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The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the August 15, 2026 Osun State election, Bola Oyebamiji, has congratulated Governor Ademola Adeleke on his victory, urging him to protect the lives and property of all residents as the state moves beyond the election.

Oyebamiji, while addressing APC leaders, members and supporters in Osogbo on Saturday, said he congratulated Adeleke “in the spirit of democracy” following the declaration of the election result by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He also called on the governor, as the chief security officer of the state, to exercise his constitutional responsibility to safeguard citizens, particularly during the sensitive post-election period.

“At the same time, I call on Mr. Governor, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, to do everything within his constitutional responsibility to protect the lives and property of all citizens, particularly during this sensitive post-election period,” Oyebamiji said.

The APC candidate urged an end to violence, harassment and intimidation allegedly targeting members and supporters of his party.

Oyebamiji particularly called for an investigation into the deaths of former Irewole Local Government chairman, Remi Abass; APC chairman in Atakumosa Local Government Area, Gbenga Ogbara; Mr. Dele Ayegbo, nephew of Wole Oke and Director-General of his 2026 Governorship Campaign Council; and more than 35 other victims.

He urged the Nigeria Police Force to thoroughly investigate the killings and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, while expressing condolences to the families of those who lost their lives to political violence.

“The senseless killings, harassment and intimidation of members and supporters of our party must therefore stop forthwith,” he said, adding that attacks on innocent citizens and their businesses “must not be allowed to continue.”

Oyebamiji also raised concerns over reports of attacks on small and medium-sized businesses based on the perceived political affiliations or non-allegiance of their owners to the Accord Party.

He described such attacks as “clearly condemnable and unacceptable,” stressing that security and a conducive environment for businesses were essential to Osun’s economic growth, investment and employment prospects.

On the outcome of the election, Oyebamiji said the APC remained committed to pursuing justice and fairness through lawful and constitutional means in relation to the electoral process.

He, however, urged his supporters not to be discouraged, calling on them to sustain their faith in democracy and confidence in institutions established to protect democratic rights.

The APC candidate subsequently directed the attention of party members towards the 2027 general elections, urging them to close ranks, strengthen party structures and commence mobilisation for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and other APC candidates.

“We must close ranks, strengthen our structures and work tirelessly to secure incontrovertible victories for Mr. President and all our candidates in Osun State,” he said.

Oyebamiji also thanked Tinubu for his support before, during and after the governorship election, while commending former governor Bisi Akande and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for their contributions to his campaign and the repositioning of the APC in the state.

The APC candidate’s remark comes 14 days after INEC declared Adeleke as the winner of the election.

INEC said that the incumbent, who is the candidate of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes while Oyebamiji came second with a total vote count of 444,815.

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Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his promise to reopen Nigeria’s land borders if elected president in 2027.

Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the promise on Wednesday when a political support group visited him in Abuja.

He said the closure of Nigeria’s land borders had negatively affected legitimate businesses, especially those involved in cross-border trade. According to him, the situation had forced some young entrepreneurs out of business and into unemployment.

Atiku said he would reopen the borders and also develop the country’s southern ports to improve trade.

However, Tunji-Ojo, in a statement posted on X on Saturday, said Atiku’s claim that Nigeria’s land borders were closed was incorrect.

The minister said he was in a position to clarify the issue because his ministry supervises the Nigeria Immigration Service, which is responsible for border and migration management.

He explained that several major land borders had already been reopened since 2020.

According to him, the Seme, Illela, Maigatari and Mfum borders were reopened, while the Idiroko and Ikom crossings were reopened for goods and services in April 2022.

Tunji-Ojo added that the Kamba and Tsamiya border crossings in Kebbi State were reopened in February 2026 under the current administration.

The minister also explained the situation concerning some border crossings between Nigeria and Cameroon.

He said the Banki and Amchidé crossings were closed in 2014 because of the Boko Haram insurgency and not because of Nigeria’s 2019 trade policy.

