This year’s edition, which will be the fifth in the series, will hold on Thursday, April 23, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event will start at 10 a.m. prompt.

A statement by the Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of TheNiche, an online newspaper, Mr. Ikechukwu Amaechi, on Tuesday, said the lecture would be delivered by Dr Alex Chioma Otti, Governor of Abia State, under the chairmanship of Muhammadu Sanusi II, Emir of Kano.

Before becoming Abia governor on May 29, 2023, Otti, a renowned banker was the Managing Director of Diamond Bank Plc., a major Nigerian retail bank that merged with Access Bank in 2019 to form a larger entity.

In the same vein, before becoming the Emir of Kano, Sanusi, who doubles as the spiritual leader (khalifa) of the Tijanniyah Sufi order in Nigeria and neigbouring countries, was also the Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria – Nigeria’s oldest bank, and one of Africa’s largest financial institutions.

He was the first northerner to head the bank.

He was also appointed Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009.

Amaechi said the choice of Otti as the guest speaker and Emir Sanusi as the chairman was deliberate.

“As Nigeria goes into another silly season of politics, the electorate need to be reminded, to use the phrase of James Carville, former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign strategist, that ‘it is the economy, stupid.’ There is also the need to remind leaders at all levels to keep the campaign focused on economic issues,” the statement said.

“Both Governor Otti and Emir Sanusi are unarguably among the best, not only in Nigeria but also globally on issues of the economy and sundry financial matters. So, the idea of the lecture this year is to jumpstart the much needed discussion on the economy we have and the governance we need. The lecture will dissect the country’s economic reality and the discipline, or lack of it, of governance.”

Amaechi noted that the 2026 lecture under the auspices of TheNiche Foundation for Development Journalism will be the fifth in the series.

Previous guest speakers include Prof Kingsley Moghalu, Prof Anya O. Anya, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, former Lagos State Governor and former Minister of Power, Works and Housing; and Mr Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former Rivers State Governor and Minister of Transportation.

Past chairpersons also include Prof Remi Sonaiya, late Dr Christopher Kolade, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai and Dr Uma Eleazu.

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The post Otti delivers, Sanusi chairs 2026 TheNiche lecture appeared first on Frontpageng.

President Tinubu, who hosted the Vice President Kashim Shettima and 23 governors at his Lagos home for the Eid el-Fitr, said that he had followed up on support for modern security interventions with French President Emmanuel Macron.

“Your presence here today and the number show your sincerity, commitment and value for friendship and togetherness.

“The next phase of our struggle is staring us in the face, and that is the challenge of insecurity in the country.

“I am making all the efforts to ensure that we collectively share the joy of our victory over tyranny. Insecurity is an enemy of development, progress, and prosperity. I am glad you are all mindful of the challenge.

“For me, I have committed to strengthening further the contacts and networks that are necessary. One of the major discussions in the United Kingdom was on equipment and support.

“I can report to you that yesterday, again, I had a lengthy discussion with French President Emmanuel Macron. They are collaborating with us for equipment and support. I am also making frantic efforts to contact other nations,’’ he stated.

President Tinubu and First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, returned on Friday from a three-day State Visit to the United Kingdom, where King Charles III and Queen Camila hosted them.

The president also held a meeting with the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, before his return to Nigeria for the Eid-el-fitr.

“We should care more for the vulnerable. I know this Middle East crisis will spike inflation and affect our purchasing power. The labour union and others will be gearing to ask us to support more due to the effect of the Middle East war and crisis,’’ the president added.

The president urged the state governors to remain steadfast and resilient in translating their ideas and visions into policies and programmes that directly impact citizens’ livelihoods, and to support the government in tackling the “tyranny” of criminals.

President Tinubu advised the governors to provide further incentives to cushion the inflationary impact of the war in the Middle East on energy and transportation prices.

He thanked Vice President, Kashim Shettima, for the condolence visit to Borno State, assuring the people of the state of stronger protection through new technology.

