LAGOS, Nigeria (NPA) — Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has met with Christophe Lecourtier, Chief Executive Officer of the French Development Agency (AFD Group), to discuss their longstanding partnership and opportunities to strengthen cooperation on the state’s development projects.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed this after welcoming Lecourtier to Lagos House, Marina, on Wednesday, where they discussed ongoing collaboration, particularly in the transportation sector.
The governor said AFD had been an important development partner in improving transportation in Lagos, highlighting the OMI-EKO project, which is being pursued alongside the European Investment Bank (EIB) and other development partners.
The project is expected to expand the state’s waterways transport network and introduce modern electric ferries.
Sanwo-Olu said integrating water transport with Lagos’ rail and road networks would help reduce travel times, ease traffic congestion and provide residents with more reliable and cleaner transport options.
“I appreciate AFD’s continued confidence in Lagos and its dedication to our development. We have achieved a great deal together, and I look forward to strengthening this relationship as we work to build a transport system that better serves our growing population,” the governor said.
The meeting underscores the Lagos State Government’s efforts to strengthen partnerships with international development institutions to improve public transportation and support the state’s growing population.
ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Thursday for Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage involving religious rites and prayers at the holy city.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the visit will provide Tinubu with an opportunity for spiritual reflection and prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and continued progress.
While in Makkah, the President is expected to perform the rites associated with Umrah and seek Allah’s guidance and blessings for Nigeria and its people.
Before departing Abuja, Tinubu will commission equipment acquired by the Nigerian Air Force for its operations at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The President is expected to return to Nigeria next week after completing the pilgrimage.
The visit comes as political parties and prospective candidates prepare for the 2027 general elections, in which Tinubu is seeking re-election. Potential opposition contenders include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The newly appointed Director of New Media of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) National Campaign Council, Zekeri Idris Jnr, has thanked his family, friends and associates for their congratulatory messages following his appointment and inauguration.
Idris, in a statement issued on Tuesday titled “A New Responsibility, A New Nigeria”, described the appointment as a call to greater responsibility to Nigerians seeking change in the country.
He also pledged to intensify efforts to counter what he described as misinformation, disinformation and fake news directed at Peter Obi and the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) ticket by supporters of the Tinubu-led administration.
“I want to thank all of you, my very dear friends and family, for your warm support and congratulatory messages on my appointment as the Director, New Media, NDC National Campaign Council, and my subsequent inauguration yesterday,” he said.
Idris expressed appreciation to friends across party lines who sent messages, made calls and shared congratulatory posts across his social media platforms.
He explained that he could not respond to everyone individually because of the volume of messages but assured them that he deeply appreciated their kindness, encouragement and support.
“I dedicate this appointment to the pursuit of our collective aspiration: the election of His Excellency, Mr Peter Gregory Obi, CON, as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Idris also invited friends and associates across party lines to join him in working towards what he described as a “New Nigeria”.
ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused the African Democratic Congress (ADC) of failing to pay its staff for more than a year, urging Nigerians to reject the party and its candidates in the 2027 general elections.
The council made the allegation in a statement issued on Monday, October 26, 2026, and signed by its spokesperson, Dele Alake.
It accused the ADC’s National Working Committee, led by Senator David Mark as chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as secretary, of neglecting the welfare of party employees despite its promises to Nigerians.
“We find it unconscionable that a political party that has made many grandiose promises to hoodwink Nigerians owes its workers for more than 12 months,” the statement said.
“Owing staff who come to work every day and who rely on the salaries for their daily sustenance is wicked and reprehensible.”
The council said the allegation raised questions about the ADC’s credibility and its capacity to manage the country’s affairs if elected into government.
It also criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the ADC’s presidential candidate, alleging that his businesses had previously owed employees salaries.
“While he regularly junkets to the UAE, staff at his Gotel Communication and other businesses also went months without pay and staged protests over unpaid salaries and other benefits,” the statement said.
The APC council further criticised Aregbesola’s record as governor of Osun State, alleging that his administration struggled to pay workers and pensioners during his eight-year tenure.
According to the statement, the administration introduced quarter-salary and, at times, half-salary payments for workers, while pensioners allegedly went unpaid for more than four years.
The council claimed that the alleged failure to meet salary obligations under Aregbesola’s administration reflected poorly on his current role in the ADC.
It described the party’s alleged failure to pay its workforce as evidence of what it called the insincerity of its leaders and their presidential candidate.
The council also accused ADC leaders of being motivated by personal ambition and hostility towards President Bola Tinubu, claims that were not independently substantiated in the statement.
