The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the Managing Director of Abu-Haneefa Oil and Gas Limited, Musa Farouk Abubakar, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged fraud and money laundering case involving the sum of ₦691.7 million.

Abubakar and his company, Abu-Haneefa Oil and Gas Limited, and Sandra Chizoba Attoh were arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, on Wednesday, it was reported.

The defendants now face an amended 15-count charge of conspiracy, fraud, corruption and money-laundering.

The anti-graft agency charged that Abubakar transferred ₦297 million from the account of Abu-Haneefa Oil and Gas Limited with Zenith Bank to an Access Bank account of Attoh in July 2025. The EFCC said the money was suspected to be proceeds of corruption.

It also claimed that later in the same month, Abubakar helped to transfer ₦262.9 million from Attoh’s Access Bank account to an account of Mshell Homes Limited with Taj Bank.

The money, investigators said, was used to acquire a property located at Kapital Villa, Guzape, Abuja and the funds, they insisted, were linked to illicit activities.

The three defendants denied all allegations and pleaded not guilty when the charges were read in court.

After the plea, EFCC lawyer, Rita Ogar, asked for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility pending the hearing of the case.

Counsel to Abubakar and his company, Ishaka M. Dikko, told the court that an application for bail had been filed on May 19, 2026, on behalf of the first defendant.

He also told the court that the defence had been served with the prosecution’s reply to the application and prayed that his client be kept in EFCC detention while the matter was being considered.

Attoh’s lawyer, Y. G. Haruna (SAN), also told the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client on June 1 and got a response from the prosecution the next day.

The EFCC opposed the bail applications on the ground that it had strong evidence against the defendants.

The prosecution said it had filed counter-affidavits supported by documentary exhibits and prayed the court to dismiss the applications.

“After hearing submissions from both sides, Justice Egwuatu ordered that Abubakar should be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending further proceedings and until his legal team responds to the prosecution’s counter-affidavit.

But the judge granted Attoh bail in the sum of ₦200million with two sureties of same amount.

He said the sureties must be resident within Abuja and must also provide their passport photograph and valid means of identification.

They should also own property. The other must be a civil servant of Grade Level 15 or higher, and must submit appointment and latest promotion documents to the court.

The case was adjourned for trial to September 1 and 2, 2026.

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Osa Director, the National Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, says no aspirant should be denied the opportunity to participate in the party’s primaries in any part of the country.

The Director who made the statement today said all aspirants that scaled through the screening process have been properly cleared and are therefore qualified to participate in the primaries.

He said any attempt by any state chapter or party official to stop a duly cleared aspirant from participating in the exercise is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

He added that the NDC continues to be a progressive and people-centred political party that is committed to the principles of accountability, transparency, fairness, and inclusivity.

The spokesman cautioned that it is not acceptable for any arm of the party’s administrative structure to act against the core values and guiding principles.

“The NDC’s Screening and Selection Committees have been informed of reports alleging that some aspirants are being prevented from partaking in the ongoing party primaries across the country.

“We want to make it clear and categorical that all the aspirants that scaled through the screening process have been cleared and therefore qualified to contest the primaries.

“Therefore, all party members and officials at all levels are directed to ensure that the primaries are conducted in a peaceful, transparent and strictly in accordance with the constitution, guidelines and regulations of the party.

“Primaries for the presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections will hold in all parts of the country on May 29, 2026.

“Aspirants are further advised to note that, aside from the State Assembly primaries, which will hold within the respective constituency areas, all other primaries shall hold at the local government level as earlier communicated by the party,” the statement read.

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There are indications that a new crisis is brewing in the All Progressives Congress (APC) as some aggrieved governors are said to be pushing for the removal of Professor Nentawe Yilwatda as the party’s National Chairman ahead of the 2027 elections.

There is a plot to remove Yilwatda from office masterminded by five aggrieved APC Governors over the conduct and outcome of the party’s primaries for the 2027 elections, according to reports.

Leadership reports that the Governors include two from the Southwest, two from the Northcentral and one from the Southsouth.

But the reports have it that one of the Southwest Governors is spearheading the plot to remove Yilwatda from office and replace him ahead of 2027 elections.

According to top party sources quoted in the report, it was learnt that the Governors are angry with the national chairman over his refusal to do their bidding during the recently concluded National Assembly primaries conducted by the APC across the country.

It was gathered that they are not pleased with the demand by Yilwatda that all results must be properly scrutinised by the National Working Committee (NWC) before final ratification and official announcement at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

I Did Not Commit the Crime
But Yilwatda, through his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, said that all decisions on the process for the primaries were taken with the collective agreement of all stakeholders in the party.

“The primaries and the proclamation of the final results were conducted based on the agreed procedure,” he said.

On the development, the chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, PGF, and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku, said he was not in a position to speak for the PGF.

But party insiders told our correspondent that the APC 2026 Primary Election Guidelines clearly stated that election committees should collate results at the constituency and senatorial district levels before forwarding them to the party’s national headquarters for verification and ratification by the NWC.

But many governors reportedly ignored the provision and allegedly pushed for the collation of results and declaration of winners straight from their respective state capitals.

