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Minister Nnaji Resigns, Says “I Am Victim Of Blackmail By Political Opponents”

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Uche Nnaji - Minister of Innovation-Science and Technology

By Adesina Soyooye

Finally, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji,  has done the honorable thing. He has resigned from office and tagged himself “a victim of blackmail by political opponents.”

Since his appointment as Minister, Nnaji has been dogged by allegations of certificate forgeries as they pertain to both his first degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, as well as that of his  National Youth Service Corp.

As confirmed by Bayo Onanuga, Presidential Spokesperson on Media and Strategy, Nnaji handed over his resignation letter to President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.

The President accepted Nnaji’s resignation, immediately, and wished him well.

Not a few people knew that Nnaji  was going to resign even if it is to keep whatever credibility he has left.

The scandal associated with the forgery of the two certificates was too damning to ignore. It was a combination nobody could ignore and a scandal he couldn’t quite endure or gloss over.

In a statement on Tuesday, Onanuga said the President “accepted the resignation of Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, following the allegations against him.”

Onanuga also recalled that “President Tinubu appointed Nnaji in August 2023. He resigned today in a letter thanking the President for allowing him to serve Nigeria.”

He quoted the Minister as saying  he has “been a target of blackmail by political opponents.”

In the past few days when the forgery allegation against Nnaji acquired a larger than life status, he  and his loyalists have been pointing accusing fingers, directly and indirectly, at the Governor of his home State, Enugu, Peter Mbah. The Governor has, however, distances himself from it.

Premium Times, an online publication, has, in the past two years, been in the forefront of unraveling Nnaji.

President Tinubu May Announce Prof. Joash Amupitan As New INEC Chairman

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan

By Akinwale Kasali

As Professor Mahmood Yakubu took a bow as the National Chairman of the Electoral Umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, it has been gathered that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to announce Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Electoral Body.

Mahmood spent two terms as INEC Chairman. He was appointed  by then President, Late Muhammadu Buhari on October 21, 2015 and his tenure is set to expire in November 2025. He proceeded on terminal leave on Tuesday, October 7, 2025 and handed over to Agbamuche-Mbu in Acting Capacity.

Sources in Aso Rock disclosed that the appointment of Amupitan is set to be announced when President Tinubu hosts the Council of State meeting on Thursday at the State House in Abuja.

Amupitan is a legal scholar and administrator with over 34 years of academic and professional experience.

He is a native of Ijumu Local Government Area in Kogi State, who is married to Dr. (Mrs.) Yemisi Amupitan, and together they are blessed with four children.

He began his academic journey at the University of Jos in 1989 as an Assistant Lecturer, and  steadily rose through the academic ranks, becoming a Reader in 2003 and a Professor of Law in 2008.

Over the years, he has held several key administrative positions, including Head of Department of Public Law, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors, and a member of the University’s Governing Council.

He has also served on the Governing Councils of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Council of Legal Education. Today, he serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos.

In December 2023, Professor Amupitan was inaugurated as the second Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), thereby affording him affiliation with the school.

His areas of specialisation include the Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, and Privatisation Law.

Amupitan is an active member of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Institute of Management, and the National Association of Law Teachers.

President Tinubu Honours Fmr. INEC Chairman, Yakubu, With CON Title

By
Ayodele Oni
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Bola Tinubu and Mamood Yakubu

By Ayodele Oni

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has bestowed  the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), on the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmoud Yakubu.

The President also accepted Yakubu’s departure as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission following the expiration of his maximum second term in office.

Yakubu was first appointed in November 2015 as the 14th Chairman of the Commission for an initial term of five years. The appointment, which was renewed in 2020, has now expired.

President Tinubu thanked Prof Yakubu for his services to the nation and his efforts to sustain Nigeria’s democracy, particularly through the organisation of free and fair elections throughout his two-term tenure.

The honour, he said, is in recognition of Yakubu’s dedicated service to the nation.