He said the crossings were reopened in 2019, while the Fotokol and Gambaru crossings were reopened in 2021 following joint military and stabilisation efforts by Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

Tunji-Ojo said Nigeria’s border management policy was aimed at balancing national security with trade and the movement of people.

He explained that effective border management was not simply about closing borders or allowing unrestricted movement. Instead, it required proper documentation, customs compliance, security measures and measures to make legitimate trade easier.

The minister, however, admitted that stricter controls were still being maintained at some northern border crossings because of banditry and remaining insurgency threats.

Tunji-Ojo challenged Atiku to explain how his proposed border policy would be different from the measures currently being implemented by the Federal Government.

He urged the former vice-president to present specific details of his plan instead of presenting border security, trade and infrastructure challenges as a single issue.

The minister also warned against allowing political competition to distort what he described as the recent history of Nigeria’s border management.

If you want, I can also make it �⁠more punchy and newspaper-like, while keeping the language simple.

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The Federal Government has approved N10bn for the 2026 National Research Fund Grant Cycle of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

TETFund, in a call for concept notes, said the grant would support research projects across 30 priority thematic areas under Humanities and Social Sciences; Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation; and Cross-Cutting.

The fund said the 2026 grant cycle followed the successful completion of the 2025 cycle, which resulted in the award of a little over N6.09bn to support 174 research projects.

According to TETFund, accessing the 2026 NRF grant will begin with the submission of concept notes by Principal Investigators of proposed research projects.

Only Principal Investigators whose concept notes are evaluated and considered fundable will be invited to submit full proposals.

Who can apply?

TETFund said lecturers in public tertiary institutions in Nigeria are eligible to apply for the grant.

It added that multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research involving researchers from various disciplines was encouraged.

The Principal Investigator will lead the research team and be responsible and accountable for the conduct of the research.

TETFund also requires the Principal Investigator to be institution-based, with the institution serving as the coordinating institution and guarantor of the proper application of funds for the project.

How to apply

The application process is entirely online.

Eligible Principal Investigators are required to visit the TETFund National Research Fund portal at nrf.tetfund.gov.ng, where they will be guided through the preparation and submission of their concept notes and, subsequently, research proposals if their concept notes are successful.

Applicants are encouraged to study the Research Brief and application Guidelines before submitting their concept notes.

All submitted concept notes will be evaluated by the National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee.

Principal Investigators with successful concept notes will be notified and invited to prepare and submit full proposals online.

The PI and at least one member of the research team behind a proposal that is screened and adjudged fundable will be invited to defend the proposal before the committee.

Successful proposals will then be presented to the TETFund Board of Trustees for approval and disbursement of funds.

When is the deadline?

TETFund said the portal would open for submission of concept notes on August 31, 2026.

The deadline for submission is October 15, 2026, Nigerian time.
The fund stressed that there will be no extension.

30 research areas covered

The 30 priority thematic areas are grouped into three categories.

Humanities and Social Sciences
Citizenship and National Integration
Conflict, Defence and Security
Economic Development and Globalisation
Education and Human Capital
Gender, Equity and Social Inclusion
Governance, Politics, Law and Ethics
History, Culture and Identities
Humanities, Social Sciences, Technology and Business Interface
Languages, Literatures and Media
Population and Migration
Social Development and Welfare
Tourism, Sports and Recreation

Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation

Agriculture and Food Security
Geosciences
Health and Social Welfare
Industry and Innovation
Information Technology, Computing and Telecommunications
Power and Energy
Science and Engineering
Space Science and Technology
Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and Terrestrial Ecosystems
Transport and Infrastructure
Water and Sanitation

Cross-Cutting

Blue Economy
Clean and Affordable Energy
Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation
Environment, Housing, Urban and Regional Development
Innovation and Technology in National Defence Capabilities
Resource Governance
National System of Innovation

The call was signed by the TETFund Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny S. T. Echono, PhD, FNIA, OON.