POLITICS
Lagos Governor Takes New Title, Drops “Your Excellency”

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-olu, has announced his decision to be addressed as ”Mr Governor” and not ”Your Excellency.”
Sanwo-Olu said in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos that being addressed as Mr Governor would propel his sense of responsibility to the residents.
According to him, only God, the Almighty, the Creator, the Protector is the Most Excellent,stressing no man can share His eternal qualities.
He said that he had been privileged, in the last five months, to exercise the mandate, freely given to him by the great and hardworking people of Lagos State.
The governor said that it had come to his consciousness to review certain features of citizen-government relations.
He said he took the decision because such features had impeded the genuine expression of the democratic spirit of the society and the meaningful exercise of the sovereignty of the people.
He said that the office of the Governor had been celebrated as the paragon of excellence, a temple of perfection and a throne of purity.
“This demi-god mystique spreads over the entire machinery of the executive arm of the government, symbolising an authoritarian disposition on the governed.
”It has deformed the orientation of elected and appointed persons who are paid from the taxes of the people to see themselves as oppressors who can do no wrong and must be served, rather than serve the people.
”Whatever might have been the reason for this myth, let us be honest, the office is occupied by a mortal, who has been called upon to serve the electorate with humility and sincerity,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said that the office of Governor was a public trust that called for sacrifice, modesty and willingness to add value to the lives of the people.
”Fellow Lagosians, I have come to the conclusion that for us to change the narrative of governance, we have to strike down this seeming symbol of executive arrogance.
“It commands popular obeisance and undermines the democratic role of citizens as the masters of those they have elected and appointed to serve.
”It is a conviction that I believe will send the right signals to all politicians and civil servants that, service to the people has brought us here.
”It is the duty we are obliged to do. It is the responsibility that we bear wherever we find ourselves; whenever we are called to serve.
”Only God, the Almighty, the Creator, the Protector is the Most Excellent. No man can share His eternal qualities.
”Thenceforth, I wish to be addressed simply as Mr Governor, a title that will constantly remind me that I have been chosen out of so many fellow compatriots to lead a collective salvage of our political economy.
”A salutation that sanitises the paraphernalia of office and reminds us all of our imperfections and mortality.”
Sanwo-Olu said that to give official effect to this announcement, he would issue an executive order that would formally ensure full compliance with this new policy. (NAN)
POLITICS
Buhari Felicitates Tinubu at Midterm, Calls for Nigerians’ continue support

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated his successor, President Bola Tinubu, on his midterm, calling for Nigerians’ continue support for his administration’s efforts to address poverty and inflation.
This is contained in a statement issued by Buhari’s former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday.
Buhari also called for steadfast support for the All Progressives Congress-led government as it marks its second year in office, saying reforms would achieve success gradually, not overnight.
He warned that necessary reforms and desired changes must not fall victim to mettlesome domestic politics.
According to him, as the party and the government celebrate, the country should be reminded that leadership is a continuous journey.
Buhari expressed support for the ongoing efforts by the Tinubu-led administration to curb poverty and inflation, which, he said, had hit the poorest families.
Seeking Nigerians’ support for Tinubu-led administration, he said that the task of reducing poverty and inflation mustn’t be left only for the government.
“The private sector and all of us, as citizens, must join in all ways we can,” he said.
The former president urged Nigerians to remain optimistic and stay confident about the country’s future, saying ‘our expectations from our governments should not get heavy’.
While expressing his heartfelt felicitation to Tinubu on his two years in office, Buhari prayed God to keep and grant him the wisdom and care to continue to lead the country. (NAN)

President Tinubu Appoints Ex- Speaker, Enugu Assembly, Odo, as UNN Governing Council Member
President Bola Tinubu has appointed the former speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Chief Eugene Odo, and Mr. Muhammad Tahir, as governing council members of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The appointment comes as part of the President’s renewed efforts to reposition federal tertiary institutions for excellence and global competitiveness.
Odo served as a two time speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly between 2007 and 2015.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain also served under the previous administration of Muhammad Buhari as a governing board member of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
Also appointed were the governing councils members of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka.
The appointments were contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, in Abuja.
Onanuga said President Tinubu charged the new council members to justify their appointments by ensuring that their respective universities move forward.(NAN)
POLITICS
PDP NEC Gets Under Way in Abuja

By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
All is set for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 99th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting today at the party’s Presidential Campaign Office, Legacy House, located in the Maitama District, Abuja. After a marathon meeting of the various organs of the PDP at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, officials of the party have converged on Legacy House for the long awaited NEC meeting, which had been postponed for several times.
Security in and around the house has been beefed up with the deployment operatives from the Police, DSS and NSCDC. Many prominent members of the party, including its 2023 Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, were absent from the marathon meeting.The NEC, one of the highest decision-making organs of the PDP, comprises of Party National Chairman and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC), state governors, serving and former presidents, former vice-presidents, the chairman and secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT), principal officers of the National Assembly, state chairpersons, former governors, and founding members, among others. The NEC meeting is expected to address critical issues affecting the party, including strategies for upcoming political engagements, leading to the 2027 general elections.On Monday, barely 24 hours to the much expected NEC meeting, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) keep to its threat and sealed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat, Wuse Zone 5 for failure to ground rent, a situation the party described as temporary set back.However, reprieve came to the PDP and others who had their properties sealed as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, intervened and gave them 14 days to pay their ground rent.