Politics

FG inaugurates NDDC governing board

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The federal government, on Wednesday, inaugurated the governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

The agency had been without a board for nearly four years.The Senate on December 20, 2022, confirmed the nominations of the Chairman and Board Members of the Commission after President Muhammadu Buhari sent their names in accordance with the NDDC (Establishment) Act, 2008.

Speaking during the inauguration, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, urged the members of the board to be above board, adding that they should work towards policies that would contribute to the coordinated development of the Niger Delta.

Also, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Niger-Delta Affairs, Mrs Sharon Ikeazu, urged the new board to work towards restoring hope to the people of the region.

Politics

Ask politicians to recruit their children if they approach you for thuggery – Governor Tambuwal tells youths

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Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has asked Nigerian youths to refrain from being used as political thugs in the 2023 general election.

Speaking at a recent rally of the party, Tambuwal told Nigerian youths to ask politicians who want to use them for thuggery, to use their children instead.

He added that they should not allow themselves to be used to compromise peaceful coexistence by perpetrating violence and chaos.

Tambuwal said;

“You should ask any politician who invites you into political thuggery to align you with his sons and daughters.”

Politics

6.7million PVCs uncollected in 17 states – INEC

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About 6.7 million PVCs are yet to be collected from the Independent National Electoral Commission offices across 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Recall that INEC announced that the collection window for PVCs will commence on December 12,2022 and end on January 22.

INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, said in a statement released on Tuesday, December 3, that from January 6 -15, the collection of the PVCs will be devolved to the ward level after which collection would be moved to the local government areas.

It read;

“Old PVCs received from headquarters – 6,570,291; old PVCs collected up till December 29, 2022 – 5,653,330. Total uncollected old PVCs – 916,961; New PVCs received from headquarters – 940,200; New PVCs collected as at December 29, 2022 – 163,198.

“Total uncollected New PVCs –777,022; Overall total PVCs received from headquarters- 7,510,491; Overall PVCs collected as at December 29, 2022 -5,816,528; Overall PVCs uncollected 1,693,963.’’

Politics

Obi of Onitsha denies claim of having an altercation with Obasanjo

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Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha has denied claim of having an altercation with former President Olusegun Obasanjo over the Second Niger Bridge.

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu had in a statement released in reponse to Obasanjo’s criticism of the Buhari-led administration, alleged that Obasanjo deceived the south-east during the flag-off for the construction of the Second Niger Bridge.

Shehu had also claimed that the Obi of Onitsha had an altercation with the former president after being called a liar.

He wrote;

“Obasanjo laid the sod for the bridge in his first term as elected President and work never started.

“When he sought re-election for his second term in office, he returned to the site to turn the sod for the bridge the second time. When the Obi of Onitsha, forthright and scholarly, reminded him that he had done this in the past, Obasanjo told the foremost Southeast traditional ruler that he was a liar, in the full presence of the Chiefs and Oracles in his palace.”

However in a statement released by the Chinyelugo Anionwu, chief of staff to the Onitsha traditional council, the Obi of Onitsha stated that he was never involved in any sod turning ceremony for the second River Niger Bridge during the first tenure of President Obasanjo.

It read;

“His Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe, CFR, MNI, Obi of Onitsha, by his position as traditional and natural ruler, should normally not engage publicly in high level discourse on affairs of State between two of our highly respected national leaders, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR.

“However, the Palace deems it absolutely necessary to ensure that public statements relating to our monarch are factually correct.

“Accordingly, the Palace would like to state categorically that His Majesty was never involved in any sod turning ceremony for the second River Niger Bridge during the first tenure of President Obasanjo as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and, therefore, could not have engaged in any altercation with the then President as stated in the above press release.

“The only involvement of His Majesty with President Obasanjo regarding the Second River Niger Bridge was at the very tail end of his second term as President during a low-keyed flag-off of the project when His Majesty prayed that the succeeding administration would construct the bridge expeditiously.

“Onitsha people will continue to express their utmost gratitude to President Buhari and his Government for successfully constructing the magnificent bridge.”

Politics

INEC warns Nigerians about fake ad hoc staff recruitment portal

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned Nigerians about a fake portal purportedly used for the recruitment of ad hoc staff for 2023 general election.

According to the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, the portal is fake as the commission is no longer recruiting for the election.

