Tomiwa Aboyade

The Oyo State Police Command, on Sunday, deployed personnel across the state ahead of the Founders’ Day celebration of the Neo-Black Movement of Africa (Aiye Confraternity), commonly known as the Black Axe Cult.

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the sum of ₦1 billion as bursary for students of Edo State origin in tertiary institutions across the country.

Supporters of former governors Bello Matawalle and Abdulazeez Yari have dismissed the recent coalition of opposition political leaders as a “waste of time,” insisting that President Bola Tinubu remains the North-West’s best bet for the 2027 presidential election.

The group, operating under the banner of ‘Shehi and Matawalle Project for Tinubu 2027 Mandate,’ described the alliance reportedly involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and ex-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, among others, as “a gathering doomed to fail.”

They made their position known on Saturday in Kaduna during the inauguration of the North-West zonal and state executives of the group, which is spearheading grassroots mobilisation for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

“That coalition is nothing but a jamboree. It cannot stand the test of time,” declared the group’s Publicity Secretary, Auwal Mohammed, while addressing journalists after the event.

Mohammed stated that the opposition alliance was devoid of any genuine ideology and driven only by desperation to unseat Tinubu, whose economic reforms, he claimed, were already repositioning Nigeria.

“President Bola Tinubu has shown leadership, courage, and vision. Under the Renewed Hope agenda, policies being implemented today are driving the country’s economy in the right direction,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, the group’s Zonal Coordinator, Babangida Damba, argued that the president deserves a second term based on what he described as “bold economic reforms and social investments targeted at the poor.”

Damba cited fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, rural electrification, and road infrastructure development as indicators of a leadership committed to structural transformation.

“The removal of fuel subsidy, though painful at first, is already yielding long-term gains. Government revenue has improved, and funds are now being redirected towards infrastructure and human capital development.

“Your role as newly inaugurated executives is simple – mobilise, educate, and sustain the movement for the return of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, he stated.

In his contribution, the Zonal Secretary of the group, Dr Ahmad Hashim, described the Shehi and Matawalle Project as more than just a campaign initiative.

“This is not just another campaign group. It is a strategic political movement designed to ensure continuity and consolidation of President Tinubu’s leadership,” he said.

Hashim emphasised that the group’s strength lay in its deep roots in the North-West, drawing support from influential political figures like former Zamfara State Governor and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and former Governor Abdulazeez Yari.

“These two leaders – Matawalle and Yari – are political pillars in the region. Their commitment to national unity, governance, and economic development is well known. They are seasoned statesmen who have paid their dues in service to the country,” Hashim said.

He added that their support for Tinubu was based on conviction and a shared vision for a stronger, more prosperous Nigeria.

The Peoples Democratic Party, Ogun State chapter, on Sunday, urged the Daisi Elemide-led State House of Assembly to compel Governor Dapo Abiodun to account for the alleged N82 billion in unremitted workers’ pension deductions under the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State on Saturday received three Nigerians who regained their freedom after spending 26 years on death row at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Lagos.

President Bola Tinubu on Saturday assured his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, that he is working to remove all bottlenecks hindering Nigeria’s agric sector boom, especially bureaucracy, which he said contributes to delays in realising the sector’s potential.

National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, and presiding Bishop of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Wale Oke, speaks to GABRIEL OSHOKHA about the security challenges facing the nation, what President Bola Tinubu should do to tackle killings and kidnappings, among other issues

The Digest:

In a significant move signalling an early start to the Oyo 2027 Gubernatorial Race, the Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, has officially declared his interest in contesting the governorship election in Oyo State in 2027 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Adelabu announced his ambition during consultative meetings with APC leaders and stakeholders in Ogbomoso and Oyo zones within the state, emphasizing his confidence in securing victory despite potential competition.

The Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy is proud to celebrate a defining moment in Nigeria’s creative journey. Our country’s vibrant film industry recently took centre stage with its historic debut at the Cannes Film Festival, featured prominently in a special five-minute report on CNN’s Marketplace Africa.

As part of its unwavering commitment to reducing food insecurity and supporting vulnerable communities, Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading financial institution, has distributed food packs to residents of Victoria Island in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos as part of its nationwide Fidelity Food Bank initiative.