The lawmaker representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has voiced concerns over Daniel Bwala, a former aide to Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, suggesting that Bwala could be a political liability to President Bola Tinubu.

Bwala, who distanced himself from Atiku after Tinubu’s victory in the recent election, has been making efforts to align himself with the All Progressives Congress (APC), despite previously distancing himself from the party over its Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Senator Ndume criticized Bwala, indicating that his recent actions raise questions about his loyalty and political utility.

Bwala’s departure from Atiku’s camp and subsequent attempts to integrate into the APC have drawn scrutiny, especially given his previous critiques of Tinubu’s policies.

The tension between Ndume and Bwala escalated when Bwala accused Ndume of planning to mobilize youths to attack him in his local government area, Hawul, part of Ndume’s constituency.

Ndume responded to these allegations during a press briefing at his Maiduguri residence, expressing regret over Bwala’s claims and questioning Bwala’s connections to Hawul, suggesting that Bwala cannot trace his actual roots or connect with the local people there.

He said, “The only advice I can give President Tinubu is that, politically Daniel Bwala is just a Mad Dog who barks and bites even the owner, and so, Tinubu should be careful with the likes of Bwala.

“Bwala was once a member of the APC, but later ran away shamelessly and joined the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, where he started using all sorts of abusive and insulting words against Tinubu on Live television. Bwala can only be useful in attacking people, but the 2027 general elections are coming; all I can advise is for Bwala to come to Borno and trace his roots.

“Ordinarily, I did not want to join issues with him. I wouldn’t have replied to Mr Bwala because I believe Bwala’s strategy is how to get the attention and sympathy of Mr President to give him Police cover and maybe a job.

“I can describe Daniel Bwala as a failed Lawyer and empty drum making noise in Abuja. As I said, I did not want to respond, but because Bwala talked about threats or I am mobilizing Youths to attack him, which has security implications, is very sensitive.

“We have credible people in the Hawul local government area, and they know who Daniel Bwala is, in fact when I saw his message on X handle, I thought it was Inuwa Bwala, who was the former Caretaker Chairman of Hawul and a renowned journalist. I quickly drew his attention to it, which he said, he was not the one.

“Later, I was made to understand that it is Daniel Bwala who has no political relevance as far as Southern Borno is concerned.

“In fact, I replied to his post and said, if accusing and abusing me on Twitter or pages of Newspapers would fetch him something from Tinubu to survive after being a failed lawyer in Abuja, I would be happy for him.

“We have three former Deputy Governors from Hawul, and all of them are my ardent supporters and people I took in high esteem throughout my political surgeon. Bwala wants to portray the peace-loving youths as violent people. You can’t instigate Hawul people to go into political violence, because is not in their character. All I can say is that Bwala is trying to get sympathy from Mr. President.”

The senator also emphasized that the interview he granted on Arise TV did not accuse or insult President Tinubu, but only criticized some policies, which are counterproductive to average Nigerians.

[NaijaNews]

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Adegoke Fayoade, has advised residents of the state against attacking protesters.

Fayoade gave the advice while addressing traditional rulers and community leaders in Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, Epe and Lagos Island local government area during a town hall meeting on Saturday.

Fayoade said although police and other security agencies had met and declared that there should not be any protest in Lagos State, the residents should not attack any group or groups that might come out to protest.

“If there must be a protest, it must be peaceful. We want to know those who want to protest so that we can make arrangements for their security.

“It is your right to protest legitimately as long as it does not affect the rights of others.

“Any group planning a violent protest should rethink. Such a group will meet police and other security agencies. We don’t want a repeat of #EndSARS.

“The duty of residents is to give the police timely information about any group planning a violent protest, it is not for them to attack them,” he said.

[Newspot]

Kazakhstan’s duo Alexandra Le and Islam Satpayev won the first medal of the 2024 Olympic Games on Saturday after claiming an upset bronze in the 10-metre mixed team air rifle event.

Le and Satpayev cruised to victory over Germany’s Maximilian Ulbrich and Anna Janssen, outscoring their opponents 17-5 at Chateauroux.

Janssen, ranked world number one in the event, and Ulbrich, the world No.19, had been favourites to prevail against Le and Satpayev, ranked 33rd and 95th in the world respectively.