In his remarks, the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, thanked the president for his intervention in the states with the visionary Renewed Hope Agenda.

“On behalf of my colleagues, the governors, we bring your excellency, season greetings from the people of our various states. We thank the Almighty God for His mercies that saw us through the month of Ramadan.

“We pray that the Almighty God will see us through the period of Lent, and grant us sustainable peace,’’ he said.

The chairman of NGF congratulated the president on the successful State Visit to the United Kingdom and the investment agreements reached.

“While our mission has been to have a good relationship with the United Kingdom, the State Visit, first in 37 years, is bold and significant. It speaks to new levels of relationship with Nigeria, and we thank you for it.

“Together, we must see that the issue of insecurity comes to an end. Regarding state police, discussions are ongoing with various security agencies led by the National Security Adviser, and the NGF has made its contributions. The NGF will take the document to the National Assembly to see how we can have a legislative framework for the state police,’’ the governor noted.

Governors at the meeting were Sen. Hope Uzodimma, Imo State; Alex Otti, Abia State; Umo Eno, Akwa Ibom State; Douye Diri, Bayelsa State; Hyacinth Alia, Benue State; Bassey Otu, Cross River State; Sheriff Oborevwori, Delta State; Francis Nwifuru, Ebonyi State; Monday Okpebholo, Edo State; Peter Mbah, Enugu State; Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya, Gombe State; and Umar Namadi, Jigawa State.

Others: Abba Kabir Yusuf, Kano State; Dikko Umaru Radda, Katsina State; Ahmed Usman Ododo, Kogi State; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State; Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa State; Caleb Mufwang, Plateau State; Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State; Agbu Keffas, Taraba State; Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State and Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ondo State.

The deputy governor of Borno State, Umar Usman Kadafur, was also at the meeting.

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In 2012 or 2013, I had an experience similar to that of the journalist Alex Otti publicly put down. Mine was neither public nor withering. It did not trend. But it provoked outrage, of the personal kind.  It equally offered a revealing glimpse into how some political office holders view journalists and the work we do.

I was interviewing Rauf Aregbesola, who was persuaded that he was a once-in-an-age statesman, reformer and financial engineering maestro. His responses to questions about his policies, including the school mergers and the grand redesign, were generously sprinkled with the phrase “financial engineering.”

That phrase appeared as frequently as the cultural exclamation “fah,” for which Ilorin people are known. I did not believe he was financially engineering anything. He was talking tosh. Before long, the claim collapsed under reality when his government began paying “ilaji” (half) salaries, to civil servants. That is if it did not become “ilarin” (quarter) salaries because deductions were made before payment. Civil servants moaned and groaned.

But that was not what triggered the tension.

Toward the end of the interview, I raised a concern voiced by the opposition about his frequent foreign trips in search of investors. I asked, “The opposition has been very critical of your foreign trips in search of foreign investors. Can you, in specific terms, explain what these trips have brought to the state?”

I did not consider the question offensive. I assumed I was offering him an opportunity to justify the spending on those trips and silence his critics. He did not see it that way. He reacted as though I were an adversary. That was strange. TheNEWS had contributed to how he became governor and my Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, was friends with him and had actually given me a personal message to deliver to him. In any case, to have been adversarial would have amounted to spitting at proprietorial interests.

Aregbesola went off like a grenade,  his wispy body shaking like a drilling machine. “You cannot judge me by their cynical standards,” he said. I have quoted him verbatim.

I was astonished. I explained that I was not judging him but giving him an opportunity to rebut the opposition’s claims. He became almost incoherent with rage. Over what? Most likely because the trips were mere junkets. They produced nothing. I kept trying to tease out a concrete answer. He refused. He told me to go and write whatever I wanted. The interview ended there.

