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Socio-political and economic reformers in countries that practice liberal democracy usually find it difficult to win the next election and that explains why most democratically elected leaders shy away from engaging in fundamental reforms. Even in semi-democratic countries leaders who engage in fundamental reforms usually suffer the backlash associated with seeking to change the trajectory that the masses are used to. And the reason for such repercussion is because such reforms are usually painful and exhausting and voters lack the patience associated with fundamental reforms.

One of the most popular reformist leaders in the 20th century who paid the price with his position as president was Coalition of defunct Soviet Union. He introduced openness and freedom of speech in a Soviet Union that was hitherto led by autocrats. The consequence was the disintegration of the USSR and the birth of Russian Federation. President Boris Yelstin who took over from him and shepherded Russia towards a representative democracy capitalist economy and greater freedoms for citizens became very unpopular towards the end of his presidency.

Nearer home Nicephore Soglo of Benin Republic who steered the country away from the Marxist-Leninist dictatorship in the early 1990s towards a market-drive economy lost the 1996 presidential election to the former dictator Mathieu Kerekou. In Ghana President John Mahama who championed infrastructural development and fiscal reforms under an IMF program lost the next presidential election to Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2016 general election. Further off Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua who led a revolution to overthrow the 46-year brutal dictatorship of the Samoza family in 1979 and introduced major reforms lost the presidential election in 1990.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had dared where other elected presidents were afraid. On his inauguration day in 2023 he announced that fuel subsidy was gone and like a coast buffeted by a whirlwind the national economy has not been the same again. He followed up with a single market-driven foreign exchange platform and the value of the naira plummeted while inflation chased the wind. For lower income earners life became nasty brutish and short and at that stage in 2023 to 2024 his popularity rating as president may be one of the worst in Nigeria’s history.

Before Tinubu’s emergence in the 2023 general election President Muhammadu Tinubu had in the face of severe economic challenges resorted to what economists refer to as ‘Ways and Means’ to survive. In 2022 President Buhari wrote to the National Assembly for a retroactive approval and securitization (converting short-term overdrafts into long term bonds) of about N22.7 trillion accumulated Ways and Means advances. Even though the Ways and Means had over-shot the 5% of the previous year’s actual federal government revenue allowed by Section 38(2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act; the Senate approved the restructuring and securitization of the N22.7 trillion loan into a 40-year bond with a 3-year moratorium at a 9% interest rate.

Meanwhile the total approved federal budget of Nigeria for 2022 fiscal year was N17.12 trillion. Of course while the National Assembly could give a cloak of legitimacy to the economic abracadabra that President Buhari and his economic team were using to sustain Nigeria on a life support the underlining structural challenges meant that very drastic measures were needed if Nigeria was not to become an economically failed state. Again with the foreign reserve completely depleted it was a matter of time before the international economic hegemons (IMF and World Bank) made statements that will alert the international community to be wary of doing business with Nigeria.

So President Tinubu apparently haven been briefed before his swearing-in ceremony decided to take drastic economic measures that amounted to near-political suicide instead of working for his popularity and a second term in view. Speaking outside his prepared speech as his team would never have agreed to such a drastic measure Tinubu announced that petroleum subsidy was gone on May 29 2023. His political opponents and many political commentators claimed that he acted without thinking or caring for the ordinary Nigerians who will bear the brunt of the removal of subsidy.

Beyond measure the economic backlash was ruthless and devastating for the private pockets of Nigerians particularly the middle and low income earners. It was like a surgery without anaesthesia. According to the National Bureau of Statistics by December 2023 food inflation was 33.93% as against 22.32% in January when Buhari’s regime was rounding up its four years of economic mismanagement. By January 2024 food inflation jumped to 35.41% and ended at 39.84% in December 2024. At that stage Nigerians began to compare President Tinubu to the biblical King Rehoboam who told his people ‘My father made your yoke heavy but I will add to your yoke…’

But like a lifesaving surgery as the pain began to give away the patient increasingly realized that though not up and running he has more energy than before the surgery when he was anaemic. The food inflation in 2025 in Nigeria plummeted to 26.08% and further down to 10.84% in December 2025 on a year-to-year basis. The NBS reports that Nigeria’s year-on-year food inflation dropped further down to 8.89% in January 2026. By July with the war between USA/Israel versus Iran exacerbating and the cost of fuel and diesel surging higher the food inflation has begun a new resurgence.

