The ex-husband of Nigerian singer, Tiwa Sage, Tunji Balogun, better known as Teebillz, has slammed media personality, Toke Makinwa, following her interference in the divorce of iconic singer, 2Baba and his wife, Annie Idibia.

Naija News reports that Teebillz took to his Instagram page on Thursday to share photos of his ex-wife and their son, Jamil Balogun.

The talent manager spoke about the importance of family and warned others to learn how to stay away from family issues, noting that love never dies.

Taking a swipe at Toke, who had attacked 2Baba over his social media post announcing his separation from Annie, Teebillz said having a child requires a different type of forgiveness and love that the media personality has yet to attain.

He prayed for Toke to experience motherhood.

Teebillz also reminded Toke that she talked about him during his split from Tiwa Savage and urged her to mind her business regarding 2Baba’s ongoing divorce.

He wrote, “Family Matters…… Learn to stay out of it. I thank God for healing and love…Love never Dies…..TOKE MAKINWA, having a child for a Man is a different type of forgiveness and love that you are yet to attain…… I pray you do sis. I hope you remember the nonsense you talked about me too…Blessings and love to the Idibias during this trying time. Mind your business.”

Brazilian adult content creator Anna Beatriz Pereira Alves, better known as Anna Polly, reportedly plunged to her death from the balcony of the hotel where she filmed a threesome with two men.

Anna, who was found dead in the hotel courtyard, was said to have invited the men to the hotel at Nova Iguaçu, northwest of Rio de Janeiro, to participate in the filming of content for an adult platform.

According to Mirror, police have started a full-scale investigation into the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death.

It is believed that the adult actress fell from the balcony while filming, but the men gave conflicting accounts of what led to her death.

While confirming the incident, police investigators described the ongoing investigation as ‘complex,’ adding that the police are keeping an open mind because the tragedy could be an accident or a crime. 

A spokesman for the Baixada Fluminense Homicide Unit leading the investigation said: “We are conducting a thorough investigation to clarify what happened. It’s a complex case, and we don’t rule out any possibility, from an accident to a possible crime.”

The police homicide unit is reportedly analysing the hotel CCTV images as part of its investigation and has also questioned the staff.

Police are also looking at Anna’s mobile as part of the investigation. 

Mirror reported that the results of a post-mortem carried out have not been made public, and it is not yet clear if it showed the presence of drugs in her system or showed her being the victim of sexual violence.

Abosede, mother of the late singer Mohbad, has alleged that her son chose to keep his wedding to Omowunmi and the birth of his son private due to the threats and pressure he faced from his former label boss, Naira Marley. 

“My son lived in fear all his life. It was because of Naira Marley that my son did not publicise his wedding and the birth of his son. Mohbad was a good man. He never trafficked cocaine. I am saying this with conviction,” she said in a recent live TikTok session.

She claimed Joseph Aloba, Mohbad’s father, was responsible for delaying the DNA test to confirm the paternity of Liam, the singer’s son. 

'We aren't just a band of blind musicians; we have journalists, teachers and computer...0:00 / 0:00

Abosede expressed frustration over the ongoing controversy, stating that she and Omowunmi were ready for the test.

“Jossy is the one delaying the DNA. We are ready for DNA. Wunmi must do the DNA because of Liam. I know he is my grandchild. When Mohbad was alive he never mentioned Liam was not his,” she said.   

Abosede recalled how Aloba took pictures with Liam just days before Mohbad’s death, suggesting that he never doubted the child’s paternity. 

She insisted that her son was a good man and denied rumour linking him to drug trafficking. 

Addressing another controversy, Abosede clarified that Adura, Mohbad’s brother, was not the person who contacted actor Yomi Fabiyi with information about the singer’s death. She accused Yomi of attempting to frame Adura based on false claims from Damola, another individual involved in the case. 

Omowunmi, Mohbad’s widow, earlier called out Aloba for avoiding the DNA test, further fueling speculation about his true intentions. 

Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, under controversial circumstances, and his body was exhumed for an autopsy nine days later. However, the case remains unresolved as family tensions continue to dominate headlines

Zimbabwe’s public health crisis has recently come under threat as condom prices are reported to have reached record highs.

A survey by iHarare shows that the cheapest option, Protector Plus, now costs nearly $1.50 per packet, while Fantasy and Carex brands are priced at $3.20 and $3.30, respectively.

The sharp price hike follows the halt in USAID funding, stemming from former US President Donald Trump’s executive order on foreign aid.  

“USAID supports the procurement and distribution of 98% of all condoms in Zimbabwe, both for sale and for free. The halt in funding has severely impacted locally available condom brands, such as PSH’s Protector Plus, which are sold in shops for cost recovery,” the report reads.

