The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has revealed that the arrest and subsequent indefinite detention of its embattled former Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has not stopped the anti-graft agency from carrying out its statutory duty or probing both high- and low-profile persons suspected of corrupt practices.

The spokesperson for the commission, Wilson Uwujaren made this known on Saturday, in an exclusive telephone interview with our correspondent.

Sunday PUNCH reports that while Bawa has now spent exactly 75 days in the dungeon of the Department of State Service, following his arrest in June, the EFCC has yet to arrest or probe any high profile suspect, including former and incumbent governors and ministers such as Bello Matawalle, Yahaya Bello, and Kayode Fayemi, all of whom were under probe of the commission before the assumption of the acting EFCC Chairman Abdulkarim Chukkol, to office.

In May 2023, under Bawa, the EFCC revealed that it was investigating Matawalle over an alleged N70bn contract fraud. Months before then, the commission had revealed its ongoing probe of the Yahaya Bello and some of his relatives over 14 properties and N400million alleged to be proceeds of corruption; while Mr Fayemi was said to be under investigation and was invited by the commission, over an alleged misappropriation of N4billion.

Intercontinental Marketing & Communication Consortium Limited has apologised to the Advertising Standard Panel, Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, over the usage of an unapproved advert billboard tagged, ‘All Eyes On the Judiciary’.

The company responded to the letter of violation received by the company from ARCON through its Managing Director, Stephen Ogboko.

Ogboko stated, “We sincerely apologise for this and state that our action was not intentional. The truth is that immediately after we received the brief for the said campaign, we sent the artwork to Mr Markus Inji Lukman, an ARCON liaison officer who has helped us vet campaign materials in the past. Mr Lukman assured us that the material would be approved, as he had seen a similar one.”

The company apologised for causing any inconvenience, adding that it would never do anything to threaten or cause disrepute to the country’s judiciary.

FG disbands advertising panel over controversial 'All Eyes on the Judiciary' billboards
Reacting to the development, the ARCON Director-General, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, stated that despite the apology, the company would face the tribunal.

He said, “They’ll be appearing before the Advertising Offences Tribunal and need to explain their position because it is very unfortunate. Verbal or communication of approval through verbal means or text messages doesn’t constitute approval. They are professionals; they are sworn to the advertising oath to protect the integrity of the profession. So, coming out to say that somebody within the system orally or verbally gave them approval is not acceptable. The damage is done already and they will be appearing before the tribunal.”

Fadolapo said the official who gave the purported verbal approval had been queried, adding that a committee was also looking into the process that led to such permission.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has appealed to Nigerians to stop cursing electricity workers.

Rather, he urged people in the country to support them.

He made this appeal on Friday during a visit to the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Adelabu said his vision for the ministry was to leverage the Nigerian Electricity Act of 2023 which opened new avenues for power provision and encouraged collaboration among states and the Federal Government.

The minister stated that the ministry under his leadership would foster robust partnerships between the private and public sectors and build upon the foundation laid by his predecessors.

“The Electricity Act of 2023 has unbundled electricity generation in Nigeria. So, I will urge all state governors to accelerate the passage of the electricity bill in their states.

“More so, I want to promise that the Ikere Gorge dam generates 20 KVA hydroelectricity. Ikere Gorge Dam is one of the major dams constructed by the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority to tap the water resources of the Ogun River basin,” he added.

Earlier, the CCII President-General, Niyi Ajewole, advised the minister to join hands with Governor Seyi Makinde for the progress of Ibadanland in particular and the state in general.

Lawyers have praised the decision of the immediate past president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata, to disengage from Templars law firm and participate in active politics.

Akpata had joined the the Labour Party early August and was presented with his LP membership card after attending the party’s meeting at Oredo Ward 6, Benin-City, Edo State.

On Friday, he tweeted his letter of disengagement from Templars, a law firm he co-founded with his cousin, Oghogho Akpata, in 1996.

Apata added that his decision was due to his passion to bring positive contribution to the nation.

“It is therefore with mixed feelings, but with a great sense of pride and responsibility, that I announce my disengagement from Templars with effect from 31st August 2023.

“This decision, which is not one that was taken lightly, became inevitable in view of my recent foray into active politics with a view to contributing towards the critical task of nation building.

“I wish to assure the lawyers and staff at TEMPLARS, our clients, the legal community in Nigeria, and the general public that this decision was a collective one, which accords with the Firm’s governance protocols that I signed up to,” he wrote.

