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Amina Zakari must be removed – Fayose Insists + Why Ekiti didn’t celebrate independence
Gov. of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose, in his speech on Independence Day has poured out his heart and what he feels about the current situation of the country. In his speech, He talked about the present government and also insists on the removal of the present INEC chairman, Amina Zakari.
Read his speech below:
I congratulate you for witnessing another great day in the life of our dear state. Today marks the 19th anniversary of the creation of Ekiti State and the 55th independence anniversary of our country, Nigeria, from colonial powers.
But today calls for sober reflection, going by events in and around our nation. The situation has never been this bad in the country and there is nothing to celebrate.
Our country is growing in age as an independent country, but there is no corresponding growth in values. Those who are supposed to help propel those core values are muzzling the opposition and the imaginary enemies.
The current leadership in the country should have the courage to probe all the leaderships of the past. There should be no sacred cow, if truly they have anything to offer.
The mismanagement of yesteryears, especially since we started the Fourth Republic, should be probed. It will not augur well for our nation, if we are selective in the dispensation of justice. Leaders must be equitable and fair to all.
Everybody must be diligent in playing our parts. The current civilian dispensation in the country must be supported and allowed to thrive.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan played his role and posterity will have a good place for him in history.
He anchored free, credible and fair polls that ushered in the current leadership in the country. President Jonathan should be declared the hero of our democracy and a man of honour.
We must not forget that corruption, terrorism and lack of peace have their foundations traced to election rigging.
The Federal Government must address the dwindling economy and stop selective fight against corruption and the harassment of the opposition.
If President Muhammadu Buhari believes in democracy, he will be judged in the way he handles Kogi and Bayelsa governorship polls.
Once again, I call on President Buhari to remove the acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral (INEC), Mrs Amina Zakari; and the Director-General of the Department of State Security Service (DSS), Alhaji Lawal Daura. This will prove that another dictator is not in the making.
On my part, I will continue to live a life of service which accounted for my returning to office after eight years of my illegal removal from office by one of the worst dictators in history.
Getting our economy out of the woods calls for the cooperation of all. We must get our priority right and do what is proper. Let us rediscover agriculture which used to be the mainstay of our economy before the discovery of oil.
I cannot end this broadcast without appreciating you, the good people of Ekiti State, for your support and for standing by me during turbulent periods.
It is with your support that we were able to checkmate those who wanted to throw our state into confusion.
I pray that we will not witness a return to those years of locust again in our dear state.
I am also reiterating that I will not let you down and will continue to enhance your living conditions and welfare, in spite of the financial challenges we are facing.
As you all know, we inherited a huge debt burden and revenue from the Federation Account is getting smaller each passing month. But I know that with your prayers and support, those problems are not insurmountable.
Notwithstanding the huge debt my administration inherited from the immediate past administration, and coupled with the lean purse and dwindling allocations from Abuja, it is worthy of note that within one year of my inauguration, I have been able to make a very glaring difference bordering on good governance, regular payment of workers’ salaries and entitlements, maintenance and sustenance of peace and order in the state.
With you on my side, we will get to our Promised Land.
I implore you all to continue to support my administration. All of us cannot be in the same political party, but destiny has brought us together in this state.
The party in itself is not as important as the kind of person who the driver of the party is. We have no other place to call our own, but Ekiti State.
I wish to close this address by making it clear that in Ekiti, we cannot afford the funding of today’s celebration at the expense of payment of our workers’ salaries which is very paramount to my administration because I am not given to playing to the gallery.
While, I wish everybody happy celebration, I enjoin you to stay at home for the celebration.
Long live Ekiti State.
Long live Nigeria.
At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.
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More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.
The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.
This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.
These were his words:
“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”
@primateayodele
Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.
Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
@primateayodele #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #fulfillment #train #abuja #primateayodele
“Let’s pray not to see train mishap in Abuja-Kaduna, Kaduna-Abuja route.”
This has also been fulfilled.
The project ends decades search for investors, boosts Nigeria’s blue economy
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
Nigeria’s maritime sector is set for a major transformation following a landmark agreement involving the world’s largest container shipping company, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which has secured a 45-year concession to build, manage and operate a modern container terminal at Snake Island Port in Lagos.
