Category: PM News

Youth-led movements across the country gathered with the sole aim to review the candidates for the forthcoming 2027 elections. Among these are the Omoluwabi Movement of Africa, the 4th Thribe, and the Coalition of Concerned Youths (CCY). These organizations, reflecting the aspirations and energy of a new generation, have come together across party lines to form a unified front in endorsing Adebayo as their presidential candidate in the 2027 presidential election.

This coalition not only emphasizes the importance of political experience and a defined ideological direction but also seeks to engage young voters who are eager for a new chapter of freshness for the country.

The involved groups are characterized by their commitment to fostering civic engagement, advocating for social justice, and driving inclusive political discourse. The Omoluwabi Movement, for example, emphasizes integrity and moral values in leadership, while the 4th Thribe champions a progressive agenda that prioritizes the needs of the youth. The CCY focuses on uniting young voices to influence policy changes and promote good governance.

Together, these movements represent a powerful force in the political landscape, signaling a shift in how leadership is perceived and executed. By endorsing Adebayo, they are not just supporting a candidate; they are endorsing a vision for a brighter future that resonates with the needs and aspirations of the youths while also giving a big boost to his growing popularity.

According to the MIP Nigeria, Prince Adebayo’s candidacy stands out through his extensive experience managing firms and his passion for youth development. Having served in various capacities and leadership roles, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.

Adebayo is not just another candidate; he stands out with a well-defined ideological framework that resonates with the values of the youths. His vision encompasses empowerment, educational reform, and a commitment to sustainable development.

By aligning his goals with the interests of the youths, Adebayo creates a sense of ownership and involvement among young voters, motivating them to participate actively in the electoral process.

His ideological direction is crucial in a political environment that often lacks clarity and purpose. Young voters today are not merely looking for someone to vote for; they seek a leader who embodies their beliefs and aspirations such as Pa Awolowo did in the past. Adebayo’s clear stance on key issues positions him as a candidate that the youths can rally around.

Lawyer and actor Kenneth Okonkwo has accused Taiwo Oyedele of misleading Nigerians over the Federal Government’s 30-day petrol discount, alleging that the Tinubu administration has effectively reintroduced fuel subsidy while refusing to acknowledge it.

Okonkwo made the allegation during an appearance on Channels Television, where he challenged the government’s insistence that the temporary reduction in petrol prices was a discount rather than a subsidy.

‘Sorry to say this, Taiwo Oyedele lied when he said it was not subsidy. It was subsidy,’ Okonkwo declared.

He argued that the government’s decision to reduce petrol prices from about N1,500 to N1,350 per litre amounted to a subsidy because the intervention was intended to ease the financial burden on Nigerians.

‘What were they trying to do? They were trying to reduce cost. They acknowledged by themselves that the cost was becoming unbearable for the people and they have to intervene to give relief for the people,’ he said.

Okonkwo maintained that the measure met the definition of a subsidy, describing it as financial assistance intended to reduce costs or achieve economic and social objectives.

‘And they say it’s not subsidy. Then the whole idea of subsidy has to be redefined. Because what he did is exactly the definition of subsidy,’ he added.

The lawyer alleged that the administration was reluctant to describe the intervention as a subsidy because it had repeatedly ruled out restoring the petrol subsidy.

He also referred to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s position that the government should introduce measures to ease the hardship facing Nigerians, regardless of what such measures were called.

Mocking the government’s handling of the policy, Okonkwo compared its approach to a student copying another person’s answers during an examination.

‘In the examination hall, when you are copying the answer of your fellow classmate, you will always copy even the words you should not copy,’ he said.

Kenneth Okonkwo’s allegation adds to the controversy over the government’s temporary petrol price intervention and whether it represents a return to fuel subsidy or a separate relief measure.

The Federal Government has maintained that the discount does not amount to the return of fuel subsidy, a position Okonkwo disputes.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has appointed Akinwale Akinwole, popularly known as Wolekanle, as his new Chief of Staff following the resignation of Segun Ogunwuyi.

The appointment, which takes immediate effect, comes after Ogunwuyi stepped down from the position on Monday, October 12, 2026.

Makinde also approved the appointment of Aderonke Adedayo as Director-General of the Oyo State Due Process Office.

The appointments were announced in separate letters signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Musibau Babatunde.

Akinwole, a grassroots politician, previously served as Chairman of the Oyo State Local Government Service Commission.

Adedayo, who currently serves as Special Adviser on General Intervention and Donor Agencies, will retain her existing position while taking on her new responsibilities.

Governor Makinde congratulated the two appointees and urged them to discharge their duties with loyalty, commitment and dedication to the service of Oyo State.

