The Flamingos of Nigeria lost their opening Group Match against Poland in the ongoing Under-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The match played at Rabat International Stadium saw the Flamingos lose 1-2 to Poland as both sides enjoyed spells of possession in the opening 30 minutes before Poland were awarded a penalty in the 33rd minute.
Following a review by the Video Support System, the referee pointed to the spot after an incident involving the Nigerian defender and a Polish attacker. Wiktoria Skrzypczak converted to give Poland the lead.
The goal separated both teams at half-time, with Coach Akeem Busari’s side needing a response after the break.
Poland thought they had doubled their lead in the 63rd minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Natalia Skrok made it 2-0 two minutes later, capitalising on a poor clearance by the Nigerian defence.
Coach Busari responded with double substitution in the 68th minute, introducing Oluebube Umejiaku and Awawu Bashiru for Harmony Chidi and Mary Dunstan.
He would also go on to make extra two substitutions ten minutes later, with Kanyinsola Yusuf and Precious Oscar coming on as replacements for Queen Joseph and Adesuyi.
The changes paid off in the 79th minute when Yusuf pulled one back for Nigeria shortly after coming on, giving the Flamingos hope of salvaging a result.
Nigeria appealed for a penalty in the 86th minute following an incident involving Kemi Adegbuyi, but the referee upheld her original decision after another review.
The Flamingos pushed for an equaliser but Poland held on to claim all three points.
Nigeria will look to bounce back when they face Puerto Rico in their next Group B fixture on Tuesday, 20 October, before taking on Korea DPR on Friday, 23 October.
The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, has handed over seized Pharmaceutical Products and illicit drugs with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦511,400,000 to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and appropriate legal action.
The handover took place at the Unit’s headquarters on Friday 16th October, 2026, on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos, in line with the respective statutory mandates of the receiving agencies.
In a statement by Hussaini Abdullahi, Chief Superintendent of Customs Public Relations Officer, Federal Operations Unit Zone A Ikeja-Lagos, the seized items comprised 121 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 65.9kg; 100g of crystal methamphetamine; 400g of cocaine; 900g of ground synthetic cannabis; 4.3kg of hybrid cannabis; 86 packs of polythene bags used to conceal the illicit drugs; and 57 cartons of codeine syrup.
Two vehicles—a Toyota Hiace bus and a Toyota Sienna—and two male suspects, one in connection with each interception, were also handed over.
Speaking during the exercise, Deputy Comptroller of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Oluwaseun Oguntuase, who represented the Acting Comptroller of FOU Zone ‘A’, said the seizures resulted from sustained intelligence-driven operations along border corridors, highways and other strategic locations within the Unit’s area of responsibility.
He explained that at approximately 1300hrs on Saturday, 10 October 2026, a patrol team acting on intelligence intercepted a Toyota Hiace bus conveying suspected illicit drugs concealed in polythene bags along the Lagos–Benin Expressway, around Ore in Ondo State.
Subsequent examination and analysis by NDLEA officials confirmed the substances.
In a separate operation, Officers intercepted another vehicle along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. Examination of the vehicle revealed 57 cartons of assorted brands of codeine syrup.
Oguntuase stated that the handover underscored the Service’s commitment to inter-agency collaboration in combating drug trafficking, the smuggling of controlled substances and the circulation of unwholesome pharmaceutical products.
“The Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in its mandate to protect the nation’s borders, safeguard public health and support national security. These seizures and the subsequent handover demonstrate the importance of cooperation among security and regulatory agencies in denying criminal elements the space to operate,” he said.
Receiving the illicit drug exhibits, a suspect and a vehicle on behalf of the Commander, NDLEA Lagos State Strategic Command, Deputy Commander of Narcotics Ganiyu Bolaji commended the Nigeria Customs Service, particularly FOU Zone ‘A’, for its commitment to inter-agency cooperation. He assured that the agency would handle the transferred exhibits and suspect in accordance with the law, while sustaining efforts to rid society of illicit drugs.
Similarly, Chioma Edith, Deputy Director in charge of Pharmaceuticals, who received the seized codeine syrup on behalf of NAFDAC’s Director of Enforcement, applauded the Unit for the interception and assured it of sustained collaboration in combating illicit and substandard pharmaceutical products.
