OSUN HAS SPOKEN: THE PEOPLE’S MANDATE MUST NOT BE MORTGAGED

Mẹkunnu Kọya congratulates Adeleke, warns against betraying the people’s mandate

By Comrade Wale Balogun

Mẹkunnu Kọya has commended the resilience, courage and democratic determination of the people of Osun State who, despite enormous pressure, inducements, intimidation and other obstacles to a free, fair and transparent electoral process, stood firmly by their right to choose the candidate they wanted as their Governor.

Osun people have spoken, and their mandate must stand.

The movement warmly congratulates Governor Ademola Adeleke on his re-election and urges him to regard the victory not merely as a personal political triumph, but as a solemn mandate entrusted to him by the people of Osun State.

The outcome of the election has demonstrated once again that a determined and united people cannot be permanently defeated by political power, money, intimidation or the machinery of government.

A Congratulation with a Warning

Our congratulatory message to Governor Adeleke comes with a clear and unequivocal warning: he must not betray the confidence that Osun voters have reposed in him.

Governor Adeleke must resist the temptation to substitute the collective interest and democratic will of Osun people with personal political calculations, including any political arrangement or alignment designed to support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

Whatever political understanding may exist between individuals, the mandate belongs to the people.

Osun voters did not give Governor Adeleke a blank cheque to negotiate away their democratic preferences. They voted in an election in which the APC and the political order it represents faced a strong rejection across significant sections of the electorate.

The Governor must therefore understand that the people who voted for him did so for their own interests, aspirations and future—not as an endorsement of any political bargain that may ultimately undermine those interests.

If Governor Adeleke truly understands the message of this election, he must protect the people from policies and political arrangements that deepen their hardship and must never mortgage the Osun mandate for personal political expediency.

The People Resisted Power, Money and Intimidation

Mẹkunnu Kọya particularly commends Osun voters for resisting the enormous political machinery deployed during the election.

The intimidating presence of APC governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives and other political heavyweights was not enough to substitute political power for the free will of the electorate.

Reports and observations concerning vote-buying, material inducement and attempts to reduce voters to commodities in a political marketplace were deeply troubling. Yiaga Africa, while stating that the official results were consistent with its independent statistical estimates, also raised concerns about vote-buying, voter inducement and gaps in electoral technology.

Yet, despite these pressures, the people demonstrated that poverty may be exploited temporarily, but the conscience of a people cannot be permanently purchased.

This is one of the most important lessons of the Osun election. Money may influence some votes, intimidation may frighten some citizens and political power may create fear, but none of these can permanently extinguish the determination of a people to choose their government.

The ADC and Aregbesola's Grassroots Strategy

Mẹkunnu Kọya equally commends the African Democratic Congress (ADC), its candidate and its leader in Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, for the strategic political role played during the election.

To many discerning observers, Aregbesola remains one of the most experienced grassroots political strategists in the South-West. His understanding of grassroots mobilisation and community-based politics remains a factor that cannot be dismissed in assessing the outcome of the election.

The election has demonstrated that political structures built around genuine grassroots engagement can significantly influence electoral outcomes, irrespective of the size of the political machinery deployed against them.

Mẹkunnu Kọya therefore rejects any attempt by a political dynasty to appropriate the victory of the people or rewrite the history of what transpired before, during and after the election.

The re-election of Governor Adeleke was influenced by several factors—including voter dissatisfaction, opposition to the APC, the intervention and mobilisation of other political actors, grassroots dynamics and the determination of the electorate. It would therefore be historically inaccurate to attribute the outcome exclusively to the performance or electoral sagacity of any single individual.

INEC Must Answer the IReV Question

Mẹkunnu Kọya calls on the Independent National Electoral Commission under Professor Joash Amupitan to treat the Osun election as a serious warning and a learning point ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The interruption in the uploading of polling-unit results to the IReV portal during the election raises legitimate questions that INEC must answer openly and satisfactorily.

Yiaga Africa specifically questioned the prolonged interruption involving the uploading of results from 3,292 polling units, saying that it raised concerns about transparency and public confidence in the results-management process.

