The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has appointed Prince Omar Bolaji Gambari, OBG, an international lawyer, entrepreneur and corporate strategic adviser, as the Director-General of the party’s Campaign Organisation for the 2027 governorship election.

The appointment was unanimously agreed upon at an expanded meeting involving the leadership of the party and the PDP governorship candidate, Engr. Suleiman Bolakale Kawu Agaka, and presided over by the State Chairman, Isa Bawa Adamu.

In a statement issued in Ilorin on Wednesday and signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the party described the appointment as a deliberate decision based on OBG’s extensive professional experience, organisational capacity, knowledge of the political landscape and strong engagement with young people across the state.

Prince Omar Bolaji Gambari was one of the leading aspirants who participated in the PDP’s 2026 governorship process.

During the contest, he built considerable engagement around his aspiration and brought a strong youthful presence, fresh ideas and an international professional perspective into the party’s internal process.

Following the emergence of Engr. Suleiman Bolakale Kawu Agaka as the party’s governorship candidate, OBG remained an active participant in the party’s political engagements.

His appointment as Campaign Director-General now places him at the centre of the coordination of the party’s campaign organisation ahead of the 2027 election.

“Prince Omar Bolaji Gambari brings to this responsibility a combination of professional experience, youthful energy, organisational exposure and an understanding of contemporary political communication,” the statement said.

“His background cuts across international law, finance, entrepreneurship, real estate, agriculture and community development. These experiences will be relevant to the coordination of a modern campaign organisation involving people from different backgrounds and generations.”

OBG was born into the Ilorin Emirate royal family. He began his education at the A.B.U. Staff School, Zaria, before proceeding to the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, for his post-primary education.

He obtained his first degree in Economics before studying Law at Fordham University School of Law, New York, United States, where he earned his law degree and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2000.

He briefly served in the Nigerian Army after his first degree and subsequently worked with Merrill Lynch, the major American financial services institution now part of Bank of America.

He later worked as a lawyer with the Legal Department of the United Nations and with the international law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

He subsequently established his own private legal practice, through which he has advised corporations and institutions on international transactions, joint ventures, commercial matters and dispute resolution, with professional engagements spanning sectors including technology, energy, finance and development.

Beyond legal practice, OBG has built business interests in real estate, energy and agriculture and has advised businesses and institutions on enterprise development and international expansion.

His involvement in youth development also predates his current political engagement.

In the late 1990s, he established the Nigerian Youth Organization in New York, an initiative aimed at connecting young Nigerians in the diaspora through social and community activities.

Through the OBG Foundation, he has also supported initiatives relating to youth empowerment, education, mentorship and enterprise development. OBG previously contested for the House of Representatives seat representing Ilorin East/South Federal Constituency in 2018 under the PDP before joining the 2026 governorship primary contest.

“Our party believes his experience in the private sector, international legal practice, entrepreneurship and community engagement, combined with his familiarity with the political environment in Kwara, informed the decision to entrust him with the coordination of the party’s 2027 campaign organisation.

“This appointment marks another stage in the party’s preparations for the 2027 governorship election, with the campaign structure expected to provide coordination across the party’s various levels and constituencies,” the statement added.

Some commercial drivers in Pankshin, Plateau, have called for a complete ban on the operations of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) in the state.

The commercial motorists cited widespread extortion and harassment of motorists as a reason for the call.

The state government temporarily suspended the operations of the VIO from September 21 to 27 following violent altercations between the officers and motorists.

The commercial drivers made the call in an interview on Wednesday in Pankshin.

One of the drivers, Ishaku Hassan, described VIO as the worst nightmare of every motorist in Plateau because they operated without human empathy.

Mr Hassan said every driver woke up with different challenges on his mind, ranging from family pressure, fuel hikes and bad roads to vehicle maintenance and the activities of extortionists on the highways.

“To me, a suspension is too mild for them. I want them completely banned from the roads because their activities contribute to the high rate of accidents.

“Drivers work for two categories of people: filling stations and the VIO. The latter does not care whether you have money or not; they will take away all your earnings,” he said.

Mr Hassan noted that there were ways the VIO could charge defaulting drivers without causing them so much pain, since nobody is perfect.

“I know they are performing their legitimate duties, but depriving drivers of their hard-earned money without thinking of their well-being will be resisted by all means,” he stated.

Bernard Moses, another driver who welcomed the suspension of the VIO’s operations, also called for their total ban in the state.

Mr Moses said they travelled to different states and met different personnel rendering similar services without having problems with them, but the story changed immediately upon returning to Plateau.

“Even if you have your complete papers and a valid driver’s licence, the VIO will always find a fault to extort you, unless your vehicle came directly from the manufacturer.

“They must understand that we are also struggling to meet our families’ needs just like them, because driving is our only source of income.

“Some of our drivers have abandoned the work because sometimes they return home with nothing due to fuel hikes and constant extortion by VIO personnel,” he said.

Mr Moses added that the economy was biting hard and people could no longer travel unless it became absolutely necessary, yet the VIO would not allow drivers to breathe on the road.

Also speaking, Yakubu Yahaya said the personnel were the architects of their own problems because they charged defaulting drivers unreasonably.

“When you push people too hard against the wall, they will certainly develop resistance against you. That is the situation between VIO personnel and motorists.

“I will be very happy if they are ousted completely from the roads because the harassment, extortion, and losses they cause drivers are massive.

“These vehicles often develop electrical faults caused by bad roads, which may be unknown to the driver. But the moment these faults are detected, even with valid papers, the charges become exorbitant,” Mr Yahaya said.

On his part, Peter Hero, another driver, said the activities of VIO personnel on the roads often drive motorists insane.

Mr Hero said it was stressful for a driver to be thinking about an inadequate number of passengers, fuel hikes, bad roads, and family pressure, only to meet the VIO on the road looking for any minor fault to extort him.

He explained that just as the officers have targets to meet, drivers also have their own financial targets, and no reasonable driver would be happy to see all his money taken away.

“In this hard economy, there is no justification for charging a defaulting driver ₦20,000 to ₦30,000 for either an expired roadworthiness certificate, a faulty headlight, or a broken traffic indicator, which may be unknown to the driver.

“They are supposed to discharge their duties within the ambit of the law by charging a fair and reasonable fine, but their activities look like midday robbery,” he said.

He also added that the activities of the VIO regularly cause nuisances on the highways, leading to the loss of lives and property. 

(NAN)