The Nigeria Customs Service will continue to fight against economic saboteurs, including illicit drugs trafficking and controlled pharmaceuticals while facilitating legitimate businesses.
An eight-year old chess player in Edo state will henceforth enjoy royal care, courtesy of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, for her proficiency in the game.
Emmanuela Iyobosa Omoragbon, one of the participants in a chess tournament, was declared a child of the Palace after playing the ceremonial first move with her to open the Royal Rapid Chess Classic 2026.
The tournament is part of activities marking the 10th coronation anniversary of the monarch. The opening took place at the palace in Benin City.
Declaring the girl a child of the palace, the Oba directed palace chiefs in the administrative arm to obtain her details from her mother, Mrs Doris Omoragbon, a national chess champion and senior player with the Edo State Sports Commission.
“This child is now a child of the Palace. From now on, I want the Palace to monitor the progress of the little girl: how she is doing with chess, her education and her welfare.
“Even the food she eats, we want to know. The Palace will now take care of her needs,” the monarch said.
“If there are any challenges concerning her, the parents must bring them to my notice. For a child of eight to be playing chess at this level is wonderful.”
Describing chess as a strategic game for the intelligentsia, the Oba pointed out that many people wrongly equate it with draughts played in beer parlours.
“Many people do not know the advantages of chess. They think it is the same as the game of draughts people play at beer parlours, but it is not. It is a game that makes you rack your brain. It prepares one to be proactive. It helps in decision-making and good planning.”
He added that the game is meant for military hierarchy, policy makers and administrators, and that it “sharpens your focus and high sense of anticipation.”
The Monarch promised to add Royal prizes to the winners of the competition who will be receiving a royal souvenir (bronze cash) during the grand finale on November 21.
He further revealed that little girl he adopted will also receive a royal gift. The Chess players and students of Edo college that visited the palace received a royal gift of N2M, while N250,000 royal gift was given to the mother of the adopted child Mrs Omoragbon.
Mrs Omoragbon said she was overwhelmed by the gesture and would carry the news to her husband and the rest of the family, saying they would remain grateful to the monarch.
Emmanuela, a chess player with the Edo State Sports Commission, is a Primary 2 pupil of Oman Christian Academy, Benin City.
The competition continued at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub on Airport Road, Benin City, with 126 of the 130 registered players in attendance. They were drawn from 10 states, including Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun and host state Edo.
The chess game coordinator, Augustine Apemiye, thanked the Oba for including chess in the anniversary programme.
He said the approval of the monarch was being sought for the establishment of the Oba Ewuare II Chess Club, which would give children in the palace the opportunity to learn the game. He volunteered to bring in chess champions to train them.
In the open category, the winner takes home the star prize of N350,000, followed by N250,000 for second place and N150,000 for third. Players placed fourth to tenth receive N50,000 each. The best Edo indigene and best veteran player will also receive N50,000 each.
In the under-20 category, for both men and women, first place wins N100,000, second N80,000 and third N50,000. The under-14 winners receive N30,000, N20,000 and N10,000 for first to third places, while the under-10 prizes are N25,000, N15,000 and N10,000.
Abia State Police command has launched a search for the gunmen who attacked the Uratta Police Station in Aba, in the early hours of Saturday.
Two police officers were killed, while three other people, including a civilian, sustained injuries after the attack.
The attack, which reportedly occurred at about 2.00 a.m., also resulted in significant damage to the police facility, with parts of the building and several vehicles set ablaze by the gunmen.
A Hilux van and other vehicles were reportedly destroyed in the incident, leaving the station severely affected by the violence.
Abia State Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, confirmed the death of the two officers and the injuries sustained by three people, while inspecting the scene alongside Governor Alex Otti on Saturday.
Afolabi disclosed that the injured victims, including a civilian, have been taken to the Abia State University Teaching Hospital in Aba, where they were receiving medical attention.
Describing the aftermath of the attack, the police commissioner said the gunmen set fire to parts of the facility.
“The hoodlums came. Some of the shelters above were set ablaze,” Afolabi said.
