Investigations suggest that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s alleged interest in the succession has contributed to the delay by the Ogun state government, despite earlier assurances that he had no preference for who emerges as the next Awujale.

The Awujale stool became vacant following the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona on July 13, 2025.

Sources familiar with the matter said Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun, had initially consulted President Tinubu on the succession, during which the president reportedly stated that he had no interest in the process and that traditional divination (Ifa) should guide the selection.

However, political dynamics reportedly shifted weeks later.

According to sources, when President Tinubu attended the Eyo Festival in Lagos last December, Abiodun again raised the issue.

It was during the meeting, the sources said, that the president allegedly expressed support for an unnamed candidate.

Although no official confirmation has been made, rumours within political and traditional circles suggest that the individual is Ademorin Kuye, a serving member of the house of representatives, who is said to be claiming presidential backing for the Awujale stool.

A source privy to the succession process said the president allegedly linked his position to unresolved political disagreements with the Ogun state governor.

“The president reportedly told the governor that since his preferred candidate was not appointed as a commissioner, the governor should not expect to announce his own preferred candidate as Awujale,” the source said.

Kunle Hassan, a renowned ophthalmic surgeon, is widely believed to be Abiodun’s preferred candidate for the throne.

Meanwhile, complications within the Fusegbuwa ruling House — the family next in line to produce the Awujale — have further stalled the process.

Fassy Yusuf, the deputy olori-ebi of the ruling house, had disclosed that over 60 candidates emerged from the family, making it difficult to reach a consensus.

As a result, the Ogun state government reportedly suspended the ruling house indefinitely following allegations of corruption and bribery against members of its olori-ebi council.

The 14-day ultimatum given to the family to present a consensus candidate has since elapsed, raising questions about whether the Fusegbuwa ruling house has constitutionally forfeited its turn.

Sources said Abiodun considered moving the process to another ruling house but has delayed taking a final decision due to the president’s alleged political interest in the succession.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the presidency nor the Ogun state government has issued an official statement on the matter.

The post How Tinubu’s alleged interest in Awujale’s stool delays announcement of Oba-designate first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

The monarch gave the assurance on Friday during a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the NDLEA in Abuja, where he was received by Buba Marwa, its chairman.

The Alaafin was accompanied by two other traditional rulers — the Oloro of Oro, Oba Joel Olaniyan Olatoye, and the Olusin of Ijara Isin, Oba Ademola Julius Ajibola.

Oba Owoade praised Marwa’s public service record and described his leadership qualities as exemplary, noting that his years as a military administrator in Borno and Lagos laid a strong foundation for his achievements.

“We are proud of you. Your being in this position is not by chance — it reflects your devotion, commitment, and character,” he said.

“You have always been a performer, and the legacy of Keke Marwa remains unforgettable. We are ready to collaborate with you.”

The monarch said traditional rulers occupy a strategic position at the grassroots and are well placed to provide intelligence, advocacy and community mobilisation in the anti-drug campaign.

“We are at the grassroots; we know what is going on. My colleagues and I are more than ready to work with you and give all the necessary support to ensure your success. Anytime you need us, we will be there,” he added.

Marwa congratulated the Alaafin on his ascension to the throne and stressed that traditional institutions remain critical in addressing Nigeria’s drug challenge.

He said recent data from the 2018 national drug use survey shows that nearly 15 million Nigerians aged 15 to 64 use drugs — a situation he described as “unacceptable”.

“We have been mandated by President Bola Tinubu to fight the drug scourge, arrest traffickers, prosecute them, and seize their assets,” Marwa said.

“But we need the traditional institutions. Nigerians respect their traditional rulers, and when they speak, it carries weight.”

The NDLEA chairman urged traditional rulers to work closely with religious leaders in their domains to strengthen advocacy against drug use. He also appealed for intelligence from communities to help identify and apprehend local drug dealers.

“If we can control drug use, criminality will drop. Kidnappers, insurgents, terrorists and bandits rely on drugs to charge themselves up,” he said.

Marwa expressed appreciation to the Alaafin for the visit and wished him a long and impactful reign marked by peace and development in Oyo Kingdom.

The post Alaafin pledges support for NDLEA’s fight against drug abuse first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

The contract was awarded by Bala Mohammed, a former FCT minister. The road project has now been re-awarded to SCC under an emergency arrangement.

