Politics

‘The failed assassination attempt on my life spur me to run for senate’ –Prince Lanre Tejuosho

Published

11 years ago

February 3, 2015

Prince (Dr.) Lanre Tejuoso is the former Commissioner for Youth and Sports under the Ibikunle Amosun-led administration in Ogun State. He was also Commissioner for the Environment as well as Special Duties. He recently resigned his appointment to contest the Ogun Central senatorial seat, under the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the forthcoming general elections. He opened up on his foray into Politics, his Senatorial ambition and the assassination attempt on his life among other sundry issues.

enjoy.

You are a successful businessman and a Prince from the Tejuoso royalty of Oke–Ona Egba in Abeokuta. Why are you seeking an elective position at this time?

God bless you for that question. Do you realise that Nigerian democracy would have grown and be more matured than what we have now, if people from the Private Sector as well as sons and daughters of traditional rulers, like you put it had been occupying elective positions in this country? The reason is that such elected persons would not want to bring disgrace to the Royal family or whichever Establishment such people came from.

They would be conscious of the fact that if they fail to perform or embezzle funds meant for developmental projects in their constituency, the electorate would cry out and before you know it, such traditional ruler would have called him or her to accountability and order. But look at what we have today.

We have situations where some politicians would misappropriate funds meant for their constituency projects and they get away with the impunity. My vying for the Ogun Central senatorial seat, is to bring about a remarkable difference in my constituency and therefore will not be ‘business as usual,’ I can assure you of that.

Many of you, my friends in the Pen profession, were quick to refer to Abeokuta as a glorified village, in your past write ups, but look at what Amosun has turned everywhere to now. We are now very proud indigenes of Ogun State, happy to show off the various developmental projects to our friends and prospective investors, when they come calling.

Back to your question, in my own case, let me quickly tell you that the main issue is that this is the first time the Egba Traditional Council will be represented in politics at least in Ogun State. This is the first time the Egba Traditional Council will be having a candidate from the royalty, coming out to say that he wants to represent them. And that is why I have been consulting and seeking our royal fathers’ blessings on this journey to the hallowed chamber. If there is no success in this journey, it will be a failure for the council in its entirety. My God forbid.

A lot of people are of the opinion that you just came to snatch the ticket from politicians who are older than you in the party. How true is that?

I have been on this project for ten years. I was with Senator Amosun in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in 2006. That was when I contested for the senate under the ANPP. Then, nobody believed in ANPP, not only in Ogun State, but throughout the Southern part of Nigeria. Majority of the politicians believed we were on a suicide mission, saying ‘how can you bring a political party that belonged to a Hausa man from the North to us here in Yoruba land?’ It was only in his house that we were making some little noise and I was a senatorial hopeful. We did what we could, but the rest like they say is history.

Around that same period, some hoodlums came to attack me in the hotel where I lodged. It was some minutes after 2am, when I saw five people; they invaded my room and brought out their guns. They asked how I dared had the effrontery to run for Senate.

They started slapping me; they said they were asked to come and assassinate me. They ordered me to lie down on my bed; that they were going to kill me. It was a horrible experience. You see my forehead? (pointing at a scar on his forehead). Honestly, I don’t know how I survived. Blood was everywhere. God just gave me that power to live and saved me.

I then said to myself, that if I didn’t die then, God must have spared me for a purpose; I shall serve Him and serve my people. Hence my resolve to pursue this ambition and that is why I am here for the Ogun Central senatorial contest. There have been so many gladiators along the line, but people do not know how far I have come.

What plans do you have for the people of Ogun Central senatorial district if you are eventually elected?

I am confident of victory, by his grace. First of all, I think one needs to ask oneself about what the work of a senator in this dispensation actually entails. To me, a senator is to be a participant in developing policies that should benefit the people of Nigeria. After thinking about Nigeria, then you talk about your own constituency. How can I benefit my people in Ogun Central? What are their problems? How can we make national policies that will benefit them directly? Ideally, that is what we should be doing.

Then, you now talk about the constituency projects. Maybe, they give you money to execute projects that will benefit the people of the constituency where you come from. Of course, that money they give you must be judiciously spent in that area where you represent. But these days, many senators receive such money and they don’t even care about the people and the authority does not even see what they are doing. God forbid that kind of a senator in my own situation.

