lofty lifestyle.

‘I am tired of my marriage and relationship with my wife.

‘I pray that our union be dissolved.

‘I in addition plead for our children’s custody.

‘I further request an order restricting my wife from threatening and infringing on my privacy.’

Omodunke, responding, said, ‘I pray the court to spare our marriage.

‘I am positive that my husband dragged me yo court because he wants to marry another wife.

‘My father-in law in addition is also a force behind the step my husband took.

‘I never stopped supporting my husband and showering him with the necessary love and care in his predicament.

‘I went as far as selling my piece of land to pay our daughter’s school fee in the university.’

The president of the court, Mrs O.E Owoseni, after she had heard both parties stated that both had a valid and subsisting customary marriage because the bride price was paid.

Owoseni stated that the plaintiff claimed that the defendant exhibited different forms of intolerable behaviour which she did not challenge.

Ruling, Owoseni dissolved their union and ordered the plaintiff to be responsible for their second child’s education.

The first child she stated was old enough to decide where to stay.

At least three persons were injured on Friday when gunmen allegedly disrupted consultative meetings organised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State.

The incident occurred at two locations in Calabar South, including the Palace of the Paramount Ruler of the area, Etubom Nyong Edet Okon I, and the African Club along Calabar Road, where the party was scheduled to hold a second engagement with stakeholders.

Speaking with journalists after the incidents, the PDP governorship candidate, Sir Arthur Jarvis Archibong, said the attackers opened fire during the consultation at the palace, leaving three persons injured.

He said the injured victims were immediately evacuated to a hospital, where they were receiving treatment.

Archibong alleged that the violence continued at the African Club, where vehicles belonging to members of the PDP consultative team and supporters were reportedly damaged.

According to him, the party had duly notified the police of its activities and expected adequate security protection for the meetings.

He said about 3,000 supporters attended the consultation, adding that the party leadership restrained its members from retaliating despite the attacks.

Rather than engage the attackers, he said the party moved its convoy to the office of the Commissioner of Police to seek protection.

He warned that repeated disruption of political activities could undermine the democratic process and create an atmosphere of lawlessness ahead of the 2027 general elections.

‘Let the party not be held accountable when such disruptions lead to a total breakdown of law and order,’ he said.

Reacting to the incident, the PDP Deputy Governorship Candidate, Alphonsus Ogar Eba, appealed to party supporters to remain calm while condemning what he described as an attack on the party’s consultation with traditional rulers and other stakeholders.

Eba said the injured supporters were stable and recovering, while calling on security agencies to strengthen measures to protect lives and property.

He also urged political parties and stakeholders across the state to reject violence and allow citizens to participate freely in the political process ahead of the 2027 elections.

He said the PDP remained committed to its political campaign and would continue its consultations across the state despite the incident.

In a separate statement, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Mike Ojisi, described the incidents as disturbing attacks on the party’s consultative engagements.

Ojisi said the matter had been reported to the Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command, and urged security agencies to investigate the incidents and prosecute anyone found culpable in accordance with the law.

The party also appealed to its members and supporters to remain calm and refrain from reprisals.

It expressed solidarity with those injured and called on political actors across the state to allow political consultations and other democratic activities to take place without intimidation or violence.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state denied involvement in the incidents.

The APC Publicity Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Inyang, said the party was focused on its own political activities and urged the PDP to look elsewhere for those responsible for the attack.

The Cross River State Police Command confirmed that it was aware of the incidents.

The Command’s spokesman, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, said police personnel had been deployed to the affected locations and that the situation was under control.

He said the police were investigating the circumstances surrounding reports of gunfire, injuries and damage to property

‘The Cross River State Police Command is aware of reported incidents during political activities in Calabar South today, 2nd October 2026.

‘Police personnel have been deployed to the affected locations, and the situation is presently under control.

‘The Command is verifying the circumstances surrounding the incidents, including reports of gunfire, injuries, and damage to property,’ Eitokpah said.

He advised residents to remain calm, avoid affected areas where necessary and refrain from circulating unverified information.

He added that police presence and monitoring had been strengthened across the area to maintain peace and public order.

The Accord Party in Ogun State has provided 300 solar streetlights across rural communities in the state, as it formally commenced preparations for the 2027 governorship election and the unveiling of its campaign council.

The party’s governorship candidate, Alhaji Agbongboakala Olaniyi Shuaib, disclosed this over the weekend at the party’s secretariat in Abeokuta.

He explained that the lighting initiative was part of efforts to address infrastructure gaps in underserved communities and promote rural development.

The State Chairman of the party, Hon Oke Michael, informed that the solar-lighting project will see 100 streetlights installed in selected rural communities in each of the three senatorial districts.

He said the initiative was being funded by the party’s gubernatorial hopeful, as part of his contribution to rural development and the provision of basic infrastructure.

‘The Ogun Lighting Project is an evidence of the kind of development that Accord plans to achieve on a grander scale once the party is mandated to govern Ogun State,’ Oke said.

He added that the project was expected to enhance security and public safety while enabling businesses and markets in beneficiary communities to operate for longer hours.

Oke said the lighting project was only the beginning, adding that the party intended to expand the initiative if elected.

‘This is going to be a pilot project. We want to start with this initial phase and see how it works. If everything goes well, the next phase could be 1,000 solar streetlights. By God’s grace, we will be able to do it.’

The chairman also disclosed that the party had sponsored 84 students for the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination, describing the intervention as part of the party’s grassroots-oriented approach.

He said the party would continue to unveil programmes aimed at education, infrastructure and community development.

Addressing supporters at the event, Okewole outlined what he described as his administration’s development agenda if elected governor.

