Lagos APC Primaries: Tinubu’s Daughter Threatens Mass Protest Over Disputed Election Results

By: Manoah Kikekon 

LAGOS, NIGERIA — In a major political development shaking the ruling party, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria and daughter of President Bola Tinubu, has threatened to lead a massive street protest. The declaration follows severe disputes over the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections in Lagos State.

As originally reported by PUNCH, the influential market leader voiced her grievances during a weekly meeting of key market stakeholders at her office in Alausa, Ikeja. She stated that the state's party apparatus intentionally altered election results to favor a specific internal faction.

The outcry comes on the heels of the Lagos State APC chapter releasing its official list of legislative candidates. The document, signed by state APC Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi, certified 24 candidates for the House of Representatives and 40 for the State House of Assembly.

However, Tinubu-Ojo openly questioned the transparency of the lists published for three key regional battlegrounds. She named the candidates whose initial victories she insists must be protected from manipulation:

Mushin Federal Constituency 2: Hon. Seye Oladejo, Agege Constituency 2: Mutiu Olaide Oladeebo, Ojokoro Constituency: Olotu Ojo

“We are ready to protest because of Seye Oladejo of Mushin Federal Constituency 02, Mutiu Olaide Oladeebo of Agege 2 constituency, Olotu Ojo of Ojokoro constituency, because we know they won this election. Their mandate should not be given to somebody else,” she warned explicitly during the stakeholder assembly.

A central theme of Tinubu-Ojo’s grievance is the internal factional warfare threatening the ruling party's cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections. She called for an outright dissolution of structural divisions, specifically pointing out the friction between the Mandate Group and the Justice Forum internal blocs.

The current political migration pattern inside Lagos APC is heavily influenced by the position of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, a key figure tied to the Justice Forum. Tinubu-Ojo noted that party members are jumping ship under the assumption that this faction represents the next line of state leadership.

“We have to cry out now. Let APC cancel Justice and Mandate Forums. We are one family. We are for APC. Now, they are using Justice Forum and Mandate because our candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, belongs to the Justice Forum. Everyone is now joining the Justice Forum because they believe that is where the incoming governor belongs."

She elaborated further on the danger of running a winner-takes-all system within party leadership:

“Even when he becomes governor, he will not govern only APC members; he has to balance it. Everyone must be carried along. If you are a leader, you are leading both your friends and foes. I can’t understand members of Mandate Group dumping Mandate and joining Justice Forum. And if Mandate won the election, they would try to manipulate and put Justice Forum members there. It is saddening. It is a way of telling us that hard work does not pay in politics. Something must be done about it.”

Concluding her address, the Iyaloja-General firmly reasserted that market women and traders across Lagos remain a pivotal voting bloc. While reaffirming their baseline support for the governorship ambitions of Obafemi Hamzat and the broader APC agenda, she sent a clear message to the party's elite: traders will no longer accept being sidelined in governance or subsequent political appointments.

She urged party hierarchies at both the state and national levels to launch an immediate investigation into the primary election outcomes before final ratification. Unresolved friction, she cautioned, could deeply compromise internal party unity long before the next general election cycle begins.

Eid-el-Kabir in Lagos: Governor Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat Pay Festive Visit to President Tinubu and First Lady

By: Manoah Kikekon 

LAGOS, NIGERIA — In the spirit of the Eid-el-Kabir festivities, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, paid a courtesy visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at their Lagos residence on Wednesday.

The high-profile holiday visit underscores the strong, collaborative ties between the economic hub of Lagos State and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Governor Sanwo-Olu shared insights from the holiday encounter via his official X (formerly Twitter) account. He highlighted that the visit was not just an act of festive tradition, but also a vital opportunity to reinforce governance alignment and discuss strategies for citizen welfare.

In his public statement, Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed his enthusiasm for hosting the nation's leader back in his home state:

“Together with the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, we visited His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and our First Lady, HE Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as part of the Eid el Kabir celebrations.”

He further added that “It is always a pleasure to have the President back home to Lagos, and an opportunity to reaffirm the working relationship between Lagos State and the Federal Government as we remain committed to national progress and the wellbeing of our people.”

President Tinubu is currently staying in Lagos to observe the Eid-el-Kabir holidays, reconnecting with stakeholders and constituents in the state he previously governed.

Eid-el-Kabir, widely known as Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice, stands as one of the most sacred landmarks on the Islamic calendar. The festival honors the historical devotion of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), celebrating obedience, charity, and communal solidarity. Across Nigeria, the holiday has served as a period for political leaders to advocate for national unity, economic resilience, and shared prosperity.