Back in Lagos, I had someone transcribe the interview. On the day the edition carrying it was published, he saw it before my Editor-in-Chief did. That same day, both men met at the Bourdillon home of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Aregbesola complained that I did not excise the portion where he said I could go and write whatever I wanted. He said it made him look bad.

He was not bad. He was awful. As events unfolded over time, he grew grotesque in public office.

When Mr. Onanuga returned to the office, he called me to say “Symbol,” the plainclothes clown’s nickname, had complained that I should have removed that portion. I replied that I had no such agreement with him and that even if he had requested it, I would not have honoured it. Oga told me to forget about him.

I did not forget. I hated him from that day. I do not pretend otherwise. He overrates himself. He likely imagines that he was present when the world was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep. That is the kind of man he is.

On another occasion, I interviewed him at Bourdillon in the company of Adegbamigbe Ademola. Again, he was offensive, if not obnoxious. Even the placid Adegbamigbe fumed silently. His face showed it. Aregbesola appeared to think he was teaching English while answering a question about Opon Imo, that rubbish device on which government funds were wasted.

Every statement he made carried the word “angst,” and he assumed we were too dim to know it. Each time, he spelt it out for us: a n g s t. In the same interview, he pronounced “gadget,” in reference to Opon Imo, exactly as it is spelt. Gad get, not gajet. A linguistically incompetent chancer attempting to teach us English. It was an insult to Adegbamigbe, a graduate of English and Literary Studies and a highly competent user of the language. It was not an insult to me. I am an agbero by constitution. Aregbesola’s conduct was a performance of assumed superiority, not an intellectual one.

Back to Otti. His public insult of a journalist is troubling. It is not about hurt feelings. It is about temperament. The journalist’s question was harmless, even if wooly.  To respond by calling him stupid and irresponsible was to announce an imperial disposition. I doubt the governor would have been angry if the guy had adopted the sycophantic “Your Excellency, how have you been able to completely transform the state despite paucity of funds?”

Governors are not monarchs. They are elected officials sustained by public funds and deserve to be  scrutinised. When a governor treats a question as an affront and a journalist as a nuisance, he is not merely displaying irritation. He is advertising intolerance. Even if the journalist was from an opposition platform, as many are suggesting, Otti should have taken that up with his aides, who failed to comply with their boss’ preference for only sweetheart questions.

I do not want to guess what the experience of Otti’s personal staff and appointees is like. But one can infer.

If a governor can publicly belittle a journalist for asking a mild question, what happens behind closed doors? What is the atmosphere in the inner chambers? Power does not mutate in private into gentleness when it is abrasive in public. It is usually the other way round. Public rebuke is often the diluted version.

Personal staff in such environments learn quickly. They edit themselves before speaking. They preface statements with praise. They anticipate irritation and design their memos to avoid it. They become curators of mood rather than conveyors of truth. An appointee who knows that his principal has no patience for discomfort will either manufacture agreeable briefings or risk humiliation. Over time, competence retreats and compliance advances.

There is also the contagion effect. When the head demonstrates disdain for scrutiny, subordinates imitate it. Commissioners snap at civil servants. Special advisers bark at junior aides. The chain of command becomes a chain of intimidation.

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Picture shows at the event (L-R) Dr Olubunmi Otti, Zonal Coordinator, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, South-West Zone; Mrs Omotayo Muhammad, Head Competition and Tariff, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC; Mary Iwelumo, Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, PwC.

at the stakeholders’ forum on the study of the level of competition in the voice and data segment of the Nigerian telecommunications Industry on Tuesday 13th January, 2026 at Sheraton Hotel Ikeja, Lagos State.

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The post PHOTO NEWS: Faces at stakeholders’ forum on study of competition level in voice and data segment appeared first on Frontpageng.

He said the allegations were unfounded and misleading, as citizens focused more on harmony and shared prosperity.

The president noted that Nigerians, after 65 years of Independence, had grown to appreciate religious and cultural differences and explored the advantages of diversity in terms of educational, economic, and other productive gains.