For the three tiers of government the outcome of the surgery has been different. According to NBS the three tiers of government shared N1.127 trillion in December 2023. By December 2024 the total amount shared by the three tiers of government rose to N1.424 trillion. The amount shared by the federal state and local governments further increased to N1.969 trillion in December 2025. The shared sum in October 2026 between the three tiers of government rose to N2.426 trillion as against N906.955 billion in October 2023 just after the surgery and N736.782 billion in October 2022 before the surgery.

With the surgery yielding more than three-fold harvest for the three tiers of government there is every reason for the governors to rally round President Tinubu to save the reforms that yielded such a bounty harvest. Of note while every governor’s rating has gone up because of their performance with the threefold increase in the monies from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) President Tinubu is the butt of complaints by Nigerians. So while Nigerians are praising their performing governors they see Tinubu the surgeon that made it possible as the source of the economic hardship they face.

Luckily for President Tinubu former vice president Atiku Abubakar and former governor Peter Obi the two major contenders for the presidency in the 2027 general election have promised to remove the fuel subsidy as a campaign promise. The governorship candidates especially those seeking re-election or first term must have realized that President Tinubu has been carrying the can for all of them. It remains to be seen whether this wake-up call will save a reformist Tinubu government in the 2027 general election.

Management of the BEDC Electricity Plc and members of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) on Tuesday engaged in marathon meeting with a view to end the ongoing crisis.

Officials of NUEE had picketed BEDC and shut down its operations.

The action caused blackout in Edo Delta Ondo and Ekiti states over poor welfare packages.

No official of NUEE was sighted at its secretariat when our reporter visited.

Our reporter was told that they were at a meeting at the BEDC headquarters along Akpakpava road.

But Head of Branding and Corporate Communications of BEDC Electricity Plc Evelyn Gbiwen said several initiatives have been introduced at improving employees’ welfare and recognising their contributions to the company’s operations.

Gbiwen said issues relating to promotions long-service awards retirement benefits and bereavement support had remained largely unaddressed for years before the introduction of the current management’s welfare measures.

She said the current management introduced performance-based incentives for deserving employees and regions while more than 1500 employees was promoted since the current management assumed office.

Gbiwen urged the union and employees to sustain dialogue with management in the interest of peaceful industrial relations mutual understanding and the continued delivery of reliable electricity service.

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team forward Precious Chiemerie Oscar has urged Nigerians to continue supporting the Flamingos following their 1-2 defeat to Poland in their opening match at the ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

Reacting to the loss

Oscar expressed disappointment over their opening loss to Poland assuring that the Flamingos would regroup and work towards a better performance in their next match.

‘We all came out to play and to win and it didn’t go the way we wanted. So we go back and organise ourselves and hopefully we’ll come out stronger in the next game’ she said.

She also emphasised the need for unity and organisation among the players while appealing to Nigerians not to lose hope in the team.

‘They should all keep supporting us. Never lose hope because we are going to make them proud’ Oscar added.

The Flamingos will face Puerto Rico today before taking on defending champions Korea DPR on Friday as they seek to revive their campaign. The fixtures will be important to Nigeria’s efforts to recover from the loss to Poland and strengthen its position in the group.

The Flamingos are seeking their first FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup title having previously come close in 2022 when they finished third to claim the bronze medal.

Oscar is among Nigeria’s emerging female football talents featuring as an attacker and winger for Edo Queens in the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL).

She has also represented Nigeria at the U-17 and U-20 levels earning opportunities with both the Flamingos and the Falconets. Her experience includes participation in the WAFU B Girls Cup and Nigeria’s youth-level World Cup qualification campaigns.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday evening hosted the proposed $14 billion budget of the United Nations (UN) for 2027.

It marked what Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the global body Senator Jimoh Ibrahim described as a historic milestone in the country’s 66 years of membership of the organisation.

The envoy presented the seven-volume budget document to the President at his official residence in the State House Abuja.

Ibrahim who currently chairs the United Nations General Assembly’s Fifth Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Matters told reporters after meeting with President Tinubu that the presentation was particularly significant because it was the first time since Nigeria joined the United Nations in 1960 that its representative was presiding over the committee responsible for considering the organisation’s budget.

