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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says his political differences with Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Governor of Kano State, will not diminish his personal affection for the opposition politician.

Tinubu made the remark on Wednesday in a birthday tribute to Kwankwaso, who turned 70, describing the former Minister of Defence as a longstanding friend and influential figure in Nigeria’s political development.

The President, who is running for a second term on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and running mate to Peter Obi, are currently on opposite sides of the political divide.

But in what appeared to affirm personal friendship over partisan considerations, Tinubu maintained that their political rivalry would not undermine the relationship they had built over more than three decades.

“That we are in different political parties and competing on different platforms in the January 2027 election will not remove my affection for Senator Kwankwaso,” the President declared.

The tribute comes as political activities intensify ahead of the presidential election, with the two politicians from rival camps seeking victory at the polls.

Tinubu recalled that his relationship with Kwankwaso dated back to 1992, when both served in the National Assembly during the aborted Third Republic, with Kwankwaso in the House of Representatives and himself in the Senate.

He noted that their political paths crossed again in 1999 when they were elected governors of Kano and Lagos states, respectively, at the beginning of the Fourth Republic.

According to the President, their shared experience as members of the pioneering class of governors in the current democratic dispensation helped forge a relationship that has endured despite their subsequent political disagreements.

“Senator Kwankwaso and I have had a longstanding association, dating back to our time in the National Assembly in 1992, he in the House of Representatives and I in the Senate, and later in 1999 when we both emerged as governors of our respective states.

“As members of the Class of ’99 Governors, we both played pivotal roles in laying the foundation for the democracy the nation enjoys today”, Tinubu stated.

The President also reflected on their political journey, acknowledging that although they took different political routes over the years, circumstances brought them together in 2013 when they formed the APC.

“Shaped by different political choices, our political paths differed until we coalesced in 2013 to form the All Progressives Congress. Since then, history and service have kept us intertwined”, he said.

Tinubu further acknowledged Kwankwaso’s contributions to governance and national development, particularly his service as a two-term governor of Kano State, Minister of Defence, senator and presidential candidate.

The President, who recognised Kwankwaso’s current position as a vice-presidential candidate, described him as an important political figure whose contributions to the nation’s democratic evolution deserved acknowledgement irrespective of partisan affiliations.

“I must acknowledge Senator Kwankwaso’s immense contributions to Kano State and Nigeria as a two-term Governor, former Minister of Defence, former Senator, former presidential candidate, and now a presidential running mate.

“Senator Kwankwaso remains an influential figure and a progressive politician,” Tinubu said.

Kwankwaso, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) platform, is now seeking the vice-presidency alongside Obi on the NDC platform in the January 2027 election.

The President wished Kwankwaso continued good health and fulfilment, expressing hope that he would remain actively involved in the country’s democratic process.

“As the former governor marks this milestone, I wish him good health, personal fulfilment, and many more years of engagement in the nation’s democratic process”, Tinubu stated.

Mrs. Bola Tinubu has underscored the need for stronger corporate governance anchored on board accountability, ethical leadership, effective risk oversight and long-term value creation, warning that the durability of institutions depends on the quality of decisions made in their boardrooms today.

In a message ahead of the Corporate Governance Triangle Annual Colloquium scheduled for Thursday, October 22, Country Managing Partner, DLA Piper Africa said corporate governance must be understood as more than adherence to regulations, stressing that it is fundamental to building resilient institutions, protecting stakeholder interests and sustaining investor confidence.

“Good governance is not simply about compliance. It is about leadership, accountability and making the right decisions for the future,” she said.

The colloquium, convened by the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL), the Convention on Business Integrity’s Centre for Leadership and Governance (CloD Nigeria), and the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), is themed “Governing for the Future.”

The gathering comes at a time when corporate boards face increasing pressure to demonstrate stronger oversight, transparent decision-making and the capacity to navigate economic volatility, technological disruption and evolving stakeholder expectations.

Tinubu’s position places board effectiveness at the centre of the corporate governance conversation, emphasising that compliance with statutory requirements, while indispensable, is not sufficient to guarantee institutional integrity or sustainable performance.

