The special adviser to the president on public communication and media, Daniel Bwala, has dismissed the insinuation that Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will suffer the same fate as Ghana’s New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2027 elections.

Speaking with newsmen at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, Bwala emphatically stated that what happened in Ghana cannot replicate itself in Nigeria.

In Ghana’s recent general election, incumbent Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia lost to opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate and former President John Dramani Mahama.

When asked if the Presidency is concerned by the outcome of Ghana’s election, Bwala argued that the scenario in Nigeria is different from that of Ghana.

He insisted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been addressing the major challenges facing the country with positive results to show for his efforts.

“If you have been following events in Ghana over the last one year and if you follow the indices, you find out that it is not the same thing that is happening in the two countries. With what Mr. President (Tinubu) is doing in redirecting the economy on the right path, Mr. President is very confident.”

Expressing confidence for APC’s victory in 2027 Bwala said, “The idea of the ruling party losing the election that will not happen, because Nigerian people are seeing what the administration is doing.

“Nigerian people only care about what they are confronted with every day. They don’t actually care whether you are white or black skin or whatever, as long as what matters to them on their dinner table is dealt with, Nigerian people will always stay with you and that is what Mr. President is doing and that is why Mr. President is receiving commendations from every part of the country every day.”

On the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume’s submission that it is not yet the turn of the north to produce Nigeria’s president in 2027, Bwala noted that President Tinubu is currently focused on governance, delivering on the mandate and his electioneering promises to Nigerians people.

He however added that the President is competent and qualified to seek for second term in 2027.

The presidential spokesman said that the President has refused to be distracted by any political talk ahead of 2027.

According to him, “Well for now Mr. President is focused on governance, delivering on the mandate and the promises to Nigerians people and he has refused to be distracted by political talk ahead of 2027.

“He (Tinubu) is very focused on issues that bother the Nigerian people, to make sure that people come out of hunger, to make sure that agriculture brings about the expected revolution, to make sure that our people can deal with their everyday problems.

“So the time for politicking is not yet and when that time comes we are going to be ready for everyone.

“Mr. President’s agenda, which is working well is what will naturally endear Nigerians to vote for him for the second term and Mr. President is more than eminently qualified constitutionally to contest for the second term in office.

“God willing, if God gives Mr. President life and health, we do hope that Mr. President will run his course as provided by the constitution.”

There was pandemonium in the early hours of Wednesday when fire engulfed the ever-busy Alaba Rago (Ram) Market in the Ojo area of Lagos State.

It was gathered that the fire, which started at about 12 midnight, destroyed items worth millions of naira.

At the time of filing this report, the immediate or remote cause of the fire could not be ascertained.

Meanwhile, operatives of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), and other responders were on the ground battling to put out the raging fire.

The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Femi Oke-Osayintolu, and the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, stated that the situation had been brought under control to prevent it from spreading to other properties.

Details later…

The first Igbo Muslim to be appointed as Chief Imam of the National Mosque in Abuja, Professor Iliyasu Tochukwu Usman, has said he is unapologetic, being an Igbo and the culture of the Igbo nation.

The Chief Imam of Abuja National Mosque and the first Igbo Professor of Arabic Studies said like all cultures there are good and negative ones.

He stated that while his religion is against some of Igbo culture, some are in line with what the religion teaches.

Usman from Enugu stated this at the unveiling of the Imams of the National Mosque, Abuja, by the Secretary-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Prof. Is-haq Oloyede.

“I want to say this, unapologetically. Actually, every tribe has a culture and every individual has a culture, whether you are Muslim or Christian. In every culture, there are positives and negatives.

“For instance, in Igbo land, there was a time when twins were killed because they are seen as abominations in the society and we know that even a practicing Christian would not accept this kind of culture.

“For instance, as a Muslim, my religion prohibits me from indulging in alcoholism and I know that part of my culture is that whenever we have festivals, alcohol is consumed. As a Muslim, this kind of culture is an abomination because my religion prohibits it.

