Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has maintained that no one died at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos during the 2020 EndSARS protest.

Speaking on Wednesday during an interview, Mohammed insisted that claims of a massacre at the toll gate were “fake news.”

Politics Nigeria recalls that on the night of 20 October 2020, at about 6:50 p.m., members of the Nigerian Army opened fire on unarmed EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos.

It was reported that at least 12 protesters were killed during the shooting. Five years later, the government still insists that no one was killed.

Reaffirming his stance, Mohammed said five years have passed, and no one has reported that a relative went to the Lekki toll gate and never returned.

He said, “People died in many places during EndSARS, but saying there was a massacre at the toll gate is fake news. I still stand by my position. Nobody died during EndSARS, no.

“People died in Abuja and Kano. CNN was not at the toll gate; they relied on secondhand and thirdhand information.

“My argument was simple, if a man owns a goat and it doesn’t return home at night, he will look for it.

“Five years later, nobody has come forward to say their son or ward went to the toll gate and didn’t come back. The narrative of a massacre at the toll gate is fake news.”

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As insecurity escalates nationwide, the red chamber of the National Assembly advances sweeping reforms to redefine kidnapping as terrorism, dismantle ineffective oversight structures, and outlaw deradicalisation for terror offenders, reports Sunday Aborisade.

As the wave of violent abductions continues to sweep across states in Nigeria, leaving families traumatised and communities destabilised, the Senate has launched one of its boldest legislative offensives yet against banditry, terrorism and the fast-expanding kidnapping industry. Central to the effort is a proposed amendment to the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, seeking to classify kidnapping and hostage-taking as acts of terrorism and impose the death penalty on perpetrators as well as their financiers, informants and logistical collaborators.

The initiative, perhaps the Senate’s strongest position on national security in recent years, has triggered fresh national debate about the limits of deterrence, the failures of existing counter-terrorism strategies and the urgency of deploying a more coherent state response to a rapidly evolving security crisis.

For the red chamber, the last two weeks have been unusually intense. From extended plenary debates to emergency consultations with security chiefs and closed-door sessions, senators have been immersed in a flurry of legislative activity spurred by a sequence of deeply unsettling incidents of mass abduction. In Kebbi, Niger and Kwara States, coordinated attacks on schools and rural communities led to the abduction of more than 300 Nigerians, including about 250 schoolgirls.

Although some victims have since regained their freedom, the shock generated by the incidents and the growing evidence of organised criminal sophistication behind them propelled lawmakers into urgent action.

The perception within the chamber was that the country stood at a dangerous crossroads. Kidnapping, once episodic, now exhibits the structure, financing patterns and psychological objectives typical of full-blown terrorism.

Many senators argued that the existing legal framework was simply inadequate to address a phenomenon that had not only escalated in intensity but also grown into a parallel criminal economy feeding off weak institutions and porous borders.

One of the Senate’s earliest and most dramatic decisions was the dissolution of its Committees on Air Force and on National Security and Intelligence. The move, rare in Nigeria’s legislative history, was endorsed unanimously. Senate Leader OpeyemiBamidele, who moved the motion, attributed the dissolution to what he described as “ineffectiveness” in the committees’ oversight roles over critical components of the nation’s security infrastructure.

While he offered no detailed account of their lapses, Bamidele noted that persistent intelligence failures and operational weaknesses had contributed to the worsening security climate.

The Senate President, GodswillAkpabio, put the motion before the chamber, and it sailed through without objection, a sign of the chamber’s resolve to examine its own performance before demanding accountability from the executive or the security establishment.

In addition, the Committees on Army, Navy, Defence, Interior and Police Affairs were directed to submit comprehensive reports on their oversight activities within two weeks. The instruction, senators said, was not procedural but a statement of intent: every committee with responsibility for security matters must demonstrate relevance and effectiveness in the face of escalating threats.

The Senate also fast-tracked President Bola Tinubu’s request for the screening and confirmation of his new Minister of Defence nominee, General Christopher Musa.

