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Toyin Saraki Again!Makes History as Nigeria’s First Cannes Lion Judge

Published

8 years ago

June 21, 2018

Editor

Founder/President Wellbeing Foundation Africa, HE Mrs Toyin Saraki has made history as she has been appointed Nigeria’s first representative among the famous Cannes Lions Jury.

According to an official release from the organisers of the event, which is regarded as the World Cup of the creative industry, Mrs. Saraki was chosen along with representatives from Georgia, Kenya and Sri Lanka to join the Jury which has representatives from 50 different countries..

Mrs Saraki is to judge works in the Glass: Lion of Change Category which has Madonna Badger, Founder/Chief Creative Officer, Badger & Winters, USAas Jury President. The other members of the pane are:
Tea Uglow, Creative Director, Google, APAC
Rupen Desai, Vice Chairman for Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Edelman, APACMEA
Judy John, CEO, Canada & Chief Creative Officer, North America, Leo Burnett
Jean Batthany, VP, Creative, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Global
Deidre Smalls-Landau, EVP, Global Chief Cross-Cultural Officer, UM and EVP, Managing Director of IDENTITY, Global
Charlotte Beers, Speaker, Author, Former CEO, Ogilvy & Mather, Global
Toyin Ojora Saraki, Philanthropist, Founder-President, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Nigeria
David Guerrero, Creative Chairman, BBDO Guerrero, The Philippines
Rafael Rizuto, Chief Creative Officer – Founder, TBD, USA

ose Papa, Managing Director of Cannes Lions said: “The job of the Cannes Lions jury is to act as the custodians of creativity and celebrate work that demonstrates the value of creativity in all its forms. We are committed to ensuring that our juries include a diverse range of people from across the branded communications ecosystem.”

Last year the Festival announced new Lions with the introduction of a new Awards architecture to better reflect and support the fast-moving creative industries. These Lions include Creative eCommerce Lions, Brand Experience & Activation Lions, Social & influencer Lions, Sustainable Development Goals Lions and the Industry Craft Lions. An overall reduction in the number of categories within individual Lions refined the focus, while new categories were introduced to reflect how creative companies are operating.

“Cannes Lions is now in its 65th year and in that time the industry, and the organisations operating within it, has changed dramatically. These new specialised Lions require a broader range of skills and experience which will ultimately help expand our perspective of creative excellence,” said Terry Savage, Chairman, Cannes Lions. “The Lions are constantly evolving, just as the industry is, and our jury members are fundamental to ensuring that we keep creativity at the core of what we do.”

The 2018 Cannes Lions Awards will be presented at ceremonies taking place each evening throughout the Festival from the 18-22 June.

The 2018 members are:

Brand Experience & Activation Lions
Rob Reilly, Global Creative Chairman, McCann Worldgroup, Global – Jury President
Guillermo Tragant, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Furia, Argentina
Geert Verdonck , Creative Director, TBWA\Belgium, Belgium
Fernando Guntovitch, Founder/CEO, The Group, Brazil
Nuala Byles, EVP, Executive Creative Director, Geometry, Canada
Martin Vinacur, President and Executive Creative Director, AldeA Santiago, Chile
Vivian Yong, Executive Creative Director, Wieden+Kennedy, China
Radouane Hadj Moussa, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Prague, Czech Republic
Juan Manuel Koenig, Chief Creative Officer, Koenig Communications, Ecuador
Souen Le Van, Creative Director, Buzzman, France
Giorgi Avaliani, Creative Director, Leavingstone, Georgia
Sandra Loibl, Executive Creative Director, Serviceplan, Germany
Josh Mullens, Global EP & Head of Projects, Will O’Rourke Experiential, Global
Beatrice Remy, Managing Director, LORE, Hong Kong
Levente Kovacs, Chief Creative Officer, White Rabbit Budapest, Hungary
Brijesh Jacob, Chief Creative Technologist, DDBMudra Group, India
Shani Gershi, VP Creative, Freelance, Israel
Francesco Bozza, Chief Creative Officer, FCB, Italy
Satoshi Otsuka, Communication Architect/Digital Creative, ADK, Japan
Marialejandra Urbina, Director of Planning and Strategy, MullenLowe Group, LATAM
Yasmina Baz, Regional Creative Director, Leo Burnett, Lebanon
Alexis Ospina, Chief Creative Officer, Y&R, Mexico
Emily Beautrais, Creative Director, Clemenger BBDO, New Zealand
Lanre Adisa, Managing Director & Chief Creative Officer, Noah’s Ark, Nigeria
Ester Hjellum, Senior Art Director and Partner, Try, Norway
Juan Pablo Peschiera, Creative Director, Publicis, Peru
Agnieszka Klimczak, Creative Director, J. Walter Thompson, Poland
Pedro Pires, Founder Partner, Solid Dogma, Portugal
Johanna Santiago, Creative Director, J. Walter Thompson, Puerto Rico
Irina Pencea, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Jazz, Romania
Daniele Pancetti, Executive Creative Director, FCB Moscow, Russia
Primus Nair, Executive Creative Director, BBDO Singapore, Singapore
Matt Ross, Executive Creative Director, King James, South Africa
Victoria Sunmie Lhie, Director of Experience Strategy, Cheil Worldwide, South Korea
Gil Blancafort, CEO and Founder, Yslandia, Spain
Linnea Lofjord, Head of Brand Design, NordDDB, Sweden
Dennis Lueck, Chief Creative Officer, Jung von Matt/Limmat, Switzerland
Satit Jantawiwat, Chief Creative Officer, Cheil, Thailand
Darre Van Dijk, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\Neboko, The Netherlands
Lize Karaboga, Managing Partner, Ultra, Turkey
Juliana Paracencio, Regional Creative Director, Memac Ogilvy & Mather Dubai, UAE
Vicki Maguire, Joint Chief Creative Officer, Grey Global, UK
Shirin Majid, Executive Creative Director, Cake, UK
Tiffany Rolfe, Chief Creative Officer and Partner, Co:collective, USA
Menno Kluin, Chief Creative Officer, 360i, USA

Creative Data Lions
Marc Maleh, Global Director, Havas, Global – Jury President
Kim Bartkowski, Creative Director, Associate Partner, IBM iX, Australia
Alex Cheng, Vice President, Baidu and Chief Technology Officer, Baidu Search, China
Paola Aldaz, VP Marketing, Mastercard, Colombia
Chloe Hawking, Chief Digital Director, OMG, EMEA
Kim O’Brien, Director, Data Science & Analytics, Publicis.Sapient, Global
Ryota Mochizuki, Managing Director, Accenture Interactive, Japan
Bas Korsten, Creative Partner, J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Sebastian Tomich, SVP, Global Head of Advertising & Marketing Solutions, The New York Times, USA
Amy Avery, Chief Intelligence Officer, Droga5, USA

