ABUJA, October 15, 2026 — Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has described the broad political support expressed for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council as an unusual development in Nigeria’s democratic history.

This is contained in a statement Issued by FORCEPA MEDIA AND PUBLICITY TEAM, Forum of Chief Executives of Federal Parastatals, Abuja, Nigeria

Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja on Wednesday, October 14, Soludo said the gathering reflected what he regarded as an unprecedented level of political and elite consensus around a sitting President, particularly given the participation of governors and political stakeholders from different party backgrounds.

In a report compiled by the Media and Publicity Team of the Forum of Chief Executives of Federal Parastatals (FORCEPA), Soludo’s address was highlighted for its emphasis on cross-party cooperation, economic policy and the relationship between political leadership and national development.

The Anambra Governor, who was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), explained that his party’s support for Tinubu was anchored on shared interests in national unity, security and economic prosperity.

Soludo drew attention to the number of governors associated with the gathering, describing the participation of approximately 31 state governors as evidence of an unusually broad political alignment. His observation concerned the political support expressed at the event and should not be confused with a formal endorsement by every governor or every Nigerian voter.

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria also used the occasion to discuss the economic philosophy underpinning the Tinubu administration’s policies.

Drawing on his background as an economist, Soludo described the administration’s approach as pragmatic progressivism, suggesting that the President’s economic decisions reflected a willingness to confront structural challenges rather than postpone difficult policy choices.

According to Soludo, the administration inherited an economy facing significant pressures and had embarked on reforms intended to move the country from instability towards recovery and sustainable prosperity.

He credited Tinubu’s understanding of public finance with influencing the direction of the reforms, arguing that the President’s decisions should be assessed in the context of the structural economic problems confronting Nigeria before and after his assumption of office.

While supporters of the administration have pointed to macroeconomic adjustments and reform initiatives as signs of progress, critics have questioned the pace at which the benefits of those policies are reaching ordinary Nigerians.

Soludo nevertheless maintained that the administration’s approach reflected a commitment to addressing long-standing economic challenges and laying the foundation for future growth.

His participation in the APC Presidential Campaign Council inauguration was also significant because of his continued membership of APGA, illustrating the increasingly complex relationship between party affiliation and political cooperation in Nigeria.

The FORCEPA Media and Publicity Team observed that Soludo’s intervention placed economic policy and institutional performance at the centre of the discussion surrounding the 2027 presidential election.

As a forum bringing together Chief Executives of Federal Parastatals, FORCEPA recognises the importance of public institutions in implementing government policies, documenting development programmes and making accurate information about public-sector performance accessible to Nigerians.

ABUJA, October 15, 2026 — Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has challenged opposition political figures to acknowledge what he considers the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, arguing that political differences should not prevent an objective assessment of government policies and performance.

This is contained in a statement issued by FORCEPA MEDIA AND PUBLICITY TEAM
Forum of Chief Executives of Federal Parastatals, Abuja, Nigeria

Wike made the remarks during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja on Wednesday, October 14, where he addressed party leaders, governors and other political stakeholders.

Speaking at the event, Wike described himself as a leader of the PDP while explaining his support for President Tinubu. He maintained that political affiliation should not prevent politicians from acknowledging decisions they consider beneficial to the country.

The former Rivers State Governor disagreed with opposition narratives portraying the administration as lacking direction, arguing that Tinubu had demonstrated the willingness to confront difficult national problems that previous governments had recognised but had not adequately addressed.

On national security, Wike expressed confidence in the administration’s capacity to confront insecurity and highlighted the proposed establishment of state police as a reform he believes could strengthen security management. The debate over state policing has continued to generate national discussion, particularly around constitutional safeguards, funding, accountability and the relationship between federal and state authorities.

The FCT Minister also challenged members of the Presidential Campaign Council to demonstrate their political influence through measurable results within their respective areas of responsibility, rather than relying solely on their appointments or positions.

In a review of the proceedings prepared by the Media and Publicity Team of the Forum of Chief Executives of Federal Parastatals (FORCEPA), Wike’s intervention was identified as one of the significant moments of the inauguration.

His remarks formed part of an inauguration that brought together political figures from different parties, including Anambra State Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.

For the FORCEPA Media and Publicity Team, the inauguration presented an opportunity to document the positions articulated by political stakeholders on governance, public accountability, security reform and the relationship between political competition and national development.

The Forum maintains that public discussion of government performance should be informed by verifiable policies, measurable outcomes and the experiences of Nigerians across different sectors.

Kenyan billionaire Mary-Ann Musangi, plans to expand Haco Industries, the consumer goods maker founded by her late father Chris Kirubi, from eight export markets to 30 African countries by 2030, using local manufacturing partners and five regional hubs.

Musangi, the managing director of the Nairobi-based company, set out the target in an interview with CNN published this week. Haco, which makes about 90 household, hair and skincare products, currently exports to eight African countries. Kenya is its largest market, and it also sells in Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.

She identified distance and logistics as challenges making sells across the continent from a single base in Kenya difficult. That is why local partners would be used rather than build all of its capacity itself. She told CNN:

“The only way I see we can do it is through these partnerships, working with local people,”

Ghana as a West African base

Ghana is set to become the company’s manufacturing base for West Africa. Haco this month signed a manufacturing and distribution agreement with Ghanaian company Ayewa Aberfur to produce and sell its Amara skin lotion in Ghana. Under the deal, Haco keeps control of formulations, quality standards and technical processes, while the Ghanaian partner provides production capacity and knowledge of the local market.

Musangi told Kenya’s Business Daily earlier this month that the company is “not investing in factories and in equipment” in Ghana and declined to disclose the size of its investment. Haco supplies the raw materials from Kenya. Nanayaa Bates, the founder of the Ghanaian partner, told CNN that the arrangement had increased her company’s manufacturing output tenfold.

Haco has identified Nigeria and Senegal as its next markets, according to earlier reports.

Inside the Nairobi plant

Haco’s factory in central Nairobi includes a plastics plant that makes the company’s own packaging and can produce 5 million components a month, manufacturing director Peter Ndichu told CNN. A separate plant can process and pack 1,365 metric tons of products a month. Packing lines currently handle about 3,000 pieces an hour, and the company says automated machinery could raise that to about 12,000, which it plans to install in a new factory.

The company sources raw materials from more than 500 farmers across Africa and says its brands reach more than 3 million families. It has shifted some sourcing to the continent to cut costs. Shea butter imported from the United States cost about 5,000 Kenyan shillings ($38.50) a kilogram, compared with about 1,000 shillings ($7.70) when bought from Uganda, CNN reported. The company now buys it from Uganda and Ghana.

“It is unacceptable that we continue to simply extract raw materials from Africa,” Musangi told CNN.

The expansion plan leans on the African Continental Free Trade Area, the agreement meant to cut tariffs and other barriers to trade among African countries.

Kirubi’s heir

Kirubi founded Haco in 1974 and built it into one of Kenya’s best-known household goods makers. He became one of the country’s most prominent businessmen, with interests in manufacturing, media, real estate and finance, and was a major shareholder in Nairobi-listed investment firm Centum Investment.

Musangi, a former marketing director at Kenya Commercial Bank, became managing director of Haco in February 2019, after her father was diagnosed with cancer. When Kirubi died in June 2021, he left 80% of his estate to Musangi and her brother, Robert, and she took over the management of his business interests. In July this year, she was elected vice chairperson of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, the country’s main industry lobby.

The family has considered the company’s long-term ownership. Haco has explored a stock market listing or bringing in a strategic investor as part of succession planning, according to The Africa Report.