Category: PM News

The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has vowed to sustain the agency’s crackdown on drug cartels.

Marwa said the agency would dismantle criminal networks and cut off the financial resources fuelling illicit drug trafficking across Nigeria.

The NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

Marwa spoke during a public destruction of seized illicit drugs and substances in Lagos, where he issued a stern warning to drug traffickers.

He warned drug barons, traffickers, financiers, distributors and dealers that their days of operating with impunity were over.

‘Wherever you hide, whoever sponsors you and however sophisticated your network may be, the long arm of the law will reach you.

‘The agency remains resolute, relentless and uncompromising in pursuing and dismantling every criminal network and its financial spine,’ Marwa said.

The NDLEA chairman urged Nigerians, parents, schools, religious and traditional leaders, and the media to become active stakeholders in combating illicit drug abuse.

He stressed that the fight against drug trafficking could not be won by the NDLEA alone.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the quantity of drugs destroyed as a huge and sobering reminder of the threat posed by illicit drugs.

He said the threat affected communities, young people and Nigeria’s collective future, while demonstrating what could be achieved through institutional collaboration.

He said the exercise showed the importance of cooperation among law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and government.

‘This is not merely to enforce the law, but to uphold justice, protect society, and secure a better future for our people,’ Sanwo-Olu said.

He said the development demonstrated that when institutions united around a shared purpose, the law became more than an instrument of enforcement.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed Lagos’ commitment to tackling drug abuse and trafficking.

‘We will not relent in our efforts to do this,’ the governor assured.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, also pledged continued support for Nigeria’s drug-control efforts coordinated by the NDLEA.

Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Abdullahi Mustapha, gave the assurance during the exercise.

Retired military personnel are preparing to stage a protest at the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday over the failure to increase their pensions in line with salary adjustments approved.

The planned demonstration was disclosed by one of the leaders of the retirees, retired Col. Innocent Azubike, who said the group was demanding what it considers its constitutional entitlement to improved pensions.

Azubike said President Bola Tinubu approved an increase in military salaries in November 2025, which he maintained should have triggered a corresponding adjustment for pensioners.

He accused the authorities of failing to implement the adjustment despite earlier indications that the presidential approval would benefit retired personnel.

‘We have a protest on Wednesday at the Ministry of Defence to demand our constitutional pension rights.

‘In November last year, the President approved a new pay increase for the military, and it came with a consequential adjustment for retirees and pensioners.

‘It was in the news throughout that November, and the high military authorities repeatedly thanked the President for the gesture.

‘But suddenly, in July and August, it was not implemented, and they started changing their stories, as if it should be forgotten.’

The retired officer said the matter had become more pressing following another salary increase announced for serving military personnel in August 2026, which is expected to take effect in September.

According to him, funds had already been calculated for the latest salary adjustment, but the provision did not include the corresponding increase for military pensioners.

‘Another military salary increase was announced this August, totally ignoring that of last year. The new announcement is supposed to start implementation in September.

‘They have computed the fund requirement for implementing this second announcement of pay increase. In their computation, they excluded pensioners and the consequential adjustment of pensioners’ pensions. That is the main issue we are protesting.’

Azubike stressed that the retirees were not against improved salaries for serving personnel, but wanted pensioners to benefit from the consequential adjustment.

He warned that leaving retired personnel out could create significant income gaps among officers of the same rank and with similar years of service who retired at different periods.

‘The implication is that when they raise the salary of serving personnel, those who will be retiring from the new salary scale, their pension will be far higher than their contemporaries of the same rank and equal number of years of service who had earlier retired.

‘You could now have a situation where a recently retired captain, for example, could be receiving N500,000, while an older captain who had retired earlier could be receiving N250,000, and the same thing affects all the ranks.

‘So, in demand of that consequential adjustment for pension, we are coming for the protest at the Ministry of Defence,’ he said.

The Lagos State government on Tuesday honoured 506 officers of the Unified Local Government Service for over 30 years of meritorious service, with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, saying the state appreciates their years of service.