Creative eCommerce Lions
Nick Law, Global Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe and President of Publicis Communications, Global – Jury President
Cheelip Ong, Group Chief Creative Officer, 180.ai, Asia
Andrea Siqueira, Executive Creative Director, Isobar, Brazil
Dan Burdett, Senior Director of Marketing Innovation and Head of EMEA Marketing Lab, eBay, EMEA
Minah Kim, Director of User Experience, Cheil Worldwide, Global
Daniel Bonner, Global Chief Creative Officer, Wunderman, Global
Gemma Spence, Head of eCommerce, PHD Media Global Business, Global
Eric Jannon, VP Executive Creative Director, R/GA New York, USA

Creative Effectiveness Lions
Fernando Machado, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Burger King, Global – Jury President
Paula Lindenberg, Vice President Marketing, AB-Inbev, Brazil
Harjot Singh, Chief Strategy Officer, McCann Worldgroup, EMEA
Jonny Bauer, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Droga5, Global
Michael Houston, Worldwide CEO, Grey Group, Global
Anuraag Trikha, Global Director, Marketing Communications, Heineken, Global
Kristina Duncan, VP Global Marketing Communications Barbie, Mattel, Global
Brent Nelsen, Chief Strategy Officer, Leo Burnett, North America
Jeeyoung Park, SVP, Corporate Communications & Head of Brand Marketing, Hanwha Group, South Korea
Crystal Rix, Chief Strategy Officer, BBDO New York, USA

Design Lions
Johnny Tan, Executive Creative Director, 72andSunny, APAC – Jury President
Dominic Hofstede, Executive Creative Director, Maud Melbourne, Australia
Giovanni Vannucchi, Partner, Oz Estratégia+Design, Brazil
Vanessa Eckstein, Creative Director/Founder, Blok Design, Canada
Julia Deshayes, Art Director, TBWA\Paris, France
Katrin Oeding, CEO & Creative Director, Studio Oeding, Germany
Thomas Holst Sørensen, Creative Director, Global Design Innovation, LEGO, Global
Greg Quinton, Chief Creative Officer, Superunion, Global
Connie Birdsall, Sr. Partner and Global Creative Director, Lippincott, Global
Lulu Raghavan, Managing Director, Landor, India
Yuri Uenishi, Art Director, Dentsu Inc., Japan
Leonid Feigin, Creative Director, DDVB, Russia
Carola Gerlach, Former Creative Director, FutureBrand, Singapore
Vumile Mavumengwana, Designer, Creative Director, VM DSGN, South Africa
Ali Rez, Regional Creative Director – Middle East and Pakistan, BBDO, UAE

Digital Craft Lions
Jean Lin, Global CEO, Isobar, Global – Jury President
Saulo Rodrigues, VP, Executive Creative Director, Visual Design, R/GA, Brazil
Sanne Drogtrop, Head of Integrated Production, Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai, China
Madison Wharton, Global Chief Production Officer, Kirshenbaum Bond Senegal & Partners, Global
Cathrine Movold, Service Designer and Digital Product Strategist, Catalyst Business Design, Norway
Jeroen van der Meer, Executive Creative Director, MediaMonks, The Netherlands
Karen Boswell, Head of Innovations, adamandeveDDB, UK
Steve Jelley, Managing Director, Hammerhead VR, UK
Jennifer McBride, Director of Digital & Innovation, J. Walter Thompson, USA
Resh Sidhu, Creative Director, AKQA, USA

Direct Lions
Susan Credle, Global Chief Creative Officer, FCB, Global – Jury President
Sergio Pollaccia, Chief Creative Officer/CEO, AMEN, Argentina
Jim Ingram, Founder & Chief Creative Tinker, Thinkerbell, Australia
Sophie De Plecker, Creative Director, Leo Burnett, Belgium
Paulo Coelho, Co-President & Chief Creative Officer, DM9DDB, Brazil
Barbara Williams, Executive Creative Director, Track DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Canada
Francisco Cavada, Executive Creative Director, Y&R Santiago, Chile
Daniel Bermudez, Founder & Chief Creative Officer, FANTÁSTICA / BOMBAI, Colombia
Klara Palmer, Group Creative Director, McCann Prague, Czech Republic
Michael Robert, Chief Creative Officer/Co-Founder, ROBERT/BOISEN & Like-minded, Denmark
Luis Campoverde, General Creative Director, Véritas DDB & Tribal Worldwide, Ecuador
Gaëtan du Peloux, Creative Director, Marcel Paris, France
Felix Fenz, Executive Creative Director, Grabarz & Partner, Germany
Gerrit Zinke, Managing Director and Partner, thjnk Hamburg, Germany
Carol Lam, President & Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett, Greater China
Prateek Bhardwaj, National Creative Director, McCann Worldgroup, India
Gina Ridenti, Group Executive Creative Director, TBWA, Italy
Shota Hatanaka, Integrated Campaign Director, Hakuhodo Kettle, Japan
Paola Mounla, Creative Director, J. Walter Thompson, Lebanon
Rocío Cuadra, Vice President Creative, Only If, Mexico
Lisa Fedyszyn, Group Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather, New Zealand
Alexander Gjersøe, Creative Director & Partner, SMFB Oslo, Norway
Juan Carlos Gomez De La Torre, President, Chief Creative Officer, Circus Grey, Peru
Tomás Froes, Founder & Owner, MSTF Partners, Portugal
Sebastian Olar, Co-Creative Director, MAINSTAGE THE AGENCY, Romania
Polina Maguire, Creative Director, Havas, Russia
Lizi Hamer, Regional Creative Director, Octagon, Singapore
Neo Segola, Creative Director, FCB, South Africa
Kiyoung Kim, Executive Creative Director, Innocean Worldwide, South Korea
Anthony Chelvanathan, Group Creative Director, Leo Burnett, Sri Lanka
Karin Frisell, Senior Creative, Forsman & Bodenfors, Sweden
Sandra Genge, Managing Partner, Creative Strategy, FOUR Werbeagentur AG, Switzerland
Subun Khow, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu One (Bangkok), Thailand
Kalle Hellzen, Executive Creative Director, 180 Kingsday, The Netherlands
Can Faga, Executive Creative Director, Publicis Istanbul, Turkey
Kapil Bhimekar, Associate Creative Director, Y&R Dubai, UAE
Victoria Fox, CEO, LIDA, UK
Katrina Encanto, Creative Director, MullenLowe London, UK
Corinna Falusi, Chief Creative Officer & Partner, Mother NY, USA
Alfonso Marian, Co-Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy & Mather, USA
Chacho Puebla, Chief Creative Officer & Friend, MullenLowe, Western Europe & LATAM

