Today’s Headlines: What Pastor Adeboye Told Me When I Met Him—Sowore; Council Chair Disburses Grants

African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has revealed that the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, told him during a recent meeting that he regularly prayed for him, believed his ways were pure and was confident he would triumph. Sowore disclosed this during an interview on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, following their meeting at the church’s headquarters in Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

Sowore recalled that he first met Adeboye in 1996 when he sought the cleric’s support for a campaign against cultism in Nigerian universities. He said Adeboye endorsed the initiative and provided N10,000 to support it. During their recent encounter, the cleric asked to pray for him, but Sowore clarified that they did not discuss his presidential ambition or matters of religious conversion.

The Chairman of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Gideon Uwa, has disbursed N50 million in grants to 100 young entrepreneurs across the council’s 10 political wards to support business growth and strengthen the local economy. The initiative was announced during a thanksgiving service marking the second anniversary of his administration, with Uwa saying the beneficiaries were selected after a grassroots assessment identified business owners in need of financial assistance.

Uwa urged the recipients to use the funds responsibly to expand their businesses and create employment opportunities. The event also featured the inauguration of the Etim Ekpo Coordinating Committee of the Eekpede Initiative, a support group mobilising grassroots backing for President Bola Tinubu, the state governor and All Progressives Congress candidates ahead of the 2027 elections. Representatives of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the grants and pledged to use them to develop their businesses.

Former All Progressives Congress National Auditor George Moghalu has said it would be risky to predict the outcome of the 2027 presidential election, although he acknowledged that President Bola Tinubu could benefit from the advantage of incumbency. Moghalu described the contest as a potentially fierce race involving the ruling APC and opposition parties, urging candidates to focus on policies, verifiable facts and practical solutions rather than personal attacks or violence. He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to build on its performance in the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and deliver a free, fair and credible general election.

Moghalu also criticised the dispute between Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo and Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi over the state’s borrowing history, describing it as unnecessary and suggesting that stakeholders should seek a resolution. He expressed concern about inflammatory political statements, attacks and the destruction of campaign billboards, warning that such developments could threaten peaceful elections. Moghalu, who said he had returned to the APC but was not seeking an elective position, urged politicians to campaign on issues and allow voters to make informed decisions.

Kaduna State Commissioner for Information Ahmed Maiyaki has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will receive strong support from northern voters in the 2027 general elections, citing the administration’s security interventions and infrastructure projects. He highlighted the planned Kaduna and Kano light rail projects, alongside the Abuja–Kano highway rehabilitation, as evidence of Tinubu’s commitment to northern development. Maiyaki, who said Governor Uba Sani was coordinating the North-West re-election campaign, also dismissed suggestions that former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai and his supporters would undermine Tinubu’s electoral prospects.

Maiyaki attributed improved unity in Kaduna State to Governor Sani’s inclusive leadership, claiming the state had experienced no ethno-religious conflict during the governor’s three years in office. He also defended Tinubu over El-Rufai’s continued detention, arguing that the matter was being handled by the judiciary rather than the President. Maiyaki further described Tinubu as a longstanding ally of northern political leaders and urged voters to focus on development and governance rather than ethnic or religious considerations.

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