The envoy said the proposed budget which was formally presented to the committee by UN Secretary-General António Guterres represented an important responsibility for Nigeria in the management of the global body’s financial and administrative affairs.

According to him the historic position occupied by Nigeria made it necessary to formally present the documents to President Tinubu who represents the country at the highest level of government.

He explained that the budget contained in seven volumes covered the organisation’s regular expenditure peacekeeping operations and other financial commitments.

The envoy put the overall proposed expenditure at approximately $14 billion describing the financial responsibilities involved as substantial.

He said the regular budget was estimated at about $3.4 billion while approximately $8.5 billion was earmarked for peacekeeping operations.

Ibrahim described Nigeria’s chairmanship of the influential UN committee as a rare diplomatic achievement stressing that the country could not predict when another opportunity of such significance would arise.

He said the development had also placed President Tinubu in a historic position as the first Nigerian leader to formally receive the proposed UN budget from a Nigerian representative serving as chairman of the committee.

‘We don’t know when we’re going to do that again in history’ he said reflecting on the significance of Nigeria’s leadership of the committee.

The ambassador expressed satisfaction that the President had received the seven volumes of the proposed budget stressing that the occasion underscored Nigeria’s growing participation in critical decisions affecting the operations of the United Nations.

Asked what Nigeria stood to benefit from its influential position in the UN budgetary process Ibrahim declined to state specific expectations explaining that negotiations among member states were still ongoing.

He maintained that it would be premature to discuss possible financial or developmental benefits for Nigeria when the proposed allocations had yet to receive the necessary approvals.

The envoy stressed that the budget remained a proposal subject to detailed scrutiny adjustments and negotiations by members of the Fifth Committee before its eventual consideration and approval by the General Assembly.

‘The budget still has to be approved. It’s a proposed budget’ Ibrahim said.

The envoy explained that the figures contained in the documents could still change during negotiations adding that expenditure would only commence after the required approval processes had been concluded.

Illustrating the scale of projects funded through the United Nations system Ibrahim cited the construction of a conference facility in Nairobi Kenya estimated at about $260 million.

He suggested that the project demonstrated the substantial resources available for infrastructure and other institutional activities under the organisation’s financial arrangements.

The envoy reiterated that discussions were still underway and that it would be inappropriate to make definitive statements about what Nigeria might secure from the proposed budget.

Ibrahim’s election as chairman of the Fifth Committee on June 2 marked a significant diplomatic achievement for Nigeria giving the country a leadership role in the committee responsible for examining and recommending decisions on the UN’s administrative and budgetary affairs.

The Fifth Committee is one of the six main committees of the United Nations General Assembly and plays a central role in scrutinising financial proposals resource allocation and administrative expenditures before final decisions are taken by the General Assembly.

The proposed 2027 budget will undergo further deliberations by the committee with member states expected to negotiate expenditure priorities and funding requirements before final approval.

The Federal Government has attracted about $125 million in private-sector investment for housing construction through its Renewed Hope Housing Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model which is designed to deliver homes without direct government financing of construction.

Director-General Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Dr Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh disclosed this while presenting Nigeria’s housing model at the Second Forum for Public-Private Partnership Units in Africa in Addis Ababa Ethiopia.

He said the programme was structured to enable private investors to undertake housing development while the government provides support to reduce investment risks facilitate financing and ensure that buyers are available for completed homes.

Ewalefoh explained that the government’s approach was to use policy measures and financial support to attract private capital rather than bear the entire cost of constructing houses.

‘Government does not need to finance housing capital projects. It can crowd in private capital through policy land availability and off-taker facilitation to create a replicable scalable model for housing delivery’ he told delegates.

The housing programme under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is expected to deliver 100000 housing units across selected cities in Nigeria through a joint venture concession with private-sector partners.

Under the arrangement the private partner owns the land designs the houses provides the construction financing and carries out the building work while the government provides measures to make the investment viable and the homes more affordable.

Explaining the structure Ewalefoh said the arrangement differed from conventional PPP projects because the private partner was responsible for the major development activities.

He said the government’s intervention was aimed at removing the obstacles that could prevent private investors from entering the housing market.

‘The beauty of this PPP structure is that it is not the conventional PPP. In this case the private party owns the land has the design is financing it and is doing the construction’ he said.

The model is designed to address the high cost of financing in Nigeria where commercial lending rates are above 23 per cent. Such rates make it difficult for many developers to obtain affordable construction loans and for prospective homeowners to secure financing.