The project, to be developed in partnership with Nigerdock, marks one of the most significant private sector investments in Nigeria’s port infrastructure in recent decades and is expected to strengthen the country’s role as a major maritime gateway in West and Central Africa.
For Nigeria, the agreement brings to close decades of efforts to attract large-scale investors to develop Snake Island Port, a strategically located maritime asset in Lagos.
Long-standing concession history
Snake Island’s maritime facilities date back several decades. In 1992, the Federal Government granted a 99-year concession for the island’s port and industrial facilities to Nigerdock, a major maritime engineering and logistics company.
Nigerdock was later privatised and is currently operated by the Jagal Group owned by Nigerian industrialist Maher Jarmakani.
Over the years, the Island Container Terminal fell into disrepair, requiring major rehabilitation and modernization to meet modern global shipping standards.
The new partnership with MSC is expected to transform the port into a state-of-the-art container handling facility capable of attracting larger vessels and increasing Nigeria’s cargo throughput capacity.
Buhari administration approved the project.
The investment framework for the Snake Island development was approved in May 2023 by the Federal Executive Council under then President Muhammadu Buhari.
The approval authorised total private investment of approximately $974.1 million for the project under a Public-Private Partnership structure, including the 45-year concession period.
At the same time, the Federal Government also approved two other major maritime infrastructure projects:
• Development of the Ondo Multipurpose Port in Ilaje, Ondo State, with $1.48 billion in private investment and a 50-year concession.
• Expansion and development of the Burutu Sea Port in Delta State, involving $1.2 billion in private investment and a 40-year concession.
These projects form part of Nigeria’s broader effort to develop its blue economy and expand maritime trade capacity.
Construction partners
Engineering and construction of the Snake Island container terminal will be handled by:
• ITB Nigeria Limited
• DEME Group
ITB Nigeria Limited is part of the Chagoury Group and owned by the Chagoury family, while DEME Group is a globally recognised Belgian marine engineering and dredging company with extensive experience in port construction.
MSC profile
Founded in 1970 by Italian shipping entrepreneur Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, MSC has grown from a single cargo vessel into the largest container shipping company in the world.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the company operates in more than 155 countries and serves over 500 ports worldwide, with a fleet of roughly 900 container ships and over 200,000 employees globally.
The MSC Group also operates major logistics and maritime businesses including inland logistics through Medlog, cruise tourism through MSC Cruises, and port terminal operations across several continents.
According to Forbes, the estimated net worth of MSC founder Gianluigi Aponte is about $43.9 billion as of February 2026, placing him among the world’s richest shipping magnates. The company remains privately owned by the Aponte family, with both founders holding equal ownership stakes.
Management comments
Speaking on the development, MSC Group President Diego Aponte said the company is committed to strengthening its operations in Nigeria and across Africa.
“We are proud to expand our presence in Nigeria through this important infrastructure project. The Snake Island terminal will enhance service delivery and improve port efficiency for our customers and partners in the region,”
Chief Executive Officer of Nigerdock, Maher Jarmakani, described the agreement as a major milestone for the Nigerian maritime sector.
“We are delighted to partner with MSC in developing a world-class container terminal that will enhance Nigeria’s logistics capabilities and support economic growth,” he said.
Economic impact
Industry analysts say the project could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s maritime economy by expanding cargo handling capacity, reducing congestion at Lagos ports and attracting additional international shipping traffic.
The development is also expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across maritime operations, logistics, transport services and port-related commercial activities.
Infrastructure expansion
Beyond the port development, plans are also underway for Nigeria’s first underwater tunnel, linking Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island through Snake Island and connecting the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway corridor through Badagry.
The tunnel project is expected to significantly improve freight movement and road connectivity between Lagos ports and national transport networks.
Strategic milestone
With the entry of MSC into the Snake Island development, industry observers say Nigeria is taking a significant step toward modernizing its maritime infrastructure and positioning itself as a regional hub for global shipping and trade.
For a project that has waited for decades for major international investors, the Snake Island concession represents a turning point in Nigeria’s port development strategy and a strong signal of global confidence in the country’s maritime future.
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
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