From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won all chairmanship and Councillorship seats contested in the Sept. 26 Local Government Election in Enugu State.

It would be recalled that the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) conducted elections into the 17 Chairmanship and 260 Ward Councillorship positions in the state on Saturday.

Declaring the election results at the ENSIEC headquarters in Enugu on Sunday, the Chairman of the Commission, Prof Christian Ngwu, said that the election was free and fair.

Ngwu said that the election was conducted according to rules guiding the Commission, and “subsequently, we are issuing the winners with certificates of returns.”

Speaking after collecting his certificate of return, Chairman of Enugu South Local Government Area, Chief Caleb Ani, attributed the landslide victory of the candidates of APC to the massive developmental works of Gov. Peter Mbah.

Ani urged the residents of the state to vote for Mbah en masse in the forthcoming 2027 General Election to continue the good works.

“Gov. Mbah has done well in all ramifications, this is partly while the APC candidates won overwhelmingly.

“I urge the people to vote for him, come 2027 General Elections so that he will continue with his good works and do more,” he said.

Reacting, the APC Chairman in Enugu State, Dr Martin Chukwunweike, said that the resounding victory at the polls indicated the dominance of the national ruling party, APC, in the state.

“We will not rest as we push the developmental efforts of President Bola Tinubu and our amiable governor, His Excellency Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for the world to see.

“Tinubu, Mbah and all the APC candidates will be reelected in 2027 as they have performed exceptionally well in the past three years,” he said.

In the numerical figures of the results pronounced, APC chairmanship candidates won with margins while the opposition parties trailed behind with minimal votes.

For instance, in Udenu, Igbo-Eze North and Igbo-Eze South local Government Areas respectively, the APC chairmen elect secured virtually the whole votes cast.

By David Torough, Abuja

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has urged President Bola Tinubu to raise the N70,000 national minimum wage, arguing that rising living costs have significantly eroded workers’ purchasing power.

Atiku, in a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Strategic Communications of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, said the current wage was no longer sufficient to cushion workers from soaring costs of petrol, food, transportation and housing.

He challenged the Federal Government to agree to what he described as a substantial wage increase that reflects prevailing economic realities.

The Federal Government increased the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 in July 2024 following negotiations with organised labour. President Tinubu had said the new wage would be reviewed after three years.

But Atiku argued that the increase had failed to keep pace with inflation and rising prices.

“At N1,400 a litre, the entire N70,000 monthly minimum wage buys just 50 litres of petrol. What does the worker take home to feed the children? What pays the rent? What gets that worker back to work on Monday?” he asked.

He compared the purchasing power of the old and current wage, noting that N30,000 could buy about 118 litres of petrol when the national average price stood at N254.06 per litre in April 2023. At N1,400 per litre, he said, N70,000 would buy only about 50 litres.

“The payslip has grown, but the fuel it can buy has more than halved,” Atiku said, describing the situation as hardship disguised as a wage increase.

His comments come amid renewed concerns over petrol prices and the broader cost-of-living crisis. Petrol prices have risen sharply in recent years following the removal of the fuel subsidy, with prices varying across different parts of the country.

Atiku also criticised the subsidy removal, arguing that the policy was implemented without sufficient protection for working families.

He said the effect of higher petrol prices went beyond the filling station, as increased transportation and energy costs also raise the prices of food and other essential goods.

“Petrol does not stay at the pump. Its price follows the farmer to market, enters the baker’s oven and appears in the fare a parent pays to take a child to school,” he said.

The former vice president also compared Nigeria’s minimum wage with those of some other African oil-producing countries, while acknowledging that differences in wage structures, exchange rates and living costs must be taken into account.

Atiku urged the President to make his position on another wage increase clear, saying workers should not be subjected to prolonged negotiations without a definite outcome.

He promised that, if elected president in 2027, his administration would begin work on raising the minimum wage from its first day in office.

“I will begin the work of raising the wage floor from my first day in office,” he said.

Atiku also pledged measures aimed at reducing the cost of living, including support for domestic production, targeted social protection and interventions in the petroleum sector.

Under his proposed targeted production subsidy, petroleum products refined in Nigeria and sold to Nigerians would receive government support, subject to spending limits, public accounting and independent auditing.

“Government support must produce measurable relief at the pump,” he said.

He further called for measures to stabilise the prices of essential goods and energy, arguing that higher wages alone would not solve the pressures confronting households if the cost of living continued to rise.

The Tinubu administration has defended the N70,000 minimum wage, noting that it was agreed after consultations with organised labour and other stakeholders. The presidency had said the new wage was designed to provide immediate relief while providing for a review after three years.

Atiku, however, maintained that the key issue was the purchasing power of workers.

“Nigerians do not eat FAAC figures. A full treasury is no answer to an empty kitchen. The test of this government is whether the men and women who work all month can live on what they earn,” he said.

He added: “A living wage must buy a living. It is not a privilege; it is a basic right.”

“Tinubu has made life painfully expensive. I will make life affordable again,” Atiku said.

