…party predicts landslide victory at the poll
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday formalised its presidential ticket for the 2027 general election, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu officially retained Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate. ExecutiveBranch

Displaying absolute confidence ahead of the polls, party leadership declared that its victory is already “assured,” citing a rock-solid foundation of over 12 million registered members and the visible milestones of the current administration.

The duly completed nomination forms for both President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima were submitted to the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, at a colourful ceremony at the Ladi Kwaki International Conference Centre of Abuja Continental Hotel for onward transmission to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal.

Alhaji Ibrahim Masari, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, submitted the documents on the President’s behalf.

The high-profile ceremony drew heavyweights from across the party, including members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, representatives from the National Assembly, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and state party chairmen.

Welcoming dignitaries to the brief but solemn ceremony, APC National Organising Secretary Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu noted that the event was the natural climax of a highly transparent internal process.

“The presidential flag bearer emerged through a thoroughly transparent primary process,” Argungu said, while praising President Tinubu’s “positive strides” and urging party faithful to remain united, prayerful, and steadfast.

The ceremony culminated in the presentation of the completed nomination forms for the President and his running mate by the Presidential Adviser, Masari, who was accompanied by all the governors in attendance, members of the National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Reinforcing the governors’ total commitment to the ticket, PGF Chairman Governor Hope Uzodimma stated that the transparent nature of the primaries had made marketing the candidates seamless.

“We are delighted that this event is coming after a well-organised and thoroughly supervised primary process,” Uzodimma said. “We reiterate our commitment to continue supporting President Tinubu and the party.” ExecutiveBranch

Uzodimma described the APC as a beacon of internal democracy and inclusiveness, promising that the governors would spearhead a total clean sweep at the polls.

“We will continue to support him in the larger interest of Nigerians and to take the country to greater heights. Together, we are going to deliver victory for President Tinubu and ensure the party wins all elective positions, including the National and State Assemblies,” Uzodimma added.

Receiving the nomination forms, APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda stated that the revalidation of the Tinubu-Shettima ticket represents the authentic heartbeat of the party’s grassroots.

“Today is a reflection of the wishes of over 12 million members of our party who supported the President’s candidature,” Yilwatda remarked. “We are proud of the support already in the kitty of President Tinubu, and we are convinced that many more Nigerians will vote for him.” ExecutiveBranch

Yilwatda pointed to key initiatives such as the student loan scheme—which he noted has already benefited over 1.5 million students—alongside targeted agricultural interventions and nationwide infrastructure projects as verifiable proof of performance.

He urged party members to return to their local communities armed with facts rather than rhetoric to dismantle opposition narratives.

“While others are busy spreading propaganda, let us counter them with facts. Nigerians have seen governance that touches lives across the six geopolitical zones,” Yilwatda stated. GeographicReference

The National Chairman emphasised that the APC holds a distinct institutional advantage over its rivals, being the only political platform in the country backed by a fully digitalised and verified membership database.

“We already have about 12 million verified members. We are going round the country to mobilise support for the President. I am also confident that our governors will compete among themselves to deliver the highest number of votes,” Yilwatda said.

Sending a clear message to the President, the APC Chairman told Masari: “Go and tell the leader of our party (President Tinubu) that our members and Nigerians will vote for him to continue the excellent work he is doing. As a party, we are proud to be presenting the best candidate. There is no shaking at all. Come 2027, our victory is assured.”

Asked on the sidelines of the ceremony to confirm the party’s presidential running mate, as no name was mentioned throughout the ceremony, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka said, “The presidential candidate of the party is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and our Vice Presidential candidate is Senator Kashim Shetima.” ExecutiveBranch

…directive follows discovery of forged appointment letters, fake Presidency documents

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), ordering the anti-graft agency to submit its report within 30 days.

The latest directive marks a significant escalation in the Federal Government’s response to the alleged fraud involving one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who allegedly posed as the Director-General of the non-existent council while claiming to be a presidential appointee.

The Presidency had in recent days disclosed that Matthew allegedly forged the signature of the President’s Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and used counterfeit State House letterheads and other official documents to create the impression that the council was an authentic Federal Government institution.

It also emerged that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had, as far back as October 2025, formally disowned the PFIPC, describing it as an unrecognised body with no legal basis, while presidential officials also called for an investigation into possible collaborators within government who may have facilitated the scheme.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu said the investigation should uncover the full extent of the alleged fraud and identify all individuals and institutions involved.

According to the statement, the PFIPC was never established by the Federal Government and has no foundation in any law, presidential instrument, executive approval or any other lawful act of government.

Among the issues listed for investigation are the alleged forgery of appointment letters and other official government documents, the use of a false claim of presidential appointment to obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation, and the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.

The President also directed the ICPC to investigate not only the activities of the principal suspect and his collaborators but also the broader circumstances that enabled the fictitious organisation and false presidential appointment to acquire an appearance of legitimacy.

The commission is expected to examine the origin and use of the forged official documents, the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained, the opening and operation of related bank accounts, the source and movement of funds connected to the alleged scheme, and the roles played by any public officials, private individuals, financial institutions or intermediaries who may have facilitated the operation.

