General
Obasanjo’s Endorsement: SERG Urges Atiku, Tinubu to Step Down for Obi
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Atiku Abubakar, and his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Bola Tinubu, have been urged to step down for the candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi.
This appeal was made by a pan-Igbo socio-political pressure group, the South East Revival Group (SERG), in a statement signed by its president and national coordinator, Mr Willy Ezugwu.
This is coming a few days after former President Olusegun Obasanjo openly endorsed the former Governor of Anambra State for the race.
In a letter addressed to the youths on January 1, 2023, Mr Obasanjo said Mr Obi remains the only candidate that could rescue Nigeria from hell on earth he said the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had plunged the country into.
Reacting to this, SERG described Mr Obasanjo’s endorsement as “a welcome development,” saying that based on equity, fairness, and justice, it was really the turn of the South East to produce the next president of Nigeria.
“The late second republic Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Abulkadir Balarabe Musa, in an interview with Channels Television on September 19, 2019, unambiguously proposed that the South East region should produce the next president come 2023, arguing that zoning the next presidency to the region will not only give the Igbos a sense of belonging in Nigeria but will also promote national unity and cohesion.
“In his interview with Vanguard on July 25, 2020, the late statesman insisted that for the sake of peace, justice and national unity, the presidency should go to the South East region of the country in 2023.
“According to the former governor, since the North, South West and South-South have all had a shot at the presidency, it will be morally wrong if any of the zones contest the presidency in 2023 against the South East that has not tasted power since the return to democracy in 1999.
“On its part, the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, also called for a Nigerian of South East extraction to lead the country come 2023.
“Afenifere leader and elder statesman, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, observed that based on morality, the South East region should produce the next president in the spirit of fairness and unity.
“The elder statesman also reasoned further that since his South-West region has had its turn with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the South-South with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, political parties should not hesitate to see the South East as the next in line.
“On April 26, the Leadership newspaper reported that the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders urging all political parties to zone their presidential tickets to the South East to cement unity and fairness in the country.
“The regional leaders reiterated that most of the zones in the country have had their people occupy the presidential villa, adding that the South East has qualified candidates in all political parties that can be president in 2023.
“These Nigerian elders and statesmen, who have seen it all, cannot be wrong in their unanimous calls.
“With peace eluding the country, not just because of agitations in most parts of the country but also in view of the increasing insecurity and poverty, rotation of the Presidency remains the panacea for attaining national unity and transformational development.
“From the words of our elders, rotational Presidency is the most viable option for nation building and in the quest to evolve a country where all citizens have equal rights to positions of authority, rather than the skewed political leadership practised in the country since the post-civil war politics in Nigeria,” the group stated.
“Secondly, the South East has produced the best candidate among the contenders who is unarguably the most prepared for tackling the current security and economic challenges bedevilling Nigeria. To crown it all, Mr Peter Obi has picked one of the most qualified young men from the North, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, as his running mate.
“It was surprising that in the build-up to the primary elections, the South East was tactically excluded from the race by selfish politicians in both the PDP and the APC as their presidential tickets went to the highest bidders, rather than to the most competent to lead Nigeria.
“But, by divine providence and in the wisdom of the Nigerian people, a third force was birthed, and Mr Peter Obi and Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed became the anointed joint ticket for the task of rebuilding our country, which has been troubled by ethnicity and religion in recent times.
“It has been argued that the North East and the South East have not produced a President of Nigeria since the return to democracy in 1999, but in the interest of justice, it would be unthinkable for a northerner to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari who himself is of Northern extraction come May 29, 2023.
“Therefore, the Obi-Datti presidential ticket is an opportunity to unite Nigeria and promote justice and equity for national integration development.
“Today, we are excited that Nigerians have seen the need to give unto themselves the best and most qualified presidential and vice presidential candidates in the person of Mr Peter Gregory Obi and Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, who are youthful and have no baggage of corruption. Both have come to the race with a verifiable track record of performance in both the public and private sectors.
“The public endorsement of the joint ticket by former President Olusegun Obasanjo has given the country direction and hope for national recovery after years of maladministration and mismanagement of Nigeria’s natural endorsements.
“We then call on the presidential candidates of the PDP and the APC to toe the path of honour and immediately step down for Peter Obi as it is the right thing to do at this time of our national leadership deficit,” SERG added.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Media and External Relations Lead of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr Abiodun Coker, has been crowned the Future Leader in Media Management.
He clinched this award at The Industry Summit/Awards held on Friday, May 2, 2025, in Lagos, with several persons from across all sectors in attendance.