He promised to introduce what he called ‘Operation No Pothole’, under which his administration would intervene in the rehabilitation of roads across the state, including federal roads, subject to the necessary approvals.

‘There will be no demarcation as to whether a road is a state or federal road. There are no federal people. Everyone who plies a road in Ogun State is either an Ogun resident or a visitor,’ he said.

‘We cannot afford to leave our roads unattended simply because we are waiting for the Federal Government to come and repair them. Therefore, there will be Operation No Pothole in Ogun State.’

On healthcare, the ACCORD Party candidate promised to revitalise health facilities ranging from primary healthcare centres to general and teaching hospitals.

He also pledged to tackle abandoned projects in the health sector.

On education, Okewole said his administration would prioritise teachers’ welfare and improve remuneration across the civil service.

‘No state, country or society has developed by paying lip service to education,’ he said.

He also promised to create an enabling environment for private-sector investment while intervening directly in areas where government participation would be necessary to generate employment.

The candidate said his administration would target the creation of 550,000 jobs within its first four years, citing the need to prepare Ogun’s growing youthful population for the labour market.

He said the proposed economic strategy would focus on manufacturing, the blue, green and circular economies, as well as intellectual and creative industries.

‘We will create a conducive business environment for businesses to thrive and for private investors to come and do business,’ he said.

‘But we will not put our lives and our destinies entirely in the hands of the private sector. Where government needs to employ our people, government will employ them.’

Okewole also unveiled an ambitious proposal for a state-backed venture-capital framework to support startups and technology-driven businesses.

He said Ogun should take advantage of its proximity to Lagos to attract high-value businesses and investors.

The candidate said his long-term blueprint envisaged Ogun developing an economy capable of matching Lagos in scale, while targeting the emergence of high-value startups.

His proposal includes a state-sponsored venture-capital framework under which government funding would be matched by private investors.

According to him, eligible businesses would be expected to employ Ogun residents and domicile their operations in the state.

The aim, he said, would be to provide capital for entrepreneurs to scale their businesses and create employment.

Okewole further promised reforms in pension administration, saying retirees would receive their gratuities within 90 days of retirement if his party forms the government.

‘You can quote me. You can put this in black and white. I am prepared to sign it,’ he said.

He proposed an automated system that would begin processing a worker’s pension and gratuity several months before retirement.

He also promised to review the minimum wage in consultation with organised labour, arguing that the current wage was inadequate in view of prevailing living costs.

The candidate said ACCORD wanted Ogun civil servants to be among the best remunerated in the country while demanding higher productivity in return.

In his speech, Okewole criticised the incumbent APC administration, alleging that it had failed to deliver adequately in areas including infrastructure, healthcare, education and employment.

He challenged the government to identify what he described as a defining achievement that could serve as a campaign record.

Okewole also criticised what he described as the use of poverty and financial inducements in electoral politics.

‘We are campaigning to the conscience and hearts of Ogun people because we do not intend to commodify any Ogun indigene,’ he said.

He urged party members to take Accord’s message to communities ahead of the 2027 election.

‘Tell them that it is not enough to continue complaining about government. If you want change, you must seek it and participate in bringing it about,’ he said.

Meanwhile, the party, in its magnanimity, honoured a retired police officer, Abiodun Anifat Bello, for what it described as dedicated and meritorious service to the nation.

Michael said Accord Party believed public servants who had contributed to the development of Ogun deserved recognition and support after retirement.

The party Chairman said the recognition formed part of the organisation’s broader commitment to valuing public service.

Nollywood is exploring an alternate version of Nigeria in ‘A Land Apart’, an upcoming political thriller that imagines a country where agriculture, rather than crude oil, became the foundation of its economic prosperity.

Written by Emil Garuba and Michael Garuba and directed by Bem Pever, the film is scheduled to open in cinemas across Nigeria on October 23, 2026, with Nile Entertainment handling its theatrical distribution.

Set in an alternate Nigeria, ‘A Land Apart’ centres on Ahura Agric International Corporation (AAIC), an agricultural company whose proprietary formula, AX-103, has helped sustain food production across Africa.

The story takes a dramatic turn following the death of the company’s founder, Dekera Ahura, who is killed shortly before deciding which country should receive the life-changing formula. His secret heir, Dooshima Bida Ahura, subsequently finds herself at the centre of a struggle for control of the agricultural empire, as members of the family challenge her position and international interests move to secure AX-103.

Leading the cast is veteran actor Richard Mofe-Damijo, alongside Princess Mufeedah, Daniel Etim Effiong, Sam Dede, Adam Garba, Ronya Man, Frank Donga, Ummi Baba Ahmed, Iveren Antiev and Preach Bassey.

The late actress and singer Onyeka Onwenu also features in the film as Madam Ngozi, the Market Queen of Zaki Biam.

Set among the Tiv people of Benue State, the film incorporates the culture and agricultural heritage of the region into its fictional world, while exploring themes of family, power, wealth and political interests.

For Pever, the project also provides an opportunity to take a distinctly Nigerian story to international audiences. The filmmaker previously said the film’s appearance at the Cannes Film Festival opened conversations with international industry stakeholders and demonstrated the interest in authentic African stories.

Ahead of its Nigerian cinema release, A Land Apart has received international recognition, winning Best Feature Film at the 2026 Zanzibar International Film Festival. The film was also selected for the Creative Africa Content Pavilion at Cannes’ Marché du Film and the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival.

Produced by Pever, Sally Williams Ngwobia and Emil Garuba, with Samira Buhari as executive producer, the film is a production of Take 7 Media and Entertainment in association with Sutoritera Limited.

With its blend of alternate history, political intrigue, family conflict and agricultural themes,

A Land Apart is set to bring a different narrative to Nigerian cinemas when it opens nationwide on October 23.