Category: The Nation – Nigeria

The crisis over control of the 2027 campaign machinery of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) deepened yesterday as presidential candidate Peter Obi backed the party leadership and rejected the 59-member campaign council unveiled by the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement.

Obi, speaking on Arise Television on Thursday night, said the OK Movement, Obidient Movement, Kwankwasiyya and other platforms supporting his presidential bid were support groups and should not operate as parallel structures to the political party.

His position directly contradicts the OK Movement’s insistence that it is an independent political organisation entitled to establish and manage its own campaign structure.

‘NDC is the political party we all belong to, and I agree entirely with the position of the leader. OK Movement, Obidient Group, Kwankwasiyya and other support groups are supporting groups,’ Obi said.

‘They must play their role as supporting groups, supporting the party. They should not play the role of the party,’ he added.

Asked specifically whether the OK Movement’s 59-member Presidential Campaign Council had been constituted with his approval, Obi was unequivocal.

‘Not at all. And I say it here, it is wrong,’ he said.

Obi added that any activity undertaken in the name of the joint Obi-Kwankwaso ticket should have the express approval of both candidates.

The development is the latest twist in an escalating dispute between the NDC leadership and the OK Movement over the boundaries between the party’s official campaign machinery and independent groups mobilising support for its candidates.

The NDC had earlier disowned the 59-member council, while National Leader Seriake Dickson warned support groups against assuming the functions of the party.

Dickson had described the establishment of a separate presidential campaign council by a support group as ‘unheard of’ and ‘nonsensical’, insisting that support groups should concentrate on grassroots mobilisation rather than compete with the party for political space.

But the OK Movement has refused to retreat.

In a statement yesterday by its National Director-General, John Ozyl Ughulu, the group reaffirmed that its campaign council remained ‘valid and operational’ despite the positions expressed by the NDC leadership and Obi.

‘The OK Movement wishes to reaffirm, unequivocally, that its position remains unchanged. The Presidential Campaign Council structure already constituted and announced by the OK Movement remains valid and operational, irrespective of the position or opinion of any individual leader of the party or presidential candidate,’ Ughulu said.

The group maintained that its independent status meant its internal structures did not require the approval of NDC officials.

‘We have stated clearly and consistently that the OK Movement is an independent political organisation,’ it said.

‘Accordingly, its existence, internal structure, leadership decisions and organisational mechanisms do not require the validation or approval of the National Leader of the NDC Party, HE Senator Seriake Dickson, or any other individual within the party leadership.’

The movement said its members were drawn from different political parties but were united by their support for Obi and Kwankwaso.

It also rejected the suggestion that its campaign council amounted to an attempt to supplant the NDC.

‘The OK Movement has never claimed superiority over the NDC Party,’ it said, stressing that the NDC was a political party with its constitutional structures while the OK Movement was an independent organisation with its own principles, values and organisational framework.

Ughulu further argued that neither the NDC nor its presidential candidate had exclusive authority over the internal organisation of an independent movement.

‘There is no provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, nor any provision of the NDC Party Constitution brought to our attention, that automatically vests exclusive authority in a political party or its candidate to determine the internal organisational structure of an independent political organisation,’ the statement said.

The group said it would continue to mobilise for the NDC candidates but would not surrender its national, state, local government and ward structures to the party.

It also insisted that its position was not motivated by confrontation.

‘Our position is not about confrontation. It is about clarity, institutional respect and the protection of organisational independence,’ it said.

The OK Movement said it was prepared to work with the NDC but would not accept what it described as attempts to subordinate or dismantle its structures.

‘If the party chooses to work with the principles, values and structures of the OK Movement, we remain prepared to engage constructively.

‘However, the movement cannot be compelled to abandon its principles or organisational identity in order to satisfy the ambitions or preferences of any individual or group,’ it said.

The latest development places Obi himself squarely on the side of the NDC leadership in the dispute, after the presidential candidate explicitly disowned the campaign council and affirmed the party’s authority over the formal campaign structure.

The OK Movement, however, has maintained that its support for the NDC ticket and its independent organisational identity can coexist.

The dispute has consequently shifted from a disagreement over a campaign council to a broader contest over how independent political movements supporting the NDC ticket will relate to the party as the 2027 election campaign takes shape.

Veteran actor Peter Fatomilola revealed that he knew nothing about Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, until the late actor’s daughter made his health battle public.

Fatomilola disclosed this during a recent interview with African A-List, shared on Saturday.