Mr Coker’s recognition further cements his growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s most dynamic and future-ready communications leaders, with his eyes firmly set on redefining the media management landscape.
The award jury, chaired by Mr Tolulope Ogunjobi, a renowned broadcast business correspondent and Business Editor at TVC News, said Mr Coker was bestowed with the honour because of his exceptional achievements in the public relations field during the year 2024.
The team said one of them was his masterful handling of UBA’s 2024 rights issue, which successfully closed on December 24, 2024, and the impactful execution of the bank’s 75th Anniversary Campaign, both of which were described as commendable and exceptional.
According to the jury, his management of UBA’s media ecosystem during the year under review was remarkable, with several media professionals praising his public relations craftsmanship and ability to skilfully manage the image of one of Africa’s most formidable financial brands.
“Abiodun Coker’s achievements in 2024 are a beacon for greater accomplishments ahead. He is undoubtedly one of the strategic communication experts to watch in 2025,” the jury noted.
A seasoned professional, Mr Coker’s journey from an acclaimed financial journalist at BusinessDay Newspapers to a powerhouse in corporate communications has been nothing short of inspiring.
With over eight years of robust journalism experience, coupled with leadership roles at top-tier public relations firms such as BD Consult Ltd and Quadrant, he has consistently demonstrated his ability to transform and manage leading brands successfully.
Organized by The Industry Newspaper, the leading brand marketing publication in West Africa, the prestigious awards recognize outstanding professionals shaping the future of brand marketing and communications across the region.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to fostering a more enabling investment climate, anchored on macroeconomic stability, structural reform, and a clear pathway to inclusive prosperity.
He gave this assurance at a high-level private dinner, organized by Kuramo Capital Management Lagos as part of Africa Venture Capital Week.
The Minister lauded Kuramo Capital and its partners for their steadfast belief in Africa’s promise and highlighted the alignment between private capital and Nigeria’s renewed hope reform agenda.
According to a statement, participants recognized the vital role of blended finance and innovation in driving sustainable development.
The event brought together a distinguished group of global investors, development partners, and business leaders for a candid exchange on unlocking long-term capital for Africa’s growth and transformation.
It also marks Kuramo Capital’s first formal convening in Nigeria in several years, underscoring a renewed sense of commitment to deepening its strategic footprint across the continent.
Mr Edun said with this renewed commitment, the federal government is poised to unlock new opportunities for economic growth, investment, and inclusive prosperity.
He also called for more investment into the country, assuring participants that the right mechanisms are being put in place towards driving Nigeria’s development and improving the lives of its citizens.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government is fast-tracking the implementation phase of its economic and financial inclusion strategy aimed at improving access to economic opportunities for Nigerians.
This was disclosed by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Ibrahim Hadejia, at the inaugural meeting of the Technical Committee of the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI).
He said that “Financial inclusion is not just about having a bank account—it means access to quality services, credit, and the visibility that digital platforms offer.”
The meeting was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
The federal government established an inter-agency task force to address challenges delaying President Bola Tinubu’s approved conditional cash transfers to 15 million vulnerable households.
The task force includes the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office, National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).
The mandate of the taskforce goal is to unlock bottlenecks and fast-track the distribution of critical financial support to Nigeria’s most vulnerable.
The meeting also endorsed steps to work with state governments in localising data from the Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access in Nigeria (EFInA) Access to Financial Services survey – a biennial study conducted by the EFInA.
Mr Hadejia explained that the meeting brought together high-level stakeholders from government agencies, financial institutions, and academia to align on the President’s vision and execution roadmap.
“We are off to a very good start. What has led to the success of what we’ve done so far is alignment and inclusive stakeholder engagement,” he said.
On hsi part, the committee’s Secretary, Mr Nurudeen Zauro, said the meeting also approved PreCEFI’s strategic roadmap and governance structure.
Mr Zauro, who is also the Technical Advisor to the President on Financial Inclusion, said ” an inter-agency committee has been established to address delays in the disbursement of conditional cash transfers to 15 million households as mandated by President Tinubu.
“We will be presenting the report to the National Economic Council and the Nigerian Governors Forum to ensure data is domesticated and acted upon at the subnational level.”
Also, Director-General of NIMC, Mrs Abisoye Coker-Odusote, explained that digital identity plays a foundational role in achieving inclusion goals.
“The beauty of the NIN is that it bridges the financial divide. It provides access to health, education, and agricultural services and strengthens national data infrastructure,” she said.
The Director of Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion at the CBN, Mrs Aisha Isa-Olatinwo, urged the committee to focus on implementable outcomes that serve those at the base of the pyramid.
According to her, financial inclusion is one of the eight reform pillars of the President’s agenda.
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