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How Jonathan spent huge cash to ensure PDP’s victory over Ambode in 2015 – Tinubu reveals
The national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wednesday disclosed that former President Goodluck Jonathan spent huge amount of money to stop Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, from being elected in the 2015 elections.
Despite Jonathan’s sustained struggle to take over the state, Tinubu acknowledged that party members stood by Ambode and the APC during the election.
He described the period as the most challenging since he left his flourishing career in a multinational oil company for active politics.
He gave an account of how Jonathan struggled to take over the state at a stakeholders’ meeting he addressed at the APC secretariat, Ogba alongside Ambode, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, and the party Chairman, Chief Oladele Ajomale, among others.
The party convened the stakeholders’ meeting, which was the first of its kind since the 2015 elections were concluded to chart a new path for the local government election scheduled to hold on July 22 and resolve all issues that might give rise to disaffection and internal rift ahead the electoral process.
At the meeting the party faithful attended across the state, the national leader specifically, commended all party members for supporting Ambode in the 2015 election, noting that the candidates of the party for the forthcoming local government elections should also be supported.
He said the 2015 elections were the most challenging, recalling how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Jonathan moved “to take over the state by all means including spending huge cash, but the APC members resolutely stood their ground and ensured the victory of the party.”
With the support of the people, the national leader said Ambode won the election and had not let the APC down in any way, thereby citing the governor’s sterling performance.
Tinubu said Ambode “has not let us down. He is doing a fantastic job, in an environment where there is economic recession is a big challenge. Initially, they said he might not be able to do it, but he is doing it and doing it perfectly. He has a very good team of performers. It takes a leader to lead a team to victory and a leader to think and dream. He thinks and performs and he is doing a great job, we are very proud of him.”
On the council elections, the national leader urged party members to accept the decision, which he said, had been taken by the party leaders at the state and local government levels with respect to the forthcoming election.
He said 18 chairmen, who were promised automatic ticket for their efforts in the party and the state, would be allowed to return, while all sole administrators who took over from executive secretaries of 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas would not be allowed to contest.
Also, the national leader urged party leaders and members in all the 57 councils to give special concession to youths and women and party leaders in Surulere to give peace a chance and drop all forms of public disorder.
However, he said the party would not disallow members, especially executive secretaries from pursuing his/her aspiration, noting that doing such would amount “to denying them their rights having left office more than a year ago. It is just like saying Ambode or senators and other party leaders should not be allowed second term.
Also at the meeting, Ambode charged all party members in the state “to ensure that the party wins all available elective positions in the forthcoming council elections.”
He said it was important for the party to come out top in the elections, adding that it would go a long way to ensure that the state continues to make steady progress.
The governor attributed his success in the 2015 governorship elections to the dedication of party members and chieftains of the party, especially the national leader, thereby charging them to rally round the party yet again to ensure victory for the APC in the polls.
“Almost two years after, we have caused to thank God. I am able to look back that the confidence you give me two years ago and all of you working together to make sure I defeated the PDP candidate was no small feat. I have come here not only to attend this meeting but to say a big thank you to all of you.
“I want to thank you for being the first set of people that believed in me and thereafter God has been so gracious, he has not allowed me to disappoint u. I want to say a big thank you to Tinubu, the state APC Chairmen and Exco members for supporting that course.
“If there is any party remaining in Nigeria today, that party is manifested in all the good things coming out of Lagos State. Why are we here? We are here to count our blessings and renew the course of unity to move forward as one great party.
“I want to implore all of us, whatever it is that would have transpired, it is very clear that the next council elections is all in your hands; just the same way we have done in the last two years. My call to all members of our great party is that all 57 councils must be won by APC without exception,” Ambode said.
Precision and Heritage: How Fifi Stitches Is Rewriting African Fashion Narratives
A Nigerian-born designer is gradually carving out a cross-continental footprint in contemporary fashion, blending African textile heritage with British technical discipline.
Esther Fiyinfoluwa Adeosun, Founder and Creative Director of Fifi Stitches, is gaining recognition for structured womenswear and bridal couture that reinterprets traditional fabrics through architectural tailoring and precision construction.
Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Adeosun’s fashion journey began at home, seated beside her mother’s sewing machine. What started as childhood curiosity, sometimes jamming the machine just to understand its mechanics—evolved into a disciplined design practice now operating between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
During an interview with journalists the fifi Stitches once mentioned “I was fascinated by how flat fabric could transform into something structured and meaningful”.
In her Story , early designs made for her family, though imperfectly finished, were worn with pride—an encouragement that laid the foundation for her professional confidence.
Today, Fifi Stitches is recognised for sculpted bodices, controlled tailoring, corsetry construction, and the contemporary reinterpretation of Ankara, Aso Oke, and Adire textiles.
The brand challenges the long-held perception that African fabrics belong solely in ceremonial contexts, instead positioning them within global luxury and modern design spaces.
Adeosun’s training reflects this dual perspective. She studied Fashion Design and Entrepreneurship at the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, and earned a Diploma in Fashion Design through Alison Online.
In the UK, she undertook industry-focused technical training with Fashion-Enter Ltd and gained fashion business exposure through Fashion Capital UK.
Her technical expertise spans pattern drafting, draping, garment technology, structured tailoring, corsetry, and bespoke fittings—skills she describes as central to credibility in fashion. “Precision builds trust,” she says. “A designer must understand construction as deeply as creativity.”
Fifi Stitches has showcased collections at the Suffolk Fashion Show, Liverpool Fashion Show – FB Fashion Ball, Red Carpet Fashion Event in London, and through editorial features in London Runway Magazine.
The brand has also received coverage in The Guardian Nigeria and Vanguard Allure, expanding its visibility across markets.