To address the challenge the Federal Government facilitated about $39 million in concessionary financing through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the Family Homes Fund.

The Federal Mortgage Bank provided about $19 million in funding at single-digit interest rates while the Family Homes Fund made available a further $20 million in concessionary loans.

The funding arrangements are intended to improve the project’s financial viability and encourage private investors to commit capital to housing construction.

In addition to the concessionary loans buyers are expected to benefit from lower mortgage rates through the approximately $112 million MOFI Real Estate Investment Fund (MRIF).

The fund is part of the measures designed to improve access to housing finance and enable eligible buyers to purchase homes under the programme.

The government has also negotiated sale prices with the developer to keep the houses affordable. It has limited purchases to one unit per buyer to discourage speculation and prevent individuals from acquiring multiple houses under the scheme.

Another measure is the government’s commitment to construct access roads to the semi-urban locations where the housing projects are being developed. The government has also designated middle-income federal civil servants as off-takers providing developers with an identified market for the completed houses.

These interventions according to the ICRC director-general have reduced the effective cost of the project by about 30 per cent.

The arrangement is expected to demonstrate how government support can encourage private investment in housing while reducing the need for direct public spending on construction.

Nigeria’s presentation attracted considerable interest from delegates at the continental forum particularly over the use of guaranteed buyers and concessionary financing to reduce the risks associated with housing development.

Participants sought to understand how the measures could be adapted to their own countries as African governments explore ways to expand access to affordable housing and other essential services through public-private partnerships.

Nigeria was among five countries selected to present projects at the forum’s project clinic. The other countries were Malawi Kenya Djibouti and Côte d’Ivoire.

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has awarded N5 million to the overall best graduating student of the Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) at Ipo Arakeji and Ikeji-Arakeji Osun State.

Miss Misturah Elizabeth Oseni a student of the Department of Food Science and Technology at the institution graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.96 making her the best graduating student.

The institution’s vice-chancellor Prof. Olasebikan Alade Fakolujo announced this yesterday at Ikeji-Arakeji while addressing reporters ahead of the university’s 17th convocation ceremony and 20th anniversary celebration.

Fakolujo explained that the award was in recognition of Miss Oseni’s academic performance and would support her future academic pursuits.

‘The best graduating student is Misturah Elizabeth Oseni and she is in the Department of Food Science and Technology and graduates with 4.96 CGPA.

‘Miss Oseni will receive a special prize as Overall Best Student including N5 million from the First Lady of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu’ he said.

The vice-chancellor also explained that the First Lady had invested in female academic excellence at the university through an endowment for the best graduating female student.

He said other outstanding students would also receive cash awards of N1 million and N500000 for their academic excellence.

According to Fakolujo a total of 1043 students will be graduating at the convocation comprising 897 first-degree and 146 postgraduate graduands.

He stated that 83 undergraduates will graduate with first-class honours 429 with second-class upper-division degrees 301 with second-class lower-division degrees 74 with third-class degrees and 10 with pass degrees.

The vice chancellor added that the postgraduate category comprised 22 doctoral graduates 94 academic master’s degree holders 27 Master of Business Administration graduates and three postgraduate diploma recipients.

He announced that the annual awards introduced to recognise outstanding academic performance among the students had risen from N17.5 million in 2024 to N24 million in 2025 and N27 million this year.

‘Excellence should be recognised encouraged and rewarded and that is what our chancellor has been doing since he came on board in 2024’ Fakolujo stated.

Reflecting on the institution’s two decades of operation Prof. Fakolujo specifically identified institution-building human-capital development and entrepreneurial education as its major achievements.

He said the university founded by the leader of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) had focused on developing academic programmes strengthening institutional systems and building an identity capable of enduring changes in leadership and other challenges.

According to him JABU has also pursued an entrepreneurial approach to higher education emphasising the connection between academic knowledge practical competence and economic empowerment.

The vice chancellor said the university had partnered with Google for Education to improve the digital skills of staff and students in digital education.

He stated that the collaboration was intended to strengthen technology-driven teaching learning communication and research enabling members of the university community to benefit from digital learning platforms.

Fakolujo called for greater emphasis on research that addresses practical challenges facing society stressing that the value of university research should not be assessed solely by the number of academic papers published but also by its contribution to solving problems affecting farmers entrepreneurs patients communities industries and public institutions.