Entertainment Lions
Debbi Vandeven, Global Chief Creative Officer, VML, Global – Jury President
Claudia Cristovao, Head of Brand Studio, Google, APAC
Lisa Buchan, Director, Lisa Buchan Consultancy, EMEA
Alexandra Ouzilleau, Global Head of Entertainment Partnerships, Havas Group, France
Alexandre Tan, VP Advertising & Brand Partnerships, Gameloft, France
Nils Rottsahl, Head of Edelman.ergo STUDIOS & Executive Producer, Edelman.ergo, Germany
Andre Llewellyn, Global Brand Strategy, Instagram, Global
Rafael Lazarini, Senior Vice President, Head of Business Development, Live Nation Entertainment, LATAM
Walid Kanaan, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\RAAD, MENA
Reed Collins, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy & Mather, North Asia
Miguel Bemfica, Chief Creative Officer, MRM McCann, Spain
Alice Chou, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Taiwan
Bas Verhart, Founder, THNK School of Creative Leadership and DFFRNT Media, The Netherlands
Luke Southern, Managing Director, DRUM, UK
Jez Nelson, CEO & Chief Creative Officer, Somethin’ Else, UK
Kristin Greene, Co-Founder/Principal, Flashpoint PR, USA
Elizabeth Lindsey, Managing Partner, Wasserman, USA
Ari Halper, Chief Creative Officer, FCB New York, USA
Rebecca Skinner, Managing Director / Executive Producer, Superprime Films, USA
Amy Emmerich, Chief Content Officer, Refinery29, USA

Film Lions
Luiz Sanches, Partner & Chief Creative Officer, AlmapBBDO, Brazil – Jury President
Laura Visco, Creative Director, 72andSunny Amsterdam, Argentina
Jen Speirs, Deputy Executive Creative Director, BMF, Australia
Laura Esteves, Creative Director, Y&R, Brazil Helen Pak, Chief Creative Officer, Grey Group Canada and President, Grey Toronto, Canada
Thomas Hoffmann, Creative Director and Owner, & Co., Denmark
Steffen Bärenfänger, Executive Creative Director, Mackevision, Germany
Fred Levron, Worldwide Creative Partner, FCB, Global
Senthil Kumar, Chief Creative Officer, J. Walter Thompson, India
Stefania Siani, Executive Creative Director, DLV BBDO, Italy
Takayuki Niizawa, Senior Creative Director, TBWA\Hakuhodo, Japan
Ariel Soto, VP & Chief Creative Officer, BBDO, Mexico
Koh Hwee Peng, Creative Partner, Blak Labs, Singapore
George Low, Creative Director, TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris JHB , South Africa
Isahac Oliver, Executive Creative Director, &Rosàs, Spain
Gustav Egerstedt, Executive Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi, Sweden
Asawin Phanichwatana, Executive Creative Director, GREYnJ UNITED, Thailand
Jessica Kersten, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Cloudfactory, The Netherlands
Valentine Freeman, Creative Director and Filmmaker, Other Animals, Inc., USA
Sally-Ann Dale, Chief Creation Officer, Droga5, USA

Film Craft Lions
Diane McArter, Founder & President, Furlined, Global – Jury President
Colin Renshaw, VFX Supervisor, Company Director, Alt.vfx, Australia
Alberto Lopes, Partner & Executive Producer, Vetor Zero, Brazil
Vibeke Nannerup, Founder & CEO, Liquidminds, Denmark
Dushan Drakalski, Chief Creative Officer, Y&R Productions, Europe
Masato Kosukegawa, Creative Director, Shiseido, Japan
Nick Bailey, Chairman, Independent, The Netherlands
James Bland, Partner, Blink, UK
Diane Jackson, Chief Production Officer, DDB Chicago, USA
Oliver Fuselier, Managing Partner, Tool of North America, USA
Gayle McCormick, Executive Producer, Ogilvy & Mather, USA

Glass: The Lion for Change
Madonna Badger, Founder/Chief Creative Officer, Badger & Winters, USA – Jury President
Tea Uglow, Creative Director, Google, APAC
Rupen Desai, Vice Chairman for Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Edelman, APACMEA
Judy John, CEO, Canada & Chief Creative Officer, North America, Leo Burnett
Jean Batthany, VP, Creative, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Global
Deidre Smalls-Landau, EVP, Global Chief Cross-Cultural Officer, UM and EVP, Managing Director of IDENTITY, Global
Charlotte Beers, Speaker, Author, Former CEO, Ogilvy & Mather, Global
Toyin Ojora Saraki, Philanthropist, Founder-President, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Nigeria
David Guerrero, Creative Chairman, BBDO Guerrero, The Philippines
Rafael Rizuto, Chief Creative Officer – Founder, TBD, USA

Health & Wellness Lions
R.John Fidelino, Executive Creative Director, InterbrandHealth, Global – Jury President
Carol Ong, President, Bebebalm, Asia
Cherie Davies, Creative Director, Sudler & Hennessey, Australia
Bruno Abner Rebelo, Creative Director, McCann Health, Brazil
Andre Hansen, Creative Director, Anthill Agency, Denmark
Orla Burke, Partner, EMEA Healthcare co-Lead, FleishmanHillard, EMEA
Tom Richards, Chief Creative Office, Havas Lynx, Europe
Alok Gadkar, General Manager & Executive Creative Director, The Classic Partnership, UAE
Melissa de Lusignan, Group Creative Director, The Hive Group, UK
Stephanie Berman, Former Partner & Chief Creative Officer, The Bloc, USA
Collette Douaihy, EVP, Executive Creative Director, Digitas Health, USA

Industry Craft Lions
Yang Yeo, Creative Kaiju , Hakuhodo Inc., APAC – Jury President
Alessandra Sadock, Creative Director, Artplan, Brazil
Kaz Tsuburaku, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Shanghai, China
Tereza Sverakova, Chief Creative Officer, Y&R Prague, Czech Republic
Abbie Walsh, Group Director, Fjord, EALA
Cristiana Boccassini, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Italy, Italy
Osborne Macharia, Owner & Photographer, K63 Studio, Kenya
Oskar Lübeck, Founder & Executive Creative Director, Bold, Sweden
Susan Young, EVP, Executive Creative Director, McCann New York, USA
Alvar Suñol, Co-President & Chief Creative Officer, ALMA DDB, USA

