Home Blog Page 631

Edo Gov Election: Okpebholo Again Floors PDP, AP, AA At Tribunal

April 2, 2025

By Ayodele Oni

The Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday dismissed the petitions filed by Accord Party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Action Alliance against the declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winners of the Sept. 21, 2024 governorship election.

Delivering judgment, the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member tribunal held that Accord Party and its governorship candidate, Mr Bright Enabulele made weighty allegations but failed to defend them.

The tribunal said that the petitioners failed to name a single perpetrator to substantiate their allegations of thuggery, stuffing of ballots, harassing and molesting voters.

According to the tribunal, the two petitioners were so inconsistent in their claims with allegations of non compliance with the Electoral Act 2002 and calling for nullification of the election on one hand while seeking to be declared winners on the other hand.

“On the other hand, they are seeking to be declared winners of the election they claimed to have been conducted without compliance with the Electoral Act.”

The tribunal held that there was no meaningful evidence for it to act upon to nullify the election of Okpebholo and APC and subsequently dismissed the petition in its entirety.

The tribunal thereafter affirmed the election of Okpebholo as being valid and conducted in compliance with the law.

The petition of AA was dismissed for being frivolous and lacking in merit.

The Tribunal said that the PDP petition challenging the outcome of the 2024 governorship election also failed, because of insufficient evidence to substantiate claims of electoral malpractice.

The petitioners had alleged that the failure to properly record electoral materials prior to the election had affected the results.

However, the Tribunal found that while documents were submitted, no witnesses were called to properly authenticate them, rendering the evidence inadmissible.

Of the 19 witnesses presented by the petitioners, 14 were ward and local government agents, while their star witness, who claimed to be a director of strategy, played no direct role in the conduct of the election.

The Tribunal noted that none of these witnesses provided testimony on the alleged failure of prior recording of electoral materials, deeming them incompetent to testify on the matter.

Furthermore, the Tribunal emphasized that for allegations of over-voting to be proven, petitioners must provide oral evidence, in line with the precedent set by the Supreme Court.

It stressed that it was bound to adhere strictly to the Supreme Court’s roadmap in adjudicating election disputes.

Additionally, the tribunal observed that the witnesses called by the petitioners had no direct knowledge of events at the polling units, as they were not physically present during the election.

It held that the petitioners should have called witnesses with firsthand accounts to substantiate their claims.

Based on these findings, the Tribunal ruled that the petitioners failed to meet the required burden of proof and subsequently struck out their petitions.

“Mr President, Don’t Let Wike Destroy Your Efforts” – Prof. Okaba

Adesina Soyooye

April 2, 2025

Professor Benjamin Okaba and Bola Tinubu and Wike

By Adesina Soyooye

A renowned Professor of Sociology, Benjamin Okaba, has sent an advice to President Bola Tinubu. “Don’t let Wike destroy your efforts at ensuring democracy in Nigeria”, he advised Mr President.

Professor Okaba, who is, also, the President of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, dismissed the former Governor of Rivers State, and now, Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, as nothing outside Government.

Okaba spoke Wednesday morning in response to the recent alleged disparaging of the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality by Wike, an allegation Wike said was twisted to suit a purpose.

The Minister had, while speaking to Journalists recently relegated the Ijaw to a minority ethnic group in Nigeria.

But speaking on Arise Television Wednesday Morning, Okaba dismissed Wike’s submission as careless and alkeged the Minister could say anything under the influence of alcohol.

Stating the facts straight as it concerns the place of the Ijaw in Nigeria and Wike’s

submission, Professor Okaba said:

“The person (Wike) you’re talking about could say anything under the influence of alcohol and later debunk it. He is a very careless speaker.

“These are basic demographics that are well-known. Ijaws are not the fourth largest; they are one of the four largest.

“Most times, we look at the land mass, the land mass in terms of space cannot exist outside a water space. So the boundaries of the Ijawland, or may be Nigeria beyond land, it goes into the rivers. So from wherever that is a boundary of Nigeria, all that River spots belong to the Ijawland.

“The Ijaws are the most populous ethnic group in the Niger Delta region, spreading across six states.

“We are not minorities. In fact, we are the most populous and most indigenous ethnic nationality in the Niger Delta. That’s a fact that is well known.

“Ijaws are in six states.

Apart from Bayelsa State, the Ijaws are indigenous to many communities in Abia, Delta, Edo, Ondo and Rivers State.Wike’s comment was a deliberate distortion of fact.

