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PRESIDENT TINUBU FLAGS OFF THE TORCH OF UNITY MOVEMENT, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

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STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT TINUBU FLAGS OFF THE TORCH OF UNITY MOVEMENT, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday in Abuja, flagged off the Torch of Unity Movement for the 22nd National Sports Festival and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting and providing an enabling environment for sports development.

The sports festival tagged the Gateway Games, will take place in Ogun State from May 16 to May 30.

President Tinubu described sports as a unifying force and a catalyst for youth engagement, national cohesion, and economic growth.

The President called on the public and private sectors to actively contribute to Nigerian sports development, particularly in infrastructure expansion, talent identification, athlete nurturing, and sponsorship of sporting events.

He stressed that enhanced collaboration is essential for advancing the nation’s sporting potential and ensuring Nigeria remains a dominant force in global sports.

The President described the Torch of Unity as a symbol of peace, strength, and solidarity.

The torch will herald the festival by travelling through all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“Since the inception of the National Sports Festival in 1973, the games have been a veritable vehicle for the interaction and integration of our young sportsmen and women.

“This festival provides a platform for all states and the FCT to showcase their sporting prowess under healthy competition, sportsmanship and friendly interaction to enhance and strengthen national unity.

“The games represent much more than just a competition of athletic skill; they embody the unity, strength, and resilience that define us as a nation.

“Every step we take together towards the festival is not merely an act of preparation for a sporting event, but a reaffirmation of our collective commitment to national building through sports,” the President stated.

The President recognised the contributions of Nigeria’s sporting legends and paid tribute to Olympic medalist and the National Torch Bearer, Falilat Ogunkoya.

He commended her dedication to promoting unity and sports excellence in Nigeria and Africa.

The President also extended his best wishes to the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Zimbabwe Warriors in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, later on Tuesday, expressing confidence in their ability to secure victory.

Governor Dapo Abiodun said Ogun State is fully prepared to host a world-class event, welcoming over 10,000 athletes in a festival designed to set new records.

He noted that elite Nigerian athletes such as Anthony Joshua and Tobi Amusan would grace the occasion, further reinforcing Nigeria’s status as a global sporting powerhouse.

“As Nelson Mandela once said, sports can change the world. They can inspire and unite people in a way that little else can.

“The unity torch, as it journeys across the Federation, is not merely a symbol of the forthcoming games but a reflection of our shared aspirations and collective identity.

“As the proud host of the 22nd National Sports Festival, we are not only ready to host over 10,000 athletes and officials but also to warmly welcome guests and supporters from every corner of the Federation.

“For the first time in the history of the National Sports Festival, all our athletes will be housed within a single purpose-built facility, ensuring comfort, convenience and camaraderie.

“Our sporting infrastructure meets international standards, and we have left no stone unturned in delivering a festival that will set new records in organisation, participation and excellence.

“Our facilities are ready, our people are enthusiastic, and our athletes are prepared to showcase the best Nigerian sporting talent to the world,” he said.

Governor Abiodun thanked President Tinubu for ensuring peace in Nigeria, emphasising that “without peace, there will be no sports festival.”

He commended the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the National Sports Commission (NSC), the Nigerian Olympic Committee, and all stakeholders for their contributions to the success of the forthcoming festival.

The Chairman of the NSC, Shehu Dikko, described the National Sports Festival as Nigeria’s version of the Olympics, adding that, for the first time, the Commission has invited the best junior athletes in the country to participate under its sponsorship.

He said these young athletes will compete under the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) category, marking a historic inclusion in the festival.

Later, at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, the deputy governor of Delta State, Monday Onyeme, representing Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, handed over the Festival Torch of Unity to the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko.

President Tinubu received the torch from Dikko, who in turn passed it to the Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee, Hon. Bukola Olopade, who then entrusted it to Falilat Ogunkoya, the National Torch Bearer, for its journey across the country.

 

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

March 25, 2025

Politics

2027: ADC has no preferred presidential aspirant – David Mark

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The Interim National Chairman of the newly formed opposition coalition party, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, David Mark, has clarified that the party has no preferred presidential aspirant for the 2027 general elections.

Mark made this statement on Tuesday while addressing stakeholders of the Kogi chapter of the ADC at a meeting in Abuja.

The former Senate President assured Nigerians that, under his leadership, the party would operate with complete transparency.

“The ADC has no preferred or favourite presidential aspirant, but has set out to first put out a platform that would be attractive and acceptable to the majority of Nigerians.

“We are doing this because we do not want this great ship called Nigeria to sink, because if we do not rise up now and it sank all of us will be affected,” he said.

According to him, all members of the party are equal stakeholders, equal joiners, and equal owners.

The former military governor of Niger State urged members to put aside their differences and work as a team.

He called on some politicians to stop attacking others and instead focus on addressing the key challenges facing the nation, such as insecurity, which the ADC leadership has pledged to tackle if it assumes power.

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APC chieftain backs ADC coalition, slams Tinubu for disappointing Nigerians

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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jackson Lekan Ojo, has stated that the coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC) is justified in its attempt to displace the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

Ojo argued that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration has wrecked Nigeria beyond repair and that the country requires urgent rescue.

He claimed that if it is true that previous governments failed, then “the government of Tinubu” is a “super failure.”

The politician and political affairs analyst made these remarks while speaking as a guest on a radio programme monitored by our correspondent in Osogbo on Tuesday.

He said, “The nation’s economy is in shambles, security is in coma; people are dying daily, many cannot afford to eat. Before, when you had N1,000, you could even invite your friends to take pepper soup and some bottles, but now, N1,000 cannot buy a bottle of stout. The present administration has failed Nigerians.

“Nigeria is not moving again. People are dying of hunger. Nothing is working in Nigeria. There is no principle of checks and balances. It has been buried because the people at the National Assembly are rubber-stamped. We cannot continue like this,” he said.

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Atiku hosts Adamawa ADC stakeholders

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Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has hosted a delegation of prominent ADC stakeholders from Adamawa State at his residence in Abuja earlier on Monday.

The meeting comes ahead of plans by the coalition backed ADC to form a strong anti-Tinubu party ahead of 2027.

The delegation included the State Chairman, Hon. Adamu Shehu Yuhanna; the party’s 2023 gubernatorial candidate, Alh. Usman Muhd Shuwa; and the Legal Adviser to the State Chapter, Hassan Ahmadu Har.

Their discussions centered on the evolving political landscape, strategies for enhancing democratic governance, and their shared aspirations for the progress of both Adamawa State and the nation as a whole.

This is contained in a Facebook post by Atiku Abubakar media team on Monday.

The ADC has been mobilizing teams in states, especially Gombe and Adamawa.

This is part of plans to wrestle power from the Bola Tinubu led government at the polls.

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