Innovation Lions
Tor Myhren, VP Marketing Communications, Apple, Global – Jury President
Eco Moliterno, Chief Creative Officer, Accenture Interactive, Brazil
Bessie Lee, Founder & CEO, Withinlink, China
Frederic Josue, Director of 18 (Havas X) and Global Executive Advisor, Havas, Global
Tessa Conrad, Global Director of Operations, TBWA & DAN Worldwide, Global
Perry Nightingale, Executive Creative Technologist, Grey Global, Global
Eran Gefen, Founder, Gefen Team – Innovation Agency, Israel
Johan Pihl, Creative Director, Great Works, Sweden
Thecla Schaeffer, Chief Marketing Officer, G-Star, The Netherlands
Tracey Follows, Head of Strategy, Wired Consulting, WIRED, UK

Media Lions
Tim Castree, Global CEO, Wavemaker, Global – Jury President
Martin Guirado, President, IPG Mediabrands, Argentina
Fiona Johnston, CEO, UM, Australia
Sophie Van Laer, Strategy Director, Initiative, Belgium
Cesar Toledo, Media VP, Tribal Worldwide, Brazil
Alain Desormiers, CEO, PHD and Touché!, Canada
Amrita Randhawa, CEO Asia Pacific & Executive Chair, Mindshare, China
Javier Urbaneja, Chief Creative Officer, Havas Tribu, Costa Rica
Stine Halberg, CEO, Publicis Media, Denmark
Hernando Eslava, Chief Executive Media Agencies, Peña Defilló Group, Dominican Republic
Neil Hurman, Chief Advisory Officer, OMD, EMEA
Chris Skinner, President, UM, EMEA
Andreas Bahr, Founder and Member of the Board, Fluent AG, Europe
Severine Six, CEO, All Response Media, France
Tino Krause, CEO, Mediacom, Germany
Greg James, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Havas Media Group, Global
Izzy Hedges, EVP, International Media, Vizeum, Global
Nigel Conway, Head of Global Media, Nestle, Global
Rajni Menon, CEO, Carat, India
Ran Bar- On, CEO & Partner, Mediacom, Israel
Chiara Tescari, Managing Partner, OMD, Italy
Sanshiro Shimada, General Manager, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, Japan
Lina Rivero, Strategy & Innovation Director, Havas, LATAM
Ravi Rao, CEO, Mindshare, MENA
Marta Ruiz-Cuevas, CEO, Publicis Media, Mexico
Nigel Douglas, CEO, OMD, New Zealand
Marie-Louise Alvær, Managing Director, PHD, Norway
Patrick Van Ginhoven, CEO, OMG, Peru
Dana Bulat, General Manager, United Media Services, Romania
Natalia Kiryanova, CEO, Wavemaker, Russia
Wayne Bishop, Managing Director, PHD, South Africa
Ester Garcia Cosin, General Manager, Havas Media Group, Spain
Niclas Fröberg, Chairman & Founder, Tre Kronor Media, Sweden
Nannette Passberg, Account Director, Carat, Switzerland
Pathamawan Sathaporn, Managing Director, Mindshare, Thailand
Danielle Pak, Head of Comms & Digital Strategy, Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tolga Uner, CEO, Mediacom, Turkey
Amy Armstrong, CEO, Initiative, USA
Diana Bojaj, EVP, Managing Partner, Global Connections Planning, UM/J3 , USA
Kendra Hatcher King, VP, Strategy and Consulting, South Region Lead, SapientRazorfish, USA

Mobile Lions
Jay Morgan, Innovations Director, The Monkeys, Australia – Jury President
Fabio Simoes, Executive Creative Director & Digital Creative Director, FCB , Brazil
Fura Johannesdottir, VP Executive Creative Director, Publicis.Sapient, EMEA
Aurélie de Villeneuve, Executive Creative Director, 5emeGauche Herezie Group, France
Oliver Drost, Chief Creative Officer, deepblue networks, Germany
Andrew Keller, Global Creative Director, Facebook Creative Shop, Global
Flavio Fabbri, Digital Chief Creative Officer, Armando Testa Group, Italy
Kyoko Yonezawa, Creative Technologist, Dentsu Inc., Japan
Harsh Kapadia, Executive Creative Director, VML, UK
Ari Weiss, Chief Creative Officer NA, DDB Worldwide, USA

Entertainment Lions for Music
Lori Feldman, EVP Strategic Marketing, Warner Bros. Records, USA – Jury President
Kito Siqueira, Music & Sound Producer, Satellite Audio, Brazil
Jeannette Perez, President of Global Synch & Brand Partnerships, Kobalt | AWAL, Global
Jackie Jantos, Vice President, Brand & Creative, Spotify, Global
Leo Premutico, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Johannes Leonardo, Global
Sander van Maarschalkerweerd, Founding Partner & CEO, Sizzer Group, The Netherlands
Mike O’Keefe, VP 4th Floor Creative, Sony Music , UK
Jocelyn Brown, Executive Producer, Squeak E Clean Productions, USA
Joel Simon, CEO & Chief Creative Officer, JSM Music, USA

Outdoor Lions
Chris Garbutt, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA, Global – Jury President
Mariana Borga, Creative Director, J. Walter Thompson, Brazil
Stephan Vogel, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy & Mather, EMEA
Jean-François Sacco, Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder, Rosapark, France
Jayanta Jenkins, Global Group Creative Director, Twitter, Global
Pallavi Chakravarti, Executive Creative Director, Taproot Dentsu, India
Daniel Kee, Executive Creative Director, MullenLowe, Singapore
Damisa Ongsiriwattana, Co-Founder/ Executive Creative Director, SOUR Bangkok, Thailand
Erica Hoholick, President, phenomenon, USA

Pharma Lions
Rich Levy, Chief Creative Officer, FCB Health, Global – Jury President
Shefali Srinivas, VP, Health Lead, Asia Pacific, WE Communications, APAC
Patrick Ackmann, Executive Creative Director, WEFRA, Germany
Oliver Caporn, Worldwide Creative Director and Executive Director, CDM London, Global
Renata Florio, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy Health and Wellness, Global
Lyndon Louis, Senior Creative Director, Havas Live Sorento, India
Paola Figueroa, Creative VP, Made, Mexico
John Scott, Creative Director, Ward6, Singapore
Victoria McGee, Associate Creative Director, Langland, UK
Carolyn O’Neill, Chief Creative Officer, Centron NY, USA

