Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN), the Benue State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has flayed reports making the rounds that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may drop his name from the list of those contesting the 2027 governorship election in the state.

Aondoakaa who was reacting to a report titled: “INEC may drop Aondoakaa from Benue guber race as former AGF begs court for more time to file defence”, described the report as “sensational and deliberately misleading.”

While he noted that the publication “is founded on speculation, falsehood and wishful thinking”, the governorship candidate said it became pertinent to expose “the inaccuracies and mischief contained in the report.”

In a statement by James Ian, Media Assistant to Aondoakaa, and issued to journalists in Makurdi on Saturday, he observed that the claim that he “begged” the court for more time to file a defence was not only “reckless” but also a “distortion of court proceedings.”

He said, “The matter was not ripe for substantive hearing as all parties had not been duly served. Consequently, the suggestion that the PDP candidate sought indulgence because he was unable to defend himself is nothing more than a fabrication designed to create a false impression of panic where none exists.

“Second, the report’s sensational conclusion that INEC may withdraw or drop the candidature of Chief Aondoakaa is entirely speculative and unsupported by any judicial pronouncement. No court has made such an order, and no competent authority has taken any action remotely suggesting such a possibility. The headline was crafted solely to mislead the public and manufacture apprehension”, he said.

The former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, argued that “it is equally important to state that the individuals behind the suit are neither members of the PDP, nor governorship candidates in Benue State.

“They lack any legitimate political stake in the nomination process of the PDP and are merely acting as willing tools in a broader political agenda orchestrated by those unsettled by the overwhelming acceptance and growing popularity of Chief Aondoakaa across Benue State”, the governorship candidate alleged.

Describing as “laughable” the attempt to portray the suit as a threat to the PDP candidate, Ian stated that Aondoakaa has never been convicted by any court of law for fraud, dishonesty or any offence that would disqualify him from seeking public office.

According to the statement throughout his career the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, served at the highest levels of government and remains one of Nigeria’s most accomplished legal practitioners and public servants.

“The sponsors of this campaign of falsehood are evidently terrified by the momentum of the Aondoakaa/Ogbenjuwa ticket and have resorted to manufacturing legal and media distractions in a desperate bid to achieve through propaganda what they know they cannot achieve at the ballot box.

“We advise those behind these sponsored publications to allow the court to perform its constitutional duty without external manipulation, media trial or political blackmail. Courtrooms are governed by law and evidence, not by sensational headlines, sponsored narratives or the fantasies of political jobbers”, he explained.

Furthermore, “It is instructive that the incumbent Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, faced several legal challenges before and after the 2023 elections, including matters relating to his disqualification for nomination as a candidate of APC for 2023 election.

“Those cases proceeded through the judicial process, and the courts delivered their verdicts. It would therefore be both irresponsible and misleading for anyone to suggest that the institution of a suit against Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, translates into a loss of his candidacy or the invalidation of his nomination”, Ian stressed. End

….Named “Most Distinguished and Outstanding Nigerian Political Active Youth since 1999”

……As Loatsad Promomedia bags Best Outdoor Advertising Agency of the Year

ABUJA, Sept. 30, 2026 – Businessman and philanthropist Oluwaseyi “Seyi” Tinubu has received two prestigious and coveted awards at the Good Governance and Humanity Service Awards 2026, held today at the Nigerian National Merit House, Maitama, Abuja.

He was honoured as the “Most Distinguished and Outstanding Nigerian Political Active Youth since 1999,” while his company, Loatsad Promomedia, was named “The Best Outdoor Advertising Agency of the Year.”

The event was organised by Governance Today Nigeria (GTN) in strategic partnership with the Africa Independent Good Governance Monitoring Network (AIGGMN) as part of the Nigeria @66 Independence Day Eve celebration. It brought together leaders, professionals, public servants, business figures, ‘who is who’ in Abuja and community builders including the creme- de- la creme of the society. The grand red carpet reception opened at 2:00 p.m., with the main event at 3:00 p.m.

