₦airaland Forum

Labour leaders and pro-democracy activists have called on Nigerians to unite against rising petrol prices and worsening economic hardship, accusing the Federal Government of implementing policies that impoverish workers and the masses while enriching a privileged few.

They warned that rising pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, had eroded workers’ purchasing power, deepened poverty and pushed millions of Nigerians into a daily struggle for survival.

The activists, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, and members of the Joint Action Front (JAF), made the call at the weekend in Lagos during a symposium held as part of the first memorial celebration in honour of Comrade Abiodun Aremu.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, represented by the union’s Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, said the removal of the petrol subsidy had inflicted devastating consequences on workers and the wider population, insisting that organised labour would continue to demand relief from the Federal Government.

In an address delivered on his behalf, Ajaero described the prevailing economic situation as a crisis of survival, arguing that workers could no longer cope with rising transport fares, food prices, electricity tariffs and the depreciation of the naira

''The removal of the fuel subsidy has devastated Nigeria’s working class and masses,” the address stated.

According to the NLC, rising transport costs have forced many workers to choose between paying exorbitant fares and walking long distances to their workplaces.

The union also cited increases in the prices of essential commodities, noting that a bag of rice that previously sold for about ₦30,000 now costs more than ₦80,000, while the price of a loaf of bread has risen from approximately ₦500 to ₦1,500.

It further argued that rising electricity tariffs had forced some small businesses to shut down, while the depreciation of the naira had increased the cost of imported medicines, industrial inputs and other essential goods.

The labour movement attributed the worsening conditions to what it described as anti-people economic policies implemented without adequate consultation or effective measures to cushion their impact

“The government has effectively declared war on its own people, pushing the majority to the fringes of survival,” the address declared.

The NLC said the crisis reflected economic policies that, in its view, enriched the ruling class while deepening the hardship experienced by ordinary citizens

The NLC disclosed that it issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government on October 9, demanding an immediate reduction in petrol prices.

According to the address, the ultimatum was intended to compel the government to address the growing disconnect between workers’ earnings and the cost of living.

Ajaero said: “Most recently, the NLC issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding an immediate reduction in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol

This ultimatum is not a mere bargaining chip but a solemn warning. If the government does not act within the stipulated timeframe, the NLC will have no choice but to seek remedial steps with all of us in this hall today.”

He argued that petrol prices should be reduced to a level consistent with the purchasing power of workers earning the national minimum wage of ₦70,000 monthly

The NLC recalled that when the minimum wage was set at ₦70,000 in July 2024, petrol sold for approximately ₦668.30 per litre, compared with prices exceeding ₦1,400 per litre in many parts of the country at the time of the symposium

A worker earning ₦70,000 a month cannot afford to buy petrol at ₦1,400 per litre. The government has effectively rendered the minimum wage meaningless.

“The ₦70,000 minimum wage was inadequate when it was announced. It is now a cruel joke. The NLC will not accept a situation where Nigerian workers are expected to survive on starvation wages while the cost of living continues to rise,” Ajaero declared.

Beyond demanding a reduction in petrol prices, the NLC urged the government to take concrete measures to stabilise the naira, reduce inflation and strengthen domestic refining capacity.

“The removal of the subsidy was justified on the grounds that it would attract investment in local refining. Where is that investment

leaders of six opposition political parties have held talks with five presidential candidates, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Seyi Makinde, as part of efforts to forge a united front and explore fielding a single candidate against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

The G-100, which disclosed the consultations in a statement by Salihu Lukman on Wednesday, said the engagements followed resolutions adopted at its recent Opposition Summit on strengthening cooperation ahead of the January 16 presidential poll.

According to the statement, national chairmen and national secretaries of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) participated in the consultations.

They met with ADC presidential candidate, Atiku; his NDC counterpart, Obi; APM candidate, Governor Makinde; SDP candidate, Adewole Adebayo; and PRP candidate, Donald Duke.

“These engagements are being undertaken in furtherance of the resolutions of the G100 Opposition Summit, which called for sustained dialogue, stronger cooperation and a coordinated approach among opposition parties in defence of multiparty democracy and the interests of the Nigerian people.”

Lukman described the meetings as a practical step towards implementing the summit’s resolutions, saying they provided an opportunity for party leaders and presidential candidates to consider a framework for cooperation ahead of the election.

