• Okechukwu dismisses Buhari’s vote-bank heirs
• North too sophisticated to fall for ethnic card in 2027, says former VON DG
• ADC: Coalition against Tinubu resting on solid legal grounds
• Obi prioritises Nigeria’s suffering over 64th birthday celebration
• Emir of Daura backs Tinubu’s re-election

President Bola Tinubu and Tunde Bakare have hailed the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, as a pivotal figure in Nigeria’s democratic journey, crediting him with facilitating the merger that led to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Buhari’s 2015 victory; an achievement he described as critical to the nation’s political evolution.

The President, who was in Ijebu, Ogun State, yesterday, said: “I can’t find any further definition to define Awujale. Our history would not have been complete if I had failed the last general election.”

Tinubu attributed his political success to the overwhelming support he received across the country — and, significantly, the blessings of the late monarch.

“I came to him; he blessed me and said, ‘You will win, and win once more.’ Today, he is gone.”

During his state of the nation address, yesterday, the Presiding Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church also commended President Bola Tinubu for the state burial accorded to former President Muhammadu Buhari.

He paid a glowing tribute to the late monarch, who passed away on the same day as the late President Buhari—Sunday, July 13, 2025—and recalled that the Awujale, although a non-partisan traditional ruler, facilitated the merger of opposition parties, which gave birth to the APC and contributed to Buhari’s victory in the 2015 election.

In the address, titled ‘A Major Shift in the National Focus,’ Bakare recalled how he approached the Awujale to discuss with him the possibility of Tinubu leading the merger, which he agreed to. He added that if the late monarch, who died at the age of 92, had not facilitated the merger talks, the APC would not have emerged.

“Without Awujale’s pivotal intervention, APC would not have emerged as a political party,” he said.

“Kabiyesi convened a key meeting at the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island and brokered the agreement that led to the formation of the APC.

“Even at that, Kabiyesi was non-partisan, supporting any cause he thought would facilitate good governance, strengthen the national interest, foster peace, and further the cause of building a united Nigeria.

“He remained, to the very end, an elder statesman, a patriot, a mentor, a loyal friend, and a rare gift to this nation.”

Bakare reiterated that the merger that formed the APC was the first time there would be a handshake between the progressive North and the progressive South, which had not materialised in the past.

He said the passing of the two great men signified a shift which only a few could discern.

Bakare, who was running mate to Buhari in the 2011 election when he ran under the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), described Buhari as one of the most tolerant and fair-minded individuals he had ever met, who opened doors for many Nigerians, especially clergymen like him, to be involved in the political process.

He recalled that Buhari insisted on retaining him as his running mate.

He said, “We must awake to the handwriting on the wall. President Muhammadu Buhari and Oba Sikiru Adetona left a legacy that reads loud and clear – the giant of Africa cannot stand on one leg.

“We cannot build Nigeria as a one-party state. The intersection of these two men played a critical role in the emergence of a virile political landscape with a strong enough opposition party to challenge the then-ruling party.

“We can only build on their legacy by ensuring that both the ruling party and the opposition are strong enough to guarantee good governance in the interest of the ordinary Nigerian.

“Their legacy also reminds us that we cannot stabilise our beloved nation on divisiveness. We cannot build a truly virile nation unless we build an inclusive nation. Where we have been divided as a nation, let us remember the religious tolerance of a man who, for years, was wrongly labelled with the toga of religious fundamentalism, when indeed, he was one of the most tolerant and fair-minded Muslims to walk this earth, twice opening the doorway for Christian leaders – pastors to be specific – in politics and governance.”

He recalled that the late President Buhari “left a legacy of an Electoral Act that opened the doorway for Nigerian youth and persons with disabilities, positioning them to shatter glass ceilings through the Not Too Young To Run Act and the Disability Act.”

“Where we have, in the past, polarised the political system and undermined political opponents, let us remember the virtues of a man who would rather present his case to the electorate than descend into the politics of mudslinging.”

Okechukwu: No 2027 hopeful worthy of Buhari’s 12m vote-bank
MEANWHILE, a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, Osita Okechukwu, yesterday declared that none of the prominent politicians positioning themselves to inherit the late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s 12 million “vote-bank” possesses the credentials to be his heir.

