POLITICS
Group Tasks APC on Better Reward System for Party Loyalists
Renewed Hope Unity Movement, a support group of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has advised the party to establish a better reward system for its loyalists.
The Initiator and Co-Convener of the group, Iretidola Ojekhoa, gave the advice at an award night organised by the group on Friday in Abuja.
Ojekhoa said that 2014 marked the beginning of a political revolution and a watershed in party politics in Nigeria–when APC, a newly formed party, defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which thought it would rule for at least 60 years.
She, however, said that most of those who worked for the party had yet to be rewarded; even when there were very experienced and professional patriots among them.
“The nation, of course, needs people who not only want to be appointed but who are passionate about the APC government succeeding against all odds, considering the many ulcers plaguing the nation.
“The last ten years have proven one thing–the APC seems not interested in molding and maintaining an organic membership.
“In fact, it has spawned a mercenary mentality among members as the party has been abysmal in recognising and rewarding loyalty.
“The APC of today is so unconcerned or unaware about the neglect of its core supporters; that commitment ebbs so fast among members; even the worst of the PDP days, recognised its loyal members.’’
Ojekhoa said unfortunately many who worked and still working daily were never recognised but watch others who they fought against at one point or another over party matter took up prominent places.
“We see that their resilience is being tested and hope deferred has begun to make the heart weary; and so, we are standing in the gap and doing a little of what the party should have long done as a start in the journey of desired unity of purpose.
“As stated above, we have never promoted the idea of exclusivity in governance.’’
Ojekhoa said that the event was to celebrate 10 years of loyalty of certain groups and individuals in APC who had never been celebrated, recognised or honoured, yet remained unwavering.
She said that some of those to be honoured were foot soldiers who canvassed the nooks and crannies of the nation 10 years ago, dispensing hope and mobilising support for the APC.
“We are here to celebrate those who have labored for the party for these 10 years but never got a pat on the back.
“It is also to remind those who have conveniently forgotten their labour of love that our loyal members are still around though neglected,” she said.
Ojekhoa said that though every members of the party who worked for it victory could not be appointed but they deserved to be recognised and celebrated.
Mr Ateli Emmanuel, the President, Amalgamated Nigerians, and a Chieftain of the party in FCT, commended the group for recognising him as one of those that deserved the award.
Emmanuel, who expressed confidence in the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, advised him to engage more youth and technocrats in his government.
Another awardee, Mr Aja Aja, a lawyer, said it was unfortunate that the party had failed to recognise loyal members, adding that the award ceremony would serve as succour to many.
Aja expressed the willingness of some of the committed party members to partner with government to move the country forward and achieve the Renew Hope Agenda of the present administration.
On one year of the present government in office, Aja urged Tinubu to prioritise people’s welfare and implement his core policies that would make people to begin to see evidence of good governance going forward.
He also advised government to harness all the potential at its disposal and look beyond what he currently has.
“There are so many talents in Nigeria, both political talents and professional talents; get them on board and see that the Renewed Hope agenda is not an aborted dream,” he said.
Dr Adewale Adeogun, Founder/National Coordinator, Asiwaju Progressive Forum, advised Tinubu’s supporters not to lose hope but continue to support him and his administration to succeed.
“Yes, there are people who feel they should be appointed but we should be more concerned about how this country is governed,” Adeogun advised.
Other recipients of the group award in recognition of a decade of service to APC and Nigeria included Taminu Kabir, Edo Bartholomeus, Obi Kenneth, Hussain Badaki and Hawal Kabir.(NAN)
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) over a purported anti-North statement allegedly attributed to him.
A viral statement allegedly quoted Akpabio as threatening that Northerners would suffer if President Bola Tinubu lost the 2027 presidential election.
Special Assistant to the President of the Senate on Media, Jackson Udom, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja.
Udom said the petition, signed by the Akpabio’s Chief of Staff, Chinedu Akubueze, urged the DSS to urgently investigate the dissemination of the alleged false, inflammatory and divisive statement.
He said the graphic, bearing Akpabio’s photograph and designation, attributed the following words to him: ‘Northerners you will be the ones to suffer the most if you allow Tinubu to lose the election.’
“Unequivocally, the President of the Senate did not make this statement.
“No date, venue, speech, interview, video, audio recordings, official statement or credible news report has been produced to authenticate it.
“The graphic carries no identifiable publisher’s mark or verifiable source,” he said.
Udom said the statement appeared to have been deliberately manufactured and presented as an authentic quotation for the purpose of deceiving unsuspecting members of the public.
He said those behind the scheme intended to provoke regional resentment against Akpabio and portray him as threatening people in the Northern part of the country.
According to him, preliminary examination of publicly accessible Facebook records identified some persons as among the earliest traceable amplifiers of the purported fabricated graphic.
He listed the persons as Abdullai Musa, who posted the graphic in a Facebook group styled ‘Sheik Muhammad bin Uthman Group 24”.
Others were Uzoma Chilaka, whose Facebook post allegedly reproduced the graphic commentary expressly credited to him, and Ibrahim Ammar, a verified Facebook account that subsequently reproduced the graphic and similar commentary.
“These persons should not be presumed guilty before investigation.
