Category: The Nation – Nigeria

A car crash at a gas retail station triggered a massive fire at Liberty Junction in Kubwa, Abuja, on Sunday morning, injuring the driver and damaging at least nine shops and a police traffic post.

The accident, which occurred at about 6:15 am, caused an explosion at the gas station after the vehicle rammed into the facility.

The resulting inferno quickly spread to adjoining shops and a container, sending thick smoke across the busy commercial area and throwing residents and early-morning commuters into panic.

The driver and a little child were rescued from the vehicle, which was completely burnt in the blaze.

The driver, who sustained injuries in the crash, was reportedly rushed to a medical facility for treatment.

His condition was not immediately known at the time of filing this report.

The force of the incident also damaged a nearby police traffic post, displacing the makeshift structure and scattering debris across the area.

A nearby drainage was also damaged.

Emergency responders moved swiftly to the scene as the fire threatened to spread further through the commercial area.

Personnel of the Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigeria Police took part in the operation to contain the blaze.

Firefighters battled the flames through the morning before bringing the situation under control.

The incident caused major traffic gridlock along the corridor as motorists, motorcyclists, residents and passersby gathered around the scene.

Fire trucks occupied portions of the road while security and emergency personnel cordoned off the area to keep people away from the burning structures and facilitate rescue and firefighting operations.

The affected vehicle was reduced to a charred shell, while several shops suffered damage from the fire.

Although officials had not yet established the exact cause of the crash at press time, the collision with the gas facility triggered the explosion and subsequent fire.

The incident again highlighted the potential danger of accidents around gas facilities in busy commercial environments, where a single crash can quickly escalate into a wider emergency.

By later in the morning, the fire had been extinguished, and emergency responders began clearing the wreckage and securing the area.

Traffic movement was also gradually returning to normal along the Liberty Junction axis.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has dissolved boards of government agencies and terminated the appointments of political appointees ahead of his second-term inauguration on October 16.

The affected appointees include Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants and Technical Assistants.

The governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, announced the development in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement, the decision was taken as the governor’s first term gradually winds down ahead of his second term.

However, the dissolution does not affect chairmen and members of statutory commissions, including the State Independent Electoral Commission, Civil Service Commission, House of Assembly Service Commission and Judicial Service Commission.

Similarly, the chairmen of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Local Government Service Commission and Teaching Service Commission will remain in office, although their respective boards have been dissolved.

The statement added that Directors-General and Technical Advisers to the governor were also exempted from the termination of appointments.

Oyebanji thanked the affected appointees for their contributions to his administration and service to the state.

He wished them success in their future endeavours.

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) on Saturday inducted 2,178 new chartered banking professionals, charging them to uphold ethics, embrace innovation and continuously develop their skills.

According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the President and Chairman of the Council of CIBN, Dr Dele Alabi, gave the charge at the 2026 Stream II Chartered Banker Induction and Prize Awards Ceremony in Lagos.

Alabi said the new inductees were entering the banking profession at a time of significant technological, economic and geopolitical disruptions, making continuous learning and ethical conduct critical to the future of the industry.

He said the institute would review its professional syllabus to align its training with the changing realities of the banking and financial services industry.

‘We want to build ready-made bankers who will continuously add value to the various institutions where they work.

‘The market has changed, and we want to produce future-ready bankers who will be able to continuously add value to their respective banks, the financial services industry and the economy,’ he said.

Alabi said the review was part of the institute’s IMPACT vision, which focuses on inclusion, membership, professionalism and ethical conduct, accountability and enhanced financial performance, competencies and skills development, technology, automation and innovation.

He urged the new chartered bankers to embrace the vision and apply its principles in their professional responsibilities.

The CIBN president said the banking profession was fundamentally built on trust and integrity, stressing that professionalism and ethical conduct remained central to maintaining confidence in the financial system.

According to him, the institute has mechanisms for investigating and disciplining members who violate its professional and ethical standards.

He said complaints against erring bankers could be brought before the institute’s investigating panel, while disciplinary matters could be taken before its disciplinary tribunal.

‘Banking is all about trust, integrity, great character, professionalism and ethics,’ Alabi said.