Speaking at the Long Merit Award ceremony organised by the Office of Local Government Establishments and Training and held at Adeyemi Bero auditorium, Sanwo-Olu said a career in public service is not measured by the number of years spent but by service that were render to ordinary citizens.

‘We should be proud and happy that God has placed you in positions where you have added value. Some of you have served for more than 30 years. It is a career of service, showing up through changes in leadership, technological changes, and changes in the demographic shape of the communities that we serve. Through all of this, you stayed, you moved around, and you served the people,’ Sanwo-Olu applauded the retirees.

He assured them that the state will continue to appreciate them adding that ‘this government will stand by you, and the community will stand by you.’

Sanwo-Olu called on junior officers in public service to emulate the senior ones by showing discipline and commitments.

‘For the young ones just starting out, I think we should look closely at the people sitting here today. Their careers offer something no classroom can teach: the value of consistency, discipline, and integrity. Learn from their experiences and help carry the public service into a future where citizens receive faster, more transparent, more decentralised, and more responsive government,’ the governor said.

The Head of Service, Olabode Agoro said the state will always recognize and celebrate officers who have put greater number of their years into service to humanity, to serve as motivation for others.

He added that the 506 officers comprises of 492 Senior Officers and 14 Junior officers and urged not to rest on their oars, but rather, continue to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, commitment to duty and loyalty for which they were being honoured.

In her address, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Local Government, Establishments and Training, Ms. Toyin Ogunlana said the Long Service Merit Award was instituted to recognise officers whose careers have been marked by loyalty, discipline and unwavering commitment to public service.

‘This initiative celebrates the values that sustain an effective and responsive public service, including integrity, diligence, accountability and excellence,’ she said.

Some of the officers thanked the state government for given them the opportunity to ‘serve’.

‘It has been a pleasant experience working in Lagos State local government. My advice to other junior officers is to be committed and active. I have tried my best,’ Mosunmola Otaiku, the Council Manager for Kosofe Local Government.

Also, the Council Manager for Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area, Joseph Oladeji urged junior officers to ‘ be punctual at work and ensure they display discipline.’

‘The government is always there to give incentives to workers as at when due, Others coming behind should be dedicated to their work, ‘ he said.

Many Nigerians who react badly to milk respond by cutting dairy out of their diet completely, when the part causing the trouble is a single sugar that some dairy foods carry far less of than others.

That sugar is lactose, and the body breaks it down with an enzyme called lactase.

Babies produce plenty of lactase because milk is the only food they have, but for most adults production falls away after childhood and never returns.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports that most people in Africa and Asia have lactose malabsorption, and that it is least common among people whose families come from Europe.

The condition is therefore common in Nigeria, and often mistaken for something else.

When lactase runs short, undigested lactose travels down to the large intestine, where gut bacteria break it down instead. That process is what produces the bloating, cramping and gas an hour after a glass of milk, a bowl of ice cream, or tea taken with plenty of milk.

The pattern has been documented in Nigerian families for half a century. A 1975 study published in Gastroenterology traced lactose digestion through family pedigrees and found that where both parents could not digest lactose, none of their children could either.

This is a normal developmental pattern rather than an allergy.

Yogurt is handled differently by the gut. It begins as milk, but fermentation alters it before it reaches the chiller.

The live cultures in yogurt consume part of the lactose during fermentation, which is why plain yogurt carries less of it than the milk it was made from.

Those cultures also keep working during digestion. The European Food Safety Authority accepts that live cultures in yogurt improve digestion of the lactose in the yogurt, which is why many people who cannot manage a glass of milk handle a bowl of yogurt without trouble.

Lactose is only part of the picture, since how Greek yogurt affects digestion and gut health also depends on what those cultures do once they reach the intestine.

Greek yogurt adds one more step. The watery portion of the yogurt, called whey, is strained out.

Lactose dissolves in water, so a good share of it drains away with the whey. Straining also thickens the product and concentrates the protein, which is why Greek yogurt is the denser, heavier item on the shelf.