PR Lions
Stuart Smith, Global CEO, Ogilvy PR, Global – Jury President
Cassandra Cheong, Founder, Accenzvision, APAC
Damian Martinez Lahitou, CEO, Feedback PR, Argentina
Aden Ridgeway, Partner, Cox Inall Ridgeway, Australia
Patricia Bartuira, Director, FleishmanHillard, Brazil
Mia Pearson, CEO, MSL, Canada
Darren Burns, President, China, and Chair, Creativity & Innovation, Asia Pacific, Weber Shandwick
Andres Ortiz, Senior Partner, Dattis, Colombia
Anders Sigsgaard-Rasmussen, Head of Insight, Radius Kommunication, Denmark
Arnaud Pochebonne, General Manager, Weber Shandwick, France
Mirko Kaminski, CEO, achtung!, Germany
Lesley Sillaman, Senior Vice President, Havas PR, Global
Cecile Nathan-Tilloy, Managing Director – Global Client Relationship, Edelman Intelligence, Global
Alan VanderMolen, President International, WE Communications, Global
Valerie Pinto, CEO, Weber Shandwick, India
Ishteyaque Amjad, Public Affairs & Communications, Coca-Cola, India & South West Asia
Elisabeth Leriche, Advertising, Digital & CRM Manager, Renault, Italy
Tetsuji Hirose, Executive Officer, Dentsu Inc., Japan
Adriana Valladares, CEO, Burson Marsteller, Mexico
Gina McKinnon, General Manager, Fuse, New Zealand
Sindre Beyer, Head of PR and Content Marketing, Try, Norway
Agnieszka Bacińska, CEO, Walk PR, Poland
José Franco, Founder & CEO, Corpcom, Portugal
Andreea Grigorean, PR Officer, Publicis, Romania
Alexander Chernov, Board Member, SVP, Skolkovo Foundation, Russia
Ee Rong Chong, Group Managing Director, Ogilvy, Singapore
Michelle Tham, Managing Director, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Singapore and Malaysia
Higinio Martínez, CEO, Omnicom PR Group, Spain and Portugal
Mattias Ronge, Chairman, Creative Strategist, Edelman Deportivo, Sweden
David Schärer, Partner, Rod Kommunikation, Switzerland
Sorada Sonprasit, CEO, Brilliant & Million, Thailand
Wendeline Sassen, Strategy Director, Havas Lemz, The Netherlands
Ann Maes, Head of Influence, Ogilvy Amsterdam and Managing Director, Ogilvy Public Relations, The Netherlands and Belgium
Gizem Kececi, Director of Corporate Communications, Siemens, Turkey
Alex Malouf, Corporate Communications Manager, Arabian Peninsula, Procter & Gamble, UAE
Candace Kuss, Director of Social Media, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, UK
Ruth Yearley, Partner, Director of Insight and Strategy, Ketchum PR, UK
Denise Kaufmann, Partner, Director Client Development, North America, Ketchum, USA
Jaclyn Ruelle, SVP, Group Account Director, MullenLowe PR, USA
Tonya Veasey, President & CEO, OCGPR, USA

Print & Publishing Lions
Kate Stanners, Chairwoman & Global Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, Global – Jury President
Rodolfo Sampaio, Creative Partner, Moma Propaganda, Brazil
Jaime Mandelbaum, Chief Creative Officer, Y&R, Europe
Diego Medvedocky, Chief Creative Officer, Grey Group, LATAM
Marta Lluciá, Executive Creative Director, McCann Worldgroup, Spain
Livio Dainese, Chief Creative Officer & Co-CEO, Wirz BBDO, Switzerland
Leigh Reyes, President & Chief Creative Officer, MullenLowe, The Philippines
Rosie Arnold, Creative Partner & Head of Art, AMV BBDO, UK
Justine Armour, Executive Creative Director, 72andSunny NYC, USA

Product Design Lions
Asif Khan, Architect, Asif Khan Ltd, Global – Jury President
Christiane Bausback, Managing Director + Head of Design, N+P Industrial Design, Germany
Jeremy Lindley, Global Design Director, Diageo, Global
Darshan Gandhi , Head of Design, Godrej Consumer Products, India
Raffaella Citterio, Head of Experience, Interbrand, Italy
Naoki Ono, Copywriter/Product Designer, Hakuhodo, Japan
Per Ivar Selvaag, Principal, Montaag, Norway
Alex Hulme, Director, Map Project Office, UK
Victoria Slaker, VP, Industrial Design, Ammunition, USA
Rei Inamoto, Founding Partner, Inamoto & Co, USA

Radio & Audio Lions
Jo McCrostie, Creative Director, Global, UK – Jury President
Alvaro Rodrigues, Chief Creative Officer & CEO, Fullpack, Brazil
Jenny Smith, President / Creative Director, Ray, Canada
Matthias Storath, MD, Executive Creative Director, Heimat, Germany
Kerry Keenan, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Never The Less, Global
Toby Talbot, Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, New Zealand
Hugo Delgado, General Director, Grupo RPP, Peru
Molefi Thulo, Creative Director, Ogilvy JHB, South Africa
Blanca Gomara, Executive Creative Director, Dimensión, Spain
Jill Kershaw, CEO, Executive Creative Director, Sound & Fury, USA

Sustainable Development Goals Lions
Mark Tutssel, Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett Worldwide, Global – Jury President
Akae Wang, Executive Creative Director, Tencent, China
Jean-Charles Caboche, Managing Director, BETC, France
Maher Nasser, Director of the Outreach Division (Judging in Personal Capacity), United Nations, Global
Claudia Romo Edelman, Chair, We Are All Human Foundation and Co-Host, Global GoalsCast, Global
Kash Sree, Executive Creative Director, gyro, Global
Ariana Stolarz, Global Chief Strategy Officer, MRM//McCann, Global
Eduardo Maruri, President & CEO, Grey Latam, President & CCO Maruri Grey, LATAM
Gustavo Lauria, Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder, We Believers, USA
Tina Allan, EVP Director of Data Solutions, BBDO New York, USA

Social & Influencer Lions
Mark D’Arcy, VP, Chief Creative Officer, Facebook, Global – Jury President
Mônica Salgado, Journalist, Influencer, TV Presenter, Mônica Salgado, Brazil
Lennie Stern, Head of Creative and Entertainment Strategies, BETC, France
Ralf Osteroth, Senior VP Marketing & Sales, Studio71, Germany
Eric Edge, Head of Global Marketing Communications, Pinterest, Global
Anthony Svirskis, CEO, TRIBE, Global
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Is Amupitan’s INEC Complicit?

