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2023: Bakare Tells Nigerians To Reject Politicians With Sense Of Entitlement

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The General Overseer of the Citadel Global Community, Pastor Tunde Bakare, says politicians who practice the “emi lo kan” kind of politics do not intend to serve the people.

Bakare spoke during his State of the Nation broadcast, titled: “Bridging the gap between politics and governance,” in Lagos yesterday.

Speaking on the forthcoming polls, Bakare asked Nigerians to shun vote buying and focus on politics that can spur development.

Highlighting bad forms of politics, the cleric mentioned politics of division, deception, manipulation, merchandise, exploitation, betrayal, slander, intimidation, elimination, and entitlement.

Commenting on the politics of entitlement, Bakare said such form of politics is also known as the “emi lo kan” politics, which gratifies personal ambitions.

Although the cleric did not mention Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the catchphrase — emi lo kan — was popularised by the former Lagos governor.

“Emi lo kan” is a Yoruba phrase which loosely translates to “it is my turn”.

In June 2022, Tinubu, while addressing APC delegates in Ogun state prior to the party’s primary, mentioned the phrase and said it is his turn to become the country’s president.

“Politics of entitlement — this is the ’emi lo kan’ type of politics that insists on one’s turn, even if circumstances do not align,” Bakare said.

“Politics of entitlement also manifests as perennial candidacy, not with the intent to serve, but to gratify long personal ambitions.

“It could also manifest as insistence on a given political office as a reward for what one considers a lifetime of sacrifice to the nation.

“Politicians with a sense of entitlement evade political debates and do not consider it imperative to communicate with the electorate.

“Entitlement politics will breed an imperial presidency that is distant from the people and has no sense of responsibility or accountability to the people. Such imperial governance will slide towards dictatorship and will be intolerant of dissent.

“Entitlement politicians set low performance benchmarks for themselves when they secure power and are content with projecting molehills as mountains of achievement. That is bad politics and bad fruit and all that it is.”

Speaking further, the cleric said politicians who practise good form of politics communicate with the people and do not avoid debates or delegate questions.

“Good politics — it is communicating. Politicians who practise good politics talk to the people they intend to govern,” he said.

“By communicating, they allay fears, restore hope and assure the citizenry.

“It is engaging and interacting — practitioners of good politics are open to interrogation and they do not avoid debate or evade difficult questions. They don’t even delegate their questions to people to answer for them.”

In December 2022, Tinubu, at the Chatham House in the United Kingdom, asked some persons on his team, including Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, and Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, to answer questions on his behalf.

Tinubu’s action elicited reactions on social media as some Nigerians questioned his decision to not answer all the questions himself.

The APC candidate has also avoided attending presidential debates.

Meanwhile, in June 2022, Bakare and other presidential aspirants such as Rochas Okorocha, Ikeobasi Mokelu, and Tein Jack-Rich, had zero votes at the APC presidential primary, which was won by Tinubu.

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Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race

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The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”

He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”

Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.

He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.

“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”

The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.

He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”

“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”

Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.

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Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency

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The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.

In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.

Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.

“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote

Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.

The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.

‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.

President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded

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Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience

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Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.

The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.

In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.

He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”

The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.

Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.

“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”

Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.

“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”

The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.

By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.

The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.

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