USDA FoodData Central lists about 4.8 grams of lactose per 100 grams of whole milk, and plain yogurt made from it comes in lower, with a strained Greek product lower again.

The exact figure varies by brand and by how long the yogurt has been strained, but the direction is consistent. A serving of Greek yogurt carries less lactose than the same serving of regular yogurt, which in turn carries less than the milk both came from.

Fermentation removes some of the lactose, and straining removes more.

Tolerance is personal, so it is worth testing your own rather than relying on an average.

Start with a small portion, two or three tablespoons, eaten alongside other food rather than on an empty stomach.

Choose plain unsweetened yogurt for the test. Added sugar and fruit flavouring do not change the lactose content, but they do make it harder to tell what you are reacting to.

Wait a few hours and note how you feel. A written record helps, because a reaction is easy to misremember a day later. If nothing happens, try a slightly larger portion the next day, and build up gradually across a week.

Many people who cannot drink milk at all find they manage yogurt comfortably at ordinary portion sizes, and knowing roughly where your own ceiling sits is more useful than avoiding dairy altogether.

One thing is worth ruling out before any of that. A milk allergy is a different condition from lactose intolerance, and the two are regularly confused.

An allergy involves the immune system rather than a missing enzyme. It can cause hives, swelling or difficulty breathing, and it does not improve with yogurt or with straining.

Anyone whose symptoms come on quickly or severely after any dairy at all should stop testing on their own and see a doctor. That is a different condition, and it needs a diagnosis rather than a change of product.

Lactose intolerance is uncomfortable, but it is manageable, and it rarely requires giving up dairy entirely.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in Zamfara State has raised the alarm over the reported planting of an Improvised Explosive Device, IED, by suspected bandits along the Gurusu-Gwashi Road in Bukkuyum Local Government Area.

The party described the development as a dangerous escalation of insecurity in the state and urged the Federal Government and security agencies to act immediately.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Alkasimu Mustapha Kayatawa, the NDC warned that the use of IEDs on public roads could expose motorists, farmers, traders, commuters and security personnel to greater danger.

It questioned why the huge security deployment witnessed during the recent Osun governorship election could not be replicated in Zamfara and other areas battling persistent attacks.

The party said about 30 Commissioners of Police and thousands of security personnel were reportedly mobilised for the Osun election, while communities in Zamfara continued to face attacks by armed groups.

‘Elections are important to democracy, but the protection of human life is the first responsibility of government,’ the NDC said.

‘The people of Zamfara should not be made to feel that securing ballot boxes attracts greater national urgency than securing their lives, homes, farms and highways.’

The party called for an immediate review of security operations in Bukkuyum and other vulnerable parts of the state.

It demanded stronger intelligence gathering, improved explosive-ordnance capabilities, sustained patrols and increased security presence along major roads and communities.

The NDC also urged security agencies to reinforce operations along the Gurusu-Gwashi corridor and prevent criminal groups from making the use of explosive devices a regular weapon against civilians.

It called on the Zamfara State Government to deepen cooperation with federal security agencies and strengthen community-based intelligence gathering.

‘Zamfara has buried too many innocent citizens. Too many families have paid ransoms. Too many communities have been displaced. Our roads must not now become minefields,’ the party said.

The NDC insisted that residents of Zamfara deserved the same level of manpower, urgency and national attention deployed to secure elections across the country.

First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for stronger collaboration between the Federal and state governments to tackle hunger and malnutrition, urging states in the Southwest to take ownership of the National Community Food Bank Programme.

Tinubu made the call on Tuesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the launch of the Southwest Zonal National Community Food Bank Programme, an initiative under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda designed to improve access to nutritious food for vulnerable households.

She urged governors in the region to establish community food banks in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and locate them close to primary healthcare centres to ensure that assistance reaches those most in need.

The programme is targeted particularly at children under six, pregnant women and lactating mothers, with the national initiative expected to reach about 500,000 vulnerable households in its first year.