In a clear departure from tradition, the chamber considered the request on the very day it was transmitted. Many senators insisted that leaving a sensitive ministry without substantive leadership at a time of heightened insecurity would be dangerously irresponsible. Musa was screened and cleared swiftly, sending a clear signal that the chamber was ready to eliminate bureaucratic delays hindering national security reforms.

At the heart of the Senate’s renewed offensive is the Bill to Amend the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, sponsored by Senate Leader Bamidele. The bill, which has now passed second reading, proposes significant changes that redefine kidnapping and transform the way the Nigerian state responds to violent crime.

Leading the debate, Bamidele outlined the key objectives of the amendment. First is the formal classification of kidnapping and hostage-taking as acts of terrorism. By bringing the offences fully under the terrorism framework, security agencies would gain access to more robust investigative and prosecutorial tools, including intelligence-led operations, inter-agency coordination, asset tracing, forfeiture mechanisms, fast-tracked pre-trial procedures and stronger means of disrupting the financing networks that sustain kidnapping rings. Bamidele argued that the operational structures of kidnapping syndicates, ranging from logistics to financing and territorial control, now mirror those of terror groups, making reclassification necessary.

Second, the amendment introduces the death penalty for kidnapping. While current legislation prescribes severe prison terms, the new proposal seeks capital punishment for kidnappers, hostage-takers and those who knowingly facilitate their operations. The list, as explained by Bamidele, includes logistics providers, financiers, informants, harbourers, transporters and any person offering direct or indirect support to kidnapping enterprises.

He argued that the scale of brutality associated with the crime, including torture, rape, starvation, killings and the sale of captives, demanded the strongest possible deterrence, particularly as kidnapping has evolved into an extensive funding base for terror networks.

The third objective of the amendment is to eliminate loopholes that allow terror suspects or violent offenders, especially those processed under deradicalisationprogrammes, to return to crime. It was at this stage that the debate in the chamber took a more contentious turn. Several senators sharply criticised the federal government’s deradicalisation and reintegration programme for insurgents, introduced during the Boko Haram conflict. Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman of the Committee on Interior, argued that available evidence showed that some “repentant” terrorists re-joined violent groups after passing through the programme.

He contended that the model of arresting extremists, enrolling them in ideological re-orientation sessions and releasing them back into society had proven inadequate in the face of contemporary security realities. According to him, the programme created risks of recidivism and undermined the sense of justice for victims who continued to live with trauma while perpetrators avoided proportional punishment. He insisted that Nigeria could no longer afford to “appease criminality” under the guise of deradicalisation.

Former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji UzorKalu aligned himself with Oshiomhole, lamenting the agonies suffered by victims across the country. He spoke about the rape of minors, the sudden widowing of women and the dislocation of families and communities. Kalu insisted that everyone involved in the kidnapping chain, including informants and sponsors, should face the full weight of the law.

He argued that Nigerians had endured too much pain from kidnappers and that the state now owed its citizens a firm, uncompromising response. Throughout the debate, senators highlighted the broader socio-economic implications of kidnapping. Many noted that ransom payments had become a significant informal economic flow, fuelling arms markets, recruiting insurgents and weakening state authority.

Agricultural communities have been displaced, transport routes abandoned and commercial activities disrupted across several states. Some lawmakers warned that if the trend continued unchecked, it could erode investor confidence, deepen poverty and threaten national cohesion.

This understanding of kidnapping as both a criminal and an economic threat underpinned the Senate’s determination to frame the crime within a counter-terrorism architecture. Senators argued that the country required a legal framework that matched the scale and sophistication of the threat. Under the proposed law, law enforcement agencies would be empowered to pursue kidnapping rings with the same intensity as terror cells, dismantle financing structures, block ransom flows, freeze assets, conduct coordinated intelligence operations and expedite trial timelines.

These measures, senators insisted, would ensure that kidnapping, no matter where it occurs in the federation, is treated as a direct assault on national security and not merely a common law offence.

After a lengthy and exhaustive debate, the Senate passed the amendment bill into second reading unanimously, marking a rare moment of complete alignment in a chamber often divided along party or regional lines.

