Ajaokuta, Refineries, Textile Mills Will Work Again

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the 2027 general election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has unveiled an expansive socio-economic recovery agenda for Nigeria, promising sweeping reforms in employment, healthcare, education, infrastructure and industrial development.

Adebayo, who emerged as the party’s consensus presidential candidate at the SDP national convention in Bauchi at the weekend, said his administration would pursue what he described as a “people-centred government” aimed at reducing poverty, restoring public confidence and rebuilding the nation’s productive capacity.

Addressing party delegates and supporters shortly after his emergence, the SDP flag bearer said his government would implement more than 500 programmes designed to tackle unemployment, insecurity, poor healthcare, decaying infrastructure and widespread economic hardship.

According to him, poverty reduction would be a central priority of an SDP administration.

“The mandate you have given to me today will be used to articulate over 500 programmes at the end of which, in the first 18 months of our administration, poverty in Nigeria will reduce to two per cent,” he declared.

Adebayo also promised to reduce unemployment to four per cent within two years through a nationwide jobs and public works initiative aimed at engaging millions of Nigerians in productive sectors of the economy.

He said the programme would focus on infrastructure development, industrial revival, manufacturing, agriculture and small-scale enterprises across the country.
On education, the SDP candidate pledged free and compulsory education from elementary to tertiary level, stressing that education should not end until graduates become employable.

“Our education will continue until you get a job. Until you get a job, you have not graduated,” he said.

He added that the proposed jobs and education programmes would work together to create a seamless transition from school to employment for Nigerian youths.

In the healthcare sector, Adebayo promised universal access to affordable healthcare services through a system linked to the National Identification Number (NIN).

According to him, every Nigerian would be entitled to four free medical examinations annually under the SDP healthcare plan.

“Your NIN will also become your health insurance number,” he said, adding that preventive healthcare would form a major part of his administration’s health policy.

The SDP candidate also outlined plans to revive moribund industries and public enterprises across the country, including Ajaokuta Steel Company, refineries, paper mills and textile factories.

He said the revival of local industries would stimulate economic growth, create jobs and reduce dependence on imports.

Adebayo further promised industrial expansion across all states of the federation, including the establishment and restoration of textile, cement, carpentry and manufacturing hubs capable of supporting local economies and improving living standards.

He criticised the current administration’s handling of the economy, alleging that subsidy savings had not translated into meaningful improvements in the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

According to him, corruption, policy inconsistency and poor economic management had worsened hardship across the country.

The SDP presidential candidate also stressed the need for stronger state governments, independent legislatures and effective local government administration, arguing that poverty eradication and grassroots development could only succeed through functional sub-national institutions.

He maintained that the SDP was offering Nigerians a practical alternative focused on welfare, accountability and national development ahead of the 2027 elections.

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT)Minister, Nyesom Wike on Thursday said what People’s Democratic Party (PDP)needs now is total structural overhaul not pursuit of the presidency which is unrealistic following a “deep” internal crisis.

Speaking on the party’s future, Wike dismissed critics of his relationship with the President, describing his stance as a necessary embrace of “political realism” over playing to the gallery.

Wike, who spoke with newsmen during a routine project inspection, addressed the backlash from party chieftains, specifically responding to criticisms from former Anambra PDP Chairman, Dan Ulasi.

He accused his detractors of inconsistency and suggested their criticisms were merely groundwork for future defections to other parties, such as the Labour Party.

Wike pointed out that those criticizing him failed to deliver seats for the PDP in their own states, specifically citing the party’s poor performance in Anambra.

He revealed that even unnamed presidential aspirants admitted to him that winning the last election would be “difficult” given the party’s fractured state.

Wike argued that the PDP cannot “contest for contesting’s sake” without first addressing the success and logistics required to match the ruling party’s candidate.

The Minister asserted that the PDP’s path back to relevance lies not in presidential ambitions, but in a total structural overhaul following “deep” crises that have significantly pulled the party back.

Wike insisted the party must focus on reconstructing its structure at the ward, local government, and state levels rather than focusing solely on the presidency.

He highlighted the loss of various governorships as a major consequence of the party’s internal turmoil.

He stated that the goal is to “solidify the party” for the 2027 cycle, emphasizing that “every election is local” and success in one state like Rivers cannot be taken for granted elsewhere.

Amidst the political friction, Wike emphasized that his administration remains focused on delivering quality through local empowerment.

He touted the success of using indigenous contractors for high-level projects in the FCT.

He said: “Local firms handled the construction of the Abuja Customary Division, Judges’ Quarters, Magistrate Courts, and Residences for Heads of Court.

“Infrastructure such as bus terminals and sports centers are being delivered by local contractors.”

Wike stated that the administration has satisfied its search for quality by providing local content, proving that domestic firms can meet high standards.

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

A wave of political anxiety swept across Nigeria on Wednesday as the Supreme Court prepared to deliver decisive judgments in two high-stakes appeals involving the crises in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), even as a fresh Federal High Court ruling further complicated the ADC leadership tussle.

The apex court, according to its official cause list, has scheduled judgment in the ADC appeal (SC/CV/180/2026) for 2 p.

m., with both cases listed under political appeals. The rulings are expected to shape the internal balance of power within the affected parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

At the heart of the ADC dispute is a prolonged leadership battle between former Senate President, David Mark, and a rival faction led by Nafiu Bala Gombe. Mark is challenging a March 12 Court of Appeal decision that ordered all parties to maintain the status quo, arguing that the judiciary lacks jurisdiction over what he describes as an internal party matter.

The appeal, heard on April 22 by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, was reserved for judgment, heightening tensions within the party. ADC lawyers have since pressed for urgency, warning that delays could jeopardise the party’s eligibility for the 2027 elections, especially amid concerns that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already acted on a lower court ruling affecting party leadership recognition.

While the Supreme Court prepares to rule, a parallel development at the Federal High Court in Abuja has added another layer to the crisis.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, the court restrained INEC from recognising or participating in any congress organised by a disputed ADC caretaker leadership. The court also barred Mark and other key figures from interfering with the tenure and functions of duly elected state executive committees.

The suit, filed by Norman Obinna and six others on behalf of ADC state chairpersons, challenged the legality of the caretaker leadership’s actions, particularly its move to organise state congresses through an appointed committee.

Justice Abdulmalik held that although courts typically avoid вмешание in internal party affairs, they are duty-bound to intervene where constitutional or statutory violations are alleged. Citing Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution and relevant provisions of the ADC constitution, she ruled that only duly elected party organs have the authority to conduct congresses.

The court found the caretaker arrangement and its congress committee inconsistent with the party’s constitution and therefore invalid. It subsequently nullified the committee’s actions and affirmed the tenure of existing state executives, ordering that they be allowed to complete their terms without interference.

The ruling effectively blocks any parallel congress process and places further pressure on the Supreme Court’s pending decision, which is expected to provide clarity on the broader leadership dispute.

Although details of the PDP appeal remain less pronounced, the inclusion of the case in the Supreme Court’s schedule signals ongoing legal and structural tensions within Nigeria’s main opposition party.

With both parties grappling with internal divisions and legal uncertainty, Wednesday’s judicial outcomes are widely seen as pivotal. Analysts say the decisions could determine not only leadership legitimacy but also the ability of the parties to organise, mobilise, and meet regulatory requirements set by INEC ahead of the next general elections.

As the clock ticks toward the 2027 polls, the intersection of judicial intervention and party politics continues to redefine Nigeria’s electoral landscape, with the Supreme Court now poised at the centre of the unfolding drama.