Category: Politics

Tinubu Skips UNGA For Third Straight Year, Hands The Global Stage To Shettima

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confirmed that he will not be physically present at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, ending weeks of speculation and marking the third consecutive year he has missed the gathering in person since taking office in 2023. The decision came in a statement issued on Sunday by Stanley Nkwocha, spokesman to Vice President Kashim Shettima, announcing that Tinubu had directed the Vice President to represent him and lead Nigeria’s delegation to the high level session. The development reverses earlier official indications that the President would travel to New York, after Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, had said in July that arrangements had been made for Tinubu to attend, including a seating arrangement close to United States President Donald Trump during the General Debate. A provisional list of speakers obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria subsequently showed Shettima, not Tinubu, listed to address the Assembly, effectively confirming the President’s withdrawal before the Presidency’s formal statement. The Presidency has not given an official reason for the President’s absence, though some reports have linked the decision to a planned protest by Nigerians in the United States during the annual gathering, a claim the government has neither confirmed nor denied. Shettima will lead a high level delegation comprising Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, ministers and other senior government officials to the General Debate holding from September 22 to 28, under the theme Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation, A United Nations That Delivers For All. Nigeria’s UN envoy, Jimoh Ibrahim, has since moved to reassure Nigerians that the country retains its front row seat and will continue to play a full diplomatic role at the gathering, insisting that Shettima’s presence, alongside Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu and other officials, ensures Nigeria’s interests remain fully represented. Reactions have continued to trail the President’s absence, with opposition figures questioning the decision and renewing scrutiny of Tinubu’s pattern of skipping the UN’s premier diplomatic gathering since assuming office. Shettima is expected to deliver Nigeria’s national statement at the General Debate before returning to the country at the conclusion of his engagements in New York. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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INEC Declares Four State Bye Elections A Success, Says No Vote Is Too Small To Matter

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INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, has described bye elections held across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta States as largely successful, stressing that no electoral contest should be dismissed as trivial. Amupitan made the assessment while personally presiding over operations at the Commission’s National Situation Room at its headquarters in Abuja, monitoring the exercise alongside National Commissioners and senior management officials. He said the bye elections served as crucial operational benchmarks for testing the nation’s electoral infrastructure ahead of larger contests, with lessons drawn feeding directly into preparations for future polls. The Chairman reassured Nigerians of the Commission’s resolve to uphold electoral integrity, noting that operational bottlenecks encountered before the commencement of the elections were swiftly identified and resolved by field teams. As reports arrived throughout the day from the affected states, the Commission maintained close coordination between headquarters and field officials to address emerging issues in real time. Amupitan’s presence at the Situation Room reflected the Commission’s determination to treat even smaller scale elections with the same seriousness as national contests. Officials say the approach is designed to build public confidence in the Commission’s ability to manage elections of any size across the country. The exercise adds to a growing body of operational data INEC is compiling as it works toward the much larger 2027 General Election. Analysts say the outcome of the bye elections will likely inform further refinements to the Commission’s logistics and technology deployment strategy going forward. By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed

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Shettima And Indian Counterpart Push For Amnesty On Overstayed Visas, Faster Justice For Detained Nigerians

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed. Vice President Kashim Shettima held a constructive bilateral session with his Indian counterpart, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Leaders Summit currently underway in New Delhi. Among the issues discussed was greater collaboration between the two nations in technology transfer, renewable energy and investment partnerships, as both sides look to deepen bilateral ties beyond the summit itself. Most significantly, in line with the Citizen Diplomacy imperatives of the Renewed Hope Agenda, the two leaders discussed extending amnesty to allow more Nigerians who have overstayed their visas in India to return home without penalty, a move that could be facilitated by a possible bilateral agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons between the two countries. Shettima also raised the issue of accelerating judicial processes for Nigerian nationals currently detained under immigration offences in India, pressing for swifter resolution of such cases. The two sides further explored economic opportunities available to both nations, alongside the need for expanded education and cultural exchanges between Nigeria and India. The engagement adds to a series of bilateral discussions Nigeria has held on the sidelines of the summit, as the country continues to position itself for deeper cooperation with key BRICS partners.