APC Leadership Stance
A source in the APC National Secretariat in Abuja who craved anonymity, said the party leadership was aware of the alleged plot against the chairman.

Some of the governors had sought to buy the forms of their preferred candidates ahead of the party primaries, the source claimed.

But he stated that Yilwatda did not succumb to their demands or force candidates on them.

He said: “The first intention of these governors was to put pressure on members of the NWC to sell the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to only aspirants whose names they sent to the national headquarters. They were prepared to invest one billion naira each.

But it was the national chairman who upset the plan and insisted that all aspirants must be given equal opportunity to get the party forms. This was regarded as his first offence against the governors.

“The second problem was his refusal to allow governors to individually appoint all the members of the election committees and appeal panels that were sent to their states. “If the governors could select all committee members, it would have been easier for them to install their favourite candidates and influence the reports to back their actions.

The Tinubu Effect
The source said the refusal of Yilwatda to play their game was a big red flag for some of the Governors hence the push to replace him ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He however said the aggrieved Governors have not been able to convince President Bola Tinubu on their stance thus slowing down their moves.

“These governors have been meeting regularly over this plot and we are also aware of the role being played by a South-West governor. They are already spreading propaganda against the national chairman, saying he is “inexperienced and nepotistic” and it would be risky for the party to let him run its affairs before the 2027 polls.

“But their biggest challenge is how to get the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their mission. “I doubt if they can convince him because he is a man that allowed governors to choose their candidates for the state assemblies without interference from the National Secretariat,” he said.

Go To Appeal
For his part, the Special Adviser to the APC Chairman on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki said the party has laid down procedures to address grievances.

And he dismissed reports of a gang against Yilwatda.

There is no such thing as anger anywhere. All decisions regarding the primary elections were taken with the collective agreement of all stakeholders in the party.

“There is no better way than not letting governors decide the outcome of the primaries.

“Results can be collected and announced at local government and state levels, but no candidate should be formally declared winner at that stage. This is because there are some aspirants who may like to exercise their constitutional right to appeal through petition to the committee for appeal.

“The NWC can only make a final declaration of winner after such appeals are received, thoroughly scrutinised and considered on their merit by the National Working Committee of the party. “That is the proper order to the official declaration of a winner,” he said.

Yilwatda took over as the APC National Chairman after his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje, stepped down on health grounds in June 2025.

It is believed he has the backing of President Tinubu for the position.

The post APC Crisis Deepens As Five Governors Move Against Yilwatda appeared first on TheNigerian.

Dr. Allen Idaso Ezekiel-Hart, an aspirant of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for the Rivers State governorship primary election, has rejected the exercise.

The primary election was a shambolic charade, orchestrated by former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, to impose a preferred candidate, Ezekiel-Hart said.

The aspirant, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Saturday, alleged that the primary produced three different governorship candidates for the ADC in Rivers State, warning that the development could throw the party into crisis ahead of the 2027 elections if the national leadership does not intervene.

“Presently, we have three governorship candidates in one party, and this is because of Amaechi’s high-handedness,” Ezekiel-Hart alleged.

He also alleged that while the party’s official timetable had fixed the governorship primary for May 23, aspirants were suddenly told Friday night that the exercise had been brought forward.

“While I was mobilising supporters in the 23 local government areas ahead of the scheduled poll, a fellow aspirant, Farah Dagogo, told me that a parallel exercise had earlier been conducted without my knowledge today (Thursday).

Ezekiel-Hart said only five aspirants believed to be loyal to Amaechi were invited by the state party chairman, the Chief Chukwudi Dimkpa, apart from himself and Dagogo.

He called the process a “kangaroo arrangement” allegedly designed to pave way for Gabriel P. Thompson who he said has been long installed as Amaechi’s preferred candidate.

He alleged that three aspirants were persuaded to withdraw for Thompson in a consensus arrangement camouflaged as a consensus arrangement despite the party’s public claim that there would be no consensus candidate.

He also disclosed that Dagogo had later come to him with the suggestion that they should team up to fight what he described as “Amaechi’s camp”. However, he said, Dagogo also allegedly asked him to publicly congratulate him as the winner.

He told me to go on air and congratulate him that we are from Atiku Abubakar’s political family and should unite. I told him to stop rubbishing Atiku’s name Atiku will not be in this nonsense,” said Ezekiel-Hart.

He alleged that Dagogo had even offered him political bribe, including possible appointment as Secretary to the State Government, if he endorsed his self-declared victory.

Ezekiel-Hart said he rejected the offer and later declared himself winner after Dagogo had earlier publicly declared himself winner.

‘As it is, Farah declared himself winner, Thompson was declared winner by the state exco, I also declared myself winner. Three winners in a primary that never happened. “That cannot be,” he said.

Ezekiel-Hart alleged that the Rivers ADC leadership had been systematically sidelining him, saying he was the only aspirant that notified the party in writing of his intention to contest and with documented acknowledgement from the party secretariat.

The former governor also accused Amaechi of trying to replicate what he termed a long-standing culture of political imposition.

“How can someone who is demanding transparent presidential primaries in the country turn around and impose a governorship candidate in Rivers?” he asked.

