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Road To 2027: David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola Emerge ADC Interim Chairman, Secretary

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Senator David Mark, a former Senate President, and Rauf Aregbesola, ex-Governor of Osun State, have been named interim Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the African Democratic Congress, the coalition platform being positioned against President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.

Multiple reliable sources present at the meeting held Tuesday night in Abuja, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorisation to speak publicly, confirmed that coalition leaders unanimously selected Mark and Aregbesola for the roles.

The sources also revealed that Bolaji Abdullahi, a former Sports Minister, has been chosen as the interim National Publicity Secretary.

They further noted that the ADC, along with its new leadership, will be officially unveiled in Abuja tomorrow.

President Tinubu’s government has experienced a combination of successes and setbacks in different sectors.

Nevertheless, opposition figures across various parties have consistently criticised the APC-led government, branding it a failure.

Meanwhile, the main opposition parties—PDP, Labour Party, NNPP, and SDP—have also been contending with internal issues.

In an effort to build a strong challenge for 2027, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Nasir El-Rufai, and others launched a new coalition in Abuja on March 20.

This move sparked national debate over the potential impact of a unified opposition, with reactions from both analysts and the public.

Following months of speculation regarding the platform the coalition would adopt, earlier reports had it that they had chosen the ADC.

Further reports (by The Punch) confirmed that Senator Mark was selected as interim chairman of the coalition under the ADC platform, with a formal unveiling scheduled for Wednesday.

One source explained that Aregbesola initially declined the offer but accepted after stakeholders persuaded him.

He said, “We just concluded a meeting tonight. Mark and Aregbesola have been appointed as the ADC Interim National Chairman and National Secretary. This will be officially unveiled tomorrow (Wednesday), so we are on track.”

Another source added, “Atiku and other coalition leaders met tonight and resolved to adopt the ADC as their platform after months of consultations. For now, the ADC National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, has stepped aside to allow Mark and Aregbesola take over as interim Chairman and Secretary. You know Aregbesola rejected it some time ago, but he was prevailed upon by stakeholders, so he has accepted to serve in that capacity. All of this, and more, will be made public tomorrow. Former Minister of Sport, Bolaji will serve as National Publicity Secretary.”

Kola Ologbondiyan, a former aide to the ex-Senate President and former PDP National Publicity Secretary, confirmed the development in a tweet on his verified X account.

He stated, “African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been adopted as the political party for the coalition. The party has elected Sen. David Mark as the Interim National chairman and Ogbeni Raud Aregbesola as the interim National Secraetary.”

BIG STORY

BREAKING: Ibrahim Shatta Loses Son Few Days After Peju Ogunmola Lost Only Son

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Popular Yoruba actor and filmmaker, Ibrahim Chatta, has announced the death of his son.

The actor broke the news on his Instagram page on Saturday, expressing grief and submitting to the will of God.

“Inna liLlahi wa inna ileyhi rajiun. Ya Allah, You are the Knower of all things. Rest on Dear Son, Champ,” he wrote.

Chatta’s loss comes only days after fellow actress Peju Ogunmola also lost her only son with veteran actor Sunday Omobolanle, popularly known as Papi Luwe.

The twin tragedies have thrown Nollywood into mourning, with condolences pouring in from colleagues and fans of both families.

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BIG STORY

Ignore Sujimoto’s Crocodile Tears, He Scammed Us N5.7bn And We’re Recovering Every Penny — Enugu Government

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  • all projects never left foundation stage

 

The Enugu State government has accused the CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Olasijibomi Ogundele, of defrauding the state of nearly N6bn, noting that Ogundele vanished into thin air after he was paid the said sum for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools in different parts of the state.

The government also accused Ogundele of premeditated fraud, explaining that while he presented a bond issued by Jaiz Bank to secure the contract, he used the company’s Zenith Bank account registered with the state’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to receive the said payment, making it impossible for the state to hold Jaiz Bank liable.

The statement said, “For the avoidance of doubt, on July 2, 2024, the Enugu State Government awarded a contract in the sum of N11,457,930,950.52 to Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd for the construction of 22 Smart Schools (buildings only) in six months starting from the date of the acceptance of the award.

