Former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has condemned the President Bola Tinubu administration’s removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira, describing the policies as detrimental to Nigeria’s economy.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Ologbondiyan argued that a phased subsidy removal combined with effective palliatives, such as subsidised public transportation, would have been a more viable approach.

He criticised the administration for prioritising subsidised rice instead of addressing broader issues affecting Nigerians.

The former PDP spokesperson expressed dissatisfaction with the PDP’s lack of robust engagement with the government, saying more alternatives should be presented to address the country’s challenges.

His remarks followed a PDP governors‘ meeting over the weekend, during which they urged President Tinubu to reform the economy.

“Basically, I as Kola Ologbodiyan, subscribe to the ideas as laid down by the original founders of the party.

“For instance, let’s take the issue of the removal of subsidy, because what has brought Nigeria to its knees has been these two major decisions made by President Bola Tinubu, particularly on the subsidy and removal of the naira.

“But under the PDP leadership in the time past- I am aware that what we had was a phased subsidy removal, which also came with palliatives. The APC has said Nigerians should go and buy rice at ₦40,000 per bag. But the needs of Nigerians go beyond rice. So, I believe the policies could also be better if we have a public transport system where you and I won’t have to drive our vehicles at a subsidised rate.

“But the unfortunate thing as we are witnessing today is that we are paying lip service, even as PDP to engaging the sitting government on its reforms, to put forward alternatives,” Ologbondiyan said.

Since the removal of the petrol subsidy, the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) has surged from an average of ₦189 per litre in May 2023, when President Tinubu assumed office, to over ₦1,000 per litre in recent months.

Former Governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige, has said the Supreme Court made an error in its judgment on financial autonomy for local governments.

Ngige accused local council chairmen of being too corrupt than governors. He stated that most council chairmen crave to acquire choice estates in Abuja, Lagos and other Western nations.

The Labour and Employment Minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari argued that the Supreme Court judgment was in neglect of Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Ngige stated this at the weekend in Enugu on the topic ‘Local Government Administration and Primary Healthcare’, during the 29th annual general meeting (AGM) and scientific conference of the Association of Urological Surgeons, Nigeria (NAUS).

He noted that more than “15,000 primary healthcare centers were built across the country as constituency projects”, stressing the need for the State Economic Planning Boards to ensure that the abandoned healthcare centers were revamped as quickly as possible.

He noted that the “local government system remained pivotal to basic healthcare system, which former Minister of Health, Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, transformed into primary healthcare system”.

Senator Ngige further explained council chairmen’s desire for luxury affects building public health centers and schools in their areas and owing teachers several months of salary arrears and allowances.

“The same Supreme Court, in 2006, made a pronouncement in which it warned the Federal Government against dictating to the states how to spend local government funds accruable to them.

“The previous Supreme Court ruling when Justice Mohammed Uwais was the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) was pronounced in a case filed by three state governments – Lagos, Abia, and Delta – through their attorneys general, challenging then President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Local Government Account Monitoring Committee Act 2005,” the Nation quoted him.

He emphasized the need to implement statutory first-line deductions for the payment of salaries and wages of council workers, pensions and gratuities, traditional rulers’ entitlements and customary courts’ allowances before paying federal allocation directly to local government chairmen.

He added that the local government system would start working when governors obeyed the law, and the Houses of Assembly became aware of their responsibilities, including calling erring governors to order.

The former governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has described Atiku Abubakar as a man dedicated to fostering national unity.

The Senator of Sokoto South District said this while celebrating Atiku as he marked his 78 years birthday on Monday (today).

Tambuwal stated that the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through his vision and commitment to democratic values has left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s political landscape.

His congratulatory message read: “On behalf of myself and my family, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to His Excellency, GCON (Wazirin Adamawa), former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the occasion of his 78th birthday.

“Your Excellency, as you celebrate this significant milestone, it is an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable contributions you have made to the growth and development of our great nation. Your leadership has been a beacon of hope, resilience, and selfless service to the people of Nigeria. Through your vision, statesmanship, and unwavering commitment to democratic values, you have left an indelible mark on our political landscape.

“Your dedication to fostering national unity, advancing economic reform, and improving governance continues to inspire many, and your legacy of service is one that will endure generations to come.

“As you mark this special day, I join your well-wishers across the country in celebrating not only your longevity but also the remarkable impact you have had on the advancement of our nation. May this new year bring you continued good health, happiness, and success in all your endeavours.

