Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

The Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF), West Africa’s premier celebration of advertising, design, and creative craft, the brainchild of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), has entered into a strategic partnership with The Loeries, a leading creative awards body in Africa and the Middle East, to strengthen the technical governance, rigor and regional relevance of its award judging process.

The collaboration is expected to enhance the framework for evaluating entries and jury decisions, further positioning LAIF to reflect the growing quality and ambition of creative work emerging from Nigeria and West Africa.

According to the Board Chair of the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) Management Board, Funke Adekola, the partnership with The Loeries underscores a deliberate step in LAIF’s journey to strengthen its standards and ensure the festival continues to evolve in line with the expectations of the creative industry. Adekola explained that LAIF has, over the past two decades, provided a platform for Nigerian and West African creativity to be recognized and celebrated, adding that the partnership would build on that foundation by ensuring LAIF in its practice is not isolated from best-in-class standards that creative works enjoy globally and also strengthening the processes through which creative work is evaluated and awarded at LAIF

‘LAIF has always been about celebrating the boldest and most impactful ideas coming out of our industry. As we look to the future, we also have a responsibility to ensure that the processes behind that recognition continue to evolve. Our partnership with The Loeries is a deliberate step in that direction, bringing together two institutions with a shared commitment to creativity, excellence, and credible judging,’ Adekola said.

In his remarks, the President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Lanre Adisa, noted that the partnership with The Loeries provides an opportunity to elevate the creative process to global standards within one of Africa’s most dynamic creative markets.

Adisa noted that credible judging processes are central to the integrity of any creative awards platform, adding that LAIF is pleased to tap into this unique opportunity as it strengthens its judging framework and builds on its two-decade history of celebrating creativity in West Africa.

‘We are pleased to partner with The Loeries at this important stage of our journey. The strength of any creative awards platform rests on the quality and credibility of its judging process. More importantly, we look forward to seeing the work that emerges from Nigeria and the wider West African creative community recognized through a process that reflects the ambition and quality of the industry,’ he added.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Monday, called for a stronger healthcare ecosystem in Nigeria, with improved working conditions, remuneration and welfare packages for doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals to encourage them to remain committed to serving communities, particularly in rural areas.

She made the call while speaking at the ongoing ‘Unfinished’ event organised by Ward-C in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), where she participated in discussions on maternal health, women’s rights and reproductive choices.

The senator, according to a statement by her media office, said addressing maternal mortality required more than statistics, arguing that the country must examine the realities confronting women, children and healthcare professionals at the point of service.

She said healthcare workers, especially those serving in underserved communities, needed an enabling environment in which they could perform their duties effectively.

According to her, improving doctors’ welfare should form an integral part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.

She said doctors and other health workers should have access to adequate remuneration, functional medical equipment, essential medicines, reliable electricity, conducive working environments and opportunities for professional development.

She stressed that healthcare infrastructure could not function effectively without the human capital required to operate and sustain it.

She therefore advocated a holistic approach that brings together healthcare personnel, medical infrastructure, emergency services, equipment, medicines and professional welfare as components of one interconnected system.

The senator said better service conditions would also encourage medical professionals to remain motivated and committed to their responsibilities, particularly in rural communities where healthcare workers often operate under difficult circumstances.

She said the country must create a healthcare ecosystem that supports both patients and the professionals responsible for their care.

Senator Natasha said maternal mortality remained a major concern, particularly for women living in rural communities where access to quality healthcare and emergency services could be limited.

She questioned whether many rural health facilities had the personnel and equipment required to manage complicated pregnancies and neonatal emergencies.

‘When you want to tackle maternal mortality, either speaking from the side of your choice, or a woman who is married, has carried on her baby full term, walks into a hospital, a baby who was born premature and needs access to incubators, oxygen in villages,’ she said.

She also raised concerns over the sustainability of critical medical equipment in communities with unreliable electricity supply.

‘Is there electricity? Is there enough electricity in the rural areas to sustain the incubators wherever they are?’

The senator said the challenge went beyond equipment availability, stressing that medical facilities must also have qualified personnel capable of operating the equipment and providing appropriate care.