The statement read;

“The website/blog below is advertising ad hoc staff positions for the 2023 general election.

“However, the commission is no longer recruiting ad hoc staff for the 2023 general election.“The INEC ad hoc staff recruitment portal was officially shut down on December 14 2022.

“Therefore, the site, with the URL –http://www.yournewclaims.com/Inec-Recriutment/ is fake. It is intended to defraud unsuspecting members of the public. Nigerians should disregard it.”

Politics

Governor Sanwo-Olu plans training for street beggars

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The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the provision of various job skills and additional homes will reduce the menace of women and children beggars across the streets of the state.

The governor stated this on Monday during an interview on TVC News.

Sanwo-Olu said;

“These women and children beggars on the streets are citizens that are looking for sustenance and livelihood daily. I tell you, we clear them almost every week but they find themselves there. Is the solution for me to say I want to pack them to another part of the country?

“No. The solution is to continue to build additional homes and continue to give them solutions by which they can become useful to their families. So we want to see how we can train them and give them skills so that they become providers of jobs themselves. It is a national issue and you don’t need a visa to come into Lagos so it is not me that has created that.”

The governor also explained that the state needs private investors with the right funding to embark on waste conversion projects.

“As a mega city, we generate between 12,000 and 14,000 metric tonnes of waste every day, largely domestic wastes, though some are industrial waste. A lot of people will tell you that there is money in waste which we are beginning to see. There is a lot of sorting that is happening and people are recycling, but it still hasn’t answered a huge number of opportunities that are there.

“These are investments that I believe the private sector can take up and I have seen a few people come up but they are never finished through. I am waiting for one that has the funding required to take up the project of waste conversion,” he added.

Business, Politics

National Assembly budgets N850m for failed constitution amendment

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The National Assembly has again allocated N850m for Constitution Amendment in the 2023 Budget.

The National Assembly had recently raised the 2023 Budget by N1.3 trillion from the N20.5 trillion proposed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in October 2022.

The constitution amendment process has faced several delays at the parliament and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, confirmed recently that the passage of the amendment bill in the ninth Assembly had been stalled.

He said;

“The National Assembly passed a raft of amendments to the constitution and advanced them to the states as required. That process now seems to have stalled in the state assemblies. As it is today, it is doubtful that the current constitutional amendment effort will conclude before the expiration of this legislative term”.

The government has over the years allocated about N1bn annually for constitution amendment which has continued to face challenges since 2011.

The Ninth Assembly recently lamented that the process of the constitution review was being frustrated by some state governors.The National Assembly has however continued to make allocation available for the project.

The Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, recently lamented that only 11 states have passed bills.

The 11 states that have passed their bills include; Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Lagos, Ogun and Osun.

Speaking on the yearly allocation of funds to the National Assembly, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, believes the project has failed, saying the 10th Assembly, which begins in June 2023, will have to start all over again.

He said;

“Constitutional Amendment has deliberately become a ritual that the lawmakers are using to embezzle funds without any yielded result.

“It is unfair and a total waste of public funds that all the key issues that affect Nigerians like indigenization, discrimination, land ownership, and some other laws are not captured in the Amendment.”

The activist added that “It is sad that the leaders both executive and legislature do not have the interest of the people at heart, if they do, we won’t be spending money every year over the same repeated circle of a failed constitution amendment project that has never succeeded for once.

“The process of the Constitution Amendments should begin with gathering information from the citizens to know what issues to be amended exactly.”

Rafsanjani added that people must begin to demand for accountability the money that it spends especially as it relates to the constitutional amendment.

Efforts to get comments from the Senate proved abortive as the Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Basiru.

Lifestyle, Politics

Gunmen kill PDP leader and four others in Anambra

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Five people, including a People Democratic Party (PDP) leader, were reportedly killed by gunmen in Anambra State.

The killings, said to be cult-related, occurred at Obi Maduka’s compound within Nodu town square, Nodu Okpuno, in Awka South Local Government Area of the State on Monday, January 2, 2023.

The four victims were identified as Onyiebo Okoye – aka Onwa, Kenechukwu Okeke – PDP chairman in the area), Jude Ebenezer and Obinna Maduka.

According to a source, who spoke to The Nigerian Tribune, the gunmen arrived the house in a white tinted Toyota Corolla and shot four people who were seated inside the compound.