“Once again, Your Excellency, happy 78th birthday. Nigeria is deeply grateful for your outstanding contributions to our collective progress.”

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has distanced itself from speculations and endorsements related to the 2027 governorship election, stating that such discussions are premature and not on its agenda.

There had been speculations that Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu and the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, have governorship ambitions.

In an interview with Daily Trust, the APC’s State Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, attributed the unfolding drama to opposition parties attempting to create unnecessary controversy.

Oladejo said, “The party has not spoken about the 2027 election. This is the time for impactful governance, not needless politicking to heat the polity.”

He added that there is no clash between Seyi Tinubu, Obasa, or any other potential aspirants within the party.

“I cannot recall any part of the speaker’s speech that drew a battle line with Seyi Tinubu or anyone else. This is simply the opposition trying to play up the situation to create unnecessary sentiment,” he said.

Oladejo also emphasised that the party focuses on its forthcoming congress and local government elections in 2025, urging members to prioritise unity and progress.

But reacting, the Chairman of the PDP in Lagos, Philip Aivoji, denied the party’s involvement in the alleged endorsements.

“Somebody has answered from APC that Lagos governorship is not a child’s play. What do you want me to say about it again? It’s not my party. People can insinuate anything,” Aivoji said.

When asked about Oladejo’s allegation against opposition parties, he said, “Well, I am not the one behind it. Anyone that is behind such evil against Lagos State, that person is on his own.”

Amid allegations of intense lobbying by the Presidency, some lawmakers in the National Assembly have reaffirmed their decision to oppose the Tax Reform Bills presented by President Bola Tinubu, prioritizing the interests of their constituents over external pressures.

The bills, which aim to introduce sweeping changes to Nigeria’s tax system, have sparked widespread debate, with critics arguing that the reforms could disproportionately impact certain regions.

Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, Senator Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila (Kano South) emphasized that his allegiance remains with his constituents.

“I am not aware of any pressure, but as I told you last week, we are studying the bill as usual and liaising with our constituents and relevant stakeholders to understand their feelings and views. It is the people’s views and will that will prevail in the end. This is what will happen,” he said.

Rep. Kwamoti Bitrus Laori (Demsa/Lamurde/Numan Federal Constituency, Adamawa) echoed a similar sentiment, emphasising that the welfare of his constituents remained his top priority.

“First and foremost, I was elected to represent a constituency, and that constituency is part of a larger state. So, as a caucus, we have to sit down and dissect the bill, know what is good for the state, and know what is good for our people, and then we will now take a position. That is my stand on this; whether there is pressure any where, is not my business. Those who are putting the pressure did not elect me; those who elect me are those who matter.

“We have sent the feelers to our constituencies. Look, this is what is happening; what position are we going to take? The feedback that we get from our constituencies, we will sit down and aggregate them, and that will be our position,” the PDP lawmaker said.

Also, Rep. Bappah Aliyu Misau (Misau/Dambam Federal Constituency, Bauchi) said, like his governor, he strongly opposed the tax reforms, declaring that lawmakers from Bauchi State, alongside their governor, would not support the bills.

Misau stressed that northern lawmakers were united in their stance against the reforms, as the proposed changes did not benefit their constituents.

“The presidency cannot pressure us; they didn’t elect us. This is about protecting the average person in Bauchi. No member from Bauchi will support this bill,” Misau stated.

He added: “You know how the Parliament works. You can say your opinion and make your stand known. The minority voices would be heard, but the majority voice prevails. Since that is always the case, then there will be a problem. They may do something else. But I am telling you, every patriotic Northern lawmaker is against it.

“Even the few lawmakers that are advocating for this bill are those who don’t even go to their constituencies. They are anti-north.”

Another lawmaker, who asked not to be named, said if the presidency was eager to get the buy-in of northern leaders, it needed to disabuse their minds on the derivation clause in the new bill by presenting a template to show how the VAT would be shared from January.

The lawmaker said, “They need to give the details with a template of how the Derivation Clause would impact the sharing formula. They should go beyond telling us that only three states are benefiting from the current sharing formula to show all the states how the new formula will be.”

A former police officer in Edo State, Inspector Edith Uduma, has threatened to kill herself and her children following her dismissal from the police force after she exposed an alleged rape incident involving a colleague.

She accused the state police command of unjustly dismissing her, saying the public had not also heard her side of the story.

