Category: Nigerian Tribune

Kano State Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf has urged political actors, community leaders, and residents to reject violence, division, intolerance, and criminality in order to sustain peace and development in the state.

Yusuf made the call on Thursday while addressing citizens at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium, Kano.

The governor also urged residents to pray for peaceful, free, fair, and credible elections while exercising their civic responsibilities responsibly.

‘Let us shun violence and anything that may threaten the peace and stability of our dear state,’ Yusuf said.

He called on the people of Kano to renew their commitment to peace, unity, and responsible citizenship as Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.

Yusuf said nation-building required unity, sacrifice, and collective responsibility, urging Nigerians to turn the country’s diversity of languages, cultures, traditions, and faiths into a source of strength through mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

The governor also urged citizens to obey the law, protect public property, reject violence and criminality, pay legitimate taxes, and contribute to the peace and development of their communities.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to working with the federal government, local governments, traditional and religious institutions, the private sector, and development partners in the interest of the people.

Yusuf called on residents to support farmers, traders, teachers, entrepreneurs, women, and young people, saying a peaceful and stable environment would enable citizens to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.

He said his administration would remain focused on consolidating its achievements in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, water supply, security, and human capital development.

Chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Osun, Adewale Adebayo, has assured members of the party that the recent Supreme Court judgment on provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 does not affect the party’s structure or operations.

Adebayo gave the assurance in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, amid concerns in political circles over the implications of the apex court’s September 24 judgment for political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment delivered by a seven-member panel led by Justice Adamu Jauro, restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which had earlier been voided by the Court of Appeal.

The provisions govern political parties’ membership registers and the nomination of candidates. Sections 77(5) to (7) require parties to rely on the membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at least 21 days before primaries, congresses or conventions, while Section 84(2) provides for direct primaries or consensus as methods of nominating candidates.

The judgment followed an appeal by INEC against an earlier Court of Appeal decision which had struck down the provisions after a challenge by the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

Adebayo, however, said the ruling had no adverse effect on the APM, urging members to remain calm, united and focused on the party’s programmes.

He said, ‘The judgement does not affect the structure, operations and legitimacy of the APM in Osun and across the country.’

According to him, the party remains intact and is fully prepared for the 2027 elections.

He said the APM was working to secure victory for its presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, as well as its candidates for the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate.

Adebayo added that the party had put strategies in place to strengthen its grassroots presence across the local government areas of Osun State.

He urged members to intensify mobilisation and remain focused, rather than being distracted by what he described as rumours or misinterpretations of the Supreme Court judgment.

‘We are not affected by the Supreme Court judgement. Our party is intact and we are more determined than ever to deliver for our presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, and all our candidates in the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate in 2027,’ he said.

The Supreme Court judgment has generated discussion over the practical implications of the restored provisions for political parties and candidates preparing for the 2027 elections, although reports indicate that the ruling did not automatically invalidate nominations already concluded.

Nigerian entrepreneur and civic advocate, Akin Olaoye, popularly known as Akin Tollgate, who supported Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office.

Akin Tollgate announced his new position in a statement shared on his X handle, explaining that his decision followed his assessment of the Tinubu administration’s policies and performance since 2023.

He was a prominent supporter of Obi during the 2023 election and publicly backed his presidential bid at the time. A 2023 interview also identified him as a supporter of Obi.

However, Akin said his position had changed after observing developments under the Tinubu administration over the past three years.

‘In 2023, I was a critic. I distrusted the APC like many in my generation. I was disillusioned, and my conviction then was clear: the opposition offered the better path. I acted on it. I organised, I spoke, and I put my own resources behind that belief,’ Akin said.

He said he was now supporting Tinubu because of what he described as the administration’s reform agenda, particularly its economic policies.

‘Three years later, I have changed my position. Not because it is convenient. Not because I was paid. I have changed because the reforms, the vision, and the leadership President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown have moved the country in a direction I can no longer honestly deny,’ he said.

Olaoye cited the removal of the petrol subsidy and foreign exchange reforms among the major decisions that influenced his position, acknowledging that the measures had imposed significant pressure on Nigerians.