Tinubu stressed that the initiative should not be treated as a temporary food distribution exercise but as a sustainable intervention capable of protecting vulnerable Nigerians from hunger and malnutrition.

‘A food bank is not a food hub. It is meant for those who are disadvantaged, and every treatment and everything done there is for free,’ she said.

She said the success of the programme would depend largely on the commitment of state governments to provide the necessary support and ensure that the food banks remain functional beyond the tenure of the present administration.

‘I encourage the governors in this zone in particular to set up community food banks in their respective states in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to facilitate the supply of food items and provide operational support required for the sustainability of this initiative,’ she said.

The First Lady said the ultimate objective was to ensure that Nigerian children received adequate nutrition and had the opportunity to develop into productive citizens.

She also urged stakeholders to regard malnutrition as a collective responsibility, noting that addressing hunger requires coordinated action by governments and relevant institutions.

The programme is being implemented through collaboration among the Office of the Vice President, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, NPHCDA and the Bank of Agriculture.

In Ogun, three community food banks have been established in Sagamu, Yewa North and Abeokuta South.

Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun described the programme as a significant intervention that complements the state’s efforts in food security, healthcare and social protection.

Abiodun said the impact of government should ultimately be measured by the number of lives improved, rather than simply the number of projects commissioned.

He described food security as not only an agricultural issue but also a health, economic and social responsibility, warning that hunger can affect children’s learning, undermine the health of nursing mothers and reduce workers’ productivity.

The governor said locating food banks near primary healthcare centres would help government identify vulnerable households, support malnourished children and assist pregnant women and nursing mothers.

He also noted that sourcing food locally could benefit farmers and strengthen the agricultural value chain.

The First Lady’s visit also featured the commissioning of the 108-unit Muhammadu Buhari Housing Estate at Kobape and the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence, a 250-bed facility designed to provide advanced healthcare services to residents of Ogun and neighbouring communities.

Abiodun commended Tinubu for her interventions targeting women, children, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, while calling for sustained cooperation between the Federal and state governments.

The Southwest launch forms part of the Federal Government’s nationwide rollout of the National Community Food Bank Programme, with the initiative expected to extend to the South-South and Southeast zones.

Bingo has been part of the Nigerian social fabric for longer than most players realise. The game arrived with the British during the colonial period, embedded itself in community and church fundraising through the mid-twentieth century, and has resurfaced in the smartphone era. It now sits as a quiet but steady online category alongside the far larger sports betting market.

The current online form does not look much like the parlour version most older Nigerians would remember. Digital chat rooms, automated card marking, progressive jackpots, and live streamed sessions have replaced the paper cards and shouted numbers of the community hall era. The social element that made bingo work in Nigerian community settings has been preserved, but the delivery mechanism has changed completely.

This piece walks through how bingo got to Nigeria and what the community tradition looked like before the digital era. It also covers what has changed in the modern online form and where the trajectory is heading.

Nigerian Bingo Today, Mostly Online and Mostly Offshore

The modern Nigerian bingo player base is predominantly mobile and engages mostly through offshore sites. Nigerian regulatory frameworks treat chance-based games differently from skill-based betting. That has kept the domestic bingo category small while pushing engagement offshore.

The offshore sites Nigerian players use are typically UK-licensed or Malta-licensed operators. They offer 75-ball, 80-ball, and 90-ball variants alongside progressive jackpots. Product design at bingo websites including Fruity King reflects the mobile-first assumptions Nigerian players bring, with responsive interfaces, mobile chat rooms, and payment methods for international debit cards and e-wallets.

Participation is loyal rather than mass-market. Bingo in Nigeria does not draw the audience volume that Bet9ja, SportyBet, and 1xBet generate for sports betting. Players who do engage tend to be regular repeat players rather than casual visitors.