Ezekiel-Hart further alleged that the former minister had not explained his political role in the 2015 presidential transition that ousted former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“He owes the South-South apology for what he did to Jonathan and mortgaging the political future of this region.”

Ezekiel-Hart urged the ADC National Working Committee to immediately cancel the controversial exercise and conduct a fresh primary or adopt a consensus arrangement in line with the electoral timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The most pragmatic approach at this point is for the NWC to call for a rescheduled primary or to push through a lawful consensus option. He suggested, “Time is running out.

Similarly, Ezekiel-Hart cautioned Dagogo against the continuous mention of Atiku’s name to strengthen his case.

He should stop dragging Atiku’s name in the mud in Rivers. “Let me tell you, Atiku is our father, nobody should be saying that he is imposing a candidate here.”

“We will exhaust every legal channel within the party,” he said. “We will pursue all grievances strictly within the framework of the party constitution. “I am not going to rock the boat unnecessarily but the party has to recognise that I won the primaries.”410

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Prince Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections has described the Federal Government’s student loan policy as a crime against Nigerians, saying education must be free, compulsory and of high quality.

It was reported that Adebayo, who emerged as the SDP presidential candidate, said in an interview with Vanguard that poor policy choices and deliberate lowering of standards were weakening Nigeria’s education system.

Adebayo was most critical of the policy of the Federal Government on students’ loans, describing it as unconstitutional and unfair to young Nigerians.

“Student loans are a crime,” he said when asked if he would abolish student loans if elected.

Pressed, he said: “Yes. It’s a crime against the constitution and the people.”

The SDP candidate said education should not be paid for by student loans, as many of today’s political leaders had free education.

“Education is supposed to be free, compulsory and qualitative, so why should students borrow money for education? he asked. Members of the National Assembly did not borrow money for their own education. They had education for free.

“Education should be free because if you don’t invest in your people you destroy your society. You will turn scientists into taxi-drivers. You destroy civilization and insecurity grows because you are leaving behind the people who are supposed to become innovators. “That is the kind of society APC is building.

“A government that refuses to invest in education will be breeding a society characterised by unemployment, insecurity and wasted talent,” Adebayo said.

If elected in 2027, the SDP would focus on public education, social welfare and institutional accountability, he said.

He also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being more interested in winning elections than solving the daily challenges of Nigerians such as food, transport, healthcare, jobs and education.

The SDP candidate said his party would pursue what he called “kitchen table politics”, which he said was a governance philosophy focused on the daily survival needs of ordinary Nigerians.

Adebayo’s Reaction to SDP Ticket
On his emergence as the SDP presidential candidate, Adebayo said he saw the nomination as a new opportunity for the country and its citizens.

“It felt good, but it was hard,” he said. It’s a new opportunity for the country and for the sovereign people of this country who need a good government and a good plan.”

The SDP candidate said the party was positioning itself as an ideological alternative to the ruling party ahead of the 2027 polls.

He brushed aside suggestions that his emergence as a consensus candidate would create bad blood in the party, saying the SDP knew better than to allow divisions to develop in the face of an incumbent government.

“No. I don’t think so,” he said. The party knows three things. First of all, we have a sitting government, we cannot have internal battles. Secondly, we are, at our core, an ideological party. So it’s not personality wins.

Adebayo also spoke on the internal crisis that has engulfed some officials of the SDP including the legal issues surrounding the former National Chairman of the party.

“I will not comment on matters that are already before the courts, especially where a person is facing a criminal trial,” he said.

Another lawyer, the SDP candidate, said rule of law must be allowed to prevail.

‘Well, I’m a lawyer, and I’m in a corner,’ said he. Once something is before the courts, especially when someone is facing the prospect of losing their liberty and being tried criminally, I think it would be unethical for me to comment.

‘But I hope the rule of law will prevail and a political settlement can be reached without compromising the need not to encourage criminality or say criminality is politics. “I think we should just let the law do its work.”

Adebayo said the party’s disciplinary powers must be exercised in accordance with the SDP constitution and that members facing disciplinary action also had a duty to respect party processes.

He said institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission and the police should not take sides in internal party matters but perform their duties fairly.

“If you want to discipline somebody you must follow the law and if you are facing disciplinary action you must respect it. If you are not satisfied, you can go to the appellate part of it. “Institutions like INEC and the police should not take sides, they should do their own duty.

‘Taking Money Isn’t Politics’
“Allegations of financial misconduct should not be dismissed as mere politics,” Adebayo said on the allegation concerning N35 million and the decision to take the matter beyond internal party settlement.

But he said anyone accused of wrongdoing is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

“I can say as a lawyer that somebody is alleged to be involved in several amounts, maybe you’re mentioning just one, and the person has pleaded not guilty in a court of law. “The law requires me to presume the person is innocent and the accusers to provide evidence.

He warned against the use of political usefulness as a reason to shield anyone from accountability.

He said that taking the side of an accused person for political mileage would send the wrong signal just as condemning a suspect without trial would also amount to disrespect for the law.

“The best thing is to let the law take its course,” he said. Stealing money is not a laughing matter. “Breach of trust is not a joke. In the past, people were sent to jail for 20 naira, whereas today VIPs steal billions and still get applause. “Let’s throw away that attitude.