“They are in Abia. 26 communities in Abia State are indigenous Ijaw people. So we felt that was a deliberate distortion. In Delta State, we have more than four Local Government Areas. Even in Rivers State, we have 10 and a half Local Government Areas, and Ikwerre has three. Forget about those who distorted political census figures. When the time comes for real counting, we shall know them. Ijaws are in Ondo State, they are in Edo State”.

Suspended Governor of Rivers State with whom Wike has a huge grouse is Ijaw from Opobo.

House Of Reps Applaud President Tinubu For Signing Into Law Investment And Securities Bill 2025

Ayodele Oni

April 2, 2025

By Ayodele Oni

The House of Representatives has lauded President Bola Tinubu, for signing the Investment and Securities Bill 2025 into law.

The house described the bill as a transformative legislation that will significantly strengthen Nigeria’s capital market, enhance investor protection, and align regulatory framework with global best practices.

Spokesman, House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi Jnr in a statement on Wednesday, stated that “This landmark Act is the product of years of extensive legislative work, consultations, and stakeholder engagements, spanning the 8th, 9th, and 10th Assemblies.

“The House Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, in collaboration with its Senate counterpart, conducted a robust public hearing on November 14, 2024, at the National Assembly Complex.

“This was followed by a technical retreat with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from November 16 to 18, 2024, where further refinements were made to the bill.”

The Chairman of the House Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, Solomon Bob, hailed the enactment of the Act as a significant step in fortifying Nigeria’s investment landscape.

“The signing of the Investment and Securities Act 2025 is a testament to the National Assembly’s commitment to fostering a transparent, efficient, and investor-friendly capital market.

“This Act introduces critical reforms, including stricter regulation of investment schemes, enhanced oversight of securities markets, and stronger protection mechanisms for investors.

“These enhanced powers and functions ensure full conformity with the requirements of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO’s) Enhanced Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (EMMoU), enabling the SEC to retain its ‘Signatory A’ status and enhancing the overall attractiveness of the Nigerian capital market.”

The Act empowers the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as the apex regulatory authority for Nigeria’s capital market, enhances the legal framework for investments, and introduces stringent measures against Ponzi schemes and other fraudulent financial practices.

Additionally, it strengthens the Investor Protection Fund to safeguard market participants against potential losses due to revoked brokerage licenses.

Again, President Tinubu Embarks On Working Visit To France

Ayodele Oni

April 2, 2025

By Ayodele Oni

For the next two weeks, President Bola Tinubu is expected to administer the country from France.

The President will depart for Paris, France, Wednesday on a short working visit.

A statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President revealed that

during the visit, the President will appraise his administration’s mid-term performance and assess key milestones.

“He will also use the retreat to review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administration’s second anniversary.

“This period of reflection will inform plans to deepen ongoing reforms and accelerate national development priorities in the coming year.

“Recent economic strides reinforce the President’s commitment to these efforts, as evidenced by the Central Bank of Nigeria reporting a significant increase in net foreign exchange reserves to $23.11 billion—a testament to the administration’s fiscal reforms since 2023 when net reserves were $3.99 billion.

“While away, President Tinubu will remain fully engaged with his team and continue to oversee governance activities. He will return to Nigeria in about a fortnight.”

CBN: FG Budget Deficit Hits N13trn In 2024, Higher This Year

James Orji

April 2, 2025

The Federal Government’s Budget Deficit for the year ended December 2024 hit a whopping N12.95 trillion, according to checks from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

The apex bank made this known in its Quarterly Economic Reports for last year, which showed that the deficit trumped the comparative year 2023 with 0.8 percent.

The CBN said in the report that the yearly expenditure for the year under review also rose by over two percent compared to the year before, with the recurrent expenditure gulping the huge chunk of the entire budget outlay while revenue rose by oer 10 percent year on year, YoY.

“At N5.6 trillion, provisional aggregate expenditure was 2.22 per cent above the level in the preceding quarter, but was 22.09 per cent short of the quarterly target of N7.19 trillion. “The rise in expenditure relative to the preceding quarter was associated with the increase in interest payments and personnel costs, which rose by 6.98 and 23.31 per cent, respectively,” the apex bank said.

“Further analysis of total expenditure showed that recurrent (75.13 percent) accounted for the largest share outlay, with the remainder split between capital (17.1 percent) and transfer payments (7.77 percent).

“FGN retained revenue rose in the review period, due to higher receipts from the federation account, non-oil excess, and FGN independent revenue. At N2.52 trillion, provisional FGN retained revenue was 10.40 per cent above the level in Q3’24, but was 48.57 per cent below the benchmark.

