The Muslim Community of Lagos State (MCLS) has expressed strong dissatisfaction over what it described as the continued marginalisation of Muslims in political appointments and governance, warning that it will withhold support from any party that fields a non-Muslim governorship candidate in the 2027 elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a firm resolution, the group declared that Muslims would withdraw electoral backing from any party failing to present a Muslim candidate for the state’s governorship. “We cannot continue to be sidelined in our own state. The Muslim community will only support a candidate who represents our values and interests,” the communiqué stated.

The position was adopted during the maiden General Assembly of the MCLS, held last Saturday at the Lagos State Secretariat Mosque Hall, Alausa, Ikeja, and attended by over 1,000 Muslims from various divisions and local government areas across the state.

Participants lamented what they described as the exclusion of Muslims from key sectors of governance, particularly education. They urged the Lagos State Government to recruit more Arabic and Islamic Studies teachers in public schools and to ensure religious balance in appointing Tutors-General and Permanent Secretaries across the six education districts.

The Assembly also called on the government to fully comply with the Supreme Court ruling permitting female Muslim students to wear hijabs in public schools and to address the marginalisation of Muslims in health institutions and political appointments.

Beyond political resolutions, members adopted provisional financial reports for 2024 and 2025 (subject to audit), ratified the nomination of trustees, and approved a new community constitution. The revised constitution introduces the Islamic principle of Shurah as the basis for electing officers and clearly defines eligibility, tenure, and electoral procedures.

Delivering a keynote address on behalf of Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Alhaji Tajudeen Afolabi attributed governance failures partly to weak civic responsibility, highlighting selfishness, unethical behavior, and indifference among citizens as contributors to poor leadership outcomes. “The followers must rise above laid-back attitudes and unwholesome acts if we are to achieve meaningful change,” he said.

Prof. Saheed Timehin of Lagos State University (LASU) emphasized the need for value reorientation, collective responsibility, and active civic engagement, while Prof. Nasir Onibon noted that leadership quality reflects the quality of followership: “Once the followers are good, the leaders will get it right.”

Prof. AbdulKabir Paramole also warned that dishonesty and corrupt practices among citizens undermine development, citing habits such as cost inflation and misrepresentation, and stressed that followers share the responsibility for nation-building alongside leaders.

The Assembly ratified the nomination of trustees, including Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi, Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi, Chief Bode Oyedele, Imam Yahyah Ishola, Dr. Abdulkareem Seriki, Alhaja Muhibat Wonu Folami, Ramlat Muri Okunola, and Alhaja Rasaqat Tobun.

Presenting the new constitution, Barr. Mubashir Ojelade, Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, explained that it provides clear guidance on leadership structure and internal governance.

The four-hour General Assembly featured robust debates, motions, and contributions from members, all adopted through voice votes. It concluded by urging Muslims across Lagos to remain united, uphold Islamic values in their families, and take an active role in shaping the state’s political future.

The Factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Caretaker Committee, Abdulrahman Mohammed, has said the party faced significant internal challenges in 2025.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Mohammed described 2025 as a testing and refining year for the PDP, noting that some respected members deviated from established procedures and due process during that period.

He made the remarks while delivering his welcome address at the 105th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Monday in Abuja.

“I warmly welcome you all to this important NEC meeting of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party. It is with deep gratitude and optimism that I welcome you not only to today’s meeting but also into the year 2026. I extend my heartfelt wishes for a happy new year, a year of renewed strength, unity, and progress for our party and our country,” Mohammed said.

He commended members for their resilience, patience, and commitment to the rule of law and due process. “In the face of severe trials and provocations, members of this Committee and leaders across our party stood firm. You chose the difficult but honorable path of legality, constitutionalism, and institutional discipline. History will record that when it mattered most, you prioritized the survival and integrity of the party above personal ambition and temporary convenience,” he added.

Mohammed explained that the party was exposed to enormous judicial and institutional challenges in 2025. “These actions subjected our party to intense legal and organizational pressures. However, as with all great institutions, the PDP did not collapse. Instead, it was refined, strengthened, and reoriented by the trials it faced,” he said.

He also noted that recent judicial outcomes have validated the NEC’s stance. “The Federal High Court in Ibadan declared the Ibadan Convention null and void, providing legal clarity and institutional certainty. More importantly, the judgement has conferred credibility on our party as presently constituted, led by myself as Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, and Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary. This outcome did not happen by chance,” he added.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State said on Monday that the attempt to block his 2023 re-election has long passed, describing it as just one of many schemes aimed at undermining his progress.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking at the public launch of a book about him, Fintiri – The Man They Could Not Stop, he stressed that while the 2023 election represented a particularly notable challenge, he is a man of destiny who has overcome countless obstacles.

The book highlights how his main opponent in the 2023 governorship election was at one point prematurely declared the winner, only for Fintiri to be officially confirmed as the authentic victor after all results were fully collated and announced.

Reflecting on the title, Fintiri said, “Fintiri – The Man They Could Not Stop tells only a fraction of the story. There have been numerous futile attempts to derail me. The 2023 election was just the peak of these efforts. I am a man of destiny.”

He described the 2023 events as embarrassing not just for Adamawa State, but for Nigeria and democracy as a whole, noting: “In 2023, we witnessed treachery, assault, and the moral compromise of a bankrupt elite masquerading as patriots.”

However, Fintiri added that the episode also revealed the strong support of the true people of Adamawa and Nigeria.

The book was reviewed by Catholic Bishop Mathew Kukah, who praised the author, Solomon Kumanga, Fintiri’s Director-General of Media during the 2023 election.