The commissioner explained that he arrived at the scene at about 4 a.m. to assess the situation and begin efforts to address the security incident.
He said the immediate priority of the police was to identify the perpetrators, apprehend those responsible and ensure that they were brought to justice.
According to him, no arrests has been made, although security personnel were working to track down the attackers.
“For now, we have not made any arrests, but we are working on that.”
Afolabi assured residents that the police would pursue the suspects and take the necessary steps to ensure accountability for the killings and destruction caused by the attack.
The circumstances surrounding the assault were still being examined, while the identities of the gunmen and their precise motive has not been established in the available information.
However, a source familiar with the incident alleged that the attackers appeared to have targeted the police armoury but found it empty.
The source further claimed that the assailants took away some police uniforms during the operation.
The source also alleged that one of the attackers was shot dead during the incident, but was subsequently taken away by his colleagues.
Following the attack, Governor Otti visited the injured victims at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital to assess their condition and offer support.
His visit came as authorities continued to assess the consequences of the assault, which claimed the lives of two police personnel and left several people injured.
The incident has renewed concerns over attacks on police facilities in the area, particularly given the history of violence involving the same station.
On February 23, 2021, gunmen attacked the Uratta Police Station, killing a police sergeant identified as Okezie and setting fire to a patrol vehicle donated by the Abia State Government.
The recurrence of an attack on the facility has drawn attention to the security challenges confronting police formations and the need to protect officers, public infrastructure and surrounding communities from armed assaults.
Fourteen years after, Director-General, DG, of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has recounted how beneficiaries from oil subsidy payment wanted to force her out of office, while serving as minister of finance.
Okonjo-Iweala also revealed that her insistence on investigation into an alleged $2.4 billion fuel subsidy fraud led to the abduction of her mother, Kamene Okonjo, in December 2012.
Okonjo-Iweala, who was Nigeria’s Minister of Finance under former President Goodluck Jonathan at the time, disclosed this during an interview with Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua on The Leaders programme.
She disclosed that her mother’s abductors demanded that she resign from office and leave Nigeria as conditions for securing her release.
According to the WTO chief, the incident followed her discovery of irregularities in subsidy payment claims submitted by petroleum importers under the Federal Government’s fuel subsidy programme.
She explained that after noticing suspicious increases in the claims, she approached the president for approval to audit the accounts.
“So, I went to the president and said, look, something is going on here. Could we audit the accounts? And he said, yes, go ahead. And we found about $2.4 billion worth of fraud. So we refused to pay.”
Okonjo-Iweala said the decision to withhold the disputed payments was followed by threats against her, culminating in the abduction of her mother from her residence in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, in December 2012.
“I was told that for her to be released, I should resign and leave the country.”
Describing the incident as one of the most traumatic experiences of her life, the former finance minister said the five-day ordeal left her fearing for her mother’s life.
“It was a terrible, terrible five-day ordeal. I think the worst in my life.”
She recalled that her mother was held captive in a forest before eventually escaping at night.
“She was held in the middle of a forest, and one night she escaped. She’s still alive. She’s 96 now.”
The WTO director-general disclosed that she considered resigning from office to secure her mother’s freedom, but was persuaded by her father not to surrender to the kidnappers’ demands.
According to her, her father insisted that the family should not give in to blackmail and urged her to continue performing her official duties.
“He said, we don’t give in to blackmail. And he said, you’ve got to carry on. You’ve got to go to work,” she recalled.
However, Okonjo-Iweala stressed that her mother’s life mattered more to her than retaining her position in government.
“Between my mother, having my mother alive and staying in a job, I would pick my mother any day.”
Reflecting on the experience, she said the incident reinforced her determination to fight corruption and protect public resources, particularly in developing countries where limited resources make accountability essential.
“I feel that this is a real fight that has to be waged. If you are a country that is not that rich, every single penny counts,” she emphasised.
The Presidency has revealed that the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas, (NLNG)has paid not less than $3 billion into the federation account since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office, faulting claim by Oyo state Governor, Seyi Makinde that the venture paid $25 billion as dividend, which the federal government allegedly pocketed.