By David Torough, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu and state governors have called on Nigerians to renew their commitment to peace, unity and nation-building as the country marks its 66th Independence Anniversary, while religious leaders urged citizens and public officials to embrace integrity, justice and responsible leadership.

Tinubu, who spoke through Senate President Godswill Akpabio at an interdenominational church service in Abuja on Sunday, pledged that his administration would work to leave behind a peaceful, united and prosperous Nigeria.

The service, themed “Anchored in Hope: The Path to Divine Stability and Shared Prosperity,” was based on Hebrews 6:19.

The President urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to nation-building, saying the challenges facing the country could be overcome through collective responsibility, unity and responsible citizenship.

He also called for a peaceful and credible 2027 general election, urging citizens to assess candidates freely on the basis of their ideas, character and records of service.

Tinubu cautioned Nigerians against allowing political differences to destroy relationships and national cohesion.

“Let citizens make their choices freely, and let us remember throughout the campaign and after the votes are cast that our neighbour who supports another candidate remains our neighbour after the elections,” he said.

The President urged Nigerians to reject hatred and division, stressing that national interests should take precedence over partisan, ethnic and religious considerations.

He said the Federal Government’s reforms were targeted at addressing economic and social challenges, citing reported economic growth, student loans, infrastructure projects and increased investment, particularly in the gas sector.

Tinubu, however, said the ultimate measure of progress must be felt by ordinary Nigerians through improved living conditions, access to jobs, safe farming and a stable environment for businesses.

He urged all levels of government to pursue these objectives with urgency and ensure that public resources were deployed for the public good.

On the 2027 elections, the President called for prayers for peace, integrity and fairness before, during and after the polls. He also urged the National Assembly, electoral authorities, judiciary, security agencies and other institutions to play their roles in ensuring a credible electoral process.

He appealed to Nigerians to match their prayers with responsible conduct, saying the quest for peace and justice must be accompanied by rejection of hatred and dishonesty.

At the service, the guest preacher, Most Rev. Musa Panti Filibus, Archbishop of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria, said Nigeria’s 66 years of independence had been marked by promise, disappointment, sacrifice, loss and division, but maintained that the country still had reasons for hope.

Filibus said national stability went beyond the absence of conflict, arguing that it required justice, trust, responsible leadership and respect for human dignity. He also said shared prosperity should translate into families meeting their basic needs, children accessing education, young people developing their talents and communities flourishing.

The cleric challenged the Church to speak truth with courage and humility, stand for justice and human dignity, and remain united despite political, religious and other differences.

In Cross River State, Governor Bassey Otu called for renewed commitment to peace, unity and the collective task of building a better Nigeria.

Otu, whose message was delivered by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, at an interdenominational thanksgiving service in Calabar, said Independence Day should serve not only as a commemoration of history but also as a reminder of citizens’ responsibilities to the nation.

He said Nigerians had demonstrated resilience, enterprise and faith despite the challenges experienced since independence.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of Cross Riverians through opportunities for young people, stronger education and healthcare systems, support for businesses, infrastructure development and increased investment.

He stressed that government could not achieve these goals alone, calling for the participation of religious institutions, traditional rulers, the private sector, civil society, youths and citizens.

In Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodimma and the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, separately called for unity, honesty and integrity as essential ingredients for national development.

Speaking at a Special Thanksgiving Mass at Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, Uzodimma said Nigeria’s survival through civil war, military rule and economic crises had been sustained by the sacrifices of patriotic citizens.

He acknowledged the economic difficulties facing Nigerians, saying government must ensure that citizens’ sacrifices translated into meaningful improvements in their standard of living.

Ugorji, in his homily, identified corruption, insecurity, poverty and energy shortages as major obstacles to national development, while calling for an end to ethnic and religious divisions.

“If we want a new Nigeria, we must become new Nigerians,” the Archbishop said.

In Kaduna, Governor Uba Sani urged Nigerians to remain patriotic, hopeful and committed to building a country worthy of inheritance by future generations.

His message, delivered by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Yunana Barde, at an interdenominational service in Barnawa, reaffirmed the state government’s focus on security, healthcare, roads, agriculture and support for vulnerable citizens.

Sani said Nigeria had experienced both difficult and encouraging periods since independence but urged citizens not to lose faith in the country.

“I believe in Nigeria. This is our home, this is our nation,” he said.

The Resident Pastor of Living Faith Church, Barnawa, Pastor Yakubu Kezi, said national development required citizens to take responsibility for transforming Nigeria’s human and natural resources into national assets.

He urged Nigerians to cultivate values that would promote nation-building and expressed optimism about the country’s future.

Across the different services, religious and political leaders converged on the need for citizens to work together despite their differences, while urging continued prayers for the country, its leaders, security personnel and families facing hardship.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who gave the vote of thanks at the Abuja service, said Nigerians might disagree on several issues but must not lose sight of what unites them.

He called for a Nigeria in which the benefits of development reached every community, stressing that the country belonged to all its citizens.

As Nigeria enters another year of independence, the messages from the national and state celebrations centred on a common challenge: translating hope and patriotic declarations into tangible improvements in security, livelihoods, infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic opportunity.