“The fiscal operations of the FGN resulted in a narrower deficit in Q4’24. Provisional data showed that primary deficit narrowed by 22.62 per cent, relative to the level in the preceding quarter.

“The overall deficit also reduced by 3.61 per cent to N3.08 trillion during the review quarter, reflecting the improved balance that resulted from a more than proportionate increase in revenue over expenditure.”

Meanwhile, the federal government has projected a N13.1 trillion Budget Deficit in the 2025 Budget. This is contained in the Budget signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in February, even though financial experts insist that it could be more.

Tinubu Commends Jim Ovia Over City Of London Honour

James Orji

April 2, 2025

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, on his admission to the prestigious Freedom of the City of London.

Admission to the Freedom of the City of London is an honour bestowed on individuals either for their service to the city or for their achievements.

In a press statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described the honour as a fitting recognition of Mr Ovia’s exceptional contributions to business, innovation, and technology, as well as for his role in shaping Nigeria’s financial landscape and strengthening economic ties between Africa and the rest of the world.

“This honour is a testament to your unwavering commitment to excellence, your pioneering role in the growth of the financial services sector in Nigeria, and your visionary leadership that continues to inspire generations. As an accomplished entrepreneur and advocate of innovation-driven development, your recognition in the City of London affirms the global relevance of Nigerian excellence and enterprise”, the President stated.

President Tinubu commende Ovia for being a distinguished ambassador of the nation’s private sector and wished him continued success in his endeavours.

“Why We Did Not Find Dr Nweke Worthy Of Chieftaincy Title” – Etche Ethnic Nationality

Adesina Soyooye

April 2, 2025

Etche Ethnic Nationality and George Nweke

By Adesina Soyooye

The immediate past Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke has been stripped naked by his Etche Nationality.

Nweke was the Head of Service under the suspended Government of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. He resigned from office a couple of days after the arrival of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, rtd, the Sole Administrator of the State appointed on March 18 by President Bola Tinubu on proclaiming a State of Emergency in the State.

Tinubu suspended Governor Fubara, his Deputy, Dr. Ngozi Odu and Members of the House of Assembly for an initial period of six months no thanks to the political crisis which engulfed the State since October 2023, triggered by a fall out between immediate past Governor of the State and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his estranged political godson, Fubara.

A few days after Nweke’s resignation, he stabbed Fubara at the back. On a sudden arranged trip to Abuja, Nweke, who according to his wife, Florence, told her that he resigned from office because he was being forced to sign some documents against Fubara, turned coat. At a purported Press Conference in a hotel room in Abuja, he reeled out alleged atrocities committed by Fubara in his 18 months of governance in the State. His disclosures shocked not a few people, including his wife who countered him and told Journalists that her husband spoke under duress. In his right senses, his wife said, Nweke would never say a word against Fubara.

However, a group in his Etche Nationality, Rivers State, Etche Ethnic Nationality Simplified Movement, at a Press Conference on Tuesday, 1st April, 2025, did not express surprise at Nweke’s betrayal of Fubara.

They alleged that betrayal is Nweke’s stock in trade. They said because he is known for that, he was, usually, not invited to meetings in Etche where serious decisions are to be taken.

They pointed out that it is because of his untrusworthiness that he was never considered worthy of an Etche Chieftaincy title, even when he held the office of Rivers State’s number one civil servant.

They tore his allegations against Fubara into shreds, and asked that he be invited by Security Agencies for interrogation. Finally, the Group disowned him, submitting that the character he displayed is alien to Etche people who abhore betrayal.

Following is the full text of the Press Conference.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE ETCHE ETHNIC NATIONALITY SIMPLIFIED MOVEMENT ON THE 1ST DAY OF APRIL, 2025

“The people of Etche Ethnic Nationality met on Monday, the 31st of March, 2025 to deliberate on issues affecting the state and the nation including the false claims of corruption and sponsorship of violence made against His Excellency, Sir Siminilayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State by one Dr. George Nwaeke.

” At the end of the meeting, the following resolutions were reached:

“●1. That Dr. George Nwaeke, the former Head of Rivers State Civil service is a liar, betrayer and notoriously untrustworthy. As a result, he is usually not invited to meetings of Etche ethnic nationality where crucial issues affecting Etche Ethnic Nationality are discussed due to his unstable character.