A statement on Sunday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President,(Information and Strategy), maintained that the NLNG has never paid $25 billion in dividends to the Federation Account in a single payout.
It added that NLNG has paid approximately $21.5 billion in dividends to the Federation over the last 25 years.
The statement reads “At the 2027 Budget Stakeholders’ Consultative Engagement held at the Olola Ogunlana Hall, International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, on Friday, Makinde claimed the funds would not be released until after the 2027 elections. He further claimed that the Federal Government had spent the money.
“Each state was supposed to get ₦250 billion. We had already identified projects that would expand Oyo State’s economy.
“But they have now said the money will not be paid until after the election. Is the election more important than the people of Nigeria?” the governor said.
“Makinde’s latest claim that the Federal Government is withholding the NLNG dividend windfall is false and should be disregarded.
“Here are the facts the public should know about how the Federation Account is managed and how money is shared among the three tiers of government.
“Even as a one-off distribution, ₦250 billion to each of the 36 states amounts to ₦9.0 trillion, excluding the Federal Government, the FCT, and the 774 local councils.
“Under the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) formula, states receive 26.72% of the distributable Federation Account revenue.
“For the states’ share alone to reach ₦9 trillion, total NLNG dividends paid into the Federation Account would have to exceed ₦33.68 trillion (about $25 billion) in a single declaration.
“NLNG has never paid $25 billion in dividends to the Federation Account in a single payout.
“NLNG has paid approximately $21.5 billion in dividends to the Federation over the last 25 years, with less than $3 billion realised since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office.
“Therefore, any claim that a single payout exceeds the company’s entire lifetime distribution to the Federation—and is being withheld—defies basic logic and economic reality.
“We expect Governor Makinde to be more measured in his public conduct and utterances. Since he embarked on his presidential bid, he has chosen to play politics by making misleading claims rather than presenting verifiable facts. Indeed, he has turned false, unguarded statements and claims into an art form.
“He once described the huge financial flow from the federation account to states, including Oyo, as ‘voodoo’.
“Under Nigerian law, Governor Makinde is free to pursue his presidential ambition. He should desist from making falsehoods and disinformation the hallmarks of his campaign.
“We urge the public to disregard these unfounded claims, which serve only to mislead citizens and stoke needless disaffection against the Federal authorities.”
Diocese of Awka (Anglican Communion) in Anambra State has rejected the six months suspension clamped on His Lordship, The Rt Rev. Alexander Ibezim, Archbishop, Province of the Niger and Bishop, Diocese of Awka.
In a letter, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), His Grace, The Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, had directed Ibezim to proceed on a six-month suspension to pave way for investigation os some allegations against him.
Rising from a Board meeting of the Diocese of Awka, members, in a communique, stated that:
“The Board emphatically rejects in its entirety the said letter. More specifically, the Board rejects the directive to His Grace, The Most Revd Alexander C. Ibezim, PhD, Archbishop, Province of the Niger and Bishop, Diocese of Awka to proceed on six months compulsory leave.
“The Board rejects the appointment of His Lordship Rt. Revd Samuel C. Ezeofor as supervising Bishop of Awka Diocese and Cordinating Bishop of Province of the Niger because of the following reasons:
“The appointment was made in disregard of pending litigations in Suit No A/Misc 446/2025: The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim VS Economic and Financial Crimes Commission filed on 4th September, 2025; Suit No A/Misc. 494/2026.
“The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim VS Inspector General of Police and others filed on the 2nd October, 2026 and Suit No A/371/2026 – The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim vs The Most Revd Henry C. Ndukuba and Anor filed on 13th October, 2026.
“These suits are still pending for determination by the High Court of Anambra State and the subject matters of these suits are the various allegations made against His Grace, The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim .
“His Grace, The Most Revd Henry C. Ndukuba, Archbishop Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, His Lordship Rt. Revd Samuel C. Ezeofor and many members of the Church of Nigeria are fully aware of the pendency in court of these cases and are duty bound in law to refrain from doing any thing whatsoever to interfere with the subject matters of the suits until the determination of the cases by the court.
“The matters are sub judice.