She advocated stronger referral systems linking rural primary healthcare centres with general and specialist hospitals, particularly for women experiencing complicated pregnancies and other emergencies.

According to her, an effective healthcare ecosystem should include functional laboratories, adequate blood supplies, neonatal facilities, emergency transportation and reliable power and water supply.

Rural Women and Maternal Health Data

Akpoti-Uduaghan also questioned whether existing maternal mortality statistics adequately reflected the experiences of women in rural communities.

‘I don’t think that data is really reflective of the situation in the rural communities. It will probably double up,’ she said.

She noted that repeated exposure to maternal deaths in some rural communities could make such tragedies appear normal, while some deaths may not be formally captured in official records.

The senator said her concern about maternal healthcare in underserved communities influenced her decision to build a maternity centre.

She said practical interventions were necessary to complement policy discussions on maternal health.

The Senator also spoke about reproductive choices, saying her exposure to different healthcare systems and advocacy initiatives had broadened her understanding of the difficult circumstances confronting some women and girls.

She called for support systems that would provide women facing difficult pregnancy-related circumstances with access to information, counselling and appropriate assistance.

‘Public spaces, you see, the health lines, people down there, sometimes government sponsored, sometimes sponsored by civil societies or charities, willing to help young girls who are confused, lost to make decisions either to abort or those who want to carry the pregnancy full term,’ she said.

She said constructive dialogue had also challenged some of her previously held positions on reproductive choice.

‘If I can be made to tilt from being pro-life to reasonably begin to appreciate the reason for choice, then I think I would say that I would love to support this kind of conversation.’

The senator further maintained that the welfare and future of children must remain central to conversations around pregnancy and reproductive health.

‘If we all agree that the mother is the first parent of the child, then you would also agree that it’s very important to ensure that every child is born into a home, that there is love and there is nurture,’ she said.

She urged stakeholders to sustain constructive conversations on maternal healthcare, women’s rights and reproductive health, while calling for greater investment in healthcare infrastructure and the professionals who operate the system.

She maintained that strengthening the healthcare ecosystem would require simultaneous attention to doctors’ welfare, rural infrastructure, medical equipment, essential medicines, emergency response, electricity and professional development.

According to her, improving the conditions under which doctors and other health workers operate would not only support the professionals themselves but also strengthen the quality and reliability of healthcare available to Nigerians, particularly women and children in underserved communities.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has asked the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore to continue his defence on October 2 in the alleged cyber-bullying case brought against the politician by the Department of State Services (DSS).

There were social media reports last month that the DSS would, upon the resumption of the courts from its annual long vacation, seek an extended adjournment to enable Sowore concentrate on his presidential campaign.

Sowore is being prosecuted over his August 2025 published posts on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook describing President Tinubu as a ‘criminal’ and accusing him of lying about corruption level in the country.

At the conclusion of the prosecution’s case, Sowore made a no case submission, which the court rejected and ordered him to enter his defence.

He also lost in his bid to have the trial judge recuse himself from the case after his allegation of bias was rejected by the court’s Chief Judge.

At Monday’s hearing, prosecuting lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN) told the court that the case was fixed for September 28 for Sowore to continue his defence.

Defence lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN) said the defendant was expecting a subpoenaed witness from the DSS, but that the defence may be unable to proceed without the witness.

Olumide-Fusika recalled that on the last date, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) had reached an understanding with the defence that another officer of the DSS would be sent to represent the agency’s Director General, who was originally subpoenaed.

He said since nobody came from the DSS to represent its DG, the defence would have no option than to apply for an adjournment.

The defence lawyer said since the witness is subpoenaed and he is not in court, the defence has the option of applying that the witness behaviour arrested a d produced in court.

Olumide-Fusika also tendered some newspaper publications where the DSS was reported to have promised to instruct its lawyer to seek the suspension of proceedings in the case until after the next general elections.

The defence lawyer said he had expected that the prosecution would, at the resumption of proceedings on Monday, apply for an extended adjournment as was reported in the media.

When asked by the judge, Justice Mohammed Umar why no official of the DSS was in court in view of the understanding with the AGF, Kehinde said it was not his responsibility to produce a witness for the defence, arguing that it was the defence’s responsibility to ensure that it witness was in court.