How Bingo Actually Got to Nigeria

The historical arrival of bingo in Nigeria is anchored to the British colonial period. British administrators and settlers brought the game with them during the mid-nineteenth century. Bingo has since become an accessible game played across social classes, with both traditional and online forms enjoying continued popularity in modern Nigeria.

Bingo as a game predates its Nigerian arrival by several centuries. The format originated in sixteenth-century Italy as ‘Il Gioco del Lotto d’Italia,’ travelled to France in the eighteenth century as ‘Le Lotto,’ and spread through European aristocracy. British colonial administrators brought the game across the Empire, landing in West Africa alongside India and South Africa.

The Nigerian adoption pattern followed the same trajectory as most former British colonies. Initial introduction through colonial elites gave way to broader community adoption. The game moved into churches, schools, and community organisations that used it for fundraising and social gathering.

The Community Tradition Bingo Slotted Into

Community-based gambling and lottery-style games were not new to Nigeria when bingo arrived. Traditional number-based games, lottery draws, and communal gaming had existed in various regional forms across pre-colonial Nigeria. Bingo integrated into that broader tradition rather than replacing it.

The church element was particularly important in how bingo took root. Catholic churches across former British colonies adopted bingo as a fundraising tool from the early twentieth century onward. Nigerian Catholic and Anglican congregations followed the same pattern, with church-hall bingo evenings becoming recognisable community events in Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu, and other urban centres.

The social routine mattered as much as the game itself. Bingo evenings created predictable weekly rhythms that pulled community members together around a shared activity. That is exactly the function bingo has performed in every country where it took hold, from Italy in the sixteenth century onward.

What Modern Nigerian Bingo Players Actually Encounter

The online form of bingo Nigerian players engage with today has four distinctive features that separate it from the parlour version of the mid-twentieth century:

Automated card marking. Players no longer physically dab or cross off numbers. Software marks called numbers automatically, tracks progress toward winning patterns, and alerts the player when a card is one number from winning.

Digital chat rooms alongside the game. The social layer that traditional bingo halls provided now runs as a chat interface next to the game window. Players from across Nigeria and internationally can chat, share reactions, and congratulate winners in real time, preserving the community element that made bingo work in physical halls.

Progressive jackpots and side games. Modern bingo product design layers additional prize mechanisms on top of the base game. Progressive jackpots accumulate across many players and pay out large sums when winning patterns are hit, and side games and mini-slots run between bingo rounds to maintain engagement.

Multi-variant availability. The traditional 90-ball British bingo variant sits alongside 75-ball American, 80-ball, and speed variants at most operators. Players can move between variants within a single session, which is not something the parlour version supported.

Each feature preserves something important from the community-hall tradition while adapting the delivery to the mobile, always-on context Nigerian players now use for the game.

The Regulatory Framework That Shapes Access

Nigerian gambling regulation is fragmented across federal and state levels. IMGL Magazine’s analysis of Nigerian gaming law traces the framework to the National Lottery Act 2005, which established the National Lottery Regulatory Commission as the federal licensing authority. On 22 November 2024, the Supreme Court held that lotteries, betting, and gaming fall under state legislative competence, effectively invalidating the federal framework.

Nigerian players are not prevented from accessing offshore bingo sites, and international operators serving the Nigerian audience have grown steadily. The regulatory environment shapes where Nigerian bingo activity happens more than whether it happens. Engagement pushes toward UK-licensed and Malta-licensed operators rather than domestic platforms.

The picture is likely to continue shifting as Nigerian gambling regulation evolves. The offshore access route has been stable enough that most active Nigerian bingo players consider it the default rather than a workaround.

Where the Trajectory Is Heading

Nigerian bingo has never been the mass-market product that sports betting is, and the trajectory suggests it will not become one. The player base is loyal but bounded, growing steadily with smartphone penetration and cross-border payment access.

What is likely to change is the depth of the product available to Nigerian players. Live streamed bingo sessions with real hosts, celebrity-themed variants, and integration with social media platforms are growing in international markets. These will filter through to the Nigerian offshore engagement pattern over the next few years.

