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NDDC Commissions Projects Worth Over N84bn In 9 Niger Delta states

By
James Orji
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Samuel Ogbuku - MD - NDDC

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has assured the people of the oil -bearing states of the Niger Delta that it will continue to dot the landscape of the region with life transforming projects.

Samuel Ogbuku, the managing director/ chief executive of the interventionist agency made this assertion recently during the virtual media tour of select journalists of key projects executed by the NDDC, asserting that the era of proeject abandonment was gone.

According to Ogbuku, who was represented by the Executive director, Project the agency will ensure that the eight states under the NDDC are transformed, in terms of infrastructure, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s quest to leave a lasting legacy for the people of the oil producing region.

The projects executed so far, Ogbuku stated spanned areas such as health, road and bridge construction, electricity, Education, amongst others.

“We have constructed and rehabilitated 5,141.3 kilometers of road through swamps and virgin forests; built 42 bridges and thousands of hydraulic structures, built 87 jetties,” the MD said.

We also constructed the Ogbia-Nembe road of 25.5 kilometers, five bridges, seven culverts, connects 14 riverine communities; constructed Ibeno road and bridge which include six kilometers road, 600 meters bridge, and linked 20 communities.”

The ongoing project bazaar of the Ogbuku-led NDDC spanned the entire region, the agency said.

Ogbuku said further: “we commissioned the Ididep Ekpenyong Ikt Etim Afaha Itiat Road in Akwa Ibom state; commissioned the Ugilaimai-Ogume, Abbi road in Delta state” as well as the commissioning of Onicha-Ugbo, Idumuje-ugboko-Ewohimi Bridge and road in delta state.

Project commissioned by the commission include, the rehabilitation of Port Harcourt-Owerri Road; the repair of Atan/ Amuvi road in Arochukwu, Abia state; the installation of 3, 806.15 kilometer of distribution lines and 527 transformers to communities in Ondo state; provision of 45 kilometer double circuit 33kv feeder transmission lines from Omotosho Power station to Okitipupa, and two 30 MVA 132/33kv substations with breakers, gantry and substation automation in the state.

The commission has also rehabilitated 35 33/11 kv transmission lines from Okitipupa-igbokoda-Ugbonla and environs; completion of 1×15 MVA 33/11 KVA injection substation for five communities in Edo state.

The commission said it has also installed 56,786 sola street lights across the nine states in the region, while it has also constructed and rehabilitated 678 water schemes in various communities in the region.

In education, the NDDC has awarded 2, 323 foreign post graduate scholarships, constructed and rehabilitated 924 schools and I,571 hostel rooms, provided 107, 480 educational items to schools, community-wide, while over 2300 students have benefitted from NDDC Foreign Post Graduate programme.

The health care sector has not been left out, considering that the agency have equipped 142 health centres and hospitals with modern facilities; administered over 88,000 typhoid vaccines to the peoples in the nine NDDC states, distributed 36,000 sets of essential drugs, free medical outreaches, 20,000 surgeries to 45,000 patients, and 27,000 eyeglasses distributed to people across the nine NDDC states.

Meanwhile, close watchers of the agency insist that the life transforming projects by the NDDC which now dot the length and breath of the Niger Delta, is in fulfilment of the Ogbuku-led administration promise not to abandon any project in the region.

Ogbuku had said that the agency will ensure that it eliminated the era of abandoned projects in the region.

N5trn Fuel Subsidy: Tinubu Shätters Buhari, Jonathan Records

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Bola Tinubu

The federal government says it will pay over N5 trillion in fuel subsidy this year.

Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinator of the Economy made this known in the Accelerated Stabilisation and Advancement Plan, ASAP, report submitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Before this revelation, the administration had denied paying fuel subsidy to petroleum marketers.

Recall that President Tinubu claimed last year that he has ended fuel subsidy in his now infamous “fuel subsidy is gone” inaugural speech on May 29, 2023.

According to him, then, the removal was necessary in other to save the country from collapse, saying that the country could no longer afford to continue the multi-billion naira fuel subsidy regime.

The removal has aggravated the price of essential commodities in the country, shooting inflation to an all-time high of close to 40 percent, according to analysts.

Also, this is the first time such an amount will be paid as fuel subsidy in the country, raising serious questions on the fiscal transparency of the administration, and why Nigerians have been lied to that the government was no longer paying to subsidize fuel.

According to the report, the projected subsidy cost for 2024 marks has risen sharply to N5.4 trillion, highlighting a marked spike from ₦3.6 trillion in 2023 and ₦2 trillion in 2022.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate has reacted to the issue, saying the Tinubu administration lied to Nigerians.

