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Nigeria-Portugal Move to Strengthen Strategic Partnership as Foreign Minister Holds High-Level Talks in Lisbon
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By Gloria Ikibah
Nigeria and Portugal have restated their commitment to expanding bilateral relations following high-level engagements between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and senior Portuguese officials during her official visit to Portugal.
According to a statement by the Spokesperson of the Ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the discussions, held on the sidelines of the EurAfrican Forum in Cascais, also included an interactive meeting with members of the Nigerian community in Lisbon, underscoring Nigeria’s renewed focus on economic diplomacy and diaspora engagement.
During a bilateral meeting with Portugal’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor Paulo Rangel, both countries reviewed the state of their longstanding relationship and identified new areas for collaboration.
The talks centred on expanding cooperation in trade and investment, renewable energy, maritime security, digital innovation, agriculture, education, defence, regional security and capacity building.
The two ministers also examined plans to establish a Nigeria–Portugal Joint Commission aimed at strengthening political consultations between both countries. They further reviewed progress towards concluding the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) and the Double Taxation Agreement, while reaffirming their shared commitment to promoting peace, security, sustainable development and closer cooperation under the Africa–European Union Partnership framework.
As part of her visit, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu met with members of the Nigerian community in Lisbon, where she praised their contributions to the economic and social development of both Nigeria and Portugal.
She reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to the welfare and protection of Nigerians living abroad, assuring them of continued consular support.
The minister urged members of the diaspora to remain united, law-abiding and to continue projecting a positive image of Nigeria wherever they reside.
She also encouraged them to deploy their knowledge, investments and innovative ideas towards Nigeria’s national development.
The visit reflects Nigeria’s determination to deepen its strategic partnership with Portugal while strengthening ties with Nigerians in the diaspora, whom it described as key partners in advancing the country’s foreign policy, economic diplomacy and sustainable development objectives.
The Accord Party has defeated the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the polling unit of former Osun Deputy Governor and ex-APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, in the ongoing Osun State governorship election.
According to results uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV), Accord secured 131 votes at Polling Unit 003, Ife Ward 1 (Moore), St. Gabriel Primary School, in Ife East Local Government Area.
The APC polled 85 votes to finish second, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) recorded 10 votes. Other political parties obtained marginal votes at the polling unit.
The result adds to a series of early victories recorded by the Accord Party as INEC continues the uploading and collation of results across the state.
Earlier, Accord also won at the polling unit of former Osun Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
The result sheet uploaded on the IReV portal showed Accord polling 125 votes, ahead of the APC, which recorded 85 votes. The ADC secured five votes.
Meanwhile, INEC has continued to upload results from polling units across Osun State as the governorship election moves into the collation stage.
Voters across the state’s 30 local government areas cast their ballots on Saturday to elect a governor for the next four years.
The major contenders in the election include the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, and African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate Najeem Salaam.
The Accord Party has won the governorship election at the polling unit of former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.
According to the result sheet uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) IReV portal, Accord polled 125 votes to emerge victorious at the polling unit.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) came second with 85 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured five votes.
The African Action Congress (AAC) scored two votes, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) each recorded one vote.
Other parties, including the AA, ADP, APGA, APM, APP, BP, NNPP and PRP, recorded no votes.
The result sheet showed that 228 voters were accredited, with 220 valid votes cast and eight rejected ballots.
The election was conducted at Court Hall I, Okuku, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
The result comes against the backdrop of Oyinlola’s reported endorsement of the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the election.
Oyinlola, who governed Osun State from 2003 to 2010, had publicly backed Oyebamiji despite the APC candidate running against incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The outcome at Oyinlola’s polling unit therefore puts the Accord Party ahead of the APC, with Adeleke’s party failing to secure the unit despite the incumbent governor’s participation in the election.
Voting was disrupted in Ejigbo, Osun State, after violence broke out at a polling unit during the ongoing Osun State Governorship election.
It was gathered that voters, residents and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fled the polling unit as tension escalated around the area.
According to Channels TV, people were seen running in different directions while motorcycles and vehicles moved through the area as residents attempted to escape the unfolding situation.
The immediate cause of the violence was not clear, as the chaos temporarily halted the ongoing electoral process.
The incident comes as voters come out in their numbers to partake in governorship election amid tight security.
Osun Election: Accord Defeats APC in Omisore’s Polling Unit
Osun election: Oyinlola Loses Polling Unit to Accord Party
Osun election: INEC officials take to their heels as violence erupts in Ejigbo
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