The people of Borgu deserve protection, and the abducted must be brought home,” Save Nigeria Group (SNG) - USA

SNG-USA Condemns Deadly Borgu Attacks, Demands Immediate Rescue of Over 100 Abducted Residents

WASHINGTON, D.C./MINNA — August 24, 2026: The Save Nigeria Group USA (SNG-USA) has condemned the deadly attacks and mass abductions reportedly carried out across rural communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, calling on the Nigerian government to launch an immediate search and rescue operation for the victims.

The organisation, in solidarity with the U.S.–Nigeria Civil Society Coalition it convened, said the attacks occurred on Friday, August 21, following Muslim prayers and affected communities including Dekara, Gidan Zana, Sabon Gida, Masaka and nearby Kpenya.

According to residents, community sources and reports cited by the organisation, armed men, some allegedly dressed in military-style clothing, invaded the communities and abducted worshippers and other residents before taking them into surrounding forest areas.

Although the exact number of casualties has yet to be independently established, SNG-USA said local sources reported that more than 40 people may have been killed, while more than 100 others were reportedly abducted.

The organisation noted, however, that other reports had given lower figures for confirmed or estimated abductions, stressing the need for Nigerian authorities to provide an authoritative account of those killed, injured and missing.

SNG-USA expressed condolences to families of those reportedly killed and solidarity with survivors, abducted persons, community leaders, worshippers and residents affected by the attacks.

‘An assault on human life and religious freedom’

President of SNG-USA, Stephen Osemwegie, described the incident as a disturbing attack on civilians who were exercising their right to worship and live in peace.

“Whether the victims are Christians, Muslims, or followers of any faith, every Nigerian has the fundamental right to worship, live, work and raise a family without being hunted, abducted or killed,” Osemwegie said.

He added that an attack on people gathered for Friday prayers was “an attack on religious freedom and an affront to our shared humanity.”

Osemwegie warned against normalising the kidnapping of entire communities and the continued transformation of rural areas into territories where criminal and extremist groups operate with impunity.

“The people of Borgu deserve protection, and the abducted must be brought home,” he said.

SNG-USA demands immediate rescue operation

The organisation called on the Nigerian Armed Forces, Police and other relevant security agencies to immediately commence a coordinated, intelligence-led search and rescue operation aimed at locating and safely recovering all those abducted.

It also urged the authorities to deploy aerial surveillance, intelligence, mobility and logistical resources necessary to operate in difficult forest terrain and identify the routes, camps and escape corridors allegedly used by the attackers.

The organisation further called for regular and credible communication between government authorities and families of the abducted persons.

Calls for stronger rural security and border surveillance

SNG-USA also urged the Federal Government to strengthen security in vulnerable rural communities, particularly areas that are geographically distant from major military and police formations.

It advocated consideration of constitutionally grounded decentralised policing and properly regulated state and local security structures, subject to legal authority, professional standards, human-rights safeguards, accountability and effective federal coordination.

The organisation also highlighted Borgu's strategic location and called for increased surveillance and intelligence-sharing along border corridors linking Niger State with Kebbi and Kwara States and the Republic of Benin.

According to SNG-USA, such corridors could be exploited by armed groups for movement, recruitment, kidnapping, weapons trafficking and concealment of abducted victims.

Seek expanded US-Nigeria security cooperation

The group called for stronger cooperation between Nigeria, the United States and other international security partners in intelligence sharing, counterterrorism training, border security, aerial surveillance, forensic capabilities and efforts to disrupt terrorist and criminal financing networks.

It stressed that international assistance should complement Nigerian leadership and strengthen the country's capacity to protect its citizens.

SNG-USA also urged the government to improve early-warning systems and communication channels between vulnerable communities and security agencies.

It noted that local residents and community leaders are often the first to detect suspicious movements and emerging threats and should have effective channels for communicating such information without being exposed to additional risks.

Humanitarian assistance needed

Beyond the immediate security response, SNG-USA appealed to humanitarian organisations, international partners, Nigerian-American organisations, diaspora groups and charitable institutions to prepare assistance for families affected by the attacks.