Breaking Nigeria’s 70% Drug Import Reliance: Experts Demand Radical Executive Reforms

By: Manoah Kikekon 

LAGOS, NIGERIA — Industry experts and stakeholders are calling for an urgent structural overhaul of Nigeria's local pharmaceutical framework to safeguard the nation’s healthcare sovereignty. Currently, Nigeria relies on foreign imports for over 70 percent of its essential medicines, leaving its population highly vulnerable to international supply chain shocks and currency volatility.

The urgent call to action took center stage at the 29th Annual National Conference of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP). Leading industry figures warned that without decisive political will and rigorous operational execution, Nigeria's healthcare sector faces severe instability.

The domestic pharmaceutical industry is battling severe macroeconomic headwinds, including extreme foreign exchange (FX) volatility, soaring production overheads, and the skyrocketing cost of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) — the raw chemical materials needed to create finished medications.

In her keynote address, Dr. Nonye Onyewuenyi, a United States-based pharmaceutical scientist and Chief Executive Scientist Officer of Nolix Analytics, emphasized that Nigeria already has the foundational resources and human talent necessary to reverse this trend.

“We have the raw materials and the ambition, but what we lack is a deliberate policy,” Dr. Onyewuenyi declared. “It is unacceptable for a nation of over 200 million people with more than 200 registered pharmaceutical firms to still import over 70 percent of its drugs.”

Dr. Onyewuenyi called on the federal government to move past mere policy announcements. She urged the aggressive funding and implementation of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The critique extended into executive corporate management, where traditional, slow-moving administrative systems were called out as outdated.

Mazi Sam I. Ohuabunwa, former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and founding CEO of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc, argued that pharmaceutical companies must implement daily operational accountability to survive current market turbulence.

“Performance management is the heartbeat of corporate sustainability,” Ohuabunwa stated during an intensive training session. “It is not an HR yearly form; it is a daily commitment to ensuring our patients win and our business grows.”

Ohuabunwa urged corporate leaders to transition to high-frequency weekly performance metrics and continuous field supervision to flag operational risks early.

On the scientific front, domestic producers face significant limitations due to underfunded research laboratories and aging production infrastructure. To bridge this gap, Dr. Onyewuenyi hosted technical masterclasses introducing Quality by Design (QbD) frameworksa method that builds safety controls directly into the early chemical formulation stages of manufacturing.

Roadmap to Healthcare Sovereignty

70% Import Dependence, Fully fund the PVAC framework; build dedicated pharmaceutical parks. Self-sufficiency in critical drug categories.

High API Raw Material Costs, Introduce aggressive tax incentives for local chemical synthesis. Lower retail prices for essential medicines.  

Outdated Corporate Culture, Adopt daily data-driven management tracking instead of annual evaluations. Increased operational agility and output.

Infrastructure Deficits, Scale university-to-industry R&D pipelines with NAFDAC and NIPRD. 

Internationally compliant cGMP factories.

Both leaders strongly warned against compromising data or technical standards, reminding stakeholders that shortcuts in medical manufacturing directly endanger human lives.

“In pharma, we deal with lives,” Ohuabunwa warned. “You cannot ‘PIP’ [Performance Improvement Plan] your way out of falsified records or data integrity breaches.”

Reacting to the blueprints presented, the National Chairman of NAIP, Pharm. (Sir) Bankole Ezebuiro, commended the experts and assured attendees that the association would actively drive the implementation of these strategic proposals across the industrial sector.

Amuwo Odofin NDC Passes Vote of Confidence on Hon. George Adegeye Olawande

By: Manoah Kikekon 

ADC and George Adegeye 

In a demonstration of political solidarity, the elected Local Government Area (LGA) Executives of the NDC Amuwo Odofin Chapter have unanimously passed a resounding vote of confidence in Hon. George Adegeye Olawande, the lawmaker representing Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The joint declaration, issued on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, firmly reinforces Olawande's legislative standing within his grassroots political base. The statement was formally signed by Pastor Emmanuel Okibie, the elected LGA Chairman, who acted on behalf of the entire local executive committee.

The executive leadership highlighted several key achievements defining Olawande’s tenure, validating his ongoing stewardship for the people of Amuwo Odofin. The local council characterized his leadership model as highly transparent, deeply accessible, and strictly loyal to the political party’s structural growth.