President Tinubu allayed fears of religious intolerance in the country at the unveiling of a book on the 10 years of the APC government in Nigeria. It was authored by the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma.

President Tinubu commissioned the Owerri-Mbaise-Umahia road, the Assumpta Twin flyover, and the Emmanuel Iwuayanwu Convention Centre.

The APC national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, two former APC chairmen – Adams Oshiomhole and Umar Ganduje -, governors of APC states, and the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, attended the inauguration of the projects and the book launch.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Speaker, Deputy Senate President, former Senate Presidents, Sen. Pius Anyim Pius, and Sen. Ahmad Lawan, were also at the event.

Others include the founding chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, and former Governor of Ogun State, Segun Osoba, as well as traditional and religious leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, student unions, and market associations.

President Tinubu told the crowd at the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu Convention Centre: “Let me also say this clearly, Nigeria is a proud, sovereign nation built on the faith and resilience of its people. Here, no faith is under siege, no community is excluded. Our churches, mosques, and traditional shrines stand side by side – not as rivals, but as symbols of the unity that binds us.

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“We must never allow outsiders to tell us who we are or sow division among us. We are Nigerians, and we will stand together. Nigeria will not accept lectures from those who seek to profit from our divisions. No one loves this country more than Nigerians themselves, and no one will define us except us.

“Our duty is to stand guard over our unity, protect every citizen, and continue to prove to the world that our diversity is not our weakness, but our strength and when Nigeria stands united, no falsehood can prosper against her. So help us God,” he added.

On the impact of the All Progressives Congress in running Nigeria since 2015, President Tinubu said: “Nigeria is no longer where it was ten years ago. We promised a change, and I can confidently tell you the worst is over.

“Ten years ago, our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), came into power on the wings of change. Nigeria was at a crossroads. A break from the old order was not only desirable; it had become inevitable to steer our nation away from collapse.

“Under President Muhammadu Buhari, our party began stabilising Nigeria. We invested heavily in infrastructure, pushed back terrorists, and instilled accountability in public finance. Were there challenges? Yes. Were mistakes made? Yes. But no one can deny that the direction of Nigeria changed for good,” he added.

“APC may not be perfect, but we are purposeful. And we will not allow Nigeria to return to the wasted years of drift,” the President said.

“We are not yet where we want to be, but we are no longer where we were. We are building a Nigeria that values productivity above handouts and is a nation prepared for a sustainable future.”

The president has a message for the critics of the APC administration: “And to those who today parade themselves as prophets of solutions, let me say this: those who wasted sixteen years had their chance. Nigerians remember the broken promises, the broken power plants, the broken roads and the attempts to usurp democratic institutions using corrupt practices and subterfuge.”

President Tinubu commended Governor Uzodimma for his scholarship documenting this decade of progressive governance.

“Hope has given Nigeria a gift: a reminder that nations must write their own stories, and leaders must account for their stewardship,” he said.

The president stated that the outlook for the economy had improved across various indicators.

“I am honoured to stand here in Owerri, in the heart of the South-East, a land of industry, intellect, and resilience. I know there were times when this region felt left out. But under Renewed Hope, no part of Nigeria will be abandoned. The South-East is not on the margins; you are at the centre of our national rebirth.

“Believing in true federalism and decentralisation, I have created regional development commissions to bring progress closer to the people. Nigerians have the right to hold leaders at every level (federal, state, and local) accountable. And as leaders, we have the duty to deliver,” he added.

The president of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, thanked the President for the initiative of NELFUND, which had encouraged more underprivileged children to pursue their education in higher institutions.

“Mr President, you have given hope to many young people through the Education funds you provide. You have invested in agriculture to provide food for millions of Nigerians.

“On behalf of the entire National Assembly, we want to congratulate the performing governor,” the Senate President said.

The governor of Imo State, who is also the chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, stated that the sub-national governments had consistently received increased allocations, enabling infrastructure construction and improving sectors such as education and health.

