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.”

By David Torough, Abuja

Troops of the 65 Battalion of the Nigerian Army have intercepted a truck conveying a large consignment of illicit drugs along the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road in a successful intelligence-led operation.

According to a statement issued by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 81 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, the operation was carried out on 9 July 2026 following actionable intelligence from a credible source.

The troops intercepted the vehicle and arrested its driver without incident.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the illicit drugs were being transported to the Berger area of Lagos State.

However, the suspect was unable to provide satisfactory information regarding the ownership of the consignment or its intended recipient.

The Nigerian Army said the suspect and the recovered drugs were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State Command, for further investigation and prosecution. The handover was conducted by the Commanding Officer of the 65 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel S. Adeojo.

Commending the troops for the successful operation, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Adebayo Babalola, praised their vigilance, professionalism and operational effectiveness. He urged personnel to sustain the momentum of ongoing operations and intensify efforts to deny drug traffickers and other criminal elements freedom of action within the division’s area of responsibility.

The Army reiterated its commitment to supporting security agencies in the fight against illicit drug trafficking and other forms of criminality across the country.