Kehinde also faulted the decision by Olumide-Fusika to rely on publications on social media in the conduct of his case. He denied knowledge of such publications and urged the court to discountenance them.

He urged the court to order the defendant to proceed with his defence, failing which he would be forced to apply that the defence be foreclosed.

Ruling, Justice Umar said since the subpoenaed witness was not available, he would give the defence another time to produce its witness.

He adjourned till October 2 for the continuation of defence.

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has warned Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government, employers and other stakeholders against dealing with individuals or groups it described as unauthorised representatives of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria.

The TUC said the leadership of ASCSN under Comrade Shehu Mohammed remained the union’s only recognised leadership, urging stakeholders to deal exclusively with that administration.

In a public circular signed by its Secretary-General, Comrade Nuhu Toro, the labour centre said its position was based on ASCSN’s status as a bona fide affiliate of the Congress and on the outcome of the union’s delegates’ conference held in Lagos on August 12, 2024.

According to the TUC, the Registrar of Trade Unions in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Amos Falonipe, as well as the TUC President-General, Festus Osifo, and the Secretary-General, observed the conference.

The Congress said it had observed with concern the activities of individuals and groups allegedly parading themselves as ASCSN leaders or representatives.

It described the activities as illegal and capable of undermining the labour movement’s unity and institutional integrity.

The TUC also rejected reliance on a lower court judgment by the alleged rival group, saying the judgment was being challenged at the Court of Appeal by the Shehu Mohammed-led administration.

It said: ‘Accordingly, until the final determination of these matters by competent courts, these individuals lack any lawful authority to act, represent, or transact on behalf of ASCSN.’

The labour centre consequently advised MDAs, employers, development partners and the general public to deal strictly with the Shehu Mohammed-led leadership on all matters relating to ASCSN.

It also alerted security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, to what it described as acts of illegality and impersonation, urging investigation and appropriate action.

‘For the avoidance of doubt, any individual or group outside the recognised leadership of Comrade Shehu Mohammed-led ASCSN lacks the mandate and legitimacy to act on behalf of the union.

‘Any engagement, negotiation, or transaction conducted with such unauthorised persons or groups is null, void, and of no consequence,’ the TUC said.

The Congress warned that individuals and institutions that chose to engage with or recognise the alleged unauthorised representatives would do so at their own risk.

It added that it would deploy ‘all lawful, institutional, and industrial mechanisms’ to defend its affiliate and protect what it described as the sanctity of democratic trade union processes.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has appealed to the government to give further consideration to emergency-response and traffic-management arrangements ahead of the planned demarcation of the First Niger Bridge.

The RS5 Zonal Commanding Officer, ACM Cyril Matthew, said this at the 2026 Special Marshals Zone Conference held at the Secretariat in Awka, Anambra State, themed ‘Repositioning Special Marshals for Greater Impact through Strategic Partnership and Data-Driven Road Safety Intervention.’

Matthew said the FRSC was in discussions with the Federal Ministry of Works on safety and traffic-management implications of the bridge, particularly the risk of traffic movement depending on a single bridge in the event of a breakdown or crash, which could obstruct access for emergency and towing vehicles.

‘We’re particularly mindful of the challenges that can arise during emergency recovery operations, because some of the towing equipment available to us weighs about 70 tonnes and will require sufficient operational space to manoeuvre effectively,’ he said.

He described the Corps’ position as advisory, aimed at ensuring emergency-response considerations were incorporated alongside engineering and traffic-management plans.

According to him, the bridge project had reached an advanced stage and would significantly improve connectivity when completed.

The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, has commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for what he described as sustained successes in the fight against terrorism and banditry.

Agbese, a member of the Labour Party from Benue State, said in an interview on Monday that the military had moved beyond rhetoric and was increasingly taking the battle to terrorist and criminal networks across the country.

‘Nigeria’s Armed Forces have gone beyond rhetorics. We are now deadly threats to terrorists,’ he said.

He particularly commended the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, for providing strategic and operational leadership in the ongoing campaign against insurgency, terrorism and other forms of insecurity.

Agbese said recent operational gains in the North-East and North-West showed that troops were increasingly disrupting terrorist networks rather than merely responding to attacks.