We therefore ask:

Why was there an interruption in the electronic transmission of results at such a critical moment?

What caused the interruption?

Who authorised it?

What safeguards were put in place during the period to ensure that no result could be compromised?

These are not questions that INEC should dismiss. They are questions arising from the legitimate expectations of Nigerians that modern electoral technology must strengthen—not weaken—transparency.

The fact that the official results subsequently fell within Yiaga Africa's independently projected ranges is reassuring, but it does not remove the need for INEC to provide a clear technical explanation of the interruption and ensure that such an occurrence cannot undermine confidence in the 2027 elections.

Professor Amupitan Must Not Fail Nigerians

Professor Joash Amupitan has a historic responsibility.

The 2027 election will be considerably more consequential than the Osun governorship election. Any perception that INEC is favouring one political party or candidate could have grave consequences for Nigeria's democracy.

The INEC leadership must therefore demonstrate, in both words and actions, that its allegiance is exclusively to the Nigerian Constitution, the electoral law and the Nigerian people.

One man, one vote must mean one man, one vote.

The vote of the poorest Nigerian must carry exactly the same weight as the vote of the richest politician.

Oyebamiji Should Accept the People's Verdict

Mẹkunnu Kọya calls on Mr. Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji to demonstrate statesmanship and accept the outcome of the election in good faith.

Every candidate has the constitutional right to seek judicial redress where genuine grounds exist. But the judiciary must never become a substitute for the electorate.

If there are legitimate electoral grievances, they should be presented before the appropriate judicial forum with credible evidence. But the people of Osun must not be asked to accept through litigation what they rejected at the ballot box.

The fundamental principle must remain:

The people's vote and mandate must count.

Threats, Intimidation and Incitement Must Be Investigated

Mẹkunnu Kọya calls on the relevant law-enforcement agencies to investigate credible allegations of threats, intimidation and inflammatory statements made before and during the election.

Where verifiable video, audio or other evidence exists against individuals alleged to have threatened voters or encouraged violence, the appropriate authorities must investigate and, where criminal liability is established, prosecute them in accordance with the law.

We specifically call for the investigation of the conduct and utterances attributed to Senator Fadahunsi, Ero Arike and others whose actions or public statements have been alleged to undermine the electoral process.

No politician—whether a senator, governor, party leader or grassroots actor—should be above the law.

Justice cannot be selective.

Free Popoola Alabi and End Political Persecution

Mẹkunnu Kọya is equally concerned about the continued detention of Popoola Alabi, a House of Representatives candidate for Ilesha and a member of Governor Adeleke's political circle.

Popoola Alabi was arrested and detained through what we regard as the political machination of Senator Fadahunsi, who sees him as a political threat.

We demand his immediate release if there is no legitimate criminal basis for his continued detention.

If there are genuine allegations against him, let them be openly stated and subjected to due process before a competent court. Political opponents must not be arrested, detained or persecuted simply because their political activities threaten the interests of powerful individuals.

Indeed, those against whom there is credible and verifiable evidence of threats against voters or attempts to undermine the electoral process should be investigated with the same urgency and seriousness.

The law must not be used as a weapon against political opponents while those accused of threatening the democratic process walk freely.

The Osun Message and the 2027 Warning

The Osun election is more than a governorship contest.

It is a warning to those who believe that federal power can permanently overpower the people.

It is a warning to politicians who believe that poverty has reduced Nigerians to political commodities.

It is a warning to those who believe intimidation can replace persuasion.

It is a warning to electoral institutions that Nigerians are watching.

And it is a warning to every political party preparing for 2027 that the Nigerian people are increasingly conscious of the power of their votes.

Mẹkunnu Kọya therefore calls on Governor Ademola Adeleke to cherish the mandate he has received, govern inclusively, protect the interests of all Osun citizens and resist every pressure to mortgage the state's democratic will for personal political calculations.

Osun belongs to its people—not to Adeleke, not to Oyetola, not to Tinubu, not to APC, not to any political dynasty and not to any individual.