The former Vice President says Nigerians deserve better, in terms of transparency, from President Tinubu.

State of the Nation: Tinubu Ranks Wike One Of His Best Ministers

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Nyesom Wike - FCT Minister

President Bola Tinubu has described Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, as one of his best ministers.

According to the president, he did not regret appointing Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers state as one of his over 40 ministers appointed to serve in his administration.

Tinubu spoke in Abuja on Wednesday while commissioning the extension of the inner southern expressway, ISEX, and the outer southern expressway, OSEX, to the southern Parkway.

He was represented by Vice President Kassim Shetima at the event.

The president commended the minister for his commitment to turn around the infrastructure landscape of the FCT, the nation’s capital.

Tinubu stressed that Wike is a force to be reckoned with in his administration, describing him as an “exemplary leader, worthy of emulation.”

The president said, “As I said the last time, Wike is a force of human nature. Love him, hate him, but you cannot ignore him.

“Because at every point in time, he is striving to redefine the meaning and concept of leadership. Wike is one of the best appointments ever made in the history of the current democratic dispensation in this country.

“He is an exemplary leader, worthy of emulation by us all. He is a very mercurial partner; unfortunately, leadership has turned down that tempo.”

Recall that President Tinubu recently stated that he would sack non-performing ministers in his government, after not a few Nigerians complained that many ministers have not performed following their appointment last year by the president.

Also, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, had called on President Tinubu not to play kid gloves with incompetent officials in his government.

From all indications Wike who is currently at logger heads with his successor, Simi Fubara over the control of the soul of Rivers state may have passed the Presidency test of performing ministers considering the president’s testimony, according to those watching the administration.

Fuel Subsidy: “You Líed To Nigerians”, Atiku Slams Tinubu As Payment Hits N5.4trn

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Atiku Abubakar

Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for lying to Nigerians over the fuel subsidy.

Atiku spoke few hours after the Tinubu’s administration admitted that it has started paying fuel subsidy to petroleum marketers.

Over N5 trillion has been allocated for that purpose in the 2024 Budget, according to Wale Edun the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

Recall that President Tinubu had during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023 affirmed that “fuel subsidy is gone”.

Also recently, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri stated that the federal government has stopped the payment of fuel subsidy.

The conflicting statements from the administration have not stopped worrying Nigerians who insist that the government has not been transparent to Nigerians over the issue.

This, according to those who hold this view, followed the fact that Nigerians have been made to pay more for petrol since last year after President Tinubu said the government would no longer subsidize the product, which today now sells for over N700 per litre from N230 per litre when the government said the regime ended on May 29.

Not a few Nigerians insist that they have been made to suffer for nothing after the president stated that the removal of fuel subsidy is part of the sacrifice that Nigerians must pay to move the economy forward.

The removal has led to consequential effects on the prices of essential commodities, driving inflation to close to 40 percent within a year, analyst said.

Reacting on his X handle, Abubakar stated that he’s shocked that the administration is still paying humungous amount on fuel subsidy having earlier said it has ended the regime.

The former PDP presidential hopeful said President Tinubu has deceived Nigerians, adding that Nigerians deserve better from the government in terms of transparency.

According to Atiku, “President Bola Tinubu, at his inauguration on May 29, 2023, announced the abolishment of the subsidy on PMS, popularly known as fuel. Ever since it has been a bragging right of Tinubu and officials of his administration. I had in my statement reviewing the one year of the Bola Tinubu administration urged the government to come clean on the actual position of the subsidy policy.

“If the subsidy regime had been characterised by opaqueness, what would we say of a situation where the subsidy is still being paid under the cover without Nigerians in the know? Like millions of Nigerians, I was shocked to learn through media reports that the “government is still supporting downstream consumption.”

“Now we know that expenditure on fuel subsidy may reach N5.4 trillion in 2024, compared to the N3.6 trillion spent in 2023, the same year that Tinubu claimed to have abolished fuel subsidy, I wish to restate that Nigeria is not working, and what we have had in a little over a year is a cocktail of trial-and-error economic policies. Paying subsidies and lying about it is nothing to brag about. Nigerians deserve better than this deception.”

Kaduna: “Your N400bn Pröbe Politically Mötivated Hatchét Jöb”, El-Rufai Fíres Back At Assembly

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Malam Nasir El-Rufai
Malam Nasir El-Rufai

Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state has described the probe instituted against his administration by the state House of Assembly as politically motivated to achieve a particular end.

The former governor spoke in a statement issued by his spokesman, Muyiwa Adekeye on Wednesday.

