Headline

Luxurious Lagos Marriot Hotel, Ikeja Opens May 19, Promises Premium Service

Published

5 years ago

May 12, 2021

Editor

By Michael Effiong Pix by Ken Ehimen & Marriot

The hospitality industry in Nigeria is about to witness a boost and attract global buzz as the luxurious and tastefully-decorated Lagos Marriot Hotel, opens its doors on Wednesday, May 19, 2021 in upscale GRA, Ikeja.

Owned by McFolly Hospitality Ltd, a subsidiary of Sifax Group and managed by Marriot, the 5-star hotel offers guests an opportunity to enjoy world class service at a facility that has a homely, African feel, according to Mr. Chike Ogeah, MD, McFolly Hospitality Ltd.

Mr Bode Ojeniyi, Executive Director, Corporate Services, Mr Rudi Janse Van Rensburg, Mrs. Eniola Wunmi Jegede & Mr Chike Ogeah, MD, McFolly Hospitalilty Ltd

In his words at an interactive session with select media personalities anchored by Mr. Muyiwa Akande and Catherine Abuah (both of SIFAX Group), Mr Ogeah stated “I assure you that Lagosians and indeed Nigerians will be very proud of what we have to offer. The excellent service, the wonderful ambience, the classy and luxurious décor and the authentic African feel.

ATQ Publisher, Ikechi Uko, GM, Rudi Janse Van Rensburg with Editor, Ovation International, Michsel Effiong

“We are very happy to have partnered with Marriot on this project. We wanted the very best and now we have it right here in Nigeria. We are indeed very excited about what the future holds for this facility and our adventure in the hospitality industry.

The Presidential Suite

“Apart from its age-long track record, Marriot is a cosmopolitan brand that allows each facility to develop its individuality and that is one of the reason they were chosen as our partner.The culture and the class are effectively combined to give guests a wondrous experience at every visit”

Muyiwa Akande, Head, Corporate Communications, Sifax Group with Catherine Abuah, Group Head, Marketing, Sifax Group

Mr Ogeah noted that it was the idea of Sifax Chairman, Dr Taiwo Afolabi to work with Marriot from the get go. “It is a testament to his tenacity, vision and industry that we have arrived at this destination. I told him that this will be his biggest legacy. And when you go round you will see why”.

The 1000-capacity Ball Room

He said that Dr Afolabi, who is also Chairman, McFolly Hospitality Ltd contributed to the express delivery of the project with his expertise in the ports. “This was important in terms of bringing container load of equipment. The project cost is in the region of N45billion if not for his know-how, even N100billion would not have made this facility ready at this time”

Publisher, Maestromedia, Abiola Aloba, Chike Ogeah, Managing Director, McFolly Hospitality Ltd & Michael Effiong

He revealed that getting the Marriot partnership was no easy feat recounting how the inspectors checked and ensured that even the minutest of details were not overlooked.

Derikoko & Ko Restaurant

He noted that GRA Ikeja was strategically chosen because “We want to create that nexus between the aviation and the hospitality industry. We are located close to the airport on purpose, we want to make this place a hub. We are the only hotel I know that has a purpose-built Crew Lounge. He also noted that the hotel creates an opportunity for employment and knowledge transfer for Lagosians and Nigerians in general.

Also speaking at the event, Rudi Janse Van Rensburg, General Manager, Lagos Marriot Hotel, Ikeja revealed that the hotel is a magnificent property that has taken almost seven years to build.

The classy Pool Terrace

According to him, the hotel, with 11 floors, has 250 bedrooms made up of, 206 rooms, 41 (Junior & Senior suites ) and 3 (Vice Presidential and Presidential Suites).

In his words “The Presidential suite is on the top floor, it is 400 square metres in size and has a terrace with an amazing view of the Lagos skyline.

“The whole hotel is designed with the original African drum theme and thus, in terms of fittings, furnishing and art pieces, there are lines all around and you will see different gele style arts too”

“Sticking with the Marriot Philosophy of traveling brilliant, the Lagos Marriot Hotel boost of four wonderful outlets. The Idapo Lounge is one of the signature facilities in the hotel. It is what others would call a lobby but we have converted that space to a great room that creates conviviality for guests who would not like to stay in their rooms all day but also give them some privacy and alone space”

He also revealed that “the hotel has the Koriko & Ko Restaurant, which is an all day dining buffet restaurant, Azure Grill and Bar which is conceptualized like the typical local “point & Kill” joint where customers can enjoy the fish experience of eating with hands, Suya, other grills and Nigerian cuisine and the Wakame, an Asian Restaurant that will serve Thai, Northern Indian, Chinese and Japanese delicacies. This section in terms of the interior design, has a different look and feel from other parts of the hotel.