“Mr President, we are grateful for your support. It is through your courage and bold policies that our economy is stabilised today. Most of the projects we undertake in Imo are made possible by the continuous funding we receive from time to time.

“Your consistency in the political trajectory of Nigeria made it possible for the formation of APC, which became a force in the build-up to the 2015 elections. This inspired me to document all these remarkable efforts into a book titled “A Decade of Leadership in Nigeria”.

Prof. Benett Chima Nwanguma reviewed the book.

The post No religious genocide in Nigeria, says Tinubu in Owerri appeared first on Frontpageng.

Isa disclosed this on Saturday at the Abia Government House, Umuahia, while presenting the rescued victims to Governor Alex Otti.

He credited the success to the governor’s continuous support, stating that they came to show him the result of his investment in security agencies in Abia, including the Police.

He said the command received a report on March 9 about the kidnap of four young men at approximately 09:30 a.m.

Isa said the victims were driving their Toyota RAV4 along New Umuahia Road, Obingwa, when the kidnappers intercepted them, forcing them to stop at gunpoint before abducting them.

He said the command’s tactical team, using credible intelligence and technology, located the kidnappers’ hideout in Osokwa, Osisioma Ngwa local government area, on March 14.

He also said that upon arrival at the hideout, where the victims were held for five days in a three-bedroom bungalow, the kidnappers engaged the police in a gun battle.

According to him, six criminals were neutralised due to the tactical team’s superior firepower, and the four victims were rescued unharmed.

The police chief said the team recovered two AK-47 rifles, six magazines, and 34 rounds of live ammunition from the criminals.

He further said that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other gang members, who fled during the operation.

In a remark, the governor thanked government functionaries, who supported the operation and commended the police for their bravery, commitment, and use of technology to secure the state.

He praised the CP and his team for rescuing the victims unharmed and promised a handsome reward for the tactical team.

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Otti pledged to continue to upgrade security technology and doing everything possible to ensure the state remained safe.

“I know that in the near future, we will have a command and control centre in the state capital. We have already made significant progress in its construction.

“I have also instructed that the bungalow in Osokwa, Osisioma LGA, where the kidnappers operated and held their victims, should be completely demolished.

“We will locate the owner of the house and prosecute him,” he said.

He also said that the state would no longer tolerate landlords who rented out property for criminal activities, adding that such landlords were also criminals.

Otti assured residents that Abia would remain safe for everyone who wished to live or do business in the state.

One of the rescued victims told newsmen that they were kidnapped after their friend had been abducted earlier that same day in front of his house.

He said that from where they were held, they could hear children and construction work, indicating that people lived nearby.

The victim, whose identity was not disclosed, also said that the kidnappers held them for five days without food until the police arrived and rescued them.

Source: NAN

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Nsa Gill, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, made this known in a statement to newsmen in Calabar on Sunday.

He said that the Governor Bassey Otu-led government had setup a 13-member carnival review committee headed by Chief Edem Duke, a former minister of culture.

Gill said that the review committee had a 10-point terms of reference, and that its report would be delivered within two weeks.

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According to him, the essence of the review was to improve the standard of the carnival, and to align it with global trends in tourism product development and repackaging.

“The review is aimed at restructuring the carnival, which showcases one of the world’s finest display of arts, culture, and tradition.

“The committee is also to review the past 20 years of the carnival in order to identify the high points and the low points.

“The committee is to identify the success factors of the last 20 years, restructure the bands as a creative entity, and explore organic ways of improving the carnival,” the statement reads in parts.

The governor’s aide further said that the committee would advise the government on how to improve regulations and the organisation of the event to align with world best practices.

“Another task of the committee is to harness marketing opportunities in order to improve funding, and to give the event its deserved international visibility.”

It would be recalled that the Calabar Carnival was initiated in 2005 by the administration of Donald Duke, a  former governor of the state.