‘Fuel subsidy removal was painful. FX unification was painful. Nigerians have carried a significant burden through this transition,’ he said.

The International Monetary Fund has said Nigeria’s reforms since 2023 have helped strengthen macroeconomic stability, reduce fiscal vulnerabilities and improve the functioning of the foreign exchange market, while also noting that economic conditions remain difficult for many Nigerians.

The social critic said he believed the reforms were addressing structural problems that had persisted in the Nigerian economy.

‘But I believe the architecture of a functioning economy is being rebuilt in public, with determination. Leadership sometimes requires decisions whose benefits are not immediately visible,’ he said.

The entrepreneur acknowledged that his decision to switch political allegiance would attract criticism, particularly because of his previous support for Obi.

‘Some will be upset to see me pivot. Others will cheer. I understand. But loyalty to a 2023 posture is easier than responding to what you believe the evidence before you now shows. I choose the latter,’ he said.

‘Nigeria cannot be frozen in the arguments of 2023 while 2027 and the future demand new decisions.’

He also said his support for Tinubu did not mean he opposed the existence of a strong opposition or the right of Nigerians to disagree with the government.

‘I respect those who still stand with the opposition. I admire their persistence and the constituencies they speak for. Democracy needs that contest, and I will continue to advocate for it,’ he said.

‘My position is simply that I no longer believe their current path represents the direction I want to support for Nigeria at this time.’

He identified fiscal policy, infrastructure and what he described as the administration’s willingness to take politically difficult economic decisions as factors behind his decision.

Olaoye also said he intended to remain actively involved in politics ahead of the 2027 elections.

‘That same energy and vigour will be deployed ahead of 2027 – not as a convert seeking applause, but as a Nigerian who has watched the data, lived through the pain and reached the conclusion that the country must keep moving,’ he said.

He argued that changing a political position based on changing circumstances should not automatically be interpreted as inconsistency.

‘There is nothing democratic about insisting that a citizen must remain permanently imprisoned by a political decision he made in 2023. Democracy also means the freedom to reassess, question, change, and make a different choice based on what you see today.

‘My position today is clear: Nigeria must move forward,’ he concluded.

Less than a week after the official registration for the 2027 Hajj exercise, the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has approved an additional 10,000 slots for Nigeria and conveyed the approval to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), despite the ministry’s initial rejection of the commission’s request for additional slots.

The Saudi authorities had last year reduced Nigeria’s allocation from 95,000, which the country had maintained for nearly two decades, to 50,000 for the 2025 Hajj exercise and maintained the figure for the 2026 and 2027 Hajj exercises.

Based on the 50,000 slots allocated to Nigeria for the 2027 Hajj, NAHCON had distributed the slots among states and private tour operators, with states and the armed forces getting 35,000, while the remaining 15,000 was allocated to tour operators.

Following persistent requests for more allocations from state Muslim pilgrims’ welfare boards and private tour operators, NAHCON approached the Saudi ministry for more slots to be allocated to Nigeria for the 2027 Hajj.

However, on 17 September, NAHCON announced that the Saudi authorities had declined Nigeria’s request for an upward review of its 2027 Hajj allocation.

The decline, according to the management of the Hajj commission, meant Nigeria’s earlier quota of 50,000 slots remained unchanged despite growing demand from intending pilgrims across the country.

The commission disclosed that it had formally engaged the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, seeking additional pilgrimage slots to accommodate the increasing number of Nigerian Muslims desirous of undertaking the sacred journey and to address appeals from several state pilgrims’ welfare boards for enhanced allocations.

According to NAHCON, Saudi authorities communicated their inability to grant additional slots, citing capacity limitations, structural constraints within the holy sites and the Kingdom’s policy of strict adherence to approved country quotas under the current operational framework.

However, Tribune Online learnt that the Saudis made a U-turn as a result of diplomatic engagements involving higher authorities from both countries, prompting the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to formally notify NAHCON of the approval of an additional 10,000 slots to Nigeria’s earlier allocation of 50,000 slots.

Reliable sources in NAHCON informed Tribune Online that the commission received a letter informing it of the allocation of the additional slots to Nigeria before the close of work on Wednesday. This now brings Nigeria’s total allocation for next year’s Hajj exercise to 60,000 slots.

