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Obi in the Commonwealth discusses Nigeria’s Democracy, Education and Youth Empowerment
The Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, continues his consultation and knowledge-seeking mission to the Commonwealth Headquarters.
Obi, who has been embarking on a wide range of consultations within and outside the country since 2023, acquiring knowledge preparatory to his Presidential ambition in 2027, was at the headquarters of the Commonwealth of Nations in London, United Kingdom, on Wednesday.
Obi, who was accompanied to the international body, was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Margaret Obi, and they met with the female Secretary General of the global body of English-speaking nations.
Critical issues of our nation, democracy, education, and Youth Empowerment dominated the discussion at the enriching event.
Writing on his X handle about the meeting the LP standards bearer said, “On Wednesday, my wife and I met with the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, at the Commonwealth Headquarters in London. “Our discussions centred on promoting democracy, deepening the rule of law, expanding access to education, and empowering young people across Commonwealth nations.
“With over 2.5 billion of the Commonwealth’s population under the age of 30, young people remain the organisation’s greatest asset and hope for the future. I emphasised that for Nigeria, a nation richly endowed with human and natural resources, meaningful investment in education, innovation, and entrepreneurship is key to unlocking the vast potential of our youth. “When properly equipped, our young people will not only drive national development but also contribute significantly to global progress.
“I further noted that youth unemployment remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Addressing it requires intentional and practical action — through skills development, access to quality education, and the creation of an enabling environment for small and medium-scale enterprises to thrive.
“Hon. Botchwey, the first African woman to lead the 56-member Commonwealth, reaffirmed that her top priorities include education, youth engagement, and employment creation. She spoke passionately about the need to build inclusive societies that promote democracy, good governance, justice, and equal opportunity for all. Her visionary, reform-minded leadership continues to amplify the voices of developing nations within the Commonwealth and inspire greater cooperation among member states.
“She also stressed that empowering young people is not only vital to sustaining democracy but also indispensable to shaping a stable, peaceful, and prosperous future for all Commonwealth citizens. Her commitment to youth inclusion, education, and institutional reform reflects the enduring values of the Commonwealth.
“I commended Hon. Botchwey for her dynamic and inspiring leadership, describing her as a trailblazer whose dedication to education, youth empowerment, and democratic ideals strengthens the global Commonwealth community. I remain confident that with leaders like her, the Commonwealth will continue to serve as a beacon of unity, hope, and shared progress for its member nations.
The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has taken delivery of five new helicopters as the Federal Government steps up efforts to modernise the country’s airpower capabilities and strengthen military operations against security threats.
The platforms comprise three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy and two H-125 helicopters manufactured by Airbus Helicopters.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, the NAF said the three AW-109s, which are part of 10 recently acquired by the Federal Government, were received in Lagos on September 15, 2026, while the remaining seven are expected to be delivered before the end of the year. The two H-125 helicopters had been delivered earlier.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, said the new helicopters would increase aircraft availability and improve the NAF’s ability to support ongoing military operations.
“The arrival of these five helicopters provides greater flexibility in the employment of airpower in support of ground troops in ongoing operations,” Aneke said.
He said the AW-109 Trekker B helicopters would enhance the NAF’s capabilities in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, close air support, armed escort, combat search and rescue, and other joint operations.
Aneke added that the H-125 helicopters would provide light helicopter support for various operational requirements.
The new platforms are undergoing post-delivery assembly and technical and crew-readiness processes ahead of their induction and operationalisation.
Aneke said the increased rotary-wing capacity would strengthen support for joint forces conducting operations against terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.
He said the NAF would also prioritise maintenance and logistics support to ensure the new aircraft remain available for operations.
The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in office, declaring that there will be “no vacancy” in the Presidential Villa, Abuja for the next four or five years.
Oba Akiolu gave the support when the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, led members of the council on a courtesy visit to his palace in Lagos on Monday.
The monarch urged politicians to approach the 2027 General Elections with responsibility and ensure that the electoral process is peaceful and serves the interests of Nigerians.
Oba Akiolu cautioned members of the campaign council against actions capable of undermining the peace and stability of the country, even as he urged them to uphold honesty and shun the Machiavellian principle that the end justifies the means.
Speaking, the Director-General of the Campaign Council, Yari, said the delegation was in Lagos to seek the monarch’s blessings, prayers and counsel as the council begins its nationwide campaign activities ahead of the 2027 polls.
Yari said the APC believed President Tinubu deserved a second term to consolidate his administration’s efforts in the areas of the economy, security and infrastructure.
The Campaign D-G, while acknowledging the economic difficulties facing Nigerians, appealed for continued support for the president, saying APC leaders from the North would work to secure strong backing for Tinubu’s re-election across the region.
Receiving the delegation, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the visit as significant, noting that the council had made the Oba’s palace one of its early stops following its engagement with the Sokoto Caliphate.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said the visit underscored Lagos’ strategic importance to Nigeria’s political process, describing the state as the country’s commercial and economic nerve centre as well as a major political hub.
The visit was attended by Lagos APC leaders, local government chairmen, members of the National Assembly, state lawmakers and other party stakeholders.
Former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Alhaji Mohammed Mani, has been endorsed as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Niger state
Alhaji Mani replaces Abubakar Sulaiman, who was elected at the PDP primary last May.
Sulaiman voluntarily withdrawn from the position in the interest of the peace unity and progress of the party.
The endorsement of the former FIRS boss for the governorship contest was made by PDP stakeholders from across the state at the state party secretariat.
Addressing the stakeholders, Alhaji Mani promised to deliver the state to the PDP in next year’s election and solicited the support of party faithful for the realisation of the objective.
The new PDP candidate had earlier contested for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress(APC) which Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago got by “ consensus.”
He was among the APC aspirants who lost in the primary election and recently defected to the PDP.
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