Elrufai stressed that the lawmakers are just trying to give the dog a bad name in other to hang him, noting that he did his best for the state while in office.

The magazine reported that the state Assembly recently revealed that the former governor mismanaged N423 billion while in office, for which they now want to prosecute him.

The former governor, however, denied the allegation, saying “we would respond robustly whenever we obtain” the report of the investigation.

The statement said: “We are aware of news that the Kaduna State House of Assembly has adopted the report of the ad-hoc committee it asked to probe the El-Rufai government. We have not been availed a copy of the report, to which we would respond robustly whenever we obtain it. We affirm the integrity of the El-Rufai government and dismiss the scandalous claims being aired as the report of the committee.

“Malam Nasir El-Rufai is immensely proud of his record of governance and the legacy he left in Kaduna State. This record of consistently high performance in public and private office cannot be altered by any malicious effort to use the auspices of a state legislature for defamation and undeserved smears.

“Many of the officials who served in the El-Rufai government appeared before the ad-hoc committee because of their confidence in the quality of their service and the rectitude which they served Kaduna State. They were under no illusion that they were participating in a fair process. It was obvious that the ad hoc committee was merely going through the motions of an inquiry just to give some gloss to predetermined conclusions.

“It is sad to see such a shameful departure from any notion of decency and fairness by a state legislature. We dismiss with contempt the claims being peddled in connection with the report.

“Malam El-Rufai wishes to assure discerning Nigerians that he has served Kaduna State with integrity and to the best of his capacity, assisted by a hardworking and patriotic team. He complied with all extant laws in all his activities while he was the governor. This jaundiced probe should be disregarded as the politically motivated hatchet job it is.”

Elrufai and his political son, Governor Sani Uba who he assisted to be governor have recently gone their separate ways, a development many says is responsible for the current probe of the former governor, and the quest by the state assembly to expose and disgrace him.

“Obidient Mövement Not Dömiciled In Any Political Party” – Obi  Explains

By
The Source
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Peter Obi

Against the backdrop of a Political Party creating a directorate for the Obidient Movement, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections and the Principal mentor of the Obidient Movement In Nigeria, Peter Obi has said that the group is beyond a political party and cannot be cubbyhole into one.

Obi explained that membership of the Obidient Movement cut across a political party, sex, tribe, religion or geopolitical area pointing out that the driving force of the body is rescuing and building a new Nigeria that is POssible.

Explaining further the size, scope and nature of the Obidient Movement, the LP standards bearer wrote in his X platform on Wednesday “I like to categorically state that the Obidient Movement is not a directorate in any particular political party. Any individual or individuals claiming to be leaders of this non-existent directorate are simply not members of the broader Obidient Movement.

“There may be a youth mobilization directorate in political parties but the Obidient movement is far beyond a particular political party. The Obidient Movement is a diverse and inclusive collective that transcends traditional political, religious, and ethnic affiliations.

“It is not domiciled within any particular party or headquartered in any particular part of the country. Its membership spans across Africa and the globe, comprising individuals from various backgrounds, including rural communities, and public, private, and corporate entities, united by a shared vision for a New and better Nigeria. Guided by the principles of adaptive and transformative change, progress, discipline, and democratic values, the Obidient Movement advocates for fairness, equity, inclusivity, and justice.

“It is committed to a strictly accountable and responsible code of government. Our members are committed to contributing to the realization of a better future for Nigeria through the New Nigeria project, anchored on loyalty, integrity, and democratic values.

“The Obidient Movement seeks to foster positive change through a commitment to integrity, honesty, and accountability, rejecting deceitful behaviours.

“We serve as a beacon of hope for a reimagined Nigeria, where leadership is grounded in character, capacity, competence, compassion and the well-being of all citizens.

“Let this serve as a clarification that the Obidient Movement operates independently of any political party, and its membership is not limited to any particular affiliation.

“Our focus remains steadfast on driving positive change and promoting a New Nigeria for all. This is who we are and will remain for all time.

“Aregbesola Nő Lőnger Member Of APC” – Osun Party Chairman, “We Repositioning Party”,  Fmr. Minister’s Aide

By
Ayodele Oni
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Rauf Aregbesola

By Ayodele Oni

Former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola may be on his way out of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following declaration by Osun state chapter of the party that he is no longer with them.

Chairman of the State Chapter of the Party, Mr. Tajudeen Lawal, made this known in a communiqué after the stakeholders meeting at the state secretariat in Osogbo.

The Chairman explained that the former minister of interior has committed various anti-party activities, including forming groups that are working against the interest of the APC.