The people have spoken.

The political class must listen.

A people determined and united cannot be defeated.

The mandate of the people must stand.

One man, one vote.

One people, one mandate.

Osun shall not be politically mortgaged.

Signed:
Comrade Wale Balogun
For Mẹkunnu Kọya

Dr. Tony Orunkoya, Esq. and Others Facilitate the Formal Collapse and Assimilation of TSM into RTIFN

2027: Tinubu Support Groups Strengthen Alliance as TSM Collapses Structure into RTIFN

The National Executive Council of Relax Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria (RTIFN), led by its Director-General, Hon. Ahmed Bala, has received the leadership and members of the Tinubu Solidarity Movement (TSM), following the decision of the organisation to collapse its structure and membership into RTIFN ahead of the 2027 general election.

The development took place on August 11, 2026, when a delegation of TSM, led by its National Secretary, Engr. Gold Azikiwe, visited the RTIFN headquarters in Abuja. Engr. Azikiwe also represented the National Chairman and Chairman of the TSM Governing Council, Dr. Ishaq Osagie-Eweka.

Speaking during the meeting, Engr. Azikiwe said TSM had carefully monitored the activities and achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, as well as the mobilisation efforts of RTIFN.

He said the organisation was impressed by what it described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration and the grassroots activities of RTIFN in support of the President’s 2027 re-election bid.

“Our organisation is impressed with the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu so far. We have also monitored the impressive activities of RTIFN with respect to the support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027, which is also the core purpose of TSM,” Engr. Azikiwe said.

He disclosed that the national body of TSM had unanimously resolved to integrate its structure and membership into RTIFN.

“The National body of TSM unanimously voted that TSM should collapse its structure and members into RTIFN. That is why we are here today at the RTIFN headquarters in Abuja,” he stated.

Engr. Azikiwe further pledged the commitment of the former TSM members to working with RTIFN under its leadership.

“We shall work in synergy with RTIFN under its leadership to ensure the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027,” he assured.

The TSM delegation included Princess Barbara Inyang, Director of Operations and Welfare, representing Delta State; Miss Bimbo Akingbemila, Ondo State Representative; Mr. Fabulous Ikpechukwu Okafor, TSM Coordinator, Anambra State; Mr. Kennedy Raphael Ahupa, TSM Coordinator, Cross River State; Mr. Hunkolo Afiyo; Mr. Bello Attahir, representing Adamawa State; Prince Akintunde Ogunseinde; Hon. Adedayo Adeyemi, representing Ogun State, and other representatives from Abuja, Bauchi, Edo, Kano, Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Yola, Nasarawa, Lagos and Plateau States.

RTIFN Welcomes TSM

Responding to the delegation, RTIFN Director-General, Hon. Ahmed Bala, welcomed the TSM leadership and members into the organisation.

“We welcome TSM into RTIFN. You are now part of this family, and you will be recognised as members of RTIFN. All hands must be on deck to achieve our objective,” Hon. Bala said.

The RTIFN Director-General also commended the TSM leadership for the decision and urged the newly integrated members to bring their experience, networks and grassroots structures to bear on the collective objective of the organisation.

Hon. Bala was accompanied at the meeting by the Deputy Director-General, Mr. Zack Orji; National Secretary, Amb. Audu Eleojo Obaje; Director, Townhall and Special Duties, Hon. Farida Deborah Ibrahim; South-East Zonal Coordinator and Director of Organisational Improvement, Hon. Johnbosco Onunkwo; National Youth Leader, Comrade Umar Faruk; National Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Musa Abdulrahaman; and National Legal Adviser, Dr. Tony Orunkoya, Esq.

Dr. Orunkoya played a key role in facilitating the formal collapse and assimilation of TSM into RTIFN.

TSM UK Also Joins RTIFN

The latest development follows a similar move by TSM UK, led by Comrade Nelson Aigberomwan, which earlier collapsed its structure and membership into RTIFN UK in London.

The letter conveying the decision of TSM UK was received by Hon. Temitope Onifade, National Director of Performance Evaluation, RTIFN UK, alongside other RTIFN members in the United Kingdom.