A citation and publication material prepared by Good Governance Africa Magazine accompanied the awards. It describes Tinubu, 40, as an evolving example of how youthful ambition can be turned into enterprise, public service and national development. The citation acknowledges that he is the son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a fact it says inevitably shapes public perceptions of his access and opportunities. It argues that the more useful question is how he has tried to convert those advantages into institutions and programmes that serve others.

The citation traces his entrepreneurial journey to Loatsad Promomedia, the out-of-home advertising company he helped establish in 2013. The company operates static and digital advertising platforms in strategic locations and has built its identity on innovation and the use of technology in outdoor communication. It pursued digital display systems at a time when much of the Nigerian outdoor advertising industry was still dominated by conventional formats. A profile published by Concordia reports that Tinubu oversaw more than 1,000 advertising transactions during a key period of the company’s growth, said to be worth billions of naira. The citation stresses that these are company-related claims and in reference to publicly audited figures.

A major milestone came in 2019 with Loatsad’s acquisition of E Motion Advertising, which was founded by entrepreneur Sim Shagaya. Contemporary reports confirmed the deal, though its financial terms were not made public. The citation describes it as evidence of a strategy built on consolidation and scale.

Tinubu studied Business Administration at the University of Maryland and later obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Buckingham. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2013 and also pursued further study in Corporate and Commercial Law.

Beyond business, the citation highlights the Noella Foundation, which he established in 2018 with his wife, Layal Tinubu. The Foundation focuses on education, employability, healthcare and hunger eradication, particularly among vulnerable women, children, young adults and elderly people. Layal Tinubu is described as a leading figure in the Foundation, whose work the citation says should be understood as a collective effort involving both co-founders, staff, partners and volunteers.

The Foundation’s 2024 impact report records activities in food distribution, education, vocational training, healthcare, maternal support, sickle cell awareness, access to clean water and assistance for small businesses. It states that its food outreach programmes reached more than 10,500 individuals and families across eight communities: Abuja Municipal Area Council, Kosofe, Ajegunle, Bariga, Oworoshoki, Ikorodu, Ijede and Ajeromi Ifelodun. The citation notes that these are Foundation-reported figures that measure reach and evidence of long-term transformation.

One of its notable programmes is the Life After School Summit, created to help final-year students move from education into employment. The first edition, in 2024, brought together more than 500 final-year students from institutions across Lagos State, and 240 of them later took part in a five-week virtual boot camp on recruitment, workplace culture, emotional intelligence and business communication. In 2025, the summit again convened more than 500 students, after which 250 progressed to a four-week employability accelerator and 50 to a creative workshop, with laptops and educational grants distributed to selected students.

On July 17, 2026, the Foundation hosted 500 final-year students from tertiary institutions across Lagos State, alongside business leaders, public officials, industry experts and career professionals. Participants received practical instruction in recruitment, personal branding, interview preparation and the demands of remote and hybrid work. Afterwards, 300 of them progressed to a four-week programme held over four Saturdays in August. The Foundation announced that selected participants would receive educational grants for professional skills, and the programme introduced training connected to artificial intelligence and emerging workplace requirements.

In 2023, the Foundation announced a commitment to support opportunities for 10,000 young Nigerians through skills, resources and partnerships. It and its partners have since supported training in software engineering, data analytics, cloud computing and product design. Initiatives announced to mark Tinubu’s 40th birthday in 2025 included digital training for 40 young Nigerians, 200 laptops for public schools, 40 small business empowerment kiosks, proposed health insurance support for 1,000 beneficiaries and assistance for people living with sickle cell conditions.

The citation does not offer unqualified praise. It says that as the President’s son, Tinubu’s business activities, public appearances and political associations will attract scrutiny, and that such scrutiny is legitimate in a democracy. It adds that business success connected to politically exposed families will naturally raise questions about opportunity, competition and fairness, and that the right response is openness and evidence, not dismissing every question as hostility. It also urges the Foundation to measure outcomes, such as how many participants complete its programmes, secure jobs, start businesses or advance in their careers, saying this would strengthen public confidence.

Tinubu’s earlier honours include Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2017 Leadership Excellence Awards, Business Person of the Year at the 2019 Entrepreneur Africa Awards, and a place on Avance Media’s 2019 list of 100 Most Influential Young Nigerians. The citation describes these as recognition by the conferring bodies, not a substitute for continued measurement of business performance and social impact. In December 2025, the Alaafin of Oyo installed him as the Okanlomo of Yorubaland.

