The Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution has announced plans to assess 31 proposals for the creation of new states as part of a wider constitutional amendment process aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s governance framework.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Former spokesperson of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 elections, Kenneth Okonkwo, has declared that the emerging coalition involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and other prominent political figures has the strategic depth and momentum to unseat President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Okonkwo made the statement during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.

“I’m part of this coalition,” Okonkwo said. “And I can confidently speak about the engine room that many people are unaware of. The APC won’t see it coming — they won’t know what hit them in 2027.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has dismissed reports that the coalition against President Tinubu has applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register a new political party known as the All Democratic Alliance (ADA).

Reacting via a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, June 20, 2025, Keyamo described the development as “overhyped” and lacking any real political weight.

He argued that if the coalition hopes to replicate the political success of the APC’s formation in 2013, “it’s nothing but a pedestrian joke.”

Keyamo emphasized that, unlike the APC, no established political party is involved in the ADA registration process. Instead, he described those behind the move as a “small group of individuals merely exercising their constitutional rights,” stressing that it does not amount to a genuine merger or coalition.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has voiced strong concern over the sluggish progress in operationalizing the ECOWAS Standby Force, urging West African leaders to urgently transition from planning to concrete action in the joint battle against terrorism and transnational crime.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking at the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja—one of his final engagements as chairman of the 50-year-old regional bloc—President Tinubu underscored the urgent need for collective action amid worsening insecurity across the sub-region.

“The ECOWAS Standby Force must move from concept to operational reality,” Tinubu declared. “I am a little bit worried about the slow pace of its activation, which is taking longer than desired.”

He warned that the threats facing the region are transnational in nature, driven by agile and dangerous networks that defy national borders.

“No single nation can tackle these challenges alone. We must strengthen coordination, build greater political will, and adopt a unified approach to safeguard our region,” the President urged.

Milestones Under Tinubu’s ECOWAS Chairmanship

Highlighting key achievements during his tenure, President Tinubu pointed to the completion of the ECOWAS Military Logistics Depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone, which he described as a vital asset for supporting regional forces with equipment and logistics.

He also noted that Nigeria had signed the Sixth Agreement with the African Union in Addis Ababa earlier in the year, affirming Nigeria’s commitment to providing air-lift and sea-lift support for ECOWAS operations through the newly completed depot.

Diplomatic Engagements with Breakaway States

President Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to dialogue and diplomacy with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—three member states currently suspended from the bloc.

“Throughout my chairmanship, I employed every diplomatic channel to engage our brothers in these countries,” he said. “I remain hopeful that they will eventually return to the ECOWAS family.”

Economic Integration and Regional Growth

Beyond security, Tinubu called for deeper economic integration across the sub-region, stressing the need to unlock West Africa’s full potential through private sector empowerment and the removal of trade barriers.

“Despite our vast potential, intra-regional trade remains low,” he said. “We must foster an enabling environment, support innovation, and enhance private sector involvement.”

He also urged the swift implementation of key infrastructure projects, including the West African Gas Pipeline, the West African Power Pool, and the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor Highway, describing them as critical to regional development and integration.

As his tenure as ECOWAS chairman draws to a close, President Tinubu reiterated his belief in a stronger, more united West Africa built on security, cooperation, and shared prosperity.