Blueprint Newspapers will hold its eighth Annual Public Lecture and Awards on August 18, 2026, in Abuja, with Defence Minister General Christopher Musa delivering a keynote on security and the integrity of Nigeria's 2027 elections. Managing Director Salisu Umar says the minister's experience in military and defence policy makes him well suited to discuss protecting the electoral process.
The awards roster reads like a state governors' roll call: Enugu's Peter Mbah, Sokoto's Ahmad Aliyu, Zamfara's Dauda Lawal, Taraba's Agbu Kefas, Jigawa's Umar Namadi, and Cross River's Bassey Otu are each being recognized for governance, fiscal discipline, or development achievements in their own states. APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda receives Person of the Year, and former Bauchi governor Mohammed Abubakar gets a statesmanship award.
Umar says honorees were chosen strictly on merit and 'irrespective of political affiliation,' and that the event aims to spark conversation on securing the 2027 elections.
The full dispatch is available from the source below.