The organisation said survivors and displaced families would require emergency food and clean water, medical supplies and trauma care, temporary shelter, clothing and household essentials, as well as assistance for children and other vulnerable persons.

It also called for psychosocial support and community recovery programmes, urging humanitarian partners to work with credible local organisations and community leaders to ensure that assistance reaches those most affected.

‘Nigeria must not normalise mass abduction’

SNG-USA said the Borgu attacks demonstrate that Nigeria's security crisis should not be viewed merely through statistics, stressing that every missing person represents a family waiting for a loved one and every killing leaves a grieving community.

The organisation called on the Federal Government to treat the situation with urgency, intensify efforts to recover all abducted persons, investigate the attacks and bring those responsible to justice.

It further urged the international community to support Nigeria in confronting what it described as interconnected threats of terrorism, violent extremism, organised kidnapping and criminal violence.

SNG-USA reaffirmed its commitment to democracy, human rights, religious freedom, civilian protection and a secure, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.

Signed:
Stephen Osemwegie — President
Victor Onyeka-Ben — Media Director
David Adenekan — Assistant Media Director
Autumn Miller — Public Relations Director
Uzochukwu Nwokwu — Secretary

Media Contact:
Save Nigeria Group USA & U.S.–Nigeria Civil Society Coalition
Washington, D.C.
info@savenigeriagroup.org
www.savenigeriagroup.org

SMBLF Rejects Federal Government’s Livestock Policy, Alleges Plan to Take Over Middle Belt Lands

SMBLF Raises Alarm Over Federal Livestock Plan, Rejects Proposed Takeover of Middle Belt Lands

Forum Demands Full Disclosure of Ranch Sites, Beneficiaries, Funding, Warns Against Expansion to Southern States

LAGOS — August 18, 2026: The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has raised a strong objection to the Federal Government’s proposed “pilot scheme” under its New National Livestock Policy, alleging that the initiative could lead to the acquisition of ancestral lands belonging to communities across the Middle Belt.

The forum said the proposed pilot areas include Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, Taraba and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), questioning why the initiative is being concentrated largely in the Middle Belt despite the availability of extensive sparsely populated and unused land in parts of northern Nigeria.

The SMBLF warned that the pilot scheme, if allowed to proceed without adequate safeguards and consultation with affected communities, could eventually be extended to other parts of the country, including the Southern states.

While stressing that it is not opposed to modern livestock production, ranching or development of Nigeria’s livestock value chain, the forum rejected what it described as the “opaque, coercive and discriminatory” manner in which the policy is allegedly being pursued.

The leaders said they were particularly concerned that the policy could result in community lands being allocated for the benefit of nomadic Fulani pastoralists.

‘Land Use Act Is Not Licence for Land Grabbing’

The forum invoked the Land Use Act of 1978, arguing that the law should not be interpreted as giving the Federal Government unrestricted authority to take over community lands.

It maintained that the Act recognises customary rights of occupancy and provides for revocation of land rights only in circumstances involving overriding public interest.

The SMBLF further argued that ranching is an economic enterprise that should principally be privately driven, insisting that compulsory acquisition of land for specific economic actors should not be presented as public interest.

Forum Suspects Permanent Settlement Plan

The leaders also expressed concern that the livestock policy could ultimately facilitate the establishment of permanent settlements for nomadic Fulani pastoralists.

The forum linked its concern to the longstanding conflicts between farming communities and pastoralists in the Middle Belt and parts of Southern Nigeria, alleging that violent attacks attributed to some pastoralist groups have resulted in deaths, displacement and loss of community lands.

It argued that communities affected by such violence should not subsequently lose their ancestral lands to policies allegedly designed to accommodate the same groups.

The SMBLF also raised questions about the nationality of some nomadic pastoralists, alleging that some may not be Nigerian citizens and calling for such issues to be properly addressed before any large-scale allocation of ancestral lands.

RUGA, Cattle Colony Proposals Recalled

The forum recalled the controversy surrounding previous Federal Government initiatives, including the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) and Cattle Colony proposals.