Minority Leader Abba Moro, a former Minister of Interior, captured the overall sentiment when he said Nigeria had reached a point where “consequence must replace accommodation” in confronting kidnapping and terrorism. The bill has been referred to multiple committees, including those on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters; Interior; and National Security and Intelligence, for further legislative work.

The committees are expected to organise a public hearing within two weeks, incorporate stakeholder contributions and return the harmonised version to plenary for clause-by-clause consideration. The process will be led by Senator AdeniyiAdegbonmire (SAN) who chairs the Judiciary Committee.

For many observers, the Senate’s new posture reflects a deepening sense of urgency driven by public frustration and the economic risks associated with rising insecurity. Yet the initiative also raises difficult questions about implementation, human rights obligations and the capacity of security agencies to operationalise the reforms.

Still, one fact is indisputable: Nigeria stands at a pivotal moment. With kidnappers expanding their operations, rural communities living in perpetual fear and the economy absorbing the shockwaves of insecurity, the Senate believes the country must now embrace a stronger legal and institutional framework. Whether the legislative offensive becomes a turning point in Nigeria’s long fight against kidnapping or a missed opportunity will only become clear in the months ahead.

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MeCure Industries Plc has announced the issuance of a N10 billion 269-day Series 6 Commercial Paper (CP), part of its N40 billion CP programme.

The CP is offered at a discount rate of 18.19%, with an effective annual yield of 21%, making it a highly attractive short-term investment option.

The offer opens on December 9, 2025, and closes on December 12, 2025.

Investors are required to commit a minimum of N5 million, with subsequent investments in multiples of N1,000.

The settlement of the issuance will occur on December 14, 2025, with the CP maturing on September 26, 2026, at which point investors will receive their full returns.

Financial performance: 

MeCure Industries Plc’s financial performance is good, with strong revenue growth and operating profit improvements.

For the 9 months ending 30 September 2025, MeCure achieved a 98.6% year-on-year revenue growth, reaching N60.01 billion, a significant leap from N30.22 billion in the same period of 2024.

This impressive revenue generation was accompanied by a 159% increase in operating profit, which surged to N13.02 billion from N5.03 billion in 9M 2024.

The company’s EBIT growth is a key indicator here as it highlights its ability to manage debt service obligations while expanding its core operations.

MeCure’s ability to manage debt is evident in its interest coverage ratio of 1.96x, which indicates that the company’s operating profit is nearly twice the amount required to meet its interest obligations.

Despite the rise in debt, particularly through commercial paper issuances, which now accounts for 53% of total debt, MeCure appears well-positioned to service its debt with current operating profit levels.

However, with the Series 6 CP issuance of N10 billion, the company’s interest expenses will rise.

Assuming the current operating profit of N13.02 billion is maintained, the interest coverage ratio will drop to 1.49x following the issuance.

While this reduction in coverage is notable, the ratio still indicates that MeCure can comfortably meet its interest payments, albeit with a narrower margin.

Strategic developments and partnerships: 

The company stands to benefit from the Presidential Executive Order, which grants duty waivers to select pharmaceutical companies, including MeCure, to encourage local production of healthcare products.

By sourcing raw and packaging materials from China and India, MeCure is set to leverage the policy’s benefits, further improving cost efficiency and operational competitiveness.

The installation of its Beta-Lactam plant in October 2023, aimed at manufacturing Amoxicillin-Clavulanic acid (Amoxyclav), a leading antibiotic with a market size exceeding N500 billion, will continue to impact revenue.

Revenue in 9M 2025 increased by 99% outperforming its 3-year revenue compound annual growth rate of 31%

Investment case 

MeCure Industries Plc continues to show impressive growth, both in revenue and operating profit, supported by strategic expansions and partnerships.

The Series 6 CP issuance offers an attractive 21% yield.

Despite the rising debt burden and high debt-to-equity ratio, MeCure appears well-positioned to meet its interest obligations, supported by strong revenue growth, impressive profit growth, and a favorable profit margin trajectory.

These factors combined make the Series 6 CP issuance a worthy investment opportunity in the short term.

