Landmark

By Adeola Ogunbanwo  The events at the APC senatorial meeting in Ijebu-Ode have once again exposed a familiar pattern in the political conduct of Gbenga Daniel—a calculated attempt to substitute compliance with confrontation, and procedure with propaganda. Let’s dispense with the fiction. He was not shut out. He was asked—like every other leader—to respect accreditation. This was a closed-door, high-level party meeting, not a campaign ground for showmanship. Invitations were strictly personal. Attendance was controlled. Security was not optional—it was fundamental. Yet, Otunba Daniel chose to arrive with a busload of unidentified individuals, in what can only be described as a deliberate attempt to create pressure where none was warranted. That move was not accidental. It was strategic. When a seasoned politician ignores clear protocol, it is not ignorance—it is intent. The objective was obvious: force a situation, provoke resistance, and then pivot to a narrative of exclusion. It ...

My attention has just been drawn to an article written by Wale Onifade  with the stated caption below : Ogun East Ticket, How Dapo Abiodun Is Bullying, Threatening And Manipulating His Way To A Senatorial Showdown  Ordinarily, I would never have dignify such insanely and mischievous diatribes with a response but due to its extremely divisive nature, it is only natural that I put this down. The writer mission has exposed the attributes of someone who perhaps might be suffering from Pseudologia Fantastica . His mission was not only mischievous and dishonest but erroneous with incorrect narratives that can only be  spun by unctuous, dissipated, debauched and desperate elements attempting to turn a perfectly organized APC Ogun East Stake Holder meetings  where His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun was endorsed as the Senatorial candidate of APC in upcoming 2027 General elections into something mendacious and devious. There is a season for politics, and then there is a seaso...

Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun East Senatorial District have unanimously endorsed Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, as their consensus candidate for the 2027 senatorial election. The endorsement was announced on Monday at a well-attended gathering held at Adeola Odutola Hall in Ijebu-Ode, bringing together a broad coalition of party leaders and grassroots representatives from across the district. The event drew members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), former and serving local government chairmen, past and present lawmakers at both state and national levels, councillors from all wards in the district, as well as women and youth leaders. In attendance were: all councillors across Ogun East; all ward chairmen; all ward executives; all local government chairmen; all local government executives; all serving members of the National Assembly; all serving members of the State House of Assembly; all past members of the State and National Assemb...

My attention has been drawn to misleading reports circulating on social media suggesting that I, Dapo Okunbadejo, am being considered for the position of Deputy Governor of Ogun State. I wish to state unequivocally that these claims are entirely false. At no time have I held discussions, engaged in consultations, or indicated interest—publicly or privately—in such a position. My focus remains firmly on my current responsibilities as Chief Economic Adviser and Honourable Commissioner of Finance, where I am fully committed to supporting the ongoing fiscal and economic reforms of the Ogun State Government. I urge the public and media to disregard these unfounded insinuations and rely only on verified information from credible sources. Dapo Okunbadejo Chief Economic Adviser / Honourable Commissioner of Finance, Ogun State

There is a version of the Nigerian economy that the banking sector has always served well. It is the economy of salaried professionals, corporate treasurers, documented collateral, and monthly pay cycles. It is the economy that fits neatly into conventional credit models, standard account structures, and the risk frameworks that Nigerian banking inherited from its colonial and post independence institutional architecture. That economy is real, and serving it matters. There is another version. It is the economy of the cooperative chairwoman in Ogun whose members pool contributions weekly. The textile trader in Balogun who turns inventory four times a month but has never had a formal credit history. The agro dealer in Kaduna whose working capital needs spike in planting season and collapse in the dry months. The artisan in Aba whose business has been profitable for fifteen years, but whose collateral is her workshop and her reputation. This economy is also real. It is, by most measures, ...

The Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) has intensified calls for the immediate stepping aside of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, over what it describes as a deepening credibility crisis and allegations of partisan association ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a press statement issued on Sunday, 19th April, 2026, and signed by its Media Coordinator, Comrade James Ezema, the organisation said it was “compelled, in the overriding public interest, particularly in defense of Nigeria’s electoral integrity, to issue this statement as touching the deepening crisis of confidence surrounding the office of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).” The group warned that Nigeria’s democratic process was facing a dangerous test of legitimacy, insisting that “at this crucial period in Nigeria’s democratic evolution, it is evident that the hands presiding over INEC are, at best, under grave distru...