The outcome of the August 2026 Osun governorship election has become a talking point among opposition politicians, with some presenting it as evidence that massive voter turnout can overcome federal influence and defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC). However, the argument that replicating Osun’s turnout alone could determine the outcome of the 2027 presidential election overlooks several factors, including incumbency, opposition fragmentation, regional voting patterns and the ability of candidates to mobilise their supporters.

The debate came up during a socio-political discussion organised by Family Worship Centre to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary. During the panel discussion, the senior pastor, Pastor Sarah Omakwu, asked a question that speaks directly to the economic concerns of millions of Nigerians: ‘What can we do to bring petrol prices down?’

One of the speakers, a journalist whose name I could not immediately recall, responded by drawing attention to the Osun governorship election.

‘People of Osun State taught us a lesson. On election day, the Osun people trooped out in their thousands. In history, they have the highest voter turnout… they voted, they resisted federal might. If you turnout on January 15th, game is over. Osun is your reference point,’ he said.

At least in the clip I watched, none of the panellists directly explained how to bring petrol prices down.

But beyond that disconnect, the journalist’s conclusion deserves closer examination. I have heard opposition politicians make similar arguments, suggesting that Osun offers a model for defeating President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Incumbency matters

The first point to understand is that Governor Ademola Adeleke contested the August 15, 2026 election as an incumbent. He had the advantages associated with occupying the office, including visibility, an established political network and the opportunity to campaign on his administration’s record.

Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party, secured 511,067 votes, defeating the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam, received 17,180 votes.

The outcome does not automatically establish that the opposition has discovered a formula for defeating the APC nationally. The incumbent in Osun was the candidate who won re-election. The election demonstrated that an incumbent can retain office despite a strong challenge, not that the same strategy would necessarily unseat an incumbent president.

A governorship election also differs from a presidential contest in its political geography. A candidate can build a winning coalition within one state, but a presidential candidate must secure broad national support and satisfy the constitutional requirement of geographical spread.

Osun should therefore be studied in the context of its political history, candidates’ support bases, campaign organisation and voting patterns across local government areas.

Did the ADC help Adeleke?

Another issue complicating the opposition’s interpretation is the disagreement over whether the ADC worked with Adeleke’s campaign.

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s national publicity secretary, said the party collaborated with Accord to prevent the APC from winning. However, Adeleke, through his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, denied having an electoral deal with the ADC and said the party was not part of the coalition supporting his campaign.

The disagreement matters because the opposition cannot confidently attribute Adeleke’s victory to an alliance without establishing how that alliance operated and how much it contributed to the result.

The ADC’s 17,180 votes were relatively small compared with Adeleke’s 511,067. But the figures alone do not establish whether ADC supporters transferred their votes to Accord, stayed away or supported other candidates.

Was it really federal might?

The claim that Osun voters resisted ‘federal might’ also requires historical context.

Opposition supporters have pointed to the presence of APC governors during the campaign and the controversy involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as evidence of pressure on Adeleke.

However, political parties routinely deploy governors and other influential figures to support candidates, particularly during off-cycle elections. Their presence does not, by itself, establish improper federal interference.

The relevant questions are whether public institutions were used improperly, whether voters were intimidated, whether electoral officials acted independently and whether such conduct affected the outcome.

The 2026 election should therefore be assessed against that history rather than presented as the first occasion on which Osun voters challenged the interests of a governing party.

Claims of federal interference require evidence beyond the fact that the APC lost.

Economic hardship does not automatically determine elections

This brings me back to Pastor Omakwu’s question about reducing petrol prices.

Fuel prices affect transportation, food distribution, electricity generation and business operating costs. Nigerians experiencing higher living costs have legitimate reasons to assess the government’s economic performance.

The opposition’s decision to make economic hardship central to its criticism of Tinubu is understandable. Atiku Abubakar’s advocacy for a return to petrol subsidy has also brought the debate over the government’s economic policies into focus.

However, there is a difference between economic conditions influencing voters and those conditions automatically determining an election.

In my 2020 research paper, The Factors Determining Voter Turnouts in Presidential Elections in Nigeria: Multivariate Correlation Analysis of the 2019 Presidential Election, I examined the relationship between electoral participation, socioeconomic conditions, electoral violence and candidates’ popularity.

The study offers a useful caution against assuming that economic dissatisfaction automatically translates into a particular electoral outcome. A voter may be unhappy with petrol prices and still support an incumbent because of party loyalty, regional affiliations or dissatisfaction with the opposition.

Economic hardship can influence voter preferences, but its electoral effect depends on how voters interpret the government’s performance and whether they believe an alternative can improve their circumstances.