According to figures released by the Defence Headquarters, troops conducted thousands of operations across the country in July and August, neutralising 1,487 terrorists and insurgents and rescuing 777 kidnapped victims.

The operations also resulted in the arrest of 354 suspects and the recovery of 91 firearms, 1,331 rounds of ammunition and 44 improvised explosive devices.

Agbese said the figures should be considered alongside ongoing offensive operations in the North-East and North-West.

In the North-East, troops under Operation Hadin Kai have continued operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province elements. The Defence Headquarters said troops under the operation neutralised 114 terrorists, arrested 146 suspects and rescued 60 kidnapped victims during operations in August.

In the North-West, troops under Operation Fansan Yamma have sustained operations against terrorist groups in Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

Agbese said the operations reflected an increasingly intelligence-driven approach combining air power, ground operations and inter-agency cooperation.

He commended Matawalle for his role in coordinating the Armed Forces and supporting the Federal Government’s broader response to insecurity.

According to him, the sacrifices of troops in the field were being complemented by coordination and leadership at the political and defence levels.

Agbese also praised Oluyede for strengthening cooperation among the Army, Navy, Air Force and other security agencies.

He said improved coordination among the services and other security institutions had enhanced the effectiveness of operations across the country.

The lawmaker similarly commended Shaibu for what he described as renewed operational focus within the Nigerian Army, particularly in the North-East.

He cited the Chief of Army Staff’s recent operational assessment, which indicated that Operation Hadin Kai had recorded the neutralisation of 1,993 terrorists, the arrest of 2,645 suspects and the rescue of 1,778 civilians during the period covered by the assessment.

Shaibu also reported the recovery of weapons and ammunition and said improved security had enabled some displaced communities, including Mallam Fatori, Kukawa and Ngoshe, to gradually return.

Agbese said the significance of the military campaign went beyond the number of terrorists neutralised or arrested, arguing that the disruption of terrorist logistics and command structures was critical to restoring normal life in affected communities.

He also highlighted the rescue of civilians, particularly women and children who had spent extended periods in captivity, as an important measure of the effectiveness of military operations.

‘The rescue of hundreds of innocent Nigerians, many of them women and children who had spent months in captivity, speaks volumes about the commitment and professionalism of our troops,’ he said.

‘These brave men and women continue to risk their lives every day so that ordinary Nigerians can live in peace, and as a nation, we owe them our gratitude and unwavering support.’

The lawmaker said the increasing surrender of insurgents was another development that could weaken terrorist groups by reducing their manpower and providing security agencies with intelligence on their networks and operations.

He, however, urged the authorities not to become complacent, saying the gains recorded on the battlefield should be matched with continued investment in modern equipment, intelligence gathering, surveillance, logistics and the welfare of personnel.

Agbese also urged Nigerians to provide credible information to security agencies, stressing that community-based intelligence remained important in identifying terrorist hideouts, logistics networks and collaborators.

He called for stronger cooperation among security agencies, state governments and local authorities, particularly in areas where terrorists and bandits operate across administrative boundaries.

While acknowledging that security challenges remained, Agbese said recent operational successes represented a shift in the campaign against terrorism.

He urged the authorities to sustain the momentum and prevent terrorist groups from regrouping.

According to him, stronger military leadership, improved inter-service coordination, intelligence-driven operations and sustained pressure on terrorist networks could further degrade the groups and improve security in affected communities.

The federal government has called for a unified coalition among copyright regulators to combat the growing threat of online piracy and safeguard the nation’s creative and digital economy.

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said security agencies, telecommunications operators, digital platforms, and private stakeholders must come together.

The Minister made the call in Abuja on Monday, 28 September 2026, during the National Seminar on Copyright, Cybersecurity, and Nigeria’s Creative and Digital Economy. The event, organised by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), had the theme ‘Protecting Nigeria’s Creative Economy and Digital Infrastructure Against Online Piracy.’

Fagbemi stressed that the current scale and technical sophistication of digital piracy have made it impossible for enforcement agencies to tackle the issue in isolation.

He explained that piracy has evolved from traditional physical reproduction into borderless, cross-jurisdictional operations.