“The consultations represent a practical step towards giving effect to those resolutions. They provide an opportunity for party leaders and presidential candidates to deliberate on the framework for opposition cooperation, identify areas of common ground and consider the steps necessary to advance a shared democratic agenda ahead of 2027.”

Lukman said the initiative was driven by the belief that Nigeria’s challenges required political leaders to work across party lines and place citizens’ welfare and electoral credibility above narrow interests.

“At the heart of this process is the conviction that the challenges confronting Nigeria demand serious engagement across party lines. Nigerians deserve political leaders who are prepared to place the country’s future, the wellbeing of its citizens and the credibility of its elections above narrow interests,” he said.

He added that the consultations were continuing, with further engagements expected to build on the summit’s resolutions.

“The consultations remain ongoing. Further engagements will build on the G100 resolutions and the commitment to an opposition that is organised, responsible and capable of working together in the national interest,” Lukman stated.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Sly Ezeokenwa, has said there is no pathway to victory for the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, in the 2027 general election.

Ezeokenwa stated this during an interview on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Wednesday, arguing that it was in the strategic interest of the South-East to align with President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

He said APGA would work to persuade people in the region to support Tinubu rather than focus on projecting the number of votes Anambra State could deliver to the president

“For me, it’s not about bandying about figures. It is about presenting our people with the fact, the truth, the bitter truth, as it were, that in this election — for me, I can say that as painful as it is — there is no pathway for the victory of our so-called brother (Peter Obi) in this election,” Ezeokenwa said.

He added that supporting Tinubu was the better strategic option for the Igbo people, stressing that it reflected APGA’s position ahead of the election.

“It is better in our strategic interest as Ndigbo for us to align with the aspiration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu currently. That is what APGA stands for. That is where APGA stands, and we are going to do everything possible to convince our people why they need to vote for the candidacy,” he said.

The APGA chairman’s remarks come amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo named as the coordinator for the state in Tinubu’s presidential campaign council.

Soludo, who is a member of APGA, has been among the prominent opposition figures whose roles in the campaign have drawn attention to the party’s position on the presidential contest.


Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election. He is now seeking the presidency under the NDC ahead of the 2027 polls

American jewellery designer Jennifer Meyer, 49, has married Geoffrey Ogunlesi, 34, the son of Nigerian billionaire lawyer and investment banker Adebayo Ogunlesi.

The couple exchanged vows on Saturday, October 10, at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai in Hawaii, United States.

According to reports, Meyer’s ex-husband, Hollywood actor Tobey Maguire, officiated the wedding, which took place less than three weeks after the former couple finalised their divorce on September 21. Meyer and Maguire announced their separation in 2016 and filed for divorce in 2020.

Who is Geoffrey Ogunlesi?

Geoffrey Ogunlesi is an entertainment executive and the founder and chief executive officer of The Ogunlesi Group, a Los Angeles-based music and entertainment management company established in 2022.

The company’s roster includes American rapper Young Thug, singer Charlieonnafriday, Broadway actor Myles Frost and Alabama Barker.

Despite being born into a prominent Nigerian family, Ogunlesi has built his career in the entertainment industry rather than following his father into finance.

He began his career as an artist and repertoire (A&R) consultant at Warner Music Group, where he worked from 2013 to 2014. He subsequently spent nearly nine years at 300 Entertainment, helping to discover, develop and sign musical acts, according to People magazine.

Ogunlesi attended The Hotchkiss School, a boarding school in Connecticut, before earning a degree from Amherst College in Massachusetts.

His Nigerian family background

Ogunlesi is the son of Adebayo Ogunlesi, a Nigerian-born lawyer, investment banker and global financier. His grandfather, Theophilus Oladipo Ogunlesi, was reportedly Nigeria’s first professor of medicine.

Adebayo Ogunlesi founded Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) in 2006, building it into a major infrastructure investment firm with interests spanning energy, transportation, digital infrastructure and waste management.

In 2024, BlackRock acquired GIP in a deal valued at approximately $12.5 billion. Adebayo Ogunlesi subsequently became a senior managing director at BlackRock while continuing to serve as GIP’s chairman and chief executive officer.

Forbes estimated his net worth at $2.6 billion as of October 11, 2026.

How Jennifer Meyer and Geoffrey Ogunlesi met


Meyer and Ogunlesi were first linked romantically in the summer of 2023. They made their red-carpet debut at the Baby2Baby Gala in November that year.

Meyer serves on the board of Baby2Baby, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organisation that provides children living in poverty with essential items, including diapers, clothing and other basic necessities.