He said the 2,178 inductees were admitted through five pathways comprising 1,439 Standard Chartered Banker (ACIB) Route, three Chartered Banker/MBA (Bangor University) Route, 222 Lagos Business School/Chartered Banker Route, 14 MSc/Chartered Banker Route and 500 Microfinance Certified Bankers (MCIB).

The CIBN president said the induction represented not only an academic or professional qualification but also the acceptance of the ethical and professional responsibilities attached to being a chartered banker.

He urged the inductees to continue learning, relearning and unlearning as technology, particularly artificial intelligence, continues to reshape banking and financial services.

Alabi said the institute would continue to encourage members to embrace technology while managing the associated risks.

He also disclosed that the institute had recorded growth in its operations and would continue to strengthen its accountability and financial performance.

The Registrar and Chief Executive officer of CIBN, Mr Akin Morakinyo, said the induction was significant because it was producing professionals equipped with skills and knowledge required to respond to new developments in banking.

Morakinyo said the new chartered bankers were expected to deepen professionalism in the industry and reinforce trust, which he described as the ‘central theme’ of banking.

‘Our mantra is trust and honesty. We expect the chartered bankers to go into the marketplace to display and demonstrate that attribute of trust and honesty in all that they do,’ he said.

Morakinyo urged the inductees to make trust and honesty their watchwords as they assumed greater responsibilities in the financial sector.

Also speaking, Mr Olusegun Alebiosu, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of First Bank of Nigeria Ltd., said the future of banking would depend on professionals who combined leadership, innovation and ethics.

Alebiosu, who was the guest speaker, said disruption had become a permanent feature of the banking environment, citing changing customer expectations, technological advancement, inflation, cyber threats and global uncertainty.

He said future-ready leadership was not determined by position but by the quality of decisions taken, willingness to accept responsibility and ability to build capable teams.

‘Leadership is not about the title on your business card. It shows in the decisions you make when the answer is not obvious, the questions you ask before a problem grows, and your willingness to take responsibility when things do not go as planned,’ he said.

Alebiosu said innovation should not be limited to launching new digital applications, but should involve finding faster, safer and easier ways of solving customers’ problems.

He said banks must continue to innovate while preserving the trust they had built with customers and managing risks associated with new technologies.

According to him, customers now expect speed, convenience, security and personalised services, while businesses require faster decisions from their financial institutions.

He stressed that ethics remained the foundation of banking because customers entrusted banks with their savings, businesses with their ambitions and regulators with the stability of the financial system.

‘Rules provide a minimum standard; our character must take us further. Technology and markets will change, but integrity must not,’ he said.

Alebiosu charged the new chartered bankers to regard their professional qualification as a public commitment to competence, professionalism and integrity.

He urged them to continue learning, remain curious, seek guidance when necessary and support younger professionals coming behind them.

Mr Inyang Ani, who represented the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc, Mr Abubakar Minjibr, said the future-ready banker must operate at the intersection of finance, technology, regulation, cybersecurity, economics and human behaviour.

Minjibr said the increasing digitisation of financial services had made security and trust inseparable from banking operations.

He said banks must protect customers’ identities, information and transactions, and ensure that security was built into systems from the outset rather than treated as an afterthought.

According to him, the banking industry has evolved from traditional banking halls to ATMs, internet and mobile banking, USSD, agency banking and fintech ecosystems, fundamentally changing customer expectations.

He urged the CIBN to continue exposing professionals to emerging realities so that certification would be complemented by continuous learning.

‘The banker of yesterday protected transactions, the banker of today manages relationships, but the banker of tomorrow must protect trust, create value and shape the future,’ he said.

The theme of the ceremony was ‘The Future-Ready Banker: Leadership, Innovation and Ethics in a Disruptive Global Economy’.

The ceremony also featured the recognition of outstanding students across various categories, including fintech, finance in the global market, corporate financial services, and bank management and strategy.

The best graduating students received plaques, while the best student in applied banking received a cash prize of N1 million.

The event also featured the induction of Microfinance Certified Bankers and the participation of delegates from other African countries.

George Ilenikhena has shared his excitement following his debut for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, DAILY POST reports.

Ilenikhena made his maiden appearance for the West Africans in Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matchday one encounter against the Barea of Madagascar.

The 20-year-old scored Nigeria’s opening goal of the game late in the first half.

Substitute Moses Usor scored the winning goal for the visitors 25 minutes from time.

