Indigenes of Osun State in the diaspora, under the auspices of the Osun Development Association (ODA), have declared that the governorship candidates of political parties contesting in the forthcoming election in the state will sign a peace accord ahead of the poll.

ODA noted that this is necessary in view of the prevailing situation in the state and to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

The group explained that the current governor and Accord candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke; the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr Bola Oyebamiji; the Action Alliance candidate, Olanrewaju Farinloye; the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Najeem Salaam; the African Action Congress (AAC) candidate, Esan Olajide; and other candidates will sign the peace pact.

Chairman of ODA’s Leadership and Governance Committee, Dr Tunji Olugbodi, made the declaration in a statement heralding the planned summit where candidates of the political parties will sign the peace accord to prevent violence before, during and after the election.

Olugbodi, in the statement made available to DAILY POST on Monday evening, explained that the state is currently at a critical democratic crossroads.

He said the summit, with the theme, “Speak, Choose, Hold Accountable: Citizens at the Centre of Osun’s Democracy,” is billed to take place in Osogbo because it is necessary to commit all the major stakeholders to a peaceful electoral process.

Olugbodi added that the group believes the state can set a national benchmark for peaceful, credible elections.

The summit is expected to bring all stakeholders in the electoral process under one roof to chart a way forward in order to prevent any uncertainty before, during and after the election.

Olugbodi said, “Osun State is at a critical democratic crossroads. The Osun Development Association (ODA) has finalised arrangements to host the Osun 2026 Democratic Governance, Peace and Electoral Integrity Summit, a high-level civic intervention designed to steer the state’s political discourse toward issue-based campaigning and away from rising tension ahead of the August governorship election.”

ODA Chairman, Dr Segun Aina, in his contribution, noted that the collective participation of all stakeholders is necessary for the forthcoming election.

The federal government has launched the National Guidelines for Public Procurement of Food and Related Services.

The framework introduces nutrition standards for food purchased with public funds as part of efforts to reduce unhealthy diets and curb the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.

The guidelines, unveiled on Monday in Abuja at an event themed “Public Procurement of Food: Promoting a Culture of National Wellness Through the Food Value Chain,” are expected to influence food served in public institutions, including schools, hospitals, correctional centres and military establishments, by setting evidence-based standards on nutrition, food safety and quality.

Delivering his keynote address at the launch, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, said the initiative marks a shift from viewing public procurement as a routine administrative process to using it as a strategic tool to improve public health and national development.

“When the government demands healthier, safer and more nutritious food, it creates incentives for the entire food system to innovate, improve quality and align with higher public health standards,” he said.

Why it matters

Mr Salako said the government remains the country’s largest institutional purchaser of food, meaning procurement decisions have the potential to influence food production, consumer behaviour and nutrition standards across the food value chain.

According to him, the guidelines establish limits on sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats in foods procured by public institutions while encouraging balanced and nutritious diets.

He said the document complements existing national policies, including the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction, the Trans Fat Regulation and the 2023 National Policy on Food Safety and Quality.

Rising burden of unhealthy diets

Mr Salako noted that unhealthy diets contribute to about 7.2 million deaths globally every year, driven largely by excessive consumption of salt, sugar and unhealthy fats as well as inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

He revealed that the average Nigerian adult consumes between 3.9 grammes and 4.9 grammes of sodium daily, almost double the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended limit of 2 grammes.

Mr Salako added that increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has contributed to rising rates of obesity and diabetes, prompting the introduction of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax, while industrial trans fats have also been restricted under Nigeria’s Trans Fatty Acid Regulation.

“These measures are designed to control dietary patterns that fuel the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, placing enormous pressure on health systems, national economies and household incomes,” he said.

Child malnutrition remains a concern

Mr Salako also highlighted the country’s persistent nutrition challenges, noting that malnutrition remains a direct or underlying cause of nearly half of the deaths among children under five years.

He said the Nigeria Mini Demographic and Health Survey found that about four in every 10 Nigerian children under five are stunted, while nearly two million children suffer severe acute malnutrition annually.

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“These are not merely health statistics. They represent profound human capital challenges with significant implications for educational attainment, labour productivity, household prosperity, national competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.”

Implementation key

Mr Salako stressed that the success of the guidelines would depend on effective implementation rather than their launch.

He urged procurement and accounting officers across government institutions to ensure compliance, noting that procurement decisions influence health outcomes, productivity and public confidence in government.

He added that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would continue to promote disease prevention through healthier public policies as part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.