According to the leaders, those initiatives were resisted by Nigerians because of concerns over land ownership, settlement patterns and possible demographic consequences.

The SMBLF said it would similarly oppose any attempt to introduce a controversial land policy under a new name.

“The Middle Belt and the South are not dumping grounds for controversial land policies,” the forum declared.

It insisted that community lands belong to the people who depend on them for farming, homes, livelihoods and survival.

SMBLF Demands Full Disclosure

The forum demanded full disclosure of the details of the proposed livestock scheme before implementation.

It specifically called for information on the proposed ranching locations, legal instruments for land acquisition, ownership structure, beneficiaries, security implications, size of the lands involved and sources of funding.

The SMBLF said that until these issues are transparently addressed and the rights of affected communities fully protected, it would reject the proposed ranching scheme in the Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria.

The forum further warned that it would resist what it described as any attempt to seize community lands under the guise of livestock development.

The statement was signed by HRM Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Leader, Afenifere and Chairman, SMBLF; Dr. Bitrus Pogu, President, Middle Belt Forum; Senator John Azuta-Mbata, President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; and H.E. Ambassador Godknows Igali, National Chairman, PANDEF.

NUGLOW MOURNS COMRADE EMMANUEL UGBOAJA: THE IRREPRESSIBLE WORKING CLASS SOLDIER

NUGLOW MOURNS NLC GENERAL SECRETARY EMMANUEL UGBOAJA, BALOGUN RECOUNTS YEARS OF COMRADESHIP

The National Union of Gaming and Lottery Workers (NUGLOW) has mourned the death of the General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, describing him as an “irrepressible working-class soldier” whose contribution to Nigeria's labour and democratic struggles would not be forgotten.

In a tribute signed by the Deputy General Secretary of NUGLOW, Comrade Wale Balogun, the union described Ugboaja's death as a major loss not only to organised labour but also to Nigeria's broader democratic, civil society and progressive movements.

Balogun said his relationship with Ugboaja dated back many years, long before the latter became General Secretary of the NLC.

He recalled that their paths first crossed when he was the General Secretary of the Coalition of Oodua Self-Determination Groups, the then left component of the Oodua self-determination movement.

According to him, they subsequently worked together when he became the Publicity Secretary of the Joint Action Forum (JAF), now Joint Action Front, the civil society component of the Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO), during the tenure of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as President of the NLC.

Balogun recalled that the coalition brought together some of the most committed forces in Nigeria's labour, civil society and democratic struggles.

He specifically remembered the leadership of LASCO at the time, including Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti as Convener, Comrade Chima Ubani as Secretary, Ngozi Nwere as Treasurer and Comrade Segun Sango as Mobilisation Secretary.

He said Ugboaja belonged to a generation of comrades who understood that the struggle of Nigerian workers could not be separated from the broader struggle of the Nigerian people for justice, democracy and social transformation.

BALOGUN RECOUNTS CHIMA UBANI REMEMBRANCE AND ABUJA PROTEST

Balogun also recounted one of his most memorable experiences involving Ugboaja, which was connected with the remembrance of the late activist and democratic campaigner, Comrade Chima Ubani.

He recalled that Chima Ubani died on September 21, 2005, alongside Vanguard Deputy Photo Editor Tunji Oyeleru, in a motor accident around Potiskum, Yobe State, while returning from a labour protest.

Five years later, on September 21, 2010, members of the progressive movement gathered at Allen Roundabout, Ikeja, Lagos, to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Ubani's death.

Balogun said he travelled from Osogbo to Lagos for the commemoration and the subsequent mobilisation towards Abuja.

According to him, some comrades from Lagos Mainland, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and Osun State College of Education, Ilesha, were at risk of being left behind as other comrades prepared to join the NLC/TUC mobilisation in Abuja.

He said rather than join the entourage led by Comrade Abiodun Aremu Aremson and Comrade Olawale Salami, popularly known as Don, he decided to remain behind and seek assistance for the stranded comrades.

“I called Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja and Comrade Owei Lakemfa and appealed to them to intervene,” Balogun recalled.