“So in every tribe, there are good and bad cultures. I accept good Igbo culture. In the South East, we have good communal relationships where we are our brothers’ keeper. I accept that.

“When a brother, whether Muslim or non-Muslim has a problem, I assist. This is a good culture. But any culture that has to do with idol worshipping, for instance, even our Christian counterparts don’t accept that. I am a Muslim and Igbo man who will always try to foster the good Igbo culture that is in line with the teachings of my religion,” he said.

Earlier, Oloyede said the NSCIA, since the establishment of the National Mosque in 1984, has been appointing, in succession, qualified Muslims who are worthy in character and scholarship to oversee the spiritual activities of the faithful.

Oloyede stated that the clerics were unveiled after their consideration by the General Purpose Committee and endorsement by the National Fatwa Committee.

“So you can see that we are not just appointing an Imam from the South East, South-South Zone, we are indeed appointing two imams from that zone. That shows clearly that in Islam, it is about qualification,” Arise TV quoted him.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has described as fake a circular that it authorised the sales of foreign exchange to Bureau De Change operators in the country.

The circular dated Tuesday, 10 December, had claimed that the apex bank sold $20,000 to each legible BDC operator at N1,300 per dollar rate.

“Following the ongoing reforms in the foreign exchange market, aimed at achieving an appropriate market-determined exchange rate for the Naira, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has observed the continued price distortions at the retail end of the market, which is feeding into the parallel market and further widening the exchange rate premium,” the fake circular reads.

However, CBN, in its official X account on Wednesday, described the circular as fake.

This comes as the Naira has firmed up in the past seven days against the dollar at the FX market after CBN introduced the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS) for transparent FX transactions.

Although in the past two days, the Naira had weakened at the black market to N1660 per dollar, the country’s currency gained against the dollar on Tuesday at the official market to close at N1,525.

DAILY POST reports that the last time CBN intervened in the black market was in September 2024 when it sold FX at N1590 per dollar to BDC operators.

Former lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye has expressed excitement over the decision of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello’s money laundering case.

Recalls that the FCT High Court, on Tuesday, remanded Bello in Kuje Correctional Centre pending his bail application.

Justice Maryann Anenih also adjourned hearing in the N110bn money laundering case brought against the former governor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to January 29 and 30 and February 25 and 27 for hearing.

Reacting, Dino in a post on his official X handle, said he predicted Bello’s imprisonment about six years ago.

According to the former lawmaker, “6 years ago, SDM predicted Yahaya Bello would end up in prison.

“Today, he will be spending Christmas in Kuje prison. All powers belong to God”.

The Labour Party (LP) have lashed out at the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu for commending the conduct of Ghana’s presidential election.

Naija News reports that Yakubu, in a video clip on Sunday, praised the rancour-free conduct of Ghana’s election, pointing out lessons for Nigerian politicians.

Reacting in an interview with Punch, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, accused Yakubu of manipulating the 2023 presidential election to favour President Bola Tinubu and asked him to apologise to Nigerians.

He insisted that the INEC boss should be the one to learn from Ghana and not the other way round.

He noted that there were no stories of ballot boxes snatching and glitches during Ghana’s presidential election.

Ifoh said though the LP had moved on from what transpired in 2023, “It is a shame that the INEC Chairman should be talking when, in this case, he should be the one to learn from Ghana.

“He was the architect of exactly what Nigerians are suffering today.

“He owes Nigerians an apology. We didn’t hear of electoral violence, snatching of boxes or any glitches whatsoever (in Ghana). The people spoke through their votes. Their votes counted and the Ghanaians are happy with it,” 

The ruling All Progressives Congress has warned that no alliance of the opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra Governor Peter Obi, will be potent enough to stop President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

The warning was given by the National Publicity Director of APC, Bala Ibrahim, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday.

Ibrahim was reacting to a statement by Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, that both his principal and his Labour Party counterpart had learnt their lessons in the last general elections and would unite to kick out the “incompetent and clueless” administration of the APC.