To the knowledge of the Primate and His Lordship, The Rt. Revd Samuel C. Ezeofor, there are subsisting orders of injunction on the subject matter of the allegations against His Grace, The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim made by the High Court of Anambra state on the 9th day of September, 2025 which restrains the EFCC and Prince Echezona Bonti Onuigbo and which was renewed by the consent of the parties on 14th October, 2025.
“There are also pendintg motions of injunctiion in suit No A/371/2026 – The Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim VS The Most Revd Henry C. Ndukuba and Anor seeking to restrain the Primate from writing and issuing any letter of suspension or any further letter which will have the effect of truncating the continuity in office of His Grace, the Most Revd Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim, PhD as the Archbishop of the Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese Anglican Communion.
“The Primate and Rt Revd Ezeofor are fully aware that no one is above the law irrespective of his or her position or status, and ought to be law abiding and respect the court where the allegations against Archbishop Ibezim are pending for determination.
“They are also aware that it is unlawful and contemptious to disregard the court and take the law into their hands by actions which have the effect of preempting or anticipating the decisions of the court such as the letter under refrence.
“Furthermore, there is no provision in both the Constitution and Canons of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2020 and the Constitution and Regulation of the Diocese of Awka 2023, which empowered, mandate or authorised the Primate, the Most Revd Henry C. Ndukuba to direct Archbishop Ibezim to proceed on compulsory leave for Six Months or any period.”
The board also insisted that the constitution does not empower the primate to appoint any Bishop as the supervising Bishop of the Diocese of Awka and coordinating Bishop of the Province of the Niger to assume and exercise all episcopal responsibilities and oversight of the Diocese of Awka and the Province of the Niger during the period of the puported leave.
“Section 29(1) of the Constitution and Canons of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2020 cited by the Primate in his letter of 13th October, 2026 is inapplicable as it contains nothing empowering the Primate to force a fellow Bishop and Archbishop to proceed on compulsory leave and handover his duties to another Bishop and precluding the Bishop from officiating in any activities of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), of the Niger Province and Awka Diocese.
“The Board categorically affirms that Archbishop Ibezim remains in his position as Bishop of Awka Diocese and Archbishop, Province of the Niger Anglican Communion and should continue to discharge the duties of his office.
“The Board hereby expresses its total confidence and trust in the honesty, intergrity, competence, ability and devotion to duty of Arcbishop Alexander Chibuzor Ibezim in the discharge of his duties.
“The Board hereby affirms that Awka Diocese is peaceful, united and progressive.
“The Board unequivocally affirms that no money of Awka Diocese is missing, stolen, misused, or misappropriated by Archbishop Ibezim. Even the two panels set up by the Primate have not disclosed any indictment of financial misdeed by Archbishop Ibezim.”
The Peter Obi Media Office has strongly condemns Vice President Kashim Shettima’s disparaging comments about its principal, NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi.
The VP, the office said, had discourteously referred to Obi as “diminished” while calling on Northerners to show respect to Atiku Abubakar.
Flowing from that, it drew the attention of some Igbo leaders who disparage Obi to learn from Shettima’s advice to the North to respect Atiku posdibly because he is a Northerner, and disrespect Obi.
In a statement signed by Idris Zekeri Jnr, the Media office responded to Shettima in part:
“Although Shettima has the right to oppose Obi, it is difficult to understand why he would demand respect for one opposition leader while casually dismissing another.
“As a man of great decency, our candidate has conducted his campaign professionally and decorously. He has consistently focused his remarks on issues and has neither discussed nor used abusive language against anyone. Shettima and Obi served as governors during the same period.
However, Obi’s performance in Anambra State across key areas of governance surpassed Shettima’s record in Borno State, as demonstrated by performance statistics and the awards he received.
“During his tenure as governor of Anambra, Peter Obi earned recognition for his fiscal discipline and investments in education and healthcare. If Shettima contests any aspect of Obi’s record, he should present the facts rather than resort to political name-calling.
Mr Peter Obi
“The Media Office also calls on South-East political leaders who have shown disrespect toward Obi to take a lesson from the Vice President, who joined them in disparaging their brother while demanding respect for his northern counterpart in the opposition.
