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AfDB’s Adesina Not Contesting for Presidency – Report

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The President of the African Development Bank, Akinwunmi Adesina, will not be contesting the Presidency of Nigeria.

A support group had purchased and submitted the N100m Presidential form of the All Progressives Congress for the top banker last week.

Some had also reported that Adesina visited Mamman Daura, the influential nephew of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) last week to seek his support.

But The PUNCH confirmed that Adesina will not be taking part in the Presidential screening of the APC slated for May 23.

Adesina’s office is expected to issue a statement in a few hours distancing himself from Nigeria’s partisan politics.

The AfDB regulations bar its President from partisan politics.

Specifically, Paragraph 2 of Article 38 of the agreement establishing AfDB, titled ‘Prohibition of Political Activity; the International Character of the Bank’, states that “The Bank, its President, Vice Presidents, officers and staff shall not interfere in the political affairs of any member (country); nor shall they be influenced in their decisions by the political character of the member (country) concerned.”

Paragraph 3 of the article states that “The President, Vice Presidents, officers and staff of the Bank, in discharge of their offices, owe their duty entirely to the Bank and to no other authority.”

Similarly, the AfDB code of conduct bars its executive from partisan politics. Section 10 of the Code reads: “Although Executive Directors are elected representatives of governments from their constituencies, they shall during their tenure of office as executive directors refrain from participating in active politics in their home countries or elsewhere.”

Should Adesina seek to run for the office of President of Nigeria, he would need to resign his current position permanently, a risk it was learnt the top banker was not willing to take.

There are at least 25 other aspirants running for President on the platform of the APC.

Some of them include APC stalwart, Bola Tinubu; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi; Senate President Ahmad Lawan; oil mogul, Tein Jack-Rich; Senator Ajayi Boroffice; Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State and many others.

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How We Rescued Adelabu’s Sister and Her Twin Sons from Kidnappers – Police

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The Nigerian Police Force has announced the rescue of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu’s sister and her twin sons, who were abducted on June 3, in Ibadan.

A statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Pkacid revealed ad follows:

The Nigeria Police Force announces the successful rescue of Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, who were abducted on June 3, 2026, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The hostages were rescued during a coordinated operation by the Force Intelligence Department Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) in Ibadan at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

Mrs. Adegoke and her children were abducted while she was driving them to school at about 7:30 a.m. on June 3, 2026. The rescue was achieved through sustained intelligence gathering, surveillance, and tactical operations. These efforts enabled investigators to track the kidnappers’ movements, resulting in a confrontation with FID-IRT operatives.

During the confrontation, two suspected kidnappers were fatally wounded and two rifles were recovered. The victims were rescued unharmed and are now in safe custody, receiving medical care and support.

The Inspector-General of Police commends the courage, professionalism, and effectiveness of the FID-IRT operatives and all officers involved. Their resilience and commitment were instrumental in the safe rescue of the hostages.

Security operatives have intensified efforts in the area to apprehend fleeing members of the kidnapping syndicate. Preliminary intelligence indicates that some suspects escaped with gunshot injuries. Operations are ongoing to track, arrest, and bring all involved to justice.

The Nigeria Police Force appreciates the public’s support, cooperation, and patience during the operation. We remain committed to combating violent crime, protecting lives and property, and ensuring the safety of all citizens.

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First Lady’s Cars Distribution to APC Women Amid Oyo Kidnapping Crisis, Outrage or Applause?

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By Shakirat Akintola

As the agonizing wait for dozens of abducted students and teachers in Oyo State stretches into another grueling week, a storm of public outrage has erupted over a high-profile political gesture from the nation’s capital.

The source of the friction? A fleet of newly donated vehicles.

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has sparked intense debate across Nigeria following the launch of the “Tinubu Torchbearers,” a mobilization group under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). To kick off the initiative, the First Lady donated vehicles to APC women leaders across five opposition-controlled states: Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Osun, and Oyo.
While the presentation was met with cheers inside the political halls, the feedback online and on the streets of Oyo has been starkly different, raising a fundamental, painful question: Can there be celebration without rescue?

The Political Machinery in Motion

During the presentation, Senator Tinubu was explicit about the nature and intent of the donation. She clarified that the vehicles were personal donations and instructed that they be registered directly in the names of the respective state women leaders. She didn’t stop there, urging APC governors across the country to follow suit and empower the women leaders in their own domains.