The colonial-era introduction of bingo to Nigeria is nearly two centuries old, and the game has survived every social and technological transition since. The current online form is just the latest adaptation of a format that has proven unusually durable. The community element that made bingo work in twentieth-century church halls is what continues to make it work in modern mobile chat rooms.

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term was driven by development considerations and long preceded his victory in the August 15 governorship election, his spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, has said.

Rasheed, the governor’s Special Adviser and Spokesperson, said Adeleke’s support for Tinubu should therefore not be interpreted as a political reward following his re-election.

Speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday, he said the governor had openly backed Tinubu while still in the Peoples Democratic Party and maintained the position after moving to the Accord Party.

‘When Mr. Governor was within the PDP, the endorsement was announced. When he crossed over to Accord, the endorsement was announced. So the endorsement predates this election victory,’ Rasheed said.

Adeleke had publicly reaffirmed his support for Tinubu months before the Osun election, describing the decision as development-driven and in the interest of the state.

Rasheed said Adeleke’s calculation was centred on attracting greater federal presence to Osun and strengthening cooperation with the Federal Government on critical infrastructure.

‘The whole world, the political space is aware that Mr. Governor has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the governor explained the reasons why he’s endorsing.

‘He talks about developmental focus. The need to attract federal presence. The need to get most of the roads in Osun’s federal project done, and the need to support a man that is on the seat that can do this for us,’ he said.

The spokesman pointed to federal road projects in Osun as evidence of the benefits of the relationship with the Tinubu administration.

He specifically mentioned the Ilesa-Ibadan, Osogbo-Ibadan and Gbongan-Osogbo corridors.

Adeleke had in May praised Tinubu and Works Minister David Umahi following federal approvals for the rehabilitation of key roads, including the Osogbo-Iwo and Gbongan-Akoda-Osogbo routes.

‘And as a consequence of that endorsement, Ilesa-Ibadan Road is being worked on. We have Osogbo-Ibadan Road being awarded, the work has started. We have Gbongan to Osogbo already awarded, and so on,’ Rasheed said.

He maintained that Osun residents had no reason to feel betrayed by Adeleke’s backing of Tinubu.

According to him, the governor was pursuing what he believed would produce tangible benefits for the people rather than making an opportunistic political move after winning re-election.

‘So, the governor is looking at backing the man on the seat for several reasons, and you know this predates our election victory.

‘So, I will say people should not feel betrayed. Mr. Governor is only doing the right thing that is in the best interest of Osun people,’ Rasheed said.

Following his victory at the polls, Adeleke again reaffirmed his endorsement of Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election and thanked the President for supporting a free and fair governorship contest.

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has urged the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the Osun governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji, to congratulate Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election.

Bamidele, who is also Chairman of the National Assembly Southwest Caucus, made the call in a statement following the outcome of the August 15 governorship election.

He said Oyebamiji should reach out to Adeleke and also offer policy suggestions that could contribute to the development of Osun State.

Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, was declared winner after polling 511,067 votes.

Oyebamiji of the APC scored 444,815 votes.

Bamidele congratulated Adeleke on his victory, saying the outcome of the election reflected the choice of Osun voters.

He urged the governor to see the renewed mandate as a responsibility to unite residents of the state and promote peace and inclusive governance.

According to the Senate Leader, Adeleke should extend a hand of fellowship to other candidates and political parties following the conclusion of the contest.

Bamidele also said the election provided useful lessons for the APC as the ruling party prepares for the 2027 general election.

He stressed the need for stronger internal unity within the party, wider engagement with voters and more effective communication of the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Bamidele said the APC must deepen its relationship with different sections of society, including traders, artisans, farmers, youths, women, civil society groups and traditional institutions.

‘Our engagement approach must be all-encompassing and leave no one behind,’ he said.

The Senate Leader also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the conduct of the election.

He maintained that despite losing the governorship contest, the APC remained an important stakeholder in the progress and development of Osun.