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Shettima Lands In New Delhi As Nigeria Chases Bigger Wins At BRICS Summit

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in New Delhi, India, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit, part of Nigeria’s efforts to deepen bilateral relations and expand trade and investment opportunities with member and partner countries of the bloc. The summit, held under the theme Building Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation And Sustainability, will see Shettima lead a high level Nigerian delegation comprising the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Industry Trade and Investment, Communications and Environment, among others. Speaking ahead of the summit, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, said Nigeria will explore new partnerships in agriculture, technology, artificial intelligence and the digital economy, drawing lessons from India’s experience in deploying technology to create opportunities for its youth population. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, said the Tinubu administration is working to deepen Nigeria’s trade relationship with India, previously valued at about $14 billion, disclosing that major investors of Indian origin have expressed interest in meeting the Nigerian delegation. Oduwole noted that India used to buy Nigerian oil extensively, and officials are now looking at ways to expand that trade relationship amid shifting global market dynamics. At the summit, Shettima will join leaders of BRICS member and partner countries for high level discussions on inclusive global growth, resilience and sustainable development, alongside bilateral engagements aimed at advancing Nigeria’s economic interests. Nigeria became a BRICS partner country in January 2025 and has since used the platform to strengthen South South cooperation and broaden its relations with major emerging economies. The Nigerian delegation is also expected to participate in the BRICS open session and other activities scheduled on the sidelines of the summit in the coming days.

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INEC Turns To Nigeria’s Monarchs To Drive Voter Turnout And Cool Political Tempers

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The Independent National Electoral Commission has called on traditional rulers across the country to deploy their moral authority to mobilise eligible voters for the 2027 General Election and promote peaceful, issue based political campaigns. INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, made the appeal in Lagos when he led the Commission’s leadership on a courtesy visit to the Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwanu Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, at the Iga Idunganran Palace, as part of the Commission’s South West Zonal Readiness Assessment ahead of the 2027 polls. Amupitan formally informed the Oba of the election dates, with the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections holding on Saturday, February 6, 2027. He said INEC is working toward an election that is technologically driven, transparent and inclusive, but stressed that technology alone could not guarantee a successful election, insisting that people, not systems, ultimately build a democracy. The Chairman appealed to traditional rulers to use their influence to encourage residents to complete voter registration processes and collect their Permanent Voter Cards as statutory deadlines approach. He further sought the intervention of the Oba of Lagos and the Lagos Traditional Council in promoting issue based political campaigns and discouraging hate speech, character assassination and inflammatory rhetoric as political activities intensify ahead of the elections. The Oba of Lagos welcomed the Commission’s decision to begin its zonal readiness assessment in Lagos, expressing optimism about the success of the exercise under Amupitan’s leadership.

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Ernest Bai Koroma Returns Home To Sierra Leone After Two Years In Nigeria

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma has returned to his country after more than two years of temporary stay in Nigeria, marking the conclusion of a lengthy diplomatic process. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, accompanied Koroma to Freetown on the instruction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to an official statement on the development. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also joined the delegation accompanying Koroma back to Freetown, lending additional weight to the diplomatic gesture surrounding his return. The statement, signed by Dr Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media in the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, described the return as marking the successful conclusion of a regional diplomatic and confidence building process. Koroma had relocated to Nigeria in January 2024 following engagements by the Economic Community of West African States aimed at promoting peace, stability and political understanding in Sierra Leone. His return closes a significant chapter in the regional effort to manage political tensions in Sierra Leone, with Nigeria’s role in the process being held up as an example of ECOWAS diplomacy at work.

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Wike Mocks Amaechi’s 2027 Chances As Abuja Politics Take A Sharper Turn

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed Former Rivers governor Nyesom Wike has reignited his long running rivalry with Rotimi Amaechi, mocking his political chances ahead of the 2027 elections and insisting that even Amaechi’s home village would not back him at the polls. Wike’s remarks, delivered pointedly, have sparked fresh debate about the future direction of Rivers State politics, with observers noting that the feud between the two men has shaped the state’s political landscape for years. In Abuja, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas dissolved all ad hoc committees of the 10th House of Representatives, a move that effectively ends a number of ongoing investigations and reshapes how parliamentary oversight will function going forward. Analysts say the dissolution consolidates power within the House’s standing committees, potentially altering the pace and direction of legislative inquiries that had been running under the dissolved panels. Meanwhile, opposition parties, including the NDC and ADC, continue strategising ahead of 2027, with growing calls for a united front capable of mounting a serious challenge to the ruling APC’s dominance. Taken together, the developments in Rivers State and the National Assembly point to a political season that is only just beginning to heat up, with more than a year still to go before Nigerians return to the polls.