Further on the report was the contrast of prices in 2023, with two packets of Protector Plus condoms going for just $1, but prices have since surged by 150%, making them unaffordable for many.

Calls from Population Solutions for Health (PSH) to remove VAT and import duties on condoms remain unanswered.

With Zimbabwe having one of the highest HIV prevalence rates globally, the condom shortage threatens to escalate the spread of HIV and other STIs

Opposition to the planned 50 per cent

telecommunication tariffs hike has thickened with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday, informing its affiliate unions and state councils to ensure total mobilization of workers and allies ahead of the February 4, nationwide mass protest against the planned tariffs hike.

Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has notified the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, of its pending suit challenging the government’s decision to approve an increase in telecommunications tariff by 50 per cent.

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This came as the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, said the hike will place additional burdens on low-income earners, noting, however, that it will offer necessary relief to operators.

But the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Related Institutions, NASU, umbrella body for pro-workers civil society organisation, Joint Action Front, JAF, and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, yesterday, called on Nigerians to join the February 4, planned protest, urging Nigerians to fully participate in any other action aimed at resisting the planned tariff hike.

However, NCC said it will engage NLC, SERAP, National Association of Telecom Subscribers in Nigeria, NATCOMS, and NATCOMS, to explain the reasons for the price adjustment.

NLC writes affiliates, state councils

The NLC, in separate letters dated January 30, to affiliate unions and state councils, through its General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, urged them to also mobilise other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.

The letter reads: “In response to a resolution of the meeting of the National Administrative Council, NAC, to resist the proposed 50 per cent hike in the tariff of telecommunication services and all other forms of policies that afflict Nigerian workers and masses, all state councils of NLC are directed to begin immediate mobilisation of members of their councils in their respective states for a one-day peaceful protest rally.

“The rally shall take place in various state capitals and FCT on February 4, 2025, by 7a.m. You are expected to co-ordinate all affiliates in your states and work with volunteering civil society partners resident in your state for effective rally.

“The rally procession should lead to any NCC office in the state, where not available, to the state House of Assembly where our petition will be presented. Further developments shall be made available.

“At this time of massive hardship, your unwavering support and determination is critical to defending ourselves and nation from policies that emasculate us for the benefit of corporate fat cats.”

Similarly, the letter to affiliate unions reads “In response to the decision of the NAC, resolution to resist the proposed hike in the tariff of telecommunication services and all forms of policies that afflict Nigerian workers and masses; all industrial unions affiliated to NLC are requested to begin immediate mobilisation of their members across the nation for a one-day peaceful protest rally.

“The rally shall take place in various state capitals across the nation and Abuja on February 4, 2025, by 7a.m.

“At this time of massive hardship, your unwavering support and action is critical to defending ourselves and nation from Policies that emasculate us for the benefit of corporate fat cats.”

SERAP writes NCC over pending suit against tariff hike

In a letter yesterday, SERAP, through the law firm of Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa & Co, cautioned the commission on the need to desist from taking any action that would be prejudicial to the suit before the court.

The letter reads: “We are solicitors to SERAP, the plaintiff in the above mentioned civil action, hereinafter referred to as our client, on whose behalf write to bring to your notice the pendency of the above-mentioned case an subsisting application for interlocutory orders for injunction therein.

“We have been reliably informed by our client that on or about January 20, 2025, the NCC, approved a 50 per cent increase in telecommunications tariffs, this approval is to lead to an in-in call rates from N11 to N16 per minute, data prices from N287.30 to 31.25 per GB, and SMS costs from N4 to N6.

“Given the increase comes at a time of economic hardship, further burdening Nigerians, many of whom struggle with poverty, unemployment, and high inflation, the hike will restrict access to telecommunications services, limiting the ability of citizens, including SERAP, to express themselves and share information, which is a fundamental human right.

“Our client equally informed us that the move has been met with public outcry and labour unions threatening nationwide action if the increase is not reversed.

“Being dissatisfied with the violation of its constitutional and vested right and further attempts to carry out activities to the detriment of our client’s interest and rights, take notice that the above-mentioned matter has been instituted at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking, inter alia, for a declaration that the tariff increase is unlawful and should be set aside with an order restraining the NCC and telecommunication companies from enforcing the tariff hike.

“Our client is, therefore, seeking judicial intervention and determination of the legality of all actions and decisions in relation to the increase and planned implementation of the telecommunication tariffs.”

NATCOMS had on Wednesday, also threatened court action over the planned tariff hike.

It’s additional burden on masses —LCCI

Director-General of LCCI, Dr. Chinyere Almona, said: “While this hike may offer relief for the operators, it risks placing additional strain on consumers, particularly those in lower-income brackets. Another factor of consideration by most stakeholders is that Nigerian citizens and businesses deserve better services from the operators and more robust regulation from the government.

