Embattled Rivers All Progressives Congress chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, made startling admissions about his involvement in rigging local council elections during the tenure of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Okocha, who served as Chief of Staff to Amaechi from 2007 to 2015, was recently ousted as the Rivers APC Caretaker Committee chairman by a Port Harcourt High Court presided over by Justice Sika Aprioku.

Premium Politics reports that Justice Aprioku reinstated Chief Emeka Beke’s party leadership following his removal from office by the national leadership of APC.

Speaking during an appearance on a Channels TV programme on Thursday evening, Okocha, supported by the Rivers APC National Working Committee, also claimed that Beke was also involved in the election rigging during the Amaechi administration.

“On the issue of whether I rigged the election, I did not hide it. I should be praised as a whistleblower.,” he said before being cut by the interviewer who told him that election riggers should be behind bars. “No,” he responded, “If you were an armed robber yesterday, and today you came to confess that you stole something somewhere yesterday. Are you saying that the law will now take a retroactive effect? The answer is No.

“The reason why we say and keep saying is because of what is going on as we speak. When you have an idea of a thing and you see the other person also wants to use the tactics that you already know. You will shout. That is the reason why we went to court.”

When quizzed about who gave the orders to rig the elections, he added, “Yes, all of us were together including Emeka Beke,” implicating the reinstated Rivers APC chair.

However, Beke who was in the interview with Okocha quickly dismissed the allegations, adding that the police would arrest him (Okocha) for rigging the election.

Beke said, “During the election, was I part of it? Have you ever heard me say rig election?” before being countered by Okocha who asked, “Are you saying that under the Amaechi government, you never participated.”

“I did not follow you to the election. I did not partake in any election whatsoever. When you wake up and confess and you want to put me there. I am not part of that. You rigged the election and we are going to ask the police to arrest you that you rigged the election,” Beke replied.

A middle-aged man identified as Odogwu Chibuzor was shot while attempting, along with other fleeing suspects, to siphon diesel from heavy-duty trucks at the Dangote Cement plant in the Ibese area of Ogun State.

Our correspondent learnt on Thursday that three other members of the armed gang fled the scene when security guards swooped in but Chibuzor was apprehended.

PUNCH Metro learnt from a police source in the area who craved anonymity for lack of authorisation to speak to the media that the head of the security unit at the Dangote Cement in Ibese, Egbunu Usman, reported the incident to the Dangote Police Post after one of the suspects, who had sustained a gunshot wound, was apprehended.

According to the source, Usman reported that at around 11:00 pm on Wednesday, four gang members, armed with a Dane gun and other dangerous weapons, stormed the 3 & 4 Section of the plant to carry out the crime.

The suspects, our correspondent learnt, each carrying at least one empty 25-litre jerrycan, had filled three before the security team swooped in on them.

As the suspects tried to flee, PUNCH Metro gathered that the security personnel at the plant opened fire, injuring one while the others managed to escape.

Additionally, a short video recording obtained by our correspondent on Thursday revealed that the suspect confessed to the crime during an interrogation by someone believed to be a member of the plant’s security team.

“My name is Odogwu Chibuzor. I’m from Enugu State, but I live in the Balogun community. Our group has more than 20 members, but only five of us were involved in this. We brought just five jerrycans. One of my friends mentioned that someone in our group had a gun, but I wasn’t aware he was carrying it.

“This was my first time with the group; I had never participated. We were filling the third jerrycan when we spotted the security guards. I was told they usually bribed some truck drivers,” Chibuzor confessed.

When contacted for a comment on the incident on Thursday, the Dangote Group spokesperson Mr Tony Chiejina, asked our correspondent to send a text message.

In response to our correspondent’s text message, Chiejina said he would find out about the incident and get back to PUNCH Metro.

“I will check and revert,” he simply texted.

As of the time this report was filed, Chiejina had not yet responded to the text message sent by our correspondent to his mobile phone as he promised.