The document, which was transmitted from London through RTIFN National Legal Adviser, Dr. Tony Orunkoya, was subsequently presented formally to the RTIFN Director-General, Hon. Ahmed Bala.

The successive integration of support groups into RTIFN represents what the organisation describes as growing confidence in its grassroots mobilisation strategy and its campaign to build broader support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The development also signals an emerging effort among pro-Tinubu support groups to consolidate their structures, networks and membership under a coordinated platform as preparations for the 2027 election gather momentum.

Musa Abdulrahaman
National Director, Media and Publicity, RTIFN

SDP Accuses APC of Fresh Plot to Destabilise Osun Chapter, Denies Endorsement of APC Governorship Candidate

SDP Accuses APC of Fresh Plot to Destabilise Osun Chapter, Denies Endorsement of APC Governorship Candidate

Osogbo, Osun State – The Osun State Chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has dismissed as false and mischievous a purported letter circulating on social media claiming that the party had endorsed the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 15 August 2026 governorship election.

In a statement jointly signed by the State Chairman, Funso Timothy Fabiyi, and the State Secretary, Bolanle Abraham, the party described the publication as fake, misleading and the handiwork of individuals acting without the authority of the authentic leadership of the SDP in Osun State.

The party clarified that Apostle Rotimi Oride is only the Chairman of the SDP in Olorunda Local Government Area and not the State Chairman, contrary to the impression allegedly being created by what it described as mischief makers, treacherous elements within the party and their collaborators in the APC.

According to the statement, the Osun State Chapter of the SDP has neither adopted, endorsed nor ratified the candidature of any aspirant or candidate from any other political party for the forthcoming governorship election.

The party further alleged that, having failed in previous attempts to destabilise the SDP at the national level, the APC has now shifted its focus to Osun State by sponsoring false narratives and fabricated documents aimed at creating confusion within the party and misleading the electorate into believing that the SDP had declared support for the APC governorship candidate.

The SDP urged members of the public, party supporters and other stakeholders to disregard the purported endorsement letter, stressing that any official position of the party would only be communicated through its duly recognised leadership and authorised channels.

Reaffirming its commitment to democratic principles, internal party democracy and the rule of law, the party called on the public to remain vigilant against misinformation and all acts capable of undermining the integrity of the electoral process.

In a related development, SDP governorship aspirant Dr. Francis Olugbenga Ajala also distanced himself from the purported letter, describing it as the personal action of an individual who lacks the authority to speak on behalf of the party.

Ajala maintained that the SDP has only one recognised leadership structure in Osun State under the chairmanship of Mr. Funso Timothy Fabiyi, with its official state secretariat located at the Old State Police SIB Complex, Ayetoro, Osogbo.

He urged members of the public and the media to direct all enquiries relating to the affairs of the SDP in Osun State to the State Secretariat, while warning against relying on unauthorised statements or documents circulated by individuals without the mandate of the party.

Federal Workers Forum Condemns ₦22.15bn Palace Projects, Demands ₦300,000 Living Wage

The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) has strongly criticised the Federal Government over the reported allocation of ₦22.15 billion for the renovation and construction of palaces in the 2026 budget, describing the expenditure as insensitive and misplaced at a time when millions of Nigerians are battling severe economic hardship.

In a statement jointly signed by the Coordinator of the Forum, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, and the General Secretary, Comrade Ogundele Ayo, the organisation said the allocation demonstrates a disturbing disconnect between government priorities and the daily realities faced by ordinary Nigerians, particularly federal workers whose wages have been severely eroded by inflation.

According to the Forum, many workers can barely afford basic necessities, including food, transportation, healthcare, housing, and education, making it morally indefensible to commit billions of naira to palace renovation and construction.

The Forum also expressed concern over reports alleging that about ₦8 trillion was omitted from the 2026 budget, although the Federal Government has denied the allegation. It argued that the controversy reinforces the need for greater transparency and accountability in the management of public finances.