‘Proud to have made my debut with the national team. We keep working,’ Ilenikhena wrote on Instagram page.

The Kaduna State Government has urged Nigerians to remain patriotic, hopeful and committed to building a better country as Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.

Governor Uba Sani made the call in a message delivered on his behalf by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Comrade Yunana Markus Barde, at an interdenominational service held at Living Faith Church, Barnawa, Kaduna.

The governor said his administration remained committed to promoting unity and development through programmes in security, healthcare, road infrastructure, agricultural support and assistance to vulnerable residents.

He noted that Nigeria had experienced both positive and difficult periods since gaining independence in 1960 but urged citizens to remain committed to building a better nation.

‘I believe in Nigeria too. This is our home, this is our nation. If we don’t do what is necessary to make the nation better, foreigners will not come and put our nation in order,’ Sani said.

He urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and patriotic, stressing that nation-building required patience and collective effort.

‘As we enter the 65th year of Nigeria’s independence, I urge us all to continue being patriotic and be hopeful to build a Nigeria for the upcoming generation to call a country. As the saying goes, Rome was not built in a day. With God, all things are possible. Our labour over Nigeria will never be in vain,’ he said.

Speaking at the service, the State and Resident Pastor of Living Faith Church, Barnawa, Pastor Yakubu Kezi, said Nigeria had the potential to become a great nation.

Kezi said developed countries had achieved progress through the contributions of their citizens, adding that Nigerians must play their part in the country’s development.

‘Nobody shall develop our country from the outside. We are the ones who will develop this country ourselves. There is nothing we are looking for anywhere in the globe that is not available in this country,’ he said.

The pastor said Nigeria had abundant human and natural resources, adding that the country needed the commitment to transform them into productive assets.

He also expressed optimism about Nigeria’s economic prospects and commended the Kaduna State Government for infrastructure projects, particularly road construction and dualisation in Barnawa and other parts of the state.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Religious Matters, Rev. Dr Ishaya Adamu Jangado, said the interfaith service reflected Kaduna’s tradition of bringing people of different faiths together to pray for the peace and progress of the state and country.

Jangado said the administration had continued to promote inclusion, unity and democratic values irrespective of religion, ethnicity or background.

He urged religious leaders and residents to support peaceful coexistence and good governance, while calling on eligible citizens to participate in the 2027 electoral process and exercise their civic responsibilities.

The service formed part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary in Kaduna, with prayers offered for peace, unity, stability and sustainable development.

The state government had earlier organised a special prayer at Sultan Bello Mosque, where Muslim clerics also prayed for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani.

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has called on government, schools, employers, technology companies and development partners to work together to build an education system that gives young Nigerians the skills the country’s economy needs.

The call was made through the NESG’s Community of Practice on Youth (CoPYouth), Human Capital Development Thematic Group, at a pre-summit dialogue titled ‘Future-proofing Nigerian Education.’

The hybrid session was held at the NESG Abuja office as part of preparations for the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit (NES#32). It looked at the quality of education, access to schooling, skills training, job readiness and the role of the private sector.

Ms Ozofu Ogiemudia, Chair of the NES#32 Central Organising Committee, said a good education system must be built from the bottom to the top.

This covers early learning, access to university and other higher education, what is taught and how, skills training, and the move from school into work.

She urged participants to stop listing the same problems over and over and to focus on ‘practical, scalable and financeable solutions,’ with clear responsibilities and targets that can be measured.

Mr Oluwatobi Oseni, who leads the Human Capital Development Thematic Group, described the situation as a ‘broken education pipeline.’

He said a weakness at one stage makes the next stage harder.

He pointed to the large number of children who are out of school, poor basic reading and number skills, falling exam results, and the difficulty young people face in finding productive work.

In his view, the success of the system should not be judged by how many certificates are handed out, but by whether learners gain the abilities needed to add to national productivity.

Speaking on the panel, Dr Moses Sichei, Chief Social Policy at UNICEF, said research done in universities should be useful to industry. He said postgraduate research, especially at MBA level, should tackle real problems faced by businesses and sectors, and should lead to policies, new ideas and practical answers instead of gathering dust in libraries.

He also called for entrepreneurship, innovation and digital skills to be taught in universities, and for more mentorship, internships and contact with working professionals. Students with promising business ideas, he said, should get support to grow them into real businesses that create jobs.

Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, said universities should do more than teach, research and serve their communities. They should also become centres of innovation and enterprise.

He said research should produce evidence for policy makers and ideas that help industry, and he called for closer ties between universities and industry, including more professionals taking part in mentoring, internships and teaching.

He added that students who show a talent for business should be helped to develop their ideas, so that graduates can create opportunities for others instead of relying only on paid employment. Digital skills, he said, should be part of this preparation for students in every field of study.

Ms Chikaodi Onyemerela, Director of Programmes and Partnerships at the British Council, also called for university research, particularly at postgraduate level, to focus on the real challenges of businesses and industries and to produce solutions that can be put to use.

She said Enterprise Development Centres in universities should work well, and she encouraged institutions to prove the value of their research through innovations, inventions and patents.

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) was represented by Hajiya Maryam Sani Rangaji, its Director of Teachers Professional Development, who spoke for the Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba.

She said the Commission remains committed to improving access to basic education and its quality.

She called for better school buildings and more welcoming classrooms, and for continued effort to cut the number of out-of-school children, adding that mapping and strategies to bring more children back to school are already being carried out.

Hajiya Rangaji also said more children must be enrolled, kept in school, moved to the next level and helped to finish. She said schools need qualified teachers who are professionally licensed. These efforts, she said, should lead to better basic learning results and stronger funding for basic education.

The session ended with a focus on turning talk into action. Participants agreed on the need to write down priority interventions, identify private-sector partners and make clear where each group can help improve education results.

The Human Capital Development Thematic Group will use the outcome of the meeting to guide its advocacy and follow-up work.

The Renewed Hope Youth Development Initiative (RHYDEI), a youth support group campaigning for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election, has pledged to mobilise 20 million votes for the President in the 2027 general elections.

The group also announced plans to partner with Federal Government agencies to provide skills, grants and loans to at least one million young Nigerians before the election.

The National Coordinator of RHYDEI, Prince Abayomi Johnson Odeniran, announced this at the official unveiling of the initiative and the inauguration of its 36 state and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) coordinators in Abuja at the weekend.

Odeniran said the group would establish a network of 10,000 trained youth ambassadors across the country to promote and explain the administration’s programmes and achievements in communities, markets and on social media.

He said RHYDEI would take the Renewed Hope message to every ward across the 774 local government areas, adding that the group would work both online and offline to mobilise support for Tinubu’s second-term bid.

‘RHYDEI will partner with Federal Government agencies to ensure that at least one million young people benefit from skills, grants and loans before the 2027 election. We will show them that Renewed Hope is working,’ he said.

Odeniran urged young Nigerians to reject vote-buying and make informed choices during the election, while cautioning politicians against exploiting religion and ethnicity to influence voters.

‘We seek balance, not extremes. We don’t like religious fanaticism. We believe God is love, peace and fairness,’ he said.

‘We hate it when religion is used to fight, judge or create confusion. For us, religion must bring peace, not conflict and violent extremism.’

The RHYDEI leader also pledged that the group would defend Tinubu against what he described as propaganda and attempts to discredit the President, particularly over the ongoing 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

‘We will not allow anyone to use dollars or propaganda to pull the President down. We are his foot soldiers. Online and offline, we will stand by and defend him,’ he said.

He commended the President for the removal of fuel subsidy and other economic measures which, according to him, had helped to stabilise the economy and create opportunities for young Nigerians.

The initiative was launched under the theme, ‘Consolidating Renewed Hope: Youths Standing for Tinubu 2027.’

The 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

English football was thrown into chaos on Friday as reports claimed Manchester City, the most dominant team of the last decade, have been found guilty of 114 of the 115 financial rule breaches levelled against them by the Premier League.

In a development that could rewrite Premier League history, The Athletic reported that the independent commission hearing the case – English football’s longest and most expensive legal battle – has returned a near-total guilty verdict.

The news sent shockwaves through the Etihad and far beyond. City are expected to appeal, and the club immediately insisted the process is far from over.

‘The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality,’ City said in a statement to British media. ‘As such Manchester City FC’s position remains consistent with the club’s statement of February 2023.

‘The club has diligently respected due process for eight years on the basis the Premier League board and executive would behave as an independent, impartial and fair minded regulator, free from partisan influence.’

