Politics
Experts Want More Professionals In Politics

Experts in the built industry under the aegis of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) have called for greater political participation by professionals in order to avoid leaving crucial leadership decision-making in the hands of quacks and charlatans.
National President, NIQS, Olayemi Shonubi, stated this at the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Lagos State Chapter’s 14th Distinguished Lecture Series with theme, “Professionals in Partisan Politics: Appraising their Roles in Envisioning Economic Growth and Development of Nigeria,” held in Lagos .
Shonubi said it was important for professionals to get involved in partisan politics to ensure that the intellectual extraction of the population was not left to take the backseat while certain unscrupulous elements ran the country aground.
According to him, too much emphasis has been placed on the central government in recent times. This, he said, had come at the expense of grassroots governance, which was crucially important for any society.
“The choice of this theme is quite apt. Sitting here, we all know we are now going into the campaigns. The elections are coming up in 2023, and there is this conception that professionals should not see politics as professional, other than something on the side.
“It’s about time we began to discuss how to take back the governance of our country from those charlatans who parade themselves as politicians, who have no ideas, whose interest is more about themselves than the common good.
“So, I want us to listen carefully to the speakers and discussants as they come up with their own views on how the professionals should craft policies that will make the economy, how we can participate in politics, how we can begin to challenge those who now are in leadership positions”, he said.
In his keynote address, a human rights activist and senior lawyer, Femi Falana, charged estate surveyors to encourage their members to follow in the footsteps of progenitors like Herbert Macaulay, who became major players in Nigeria’s political scene.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said while Nigeria’s independence was largely masterminded by seasoned professionals like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Anthony Enahoro, Obafemi Awolowo and their contemporaries, professionals of today had sadly distanced themselves from partisan politics, leaving room for abuse of political power by our political leaders.
Falana said, “A few years back, I did challenge you (surveyors) to get involved in the affairs of our country and the built industry. Unfortunately, you haven’t taken up that challenge. The President was talking about charlatans in politics. We also have charlatans in the building industry.
“Last year, I did when we had the disaster of the 21-storey building in Lagos. Your institute came out after the fact, as lawyers would say, after the disaster had occurred and criticised a system that does not involve competent professionals in the built industry.
“I did agree with you on that occasion, but I asked a question, when you know that these buildings are springing up, and this particular building initially, it was meant to be a four-storey building, it became six, it became 12, it became 14 and then rose to 21, is it not in your interest as an association to cry out and report quacks and charlatans to the police so that the law can take its course?”
Politics
Gov Alia Appoints TuFace As Adviser

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Politics
Oborevwori, Okowa Dump PDP For APC

Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Politics
Speakers Conference Tasks FG, Governors On Wanton Killings
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.
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