“If you had access to money because of your office, you have to be accountable. Money is the property of an institution.

Adebayo was asked if he had spoken to supporters seen pulling down the gate of the party secretariat and he said he had not.

He said the police have questions to answer about what happened.

“No,” he said. “I am the responsibility of the police, you don’t escort criminals to go and pull down gates.”

Asked if people came with the police, he said: ‘It’s the police who brought them and the police used them to pull down the gates because they didn’t want to do it themselves’.

But Adebayo said he was not present when the incident happened, noting that he only saw what happened on television after he had completed his screening and left the venue.

He said the party wrote to the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police on the issue.

The party officials were waiting to see what action would be taken by the police authorities before taking the next step, he said.

SDP is for the common man – Adebayo
Adebayo said SDP is an acronym for Social Democratic Party and was formed to address the social and economic challenges facing ordinary Nigerians.

He said the SDP would focus on issues that affect families directly, such as food, transportation, health care, jobs, education and survival.

“The party’s agenda is ‘kitchen table’ politics. It is about the daily struggles of Nigerians, not elite political calculations,” he said.

“The SDP is the party that has solutions to your social problems without being too professorial”, Adebayo said. This is a party for real people. Then you wake up in the morning and you think about feeding your family, transport costs, education, food, healthcare, jobs, survival, those are the issues social democratic parties focus on

That’s why it’s called the ‘kitchen table manifesto’ in some countries. It’s about the day-to-day.”

He condemned the APC over the subsidy removal, saying a social democratic government would not make such a decision without considering its effect on transport, food, housing, jobs and people’s savings.

“A social democrat does not wake up and remove subsidies without thinking about the impact on transport, food, housing, jobs and people’s savings,” he said. But if you’re APC, you’re about winning elections and congratulating yourselves after.”

“People who are hungry don’t care about regions.”
Adebayo also dismissed the argument that it would be difficult for him as a South-West candidate to defeat President Bola Tinubu who is also from the same region.

He said SDP would not campaign on ethnic or regional sentiment.

“Nigerians facing hunger, high fuel prices, poor schools and economic hardship will not judge leadership on the basis of regional identity alone,” he said.

“I don’t think like that in SDP,” he said. A hungry person in the South West remains hungry. Nobody will care about regional identity if they’re buying petrol at those ridiculous prices.

“The president is from the South West, a student who gets loans to attend schools where lecturers are not paid and laboratories are empty will not remember that.

The SDP candidate accused the APC of making politics about winning elections rather than governance outcomes.

He said Nigeria needed a party that would focus on social progress and not on ethnicity or religion.

‘APC Planting Moles In Opposition Parties
Adebayo also claimed that the APC was working to destabilize opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said the SDP had been infiltrated by political moles. He answered in the affirmative when asked.

We are dealing with that, he said. It is the wish of President Tinubu to be the only person in the race. But that’s not unusual. “Also, during the time of Obasanjo, the PDP governments attacked opposition parties.

The SDP candidate stated that such actions were part of a long history of ruling parties in Nigeria trying to weaken platforms of opposition.

But he said leadership is still important in helping party members understand the danger of transactional politics.

They’ll be there forever,” he said. The important thing is leadership and to help people understand that transactional politics may give temporary benefits but the long-term consequences are dangerous for the country.

Adebayo said he was not directly in charge of the party’s operations, adding that his role as the presidential candidate was ideological and philosophical.

“Education Reforms Are Deformations”
Adebayo dismissed the description of the policies as reforms, including lower cut-off marks and shortened routes for teacher training, on recent changes in the education sector.

He called them “deformations” and said the government was lowering standards in a way that would hurt the country’s future.

“They are not reforms, they are deformations,” he said. “The quality of people in government is the lowest and they want standards to fall because an educated population asks questions and challenges bad governance.”

Education, according to Adebayo, helps in the development of critical thinking and assists citizens to rise above ethnicity, religion and political manipulation.

He blamed part of the problem on poor education policy that produced unemployable youths.

He said Nigeria needs to go back to a system where schools keep young people productively engaged from morning till evening through academic work, physical education, extracurricular activities, prep classes and exam coaching.

“The fix is not hard. In our time, public schools filled the students from dawn to dark with useful knowledge. We had physical education, extracurriculars, preparation classes and exam coaching. Society must find constructive ways of engaging young people from childhood.”

The post “Student Loan Is a Crime” – SDP Candidate Adebayo appeared first on TheNigerian.

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on the bust of a Nigerian-Mexican drug syndicate and dismantling of a multi-million-dollar drug network.

Tinubu described the operation as a major milestone in Nigeria’s fight against organised crime, narcotics trafficking and trans-border criminal networks.

The President’s position was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.

It was gathered that the Chairman of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.), made the disclosure on Wednesday after weeks of intelligence gathering and coordinated operations.

The operation was carried out by NDLEA operatives and international security partners.

The agency said the operation resulted in the arrest of some foreign nationals, local kingpins and several collaborators.

During the exercise, more than $360m worth of chemicals and illicit drugs were also seized.

Tinubu said the successful operation was a demonstration of the professionalism, courage and commitment of NDLEA officers engaged in the mission.

The President lauded the operatives for their resilience, but warned them not to relax in the fight against drug trafficking.