It called on Nigerians, particularly workers, to reject the ADC, Atiku and all candidates contesting under the party in the next general elections.
“A party that aspires to govern Nigeria and which cannot be trusted with something as basic as the management of its own affairs and the welfare of its workforce should be rejected by Nigerians,” the statement said.
The allegations were contained in the APC campaign council’s statement. The ADC’s response was not included in the material provided.
LAGOS, Nigeria (NPA) — Professor Pat Utomi, a political economist, management expert, entrepreneur and public intellectual, has criticised Nigeria’s poor electricity supply and rising business costs, blaming the administration of President Bola Tinubu for worsening economic hardship.
Utomi made his position known in a statement on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, in which he contrasted Nigeria’s recurring power grid collapses with the electricity supply in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
He said Nigeria’s latest grid collapse, which he claimed left less than 900 megawatts of electricity available to a population of about 250 million people, highlighted the country’s persistent infrastructure challenges.
Utomi also criticised spokespersons for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council for dismissing expectations that Nigeria should achieve electricity supply comparable to that of Ethiopia.
“The Nigerian condition forces us to struggle so often to make sense of nonsense,” he said, describing the contrast between Addis Ababa’s brightly lit high-rise buildings and Nigeria’s electricity challenges as evidence of deeper governance problems.
He argued that poverty and political patronage had undermined public discourse, alleging that some educated Nigerians defended the government in exchange for political benefits.
Utomi also announced the unveiling of a group of rapid-response spokespersons for candidates backed by the Big Tent political platform.
According to him, the team comprises Comrade Tony Akeni, Magnus Oraka, David Adenekan, who coordinates the Big Tent Diaspora, and Nasser Sidi Ali.
He said the spokespersons would respond to statements by political opponents and verify claims they considered misleading.
Utomi urged the team to respond forcefully but maintain integrity in its engagements.
In a separate statement, the political economist also raised concerns about the rising cost of doing business in Nigeria, particularly the impact of petrol prices on business owners.
“I know many business owners who have had to shut down because they can no longer keep up with the rising cost of petrol in Nigeria. The APC government is making life increasingly difficult for Nigerians. Idris is right,” he said.
Utomi’s comments come amid growing political activity ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, when voters are expected to elect a president, members of the National Assembly, state governors and members of state assemblies.
ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to explain the reported distribution of 2026-model luxury sport utility vehicles (SUVs), each allegedly worth more than ₦150 million, to leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) youth wing.
Atiku accused the administration of misplaced priorities, arguing that the reported gifts contrasted sharply with the rising cost of living and the economic difficulties facing millions of Nigerians.
In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku demanded disclosure of the source of funding for the vehicles, their total cost and the circumstances surrounding their distribution.
He said the APC National Youth Leader had attributed the vehicles to a donation by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, a claim Atiku said required a clear public explanation.
“Nigerians deserve to know where the money came from to buy and distribute so many 2026 model SUVs, each worth more than ₦150 million, for political mobilisation,” Atiku said.
He questioned whether the vehicles were purchased with the First Lady’s personal funds, private donations or public resources, insisting that Nigerians had a right to know who financed the reported gifts.
“The Presidency must provide a clear account. Nigerians cannot be expected to accept a fleet of extraordinarily expensive vehicles for party loyalists without knowing who financed them,” he said.
Atiku argued that the reported distribution was particularly troubling at a time when many households were struggling to afford food, transportation and other basic necessities.
He also questioned the government’s spending priorities amid public concerns over the use of savings from the removal of the petrol subsidy and the continued pressure on household incomes.
The ADC presidential candidate further alleged that APC women leaders had previously received luxury vehicles and questioned the timing of the reported distributions, given the country’s security challenges and economic hardship.
He called on the Presidency to disclose the source of the funds if the vehicles were privately financed and, if public resources were involved, identify the officials who authorised the expenditure and the legal basis for it.
Atiku said the reported gifts raised concerns about the possible use of wealth and public resources to secure political loyalty.
“Nigeria cannot be run as a captured state, where wealth and influence serve the powerful while ordinary citizens are left to struggle,” he said.
The former vice-president also criticised what he described as the contrast between the privileges enjoyed by some political figures and the hardship facing ordinary Nigerians. He questioned reports that the APC youth leader travelled by private jet, arguing that public officials and party leaders should be prepared to answer questions about their sources of wealth and expenditure.
Atiku also referred to widely circulated images of Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, wearing a Richard Mille RM 67-02 Sébastien Ogier wristwatch, which he claimed sells for close to $500,000.