The workers' group further questioned the practice of using public institutions, ministries, agencies, and research establishments to finance projects outside their statutory mandates. It specifically cited institutions such as the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research and the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, asking Nigerians to demand explanations for why such establishments are reportedly linked to funding palace projects.

According to the Forum, these budgetary practices raise serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and the prudent utilisation of public resources.

The organisation called on the Federal Government to immediately publish comprehensive details of the allocations, conduct a transparent review of all questionable budgetary provisions, and end what it described as the reckless diversion and misuse of public funds.

The Forum also renewed its demand for the implementation of a ₦300,000 living wage for Nigerian workers, insisting that no worker who dedicates their strength, knowledge, and service to the nation should be condemned to poverty while public resources are expended on projects that do little to improve citizens' living conditions.

It urged federal workers, trade unions, students, youth groups, civil society organisations, and other patriotic Nigerians to unite in demanding accountability, responsible management of public resources, and policies that prioritise the welfare of workers and the masses over the comfort of the political elite.

"The wealth of Nigeria must be used to guarantee decent wages, quality healthcare, affordable education, reliable infrastructure, and social protection—not to fund extravagant projects that deepen public distrust and economic inequality," the statement said.

The Forum concluded by reiterating that public resources belong to the Nigerian people and should be managed in a manner that promotes national development, social justice, and the welfare of all citizens.

Delta Court Halts Development in ₦500 Million Land Dispute

Court Orders Parties to Maintain Status Quo in ₦500 Million Land Case The Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba and presided over by Hon. Justice C. D. Diai has issued an order restraining Mrs. Calista Ogechukwu Eziokwu, Patrick Eziokwu, Charles Ofoezie, Austine Ekeh, and Onyebuchi Nwagwu from carrying out any further development on a disputed property at the center of a ₦500 million land suit. The suit was filed by Solomon Atube, a Delta State based legal practitioner, through his counsel, Dr. A. A. Orunkoya. Dr. Orunkoya, representing the claimant, urged the court to restrain the defendants from continuing development on the land identified as Plot 71, Block VIII, Phase V, Core Area, Asaba, and registered as DTSR/18388 at the Asaba Land Registry. He argued that any further activity on the property could destroy the res (subject matter) of the ongoing litigation. After hearing the application, Justice Diai granted the order, directing all parties to maintain the status quo and refrain from any action concerning the disputed property pending the determination of the substantive suit. Delta State has, in recent times, witnessed a surge in land-related disputes, with allegations of land grabbing and the forgery of Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-Os) involving some officials in the Ministry of Lands and Survey. Critics have accused the state government of failing to implement a reliable digital verification system to curb the issuance of fake land documents. In the present case, it was alleged that the defendants attempted to register a mortgage over the land using particulars of a deceased person in an effort to fraudulently claim ownership. Officials of the Delta State Ministry of Lands reportedly uncovered the irregularity and raised an alarm, prompting the claimant to take legal action.

NIGERIA RISKS DISINTEGRATION IF INJUSTICE PERSISTS, it will survive on the basis of justice, fairness, and democratic integrity.– Wale Balogun

