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APPOINTMENT OF FOUR SERVICE CHIEFS TODAY WITHOUT A SOUTH-EASTERNER AMONG THEM: WHY AND HOW TO ASSUAGE SOUTH-EAST FEELINGS ON THE MATTER

Published

5 years ago

January 27, 2021

Like in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari on the 26th January 2021, appointed four service chiefs – Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Naval Staff – without a South-Easterner among them.

In a statement issued by the National Coordinator, South-East APC Presidency Project 2023 Dr. Chinedu Jideofo-Ogbuagu on Wednesday; “We would have thought that having tried military officers from other regions of Nigeria since 2015 and found them replaceable today, that our listening President would trust one of many brilliant officers of South-East extraction with headship of one of services.

When it is remembered that none of the other security and intelligence agencies is presently headed by a South-Easterner, the feelings in the South-East of deliberate exclusion of the region from security matters is understandable.

However, being APC members, we suspect that it is not entirely President Buhari’s fault that the South-East has been shut out of defence and security leadership since 2015.

As the leader of APC who should be desirous of growing APC in the South-East as in the other geopolitical zones, especially now that our party is in the process of carrying out nationwide membership registration and revalidation exercise, President Buhari should not listen to those who might tell him that APC doesn’t need the South-East.

When he leaves office on 29th May 2023, millions of his personal traditional voters may be lost to APC. From where would APC replace them? From saturated Northern and South-West APC votes that might dwindle in 2023 or from South-South that has virtually sacked APC from that zone?

Anyone who does correct political arithmetic knows that the zone with tens of millions of untapped voting potential is the South-East.

Especially with promise of Nigeria’s president of South-East extraction in 2023, millions of South-Easterners who never voted before would not only register to vote, collect their Personal Voter’s Card (PVC) and vote, but would also join APC. And they have started, with the zone now parading two APC governors and many other big politicians and their followers expected to join our party.

South-East is without doubt the APC growth area ahead of 2023 and should be courted with appointments, projects and contracts. We expect that if a South-Easterner wins APC’s presidential ticket, APC would win the 2023 presidential election with over 50 million votes.

For those of us in the frontline of marketing APC in the South-East, Mr President would help us by appointing the Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp from the South-East.

We are aware that a South-Easterner is currently Deputy Commandant General and Acting Commandant General, while another South-Easterner is Assistant Commandant General at the same security agency.

If Mr President appoints one of them as Commandant General, the shock and disbelief that most South-Easterners feel today over appointment of four military service chiefs without a South-Easterner among them would be somewhat assuaged.

We would respond to our PDP detractors today mocking South-East APC members that a security chief is a security chief and that the South-East has been accommodated at the NSCDC by our listening President.

That should disarm the PDP against us. We also expect that the South-Easterner heading the NSCDC would prove his mettle and demonstrate why majority of discerning Nigerians are today backing emergence of President of Nigeria of South-East extraction on APC platform in 2023.

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Nigeria’s Historic Bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games: A Call for National and Global Support

Published

7 days ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria is poised to make history as it seeks to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a monumental opportunity that promises to transform the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and global standing.

More than a sporting spectacle, the Games would serve as a catalyst for development across multiple sectors, leaving behind a legacy of national pride and sustainable growth.

The benefits of hosting the Games extend far beyond the sports arena. Nigeria stands to gain both empirical and non-empirical advantages, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that will touch every corner of society. Infrastructural development will take center stage, with new facilities such as indoor sports halls, conference centers, and improved road networks reshaping urban landscapes while strengthening the nation’s capacity to host future international events.

Economic growth is another significant dividend. Over 10,000 jobs are expected to be created, spanning construction, facility management, event planning, and tourism services.

The hospitality industry will undergo major improvements as hotels and resorts are upgraded to meet international standards, while local restaurants, lounges, and tourist attractions will see a surge in patronage from international visitors. Small and medium enterprises, particularly in the transport, finance, and food service sectors, will become some of the greatest beneficiaries, as the Games generate new demand and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The Commonwealth Games will also accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry.

Investments in training facilities, coaching, and talent development will inspire a new generation of athletes, ensuring long-term benefits that extend beyond 2030, a major focus of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
At the same time, the process of preparing for the Games will create opportunities for Nigerians to learn new crafts, acquire technical skills, and engage in global-standard event management, thereby strengthening human capacity and innovation across industries.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Director General, have been widely recognized for their tireless and visionary leadership in repositioning Nigeria’s sporting sector.

Their commitment to facilitating infrastructural development and strengthening grassroots sports development has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s bold bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Under their leadership, the NSC is fostering strategic partnerships and driving innovation in sports administration, they have demonstrated the nation’s readiness to stage an event of such global magnitude.

Beyond the tangible gains, the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games carries profound symbolic value. It would be a moment of unity and pride, a chance for Nigeria to showcase its cultural richness, resilience, and excellence to the world.
As a centenary edition, the Games would stand as a historic milestone not just for the Commonwealth but for Nigeria itself, cementing its place on the global stage as a capable, ambitious, and forward-looking nation.

The gains from hosting the Commonwealth Games can never be undermined or overemphasized. This is Nigeria’s time to step forward and show the world our resilience, and excellence. We call on every Nigerian, across sectors and communities, to support this noble aspiration.

Nigeria’s pursuit of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a vision for transformation, a blueprint for national development, and a legacy project that will inspire generations to come.

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