President Tinubu also directed that Prof Yakubu should handover to the most senior National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will direct the affairs of the commission until the completion of the process to appoint a successor.

In the letter dated October 3, 2025, Prof Yakubu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve the nation as Chairman of the commission since 2015.

Budget Support: AfDB Considers $500 Million Loan For Nigeria

By
Ayodele Oni
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

By Ayodele Oni

As part of a $1 billion budget support programme, the Federal Government has approached  the African Development Bank (AfDB) for  $500 million loan.

A Reuters report quoting an executive of the bank said the loan is part of a $1 billion budget support programme, following economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu.

The move, the report added, followed the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu, aimed at stabilising public finances and attracting investment.

According to Bode Oyetunde, who represents Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe on the AfDB board, the loan could be approved before year-end.

Oyetunde explained that the bank has been working strongly to support Nigeria’s bold and aggressive macroeconomic reforms under President Tinubu.

The AfDB had previously provided $500 million in budget support to Nigeria last year, and Oyetunde said the bank was looking to provide another $500 million this year, subject to board approval.

The bank’s support programme focused on fiscal and power sector reforms, which are crucial for Nigeria’s growth and macroeconomic stability.

The development comes after several economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, including the removal of fuel subsidies, introduction of unified foreign exchange rates, and launching of tax reforms.

The reforms aimed to promote economic stability, attract investment, and improve the business environment in Nigeria.

The AfDB’s support is expected to ease fiscal pressures, strengthen reform implementation, and provide liquidity for developmental programs.

This move signaled a vote of confidence in Nigeria’s policy direction and may catalyze additional multilateral and private sector funding.

Lagos Demolition: Obi Calls For Balance Between Law, Justice and Compassion

By
The Source
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Peter Obi

Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has urged government authorities to temper the enforcement of laws with compassion in handling issues affecting citizens, particularly in the wake of recent demolitions at Aspamda Market in Lagos.

In a statement titled “Lagos Demolitions: Law, Justice, and Compassion”, Obi recalled his recent visit to the site of the demolished market alongside a team of concerned leaders, noting that reactions following the exercise have revealed a worrying erosion of empathy among Nigerians.

According to him, “The situation calls for deep reflection on the relationship between law, justice, and compassion in governance.”

Obi narrated a personal experience from the 1990s when he purchased a house at 66 Donnington Road, NW10, in the United Kingdom. During renovation, some squatters moved into the property. On consulting his lawyer, he was advised to seek legal redress rather than resort to force or destruction. He said it would have been “unthinkable for the state to simply wake up one morning and demolish people’s houses—especially when such houses were neither used for crime nor taken for any overriding public purpose.”

He criticised attempts to justify the Lagos demolitions and similar actions across the country, stressing that “the law is not an end in itself; it is a means to ensure order, peace, and the protection of human dignity.” When applied without compassion, he said, the law ceases to serve justice.

“Even if, for the sake of argument, some of the affected traders failed to obtain proper approvals, which is unlikely, was demolition the only option?” he queried. “Does it truly serve justice to destroy billions of naira worth of investments and livelihoods when less destructive remedies could have sufficed?”

Obi likened the demolitions to “punishing a man who stole a bicycle with death instead of imprisonment—a sentence grossly disproportionate to the offence.”

He therefore appealed for a humane approach to governance, asserting that being “legally correct” should not translate to being “morally wrong.” True justice, he said, must always be tempered with mercy.

“These demolitions are a test of our collective humanity, justice, and compassion,” Obi concluded. “Power must always be exercised with empathy—for it is in how we treat the vulnerable that the true character of leadership is revealed.

“Who Are You?”, Angry Umahi Tackles Arise TV’s Rufai Oseni on Live Programme

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Dave Umahi and Rufai Oseni

By Adesina Soyooye

An angry Minister for Works, Dave Umahi, an Engineer, lashed out at Arise Television’s Rufai Useni, during a Live programme, Tuesday morning.