Effective corporate governance requires boards to establish clear accountability structures, exercise independent judgement, challenge management assumptions and ensure that corporate strategy is aligned with the long-term interests of shareholders and other stakeholders.

It also demands robust internal controls, credible financial reporting, ethical conduct and risk management frameworks capable of identifying threats before they undermine organisational stability.

“At a time of rapid change and growing uncertainty, the quality of board leadership matters more than ever,” She said.

As a Keynote Speaker at the event, statement highlights the strategic responsibility of directors to look beyond short-term earnings and immediate operational pressures to consider the broader implications of their decisions for institutional continuity, reputation and value creation.

For companies operating in Nigeria’s evolving business environment, these responsibilities have significant implications for investor confidence and access to capital. Investors increasingly assess not only financial performance but also the quality of oversight, transparency of disclosures, protection of minority shareholders and the ability of boards to manage material risks.

Weak governance can expose companies to financial mismanagement, conflicts of interest, reputational damage and regulatory sanctions. Conversely, credible governance structures can strengthen market confidence, improve accountability and create the conditions for sustainable business growth.

Tinubu stressed that boards must demonstrate the courage and discipline required to prepare institutions for challenges beyond their immediate operating environment.

“Boards must look beyond today’s challenges and have the courage, foresight and discipline to build institutions that will stand the test of time,” she stated.

This approach places a premium on forward-looking board oversight. Directors must interrogate business assumptions, monitor emerging risks, evaluate management performance and ensure that succession planning, capital allocation and corporate strategy support institutional resilience.

It also reinforces the importance of board independence and diversity of experience in strengthening deliberations and preventing excessive concentration of decision-making authority. Effective oversight depends on directors who can exercise sound judgement, ask difficult questions and hold management accountable without compromising their fiduciary responsibilities.

Beyond individual companies, stronger corporate governance has implications for the wider Nigerian economy. Transparent and well-governed companies are better positioned to attract long-term investment, deepen capital markets and support the development of a business environment in which capital is allocated with greater confidence.

The collaboration among the NBA-SBL, CloD Nigeria and NGX in convening the colloquium also reflects the importance of a coordinated approach to governance. Legal standards, leadership development, market discipline and professional accountability must work together to translate governance principles into measurable institutional outcomes.

The challenge, therefore, is not simply to establish governance codes or satisfy regulatory expectations, but to embed accountability and ethical conduct in everyday corporate decision-making.

Tinubu expressed optimism about the discussions expected at the colloquium, noting that the demands of contemporary leadership require sustained reflection on how institutions are governed and prepared for the future.

“I look forward to a thought-provoking conversation on what this demands of us as leaders,” she added.

As corporate governance increasingly shapes investor perceptions and institutional credibility, the central question for boards is whether their decisions merely address today’s obligations or build the foundations for tomorrow’s success.

The distinction, ultimately, lies in the ability to translate compliance into a culture of accountability, oversight into strategic value and leadership into lasting institutional strength.

Wale Akinterinwa, former Commissioner for Finance in Ondo State, has expressed sadness of the passage of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fashoranti, describing his exit as a momentous end of a remarkable era.

In a statement he personally signed, Akinterinwa paid glowing tributes to Pa Fashoranti and concluded that his death has created a vacuum too difficult to fill.

“Pa Reuben Fashoranti was a man of uncommon passion, a great teacher, a progressive ideologue, a community leader and a role model… Baba was a pride to Ondo State, an asset to Yorubaland and a treasure to Nigeria as a nation… Though he lived for over 100 years, he remained robustly relevant, conspicuously consistent and audaciously dependable till he gave up the ghost. Indeed,  Pa Fashoranti ‘s departure has left a huge vacuum that’s too difficult to fill,” Akinterinwa wrote.

While commiserating with the Fashoranti family and associates over the passage of their patriarch, the former APC governorship aspirant urged them to do everything possible to sustain the legacy of service and integrity which characterised the life and times of the late Afenifere leader.