“I commend the bravery, resilience and dedication shown by NDLEA operatives throughout this mission.

“I tell them not to be complacent in the face of the menace of drug trafficking,” the President said.

Tinubu said the operation had sent a strong message that Nigeria would not allow drug barons and organized criminal groups to operate freely within its territory.

The President also sounded the alarm that West Africa has been increasingly becoming a major transit route for illicit drugs.

He said drug barons were using the region to export cocaine, synthetic narcotics and unregulated pharmaceutical products to Europe and North America.

He said: “West Africa has emerged as a major concern in the global fight against narcotics, with drug barons using our region as a transit point for cocaine, synthetic drugs and unregulated pharmaceuticals.

The development had “serious implications for the security of the nation and the region,” Tinubu said.

Drug trafficking networks, he said, often fuel organised crime, corruption and violence across borders.

‘Drugs Threaten Youths Future’
Tinubu also warned that illegal drugs posed serious threats to young people across the region.

He said many youths had been victims of addiction and criminal exploitation as a result of the activities of drug trafficking networks.

“Drugs are not only a serious security threat for our region, but they are also a serious threat to the future of our youth, some of whom have become victims of the trade,” said the President.

The fight against narcotics must therefore be seen not only as a security operation but also as a national duty to protect the future generation, he added.

He urged Nigerians to support security agencies by being vigilant and reporting suspicious activities in their communities.

He said the fight against illicit drugs should not be left for the NDLEA alone.

“I urge all Nigerians to view the war against illicit drugs as not the NDLEA’s alone.

“Everyone has a part to play. “We should be vigilant and report any suspicious activities immediately,” he said.

“Timely information from citizens can help expose criminal operations and illegal trafficking networks across the country,” said the President.

Tinubu said the NDLEA’s latest success showed that Nigeria’s security agencies were determined to confront organised crime and enforce the law.

Those involved in crime that threats public safety would be put to justice, he said.

“This landmark success sends a strong message that our security agencies will not tolerate organised crime and criminality anywhere in the country and those who threaten public safety will face the law,” Tinubu said.

The President pledged that his administration would continue to support the NDLEA and other security agencies in their efforts to curb drug trafficking, safeguard communities and enhance national security.

The post Tinubu Reacts as NDLEA Dismantles Nigerian-Mexican Drug Network appeared first on TheNigerian.

As Nigeria prepares to mark its 66th Independence Anniversary, a bold national initiative is emerging with a clear and transformative mission: to allow Nigerians tell Nigeria’s story in their own voice.

De Ambassadors Global Network (DAGN) led by Chinyelu Ikeaba Obiasor , irs Global Coordinator
in partnership with the African University of Science and Technology and other strategic collaborators have planned a three-week nationwide media and civic engagement designed to inspire reflection, recognition, participation, and national pride.

According to the DAGN initiative represents a movement aimed at reshaping the narrative of Nigeria through the experiences, achievements, and aspirations of its people.

“For decades, Nigeria’s story has often been defined by fragmented headlines, political discourse, economic statistics, and external perceptions. Yet beyond those narratives exists another Nigeria — driven by resilience, innovation, creativity, enterprise, leadership, and hope”, the organisation said.

The network said a major highlight of the initiative is the Operation PVC , Nigeria National Digital Youth Talent Challenge, a nationwide platform designed to discover, elevate, and reward young Nigerian talent across creative, digital, sporting, and innovation sectors.

“Each category carries a powerful national tagline: Music (Nigeria Songs of Hope) Tagline: “Voices That Heal the Nation”. Football Freestyle
Tagline: “Skill Beyond the Game”
Basketball Freestyle Tagline: “Bounce the Future Forward”. Short Film (My Nigeria Story) Tagline: “Every Story Builds the Nation” Skits and Comedy
Tagline: “Laughing Through Our Reality”
Hair Ancestry Tagline: “Roots, Identity, Legacy”
Art Work Tagline: “Painting the Spirit of Nigeria” Fashion Design
Tagline: “Wear the Nation, Shape the Future” Tech and Innovation
Tagline: “Ideas That Power Tomorrow” DAGN said.

In a historic democratic engagement model, Nigerians across the country and the diaspora will participate directly in selecting winners.

All contestants will be showcased on national digital platforms and
Nigerians will decide through their votes.

DAGN said voting will determine finalists and category of winners adding that the approach will ensures transparency, inclusion, and nationwide ownership of the process.

Winners of the Nigeria National Digital Youth Talent Challenge will receive
Cash prizes and startup/creative funding support, Professional contracts with industry partners and collaborators, both National and international exposure opportunities.

“For the first time at this scale, Nigerians will actively participate in selecting and recognising individuals, organisations, and stories that represent the spirit of modern Nigeria.

“At the heart of the campaign is the Nigeria @66 Global Compendium — a prestigious national showcase featuring:
66 exceptional Nigerians at home
66 Nigerians in the diaspora
66 organisations contributing to national development
Beyond an Anniversary Celebration
Organisers describe Nigeria Celebrates @66 as more than a one-time anniversary campaign. It is envisioned as a long-term national platform integrating media, education, technology, civic participation, and strategic storytelling.