Umahi, on request by him, had appeared for the programme, Morning Show, but was piqued   when Useni told the Minister that he, (Minister) reported him to President Bola Tinubu over his comments on the Lagos – Calabar Coastal Road.

“You are too small for me to report to the President. Stop saying I reported you to the President, you are too small”, the Minister fired.

When Useni insisted on Umahi answering his question, Umahi flaunted his qualifications and competence and experience and dismissed Useni as incompetent in the field.

“Keep quiet and stop saying what you don’t know. I am a Professor in this field. You don’t understand anything. I understand engineering very well. You have no knowledge of what you ask. You have no knowledge of what you’re asking.”

Rufai interjected by demanding when the Minister obtained a Professorship. But the Minister explained:

“I understand engineering very well. You have no knowledge of what you ask. You have no knowledge of what you’re asking. I did not obtain professorship from any school but from my experience in the engineering field.

Rufai responded by mocking him:  “Minister, it’s alright, keep dignifying yourself, and let the world know who you truly are.”

Umahi is one of Tinubu’s very few performing Ministers, adjudged by many as “a round peg in a round hole.”

Edo: Gov Okpebholo Fumes Over Hurried Commissioning Of Projects By Predecessor

By
Ayodele Oni
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Godwin Obaseki and Monday Okpebholo

By Ayodele Oni

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has accused his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, of commissioning uncompleted projects.

Okpebholo decried described the action as a disservice to Edo people and a clear attempt to mask inefficiency.

During an on-the-spot inspection of the Stella Obasanjo Hospital and the Education Hub Complex at Iyaro, Okpebholo said he was shocked by the extent of uncompleted work in facilities that were publicly declared “commissioned” under the last administration.

He promised to complete the projects and ensure they serve their intended purpose before the end of the year.

The governor, who was accompanied by top government officials, said the visit was to obtain first-hand information on the state of infrastructure across key sectors, particularly health and education.

According to him, his administration is committed to restoring integrity in governance by completing all abandoned or half-done projects for the benefit of Edo citizens.

“I do not know why the previous administration commissioned this hospital when work was still ongoing.

“It is wrong to mislead the people with such gestures. Our duty is to finish what was started and ensure that Edo people get full value for every naira spent.”

At the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, who conducted the governor around the facility, disclosed that the hospital was barely 60 percent completed, noting that many of the hospital beds were old and recycled from the previous structure.

“We have gone round the facility with His Excellency, and it’s clear that the hospital is far from completion. The Governor has, however, directed that all necessary work be accelerated to bring it to 100 percent completion as quickly as possible.”

Governor Okpebholo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to completing the hospital before Christmas, assuring Edo residents that the facility would soon be fully equipped and opened to the public.

“A lot of work has been done, but much more is left. The administrative block and the theatre are still incomplete. However, between now and Christmas, we will ensure this hospital is activated and serving Edo people.”

At the Iyaro Education Hub, the Governor expressed similar disappointment, stating that the former administration’s decision to commission the complex was both premature and misleading.

“This building was hurriedly commissioned without power, equipment, or any operational capacity.

 “It is sad because there was really nothing to commission. Our focus now is to make this place fully functional, restore its purpose, and breathe life into the Ministry of Education.”

He further disclosed that his government will mobilize contractors within weeks to begin work at the Iyaro complex after taking full inventory of what is required to operationalize the facility.

Governor Okpebholo reiterated that his administration remains focused on accountability, transparency, and tangible results, promising that the era of “cosmetic governance” and “deceptive commissioning” is over in Edo State.

“We are not here to play politics with the lives of Edo people. Our mission is to rebuild, restore, and ensure every project serves the people. Edo people deserve honesty and visible progress, and that is exactly what this administration will deliver.”