Okechukwu made the declaration while addressing journalists during an interdenominational church service held in Abuja in honour of Buhari.

The former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) noted that Buhari appealed to the North because he was widely regarded as an honest and trustworthy leader.

He said, “With the greatest respect to prominent politicians who, expectedly, want to inherit late President Buhari’s much celebrated 12 million vote-bank, one wishes to submit that Buhari’s shoe is too big and his uncommon humanity, integrity, transparency quotient, and moral compass are antithetical and a herculean task to their aspirations.

“None of them, throughout their public service, has either the moral compass or ever waged an anti-graft war against primitive accumulation. They lack the character strength of Buhari for emulation and have never campaigned for an election without the forbidden and unlawful baggage of vote-buying.

“We must appreciate that the mass appeal rating of Buhari as Mai Gaskiya (Honest Man) and their support for him was predicated on a scrutiny of his transparency and truthfulness spanning over 50 years of public service.

“The masses are aware that some of these characters are those who allegedly stripped our state-owned enterprises like NEPA, Aluminium Smelter Company, Ajaokuta Steel, et al., in the name of privatisation without commensurate result.”

Okechukwu recalled that between 1975 and 2025, Buhari served as Governor of the defunct North-East, Federal Commissioner of Petroleum Resources, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of three divisions, Military Head of State, Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), and civilian President — all without blemish.

The former VON DG said he was at a loss over the obsession of key aspirants from “our sister political party, ADC, who wittingly or unwittingly believe they can ride on Buhari’s 12 million vote-bank with a northern card emblem, as if they are unaware that the northern electorate is one of the most sophisticated and altruistic.”

He added, “Flying the northern card is a mirage because northern electorates are one of the most sophisticated, demonstrated by their patriotism in voting more for Abiola in 1993 and obliging Tinubu more votes in 2023 than the southern electorates.

“Those who crave access to the famed Buhari’s 12 million vote-bank are consciously pitching the North against the South in a bid to truncate the two-term convention for each region.

“They should have a rethink, because equity, justice, and fairness constitute the bedrock of our democracy.

“At any rate, we have nothing to fear, as none of them has either Buhari’s moral compass or discipline and, most importantly, they never subscribed to Malam Aminu Kano’s Talakawa (proletarian) tradition to qualify for northern cult followership.

“Luckily, their kangaroo bid to railroad majority members of Buhari’s defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) into ADC failed woefully, courtesy of ex-governors Tanko Al-Makura and Aminu Masari.”

He warned that they should tread softly so as not to scuttle the rotation convention of the Presidency, which has become one of the guardrails of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic democracy and a binding chord for national unity.

ADC says coalition against Tinubu in 2027 rests on solid legal grounds
THIS came as the African Democratic Congress declared that every step taken in forming and endorsing the party as a coalition platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election is grounded in law.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stressed that the ADC’s foundation is built on a strong legal framework.

Since the party was unveiled as the coalition platform on July 1, there have been widespread concerns about the possibility of internal conflicts, particularly over the presidential ambitions of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former APC presidential aspirant Rotimi Amaechi.

Addressing questions on how the party intends to manage the selection of its presidential candidate, Abdullahi stated that ADC would not endorse any aspirant ahead of the primaries.

“I have not heard Peter Obi or Atiku Abubakar say if it’s not them, then it’s nothing. It’s their supporters or people who purport to speak for them that are saying this,” he said.

“Whether it’s Peter Obi or Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or any other aspirants on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, understand that this is democracy, and we are not going to anoint any aspirant or candidate.

“Like our chairman has emphasised, we don’t have a predetermined agenda. We don’t have any favourite candidates. We will provide a level playing field and a transparent process for the emergence of our presidential candidate.

“I’m not aware, therefore, that any of these aspirants have directly said that it’s either them or they are no longer part of the coalition.

“It’s okay for supporters to continue to say what they want to say, but they don’t necessarily represent the sentiments of the people that they claim to support. And that’s why we say that for us at ADC, we will maintain strict internal democracy.