“Through its partnership with African University of Science and Technology, the initiative will further promote innovation-driven programming, youth development, and research-oriented engagement”, DAGN said.

The campaign is expected to be launched on May 30, 2026 and will be streamed live via zoom

The post Nigeria @66: De Ambassadors Set For Nationwide Media, Civic Engagement appeared first on TheNigerian.

Things that seem impossible are happening in politics right now. Things that people thought were impossible and unthinkable in politics are happening now. One of these things was seeing former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who has publicly criticized President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, wearing a locally made adire agbada outfit with Tinubu’s infinity symbol clearly written on it.

This happened at the recent opening of Gateway International Airport in Iperu Remo, Ogun State. Obasanjo wore an agbada that was the “aso-ebi” of the day’s dignitaries. Even though he was surrounded by his administration’s trillionaire business moguls like Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola, Abdul Samad Rabiu, and even current political leaders like Senate President Godswill Akpabio, serving and former governors, top-class legislators, and an elder statesman, Akinrogun “Segun Osoba.

People saw Obasanjo greet the president, who, despite his high status, bowed as a sign of respect and humility in the Yoruba way of showing respect to elders. Obasanjo, who has a history of only setting good examples when he has people watching to impress, lived up to his dishonest expectations by making suspiciously positive comments about Tinubu’s leadership at the event. That was a great show. Obasanjo’s attitude toward Tinubu was completely different from what it had been before, which made people wonder if he was really being a good statesman or just being his usual political liar as he stood in front of important people and was seen by the whole world.

Obasanjo has never tried to hide how much he dislikes Tinubu since he was governor of Lagos State. Obasanjo tried everything he could to bring down Tinubu on his way to winning the presidency. Obasanjo has called Tinubu someone who doesn’t have any good ideas or plans for the country since he became president of Nigeria in May 2023. He never has anything good to say about the current president’s administration, and he showed it through his words and actions. One wonders what has changed to make him celebrate Tinubu during the day while at night, his hypocritical opposition figures from all over the country are plotting with him to get rid of the president.

Looking back, Obasanjo, as he always did, never saw anything good in any of the previous governments, whether they were civilian or military, except for himself and the governments he led as a soldier and as a civilian president.

This writer has a history of being allergic to bad leadership and hypocrisy in leaders. Hypocrisy is one of the biggest problems that sitting leaders face in many countries around the world. The former president, who was born in Owu-Abeokuta, knows a lot about the hypocrisy of leaders. From there, to Obasanjo’s hypocritical self, he will do anything to take advantage of this fact, even though he arrogantly thinks that no other leader is better or has good ideas for leading our country than he does. But he is still the most brutal democratic leader this country has ever had. His kangaroo-style electoral credentials, which were based on pain and suffering, were set by the henchman of the electoral body he appointed, Professor Maurice Iwu. These credentials set the stage for the electoral problems that the country is seeing on the political stage today. Obasanjo and Iwu made up fake election results that clearly showed they didn’t care about voters’ choices and wanted to help his chosen candidates. He conquered every place he could with his presidential power, except for Lagos, which was ruled by Tinubu. In 2007, at the height of his power, he chose a president who was not fit to lead the country as his successor. Now, he’s running around acting like he’s a victim of a dirty but avoidable political situation that he made up for himself and other defenseless Nigerians. So far, the country is still having a hard time getting out of the leadership mess that this greedy dictator in civilian clothes caused for all of us.

Again, it’s not that Obasanjo didn’t try to get rid of Tinubu while he was president or even now that he’s not in power. His main problem now, as it has always been, is that Tinubu has shown that he is much better at strategic thinking, being kind, and using street smarts, especially when it comes to enjoying timely grace and the kindness of providence. Obasanjo, on the other hand, is greedy and selfish, and he still doesn’t have a strong sense of purpose. He needs political credibility badly because his democratic integrity is in tatters. This is mostly because he tried to run for a third term too ambitiously and then refused to follow the law and destroy constitutional institutions.

Obasanjo, despite his well-known hypocrisy when it comes to traveling the world, can never be a trustworthy or credible mentor of power, either in Nigeria or anywhere else. One day, careful historians will do justice to this claim when they look back on Obasanjo’s cruel rule of this country. He banned the teaching of history in schools across the country while he was in power to hide his shady political past. Recently, that unpopular choice was thrown away.

In one of my Friday columns in the Vanguard newspaper in 2003, I warned then-Governor and now-President Bola Tinubu to be very careful about how nice Obasanjo has been to him in public lately. The Balogun Owu-Abeokuta always walked in a way that made him look nice to people he wanted to hurt or needed something from. Once more, what does Obasanjo want from Tinubu? Time will tell.

It’s time to think back on what happened: Obasanjo was nice to the Alliance For Democracy governors in 2003, but Tinubu never fell for his tricks. And in the end, he planned the untimely departure from power of the unsuspecting AD governors in the states of Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, and Ekiti.

If it weren’t for divine fate, Tinubu would have lost power by now, and he probably wouldn’t be the president of the country today. As minister of works, Seye Ogunlewe was told by Obasanjo to do everything he could to destabilize Lagos and remove Tinubu from the governorship seat. Obasanjo did everything illegal in 2007 to make sure that Tinubu’s successor didn’t win the election for governor. The rest is history now.

