By Adedapo Adesanya

Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, has confirmed his exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a few months after he joined the coalition group.

In a personally signed statement released on Sunday, Mr Obi said he decided to quit the opposition party after a deep reflection, describing the move as necessary despite “every constraint.”

“I woke up this morning after my church service with a deeply reflective heart… and felt compelled to share these thoughts,” he wrote, adding that many people do not understand the “silent pains” and private struggles faced by those trying to serve in Nigeria’s political space.

Mr Obi painted a grim picture of the current political climate, describing it as increasingly hostile and discouraging.

“We now live in an environment that has become increasingly toxic, where the very system that should protect and create opportunities… often works against the people,” he said, pointing to intimidation, insecurity, and persistent scrutiny as defining features of the system.

The former Anambra State governor also expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of solidarity, even among close associates.

“Some who publicly identify with you privately distance themselves or join in unfair criticism,” he noted, lamenting that humility is often misinterpreted as weakness, while compassion is seen as foolishness.

Mr Obi, however, clarified that his decision was not driven by personal grievances against key leaders within the party. He specifically exonerated ADC National Chairman, Mr David Mark, and former Vice President, Mr Atiku Abubakar, saying neither treated him unfairly.

“Let me state clearly: my decision to leave the ADC is not because our highly respected Chairman treated me badly, nor because Atiku Abubakar, or any other respected leaders did anything personally wrong to me,” he said.

Instead, Mr Obi attributed his exit to what he described as a recurrence of the same challenges that plagued his time in the Labour Party, including internal divisions, legal battles, and external interference.

“The same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises… now appear to be finding their way into the ADC, with endless court cases, internal battles, suspicion, and division,” he stated.

He further lamented that sincere contributions are often undervalued, with individuals becoming scapegoats for broader systemic failures.

“Even within spaces where one labours sincerely, one is sometimes treated like an outsider… as though honest contribution has become a favour being tolerated rather than appreciated,” Mr Obi added.

Despite stepping away, the former governor said he continues to face criticism and attacks on his character, even as he seeks to pursue national development with sincerity.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s broader challenges, Mr Obi questioned societal values that, according to him, often misinterpret integrity and prudent management of resources.

“Why is doing the right thing often misconstrued as wrongdoing in our country? Why is integrity not valued?” he asked.

Mr Obi added that he is eager to see a Nigeria that works for its citizens, reiterating that he is not desperate to be president, vice-president, or senate president.

“I am desperate to see a society that can console a mother whose child has been kidnapped or killed while going to school or work,” he said.

“I am desperate to see a Nigeria where people will not live in IDP camps but in their homes. I am desperate for a country where Nigerian citizens do not go to bed hungry, not knowing where their next meal will come from.”

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

President Bola Tinubu will on Saturday, May 2, 2026, leave Nigeria for a three-nation trip, a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said.

In the notice issued on Friday night, it was disclosed that Mr Tinubu would visit France, after which he would depart for Nairobi, Kenya, to attend the Africa-France Summit scheduled to begin next week.

Co-chaired by President Emmanuel Macron of France and President William Ruto of Kenya, the summit focuses on energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, restructuring of global financing architecture, and climate action.

President Tinubu’s participation at the summit from May 11 to May 12. will underscore Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships with African nations and the French Republic.

The summit, with the theme Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth, will provide a high-level platform for African leaders and their French counterparts to deliberate on critical issues affecting the continent, including economic transformation, climate resilience, infrastructure development, youth empowerment, technological advancement, and peace-building initiatives.

At the end of the Kenyan summit, President Tinubu will depart for Kigali, Rwanda, to attend the annual Africa CEO Forum, taking place between May 14 and 15.

With the theme Scale or Fail, this year’s Africa CEO Forum will be the largest gathering of African private sector leaders, investors, and policymakers, focusing on accelerating economic transformation through shared scale, regional integration, and increased cross-border investment.

 Held in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the summit brings together over 2,000 top executives and national leaders to debate strategies for building resilient, competitive industries.

At the two summits, the Nigerian leader will deliver statements highlighting his administration’s ongoing reforms to reposition the nation as a prime destination for investment and growth. He will also hold high-level meetings with top-tier global and African business leaders.

President Tinubu will be accompanied on the trip by some of his ministers and senior aides. He will return to Nigeria at the end of the Rwanda summit.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the adoption of 112 as the national emergency number at all levels and across relevant agencies.

It is part of measures to strengthen Nigeria’s emergency lifeline and build a unified and coordinated national response to emergencies.

The council also approved the establishment of a multi-agency implementation committee and programme coordination led by the Office of the Vice President and the National Communications Commission (NCC).

The approval was part of decisions taken at the 157th meeting of the NEC held virtually and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Mr Shettima said the 112 emergency lifeline had become necessary to prevent delay caused by bureaucratic bottlenecks, noting that what the citizens seek urgently when confronted by a natural disaster or insecurity is an urgent response and not bureaucracy.

“This is not only a technical reform. It is a test of the state’s humanity. In moments of fire, accident, robbery, medical emergency, flood, violence, or panic, citizens do not need bureaucracy.

“They need a response. They need to know one number to call, one system to trust, and one coordinated chain of action that moves quickly enough to save lives,” he stated.

He explained that while Nigeria is not beginning from zero, as the emergency number had been in existence, what is required at the moment “is coordination, adoption, standard operating procedures, public awareness, institutional ownership, and trust”.

The vice president described NEC as the nation’s economic engine room, where the federal government and the states must convert the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu into practical outcomes.

“We cannot build our way to a one-trillion-dollar economy by federal effort alone. We cannot create millions of jobs by speeches alone.

“We cannot expand exports, attract investment, secure communities, or unlock productivity unless every tier of government understands its role and performs it with urgency,” the VP noted.

Mr Shettima noted that the council will continue to focus on decisions that would have a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians.

“History will not ask how many meetings we held. It will ask what changed because we met.

“It will ask whether our decisions reached the farmer, the manufacturer, the artist, the investor, the accident victim, the unemployed graduate, and the child waiting to inherit the country we are rebuilding.”

NEC also received a presentation on the rehabilitation of police training institutions across the country from its ad hoc committee led by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, and commended the ad hoc committee for the work done so far.

It also called on the Ministry of Finance to expedite the release of the balance of approved funds for the take-off of the project and urged the committee to ensure national spread by capturing training institutions in each geopolitical zone in the first phase of the intervention.