Looking ahead, the citation says the real measure of his growing profile will be whether his access helps widen participation for other young Nigerians. It urges him to promote civic education, peaceful participation and consultation with young people before policies are designed for them, and to support those who lack wealth, family influence or powerful networks. It also notes that young Nigerians are not a single political bloc, and that authentic youth advocacy must respect their differences in belief, region, religion, gender and social class.

Seyi Tinubu is a driven, focused and very organised personality who has become a household name, role model and mentor of the Nigerian youths including the elderly and has transverse the nooks and crannies of the country touching lives with his foundation and impacting humanity. A very dawn to earth activist who is in the business of assisting the less privileged and the vulnerable including the disabled at anytime he is called upon. A vivacious, workaholic youthful figure who is busy building bridges, networking and reaching out to new found political friends and associates through the City Boy Movement that has become a household name in the country with an overwhelming youth demography and support base from across the country, is indeed a pride worthy of emulation and celebrations. Never before has the country witnessed an inspiring young personality who has sacrificed effortlessly his time, energy and life for a cause so dear to his heart and the entire country. We joined Nigerians to celebrate this young entrepreneur, humanitarian per excellence and political icon in the making since democracy came to be in 1999, we salute his mannerisms, doggedness and forthrightness in selling and marketing the policies, plans and programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to not only the youths of Nigeria but beyond the shores of Africa. We are indeed proud to have him as a foremost youth at this time in our national history.

“Nigeria does not need young people to remain permanent beneficiaries,” the citation states. “Nigeria needs them to become builders, employers, innovators, public servants, community leaders and responsible citizens.”

The ceremony, held under the themes “From Service to Legacy, From Leadership to Impact, From Good Governance to Humanity,” honoured individuals recognised for their contributions to national development, good governance, community advancement and service to humanity, as Nigeria approaches its 66th Independence Anniversary.

From Leo Zwanke

The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Education’s IDEAS-TVET Initiative, in collaboration with CleanTop Services Ltd, is set to train 200 Nigerians in fisheries, aquaculture and other related agricultural enterprises.

The training, supported by the World Bank under the IDEAS Project of the Federal Ministry of Education, will take place in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

The flag-off ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday, October 2, 2026, at the CSS Global Integrated Farms Conference Hall, Km 10, Gora Abuja-Keffi Road.

Speaking on the programme, one of the organisers, Mr. Vincent Yoko, said the initiative was designed to move beneficiaries beyond theoretical knowledge by exposing them to practical skills that could enable them to establish and manage businesses in the fisheries and agricultural value chains.

Yoko said the organisers were particularly interested in equipping the participants with skills that could translate into employment, self-reliance and sustainable livelihoods, stressing the importance of practical training in addressing unemployment and strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

He explained that the training would not be limited to fish production, but would cover several interconnected areas of the aquaculture and agricultural value chain.

According to him, participants would be trained in aquaculture and fish biology, pond systems and water quality, fish nutrition and feed management, hygiene and biosecurity, farm management and business skills, hatchery and hatching techniques, as well as catfish and tilapia breeding.

He added that the programme would also expose the trainees to feed sizes and formulation, marketing and value addition, floating and sinking feed production, commercial poultry production, broiler and layer management and practical farm operations.

Yoko said the practical component was particularly important because the beneficiaries would have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience at CSS Global Integrated Farms, rather than relying solely on classroom instruction.

He said the programme would also enable participants to understand different stages of the agricultural value chain, including production, feed formulation, farm management, marketing and value addition.

The training is being implemented in partnership with CSS Global Integrated Farms Ltd and CleanTop Services Ltd, which are listed as the Training Service Providers.

The organisers said the initiative would provide beneficiaries with practical and business-oriented skills capable of supporting their participation in Nigeria’s fisheries, aquaculture and agricultural sectors.

The Federal Ministry of Education’s IDEAS-TVET Initiative, with support from the World Bank, is being implemented to strengthen technical and vocational skills development and improve access to practical skills for employment and enterprise development.