In a display of faith and political solidarity, constituents across Niger State on Saturday organised special prayer sessions for Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, popularly known as Sani Musa 313, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the countdown to party primaries and general elections gathers momentum.

The high-profile intercessory programme was hosted by the United Niger Christian Forum in Niger State under the leadership of its President, Rev. Joshua Adams.

Christians from different denominations converged in Minna to seek divine intervention, protection, and victory for the three leaders whom they described as divinely positioned agents of transformation.

Rev. Joshua Adams, while addressing the gathering, delivered a passionate message that spanned several key areas of leadership, governance, and national development.

He began by highlighting the spiritual foundation required for effective leadership in Nigeria.

“Today, we have come together not just as Christians but as concerned citizens who understand that no meaningful progress can be achieved without the hand of God upon our leaders,” Rev. Adams said.

“We stand here to commit Senator Sani Musa 313, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into the mighty hands of the Almighty for wisdom, strength, and victory in all their endeavours.”

The cleric praised Senator Sani Musa 313 for his outstanding representation of the Niger East Senatorial District. He noted the senator’s consistent advocacy for youth empowerment, education, and infrastructural development in the zone.

“Senator Sani Musa 313 has been a tireless champion for our people,” Rev. Adams continued. “Through his various intervention programmes in skills acquisition, scholarship awards, and rural infrastructure, he has touched thousands of lives.

“We pray that God will crown his efforts with greater success and return him with landslide victory to continue his good works.”

Turning to Governor Bago, Rev. Adams extolled the governor’s agricultural revolution and urban renewal efforts that have begun to change the face of Niger State.

“Under Governor Bago’s leadership, Niger State is witnessing a new dawn in agriculture and food security,” he stated.

“His administration’s focus on irrigation farming, mechanisation, and support for farmers has positioned the state as a potential food basket for the nation. We are praying for divine enablement so he can complete his vision of a prosperous and secure Niger State.”

Rev. Adams further emphasised the governor’s commitment to infrastructure, education, and healthcare delivery across the three senatorial zones.

“The massive road constructions, school renovations, and hospital upgrades under this administration are testimonies that God is using Governor Bago for a purpose,” Adams added.

“We reject every satanic plan against his government and declare divine protection and success in the forthcoming elections.”

On President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Forum President spoke extensively about the Renewed Hope Agenda and the bold reforms being implemented despite national challenges.

“President Tinubu has shown rare courage in taking difficult but necessary decisions to reposition Nigeria’s economy,” Rev. Adams declared.

“His administration’s focus on security, economic diversification, and infrastructure development across all regions gives us hope for a better Nigeria. We are interceding for sustained wisdom and strength for him to deliver on his promises.

“We believe that leadership is a divine assignment. As we pray for these three leaders, we also pray for peaceful primaries across all political parties.

“Let there be no violence, no rigging, and no manipulation. Let the will of God and the will of the people prevail.”

The reverend gentleman stressed the Forum’s non-partisan stance while affirming their support for performance-driven leadership.

“Our prayer is not about party affiliation but about good governance and service to humanity,” Rev. Adams explained.

“Where leaders perform, the people must support them through prayers and at the polls. Senator Sani Musa 313, Governor Bago, and President Tinubu have shown capacity, and we stand with them.”

He concluded his address by calling for sustained prayers beyond the prayer session.

“We shall not relent in interceding for these leaders until victory is fully delivered,” Rev. Adams assured. “Niger State and Nigeria shall rise again through the leadership of these men. The best is yet to come for our dear state and country.”

Rev. Joshua Adams sealed the powerful prayer session with a quotation from the Holy Scriptures: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

This biblical charge, he said, remains the foundation for the Forum’s continued intercession for the success, protection, and re-election of Senator 313, Governor Bago, and President Tinubu.

The United Niger Christian Forum pledged to organise similar prayer programmes across local government areas in the state in the coming weeks to sustain the spiritual cover for the leaders and the democratic process.

The Middle Belt Conscience Guard (MBCG) has commended the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, and the armed forces for sustaining coordinated military operations against insurgents and criminal groups across parts of the country.

In a statement on Friday signed by Dr Anthony Idoko, president of the group, and Amos Adamu, secretary-general, the organisation said recent military operations across the north-central and north-east regions have demonstrated renewed commitment and improved tactical coordination among security agencies.

The group praised General Oluyede for the “visible operational leadership and strategic coordination” in ongoing counter-insurgency and anti-banditry operations.