[Leadership]

The National Assembly has been thrown into mourning again following the death of the lawmaker representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.

Ubah reportedly died in the United Kingdom on Saturday at the age of 52. He was the sixth federal lawmaker to pass on since the 2023 general elections were held.

He was said to have travelled to the UK a few weeks ago for medical treatment but his health condition reportedly became critical.

The cause of his death could not be immediately ascertained.

Ubah was elected Senator in 2019 on the platform of the Young Progressive Party, YPP, and reelected on the same platform in 2023. He however defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) earlier this year and was aiming to run for Anambra State governorship in the 2025 offcycle election.

He contested the 2021 Anambra governorship poll but lost to Professor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Ekene Adams

Barely two weeks ago, the House of Representatives had lost member representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, Rep. Ekene Abubakar Adams.

He had reportedly battled ill-health in the months leading to his death.

According to a statement by the House Spokesperson, Rep. Akin Rotimi Jr, Adams died early Tuesday, July 16, at the age of 39.

“The House of Representatives is saddened to announce the passing of a dear member of the 10th Assembly, Rep. Ekene Abubakar Adams (LP, Kaduna), who died early Tuesday, at the age of 39.

“Rep. Adams was a dedicated public servant, passionate sports administrator, and kind philanthropist who, until his demise, chaired the House Committee on Sports. He was a first-term member of the House of Representatives, representing the good people of Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency of Kaduna State.

“The dear departed lawmaker was a kind and gentle humanitarian, loved by all who knew him. His dedication to the development of grassroots sports in Nigeria was unwavering, and his contributions to the House will be deeply missed,” the statement read.

A former football player, Adams had served as the general manager of Nigeria Premier Football League side Remo Stars as well as Kada City before he won a seat in the House of Representatives during the 2023 general elections.

His sports background earned him the role of the reps committee chairman on sports despite being a first-timer in the green chamber.

Olaide Akinremi

About a week before Adams’ death, the House of Representatives had lost member representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency of Oyo State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rep. Olaide Adewale Akinremi.

Akinremi’s death was announced in a statement on Wednesday, July 10, by the House Spokesperson, Rotimi Jr.

He said the lawmaker died after a brief illness, aged 51.

The statement described the late Akinremi as a distinguished and ranking member of the 10th Assembly.

He served as Chairman of the House Committee on Science Research Institutions.

“Until his demise, the Oyo legislator was a dedicated public servant known for his unwavering commitment to the development of his constituency and the country at large.

“His passion for service, coupled with his deep understanding of the needs and aspirations of his people, earned him the endearing title of ‘Jagaban,” the statement added.

Isa Dogonyaro

On May 10, 2024, member representing Garki/Babura federal Constituency of Jigawa State, Rep. Isa Dogonyaro, passed away.

One of his colleagues, Mohammed Bello El-Rufa’i announced the death of the lawmaker on his Facebook wall Friday morning.

He wrote, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. Earlier today, we lost colleague in the House of Representatives, a brilliant parliamentarian and an overall good man. May Allah SWT forgive him and grant him Aljannatul Firdaus”.

Speaking to Daily Trust on telephone, the Deputy House Spokesperson, Phillip Agbese, said he learnt about the death of the lawmaker through posts on social media and on WhatsApp groups of the House of Representatives.

He said, “There are the usual Islamic prayers and tributes by colleagues on various platforms. There is no official communication to the House yet. The family has not communicated to the House.

“That is the tradition. It is when the family communicates through the Speaker that we will officially announce his death. I learnt that the funeral prayer is scheduled in Abuja this afternoon”.

Dogonyaro was declared the lawful APC candidate for the House of Representatives in the 2023 general election after a court sacked Aminu Kanta who was declared the winner of the primary election in the constituency.

The deceased had challenged Kanta’s victory on the grounds of allegedly submitting a false name.

Abdulkadir Danbuga

On October 11, 2023 the member, representing Isa-Sabon Birni federal constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdulkadir Jelani Danbuga, died.

Dambuga’s colleague and member, representing Sabon Birni South constituency at the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Aminu Almustapha (aka Boza), had confirmed death to Daily Trust.

According to Boza, Dambuga died after a brief illness.

He was said to have been admitted in the hospital around Tuesday noon.