The gunmen were said to have driven off immediately after killing the four victims. He said the victims have been conveyed to Amaku mortuary by their families after reporting to the Police who came to inspect the incident scene.

It was later revealed that the gunmen had pursued someone into the compound where these victims were seated, and as they did that, they opened fire on the victims who were seated and being entertained by their host.

Another young man identified simply as Nonso, who recently got married was also shot dead on Monday night, in the same Okpuno.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said he was not aware of the incident.

“I don’t have any such report before me. I urge the witnesses of the incident or relatives of the victim to come forward with information that will help police to embark on investigation, please.” he added.

Politics

Obasanjo has crashed Atiku, Tinubu’s presidential bid with Obi’s endorsement – Udeogaranya

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A former presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections, Chief Charles Udeogaranya has called on the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubarkar and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to abandon their presidential campaigns with immediate effect, as their chances of winning have been crashed beyond redemption by the former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s premium endorsement of Mr Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP).

The politician noted that “Obasanjo is not just a two-time former president of Nigeria in both military and democratic governments but the champion of Nigerian unity from the bitter Nigerian civil war, a tall status and an impeccable experience that crowns him the sole right to attest to Nigerians and the global village the best candidate for the Nigerian presidency, IT IS FINISHED”.

Udeogaranya counsels Peter Obi detractors and merchants of fear about Nigerian unity with a Nigerian president from the South-East, to look elsewhere as their falsehood and hateful propaganda have been shattered like an irredeemably broken bottle by the former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s endorsement of Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP).

An endorsement that is framed and firmly anchored with the best intelligence and vetting processes to determine who can best unify, safeguard and prosper Nigeria among the top 2023 presidential candidates if given power.

Politics

Presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu In Mecca For Umrah

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The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, is in Mecca for Umrah ahead of the forthcoming presidential election in February.

It was reported on Saturday that Tinubu was in Saudi Arabia, after denying meeting with G-5 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party in London.

His media aide, Tunde Rahman, said Tinubu will be back in Nigeria “within the next two days to continue with the campaign”.

Politics

Those planning to disrupt 2023 polls will be met with full force of the law – Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari has said that those planning to disrupt the 2023 general election will be met with “full force of the law“.

The President gave the warning in his new message on Saturday, December 31. Buhari stated that it is important for Nigeria to have another smooth transition of government to whoever the people have decided upon.

The statement read;

“In year 2023, Nigerians go to the polls to exercise our right to vote and elect a new administration.

“It is an important year for our country to ensure that we have another smooth transition of government, to whoever the people have decided upon.

“This administration’s landmark Amended Electoral Act will ensure that we have free and fair elections across the Nation.

“We as Nigerians must also take responsibility to ensure we participate in ensuring that the 2023 elections are free and fair by not engaging in anti-state activities and other nefarious acts that may affect the run of the polls.

“We must also resist every attempt to be used by politicians to create unrest in any form to disrupt the elections. We, as the government, will ensure such activities are met with the full force of the law.”

Buhari added that Nigerians must continue to assist the armed forces by providing community intelligence and report suspicious moves.

He said;

“As our security agencies continue to make the country proud, we must continue to assist our patriotic forces by providing much needed community intelligence.

“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that Nigeria remains safe and peaceful for us all. Therefore, we have a duty and obligation to support our troops and intelligence agencies by being alert and reporting anything suspicious.”

Politics

Buhari may sign 2023 budget Tuesday- Ahmed Lawan

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The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), will sign the 2023 appropriation bill on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

Senate President Ahmed Lawan revealed this to journalists on Friday after a closed-door meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Senate President who arrived at the Villa minutes before 3:00 pm said he discussed Buhari’s recent additional loan request, the legislature’s support to the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the general elections, the 2023 appropriate bill and other national matters.

He said;

“We are looking forward to Mr President signing the Appropriation Bill 2023, by the grace of God, on Tuesday.

“This because we signed the documents yesterday, having lost some time because of some anomalous figures we had in the bill presented to the National Assembly.

“But thank God, the National Assembly, in both chambers, has passed the Appropriation Bill 2023 on Wednesday, and I’m sure that Mr. President and his team, on the executive side will work on what we have done. And the first thing on Tuesday, the first official working day of the year, I believe that Mr. President will be signing the Appropriation Bill 2023.”