Published

9 hours ago

April 5, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Following the Wednesday derecognition of the leadership of the main opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), by the Prof Joash Amupitan-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), diverse narratives have flooded media space as to the real reason behind the decision.

A section of the Nigerian population has wondered if the INEC is playing out a well written script or swaying to a thoroughly rehearsed and choreographed dance. Others have hinted that the electoral body, and its officials, who are products of the powers that be, are harking to the voice of their pay paymaster to ensure that the vocal fears of many Nigerians regarding the intention of the President Bola Tinubu-controlled Federal Government and All Progressives Congress (APC) to turn the country to a one-party state comes to reality.

These and many other developments in recent times have prompted the rhetorical question, is Amupitan’s INEC complicit? Are the popularly assumed Independent body dependent on the APC government to dance to their tunes? Will Amupitan, whom many Nigerians celebrated his appointment go the way if other INEC chairmen? Especially the immediate past chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, who has been rewarded with ambassadorial appointment presently.

It would be recalled that INEC, on Wednesday through its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, announced the Commission’s decision to withdraw their recognition of the ADC leadership, with special emphasis to the Chairman, Senator David Mark and Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, in a statement.

It hinged its decision on a court order which directed the commission to maintain the status quo pending the determination of a suit challenging the legality of David Mark’s leadership of the opposition party. But the maintenance of status quo has been variously interpreted by interested parties to suit their various whims and caprice.

While the Amupitan-led INEC believes that status quo means going back to the days before the leadership of David Marj came on board, the ADC argued that the status quo promptly refers to the period before any law suit was Instituted. The development puts a heavy question mark on the judiciary, and it’s ambiguous declarations and judgment, and the lawyers, who most times, out of mischief, refuses to adhere to the correct interpretation in as much as they are aware what the interpretation is or should be.

Now, who interprets the interpreter?

INEC has said in a statement that the appellate court, in a judgment delivered on March 12, 2026, directed all parties to maintain the existing situation before the dispute arose and refrain from actions that could prejudice the outcome of the case.

“That the Commission would, in accordance with the Order of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026 refrain from taking any step or doing any act capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or otherwise rendering nugatory the proceedings before the trial court, having regard to all the processes filed before the trial Court,” the statement read.

Reacting, the mark-led ADC and a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through their spokespersons, Bolaji Abdullahi and Ini Ememobong, insisted that the development was a calculated attempt to undermine democratic structures, alleging the involvement of the APC government and urging supporters to mobilise in defence of democratic principles.

Abdullahi said INEC’s position does not reflect the facts of the case and raises concerns about impartiality. He noted in a statement as follows:

“We reject INEC’s interpretation of the Court of Appeal ruling.

“INEC’s press statement is full of contradictions that fly in the face of both facts and reason. We shall clarify these contradictions for all to see. What is clear, however, is that INEC has caved to pressure and has chosen to side with the government against the Nigerian people,” the statement read.

“We are currently reviewing our options, and we shall make these known soon.

“Meanwhile, we call on our members and all Nigerians to remain steadfast as they await further directives.

“Nigeria is rising. ADC is rising,” he added.

As a follow-up to the rejection, the ADC called for the resignation or sack of the INEC Chairman, accusing him of complicity and colluding with the ruling APC to ensure no other political party is on the ballot paper to challenge the APC in the 2027 elections.

Mark, who addressed the world press conference noted as follows in a speech titled, This Attack on Democracy Will Not Stand.

On behalf of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and lovers of democracy, I welcome you all to this world press conference.

Since 1999, Nigeria has been under democratic rule. After 27 years, we thought we could proudly celebrate the entrenchment of democracy, believing that the country’s dictatorial past has receded into history.

Our experience in the past three years or so since President Bola Tinubu came to power has however confirmed otherwise. Democracy is only sustained by the quality of freedom that it offers and guarantees, especially the freedom to choose, the freedom to participate, and the freedom to associate. These freedoms are so critical to democracy that without them, democracy dies.

Yet, in the past three years, we have witnessed a relentless assault on these very freedoms. The agenda is very clear, to create a situation where, in 2027, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerges as the only option left for the people, despite the widespread suffering and wanton killings going on across the country. The twin challenge of deepening poverty, and worsening security situation in the country did not just happen. They are direct consequences of the failure of this government. They know that Nigerians will not want this to continue. They know Nigerians will vote them out. This is why they would do anything to hang on to power by hook or crook.

Background to the Coalition

The coalition of opposition parties came about as a result of a collective search for democratic freedom and the desire to resist what was clearly a relentless assault on opposition political parties. The coalition leaders decided to come together under ADC to save multi-party democracy in Nigeria and rescue Nigeria from what was clearly an emerging dictatorship.

We did not come to the ADC by chance. We did our due diligence. We fulfilled all the party’s constitutional requirements, as well as all wider requirements under the laws that guide the management and operation of political parties.

In furtherance of this process, a NEC meeting was convened on July 29th, 2025, monitored by INEC officials. One of the conclusions of that NEC meeting was the dissolution of the National Working Committee of the party, and the ratification of a caretaker committee to take over the affairs of the party, with my humble self, David Mark, as the National Chairman; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the National Secretary; as well as others who have since been serving as officers of the party.

In addition to witnessing this process that brought in the new leadership of the party, a formal report of these resolutions was subsequently communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). On September 9th, 2025, INEC then uploaded the names of the relevant NWC members of the party, based on the NEC resolutions.

One of the officials in the dissolved NWC was Nafiu Bala, who was one of the Deputy National Chairmen of the party. It is on record that Gombe resigned this position on 17th May, 2025. His resignation was also duly transmitted to INEC on the 12th of August, 2025. Regardless of his resignation, he decided to approach the courts on September 2nd, 2025, four clear months after his resignation, seeking to be recognised as the Chairman of the ADC.

What this means is that by the 2nd of September, when he approached the courts, INEC was already aware that Secretary Aregbesola and I had been inaugurated on the 29th of July in a process monitored by INEC. INEC was also aware that Gombe had resigned his position before the said inauguration on the 29th of July.

While this matter was in court, our team of lawyers approached the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court. In rejecting the appeal, the Court of Appeal ordered the parties including INEC to maintain the status quo ante bellum.