“In our quest for a one trillion-dollar economy, we need more investments in critical infrastructure to drive the much-needed digital revolution for growth and development. A robust digital infrastructure will support innovation across all sectors of the Nigerian economy.

“Looking beyond the hike, the operators and regulators need to settle down into delivering quality services to drive operational cost efficiency for businesses and support the automation of government services.”

Full blown strike should follow protest — NASU

Lending support to the NLC proposed protest, General Secretary of NASU, Prince Peters Adeyemi, said: “The planned protest by the NLC is extremely important and a welcome development. The so-called telecommunication tariffs will add to the burden of Nigerian workers. It is not only exploitative but an act of wickedness.

“Why do they need such increase at this time? Are they running at a loss? I think the Federal Government should stop them. We are paying too many charges already. If you know how much the banks are removing from our money under different guises, you will be amazed.

“So, the NLC planned protests makes a lot of sense to us. It should go beyond protest. It should be followed by a full-blown strike action.”

We are ready for protest, other actions — JAF

Similarly, JAF’s Secretary, Abiodun Aremu, said: “JAF stands with the NLC in all protests that will advance the collective interest of the working class and the oppressed poor in our country.

“JAF will not only call on Nigerian workers to stand resolute in mobilising for a successful action but will join the NLC to encourage the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, and other pro-workers platforms to join forced with the NLC.

“Equally to state that for JÀF, since its strategic relationship with the NLC since 2003, and its alliance with the NLC and TUC in LASCO (Labour and Civil Society Coalition), JAF will at no time decline any invitation from the NLC to join any protests anchored on working-class interests and the yearnings of Nigerians.

“We will as a tradition and with our full commitment play an active role in the protests and hereby urges all our allies and other constituencies of the oppressed masse, nationwide to harken to the call for action.”

HURIWA calls for mass resistance

National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said: “This government is increasingly proving to be one designed to serve the interests of big business and profiteers rather than the ordinary Nigerian. It is a government for corporate organisations, controlled by ministers who were allegedly hand-picked by billionaires to advance their business empires.

“Nigerians must realise that this fight is not just for NLC alone, it is a fight for every citizen being crushed by reckless economic policies.

“The NCC is supposed to be a regulatory body, but it has become a shield for telecom companies. There is no accountability in the way telecom firms deduct data, over-charge for services, or fail to deliver quality connectivity. Nigerians are being defrauded daily, and rather than stepping in to enforce consumer rights, the NCC is working to legalize their exploitation by approving this insensitive tariff hike.

“If Nigeria claims to be a capitalist economy, then telecom operators should negotiate their pricing directly with their customers based on quality of service. Government should not be imposing price hikes in a supposed free market. This move by the NCC is more akin to communism, where the state dictates economic outcomes, but in this case, it is for the benefit of private corporations at the expense of the masses.

“This is a deliberate attempt to stifle free speech and economic self-reliance among young Nigerians. Many unemployed youths create and post content online as a source of income. By making internet access unaffordable, the government is ensuring that only the wealthy and the elite have the power to communicate and engage in digital opportunities.

“The protest must be seen as a collective struggle for economic justice. Nigerians should not remain passive while their rights are being trampled upon.

“HURIWA will fully participate in this protest, and we call on all citizens to rise up and demand their rights. Those who have also gone to court to challenge this tariff hike have taken the right step, and we hope the courts will not disappoint Nigerians by siding with corporate greed,” he added.

It must not be one of struggle — MSA

In the same vein, the Movement for Socialist Alternative, MSA, through its General Secretary, Dagga Tolar, said: “We welcome the action and encourage all workers to come out in full support of the action.

“We also call on the NLC to not see this as a one-off action but to go ahead to put a committee in place for an action plan of mobilisation of all social forces of the working masses, including all pro-labour and civil society groups, informal workers groups, student and youth groups across the federation, so as to commence a coordinated action of struggle against all of the anti-people policies of the Tinubu regime

“Now is the time to act, to organise the working masses to go on a rescue mission and save the country from this rapacious gangs of the ruling class that puts the interest of capital both foreign and national above the wellbeing of the ordinary citizens of the country.”

NCC to engage NLC, SERAP, NATCOMS to explain reasons for price adjustment

On its part, the NCC yesterday said it would do everything possible to engage everybody or group peeved with the recent price adjustment, in order to explain why it was necessary.

The commission was responding to the threat by NLC to stage a nationwide protest on February 4, 2025.

A top NCC official said the commission had neither received any letter from the NLC nor NATCOMS seeking clarifications or reasons for the adjustment, even though it was working seriously towards engaging and explaining reasons to everybody or group that was not comfortable with the price adjustment.