“We urge Igbo leaders in the APC and all Nigerians to draw the appropriate lesson from this episode and note that political loyalty must never justify tolerating disrespect toward a fellow Nigerian. Those who oppose Obi should scrutinise his ideas and record rather than resorting to personal abuse. Nigeria needs a contest based on records and ideas, not selective respect and political denigration. The Nigerian people, rather than Shettima’s rhetoric, will determine Peter Obi’s political relevance.”
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has literally been called a liar and a fabricator of stories by Laolu Akande, former spokesman to former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
In a strongly-worded response to Lawal’s claims about, especially, the relationship between former late President Muhammadu Buhari and Osinbajo, Akande said Lawal’s claims in the interview he granted Symfoni TV last Thursday were nothing but fiction of the worst order.
Akande who was Osinbajo’s Special Assistant, Media and Publicity for the eight years the Administration was in office put a lie, especially, to Lawal’s claim that President Buhari was not only in support of Osinbajo’s bid for the Presidential seat against Bola Tinubu in 2022 but thought it was “highly immoral” and “distasteful.”
On the contrary, Akande disclosed made that Buhari offered, personally, to support Osinbajo’s presidential aspiration, not once, but, at least, on four occasions.
According to Akande, Buhari had told his Deputy: “If I don’t support you, who will I support?”
Even though Lawal said Buhari did not discuss the issue of who his successor would be with him, the then President’s body language more than sufficed.
For instance, Lawal alleged, Buhari was not comfortable with Osinbajo’s appointments, especially, his habit of bringing up for appointment including only people of his ethnic Yoruba people who are members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). The former Vice President is a pastor in the Church.
However, Akande, in a lengthy statement tore into shreds Babachir Lawal’s narrative and emphasising that it was a misrepresentation of events which he personally witnessed as Osinbajo’s spokesperson.
Babachir Lawal
Akande: “I have watched the video in which former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, made a strong of allegations against former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. Ordinarily, such fabrications would not deserve a response.
“But I served as the Vice President’s spokesperson. I was in the room where many of these decisions were taken.
“And the allegations touch directly on the staff of the Office of the Vice President — of which I was a part. For the sake of the record, facts only must be stated.”
On Lawal’s claim that Buhari thought that Osinbajo’s bid for the Presidency against Tinubu was immoral Akande stated that it was completely false.
On the contrary, he noted, Buhari repeatedly expressed his willingness to support his Vice President for the Presidential seat 2023.
Akande: “On at least four separate occasions, President Buhari personally offered to support the Vice President, telling him plainly: ‘If I don’t support you, who will I support?’ He was consistent.”
Proof? Akande recalled that during the period of presidential campaigns, Buhari, usually, publicly commended Osinbajo during a Federal Executive Council meeting for conducting what he considered a dignified and issues-based campaign across the country. members of the Council, he said can bear witness to this, he said.
Akande: “He spoke in a laudatory tone. The entire Council witnessed it. That is not a President who found Osinbajo’s ambition distasteful. That is a President who broached it, encouraged and applauded it.”
But Lawal said that given the role Tinubu played in bringing Osinbajo into national politics, Buhari, who appreciated loyalty, abhorred Osinbajo’s bid for the Presidential seat against Tinubu.
On the memo which Lawal said contained 28 names for appointment, out of which 26 were of Yoruba stock and RCCG members, Akande also challenged Lawal’s narration of events.
Lawal had said that late Abba Kyari who was Buhari’s Chief of Staff, had ignored forwarding Osinbajo’s memo to Buhari for approval, until he, Lawal, took a photocopy of it to Buhari. He said Buhari went through the list with a green biro but pointed out that 26 of the 28 nominees were Yoruba and RCCG members.
But Akande dismissed it with a wave of the hand.
Akande,: “Mr. Lawal’s claim that Osinbajo wrote a memo containing over 20 staff names, which was sat on by the President’s Chief of Staff, and which he, Mr. Lawal, then took to President Buhari, is a complete fabrication. There was no such memo.
“Anyone who knew President Buhari knows he does not engage in the kind of snide ethnic profiling Mr. Lawal attributed to him — ‘BD, these are all Yorubas’ . That language and that conduct are alien to President Buhari.”