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. Residents celebrate as  Army neutralises 13  bandits in Sokoto

Michael Olugbode in Abuja and Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has called on the newly appointed Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), to live up to the unprecedented national confidence expressed in his appointment by urgently deploying strategic, non-kinetic approaches to Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

 In a statement signed by its National President, Hon. Khalil Moh’d Bello, the association noted that General Musa enjoys broad acceptance across the country, but warned that this goodwill comes with extraordinary expectations from the President, the National Assembly and the public. KACRAN said Nigeria is experiencing “perhaps the most serious security challenges in its history,” with citizens and government united in their demand for immediate action to stop kidnappings, school abductions, destruction of farmlands, cattle rustling, attacks on worship centres and the killing of innocent people.

 The group said General Musa’s reputation for outstanding performance in previous military assignments—ranging from operations in Liberia to his role in the North-east and his tenure as Chief of Defence Staff—has elevated public expectations that he can quickly turn the situation around.

 KACRAN stressed that the minister faces an unusually narrow window to deliver results, given the political timetable ahead of the 2027 general elections. With political activities expected to intensify by 2026, the group argued that the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and several governors seeking re-election may hinge largely on whether the new defence minister can significantly reduce insecurity within the next year.

The association warned that if security conditions either stagnate or deteriorate, the current administration could face the kind of electoral backlash experienced by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. It therefore, projected that General Musa is expected to achieve “six years’ worth of progress in one year.”

 KACRAN, while expressing full confidence in the minister’s capacity, urged him to deploy a balanced approach that goes beyond force-based operations. 

It recommended: Comprehensive Strategic Mapping: analysing all security threats in order to understand their root causes; Hybrid Response Models: prioritising dialogue and negotiation where feasible and limiting kinetic action to situations where it is unavoidable; Open-Door Engagement: maintaining a channel for citizens and stakeholders to share intelligence and offer constructive solutions.

KACRAN appealed to Nigerians especially traditional rulers, political actors, and security agencies to support the new Defence Minister with timely information and cooperation, stressing that national security requires joint effort.

 The association also reaffirmed its willingness to work closely with the Defence Ministry and urged General Musa to give serious consideration to its specific proposals for ending insecurity in the North West and North Central regions within three to six months using minimal military force.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has neutralised 13 suspected bandits and recovered their weapons in Tarah and Karawa communities in Sabon Birni local government area.

THISDAY gathered that soldiers stationed in Kurawa near Kwanan Kimbo and engaged the terrorists in a gun battle that lasted for hours on Monday.

A source from the community who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent on Tuesday that soldiers ambushed the terrorists and later followed them to their enclave.

 “The army engaged them in a fierce battle. The bandits later retreated and fled to their enclave across the stream.

 “We counted nine bodies of the terrorists in our area, and another four were found in the nearby the bush along the stream.

 ‘’ Soldiers also recovered several weapons and took them to Kurawa,” the source said.

A reliable source from the army confirmed the encounter and told THISDAY  that it was fierce gun battle by the gallant troops where they neutralised several terrorists.

 The source said that there was no casualty on the side of the army, adding that eight AK 47 rifles and large number of ammunition were recovered from the bandits.

 Sources,  though not authorized to speak on this matter, revealed the terrorists suffered heavy defeat and the operation was by the Operation Fansan Yamma.

It was  confirmed that early Friday morning bandits attacked Gatawa community, faced by local vigilance and team of military engaged them and overpower the terrorists.

Some residents of Kurawa and neighbouring villages celebrated the military successes and appealed for continues operation to salvage the community residents against all forms of attacks.

Confirming the incident, the member representing Sabon Birni Local Government in the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Aminu Boza, said at least nine bodies believed to be those of the terrorists had been seen. 

Boza noted that more searches were ongoing.

 It was recalled that Gatawa village and nearby communities of Sabon Birni Local Government Area suffered attacks from bandits. 

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President Bola Tinubu on Monday night met with leaders and governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, urging them to embrace unity and support a consensus arrangement ahead of the party’s December 13 primary.

The meeting, held at the State House, Abuja, was attended by aspirants Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), Babatunde Hareter Oralusi, Mulikat Abiola Jimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.