According to the MBCG, communities in parts of the Middle Belt have started witnessing gradual improvements in security due to intensified military offensives, intelligence-driven operations, and stronger inter-agency collaboration.

“The recent momentum recorded by the armed forces shows that coordinated military pressure remains one of the most effective responses against insurgency, banditry, and other violent criminal activities threatening national stability,” the statement read.

“We commend the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, alongside military commanders and frontline troops for sustaining operational pressure on criminal elements across troubled regions.”

The group said the military leadership deserves support rather than politicisation of security efforts, noting that the scale of insecurity confronting Nigeria requires institutional cooperation and national unity.

It urged the armed forces not to relent in ongoing operations aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves, disrupting arms supply networks, and reclaiming communities affected by violent attacks.

According to the organisation, recent offensives have helped restore confidence among residents in several rural communities previously abandoned due to repeated attacks by armed groups.

The MBCG also appealed to state governments and local communities to strengthen cooperation with security agencies through intelligence sharing and community-based support structures.

“No security architecture can succeed without the trust and cooperation of local populations. Citizens must see themselves as active stakeholders in the national security process,” the group said.

The organisation further urged the federal government to continue investing in military welfare, intelligence gathering, surveillance technology, and operational logistics to sustain the gains already being recorded on various fronts.

The Middle Belt group added that while security challenges remain significant, consistent operational coordination and strategic leadership within the armed forces are beginning to yield measurable results in several conflict-prone areas of the country.

The Transparency Watch Initiative, a civic accountability and governance assessment organisation, has ranked the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) among the most outstanding public institutions in Nigeria in its latest Fiscal Responsibility and Institutional Performance Report.

The report, released in Abuja on Friday by the group’s executive director, Dr Ifure Ataifure, assessed federal agencies on transparency practices, fiscal discipline, project implementation, regulatory efficiency, public responsiveness, and measurable contribution to national development goals.

According to the report, the NEDC and NCC emerged among the top-performing institutions alongside agencies such as the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Debt Management Office (DMO), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The organisation said the ranking followed months of independent institutional monitoring, field assessments, stakeholder engagement, and analysis of public sector performance indicators across key sectors of the economy.

Ataifure noted that the NEDC stood out for its intervention-driven development model and visible impact across insurgency-affected communities in the north-east.

According to him, the commission demonstrated remarkable consistency in infrastructure rehabilitation, humanitarian intervention, education support, healthcare delivery, housing projects, and livelihood restoration programmes despite the difficult security environment confronting the region.

“The NEDC has shown measurable commitment to post-conflict recovery and institutional accountability in one of the most difficult operating environments in the country,” Ataifure said.

“At a time when public confidence in many government institutions remains weak, the commission has continued to demonstrate visible project execution and strategic coordination of development interventions across communities devastated by insurgency.”

The report added that the agency’s growing stakeholder engagement framework and community-focused interventions have helped strengthen confidence in government presence across several north-east communities.

On the telecommunications sector, the report described the NCC as one of Nigeria’s most stable and professionally managed regulatory institutions.

Ataifure said the commission has sustained regulatory consistency while driving broadband expansion, digital inclusion, consumer protection, and investor confidence within the telecom industry.

According to him, the NCC’s ability to maintain industry stability despite inflationary pressures, infrastructure challenges, and rising operational costs facing operators reflects institutional maturity and strategic leadership.

“The NCC remains one of the strongest examples of regulatory efficiency within Nigeria’s public sector,” he said.

“Its contribution to digital access, communications stability, broadband penetration, and economic productivity continues to position the telecommunications sector as one of the country’s most resilient growth drivers.”

The report particularly commended the commission’s balancing of consumer protection with investor sustainability, describing its regulatory approach as disciplined, predictable, and development-oriented.

Transparency Watch Initiative said both institutions demonstrated stronger institutional coherence than many public agencies often weighed down by bureaucratic inefficiency, weak implementation culture, and poor accountability structures.

Ataifure added that while no public institution should be exempt from scrutiny, agencies delivering measurable public value deserve recognition to encourage a stronger culture of performance within government institutions.

He said Nigeria’s broader development aspirations would remain difficult to achieve unless public institutions embrace transparency, operational discipline, and result-oriented governance.

According to the report, the performances recorded by the NEDC and NCC show that effective governance remains achievable when institutions are guided by competence, strategic leadership, and commitment to public service.