The leadership summarized their key observations regarding his performance across four major pillars: Purposeful Representation: Delivering a courageous, highly focused legislative voice that echoes constituency aspirations at the National Assembly. 

Grassroots Engagement: Visible, consistent constituency outreach and people-centered community initiatives. 

Party Discipline & Loyalty: Unwavering commitment to party principles, fostering unity across individual wards. 

Accountability & Access: Open, highly responsive style marked by a clear commitment to public service transparency. 

The resolution also sent a stern message to external political factions attempting to fracture the party's local image or minimize the lawmaker's societal contributions. According to Pastor Okibie and the executive council, localized attempts to mischaracterize Olawande's governance do not represent the actual stance of the community's primary political engine.

 "As the elected leadership of NDC Amuwo Odofin LGA, we acknowledge and commend his contributions to the growth and stability of our constituency," Okibie noted. "We also note that any attempts to misrepresent or undermine his service do not reflect the collective position of the grassroots party structure."

"We therefore restate our full and unreserved support for Hon. George Adegeye Olawande, and we call on all party members, stakeholders, and supporters to remain united and continue to strengthen the gains of democratic governance in Amuwo Odofin," the leadership statement affirmed. "The NDC in Amuwo Odofin remains cohesive, focused, and forward-looking under the guidance of committed representatives."

2027 Elections: Why Omo Geye is the Absolute Choice for Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency

By: Manoah Kikekon 

George Adegeye and Robert Obasi 

The Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, Chief Robert Obasi (FNIS, FCIPS), formally endorsed the incumbent lawmaker representing Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency, Hon. George Olawande Adegeye, popularly known as Omo Geye for second term under Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The apex Igbo socio-cultural group described him as an unmatched brand in modern grassroots governance. 

This was disclosed in a statement released on Wednesday, indicating the support of a Leading socio-cultural organization and actively identifying leaders who prioritize the welfare of their people over political grandstanding.

According to the statement, Hon. Adegeye who serves in the 10th National Assembly has successfully bridged the gap between the government and the governed. While many elected officials traditionally become distant once they take office in Abuja, the lawmaker has maintained an open-door policy across his constituency.

Chief Robert Obasi highlighted the lawmaker's unique approach to public service, emphasizing that his accessibility sets a baseline standard for future political aspirants in the region:

"In an era where many leaders become distant after attaining office, Hon. George Olawande Adegeye remains firmly connected to the grassroots. He identifies with his people in their moments of joy and challenges, making himself available and approachable to all."

The public endorsement outlines several key performance indicators that distinguish Hon. Adegeye's current tenure, which have elevated his name into a reputable political brand synonymous with progress.

Radical Accessibility: Breaking down systemic barriers to allow regular constituents, traders, and community leaders direct access to their representative.

Youth-Centric Programs: Deploying focused economic and vocational empowerment initiatives designed to reduce youth unemployment within the Amuwo Odofin corridor.

Inclusive Governance: Ensuring that diverse ethnic groups, demographics, and social classes are actively factored into his legislative and constituency agenda.

"Today, Omo Geye is no longer just a name; it is a growing brand synonymous with humility, people-oriented leadership, inclusiveness, and purposeful representation," Obasi stated. "He has consistently demonstrated that the interest of the people comes first, above personal comfort and political considerations."

With the next electoral cycle fast approaching, stakeholder evaluations are pointing toward continuity as the safest pathway to sustained community development. For the diverse residents of Amuwo Odofin, the current lawmaker’s scorecard offers a compelling argument for re-election.

"As his political journey continues to unfold, many see in him a leader with a promising future and the capacity to make even greater contributions to our constituency, Amuwo Odofin, and Nigeria at large. For many constituents, his performance, accessibility, and commitment to the people make him the best choice for Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency in 2027."

Prince Tunji Ogabi Honors Oba Abraham Ogabi on 11th Year Coronation Anniversary

 By: Manoah Kikekon 

His Royal Majesty, Oba Abraham Olatunji Adebowale Ogabi (JP),

The people of Imeke Kingdom are celebrating a significant historical milestone as their traditional ruler, His Royal Majesty, Oba Abraham Olatunji Adebowale Ogabi (JP), Oyikilu I, marks his 11th coronation anniversary.

In commemoration of the event, Prince Tunji Ogabi, a prominent son of the kingdom, issued a heartfelt public tribute praising the monarch’s transformational leadership and unwavering dedication to the ancient town. The official statement was made available to media outlets on Wednesday.