“His remains would be taken to the National Mosque for the bathing ritual after which it would be flown to Sokoto for burial around 11am,” Boza said.

Danbuga is survived by two wives, many children and grandchildren.

Ismaila Maihanci

About two months after he won the seat to represent Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency in Taraba State, Ismaila Maihanci, passed on. He died on April 22, 2023 at the age of 36.

Maihanci had won the election under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Born on October 22 1986, Maihanci served as a Special Adviser to Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku. He had also served as the Secretary of PDP in Taraba State.

[DailyTrust]

Ahead of the nationwide protest scheduled to commence on August 1, 2024, a former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has admonished the organizers to shelve the plan.

Kwankwaso, who is the national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, said they should rather make use of the ballot.

He said regime change through democratic means would be more efficient against an incompetent government than protests.

In a statement he personally signed on Friday night, Kwankwaso emphasized that effective and lasting change can be achieved through the power of the ballots not protests.

“It is with a deep sense of responsibility that I share my thoughts on the current situation in Nigeria.

“We find ourselves in avoidable hardship because our leaders missed some steps since 2007.

“However, there is always room for correction and setting the country on the right track for economic development, prosperity, and better welfare of citizens,” he said.

Kwankwaso highlighted several crises stemming from poor governance, such as federal interference in Kano State’s chieftaincy matters, the impeachment of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, political turmoil in Rivers State and widespread insecurity.

“Interferences by the Federal Government into the affairs of the chieftaincy matters in Kano State, impeachment of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, political crisis in Rivers State, sabotage to AIiko Dangote refinery, controversies surrounding SAMOA agreement, the conflict between Sen. Ali Ndume and the APC Leadership, widespread insecurity and other criminal acts are a few examples of avoidable and unnecessary crises,” he said.

He argued that those issues were symptomatic of a lack of accountability and transparency.

“It is sad to note that the attitude of our leaders to poor governance has plunged the citizens, especially youth, into hunger, insecurity, hopelessness, and a sense of giving up on the country,” Kwankwaso remarked.

He called on Nigerian leaders at all levels to urgently address those challenges by ensuring good governance and adherence to the rule of law.

Acknowledging the recent calls for protests, Kwankwaso recognized the collective frustration and yearning for a better Nigeria but cautioned against the potential consequences of such actions.

He urged Nigerians to consider the power of their vote as the most effective tool for change.

“In these trying times, our nation stands at a crossroads. Our collective frustration with bad governance has reached a boiling point, and the urge to protest is strong.

“As an elder and patriotic Nigerian, I share your concerns and your desire for change.

“However, I urge you to consider the consequences of national protests and to channel your energy into a more effective and peaceful means of transformation through the power of your ballot,” Kwankwaso advised.

Kwankwaso warned that protests, while a fundamental democratic right, often escalated into violence, leading to loss of lives, destruction of property, and widespread chaos.

“The repercussions of such actions extend far beyond the immediate moment, leaving scars on our communities and deepening divisions among us.

“I speak to you not just as an elder and a concerned citizen but as someone who deeply believes in the power and potential of our great nation.

“Let us put our country first and work together to build the Nigeria we all aspire to see,” he advocated.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) says the tightness in fuel supply and distribution is caused by a hitch in the discharge operations of a couple of vessels.

Mr Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., made this known on Saturday in a statement while reacting to the current queues and scarcity being witnessed in some parts of Lagos and the FCT.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that queues started building up at fuel stations in the FCT on Friday, as motorists were seen lining up at various fuel stations, while some have remained shut.

He said the Company was working round the clock with all stakeholders to resolve the situation and restore normalcy in the operations.

(NAN)

The Dangote Oil Refinery has denied a report that it was reselling cargoes of crude oil bought from the United States and Nigeria to other traders.

The spokesperson for the Dangote Group, Tony Chiejina, described the report as outright falsehood in an interview with The PUNCH.

Reuters had reported that three of the four trade sources familiar with the matter said the reoffer was linked to technical problems at the refinery. 

But Chiejina said the refinery is still sourcing for crude from Angola and Libya and the crude distillation unit is in good condition.

“Outright falsehood. We are sourcing more crude from Angola and Libya. Also, our crude distillation unit is functioning perfectly well. You may wish to visit the refinery even today or tomorrow,” he told our correspondent on Saturday.