Source: NAN

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Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has invited Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, and his counterpart in Aviation, Festus Keyamo, to Osun State on December 16, to lay the foundation of a brand-new airport for the state to be sited at Ede. For those who may not know, Ede is where Adeleke hails from.

That invitation is already a subject of serious political tension in the state, as a former Governor of the State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, had, in 2012, laid the foundation for an airport for the state, but in Ido-Osun. In fact, work has already started at the proposed airport and over N12 billion expended on it.

When Adeleke came into power, he set up a technical committee headed by Lai Oriowo to look at the suitability of Ido-Osun for the airport project. The committee, while submitting it’s report recently, recommended that the airport should be moved to Ede for a plethora of reasons. A section of the report reads:

“Findings of the committee on the Ido Osun site are as follows: i. The total area of the site was approximately estimated to be 3,871,806.34 square meters (387.18 Ha). ii. The existing runway which is 1.67km did not meet the required standard. The minimum runway for a standard airport is 4.8km. The runway length required for class 4E Aircraft is 3600 x 45m and an additional minimum distance of 750 meters on both approaches for the Runway End Safety Area/Clearway for instrument runway is 5,100m against the available dimension of 3,250m. iii. Citing the runway at this site (Old Aerodrome Site) therefore, will require relocation of Adeleke Secondary School and also the displacement of some settlements at the other end of the site.

The report went further to state: “The existing culvert of 65 metres transversely located at different sections of the running route and open/fabricated drainage already constructed are not ideal for an Airport. The required length of the culvert across the runway should be 150m against 65m to cover both the runway width and its strip. v. The uncompleted Terminal Building, Control Tower Building, and Fire and Rescue buildings are wrongly located concerning the runway. Access to the Airport is limited to only Osogbo – Ede Road; vii. The layout shows that less than 120m is the available land at 04-approach threshold to Adeleke Secondary School fence for the Runway End Safety Area (RESA) and at the other approach 22, the available land is 150 from threshold 22 to Oshogbo, and Ede Bye-pass”.

Now, except reason prevails, the state may be thrown into turmoil as indigenes of Ido-Osun have vowed to reject the state government’s decision. Already, indigenes of Ido-Osun, last week, staged a peaceful protest to condemn the planned relocation to the governor’s home town.  The protesters, led by youths under the aegis of Ido-Osun Youth Forum, rejected the explanations offered by the state government that the current site was no longer good enough due to encroachment by people who have erected structures on the land.

In spite of the fact that over N12 billion has been spent by the state government in the last 12 years on the airport at Ido-Osun, Adeleke is bent on giving the state a brand new airport in Ede. Would the airport add to the development of the state or would it be another white-elephant project? Is having an airport in Ede a top priority for the people of Osun State? We shall return to that shortly.

In Enugu State, Governor Peter Mbah is pursuing the establishment of an airline for the state that would “generate funds” into the purse of the state government with all the seriousness it deserves. In actual fact, that is the only business concern that caught the fancy of the Governor. In 2023, he told indigenes of the state to give him 15 months to establish an airline that would be the pride of the people of the state. And in keeping to his words, he has set aside the sum of N41 billion in the 2025 budget for the acquisition of four aircrafts for his proposed Enugu Air. The new airline, Mbah believes, would rival Ibom Air, owned by Akwa Ibom State Government and Cally Air, owned by Cross Rivers State. In that part of Nigeria, having an airline is now a status symbol for state governors.

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Mbah is also planning on concessioning the Akanu Ibiam International Airport to a private entity, while considering the construction of a brand-new international cargo terminal altogether. The question that Mbah should provide an answer to is whether he has gone through the books of both Ibom Air and Cally Air to know whether those airlines are making profits or he is just embarking on a wild goose chase.

It is quite sad that we have leaders whose reasoning have simply defied logic. With a new airport in Ede, Adeleke, whether in power as Governor, or out of power as a former Governor would be able to land his private jet in Ede, few meters from home. And this is a legacy worth pursuing with state funds? These are the kinds of leaders we get in Africa. Really sad!