Wike announced the development on Thursday in Abuja during an inspection tour of ongoing road projects, including the Karu-Customs-CBN Road, Gishiri-Katampe road, and Apo-Wasa Carriageway.

He stressed that road contracts should prioritize public welfare over politics.

“Let me tell you the truth, we have terminated that contract; it has been re-awarded to SCC. If you go there now, you will see that they have started work,” Wike said.

The minister also confirmed that work on the Kubwa-Bwari road has begun, which will serve as a vital alternative route.

During the inspection at Karu, Wike assured a shop owner affected by demolition for obstructing a water channel that fair compensation would be provided but emphasised that public interest must prevail.

Wike highlighted that residents’ warm reception to ongoing projects reflects approval of the government’s development efforts.

He further revealed that all ongoing road projects would be completed and commissioned during President Bola Tinubu’s third-anniversary celebration.

“No new contracts will be awarded in 2026. Our focus will be on completing all ongoing projects, especially since 2026 is a political year,” Wike explained.

The post Wike revokes Apo-Karshi road contract over poor performance, re-awards to SCC first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

OPS said the current draft is misaligned with the federal government’s fiscal reform direction and contains several legal and administrative gaps.

The position was presented in a paper submitted by OPS on Thursday, during the public hearing on the bill, which recently passed its second reading in the national assembly.

The group explained that the non-alcoholic drinks (NAD) sector is committed to supporting government revenue and public health objectives, but stressed that policies must be holistic, harmonised, and context-appropriate, ensuring they improve health outcomes without undermining jobs, investment, affordability, or industrial stability.

OPS warned that Nigeria’s excise framework is increasingly fragmented, with new levies introduced without a coordinated assessment of their combined effects on production, investment, backward integration, employment, exports, and inflation.

Such uncoordinated policies, the group said, could undermine President Tinubu’s economic reforms without delivering measurable public health gains.

The group said a steep excise increase or new levy would impose significant economic costs on businesses and consumers while providing little to no public health benefit.

OPS also highlighted that the proposed excise amendment contains mathematical, legal, and administrative contradictions, worsens Nigeria’s fragmented fiscal environment, and conflicts with national industrialisation priorities, including the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan.

OPS further warned that the amendment could weaken the beverage value chain, one of Nigeria’s largest contributors to non-oil revenue and a major employer.

The group said the levy would increase operating costs, reduce capacity utilisation, and raise consumer prices, at a time when households and small businesses are already under economic pressure.

This, they added, could reduce VAT and CIT collections and place additional strain on medium-term FAAC revenues.

“Nigeria’s non-alcoholic drinks sector is a critical economic stabiliser, supporting 1.5 million jobs, driving backward integration under the NSMP II, and contributing 40–45% of gross revenues as taxes, yet already operating under severe macroeconomic strain and thin margins,” OPS said.

The group noted that as a key non-oil revenue contributor, the beverage industry’s stability is vital for the administration’s ease-of-doing-business objectives.

OPS criticised the national assembly for advancing the bill without coordination with the ministry of finance, the presidential fiscal policy and tax reform committee, FAAC, and other relevant institutions, saying it contradicts the President’s emphasis on stability, predictability, simplicity, and non-disruptive tax reform.

OPS cited evidence showing that steep or ambiguous sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes in low-income economies often lead to job losses, MSME contraction, reduced government revenue, no measurable health gains, widening inequality, and growth of the informal market.

“The amendment bill contains internal contradictions (‘20% levy per litre of retail price’) that are impossible to implement consistently,” the group added.

Over-taxation may shrink the formal sector, reduce VAT and CIT collections, and shift consumers to informal markets. The bill may cut medium-term FAAC distributions and weaken state-level revenue stability.”

OPS concluded by stating that it remains open to engagement with lawmakers, fiscal agencies, and civil society groups to ensure that any revision to the excise regime supports investment, jobs, and long-term revenue stability.

The post New excise bill could undermine Tinubu’s fiscal reform agenda, organised private sector warns first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

In a statement on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Tinubu signed the instruments of clemency and pardon for selected convicts but directed a comprehensive review of the earlier approved list after consultations with the council of state and members of the public.

As a result, persons convicted of crimes such as kidnapping, drug trafficking, human trafficking, fraud, and unlawful possession of firearms were deleted from the list, while some others earlier considered for full pardon had their sentences commuted.

Onanuga said the decision reflected the president’s sensitivity to national security concerns, victims’ rights, and the need to sustain public confidence in the justice system.