Beyond couture, Adeosun integrates community impact into her practice.
She has facilitated garment construction workshops, draping sessions, and introductory training programmes for women and emerging creatives, promoting fashion as both artistic expression and vocational empowerment.
Fifi Stcithes Boss operates between Nigeria and the UK, in order to continue to shape her brand identity.
According to her “Nigeria provides cultural richness and expressive textile traditions, while the UK offers structured production systems, sustainability conversations, and institutional frameworks”.
Looking ahead, Adeosun said she plan to establish a fully structured fashion house spanning Africa and the UK, develop scalable production partnerships, launch capsule collections, and expand independent editorial visibility.
Her broader ambition is clear: to position African textile craftsmanship within global contemporary design conversations—through structure, discipline, and technical excellence.
GTCO Launches “Take on Squad” Hackathon 3.0, Opens Call for Applications
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”) has announced the launch of “Take on Squad” Hackathon 3.0, reaffirming its commitment to fostering innovation, empowering talent, and supporting the development of technology-driven solutions that address real-world challenges across Africa.
Now in its third edition, the Hackathon brings together developers, designers and entrepreneurs across Nigeria in a collaborative environment to build practical solutions across key sectors including financial services, healthcare, commerce and digital inclusion. Under the theme “Smart Systems: The Intelligent Economy,” participants are challenged to design and build intelligent, data-driven solutions that transform how communities engage with money.
Applications are now open, and interested teams can find full guidelines and registration details on the official portal at https://squadco.com/hackathon.
Speaking on the initiative, Eduophon Japhet, Managing Director of HabariPay, stated: “Today’s dynamic, digitally driven world demands continuous innovation, which is shaping how economies grow, how businesses scale, and how societies evolve. Through “Take on Squad” Hackathon, we are deliberately investing in the ideas and talent that will define the future. Our objective is not simply to encourage innovation, but to enable its translation into scalable solutions that deliver real and measurable impact. This reflects GTCO’s role as a financial services platform that connects capital, capability, and creativity to drive sustainable progress.”
The social coding event remains a cornerstone of HabariPay’s mission to foster creativity and problem-solving among emerging tech talents. Competing teams will leverage Squad’s advanced APIs to create scalable digital tools that address everyday challenges faced by businesses and individuals.
Through initiatives such as this, GTCO continues to position itself at the intersection of finance, technology and enterprise, actively shaping the future of digital transformation in Africa.
About HabariPay
HabariPay Ltd is the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), one of the largest financial services institutions in Africa with direct and indirect investments in a network of operating entities located in 10 countries across Africa and the United Kingdom.
Licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), our goal is to support SMEs, micro merchants, large corporations and other fintechs (Tech Stars) with the tools they need to thrive in an evolving digital economy and expand beyond their current market reach. HabariPay’s solutions include Squad, a full-scale digital payments toolkit to make in-person and online payments simpler, HabariPay Storefront, an e-commerce website to facilitate online purchases, Value-Added Services to help merchants access cost-effective and flexible airtime and data bundles to run their businesses, as well as a switching infrastructure that enables tech-focused businesses to optimise cost and make transactions more efficient.
HabariPay’s contributions to Accelerating Digital Acceptance in Africa have not gone unnoticed–it received Mastercard’s Innovative Mobile Payment Solution Award at TIA 2022 for its innovative payment solution, SquadPOS.
About Squad
Squad is a complete digital payments solution that is reliable, secure, and affordable, making receiving in-person and online payments simpler and convenient.
Thousands of merchants currently leverage Squad’s payment solutions for their daily business operations. Squad’s current products and service offerings include SquadPOS, Squad Payment Links, Squad Virtual Accounts, USSD, and E-Commerce Storefront.
Find out more at www.squadco.com.
Electric 8-Seater Tula Moto Keke Enters Nigerian Market, Targets Higher Operator Earnings
LAGOS — A new electric-powered tricycle with an expanded passenger capacity has been introduced into Nigeria’s urban transport sector, offering operators a potentially more profitable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional petrol-driven “keke.”
The newly launched 8-seater electric tricycle, now available in Lagos with plans for nationwide distribution, features a dual-row seating arrangement capable of accommodating up to eight passengers per trip—significantly higher than the standard three-passenger configuration common across the country.
Promoters of the innovation say the increased capacity is designed to boost daily earnings for operators, particularly amid persistent fluctuations in fuel prices. By running entirely on electric power, the vehicle eliminates dependence on petrol, reducing operating costs and shielding drivers from fuel price volatility.
According to the distributors, the tricycle is equipped with a durable battery system capable of covering extended distances on a single charge, making it suitable for commercial operations across high-traffic routes, residential estates, campuses, and marketplaces.
“The concept is straightforward—enable drivers to earn more while spending less,” a company representative stated. “With higher passenger capacity and zero fuel requirements, operators can maximise each trip without the burden of daily fuel expenses.”
Beyond its cost-saving potential, the electric keke is also said to require less maintenance than traditional models, offering additional long-term savings. Its quieter and smoother operation is expected to enhance passenger comfort and overall commuting experience.
Industry analysts note that the introduction of electric mobility solutions reflects a growing shift toward cleaner and more sustainable transportation alternatives in Nigeria, particularly in densely populated urban centres such as Lagos.
The distributors added that the product is currently available under a limited promotional offer, with delivery options across the country.
For inquiries and purchase: 📞 08153432071
📞 08035889103
Office Address:
📍 Plot 9, Block 113, Beulah Plaza,
Lekki–Epe Expressway,
Lekki Phase 1, Lagos
As transportation costs continue to rise and environmental concerns gain prominence, innovations like the electric 8-seater keke may signal an emerging transition toward more efficient and sustainable mobility solutions nationwide.
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