Mark Says ADC’s Mission Goes Beyond Attaining Power Come 2027

By
Akinwale Kasali
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David Mark
David Mark

By Akinwale Kasali

David Mark, National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has disclosed that the formation and mission of the ADC extend beyond attaining and wrestling power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, come 2027.

The former Senate President said that the ADC’s primary goal is to establish a political legacy that future generations will be proud to inherit.

He made this assertion this during the inaugural meeting of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that the party is not seeking power for its own sake but to build a lasting legacy.

“We are in a marathon; we must compete and win. Failure is not an option,” he said.

Mark further added that the ADC would be an institution “bigger than any personality, stronger than any moment” and positively different from any party in the annals of Nigeria.

He described the party’s leadership as pan-African, people-orientated, problem-solving and movement-sensitive to the needs of the people, including persons with disabilities, retirees and the vulnerable.

“The conveners of this mission are respected leaders from every corner of our nation who have freely chosen service over comfort.

“We have set aside narrow interests for the common good. The road will be uphill; sacrifice will be demanded.

“Those threatened by democracy will resist it. Still, we advance – calmly, courageously, together as a formidable team,” he said.

Speaking of the leadership structure of the ADC, Mark described the ADC’s leadership standard as non-negotiable, resting on four key pillars: character, competence, courage and discipline.

He stated that those pillars would guide the party’s choices and shape its culture.

The National Chairman also outlined a new political blueprint for the party, anchored on citizens first, the supremacy of rules over personality, an open party with independent annual audits and merit before loyalty.

He said that these would also include dignity and inclusion for special interest groups, such as workers, women, youth, farmers, professionals, retired security officers, educators, persons with disabilities, retirees, civil society and the vulnerable.

Mark said that the urgent task before the NWC is to review the party’s constitution to reflect the new order and develop a code of ethics, financing rules and compliance systems.

“We must establish functional ward, local government, and state structures with trained organisers, digital registers, and service desks.

“We will build a leadership pipeline through a merit-based academy policy, ethics, communications and delivery,” he said.

He added that the NWC would field only credible and viable candidates who meet the party’s four-pillar standard.

“ADC would deliver a reliable power supply by expanding power generation, fixing transmission bottlenecks and rewarding distribution performance.

“We will secure our food supply by supporting farmers and agricultural value chains from inputs and storage to processing and markets,” Mark Stated.

Agbamuche-Mbu, Now Acting INEC Chairman As Prof Yakubi Bows Out

By
Ayodele Oni
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May Agbamuche-Mbu with Prof Yakubu

By Ayodele Oni

Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu,  is now the Acting National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The mantle of leadership was handed over to her by  Prof Mahmood Yakubu, on Tuesday.

Agbamuche is a  Barrister-at-Law and an INEC National Commissioner.

Yakubu made the announcement during an ongoing meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Mrs. Agbamuche-Mbu, the oldest serving National Commissioner of the electoral body, will now oversee the Commission’s affairs in acting capacity.

Prof Yakubu, appointed in 2015, has spent two terms of five years each, the maximum term for the office of the Chairman.

The former INEC Chairman appealed to his former colleagues to cooperate with the Acting chairman pending the time a substantive head is appointed.

President Bola Tinubu is expected to name a new chairman for the electoral agency, any moment of now.

Appointment of a new INEC Chairman is expected to be one of the main issues to be discussed at the forthcoming Council of State meeting slated for later this week.

Strong speculations are that the mantle of leadership may very likely fall on  Professor  Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN.

“You Must Go” Minority Reps Tell Chinda As Meeting With Speaker Ends In Chaos

By
James Orji
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Kingsley Chinda
Kingsley Chinda

There seems to be no respite for Kingsley Chinda, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives over plot by some aggrieved members of the caucus to remove him.

At a meeting held on Monday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, at the instance of the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas to resolve the matter , sources who attended informed the magazine that lawmakers from the minority caucuses which include, the PDP, LP, APGA insisted that Chinda immediately stepped down from his position to avoid being disgracefully removed.