President Tinubu further instructed the anti-corruption agency to identify weaknesses in government procedures that may have been exploited and recommend immediate measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

He also directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government to cooperate fully with the ICPC by providing all relevant records, information and assistance required for the speedy conclusion of the investigation.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to accountability and institutional integrity, the President said the integrity of the Presidency and Federal Government institutions must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and exploitation of weaknesses within the public service.

He added that anyone found culpable at the end of the investigation should be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.

Diri Advocates Stronger Coastal State Action

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government, state governments, the private sector and development partners to accelerate the implementation of Nigeria’s National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, describing sub-national participation as critical to unlocking the sector’s vast economic potential.

Speaking on Thursday at the Second Quarter 2026 Citizens’ and Stakeholders’ Engagement of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Oyetola said Nigeria had moved beyond policy formulation and must now focus on implementation capable of delivering measurable economic benefits.

The engagement, themed “From Policy to Action: Mobilising Sub-National Governments for Effective Implementation of Nigeria’s National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy,” brought together government officials, diplomats, development partners, industry leaders, academics and representatives of state governments.

The minister said the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy had provided a strategic framework for harnessing Nigeria’s oceans, inland waterways, fisheries and coastal resources, but stressed that its success depended on coordinated action across all levels of government. He noted that many of the country’s blue economy assets were located within states and communities, making sub-national governments indispensable partners in driving investment, creating jobs, improving food security and promoting environmental sustainability.

Oyetola said reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda had strengthened stakeholder engagement, attracted investment, improved maritime safety and enhanced the competitiveness of Nigeria’s ports. He cited the 2025 Container Port Performance Index by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, which ranked Tin Can Island Port as the tenth most improved port globally and Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, as the twelfth most improved between 2020 and 2025. He added that ongoing port modernisation and plans to develop new deep seaports in states including Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Lagos and Ondo would further strengthen Nigeria’s position as West Africa’s preferred maritime hub.

The minister also noted that improved port operations had contributed to Nigeria recording a national trade surplus consistently since 2024. On inland waterway safety, he said the ministry had intensified collaboration with relevant agencies and state governments, distributed life jackets nationwide and urged states to replace unsafe wooden passenger boats with modern fibre boats. He further called on coastal states to align their development plans with the national policy while encouraging private investment in fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, tourism, shipbuilding, renewable energy and marine biotechnology.

Delivering the keynote address, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Duoye Diri, commended President Tinubu for establishing the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, describing it as a strategic step towards diversifying Nigeria’s economy. He said Bayelsa followed suit by creating its own Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in June 2024 to drive the blue economy component of the state’s A-S-S-U-R-E-D Prosperity Agenda.

Diri said the state ministry had commenced major fish production at the Bayelsa Aquaculture Village in Yenegwe, where an operational hatchery was breeding high-quality catfish fingerlings and juveniles to boost food security and create jobs. He added that the state had expanded its marine transport fleet and was aggressively pursuing the development of the proposed Agge Deep Seaport as the next maritime gateway for the Niger Delta.

The governor also proposed five key pathways for coastal states to maximise opportunities in the blue economy: establishing dedicated ministries of marine and blue economy, enacting enabling legislation, properly mapping and securing their maritime domains, investing in credible data collection and analysis, and developing skills, markets, innovation hubs and logistics infrastructure.

In his presentation on private sector investment and industrialisation, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, said the successful implementation of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy would depend largely on sustained private sector participation. He noted that the policy targets the creation of three million jobs within its first four years, annual sectoral growth of seven per cent and the reservation of at least 50 per cent of new jobs for young people aged between 18 and 35.

Dangote, who was represented by the Managing Director of Dangote Port Operations, Simeon Akin Omole, said industrial transformation required policy consistency, quality infrastructure, access to finance and investor confidence. He identified infrastructure-led industrialisation, value-chain development and stronger public-private partnerships as the three pillars needed to unlock the sector’s enormous potential.

He said the Federal Government’s approvals for major deep seaport projects in various parts of the country would stimulate industrial clusters incorporating agro-processing, petrochemicals, shipbuilding, cold-chain logistics and maritime technology, while also boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness.

Dangote further identified the fisheries value chain as a major investment opportunity, noting that despite rising domestic production, Nigeria still imported fish worth nearly one billion dollars annually due to a significant supply deficit. He said investments in aquaculture, hatcheries, feed production, processing, cold-chain logistics and export infrastructure could reduce imports, conserve foreign exchange, create more than 500,000 jobs and position Nigeria as a leading exporter of fisheries products.

He also stressed that public-private partnerships should go beyond financing arrangements to become strategic collaborations involving government, investors, research institutions and coastal communities. According to him, coastal industrial clusters supported by modern ports, Special Economic Zones and digital infrastructure would attract long-term investment and accelerate industrialisation.

Goodwill messages were delivered by the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator (Dr) Akon Eyakenyi, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Wasiu Sanni Eshinlokun, representatives of the governors of Ondo and Borno states, and private sector operators, all of whom pledged continued support for the successful implementation of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy agenda.

L-R: Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Duoye Diri; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, and Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator (Dr) Akon Eyakenyi, at the Second Quarter 2026 Citizens’ and Stakeholders’ Engagement of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday.

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Wasiu Sanni Eshinlokun; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy; Mrs. Fatima Mahmood; Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy; Dr. Adeboyega Oyetola and Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator (Dr.) Akon Eyakenyi, at the Second Quarter 2026 Citizens’ and Stakeholders’ Engagement of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday.