Politics
2023: Akpabio Declares For President
•••Says Together We Can Change Our Story
After months of calls from groups, organizations, students, market women and downtrodden that he should contest for the office of the President Federal Republic of Nigeria and having consulted wide with stakeholders across the length and breath of the country, Minister Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday formally accepted the call in a speech captioned; TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE OUR STORY
Standing before a mammoth crowd which cut across party divides, inside the main bowl of Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium, Akwa Ibom State, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State said, ” my dear Compatriots, determined to pay the debt of gratitude I owe our nation for the opportunities to serve in high offices of
public trust; determined to let our nation drink from the deep well of experience acquired in these offices, I, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, with great humility, hereby submit myself for
your kind consideration as your next president.
The declaration speech reads:
“A Statement of intent to contest for the Presidency of Nigeria by Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON.
My dear Compatriots, determined to pay the debt of gratitude I owe our nation for the opportunities to serve in high offices of public trust; determined to let our nation drink from the deep well of experience acquired in these offices, I, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, with great humility, hereby, submit myself for
your kind consideration as your next President.
“I pay tribute to President Muhammadu Buhari for the patriotic work he has done as our President. He has given hope and
direction to governance, and fought corruption with uncompromising zeal. He has touched lives and empowered
people, he has made great advances in agriculture, human capital development, and indeed, in all sectors of our economy.
“He has uplifted the integrity of the Nigerian nation. A lot can be said about all his amazing successes and achievements, but suffice it to say that I have come to perfect his marvelous
works. Although, Absolute perfection belongs not to man nor to Angels, but to God alone. The labours of our dear President Buhari and our past leaders
shall never be in vain. In line with this expectation in our National Anthem, I have come to build based on their
developmental strides; to serve our country with heart and
might — serve her as a nation bound in freedom, peace and
unity, where the dividends of democracy shall be guaranteed.
“I have come with these key items on my agenda: to secure lives and properties; to make unity the touchstone of our
nationhood; and to invigorate our economy, prosper our citizenry and promote democracy.
“In 2007, I was elected the Governor of a pedestrian state, languishing on the margins of our national life. A couple of
years later, a European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, visited the State and described what he saw, in amazement, as
“transformation extraordinaire.”
“He inadvertently, became the originator of the swansong “Uncommon Transformation” which other amazed visitors and residents of the state still echo till now. In Eight years of Uncommon Transformation, we gave the State one of the best road networks in the country (the roads built by us 14 years ago are still pot-hole free).
“We gave the State free and compulsory education for all children up to
Senior Secondary School; we gave the state free medical treatment for pregnant women and for babies up to the age of five; we delivered to the State world class facilities like the
International Airport, Tropicana Entertainment Centre, E-Library, Ibom Specialty Hospital (rated as one of the best in Africa), Africa’s first ever underground pipe-jacking drainage
system, Ibom Power Plant, Akwa Ibom State University, the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium and many other
projects too numerous to mention.
“We did so much that then serving Presidents and past country leaders wondered where we got money from to do all that we did. The trick was in our
vision, strategic planning, commitment and honest
implementation.
” Together we can do more than this for Nigeria. At the Nile Valley in Egypt, people of different colours,
languages, religion and ethnicity co habited peacefully and
gave the world its first modern civilisation. We are a reflection
of that alluvial Nile Valley and together we can reinvigorate peace, unity and development and become the envy of the world.
“This is why I am seeking to be your President. I have done it before as Governor; my office pursued national unity with great zeal. I sent both Christians and Muslims on pilgrimages. The office reflected Federal Character because of my abiding faith in Nigeria and its diversity. Not only did we win uncountable awards & honours, and
commendations from institutions like the United States Congress, the Nigeria Defence Academy, foreign countries,
prestigious institutions of higher learning, prominent religious and ethnic organizations; even Wikkileaks, referenced myself as a leader to watch due to my infrastructural revolution and
efforts in industrial development.
“We took that pedestrian State
out of the margins of our national life, and made it a cynosure of global interest. It attracted global icons such as the President of the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of Ivory Coast; the
Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis; one-time USA presidential aspirant, the Rev Jesse Jackson; diplomats; global sports icons like Don King and Evander Holyfield; and a host of others. I am
offering my humble self for service to our dear Nation, because I believe that together we can make Nigeria the cynosure of global interest and an African economic lion. There is nothing
the Asian tigers have, in terms of human and material resources, that we do not have.
“As a Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, we have completed projects abandoned for decades and thought to be beyond
salvage. We have had key projects commissioned by Mr President. This uncommon feat was achieved through the support of Mr President. We have effectively repositioned NDDC to meet its core mandate. As a first time Senator, after my work as Governor, my distinguished colleagues found me
worthy and elected me as their Minority Leader. This was in recognition of the great equity and value I brought to the
Senate. I pay respect to that Hallowed Chamber for that honour. I praise God for His grace.
“The road to Governorship of Akwa Ibom State was marked by immense value added as the Commissioner of Local
Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Commissioner for Lands and Housing, and Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources. In Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, I left a record in conflict resolution and raised the bar of respect and dignity for the traditional institution in Nigeria, and as your
President we shall give the traditional institution a voice in the functionality and maintenance of peace in our dear country.
“In Lands and Housing, we undertook land reclamation and estate development. In Petroleum and Natural Resources, we connected with Niger Delta issues and maintained peace
among the youth and assisted in bringing militancy to an end in
the Niger Delta Region. All these experiences paid off when I
became the Governor, which led to this commendation by our
eminent patriot and father of this democracy, General
Abdulsalami Abubakar, GCFR, when he visited the State:
“The type of development we are seeing in Akwa Ibom State, if
all of us in this country follow suit… there will be peace in this
country and there will be no need for any misgivings and
terrorism.”
So I declare today conscious that this declaration has raised
the bar of hope for all Nigerians, poor or rich. Christian or
Muslim. I was raised by a poor, loving mother, who lost her
beloved husband six months after my birth. She taught me that
life is not about where you came from, but where you are going.
“
After primary school, I missed a year of schooling because she
could not afford my school fees. Despite this, my love for education drove me to sneak into a nearby Secondary School.
One day the security of the school chased me through the forest and I fell on a tree trunk and severely injured my leg. That scar left behind a constant reminder that I should always drive children to school, drive people to development, drive goodwill in all my endeavours and be fair to all.
“It is said that a good heart is the key to an open door; I eventually gained admission to Federal Government College, Port Harcourt. This premier Unity school imbued in me my inflexible faith in the Nigerian Nation and connected me to brothers and sisters in all nooks and crannies of Nigeria. Therefore, my declaration is a trumpet call for unity and action.
“May the Fulanis, the Hausas and the Tivs arise to this call with
deeper faith in the Nigerian mission. May the Yorubas, the
Igbos and the Ijaws awake to this call with stronger hope for a greater country.
“May the Efiks, the Ibibios, the Annangs the Kanuris, and indeed, all other ethnic groups in Nigeria hear this call and shout with joy that the clouds of national pains will soon bring forth showers of national gains.
“Fellow Nigerians, when the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Terrence McCulley, visited Akwa Ibom State he noted prophetically, “I have been to Akwa Ibom for the first time, but I have to say that with what I have seen, the future of Nigeria is in Akwa Ibom State.
“The future of the Uncommon
Transformation of Nigeria; The future of making this country an African showpiece; That future that McCulley spoke of, is my dream Nigeria. I share this dream with you because the future
is the property of those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Together we will overcome every challenge.
“Together we will defeat every Goliath. Together we will turn our mourning
into dancing again.
Let God’s will be done in 2023.
God bless our great country.”
The has officially chosen as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The announcement marks a significant step in the party’s preparations for the next electoral cycle, as it seeks to strengthen its presence on the national political stage.
Party leaders described Imumolen as a candidate with the vision and leadership qualities needed to address Nigeria’s pressing challenges, including economic growth, job creation, education, and youth development.
Speaking after his emergence, Imumolen expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in him by party members and pledged to present policies aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians.
He also called for greater citizen participation in the democratic process, emphasizing the need for inclusive governance and sustainable development.
Political analysts believe the development could increase the visibility of the Accord Party ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly as smaller parties seek to provide alternatives to the country’s dominant political blocs.
With political activities gradually gaining momentum, stakeholders are expected to closely monitor how the party positions itself in the build-up to the presidential election.
There is a phrase being deployed with increasing urgency in the build-up to the Ekiti State governorship election, and it is carrying more weight than political sloganeering typically warrants. “Ballot revolution.” It is the language of Oluyede and in the mouth of a man who has clearly thought carefully about what ails governance in Ekiti and what, precisely, it would take to fix it, the phrase is not hyperbole. It is a diagnosis and a prescription delivered in the same breath, aimed squarely at a citizenry that Oluyede appears to believe is ready to be spoken to seriously rather than managed quietly.
Oluyede’s central argument is as straightforward as it is demanding that the quality of governance a people receive is inseparable from the quality of choices they make at the ballot box. It is a position that sounds obvious until you sit with the full implications of what it requires, not just the act of voting, but voting with intention, with information, with resistance to the inducements and intimidations that have historically shaped electoral outcomes in Ekiti and across Nigeria more broadly. A ballot revolution, in this framing, is not about violence or rupture. It is about consciousness, a collective awakening to the idea that the power to determine who governs, and therefore how life is lived in Ekiti, resides not in Abuja or in the offices of political godfathers but in the hands of ordinary Ekiti people standing in a queue on election day.
The timing of this message matters. Ekiti State has a political history that is simultaneously rich with civic energy and scarred by the kind of electoral manipulation that has repeatedly produced a gap between what voters intended and what governance ultimately delivered. The state has punched above its weight in producing educated, articulate, and politically engaged citizens, and yet the translation of that civic energy into consistently accountable governance has remained an unfinished project. Oluyede’s invocation of a ballot revolution speaks directly to that frustration, naming it without euphemism and challenging the electorate to respond to it differently this time.
Good governance, as Oluyede frames it, is not a gift that falls from the sky or filters down from the goodwill of powerful men. It is extracted, demanded, insisted upon, voted into existence by people who refuse to accept the alternative. In Ekiti, where the 2026 governorship race is shaping up as one of the more consequential electoral contests in the South-West, that extraction will require exactly the kind of collective civic discipline that the ballot revolution concept demands. Candidates will make promises. Party structures will deploy resources. And voters will, as they always do, face the moment of truth in the polling booth where everything that has been said publicly must be weighed against everything that has been felt personally.
What Oluyede is betting on, and what his ballot revolution message implicitly trusts, is that Ekiti voters are capable of making that moment count. It is a bet on the electorate’s intelligence, dignity, and appetite for change that many in Nigerian politics are reluctant to make. Whether the people of Ekiti vindicate that bet when it matters most will be the real story of this election, and it is a story that no political strategist, no party machine, and no amount of campaign spending can fully script in advance.
Politics
Sowore Demands ₦500,000 Minimum Wage For Nigerian Workers, Calls Current Rate an Insult to Human Dignity
Omoyele Sowore has never been a man who measures his demands against what the political establishment considers convenient, and his latest declaration is entirely consistent with that reputation. The activist, journalist, and African Action Congress leader has called for a ₦500,000 minimum wage for Nigerian workers, a figure that sits dramatically above the current national minimum wage and that has, predictably, ignited a fierce debate about labour rights, economic realism, and the yawning gap between what Nigerian workers are paid and what it actually costs to survive in the country today. For Sowore, the number is not a negotiating position. It is a statement of principle about the value of human labour in a nation that has for too long treated its working class as an afterthought.
The context in which this demand lands is not incidental. It is everything. Nigeria is navigating one of the most bruising economic periods in its recent history, defined by fuel subsidy removal, a dramatically weakened naira, inflation that has compressed the purchasing power of ordinary workers to levels that were unimaginable just a few years ago, and a cost of living that has outpaced wages so comprehensively that millions of employed Nigerians are, by any honest assessment, living in poverty. The ₦70,000 minimum wage that was signed into law in 2024, celebrated at the time as a hard-won concession from the federal government, has already been overtaken by the economic realities it was meant to address, a cruel irony that labour unions, civil society, and workers themselves have not been slow to point out.
Sowore’s ₦500,000 figure will draw the familiar chorus of criticism from economists, government officials, and private sector representatives who will argue that such a wage floor is fiscally unsustainable, would trigger inflation, and is disconnected from the productive capacity of an economy still struggling to find its footing. These are arguments that deserve engagement, not dismissal. But Sowore and those who share his position would counter that the conversation about what is sustainable cannot be divorced from the conversation about who bears the cost of what is currently being sustained, and right now, the answer to that question is overwhelmingly the Nigerian worker, whose labour props up an economy whose gains flow disproportionately to those at the top of an already deeply unequal structure.
What Sowore is doing, whether one agrees with the specific figure or not, is forcing a recalibration of the baseline from which the minimum wage debate begins. When the starting point of the conversation is ₦70,000, the ceiling of ambition tends to stay embarrassingly low. By planting a flag at ₦500,000, he is insisting that the discussion take seriously what a living wage, not a survival wage, not a poverty-management wage, but a wage that allows a human being to live with dignity actually looks like in 2025 Nigeria. That reframing is itself a contribution to a conversation that the country urgently needs to have with greater honesty and greater urgency than it has managed so far.
For Nigerian workers grinding through twelve-hour days in markets, offices, factories, and farms for wages that do not cover their transport costs, let alone their rent, feeding, and school fees, Sowore’s demand will feel less like political theatre and more like the first time someone has said out loud what they have been feeling for years. Whether the political will exists to translate that feeling into policy is another matter entirely, but the demand is on the table, and it is not going away quietly.
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