Reflecting on the past decade and a year of the monarch's rule, Prince Tunji noted that the ascension of the Ajagun of Imeke Kingdom to the throne of his ancestors was a turning point for the region. Over the last eleven years, the community has seen substantial growth in social harmony, cultural preservation, and local economic development.

In his statement, Tunji expressed profound appreciation for the positive trajectory of the kingdom:

“Today, with profound gratitude to Almighty God and immense pride as sons, daughters, and beneficiaries of his remarkable leadership, we celebrate the 11th Coronation Anniversary of a revered traditional ruler, a visionary leader, and an exceptional father of the people.”

He further remarked on the monarch's resilience, adding, "Eleven years ago, destiny beckoned and history was made... Since that memorable day, your reign has been characterized by uncommon courage, unwavering dedication, astute leadership, and a deep commitment to the growth and advancement of Imeke Kingdom."

Beyond local infrastructure and cultural renewal, Oba Abraham Ogabi's influence has reportedly extended to neighboring communities, fostering regional cooperation and shared economic benefits across the border corridor.

The tribute highlighted the King's accessible and empathetic approach to governance, describing him as a crucial bridge-builder in modern traditional leadership.

Key Milestones of the 11-Year Reign

Communal Harmony| Successfully resolved long-standing local disputes and unified royal houses.

Cultural Preservation: Revitalized traditional festivals and elevated Imeke's heritage on national platforms. 

Regional Integration: Strengthened socio-economic ties and security cooperation with neighboring borders. 

Grassroots Welfare: Instituted community outreach initiatives for accessible leadership and local empowerment.

“As a monarch, you have exemplified the true essence of leadership; leading not merely with authority but with compassion. Your kindness, benevolence, accessibility, and genuine concern for the welfare of your people have endeared you to many,” Tunji stated.

"May your crown forever be adorned with honour, your palace filled with joy, and your legacy remain evergreen in the hearts of generations yet unborn. Congratulations, Kabiyesi," the statement concluded.

2027: Court Clears Goodluck Jonathan to Run, Slams Lawyer with ₦21m Fine

 By: Manoah Kikekon 

Goodluck Jonathan 

ABUJA, NIGERIA — The legal hurdles obstructing former President Goodluck Jonathan from entering the 2027 presidential race have been completely dismantled. A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has officially affirmed his eligibility to contest the nation's highest office, throwing out a restrictive lawsuit with heavy financial penalties.

In a decisive judgment delivered on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, Presiding Judge Justice Peter Lifu dismissed the disqualification suit filed by an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Johnmary Jideobi. The plaintiff had sought a perpetual injunction to restrain Jonathan from presenting himself for nomination under any political party and to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting his candidacy.

However, the court ruled that the lawsuit was an egregious waste of judicial resources. Describing the litigation as a clear "abuse of court process," Justice Lifu noted that the plaintiff completely lacked the locus standi (legal standing) to initiate the matter, having suffered no personal injury or loss from Jonathan's rumored political ambitions.

To deter future judicial overreach, the court slammed a multi-million naira penalty against the plaintiff. Justice Lifu upheld an initial ₦20 million fine directly in favor of the former president, alongside an additional ₦1 million fine awarded to the Attorney-General of the Federation, who stood as a co-defendant and aligned with Jonathan's defense team.

The crux of the legal challenge rested on constitutional interpretations of Sections 1(1), (2), (3), and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Critics had long argued that because Jonathan took the oath of office in 2010 following the demise of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and won a subsequent term in 2011, a 2027 run would violate the maximum constitutional limit of eight years in office.

Justice Lifu firmly rejected this premise, emphasizing that the matter had already been conclusively settled by superior courts. He pointed out that both a Federal High Court in Yenagoa and the Court of Appeal had previously declared the former leader fully eligible to contest future elections.

"I am bound by the above decision of the Court of Appeal and this court, I have no more to add," Justice Lifu declared while passing his judgment.

The ruling aligns with long-standing arguments from senior legal analysts who maintain that the constitutional amendment restricting inherited tenures cannot be applied retroactively to Jonathan’s past administration.

With the legal pathways now officially cleared, political conversations across Nigeria are expected to intensify. While Goodluck Jonathan has yet to formally declare an intention to run under any specific political banner, he recently hinted that he would "consult widely" regarding his political future.

The elimination of this constitutional barrier instantly positions the former president as a formidable wild card in the unfolding 2027 political landscape, completely shifting the dynamic for both the ruling and opposition coalitions.