Also present were the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma; and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.

However, Iyiola Omisore, an aspirant and former national secretary of APC, was absent from the meeting.

Omisore, who was disqualified from contesting the Osun primary election by the party, had described his exclusion as a joke and embarrassment.

However, according to a statement by Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu commended the aspirants for their contributions to the party and urged them to avoid the internal disputes that led to the APC’s loss in the last Osun governorship election.

He emphasised party supremacy and collective responsibility in choosing the party’s flagbearer.

“You all have a duty and obligation to the party by ensuring the candidate of our party wins the next election in Osun State.

“You must strengthen the bonds of unity, party supremacy and collective responsibility,” the President said, assuring the aspirants of his support and that of the APC national leadership.

At the end of the meeting, the aspirants and party leaders issued a joint declaration affirming their commitment to a consensus process for selecting the party’s candidate.

They agreed to abide by the party’s decision, accept the outcome of the nomination process in good faith, and support the candidate who emerges.

They also pledged to maintain peace and cohesion within the APC and not engage in any act that could undermine the integrity of the process or the stability of the party.

The signatories further committed to working collectively and individually to ensure the APC’s success in the 2025 Osun governorship poll.

The declaration, they said, was made voluntarily and in recognition of the guidance provided by President Tinubu and the APC national chairman

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The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Nigeria has ordered an immediate dismantling of non-essential static roadblocks and unauthorized checkpoints across key national highways, citing concerns about operational inefficiency and risks posed to both civilians and security personnel.

The directive, issued through an internal communication dated December 5 and signed by Brigadier General A. Rabiu “for CDS”, warned that the “Headquarters has observed a growing proliferation of non-essential static roadblocks and checkpoints along several routes within the JOA.”

According to the document, while road security operations remain important, the increasing number of unapproved checkpoints has begun to “undermine operational efficiency and disrupt freedom of movement for both security forces, civilian and expose troops to unnecessary risks,” particularly along major arteries such as Abuja–Lokoja–Ajaokuta–Idah–Otukpa–Obollo Afor–Enugu; Abuja–Lokoja–Obajana–Kabba–Omuo–Ekiti–Ikole Ekiti; Abuja–Lokoja–Okene–Okpella–Auchi–Benin; Abuja–Kaduna–Kano; and Lagos–Ore–Benin–Asaba–Niger Bridge.

The statement said “in view of the foregoing, I am directed to respectfully convey that the services Headquarters hereby instructs all TCS/FCs to ensure the immediate dismantling of the non-essential static roadblocks and unauthorized checkpoints within their respective JOA.”

Furthermore, commanders have been directed to enforce compliance with only approved control point locations and replace unnecessary static posts with heightened mobility and intelligence-driven operations.

“Commanders are further to ensure strict compliance with the approved control point locations and maintain only those essential for operational, security purposes and dominate the expands of routes with aggressive mobile patrols and human intelligence gathering,” the statement said.

This development comes amid growing concerns on insecurity in the country.

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Security forces in Niger State have carried out a major operation against a militant hideout in Borgu Local Government Area, reportedly killing more than 40 armed fighters.

The development was revealed in a post shared on X by security analyst Bakatsine, who described the raid as a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity in the region.

According to Bakatsine, the operation targeted a camp in the Lakurawa area, said to be under the control of a militant leader identified as Amir Tajuddeen. 

Bakatsine noted that the security team stormed the hideout and engaged the armed group, leading to the deaths of over 40 militants.

“Security forces in Niger State conducted a major operation in Lakurawa hideout camp under the leadership of Amir Tajuddeen in Borgu LGA. Over 40 armed militants were reportedly killed during the raid.,” Bakatsine wrote. 

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Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has insisted that nobody died at Lekki toll gate in Lagos during the 2020 EndSARS protest.

Mohammed made this statement on Wednesday when he featured in an interview on ‘Prime Time’, a programme on Arise Television monitored by DAILY POST.

According to him, it has been five years, and nobody has come to complain that their children or wards went to the Lekki toll gate and never returned.