It should be recalled that Ogogo’s daughter had publicly appealed for support for her father over his health condition before he passed away.

Reacting to the incident, Fatomilola described Ogogo as a son to him in the movie industry, adding that he would have reached out to more knowledgeable people to intervene if he had known about the situation.

‘Taiwo Hassan, in the industry, he is like a son to me. Personally, I can’t say I heard that he had challenges.

‘Until recently, when his child spoke out and made things public. Whatever is troubling a person, if it is kept under wraps, by the time it escalates beyond control…’ he said.

Fatomilola added that when such issues come to light, it is important to seek counsel from those who are better informed.

‘If we hear that something like this is happening to a person, which I am not aware of, I will inform those who are wiser or more knowledgeable than me,’ he stated.

Speaking further, Fatomilola recounted a personal loss, narrating how he and his late senior wife were building a house together before her demise.

According to him, the project had reached the lintel stage before she died.

‘Out of all the things I have been pursuing in life that I wish to accomplish, only one thing is left, which my Lord God has not yet approved,’ he said.

‘My wife and I started it; I said I wanted to build a house. I built it up to the level known as the lintel level. Then my wife passed away.’

Ogogo died on August 23 and was buried in Ogun State, weeks after his health challenge became public knowledge following his daughter’s appeal for help.

Edo State Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sylvester Aigboboh, has said First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu is expected in the state on October 15 in connection with the 50 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses procured by the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

Aigboboh said the buses were part of the administration’s efforts to provide affordable public transportation and reduce the burden of transportation costs on residents.

He spoke while thanking traders for welcoming Okpebholo and his entourage at Uwelu Sparepart market, in Benin City.

The APC deputy chairman described the administration as one committed to improving the lives of Edo residents through infrastructure and other interventions.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, on September 19, cited Edo’s 50 CNG buses while giving an update on the National Affordable CNG Transit Programme, saying the buses were already in active service.

Aigboboh said the Okpebholo administration was also making progress on road reconstruction and rehabilitation across the state.

According to him, the Sapele Road reconstruction project has reached about 80 per cent completion, while Amufi Road is ready for inauguration.

He said work had also been completed on Uteh Palace Road and Temboga Road.

Aigboboh said the road projects and public transportation interventions demonstrated the administration’s commitment to improving mobility and easing the cost of living for residents.

He thanked the traders for their support and assured them that the administration would continue implementing projects aimed at improving the welfare of the people.

At 24, Chukwu Vivian Chinaza, popularly known as Queen Splash Cakes, is taking her passion for baking beyond social media with plans to host a carnival celebrating cakes, creativity and entrepreneurship.

Born on September 24, 2002, Queen Splash has built a growing presence as a baker, content creator and digital personality, using social media to showcase her work and connect with a wider audience.

Her latest project, the Queen Splash Cake Carnival, is scheduled for December 6, 2026, at Solution Fun City.

The event is expected to bring together cake lovers, bakers, vendors, brands and other players in the baking industry. More than 500 cakes, featuring different flavours and designs, are expected to be displayed by participating bakers and businesses.

The carnival will also feature cake exhibitions, free cake tasting, competitions, entertainment, brand activations, giveaways and networking opportunities.

For Queen Splash, the event marks an expansion of a brand that began with baking and social-media content into a physical platform connecting different segments of the cake and baking industry.

Bakers, cake vendors, ingredient manufacturers, suppliers, brands, consumers and content creators are expected to use the event to showcase their products, discover new offerings and explore business relationships.

Her journey has also been shaped by financial challenges and the determination to build a career around a skill she developed a passion for.

By taking the experience offline, Queen Splash is seeking to create a direct connection between the online community around her brand and the wider baking market.

The carnival comes at a time when social media continues to provide young Nigerians with opportunities to showcase creative skills, build audiences and develop businesses.

The December event represents another step in that journey – from building visibility online to creating an experience that brings consumers, entrepreneurs and industry players together.

The Queen Splash Cake Carnival will hold on December 6, 2026, at Solution Fun City.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has identified poverty, unemployment, poor education and social disintegration as notable drivers of conflicts, saying his administration is committed to building a secure, stable and prosperous Nigeria.

Tinubu spoke on Saturday at the passing-out ceremony for cadets of the 73rd Regular Course (Army, Navy and Air Force), Short Service Course 49 (Army), Direct Short Service Course 34 (Air Force) and Branch Commission Course 3 (Air Force) at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

The President, who was represented by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, said addressing the underlying causes of insecurity remained an important component of the government’s non-kinetic strategy.

