A pro-democracy group, the Progressive Group for Democracy (PGD), has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and stop local government officials in Lagos State from pursuing unconstitutional third terms in upcoming council elections.

The group alleges that officials in Agbado Oke-Odo and Ikosi Isheri Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) are exploiting legal loopholes to extend their tenures, in violation of Nigeria’s Constitution.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, PGD National Coordinator Aladesanmi Abiodun Salawu described the move as a “clear violation” of constitutional provisions and a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

He invoked President Tinubu’s historical opposition to tenure elongation, referencing the president’s fierce resistance to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third-term bid in the early 2000s.

“As a pro-democracy group, we are reminded of President Tinubu’s fierce opposition to Obasanjo’s third-term agenda. President Tinubu stood firmly against constitutional manipulation then. Where is the president’s voice now?” Salawu asked.

The PGD alleges that the officials in question assumed office following the deaths of elected chairpersons, took oaths of office, and later won full terms in subsequent elections.

“Their current bids for re-election, the group argues, constitute an unconstitutional third term. Salawu cited the Fourth Alteration to the Constitution, signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018, which prohibits individuals from seeking a third term after completing a predecessor’s tenure and winning a subsequent election.

“Today, we stand at a very dangerous crossroads. The same anti-democratic forces that our heroes fought against during the June 12 struggle are re-emerging in Lagos State,” Salawu said.

“In Agbado Oke-Odo and Ikosi Isheri LCDAs, we are witnessing a calculated attempt to normalise constitutional violations through the backdoor.”

The group also criticised Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, accusing him of complicity due to his silence on the issue. “As the chief security officer of Lagos State, (Sanwo-Olu)has a constitutional duty to uphold the rule of law. His silence is not just concerning; it is complicity,” Salawu said.

The PGD urged President Tinubu to publicly denounce the third-term bids and called on the Attorney General of the Federation to issue an advisory on term limits for local government administrations.

It also demanded that the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) disqualify candidates seeking unconstitutional terms.

“These individuals in Agbado Oke-Odo and Ikosi Isheri LCDAs must withdraw their candidacy immediately. We are not making a request; we are stating what the constitution already mandates,” Salawu declared.

The group vowed to challenge the alleged violations through legal means, including mobilising civil society, approaching the courts, and organising peaceful protests if necessary.

“The Lagos Society for Good Governance will utilise every legal means available to challenge this dangerous precedent,” Salawu added.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has stated that African economies will thrive when the continent is able to lawfully share secured data.

He sated this in Abuja, Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA), with the theme, “Balancing Innovation in Africa: Data Protection and Privacy in Emerging Technologies” and the official launch of the Nigerian Virtual Privacy Academy (NVPA).

Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, the vice president noted that the African economy will thrive when Africa can lawfully share secured data.

“We recognise that data is not merely a digital resource.It is a human story told in numbers. It is the fabric of trust in our economies. It is the currency of reliability in our institutions.

And as the African continental Future “Agreement expands the scale of its African exchange, our ability to share data securely and lawfully will define our capacity to thrive,” he said.

On the importance of the conference, he stated that such fora were not only welcome but essential, adding that they offer the chance to cross-pollinate ideas, to nurture human capital, and to strengthen mechanisms for mutual legal assistance.

He also spoke on the legal framework of NDPC, noting that “Nigeria’s legal framework for data protection is globally recognised as one of the most progressive.

According to the VP, “through it, we reassigned our alignment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. More importantly, our data protection ecosystem is now directly tied to the debris of the eight presidential priorities of this administration.”

In his addresses, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani said “Nigeria is fully committed to a future where technological progress is both inclusive and a right perspective.”

“ As we digitise government services, open up digital trade corridors, and advance the need for digital identity on the platform, we must ensure that our value chains are secure, fair, and transparent.

“This is not just about the platform, but it is about trust. And without trust, the digital economy cannot scale,” he said.

While launching the NVPA, the minister said, “This end permits me to again spotlight another of our strategic steps forward, the Data Protection Virtual Academy.

“This is the world’s first initiative aimed at delivering virtual training in data protection and privacy across both the public sector and the private sector.”

The President of NADPA, Iro Adamu, who was represented by the first Vice President, Immaculate Kassait from Kenya, stated that Africa was committed to a trust worthy digital environment.

“Our presence in Abuja serves as a testament to the unity and shared aspiration of Africa. Together we are committed to advancing towards a trustworthy digital environment that safeguards the privacy of individuals.”

“Human beings, regardless of gender, share common characteristics, that it’s necessary to safeguard, preserve their rights of personal data in this evolving digital landscape,” she added

According to her, the 2026 edition would be in Ivorian capital, Abidjan

The National Commissioner of National Data Protection Council (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, in his welcome address disclosed that the Nigerian data protection sector now has a cumulative revenue of over $10 million within the space of three years, adding that the ecosystem has also created about 23,000 jobs,

“In terms of revenue to government, within less than two years, we were able to generate over $1.2 million to government in terms of registration fee, audit filing fee, and compliance fee on the part of data controllers and processors,” he said.

He called for a deeper collaboration among African data protection authorities for enforcement cooperation, capacity building, and knowledge sharing.

European Union (EU), Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Gunter, who was represented by the EU Head of Green and Digital Economy, Inga Stefanowcz, stated that the “EU is committed to working closely with Nigeria and Africa to deepen data protection.”