News
Forgive me, Lalong begs Catholics over Pope Gaffe
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has tendered apology to Catholic faithful over a remark he made while defending his appointment as Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.
Addressing reporters at Aso Rock on Tuesday, Lalong had said as a born, baptised and confirmed Catholic, who has the highest award from the papacy, Knight of Saint Gregory the Great, the Pope has not told him there was anything wrong being the lead campaigner of the ruling party, especially over the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“For those who are talking about Muslim-Muslim ticket, I don’t even know where they are. I Hold a Papal Night and as a Catholic, everything we do, we do it and we send the advice to the Pope. The Pope has not told me that what I’m doing is bad as Director-General,” he had said.
His comment had attracted widespread condemnation, especially from Catholic faithful who blamed him for dragging the Holy Father into the murky politics.
They had called for his immediate suspension from the Church for alleged blasphemy.
But in a letter to the Catholic Church through the Bishops’ Conference, Lalong said he accepted that he erroneously linked the Catholic Pontiff with Nigeria’s politics.
While promising to be of good conduct, the governor sought the forgiveness and understanding of the church.
“I have followed with some shock and deep regret, the reactions that have trailed my appointment as the Director-General of the Campaign Council for the presidential candidate of our party, the APC, Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate, Ibrahim Shettima.
“The appointment, understandably was received with mixed reactions across the Christian community, who genuinely feel aggrieved by the decision of our party to settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“While many people commended me for the appointment and saw it as a way of remaining within the system to fight for our own interests, others cast aspersions on it on the grounds that our faith had been insulted and denigrated.
“In the course of this, many of my opponents turned the issue into a political weapon with some spreading rumours and questioning the integrity of my credentials as a Catholic and a Papal Knight.
“In trying to make my case, I have granted interviews to justify why I believe that the appointment did not in any way undermine my commitment to the Catholic Church.
“During the week, in the course of defending myself, I had cause to make reference to my credentials as a Catholic and a Papal Knight. In the process, I made reference to the Holy Father. I now realise that this was an error on my part and has caused some level of concern and even embarrassment to many, especially the Members of the family of Papal Knights to which I belong.
“I now understand that I may have overreached myself in the course of trying to defend my personal decision in accepting this appointment and thus, the reference to the holy father was not intended as an act of disrespect to his exalted and revered office.
“Your Grace, by this written letter, I wish to tender my unreserved apologies and ask for their understanding and forgiveness from my brothers in the Catholic faith and, through you, the entire members of the Bishops’ Conference, our Fathers and our leaders.
“My commitment to the Catholic faith, to which I belong, remains unreserved and undiluted. I will continue to uphold the banner of my faith in public life as I have done over the years.
“You may recall, Your Grace, that in the last five or thereabout years, I have been at the forefront of facilitating our dialogue as politicians with you our fathers in the faith. I remain committed to this and pray that you will continue to encourage us as we ascend the slippery slope of politics,” the letter read.
A founding member of the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, Chief Ralph Obioha is dead, aged 80.
In a statement by his son, Chima Obioha on behalf of the Obioha family in Enugu, said: “It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the family of Chief Ralph Obioha, “Okpuruisizuruoha II of Arondizuogu announces his passing on October 3, 2026, at the age of 80.
Chief Obioha was first and foremost a beloved father, husband, brother, grandfather and friend. His kindness, strength, humor, generosity, faith, and unwavering devotion to family will always be remembered .
“Many Nigerians knew Chief Obioha as a patriot, elder statesman, political leader and businessman. Indeed, his very eventful life spanned various business sectors and the Nigerian political and socio- economic space.
“He was deeply committed to Nigeria’s progress and the ideals of service, leadership, and nation-building. His was a respected voice in the land, and he was a firm believer in Nigeria’s enormous potential.
“His passing has left an immeasurable void in our family, but we find comfort in the fullness of his life, the people he touched, and the legacy of service he leaves behind.
“The family is deeply grateful for the prayers, condolence messages, and expressions of love that have already been received. We, however, respectfully request privacy at this time while we mourn and come to terms with this profound loss.
“Details of the memorial and funeral will be announced in due course. May his soul rest in complete peace.” the statement added.
Lagos, Nigeria, October 6, 2026: The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has announced the addition of the Lagos, Delta, Imo and Ekiti state governments, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), Access Bank Plc and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to the list of partners for its 10th Annual Conference.