The official said: “Most of the protests against the price adjustment, including court actions and threats of it are basically out of ignorance. Most people do not understand the grave implications of what they are calling for. If they would give the commission the listening ears, they would understand we acted to save the sector and the entire economy.

“When the Nigerian Association of Nigerian Students, NANS wrote us, we invited them for a meeting and by the time we explained the processes and procedures, including the grave implications if we didn’t do what we did, they clearly understood.

“I believe every other group that would allow dialogue will also see reasons. We are going to engage everybody, even those who are said to have gone to court already. To safeguard the economy should be more important to all than pandering to sentiments,” he added.

Recall that NLC had Wednesday after an emergency NAC, meeting among others, urged willing civil society allies to join the planned February 4 protest and called on Nigerian workers, the informal sector, and the general public to stand in solidarity against this unjust policy.

A communiqué by NLC’s President, Joe Ajaero, at the end of the NAC meeting, informed that the meeting was convened 2025, to deliberate on pressing national issues, including the recent approval of a 50 per cent increase in telecommunications tariffs by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.

Recall also that NLC had on January 22, rallied rejected the 50 percent telecommunication tariffs hike approved by the federal government through the NCC.

According to NLC, the 50 per cent tariff hike approval, “at a time when Nigerian workers and the masses are grappling with unprecedented economic hardship, is a clear assault on their welfare and an abandonment of the people to corporate fat cats.”

The Naira yesterday appreciated to N1,493 per in the official foreign exchange market.

Data published by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, showed that the exchange rate for the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) fell to N1,493 per dollar from N1,506 per dollar on Wednesday, indicating N13 appreciation for the naira.

The official exchange rate once reached the N1,400 per dollar threshold in January and May 2024.

The official exchange rate has been on an appreciating trend following the launch of the CBN Foreign Exchange Code this week.

Similarly, the Naira appreciated to N1,620 in the parallel market from N1,630 per dollar on Wednesday.

Consequently, the margin between the parallel market and NFEM rate widened to N127 per dollar from N124 per dollar on Wednesday.

Fubara’s camp wants Damagun kicked out as chairman, opposition govs converge on Asaba

Prominent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, including the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee members, have waded into the rift between the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.

While some called on both leaders to close ranks and rebuild the party ahead of the next election cycle in 2027, others argued that the rift between the two politicians was personal and as such, would have no impact on the fortunes of the party at the polls in two years’ time.

Last week, Wike through his media adviser, Lere Olayinka, chided the Bauchi governor for his opposition to the tax reform bills, which were transmitted to the National Assembly in the last quarter of 2024.

Returning the favour, the governor labelled the FCT minister a “transactional politician” whose habitual betrayal of his benefactors was well documented.

At Wednesday’s Board of Trustees meeting of the party in Abuja, the acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, and the BoT chairman, Adolphus Wabara, expressed disappointment at the multi-layered crises currently rocking the PDP and called on aggrieved members to sheathe their swords in the interest of the party.

Speaking exclusively with our reporter on Thursday, the National Organising Secretary of the party, Umar Bature, said the verbal war between the two leaders is personal and has nothing to do with the PDP.

When asked if the ongoing feud is capable of wrecking the boat of the PDP, Bature said, “I don’t think so. It is personal between them and has nothing to do with the party.”

Also speaking, a member of the party’s National Executive Council and Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, blamed the ruling APC for the rift within the party ranks, stressing that the fear of the fate which awaits the ruling party largely informs its fixation on the PDP.

He, however, called on the two warring PDP chieftains to let go of their differences and rebuild the party for future challenges.

Osadolor said, “No other political party outside the PDP, has a chance to defeat the ruling APC. This is why the APC is interested in fueling the crisis in the PDP. As statesmen and leaders, we urge them (Wike and Bala) to close ranks if not for their interest but in the overall interest of Nigerians.

“The two men (Wike and Bala) are senior members of the PDP. It is not in the best interest of the younger generation for them to continue to publicly attack themselves the way they are doing but we need to look at the issues. The issues are political.

“Wike is a senior member of the PDP who has paid his dues and is still paying his dues. Gov Bala Mohammed is an elder statesman and chairman of the PDP Governors Forum. But this is not the time to apportion blames

“Being critical stakeholders and role models to many young ones, we must appeal to them to sheathe their words. For the interest of the PDP and Nigerians who believe in the party, they should close their ranks and help build a formidable party that will dislodge the APC in 2027.”

On claims by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai urging the opposition to come together and give the APC a fight in 2027, Osadolor described the remark as encouraging, adding that the ex-governor was free to return to the party that first thrust him into national prominence.

He said, “We know that El-Rufai is used to verbosity at times. It was the PDP that exposed him to the national limelight. So, we are not particularly surprised that he is saying things seen by many as pro-PDP. What he said was not unexpected of him. If he wants to return to the PDP, he knows that the doors are wide open to him. He also knows that there is a seat waiting for him to come and sit on. Credible persons like El-Rufai will help not only to rebuild the PDP but also to rebuild the nation.