‘Following diplomatic engagements between the Federal Government, NAHCON and Saudi authorities, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Wednesday communicated approval of an additional 10,000 slots to Nigeria.

‘This means that we now have the opportunity of registering more intending pilgrims for next year’s Hajj. This is, indeed, good news,’ an insider in NAHCON told Tribune Online.

Asked what would happen after the 26 September deadline set by the Saudi ministry for all intending pilgrims’ registration data to be uploaded on its Nusuk Masar platform, another source said the Saudis would leave the platform open for the data of new registrants to be uploaded.

As of the time of filing this report, NAHCON had not made any official statement on the development, and it was not clear how the additional slots would be distributed, given that both states and private tour operators had agitated for more slots.

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has distributed appointment letters to 2,367 newly recruited health personnel as part of efforts to address manpower shortages in healthcare facilities across the state.

He said the first phase of the recruitment included 250 medical doctors, 40 pharmacists, 250 nurses, 250 midwives, 150 senior community health extension workers, 50 junior community health extension workers and 50 epidemiologists.

Yusuf said the recruitment was necessitated by identified manpower gaps in health facilities and the need to improve access to quality healthcare services for residents.

The governor, who spoke during the distribution of the appointment letters in Kano, said the shortage of medical personnel had become a major challenge, particularly as doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals continued to move to other institutions and locations.

According to him, hundreds of other healthcare professionals across various cadres were also recruited under the exercise.

Yusuf said the deployment of the newly recruited personnel would strengthen hospitals, primary healthcare centres and other health institutions, particularly facilities experiencing critical shortages of healthcare workers.

He congratulated the new employees, describing their appointments as a call to service and urging them to demonstrate compassion, discipline, integrity, commitment, and respect for human dignity in discharging their duties.

The governor directed the health workers to provide services fairly and with dignity to all patients, irrespective of their social status, religion, ethnicity, political affiliation or economic circumstances.

He also urged them to maintain punctuality and dedication, pursue continuous professional development and ensure responsible use of public resources.

Yusuf assured the new health personnel that the state government would provide the necessary support to enable them to perform effectively, while holding them accountable for delivering quality healthcare services to the people.

He commended the Ministry of Health, State Hospital Management Board, Primary Healthcare Development Agency and other institutions involved in the recruitment exercise for their contributions towards its success.

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, on Wednesday, formally welcomed Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni as the unit’s 30th Acting Comptroller, even as Comptroller Gambo Aliyu retired from the Service after a distinguished tenure.

The handing-over ceremony was held at the unit’s conference hall and brought together friends, colleagues and well-wishers of both the incoming and outgoing Comptrollers.

Also in attendance were Acting Customs Area Controllers of the Port and Terminal Multipurpose Limited (PTML), Ogun 1 Area Command, and the Enugu/Ebonyi/Anambra Command, among other senior officers and stakeholders.

In his inaugural address, Deputy Comptroller Afeni pledged ‘purposeful, professional and accountable leadership’ in furtherance of the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.

He expressed appreciation for the confidence reposed in him by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the Service’s management team.

The Acting Comptroller said his administration would pursue ‘intelligence-led enforcement’, block revenue leakages, and protect Nigeria’s economic and security interests.

He emphasised that enforcement activities would be ‘firm, lawful and respectful of human dignity’, while legitimate trade would be facilitated through constructive engagement with traders, manufacturers, importers, exporters, customs brokers and other stakeholders.

He also called for stronger collaboration with sister security and law-enforcement agencies to combat trans-border crimes, including the illicit movement of drugs, arms, currencies, counterfeit goods and other prohibited items.

He pledged attention to officers’ welfare, professional development, institutional discipline, and regular sporting activities to promote fitness, teamwork and work-life balance.

In his handing-over address, the immediate past Comptroller of the unit, retired Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, expressed gratitude and humility, marking the occasion as a formal transfer of leadership while reflecting on the responsibilities and challenges of commanding the unit.

He noted that his administration focused on combating smuggling, revenue fraud, concealment, under-declaration, false declaration, and the movement of prohibited goods.