Uduma’s dismissal came after a viral video that she captured in October showed one Sergeant Abraham, another officer, in a compromising position with a 17-year-old girl at the police station in the South Ibie area of Edo State.

The officer was seen hurriedly wearing his trousers and querying why Edith was making a video recording. The girl was seen lying on a chair in the room in the course of this.

It was learnt from the police that both officers were later dismissed following an orderly room trial.

The Edo State Police Command, in a statement released in November by its Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, alleged that Uduma conspired with her husband, Inspector Ibrahim Mohammed, to extort N1m from Abraham to cover up the incident. When Abraham reportedly offered N45,000 instead, the video was leaked online, the police claimed.

The command said, “That, contrary to reports from certain quarters, the said female police officer, AP/no 228719 Insp. Edith Uduma, was the Charge Room Officer on October 7, 2024, the night F/No. 504694 Sgt Abraham allegedly raped a female suspect in the station.

“The female officer, instead of reporting the incident to the Divisional Police Officer or the Incident Duty Officer as the case may be, for disciplinary actions to be initiated against the erring officer, took advantage of the situation to enrich herself by calling her husband, AP No. 228652 Insp. Ibrahim Mohammed, whom she conspired with to unlawfully demand the sum of N1m from the sergeant to assist him in concealing the matter.

“Following these events, an orderly room trial was initiated against all the officers, which led to the dismissal of Sgt. Abraham and Insp Edith Uduma.”

Uduma’s husband was also demoted to the rank of Sergeant.

However, Uduma denied the allegations in an interview with PUNCH Metro on Saturday, insisting she never extorted money and that she was not given a fair hearing. She alleged that her dismissal was orchestrated because she lacked influential connections.

Uduma who threatened to kill herself if she didn’t get justice said, “What the Edo Command is saying is not what happened. They know I have no rank or support to fight back,” Uduma said.

She further revealed that the Force Headquarters in Abuja was still investigating the matter only for the Edo command to hurriedly dismiss her.

“I want justice. My dismissal is unjust,” she said tearfully.

She said her husband who was also sanctioned had no connection to the matter.

“He (my husband) used to bring something for me to eat. He brought food that time to the station.

“If Nigerians refuse to listen to me – because my husband has been in detention, and they have been looking for me to arrest me, to charge me to court – if Nigeria refuses to listen to me, I will just poison all my children and myself. I will die. Because I’m just stranded like this,” she said, noting she had been in hiding and had not seen her children in a long time due to the incident.

She alleged that the DPO at the station prompted her to ask Sergeant Ibrahim for the N1m for negotiation when the sergeant reportedly disappeared after the incident, noting that this was to lure the suspect to show up.

According to her, she is surprised how the DPO and other officers allegedly turned the matter against her.

“If the police force can do this to a police officer, how much more to the innocent and civilians?”

The spokesperson for the Edo command, Moses Yamu, has not responded to calls and a text message put across to him on Sunday.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the then Divisional Police Officer of the station at the time the incident occurred, SP Lilian Osemwegie, has now retired.

A call was put across to a number said to be hers but a woman who responded after a question from our respondent, said, “Wrong number, wrong number.” PUNCH Metro cannot immediately verify if the former DPO was the one on the call, but a police source insisted it was her number.

In a statement made available to our correspondent on Friday, a human rights group, Take It Back Movement, petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over what it described as the unjust dismissal of the female police officer and reduction in rank of her husband for reporting the alleged rape case.

The petition titled, “Petition For Review and Reinstatement, Unjust Dismissal From Nigeria Police Force” was released by the TIB Abuja branch and signed by the Federal Capital Teriitory Coordinator of the group, Robert Ande.

“We humbly submit this petition to seek your intervention in the gross injustice perpetrated against Mrs Edith Uduma and her husband (Mohamed Ibrahim) with Force No.: AP/NO 228652 by the Edo State Police Command.

“Her dismissal from the Nigeria Police Force and the deduction of the rank of her husband from (Inspector to CPL) was unjust, and we request a thorough review of her case,” the petition read in part.

“Instead of commending her actions, she was dismissed, and her husband, Inspector Ibrahim Muhammad, was arrested and detained,” the group added, adding that the command’s action was capable of “hindering investigations and protecting the perpetrator of the rape.”

A former Chief of Staff to Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, has urged the federal government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu to adjust policies that are not working in the interest of the people.

According to Gambari, some other countries did not go through as much hardship as Nigerians are experiencing at the moment before riots broke out gainst the government.