But confirming the incident to our correspondent, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, stated that the suspect was promptly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment before being placed in custody.

She said, “The suspect was taken to the Ilaro General Hospital for medical treatment after sustaining a bullet wound in his back. A brief video of his confession was recorded.

“The lone Dane gun used in the robbery has been recovered, along with the five jerrycans they brought to siphon diesel from the trucks. We are collaborating with other local security agencies to apprehend the remaining fleeing suspects.”

PUNCH Metro reported a similar failed robbery attempt in 2017, during which at least two suspected members of a robbery gang were shot and killed by police operatives.

The gang, consisting of about seven members armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, invaded the company, proceeded to the materials section, and attempted to steal armoured cables before being shot dead by the security operatives.

President Bola Tinubu may bar revenue-generating agencies from collecting revenues on behalf of the Federal Government as he plans to introduce a single agency – Nigeria Revenue Service – to handle the task.

This came as the Federal Government instituted a comprehensive set of fresh tax reforms aimed at significantly boosting revenue collection.

The reforms, designed to enhance the efficiency of collecting direct taxes, along with various levies that are imposed on behalf of the government, will bar the Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Ports Authority, and 60 other revenue collection agencies from participating in revenue collection activities, but will lead to the creation of the Nigeria Revenue Service.

By implementing these changes, the government seeks to streamline the tax collection process, ensuring that all taxable entities contribute their fair share and that the revenue generated is maximised to support public services and infrastructure development.

The policy directive was instituted on Thursday when the President forwarded four executive bills to the National Assembly for consideration, aiming to implement significant tax reforms.

Nigeria is contending with a revenue challenge that cuts across all government tiers but wants to attain a minimum tax-to-GDP ratio of 18 per cent. The country’s tax-to-GDP ratio is below Africa’s average and ranks as one of the lowest in the world.

This has led to fiscal deficit and over-reliance on borrowing to finance public spending resulting in a cycle of inadequate funding for socio-economic development.

One of the key proposals is the renaming of the Federal Inland Revenue Service to the Nigeria Revenue Service.

A source at the Presidency, however, hinted that the new bill would not lead to a merger but seek to remove the revenue collection arm from the agencies and allocate its function to the Nigerian Revenue Services.

“There is no merger of agencies. The bill will only take the revenue collection arm of each agency involved and take it to the Nigerian Revenue Service.

“The plan is that the new revenue agency will be like the US or UK revenue agency that collects all government revenues while other revenue agencies like NIMASA, NPA, Customs, etc, will now focus on their core mandate, which is trade facilitation. There is no merger at all,” the official said.

The bill seeking the name change for FIRS was outlined in a letter read by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, during the plenary sessions.

The proposed law, titled the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, seeks to repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, No. 13, 2007, and establish the Nigeria Revenue Service.

According to Tinubu, the new agency will be responsible for assessing, collecting, and accounting for revenue accruing to the government.

In addition to the name change, Tinubu submitted three other tax reform bills under the title, ‘Transmission of Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Bills’ to the National Assembly.

The President also transmitted to the parliament the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, which seeks to create a Tax Tribunal and a Tax Ombudsman.

He wrote, “The Nigeria Tax Bill: This bill seeks to provide a consolidated fiscal framework for taxation in the country.

“The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill: Aimed at offering a clear and concise legal framework, this bill will ensure the fair, consistent, and efficient administration of tax laws, facilitating ease of tax compliance, reducing disputes, and optimizing revenue collection.

“The Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill: This proposal seeks to establish the Joint Revenue Board, the Tax Appeal Tribunal, and the Office of the Tax Ombudsman, which will work to harmonise, coordinate, and resolve disputes arising from revenue administration in Nigeria.”

Tinubu emphasised that the proposed tax bills would have far-reaching benefits for the country, promoting taxpayer compliance, strengthening fiscal institutions, and fostering a more effective and transparent fiscal regime.

“I am confident that the bills, when passed, will encourage investment, boost consumer spending, and stimulate Nigeria’s economic growth,” Tinubu stated.