The Premier League declined to comment. ‘It’s a confidential process, we’re not commenting at all,’ a spokesperson said.

If confirmed, it would be the most seismic ruling in English football history, a case that has hung over the league like a dark cloud for more than three years and raised brutal questions about financial regulation, competitive integrity, and whether the league can tame its own giants.

A Decade Of Alleged Deception

The Premier League referred City to an independent commission in February 2023 over alleged breaches spanning 14 seasons – from 2009-10 to 2022-23. The club has always denied any wrongdoing and hired top King’s Counsel David Pannick to lead its defence. The Premier League was represented by Adam Lewis.

The hearing began on September 16, 2024, and ran for nearly three months until December 6, heard by three members appointed by the independent chair of the Premier League Judicial Panel.

At the heart of the case were the most serious allegations: that City failed in every season from 2009-10 to 2017-18 to provide accurate financial information giving a ‘true and fair view’ of revenues, including sponsorship income, and operating costs.

This was not the first time City faced such accusations. In 2020, UEFA banned them from the Champions League for two years after finding they had overstated sponsorship revenue between 2012 and 2016. City overturned that ban on appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

But this Premier League case is unprecedented in scale. Since Sheikh Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group bought the club in 2008, City have won eight Premier League titles, the Champions League, four FA Cups and seven League Cups. They currently top the Premier League after winning their opening five matches.

Rodri Breaks Silence: We Believe The Club

Former City midfielder Rodri, speaking on Friday on the eve of Spain’s Nations League clash with England at Wembley, said he had always trusted the club.

‘Hopefully, justice can be done, whatever happens obviously, but I trust in the impunity of that club which I know very well. And they always transmitted their confidence that they’d done everything correctly,’ he told reporters.

‘Until the moment they’re proved wrong, we will believe the club and I’ve been there and I know how they work and how they cooperate,’ said the midfielder who now plays for Barcelona.

He insisted City’s achievements cannot be erased: ‘What we did, they cannot take out of us. It’s something that is not paid by money, it’s paid with effort, with partnership, with being shoulder to shoulder every day.’

What Punishment Now? Relegation, Points, Or Massive Fine?

The stakes could not be higher. Other clubs have already been punished. Everton were docked eight points in 2023-24 after two separate breaches of Profitability and Sustainability Rules, while Nottingham Forest lost four points in March 2024. Newcastle United only narrowly avoided sanctions after a desperate player sale before June 30, 2024.

But the charges against City dwarf all of those.

Legal experts say the rumoured verdict is not the end, but the beginning of a new war.

‘The rumoured verdict is not the end of the story but the beginning of a new phase in what has become one of the most closely watched legal battles in global sport,’ said Ian Hargreaves, partner at Quillon Law.

He said the key questions now are what sanctions are proportionate and whether the decision can survive appeal.

‘There is a wide range of options, with a transfer ban at the more moderate end of the spectrum and expulsion from the league the most severe repercussion,’ Hargreaves warned.

MP Caroline Dinenage, chair of Britain’s Culture, Media and Sport select committee, also reacted: ‘The reports have profound implications for our national game. The extraordinary length and cost of this process raise serious concerns, and the affair again gives rise to questions about financial fairness across the football pyramid. The matter must be allowed to take its course and due process must be followed, but I sincerely hope any further stages are completed as swiftly as is reasonably possible.’

For now, City remain champions on the pitch. Off it, the fight for their legacy has just exploded.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged his support and partnership to the newly crowned Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom in Rivers State, King Charles Douglas MacPepple Jaja, Jeki VI, expressing confidence that his reign would usher in peace, unity and development in the kingdom.

Jonathan spoke in a goodwill message at the coronation ceremony of King Jaja on Saturday.

The royal ceremony, which attracted prominent Nigerians, traditional rulers, political leaders and other dignitaries, was held at King Jaja Square, Opobo.

King Charles Douglas MacPepple Jaja became the sixth Amanyanabo of Opobo as he succeeded the late King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, who was buried on April 11, 2026.

The new monarch was given the traditional title of Jeki VI, in succession to the historic King Jaja, who founded the Opobo Kingdom following the historic exodus of 1870.

The king was anointed and crowned by the Bishop of the Niger Delta Diocese, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Oko-Jaja.

