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2027: Beyond “Tinubu Must Go”, What Is the Opposition’s Alternative?

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By Seye Oladejo, Lagos APC Chieftain There is something increasingly fascinating about Nigeria’s opposition as we approach the 2027 general elections. Everybody appears to know what is wrong with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. Everybody appears to know why the All Progressives Congress (APC) should be defeated. Everybody appears to know why Nigerians are supposedly yearning for a change. But ask the more important question - what exactly is the alternative? Suddenly, the political orchestra becomes remarkably quiet. This is not a defence of the APC against criticism. It is a challenge to the opposition to raise the quality of the democratic conversation. Democracy is not merely about changing the occupants of Aso Rock. It is about competing visions of how to govern Nigeria. The opposition must therefore answer a simple question: Beyond “Tinubu must go”, what exactly will you do differently? That is the question Nigerians should be asking. Politics of Anger Is Not a Polic...

THE BUTTON THAT SPOKE VOLUMES: HOW IGP DISU TURNED A SIMPLE UNIFORM CORRECTION INTO A LESSON IN LEADERSHIP

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A good leader does not weaken discipline by showing compassion. He strengthens discipline by correcting people without breaking their dignity. IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu By ACP Oluseyi Olabisi Okuwobi There are moments in leadership that require no speech. No podium. No press conference. No elaborate policy document. No command performance. Sometimes, leadership is revealed in something as ordinary as a button on a police uniform. A short video currently making the rounds on social media captures one of such moments. The incident may appear simple: the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, observed a police officer whose uniform was not properly fastened. What followed, however, was far more significant than the uniform infraction itself. Rather than humiliate the officer, order that he be detained, or turn the moment into an exhibition of authority, the IGP personally intervened and helped him correct his uniform. He corrected the officer without crushing him. And there...

POLAC, Kano Police Strengthen Training, Intelligence Collaboration

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The Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, and the Kano State Police Command have renewed their commitment to strengthening collaboration in training, capacity building, intelligence-driven policing and professional development. The commitment was made during an operational synergy visit by the Commandant of the Nigeria Police Academy, AIG Auwal Musa Muhammad, to the Kano State Police Headquarters, Bompai. According to a statement issued and signed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the visit featured the signing of the visitors’ book, exchange of souvenirs, a group photograph and prayers for sustained peace and professional excellence in the Nigeria Police Force. The Commandant commended the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, for his leadership and professionalism in managing security challenges in the state, describing Kano as a complex environment requiring patience, expertise and dedication. AIG Muhammad also acknowledged the Command’s ...

Police Arrest Three Suspected Carjackers, Recover Pistols, Ammunition in Lagos

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The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of an alleged armed robbery and carjacking syndicate in the Alakuko area of the state, recovering three locally made pistols and eight rounds of live ammunition. The suspects were identified as Faruk Rasheed, 20; Olamilekan Ademola, 28; and Abidemi Oluwawemo, 21. The Command said the arrests followed credible intelligence as part of ongoing efforts to tackle armed robbery, carjacking and other violent crimes across Lagos. According to a statement by the state PolicePublicRelationsOfficer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects allegedly specialised in snatching vehicles and robbing residents of their valuables. A search conducted after their arrest reportedly led to the recovery of two locally made pistols loaded with five cartridges and a locally made revolver pistol loaded with three rounds of 9mm live ammunition. The suspects are currently in police custody while efforts are under...

CSOs Challenge Lagos Police Denial, Demand Probe Into Pensioners’ Tear-Gassing

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Coalition accuses police of cover-up, urges Gov Sanwo-Olu to pay retirees’ outstanding entitlements Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi A coalition of civil society organisations in Lagos has demanded an independent investigation into the alleged tear-gassing of protesting pensioners, accusing the Lagos State Police Command of attempting to cover up the incident. The coalition also called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to immediately pay outstanding pension arrears and other entitlements owed to retired workers, insisting that pensioners should not be subjected to intimidation or police brutality for demanding their legitimate benefits. The groups, comprising Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA); #EndBadGovernance Movement, Lagos State; Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA); Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Lagos State; Joint Action Front (JAF); Campaign for Democratic and...

Opposition Without Candidates: Are They Really Ready for 2027?

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By Seye Oladejo, Lagos APC Chieftain Nigeria’s opposition parties have spent considerable time building an impression of an impending political earthquake ahead of the 2027 general elections. Their rhetoric is loud, their projections are ambitious and their confidence appears limitless. But when one looks beyond the noise and examines the fundamentals of electoral politics, a rather curious picture emerges. Reports indicate that Atiku Abubakar’s African Democratic Congress (ADC) has no governorship candidate in eight states, while Peter Obi’s New Democratic Congress (NDC) has no governorship candidate in twelve states. One is compelled to ask: how serious can a political party be about capturing power when it cannot even produce members willing to fly its flag for elective offices across a significant number of states? This is not merely a question of numbers. It is a question of political organisation, grassroots acceptance and confidence in the platform. A party that aspires to win t...

WAEC, JAMB Fix ₦4,000 One-Off Fee for O’Level Result Verification

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Candidates to verify once, tertiary institutions barred from demanding fresh verification payment The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) have agreed that candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions will pay a one-time fee of ₦4,000 to verify their WASSCE O’Level results. Under the new arrangement, candidates whose admissions are regulated and coordinated by JAMB are required to verify their WAEC results only once through the designated JAMB Verification Service platform. The two examination and admission bodies announced the resolution in a joint statement issued and signed by Moyosola Adesina, Head of Public Affairs, WAEC, Yaba, Lagos, for the Head of National Office on Tuesday following a series of meetings and consultations on the implementation of the result verification service.  WAEC and JAMB said tertiary institutions would be required to use the verified results shared by JAMB for screening, ...