Civil Society Organisation has raised concern over a disturbing sequence of events that point to an alleged high-level conspiracy within the Nigeria Police Force led by Jimoh Moshood Olorundare (AIG Zone 2), targeted at Mr. Hammed Tajudeen Akanbi. The CSO in a press conference addressed by its leader Com Kolawole Emmanuel , gave the Inspector General of Police a 24-hour ultimatum, demanding the immediate transfer of Mr. Hammed Tajudeen Akanbi to a neutral and independent investigative unit and unrestricted access to his legal representatives and family members. It said: "Our findings reveal that this matter is not isolated but deeply rooted in the long-standing crisis within the Ojomu Royal Family of Ajiran in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State; a crisis that predates the tenure of Jimoh Moshood Olorundare as Commissioner of Police, Lagos State. "At the core of this crisis is the control and allocation of vast ancestral lands spanning over 22 communities. This dispu...

L-R: Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi; Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogun State, Chief Yemi Sanusi; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; the Olu of Owode, Oba Kolawole Sowemimo; the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo; and the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, during the commissioning of the 5.5-kilometre Elega–Miliki–Saje–Bode-Olude–Alhaji Sugar Road in Abeokuta North/Abeokuta South Local Government Areas of the state on Thursday. A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Giwa Balogun Benjamin, has commended Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for what he described as a visionary and people-oriented leadership style that has significantly transformed the state’s economic and social landscape. Speaking with journalists during the week, Giwa noted that Governor Abiodun’s administration has remained consistent in its commitment to economic development, infrastructur...

L-R: Team Lead, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Fidelity Bank Plc, Victoria Abuka; Deputy Controller of Corrections, Enugu Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Dr. Sunday Igwe; Team Lead, Human Resources and Business Partner, East & South, Fidelity Bank Plc, Osayi Uwumarongie; and President, Legacy Inductees Class of 2026, Fidelity Bank Plc, Darlington Okereke; during Fidelity Bank’s donation of food and essential items to Enugu Maximum Security Custodial Centre, in Enugu State recently.   Tier one lender, Fidelity Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to health and social welfare with the donation of food and essential items to inmates at the Enugu Maximum Security Custodial Centre.   The outreach was carried out by the newly inducted Legacy Class of 2026 and executed under the bank’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform known as the Fidelity Helping Hands Project (FHHP). Through the FHHP, staff identify areas of critical interventions in their im...

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has commissioned the 5.5-kilometre Elega–Miliki–Saje–Bode-Olude–Alhaji Sugar Road and announced plans to commence the reconstruction of the Ago-Odo–Lafenwa Road in Abeokuta. The governor disclosed this during the commissioning ceremony of the road, which traverses Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South Local Government Areas, noting that the project is part of his administration’s commitment to improving road infrastructure and boosting economic activities across the state. Abiodun described the Ago-Odo–Lafenwa Road as one of the abandoned projects inherited by his administration, adding that its reconstruction would enhance connectivity and stimulate commerce within the axis. He further revealed plans to construct a one-kilometre link road, including a bridge connecting the area to Lafenwa, following requests from community leaders and the Alake of Egbaland. He observed that the newly commissioned Elega–Saje corridor has already begun to positively...

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has approved a set of palliative measures for public servants in the state, including a weekly day off duty and a ₦10,000 transport allowance, to cushion the effects of rising fuel prices and increased cost of living. The initiative, which will run for three months beginning in April 2026, is aimed at easing the burden on workers grappling with high transportation costs following the recent hike in the pump price of fuel. In a statement issued by the State Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, the government said each eligible worker would observe one day off per week, in addition to receiving a monthly ₦10,000 special transport allowance during the period. Onasanya explained that the measure is designed to provide relief for workers facing commuting challenges, while also promoting improved productivity through a more motivated workforce. He, however, noted that certain categories of workers would be exempted from the weekly day-off arrangeme...

