2027: Why Oyo should support Tinubu’s re-election —Tompolo

The Grand Patron of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has called on the people of Oyo State to vote massively for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reelection as one of their own.

He made the call as he donated 32 vehicles to the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement in Oyo State for grassroots mobilisation.

Speaking through his representative, the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Chief Kestin Pondi, at the inauguration of the movement’s Oyo State structure held at the Liberty Stadium Ibadan on Thursday, Tompolo said the vehicles were donated to support the Movement’s campaign, which is aimed at mobilising votes for Tinubu’s re-election, and the election of other candidates under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PBAT Door-to-Door Grand patron reminded Oyo people that President Tinubu is their son and they should ensure that he returns to office to complete the two-term turn of the south.

Tompolo commended the president for the far-reaching reforms in critical sectors, saying, that among other positives, the reforms have increased resources available to state governments to pay salaries, pensions and execute major projects.

He called on members of the Movement to take the message of the President’s reelection to all parts of the state, stressing that the people of Oyo State should be among those who give Tinubu another four years to consolidate on his reforms.

“We are here today to tell you that we are coming to join you to canvass for votes across the country for your son, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. What Tompolo is preaching is that Tinubu is doing very well. Tinubu’s reform policies are fantastic. We want you to support President Tinubu’s reelection for him to continue with the good work he is doing”, he said.

Also speaking at the rally, the APC governorship candidate for Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, assured that the Oyo APC put in all efforts to deliver the state.

According to him, Oyo State has stayed disconnected from the centre for too long. Alli thanked Tompolo for his donation and for his support for President Tinubu. This is as he called on party members and his supporters to ensure that the vehicles donated by the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement are deployed across the state during the campaigns.

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Tinubu seeks Reps’ approval for 3 Bills on drug control, transport safety, public service reforms

By Mercy Aikoye

President Bola Tinubu has asked the House of Representatives to consider and pass three executive bills seeking to overhaul the legal framework for drug control, expand transport safety investigations and strengthen leadership development in the public service.

The bills, transmitted to the House in separate letters read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen during Thursday’s plenary, are the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Bill, 2026; the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and the National School of Government Bill, 2026.

The proposed legislations are expected to introduce changes to existing laws governing drug-related offences, transport safety investigations and administrative training, as the Federal Government seeks to strengthen institutional capacity across the three sectors.

In the first communication, Tinubu, acting pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, forwarded the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Bill, 2026, for consideration and passage.

The bill seeks to repeal the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, and the Indian Hemp Act, Cap 16, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, replacing them with a consolidated legal framework for drug control and enforcement.

Under the proposed legislation, the NDLEA would operate within a comprehensive framework covering the cultivation, processing, sale, trafficking and use of hard drugs. It also seeks to empower the agency to investigate persons suspected of involvement in illicit drug activities.

The second bill seeks to expand the mandate of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau beyond aviation to include rail, maritime and other transport-related incidents.

In his letter to the House, the President urged lawmakers to facilitate the timely passage of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Establishment) Act, No. 35 of 2022.

The proposed amendment is designed to reposition the Bureau as an independent, multimodal safety investigation authority, with broader investigative responsibilities across the transport sector.

It also provides for the transfer of supervisory oversight to the Presidency and seeks to strengthen the Bureau’s institutional, operational and administrative mandates.

The amendment would enable the Bureau to investigate safety occurrences across different modes of transportation, moving its responsibilities beyond the aviation sector and establishing a broader framework for transport safety investigations.

The third legislation, the National School of Government Bill, 2026, seeks to establish a national institution dedicated to leadership development, policy delivery and executive capacity building.

The bill proposes the repeal of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria Act, Cap A4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and its replacement with a new legal framework for the establishment and operation of the National School of Government, Nigeria.

According to the President, the proposed institution would provide a national platform for strengthening leadership skills, improving policy implementation and building the capacity of government officials to deliver public programmes more effectively.

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2027: You can’t campaign through surrogates, Obi tells Tinubu

By Myke Uzendu

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to personally defend his administration’s record before Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general election, declaring that the President cannot rely on political surrogates to campaign for his re-election.

Obi, through his media office, said Nigerians deserved direct answers from Tinubu on the country’s economic situation and the impact of government policies on their daily lives.

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the spokesman of the Peter Obi Media Office, Idris Zekeri Jnr., the former Anambra State governor questioned reports that the demands of governance might keep Tinubu away from the campaign trail.

“Nigerians deserve to ask: If he cannot make time to face the electorate, why should surrogates be sent to ask for their votes?” the statement queried.

Obi argued that the President could not delegate accountability to political allies, party leaders and supporters while asking Nigerians to renew his mandate for another four years.

“The President cannot delegate accountability. He cannot outsource the defence of his record to political allies, party chieftains, and praise singers while millions of Nigerians struggle with the consequences of his government’s policies,” he said.

The statement maintained that although political surrogates could communicate the President’s message, they could not answer questions about his administration’s performance or fulfil promises on his behalf.

“Surrogates can speak for the President, but they cannot answer for his failures. They can repeat his promises, but they cannot make those promises a reality,” Obi’s media office stated.

The former presidential candidate challenged Tinubu to explain how his administration’s policies had improved the living conditions of Nigerians, particularly amid concerns about the cost of food, transportation, electricity, housing and other essential commodities.

It asked the President to demonstrate how the country’s economic performance had translated into tangible benefits for ordinary citizens.

“If the economy is improving, let him explain how that improvement is reflected in the cost of food, transportation, electricity, housing, and necessities. If his policies are working, let him face the citizens who want to know when the hardship will end,” the statement said.

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Reject politicians exploiting ethnic sentiments for power, Wike urges Nigerians

By Daniel Tyokua

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged Nigerians to reject politicians who exploit ethnic sentiments and grievances over marginalisation to pursue personal ambitions.

Wike warned that ethnic loyalty should not override competence, accountability and service delivery, insisting that the quest for political power must not be driven by sectional interests at the expense of national development.

The minister spoke on Thursday, in Abuja at the inaugural Idoma hall of fame induction ceremony, organised in collaboration with Och’Idoma as part of the Idoma Centenary Plus celebration.

In his lecture titled “People, Politics and Power Play in Nigeria: The Agitation for Equity and Fairness,” Wike cautioned against politicians who use the agitation for equity as a tool to secure public office without a genuine commitment to the welfare of citizens.

He urged Nigerians to examine the records and intentions of political leaders rather than allow ethnic affiliation and political calculations to determine their choices.

Wike questioned the sincerity of politicians who, according to him, ignored the downtrodden while holding public office but had begun celebrating their birthdays in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in pursuit of presidential ambitions.

He described such political manoeuvres as deceptive, urging Nigerians to distinguish between genuine public service and actions calculated to gain political advantage.

Wike also challenged Nigerians to demonstrate consistency in their demand for justice, warning against opposing marginalisation only when it affects their own communities.

He maintained that genuine fairness required Nigerians to defend justice regardless of whether the outcome favoured their ethnic groups or political interests.

On the federal character principle enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, Wike said the provision was designed to promote national unity and prevent the domination of public institutions by a few states or sectional groups.

However, he stressed that equitable representation should not undermine competence, insisting that appointments must balance inclusion with merit.

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