Turnout matters, but whose votes are being mobilised?

The journalist’s central argument was that voters should turn out in large numbers. On that point, there is little to dispute. High participation strengthens democratic legitimacy and gives more citizens a voice.

But turnout alone does not tell us which candidate benefits.

An increase in participation could favour an opposition candidate if previously disengaged voters turn out overwhelmingly to support that candidate. It could equally benefit an incumbent if the governing party is more effective at mobilising its supporters.

Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election illustrates this challenge. Tinubu received 8,794,726 votes, Atiku polled 6,984,520, Peter Obi received 6,101,533, while Rabiu Kwankwaso secured 1,496,687 votes.

The principal opposition candidates contested separately rather than rallying behind a single presidential candidate. Although it would be wrong to assume that every vote would automatically transfer under a different arrangement, the results demonstrate the importance of opposition coordination.

This is where the Osun analogy becomes limited. A state-level contest involving a sitting governor is not equivalent to a presidential election involving competing political bases across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Nigeria needs more than an Osun template

The most important question for 2027 is whether the opposition can overcome its fragmentation. It must resolve disagreements over leadership, candidate selection and campaign coordination before the election.

If opposition parties fail to develop a coherent strategy, increased turnout may not produce the outcome they expect. Economic dissatisfaction alone cannot guarantee electoral success, just as incumbency does not guarantee victory.

Osun offers useful lessons about voter participation and political mobilisation, but it is not a substitute for analysing the dynamics of a national election.

The Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva has warned that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could affect about 40 per cent of jobs globally, urging governments to prepare workers for the changing labour market.

Georgieva ???????????said this during a panel session on ‘Small Scale AI: More and Better Jobs,’ at the 2026 IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand on Monday.

She described AI as a ‘slow-moving tsunami’, for the labour market, saying it could augment, downgrade or eliminate jobs.

According to her, IMF estimates show that AI could affect about 60 per cent of jobs in advanced economies and 23 per cent in low-income countries.

She said the lower exposure in low-income countries reflected the slower spread of AI rather than greater protection from its effects.

According to her, AI is already stimulating investment and demand in some economies through the construction of data centres and the development of AI models.

She identified the United States, China and India as major AI-producing economies, while several Asian countries, including Thailand, were contributing to the infrastructure supporting the technology.

Georgieva said the investments were helping sustain global economic growth at about three per cent, in spite of the drag from energy supply shocks.

She, however, said the next phase of AI development would be driven by adoption, which could enable more countries to benefit if they established the necessary foundations.

The IMF chief said developing economies needed reliable electricity, digital infrastructure, appropriate skills and effective government safeguards to ensure safe and inclusive AI adoption.

She cited IMF estimates indicating that AI could increase growth in advanced Asian economies by between 0.5 and one percentage point, while emerging Asian economies could record additional growth of between 0.2 and 0.8 percentage points.

Georgieva said an additional one percentage point of growth could more than offset the economic losses associated with rapidly ageing populations in advanced Asian economies.

On employment, she said an IMF study in the United States showed that about 10 per cent of jobs already required advanced AI skills, with such positions generally attracting higher pay.

She added that routine and repetitive jobs were declining, while lower-paying jobs were increasing in areas such as data centre construction and services.

Although the study found a positive net employment impact in the areas examined, Georgieva said the trend was not entirely encouraging because much of the employment growth was concentrated in lower-paying jobs.

She identified young people entering the labour market as particularly vulnerable because routine entry-level positions traditionally provide opportunities to gain experience and advance in their careers.

Georgieva urged governments to monitor labour market developments, reform education systems to promote lifelong learning and reconsider tax policies as AI changes the balance between labour and capital.

She warned that a shift toward greater reliance on capital and less on human labour could affect government revenue, limiting the capacity of public authorities to help society adapt to AI-driven changes.

She expressed hope that AI would take over undesirable tasks, allowing people to enjoy higher productivity, improved living standards and the dignity of meaningful social participation.

‘Get AI to do all the stuff we don’t want to do and let us enjoy the things we love to do.’

President of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam said AI-driven job displacement would occur gradually, task by task, giving workers and employers time to adapt through workplace learning and skills development.

Shanmugaratnam, however, expressed concern that demand for entry-level jobs was declining, particularly in technology-related sectors, with potential consequences for fresh graduates.

He called on governments to collaborate with the private sector to create employment opportunities for graduates, stressing that securing a first job was crucial to building skills, experience and confidence.

Shanmugaratnam also advocated reforms in tertiary education to reduce excessive emphasis on academic qualifications and expand practical training, internships, workplace attachments and partnerships between universities and businesses.

