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No APC leader imposed candidates on the forthcoming LGA Elections in Lagos State – Party Chairman, Henry Ajomale

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9 years ago

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The LGA/LCDA elections in Lagos State is fast approaching and political parties across the state are all ready for the battle field. But one issue that really generated a hot controversy was the seeming imposition of candidates by the All Progressives Congress, the ruling party in the state, The party leaders were alleged to have returned 18 former council bosses. This move was perceived as imposition. As an investigative news magazine, Sahara Weekly sought to speak with the Chairman of the APC in Lagos State, Chief Henry Ajomale who shed more lights on the scenario.

 Excerpts:

The forthcoming election is around the corner and we know the ruling party is APC, what is your take on the Local Government elections in Lagos State come July 22, 2017?

No problem, like we always say, we are boys scouts, so we are ready. So it is not meeting us in an awkward position, we are the leading party, we are prepared and we have been expecting it, if we say we are not prepared we must be deceiving the people. We are prepared because we are confident.

Are you in agreement with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, if what we heard is true that he has conceded 18 local governments to be returned unopposed for some former LGA Chairmen?

It is not him alone that took the decision, it was the decision of the leadership of the party in Lagos. So what we thought was if you did a good job for three years, it is a learning process for one term, if the governors can go for two terms , why not the local Government so we thought experience counts so much, so by the time they spend three years, they are in the learning process and the time they are picking up should not be when we should say they should go, and if we can return the governors, house of representatives, house of assembly members, then why should we not return the local government chairmen that  have learnt so much and can be put in practice, that is when the community can enjoy the and even if we train them for three years and we throw them out we have lost, at the time  they are supposed to be exerting that experience, we are now training another person, and in three years you ask the person to go again so we thought it would be better to return those 18 that have not done two terms to have an insight of the experience to be used for the next four years, that time is when you can benefit from them, that is why they are returning. It is not an imposition.

Talking about imposition, rumours have it that leadership of the party are trying to impose some candidates in some areas of the state, is this true?

I do not understand what you mean by imposition, if the people decide to bring out one person without opposition, and they come on consensus, that this is the man we want, which election do you want to do again but we still subject them to acclamation, which is the normal process which is transparent. If by acclamation, they will still have to submit their votes into the ballot boxes and at the time we count it, there is no opposition, then that person is free to go but if there is any opposition, let that opposition also come out. In the traditional areas of Lagos, it is always rotating among the communities and if they renege on that promise among themselves, all of them will gang up against that person because it is not the turn of their area so we cannot impose on them, we don’t interfere with the traditional areas.

Let us talk about Governor Ambode’s two years in office, what is your assessment because people believe you handed him over to the godfathers?

Let us thank the Almighty God, at that time I told everybody that we were going to give them the best because they were like, can we find someone like Fashola?, I said yes they are so many and that we will give them the best of the best. During the primary, like 12 people came out but it is one person that will occupy the seat. If he finishes now, others are lining up to do the same thing and even better than what he has done. If you see what Akinwunmi Ambode has transformed Lagos into, it is the  pride of everybody in Nigeria.  Lagos is not the same again, someone travelled out for 7 years and they took him to Lekki when he got back, he was flabbergasted and could not comprehend what he saw in Lagos, is it the golden bridge or the development in Lekki, Lekki has become a city itself, cities are coming out of a cities and no state can beat this in Nigeria and because Lagos is a gateway, you have to be careful to make sure everything works. If they have allowed us to decentralize this electricity, Lagos would have been the first to stabilize the electricity in Nigeria because we have Egbin and Dangote is building a massive one in Lekki so we would have been the first and that is why we are saying if you want to achieve maximum benefit, whatever amount of money you are spending is a waste, Obasanjo spent about 3 trillion naira and he got nothing, decentralize it and allow each state to have their own dam and run it, that is what is going on in the United States of America.

 

For me, we believe there are two pending promises, which is the inclusion of the Igbos In Governor Ambode’s government and there is also the kind of massive carrying along of the Igbo traders, what is your say on this?

Honestly, I do not have any personal thing against the Igbos afterall they are my in-laws so I do not have anything against them, we are playing politics and it is a game of numbers, you must be able to support the government of the day but we were disappointed at the last election because they voted massively for their own, which is Jonathan. You have a host and we have to be honest to ourselves, if you are biting me behind,  you do not expect me to have absolute confidence in you but anywhere you are, try to copy the tradition of that area, if I am not happy with you, you do not expect anything from me but if you are with me, there are responsible Igbo people in Lagos who are above board, those are the types but the traders, anywhere you ask them to go is where they go, that should not be, there are some people, suppose I pack my luggage to go and live in Anambra, nobody can question me because I have the freedom to do anything, but I must follow the rules of the state, you must support the government of that place, I cannot go there and be criticizing the government. We are pleading with our brothers, the Igbos, let them be part and parcel of us, we are all Nigerians and whatever you do, support the government of the day, that is when you can get anything. You must be able to show yourself that you support the government of the day. If you do not vote for me why should I vote for you, if my enemy has won the election, would you come to me? I’m appealing to them to join hands with us

 

 

 

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Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

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Bank

Union Bank Honoured by ASBON at Nigeria National SME Business Awards

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3 hours ago

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May 13, 2026

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Union Bank Honoured by ASBON at Nigeria National SME Business Awards

 

 

Lagos, Nigeria – Union Bank of Nigeria has reaffirmed its reputation as a strong supporter of Nigerian businesses, receiving the Best SME Growth Banking Initiatives Award for 2025 from the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) at the Nigeria National SME Business Awards, held recently in Lagos.