Again, there are so many employment opportunities for our people at the federal level, in addition to drawing federal presence to our State. Without being immodest, a lot of the people at the top are mostly one’s friends or business associates. All of these contacts would be used to better the lot of our people.

Take for instance, the recruitment for the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, which they had last time. A senator must be able to establish good rapport with those that matter particularly with members of the cabinet; the ministers, the Permanent Secretaries and so on to enable him fix unemployed members of his constituency at such vacant positions and others that may open up. For the past four years, such opportunities have eluded us in this state because all our senators were busy fighting the governor. How many federal projects can you point at here, by our Senators?

How would you react to the notion that you are not too close to the people and not accessible to the people of your constituency?

You have said it that it is a perception and perception is nothing but perception. The people know that I am close to them and that I am very accessible. Ogun Central senatorial district has a vey large population and it all depends on whom you’re talking to. Presently, we are on a “meet-the-people” drive. Every day, we keep on consulting with the people, because we want to hit the ground running. We must bring smiles to their faces.

What is important is for one to nurture and maintain the good relationship which has already been established with the people. Recently, in partnership with a Lagos based microfinance bank, FinaTrust Micro Finance bank, I facilitated loans for the funding of small and medium scale businesses in my constituency.

There are however, some people who have made up their minds even before you meet them and their perception about you is negative. Many would say “oh, he is a prince, all princes put their shoulders high”! They therefore expect you to be very proud.

Even before they meet you, that is the impression which they had already formed. But by the time you move close and talk with them, they now calm down and express surprise. I have gone through all that many times.

Take for instance, some people whom I have never met before would tell me that they’re afraid of shaking hands with me because they see me as Kabiyesi. But I often tell them that my father is the Kabiyesi and not me. I am just like you too. If I hold their hands, they would then exclaim “ah, see him, holding my hand”. In the summary, those who hold that perception are the ones who feel that as a prince with all the royalty, one should be arrogant whereas it is not so and I am not.

How true is it that one of your younger brothers from the Tejuoso royal house, will be squaring up to you in the senatorial election in 2015?

That is the beauty of democracy. It is not a problem but first of all, I want you to know that what every contestant needs to do is to perfect his or her homework very well. All I have to say about that for now is that when we get to the bridge, we will look at how to cross it but I don’t see that as a problem for now.

Other aspirants for the ticket on APC platform are aggrieved over the conduct of the senatorial primary election that produced you as the standard bearer of your party. How do you intend to placate those that contested and lost the ticket to you?

Of course, I am going to reach out to them so that all of us would have to work together as a team and win this election for our party. At the appropriate time, we will definitely do the needful after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, may have released the final list of contestants.

All of us have to work together because it is such that only one person would emerge as the winner. And if indeed all of us have the spirit of fair play and the overall interest of our Party at heart, then I believe we’ll all resolve our differences and work for the success of our great Party. Just like the way you saw General Buhari being supported by other contestants who lost the ticket after the presidential primaries.

That is the spirit I believe all of us must have because that is exactly what I would have displayed if I had lost the ticket. It is not a do-or-die affair. If it were to be a do-or-die matter, by now, I would not have remained steadfast, even after the attempt on my life. I forgave the assailants and their sponsors and I have decided to run again. And this time, by His grace because He spared my life then, I shall be victorious.

Is it true you are Governor Amosun’s anointed candidate?

Is the governor a pastor or what kind of an anointing are you talking about? (Laughter)

The rumour in town is that the governor influenced your emergence as the APC senatorial candidate for Ogun Central. Is it true?

If that is what they meant, then it means that I had been anointed over 10 years ago when the governor and I had been weathering the storm.

We have been contesting together. I have been with him for the past 10 years, through thick and thin, so what is the meaning of being an anointed candidate?

Politics

Obasa Appointed to CPA African Executive Committee

Published

11 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Sahara Weekly

Obasa Appointed to CPA African Executive Committee

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has been appointed as a Sub-National Representative to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) African Executive Committee.

