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National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, on Wednesday said President Bola Tinubu will lose the 2027 general elections before 4 pm if the poll were credible, free and fair.

Baba-Ahmed described the All Progressives Congress, APC, as a monster eating itself up, saying that despite controlling the National Assembly and having 31 state governors, the President remained uneasy because Nigeria had become worse under his leadership.

He spoke on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, where he said Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory in the Osun State governorship election had demonstrated that the APC could be defeated at the polls.

He said: “I saw the now sworn-in Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State speak in a very confident, very comfortable manner. APC was trounced in Osun. We didn’t even see a coalition or collaboration or a gang-up against the APC. Parties all competed against one another. Yet, APC was defeated. We have even heard stories that there was a deal between President Tinubu and Governor Ademola Adeleke. But we don’t believe that. We believe that the ruling party, Accord Party, defeated APC comprehensively. There’s no reason why this cannot repeat itself at a national level.

“APC is not a party. It is a monster eating itself up and eating everybody up. You have a party that has a president who is quite possibly the most powerful president, who has either given himself or been given by the people around him the most awesome powers to do anything he wants. You have a president who believes he must have all the power around him. He appears to have garnered the support of 31 governors and quite possibly about 75 per cent of the National Assembly, yet he’s still uncomfortable. It’s politically monstrous.

“If it’s a credible, free and fair election, I assure you, Tinubu will lose. I won’t say before 12 noon. Maybe before 4 pm. Nobody should praise INEC until it can actually conduct an election in which the President is a contestant. I hope the election will be credible, free and fair. If it’s not, I foresee a very serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.”

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The Japanese Government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has committed N20 billion to expand and rehabilitate Nigeria’s national electricity grid, with the Apapa Transmission Substation in Lagos among the key beneficiaries.

JICA Chief Representative in Nigeria, Ishigame Keiji, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.

He said the 2.35 billion Japanese yen funding would cover construction, equipment procurement, engineering services, operational training and other project activities.

According to Keiji, the intervention is aimed at strengthening critical transmission infrastructure in Lagos, where rising electricity demand and ageing facilities have placed pressure on the power system.

He said the rehabilitation of the Apapa substation had increased transmission capacity, improved reliability and reduced bottlenecks affecting electricity evacuation and distribution across Lagos and neighbouring areas.

Japan, through JICA, is also implementing another concessional-loan project to improve the transmission network covering Lagos and Ogun states.

Keiji added that JICA would provide technical assistance and policy advisers to the Ministry of Power to support reforms and improve the development of Nigeria’s electricity sector.

“The Government of Japan, through JICA, is collaborating with the Ministry of Power to enhance stable and reliable power supply in Nigeria,” he said.

He said Japanese companies and other private investors remained interested in Nigeria because of its large market, urging stronger government support and increased private-sector participation.

He disclosed that JICA was collaborating with the World Bank on mini-grid development, particularly for rural communities, while deploying experts to support policy and institutional reforms in the power sector.

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Music star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, was the target of the attack on the convoy of Osun State governor, according to the police.

Daily Trust had reported how security escorts of the governor engaged some unidentified men in a gun duel during the governor’s visit to the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, earlier on Wednesday.

The governor had visited the monarch shortly after receiving his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

His nephew, Davido, who was actively involved in the election, alongside his children, accompanied the governor to INEC office and the palace.

Some residents of Oja Oba Osogbo said gunshots caused panic for over 15 minutes as the men kept shooting sporadically while the governor’s security detail returned fire.

Commenting on the incident, Police Public Relations Officer in Osun, Abiodun Ojelabi, said preliminary investigation revealed that members of Eye Confraternity were after Davido.

“One Adebayo Taoreed, popularly known as “Small Rugged”, an ex convict, a suspected notorious thug and a member of eye confraternity allegedly attempted to gain access to Davido but was resisted by members of his security Team.

“The ensuing confrontation reportedly attracted other suspected gang members in the vicinity, who temporarily blocked the entrance to the palace and obstructed the movement of the convoy of the Governor.”

Ojelabi said a 60-year-old man identified as Tajudeen Yusuf was shot dead during the gun duel.

“Shortly afterwards, the suspected gang members reportedly departed the vicinity and, however on their way, they allegedly shot Tajudeen Yusuf at Itaolokan area of Osogbo.

“Upon receiving the information, the police immediately mobilised a patrol team to the scene, where the victim was found lying in a pool of blood. He was promptly rushed to the University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, for medical attention. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead by the doctors on duty.”

“The Command has commenced a full-scale investigation into the incident and intensified efforts to identify, apprehend and bring the fleeing suspects to justice.

“The Commissioner of Police (Election), Osun State Command, CP Samuel Etaifo, strongly condemns the dastardly act and assures members of the public that the Command will deploy all available resources to apprehend those responsible.

“The Command therefore urges anyone with useful information that could assist the investigation to promptly approach the nearest police station or contact the Command through its official channels. Members of the public are also advised to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.”

The PPRO said the Police Command has commenced a full-scale investigation into the shooting incident.

Ojelabi said further updates on the incident would be provided as the investigation progresses.