They stressed that major road projects across the country should be completed without interruption.

Among the projects highlighted were the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway.

The party leadership maintained that continuity would help ensure the successful delivery of the projects and their expected economic benefits.

The meeting also reviewed the political atmosphere ahead of the August governorship election in Osun State. Leaders of the party called for a peaceful electoral process and urged all stakeholders to avoid actions capable of undermining the credibility of the poll.

They warned against violence, intimidation of political opponents, electoral malpractice and the alleged use of security agencies to harass members of the party during the election period.

The party further appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies and other relevant institutions to ensure a level playing field for all contestants.

Several national officers attended the meeting. They included the National Chairman of the Accord Party, Maxwell Mgbudem; Deputy National Chairman, Maryam Sale; National Secretary, Ajaja Abiola Adebukola; National Treasurer, Abdulazeez Oyeniyi Salaudeen; National Organising Secretary, Ibe Thankgod; and National Publicity Secretary, Omorogbe Joseph.Political communication services

Also present were state chairmen and other senior party officials drawn from different parts of the country.

The endorsement marks another significant political development in the growing relationship between Adeleke and the Accord Party following the governor’s alignment with the platform ahead of the Osun governorship election.

Party leaders at the meeting expressed confidence in Adeleke’s chances in the forthcoming poll and pledged to mobilise support structures across the state to secure victory.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the party nationwide while positioning it for future political contests. Moreover, Governor Ademola Adeleke publicly reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition on several occasions. He described the move as being in the interest of Osun State and the South-West region. Leadership development programs

Speaking on May this year, during an inspection of the ongoing reconstruction work on the Ibadan-Ile Ife-Ilesa Expressway, Adeleke said his support for the President went beyond partisan politics.

The governor described Tinubu as “our own son, father and leader,” insisting that he needed no persuasion to back the President’s re-election bid.

“I am the governor of the ancestral birthplace of Mr President. How can I have my own in the saddle and think twice before embracing him? I need no persuasion to act as I have declared repeatedly our endorsement of Mr President,” Adeleke said.

He added that the endorsement was a “moral and development-driven action” aimed at advancing the interests of Osun State and the Yoruba people.

The governor maintained that supporting Tinubu would help sustain ongoing federal projects and strengthen cooperation between Osun State and the Federal Government.

The position was again repeated on June, when Adeleke formally flagged off his re-election campaign in Osogbo.

Addressing supporters at the event, he declared: “As we seek your votes on August 15, we also restate our endorsement of our son, father and leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for re-election in 2027. Our support for Mr President is unshaken and total.”

He was an Edward Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and also holds a professional diploma in Public Relations from the London School of Public Relations.

The Presidency added that he was a LEAPS Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Policy Fellow at Quantum Alliance AI in the United States, where his work focused on artificial intelligence and civic technology.

Olanrewaju-Smart has held several positions within the National Assembly over the years.

The statement read, “His National Assembly career spans Research and Media Assistant to the Minority/Majority Leader, House of Representatives (7th–8th Assemblies), to Special Adviser, Deputy Chief of Staff, and ultimately the Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 9th and 10th Assemblies.”

The Presidency said his career trajectory provided him with experience in legislative research, administration and relations between lawmakers and the executive.

Olanrewaju-Smart joined the Presidency in October 2023 as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs.

He remained in the position until his latest appointment.

“Olanrewaju-Smart later joined the Presidency in October 2023 as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs, a position he held until this new appointment,” the statement said.

The Presidency added that his public policy research portfolio included contributions to several pieces of legislation.

“His public policy research portfolio includes work on several landmark legislations, such as the Interest-Free Student Loan Act, among others,” it added.

The Presidency said Tinubu was confident that Olanrewaju-Smart’s experience and knowledge would help deepen relations between the executive and the House of Representatives.

Officials across the five states argued that their security outfits already have the personnel, community knowledge, and operational frameworks needed for a smooth handover.

They said building entirely new institutions would take longer and cost more, while the existing agencies had already established intelligence networks and local trust.

In Ondo State, the Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Strategic Communication, Allen Sowore, said the Amotekun Corps was well placed to make the transition

“The men and officers of the Amotekun Corps would also be well positioned for recruitment into the state police system. Their years of experience, knowledge of the local terrain, community relationships, and understanding of the security challenges confronting our people are invaluable assets that should not be discarded.”

The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, added that Amotekun’s current structure offered a ready implementation template. Kaduna’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shu’aibu, told a training programme for personnel of the Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVIS) on Wednesday that the state was already upgrading the outfit to serve as the starting point for state police.

“When the Constitution is eventually reviewed, and state police become operational, where do we start from? You can rest assured it will start from here.”

A senior government official who spoke anonymously confirmed that the focus was on strengthening KADVIS rather than creating a new agency.

In Zamfara, Special Assistant to Governor Dauda Lawal on Media and Publicity, Mustafa Kaura, said the Civilian Protection Guards would be converted, given the experience its personnel had gained fighting insecurity in the state.

The Senior Special Adviser to Anambra Governor on Media, Dr Ejimofor Opara, said the state’s Agunechemba security outfit would be “rejigged to fulfil the mandate of the state police.”

Opara noted that the existing Anambra State Homeland Security Law already shared many features with the incoming legislation. Abia’s Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, said the state intended to merge its Homeland Security outfit and community vigilante groups into the new state police structure, with modalities to be worked out ahead of the take-off.