He cited the reported value of the timepiece as another example of what he described as a disconnect between the privileges enjoyed by influential individuals and the economic difficulties confronting ordinary Nigerians.
The statement called on the Presidency to address the questions surrounding the reported SUV donations and provide Nigerians with transparency on the source of funding.
KADUNA, Nigeria (NPA) —Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the opportunity to host the party’s presidential campaign flag-off, describing the event as a profound honour for the state.
In a statement personally signed by him and published on October 24, Sani said the event demonstrated the strength of the party, the cohesion of its leadership and its shared determination to secure a second term for Tinubu.
The governor said the presence of governors, party leaders, stakeholders and supporters gave the gathering added significance, while the large crowd that lined the streets from the airport to the stadium to welcome the President reflected public confidence in his leadership.
He said the reception sent a clear message that the bond between Tinubu and the people remained strong.
According to Sani, the Renewed Hope Agenda had translated into investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, transportation and other critical sectors across Kaduna State and the wider North-West.
He said the interventions addressed the everyday concerns of citizens and the long-term aspirations of communities, strengthening public confidence and reinforcing the need to sustain and consolidate the progress recorded.
The governor added that continuity in governance carried a responsibility to build on existing foundations through renewed purpose, sustained commitment and a focus on the well-being of the people.
He called on party members and supporters to translate their unity into collective action as preparations for the elections continued.
Sani said Kaduna and the wider North would stand firmly behind Tinubu, pledging to mobilise support for the President’s re-election bid.
“From Kaduna, our message is clear and unequivocal: the North stands firmly with President Tinubu. United in purpose and resolute in conviction, we are prepared to mobilise our people for a decisive victory in January 2027,” he said.
He added that the APC would work towards securing Tinubu’s renewed mandate and advancing what he described as the promise of a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria.
ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced the constitution of its National Campaign Council for the 2027 general elections, with the party’s National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, named chairman.
The council is expected to provide strategic leadership, coordinate campaign activities nationwide and mobilise Nigerians behind the party’s vision of a new, just and prosperous country.
According to a statement issued by the party on October 25, 2026, the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will serve as co-chairman, while the National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, will be vice chairman.
The party’s vice-presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was named co-vice chairman, while the National Secretary, Barr. Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, will serve as council secretary. Mallam Ibrahim Hussain Abdulkadir was named Director-General of the presidential campaign.
The party said the council would drive a people-centred and issue-based campaign ahead of the elections.
National Campaign Caucus
The National Campaign Caucus comprises 18 members, including senior party officials, lawmakers and other political figures.
Other members include former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal; Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Sidi Bomi Abdul; Deputy National Chairman (South), Babatunde F. Alli; Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; Senator Victor Umeh, representing the NDC Senate Caucus; and Engr. Buba Galadima.
The list also includes Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, Professor Mahmud Gambo Jahun, Hon. Moshood Salvador, National Women Leader Mrs Dudu Manoga, House of Representatives Caucus Chairman Hon. Victor Ogene and Hon. Muktar Usman.
National Campaign Advisory Council
The party also announced a National Campaign Advisory Council chaired by Babachir Lawal, with Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe as co-chairman and former Ebonyi State Governor Dr Sam Egwu as vice chairman.
Enekweizu was named secretary of the advisory council, while Dr Danladi Abubakar Tambari will serve as assistant secretary.
The advisory council includes representatives from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, bringing together political figures and other stakeholders to support the party’s campaign strategy.
Among those listed are Chief Onyema Ugochukwu for Abia State, Obingl Ini Okon for Akwa Ibom, Hon. Oseloka Obaze for Anambra, Madaki A. Mohammed for Bauchi, Dr O.O. Osu for Bayelsa, Dr Tor Ujah for Benue and Ibrahim Alhaji S. Matawalle for Borno.
Other representatives include Chief Ugba Murphy for Cross River, Prof. Pat Utomi for Delta, Senator Roland Owie for Edo, Senator Akinyede Sola for Ekiti, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo for Enugu and Hon. Uche Onokwo for the FCT.
The list further names Prof. Ilisya Isiyaka Jalo for Gombe, Chief Achiike Udenwa for Imo, Mallam Hassan Kabiru for Jigawa, Joshua Makama for Kaduna, Nasir Lawan Ahmad for Kano, Dr Ismail Iro for Katsina and Alhaji Ahmed Zayyanu Iliyasu for Kebbi.