It appears that in Nigeria now, the establishment of an airport in each of the 36 states capital is seen as a priority by state governors, whereas whether those airports would be viable and would be able to fund their operations should be a first consideration in business. This is a known fact, even to a layman. As at the last count, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) manages over 23 airports across the country, but state governments continue to invest heavily in new airport projects, driven by the desire to connect their cities and towns to the national air link. Despite the fact that many of the airports are not commercially viable, governors continue the rat race as the establishment of an airport is apparently a good way to ‘chop and clean mouth’.

In the last few years, at least 15 states have spent a staggering N301 billion on airports that have failed to meet their yearly passenger traffic projections. Ekiti State Government, under the administration of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, embarked on the construction of an airport for the state.

The Ekiti State Agro-Allied International Airport was commissioned on October 15, 2022. The airport was inaugurated by Senator Hadi Sirika, the then Minister of Aviation, after the first aircraft landed there. The first aircraft was a Nigerian Air Force ATR 42 plane piloted by Flight Lieutenant E.A. Balogun.

As at the time it was commissioned, the airport was not yet operational because it lacked basic equipment, including navigational aid. Since the first aircraft landed at the airport on the day it was commissioned, no other airline has touched down on the tarmac, while the surroundings now harbour dangerous reptiles and wild animals.

Ekiti State is not alone with such underutilised airports. Several others are scattered across the country that often record no daily flights, and some only receiving occasional chartered flights.

Fifteen airports have been built by state governments since 1999. These include the Asaba Airport; the Muhammadu Buhari Airport in Ebonyi; the Akwa Ibom Airport in Uyo; the Bayelsa International Airport: the Ogun Cargo Airport; the MKO Abiola International Airport, Osun, which is still uncompleted; the Ekiti Cargo Airport; the Anambra Cargo Airport, Umuleri; the Abia Airport; the Wachakal Airport in Damaturu; the Dutse International Airport; the Lafia Airport, which is still uncompleted; the Kebbi Airport; the Auchi Airport, which is uncompleted in Edo State; the Zamfara Airport; the Nasarawa Airport, and the Gombe Airport.

Despite the fact that many of these states’ airports are not viable, Keyamo launched the Gusau International Airport project in Zamfara state recently. The project, worth N62 billion, aims to boost economic development and create jobs in the North-West region. The airport will feature modern facilities, including a 3.4-kilometer runway, terminal building, control tower, and more. Yet, that is a state with acute poverty index.

Abia State is also planning to build an airport, with officials from the Ministry of Aviation inspecting a proposed site few weeks back. Governor Dr. Alex Otti said that Access Bank is willing to partner on the project, which was also included in the 2024 Federal Appropriation Act.

Additionally, many first-generation airports built by the Federal Government during the military era are struggling to become profitable. These include the Makurdi Airport; the Enugu Airport; the Kano Airport; the Kaduna Airport; the Benin Airport; the Owerri Airport; the Jos Airport; the Sokoto Airport, the Maiduguri Airport; the Yola Airport; the Bauchi Airport; the Akure Airport; the Ibadan Airport; the Ilorin Airport; the Calabar Airport; the Minna Airport, and the Katsina Airport.

Of all the airports in the country, only three are commercially viable and built to international standards. These are the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos, the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja, and the Port Harcourt International Airport in Rivers state. In spite of this, it is a wonder why state governors continue the rat race of establishing more airports in their backyards.

Back to Governor Mbah of Enugu State who is serious about acquiring four aircrafts for his proposed Enugu Air. Has he considered the number of indigenes of that state that would be able to afford the cost of a flight ticket? This is a state that has serious water shortage, with most residents always in search of potable water to drink, especially during the dry season. Why can’t he prioritize the provision of potable water for residents? In his quest to join the bandwagon of those bent on establishing airlines, has he carried out a detailed visibility study on his proposed airline, whether it would be profitable or not?  What is the number of poor and average indigenes of Enugu State who may not have the capacity to purchase an airline ticket that makes him to prioritise the establishment of an airline?