Akpata’s decision came ahead of the Edo state Governorship Elections and he’s expected to officially join the race soon. He has been spotted with the presidential candidate of the Labour party, Peter Obi, a number of times.

Several lawyers considered his move as a step in the right direction.

“Best of luck incoming Governor Edo state,” Christian Tom wrote on his Facebook page.

“You shall be the next Governor of Edo State by God’s grace,” Assoh Mike stated on Facebook.

“Hearty Congratulations! I wish you great success in your pursuit to serve..God shall crown your efforts with glory and great success..The legal profession will miss you,” Favor Joseph wrote on Saturday.

Akpata’s popularity grew after he won the NBA presidential election two years ago.

He was overwhelmingly supported by young lawyers who felt they needed better representation in the justice sector.

U.S. President Joe Biden has extended an exclusive invitation to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to discuss the political standoff in Niger Republic on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in September.

The invitation comes after the Nigerien military ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in a coup d’état on July 26. The coup has been condemned by the international community, including the United States.

In a statement by President Tinubu’s media adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, Biden was said to be interested in speaking with the Nigerian leader on how Nigeria can work with the United States to support the restoration of democracy in Niger.

Biden’s invitation to Tinubu was conveyed on Saturday when the United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, H.E. Mrs Molly Phee, met separately with the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E Dr Omar Alieu Touray and its chair, President Bola Tinubu, to discuss ways to restore democratic governance in the Niger Republic, among other diplomatic issues.

Tinubu told the US delegation that war in Niger does not align with his economic reforms but assured that democracy would be restored in the country through relevant diplomatic channels.

This was disclosed through the Facebook pages of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and that of Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to TInubu on media and publicity.

At the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, the US diplomat was briefed on the latest efforts of the bloc to restore democratic governance in Niger.

On her part, Phee said the US will support peaceful resolution of the political crisis following the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum by the junta.

At the presidential villa, Tinubu said the crisis in the Niger Republic would not negatively affect his economic reform programme for Nigeria.

“We are deep in our attempts to peacefully settle the issue in Niger by leveraging on our diplomatic tools. I continue to hold ECOWAS back, despite its readiness for all options, in order to exhaust all other remedial mechanisms. War is not ideal for my economic reforms, nor for the region, but the defense of democracy is sacrosanct. The ECOWAS consensus is that we will not allow anyone to insincerely buy time,” Tinubu said.

Tinubu recommended the need “to ensure that U.S. policy is intentionally collaborative with independent African democracies at a time when they are under assault by anti-democratic forces within and outside of the continent.”

“Yes, the private sector will lead the way within an enabling environment we create for them, but the U.S. Government must be innovative in its thinking and systematically create incentives for U.S. industrial investment in Nigeria. Under my leadership, Nigeria stands ready to address their specific regulatory, tax and environmental concerns. I am determined to create prosperity for all Nigerian families,” the President said.

Responding, the U.S diplomat was said to have “extended an exclusive invitation from U.S. President Joe Biden to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City to advance discussions further in late September.”

“We know there is more we can do to incentivize large-scale American investment in Nigeria and we are committed to working closely with you to achieve that, as part of efforts to strengthen the Nigerian economy and the regional economy. We appreciate your willingness to create an enabling environment for that. President Joe Biden is asking to meet with you on the sidelines of UNGA and you are the only African leader he has requested to meet. It is a mark of his high regard for your leadership,” the U.S. Special Envoy said.

“The president that he accepts the invitation to meet the U.S. President on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and that the work of perfecting democracy is never done, even in developed democracies, as seen recently in America, as well as other emerging democracies in the world,” the statement reads.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Youth Advocacy Front (APC-NYAF) has called on the new ministers appointed by President Bola Tinubu to ensure youths’ inclusion in the governance process.

The group’s national coordinator, Jubril Ekwote, made the call in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

Mr Ekwote called on the ministers to consider youths that actively mobilised young Nigerians to vote massively for APC during the 2023 general elections.

He urged the ministers to provide employment opportunities for the youths and consider them for appointments into boards of agencies and parastatals.

Mr Ekwote pointed out that Mr Tinubu was known for grooming youths for leadership positions and has demonstrated this by appointing some young persons as ministers in his cabinet.

“We are expecting that the new ministers will reciprocate this gesture by prioritising young people in their governance structure.

“Youths that worked to sustain APC leadership in the country need to be recognised, patronised, and appreciated.