Highlighting major operational successes, he reported the interception of 779 smuggling attempts involving items such as: Over 20,900 bags of foreign parboiled rice; 61 used vehicles;

Thousands of used compressors and clothing items; Foreign poultry products; 4,418 jerrycans of vegetable oil; 12,606 parcels of cannabis weighing 6,194.3kg; 2.30kg of cocaine; Over 3,000 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (76,505 litres); and 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84kg. These and other seizures had a total duty-paid value of ?13,075,056,616.00.

On revenue recovery, Comptroller Aliyu reported remarkable performance between 10 December 2025 and 24 September 2026, with the unit recovering ?3,192,511,547.52-representing 798% of its ?400 million annual target for 2026, and a 776% increase over the ?411,451,901.18 recovered in the same period in 2025.

He attributed these achievements to ‘enhanced risk profiling, stricter compliance checks, targeted introspection into suspicious declarations, teamwork, professionalism and collaboration with sister agencies and stakeholders’, stressing that ‘no enforcement agency can succeed in isolation’.

Concluding his address, he welcomed and congratulated his successor, assuring him of a strong operational foundation and charging him to ‘lead with fairness, firmness, courage and sound judgment’.

He thanked the officers for their loyalty, discipline and resilience, and prayed for the success of the new leadership, the continued growth of the Nigeria Customs Service, and the security of Nigeria.

President Bola Tinubu has called for increased local production, urging Nigerians to produce more goods, strengthen agriculture and build businesses capable of competing in the global market.

Tinubu made the call in his Independence Day address to the nation on Thursday, as Nigeria marked its 66th anniversary of independence.

The President said his administration was prioritising jobs, enterprise and industrial growth, stressing the need to turn Nigeria’s large youthful population into an engine of production.

‘I want to see more Nigerians making things. I want to see more Nigerian farms feeding our cities and supplying our factories. I want to see Nigerian businesses selling Nigerian goods to the whole world. I want young Nigerians building unicorns and creating opportunities for others here at home.

‘I am also conscious that millions of our fellow citizens cannot wait for tomorrow. Some Nigerian families still struggle today for the next meal, the next school fee, the next medical bill, or simply enough money to get to work.

‘Their circumstances did not begin with the reforms of the last three years. Their struggle is the accumulated consequence of decades of low productivity, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient opportunity, and institutions that too often failed those who needed them most.

‘We cannot erase in four years what accumulated over generations. But we can change its course. We can build an economy that steadily lifts people out of poverty while ensuring that those who remain vulnerable are not abandoned along the way.

‘That is why we are strengthening direct support for the poorest households and improving the National Social Register so that assistance reaches those who genuinely need it.

‘It is why the Nigerian Education Loan Fund is ensuring that the child of a low-income family need not surrender the dream of higher education simply because his parents cannot afford the fees.

‘It is why CREDICORP is giving working Nigerians access to consumer credit, allowing people to acquire vehicles, solar systems, digital devices, and other essential assets without first having to accumulate years of savings.

‘That is why, working with our states and local governments, we will continue to strengthen primary healthcare, basic education, and the essential public services poorer Nigerians depend on most.

‘Since 2023, we have paid salaries and pensions on time and in full. We have reformed the national pension programme to benefit retirees and the vulnerable.

‘These programmes are not substitutes for prosperity. They are a bridge to aid our nation’s citizens on their path towards it. Our objective is not to manage poverty more efficiently.

‘We will defeat it.

‘It will take time. It will require discipline. It will require sustained growth year after year and the creation of millions of productive opportunities across our country.’

The Lagos State government says it is implementing a pound 410 million Omi-Eko project to establish a modern, integrated public inland waterways transportation system.

Special Adviser on Blue Economy to the Lagos State Governor, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, disclosed this recently at the 2026 Transport Correspondents Association of Nigeria (TCAN) summit, in Lagos.

Emmanuel said the project was designed to complement the state’s urban mobility system, improve connectivity for waterfront communities and expand access to economic opportunities.

He said more than 540,000 people currently lived in waterfront communities, with many depending on water transport for mobility, livelihoods and economic activities.

According to him, congestion, rising transport costs, limited road space, environmental concerns and inadequate connectivity informed the state’s decision to strengthen water transportation.

