By Adeko Ukpa

The  17th Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the French Republic, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, CFR has promised to recalibrate the ties between the two countries.

He also promised to give priorities to security, trade, and investment.

Oke unfolded his agenda while presenting his Letters of Credence to the French President, Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace in Paris.

CAPTION: The 17th Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the French Republic, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, CFR presenting his Letters of Credence to President Emmanuel at Élysée Palace on Monday. PHOTO: NIGERIA EMBASSY, PARIS

Envoy’s Priorities for France

A statement by the Nigerian Embassy in Paris said he pledged to uphold Nigeria’s values and reputation with clarity and credibility.

He said: “I am pleased to inform you that on 5 October 2026, I presented my Letters of Credence to President Emmanuel Macron and formally assumed my duties as the 17th Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the French Republic.

“The brief yet significant ceremony took place in the grandeur of the historic, iconic Élysée Palace, with its regal ambience.

“It underscored the compelling need to elevate and recalibrate the partnership between Nigeria and France.

“This means strengthening bilateral relations in security, trade, and investment, while upholding our values and reputation with clarity and credibility.

“It also means shaping conversations, securing advantages, protecting citizens, and promoting Nigeria’s national image.”

Stop Starting. Start Finishing: Why Continuity Is Strategically Important for Nigeria in 2027

by Mary Laniyan

“Stop starting. Start finishing,” is a popular agile transformation principle used to shift organisations away from measuring activity and toward delivering value and measurable outcomes. Governments are not corporations, but the underlying economic principle is comparable. In government, the stakes are infinitely higher, they have a human cost.

The cost is measured in the lives of ordinary people, the pain of making ends meet, the anxiety of raising a family, the frustration of being unable to find meaningful work, the loss of dignity that comes from being unable to be productive and self-reliant, and, above all, the uncertainty surrounding the future of an entire generation of young Nigerians. That is why I dare say this: Nigeria does not need another beginning in 2027. Nigeria needs continuity, discipline and the courage to finish what it has started.

The problem with perpetual beginnings.

By the time the presidential baton changed hands in 2023, the Nigerian foundation had deteriorated significantly. Consequently, regardless of who assumed office, there was always going to be a period of pain, if the genuine intention was to confront the structural problems that had bedevilled the country for decades.

Structural reforms are rarely painless.

Much like a house with serious structural defects, a fresh coat of paint may make the building look beautiful in the short term, but it does not fix the structural issues at the core of its foundation. Eventually, the underlying problems return, and often with greater consequences. Nigeria cannot afford to keep painting over structural cracks. Fixing the foundation requires something that our political system has historically struggled with, and that is continuity.

The tyranny of the “pet project.”

As we look towards 2027, I believe it is not too early to appeal to the conscience of our political elites to embrace a mindset of “continuity for impact” and move away from the political “pet project” mindset.

Every administration naturally wants to leave its own mark. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, but if we put Nigeria first and put on the hat of a relay race athlete, you win and Nigeria wins. Leaving your mark should not be more important than building on what already exists for a much needed outcome. A new administration arrives. A new set of priorities are announced. Existing programmes are renamed, abandoned, redesigned or simply starved of political attention. Years later, another administration arrives and starts the cycle all over again. The result is predictable, we become very good at starting and very poor at finishing and Nigeria pays the price.

Ajaokuta should never become normal.

I belong to a generation that still mourns the story of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex. Ajaokuta represents one of Nigeria’s most consequential industrial missed opportunities, not merely because a steel plant was never fully realised, but because of the industrial ecosystem that could have developed around it. A functioning integrated steel industry could have supported engineering, manufacturing, construction, machinery, transportation, mining and a range of downstream industries. It could have created skills, supply chains and industrial capabilities that would have outlived any single administration. That is the tragedy of Ajaokuta.

We did not merely fail to finish a project; we potentially failed to finish an industrialisation strategy that would have revolutionized Nigeria for a generation yet unborn.

And then there is Mambilla.

The Mambilla Hydroelectric Project represents another extraordinary missed opportunity. Nigeria has spent decades confronting one of the fundamental constraints on economic development, inadequate and unreliable electricity. We have repeatedly struggled to complete major projects capable of expanding the country’s power-generation capacity at scale.

Mambilla is a powerful reminder that infrastructure of national significance cannot be treated as the property of whichever administration happens to inherit it. If projects such as Ajaokuta and Mambilla had been successfully completed, integrated into the wider economy and properly maintained, I believe Nigeria’s economic trajectory could have been profoundly different. One finished project may not magically transform a nation, but it will create platforms upon which other opportunities can be built.

Continuity is not political loyalty, this is an important distinction. Continuity should not mean defending everything a previous administration did. It should not mean refusing to correct mistakes. It should not mean protecting failed policies because of political allegiance. Continuity means identifying what is strategically important to Nigeria, preserving what works, correcting what does not, and finishing what deserves to be finished.

A new administration should have the courage to say: This may not have been my project, but it is imperative that we finish it. That is the mindset we need. Imagine a Nigeria where successive administrations measured themselves not only by what they started, but by how many strategically important national projects they successfully completed. It is in this context that Hon. Minister Nyesom Wike comes to mind. He should be applauded for finishing a lot of projects that he didn’t start.