The Singaporean president said education systems needed to remain flexible, combining specialised expertise with broader human skills, as the precise demands of the future workplace remained uncertain.(NAN)

The Society for People with Disability Forum, North-West, has said its members would mobilise five million votes for President Bola Tinubu and one million votes for Kano governor Abba Yusuf in the 2027 general election.

The Forum said this while announcing their endorsement of President Tinubu and Gov. Yusuf of Kano State for a second term on Sunday in Kano.

They spoke at a sensitisation programme on the importance of voting for persons with disabilities in the North-West zone.

The National Chairman of the forum, Yarima Suleiman, called on people with disabilities from the 19 states, including Abuja, to show our interest in voting for President Bola Tinubu for a second term, for what he said the APC has done for them.

‘We have the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, and we have the SSA to the President on Persons with Disabilities. So, it is something that we didn’t have before,’ he said.

Suleiman revealed that the government had reserved five per cent of appointments across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for people with disabilities.

‘I am assuring you that if President Bola Tinubu wins the 2027 election, we are going to get more appointments in the Federal Government.

‘So, this is very important to us. We hope in 2027, we are going to get that five per cent,’ he said.

He further said in Kano, they have sealed an agreement with Gov. Yusuf that when they vote for him for a second term, he promised them a Commissioner and other appointments.

Also speaking, Adnan Daneji, Secretary of the forum, who spoke through an interpreter, said the sensitisation was organised to reciprocate what the government had been doing for people with special needs.

He appreciated Mr President for taking a bold step to fix Nigeria’s lingering challenges for the benefit of all citizens.

Daneji also commended Gov. Yusuf for including 50 of their members among the beneficiaries of the 2026 mass wedding conducted recently.

Sa’adu Ibrahim, the Chairman of the forum in Kano, said people with disabilities had been benefiting from the APC administration since its inception.

He revealed that their members had also been included in various welfare packages of both the state and Federal Government.

According to him, no government had taken care of them more than the APC administration, saying, it is high time to reciprocate the gesture by coming out en masse to vote for APC candidates.

In his remarks, Gov. Abba Yusuf said his administration was committed to inclusion by showing that PWDs were not only beneficiaries of policies, but active contributors to shaping them.

Yusuf, who was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children and People with Special Needs, Hajiya Amina Sani-Abdullahi, said: ‘Beyond institutional reforms, the government has taken practical steps to support people with disabilities in their daily lives.

‘We have provided wheelchairs to spinal cord injury patients, restoring mobility, independence and dignity.

‘We have promoted para-sport activities, creating opportunities for PWDs to showcase their talents, build confidence and participate fully in recreational and competitive sports.’

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has brought together political rivals from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring himself the field commander of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike made the declaration on Monday during a meeting of the Rainbow Coalition at his Abuja residence, where candidates and stakeholders from both parties gathered to strategise on securing Tinubu’s second term.

The former Rivers State governor announced that he would personally coordinate the president’s campaign in both the FCT and Rivers State, insisting that political differences would not stand in the way of their common objective.

‘For the presidency, all of us have agreed that it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am going to coordinate the FCT and Rivers State. So you can imagine how important it is. I am in charge of the FCT election. I am the commander of field operations as far as the FCT election is concerned,’ Wike declared.

He urged members of both parties to put aside their political affiliations and work together to deliver victory for the president.

‘I want to let all of you know that we are going to work together. Nobody should say, ‘I am PDP’ or ‘I am APC.’ For the purpose of this election, we are together,’ he said.

The gathering attracted APC and PDP chairmen, serving and former senators, National Assembly candidates and political leaders from the FCT’s six area councils.

In a significant development, PDP National Assembly candidates in the territory also declared support for their APC counterparts, reflecting the cross-party political arrangement being promoted by Wike.

The minister, however, explained that the coalition’s primary objective was Tinubu’s re-election, adding that participating parties could determine their positions on other electoral contests.

Defending the alliance, Wike recalled the 2024 Edo State governorship election, claiming that cooperation between political actors from the APC and PDP helped prevent the then-incumbent governor from installing his preferred successor.

He maintained that politicians could work across party lines when they shared a common political interest.

Wike also challenged critics of the Tinubu administration to identify any of the FCT’s six area councils that had not benefited from government projects.

He cited road construction, school renovations, police stations and other infrastructure projects as evidence of the administration’s performance.

The minister further highlighted the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission and the creation of the Women Affairs and Youth Development Secretariats.

On the economic situation, Wike acknowledged that Nigerians were experiencing hardship but defended Tinubu’s reforms, arguing that their benefits would take time to materialise.

