CIVILITY IS NOT WEAKNESS. ENOUGH OF THE HARASSMENT OF MY SUPPORTERS. RELEASE RILWAN OLAWALE NOW. The continued intimidation and harassment of my supporters across the country, the latest being the case of Rilwan Olawale, is disturbing and unacceptable. President Bola Tinubu has remained a huge beneficiary of our democracy and should not brazenly be destroying it by encouraging and facilitating violence. Our campaign is peaceful and issue-driven, focused on offering Nigerians a credible alternative built on competence, accountability, justice, and compassion. We have chosen the path of peace, not violence; persuasion, not intimidation. However, nobody should mistake our civility for weakness, our restraint for fear, or our commitment to peace for an absence of resolve. We will not be intimidated into silence, nor will we abandon Nigerians who believe in a New Nigeria that is possible and will be OK. I therefore demand transparency regarding Rilwan Olawale’s arrest, his release, respect for his rights, and an end to politically motivated harassment. No government or political party has the right to deny Nigerians the freedom to support a candidate of their choice. We will remain peaceful but resolute. We will not resort to violence, but we will stand firmly and lawfully against every attempt to undermine our democratic rights. A New Nigeria is POssible and will be OK. -PO

WORLD FOOD DAY: HUNGER IN NIGERIA, NOW A NATIONAL EMERGENCY Yesterday, as the world marked International Rural Women’s Day, I joined Nigerian rural women who produce the food that sustains our population. What became clear to me is that hunger in the country must be declared a national emergency. Today, as the world marks World Food Day, Nigerians are confronting a painful reality: hunger, poverty, and insecurity continue to affect millions of families across the country. Nigeria is now one of the hungriest countries in the world, ranking 117th out of 125, down from 109th out of 125 in 2023, when the current administration came into office. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that about 36 million Nigerians will face acute hunger this year. The tragedy is even more painful because Nigeria has vast, arable, and fertile land. Yet about 60% remains uncultivated, providing forest hideouts for terrorist organisations and other non-state actors. On World Food Day, the message is clear: Nigerians deserve a country where no family goes to bed hungry, farmers can work without fear, and poverty and insecurity are confronted with urgency and compassion. The fight against hunger must be treated as a national emergency. Under our leadership, we will secure the country and return our hardworking farmers to their farms. They will receive targeted grants, subsidies, and other forms of support. Together, we can build a Nigeria where no one goes to bed hungry and every farmer can work in peace and dignity. A New Nigeria is POssible. Nigeria will be OK. -PO

Nigerians Must Not Be Abandoned to Disaster Risks As the global community observes the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction today, we must acknowledge that millions of Nigerians confront not only natural hazards but also avoidable crises resulting from governance failures. Throughout the country, citizens face flooding, insecurity, displacement, hunger, malnutrition, deteriorating infrastructure, increasing poverty, and the loss of livelihoods. Inadequate planning, fragile institutions, insufficient emergency preparedness, and the failure to place citizens’ welfare first have made everyday existence a disaster for many people. Although disasters cannot always be prevented, their effects can be limited through accountable leadership, early warning mechanisms, responsible land-use planning, durable infrastructure, efficient emergency services, and prompt humanitarian assistance. When governments fail to identify risks in advance or respond effectively to emergencies, the most vulnerable citizens bear the greatest burden. The success of governance should be judged not by revenue totals, economic indicators, or official ceremonies but by the people’s safety, dignity, and quality of life. No government can credibly claim progress while citizens are displaced by floods, abducted by criminals, forced into hunger, or left without protection from predictable threats. I urge governments at every level to pursue a people-focused approach to reducing disaster risks by investing in prevention, enhancing emergency response, ensuring accountability in the administration of disaster funds, and delivering prompt relief and lasting rehabilitation to affected communities. Nigeria must not accept avoidable suffering as normal. Protecting the safety, security, and welfare of our people is a core responsibility of government. We must create a nation in which sound governance limits risks, safeguards lives, and affords every citizen a fair opportunity to live in safety and dignity. Nigerians thoroughly insulated from the most severe effects of disasters is OK and POssible. -PO

Happy World Teachers’ Day! Today, October 5, I join the global community in celebrating our teachers on World Teachers’ Day. Teachers belong to one of the most important professions in any society. They are not merely imparting knowledge; they are shaping minds, nurturing character, and preparing the next generation of citizens, professionals, and leaders. The quality of our teachers will, to a great extent, determine the quality of our human capital and, ultimately, the future of our nation. I salute our teachers for their resilience, dedication, and immense sacrifices, often made under difficult socio-economic conditions. We must do more to improve their welfare, ensure the prompt payment of their salaries, provide conducive working environments, and equip them with the tools required to teach effectively. The dignity of the teaching profession must be restored. Nigeria cannot successfully address the challenges of out-of-school children, unemployment, poverty, and underdevelopment without making deliberate and sustained investments in education. Education must therefore receive greater priority in our national planning and budgeting, with teachers and educational infrastructure receiving the attention they deserve. To every Nigerian teacher, I thank you for your service and for continuing to build our nation, one child at a time. Please remain steadfast and hopeful. The Nigeria we all desire is possible, and building it begins with investing in our people. With improved education, a new Nigeria that will be okay if possible. Happy World Teachers’ Day! -PO