Last week the magazine reported that Chinda, representing Obio/Akpor Constituency and ally of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike rushed to court to secure an injunction to stop his removal by other lawmakers in the caucus, who according to sources accused him of cornering what belonged to them, and rued his leadership style. They also accused him of being a rubber stamp to the executive and the APC, the party in power.

Reliable sources informed the magazine that yesterday’s meeting ended with no respite for the lawmaker., as other lawmakers in the caucus said they are tired of his leadership and wanted him to go.

One of the sources who spoke stated that Abbas tried to appeal to the aggrieved lawmakers to pardon Chinda to no avail, as they bent on replacing him.

“The Speaker, Tajudeen Abbass begged them that they should allow Chinda to mend his way, by giving him another chance, but the lawmakers pointedly refused to listen to him, saying he has to go.,” the source said.

“When the Speaker realized that the meeting has become too rancorous, resulting almost in a shouting march, Abbass had to appeal to the aggrieved lawmakers to give him ‘one week’ to see how the matter can be resolved in another way, to which they agreed, but told him that Chinda will not be allowed to continue in his position.”

“The South west and the Northern lawmakers in the caucus have agreed that Chinda must leave, while some lawmakers from the south east caucus, are still supporting him but they are now in the minority, as those who want him out are in the majority,” another sources said.

The angry lawmakers also accused Chinda of filing a law suit on the issue without informing them, saying he intended to take them unawares, but the embattled Minority Leader pleaded that he only took the action to see whether the matter could be resolve amicably, and for self preservation.

According to the source, it was based “on the agreement” that the aggrieved lawmakers reached with Speaker Abbass that the issue was not discussed today during the Plenary in the House of Representatives.

The discontent among opposition lawmakers took a  new turn last week after Chinda, rushed to court in a bid to stop moves to remove him from office. His leadership has been fingered as one of the reasons the legislature is being tagged as a ‘rubber stamp’ to the executive.

The crisis rocking the Minority Leadership was fueled by perceived compromises on the part of the minority leadership in the 10th Assembly, which some angry lawmakers said is the reason why the NASS lost the respect of not a few Nigerians.

The minority leadership under Chinda has been accused of being overly cozy with the All Progressives Congress (APC) government, thus rendering them ineffective in holding the ruling party accountable for pressing issues like crippling hardship, rampant insecurity, and widespread corruption.

The lawmakers’ reluctance to speak out has sparked public outcry, eroding trust in the opposition’s ability to provide robust oversight.

Specifically, Chinda has been accused of failing to convene a single Minority Caucus meeting since the inauguration of the 10th House of Representatives over two years ago. Additionally, he has been criticized for granting media interviews that contradict the collectively agreed position of the PDP, and for allowing the Minority Caucus to be perceived as a lame duck Assembly.

Instead of addressing these allegations with his colleagues, Chinda had resolved  to take the matter to court, naming the National Assembly, House of Representatives, the Clerk, the Speaker and all minority parties, as defendants, in a move many see as an attempt to stall his potential removal, bordering on self-preservation, rather than the collective good of the legislature and essence of opposition voice in a democracy.

He alleged in the court documents that the move against him stems from his close association with Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Governor of Rivers State, who is notably the only PDP member in President Bola Tinubu’s APC-led cabinet.

Some of the opposition lawmakers say that the development appears to be a classic case of the guilty fearing accountability. By rushing to court, Hon. Chinda may be attempting to buy time and stall the removal process, allowing the Minority Leadership to mobilize resources to compromise the process.

Already, it’s alleged that some members, especially from PDP and Labour Party are being wooed with between $2000 and $5000 not to endorse the removal of the Minority Leader.

In a court document dated September 15, 2025, Chinda prayed the court for an injunction to restrain the defendants (the National Assembly, House of Representatives, Speaker of the House, all minority parties and Clerk of the House) and their agents from removing him as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

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