Bamidele expressed confidence that the election would strengthen democratic participation and contribute to the economic, social and technological development of the state.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, other presidential candidates and leadership of political parties contesting the 2027 general elections on Tuesday in signed a Peace Accord committing to peaceful, issue-based campaigns and the non-involvement in electoral violence before, during and after the 2027 polls.

However, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress, ADC and his party were absent at the event.

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Apart from Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who was represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; the other presidential candidates that signed the peace accord were Peter Obi of Nigeria Democratic Congress and Adewale Adebayo of Social Democratic Party.

Others were candidates for the governorship and National Assembly.

The peace agreement, organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) under the chairmanship of former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.), aims to foster social cohesion, minimise political friction and ensure that democratic choices reflected the will of the people.

The signing ceremony was held on the eve of the official commencement of campaigns for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.

In his remarks, Abubakar tasked political parties, candidates, campaign councils, and their spokespersons to campaign based on issues of significant concerns to Nigerians.

Abubakar represented by a member of the NPC, Martin Agwai, noted that since 2015, the committee had facilitated 30 peace accords, five at the national level before 2015, 2019, and 2023 general elections.

He added that the committee also organised 25 peace accords at the sub-national levels, including state off-cycle elections.

Abubakar noted that the issues-based peace accord established in 2019 was to promote political campaigns and rallies based on issues related to Nigeria rather than sentiment.

He noted that over the years, political campaigns and rallies had neglected the significance of party manifestos and programmes, and created a platform for political parties to resort to name-calling, personal insults and character assassination.

He added that political campaigns had taken away dignity and decency in public discourse and conversation, creating a toxic atmosphere that had the potential to incite citizens against the state, against other political parties and candidates.

‘Now that the 2027 general election is five months away and the official commencement of campaign is tomorrow, the NPC is today committing all political parties, party chairmen, candidates and campaign spokespersons to peaceful political rallies, devoid of incitement, personal insults and abuse.

‘Therefore, on behalf of all members of the NPC and all Nigerians, I am appealing to all political parties, party chairmen, candidates, campaign councils and their spokespersons to please campaign based on issues that are of significant concerns to Nigerians.

‘Avoid the spread of false and fake news, personal attacks and insults. Promote respect and tolerance for differences of opinion, ensure decency and civility in public discourse and comply with the spirit and the letter of the accord,’ he said.

The Programme Officer, Kukah Ccntre, Asabe Ndahi, presenting ‘the National contest of emerging issues’ said that evidence from previous electoral cycles showed that the biggest breach of the Peace Accord was with Clause 1, where parties committed themselves to conduct issue-based campaigns.

Ndahi said that result showed that there was 43 per cent breach of that particular clause, while the clause provides for refraining from insults and violence was also breached.

‘Also the clause that provides that there will be no fake news or some disinformation was also breached up to 90 per cent.

‘All the other clauses of the Accord were equally breached, but not in equal percentage,’ she said.

Asabe also added that the clause regarding conduct of issue-based campaigns was also violated, adding that 58 per cent of those violations were from spokespersons.

‘The number of states that were affected out of the 36 were 32 states. The most affected states were Kaduna, Plateau, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, and Benue,’ she said.

Ndahi urged stakeholders especially candidates and their supporters to allow peaceful campaigns and elections as campaigns commence on Wednesday.

‘We recommend that political parties and candidates in favour of this campaign conduct peaceful, issue-based campaigns, debate policies and ideas based on political parties’ opinions.

‘For campaign teams and supporters, we expect you to mobilise responsibly and do not cause any violence or intimidation in the process of mobilisation.

‘As for the party and candidate spokesperson, we expect a lot from you because this is where most of the issue starts.

‘We expect responsible messaging, timely verified information and avoid inflammatory or inciting statements.

‘As for the media and Civil society organisations, verify information before amplifying and conduct evidence-based advocacy.

She also tasked security agencies and INEC on neutrality, impartiality, transparency and consistent in enforcement of laws, while also urging Nigerians on peaceful conduct.