NIGERIA RISKS DISINTEGRATION IF INJUSTICE PERSISTS,it will survive on the basis of justice, fairness, and democratic integrity.– Wale Balogun Human rights advocate and political activist, Comrade Wale Balogun, has raised alarm over what he describes as Nigeria’s steady descent into authoritarianism and ethnic exclusion under the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In a strongly worded statement made available to the press, Balogun warned that the continued marginalisation of the Igbo ethnic group — particularly the coordinated denial of an Igbo presidency — may legitimize rising calls for Biafran self-determination. “You cannot continue to treat a people as second-class citizens and expect them to remain in a union based on oppression. If Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani political elites continue to gang up against Ndigbo, then the right to self-determination becomes not only justified but necessary,” Balogun said. He decried the ethnic profiling and voter suppression of Igbos during the 2023 elections in Lagos, calling it electoral apartheid designed to intimidate non-indigenous voters and rig outcomes in favour of the ruling APC. Balogun expressed concern over the Tinubu administration’s alleged efforts to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, citing the co-optation of the judiciary, the silencing of opposition voices, and increasing clampdowns on dissent. He pointed to the harassment of former interior minister Rauf Aregbesola, whom he described as a target for daring to speak out against Tinubu’s “cult-like political structure.” He further declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), under Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has lost credibility and must not be allowed to conduct the 2027 elections without comprehensive, citizen-led electoral reforms. “The rigging of 2027 has already begun , starting with flawed voter registration and an impending falsified census. Nigerians must act now to resist manipulation at every stage of the democratic process.” Balogun called on civil society organisations, youth movements, opposition parties, and community leaders to mobilise for genuine reform, and warned against allowing the current National Assembly, which he described as a “Yes-man institution”, to impose self-serving reforms. In his final appeal, Comrade Balogun urged Nigerians to rise in peaceful but determined resistance to dictatorship and injustice. “No one has a monopoly of violence. While we do not call for war, we will defend our rights with our voices, our votes, and our collective power. Let the ruling class know that power belongs to the people, not a cabal.” “Let it also be known: if equity fails, unity cannot stand. Ndigbo, and any other marginalised group, cannot be expected to pledge loyalty to a country that constantly excludes them.” Balogun reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s survival, but only on the basis of justice, fairness, and democratic integrity.

corrupt political elite — Yoruba by name but anti-Yoruba by action — who have held this state by the jugular not Ndigbo - Wale Balogun

