By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has endorsed Yahaya Seriki as his preferred successor ahead of the 2027 governorship election in the state under the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

The governor made the announcement in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

Announcing his preferred successor, the governor said the decision followed what he described as extensive consultations with party stakeholders and leadership structures across the state.

“Following extensive consultations with party structures and leadership, I am pleased to endorse Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki as my preferred successor under the platform of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC),” the statement read.

The governor described Yahaya Seriki as a youthful and people-oriented politician with strong political mobilisation capacity and widespread grassroots acceptance across the state.

“Young, pro-people, astute, and broad-minded, Amb. Yahaya Seriki has been a great political mobiliser with profound investments in and extensive goodwill among the people of Kwara State.

“I have no doubt about his capacity and that his choice is appropriate for the people of our state at this time,” AbdulRazaq added.

The governor, however, clarified that his endorsement does not invalidate the aspirations of other governorship hopefuls seeking the APC ticket ahead of the party’s primary election slated for Thursday, May 21, 2026.

“While this does not in any way preclude all other aspirants from contesting in the primaries, I urge members and leaders to affirm the choice of Seriki as our candidate for cohesion, unity, and continuous success of the party as we hold our gubernatorial primaries on Thursday, May 21, 2026,” he said.

AbdulRazaq also stressed that the endorsement should not be interpreted as a rejection of other aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket, noting that all contenders possess commendable leadership qualities.

“The choice of Amb. Yahaya Seriki is neither a disapproval of any of our eminently qualified aspirants nor a whimsical attempt to delegitimise the noble aspirations of our people.

“But in a race involving some 16 great minds for one office, only one person can take the shot at a time,” the governor stated.

He further commended the conduct and maturity displayed by the governorship aspirants within the ruling party, praising their commitment to sustaining the achievements of his administration.

“Finally, I acknowledge and commend the statesmanship of our aspirants, all of whom have shown discipline and impressive capacity to build on the undeniable achievements of our administration over the last seven years for the good of the people of Kwara State,” the statement added.

The endorsement is expected to shape the dynamics of the APC governorship primary in the state, with Yahaya Seriki emerging as a leading contender in the race to succeed AbdulRazaq in 2027.

AbdulRazaq, who is expected to complete his constitutionally mandated two-term tenure by 2027, recently participated in the APC senatorial primary for the Kwara Central Senatorial District ticket.

Former Minister of Defence, retired General Theophilus Danjuma, on Tuesday donated N3 billion during the public presentation of the autobiography of former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, in Abuja.

Also lending strong support to the event was Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, who contributed N500 million toward the book launch.

Several prominent business leaders and dignitaries also made notable commitments through the purchase of copies of the book. Among them was Abdul Samad Rabiu, President of the BUA Group, who purchased copies worth N25 million.

The event marked the unveiling of Gowon’s 20 chapter autobiography titled, “My Life of Duty and Allegiance.” It drew an audience of high profile guests, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu, senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and top military officers.

The memoir was reviewed by Matthew Kukah, the Catholic cleric, author, and social commentator who has served as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto since 2011.

Danjuma, who served as Chief Presenter at the ceremony, was represented by former Chief of Defence Staff, retired General Martin Luther Agwai.

Beyond his financial contribution, Danjuma also directed that 12 copies of the autobiography be purchased and distributed to the libraries of each of the 20 universities that have awarded honorary doctorate degrees to Gowon over the years.

In a glowing tribute, Danjuma described Gowon as Nigeria’s foremost living statesman, an international icon, and a wartime commander whose leadership helped preserve the country’s unity during one of its most difficult periods.

“Gen. Gowon is not only a household name in Nigeria but also a globally acknowledged leader with an impeccable record in leadership, nation-building and military strategy.

”His well-recorded slogan of ‘no victor, no vanquished’ after the civil war set the tone for an effective post-war policy of reconciliation, reconstruction, and rehabilitation,” Danjuma said.

Reflecting on their longstanding relationship, the retired General revealed that his friendship with Gowon spans more than seven decades, dating back to their childhood in the Wusasa area of Zaria. He described the autobiography as a “treasure trove of history” and a gift to the world.

In the same vein, Mansur Ahmed, representing Dangote, announced the purchase of 25 copies of the book for N500 million in honour of the former Head of State.

Ahmed, a Senior Adviser to Dangote, noted that the billionaire industrialist was only a 10 year old primary school pupil when Gowon was steering Nigeria through one of its most turbulent eras.

According to him, Gowon’s leadership and efforts to keep Nigeria united laid the foundation for the stable environment that enabled Dangote to grow and eventually build a pan African business empire.

North Book

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, on Monday, disclosed that the Nigerian Army has established new brigades, battalions and operational units across six states as part of efforts to strengthen security operations and improve rapid response to emerging threats nationwide.

Shuaibu said the new formations were created to enhance the Army’s operational posture, expand military presence in volatile areas and improve responses to security challenges across the country.

The COAS made this known during the opening ceremony of the Chief of Army Staff First Bi-Annual Conference 2026 held in Abuja.

According to him, the Army has continued to sustain an enhanced operational posture through troop deployments, restructuring of formations and the establishment of additional Joint Task Force units in strategic locations.

He said, “The Nigerian Army has maintained an enhanced operational posture through continuous troop deployments, reconfiguration of formations and the establishment of additional Joint Task Force formations and units in critical locations.

“For instance, the 15 Brigade and its affiliated units in Anambra and Imo states, the 12 Battalion in Anyigba, the 226 Battalion in Ganye, Adamawa State, the 247 Reconnaissance Battalion in Mubi, Army Headquarters Logistics Base 4 in Gusau, Army Logistics Base 5 in Ilorin, and Operation Savannah Shield in the North Central have all been established to enhance operational presence and improve responses to emerging security challenges.”

He noted that the measures were aimed at improving operational effectiveness and strengthening the Army’s capacity to respond swiftly to security threats across different regions of the country.

The Army Chief further disclosed that the establishment of the Depot Nigerian Army in Amasiri, Edda, is aimed at supporting the implementation of the Commander-in-Chief’s directive for the recruitment of an additional 28,000 personnel to strengthen manpower levels.

“Additionally, the establishment of the Depot Nigerian Army Amasiri, Edda (Ebonyi), is geared towards achieving the mandate of the Commander-in-Chief’s directive of recruiting an additional 28,000 troops under the expansion programme.

“These measures have strengthened our operational reach, improved response time and facilitated effective intelligence-led operations. Consequently, we have continued to disrupt criminal networks, degrade adversary capabilities and restore relative calm in several previously volatile areas,” he said.