“And if anybody has any preferred aspirants or candidates, what I would advise them is to get a membership card of the ADC so that they will be in a position to vote for these aspirants when the time comes to elect a candidate for the party.”

When asked about potential legal challenges since the coalition’s formation, Abdullahi assured that the party had taken the necessary legal precautions to prevent any exploitation by the ruling APC.

“We’re not aware of any encumbrance. There’s no encumbrance as far as I know,” he said.

He, however, acknowledged that some individuals have taken legal action.

“Yes, you are right, some individuals have said they are going to court or have gone to court. However, as I have repeatedly said, it’s possible that they don’t have the correct information. For us in the ADC, we are confident that we are on solid legal grounds in everything that we have done,” Abdullahi added.

Obi prioritises Nigeria’s suffering over 64th birthday celebration
RELATEDLY, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has stated that he is more concerned about the “suffering” and “deprivation” facing Nigerians than with celebrating his 64th birthday, which took place on Saturday.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, stated that rather than personal celebration, what the country needs is for leaders to commit public funds to the public good.

In a series of posts on his X handle yesterday, Obi expressed gratitude to well-wishers who marked his birthday, saying he rarely celebrates such occasions but felt compelled to acknowledge the overwhelming goodwill shown.

He cited several examples from the past, including during his tenure as governor, where he redirected birthday donations and proposed that celebrations be used for development projects.

He wrote, “Recall vividly when I turned 50, during my time as Governor. Many institutions and individuals approached me with elaborate plans for the occasion.

“One institution generously offered to build a house for me in the village. When I asked for the estimated cost, they said it would be N120 million. I humbly requested that the funds be redirected to build classrooms in three educational institutions at Agulu, Ekwulobia and Abatete. They obliged—and the impact was far-reaching.

“Another group had budgeted N20 million for a lavish party. I graciously asked them to consider using the funds to purchase desktop computers for schools. Their eventual donation of 200 desktops was distributed to schools across the state, enhancing learning for many students.

“In a similar spirit of redirection, another organisation, whose intention had originally been to celebrate me, ended up donating buses, which we distributed to institutions in need, including one that went to the legendary Old Rangers Association.

“This has been my consistent approach over the years. On each birthday, I use the opportunity to redirect goodwill towards causes that uplift others.”

Reflecting on his 64th birthday, Obi said his thoughts remained with the country’s challenges.

“As I turned 64 years old yesterday, I must confess that the current state of our nation makes the idea of personal merriment even more difficult to contemplate. The scale of suffering and deprivation among our people weighs heavily on the conscience.

“This is why I have once again requested that all those who wish to celebrate me should instead channel their resources towards helping the poor or supporting our struggling health and educational institutions.”

He added that he had chosen to renew his commitment to supporting public institutions, particularly those that serve the people directly.

“Providentially, I was in Rome, at the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs, and my birthday coincided with this visit.

“I used this sacred opportunity, as I always do when I am in Nigeria, to remember you all in prayer. I especially prayed for our beloved country, Nigeria, that God may touch the hearts of our leaders, and awaken in them the realisation that public funds are meant for the public good,” he said.

Emir of Daura backs Tinubu for 2027
ALSO, the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouk Umar, has declared his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid should he choose to contest in the 2027 general elections.

The endorsement came on Saturday during a condolence visit by First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to the family of the late President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State.

Tinubu led a delegation of high-profile figures, including the wives of the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, governors, ministers, and military chiefs. The delegation offered condolences to Hajiya Aisha Buhari and the extended Buhari family.

While receiving the delegation at his palace, Emir Farouk paid tribute to the late Buhari, describing him as a patriot and statesman whose contributions to national development would be remembered.

In a significant political statement, the Emir expressed the unwavering support of his emirate for President Tinubu’s leadership.

“President Bola Tinubu remains our choice for 2027,” the monarch declared. “We stand firmly with him and will continue to support his administration as it strives to deliver on its mandate to the Nigerian people.”

In her remarks, the First Lady praised Buhari’s legacy, noting his integrity, sacrifice, and years of dedicated national service.

She said Nigerians would continue to honour and remember his contributions to the country.