“The concept of justice as a three-way traffic for the accused, the victim, and the state/society also guided the review,” the statement reads.

The updated list of eligible beneficiaries has been transmitted to the Nigerian Correctional Service for implementation in line with the signed instruments of release.

To improve future exercises, Tinubu also directed the relocation of the secretariat of the presidential advisory committee on prerogative of mercy from the ministry of special duties to the federal ministry of justice.

The president further instructed the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) to issue new guidelines for the exercise of presidential mercy powers, including mandatory consultation with relevant prosecuting agencies.

According to Onanuga, the measure is to ensure that only persons who meet the stipulated legal and procedural standards will henceforth benefit from the prerogative of mercy.

President Tinubu thanked stakeholders and members of the public for their feedback and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to judicial reforms and the fair administration of justice.

The post After public criticism, Tinubu deletes names of convicts of serious crimes from clemency list first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

Tinubu made the appeal on Wednesday at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu called for a binding international mechanism to manage sovereign debt,“a sort of International Court of Justice for money,” to help emerging economies escape “the economic straitjacket of primary production and unprocessed exports”.

He noted that the Lagos Action Plan, drafted decades ago to chart a course away from debt and dependence, still offers valuable guidance for adding local value through processing and manufacturing, from agriculture to solid minerals and petrochemicals.

Tinubu also highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area as “a remarkable achievement of co-operation,” pledging Nigeria’s full commitment to the sustainable development goals through “growth and prosperity.”

Applauding the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s progress toward peace, Tinubu said Africa’s vast mineral wealth must become a source of stability rather than conflict.

“Investment in exploration, development and processing of these minerals will diversify supply to the international market, reduce tensions between major economies and help shape the architecture for peace and prosperity on a continent too often left behind by global rivalries,” he said.

Nigeria and other African nations, Tinubu added, have made significant strides in organising their affairs and can “take that progress to the next level” by pursuing reforms to strengthen the international financial architecture.

The post Tinubu appeals for global support on debt relief at UN General Assembly first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

Shehu Dikko, the chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), announced the development in Abuja on Thursday.

Dikko also confirmed that all entitlements had been disbursed for immediate payment to players, coaches, and officials up to and including the final on July 26.

He described the gesture as “policy in motion” and a demonstration of a renewed commitment to Nigerian athletes under Tinubu’s leadership.

He assured that this would now be the standard practice going forward, timely payments without drama or delays.

Dikko noted that the move also extends to members of the Nigerian women’s basketball team, who are set to begin their 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket campaign in Côte d’Ivoire, saying that D’Tigress will receive improved allowances and bonuses.

“This is the kind of sports administration we are building, one rooted in dignity, trust, and shared prosperity. Future generations would appreciate President Tinubu’s reforms in the sports sector,” he said.

The post Tinubu approves full allowances, bonuses for Super Falcons ahead of WAFCON final first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

In a post shared on his X handle on Thursday, Obi expressed disappointment over the president’s conduct during the visit, adding that it resembled a political rally rather than a condolence trip to a grieving community.

“We pleaded that the President should show leadership and visit Benue and Niger states in the spirit of deep national mourning, to offer compassion and solidarity to families torn apart by the senseless massacre of over 200 innocent Nigerians in Benue State and flooding that killed a similar number in Niger State,” the statement reads.

“But what we saw in Benue visit was instead of a solemn, reflective visit, a display that would have been more befitting for the commissioning of reconstructed Enugu-Makurdi highway, a critical road connecting South and Northern Nigeria which had become impassable for years.

“The President arrived not in mourning cloth but in celebratory agbada attire, like it was an occasion for joy. Even more heartbreaking is the role of the State. Rather than been in mourning mood and weeping declared a public holiday, not for reflection or prayer, but to organize fanfare.

“Schools were shut down. Children who should be mourning their slaughtered classmates, and parents were instead lined up under the rain, rehearsed to sing and dance for the President. In what kind of country does this happen?

“We have tragically arrived at a point where condolence visits have become carnivals. A time that should be marked by silence and solemnity is now polluted by banners, music, and rehearsed spectacles. Precious Nigerian lives have been lost, yet we’re clapping, singing, and organizing processions, as though this were a campaign rally. This is not how any compassionate nation behaves.

“The energy, resources, and logistics poured into this charade could have gone into food supplies, temporary shelters, medical aid, school support, and trauma counselling for grieving families. Instead, we chose optics over empathy.