“People died in many places during EndSARS, but saying there was a massacre at the toll gate is fake news.

“I still stand by my pushback. Nobody died during the EndSARS. No! People died in Abuja and in Kano. CNN was not at the toll gate. CNN relied on second hand and third hand information.

“My argument and logic was very simple. If a man has a goat, and the goat does not come home one night, he will go out and look for that goat.

“Now, five years on today, nobody has come to tell us that my son, or my ward, went to the toll gate and didn’t come back. The narrative that there was a massacre at the toll gate is fake news,” he said.

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Pioneer Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Isiah Osifo, has said there is no justification for the ongoing conflict between Philip Shaibu and Marvellous Omobayo, both of whom served as deputy governors under former Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Shaibu served as Obaseki’s deputy but was impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly following a fallout with the then-governor. Omobayo was sworn in as his replacement.

While Shaibu later secured a court ruling nullifying his impeachment, he was not reinstated to office until the end of Obaseki’s tenure last year.

Tensions between the two escalated recently at a public event where Shaibu reportedly objected to Omobayo being introduced as a former deputy governor of the state.

Osifo, in a statement released on Wednesday, maintained that both men held the office at different times and should not be at loggerheads.

He said he had watched the embarrassing scenario, adding, “There is no basis for conflict between Philip Shaibu and Marvellous Omobayo, who both served as deputy governor to Godwin Obaseki.

“Marvellous Omobayo was the deputy governor of Edo State. He was nominated by Obaseki as his deputy, and the same for Shaibu.

“The provisions for the nomination of a deputy governor of a state are clearly written in the constitution of Nigeria. Shaibu knows that Omobayo was nominated by the same governor who nominated him as his deputy.

“Why is Phillip Shaibu presenting the issue about Marvellous Omobayo, as former Deputy Governor, as a personal dispute between him and Omobayo Marvellous? There is no basis for such personal conflict.

“I watched on a National Television the embarrassing scenario created from the protest by Shaibu against the introduction of Omobayo as former Deputy Governor of Edo State.

“The protest was uncalled for. Omobayo was never part of the process that removed Shaibu. No protest or jurisprudence will erase the historical fact that Omobayo was, at a time, the Deputy Governor of Edo State.

“Phillip Shaibu has the right to challenge the process that removed him as the Deputy Governor, but should not vent his anger against a gentleman who was only a beneficiary of a decision that was taken by a government that was legally constituted at the time the decision was taken.”

“It is my desire that Shaibu should seek a peaceful relationship with his brother, Omobayo, as they are both from Edo North.”

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Go and Win Osun, Tinubu Charges APC Aspirants

Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha in Abuja

After a meeting with 29 Chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the states, the National Chairman of the party, Taminu Kabiru Turaki, has said his agenda was to take the party down to the grassroots across the country.

Turaki, who leads the mainstream faction of the PDP, spoke at the meeting with forum of the states chairmen of the party, where they passed a vote of confidence on him and members of the National Working Committee (NWC), however, boasted that the party was set to reclaim the Ekiti State governorship.

Also, in a move that underscored the importance of the Osun State governorship to him, President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, charged all the eight All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants ahead of the primary election scheduled for Saturday, December 13, to work together and win the main elction.

Speaking at his meeting, the PDP national chairman, noted that, “From the beginning, this is our desire, to take the party back to the people and who will be our better partners in achieving this desire other than our state chairmen.

“The National Organization Secretary described you as Brigade Commanders. I want to correct that wrong impression.

“Today, PDP is on a new mission and this new mission is to reclaim Nigeria from the inept APC leadership. A leadership that, instead of taking Nigeria progressively forward, is taking us retrogressively backward.

“Today, Nigerians are living witnesses that the achievements, the progress that had been made in the 16 PDP’s glorious years have either been destroyed, or shattered, or reversed,” Turaki stated.

The PDP national chairman further stated, “So, when you look at 29 state chairmen sitting with us, with apologies coming from two, then when you also take into account the fact that there were some chapters that were dissolved, and so do not have leadership constituted presently, which we are planning to do in due course, then tell me, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, who is not here. If all the state chairmen are here with us, then who is it that is not with us?

