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Nigeria Advocates Enhanced Diaspora Economic Contribution

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By Gloria Ikibah
 
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar has reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to leveraging its overseas community, in othe to reshape the country’s international image and bolster the economic impact of its diaspora.
 
The Minister stated during a courtesy visit by the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement (PAC-ADE) on Tuesday in Abuja.
 
Tuggar emphasized the need to improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contributions of Nigerians abroad, drawing comparisons with other countries that have smaller diaspora populations but higher economic contributions.
 
 “We are moving closely towards changing those negative narratives about Nigeria and to improve on the contribution to GDP of diasporans”, he stated.
 
One of the PAC-ADE delegation, an Executive Director, Deniece Laurent-Mantey, 
while fielding questions from journalist noted that Nigeria was part of their first official trip to Africa. 
 
She explained that the council, inaugurated by President Biden in 2023, aims to strengthen the African diaspora’s role in economic and social development.
 
 “We chose Nigeria because Nigerian diasporans represent a vibrant part of the African diaspora community,” she said. 
 
Laurent-Mantey extolled the engaging and interactive discussions with Minister Tuggar and expressed optimism about future collaborations.
 
She added, “We talked about how we can partner with the Nigerians in diaspora, across different sectors. Our partnership should go both ways: how can the US support Nigeria, and how can Nigeria support America as well?”
 
Naijablitznews.com reports that the PAC-ADE was established by President Biden via Executive Order 14089 during the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and was formally inaugurated in October 2023 by Vice President Harris. The council includes 12 members distinguished in various fields such as government, sports, creative industries, business, academia, social work, and faith-based activities. 
 
The council advised the President on strengthening relationships between U.S. officials and the African diaspora in the United States.
 
In March, the council adopted its first set of recommendations for the President. These included programs focused on student exchanges between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and African educational institutions, advocating for more U.S. Government policy support for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), funds for climate-focused initiatives in Africa, improving visa processes for Africans traveling to the United States, and enhancing investments and collaborations in African creative industries.
 
The council’s visit to Nigeria underscores the significance of bilateral relations and the impact of the Nigerian diaspora. This follows the historic Framework of Cooperation signed between the U.S. and Kenya in May 2024 at Spelman College in Atlanta. This agreement included funds to support the Edtech Africa Initiative, a public-private partnership recommended by PAC-ADE to promote STEM education partnerships between HBCUs, the Open University of Kenya, Mastercard, and Microsoft.
 
The ongoing efforts of PAC-ADE highlight the importance of these initiatives and the potential for further collaboration between the U.S. and African nations.
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BREAKING: Jubilation As PDP Wins All 30 LGs In Osun State(See winners)

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, has announced that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won all the local government and councillorship positions in the just concluded local government elections in the state.

The Chairman of the Commission, Hashim Abioye, made this announcement via a Facebook Live broadcast on Saturday evening.

Abioye stated that PDP candidates secured all the councillorship seats in all 332 wards in the state, as well as the chairmanship elections in all 30 local government council areas.

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The names of the PDP chairmanship candidates and their respective local government council areas:

Babalola Wasiu Kayode – Boripe

Okunade Oluwafemi Adesanya – Egbedore

Adeyenuwo Rotimi John – Ife Central

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Agboola Francis Olajire – Obokun

Azeez Lateef Adeniran – Isokan

Aina Abayomi Adesina – Boluwaduro

Sodiq Samuel Oluwapelumi – Ola Oluwa

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Ajibade Oluwatoyin S. – Irepodun

Adebanjo Oladiti Tunmininu – Ilesa West

Ibironke Alade Adegboye – Atakumosa East

Aroke Muyiwa Aderemi – Ife South

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Kolade Obafemi Kolawole – Olorunda

Moshood Adekunle Kabiru – Iwo

Awotunde Abiodun Sarafadeen – Ifelodun

Akande Taiwo Adekunle – Osogbo

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Dada Feyisayo Ajibola – Atakumosa West

Amodu Taiwo – Ede North

Atolagbe Kayode Olayinka – Ifedayo

Akande Michael O. – Ife North

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Adeyekun Taiwo Adebayo – Oriade

Adeniran Adenike Felicia – Ayedaade

Afolabi Oyekola Lukman – Ede South

Odunyemi Haruna Bukola – Ife East

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Jooda Ambali Babajide – Irewole

Adewale Adeyinka Oluwaseun – Odo Otin

Ogunbiyi Solomon Akinyemi – Ayedire

Raimi Adenike Nafisat – Ejigbo

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Adebisi Jayeola Nasir – Ila

Ilesanmi Taiwo Sunday – Ilesa East

Alade Aderemi Fatai – Orolu

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DSS arrests three for assaulting operatives during LSHA crisis

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested three persons linked to the alleged assault on its officers during the crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly, following the removal Mudashiru Obasa, as Speaker

Apparently sensing danger, some lawmakers had mobilized their supporters to the Assembly Complex, but these supporters allegedly attacked some DSS officers who were invited by the Assembly leadership to secure the facility. Security sources revealed that “after extensive analysis of CCTV footage, we were able to clearly identify three of the suspects”.
“The suspects, Ibrahim Olanrewaju Abdulkareem, a photographer and two others attached to the Assembly’s Seargent at Arms, Adetu Adekunle Samsudeen and Adetola Oluwatosin Fatimoh, a lady, were consequently tracked and arrested during the week in different parts of Lagos,” The trio have since confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to court, the source said.

It would be recalled that the Lagos Assembly had in a leaked memo dated 14th February, 2025 and addressed to the DSS Director in the State, and Heads of other Security Agencies in Lagos State, told the Security Agencies in Lagos that, there was credible information to the effect that, Obasa had planned to forcefully reinstate himself today, February 18, 2025.
Accordingly, the Assembly management, held the view that, the development posed “a potential security threat” to it and its members.

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Police seal OSSIEC office, officials nabbed, says chairman

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, has claimed that the police have sealed off the headquarters in Osogbo.

In a video post on the OSSIEC X handle, Abioye accused the police of also arresting election officials and blocking journalists from covering the local government election.

According to him, several OSSIEC officials were detained while on their way to polling units on Saturday.

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Attempts by our correspondent to reach Abioye for further details proved abortive as his telephone line was switched off.

The OSSIEC chair, in the post, assured voters that materials had been deployed to affected areas.

So far so good, the reports have been positive and the conduct has been very smooth and peaceful as against the false alarm raised by the police. Everywhere is calm,” Abioye said.

“The only thing is that in some of the areas in which materials are supposed to have arrived for voters to cast their votes, we had reports of police arresting our officials.

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“I don’t know on whose order because there is no court order that warranted the arrest of officers of our officials.

“As it is, we have deployed materials to those units because we have enough on the ground.

For our people in the media community, I want to apologise for the inadequacy of the tags and the jackets because we have enough but the police sealed our office and that was not warranted at all.”

Abioye’s comments come after police had called for the local government election to be called off by the state government, citing a security threat.

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In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, the Police said it received credible intelligence indicating a likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned elections proceed.

The police explained that reports gathered from joint intelligence gathering revealed that various groups, including political elements and other interested parties, are mobilising to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace and undermine the democratic order.

However, the Osun State government acknowledged the police’s advice but insisted on going on with the election.

Channels Television reports that the election eventually went on as scheduled on Saturday.

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