He acknowledged that the university had experienced financial constraints periods requiring institutional reforms and delays in implementing some plans over the past 20 years.

The vice chancellor further explained that the institution had continued to adapt learn from its challenges and pursue improvements.

Fakolujo announced that JABU had developed its first formally documented five-year strategic plan covering 2027 to 2031.

He said the plan contained measurable goals expected outcomes and key performance indicators to guide the university’s next phase of development.

‘Among the priorities outlined for the period are academic excellence research and innovation alongside digital transformation and infrastructure development’ Fakolujo noted.

The vice-chancellor said the university intended to strengthen teaching modernise instructional methods and encourage research that responds to Nigeria’s social economic and technological needs.

He added that the institution would continue to build on its achievements in human-capital development and entrepreneurial education as it prepares for the next phase of its growth.

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) Customs administrations of the Republic of Benin and the Republic of Cameroon have among other things brainstormed on Customs Declaration Exchange System (CDES) designed to facilitate secure information exchange among Nigeria’s B’Odogwu platform Benin’s Customs Webb and Cameroon’s CAMCIS.

The collaborating countries have intensified discussions with the African Afrezimbank on a regional border-modernisation programme aimed at strengthening trade facilitation improving cross-border efficiency and advancing the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The high-level working engagement held at Afreximbank’s headquarters in Cairo Egypt on 12 October 2026 followed a joint benchmarking mission to Beitbridge Border Post in Zimbabwe and subsequent technical assessments of the Mfum-Ekok and Sèmè-Kraké border corridors.

NCS Deputy Comptroller of Customs National Public Relations Officer Abdullahi Maiwada made this known in a press release on Sunday.

The statement said ‘A major component of the engagement was the Customs Declaration Exchange System (CDES) designed to facilitate secure information exchange among Nigeria’s B’Odogwu platform Benin’s Customs Webb and Cameroon’s CAMCIS.’

According to the statement the engagement led by the Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi brought together representatives of the three Customs administrations Afreximbank and technical partners to review findings from the assessment missions identify priority interventions and explore practical pathways towards an integrated regional border-modernisation programme.

Discussions focused on combining improvements in digital infrastructure harmonised Customs procedures secure data exchange and institutional capacity development with investments in cargo scanners weighbridges access roads reliable electricity connectivity traffic management and modern border-processing facilities.

The meeting also considered Afreximbank’s potential participation in the next Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (C-PACT) and progress towards regional and continental transit-guarantee arrangements.

A major component of the engagement was the Customs Declaration Exchange System (CDES) designed to facilitate secure information exchange among Nigeria’s B’Odogwu platform Benin’s Customs Webb and Cameroon’s CAMCIS.

Built around a common data model the system is intended to enable export information originating in one country to support the advance preparation of import-manifest information in the receiving country thereby reducing duplication and improving the predictability of cross-border transactions.

The receiving Customs administration will remain responsible for validating the information applying national requirements conducting risk assessments and authorising clearance. Although development and technical testing have been undertaken further country-specific configuration application programming interface integration security assurance and pilot acceptance remain necessary before deployment.

The discussions drew extensively on findings from the July 2026 Beitbridge benchmarking mission and subsequent assessments of the two priority corridors.

The Beitbridge experience demonstrated the importance of treating a modern border as an integrated operational ecosystem encompassing traffic segmentation pre-arrival processing risk-based controls cargo scanning transit monitoring electronic payments information technology command centres utilities maintenance and effective governance.

At Mfum-Ekok the assessment identified gaps in dependable power supply connectivity information technology equipment cybersecurity technical support scanner commissioning and coordinated single-stop processing.

At Sèmè-Kraké key challenges included incomplete joint procedures and live data exchange non-functional cargo-scanning and weighing facilities unreliable electricity traffic congestion inconsistent operating hours and unresolved responsibilities for maintaining shared infrastructure. These findings underscore the need to address immediate operational deficiencies alongside a properly assessed and costed long-term modernisation programme.

To advance the initiative Afreximbank outlined a proposed two-stage approach beginning with independent engineering assessments and investment-cost studies at the two border posts followed by the development of separate bankable project packages for the Nigeria-Benin and Nigeria-Cameroon corridors.