The Minister noted that illicit entities utilise streaming platforms and domain networks to distribute copyrighted works globally within seconds, often concealing their identities and financial proceeds.

He said: ‘Nigeria’s creative industry has grown exponentially in recent years. Our music, films, literature, broadcasting, software, fashion, and other creative assets continue to gain global acclaim. Digital technology has accelerated this expansion, creating unprecedented opportunities for content creation, multi-platform distribution, and commercial exploitation.

‘While this growth offers crucial pathways for job creation, foreign direct investment, and economic diversification, it simultaneously exposes our creative sector to complex, evolving threats-most notably the proliferation of digital piracy. Today, infringing content is reproduced, modified, and globally distributed in seconds through illegal streaming platforms, pirate websites, and rogue digital services, operating across borderless networks where perpetrators, technical infrastructure, and illicit profits are frequently hidden across multiple foreign jurisdictions.

‘It is, therefore, beyond doubt that online piracy cannot be tackled effectively by copyright enforcement authorities operating in isolation. Eliminating digital piracy demands a deliberate, multi-sectoral coalition spanning security and law enforcement agencies, telecommunications operators, internet service providers, digital platforms, broadcasters, payment gateways, domain registries, and rights holders across the creative ecosystem.’

Calling for urgent collaboration, the Minister said, ‘Copyright infringement in the digital domain no longer exists in a vacuum; it increasingly intersects with organised cybercrime, e-commerce vulnerabilities, and threats to the overall integrity of our critical national digital infrastructure. There is, consequently, an imperative need for a synchronised national strategy grounded in cross-institutional synergy, shared accountability, and actionable consensus.’

‘Simply put, we must transition decisively from policy discussion to practical execution,’ Fagbemi added.

Although the Copyright Act, 2022 provides a modern statutory foundation, Fagbemi stressed that its success depends on structured multi-agency implementation. A key expected outcome of the seminar is the Abuja Copyright Action Plan, an operational framework designed to assign clear institutional duties, establish real-time intelligence sharing, and set standardised procedures for the prompt removal and domain-blocking of infringing content.

The initiative aims to build ‘safe corridors’ that protect creators, improve investor confidence, and support national economic diversification.

Speaking on the sidelines of the seminar, the Director-General of the NCC, Dr. John O. Asein, disclosed that enforcement measures and technological interventions are actively disrupting illegal distribution channels.

Asein also cautioned against relying on an unverified 2019 figure estimating industry losses at $3 billion, saying the Commission is preparing a new empirical study to measure current piracy levels under the 2022 legal framework.

He also stressed that unmitigated piracy deprives creators of fair compensation, deters foreign investment, and risks positioning Nigeria as a destination for illicit digital operators.

Highlighting a recent enforcement success, Asein referenced MovieBox, an illicit platform linked to Asian operators that had adopted a .ng domain name to appear local. The NCC’s intervention shut down the Nigerian domain, forcing the operators to relocate their infrastructure to the Philippines.

In a goodwill message, the Director, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Nigeria, Dr Oluwatobiloba Moody, highlighted the global influence of Nigerian music and Nollywood.

Moody, however, pointed out that pirate platforms frequently expose consumers to broader cybersecurity threats and malware.

He also reaffirmed WIPO’s support for Nigeria’s enforcement strategy through capacity building and technical frameworks, notably WIPO ALERT. The secure platform enables participating nations to share data on infringing domains, allowing the advertising sector to block ad placements on pirate sites and starve them of revenue.

Coalition of Presidential Campaign Council of Support Groups in Oyo State has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) to recognise, include and re-engage grassroots support groups that mobilised for the President during the 2023 presidential election.

The coalition said its structures across the state remained available to support communication of government policies and programmes and strengthen grassroots engagement ahead of the 2027 general election.

Speaking in Ibadan, the coalition’s Chief Coordinator in Oyo State, Yemi Akinwale, Secretary, Mrs Aminat Morakinyo, Ismail Akinsola, executives and state coordinators of the coalition said its members mobilised across the 33 local governments, 351 wards and 6,390 polling units in Oyo State during the 2023 presidential election to campaign for Tinubu and the APC.