The announcement was formally conveyed through a letter from the CPA Africa Region, which was read on the floor of the Assembly by the Clerk, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, on Tuesday, March 10. The appointment confirms Speaker Obasa’s three-year tenure, spanning 2026 to 2029.

Lawmakers took turns to congratulate Speaker Obasa, praising his devotion to parliamentary service and his consistent efforts to strengthen legislative practice. They described his appointment as a recognition of his hard work and a reflection of Lagos State’s growing influence within the Commonwealth. Members noted that his achievements continue to bring pride not only to Lagos but to Nigeria as a whole.

In his remarks, Speaker Obasa expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their support, urging them to remain steadfast in prioritizing the progress of the Assembly and to continue working collectively to advance the legislature. He further directed the Clerk to send a formal letter of appreciation to the CPA African Region for the honour bestowed upon him. “Let us always put the House of Assembly first and never relent in our efforts to move the legislature forward, ” Obasa concluded.

The CPA African Region plays a pivotal role in advancing the interests of African parliaments within the Commonwealth. It is widely recognized for promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, respect for human rights, democracy, and good governance across member nations.

Politics

TINUBU RENEWS TENURE OF THREE PERMANENT SECRETARIES

Published

5 days ago

March 7, 2026

Sahara Weekly

TINUBU RENEWS TENURE OF THREE PERMANENT SECRETARIES

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the renewal of tenure for three Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service, in line with existing public service regulations.

The approval was disclosed in a statement issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, indicating that the renewed appointments will take effect from April 27, 2026.

The affected officials include Kachallom Shangti Daju, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare; Beatrice Jedy‑Agba, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice; and Mary Ada Ogbe, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Regional Development.

According to the statement, the renewal represents a second and final four-year tenure for the officials, in accordance with the provisions of Public Service Rule 020909, which allows Permanent Secretaries an initial four-year term with the possibility of a second term based on satisfactory performance.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson‑Jack, congratulated the Permanent Secretaries on their reappointment and urged them to see the renewed mandate as a call to greater dedication and excellence in service delivery.

She further encouraged them to deploy their experience and professional expertise toward strengthening governance and advancing national development.

The statement was signed by Eno Olotu, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and dated March 6, 2026.

Politics

Governor Dauda Lawal’s Prompt Action Against Insecurity in Zamfara State Yielding Positive Result’ – GDL Media Force Fires Back at Critics

Published

1 week ago

March 4, 2026

Sahara Weekly

‘Governor Dauda Lawal’s Prompt Action Against Insecurity in Zamfara State Yielding Positive Result’ – GDL Media Force Fires Back at Critics

The attention of GDL Media Force and other well-meaning supporters of the Dauda Lawal-led administration has been drawn to a recent statement syndicated on social media by influencers from a group calling itself the Zamfara Good Governance Forum, which ludicrously attempted to portray the Governor’s security efforts as a “total failure.” This characterisation is not only divorced from reality. Still, it represents a desperate attempt by political opponents to rewrite history and undermine a Governor whose growing influence and performance clearly terrify them. It should be on record that in the whole of the North West region, Governor Dauda Lawal has tackled insecurity head-on with verifiable evidence that even those in the opposition have commended him for his huge investment in equipment that will further give security and armed forces an edge over those fueling insecurity in the country.

Since his assumption as Governor of Zamfara State, Dr Lawal has vowed that as the Chief Security Officer of the state, as well as the chief rescuer, an unprecedented commitment to tackling the security challenges that have plagued Zamfara for over a decade is his top priority and he is engaging it with much gusto. Unlike previous administrations, that engaged in shadowy deals with non-state actors, this Governor has chosen the path of transparency, capacity building, and decisive action. He was one of the Governors who openly declared that His administration would not negotiate with bandit rather his administration with fight them to a standstill and ensure they are cleared out.

In a bid to address the issues of insecurity with a well-planned arrival plan, he procured heavy Security Assets that even the Federal Government commended, him for. The recently procured and unveiled 25 units of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and an 80-meter endurance surveillance drone capable of covering 50 kilometres and operating continuously for eight hours. This represents the single largest state-government investment in security hardware in the history of Zamfara State.