Giving an account of how appointments were made at the time he said Vice President Osinbajo enjoyed direct access to Buhari and so, Lawal could not have been an intermediary.
Akande: “The procedure was simple and verifiable: Prof. Osinbajo always had direct access to the President. He took his memos directly to the President, obtained approval, and passed the approved memo to his own Chief of Staff, Mr. Ade Ipaye, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, who then communicated it to the relevant agencies for action. At no stage did this require the SGF, except for the subsequent issuance of appointment letters for staff.” he said.
Using himself as an example, Akande said he resumed work in the Office of the Vice President in June 2015 alongside several colleagues, contrary to the suggestion that the appointment process was stalled in the office of the Chief of Staff for three months.
Akande: “There was no three-month delay. To those of us who were there, this story is pure fiction.
“What happened was that Osinbajo presented different batches of memos to Buhari at different periods for various categories of officials as his office was established and the administration developed new programmes.
“That is standard practice. There was never a single, bloated, religiously and ethnically-charged list.
“The allegation is false and the composition of Osinbajo’s office was enough to disprove it.
“The Office was one of the most inclusive, pan-Nigerian offices in that government — North, South, East, West, Christian and Muslim. To suggest a narrow Church agenda is not only to ignore the facts, but to pursue a curious and worrying vendetta.
“Ade Ipaye, then Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, the most senior official in Osinbajo’s office, is Muslim. Three of Osinbajo’s four Special Advisers – Maryam Uwais, Special Adviser on Social Investment, Ahmad Zakari, Special Adviser on Infrastructure, and Senator Babafemi Ojudu were Muslims. Ambassador Adeyemi Dipeolu was also among the senior advisers.”
Akande made public a long list of officials who worked under Osinbajo.
They included Balkisu Saidu, Abdullahi Gwary, Emmanuel Bright, Edobor Iyamu, Ismaeel Ahmed, Olayinka Oyeneyin, Fadi Rose Audu, Imeh Patience Okon, Lillian Idiaghe, Arukaino Umukoro, Daniel Ikuenobe, Folarin Alayande, Effiong Essien and Olaolu Beckley.
Others included Abdulrahman Baffa, Rotimi Akinnadeju, Novo Isioro, Feyishayo Aina, Gambo Manzo, Hafiz Ibrahim, Nonye Ojekwe, Nicholas Audifferen, Ayoleke Adu, Ajuri Ngelale, Louis Odion, Foluso Idumu, Edewede Akhidenor, Lanre Osibona, Tolani Alli and Tola Asekun.
There were, also, Damilola Ogunbiyi, Mariam Masha, Chiedu Ugbo, Jumoke Oduwole, Muktar Tijani, Tochi Nwachukwu, Mohammed Brimah, Yahaya Maibe, Jibola Ajayi, Ife Adebayo, Myani Bukar, Nkoli Anyaoku, Phil Obin and Lillian Chukwueke.
“This was a truly national team. It was never a Church list.”
Akande also dismissed as bunkum, Lawal’s claims that former Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment,
Dr Okey Enelamah, got the office because of his relationship with Osinbajo and the RCCG.
Enelamah, he said, was heading one of Africa’s major private equity firms at the time and had been proposed by two individuals in the financial services sector.
It was Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, Akande explained, who informed Osinbajo that Buhari wanted to appoint Enelamah.
Akande: “I had assumed, like many others, that because Enelamah was close to Osinbajo, he must have nominated him. He did not. Ask the former Minister. He is alive.”
He, also, tackled Lawal on his allegations on Osinbajo’s decisions when he served as Acting President during Buhari’s absences.
According to Lawal, “some decisions and appointments made while Buhari was away contributed to tensions and Buhari’s reservations about his deputy.”
But Akande noted that Lawal’s comment is a distortion of what happened at the time.
Akande: “Osinbajo, while Acting as President, was constitutionally required to review lists of nominees before they were forwarded for confirmation.
Where changes were made, they resulted from compliance issues involving federal character, age, qualifications or professional requirements.
Prof Yemi Osinbajo and Late Muhammedu Buhari
“President Buhari was fully briefed upon his return and had no issue with those corrections. Due process, not personal preference, guided those decisions,”
In a direct attack on Lawal, Akande connected Lawal’s bitterness to his sack as SGF.