How do we make this work?

Every administration should have the opportunity to shine within a 20 to 30 year national development horizon, while plugging into a clearly defined Nigerian National Development Strategy that provides a consistent North Star.

The long-term strategy should set out where Nigeria wants to be in 20 or 30 years. Each administration should then be responsible for defining the specific priorities, reforms and measurable outcomes it will deliver during its tenure to move the country closer to that destination. The destination remains consistent; administrations compete on how effectively they move the country forward. This creates the right balance between continuity and accountability.

Let’s get Organised

“We are not outnumbered, we are out-organised.” The quote is widely attributed to human rights activist Malcolm X, I believe it resonates deeply with our context today. Nigeria is not short of people, ideas, talent, ambition or resources. We need government to create the conditions in which Nigerians can do more for themselves. Nigerians in my opinion, are the easiest to govern because of their resilience and grit. That is why 2027 should not simply be another political contest. It should be an opportunity to ask a more fundamental question: What must Nigeria continue, complete and institutionalise to leverage its people for a vibrant economy.

And if we genuinely want to change the trajectory of this country, perhaps the most important political and civic discipline we can embrace is also the simplest.

Stop starting.

Start finishing.

Mary Laniyan

Systems Performance Coach

From Adeko Ukpa

Senator representing Bauchi South, Shehu Buba, has dismissed as fabricated allegations and viral videos linking him to alleged bandit kingpins.

He said the materials being circulated online were deliberately manipulated to damage his reputation.

Buba, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Livestock and Animal Husbandry and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) governorship candidate in Bauchi State, said a fact-check had established that the viral videos combined two unrelated clips.

He said the individuals in the first video spoke Fulfulde, while those in the second spoke English, insisting that the claim that the footage showed bandits visiting his residence was false.

In a statement titled “Setting the Record Straight: My response to fabricated videos, false allegations and a sustained campaign of disinformation,” Buba said the first clip showed Kaduna-based Hajj returnees who visited his residence in 2023, while the second showed different individuals displaying passports.

Senator Buba rejected the allegations, describing them as false, malicious and part of a coordinated campaign driven by financial motives and partisan interests rather than any genuine concern for truth or accountability.

He challenged individuals and organisations with credible evidence of wrongdoing to submit it to the appropriate authorities.

He insisted that he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear from any legitimate investigation.

He also urged his supporters not to be provoked, stressing that their focus must remain on winning the 2027 elections and offering Bauchi State a credible alternative built on service, development and security.

“Let us remain calm, disciplined and committed to the democratic process,” he said.

The senator said he initially refrained from responding to the allegations because of the sensitive nature of his previous responsibilities as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence.

According to him, national security requires discretion because publicising certain operational successes could expose sources, endanger individuals and communities, or compromise ongoing interventions.

He said: “For much of my public life, I have resisted the temptation to respond to every allegation, criticism or provocation directed at me.

“Citizens have a legitimate right to scrutinise those entrusted with public responsibility, and public officials must be prepared to account for their conduct.

“My election as Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District – and particularly my
responsibility as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence – reinforced the need for restraint. National security demands discretion.

“Operational successes cannot always be publicised without jeopardising ongoing efforts, exposing
sources or endangering individuals and communities involved in sensitive interventions.

“It was in that spirit that I initially declined to respond to the recent circulation of videos purporting to show “high-profile bandit kingpins” visiting my residence.

“However, the persistent recycling of these materials, accompanied by increasingly serious allegations, makes it necessary to place the facts before Nigerians.”

According to him, “This campaign dates back to September 15, 2024, when Umar Shayi led a militia group purported to be hunters working for the Bauchi State Agency for Vigilante and Youth Empowerment.

“The group reportedly killed two charcoal sellers who were conducting their
lawful business. As the elected Senator representing the district, I visited the families of the
deceased to condole with them and called on the relevant authorities to ensure justice is served.

“I also vowed to pursue lawful action on behalf of both the deceased and the injured
victims.

“I condemned the killings and urged the government to institute safeguards against
abuses by those entrusted with protecting citizens.

“Following my intervention, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Barrister Abubakar Abdulhamid Bununu, publicly linked my name to banditry —an allegation I rejected as false and unsupported by evidence.

“Subsequently, Governor Bala Mohammed petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that I sponsored a ‘bandit kingpin’ to perform the 2024 Hajj through an aide named Yahaya Ibrahim.

“I categorically denied these allegations. I stated that I had no aide by the name cited and invited security agencies to investigate.

“My sponsorship of pilgrims – like my scholarships,
medical interventions and other empowerment programmes – has always been based on
recommendations from community and religious leaders.

“These philanthropic initiatives predate current political disagreements and have benefited people from diverse backgrounds. Community and religious leaders make the recommendations, and I do not personally screen or select beneficiaries.

“These efforts are also anchored in my principled
commitment to constructive engagement, conflict resolution and non-kinetic approaches to
addressing Nigeria’s numerous challenges – principles that have shaped my current doctoral
research at the University of Jos, where I am a PhD candidate.