‘Water transport can provide alternative corridors and reduce journey times, citing the Ikorodu-Falomo route as an example.

‘The journey from Ikorodu to Falomo, which can take more than one hour by road, could be completed in about 25 to 30 minutes by water,” he stated.

He said the state was strengthening regulation, safety oversight, ferry terminal development, navigation, professional standards and stakeholder engagement to support the sector.

The special adviser added that public awareness was important, as some residents remained reluctant to use water transportation because of fear and limited familiarity with waterways.

He said the Omi-Eko project followed a two-year pre-feasibility study conducted with support from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

‘The pound 410 million project involves the European Investment Bank, AFD, European Union and Lagos State Government, with financing comprising loans, grants and counterpart funding.

‘The European Investment Bank will provide pound 170 million, AFD pound 130 million, the European Union pound 60 million grant and Lagos State Government pound 40 million.

‘The remaining pound 10 million is expected from private-sector participation, particularly investment in the ticketing system,” he said.

He said the five-year project would establish 15 structured ferry routes, dredge about 140 kilometres of waterways, upgrade 25 ferry terminals and provide 78 modern electric ferries.

Emmanuel said the vessels would carry up to 440 passengers, while the project would provide passenger facilities, fleet maintenance infrastructure, improved navigation channels and climate-resilient infrastructure.

He said a Vessel Industry Transition Programme was being developed to integrate informal-sector operators into the emerging formal water transportation system through integration or buyout arrangements.

The special adviser stressed that safety remained the foundation of the programme, with emphasis on regulatory enforcement, crew competence, vessel standards and emergency preparedness.

Suspected political thugs have allegedly attacked the campaign office of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Oredo Federal Constituency in the 2027 general election, Hon. Frank Uyi Omosigho, in Benin.

The incident reportedly occurred at about 10 p.m. on Tuesday, with campaign posters, banners, and other materials allegedly destroyed during the attack.

A visit by the Nigerian Tribune to the campaign office located along Stadium Road in Benin on Thursday revealed visible signs of destruction, with several campaign materials pulled down and damaged.

Reacting to the incident, Hon. Omosigho, who represents Oredo East Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, said community members alerted him to the attack, prompting him to visit the office at about 11 pm

He said he met youths at the premises who complained that unknown persons had arrived at the office and destroyed the campaign materials.

‘My appeal to youths is not to allow politicians to use them to perpetrate violence or other illegal acts. Anyone caught violating the law would face the consequences.

‘The campaign materials were meant to introduce candidates and political parties to the electorate. The voters had the right to make their choices independently,’ the lawmaker stated.

Omosigho further disclosed that the incident had been reported to the police at Aideyan Police Station. At the same time, the State Commissioner of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) had also been informed.

He urged his supporters and NDC members to remain calm and continue campaigning peacefully, saying the incident would not deter the party.

Omosigho further appealed to Nigerians, particularly youths, not to allow themselves to be used to perpetrate electoral violence, urging them to vote for candidates based on their programmes and capacity to represent the people.

The lawmaker further alleged the destruction of his campaign posters and billboards in parts of Oredo ahead of the 2027 general election.

He claimed that some of his campaign materials had been pulled down in different locations, including Stadium Road, Oguola, Oliha, Five Junction and Ekenwan Road.

The Public Relations Officer of Edo State Police Commander, ASP. Eno Ikoedem, could not be reached at the time of filing this report.

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has called on the Federal Government to fully implement the 2026 agreement reached with the union and settle all outstanding financial obligations arising from the pact, including arrears.

SSANU, in an Independence Day message signed by its National President, Comrade Mohammad Haruna Ibrahim, said the agreement, which took effect on 1 January 2026, could not be regarded as fully implemented while legitimate entitlements accruing to university workers remained outstanding.

The union, which made the demand as Nigeria marked its 66th Independence Anniversary yesterday, urged the Federal Government to release the necessary funds to universities and inter-university centres to enable them to implement both the financial and non-financial provisions of the agreement.

‘The Agreement took effect from 1st January 2026, although it was formally signed on 29th June 2026, and the financial obligations arising from the effective date, including all outstanding arrears, must therefore be addressed,’ Ibrahim stated.