He warned that the federal government of Nigeria must not wait until there’s a revolution in the land before adjusting policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that are not favourable to the people.

The diplomat argued that the institutions are partners of the country and should not ultimately determine how things are run.

“Ultimately, what’s the value of the policies that the people do not support?”

“The IMF and the World Bank are partners and this is our country. Therefore, if there is a policy they are advocating or they advised, and we find that it is not working, we should have the freedom to adjust it because our primary responsibility and of the government is to the people of this country,” the elder statesman said on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television.

Gambari said the Nigerian government is lucky because citizens of the country do not make much demands.

He added that it is the responsibility of every government to take the destiny of the people in its hands.

“We’ve been very lucky because Nigerians don’t demand very much. That’s why they go about their business. That’s why it has never been a pressure.

“There are countries like Sudan where the price of bread rose by 20% and there were riots, and a governor was overthrown. But in Nigeria, the people adjust but there may be a breaking point. We don’t want to wait till a revolution takes over before (we take action),” he said.

The diplomat noted that as much as Nigeria is part of the international community, the IMF and World Bank are not responsible for the day-to-day operations of the government, noting that managing the economy is the responsibility of the leaders.

He said, “Having worked in the United Nations for 13 years, and served my country at the United Nations for 10 years, I am saying that the leadership of every country has to take their destiny into their hands.

“Yes, we are part of the international community. Yes, we are part of the IMF and World Bank because we are part of the international system, but we must be able to adjust the advice of the IMF to our own needs. Our primary responsibility is to Nigeria. We are not responsible and we will not be held responsible for what the IMF does.

“Yes, we value them. They are development partners but this is our country. It is the only country we have. Nigeria is the only country we can call our own and we have to salvage it together.”

“Any president of Nigeria must make security number one because there can be no development without peace…The contribution every president can make to Nigeria is to secure this country. And then promote the framework to release the energy of our people so that they can master their affairs in terms of economy.”

Naija News reports Gambari spoke against the background of the fuel subsidy removal and floating of the naira, which were implemented by the Tinubu government and the attendant increase in living costs in the country.

The Presidency has rejected claims by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, that President Bola Tinubu is an accidental leader, insisting that the president was well-prepared for the position.

Reacting to Bishop Kukah’s remarks, the Presidency described Tinubu as a reformer whose leadership is already impacting various sectors of the country.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in his reaction, said, “He (Tinubu) is not an accidental leader, he is doing his best to ensure that we have a turn around in this country.

“Does he look like one at all? What I am saying is that, the man is not an accidental leader, he was prepared for this office. He even said it himself that he prepared for it and that he is doing his best to ensure that this country is lifted higher than he met it, he is doing his best.

“Because he prepared himself for the office, he is doing a lot of reform, he is touching every area and he is trying to make sure that this country is being turn-around.

“For those who said that the President is an accidental leader, that is the reason he is struggling.

“Tinubu has shown that he is a reformer and reforms are not done in quick fixes, it takes time for you to turn things around and he is doing it.

“He is doing reforms and he is the first to acknowledge that people will be affected and he is doing everything possible to ensure that those who are affected are also helped so that they will not be left behind.

“He is reforming a lot of things in Nigeria, you are talking about taxation, you are talking about the oil sector, so many reforms the man is carrying out.”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Nigerian youths to desist from the use and abuse of psychoactive drugs.

He noted that the usage adds no value to life, but instead causes immense destruction.

The politician stated this during the second edition of the Fly Above The High anti-drug campaign conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He urged youths to employ restraint, while highlighting the growing problem of drug abuse in Nigeria and West Africa.

Reflecting on his tenure as Chairman of the West African Drug Commission under the Kofi Annan Foundation, he expressed alarm at the region’s transformation from a transit hub for drugs to a center of consumption.

“But to our dismay, displeasure, and pain, at the end of the exercise, we found out that West Africa has equally been a centre for drug consumption in a very bad way. That was more than 10 years ago, so the situation has since gone worse. And whatever applies to West Africa applies to all other parts of Africa,” he said.

The former president also shared a personal anecdote about an early attempt to take up smoking, which led to severe coughing and deterred him from continuing.

“If I had persisted, I could have become addicted. Once you get involved, it is difficult to get out,” he said, warning the gathering of youths, students, mental health specialists, and policymakers.

“There’s nothing drug can do for you except destruction,” Obasanjo declared, urging those already addicted to seek help while cautioning society against stigmatizing them