He identified job creation, macroeconomic stability, human capital development and social protection as measures being pursued alongside security operations.

‘Despite the diverse challenges our dear country has been confronted with, my administration has remained steadfast, focused and committed to building a secure, stable and prosperous Nigeria,’ he said.

Tinubu said the government would continue to strengthen measures aimed at addressing socioeconomic conditions that could contribute to conflict and insecurity.

He urged the newly commissioned officers to uphold professionalism, discipline and loyalty in the discharge of their responsibilities.

‘Through the continuous and surgical application of all elements of national power, including, and most importantly, the military, we have continued to stabilise the situation, improving our responses and expanding as well as modifying our interventions, which thankfully are yielding desired outcomes.

‘We aptly recognise that kinetic military operations alone cannot defeat insecurity since poverty, unemployment, poor education, and social disintegration are notable drivers of conflicts. That is why under the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are pursuing job creation, macroeconomic stability, human capital development, and social protection in tandem with our security efforts.’

The President said his administration is also enhancing Nigeria’s regional and global collaborations and cooperations, due to the transnational nature of the threats. He also said Nigeria will continue to provide leadership and assistance to fellow countries in West Africa.

According to him, ‘Nigeria will continue to enhance our commitments to democracy and stability in our region and indeed globally. Despite the setbacks in the cooperation within the subregion, especially in the Sahel, Nigeria under my leadership, through the auspices of ECOWAS and other regional bodies, will continue to pursue inclusive diplomacy, security cooperation, and economic integration.

‘Consequently, with the military’s unalloyed support for democratic governance, Nigeria’s continental and regional leadership role will continue to be upheld and intensified.

‘We remain opposed to unconstitutional changes of government, however we will not abandon our brothers and sisters in Mali, Niger, or Burkina Faso. Preserving five decades of ECOWAS achievements, covering free movement, trade, and regional coordination, is essential to our collective security and prosperity.’

The President since the establishment of the NDA in 1964, the institution has lived up to the expectations of its founding fathers and the nation and has evolved in line with nascent security challenges by developing a training curriculum which blends military training and academics with a focus on character development.

President Tinubu also said that a critical aspect of this is a realistic and enhanced Counter-Terrorism and Counterinsurgency training designed to suit contemporary security challenges. This, he noted, is in addition to the rapid integration of technology into training and research.

The President Tinubu who acknowledged that some NDA cadets are undergoing military training in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Brazil, and France said, ‘I am particularly encouraged that the Nigerian Defence Academy is increasingly receiving international recognition through invitations extended to its cadets to participate in highly competitive military cadet competitions in the United States, Brazil, and most recently, the People’s Republic of China.

‘Such invitations are earned through demonstrated excellence. They attest to the remarkable improvements in the Academy’s training standards, professionalism, and global standing, while affirming that Nigeria is producing officers capable of competing and excelling alongside the very best military institutions in the world.’

The President added that the Academy equally continues to serve as a regional hub for military education by training cadets from several African countries, including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, The Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.

‘These engagements strengthen military diplomacy, deepen professional cooperation, and reaffirm Nigeria’s leadership in defence education and capacity development across the African continent,’ he said.

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reassured supporters that the club remains confident it can prove its innocence after being found guilty of 114 Premier League financial-rule charges.

The verdict was reported on Friday, although no sanctions have yet been determined.

In a message to supporters, Al Mubarak said the Premier League’s disciplinary process was still ongoing and that the club remained committed to challenging the findings.

‘I have been part of this club for 18 years. I have had the privilege to stand with you in the Etihad, at Wembley, and in Istanbul,’ Al Mubarak said.

‘This club matters to me, and you have shown and told me, time and time again, how much Manchester City matters to you. This is why I am writing to you today.’

The chairman acknowledged that the verdict had led to questions from supporters, as well as friends, family and colleagues.

He said he had told his family that the process was far from over and that City remained confident in its position.

‘The Premier League process still has a long way to run, and our confidence and intent in proving the club’s innocence are just as strong as when this began,’ he said.

Al Mubarak said the club could not disclose more details about its position because of the confidentiality surrounding the legal process.

‘There are so many things that I would like to be able to share with you to help you understand why we feel so confident in our position,’ he said.