The General Manager also revealed that the Pool side terrace is another wonder to behold and is open for outside guests and parties while also stating that the gym and fitness centre is topnotch. In addition to parking space for 400 cars as well as valet parking.

The GM making his presentation

That is not all, the hotel has meeting rooms, board rooms and a 1000-capacity ball room that is second to none in the area.

Mr. Van Rensburg also stated that loyalty members (Marriot, Bonvoy and Starwood) will have super pampering at the M Club adding “ We are waiting anxiously to open and give each of our guests, excellent service the Marriot way”

The event, also attended by Executive Director, Business Development & Strategic Planning, Sifax Group, Mrs. Wunmi Eniola Jegede was rounded off with a thank you message by Executive Director, Corporate Services, Sifax Group, Mr. Bode Ojeniyi.

Mr Ojeniyi began by reacting to a question on pricing “The best things are not necessarily the cheapest. Here, we are offering value, we are offering premium quality and we offering class, not about the price but how we would make you feel”

In ended thus: “This is the best Marriot in the whole of sub Saharan Africa, come and enjoy it. Thank you”

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Headline

Why Nigerians Must Reject INEC’s Revised Timetable – ADC

Published

5 days ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), during the week, released a fresh elections timetable, with major amendments to accommodate the just passed and signed Electoral Act 2026 by the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu respectively.

Following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, which introduced adjustments to statutory timelines governing pre-election and electoral activities, the Commission has reviewed and realigned the Schedule to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework.

Accordingly, the Commission has resolved as follows:

Presidential and National Assembly Elections will now hold on Saturday, 16th January 2027 as against the earlier stated February 20, 2027
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections will now hold on Saturday, 6th February 2027 as against the former date of March 6, 2027

Also in accordance with the approved Schedule of Activities, the electoral bidy noted in the revised timetable that:

Conduct of Party Primaries, including resolution of disputes arising from primaries, will commence on 23rd April 2026 and end on 30th May 2026.

Presidential and National Assembly campaigns will commence on 19th August 2026.

Governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns will commence on 9th September 2026.

As provided by law, campaigns shall end 24 hours before Election Day. Political parties are strongly advised to adhere strictly to these timelines. The Commission will enforce compliance with the law.

But in a swift reaction, the opposition coalition, African Democratic Congress (ADC), rejected the revised 2026–2027 general election timetable, describing it as a politically biased schedule designed to favour the re-election agenda of President Bola Tinubu, and calling on all Nigerians to speak up enmasse to reject the revised timetable.

The ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Friday argued that the new deadlines and compliance requirements under the Electoral Act 2026 create near-impossible hurdles for opposition parties seeking to field candidates.

On February 13, INEC initially scheduled the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections were fixed for March 6, 2027.

The timetable, however, faced objections from some Muslim stakeholders who noted that the dates coincided with the 2027 Ramadan period.

Following the concerns, the National Assembly amended Clause 28 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, reducing the required election notice period from 360 to 300 days, allowing INEC to adjust the election dates.

Subsequently, INEC released a revised schedule on Thursday, signed by its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, moving the Presidential and National Assembly elections to January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to February 6, 2027.

Reacting, the ADC said the requirement that political parties submit a comprehensive digital membership register by April 2, 2026, effectively bars opposition parties from participating.

The party stated: “The African Democratic Congress rejects the updated 2026–2027 electoral timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission. What has been presented as a routine administrative schedule of the upcoming general elections is, in fact, a political instrument carefully structured to narrow democratic space and strengthen the incumbent administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“According to the timetable, party primaries are to be conducted between April 23 and May 30, 2026, just 55 to 92 days from today. However, more significant is that, pursuant to Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, political parties are required to submit their digital membership registers to INEC not later than April 2, 2026.

“That is only about 34 days away. Section 77(7) further provides that any party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated time shall not be eligible to field a candidate. These are not routine administrative rules but are deliberately constructed barriers designed to exclude the opposition from participating in the election.”

The party further noted that Section 77(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires the digital register of members to contain name, sex, date of birth, address, state, local government, ward, polling unit, National Identification Number (NIN) and photograph in both hard and soft copies, while Section 77(6) prohibits the use of any pre-existing register that does not contain the specified information. It warned that failure to meet these requirements would lead to disqualification.