Jonathan recalled the historic legacy of the Opobo throne and the contributions of its first occupant, King Jaja, to the history of the Niger Delta.

He urged the new monarch to build on the legacy of his forebears and work with government institutions to advance the development of Opobo Kingdom.

‘We believe that your reign will bring peace to Opobo, will bring development to Opobo, will bring unity to Opobo, and you will fly this community, this kingdom, and it will bring the respect that it deserves,’ Jonathan said.

He added: ‘All our government and institutions, as you requested, will work with you to develop our people.’

On his part, the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, charged traditional rulers across Rivers State to preserve the customs and heritage of their communities and kingdoms.

Fubara, who was represented at the ceremony by his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, described the coronation as a historic celebration of tradition and culture.

The governor said traditional institutions remained critical to preserving cultural values, promoting unity and maintaining peace in communities.

‘As a government, we recognise the important role traditional institutions play in preserving our cultural values, promoting unity and maintaining peace within our communities,’ Fubara said.

He urged traditional rulers to remain custodians of the state’s heritage and partners in its development.

He said: ‘We dare to encourage our traditional rulers to continue to serve as custodians of our heritage and partners in the development of our state. We will celebrate our cultural heritage, preserve our traditions, and pass them to our children and grandchildren. This responsibility belongs to all of us’.

Fubara also urged King Jaja to provide purposeful leadership and contribute to the development and stability of Opobo Kingdom.

‘May you provide purposeful leadership to your people and continue to contribute to the development and stability of Rivers State. Like Solomon in the Bible, may God Almighty grant you divine wisdom and knowledge to rule over your people,’ he said.

Also speaking, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, recalled the historic ties between Opobo and Onitsha, describing the relationship as one built on trade and mutual respect.

Achebe also reflected on the experiences of King Jaja in his dealings with the British, saying the struggles of the founding monarch had become an important part of Opobo’s history.

‘First of all, it is the historic link between Opobo and Onitsha which is based on trade and mutual respect. And our predecessors have continued that relationship,’ he said.

He prayed for continued growth and prosperity for the Opobo Kingdom.

‘My prayer is that Opobo will continue to grow and flourish,’ Achebe said.

In his acceptance speech, the newly crowned monarch pledged to uphold the sovereignty and dignity of Opobo Kingdom, promising to lead with truth, justice and unity.

‘As I ascend the throne of King Jaja and am crowned Jeki VI today, I pledge before God and the ancestors: I will uphold the sovereignty and dignity of Opobo. I will serve with truth, justice and unity,’ King Jaja declared.

He said his reign would build on the courage and sacrifices of the founders of Opobo.

‘The exodus of 1870 was a journey to freedom. Our journey in 2026 is a journey to development, unity and global relevance,’ he said.

King Jaja expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Government and other organisations for their support for the coronation.

Traditional rulers including the Obong of Calabar; the Amanyanabo of Bonny, King Edward Asimini Dappa Pepple; the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III; Eze Eberechi Oji, Eze Aro; Eze Iweka III of Obosi; King Buribaye Dakolo of Ekpetiama Kingdom, Bayelsa State; and Eze Eberiuogo of Omuma, among others, attended the coronation.

Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Delta, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, has said that last Thursday’s Supreme Court judgment on the Electoral Act did not disqualify him from contesting the 2027 election.

In a statement issued yesterday in Asaba by his Special Adviser on Strategy and Communications, Godwin Anaighe, Omo Agege said the judgment did not make any order against him or pronounce him ineligible to contest the 2027 election.

According to him, the Supreme Court only restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which concern party membership registers and candidate nomination.

He described as misplaced the celebration by supporters of Sen. Ede Dafinone, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, who, according to him, were congratulating their candidate over the judgment.

Omo-Agege said his name was contained in the NDC membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before May 10 and appeared on the commission’s published final list of candidates.

‘The distinction is straightforward: The Court ruled on the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act; it did not issue a candidate-specific ruling against Omo-Agege,’ he said.

Omo-Agege said turning the judgment into an announcement that he was out of the race amounted to political propaganda rather than an accurate representation of the court’s decision.

He said he remained focused on the 2027 contest in Delta Central, urging his political opponents to campaign on their records and programmes.

‘If Dafinone wants the Senate seat, he should come to the field with his record, his programme and his arguments for another term,’ he said.