He lamented that the National Assembly would have passed the bill a week earlier had it not been for irregularities spotted in the bill.

Explaining the delay, Lawan said;

“This year (delay) particularly, is because of the anomalous, very undesirable and unfortunate situation that we had to delay a little bit.”

He revealed that the Independent National Electoral Commission, “lacks nothing” and the National Assembly will support it to deliver credible elections.

Meanwhile, Senator Ali Ndume’s while reacting to the passage of the Budget on Channels TV Politics Today on Friday, said the Senate had been able to sustain the January to December budget circle.

He also said the 2022 supplementary budget presented by the President should have been included in the 2023 budget.Ndume said, “I think my position is very clear now to Nigerians. We kept our agreement on our part and that is returning Nigeria into the budget circle of January to December, but we just passed an extension of the time to implement the budget.

“That means the budget will be implemented in 15 months instead of 12 months. You passed the budget timely but the implementation is delayed. We had to now extend the budget by 90 days. We also had to pass a supplementary budget and that is another issue that I have a problem with.”

Politics

Ogun State Governor Signs N472bn, 2023 Budget

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The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday signed into law, the state’s 2023 Appropriation Bill.

Signing the N472,250,694,447.57 Appropriations Bill as passed earlier in the day by the State House of Assembly, Abiodun said he would ensure full implementation of all the items on the bill to sustain the momentum of ‘Building Our Future Together’ agenda of his administration.

Lifestyle, Politics

Lagos government empowers 250 household heads

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The Lagos State Government has disclosed that as part of its efforts to improve the lots of orphans and vulnerable children in the state, it has empowered 250 household heads with various start-up tools for self-reliance and independence.

The state Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Olusegun Dawodu, stated this on Thursday, during the Household Economic Strengthening initiative organised for orphans and vulnerable children at the Correctional Centre for Boys in Yaba.

Dawodu said,

“Poverty is the leading cause of household vulnerability and separation in our society today. This is why we are empowering 250 household heads with various start-up tools for self-reliance and independence.

“The orphans and vulnerable children are affected/infected with HIV/AIDS malnourished due to extreme poverty, marginalised, stigmatised or even discriminated against and need care or protection.

“The Household Economic Strengthening comprises a portfolio of interventions to reduce the economic vulnerability of families and empower them to provide for the essential needs of the children they care for rather than relying on external assistance.”

In her address, Entrepreneur Coach, Mrs Victoria Ekarika, sensitised the beneficiaries of the programme to a business plan, budget, financial discipline, saving culture, investment plan and record-keeping for them to be successful in business.

Lifestyle, Politics

Sanwo-Olu meets IGP for prosecution of killer cops

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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, met with the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba at the Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja over the recent extra-judicial killings by trigger-happy cops in the state and seeking appropriate prosecution.

In a Thursday statement obtained, the Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi revealed that the duo discussed amongst other things, possible avenues to achieve speedy justice for the victims of the recent shooting incidents in Lagos State.

Adejobi noted that the IGP while extending his heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased, reassured that the cases would be meticulously pursued until deserved justice is served; he also stressed that the Force is working with the Attorney-General of Lagos State to ensure that the offenders are diligently prosecuted in courts of competent jurisdiction to serve as deterrence to others.

Adejobi said,

“In his response, the governor promised to support the police in making sure that justice is served in the extant case and to collaborate with the police on advocacy programmes to educate the citizenry on understanding and respecting the laws of the land for an improved relationship with the Police.

“He similarly stressed that his administration will partner with the police to carry out refresher courses, training, retraining, and other evaluation processes for police officers in all facets of policing duties.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu equally emphasized the need to provide some equipment like body cameras, non-lethal weapons, etc., to curb excessive use of powers and boost good police-citizen relationships.

“The IGP, therefore, charged all officers to imbibe absolute respect for rule of law and the fundamental rights of all persons, which is the crux and fulcrum of policing services even as he urged members of the public to cooperate with police officers for seamless collaborative efforts to stamp out crimes and criminality in the Nigerian society.”

Lifestyle, Politics

Tribunal Upholds Election Of Oyebanji As Ekiti Governor, Dismisses Segun Oni’s Petition

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The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Ado Ekiti has upheld the election of Governor.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared APC governorship candidate, Oyebanji as the winner of the June 18, 2022 election.