In a follow-up statement on Saturday, Chiejina also urged the public to disregard such news as it only intends to scuttle the refinery. 

“Our attention has been drawn to a misleading report suggesting that our refinery’s crude distillation unit (CDU) is experiencing issues and that we are reselling crude oil. 

“We categorically deny these claims. The Dangote refinery is not authorized to sell crude oil purchased from Nigeria, and our CDU is fully operational and functioning optimally. 

“We advise the public to disregard these false narratives, which are likely driven by interests opposed to the local refining of fuels,” he said. 

The 650,000 barrel-per-day refinery started operations earlier this year, with complaints about crude shortage.

Sources had said cargoes of Nigerian Escravos and Forcados were among the crude grades offered as well as US WTI Midland.

Recall that the Vice President, Oil & Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr DVG Edwin recently alleged that the IOCs operating in Nigeria had consistently frustrated the company’s requests for locally produced crude as feedstock for its refining process.

He said the IOCs were deliberately and willfully frustrating the refinery’s efforts to buy local crude by hiking the cost above the market price by $6, thereby forcing the refinery to import crude from countries as far as the US, with its attendant high costs.

Edwin said, “It seems that the IOCs’ objective is to ensure that our petroleum refinery fails. It is either they are deliberately asking for a ridiculous and humongous premium or they simply state that crude is not available.

“At some point, we paid $6 over and above the market price. This has forced us to reduce our output as well as import crude from countries as far as the US, increasing our cost of production.

“It appears that the objective of the IOCs is to ensure that Nigeria remains a country, which exports crude oil and imports refined petroleum products. They are keen on exporting the raw materials to their home countries, creating employment and wealth for their countries, adding to their Gross Domestic Product, and dumping the expensive refined products into Nigeria, thus making us dependent on imported products.

[Punch]

The house of representatives says its probe into the dispute between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is to protect the country’s national assets.

Speaking with journalists on Saturday in Abuja, Philip Agbese, the deputy spokesperson of the house, said the investigation also involves the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) Limited.

NMDPRA and Dangote refinery have been embroiled in a dispute that began recently.

The dispute peaked on July 18 when Farouk Ahmed, the chief executive officer of NMDPRA, said local refineries, including the Dangote refinery, produce inferior products compared to the ones imported into the country.

Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Group, denied the allegations by testing diesel from his refiner on July 20 when federal lawmakers visited the plant.

He also called for a probe into the allegations of the NMDPRA.

On July 22, the lawmakers launched investigations into Ahmed’s claims.

They said allegations that the international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria are frustrating the survival of the Dangote refinery will also be probed.

On July 23, the house of representatives asked the federal government to suspend Ahmed over his “unguarded comments”.

‘DANGOTE REFINERY IS A CRITICAL ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE’

Agbese said the probe aligns with the lower chamber’s commitment to protecting all critical economic infrastructure, such as the Dangote refinery.

He said the dispute has led to uncertainties that caused fuel queues to resurface, which he deemed totally condemnable.

“We have been seeing a lot by way of demarketing campaigns to discredit the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and given the negative impact of this, which has caused panic in the country,” Agbese said.

“Unfortunately, what we have learnt is that the NNPC and NMDPRA play major role in these plots to discredit the refinery, which is unacceptable.

“The bigger aspect of our concern is that there are concerns that false narratives are being peddled by certain interests that are bent on importing dirty fuels into the country.

“As a proactive institution, committed to the wellbeing of the nation and Nigerians, the position of the house is to investigate the allegations.”

Agbese said the house aims to resolve the issue to pave the way for economic stability.

The spokesperson said the leadership of NMDPRA must be removed, asserting that both agencies have shown interest in destroying the refinery.

He added that if evidence of an attempt to sabotage the Dangote refinery is found, the house would call for the dismissal of Kyari. 

“It is on record that the house had directed the president to sack NMDPRA, so the house will also not hesitate to call for the sack of Mele Kyari, the Group chief executive officer of NNPCL if need be,” he said.

According to Agbese, many Nigerians have called off the proposed hardship protest, but they demand Kyari’s dismissal if it will ensure the smooth functioning of the country.