“Nevertheless, their early and substantial roles in circulating the material make them persons of interest, who may possess information capable of identifying the graphic designer, original uploader, sponsors, intermediaries and distribution network,” he said.
Udom said their publication records, devices, communications and the provenance of the image should therefore be investigated in accordance with the law. (NAN)
By David Torough, Abuja
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has commended the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for its strides in innovation and technological development, assuring the agency of the Federal Government’s continued support.
Akume gave the commendation on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, in Abuja when he received NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, members of his management team and winners of the agency’s Innovation Assessment and Award Competition.
The SGF described NASENI’s inter-agency and intra-agency innovation competition for federal civil and public servants and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as a significant milestone in efforts to develop home-grown solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
He said the innovative products emerging from the competition could have significant implications for national security, food sovereignty and healthcare, adding that the achievements demonstrated the depth of talent and ingenuity among young Nigerians.
“Nigeria has talents. I don’t doubt about that. Wherever you go in the world, Nigerians are recognized as people with lot of talents and people with a great future,” Akume said.
He also praised NASENI for adopting what he described as a transparent and non-partisan process in selecting and assessing the innovations, saying the credibility of the competition would encourage more Nigerians to come forward with innovative ideas.
Akume expressed optimism that sustained government support could enable Nigeria to attain greater technological heights, including developing advanced aerospace capabilities.
“Tomorrow, who knows, Nigeria can manufacture rockets that can send people to the moon. And this can be the courtesy of NASENI,” he said.
Earlier, Halilu said the award programme was designed to identify and recognise outstanding contributions by civil and public servants through both inter-agency and intra-agency competitions.
He said NASENI’s innovation strategy goes beyond developing technological products to equipping innovators with skills needed to commercialise their ideas successfully.
According to him, technical and engineering expertise must be complemented by competencies in accounting, marketing and business development for innovations to achieve their full potential.
Halilu disclosed that NASENI had, in about two years, facilitated the establishment of 20 factories across the country and developed more than 40 products as part of efforts to transform research and innovation into commercially viable solutions.
He added that the agency had also introduced programmes aimed at identifying and nurturing innovators from an early age. One of the initiatives, the Future Makers Programme, targets children between five and 15 years to stimulate interest in science, technology, engineering and innovation.
The meeting also featured demonstrations by representatives of two of the six winners of the innovation competition.
A team from the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) showcased a security jacket equipped with technology designed to facilitate real-time communication with the command-and-control centres of security agencies, potentially improving coordination and response.
The winning team from NASENI, meanwhile, presented a commercial electronic platform designed to serve as a digital marketplace through which MDAs can promote and market their goods and services.
Akume congratulated NASENI and the winners of the competition, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for research, innovation and technological development in Nigeria.
From Ayinde Akintade, Osogbo
The All Progressives Congress has taken Osun state Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election to court as the petition is now on the notice board of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo.
The papers went up on Monday, 7 September.
Tribunal secretary Pefe Belemore had said the notices would be displayed before noon. Secretariat staff were already in the courtroom as preparations for sitting continued.Two petitions challenge the 15 August result that returned Adeleke for another term.
The APC case, marked EPT/OS/GOV/01/2026, was filed by its candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, against Adeleke, the Accord Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The Peoples Democratic Party case, marked EPT/OS/GOV/02/2026, was filed by Adebayo Olugbenga Adedamola against Adeleke, INEC and Accord.
Display of the petitions is a procedural step. The parties must still be served before full hearing begins. Adeleke remains the declared winner. The detailed grounds of each petition have not been published. The tribunal has not issued a ruling.
NAICOM, NCAA Partner to Strengthen Air Travellers’ Protection
ShareThe National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to...
Customs Seizes N43.5bn Narcotics, Drones, Expired Goods at Apapa Port
ShareThe Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted narcotics, controlled pharmaceuticals, drones and expired goods valued at N43.5 billion at the...
IPMAN Tasks Marketers on Local Refineries for Product Sourcing
ShareThe National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Abubakar Shettima, has urged independent petroleum marketers...
CBN Bags NES Distinguished Organisation Award for Economic Reforms
ShareBy Tony Obiechina, Abuja The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has received the Nigerian Economic Society’s (NES) Distinguished Organisation Award...
2027: Information Minister Urges Niger APC Leaders to Back Tinubu’s Reforms
ShareBy David Torough, Abuja The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged APC leaders in Niger State...
Police Arrest Two Suspected Car Snatchers in Delta
ShareThe Delta State Police Command has arrested two suspected car snatchers and recovered a Toyota Camry in the state. The...
Otti Highlights Seven Investment Priority Sectors in Abia
ShareAbia State Governor, Alex Otti has highlighted seven priority sectors and investment opportunities to drive industrialisation and economic development in...
DESTMA Receives 6,642 Applications for Recruitment, Warns Against Fraudsters
ShareFrom Francis Sadhere, Asaba No fewer than 6,642 Deltans have applied for recruitment into the Delta State Traffic Management Authority...
Alia Vows to Transform Benue Industrial Hub
ShareFrom Attah Ede, Makurdi Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has declared the Benue 2035 Economic Transformation,...
Redrawing the World Map: Cosmetic Fix or True Accuracy?
ShareBy Kayode Adebiyi For more than 400 years, the global view of geography has been quietly distorted by a 16th-century...