According to him,  Aregbesola’s group, Omoluabi Progressives at the weekend ahead of APC’s planned electronic membership registration, started registering members at his ward in Ilesa.

He cautioned party members not to be deceived to register with the ex-governor because the group is not recognized by the party.

APC secretary in the state, Kamoru Alao, corroborating the Chairman said the party’s electronic membership registration will start on Thursday after National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje’s inauguration of the committee that will train the trainers at the local levels.

“We are discouraging our members who are loyal party members not to register with Aregbesola’s group because Omoluabi as a group is not a member of our party in Osun state.

“Aregbesola, as far as we are concerned, in Osun APC, he is no longer a member of APC. We have taken steps three times to notify the national secretariat of the distractions from Aregbesola and we expect the national secretariat to do the needful”.

But, the Publicity Secretary of Omoluabi Progressives, Abosede Oluwaseun dismissed the anti-party allegations levelled against Aregbesola, saying: “When Aregbesola left the affairs of APC to his successor, the structure of the party was intact but that cannot be said again years later.

“They have failed two times when they plotted to suspend Aregbesola in his ward in Ilesa East Local Government Area of Osun State. We are not distracted to reposition the party, APC so that we can reclaim the state from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2026”.

A former Osun State Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi speaking at the stakeholders meeting passed a vote of confidence on Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, saying, “Anyone who is calling for the sack of the Oyetola is only political, everyone knows that he is a silent worker and achiever.

“When you are having a new ministry, you need to put a lot of structures in place. I am sure that those who call for the sack of Oyetola under political gimmicks will have regret of what they have said when they see the outcome of what he has put in place”.

Alabi was Oyetola’s deputy during his tenure between 2018 and 2022.

Ekiti PDP Dividéd By Zoning Arrangement Of Party Offices, As Leaders Accusé SWC Of Sécret Agénda

By
Ayodele Oni
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Peoples Democratic Party - PDP

By Ayodele Oni

Discordant tunes continue over zoning of party offices by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State as elders of the party described the decision as just mere joke.

The State Working Committee, (SWC) of the party, preparatory to the forthcoming Congress to elect State Executive Committee members, prepared a zoning arrangement for the party.

But, PDP leaders and stakeholders condemned the arrangement, released by the state public relations officer of the party after the SWC meeting on Monday, claiming “a non existent SEC meeting has ratified a non existent zoning.”

The leaders described such statements as very offensive to the spirits of diligent party members and called on the SWC members to withdraw the lies and apologize publicly for misleading party members through outright falsehood.

Rising from an emergency meeting in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, the leaders said that the claim made by the Ekiti State PDP SWC that the zoning done by them has been ratified by SEC meeting, which never took place, “is a case of classical fraud and therefore called on the leaders of the party at the National level to urgently investigate this level of decadence and bring the perpetrators to book.”

The leaders noted that “the SWC from the word go has no single power to zone positions and went further to ask why the level of desperation to the point that the SWC is presently struggling so hard to undermine the National body of the party, who has formally notified the state chairmen through a letter that everybody interested in contesting should be allowed. Who is the Ekiti State PDP SWC working for?”

The leaders further reminded the SWC that the national organ of the party has put zoning in abeyance through the official letter to the State Chairman from the NWC as described above and hence why this level of desperation from the SWC to the point of putting up blantant lies to mislead the party and the public.

“Within a spate of 2 days, the SWC has lied twice claiming SEC has been done, the first time the same SWC claimed through a communique that SEC meeting was held in Senator Duro’s house in Akure with Prof Eleka in attendance.

“One will wonder where Senator Duro suddenly derived emergency powers to call and chair SEC meeting of Ekiti State PDP in his house in Akure,  Ondo state.”

The leaders expressed displeasure with the levels of desperation exhibited by the SWC, “which is presently populated by overambitious interested individuals, who have turned Ekiti PDP to a limited liability company, meant to be shared privately among these desperate personalities.”

They maintained that for Ekiti State PDP to rise again, all hands must be on deck to check political chalartans from sitting in judgements over party members who have come to equity with clean hands.

The party leaders reiterated the position of the national organ of the party that everybody is free to contest for any position of their choice and on this Ekiti PDP Progressives stands.

The statement by the leaders was signed among others by former acting Governor of Ekiti state, Tunji Odeyemi and 80 others.

“I’m Proud Of My Records, Pröbe, A Hätchet Jöb” – El-Rufai Fíres Back At Kaduna Law Makers

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Mallam Nair El-Rufai
Nasir El-Rufai

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State has described the ongoing inquest into his administration’s financial activities by the State’s  Lawmakers as a jaundiced probe, insisting that he complied with all extant laws in all his activities while in office.