The award was presented to the Bank in recognition of its strategic leadership in advancing the growth and resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises, through a differentiated suite of solutions designed to enable business expansion and long-term value creation.

Receiving the award on behalf of the Bank, Ayokunnumi Abraham, Head of SME Segment at Union Bank, described the recognition as a strong endorsement of the Bank’s commitment to supporting small and medium-sized businesses. He said:

“We are honoured to receive this recognition, which reflects Union Bank’s continued commitment to helping SMEs grow by making banking simpler, faster, and more accessible. Through enhancements to our specialised platforms such as Union360, we have meaningfully reduced the time it takes for businesses to come on board and begin transacting. These improvements have shortened onboarding, increased digital adoption among our SME customers, and supported the acquisition of new business clients. Our focus remains on delivering practical solutions that help Nigerian businesses thrive.”

Organised by ASBON in partnership with the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, the event convened stakeholders from the public and private sectors to recognise individuals and organisations driving meaningful impact across Nigeria’s SME ecosystem.

Union Bank remains focused on deepening its support for SMEs through customer-led solutions and processes that strengthen business growth across the ecosystem.

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Bank

Atlantian Crown Bank Rebrands as Arizona Global Bank LLC, Begins Licensing for Global Expansion 

Published

15 hours ago

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May 12, 2026

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*Atlantian Crown Bank Rebrands as Arizona Global Bank LLC, Begins Licensing for Global Expansion* 

_By AGP News 

 

*UNITED KINGDOM OF ATLANTIS* — In a move signaling a push into international markets, the Royal Throne of the United Kingdom of Atlantis on Sunday announced the corporate transformation of Atlantian Crown Bank LLC into *Arizona Global Bank LLC*, as part of a wider restructuring to position the institution for global banking and financial innovation.

 

The announcement was made at a press conference in the UKA capital by *HRM Queen Amb. Cletus C. Leaticia*, Chief Executive Officer of the newly named bank. She told reporters the rebranding marks _“more than a name change”_ and reflects a strategic pivot toward digital finance, cross-border investment, and modern banking standards.

 

_“This transformation represents our commitment to innovation-driven banking and our vision to become a globally competitive financial institution,”_ Queen Leaticia said.

 

*Licensing Process Underway*

According to the Department of Financial Administration and Corporate Affairs, which issued the official communication, Arizona Global Bank LLC has formally begun the process of applying for a *Banking Operational Licence* under UKA’s financial regulatory framework.

 

Once licensed, the bank plans to operate as a modern financial enterprise focused on four pillars:

1. Innovation-driven banking and digital financial solutions

2. Corporate financing and structured investment services

3. International financial partnerships and cross-border trade facilitation

4. Financial inclusion initiatives

 

Bank officials stressed that the institution will _“maintain strict compliance with all banking regulations and supervisory standards”_ set by UKA financial authorities.

 

*Strategic Shift Amid Global Ambitions*

Management described the rebranding as part of a broader restructuring initiative to _“strengthen the bank’s international identity, expand its global financial footprint, and align operations with contemporary banking standards.”_

 

Representatives called the licensing and rebranding process a _“major milestone”_ aimed at supporting economic growth, international trade, and cross-border investment initiatives.

 

*No Disruption to Existing Commitments*

Addressing potential concerns from clients and partners, management reassured stakeholders that _“all existing institutional commitments, operational objectives, and long-term strategic plans remain fully intact throughout the transition process.”_

 

The Royal Throne indicated that further updates on the licence approval, commencement of operations, corporate partnerships, and investment programmes will be released through official UKA and Arizona Global Bank LLC channels.

 

_The Department of Financial Administration and Corporate Affairs, Royal Throne of United Kingdom of Atlantis, issued the official statement._

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Bank

Fidelity Bank grows Gross Earnings by 45.6% for FY 2025 

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16 hours ago

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May 12, 2026

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Fidelity Bank grows Gross Earnings by 45.6% for FY 2025 

 

Lagos, Nigeria – Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading Nigerian financial institution, has announced its audited financial results for the year ended 31 December 2025, reporting Gross Earnings growth of 45.6% from N1.04 trillion in 2024 to N1.52 trillion in FY 2025, reflecting stronger topline momentum across core business segments.

 

 

The Group recorded a Profit Before Tax of N347.7 billion.  This performance was underpinned by a 38.7% year-on-year increase in interest income to N1.11 trillion (FY 2024: N803.1 billion) and a 44.7% year-on-year rise in fees and commission income to N113.4 billion (FY 2024: N78.4 billion).

 

 

On the balance sheet, total assets grew by 18.6% year-on-year to N10.46 trillion (FY 2024: N8.82 trillion), while customer deposits increased by 16.1% year on year to N6.89 trillion (FY 2024: N5.94 trillion), reflecting continued franchise strength and growing customer confidence in the brand. Net loans and advances declined by 2.4% year-on-year to N4.28 trillion (FY 2024: N4.39 trillion) as customers paid down on their mature obligations.

 

 

The Bank also strengthened its capital position during the period, with eligible capital rising to N561 billion, above the regulatory minimum of N500 billion for banks with international authorisation. In addition, capital adequacy remained robust, with Capital Adequacy Ratio of 30.94 percent as at 31 December 2025 (FY 2024: 23.47 percent).

 

 

Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.

 

 

The Bank is the recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

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