“●2. That notwithstanding his rise to the position of Head of Rivers State Civil Service, the highest position in the civil service, the Etche Ethnic Nationality did not consider him worthy of recognition as a chief, an honour bestowed on her deserving illustrious sons.

“●3. An eloquent testament to Dr. George Nwaeke’s unstable character is the conflicting account issued by himself and his wife as per his now infamous trip to Abuja. Dr. Nwaeke who lied and deceived his wife is unworthy of any iota of credit. The world must treat his theatrics for its mere entertainment and amusement values and nothing more.

“●4. Before his trip to Abuja, Dr. Nwaeke had approached the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt for financial assistance in exchange for his loyalty. It is unbecoming that such a highly placed government official known to have valuable assets within and outside Nigeria was more interested in personal financial agradisement than honour and integrity. From the foregoing, his insatiable appetite for financial gain is the only explanation for his baseless allegations against the Governor in order to please his pay masters and thereby ridiculing himself.

“●5. In the now viral clip of Dr. Nwaeke’s drama sketch which he tagged “press conference”, Dr. Nwaeke was commanded thus: “You will read from the text I wrote.” And he thereafter read from the “text” that was written for him. This underscores that the so-called press conference by Dr. Nwaeke was staged by persons who are desperate to paint our innocent and performing Governor and other respected sons of Rivers State in bad light and Dr. Nwaeke, being a man lacking in honour and dignity, was a willing tool in their hand. This is very unfortunate.

“●6. We invite the security agencies to investigate the conducts of Dr. Nwaeke with a view to holding him accountable for peddling falsehood against the Governor of Rivers State and other prominent Rivers sons. This will serve as a deterrent to others who may wish to propagate falsehood against innocent persons for financial or other benefits.

“●7. For the avoidance of doubt, the people of Etche Ethnic Nationality are not betrayers. We are a people who believe in the common good of Rivers State and therefore shocked at the despicable conduct of Dr. George Nwaeke. Accordingly, we the people of Etche Ethnic Nationality hereby disassociate ourselves from the shameful, ignoble, distasteful and childish behavior of Dr. George Nwaeke propelled by his insatiable greed for financial gains.

“●8. We hereby re-iterate our love, support, commitment and unalloyed loyalty to the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminilayi Fubara and we reassure our beloved Governor of our collective resolve to continually stand by him and his administration.

“●9. Finally, we unequivocally and unreservedly condemn the unwarranted imposition of a State of Emergency in Rivers State, the suspension of the Governor, Deputy Governor and Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and hereby call on Mr. President to reconsider his decision in the best interest of Rivers State.”

Governor Fubara has since dismissed Nweke allegations as cock and bull stories and so have many others.

NNPC: Tinubu Sacks Kyari, Appoints Ojulari As Group CEO

Tosin Olatokunbo

April 2, 2025

Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari- NNPCL — Bayo Ojulari

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a sweeping reconstitution of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC, Limited board, removing the chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure and the group chief executive officer, Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari.

President Tinubu removed all other board members appointed with Akinyelure and Kyari in November 2023.

The new 11-man board has Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as non-executive chairman.

Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Isa Ajiya as the chief financial officer last November, has been appointed to the new board by President Tinubu.

Six board members, non-executive directors, represent the country’s geopolitical zones. They are Bello Rabiu, North West, Yusuf Usman, North East, and Babs Omotowa, a former managing director of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas( NLNG), who represents North Central.

President Tinubu appointed Austin Avuru as a non-executive director from the South-South, David Ige as a Non-executive director from the South West, and Henry Obih as a non-executive director from the South East.

Mrs Lydia Shehu Jafiya, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, will represent the ministry on the new board, while Aminu Said Ahmed will represent the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

All the appointments are effective today, April 2.

President Tinubu, invoking the powers granted under Section 59, subsection 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, emphasised that the board’s restructuring is crucial for enhancing operational efficiency, restoring investor confidence, boosting local content, driving economic growth, and advancing gas commercialisation and diversification.

President Tinubu also handed out an immediate action plan to the new board: to conduct a strategic portfolio review of NNPC-operated and Joint Venture Assets to ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives.

Since 2023, the Tinubu administration has implemented oil sector reforms to attract investment. Last year, NNPC reported $17 billion in new investments within the sector. The administration now envisions increasing the investment to $30 billion by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030.

The Tinubu administration targets raising oil production to two million barrels daily by 2027 and three million daily by 2030. Concurrently, the government wants gas production jacked to 8 billion cubic feet daily by 2027 and 10 billion cubic feet by 2030.