After this ruling on March 12th, 2026, we noticed a flurry of activities by lawyers associated with Nafiu Bala, requesting INEC to recognise him as the new chairman, or to de-recognise Aregbesola and I as the secretary and chairman respectively, in a curious interpretation of what constitutes status quo ante bellum. But we knew all along that Nafiu Bala and his lawyers were not acting on their own volition. They had become willing tools in the hands of a ruling party that had lost all support and goodwill of the Nigerian people; a government that had become desperate to cling on to power by all means even if it meant throwing the country into avoidable crisis.

In the past couple of months, ADC has become the only viable opposition party left in Nigeria. But this APC government does not want any opposition. While we were fully aware of all their desperate plans, we remained confident that no level of desperation would have driven the government and the INEC to take a direct action against the ruling of the court. But we were wrong.

It was therefore to our surprise, yesterday, 1st of April, that INEC issued a press statement after the close of business hours, announcing that it had decided to withdraw recognition for both the ADC leadership, which I head, and the fictitious one purportedly led by Nafiu Bala, thereby creating a false equivalence between the parties.

By purporting to recognizing Nafiu Bala as a faction, INEC seems to have conveniently forgotten that this individual had resigned his position, to the knowledge of INEC itself.

The Legal Position

The crux of the matter is the interpretation of what constitutes status quo ante bellum, which the Court of Appeal directed should be maintained. From all authoritative counsel at our disposal, there is no legal interpretation or precedent that could possibly lead to the outcome that INEC seeks to foist on our party.

Based on its press statement of yesterday, INEC is pretending to be confused as to what constitutes the status quo ante bellum. If this was so, under the circumstances, what one would have expected was for INEC to approach the Court of Appeal to request a judicial interpretation of what truly represents the status quo under the circumstances. But it did not do this. While posturing to be neutral, its actions confirm that it has become irredeemably partisan, working, as it were, towards a preconceived agenda. With its action, this INEC has left no one in doubt that it has chosen the path of dishonour and has become complicit in undermining Nigeria’s democracy. It therefore can no longer be trusted.

What we say in essence is this: INEC cannot choose to fix the status quo from the day it took the administrative action to upload the names of the new ADC officials on its website, because INEC does not have the power to determine for any political party who its leaders should be. That decision was taken on July 29th, not on September 9th. With its press release yesterday, INEC has invented a status quo that never existed, because there was no time that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) did not have a duly constituted leadership. What INEC has done is to create a situation that, by its own curious logic, leaves the ADC without leadership. This certainly cannot be the status quo that the Court of Appeal directed should be preserved. It is an INEC invention that is not known to any Nigerian law.

There is only one conclusion that Nigerians can draw from the April 1st action taken by INEC: THE ELECTORAL UMPIRE HAS TAKEN SIDES. IT CAN NO LONGER BE TRUSTED. As a matter of fact, INEC has acted in contempt of the Court of Appeal and has therefore acted unlawfully.

My fellow democrats, distinguished ladies and gentlemen. It is not the ADC that is under attack. This is a direct assault on Nigeria’s democracy and the right of Nigerians to choose, participate, and exercise their rights as free citizens. We have witnessed how the APC-led Federal Government has undermined, compromised, and coerced other opposition political parties. The ADC has risen as the last bastion between Nigeria’s democracy and full-blown dictatorship. And this is what worries them.

What is now unfolding is a concerted effort to dismantle that last bulwark. If we allow this to happen, it could signal the end of our democracy as we know it. If we yield to it, we would have become complicit by our inaction. We therefore hold it a duty to our democracy and the Nigerian people to say “no”.

Right now, I speak to Nigerians at home and in diaspora. I also speak directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: with 90% of the National Assembly and over 30 of Nigeria’s 36 Governors in the APC, President Tinubu, what are you afraid of? If you are convinced that you have done well for the people who voted for you, why are you afraid of a free, fair, and transparent electoral contest? If you are indeed the democrat that you claim to be, why are you bent on destroying all opposition political parties?

Let me reiterate for the record; there are no competing claims on the leadership of the ADC. Nafiu Bala has no locus whatsoever. INEC should have waited for the Court of Appeal to decide this matter. Instead, INEC went ahead to do the bidding of the ruling party. But let us be clear: the role of INEC over political parties is not administrative: it is not managerial: It is simply supervisory.

For the avoidance of doubt, the leadership of ADC inaugurated at the 29th July 2025, NEC meeting remains the lawful leaders of the party. Party members and all Nigerians should therefore remain calm as there is no cause for alarm whatsoever.

It is important to state the net implications of this decision taken by INEC, in case they had not thought of it, or they just do not care:

First, by attempting to subvert the leadership of the ADC, INEC has already undermined our participation in the Osun and Ekiti elections taking place later this year.

Secondly, we have our congresses starting on the 9th of April, 2026, ending with our convention on the 14th April, 2026. We have given due notice to INEC, and they have acknowledged receipt of that notice. This is what the law requires of us.

Let us sound a note of warning. This INEC under Professor Joash Amupitan will be held directly responsible for whatever actions or reactions that follow this criminal path that it has chosen to take.

Our demand is therefore clear:

We demand the immediate resignation or sack of the INEC Chairman, Professor Amupitan, and all the National Commissioners. We no longer have confidence in them. We are convinced that they are incapable of conducting any credible election.

Let us also make it clear: we are proceeding with our party programmes, because there is nothing under the law that makes INEC’s attendance, a mandatory requirement. We have duly served INEC notice, and we will proceed accordingly.

We also call on the international community to take note of INEC’s actions of April 1st, and of the restraint we are exercising today. We urge them to recognise the clear threat to Nigeria’s democracy and stability, and to hold accountable those who are undermining the integrity of the electoral process.

We call on Nigerians to defend our democracy. This is a defining moment. Stand firm. Speak out. Participate. Resist any attempt to impose a one-party state on Nigeria. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and together, we must protect it.

It is often said, that the arc of history does not bend towards tyranny. It bends towards freedom.

And no matter how long the night may seem, the morning will come.

Nigeria will not be silenced. Nigeria will not be conquered.

Nigeria is rising, ADC is rising.

While Nigerians from all walks of life continue to react either positively or negatively, depending on the political divide, the ADC has insisted on going ahead with its National Convention scheduled for April 14, 2026, and its Congresses in deviance to INEC’s directive.

INEC had warned the ADC that it risks losing out completely it went ahead to conduct a Convention without the backing of the electoral body and with a court judgment on maintenance of status quo hanging on their necks. But the ADC would hear none of this, claiming that INEC is acting out a script, carefully written out by the Tinubu-led FG and APC.