They expressed concern that many of the coordinators, foot soldiers and support groups that participated in the campaign had, two years after the election, not been adequately engaged, recognised or integrated into governance and party administration processes.

The coalition said the coalition was not seeking confrontation with the Presidency or the APC, but wanted a structured relationship that would enable grassroots mobilisers to contribute to governance beyond election periods.

‘We seek recognition, inclusion and engagement. We are not here to complain. We are not here to create division. We are not here to undermine the leadership of our party or the administration of President Tinubu. Rather, we are here to offer ourselves as partners, who remain available and willing to contribute to the success of the administration.’

According to them, the support groups should not be regarded solely as election-time organisations because their members maintain relationships within communities and understand issues affecting people at the grassroots.

They said the structures could assist the government in communicating its policies and programmes, correcting misinformation and providing feedback from communities.

‘We believe a government cannot effectively communicate its policies, programmes and achievements to the grassroots without engaging the structures and individuals, who have established relationships within those communities,’ Akinwale said.

The coalition, however, appealed to Tinubu, APC leadership and relevant federal authorities to create mechanisms for the inclusion of Oyo support groups in federal appointments, boards, empowerment programmes, palliative distribution and policy communication.

Aggrieved workers’ unions at three state-owned tertiary institutions in Ondo State have suspended their four-week industrial action over unpaid allowances and the implementation of agreements with the Federal Government.

The suspension followed a financial intervention by the state government, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in the dispute that led to the strike.

The suspension affects workers under the Joint Action Committee of Ondo State-owned tertiary institutions (JAC-ODSTI) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

The affected institutions are Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA), Akungba-Akoko; Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa; and the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo.

The Chairman of the AAUA branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Boluwaji Oshodi, confirmed the suspension of the strike in a telephone interview with The Nation in Akure on Monday.

‘Yes, I can confirm that the strike has been suspended,’ Mr Oshodi told our reporter.

He said the workers at the state-owned tertiary institutions have been directed to resume work today (Tuesday, September 29).

The Chairman and the Secretary of JAC-ODSTI, Tayo Ogungbeni and Kunle Akinwonmi, respectively, also announced the suspension in a statement.

The unions said the decision followed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s intervention in the dispute.

They commended Aiyedatiwa, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Igbekele Ajibefun, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties and Union Matters, Bola Taiwo, for their roles in resolving the crisis.

The unions also acknowledged the contributions of members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and other members of the public.

However, the workers warned that some aspects of the dispute remained unresolved.

They specifically urged the managements of the three universities to immediately address the non-financial components of the agreements reached between the Federal Government and the university-based unions.

‘We are also using this medium to appeal to the Management of the various Universities to take immediate action to address the non-financial aspects of the FGN/Unions Agreement without any further delay to avoid an unwarranted strike in our institutions,’ the statement said.

The strike followed disagreements over unpaid allowances and the implementation of wage-related agreements, among other demands.

The Grassroots Supporters of G-15 in Kwara Central have denied reports that some members of the group had defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The group described the reports as misleading and said they could cause confusion within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The clarification followed reports that some G-15 members had endorsed Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Chairman of the Elders Council of Ilorin G-15, Saka Awayewaserere, said the group remained members of the APC and loyal to the leaders of the G-15 movement.

He said stakeholders of the G-15 movement in Ilorin East were not aware of any move by members to abandon the group’s position.

‘Our loyalty to our leaders in G-15 therefore remains unshaken,’ Awayewaserere said.

The G-15 emerged following disagreements surrounding the APC governorship primary in the state, with some aggrieved aspirants and their supporters forming the group.

Grassroots supporters said their continued membership of the APC did not prevent them from maintaining political relationships with the leaders of the G-15.

Awayewaserere said the group would continue to support its leaders while respecting its members’ individual political choices.

He also reaffirmed the group’s support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

He said the group would mobilise its supporters at the grassroots in support of Tinubu, citing its belief in the President’s leadership and the need for continuity.

Awayewaserere said the group would take its message to communities across Kwara Central as part of its mobilisation efforts.

The group urged the public and political stakeholders to disregard reports of mass defections or a complete realignment of G-15 supporters, saying the political situation is more nuanced than recent reports suggested.