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NTAC DG, Buba Yakub, Named To Tinubu/APC 2027 Presidential Campaign Council

Published

2 days ago

October 14, 2026

Joel Ajayi

The Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, has been appointed a member of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu/All Progressives Congress 2027 Presidential Campaign Council alongside other prominent Nigerians.

Buba was named to the Directorate of General Logistics and Operations, chaired by Presidential Adviser, Hon. Ibrahim Kabir Masari, who also serves as a Deputy Director-General of the Campaign Council.

Reacting to his appointment to the presidential campaign body, Rt. Hon.Buba pledged his total commitment to the re-election bid of President Tinubu, expressing his readiness to deploy his time, talent and resources towards the campaign.

He also called on Nigerians across all walks of life to support the President’s bid for a second term, citing what he described as the achievements of the Tinubu administration as reasons for its continued public support.

The NTAC Director-General further reiterated his appeal to the people of Adamawa State and Nigerians at large to mobilise support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

Describing the administration as a performing one, Buba urged citizens who share his assessment to sustain their support for the President’s re-election bid.

The Presidential Campaign Council was inaugurated on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja, with President Tinubu as Chairman, Vice President Kashim Shettima as First Vice Chairman, and the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as Second Vice Chairman.

Senator Abdulaziz Yari was named Director-General of the Campaign Council, while Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, was appointed Secretary.

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Cyclists, Athletes, Fitness Communities others Set for 5th Chaingang MTB Festival in Abuja

Published

8 hours ago

October 16, 2026

The Gleamer

By Joel Ajayi

Cyclists, professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts are set to converge on Abuja for the 5th edition of the Abuja Chaingang Mountain Bike (MTB) Festival and 10th year anniversary of the the club scheduled for November 21–22, 2026, in the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Chairman of the MTB Festival Organising Committee, Mr Olatunji Olanrewaju, said the event would mark a significant milestone in the development of competitive cycling in Nigeria.

Organised by the Chaingang Cycling Club Abuja in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN), the festival will introduce Cross-Country Short Track (XCC) and Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) race courses, alongside the unveiling of the Sunrise Hills MTB Course in Asokoro, bordering Guzape.

The organisers said the new courses feature natural terrain, steep climbs, rocky descents, switchbacks and panoramic ridgelines designed to challenge riders and promote competitive mountain biking.

The festival, adopted as Nigeria’s national qualifier for international mountain biking competitions, will provide cyclists with opportunities to compete for qualification slots for major championships, with prize money available across race categories.

Olanrewaju disclosed that the festival had attracted several cycling teams over the years, including foreign participants in almost every edition, expressing optimism that the 2026 event would attract even greater participation.

He called on sponsors, government agencies, security institutions and multinational organisations to support the festival, noting that their participation would help strengthen Nigeria’s outdoor sports industry and enhance the country’s international sporting profile.

Also speaking, the Technical Director of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, Bashiru Mohammed, described the festival as an important platform for developing cycling and strengthening the country’s cycling community.

Mohammed said the competition was open to cyclists and cycling groups across Nigeria and beyond, adding that the organisers would share information about the event with international partners to encourage wider participation.

He explained that the professional races would feature male and female competitors in the XCC and XCO categories, while the programme would also include activities for children.

According to him, the competition would help Nigerian cyclists prepare for next year’s championship for emerging countries, which he likened to an Olympic-style gathering of athletes from different sporting disciplines.

In his remarked, the CFN Secretary-General of the federation, Joel Akinuwa, said prize money remained an important feature of the festival, noting that participants in the previous edition received financial rewards in addition to opportunities to qualify for the African Championships and other major international competitions.

Akinuwa added that winners across the various categories in the 2026 edition would also receive prize money, providing further motivation for cyclists to compete.

Beyond the elite races, the two-day festival will feature a trail run, children’s mountain bike race, veterans’ recreational ride, city-wide fitness ride and hiking campout.

The event will also incorporate corporate social responsibility initiatives, including the Jigakushi School Restoration Project and the Road Safety Street Mural Initiative, aimed at promoting community development and road safety awareness.

The organisers said the festival would bring together professional athletes, recreational cyclists, families, young people, fitness enthusiasts, media organisations and international observers, while promoting tourism, youth development and community engagement.

They added that the long-term vision was to position Abuja and Nigeria as leading mountain biking destinations in Africa, capable of hosting international competitions and attracting athletes from across the continent and beyond.

Registration for the 2026 Abuja Chaingang MTB Festival is ongoing through the club’s website, www.chaingang.ng.

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