He said Ugboaja immediately responded by asking him to secure at least two buses to convey the comrades to Abuja, while Owei Lakemfa undertook responsibility for paying for the buses.

“That was Emmanuel Ugboaja,” Balogun said, describing the late labour leader as a comrade who responded whenever solidarity was required.

The events that followed in Abuja on September 22, 2011, according to Balogun, remain permanently engraved in his memory.

He recalled that workers and their allies took to the streets of Abuja during the NLC/TUC protest against the Federal Government's privatisation programme, with NLC President Abdulwaheed Omar and TUC President Peter Esele among the labour leaders at the centre of the mobilisation.

Balogun said the comrades who travelled to Abuja in the two buses secured through the intervention of Ugboaja and Lakemfa became central to the unfolding events of that historic day.

“We championed and masterminded the efforts that secured the release of Comrades Waheed Omar and Peter Esele, who had been cornered and were at risk of arrest by the FCT Commissioner of Police,” he recalled.

He added that the group also led the charge that ultimately made their entry into the National Assembly possible that day.

“This was more than an act of participation; it was a decisive intervention by comrades who had travelled to Abuja in solidarity with the workers' struggle and were determined that neither intimidation nor police repression would prevent the protest from reaching its intended destination,” he said.

Balogun recalled that it was in the heat of the struggle, while moving through the streets of Abuja towards the National Assembly, that he composed the song:

“When people take over street,
When workers take over street,
Police and soldiers go run away,
When people take over street.”

According to him, the song became a reflection of the spirit of workers and ordinary Nigerians who refused to surrender their streets or their rights to oppressive power.

He said Ugboaja understood that “the street belongs to the people whenever power refuses to listen to the people.”

THE UYO RAIN SCHOOL MEMORY

Balogun also recalled another memorable encounter with Ugboaja during the NLC Rain School in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

He said he travelled to Uyo to represent the National Union of Gaming and Lottery Workers (NUGLOW) at the 20th NLC Rain School, held from July 15–19, 2024, at the Workers' Solidarity Centre, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The theme of the 2024 Rain School was “Workers' Education and the Future of Work.”

Balogun said NUGLOW was unable to meet its financial obligations to the NLC at the time, a situation which could ordinarily have prevented his accreditation and participation in the programme.

However, he said Ugboaja intervened.

“Because of his intervention, I was accredited and allowed to participate fully in the programme,” he recalled.

Balogun said the intervention demonstrated the personal qualities of the late NLC General Secretary.

“For Emmanuel, comradeship was not a slogan. Solidarity was not a speech. The working class was not merely an abstract political expression,” he said.

According to him, Ugboaja understood that movements are built by recognising comrades, supporting them and ensuring that nobody is unnecessarily excluded from the struggle.

‘NUGLOW WILL SURELY MISS UGBOAJA’

Balogun said NUGLOW would surely miss Ugboaja, whom he described as a labour leader who understood the language of struggle and appreciated the inseparable relationship between organised labour and civil society.

“We will miss the comrade who understood the language of struggle.

“We will miss the labour leader who appreciated the inseparable relationship between organised labour and civil society.

“We will miss the man who could be reached when comrades needed intervention.

“We will miss a soldier of the working class who spent decades in the labour movement and eventually rose to become the General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress,” he said.

“But above all, we will miss Emmanuel the Comrade.”

Balogun said although another person would eventually occupy the office of NLC General Secretary and the labour movement would continue, the memories of Ugboaja's comradeship, solidarity and commitment to struggle would remain.

He said Ugboaja's generation inherited a Nigeria confronted by dictatorship, exploitation, poverty, inequality and assaults on democratic freedoms, adding that they fought, organised, mobilised, marched and confronted power.

“The struggle remains unfinished,” Balogun declared.

He said the Nigerian working class remains exploited, the Nigerian people remain oppressed, poverty continues to stalk the land and the fundamental question of social justice remains unanswered.

According to him, the best tribute to Ugboaja would therefore not be merely to mourn him but to continue the struggle for workers' rights, against exploitation and oppression, and for democracy and social justice.

“The best tribute we can pay to Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja is not merely to mourn him. It is to continue the struggle,” he said.