*STATE OF THE NIGERIAN NATION* Comrades, I stand before you today not only as Comrade Wale Balogun, a proud member of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, but also as a Nigerian — one who bears the daily burden of failed leadership, unfulfilled promises, and the persistent erosion of our dignity as a people. It is 2025, and yet, Nigeria continues to limp on the broken crutches of corruption, insecurity, economic hardship, and social injustice. The state of the Nigeria state today is a mirror of our failures, but also a call to action for every one of us committed to the ideals of freedom, equity, and accountability. Our democracy, 26 years into the Fourth Republic, remains a democracy only in name. Elections have become rituals of imposition and manipulation. The will of the people is constantly subverted by the machinery of the powerful. We see a government that claims legitimacy but governs with impunity — a ruling elite more interested in consolidating wealth than in serving the people. The recent spate of unconstitutional actions, the suppression of dissent, and the targeting of activists should alarm us all. The harassment of journalists, the freezing of civil society accounts, and the deployment of security forces against peaceful protesters — these are signs not of strength, but of fear. Fear of an awakened citizenry. The average Nigerian is suffering. The cost of living has skyrocketed beyond comprehension. Inflation is eating deep into the pockets of even the working class, while millions remain unemployed or underemployed. Our youth — full of energy, talent, and dreams — are either fleeing the country - the Jappa syndrome or languishing in hopelessness. The removal of fuel subsidies, though theoretically sound, was implemented without a social cushion for the poor. The naira continues to plummet, and public infrastructure is deteriorating. Where is the accountability for the billions claimed to be invested in development? We cannot continue like this. Poverty is not a natural condition — it is the result of bad policies and worse politics. Whether in Lokoja, Asaba, Plateau, or even the streets of Lagos, insecurity has become our daily reality. Kidnappings, banditry, terrorism, and communal violence persist with alarming regularity. Our security architecture is overstretched, underfunded, and in many cases, compromised. The Nigerian state is gradually losing its monopoly on violence — a dangerous sign for any country. When citizens lose faith in the state’s ability to protect them, they begin to look elsewhere, often to dangerous alternative. As members of the CDHR, we must speak without fear: human rights are under siege in Nigeria. The freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press are constantly being curtailed. Court orders are ignored with impunity. Citizens are detained without trial. Whistleblowers are hunted, not protected. This is not the democracy we fought for alongside President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This is not the Nigeria the APC presidency promised Nigerians. History has never been kind to those who stood on the sidelines of injustice. It has always favoured the bold, the persistent, and the principled. The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights must rise again — louder, stronger, and more united than ever. We must continue to: * Speak truth to power, even when it is dangerous. * Defend the rights of the oppressed, even when it is unpopular. * Mobilize the people, educate the masses, and build coalitions that will challenge the status quo. The struggle is not just against bad leaders — it is against a system that enables impunity, marginalisation, and injustice. *A United Front of the Oppressed: The Path to Liberation* Fellow comrades, if there is one truth that history has taught us, it is that the oppressed must unite — or remain divided and defeated. Across Nigeria’s — North, South, East, and West — the suffering is the same. The poor farmer in Benue, the unemployed graduate in Bayelsa, the overtaxed trader in Kano, and the displaced villager in Southern Kaduna all cry the same tears. This pseudo-federal structure has pitted communities against one another, not in service of justice, but in service of elite domination. They divide us along ethnic and religious lines while they dine together in Abuja and Lagos, united in exploitation. We must reject this false dichotomy. The oppressed in Nigeria must come together across ethnic, regional, and class lines to build a united front against the oppressors. Our power lies in our numbers, in our shared struggle, and in our collective refusal to be used as pawns. Let the fisherman, the students, the artisans, the women, the peasants, the workers, and all marginalised peoples come together under one banner: the banner of justice, dignity, and democratic emancipation. It is only through a broad-based, grassroots, pan-Nigerian alliance of the oppressed that we can dismantle the chains of this unjust order and forge a truly people-oriented Federal Union. Nigeria is bleeding, but it is not dead. We are battered, but we are not broken. The soul of our nation cries out for justice, and it is our duty to answer that call — not tomorrow, not next year, but now. Let this meeting today be more than a talk shop. Let it be a recommitment to our cause. Let us leave here ready to organize, ready to resist, and ready to build a genuinely restructured Federal Union that truly belongs to all. *REJECT ETHNIC DIVISION : YORUBA-IGBO UNITY IS ESSENTIAL* Comrades, we must now speak on a dangerous poison that is being deliberately fed to our people — the ethnic profiling and scapegoating of Ndigbo in Lagos. This is not just an issue of morality; it is a strategic political deception that must be exposed and destroyed. Let it be said clearly and without apology: the Igbo are not the enemies of the Yoruba in Lagos. The narrative that pits us against each other is not from the grassroots — it is manufactured from the top, from those who benefit from our disunity. It is no coincidence that each time elections approach, there is a sudden surge in anti-Igbo rhetoric. This is not grassroots anger; this is elite manipulation. And we must call it by its name. The failed and still failing political dynasty of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is playing the ethnic card — not for the progress of the Yoruba nation, not for the good of Lagos, but simply to score cheap, undeserved electoral victories. Since 1999, Yoruba have ruled Lagos under this so-called dynasty. For 26 years, they have controlled the treasury. If Lagos is broken today, it is not the fault of Ndigbo — it is the fault of those who have looted Lagos dry. Ask yourselves: * Who has held the keys to the Lagos State treasury for a quarter of a century? * Who awards inflated contracts without completion? * Who enriches cronies while public schools rot and hospitals decay? * Who turned Lagos into a political empire while the masses suffer in traffic, slums, and insecurity? * It is not the Igbo trader at Alaba or the mechanic in Ojo. It is the so-called custodians of Yoruba interest who only remember they are Yoruba when it is time to divide the poor. Let it be known: the real enemy of Lagosians is not any ethnic group. It is the corrupt political elite — Yoruba by name but anti-Yoruba by action — who have held this state by the jugular. Lagos has been run like a private estate — with no transparency, no accountability, and no shame. We must reject this divide-and-rule tactic. Yoruba and Igbo, Hausa and Ijaw, must unite in Lagos and across Nigeria — not as ethnic blocs but as oppressed peoples facing the same hardship, ruled by the same class of exploiters. * We must say NO to ethnic profiling. * We must say NO to election-time hate campaigns. * We must say NO to being used and dumped. Our unity is our weapon, and our solidarity is our strength. CDHR ! My Right is my right, is my right!!! Comrade Wale Balogun August 10, 2025 Lagos, Nigeria