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Army Chief In Ogun Draws A Firm Line Ahead Of 2027, No Politics, No Excuses

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The General Officer Commanding 81 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Adebayo Babalola, has reaffirmed that the Nigerian Army will remain apolitical, neutral and professional before, during and after the 2027 General Elections. Major General Babalola spoke on Thursday, September 3, 2026, during a sensitisation lecture titled The Conduct of Personnel in Preparation for the 2027 General Elections in Nigeria, held at the Vulcan Officers’ Mess, Headquarters 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala Barracks, Abeokuta, Ogun State. He stressed that there would be no room for partisanship, intimidation or misconduct by personnel under his command, charging officers and soldiers of 81 Division to be guided at all times by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for the Armed Forces during elections. The GOC outlined four key directives for personnel, to remain neutral at all times, conduct themselves professionally with the highest standards of discipline, be accountable for their actions and uphold the integrity of the Nigerian Army, warning that any personnel found wanting would face the full weight of military and civil law. Special Guest of Honour, His Royal Majesty Oba Dr Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, described the coming elections as another milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey, noting that beyond the contest for political power, elections test the resilience of national institutions and the maturity of political actors. The monarch said the period would demand sound judgement, professional discipline, inter agency coordination and unwavering fidelity to the Constitution from the Armed Forces and other security agencies, describing the seminar as timely and aligned with the Chief of Army Staff’s command philosophy of building a professional, adaptable and combat ready force. Commander 35 Artillery Brigade, Brigadier General Friday Oguche Onu, said the lecture demonstrated the Army’s commitment to professionalism and constitutional responsibility, reminding personnel of their role under Section 217(2)(c) of the Constitution to support civil authority and other security agencies in ensuring a peaceful, free and credible electoral process.

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Oyo APC Hands Out 50 Tickets For 2027, And A Message About Unity Comes With Them

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By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed The All Progressives Congress in Oyo State presented Certificates of Nomination to 50 candidates who will represent the party across the 2027 general elections, in a ceremony that party leaders described as far more than a formality. Addressing the candidates, a party leader said the moment served as a reminder of the responsibility that comes with the opportunity to serve, congratulating all 50 nominees while urging them to remain focused on the people of Oyo State and the collective desire to build a better future for them. Leadership, the party stressed, is not about occupying a position but about having the capacity, character and courage to serve, solve problems and deliver meaningful progress for residents. Party leaders called for unity going forward, insisting that those who contested against one another during the primaries are not enemies but brothers, colleagues and stakeholders in one shared project, and urged all sides to close ranks and place Oyo State’s interest above personal considerations. The party’s vision, tagged Oyo Ahead, was described as a commitment to an Oyo where young people can access opportunities to learn, work and build meaningful lives, and where education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and enterprise receive the attention they deserve. Leaders said achieving that vision would require capacity, unity, discipline and, above all, genuine service to the people, expressing confidence that with these values the party can build a stronger, more prosperous and more inclusive Oyo State. The ceremony was seen as a formal opening of the party’s campaign season ahead of the 2027 polls, with the 50 candidates now expected to carry the party’s message across their respective constituencies.

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From Ballots to Blueprint: BRC Chieftain Charges New Oredo Boss to Deliver for the People

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Chairman of the Benin Recreation Club Inter-Club Relations and Affiliation Committee, Olorogun Peters Jaboro, has congratulated Hon Engr Gabriel Iduseri, popularly known as Gabros, on his official swearing in as Executive Chairman of Oredo Local Government Area by Governor Monday Okpebholo. Jaboro described the inauguration as the beginning of a new chapter in Oredo’s administration and development, expressing confidence in Iduseri’s ability to justify the trust placed in him by the electorate. He said the swearing in places significant responsibility on the new administration to deliver effective, transparent and people oriented governance at the grassroots, with residents expecting a swift shift from campaign promises to tangible development that touches their daily lives. He urged the new chairman to prioritise infrastructure and road maintenance, environmental sanitation, primary healthcare, education, youth empowerment, market development, community engagement, security and sustainable economic growth, describing Oredo as the heart of Benin City with enormous potential under visionary and inclusive leadership. Jaboro called on Iduseri to remain accessible to residents and build an administration anchored on transparency, accountability and service, expressing confidence that his leadership experience and commitment to excellence would help him leave a lasting legacy in Oredo. He further called for strong collaboration between the local government, traditional institutions, community leaders, civil society and private sector stakeholders to accelerate development across the area, wishing Iduseri a successful tenure on behalf of the BRC Inter-Club Relations and Affiliation Committee. Congratulating the new chairman once again, Jaboro urged him to seize the opportunity to build an Oredo that works for everyone. By Edoko Wilson Edoko

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