Balogun said the labour movement must continue the struggle for a Nigeria where the wealth produced by workers serves humanity rather than a privileged few.

He described Ugboaja as one of the long line of comrades who contributed their lives to the struggle before passing the baton to another generation.

“We shall carry it.

“We shall not surrender it.

“We shall not betray the sacrifices of those who came before us,” he declared.

Concluding his tribute, Balogun said:

**“Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, you fought your battles. You stood with your comrades. You served the working class. You contributed your own chapter to the history of struggle.

“Rest on in power, Comrade.

“Rest on, irrepressible working-class soldier.

“Aluta Continua!

“Victoria Ascerta!

“The struggle continues!”**

Comrade Wale Balogun
Deputy General Secretary
National Union of Gaming and Lottery Workers (NUGLOW)

BOLA AUDU APPLAUDS ENITAN’S APPOINTMENT AS HEAD OF CIVIL SERVICE OF THE FEDERATION

Bola Audu Congratulates Enitan on Appointment as Head of Civil Service of the Federation

LAGOS — The National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Comrade Innocent Bola Audu, Ph.D., FCNA, FCTI, has congratulated Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan on his appointment as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF).

Enitan’s appointment was made by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

In a congratulatory message issued by the Office of the National President of ASCSN, Bola-Audu described the appointment as well-deserved, noting that it was a recognition of Enitan’s distinguished career in the Nigerian Public Service, wealth of experience, professionalism, administrative competence and commitment to the ideals of an efficient and responsive public service.

The ASCSN President expressed confidence that the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation would bring his experience, strategic insight and leadership capacity to bear on the ongoing reforms of the Federal Civil Service.

He also commended President Tinubu for finding Enitan worthy of the important national responsibility, as well as for what he described as the administration’s continued efforts to strengthen government institutions and reposition the Nigerian Public Service for greater efficiency, professionalism, accountability and improved service delivery.

“On behalf of the leadership and entire membership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, I warmly congratulate Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan on this well-deserved appointment.

“We are confident that, under your leadership, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation will continue to champion reforms that promote professionalism, staff welfare, productivity, innovation and effective service delivery.

“We assure you of our goodwill, cooperation and support as you assume this critical national responsibility. We pray that God grants you wisdom, strength and the courage required to succeed in this demanding assignment,” Bola-Audu stated.

The ASCSN National President further wished Enitan a successful tenure and called on public servants and other stakeholders to support the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in his efforts to build a more efficient, dynamic and citizen-centred Federal Civil Service.

He concluded by congratulating Enitan once again on what he described as a historic appointment and wished him success in his new national assignment.

Signed:
Strategic Media Group (SMG)
Office of the National President
Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN)

ASCSN Crisis Deepens as OHCSF Members Reject Proposed Election, Insist on Compliance With NICN Judgment

ASCSN Members Reject Proposed OHCSF Unit Election, Demand Compliance With NICN Judgment

By Staff Reporter
August 26, 2026

Members of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) Unit have rejected a proposed election allegedly being organised by Comrade Ameh Sylvester Abah, describing the exercise as unlawful and inconsistent with subsisting judgments of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN).

The members, operating under the Concerned Members of the ASCSN OHCSF Unit and in coordination with the Strategic Media Group (SMG), said any election conducted outside the authority of the judicially affirmed National President, Comrade Innocent Bola-Audu, Ph.D., FCNA, FCTI, would be invalid.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the group urged security personnel within the Head of Service to remain vigilant against what it described as unauthorised activities that could potentially involve the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in a contempt-of-court situation.

Court judgment central to dispute

According to the group, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, in its judgment delivered on April 15, 2026, in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/169/2025, nullified parallel ASCSN elections conducted on August 12, 2024, describing them as illegal and fraudulent.

The group said the court instead affirmed the August 10, 2024 election that returned Comrade Bola-Audu for a second term, which it said runs until June 15, 2029.

It argued that any attempt to organise a parallel election at the OHCSF Unit level would therefore be inconsistent with the court's decision and the ASCSN Constitution.