He said: “I understand that Mr. Lawal may still be reeling from the pains of his removal as SGF.”
As SGF, Lawal was suspended from office in April 2017 following allegations arising from contracts connected with the Presidential Initiative on the North East.
A three-member investigative committee chaired by Osinbajo was constituted by Buhari to investigate the allegations against Lawal. Lawal was removed removed as SGF in October 2017.
According to Akande, allegations against Lawal were already the subject of scrutiny before Buhari directed Osinbajo to head the presidential investigation.
“Both the Senate and an Attorney-General’s report had already implicated the former SGF in the allegations. Lawal inadvertently provided the evidence used by the presidential panel in reaching its findings against him.
“Lawal’s latest intervention is potentially rooted in personal grievance. But personal grievance cannot justify the manufacture of falsehoods against a man who served with integrity.
“Prof. Osinbajo served President Buhari loyally for eight years, without blemish, with an inclusive team that reflected the best of Nigeria. The records are there for anyone who cares to check.”
Lawal has since quit the APC. He is currently of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.
A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, revealed why the late President Muhammadu Buhari did not back his Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, as his successor.
Osinbajo, a Professor of Law, urbane, polished and a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, was Nigeria’s Vice President, under the Government of President Buhari. Given his character and background, not a few Nigerians thought he would be Buhari’s successor.
However, Babachir Lawal, who was the SGF under the Buhari Administration before he was unceremoniously removed from office by same Government, has disclosed that one of the reasons why not was Buhari’s discomfort with Osinbajo’s penchant for appointing only
RCCG Church Members who were usually all Yoruba to positions.
Babachir Lawal
To back up his claim, he narrated how President Buhari ignored a memo forwarded to him for approval by Osinbajo. The memo, he said, which sought approval for the appointment of 28 persons into positions was ignored by Buhari because out of that number, 26 were of the RCCG and all Yoruba.
Lawal said it his intervention through appeals for Buhari to give the approval after the President pointed out to him why he ignored his Vice President’s memo.
Lawal, who hits without looking back, disclosed this in an interview with Symfoni TV recently.
He said that late Abba Kyari, who was President Buhari’s Chief of Staff at the time, did not pass on Osinbajo’s memo to Buhari. He, however, did not say why. The refusal to pass it on, Lawal further disclosed, had become a subject of discussion in the Presidential Villa until he intervened.
Lawal said after he obtained a photocopy of the memo, he personally took it to President Buhari and ” I said, ‘Oga, see the date my Oga sent a memo. You have not approved. What is the problem?'”
According to Lawal when Buhari read through the memo he used a green biro to mark nearly all the names on the list.
Lawal: “Out of 28, I think he ticked 26 with the green biro,” and told told him: “BD, these are all Yorubas.”
But Lawal said he appealed to Buhari and noted that it was the Vice President’s first memo and that Osinbajo had only just come back from Lagos and promised to speak with Osinbajo about President Buhari’s concerns. Buhari, he disclosed, approved the memo the memo and, he, Lawal took it to the chief of Staff and told him that the president had approved.
This incident, Lawal disclosed, was not an isolated case, as there were others and that Buhari was very uncomfortable about appointments linked to Osinbajo’s RCCG. where Osinbajo had served as a pastor. Lawal revealed: “The head of that church congregation, the person who succeeded him, and a third individual who subsequently took over, all received appointments after Osinbajo became Vice President.”
More worrisome, Lawal alleged is that some of those appointed did not have the experience required for the roles they received. For example, the former SGF disclosed that there was “one individual who had been a level 12 officer at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) before being appointed to a position at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).”
Osinbajo’s action, Lawal said, triggered a protest yo President Buhari, byb traditional Christian leaders from Northern Nigeria. He disclised that they had gone straight to Buhari to complain, and argued that they too were Christians whovoted for him but were being ignored in appointments.
Lawal: “I suspect that this excessive preference for his Church members would affect Buhari.
From his actions and body language, I could see that he was scared that if Osinbajo became president, what Bola is doing, Osinbajo will do.”