Defending the move as a core part of political engagement, the First Lady noted, “We are politicians, and people should see what the value is.”

But for many Nigerians watching the event unfold against the backdrop of a worsening security situation, the “value” being demonstrated felt incredibly detached from the immediate reality on the ground.

“A Question of Timing”

In Oyo State, where families are still frozen in trauma over the unresolved mass kidnapping of students and educators, the arrival of political campaign vehicles has rubbed salt into an open wound. Local commentators and citizens quickly took to social media and radio programs to challenge the priorities of the ruling class.

“We are talking about missing children, terrified parents, and schools that aren’t safe,” noted one Ibadan-based community advocate during an morning broadcast on Arise News. “And the immediate response we see from Abuja is the distribution of cars to mobilize voters for the next election? It feels like the campaign never stops, even when our hearts are breaking.”
The dialogue surrounding the incident highlights a deep, systemic disconnect. On one hand, the political class views internal party mobilization and the strengthening of its structures as standard, ongoing operations. On the other hand, a traumatized public views it as a tone-deaf display of luxury and politicking during a moment of profound national grief.

The Growing Divide

As the opposition-controlled states digest this move, the debate in Oyo remains the most volatile. Critics argue that the logistics, funding, and energy poured into launching the Tinubu Torchbearers could have been better utilized in supporting local security infrastructure or visible community solidarity.

For now, the vehicles are set to hit the roads, registered to partisan leaders. But as long as the classrooms in Oyo remain empty and the abducted victims remain in the bush, every political convoy that passes through these states will likely face the same haunting question from the people: Where is the rescue?

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Glo Introduces “More Data More Value” Offer to Boost Customers’ Experience

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Determine to enrich the digital experience of its subscribers, Globacom has introduced a new data offer, tagged “More Data More Value only on Glo”. The new offer gives customers as much as 10 percent more data across its bundles as the Nigerian telecom landscape shifts toward a data-led economy.

Globacom explained in a statement that “The new offer is designed to ensure that every Naira spent by a Nigerian consumer yields the highest possible digital return”, thus reinforcing the company’s long-standing reputation for affordability and empowerment.

“More Data More Value” offers a variety of weekly and monthly options planned to balance daytime and night-time usage. The weekly plan includes ₦1,000 option which provides 3.7GB of total data, consisting of 1.7GB main data and 2GB night data, while that of ₦2,000 offers 9GB in total, divided into 6.5GB main data and 2.5GB night data.

The monthly plan also comes with different options including that of ₦1,500 which delivers a total of 5.2GB (2.2GB main data paired with 3GB night data); the ₦2,000 option offering 6.25GB data, a combination of 3.25GB main data and 3GB night data and16.5GB, comprising 14.5GB main data and 2GB night data which goes for N5,000. There is also the ₦10,000 and N15,000 options, with N10,000 providing 42GB total, 38GB main data and 4GB night data, while ₦15,000 offers 64GB in total, consisting of 62GB main data and 2GB night data.

Glo’s enhanced bundles provide the necessary incentive for students, remote workers, and entrepreneurs to browse longer, whether for TikTok trends, Instagram aesthetics, YouTube streaming, or high-stakes gaming and stream without fear, ensuring their professional and social lives remain uninterrupted.

These improved bundles from Globacom give entrepreneurs, remote workers, and students the incentive they need to browse longer, whether for high-stakes gaming, YouTube streaming, Instagram aesthetics, or TikTok trends, and stream on end, while ensuring seamlessness in their social and professional lives.

Beyond individual users, the “More Data More Value” offer also extend its benefits to families and SMEs. With the reliance of small businesses and households on mobile hotspots for their daily operations, Glo has optimized its offerings to serve as the preferred network for high-volume usage.

The offer also serves as a driver of digital transformation through the Glo Café app. Customers are encouraged to utilize the app for seamless bundle subscriptions, as it allows them to manage their “more than 10% extra” data with ease, thus ensuring rewarding user experience.

“More Data More Value” offer underscores Glo’s commitment to providing the best value-for-money which gives Nigerians the benefit of not compromising on their digital lifestyle

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