‘But the strict confidentiality of the legal process and our determination to respect it mean I cannot do that at the moment. Even this letter underwent several legal checks to make sure it complies.’

The City chairman also urged supporters to read the club’s previous statements on the case, including its response issued in February 2023 when the Premier League announced the charges.

He said the club would remain focused despite what he described as the ‘noise’ surrounding the verdict.

‘While some people have been quick to reach their own conclusions, and there is so much noise swirling around us, nothing has changed,’ Al Mubarak said.

‘We have faced challenges together before and have prevailed. There remain many who want to undermine the momentum of our club. We will not give them that opportunity.’

Al Mubarak also pointed supporters towards upcoming fixtures, including City’s trip to Anfield and their Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium.

He concluded by thanking supporters for their continued backing.

In a separate statement, Manchester City reiterated that the Premier League process remains ongoing, with ‘significant elements’ still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.

The club said its position remained consistent with its February 2023 statement and that it had observed due process throughout the proceedings.

‘The club has diligently observed due process for eight years on the basis that the Premier League Board and Executive would act as an independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator, free from partisan influence,’ the statement read.

The crisis over control of the 2027 campaign machinery of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) deepened yesterday as presidential candidate Peter Obi backed the party leadership and rejected the 59-member campaign council unveiled by the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement.

Obi, speaking on Arise Television on Thursday night, said the OK Movement, Obidient Movement, Kwankwasiyya and other platforms supporting his presidential bid were support groups and should not operate as parallel structures to the political party.

His position directly contradicts the OK Movement’s insistence that it is an independent political organisation entitled to establish and manage its own campaign structure.

‘NDC is the political party we all belong to, and I agree entirely with the position of the leader. OK Movement, Obidient Group, Kwankwasiyya and other support groups are supporting groups,’ Obi said.

‘They must play their role as supporting groups, supporting the party. They should not play the role of the party,’ he added.

Asked specifically whether the OK Movement’s 59-member Presidential Campaign Council had been constituted with his approval, Obi was unequivocal.

‘Not at all. And I say it here, it is wrong,’ he said.

Obi added that any activity undertaken in the name of the joint Obi-Kwankwaso ticket should have the express approval of both candidates.

The development is the latest twist in an escalating dispute between the NDC leadership and the OK Movement over the boundaries between the party’s official campaign machinery and independent groups mobilising support for its candidates.

The NDC had earlier disowned the 59-member council, while National Leader Seriake Dickson warned support groups against assuming the functions of the party.

Dickson had described the establishment of a separate presidential campaign council by a support group as ‘unheard of’ and ‘nonsensical’, insisting that support groups should concentrate on grassroots mobilisation rather than compete with the party for political space.

But the OK Movement has refused to retreat.

In a statement yesterday by its National Director-General, John Ozyl Ughulu, the group reaffirmed that its campaign council remained ‘valid and operational’ despite the positions expressed by the NDC leadership and Obi.

‘The OK Movement wishes to reaffirm, unequivocally, that its position remains unchanged. The Presidential Campaign Council structure already constituted and announced by the OK Movement remains valid and operational, irrespective of the position or opinion of any individual leader of the party or presidential candidate,’ Ughulu said.

The group maintained that its independent status meant its internal structures did not require the approval of NDC officials.

‘We have stated clearly and consistently that the OK Movement is an independent political organisation,’ it said.

‘Accordingly, its existence, internal structure, leadership decisions and organisational mechanisms do not require the validation or approval of the National Leader of the NDC Party, HE Senator Seriake Dickson, or any other individual within the party leadership.’

The movement said its members were drawn from different political parties but were united by their support for Obi and Kwankwaso.

It also rejected the suggestion that its campaign council amounted to an attempt to supplant the NDC.

‘The OK Movement has never claimed superiority over the NDC Party,’ it said, stressing that the NDC was a political party with its constitutional structures while the OK Movement was an independent organisation with its own principles, values and organisational framework.

Ughulu further argued that neither the NDC nor its presidential candidate had exclusive authority over the internal organisation of an independent movement.

‘There is no provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, nor any provision of the NDC Party Constitution brought to our attention, that automatically vests exclusive authority in a political party or its candidate to determine the internal organisational structure of an independent political organisation,’ the statement said.

The group said it would continue to mobilise for the NDC candidates but would not surrender its national, state, local government and ward structures to the party.

It also insisted that its position was not motivated by confrontation.

