By Adedapo Adesanya

As activities for the 2027 general elections begin to take shape, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential poll, Mr Peter Obi, has again ruled out the possibility of contesting as a vice presidential candidate next year, saying he is contesting to be on the ballot.

Speaking ahead of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) election in the Federal Capital Territory, he said, “You see this coming election, support us in AMAC; it will help me. Your support in AMAC is critical to our journey. I am involved and contesting the coming election as number one. When I come back, you will see. I assure you.”

Mr Obi vied for the 2023 presidency on the LP platform, emerging third overall behind Mr Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu.

In December 2025, he defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where his teeming supporters popularly known as Obidients have urged him to only pursue the presidential ticket.

Mr Abubakar, who chose Mr Obi as his vice presidential candidate in the 2019 polls, is also a member of the ADC. The men finished in second and third places, respectively in the last presidential election, which President Tinubu won with 37 per cent of the votes.

Speaking at the campaign venue, Mr Obi emphasised to his supporters the importance of backing the ADC candidate in the AMAC election, noting that their support at the grassroots would go a long way in bolstering his national political journey.

The ADC coalition includes many former allies of Mr Tinubu, including Mr Nasir El Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State; Mr David Mark, a former Senate President who is serving as the National Chairman of the party, and Mr Rauf Aregbesola, a former Osun Governor and currently the National Secretary of ADC.

The party will be hoping to emulate the success of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which was formed by an alliance of opposition politicians (including Mr Abubakar) in 2013 and caused the ouster of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the first-ever defeat of an incumbent Nigerian president in 2015.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) has called on the federal government to urgently establish a National Farm Price Stabilisation and Farmer Income Protection Framework to safeguard Nigeria’s long-term food security.

This was contained in a policy brief signed by the chief executive of the think tank, Mr Muda Yusuf, on Sunday.

The group warned that while recent import surges have lowered food prices to the delight of consumers, they have simultaneously inflicted severe financial losses on farmers and agricultural investors, creating what it described as “troubling trade-offs and unintended consequences.”

He advised that Nigeria cannot afford a policy regime that undermines confidence in agriculture, one of the country’s most strategic sectors and largest employers of labour.

“The welfare gains from cheaper food have been profound and should be acknowledged. However, the cost to farmers and other investors across the agricultural value chain is equally high and cannot be ignored,” Mr Yusuf stated.

The CPPE boss emphasised the urgent need to strike a sustainable balance between keeping food affordable for consumers and protecting farmers’ incomes, while safeguarding agricultural investment.

According to the policy document, recent import surges of staples such as rice, maize and soybeans have caused serious dislocations in the agricultural investment ecosystem, inflicting severe hardship on farmers and weakening production incentives.

“Although consumers have welcomed the decline in food prices, the long-term consequences are adverse: farmer incomes fall, production declines over time, investment confidence weakens, and the country risks returning to cycles of scarcity and higher prices,” the document warned.

The CPPE identified several structural factors driving recurring farm price collapses in Nigeria, beyond the immediate impact of food imports.

The think tank warned that harvest glut remains a major challenge, with many farmers harvesting the same crops within the same period, causing sudden oversupply. This is compounded by the limited availability of storage facilities, drying centres and cold-chain systems, which forces farmers to sell immediately regardless of market conditions.

The organisation said this is also affected by weak rural logistics, characterised by poor roads, insecurity, high transport costs, and limited aggregation hubs, which make it difficult to move produce efficiently from production zones to high-demand markets.

By Bon Peters

The Zonal Coordinator of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Zone C in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Mr Kamal Mohammed, has commissioned a reconstructed a clinic at the Area 1 Command.

The customs officer, who retired from the agency after reaching the mandatory 60 years retirement age, said he was happy “to witness and formally commission the renovated customs clinic,” adding that, “For a long time, this clinic remained in a deplorable state, struggling to meet the expectations and healthcare needs of officers, their families, and the surrounding community.”

The outgoing Customs ACG noted that the narrative has been positively rewritten which he attributed  to the passion, resilience, and unwavering commitment demonstrated under the dynamic leadership of the Customs Area 1 Controller, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku.

Mr Mohammed reiterated that Comptroller Atuluku’s vision, foresight, and determination championed the noble cause and transformed a long-standing challenge into a worthy and enduring success.

He insisted that the profound truth underscored the essence of the event even as he noted that a healthy workforce was the backbone of any effective organisation, and the provision of quality healthcare was fundamental to sustaining productivity, morale, and excellence in service delivery, pointing out that the renovation project aligned squarely with the NCS Corporate Social Responsibility mandate which reflected collective commitment to the welfare, well-being, and productivity of the officers and stakeholders.

”As part of our commitment to further demonstrate our readiness to contribute meaningfully to the healthcare needs of the port community, we are also conducting free blood pressure and blood sugar screening tests today.

“This outreach underscores our resolve to extend care beyond infrastructure and directly impact lives through preventive health services,” Mr Mohammed said.

“Today’s occasion therefore represented more than the commissioning of a healthcare facility; it is a clear testament to purposeful leadership, teamwork, and the enduring values of service, compassion, and innovation that define the NCS,” he added.

Earlier in her welcome address, Ms Atuluku applauded the Zonal Coordinator for his steadfastness selflessness and commitment to duty even as she equally praised him for the robust relationship that existed between him and the officers and men of the command, wishing him well in his future endeavours.

She disclosed that renovated facility aligned with the agency’s policy on staff welfare, occupational health, and safety, which recognized that the health and well-being of officers and men remained fundamental to effective service delivery.

“Upon my resumption at the Port Harcourt Area I Command in September 2025, an assessment of the staff clinic revealed that the facility was in a poor state and required urgent intervention to restore it to acceptable operational standards.

“Consequently, renovation works were undertaken to improve its functionality and service delivery. These interventions included the restoration and connection of electricity, repainting of the building, replacement of window blinds, tiling of the clinic floors, repairs to critical bays, restocking of the pharmacy, and other essential improvements aimed at enhancing the working environment and the quality of healthcare services.

“The renovated staff clinic is now better positioned to provide timely and efficient healthcare services to officers and men of the command,” she said.