Governors and other personalities have accepted their nominations for various awards by an investigative news magazine, Verbatim.
According to Dr. Ibrahim Modibbo, Chairman, Verbatim Board of Editors and Tobs Agbaegbu, Editor-in-chief, Governors Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State and Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina State, who were nominated for awards as ‘Governor of the Year’, and ‘Outstanding Governor of the Year’ respectively, have confirmed their attendance.
The media platform said that a letter by Mahmud Abdullahi Muhammad, Commissioner for Informationer and Culture, Zamfara State, dated February 27, 2025, stated in part: ‘’His Excellency deeply appreciates this recognition, which comes as a testimony to his sustained commitment to good governance, security, infrastructural development, and the socio-economic transformation of Zamfara state.’’
Governor Radda, on his part, also announced his acceptance of the nomination as Nigeria’s Most Outstanding Governor in 2024, for uncommon strategic management of security and integrity in service delivery through a letter signed by Abdullahi Akiyu Yar’Adua, Director of Press.
A number of personalities and institutions have also indicated readiness to be part of the Verbatim leadership award and 13th anniversary program.
These include Hon (Prof) Paul Nnamchi), representative of Enugu East/Isi-Uzo federal constituency in the House of Representative, who will be honoured for Excellence and Quality representation in the 10th House of Representatives.
An official of the Nigerian Customs Service, Comptroller Shuaibu Ahmadu Bello, serving at the Federal Operations Unit, Kaduna as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC ) have both accepted to participate.
The ICPC will receive award as ‘most impactful institution of the year.’
The media platform announced that a number of personalities, drawn from the list of 36 state governors in Nigeria, Ministers and heads of government agencies, legislators, philanthropists and captains of industry will be honoured and presented with the prestigious Verbatim Media Awards (VMA) at the occasion, and that a renowned scholar will be named soon who will give this year’s Verbatim leadership lecture.
Twenty categories of awards are to being considered, according to the statement. These include: awards for personality/man of the year; personality/woman of the year; governor(s) of the year; minister(s) of the year; long time achievement award, and honours for outstanding legislative performance.
Other categories are: philanthropist(s) of the year, women of excellence award; CEO of the year, bank and bankers of the year; corporate excellence award for organizations and institutions; best brands award, to be chosen from products of industries in the private sector; and award for outstanding young person.
On the award regime, Agbaegbu said it was to inspire and promote excellence in work places.
According to him, “one way is by identifying and encouraging personalities and institutions involved in great works of development and nation building in Nigeria.
“The media are great agents of change in every society and country and this is one way verbatim editors and management chose to make a contribution annually.”