Again. What does Obasanjo want from Tinubu this time that makes him tone down his hypocritical criticism of the president and his government? At this point, when his opposition figures against this administration are growing, it is better to be careful than to let your guard down by wearing the Tinubu costume in public. No matter how nice you are to Obasanjo, his history of betrayals makes him seem unreliable. There are many examples of this. Even though Osoba gave him the large Presidential Library land in Abeokuta when he asked for it, Obasanjo ended up betraying Akinrogun. On Election Day in 2003, he was at Osoba’s house having dinner while his assigned electoral agents were out on the political turf planning the then-Ogun helmsman’s departure from office as governor.

Also, in August 2000, when Obasanjo was secretly planning to impeach Chuba Okadigbo as Senate president, he went to Okadigbo’s birthday party and even danced with Okadigbo’s wife. That day, he acted like he was okay with Okadigbo, but days later, he told his legislative thugs to get Okadigbo impeached. That is the real dishonest nature of the man who wore the Tinubu costume last weekend. Another thing that comes to mind is how Obasanjo made Audu Ogbe step down as chairman of the People’s Democratic Party after he visited his home in Abuja without telling anyone in January 2005. Obasanjo asked for and got a delicious pounded yam meal from the wife of the chairman of the national ruling party while he was president. After a nice meal, he took a typed resignation letter out of his pocket and gave it to Ogbe to read and sign in front of his whole family. That’s Obasanjo for you: he has no compassion at all. What could be the reason this time that Obasanjo is hanging out with Tinubu?

If Obasanjo still thinks, like he did during the 2023 general elections, that Peter Obi is the best person to be president, he shouldn’t be taken seriously when he prays for, talks about, or praises Tinubu in the best possible terms. Anyone who knows a lot about recent history should tell President Tinubu to be careful of how close Obasanjo is to him and his family.

It’s clear that the former president’s recent visits to the Aso-Rock Presidential Villa are not for good reasons, but for bad ones. Please keep in mind, President Tinubu, that Obasanjo has nothing to give you. Just because you got through him in the past doesn’t mean you should ignore his threatening, tyrannical past and the current bait he’s offering.

Obasanjo is someone who would “cut down a redwood tree and then stand on the stump to give a speech about conservation.” Sorry to Adlai Stevenson, a famous American diplomat and politician. This is the harsh truth that Tinubu needs to be ready for in his new relationship with the Obasanjos of this world. Once more, President Tinubu, watch out for Obasanjo’s tricks!

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Since 2012, the Akwa Ibom State Government has paid retired civil officials more than N82 billion in emoluments and inherited gratuities totaling N111 billion.

Umo Eno, the state governor, made this announcement in his Easter broadcast on Sunday, stating that his administration is still dedicated to fulfilling his campaign pledge to pay off all gratuity commitments before the conclusion of his first term.

“Out of the N111 billion we inherited as gratuities and other emoluments of our retirees since 2012, we have already paid over N82 billion, and we are still on track to clear the backlog, ideally before the conclusion of our first term in office.

“I’m pleased to report that we are keeping the campaign promise we made,” Eno stated.

The governor also used the occasion to showcase his ARISE Agenda scorecard, revealing that since taking office in 2023, his administration has started building 1,300 kilometers of roads, including both inherited projects and ones he started and finished.

He went on to say that during the most recent Executive Council meeting, an additional 167 kilometers of roads were approved, highlighting the fact that every local government area has been impacted by the projects, which include feeder roads, general hospitals, model primary schools, model primary healthcare facilities, and road construction.

More than 1,300 kilometers of roads have been built since we took office in 2023; some were inherited, while others were initiated and finished by our government.

We approved an extra 167 kilometers of state-wide roadways at our most recent EXCO meeting. During the festivities commemorating our third year in power, some of the continuing roadways will be put into service, he stated.

“Today, we boldly state that we have touched every local government area in this state with roads, model primary healthcare centers, model primary schools, feeder roads, general hospitals like the one in Ukanafun, and others currently under construction,” he declared.

Drawing inspiration from the Easter theme of hope, Eno acknowledged difficulties but reassured everyone that they would all be conquered.

“Let me reassure you, my dear people, that no matter what we are up against, we will rise together and conquer our obstacles.

“Just as the Resurrected Christ offered salvation, hope, and redemption, we shall keep working hard to enhance our people’s welfare and well-being.

“Hope and faith in the ennobling ideals of a Christ-centered government we had promised you will define our future,” he declared.

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“In my humble opinion, democracy is the best kind of government and the rule of law man’s victory over the capricious use of power.”Obafemi Awolowo, Chief (1909-1987).

Any nation that has lost its history will undoubtedly be condemned to a lack of a thorough knowledge of its political, social, and cultural values. Up until recently, Nigeria was at a crossroads when Olusegun Obasanjo, the country’s president, outlawed history as a subject in schools for the vile purpose of trying to hide his shady political past.

Any Nigerian who is currently forty years of age or older may not, unless they work for it, have any historical awareness of the significance of our late political icon and sage, Chief Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo, to our wonderful nation because of Obasanjo’s local and presidential insensitivity. Awolowo passed away on May 9, 1987, and is still regarded as the unquestionable founder of progressive politics in Nigeria.