The Defence Minister, during the inauguration ceremony, praised what he described as a clear demonstration of the Governor’s commitment to protecting lives and property, making the striking projection that “if we continue like this in the second term, Zamfara will look like Dubai”. This is not praise from a partisan source it is professional acknowledgement from the highest level of Nigeria’s defence establishment that Governor Lawal is doing something right.

Beyond heavy military hardware, the Governor has operationalised the Community Protection Guards in accordance with the law, providing them with 60 brand-new, well-equipped Hilux operational vehicles and specialised motorcycles to ensure swift response and effective first-responder services in difficult terrains. This is complemented by the distribution of 150 Hilux vehicles to mainstream security agencies including the Nigeria Police, DSS, and NSCDC, plus 20 Toyota Buffalo vehicles (both armoured and soft-body).

Perhaps most significantly, Governor Lawal established the Zamfara State Security Trust Fund, which provides a predictable, structured framework for logistical support to security forces. This moves the state away from the era of fragmented, reactive responses to a professional, sustainable security architecture.

When recent attacks occurred including the unfortunate February 19 incident in Anka LGA, Governor Lawal did not go into hiding or issue condolence statements from his office in Gusau. He immediately convened and personally presided over an emergency security meeting with all heads of security agencies at the Government House in Gusau, tasking them to urgently review the current security framework and implement coordinated countermeasures.

The Governor charged security chiefs to maintain “heightened vigilance, strengthened intelligence, and immediate, coordinated countermeasures” to ensure that criminal elements do not gain further ground. He also commiserated with affected communities and assured them of his administration’s full support both logistical and institutional. This is not the behaviour of a detached leader. This is the conduct of a Governor who understands that his primary constitutional responsibility is the protection of lives and property.

The public needs to understand the pedigree of those behind these allegations. The so-called “Zamfara Good Governance Forum” has a well-documented history of partisan attacks against Governor Lawal. A simple review of their previous statements reveals a pattern they have consistently attacked the Governor while remaining conspicuously silent during the administrations that presided over the worst years of banditry in the state. Interestingly, these attacks often coincide with political manoeuvres by the immediate past governor, Bello Matawalle, now Minister of State for Defence. The Zamfara State Government has previously accused Matawalle of using federal security apparatus to intimidate opposition figures in the state. The current criticism fits a familiar pattern, when you cannot defeat a Governor politically or at the ballot box, you attempt to undermine him through sponsored propaganda spreading sheer falsehood to ensure the public turns their back on a performing Governor who is rebuilding the rot the Matawale-led administration caused.

These same critics who now demand a “security roadmap” conveniently ignore that Governor Lawal inherited a state that was virtually a failed entity where farmers could not access their lands, where markets were paralysed, and where government had lost all credibility through failed negotiations and ransom payments to bandits.

Critics also conveniently ignore a fundamental reality Governor Lawal is the only opposition governor in the entire North-West geopolitical zone. Since taking office in 2023, his administration has received no federal intervention funds beyond statutory allocations no special palliatives, and no enhanced security support that flows to states with ruling-party governors. Yet despite this political isolation, he has managed to fund security without resorting to new borrowing, while monthly servicing N1.2 billion in inherited debts from the Bello Matawalle-led administration. This is governance under siege fiscally constrained, politically isolated, yet still delivering.

Governor Dauda Lawal has never claimed that the battle against banditry is easy or that success will come overnight. What he has demonstrated is sincerity of purpose, strategic vision, and relentless commitment. From the Security Trust Fund to community protection guards, from armoured personnel carriers to surveillance drones, these are not the actions of a leader who has failed. The growing influence of Governor Lawal across the North-West clearly frightens those who benefited from the old order of insecurity. When banditry thrives, politicians who negotiate with criminals remain relevant. But when peace is restored through genuine security architecture, such elements become obsolete.

Zamfara State is on the path to lasting peace. The detractors may continue their campaign of falsehood, but the facts on the ground speak louder than their sponsored propaganda. Governor Dauda Lawal remains focused, undeterred, and absolutely committed to restoring full normalcy to every inch of Zamfara State. The people of Zamfara see the progress. The Federal Government acknowledges the investment. And history will remember who truly fought for the state’s liberation.

Signed: GDL Media Force Support Group
March 4, 2026
Abuja, Nigeria