The truth of the matter is that we have many leaders who are simply after their own comfort and are not bothered about the welfare of their people. With a good road network, there is nowhere in the whole of the South-south and South east that cannot be accessed within three hours from the Port-Harcourt International Airport.

There is no economic sense in establishing an airport that no local airline would be willing to ply regularly if it is not profitable to them. Why can’t state governors give priority to education, the health care sector, housing, poverty eradication amongst others for their people? These are people-orientated projects that would have lasting impacts on majority of the people who are already battered by our ailing economy and high cost of living.

In Osun, the N12 billion spent on the Ido-Osun Airport can now be regarded as money down the drain as Adeleke is serious about starting afresh in Ede. How much the new Ede airport would cost the state is yet to be determined but with an airport in Ibadan and another one in Ilorin, the need for an airport in Osun is yet to be seen. Asides that, the politics that has now been introduced into the issue is bound to tear neigbouring communities and brothers apart.

It is quite sad that we have leaders whose reasoning have simply defied logic. With a new airport in Ede, Adeleke, whether in power as Governor, or out of power as a former Governor would be able to land his private jet in Ede, few meters from home. And this is a legacy worth pursuing with state funds? These are the kinds of leaders we get in Africa. Really sad!

See you next week.

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The trade fair is a joint effort between the Abia State government and the Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, ACCIMA.

Otti, declaring the trade fair open on Saturday in Aba, expressed his satisfaction with the organisation of the trade fair.

The governor assured that the government was committed to making the fair beneficial to traders and the people of the state.

Chief Nwaka Inem, Chairman of the Planning Committee, described the fair as a bold statement announcing Aba’s return as a hub for commerce and entrepreneurship in West Africa.

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He emphasised that the gains from the trade fair would extend beyond immediate sales, fostering connections and deals in the weeks, months, and years to come.

The president of ACCIMA, Mr Geoffrey Uzuagbara, highlighted the significance of the trade fair in showcasing Aba as an investment destination.

He lauded Governor Otti’s state reforms, which he said had positively impacted various sectors of the economy.

Dr Uche Maraizu, in his presentation, identified numerous challenges to business growth in the state, including the need for good leadership, security, infrastructure, technology, and global competitiveness.

Source: NAN

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They also plan to discuss other pressing issues that will be of interest to the region and the country with Tinubu.

The decisions of the governors are contained in a communique read to the media by the chairman of South East Governors’ Forum cum the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, after their  meeting at the Lion Building Government House  Enugu, in Enugu State.

Uzodimma was flanked by his colleagues – Dr. Alex Otti (Abia); Prof Charles Soludo (Anambra); Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi State) and the host Governor, Dr Peter Mbah (Enugu State).

The chairman of the forum said during their visit to the president they would discuss the issue of insecurity in the region and the release of Nnamdi Kanu.

The communique reads in part: “The Forum deliberated on the reviewed report of the South East Security and Economic Summit held in Owerri on the 28th September, 2023 and agreed to implement the aspects of the report pertaining to security and economic integration and affirmed its desire to put actionable plans on the key issues agreed.

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“The Forum also resolved to interface with the Federal Government to secure the release of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.

“The Forum commiserated with Government and people of Abia State, Ebonyi State, Imo State, South East, Nigeria and Chief Ogbonnaya Onu’s family on the demise of His Excellency, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.

“The Forum received the delegation of the Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, GCON and His Royal Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe CFR, Obi of Onitsha, who came on a solidarity visit to the Forum.”

Consequent upon the demise of former Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Onu, the Forum announced the setting up of a nine man burial committee to be chaired by the former Senate President, Senator Pius Anyim.

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