According to him, ‘implementation cannot be regarded as complete while legitimate entitlements accruing to workers remain outstanding.’

SSANU also called on state governments to ensure that workers in state-owned universities were not denied negotiated improvements in their conditions of service because of the ownership of the institutions.

‘Collective bargaining has meaning only when agreements freely entered into are faithfully implemented,’ the union president said.

The demand came against the backdrop of what SSANU described as mounting economic pressure on Nigerian workers and their families, with the rising costs of food, transportation, electricity, housing, healthcare and education continuing to put pressure on household incomes.

The union said the significance of Nigeria’s 66 years of political independence should ultimately be measured by improvements in the daily lives of citizens, particularly workers who depend on their wages to meet basic household needs.

It argued that while official economic indicators might record improvements in some areas, such gains would have limited meaning if workers could not afford basic necessities.

‘For independence to have its full meaning, this enormous potential must translate into improved living conditions, including security, decent work, quality education, affordable healthcare, food security and a dignified standard of living for all Nigerians,’ SSANU said.

The union added that ‘a salary that cannot adequately provide food, shelter, transportation, healthcare and education for a worker and his or her family is steadily losing its real value irrespective of the figure written on a payslip.’

It therefore urged governments at all levels to pursue policies capable of reducing the cost of living, protecting workers’ purchasing power and strengthening domestic production.

SSANU further warned against a situation where workers were continually asked to bear the burden of economic adjustment while waste, excessive expenditure and inefficiency persisted in public administration.

‘Workers must not continually be called upon to make sacrifices while waste, excessive expenditure and inefficiency remain visible in public administration,’ the union said, insisting that responsible and prudent governance must also reflect the sacrifices expected of the people.

On the university system, SSANU called for renewed commitment to public education, arguing that universities remained critical instruments of national development and social mobility.

The association demanded sustainable and predictable funding for Nigerian universities to address inadequate electricity, obsolete equipment, insufficient laboratories, weak digital infrastructure, deteriorating facilities and limited support for research and staff development.

It also stressed that the contributions of non-academic personnel must receive due recognition, noting that university operations depended on workers in the registry, bursary, audit, library, ICT, health, security, engineering, works, laboratories and other professional and administrative units.

‘University education must be treated as an investment in the country’s future, with transparency and accountability in the use of resources,’ the union stated.

SSANU also raised concerns over insecurity and its impact on education, agriculture and food production, calling for stronger intelligence gathering, improved community engagement, modern security technology and better-equipped security agencies.

The union said schools and universities must be adequately protected to enable staff and students to work and learn without fear, while farmers should have access to security, affordable inputs, finance, infrastructure and reliable transportation.

It further urged the government to strengthen the link between university research and practical solutions in agriculture, biotechnology, engineering, climate science and food technology, saying such collaboration could boost productivity and reduce dependence on imports.

On governance, SSANU called for stronger institutions, transparency, respect for the rule of law and responsible management of public resources.

It said citizens had a right to know that resources entrusted to government were being used for the public good, while public officials should recognise that leadership was a responsibility rather than a privilege detached from the realities confronting ordinary Nigerians.

As the country approaches the 2027 general elections, the association also urged political parties, candidates, electoral institutions, security agencies and citizens to conduct themselves responsibly and peacefully.

It called for an electoral process free from violence, ethnic division, religious hostility and intimidation, stressing that workers should be free to scrutinise the policies, programmes and records of those seeking public office and make their choices according to their own judgement and conscience.

According to SSANU, Nigeria needs an electoral discourse centred on security, employment, education, healthcare, the economy, infrastructure, workers’ welfare and the future of young people.

The union, however, said the challenges confronting the country were not beyond solution, urging responsible leadership, strong institutions, fairness for workers and a citizenry committed to building a peaceful and prosperous nation.

Ibrahim said SSANU would continue to defend the legitimate rights and welfare of its members, demand faithful implementation of agreements reached with government, protect accessible and properly funded public education, and promote professionalism and quality within the Nigerian university system.

‘Political independence must ultimately translate into economic security, social justice, quality public services and a life of dignity for the Nigerian people,’ he said.