By David Torough, Abuja

The management of Sigvent Industrial Cluster has commended the Federal Government and security agencies for the successful rescue of citizens abducted in the Ogbomoso axis of Oyo State, describing the operation as a major boost to investor confidence and business security.

In a statement, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sigvent Industrial Cluster, Benjamin Onigbinde, praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Oyo State Government for what he described as a swift and coordinated rescue effort.

According to Onigbinde, the operation demonstrates the government’s commitment to protecting lives and economic activities, reassuring investors, farmers and development partners involved in the cluster’s projects.

“The speed and coordination of this rescue sends a strong signal that Ogbomoso is secure and that the government will protect lives and livelihoods. For investors, this is confidence. For farmers and our foundation partners deploying resources to Sigvent Cluster, this is assurance that their people and assets are safe,” he said.

Sigvent Industrial Cluster is developing an agro-processing industrial hub in Ogbomoso, with planned facilities for cashew, cassava, soya and mango processing, as well as logistics hubs and a Research and Innovation Centre. The project is designed to support the Federal Government’s agriculture industrialisation, food security and global trade agenda.

The company noted that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s Industrial Plan 2026 and cited the endorsement of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, who reportedly described the project as having the “potential to become one of the biggest clusters in Africa.”

Onigbinde also stressed that security remains a critical factor in attracting investment.

“Main drivers of ease of doing business are security, policy consistency and infrastructure. The Federal Government has delivered on two of the three, while Sigvent Industrial Cluster and our partners are delivering on the third,” he said.

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From Ayinde Akintade, Osogbo

In their efforts aimed at strengthening grassroots mobilization ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State, the Asejere Youths Vanguard on Saturday paid a courtesy visit to the Accord Party’s Osun Central Senatorial Candidate, Aare Abdul-Ganiyu Ayobami Olaoluwa Asejere, where both parties held a strategic meeting.

Welcoming members of the structure, Aare Asejere expressed profound appreciation to the leadership and entire membership of the Vanguard for their dedication, loyalty, and unwavering commitment to the growth of the movement.

He specially commended the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Olaide Adigun (Personal Assistant to Aare Asejere), the State Executive Coordinator, Comrade Ojewale David (De Senator), and the State General Secretary, Comrade Job Francis (Omo Imole) for their outstanding efforts in building and sustaining the structure long before the official declaration of his senatorial ambition.

Aare Asejere reaffirmed his commitment to the welfare and progress of members, assuring them of his continuous support before, during, and after the elections. He stated that every committed member of the structure would, by the grace of God, reap the rewards of their sacrifices.

He charged members to intensify grassroots mobilization across the ten local government areas of Osun Central Senatorial District, stressing that their immediate assignment is to canvass massive support for the re-election of Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke. He also urged members to work closely with ward and polling unit leaders, promote voter education, encourage eligible citizens to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and mobilize voters for overwhelming participation on Election Day.

Speaking on behalf of the structure, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Comrade Olaide Adigun, urged members to remain disciplined, united, and committed to the collective vision of the movement. He emphasized the importance of grassroots engagement, responsible conduct, teamwork, and continuous voter sensitization, noting that dedication and selfless service remain the foundation of Vanguard’s success.

The Olorunda Local Government Chairman of the Accord Party, Hon. Ademola Hazmat (Otitokoro), commended the Asejere Youths Vanguard for its vibrant grassroots activities and encouraged members to sustain the momentum by mobilizing support for Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Accord Party. He further urged members to maintain peace, unity, and issue-based campaigns while working harmoniously with party leaders and coordinators across all wards and polling units.

The meeting ended with prayers offered by Aare Asejere for the continued growth, unity, and success of the Asejere Youths Vanguard and for the realization of its collective political aspirations.

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

Ahead of 2027 general election a good governance crusader from the South West, Dr Jackson Lekan Ojo has urged Nigerians to cast aside primodal ethnic and religious sentiments and support the candidature of Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Dr Ojo, who resigned his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) about two years ago over the failure of the government to meet the minimum expectations of Nigerians, declared that Atiku’s record as the Chairman of the National Economic Council speaks volume about his capacity to positively turn around the fortunes of Nigeria.

According to him, Atiku’s economic team achieved an unbeaten record till date without borrowing anything.

“We need an Atiku. We have seen what Atiku achieved when he was just ordinary Vice President and Head of the Economic Team. I would not be holding a mobile phone today if not for his economic team. Prior to that the telecommunication system in the country was battered but look at what the economic team did.

“They did not borrow? Even the money the military administrations borrowed they (Atiku’s team) worked towards it and the people wrote off our debts.

“Why won’t I follow Atiku, why won’t I mobilize for Atiku? I don’t need to know him one on one but I felt Nigeria deserves the best.

“It was during his period I got Mobile phone, built a house, bought a car and achieved a lot of things without knowing anybody or lobbying anyone. But if you do a government contract now you need to lobby to get your payment. Enough is enough.”

He expressed concern that some Nigerians are putting tribal, religious and regional issues as priority in choosing who to support in 2027.

“I wonder what is wrong with our brain, with our mentality and with our orientation in this part of the world. I was discussing the other day with a friend and he challenged me ‘why did you leave Bola Tinubu, Obi and you are supporting Atiku’s? I responded ‘why did you leave Atiku and support either Tinubu or Obi?

“He said because Tinubu and Obi are from the South. I laughed and asked him, as a Southerner, where is that fueling station where you are buying gas, petrol, diesel or kerosene less than a Northerner? Where is that supermarket where you buy groceries, foodstuff cheaper than a Northerner. He was dumbfounded and couldn’t say anything again.

“It is arrant nonsense when you criticize based on religion, tribe, ethnic groups, zone or region. It is madness, absolute stupidity. None of these matters.

“Why are Northerners serving under the administration of a Southerner? All the Northerners are supposed to have withdrawn their services under a southern president if we are going towards ethnicity.

“If you want to board an aircraft, have you ever asked who the pilot, the air hostesses and others are? If you go to a restaurant, have you ever asked if the cow is from where, the gari is from where, the rice is from where, is it Moslem people that sold the gari, is it Christians that sold the rice?

“If you want to gain admission into a school why didn’t you ask who is the principal of that school, is he a Moslem, a Southerner or a Northerner. If you want to enter university you have to ask about the Vice Chancellor, the Registrar, the Lecturers and others. If you are a Christian and a Moslem is the Lecturer then withdraw from the school. That is stupidity.

“In the present day the poverty that is raiding and bedeviling Nigeria; the people from Osun State, people from Oyo State, people from Ondo State, people from Lagos State, the Yoruba speaking Kwara, the Yoruba speaking Kogi, the Yoruba speaking Edo, I think they are not feeling it.

“You’ve not seen people in Lagos condemning this government?

“It is not that anybody hates President Bola Tinubu, no. But his government is bad, his government is wicked, his government is lawless, his government is against humanity.

“We are talking about his government; his government is corrupt. We are not saying Tinubu is corrupt, the President is not wicked, the President is very good but the system he is running is weak, it is reckless.”