Furthermore, President Tinubu expects the new board to elevate NNPC’s share of crude oil refining output to 200,000 barrels by 2027 and reach 500,000 by 2030.

The new board chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, is from Borno State. He is an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he received a degree in civil engineering in 1984. He also obtained a postgraduate diploma in petroleum engineering from the Institut Francaise du Petrol (IFP) in Paris

He started his career in the oil industry at Elf Petroleum Nigeria and later joined Total Exploration and Production as a trainee engineer in 1985.

Musa became Total Nigeria’s Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services in 2015. Last year, he became an Independent Non-Executive Director at Pan Ocean-Newcross Group.

Apart from his oil industry career, Ahmadu Musa Kida is a former basketballer and the president of the Nigerian Basketball Federation(NBBF) board.

Ojulari, the new NNPC Limited Group CEO, hails from Kwara State. Until his new appointment, He was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company. His Renaissance recently led a consortium of indigenous energy firms in the landmark acquisition of the entire equity holding in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), worth $2.4 billion.

Like Kida, Ojulari is also an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for Elf Aquitaine as the first Nigerian process engineer to begin a stellar career in the oil sector. From Elf, he joined Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd in 1991 as an associate production technologist.

Apart from working in Nigeria, he worked in Europe and the Middle East in different capacities as a petroleum process and production engineer, strategic planner, field developer, and asset manager. In 2015, he became the managing director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO).

During his career, he was chairman and member of the board of trustees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Nigerian Council) and a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Ebonyi Gov Nwifuru Orders Arrest Of Six Commissioners, Suspends LG Chairman

Ayodele Oni

April 2, 2025

By Ayodele Oni

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has ordered the arrest of six commissioners over an alleged contract scam.

The governor also announced the suspension of a local government chairman for similar offence.

It was gathered that the affected commissioners before their arrest, were declared wanted by the state government.

The arrested commissioners are Prof Omari Omaka (Tertiary Education), Victor Chukwu (Environment), Ifeanyi Ogbuewu (Culture and Tourism), Uchenna Igwe (Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters), Moses Ekuma (Health) and Felix Igboke (Project Monitoring).

The Chairman of Afikpo Local Government Area, Mr Timothy Nwachi, was also suspended.

It was gathered that the affected commissioners before their arrest, were declared wanted by the state government.

The governor, who spoke to newsmen in Abakaliki through the Chairman of the State Executive Council Committee on Izzo and Amaze Housing Project, Ilang Donatus, explained that government felt that the affected commissioners and contractors have breached the terms and conditions of the contract given to them by the government.

It was gathered that the affected commissioners and the contractors were accused of sabotaging the plan of the governor, Francis Nwifuru, to commission the housing units to mark his two years anniversary in the state.

“The governor is not happy over the pace of the work which ought to have been completed. The government has decided to clamp down on the contractors and commissioners who were mandated to supervise those projects.

“As you can see, our governor is a man with a passionate heart, he likes giving succour, hence the building of those houses for the victims of the communal crisis.

“He is not happy that the project is delayed and has ordered the arrest of all the commissioners who were supposed to ensure the speedy completion of the housing units.”

The Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilisation, Ebonyi Central, Mrs Maria Okohu who is member of the Executive Council Committee, said that non-completion of the projects by the contractors and the failure of some of the commissioners to strictly supervise them as directed by the government is an act of sabotage.

The governor, through the committee, insisted that the arrests will continue until all the commissioners and contractors involved are brought to book and as well do the needful.

The Nigeria Police has equally issued invitation letters to some of the fleeing commissioners and contractors who where not at home at the time the committee visited.

No Service Extension Yet For CGC Adeniyi, NCS

Suleiman Anyalewechi

April 1, 2025

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Nigeria Customs Service has described as false and misleading, reports claiming that President Bola Tinubu has extended the tenure of its Comptroller General CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

The Source reports that following the reported elongation of the tenure of the Immigration Service boss, Kemi Nandab last Friday, the Social Media has been inundated with news of a similar gesture, also, extended to her NCS counterpart.

But in a statement issued on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, by its National Spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, the Service noted that while it is true that such extension can be granted by the President using his discretion under the law, it ,however, insisted that nothing of such has happened ,as being claimed in some quarters .

According to the statement, no such directive has been communicated to the Management of the Service .

To this end, the NCS enjoined the public to disregard any information to that regard, noting that the Comptroller General and the Management remain focused on fulfilling their statutory mandate of trade facilitation, revenue collection and border security.

1...630631632...2,914 Page 631 of 2,914