‘Our position is not about confrontation. It is about clarity, institutional respect and the protection of organisational independence,’ it said.

The OK Movement said it was prepared to work with the NDC but would not accept what it described as attempts to subordinate or dismantle its structures.

‘If the party chooses to work with the principles, values and structures of the OK Movement, we remain prepared to engage constructively.

‘However, the movement cannot be compelled to abandon its principles or organisational identity in order to satisfy the ambitions or preferences of any individual or group,’ it said.

The latest development places Obi himself squarely on the side of the NDC leadership in the dispute, after the presidential candidate explicitly disowned the campaign council and affirmed the party’s authority over the formal campaign structure.

The OK Movement, however, has maintained that its support for the NDC ticket and its independent organisational identity can coexist.

The dispute has consequently shifted from a disagreement over a campaign council to a broader contest over how independent political movements supporting the NDC ticket will relate to the party as the 2027 election campaign takes shape.

Veteran actor Peter Fatomilola has hailed skitmaker Debo Adebayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, describing him as exceptionally generous.

Speaking in an interview with African A-List, the Nollywood icon recalled his encounter with the content creator on a movie set in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Fatomilola said after wrapping up his two scenes, Mr Macaroni met him, walked him to his car and offered to support him with fuel money.

He noted that while he received N50,000 from the producer who engaged him for the job, Mr Macaroni gave him N200,000.

The veteran added that on another occasion, Mr Macaroni invited him to feature in a project with Pete Edochie and paid him N1 million for a single scene.

‘Mr Macaroni saw me on set one day. I had just finished the two scenes I was called for, and he escorted me to my car. He offered to give me fuel money and handed me 200k. Even the person who called me for those two scenes only gave me 50k. Macaroni still called me for another job with Pete Edochie another day and gave me 1 million Naira for just a scene’, he said.

Abia State Governor Alex Otti yesterday kicked against the agitation for the return of fuel subsidy and said those rooting for it don’t mean well for the country.

According to him, subsidising what people consume can only encourage laziness and corruption instead of supporting production and efficiency.

‘When you subsidise consumption rather than production, you are just subsidising laziness. You are subsidising, sometimes, corruption. You know, because there’s just no way that people will not want to take advantage of the system,’ the governor said on Arise News.

He said that instead of subsiding the price of fuel,government should focus on creating reliable systems that allow businesses and individuals to produce as people tend to use resources more efficiently when they have to pay for them.

‘When you have to pay, you are much more efficient. And anyhow you slice and dice it, it’s still cheaper than darkness. And if you have to run a generator, buy the diesel, provide for the maintenance, you will find that you are paying a whole lot more than public power supply,’ he said.

He added: ‘for the people who use it for production, for their factories, those people, they really don’t need the subsidy. They just need the constant power supply. And once you’re able to guarantee them constant power supply, they’ll pay. So businesses don’t need subsidy.’

‘Low-income earners can always manage. And I’ve given you an idea of how they can manage. Well, in many parts of the world, they turn off the electricity to save power.’

He described the removal of petrol subsidy as a right decision and warned:’You know, as election approaches, people will be making all sorts of arguments. But removing the subsidy was the right thing to be done.’

Asked who he would vote for in next year’s presidential election between President Bola Tinubu and the NDC presidential candidate,Peter Obi,Otti said:’ I will not speak on who I will vote for here, but it must be somebody that will win.

Pressed whether he was supporting President Tinubu for the election, Otti said:’For the 2027 election, I have said that I have a presidential candidate.’

When he was asked again whether he was supporting Tinubu, Otti said:’What do you expect me to say? To say I’m not supporting him?’

On his decision to remain in the Labour Party even after the exit of the party’s presidential candidate in 2023,peter Obi,the governor hinged his decision on the need to resolve the internal disputes and court cases facing the party.

Those issues,according to him,have now been resolved.

He said:’But you have seen that we’ve solved the problem. There is a saying that you don’t relocate from your house because armed robbers came.

‘Armed robbers came and attacked the house, so tomorrow you move and go to your neighbor’s house? You need to solve the problem, so I remained, and I’m sure you agree with me that we have solved the problem.

He spoke of his efforts to stop Obi from dumping the LP.

His words: ‘He came and met with me, and I told him that for me, I was staying back. But he said he was leaving.

‘I also predicted some of the things that happened, particularly where he went to first, and then he left that place again. Is it for me to tell him where he will be? Absolutely no, but at least I offered him my own piece of advice based on my understanding.