The proposed project-preparation process would cover transaction advisory services legal due diligence financial modelling and the identification of appropriate implementation and financing arrangements. The Bank also outlined the potential use of its Project Preparation Facility while technical partners TMP and Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited expressed willingness in principle to consider self-financing the preparatory work.

Although no final project cost lending commitment borrower designation financing arrangement or implementation contract was established participants agreed on the importance of direct site inspections designated technical focal points a clear one- three- and six-month implementation roadmap and a dated action matrix to guide subsequent engagement.

The Nigeria Customs Service under the leadership of CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and his management team reaffirms the commitment to strengthening regional cooperation modernising border operations and facilitating legitimate trade in line with the objectives of AfCFTA.

The Service will continue to engage with its counterparts in Benin and Cameroon Afreximbank and relevant technical partners to advance the required assessments clarify project-preparation arrangements and develop practical sustainable solutions for the two border corridors to promote more efficient cross-border procedures improve cargo visibility strengthen coordinated border management and support the development of an integrated African trading environment.

The Edo State Presidential National Assembly and State House of Assembly Campaign Council has urged the public to disregard what it described as mischievous attempts by disgruntled opposition elements to manufacture and spread political tares over a non-existent campaign itinerary for the President.

The council said those suggesting that Edo State’s exclusion from the 12 states President Tinubu is scheduled to visit personally for campaigns shows disregard for the state are merely being mischievous because Governor Okpebholo had earlier declared that the President need not come to Edo to campaign.

In a statement by its Director of Media Mr. John Mayaki the council described the controversy as an unnecessary distraction insisting that a presidential campaign itinerary should not be misconstrued as a disregard for the state.

‘A presidential itinerary is a schedule of engagements not a register of political friendships and quarrels. Anyone claiming that the President’s decision not to visit Edo for campaign activities proves a disregard for the state is engaging in a reckless exercise in political mischief’ the council stated.

It recalled that Governor Okpebholo long before the publication of the President’s campaign itinerary expressed confidence in the All Progressives Congress (APC) ‘s ability to deliver Edo State without requiring President Tinubu to attend campaign rallies in the state.

‘Governor Monday Okpebholo had already made his position clear long before the itinerary was published. He expressed confidence that the APC would deliver Edo State without requiring President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to come here specifically for campaign rallies.

‘That statement was made long before the present controversy. How then can anybody reasonably interpret the President’s campaign itinerary as evidence of disregard for the state?’ the council queried.

The campaign council also drew attention to the First Lady’s recent visit to Edo State during which she inaugurated 50 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses and launched a ?1 billion women’s empowerment initiative championed by the Okpebholo administration.

It said the visit provided another important context for assessing the relationship between the Presidency and the Edo State Government.

‘Thankfully the First Lady Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu was in Edo State only last week to commission our 50 CNG buses and launch the ?1 billion empowerment initiative for women championed by the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

‘Yet some people would rather ignore these developments and manufacture stories of insinuating disregard for the state because Edo State is not among the 12 states the President is scheduled to visit personally for campaign activities’ the council said.

The council said the Presidential Campaign Council was scheduled to visit Edo State on November 12 coinciding with Governor Okpebholo’s second anniversary in office.

It described the coincidence as significant calling the visit a symbolic and historic honour for the governor and the people of the state.

‘Incidentally the Presidential Campaign Council is scheduled to visit Edo State on November 12 2026 the very day Governor Okpebholo will celebrate his second anniversary in office.

‘We consider this coincidence significant and regard the visit as a symbolic and historic honour to the governor and the people of Edo State’ the council stated.

‘Those attempting to twist this issue are merely deceiving themselves especially when the governor’s earlier public position is already on record.

‘Those who wish to interpret the President’s absence are free to continue deluding themselves. But Governor Okpebholo had already made his position clear long before the itinerary was made public.

‘For us there is no cause for alarm. We are good to go. Edo State is APC and APC is Edo State’ the council declared.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural group Ohanaeze Ndigbo Ogun State chapter has endorsed the re-election bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the candidature of Senator Olamilekan Adeola popularly known as Yayi for the 2027 presidential election and governorship election in Ogun State.

This announcement was made when the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Ogun State chapter Eze Stephen Okorie led a five-man delegation to visit Senator Adeola over the weekend.

During the visit Okorie informed Senator Adeola that the group would confer the chieftaincy title of ‘Dike Eji Eje Mba’ on him.