The conference begins on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, 38 to 40 Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
The first day will feature a presentation by Max Amuchie, Publisher of Sundiata Post, on “The Sundiata Post Model: Building the African Newsroom for the Long Term.”
This will be followed by a presentation on “AI and Prompt Engineering for Online Publishing” by Biodun Durojaiye, Publisher of The Lagos Times.
The final presentation will be “Monetisation of Digital Media Business” by Dr Monday Ashibogwu, Publisher of Quick News.
The presentations will be followed by lunch with GOCOP partners, while the association’s Annual General Meeting will round off the day.
The second day of the conference, Thursday, October 8, will focus on the theme, “2027 Elections: Trust, Transparency and Shared Responsibilities
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, will deliver the keynote address, while Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Founding Partner of Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL) and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), will chair the session.
The panel will feature CP Abayomi Shogunle, Commissioner of Police, Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Force Headquarters, Abuja; Prof Tayo Popoola, Head of Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos; Adaora Onyechere Sydney Jack, Creative Director of Gender Agenda and Founder of WEWE Network Afrique; and Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director of the International Press Centre.
Speaking ahead of the conference, Deputy President of GOCOP and Chairman of the 2026 Conference Planning Committee, Mr Olumide Iyanda, said preparations had been concluded.
“All is set for our 10th anniversary conference. We are delighted that the Lagos State Government, the Imo State Government, the Delta State Government and the Ekiti State Government, as well as Access Bank, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, and NASENI, Nigeria’s foremost agency driving indigenous technology and industrial innovation, have joined our long list of sponsors. Their support underscores the importance of the dialogue we are convening,” Iyanda said.
The new partners join those previously announced, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), Nigeria Customs Service, Dangote Group, Seplat Energy, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Bank of Industry (BoI), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), TAJBank, Emadeb Energy, Setraco Nigeria Limited, Sovereign Trust Insurance and Nestlé Nigeria Plc.
Iyanda thanked all sponsors and partners for their support, noting that their contributions would help GOCOP sustain its conference as a platform for engagement on professional journalism, democracy and national development.
GOCOP is a business membership organisation of 127 corporate online publishers in Nigeria. The Annual Conference, now in its 10th edition, brings together media executives, policymakers, academics, business leaders, civil society representatives and other stakeholders to discuss issues of national importance.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has expressed profound condolences to the families of the personnel and passengers who lost their lives following the accident involving Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR 42 aircraft, NAF 931, in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State.
The CAS described the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the nation, expressing heartfelt sympathies to the families, loved ones and colleagues of those who lost their lives. He assured the bereaved families of the Service’s full support during this difficult period.
NAF 931 had 25 persons on board, comprising five crew members and 20 passengers. The aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the accident occurred. Search-and-rescue procedures were immediately activated, with response efforts conducted in coordination with relevant authorities to locate and account for all persons on board. No survivors have been found. The crew members were:
CREW
1. Squadron Leader MI Aburime (Flight Captain)
2. Squadron Leader AP Man-Ugwueje (Co-pilot)
3. Flight Lieutenant IS Bako (Co-pilot)
4. Warrant Officer Abubakar A (Aircraft Technician)
5. Corporal Uguru HC (Aircraft Technician)
PASSENGERS
6. Flight Lieutenant TL Lazarus
7. Flight Lieutenant M Akinloye
8. Flying Officer IM Adeshina
9. Master Warrant Officer Onwuka F
10. Master Warrant Officer Matini BA
11. Warrant Officer Nuhu FS
12. Flight Sergeant James RB
13. Flight Sergeant Mohammed AI
14. Sergeant Ani AE
15. Sergeant Izibenikien SI
16. Sergeant Alafuka C
17. Sergeant Mbadugha AN
18. Lance Corporal Ugwuba FC
19. Lance Corporal Eledan GE
20. Mrs Ezeh Nneka
21. Godstmine Tarabina
22. Joy Micheal
23. Sunday Micheal
24. Ukeme David
25. Gideon Omotola
The CAS has directed a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the accident. The Nigerian Air Force will continue to provide timely and verified updates as the investigation progresses and urges the public to refrain from speculation and the circulation of unverified information, while respecting the privacy and dignity of the affected families. A condolence register has also been opened at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Abuja, for senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, heads of security agencies, and other well-wishers who may wish to pay their respects and convey messages of sympathy to the families of the deceased and the Nigerian Air Force.
Ehimen Ejodame
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force
6 October 2026
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