‘You know he’s a more senior person, so there are things he could have seen that I didn’t see.’

Responding to Obi’s claim that the Labour Party’s problems would not have been resolved if he had remained in the party, Otti said the resolution process was already underway.

‘Okay, but the process of resolution was already on. So for me, I could see that resolution.

‘Like I said, he could have seen what I wasn’t seeing, and I’m not in a position to-I don’t even have a superior idea or knowledge.

‘But what I could see at that time, including what I saw where he was headed, eventually turned out to be right. Otherwise, he would have stayed there, but he now left to where he is now.

‘So it’s a matter of debate whether the problem could have been resolved with him there or not; I don’t know,’he said.

How God saved me from assassination attempt in 2015 – Otti

And speaking during the ‘Abia Solemn Assembly and Covenant Renewal Service’ in Umuahia,on Thursdayy evening, Otti narrated his journey into politics, saying his decision to serve God sustained him through life-threatening political challenges.

He gave a vivid account of an ‘assassination attempt’ on him.

He said that a friend recently reminded him of events surrounding his journey in politics, particularly an incident in July 2015 which, according to him, could have claimed his life.

Otti recalled that he contested the 2015 Governorship Election and went to the tribunal to contest the election result when the victory was given to the Peoples Democratic Party’s Governorship Candidate, Okezie Ikpeazu.

He said that he was in Abuja trying to hold a meeting with someone, who repeatedly shifted the dates, until the meeting still did not take place.

Otti said that he subsequently informed his friends that he would leave Abuja the following day since the meeting didn’t hold, in spite their objections.

‘There was only one flight from Abuja to Owerri then.

‘All my friends objected. I said, well, I have received a message that I must leave Abuja.

‘So, to make it make sense, I told them I wanted to be at the tribunal on Friday, so they grudgingly accepted.

‘That night, assassins attacked my residence in Abuja, shot two policemen dead, and they were looking for me.

‘Of course, God had taken me away,’ he said.

Otti said the attackers, after failing to find him, apparently believed he was still within the premises and proceeded to search the adjoining compound.

He said: ‘When they finished and couldn’t find me. They were convinced I was there.

‘They had so much time. By the way, this was Maitama.

‘They jumped into the next compound, and I learnt that they were up to 12.

‘They jumped into the next compound, and stripped the whole building.’

Reflecting on the incident, Otti said there had been no obvious reason for him to leave Abuja at that particular time, but he believed that his departure was divinely directed.

‘They thought I jumped first, but I left.

‘There was no reason for me not to be there but God had taken me away from there,’ he said.

The governor also recounted how some friends tried to discourage him from entering politics, while others advised him to seek protection through traditional or other means.

‘A lot of friends, after trying to dissuade me, found I couldn’t be dissuaded.

‘They said, okay, if you decided to do this thing, you can’t go in there empty-handed.

‘You can’t go there without belonging to some societies.

‘You can’t go there without going to some native doctors for protection and you will be shocked at the kind of people that are making these suggestions and some of them are leaders in churches.’

The Deputy Chief of Staff to the Delta State Governor, Sir Christopher Osakwe, has urged operators in the entertainment industry to mobilise grassroots support for President Bola Tinubu, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other candidates of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Osakwe made the call on Friday when members of the Entertainment Movement for Oshimili North and South (ENFONS) paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba.

He said President Tinubu’s reforms had brought changes to the country, adding that their effects were also being felt in Delta State.

According to him, the reforms had helped address some of the challenges previously experienced by Nigerians, including salary arrears and fuel scarcity.

Osakwe said Governor Oborevwori and his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, had continued to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government through the implementation of programmes in the state.

‘Our Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, Ph.D., are champions of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President in practical terms, and all of us are beneficiaries.

‘Continue to send out the message through your professional activities,’ he said.

The Deputy CoS stressed the importance of grassroots mobilisation in strengthening communication between government and citizens.

He urged the group to expand its membership and reach, saying: ‘Going forward, grow your numbers, grow your reach, and let the people feel your impact.’

Osakwe said sustained engagement with the grassroots would create greater awareness of government programmes and policies while providing opportunities for citizens to communicate their concerns to government.

He added that the government would welcome groups supporting the President and the state administration.

Earlier, the leader of ENFONS, Hon. Frank Otoide, expressed the group’s readiness to mobilise support for President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori ahead of the 2027 elections.