“He (El-Rufai) has shown time and again that with public office, he can deliver for the benefit of the people. He was able to showcase his worth because the PDP gave him the platform to do so. Since then, he has become a household name. It is only natural he comes back home,” he added.

Taking a different stand, another NEC member, Diran Odeyemi, disagreed with the notion that APC was responsible for the crisis in the PDP.

According to him, the indiscipline being witnessed in the party could have been avoided if sanctions were meted out against those who violated the PDP constitution by their actions in the past.

He said, “Only a bad workman blames his tools for a job badly done. We are the cause of our problems. We must stop blaming the APC for the crises in our party. Let me add that we know why these crises are lingering.

“To address these issues, we must admit that nobody is bigger than the PDP and nobody is above discipline. Anyone guilty of perpetrating anti-party activities should be sanctioned.”

Oyinlola meets govs

Meanwhile, the party vowed to put an end to the lingering crisis in the party.

The Chairman of the PDP National Reconciliation Committee, Senator Olagunsoye Oyinlola, stated this during a meeting with the three PDP governors from the North East sub-region in Bauchi on Thursday.

The meeting brought together Senator Oyinlola and the governors of Bauchi, Adamawa and Taraba states.

Oyinlola emphasised the importance of reaching out to aggrieved party members and resolving internal conflicts to re-establish a formidable force that could ensure the PDP’s return to power.

While commending the three PDP governors for their efforts in strengthening the party, Senator Oyinlola urged them “to deepen the reconciliation process down to all stakeholders for sustainable growth and development.

“The main purpose of the committee is to reconcile and reunite party members, thereby positioning the PDP for victory in the next general elections.”

Speaking on behalf of the three PDP governors, Adamawa State Governor, Umaru Fintiri, described the activities of the committee as timely and expressed confidence that the party would bounce back to power.

He also criticised the APC-led Federal Government for inflicting hardship on Nigerians through its economic policies.

“Addressing the challenges facing the party, with the ultimate goal of regaining power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 is timely, “Fintiri noted.

The Special Assistant to Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media, Jerry Omatsogunwa, said it was time the PDP kicked out its acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, was shown the way out.

Omatsogunwa said the party ought to obey the law, saying what happened at the party’s national secretariat on Wednesday was shameful.

He said this while speaking to one of our correspondents on the telephone on Thursday, saying disregard for the law was at the centre of the crisis in the main opposing party in the country.

Omatsogunwa also said Samuel Anyanwu, one of those laying claim to the National Secretary of the party, had no right to return after he left to contest for an elective position.

The media aide to Governor Siminalayi Fubara said since Damagum’s emergence as acting National Chairman, the PDP was losing more states.

He said, “For me the way forward is that the party is a creation of law or the constitution and if the law has said this person you have gone out to contest election and you don’t have any right to come back.

“I think that the law should be obeyed to the letter. It is this idea of self-help thinking that you can do something on your own in disregard for the law. That is where the problem comes in.”

He added, “The PDP as a law abiding party ought to have obeyed the court judgment that said Anyanwu is no longer the party secretary. Because if Anyanwu had gone to another High Court when the Appeal Court that is higher than the High Court had given judgment, I think that is an aberration.

“So if you have appealed at the Supreme Court and you need to do the needful, do it. Then at the end of the day if it favours you fine you come back. If it doesn’t favour you, you have lost at the Federal High Court, you have lost at the Appeal. So why still grandstanding?

“For peace to reign, I think Anyanwu needs to be kicked out so that peace can reign. But I also think that Damagun, who is the acting Chairman, needs to be thrown overboard like the Biblical Jonah because of too much trouble.

“You can be a witness that since he came in even some states that are ruled by the PDP have lost it. Same thing that happened to Oshiomhole and at a time Oshiomhole was kicked out of the APC. 

The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has slammed the former governor of Osun State, Bisi Akande, over his allegation that the 2020 #EndSARS protest across Nigeria was orchestrated by the Obi’s supporters, otherwise known as Obidients, to derail the ambition of the current President, Bola Tinubu.

Obi and the Obidient Movement described Akande’s narrative as an attempt to rewrite history, adding that it was insensitive to the memory of #EndSARS victims, particularly those who lost their lives.

The nationwide #EndSARS protest, which lasted between October 7 and 20, began with the demand for the disbandment of the notorious police wing called Special Anti-Robbery Squad but soon snowballed into a demand for good governance.

There were confrontations between protesters and security agents, particularly in Lagos State, where soldiers allegedly opened fire on defenceless protesters at the Lekki Tollgate.