The ADC questioned the fairness of the digital membership requirement, noting that the ruling All Progressives Congress began its registration process in February 2025, long before the requirement became mandatory.

“It is not a product of foresight but insider advantage. They knew what was coming. They therefore had one full year to carry out an exercise that other political parties are expected to complete in one month, during which they must collect, process, collate and transmit large volumes of digital data to INEC under the threat of exclusion. This is practically impossible.

“Democratic competition is based on a level playing field that does not give any contestant an undue advantage. A system where one party exploits incumbency to gain a one-year head start on a requirement that other parties only became aware of when it was nearly too late is a rigged system.”

The ADC said it has joined other opposition parties in rejecting the Electoral Act 2026, adding that the INEC timetable is equally rejected as it appears designed to serve what it described as a self-succession agenda.

“Let it be clear that ADC will not take any action that appears to confer legitimacy on a fraudulent system. We are reviewing our options and will make our position known in the coming days,” the party said.

The party also called on civil society organisations, democratic stakeholders and Nigerians to scrutinise the timetable and demand fairness, stressing that democracy cannot survive when electoral rules are structured to produce predetermined outcomes.

The party has consistently accused the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) of scheming to silence the opposition as the 2027 General Elections draw closer, citing his manipulation of state governors and Assembly members from jumping ship, and settling with the ruling party.

Presently, the president’s party has a total of 31 out of 36 states governors, more than majority of the national and states Houses of Assembly.

A frontline publisher and chieftain of the ADC, Chief Dele Momodu, has warned that Tinubu is gradually transforming into full-blown dictatorship, stressing that his second term in office would turn state governors into ‘total slaves’.

Headline

Second Term for Tinubu Will Turn Governors into Total Slaves, Dele Momodu Warns

Published

5 days ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

Chairman, Ovation Media Group, and former presidential aspirant, Aare Dele Momodu, has expressed strong concern over what he described as growing political support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu among state governors across the country.

Speaking during an interview on News Central TV, Momodu said he was shocked by the level of backing the president is reportedly receiving, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could face serious risks if the current political trend continues.

The media entrepreneur cautioned that allowing Tinubu to secure a second term in 2027 could, in his view, lead to excessive concentration of power. He particularly criticized what he described as a growing wave of opposition figures aligning with the ruling All Progressives Congress> (APC).

Momodu referenced reports of opposition governors, including Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, allegedly moving closer to the ruling party, describing the development as politically troubling.

According to him, some governors are allegedly competing to demonstrate loyalty to the president ahead of future elections.

“The governors are fighting to ensure Tinubu wins a second term, fighting to be the biggest thug for him. If a man in his first term can capture the bodies and souls of Nigerians this way, imagine what he would do with a second term. It will be a full-blown dictatorship, and the governors will regret it as they become total slaves to him,” Momodu said.

He concluded by urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and actively protect democratic institutions, warning that unchecked consolidation of political power could threaten the nation’s democracy and future stability.

Gistmania

Headline

Court Validates PDP 2025 Convention in Ibadan, Affirms Turaki-led NWC

Published

6 days ago

February 27, 2026

Eric

The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has affirmed the validity of the 2025 Elective Convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), which produced Dr. Kabiru Turaki as the substantive National Chairman of the party.

Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Ladiran Akintola upheld the convention in its entirety, ruling that it was conducted in full compliance with the relevant constitutional and statutory provisions governing party elections in Nigeria.

The decision marked a significant legal victory for the party’s leadership and brought clarity to the dispute surrounding the convention’s legitimacy.

The ruling followed an amended originating summons filed by Misibau Adetunmbi (SAN) on behalf of the claimant, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, in Suit No. I/1336/2025.

In a comprehensive judgment, the court granted all 13 reliefs sought by the claimant, effectively endorsing the processes and outcomes of the Ibadan convention.

Justice Akintola held that the convention, organised by the recognised leadership of the party, satisfied all laid-down legal requirements as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), and the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The court found no breach of due process or statutory non-compliance in the conduct of the exercise.

In the same proceedings, the court dismissed the Motion on Notice seeking a stay of proceedings and suspension of the ruling, filed by Sunday Ibrahim (SAN) on behalf of Austin Nwachukwu and two others. The applications were described as lacking merit.

Earlier in the proceedings, the court had also rejected a bid by Ibrahim to have his clients joined in the suit.

Justice Akintola ruled at the time that the joinder application was unsubstantiated and consequently dismissed it.