On the floor of the House of Representatives, Speaker, Abbas, confirmed receipt of the bills, stressing that they were designed in line with the objectives of the present administration.

He noted that when passed into law, the bills would encourage the growth and sustainability of the economy.

The House also consolidated six bills seeking the repeal of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007 to enact the Fiscal Responsibility Bill, 2024.

The bill aims at ensuring prudent management of the nation’s resources, ensuring long-term macro-economic stability of the national economy; and securing greater accountability and transparency in fiscal operations within the medium-term fiscal policy framework.

Abbas, who presided over plenary, urged the Committee on Rules and Business to fix a date for debate on the general principles of the newly consolidated bills.

The PUNCH recalls that the tax reforms are policy recommendations from Taiwo Oyedele’s Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, which seeks to reduce taxes in the country from the current 62 to a maximum of nine.

It also aligns with the recommendations of the President Tinubu Policy Advisory Council, which proposed declaring a state of emergency on revenue generation in the country.

Speaking in an earlier interview, Oyedele noted that fiscal reforms were needed to protect small businesses, the vulnerable and the poor while effectively taxing the rich.

He said, “Revenue transformation for us means we can no longer continue to celebrate incremental progress because the base was just so small and for us, it wasn’t about raising the taxes from existing taxpayers.

“In fact, one of the things we found out is that poor persons are those paying taxes, so it is time for them to take a break which means we have to look at the system to take that burden away from the vulnerable people, small businesses and let the middle class and the rich who can afford to pay do so.

“We have a brand new national fiscal policy that sets the framework for where we want to be, where we want to go, what we want to do, and what we want to stop doing as a country. We have identified company income tax, personal income tax, value-added tax, stamp duty, capital gains, and excise tax and we have redrafted new ones.”

This new law will expunge the revenue collection function from 62 revenue-generating agencies and transfer the responsibility of revenue collection to a single agency to promote collection efficiency.

Some of the agencies include Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Ports Authority, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Customs Service, Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.

Others are the Bank of Agriculture, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Federal Reporting Council of Nigeria, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Corporate Affairs Commission, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, National Broadcasting Commission and Joint Admission Matriculation Board.

Commenting on the implications of the new law, a former National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Dr Eugene Nweke, faulted the bill.

He added that customs all over the world were known for revenue collection.

“Customs all over the world are known for revenue collection. What it means is that they would outsource that function to a third party. Customs all over the world are known for revenue collection and anti-smuggling operations,” Nweke said.

According to him, revenue collection had lots of technicalities.

“What they should do with Customs is to train our importers and compel the NCS to go beyond the issues of scanning with a lot of compromises. The government should stop always thinking of how to protect a bill,” he advised.

also reacting, National Public Relations Officer, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, Taiwo Fatobilola, said, “It is not possible, don’t mind the government. They think revenue collection is what anybody can wake up and start with? Do they know how much it takes to train people on something the NCS have been trained to do? Please don’t mind them, it’s not possible.”

however, National Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, said he was not aware of the bill.

“I am not aware of that, I am just hearing it from you,” Maiwada told The PUNCH.

The House of Representatives, on Thursday, approved a bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Surrogacy Regulatory Commission for the monitoring and supervision of surrogacy arrangements in Nigeria.

The bill aims to “provide for the registration, regulation, and monitoring of surrogacy agencies in Nigeria and related matters.”

Leading the debate on the general principles of the proposed legislation, the sponsor of the bill, Ayodeji Alao-Akala, stated that the bill seeks to regulate and evaluate surrogacy in Nigeria to ensure that medical and health laws are not violated.

He added that it will also protect those seeking to overcome infertility.

Alao-Akala highlighted that a black market has emerged within the system, which takes advantage of the needs of expectant parents and exploits them.

He further stated that surrogate mothers and the children to be born also require legal protection.

Following its adoption, the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, referred the motion to the House Committee on Healthcare Services for further legislative action.