The Source reports that the Kaduna State House of Assembly on Wednesday June 5,2024, while adopting the report of its ad hoc Committee earlier set up to examine the financial records of El-Rufai’s eight year  reign  as chief executive of the state ,asked the state Government to further investigate and possibly prosecute the former Governor and some of his top government functionaries for gross abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds .

Specifically ,the Lawmakers had requested the Kaduna state authorities to refer to the Country’s anti graft agencies for probe ,issues such as award of contract without observing due process, misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.

The House of Assembly in all, stated that about N423b  of the state’s funds were either diverted and or misappropriated under the watch of El-Rufai.

They also noted that most of the loan facilities secured by the immediate past regime were not after all applied to their original purposes, insisting that Governor Uba Sani, should take steps to recover the funds.

But in a statement issued late on Wednesday by his Media Aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, the one time Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Abuja, asserted that he served Kaduna State with all sense of responsibility and dedication.

“We are aware of news that the Kaduna State House of Assembly has adopted the report of the Ad hoc Committee it asked to probe El-Rufai Government.

“We have not been provided with a copy of the report ,to which we would respond robustly, whenever we obtain it.

“We affirm the integrity of El-Rufai Government and dismiss the scandalous claims being aired as the report of the committee .

“Malam Nasir El-Rufai is immensely proud of his record of governance and the legacies he left in Kaduna state. This record of consistent high performance in public and private offices cannot be altered by any malicious effort to use the auspices of a state legislature for defamation and undeserved smears.

“Many of the officials who served in the El-Rufai Government appeared before the ad hoc committee because of their confidence in the quality of their services and the rectitude in which they served” part of the statement reads .

“Smügglers Of Endängered Animal Species Läundering Money For Ärms, And Drügs Procürement”  – Nigeria Customs Räises The Alärm

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Customs Officers and Donkey products

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Barely two weeks after it seized about N3.5 billion worth of donkey bones from a smuggling cartel, the Federal Operation Unit, FOU of the Nigeria Customs Service Zone B, Kaduna, has announced the interception of a consignment of Pangolin scale and derivatives within the Kebbi axis of the Zone.

Acting on credible intelligence, Operatives of the Unit, on Friday, May 24 2024, stormed a hideout, popular as Slaughter House, in the suburb of Zuru town in Kebbi State to effect the seizure.

Addressing the Media on Wednesday, June 5, in Kaduna, Comptroller Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu, said the team discovered and evacuated sacks of Pangolin scales which were subsequently taken to the Headquarters of the FOU Zone B in Kaduna .

He emphasised that the pangolin specie is one of the endangered species that is protected by the Convention on international Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flaura CITES.

The value of the seizure at the international market, Shuaibu stated, is about four billion Naira.

The FOU Zone B NCS boss also raised the alarm that those involved in the illegal trafficking of endangered species are using it as a smokescreen to launder money and smuggle in arms and ammunitions in to the country.

“You may recall that during our recent briefing on May 21,2024 ,we declared our resolve not to allow ,illegal trading in endangered wildlife species and other smuggling activities to thrive in the Zone.

“Between that time and today which is barely two weeks, our Operatives have upped the ante in the combat against smuggling of protected species and successfully intercepted a consignment of Pangolin scale and its derivatives within Kebbi state axis of the zone.

“Acting on actionable intelligence, the Operatives stormed a hide out known as Slaughter House in the suburb of Zuru town in Kebbi state at about 1600hrs .

“The team discovered and evacuated sacks of Pangolin scales which were transported to the HQ of FOU Zone B in Kaduna .

“After  careful examination and counting ,the pangolin scales weighed 445.45kg.

“Let me, also, explain once again that the pangolin specie is one of the endangered species that is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flaura CITES.

“It is instructive to note that Nigeria is a signatory to the CITES Convention and all forms of trading in this species are clearly illegal.

“The value of this seizure at the international market is three billion, nine hundred and ninety six thousand Naira .

One suspect was arrested in connection with this seizure ,while the main suspect is currently at  large .However, the Unit in collaboration with other sister agencies will not rest on its oars until the main suspect is arrested and brought to book.

From empirical evidence ,we make bold to say that those involved in the illegal trafficking of  endangered Species are hiding under it to launder money used in procuring drugs ,arms other illegal merchandise .

You can imagine the havoc this may have caused if it had escaped the eagle eyes  of our operatives Comptroller Shuaibu noted .

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