Others are Mallam Adamu Atta for Kogi, Arc. Dr Toma Audu Gana for Kwara, Hon. Tunji Soyinka for Lagos, Hon. David Zakaria for Nasarawa, Alhaji Isa A. Kutugi for Niger, Otunba Tope Niyi Taiwo for Ogun, Chief Tope Adebamibo for Ondo, Hon. Razaq Mustapha Adeniyi for Osun and Kayode Joseph for Oyo.
The remaining representatives are Manasseh Zakka Watyil for Plateau, Senator Ben Birabi for Rivers, Alhaji Jabbi Hassan Safiwa for Sokoto, Hon. Dr Philip Kafiya for Taraba, Engr. Buba Galadima for Yobe and Hon. Barr. Mohammed Sani Takori for Zamfara.
The NDC called on its members, supporters and Nigerians to remain united and focused as it prepares for the 2027 elections.
The party expressed confidence in its political vision, declaring that “a new and working Nigeria is possible.
LAGOS, Nigeria (NPA) — The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of hypocrisy over the liquidation of Nigeria Airways and the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities to former employees.
Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), made the allegations in a statement on Wednesday, accusing Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), of failing to address the plight of former Nigeria Airways workers during his time in office.
The minister said the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which Atiku served as vice-president, liquidated the national carrier in September 2004, leaving thousands of workers without jobs and allegedly failing to pay their outstanding benefits.
Keyamo said President Bola Tinubu had approved and released N36 billion to settle outstanding entitlements owed to former Nigeria Airways workers and their families.
“Twenty-two years later, after many of them have died out of frustration, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now clearing the mess you left behind,” the minister said.
He added that beneficiaries had begun receiving payment notifications and that the workers’ union had recently recognised Tinubu for the intervention.
The claims regarding the payment and the circumstances surrounding the liquidation were presented by Keyamo in his statement.
The aviation minister also accused Atiku of taking credit for decisions made by the Obasanjo administration when convenient, while distancing himself from responsibility when the administration faced criticism.
“When it is convenient for you, you claim some credit of the Obasanjo-Atiku government and when not convenient, you say Obasanjo was in charge and not you as Vice-President,” Keyamo said.
He described Atiku’s position as inconsistent and accused him of using political rhetoric to advance his presidential ambition.
The exchange comes as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with leading political figures and parties increasingly criticising their opponents.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Atiku nor the ADC had responded to Keyamo’s allegations.
HELSINKI, Finland (NPA) — Finnish-based Biafra separatist activist Simon Ekpa is expected to learn the outcome of his appeal against a six-year prison sentence on Thursday, October 15, 2026, as both he and Finnish prosecutors challenge the 2025 judgment.
The appeal concerns Ekpa’s conviction for terrorism-related offences, including participation in the activities of a terrorist group and incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes. He was arrested by Finnish authorities in November 2024 following investigations into his activities linked to the pro-Biafra movement.
In September 2025, the Päijät-Häme District Court sentenced Ekpa to six years in prison after finding that he had used his social media influence between August 2021 and November 2024 to promote activities linked to a militant separatist movement seeking an independent Biafra.
The court also found that he facilitated the supply of weapons, explosives and ammunition through his network of contacts and encouraged followers on X, formerly Twitter, to commit crimes in Nigeria.
Beyond the terrorism-related convictions, the district court found Ekpa guilty of aggravated tax fraud and offences under Finland’s legislation governing legal practice.
Ekpa, Prosecutors Challenge Sentence
Ekpa is seeking to overturn or reduce his conviction and sentence, while Finnish prosecutors argue that the six-year prison term is too lenient and are seeking a harsher punishment.
The appeal court’s decision will determine whether the conviction and sentence are upheld, modified or increased.
Ekpa, a prominent supporter of the Biafra separatist cause and a follower of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu, is hoping for a favourable outcome.
Biafra Agitation and Its Historical Roots
The Biafra agitation predates Ekpa and is rooted in the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 to 1970, during which millions of people, predominantly from the Igbo population, died from fighting, hunger and disease.
Separatist campaigners, including Kanu and Ekpa, have invoked the principle of self-determination and provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to support their demands for Biafra.
The Nigerian government, however, maintains that the country’s unity and territorial integrity must be preserved.
Following Kanu’s rendition from Kenya to Nigeria and his subsequent detention, Ekpa became one of the prominent voices sustaining the separatist campaign among some of its supporters.
For those who support the movement, the appeal ruling carries political and emotional significance beyond Ekpa’s individual legal case. His role in the Biafra debate has made the proceedings a closely watched development among supporters and opponents of the separatist cause.