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, caused stirs on Thursday after he referred to Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as the Emir of Kano during an event in Abuja.

Naija News recalls that both Bayero and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Muhammadu Sanusi, had battled for the Kano Emirship position some months ago.

Back in March 2020, former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje removed Sanusi from the throne and appointed Bayero as Emir.

However, four years later, Ganduje’s successor, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, dismissed Bayero and reinstated Sanusi.

Bayero, whose removal was announced while he was outside the state, returned to Kano and took residence in the mini palace at Nasarawa, where he has been conducting his court.

Subsequently, Governor Yusuf ordered the immediate arrest of the monarch.

However, rather than complying, security measures were intensified at the mini palace, leading to speculation that Bayero had support from federal authorities.

Reacting to the development, Aminu Gwarzo, the Deputy Governor of Kano, claimed that Ribadu played a role in Bayero’s return by providing him with two private jets.

Ribadu denied these allegations and threatened legal action against Gwarzo.

In a letter from Aliyu & Musa Chambers, Ribadu’s legal representatives, an apology was demanded from the deputy governor, who subsequently retracted his statement.

The dispute over the emirate eventually transitioned to the judicial system, with both parties filing separate lawsuits against each other.

Emir of Kano

Today, during the 1st Annual International Lecture organized by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, themed “Insecurity in the Sahel (2008-2024),” Ribadu acknowledged Ado Bayero as the Emir of Kano.

While recognizing the dignitaries present, Ribadu stated, “Of course the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero,” which was met with applause from the audience.

Naija News reports that the video clip has stirred a barrage of reactions on social media.

See the video clip below as shared on X by a netizen [rabiuuba4].

Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, the controversial Onitsha-based cleric better known asOdumeje, has opened up about his past lifestyle.

In an undated video now making the round on social media, Odumeje revealed that he grew up in a dangerous street in Onitsha, Anambra state.

Addressing his congregation, the controversial cleric said he became involved in armed robbery and terrorism at the age of 14.

Odumeje added that his life changed through the help of his mother, who led him to Christ and helped him find salvation.

“I was born in Onitsha city. No 3, Nnewi street. And I grew up in a dangerous street. I became an armed robber at the age of 14,” he said.

“I became a terrorist until Jesus Christ arrest me through the help of my mother to change my life… a destroyer become a saviour.”

Odumeje has always been in the news for controversial reasons. The cleric rode to fame on the back of what many described as his “unorthodox practices”.

In March, Ohanaemere issued a stern warning to critics accusing him of using fake powers.

“Do not criticise the miracles that Jesus is using me to do because you want to get attention from people. You can never go free,” he said.

He also advised those who disagree with his teachings to stop spreading falsehoods about him.

Veteran Nollywood actress, Binta Ayo Mogaji, has advised women above the age of 35 to get pregnant outside wedlock.

Naija News reports that the 60-year-old movie star, in a recent interview with Oyinmomo TV, shared her thoughts on marriage, motherhood, and societal pressures.

Mogaji encouraged unmarried women over 35 to consider having children outside of wedlock if they desire motherhood.

The thespian, who welcomed her first child at 40, emphasized that women should prioritize motherhood over societal expectations and consider adoption if they cannot find a partner.

According to Mogaji, ladies above 35 often face marriage challenges.

She said, “What I’m saying is, once you’re 35 or older and you don’t have a husband, but there’s someone in your life who is with you but not ready for marriage, and he wants a child, have a child with him, even if he won’t accept responsibility for the child.

“When she is looking for a husband at 35, they’ll say she’s too old and won’t be able to wash clothes for her mother-in-law or be controlled.

“They’ll advise the man to find a younger lady to listen to him. Even if she’s fortunate to marry at that age, she’ll already be old when her child grows up. Some people at 45 or 50 are already grandmothers.

“When your mates are grandmothers, and you’re still saying you’re looking for a husband, when will you find a husband and become a grandmother?