In a recent podcast anchored by a popular broadcaster, Edmund Obilo, Akande claimed that the #EndSARS protest was orchestrated by Obidients to stop Tinubu’s presidential ambition.

According to him, the movement was well funded with foreign donations.

“The Obidients were behind the #EndSARS. It was manufactured in America and brought in just to stop him (Tinubu). I said the Obidients, I didn’t say Obi.

“They came from America to do the #EndSARS and later became a movement to form a party. They couldn’t form a party. It was well planned and organised with a lot of money from America,” the octogenarian asserted.

But in an interview with our correspondent on Thursday, Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, tackled Akande, describing his claims as misleading and insensitive to the people who died during the protest.

He said, “The allegations are not only misleading but also divisive. It is unfortunate Akande would suggest that the Obidient Movement was behind the #EndSARS protests, and even more astonishing that he would imply it was orchestrated to prevent a particular individual from becoming President.

“Well, let me be clear: the movement is a grassroots phenomenon that emerged organically, driven by the passion and dedication of Nigerians who are committed to creating a better future for our country. It’s a movement that transcends partisan politics and is focused on promoting good governance, accountability, and inclusive development.

“The #EndSARS protests, on the other hand, were a spontaneous response to the widespread discontent and frustration among Nigerian youth regarding issues of police brutality, corruption, and economic inequality. It’s a testament to the resilience and determination of our young people, who are demanding a more just and equitable society.

“To conflate these two distinct phenomena is not only inaccurate but also unfair to the millions of Nigerians who are genuinely committed to creating positive change. We urge former governor Akande to refrain from making unsubstantiated claims that can only serve to further polarise our society.”

Similarly, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Tanko Yunusa, described Akande’s narrative as an insult to the memory of all #EndSARS victims, particularly those who lost their lives.

He said, “The Obidient movement outright rejects the baseless and revisionist claim by former Governor Bisi Akande. His false narrative is not only an insult to the memory of the young Nigerians who lost their lives in the fight against police brutality but also a desperate attempt to rewrite history and shift blame for the government’s failures.

“#EndSARS was a decentralised, youth-led movement demanding an end to police brutality, extrajudicial killings, and systemic oppression in Nigeria. It was not about politics, nor was it about any single individual’s presidential ambition.

“Rather than engaging in revisionist propaganda, we urge Akande and his associates to focus on addressing the real issues facing Nigerians today — economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, and bad governance. The people are suffering, and no amount of misinformation or historical distortion will change that reality.”

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, has said that without the bank’s policy interventions, inflation would have surged to 42.81 per cent by December 2024.

He also projected that diaspora remittances would rise to N31.79tn when fourth-quarter figures for 2024 are released.

The apex bank’s boss further pledged to stick to orthodox monetary policies to tame inflation in 2025.

Cardoso spoke at the 2025 Monetary Policy Forum, which brought together ministers, heads of economic agencies, and private sector players.

He stated that counterfactual estimates suggest that without decisive policy interventions, inflation could have reached 42.81 per cent by December 2024.

He further noted that throughout 2024, the CBN implemented bold policy measures across six Monetary Policy Committee meetings, including raising the Monetary Policy Rate by 875 basis points to 27.50 per cent, increasing the Cash Reserve Ratio for Other Depository Corporations by 1,750 basis points to 50.00 per cent, and adjusting the asymmetric corridor around the MPR.

Cardoso said, “Counterfactual estimates suggest that without these decisive policy interventions, inflation could have reached 42.81 per cent by December 2024.

“Throughout 2024, the bank implemented several bold policy measures across six MPC meetings, including raising the Monetary Policy Rate by a cumulative 875 basis points to 27.50 per cent, increasing the Cash Reserve Ratio of Other Depository Corporations by 1,750 basis points to 50.00 per cent, and adjusting the asymmetric corridor around the MPR.”

Cardoso highlighted that the CBN implemented critical foreign exchange reforms to enhance market efficiency.

The unification of multiple exchange rate windows contributed to a 79.4 per cent rise in remittances via International Money Transfer Operators to $4.18bn in the first three quarters of 2024, up from $2.33bn in the same period in 2023.

Other major FX-related interventions included clearing a $7bn FX backlog, which restored market confidence and improved FX liquidity, lifting restrictions on 41 items previously banned from access to the official FX market since 2015, and introducing new minimum capital requirements for banks, effective March 2026, to enhance resilience and global competitiveness in the sector.

The apex bank also launched the WIFI initiative under the National Financial Inclusion Strategy, aimed at bridging the gender gap in financial access by empowering women with financial services, education, and digital tools.

Also, the Nigeria Foreign Exchange Code was introduced to ensure integrity, transparency, and efficiency in the FX market.

Cardoso described the code as a binding commitment by the financial sector to rebuild trust and boost confidence.