“The Enugu State Government paid the sum of N5,762,565,475.25, representing 50 per cent of the contract sum, in order to fast-track the projects at all the sites.

“Rather than play to the rules of the contract to deliver quality projects for furnishing and equipping ahead of September 2025 school resumption, in line with the priority placed on the Smart Green Schools initiative by the government, Mr. Ogundele resorted to shoddy jobs and the use of inexperienced workers and quack engineers. None of his sites met the structural integrity of the projects as specified in the structural drawing.

“Worse still, he vanished into thin air with the money. All efforts made by the government to get him to a roundtable to discuss the quality and progress of work proved abortive. He equally refused to attend the periodic projects briefing organised by the state government for all contractors or take numerous calls and messages put across to him. In fact, he practically abandoned the sites, leaving the Enugu State Government with no other choice than to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recover the funds paid to him.

“A joint team of officers of the Enugu State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the EFCC visited the 22 sites to evaluate the progress of work on May 8 and 9, 2025, where it was clearly established that there had been minimal to no significant work done at the said sites one year after the contract award. In some cases, he fraudulently did not do excavation for all the blocks in site.

“It is also on record that he has not shown up at the sites or made himself available to either the state government or the law enforcement agencies even after those site visits.

“It is also pertinent to state that it was discovered in the course of investigation that whereas he presented a bond from Jaiz Bank, he used Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited’s Zenith Bank account number 1312731196 to receive the said payment and draw down the fund without deploying it to the projects. This clearly shows a premeditated intent to defraud the state ab initio.

“The government has since retaken and handed over the sites to new firms, who has no choice than to start the construction afresh. Tremendous progress has been made to keep the determination of the Mbah Administration to migrate Enugu children to Smart Green Schools by September on track.

“Nigerians should therefore disregard his theatrics and crocodile tears, as Enugu State Government is determined to and will surely recover every penny of Ndi Enugu fraudulently obtained by Mr. Olasijibomi Ogundele (Sujimoto).”

The Enugu State Government’s statement was accompanied with pictures of the project sites as abandoned by Sujimoto, which were taken by the joint team of officials of the state and operatives of the EFCC during the May 8 and 9 site visits. The pictures clearly showed that the project sites were mostly at the levels of foundation and DPC, with a few at the stage of block work.

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BIG STORY

‘Miracle Money’ Gospel Undermining Nigeria’s Development — Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

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Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has cautioned Nigerian churches against promoting messages centred on miracles and prosperity without responsibility, saying such teachings undermine national development.

Osinbajo spoke in Lagos on Thursday at the 80th birthday lecture of Mike Okonkwo, presiding bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM). The 24th edition of the Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture was themed “The Nigeria Of Our Dream: Today’s Reality and a Responsible Pathfinder.”

Delivering a lecture titled “Church as a Responsible Pathfinder in Attaining the Nigeria of Our Dreams,” Osinbajo said only values of integrity, productivity, and responsibility can transform the nation and curb corruption.

“If the gospel is preached correctly, it will create renewed, regenerated men and women. We cannot build a nation on the doctrines of miracle money and shortcuts. True gospel preaching instils diligence, honesty, and responsibility. That is what changes societies,” he said.

The former vice-president warned that Africa’s failure to add value to its natural resources has kept it poor despite vast endowments. He cited cocoa production as an example, noting that while Africa grows the raw material, countries without cocoa dominate global profits by processing it into chocolate.

Osinbajo also drew lessons from the Puritans in Europe, who, he said, transformed their societies by emphasising integrity, hard work, and ethical living.

In his remarks, Bishop Okonkwo urged Nigerians to reflect on the country’s progress nearly 65 years after independence, stressing that every citizen has a role in nation-building.

“The Nigeria of our dreams can be realised, but every one of us must play our part. Responsibility cannot be shifted; we all must take it,” he said.

The chairman of the occasion, retired Major-General Ike Nwachukwu, described Nigeria as “a land of immense promise” constrained by poverty amidst plenty. He called for leaders and citizens who would rise above self-interest to pursue the common good.

At the event, Davina Phillips, winner of the Mike Okonkwo Essay Competition, received a cash prize of ₦1 million.

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