“So, my advice is, if God blesses you with someone who likes you and you can have children together, go ahead and do it.

“If you find someone you like, ask him to impregnate you as long as you want a child and can take care of the child. But if you want a child and cannot find a man to impregnate you, then consider adoption.”

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) presidential candidate in the last general election, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said Nigerians, especially the northern region, are tired of the current situation in the country.

Naija News reports that Kwankwaso said this while receiving members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who decamped to the NNPP in the state.

The former Governor, who received the decamped members of the APC from Dala, Kiru and Gwale local government areas at his Miller Road residence in Kano, stated that the administration of the APC is clearly against the poor masses.

He said the APC, which was created to salvage the hardship of the poor masses, has now turned against them, with insecurity and poverty eating deep into the fabric of Nigeria.

Kwankwaso also said that Nigerians will change the current government in the 2027 election.

He said, “Nigerians, more specifically northerners, have suffered enough and no amount of pressure or intimidation will change their minds.

“Nigerians should rethink over the current dispensation, it has now become clear that the APC-led government is clearly against the poor masses and will never change.

“It is now clear that regardless of their beliefs and plans to use the security agents and INEC in the forthcoming elections, it will not be possible as Nigerians are tired and will surely struggle for change.”

The national leader of the NNPP further described the defection occasion as historic, stating that the number of those joining the NNPP from the wards of Dala, Kiru, Gwale and Dawakintofa local governments shows that the APC structure is wholly crumbled in the affected places.

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has stated that he will have an input in determining his successor in 2027.

Naija News reports that Makinde asserted on Thursday, while receiving the report from the Committee on Review and Update of Public Service Rules and Other Regulations in the State Civil/Public Service, held at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan.

While emphasizing his influence in the 2027 election process, Makinde addressed those currently lobbying for his position and acknowledged that the ultimate decision rests with the electorate.

He highlighted the importance of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, noting that party dynamics will play a crucial role in shaping the final decision.

He added, “I may not have the final say in who takes over, but I will definitely have my input.

“As the current leader of the party in Oyo State, I will be involved in discussions and deliberations that will guide our choice.”

Speaking on the Committee report on the Review and Update of Public Service Rules and Other Regulations in the State Civil/Public Service presented to him, Makinde expressed his commitment to leaving a transformative legacy for the state’s civil service by transitioning from manual processes to digital systems to eliminate unnecessary delays within the workforce.

According to him, many of the Public Service Rules are obsolete, and there is a need to review the rules to world standard practice that would transform the State Civil and Public Service.

Makinde, while commending the committee, revealed that their efforts not only validated his position of leaving a desirable legacy in the state but would improve and better the service conditions for the state workers.

He assured the committee that he would constitute a technical committee that would work on implementing and operationalizing their recommendations.

Former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has openly criticized President Bola Tinubu for embarking on a two-week vacation in the United Kingdom amidst Nigeria’s ongoing economic struggles and insecurity.

Lamido questioned whether Tinubu had any empathy for the plight of Nigerians, who are grappling with widespread hardship.

Recalls that Tinubu departed Nigeria for the UK on Wednesday, with his Special Advisor on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, clarifying that the trip is part of his regular annual leave.

Onanuga explained that the president would use this time for a working vacation, reflecting on his administration’s economic reforms. He added that Tinubu would return to the country after his two-week leave.

“He will use the two weeks as a working vacation and a retreat to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms.

“He will return to the country after the leave expires,” the statement said.

In response, Lamido took to Facebook, accusing the president of ignoring the suffering of the people.

In a post titled “Deaf, Dumb, Confounded,” Lamido wrote: “President Bola Tinubu traveled abroad to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms.

“Does President Tinubu have the human empathy, compassion, love, care, and concern to ponder and reflect on Nigerians’ dire situations while in the comfort of Europe?”

Lamido concluded his message with a biblical reference, comparing the situation to the story of Pharaoh and Moses: “Once upon a time, there was Pharaoh, and there was also Moses.”