He said these reforms reflect the CBN’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for inclusive economic development, adding that achieving macroeconomic stability requires sustained vigilance and a proactive monetary policy stance.

On inflation, the CBN governor warned that managing disinflation amid persistent shocks would require strong policy coordination between fiscal and monetary authorities.

He stated that the focus must remain on price stability, the planned transition to an inflation-targeting framework, and strategies to restore purchasing power and ease economic hardship.

He expressed optimism that Nigeria had turned a corner and that disinflation was within reach but stressed the need for bold and coordinated policy measures to consolidate progress.

Cardoso noted that global capital flows to emerging markets could improve as advanced economies ease monetary policies.

However, he stressed that Nigeria’s ability to attract inflows would depend on investor confidence in domestic reforms, macroeconomic stability, and positive real returns on investment.

He reiterated that the CBN’s transition from unorthodox to orthodox monetary policies was aimed at restoring confidence, strengthening policy credibility, and prioritising price stability.

Encouragingly, he said, FX liquidity is improving, and the naira is gradually aligning with market fundamentals, creating a more predictable environment for production, exports, and essential imports

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party is showing no sign of abating. Ahead of the 2027 election, the PDP will have itself to blame if party leaders currently engulfed in a battle of supremacy, fail to give peace a chance. PUNCH reports

Ever since it lost power at the centre in 2015, the Peoples Democratic Party has been struggling to regain the fame that once made it arguably the biggest political party in Africa. Shackled by the chains of its forging, the once-dominant party’s fortunes are at an all-time low, even as some political pundits now see the Labour Party as a more potent opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress than the PDP.

Left with 13 states after the 2023 general election, the PDP in the 2024 off-season election, lost Edo to the APC and failed to wrest Ondo from the APC, despite the crisis occasioned in the party following the death of former Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

Earlier in the week, a former PDP member and erstwhile Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, had this to say about the once-dominant political platform which held sway at the centre from 1999 to 2015: “There are internal mercenaries in the PDP, hired and motivated to destroy the party.”

He then called on the opposition, with PDP in the forefront, to bury its differences and forge a common front to ward off the possible return of the military in the political governance of the country.

“We have to put aside our differences and create a broad platform that will do the driving of the military again, because we are almost there again,” he added.

Considering the crisis in the PDP Rivers State chapter featuring Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on the one hand and the chaos in the NWC on the other, it is difficult, if not impossible, to fault the position of El-Rufai.

Only recently, PDP’s biggest financier in recent times, Wike, slammed the Bauchi State Governor, Mr Bala Mohammed, for his opposition to Umar Damagum-led National Working Committee of the party and the four tax bills transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration and passage by President Bola Tinubu.

Wike, who remains a critical stakeholder in the PDP despite accepting to serve in the APC-led government, is believed by many as the reason the moves to replace the party’s acting National Chairman, Damagum, have become a mere dream.

The minister’s decision to publicly reprimand Governor Mohammed over the tax bills and ignore the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, was both political and personal. Being members of the same PDP, analysts argue that Wike could have privately engaged with Bala, rather than taking him to the cleaners in a statement issued by his media adviser, Mr Lere Olayinka.

In return, the Bauchi State governor described Wike as “A transactional politician whose habitual betrayal of his past benefactors is well documented,” stressing that “While Wike accuses others of insincerity, he has seamlessly transitioned from being a self-proclaimed PDP stalwart to an ardent supporter of the APC government. He now advocates the re-election of the same APC administration in 2027, all while continuing to claim membership in the PDP. This chameleonic behaviour raises serious questions about Wike’s credibility and moral compass.

“Nigerians are not deceived by Wike’s antics. They see a man willing to undermine his party for personal gain, a man whose loyalty shifts as quickly as his alliances. By contrast, Senator Bala Mohammed’s opposition to the tax reform bills reflects a principled stand aimed at ensuring inclusive governance and accountability. His constructive interventions have already led to significant adjustments in the reform process, underscoring the importance of meaningful dialogue over hollow rhetoric.”

Wike’s attack on Bala Mohammed, if not resolved, will only make the PDP weaker as skeletal preparations for the 2027 election cycle begin next year.

The dust raised by the Wike-Bala rift was yet to settle when, on Wednesday, another ugly incident played out at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja,

the nation’s seat of power.

At the gathering of the party’s Board of Trustees members, two party chieftains, both laying claims to the national secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye, took their seats, an indication that upheaval was in the offing.

Although, Ude-Okoye, a former National Youth Leader of the party, did not have the privilege of sitting closer to Damagum in the order of ranking of the National Working Committee members; his presence alone fuelled the wrath of Anyanwu’s loyalists who wasted no time to push him out of the NEC hall, venue of the BoT meeting.