I apologize to the late Biafran warlord Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, but Awolowo will always be remembered as the “best president Nigeria never had” because of his lasting contributions. Furthermore, Awolowo will always be regarded as the most prominent, knowledgeable, and powerful one-man political opposition this potentially great nation has ever produced—as long as Nigeria exists. Awolowo was as powerful as his political groups, which spanned the first and second republics, during his lifetime. His political group, the Action Group, AG, which he founded on March 21, 1951, was as powerful as he was throughout the first republic. More significantly, the party was a rift in the fabric of the central government at the time and was firmly established in the hearts of his people.

Ignoring Awolowo, a successful opposition leader at the time, would have put the ruling party in danger politically. The nunc dimittis of that political epoch was signaled by his imprisonment during the first republic. At the time, the Awolowo opposition phenomenon was so powerful.

In the second republic, fast forward. Awolowo ran under his progressive Unity Party of Nigeria, or UPN, but was unsuccessful. While his UPN had the greatest and most empirically supported political party manifesto/program in Nigerian history, Awolowo continued to be a particularly powerful and effective opposition voice against mal-governance until the fall of that republic and beyond.

It is founded on Awolowo’s welfare-socialism political philosophy, which he developed when he was the Western Region’s premier in the 1950s and founded the Action Group party. No Nigerian, educated or not, can dispute Awolowo’s developmental and progressive influence, which has made his region one that other sections of the country follow and envy, whether in the ancient western region, modern southwestern Nigeria, or the entire country. The policies that his party successfully implemented—free health care, free education at all levels, full employment for all residents, and integrated rural development—were deemed too idealistic to be implemented by the nation’s succeeding administrations.

Awolowo’s ability to oppose is unselfish, intellectually critical, and prophetic. The “ship of state is fast approaching a huge rock,” he said in a 1981 letter to President Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria, or NPN, warning that Nigeria would suffer “unspeakable disaster” if nothing changed.

His warning was unheard, and the disastrous results are, as they say, history. In the southwest region of Nigeria, no political party has been able to duplicate the Awolowo uniform cardinal program magic wand, not even in modern-day Nigeria.

The authoritarian Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida established a Political Bureau under the leadership of Professor Samuel Cookey just months after seizing power in a military takeover in August 1985. As was to be expected at the time, Awolowo was one of several prominent Nigerians invited by the Bureau. But when no one else did, Awolowo bravely identified the Babangida abracadabra in his letter to Professor Cookey dated February 28, 1986. “I do fervently and will continue to fervently pray that I may be proved wrong,” he said, speaking truth to ruthless military force. Because something in me makes it quite evident that the search we have started is pointless. We would ultimately be quite disappointed when we imagine that the new order has arrived. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the current president of Nigeria, was one of the members of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) group that emerged from the horrific conclusion of that experience, which prevented Nigeria from having its best elections ever. At the time, few Nigerians took him seriously.

No opposition leader in modern-day Nigeria possesses the political ideological discipline and selflessness of an Awolowo. Across current political boundaries, we now have avaricious political harlots posing as advocates for the public. They attack the current administration and ruling leaders for financial and appointment chances and criticize for their own personal gain rather than the good of the group.

Awolowo offered a strong basis of political resistance. Whether you love him or hate him, there is no denying his political savvy, moral integrity, and unwavering discipline. The administration of that day trembled when Awolowo spoke. He was the moral and political conscience of his day, something Nigeria has yet to replicate. Awolowo offered alternative viewpoints free of pointless oppositional critique in response to a shared national dilemma.

In contrast to Awolowo’s selfless oppositional model, modern opposition squandered a great deal of time, effort, and money settling preventable internal party disputes and divisions, leaving little opportunity for any significant checks on the current administration.

There are several instances of power struggles and splits among the nation’s current political parties that hinder the development of significant opposition. Leaders’ avarice for power and insatiable desire for financial gain have put the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Labour Party (LP), and the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) in an avoidable political bind.

These political parties’ leaders lack the political legitimacy and qualifications necessary to persuade voters that they are desirable alternatives to the current administration.

Is it Peter Obi or Atiku Abubakar who have crossed political parties in their excessive desire to control this nation, in violation of any recognized ideology? Is Rabiu Kwankwaso or any of the former politicians running for president without any set policy programs or principles?

Nigeria’s opposition is dispersed and lacks coherence. Without a cohesive or alternative vision for governance, they continue to harbor the fantasy of taking power in this chaotic condition. Where is the intended strategic course instead of the opposition’s present disorganized and feeble front?

Is it possible for the current opposition to hold the ruling party effectively accountable? The opposition of today lacks a clear ideology. Instead of reinforcing their opposing base, they are more concerned with facilitating easy alignment with the ruling party. Due to the absence of a strong message from the political establishment, it is understandable why the opposition consistently finds it difficult to carve out a place in the electoral landscape.

Today’s opposition is still looking for a “Awolowo,” and finding answers to the nation’s ongoing security and economic problems is becoming more and more difficult.

The post Where Is Awolowo’s Legacy in Today’s Opposition? appeared first on TheNigerian.