The Lagos State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said it has submitted a petition to the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) against the Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mustapha Adekunle popularly known as Sego.

It said the petition followed threats by Sego to anyone who votes against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2025.

This was coming barely two years after the former State chairman of the transport union, Musiliu Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo, was captured in a video addressing his supporters to avoid voting against APC during the 2023 general elections.

On Wednesday October 8, 2025, the former Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, disclosed that ADC had submitted its petition to the police against Mustapha Adekunle following the threat.

Recently, the Department of State Services (DSS) grilled Sego for the uncouth utterances.

Rhodes-Vivour, who displayed the petition on his official Facebook page, said, “Earlier today, the ADC submitted our petition to the police against Mustapha Adekunle of the NURTW.

“We did this for the public record, so that in future it will not be said that we did not pursue civilised recourse to their aggression and intimidation.

“For over twenty-four years, the President and his Lagos APC allies have controlled this state. After more than two decades in power, they have no credible record of achievement to run on. Hence, they resort to mobilising paid or coerced gangs to stifle opposition, while their families continue to send their children abroad to enjoy the benefits of good governance elsewhere.

“Violence is the last refuge of incompetence. This Thugocracy must not stand. We are the many and they are the few. In due course, Nigerians will demonstrate that we are not cowards,” said Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.

Recently, Sego was captured on camera saying, “Anyone who refuses to vote for APC or who says he has decided to vote against APC will be dealt with, the person will learn a lesson. If you say you will not listen to us, we too will not agree.”

Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant agencies to verify and authenticate the academic and professional certificates of all political candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement posted on X on Thursday, titled ‘Certificate Integrity and the Future of Nigerian Leadership’, Obi said the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy depends on truth and transparency in leadership selection.

He commended the resignation of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, following controversies over discrepancies in his academic records, describing it as “a decent and honourable step.

He also recalled that former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, resigned under similar circumstances during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

“These instances remind us that such matters are not trivial; they constitute serious criminal offences,” Obi said.

He urged INEC to begin immediate verification of certificates submitted by all candidates, from the president down to local government councillors, to ensure integrity in the 2027 elections.

“It is appalling that our electoral body carries out little or no due diligence in confirming certificates submitted by candidates. Continuous discrepancies, false declarations, and forged credentials undermine the credibility of our democracy,” he stated.

The former Anambra State governor stressed that truth, transparency and accountability must form the foundation of Nigeria’s leadership, noting that only then can public service be anchored on honour rather than deceit.

Obi also called for a comprehensive national review of the qualification and background verification process for all public office holders, citing Ghana as an example of a country that thoroughly cross-checks candidates’ educational claims before elections.

“INEC has enough time to investigate past complaints about various forms of forgery and false claims. Every incumbent and aspiring candidate must submit all academic certificates immediately for verification and public accessibility,” he added.

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

The National  Leader and 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo has condemned the successive governments from 1999 till date for disposing critical government enterprises under the guise of privatisation, stressing that privatization of government enterprises is wrong.

He stated that part of the reason for the massive infrastructure challenge in Nigeria today is because of the sale of public assets between 1999 and today.

He particularly blamed the Olusegun Obasanjo administration from 1999 to 2007 for selling such public assets as the then National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), the Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (NICON) and the Nigerian Hotels Limited, among others.

Prince Adebayo argued that what the government should have done was to privatise the industry or the sector but not the enterprise.

He lamented that the ripple effects of that singular policy have been massive infrastructure challenges, massive savings challenges, massive unemployment and lack of where to train people. 

“This is because in those days, if you finish school, you can join NEPA and they will train you. Many engineers in Nigeria today were produced there; many people who are great engineers today are products of NEPA.

“So, you have somewhere to go and work but we have destroyed the public works department. So if you see any state government in front of the camera trying to commission or start a 10km road, you will see one Lebanese person standing in front of them. 

“Even simple works that they could do with the public works department, they will not.

“I have more equipment inside my compound, you know, than the entire ministry of works. I have more caterpillar equipment and other things that I create inside my private house than they have in the works department in Akure, Ondo State. So with that, what have we benefited from privatization?” he stated.

The SDP National Leader argued that even with the privatization of NITEL, there is still a telecommunication problem because most of the telecom companies still rely on NITEL exchange to function optimally. 

“We also have a telecommunication problem because most of the carriers are still relying on NITEL; they are still relying on NITEL exchange and all of that. They do the company investment. 

“So that will require them to carry broadband across the country but they can’t do that because the private sector will not do backbone investment,” he said.

He also queried the rationale behind the privatization of the power company when the operators lack the capacity to run it efficiently and effectively. 

“People are now generating electricity but what has happened is that many of these investments will rely on consumers to buy their own transformers,” he said.

He noted that what the government should have done was to open up the sectors instead of privatizing the enterprises. 

“What you privatize is the industry, the sector, not the enterprises. Privatization of government enterprises is wrong. What you need is to open the sector; that’s all,” he said.

He promised that his party, the SDP, has a better idea, saying, “The idea is to reconstitute and raise new Nigerians who are going to now man these enterprises and then grow industries out of them.”