Ude-Okoye, who ran out of the secretariat, could be heard instructing young men dressed in black apparel to make their way into the BoT meeting; a wish that failed to materialise, following the quick intervention of security agents who were on hand to maintain law and order.

The trouble with the exalted seat of the PDP National Secretary started when Anyanwu while serving in the office, declared his intention to vie for the Imo State governorship ticket on the platform of the party.

While the declaration was a constitutional entitlement, Anyanwu failed to resign his position, thus triggering litigations from opposing camps within the party.

A lawsuit was subsequently filed, challenging Anyanwu’s continuous claim to the office of the National Secretary, having left to contest the governorship election which he lost to Governor Hope Uzodimma.

The Enugu High Court ruled in favour of this argument, declaring the office vacant and recognising Ude-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary.

Not one to quit without fighting, Anyanwu ran to the Court of Appeal, arguing that holding a PDP governorship ticket was not enough to make him lose his position as a member of the party’s NWC.

In its ruling, Justice Ridwan Abdullahi of the Appellate Court upheld the High Court’s decision affirming Okoye’s position and describing Anyanwu’s appeal as lacking merit.

As argued by Damagum, the crisis threatening the PDP today is perhaps the creation of its members; men and to a lesser extent, women who rode on its wings to power in the good days of yore.

Addressing the BoT members at the meeting, Damagum warned party leaders of the dangers of prioritising individual ambitions against those of the collective interest of the PDP, reminding them not to forget that only the party has what it takes to bail Nigerians out of the economic hardship brought on them by the President Bola Tinubu-led government.

Damagum said, “There is a crisis within the NWC. It is normal. Unfortunately, I want to say this with a high sense of responsibility. Most of these crises that you see today within the NWC are propelled by our leaders who are supposed to unite us.

“It is very unfortunate. I will say it the way it is. We all know the workings of the NWC. Some of you here have been members of the NWC. I’m sitting down here as the chairman only to see my members called by certain leaders to visit certain places without even my knowledge.

“I want to use this opportunity to caution us and our leaders. You may have ambition but you don’t ride on a dead horse to reach your destination. If you create a crisis simply to further your ambition, you may get what you want but your dream will not be realised because you have injured the horse you are going to ride to your destination.”

To drive home his argument, Damagum urged the BoT members to carry out a self-introspection, noting that some of them also share in the blame.

“As the conscience of this party, some of us are also complicit. We should look inward, and search our conscience. This party is dear to all of us. It is the only thing we have.

“The hope of Nigerians today is in this party. So, we should sheathe our swords and work towards uniting ourselves so that they (Nigerians) would have a credible vehicle that can challenge what is bedevilling us,” he added.

Speaking on the National Executive Committee meeting which has not been held in the past few years, Damagum assured the party faithful of his commitment to ensuring that the highest decision-making body of the party is held in February 2025.

“The last meeting we had with the governors, we all agreed that we would have the NEC (meeting). I want to assure you that we will do everything possible to have the NEC this February.

“You are all aware that we have started the process of zonal congresses. Even at that, I enjoin our leaders to also be mindful of doing anything that can mar these congresses. It is very important to sound this note.

“We have had congresses in almost 28 or 29 states. We have problems in a few states. I think we are getting there,” he further said.

On his part, the BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara, expressed disappointment at the rift within the NWC, stressing that the meeting of the PDP advisory body came “at a time when the unity, focus, direction and ideals of our great party are being tested in ways that call for reflection and decisive action.”

Speaking shortly after Damugum, Wabara said, “Let me express my profound disappointment over the crises currently rocking the leadership of the NWC. As elder statesmen and women; leaders who hold the trust of the generality of our party members and the public, it is disheartening that these issues have not been resolved.

“The failure to resolve these internal conflicts undermines the strength and credibility of our party. It is, therefore, imperative that the NWC rises above personal interests and places the survival and progress of our great party above all other considerations.”

He advised the NWC to ensure that the NEC meeting is held in February, stressing that “party members across the country are in earnest expectation.”

The former Senate President urged party members not to forget that Nigerians want to see the PDP strengthened ahead of the next election cycle.

“Nigerians are looking to us as a beacon of hope, and we cannot afford to let them down. We must rebuild trust and offer a credible alternative that prioritises the welfare of the people,” he added.

As party faithful await the NEC meeting slated for February, the leadership of the party will do itself a world of good by declaring early enough its position on where its presidential ticket is headed in the 2027 election. Such a declaration would avert the crisis which played a key role in the electoral shellacking the PDP got in 2023 when chieftains like Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Seyi Makinde and Okezie Ikpeazu worked against the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Until the party takes a definite position on whether it is going South or North in its search for a presidential candidate in 2027; the PDP might be on its way to political Golgotha