Oyebanji got 187,057 votes to defeat his closest rival, the SDP candidate Chief Segun Oni, who had 82,211 votes.

However, not satisfied with the declaration of the APC candidate as the winner of the poll, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Segun Oni approached the governorship election petition tribunal, seeking to be declared the winner of the poll.

According to Oni, he got the highest number of valid votes.

Oni also claimed in his petition that Mrs Afuye now-Deputy Governor submitted fake West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

On November 23, the three-member tribunal led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi reserved judgment after listening to the sides in the matter.Judgment was subsequently reserved and the tribunal later informed the parties that the judgment would be delivered on Wednesday, December 28.

However, the date was later shifted to Thursday (today).Delivering its ruling on the petition, the tribunal threw out Oni’s case and affirmed that Oyebanji is the duly elected governor of the state.

The tribunal noted that all certificates presented by Afuye are genuine.Oyebanji was sworn in as the state governor on October 16, 2022.

Politics

Buhari approves 400 armoured vehicles for FCT, Nasarawa, and parts of Niger State.

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President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the procurement of 400 armoured vehicles for Brigade Guards to secure the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa State, and parts of Niger State.

The newly promoted Commander, Brigade of Guards, Major-General Mohammed Usman, disclosed this on Wednesday, Dec. 28, in his gratitude speech shortly after his decoration by the president.

Buhari, assisted by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Faruk Yahaya, and the wife of the commander, Dr Rekiya Usman, decorated the officer with the rank of Major-General.

Praising Usman, Buhari said:

“Those who work with me know I am very difficult to satisfy. But I have never had any reason, whatsoever, to report you to the Chief of Army Staff or the Minister of Defence.”

Buhari, who admitted that he was “absolutely satisfied” with the performance of Usman, added, “Nobody has been able to touch me while you are here. I’m absolutely satisfied with your performance.”

In his remarks, Usman thanked the President for his outstanding support to the Brigade of Guards, citing the approval for the procurement of 400 armoured vehicles, which he said were enough to secure his area of responsibility including the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa State and parts of Niger State.

He expressed joy for the promotion, saying that it would spur him to do even better in his assigned responsibilities.

Politics

We have severance package law — Osun speaker reacts to directive on return of official cars

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Speaker of the Osun house of assembly, Timothy Owoeye has reacted to the state government’s directive for former appointees of the state to return official cars.

Speaking during the assembly’s plenary in Osogbo, the state capital, on Wednesday, December 28, Owoeye said there is a need to meet government officials to discuss the matter as there is a public office holders (payment of pension and severance packages) bill that was passed into law in 2019.

He said the law which was passed into law in June 2019 during the administration of Gboyega Oyetola, allows public office holders to receive pension and severance packages.

The speaker further revealed that Teslim Igbalaye, the secretary to the state government (SSG), and Kasim Akinleye, the chief of staff to the governor, have been invited to the house for discussion on the matter.

He said;

“I want to call on the SSG and chief of staff to let us discuss this matter holistically.

“Apart from the fact that we have a public office holders (payment of pension and severance packages) law that was passed in 2019, I will not say anything further until I see the SSG and chief of staff.

“Both of them are not summoned to appear before the assembly, but to let us come together for discussion.

“There are so many things we can settle without denting the image of anybody.”

Politics

We’ll deliver 6 million votes to Sanwo-Olu, says coalition

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A coalition of 50 Igbo socio-cultural groups has pledged to deliver no fewer than six million votes to the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwu-Olu.

The group, which is known as G-50, agreed to work to ensure that the governor succeeds in his bid for a second term, following Sanwo-Olu’s relationship with non-indigenes in the state.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos, the group’s Coordinator, Dr Festus Uchenna, said: “Sanwo-Olu is intelligent, humble and detribalised.

As a group, if we had one million votes before. We are determined to make it six million votes, and the only way to do this is by working together.”

On his part, Mr Jude Ezenwafor, said Sanwo-Olu’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the #EndSARS protests were remarkable.

“The G-50 is rooting for Governor Sanwo-Olu’s re-election because of his record of good governance.

We are convinced that he has done so well as seen in his management of the Covid-19 outbreak and the #End SARS Protests. So, we want him to continue.”

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