“Rather than engage in a war of words, I sought legal redress by filing a defamation suit, CV/413/2024, before the High Court of the FCT.”

The senator also addressed the case of Hassan Husseini, whom he said was introduced to him in 2024 as an orphan requiring educational assistance.

He said: “ It is important to explain the origin of some of the photographs and videos now being circulated.

“In 2024, a young man named Hassan Husseini was introduced to me as an orphan needing
educational assistance. Supporting vulnerable young people has long been part of my community interventions.

“I enrolled him in a private college in Kaduna and an Islamic school, and provided him with a bicycle for transportation.

“After some time, Hassan abandoned his education and approached me for a substantial sum
to start a car dealership.

“I declined and advised him to return to school. I later discovered that, while under my care, he had recorded photographs and videos of
visitors to my residence. These materials later formed the basis of allegations circulated on social media.

“After the videos circulated and those sharing the videos and photos demanded money as extortion, I petitioned the Nigeria Police Force on September 9, 2025. Several individuals were arrested and investigated.

“On October 30, 2025, five suspects were arraigned before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/526/2025, on charges including
criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, criminal defamation, advance-fee fraud and extortion.

“The matter is before a competent court, and I will refrain from comments that could prejudice the proceedings. The next hearing is scheduled for September 29, 2026.”

Buba said he had also taken legal action following remarks by former Bauchi State Governor and APC governorship candidate Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, in July 2026 concerning the source of his wealth.

He said political disagreements should be settled through debates on policies, competence and vision rather than character assassination, adding that his decision to leave the APC for the PRP should not be used as a basis for fabricated allegations.

He said: “In July 2026, former Bauchi State Governor and APC gubernatorial candidate Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, publicly questioned the source of my wealth and made remarks I
considered defamatory.

“Again, I chose lawful action over political confrontation and instructed my lawyers, Jay Adl Attorneys, to petition the appropriate authorities.
Political disagreement should never justify character assassination.

“My decision to leave the
APC for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), under whose platform I am pursuing my gubernatorial aspiration, should be debated on policies, competence and vision – not on fabricated allegations.”

On his record in national security, Buba said he had advocated a comprehensive approach combining military operations with community engagement, dialogue, intelligence gathering, deradicalisation and confidence-building.

He said Nigeria could not defeat insecurity through military force alone, stressing the need to win the trust of vulnerable communities and strengthen local intelligence networks.

He said: “For two years, I served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and
Intelligence, a role that placed me at the intersection of legislative oversight, intelligence,
security policy and engagement with communities affected by insecurity.

“Throughout that period, I supported a comprehensive approach to security. While kinetic operations are necessary, I consistently advocated complementary non-kinetic strategies
involving community engagement, dialogue, intelligence gathering, deradicalisation and
confidence-building.

“Nigeria cannot defeat insecurity by military force alone. Sustainable security requires winning the trust of vulnerable communities, strengthening local intelligence networks and
creating pathways for cooperation with legitimate authorities.

“Some of these interventions cannot responsibly be discussed in detail. Revealing identities of intermediaries or operational information could endanger patriotic citizens and undermine ongoing efforts. My silence on such matters should never be interpreted as an absence of service.”

He said his public service also included scholarships, educational sponsorship, medical assistance, youth empowerment and support for vulnerable families across Bauchi South and beyond.

He said: “My commitment to public service predates my political career. I have invested in scholarships, educational sponsorships, medical assistance, youth empowerment and
support for vulnerable families across Bauchi South and beyond.

“Philanthropy is not a political slogan for me – it is an obligation. Not every intervention attracts publicity, nor should it. Public service should be measured by lives touched, opportunities created and communities strengthened.

“It is deeply unfortunate when acts of compassion or legitimate security-related contacts are stripped of context and repackaged as evidence of wrongdoing.

“I welcome scrutiny, but scrutiny must be fair.
I do not claim immunity from scrutiny. As a Senator, a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, currently chairing the Senate Committee on Livestock and Animal Husbandry, and now a gubernatorial candidate, I recognise that my
actions and associations will be examined.

“That is democracy. But scrutiny must be based on
facts. There is a difference between investigation and fabrication, between criticism and blackmail, and between political opposition and deliberate character assassination.

“Modern disinformation thrives on recycling old allegations, editing them, attaching new
captions and redistributing them until repetition masquerades as evidence.
Responsible citizens and journalists must resist this.”

Buba appealed to journalists, editors, fact-checkers, civil society organisations and opinion leaders to subject the allegations to professional scrutiny by verifying the videos, establishing the identities of those involved, reviewing court records and consulting relevant security institutions.

“I appeal to editors, journalists, fact-checkers, civil society organisations and opinion leaders to approach these allegations with professionalism and fairness.

“Verify the videos. Examine their origins. Establish the identities of the individuals involved. Review court records. Consult relevant security institutions. Subject my explanations to
scrutiny as well.

“I will continue to defend my name through lawful means. More importantly, I will continue the work that has defined my public life: serving my constituents, supporting those in need and contributing to the peace and security of our nation.
The facts should speak louder than propaganda,” he said.