“This could be done through providing employment opportunities and appointments into the boards of agencies and parastatals,” he said.

He explained that the APC-NYAF emerged from the amalgamation of several APC youth support groups across the country.

Mr Ekwote argued that the groups had campaigned vigorously, day and night, online and offline, during the 2023 general election and mobilised voters at various polling units that ensured APC’s victory.

He, however, said the groups were not given the attention and recognition they deserved, considering their contribution to sustaining APC’s position as the ruling party in the country.

“We decided to come together under this platform to agitate, lobby, and push for the inclusion of youths in President Tinubu and Shettima-led administration.

“We are aware that the duo cannot absolve the numerous youths that supported and worked for the success of the party.

“This is why we are calling on the ministers to absorb as many youths as they can in their governance structure,” he said.

(NAN)

The World Bank has announced that over 148 million Nigerians will be empowered with digital Identity so as to reduce the level of poverty in the country.

The Bank’s Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri announced this at a meeting in Abuja.

He said the move will help improve lives, and create job opportunities for youths while leveraging digital technologies to drive transformation.

Chaudhuri revealed that the registration process will be done through a partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

“Our main mission here in Nigeria is to eliminate poverty, make lives better, create jobs for all Nigerian youth.

“One of the areas that we think have the greatest potential is the area of using digital technologies to transform.

“And to do that, it begins with having this digital national ID. So, one of the main partnerships we have is working with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure the rollout of the registration so that all 220 million Nigerians have a digital national ID.

“This will begin of course with all people of working age and I think the target for that is at least 148 million people by the middle of next year,” he said.

Chandiri also said the bank will assist Nigeria in leading the broadband infrastructure for broadband connectivity because without broadband connectivity, digital technologies will lead to a digital divide.

Reacting to the new development, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani said the government has approved half a billion dollars to fund a local program, that will boost entrepreneurship in the digital sector.

He said, “So we’ve got access to about half a billion dollars to start local funding.”

The minister also added that the beneficiaries of the funding would be Nigerians.

President Bola Tinubu on Saturday advised U.S. Presidential Envoy & Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Molly Phee, to ensure that U.S. policy is intentionally collaborative with independent African democracies at a time when they are under assault by anti-democratic forces within and outside of the continent.

The President noted that American-backed development finance and multilateral institutions, which were designed to support war-torn Europe after World War II, require swift and comprehensive reform to meet the developmental requirements of younger democracies in Africa, which operate in authoritarian-crowded environments, such that the legitimate yearnings of Africans would no longer be manipulated to serve the narrow aims of self-seeking demagogues through unconstitutional takeovers of power.

"Yes, the private sector will lead the way within an enabling environment we create for them, but the U.S. Government must be innovative in its thinking and systematically create incentives for U.S. industrial investment in Nigeria. Under my leadership, Nigeria stands ready to address their specific regulatory, tax and environmental concerns. I am determined to create prosperity for all Nigerian families," the President declared.

The Nigerian leader affirmed that the crisis in Niger Republic would not deter him from concluding his economic reform programme successfully for the benefit of Nigerians and that he takes a queue from no nation, but will only advance the interest of the Nigerian state in his approach toward ECOWAS' handling of the regional standoff.

"We are deep in our attempts to peacefully settle the issue in Niger by leveraging on our diplomatic tools. I continue to hold ECOWAS back, despite its readiness for all options, in order to exhaust all other remedial mechanisms. War is not ideal for my economic reforms, nor for the region, but the defense of democracy is sacrosanct. The ECOWAS consensus is that we will not allow anyone to insincerely buy time," the ECOWAS Chairman affirmed.

Pledging its support for the position of ECOWAS, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy expressed the high regard the U.S. Administration has for the leadership of the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Bola Tinubu, and extended an exclusive invitation from U.S. President Joe Biden to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City to advance discussions further in late September.

"We know there is more we can do to incentivize large-scale American investment in Nigeria and we are committed to working closely with you to achieve that, as part of efforts to strengthen the Nigerian economy and the regional economy. We appreciate your willingness to create an enabling environment for that. President Joe Biden is asking to meet with you on the sidelines of UNGA, and you are the only African leader he has requested to meet. It is a mark of his high regard for your leadership," the U.S. Special Envoy said.

The President concluded that he accepts the invitation to meet the U.S. President on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and that the work of perfecting democracy is never done, even in developed democracies, as seen recently in America, as well as other emerging democracies in the world.

Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

August 26, 2023