The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) has announced plans to offer a free training programme on Strategic Foresighting to selected nominees of Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, as part of efforts to strengthen governance and institutional capacity in the state. The Director-General of NIPSS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, disclosed this during the opening ceremony of the third edition of the Strategic Leadership and Management Course (SLMC), held at the Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona School of Governance Studies in Ago-Iwoye. According to Omotayo, 20 participants will be nominated by the governor for the specialised training scheduled for June/July 2026. He noted that the initiative reflects the Ogun State Government’s strong commitment to human capital development and effective governance. He commended the state government for its sustained investment in leadership development, stressing that the quality of governance is closely tied to the competence and strate...

By Kayode Akinmade  Recent criticisms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda—particularly by Rauf Aregbesola—invite not only political response but analytical reflection. When a former public official dismisses an ongoing reform programme as a “scam,” the credibility of that claim must be weighed against both empirical developments and the critic’s own administrative record. In this instance, the critique is as revealing as it is unconvincing. It exposes less about the substance of current reforms and more about the limits of perspective shaped by past governance experience. Reform as Measurable Reality, Not Rhetorical Promise The Renewed Hope Agenda, far from being a mere rhetorical construct, has manifested in tangible institutional and sectoral changes. Nowhere is this more evident than in the transformation of the Ministry of Interior under the leadership of Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. Within a short period, longstanding inefficiencies—particularly in passport administrat...

By James Ezema As the countdown to the 2027 governorship election gradually begins, the political atmosphere in Enugu State is, expectedly, gathering momentum. Beneath the surface of routine political alignments and subtle consultations lies a deeper, more consequential question: what kind of leadership does Enugu truly need in the face of Nigeria’s present economic realities?  It is important to begin with fairness. The incumbent administration has, within its capacity, attempted to reposition Enugu State from its long-standing identity as a civil service–dependent economy toward a more commercially viable structure.  Efforts in infrastructure renewal, urban aesthetics, and investment signaling have not gone unnoticed. There is evidence of intention—an effort to reimagine the state beyond its bureaucratic comfort zone. However, governance is not merely about intention; it is ultimately measured by outcomes, sustainability, and the depth of impact on the average citizen. And i...

L-R: Regional Bank Head, Southwest 1, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Folaranmi Jemirin; Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Ogun State, Hon. Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo; Head, Women Banking, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs. Harriba Harry-Pepple; Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) Board Chairman, Ogun State, Hon. Oluwaseyi Oyekan; and one of the beneficiaries at Fidelity Bank’s donation of vocational tools to women at the “Give Her Power” Initiative in Abeokuta, Ogun State, recently. In a bold demonstration of its commitment to inclusive growth and sustainable development, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc has extended its recently launched “Give Her Power” initiative to Ogun State, empowering 100 women with vocational tools designed to strengthen their economic independence and boost household income. The outreach is part of the Bank’s nationwide rollout of the initiative, which was unveiled earlier in March during the signing of strategic Memoranda of Understandin...

The Ohanaeze Progressive Council (OPC) has vehemently disowned and condemned the reckless, ill-advised, and deeply disrespectful statement issued by the so-called Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) declaring the South-East Forum of Former Governors as “persona non grata” in Igboland. In a press statement, the National President of the Ohanaeze Progressive Council, Comrade Ugo Benjamin, described the OYC’s action as “an act of shameless youthful arrogance and cultural sacrilege that has no place in the dignified traditions of Ndigbo.” “This is not how Igbo people behave,” Comrade Benjamin said. “In Igboland, respect for elders, leaders, and statesmen is not optional—it is sacred. "These elders are accomplished sons of the soil who have served our people with distinction. "For a fringe group of loud-mouthed youths to wake up and declare them outcasts is not only laughable but a disgusting display of disrespect that spits on the very face of Igbo culture and tradition.” Comrade Benjam...

By Sam Osagie The necessity for national reconstruction within Nigeria’s economic governance has brought the emergence of a distinguished figure in person of Barrister Aminu Junaidu, who is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Investment and Securities Tribunal. This is a man who do not merely occupy office; but redefine it. He is a personality who do not merely inherit system; but refine it. In his tenure of just less than 6 months, his leadership has transcended from routine administration to the noble realm of institutional renaissance. Since assuming office on the 26th of October, 2025, for a five-year tenure under the appointment of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Barrister Junaidu has demonstrated that visionary leadership remains the indispensable catalyst of institutional excellence. His emergence at the helm of the Tribunal is now seen as the commencement of a reformist era; an era structured by diligence, inclusiveness, judicial dispatch, and international relevance. From the v...