Warning to organisers

The members also called on Comrade Ameh Sylvester Abah, whom they described as the expired Chairman of the OHCSF Unit, to desist from activities capable of circumventing the authority of the court.

They further cited a ₦70 million damages award reportedly made by the NICN against associates of Abah, identified as Shehu Mohammed and Joshua Apebo, over what the group described as acts of wilful disobedience and disdain for the law.

The group warned that proceeding with an unauthorised election could expose those involved to further legal and professional consequences.

'Judgment remains alive'

The statement also drew attention to proceedings of May 20, 2026, when, according to the group, the NICN struck out an application by the dissident faction seeking a stay of execution.

The members maintained that, by virtue of Section 47 of the National Industrial Court Act 2006, the judgment affirming Bola-Audu remains valid and enforceable despite any pending appeal.

On that basis, they argued that no individual or faction could lawfully convene meetings or elections outside the constitutional authority of the Association and the subsisting judicial pronouncements.

Demands to ASCSN stakeholders

The Concerned Members consequently demanded the immediate suspension of all proposed electoral activities by Abah pending compliance with the April 15 and May 20, 2026 court proceedings.

They also called for strict adherence to the constitutional organs of the Association and what they referred to as the "Architecture of Integrity."

The group further advised the management of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to deal only with the Comrade Caleb Boboi-led Caretaker Committee in matters concerning the welfare of members, pending the resolution of the leadership dispute.

The members urged ASCSN members to remain law-abiding and vigilant against what they described as attempts by "judgment debtors" to fragment the Association for personal interests.

'ASCSN is one'

Concluding the statement, the group declared that the ASCSN remained one association and urged members not to allow internal ambitions to undermine its institutional stability.

"Aluta Continua! Victoria Ascerta!" the statement concluded.

The statement was signed by the Strategic Media Group on behalf of the Concerned Members of the ASCSN OHCSF Unit.

Goke Omigbodun, Toyin Falade, Dr. Akintola Najmud-deen Akinjide and Hon. Ayoade Raimi Baale among candidates to fly SDP flags

Afenifere-Backed SDP Candidates Emerge as Torchbearers for Oyo and Osun in 2027 Elections

Goke Omigbodun, Toyin Falade, Dr. Akintola Najmud-deen Akinjide and Hon. Ayoade Raimi Baale among candidates to fly SDP flags

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) is strengthening its political structure in the South West ahead of the 2027 general elections, with prominent grassroots politicians and candidates emerging to carry the party's banner in various senatorial and federal constituencies.

The development is coming amid growing support for the party from influential Yoruba socio-political stakeholders, including the Afenifere group under the leadership of Oba Olaitan, which has adopted and expressed support for the SDP.

Among the party's notable candidates are Goke Omigbodun, Toyin Falade, Dr. Akintola Najmud-deen Akinjide and Hon. Ayoade Raimi Baale, whose emergence is expected to further strengthen the party's electoral presence across the region.

Speaking while accepting the party's mandate as the SDP candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Ayoade Raimi Baale expressed appreciation to the party leadership and members for the confidence reposed in him.

Baale acknowledged that he emerged from among several highly qualified party members who were capable of representing the district, describing his emergence as a responsibility rather than a privilege to be taken for granted.

He pledged to work with party leaders, members and other aspirants towards victory, stressing that his experience as a grassroots politician would be brought to bear on the campaign.

A major component of his legislative agenda, he disclosed, would be the pursuit of the creation of Ibadan State, which he described as an urgent and desirable project deserving national attention.

According to him, Ibadan's historical importance as the former capital of the Western Region makes the demand for state creation more than a local agitation.

Baale argued that Ibadan remains the only former regional capital of pre- and post-independence Nigeria whose metropolitan territory has not been granted state status, noting that Kaduna and Enugu, which served as the capitals of the Northern and Eastern Regions respectively, had subsequently become states.

He therefore pledged that, if elected, he would work with other legislators and stakeholders to advance the Ibadan State creation agenda.

While describing the proposed Ibadan State as his "star project," Baale said his legislative priorities would also include initiatives capable of improving the welfare and economic opportunities of constituents through effective legislation and constructive engagement with stakeholders.