In August 2024, Meyer announced their engagement on Instagram, sharing a photograph of the couple embracing alongside the caption: “YES!!!”

Couple welcomed baby girl in 2026

Before their wedding, Meyer and Ogunlesi welcomed their first child together, a daughter, in June 2026.

Meyer announced in December 2025 that she was expecting a child with Ogunlesi. The couple later shared the news of their daughter’s arrival on Father’s Day in June 2026.

Sharing a photograph of Ogunlesi holding their newborn, Meyer wrote on Instagram: “A perfect month with our perfect baby girl. We love you the most @geoffo212. Happy Father’s Day”

Meyer also has two children with her former husband, Maguire: daughter Ruby Sweetheart, 19, and son Otis Tobias, 17

Republican and Democratic US senators called on President Donald Trump on Sunday to "reverse course" on his diesel supply deal with Russia, saying it runs counter to US ​law barring imports of energy until Russia ends its aggression against Ukraine.

"Congress explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent American dollars from ‌financing (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine," the seven senators - four of Trump's fellow Republicans and three Democrats - said in a statement.

They also said that the administration failed to consult with Congress or submit any explanation of its decision, something also required by law.

"The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians. The Administration must immediately reverse course," the statement ​said.

It was only the latest bipartisan criticism of Trump's deal, a shift from his party's near-unanimous support for Trump's foreign policy decision weeks before November 3 ​midterm elections that will determine whether his Republicans will retain their control of Congress.


It was issued by Republican Senators Susan Collins of ⁠Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Curtis of Utah and Democrats Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Ron Wyden ​of Oregon.


Tillis had said earlier on Sunday that the diesel deal may be illegal and would put American lives at risk.

Trump said on Friday that Russia had agreed to supply diesel to ​global markets, and his administration temporarily lifted US sanctions on Russian fuel designed to deprive Moscow of revenue for its war on Ukraine

“I do believe there’s a legitimate case for saying the president’s not following the law,” Tillis, who is retiring from the Senate in January, told NBC's "Meet the Press."

Prices for diesel — used for agriculture, heating homes and trucking — are near record highs and could hurt Republicans in next month's congressional ​elections.

Analysts have said that Trump's agreement with Moscow was unlikely to lead to sustained lower fuel prices

The cold war between President Bola Tinubu and governors elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) has worsened, following the aloof posture of some northern chief executives towards the President’s re-election bid

This was as indications emerged that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) bypassed governors and directed its candidates to submit the names of their proposed party agents directly to the national secretariat to prevent possible sabotage during the 2027 general elections.


Upon his return from his recent overseas vacation, the President expressed dismay that state governors were not doing enough to enlighten their people on the achievements of his administration.

Barely two months ago, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, noted how not more than five state governors from the northern region were demonstrating tacit support for the President’s re-election.

However, the Vice President’s media office, while clarifying the statement, noted that Shettima was referring to the governors’ posture in the lead-up to the 2022 APC presidential primary.

But, in a conversation with the governor of one of the North-West states yesterday, The Guardian was told that the Vice President’s position reflected the present situation within the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), the umbrella caucus of the APC
governors.

The governor, who is also seeking a second term, said that despite attempts to pretend that all was well between President Tinubu and the governors, the APC leadership’s inability to resolve lingering misunderstandings within the party’s ranks was taking its toll on the party’s preparedness for next year’s poll.

He disclosed that the majority of the APC governors in the North were not bold to canvass support for the President’s second term, adding that a tour of most northern states showed that while some governorship candidates’ billboards in the city centres have the photos of the President and the Vice President, those in the hinterland do not showcase Tinubu.

Regarding the perceived estrangement of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who doubles as PGF Chairman and Scribe of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, he refused to elaborate on the relationship between the PGF chairman and the President.

“The much I can tell you is that we have a situation in the PGF, which is also affecting the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF). The President promised to wade into the misunderstanding among the governors, but no concrete action has been taken.

“There are governors who want the PGF chairman to hand over the office and face his assignments on the Campaign Council and the Renewed Hope Ambassadors. But, the chairman maintains that the tradition has always been that
handing over should be to a second-term governor after general elections,” he said.

[color=#000099] He said that three major considerations underlie the divided loyalty of some of his colleagues in the North, adding that the travails of the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, despite his fight for the President’s election, are among them.
[/color]

The governor said Tinubu’s directive to the Finance Ministry to publish disbursements is seen as a direct target at state governors, particularly on the use of local council funds.