Lending his voice to the accusation that Amupitan is backed by Tinubu’s government, prominent legal scholar Professor Chidi Odinkalu alleged that Professor Amupitan signed a resignation letter before taking office as a condition of his appointment — and that the threat of releasing it was used to pressure him into withdrawing recognition from the David Mark-led National Working Committee of the African Democratic Congress.

“I have it on the most impeccable authority that there is a pre-signed resignation letter by Chairman Amupitan.

“It was a precondition for his appointment. Ultimately, that had to be called in aid by those who persuaded him to issue this release. The threat of releasing it did the magic,” Odinkalu wrote on X.

Odinkalu also noted that INEC’s decision came roughly 60 hours after senior officials of the commission held meetings with the Presidency, justices of the Court of Appeal, and the Federal High Court — a sequence of events he said was not coincidental.

He further warned that the 2027 election “will not be much of an election,” stressing that the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process, and the stability of the country, could be at serious risk if the allegations prove true.

Also speaking, a former Director, Voter Education and Publicity in INEC, Barr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, faulted the commission’s de-recognition of the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC, insisting that the Opposition party should go ahead with its planned congresses despite its ongoing leadership dispute before the court.

Osaze-Uzzi said while he held the leadership of INEC in high regard, he had serious reservations about the commission’s interpretation of the Appeal Court order at the centre of the ADC leadership tussle.

Osaze-Uzzi argued that the order in question was not one that stripped either side in the crisis of legitimacy, but rather one that sought to preserve the subject matter of the case pending final determination by the High Court.

“Because the court did not say that INEC will withdraw recognition from either faction. All it did say is that both INEC and the contesting factions will be careful not to do anything that will usurp the power of the court and its ability to do justice on the matter,” he stated.

“I think the ADC should proceed with all that they are doing, as long as they do not impugn the majesty of the court and its ability to do justice on the case,” Osaze-Uzzi said.

According to him, the court did not direct INEC to withdraw recognition from either of the contending factions in the party, but only cautioned all parties against taking any step that could undermine the authority of the court or frustrate the judicial process.

The debate whether the Mark-led ADC defaulted when they took over the leadership of the party in July 2025 still remains on the front burner with the opposers, mostly APC adherents, lashing out at the opposition party, and hailing INEC’s decision while supporters of the ADC have not only blamed the INEC, but accused Tinubu of fear of having opposition.

The coming days promise to be dicey in the Nigerian political terrain, seeing that the ADC is the only viable opposition to Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027.

While Nigerians watch events develop, the all-important question remains, is Amupitan’s INEC complicit?

Headline

What Manner of Condolence Visit is This, Atiku Knocks Tinubu on Trip to Jos

Published

3 days ago

April 2, 2026

Eric

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday criticised President Bola Tinubu’s condolence visit to Plateau State, describing it as a troubling reflection of what he called a growing disconnect between leadership and the plight of ordinary Nigerians.

In a statement issued in Abuja by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku expressed deep concern over the President’s response to the killings in parts of Plateau, insisting that the visit fell short of the empathy and urgency demanded by the tragedy.

The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress highlighted that the events in Plateau once again exposed “a disturbing and unacceptable approach to national tragedy.”

He said, “It is both shocking and deeply insensitive that several days after the gruesome killings of innocent citizens, the President’s so-called ‘on-the-spot assessment’ was reduced to a brief stop at the foot of his aircraft, never extending beyond the airport, never reaching the grieving communities, and never touching the pain of the victims.

“Even more troubling is the impression that this fleeting visit was hurriedly curtailed to allow the President to proceed to Lagos for the Easter holidays, a decision that reflects a deeply troubling prioritisation in the face of national grief.

“While families continue to mourn those slaughtered on Palm Sunday, the President chose to convert what ought to have been a solemn visit into a political spectacle, meeting party loyalists in Jos under the thin guise of official engagement. This is not leadership; it is indifference dressed as protocol.”

According to him, the President’s handling of the Plateau visit reflects a recurring pattern of what he described as insensitive and politically driven responses to national tragedies.

He referenced a similar condolence visit to Benue State in June 2025, which he said avoided the worst-hit community and turned into a political gathering, arguing that the repetition suggests a consistent approach rather than an isolated lapse.

“In Plateau, the President neither visited the bereaved families nor the injured receiving treatment in hospitals. He offered no concrete policy direction, no decisive security intervention, and no reassurance that such horrors would not recur.

“Instead, he staged a meet-and-greet within the confines of the airport, surrounded by politicians, traditional rulers, and party operatives—far removed from the anguish of the people. This is not only inappropriate; it is shameful. A leader who cannot stand with his people in their darkest hour cannot convincingly claim to be fighting for their safety,” he stated.

Atiku’s remarks come hours after President Tinubu visited Plateau State following last Sunday’s deadly attacks in Jos, particularly in the Angwan Rukuba area, where at least 27 people were reported killed.

During the visit, the President reportedly met with a grieving mother whose anguish had gone viral after she was seen clutching the lifeless body of her son and some other victims of the attacks.

Addressing her by name, Tinubu acknowledged her loss and assured affected families of government support, noting that no compensation could adequately replace lost lives.

Speaking through his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the incidents as “barbaric and cowardly,” vowing that those responsible would be brought to justice.

The President was received on arrival in Jos by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, and other senior government officials.

Headline

ADC Dares INEC, Affirms Plans for Congresses, Convention

Published

3 days ago

April 2, 2026

Eric

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has insisted on proceeding with its planned congresses and national convention despite the recent controversy surrounding its recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, announced this on Thursday while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, citing the party’s current leadership struggle.

Abdullahi stated that the party had already given INEC the required 21-day notice for its operations and that the commission acknowledged receipt of the notice.

He maintained that the ADC would not halt its internal processes regardless of INEC’s position, stressing that the party remains committed to carrying out its congresses and convention as scheduled.

The spokesman also expressed concern over what he described as growing threats to Nigeria’s democracy, warning against attempts to limit political competition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

His remarks follow INEC’s decision to remove the identities of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary from its official website.

The electoral authority has also announced that it will not accept Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking to be declared national chairman through the court.

He said, “If we’re in a military regime, we can understand it. We are finding ourselves in a situation where everything is being done to ensure that the election in 2027 is a fait accompli and that the Nigerians will be left with no option or no choice.
We’ve seen how this has ended in the past.

“So we are saying that we will go ahead with our congresses. We have given INEC 21 days’ notice. They have accepted the notice.

“So whether they come or not, we’ll continue with our congresses; we’ll continue with our convention.

“We are all Nigerians. We can see what is going on. We can see our democracy unravelling before our very eyes.”