“If all the state chairmen are supporting us, then who, sincerely speaking, can be fighting us? So, this is something for the whole world to see.

“These are known faces, these are veterans in their right, and they are here physically, not virtually, and they are here in person, not via representation. So as far as PDP is concerned, I think it speaks for itself.

“People now know where the leadership of PDP is, and people know who the true leaders of the party are, and of course we are the leaders, the genuine bona fide leaders of the people,” Turaki stressed.

The party leadership also met senators and members of the House of Representatives.

Also yesterday, the party presented the certificate of returns to the Ekiti State governorship candidate, Dr. Oluyede Olueole.

The certificate of election was presented to him by the chairman of the Ekiti State governorship panel, the former governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo, who said Oluyede Oluwole won with 297 in an election monitored by INEC.

The certificate of return as the PDP governorship was presented to him by the national chairman, Turaki, who also presented INEC documentation process as the authentic governorship candidate for the PDP.

By implication, Turaki said INEC has recognised the present National Working Committee members of the party.

He, therefore, challenged the Nyesom Wike group to present their governorship candidate for Ekiti State that is recognised by INEC.

Go and Win Osun Guber Election, Tinubu Charges Aspirants Ahead Party Primaries

President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, ordered all the eight APC governorship aspirants ahead of the primary election scheduled for Saturday, December 13 to work together and win the main election.

The move was believed to have underlined the importance of the Osun State governorship to him. He gave the charge after a meeting with APC leaders and the governorship aspirants.

The president assured the aspirants and leaders that they had his support and that of the party’s national leadership, just as he appealed for unity and consensus-building ahead of the governorship primary.

The president, according to a release by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, met with the aspirants at State House, Abuja, last night.

The aspirants at the meeting included former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Kunle Adegoke, SAN, Babatunde Oralusi, Mulikat Jimoh, and Munirudeen Oyebamiji.

But former deputy governor of the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who had previously dismissed his disqualification from the primary as a “joke”, did not attend the meeting.

Those that attended the meeting from the APC national leadership were National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma; and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Tinubu praised the aspirants for their contributions to APC in the state, and urged them to close ranks and support the consensus candidate the party would present for the governorship election.

He stated, “You all have a duty and obligation to the party by ensuring the candidate of our party wins the next election in Osun State. You must strengthen the bonds of unity, party supremacy and collective responsibility.

“I have absolute confidence in your ability to deliver victory to our party in Osun State. You have my support and that of the national leadership of APC to win the coming election.”

Tinubu advised them to avoid the internal bickering and disunity that caused the party to lose the last election in the state to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Emphasising the importance of party supremacy, the president charged the aspirants to be guided by the party’s interest in making the choice of a flagbearer.

At the end of the meeting, a joint statement was issued in which the aspirants and the leaders committed to support the candidate who would emerge at the primary.

The agreement, signed by all the aspirants and APC leaders, stated, “We, the undersigned aspirants for the 2025 Osun State Governorship Election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), having met and deliberated in the presence of President Bola Tinubu, and the National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and in the spirit of unity, discipline, and loyalty to our great party, hereby declare as follows:

“That we affirm and uphold the supremacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in guiding and determining the most appropriate process for selecting the party’s flag bearer for the 2025 governorship election in Osun State.

“That we unanimously agree to abide by the party’s decision to nominate a consensus candidate for affirmation at the APC Primary Election scheduled for Saturday, 13th December 2025.

“That we accept the outcome of the party-led nomination process in good faith, and pledge our total support to the candidate so nominated and affirmed.

“That we commit ourselves to peace, unity, and cohesion within the APC, and pledge not to engage in any act, public or private, that may undermine the integrity of the process or the standing of the party.”

The aspirants and leaders also stated, “That we will work collectively and individually to ensure the success of the APC at the polls and the consolidation of good governance in Osun State.

“We make this declaration voluntarily, in absolute loyalty to our great party, and in recognition of the guidance provided by Mr President and the National Chairman in the overriding interest of the progress and stability of Osun State.”

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