He added that the President’s open support for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and his Rainbow Coalition was the last nail in the coffin of the icy relationship between the PGF and the Presidency.


THE move by APC NWC, The Guardian gathered, was designed to ensure that the party safeguards its electoral victory by bypassing state chapters that traditionally handle such submissions

The directive, which represented a departure from the party’s established protocol, is understood to be part of a strategy to prevent possible sabotage on election day by governors suspected of working against the party’s interests

Multiple sources within the party hierarchy confirmed that the decision was taken after intelligence suggested that some state governors were allegedly orchestrating a scheme to install
loyalists as APC polling agents while simultaneously financing candidates on opposition platforms

femi4:
They are now adding pretenders

BRICS set to welcome 4th African member as gold powerhouse Ghana seeks entry to Russia-China-backed bloc



Ghana has announced plans to formally apply for membership of BRICS, seeking India’s backing as the West African gold powerhouse looks to deepen ties with an expanding bloc led by emerging-market powers including Russia and China.

#Ghana has announced its intention to formally apply for BRICS membership, seeking India's backing for its bid.

#The move aims to diversify Ghana's economic and diplomatic partnerships beyond traditional Western allies.

#BRICS currently has 11 members which includes South Africa, Egypt, and Ethiopia.

#If accepted, Ghana would become the fourth full BRICS member from Africa.

Ghana's Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced the decision in Accra on October 6, during a joint press briefing with visiting Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

He said Ghana had already sought India’s support for its application, describing BRICS membership as a way to diversify the country’s economic and diplomatic partnerships.

“On the occasion of this important visit, I announced Cabinet’s strategic decision to apply for BRICS membership. The Government of Ghana is determined to position Ghana as a reliable friend to all as we expand our geopolitical and economic frontiers, anchored fundamentally on our national interest and freedom of choice in this fast-evolving multipolar world,” Okudzeto Ablakwa said in a post on X.

Measured by purchasing power parity, or PPP, BRICS which now has 11 full members, is projected to account for around 41% of global GDP in 2026, compared with about 28% for the G7, according to an NDTV analysis of International Monetary Fund data

That translates to roughly $91 trillion in economic output on a PPP basis, giving Africa's gold powerhouse Ghana access to a grouping that includes China, India, Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.


Ghana wants more options for trade and investment

Ablakwa said Ghana’s application was not intended to replace its relationships with Western institutions or traditional development partners.


“BRICS offers us that opportunity to have options in development,” he said, adding: “We must have new friends.”

The minister highlighted India, China and Brazil as important economic partners and said Ghana’s trade with India had risen from about $3 billion in 2024 to approximately $7 billion. Ghanaian President John Mahama separately highlighted the growth in Ghana’s exports to India during talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Accra.

Ghana is also seeking to use deeper relationships with emerging economies to add value to its natural resources. Ablakwa said the government wanted “resource sovereignty” and partnerships that would help Ghana move beyond exporting raw materials.

Jaishankar said India was supportive of Ghana’s aspirations, but stressed that BRICS membership requires consideration by the wider group.

If admitted, Ghana would become the fourth African full member of BRICS after South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia. The country will now have to formally submit its application and secure wider support among existing members.

FIRDAUS3:
What happened to that 12-year-old girl is absolutely repulsive and should be condemned without reservation. A child cannot be treated as a consenting adult, and whoever impregnated her should face the full force of the law.

However, let’s separate the crime from ethnic, regional, or religious stereotyping. Child sexual abuse is not an “Almajiri problem,” nor is it something peculiar to Northern Nigeria. It occurs across different tribes, religions, social classes and regions in Nigeria. The identity of the offender should not be used to label an entire community.

Mentioning Almajiris in this context as though they are products of such “obscene affairs” is both unfair and misleading. Many Almajiri children are themselves vulnerable children who face poverty, neglect and lack of access to education. They should not be collectively associated with sexual crimes committed by individual adults.

If we genuinely care about protecting children, our conversation should focus on child protection, proper sex education, responsible parenting, prosecution of offenders, and eliminating every cultural or social practice that exposes children to abuse—regardless of whether the offender is Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Muslim, Christian, rich or poor.

Condemn the criminal, absolutely. But don't turn the crime of one individual into an excuse to insult or stereotype an entire ethnic, regional or religious group. Justice should be about accountability, not prejudice.

gare:
They must have forgotten to connect it back, go back to them please.

BizLeader:
Psalm 3:5:
“I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.”