“Look elsewhere: When President Ramaphosa visited Mthatha after the floods in South Africa, there were no drums. No staged crowds. No rented cheers. Just presence, silence, and action. When Prime Minister Modi went to the site of a crash, no one lined up to welcome him.

“He came, he mourned, he acted. That is what leadership looks like in moments of pain. We must ask ourselves: What kind of people have we become?

“Enough of this culture of impunity. We are not at war yet our nation is bleeding, and we are clapping. It is not only insensitive, it is dangerous.

“Let us not forget: These were human beings, children, mothers, fathers whose blood cries out for justice. When very sad incidents like this turns to campaign or festival, our Nation Losing Its Soul.”

The post Obi criticises Tinubu’s Benue visit, says condolence visit now carnival first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

I am emotional today. This, for me, is the most meaningful Democracy Day I’ve ever experienced.

And I want to offer my heartfelt gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for making this day truly remarkable.

You see, no nation is ever transformed by accident. Real progress begins when we acknowledge the tireless efforts of those who stood firm, spoke out, and sacrificed greatly so that freedom could find a home among us.

I was just a teenager when I joined this movement for justice and liberty.

And I can tell you my life has never been the same since. It shaped who I am. It gave me purpose.

It taught me that the arc of history may be long, but it bends toward justice only if we are willing to help bend it.

So today, whether you’re left, right, or somewhere in between on the political spectrum, let’s remember this: we cannot erase the sacrifices, the bruises, the broken bones, and even the lives laid down, so that you and I might walk freely in this land we call Nigeria.

In America, they do not forget their heroes. They build monuments. They teach their names. They pass down their stories not to glorify the past, but to inspire the future. And we must do the same.

Let our children hear the names of our heroes. Let them know what it means to stand for something bigger than themselves. Let them feel the heartbeat of patriotism that this nation so desperately needs.

So today, I say congratulations to the living, to the fallen, to the unsung, and to all of us still carrying the torch.

The struggle continues, but so does our hope. And Nigeria shall rise.

Charles Adeyemi, a public analyst, writes from Abuja.

The post Thank you, President Bola Tinubu for honouring democracy heroes first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

Wike spoke on Thursday, after he inspected some ongoing projects in preparation for inauguration to celebrate Tinubu’s second anniversary.

The minister said he is happy with the achievements recorded by Tinubu, particularly as it concerns the FCT saying “it has never happened before”.

He said the president has done tremendously well, adding that his performance is evident in every part of the country.

Wike said following the visible performance, Nigerians are already advocating that Tinubu should be given another opportunity to serve.

“Tinubu’s achievements in FCT are unprecedented, and in the next two and four years, you’ll see what is going to happen in this country,” he said.

“Yesterday I said the simple truth, all of us who are critics have said before that Abuja was not working but have now confessed that Abuja is now working.

“Who has made it to work? It is Mr President.”

The minister said he would concentrate and focus on the assignment given to him by Tinubu to transform Abuja to a befitting capital city that Nigerians would be proud of.

Speaking on the projects’ inspection, Wike said that the move was to ensure that the contractors deliver the projects as promised.

The minister said he was particularly impressed with the delivery of the Apo to Wassa junction road, (the left-wing service lane of the outer southern expressway), which he said is 100 percent completed.

He said the Apo – Wassa road would also be fitted with streetlights to improve security in the area, adding that the contractor CGC has already submitted a proposal to that effect.

“We also went to N20 Interchange to connect Wole Soyinka Way with the Murtala Mohammed Expressway, popularly known as Kubwa Expressway which would be completed and inaugurated,” the minister said.

“We equally inspected the access road from the Obafemi Awolowo Way to the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal in Dakibiyu District, which is also expected to be completed and inaugurated.

“Frankly speaking, like I have always said, the residents of Abuja deserve the best and the contractors are doing their best I can assure you that.

“For me, I cannot give nothing less.”

The minister said that Tinubu had insisted that Nigeria deserved the best “and we will do everything we can to make sure we give them the best.

“You can see the infrastructure in terms of roads. It is unimaginable and we will continue to do that.”

He called on residents of the FCT to also perform their obligation and support the administration for the interest of Abuja and the entire Nigerians.

The post Tinubu’s critics praising his unprecedented achievements in FCT, says Wike first appeared on The Times of Abuja.