‘Changing the economy of a country is not like a prayer,’ he said.

Wike also backed the proposed establishment of state police, describing it as an important measure for tackling insecurity across the country.

The World Bank Group has said it is prioritising job creation and productivity, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to expand economic opportunities in developing countries.

The World Bank President, Ajay Banga, stated this during a discussion on Small AI: More and Better Jobs at the 2026 International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank annaul meetings in Bangkok, Thailand on Monday.

Banga stressed the need to make technology accessible and relevant to local economies.

He said that about 1.2 billion young people would turn 18 within the next 15 years, presenting countries with an opportunity to harness their demographic potential through productive employment.

According to him, realising this potential requires investments in healthcare, education, clean water, electricity and skills development, alongside opportunities for young people to contribute meaningfully to society.

Banga explained that employment should not be limited to jobs in large or small companies, but should include entrepreneurship and other productive activities that promote dignity and economic inclusion.

He said that the World Bank’s development approach now prioritised job creation, with infrastructure, governance reforms and policies designed to attract private investment.

‘The private sector generates between 75 and 85 per cent of jobs in any country,’ the president said.

Banga also said that governments must create conditions that encourage businesses to invest and expand.

He identified infrastructure, agriculture, primary healthcare, tourism and value-added manufacturing as five critical sectors capable of generating sustainable employment in emerging economies.

Banga said that these sectors could create locally relevant jobs without depending solely on outsourcing employment from advanced economies.

The president said that on AI small-scale applications could improve productivity in agriculture, education and healthcare, particularly in communities with limited access to specialised services.

He cited an example of primary healthcare centres in Indonesia, where nurses could use simple AI tools on mobile phones to assess patients’ symptoms and connect with remote doctors.

Banga said that such technology could help healthcare workers identify conditions, obtain medical guidance and arrange specialist appointments more efficiently.

The president also highlighted agricultural technology initiatives connecting smallholder farmers and cooperatives with improved seeds, fertilisers, crop insurance, credit and better market prices.

He explained that farmers could use basic mobile phones to identify crop diseases and obtain recommendations, helping them make informed decisions and improve productivity.

According to him, these applications demonstrate how relatively simple AI tools can address practical challenges in developing countries.

Banga noted that while advanced AI models could disrupt some jobs in developed economies, small-scale AI presented significant opportunities to increase productivity and create employment in middle- and lower-middle-income countries.

He said that his priority was to see practical small-AI applications deployed across as many emerging markets as possible.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has dismissed allegations that the ruling party shields its members from criminal prosecution, insisting that belonging to the party does not guarantee protection from the law.

Yilwatda said several APC members were already facing prosecution in court, maintaining that the party would not interfere with the legal process to protect anyone.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Sunday, the APC chairman rejected claims that politicians facing criminal allegations could escape prosecution by joining the ruling party.

‘Nobody is protected. I don’t want to mention names, but I know members of our party who are undergoing prosecution and appear in court every day,’ he declared.

Yilwatda, however, insisted that the party’s position on prosecution must not undermine the fundamental rights of individuals accused of wrongdoing.

He maintained that suspects must be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court, regardless of their political affiliation.

‘As long as you have not been convicted, we assume you’re innocent because that’s what the law says,’ he stated.

‘So, as APC members, we can’t use strict prosecutions to go ahead and deny people their fundamental human rights.’

The APC chairman maintained that party membership did not place anyone above the law, while stressing that individuals facing prosecution remained entitled to constitutional protection until their cases were determined.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised the alarm over a fraudulent publication circulating online concerning governorship candidates in six states ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The commission denied issuing the purported special announcement affecting Zamfara, Gombe, Delta, Plateau, Yobe and Kano states, warning Nigerians against being misled by the document.

In a public notice, INEC described the circulating publication as fake, stressing that it did not originate from the commission.

‘The Commission wishes to categorically inform the general public that the publication is FAKE and did not originate from INEC,’ the notice stated.

The electoral body urged Nigerians to disregard the publication and avoid sharing it, warning that the circulation of false electoral information could mislead the public.

INEC further clarified that it had not issued any special announcement concerning governorship candidates in the six affected states.

‘The Commission further wishes to clarify that any information suggesting that INEC has issued a special announcement concerning governorship candidates in the aforementioned states is false,’ it stated.

The commission advised political parties, candidates and members of the public to verify electoral information through its official website, news portal and verified social media accounts.

It also urged Nigerians to remain vigilant against fraudulent publications, particularly as preparations continue for the 2027 elections.

INEC reiterated its commitment to providing accurate electoral information and called on the public to rely exclusively on its official communication channels.