He called on SDP members across the South West to unite and work for the success of the party, recalling that the SDP is not a new political platform and has previously produced governors and legislators at both state and national levels.

Baale also paid tribute to the SDP National and Oyo State leader, Rt. Hon. Mulikat Adeola Akande, whom he described as an indefatigable, committed, visionary and focused leader.

He commended her sacrifices and contributions towards building the party in Oyo State and pledged that her efforts would not be in vain.

He equally acknowledged the support of the Afenifere group under Oba Olaitan, describing the group's adoption of and support for the SDP as a development that the party would not take for granted.

Meanwhile, the party's campaign message is also taking shape in Ife Federal Constituency, where Dr. Akintola Najmud-deen Akinjide, the SDP candidate for the House of Representatives, has formally commenced his campaign.

In his message to the people of Ife, Akinjide said his political journey was a call to service rooted in the needs and aspirations of both indigenes and non-indigenes of the territory.

Quoting the Yoruba maxim, "Ilé là ti ń kéṣọ̀ ròde," he stressed that effective representation at the National Assembly must begin with a proper understanding of the challenges facing the people at home.

Akinjide identified the completion of abandoned federal projects, strengthening of traditional institutions, preservation of cultural heritage, advancement of social welfare and creation of opportunities for young people through employment, skills development and support as key areas of his proposed representation.

He called on the people of Ife to join him in building a constituency that works for all.

The emergence of Baale, Akinjide and other SDP candidates, including Goke Omigbodun and Toyin Falade, is being viewed by party supporters as part of a broader effort to combine grassroots mobilisation, experienced political leadership and issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections.

With the growing involvement of traditional and socio-political stakeholders and the party's renewed emphasis on grassroots organisation, the SDP appears set to intensify its campaign to expand its electoral foothold across the South West.

The party's leadership has continued to call for unity among its members and candidates, with emphasis on collective mobilisation, organisation and coordination as the basis for translating the party's growing political structures into electoral success in 2027.

Disability Group Congratulates Governor Adeleke, Appeals for Welfare Support for Aged Persons with Disabilities

Lagos State — August 17, 2026

An organisation representing people living with disabilities, alongside its patrons and matrons, has congratulated Chief Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, the Executive Governor of Osun State, on his re-election to office.

The group expressed its appreciation to Governor Adeleke for the confidence reposed in him by the people of Osun State and prayed that God would grant him wisdom, strength, good health and the grace to continue serving the people successfully.

The organisation also congratulated and appreciated the Ooni of Ife, the Ataoja of Osogbo Land, the Owa of Ijesha Land, the Timi of Ede and other traditional leaders for their roles and prayers towards the peace, progress and development of Osun State.

In a special appeal to the Governor, the organisation drew attention to the difficult living conditions of aged persons with disabilities across Osun State, the South-West and Nigeria at large.

According to the group, it is unfortunate that many elderly persons living with disabilities are compelled to beg on the streets, at bus stops and other public places because they have little or no means of livelihood.

The organisation therefore appealed to Governor Adeleke to consider establishing a comprehensive support programme for vulnerable and aged persons living with disabilities across the state.

It proposed regular welfare assistance, food support, healthcare services, accommodation and a ₦30,000 monthly payroll/support package through their respective local governments, alongside other basic necessities that could help improve their standard of living.

The group noted that such intervention would go a long way towards restoring dignity, improving the quality of life and providing hope for elderly persons living with disabilities who are currently struggling to survive.

The statement was signed by Kehinde Oshilaja on behalf of the organisation.

The patrons and matrons listed in the congratulatory message include Chief Awodiran Agboola, Alhaji Olarewaju Sodiq, Chief Oyeyefa Agboola, Chief Mrs. Funsho Adeogun, Apostolic Mother Olatunbosun, Sheikh Razaq Bello, Alhaji Ibrahim Alaba Oshinaya and Hon. Ganiu Ogunremi Shofolahan.

The organisation once again congratulated Governor Adeleke and wished him a successful, peaceful and impactful tenure in office.