No fewer than 15 governorship candidates of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) have declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

The candidates said their decision was based on their assessment of Tinubu’s performance and the absence of a presidential candidate on their party’s platform for the forthcoming election.

Politics Nigeria reports that the Chairman of the DLA Governorship Candidates Forum, Aboki Bayonga, who is from Taraba State, announced the endorsement while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday.

Bayonga described Tinubu as the best presidential candidate for the 2027 election, insisting that the governorship candidates would retain their ambitions under the DLA while supporting the president’s re-election.

“As governorship candidates of DLA, we are here to declare our support for President Tinubu as our presidential candidate in 2027. It is not that we have dropped our aspirations under our own platform, but as for the presidential, we are for Asiwaju 100 per cent,” he said.

He added that the forum would mobilise support for Tinubu to secure another four-year term.

The DLA candidates also said they would pursue their political ambitions under their party while working for the president through the Arewa for Asiwaju platform.

Bayonga cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), agricultural support and road construction as some of the reasons for their decision.

He said the student loan initiative had provided opportunities for students to pursue their education, regardless of whether their parents could afford to pay their fees.

On agriculture, the DLA forum chairman said the distribution of fertilisers and the reduction in their prices had provided relief to farmers, particularly those in rural communities.

He also praised the administration’s road construction projects, arguing that the infrastructure being developed would serve Nigerians for years.

According to him, the candidates assessed the available presidential contenders before concluding that Tinubu deserved another opportunity to continue his administration.

“We have looked at all the presidential candidates, and concluded that you cannot leave opposition to join opposition. You will not succeed,” Bayonga said.

He expressed confidence that Tinubu would secure victory in 2027, adding that another four years would enable the president to consolidate his achievements and improve the country.

Other members of the forum include its Secretary, Adamu Idrisu Chado, from Kaduna State; Bekky Folorunso James from Osun State; Professor Valdya Tame from Adamawa State; Hon. Sam Umar from Plateau State; Alhaji Sani Mohammed from Gombe State; Hon. Nnamdi Ugwu from Enugu State; and Hon. Brent Micheal from Bauchi State.

Meanwhile, the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) has criticised Tinubu’s administration over persistent killings and abductions across the country, accusing the government of failing to protect lives and property.

The party, in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, called on Nigerians to demand urgent action to address the worsening security situation.

It identified Kwara, Niger, Benue, Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Borno, Plateau and Yobe as states affected by attacks by armed groups and other criminal elements.

The PRP accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of relying on public statements and promises rather than taking effective measures to protect vulnerable communities.

“The scale of the killings and abductions of helpless citizens and the rising impunity of their tormentors suggests that Nigerians live in a lawless country,” the statement said.

The party also expressed concern about the pressure on military personnel and local volunteers involved in efforts to confront armed groups.

It said the persistent attacks had disrupted livelihoods and worsened the economic difficulties facing millions of Nigerians.

The PRP further alleged that the government was spending excessive public funds to secure political support while citizens remained exposed to security threats. However, it did not provide details or evidence to substantiate the allegation.

Baba-Ahmed insisted that Nigerians should not wait until the end of Tinubu’s tenure in May 2027 before demanding improvements in security.

He said the president remained responsible for fulfilling his constitutional obligations to protect citizens and promote their welfare.

“President Tinubu still has four months to go before his defeat. He has a responsibility to live up to his oath to protect the lives and welfare of Nigerians,” he said.

Los Angeles Sparks of the USA women’s basketball club’s Nigerian-born star, Nneka Ogwumike, is bowing out of the game on a high, with another prestigious award now resting firmly in her grip, Sports247 reports.

READ ALSO: Nneka Ogwumike Honoured With Her Name On Special Section At Los Angeles Sparks’ Training Ground | Sports247 Nigeria

The latest individual laurel picked up by the lady of multiple honours in the USA’s Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has come just two months after she announced her impending retirement from the beautiful game

With her departure fixed for the end of the WNBA’s ongoing season, nothing much was expected from Ogwumike, but she has pulled off a stunning swansong in being named winner of the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.

En route to clinching the gong, Ogwumike got 38 votes, while the next closest to her was Rebecca Allen of the New York Liberty, who had seven votes, making it the fifth time the Nigerian-born former US international will win the award.

It also marks the second time during Ogwumike’s illustrious career that she has won the award in back-to-back seasons, with her previous three conquests having all come in consecutive years, from 2019 to 2021.

This time out, the 2026 award is a final splash of honour for the ever impressive Ogwumike, who has 11 WNBA All-Star appearances, eight All-WNBA appearances, seven All-Defensive selections, a Rookie of the Year award, an MVP award, one WNBA championship and epochal recognition on the W25.

The 36-year-old veteran also gained lots of respect as the president of USA’s Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) since 2016 and was in the midst of yet another All-Star year when she announced in August that the 2026 season would be her last.

Sparks responded to that news by naming a spot inside the team’s new practice facility after Ogwumike and, while they could not win the title in her last campaign, her latest award gives her a huge sendforth recognition, as she calls time of a very illustrious career.