Eze Okorie said the installation for the chieftaincy title slated for the end of the month in Abeokuta would also witness the open endorsement of the Senator and the declaration of the Igbo to support all APC candidates in Ogun State.

He said he had installed five campaign billboards for Tinubu and Senator Adeola (Yayi) across the state on behalf of the Igbo and had produced numerous campaign materials for the Senator.

‘I have been a resident in Ogun State for the past 36 years living at Owode-Yewa in Yewa South Local Government. We have been watching the politics and development in Ogun State. Based on the massive development Senator Adeola has attracted to Ogun State in the last three years particularly in the areas of market infrastructure and road construction to promote trade and commerce the Igbo have no hesitation in endorsing the Senator for Governor of Ogun State’ he stated.

Expressing appreciation for the gesture Senator Adeola said while in Lagos the Igbo equally supported his political journey with the Eze Ndi Igbo in Lagos conferring on him the title of ‘Dike Di Ora Nma’ of Lagos State.

‘My brand of politics is politics of inclusion and delivery of good governance for all the people. When roads schools hospitals and other infrastructures are constructed it is for the good of all and all law-abiding Nigerians are welcome to do business and make progress in Ogun State’ he said.

Among the key dignitaries in attendance during the visit were the deputy governorship candidate APC in Ogun State Alhaja Kudirat Adegunwa-Balogun Dr. Kunle Salako Minister of State for Health and Social Services Dr. Kunle Salako Ogun State Commissioner for Budget and Planning Laolu Olabimtan senatorial candidate APC Ogun West Jimoh Ojugbele and other APC candidates.

The Rivers State House of Assembly has rescinded its decision declaring the seats of three lawmakers vacant.

It has now directed them to return to the legislature after they appealed to the Assembly over their prolonged absence from plenary.

The lawmakers are: Timothy Oruibienimigha representing Opobo/Nkoro Constituency; Victor Oko Jumbo representing Bonny Constituency; and Sokari Goodboy Sokari representing Ahoada West Constituency.

The Assembly reversed its earlier decision yesterday during the 68th Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session of the Tenth Assembly following separate letters of appeal submitted by the lawmakers and read by Speaker Martin Chike Amaewhule.

In their appeals the lawmakers apologised to the House explaining that they did not resume legislative duties after their suspension was lifted in December 2023 because according to them they were not formally notified that the suspension had been revoked.

The lawmakers said they were unaware that the House had lifted their suspension on December 20 2023 following the presidential intervention in the political crisis that engulfed Rivers.

Their appeals triggered a debate among lawmakers who later supported the plea and urged the Assembly to reverse its earlier decision that their seats were vacant.

Commenting on the development Amaewhule said investigations suggested that the lawmakers might not have received the correspondence informing them that their suspension had been lifted.

The Speaker stressed that the decision should be guided by justice and the law rather than emotions.

‘The law does not feast on emotion neither does the law see the rotund face of the rich nor the angular face of the poor but sees only justice’ he said.

After deliberations Amaewhule put the question on whether the House should rescind its earlier resolution or maintain it.

The lawmakers voted in favour of the motion agreeing to reverse the declaration of the three seats as vacant.

The Speaker said the decision would enable the lawmakers to rejoin their colleagues and represent the interests of their respective constituencies in the Assembly.

The controversy dated back to October 30 2023 when four members of the Assembly were suspended amid the political crisis in Rivers State.

Following a presidential intervention on December 18 2023 the Assembly lifted the suspension on December 20 2023 at its 89th Legislative Sitting of the First Session of the Tenth Assembly.

But the three lawmakers continued to stay away from legislative sittings and other Assembly activities.

On October 15 2024 the House at its 56th Legislative Sitting of the Second Session resolved to declare their seats vacant citing Section 109(1)(e) and (f) and Section 109(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Assembly subsequently notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections to fill the seats.

But yesterday’s resolution reversed that decision following the lawmakers’ appeals and the intervention of their colleagues who supported their return to the legislature.

The Nation gathered that the decision was part of the resolutions reached between the camps of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara during their reconciliation meeting on Sunday.

The meeting which was held under the Rainbow Coalition was the second time the minister had led his loyalists to Fubara’s residence in the ongoing efforts to permanently end the political crisis in the state and forge a common front for the 2027 general elections.