According to him, the combined votes of the two leaders, which would have amounted to 12 million, should have been enough to stop the President and prevent the hardship he has meted out to Nigerians. 

Ibe expressed his views on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.

Reactions have trailed the interview with major opposition agreeing that a coalition of forces or merger could indeed defeat the APC in the same manner as the one witnessed in 2015 when former President Muhammadu Buhari defeated a sitting President, Goodluck Jonathan.

When contacted, Obi’s media aide, Umar Ibrahim, emphasised that his principal was committed to a better Nigeria and would be willing to collaborate with anyone who shared his vision, as long as their desire isn’t state capture.

Ibrahim said, “This dedication stems from his unshakeable optimism in the country’s potential and his focus on the welfare and prosperity of all citizens. Regarding Paul Ibe’s statement about Atiku’s willingness to unite with Obi, it’s clear that both leaders are open to working together to save Nigeria from the APC-led administration’s tyranny.

“However, Obi’s commitment to collaboration isn’t limited to any particular individual or party.”

On its part, the opposition political parties in Nigeria under the aegis of the Coalition of United Political Parties and the Social Democratic Party have expressed concerns, saying the country needed more than a coalition between the 2023 presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party.

CUPP and SDP stated that to defeat the APC, Nigerians must demand credible elections and form a coalition of trustworthy leaders to spearhead a rescue movement that served the nation’s collective interest.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, CUPP National Secretary, Peter Ahmeh acknowledged that a coalition could aid opposition parties in defeating the APC.

Ahmeh emphasised that the key coalition needed at this time was one focused on ensuring free and fair elections.

He stated, “Our country has its ways. Atiku is a wonderful leader in Nigeria. That is very important. But the fact is there will be some sentiments that will come into play if you don’t put a person from southern Nigeria on the ballot. If you don’t do that, the idea that the northerners have taken over their eight years will now become part of the discussion across southwestern, southeastern, and South-South Nigeria.

“So, what we should do is believe that at the end of the day, these two leaders and other leaders will find common ground, where they will put the interest of Nigeria before their personal interests, allowing us to win this election and determine the future of Nigeria in a way that will benefit all Nigerians.”

Reacting to the possibility of a coalition between Atiku and Obi’s group to defeat the APC, he stated that in addition to a coalition, Nigerians must demand that elections be decided and concluded at the polling unit.

He added, “Yes, a coalition can help the opposition party defeat the APC. There’s no doubt about that. It will also facilitate the easy defeat of the APC.

“But the most important coalition we need at this moment is one that ensures elections are free and fair. Because if we do that, even when people form a coalition, we still face the problem of draconian leadership that can cause glitches in the server, or manipulate election results without proper authority behind it. The solution is that our elections should be decided by the polling unit.

“The Republic of Ghana has shown this. If you look at the commission chairperson, votes are cast at the polling unit, votes are recorded at the polling unit, and winners are announced at the polling unit. We should do away with these coalition centres, which are fraudulent centres for the manipulation of results.

“We still believe that when the people are determined and stay true to their convictions, the electorate will go to the polling unit and make their decision. But a coalition will only facilitate and make it easier for the opposition to reach the Presidency.”

The National Chairman of SDP, Shehu Gabam, stated that a coalition may not be the right solution at this time.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday, Gabam explained that political parties had struggled to unite over a long period, resulting in a trust deficit that affects most parties, with only a few exceptions.

He stated, “The coalition will not do much right now. The decay is extremely bad, and the loss of gravity in the political space is another point of concern. What people are looking forward to is the assembly of credible individuals to form a rescue movement that is credible and has a solid base; this has nothing to do with the coalition of political parties.

“The parties, over a long period of time, could not galvanise themselves. The trust deficit has enveloped the various political parties, apart from a few. Even if you merge all the parties, the roles of individuals who are good, credible, and have been tested will draw people, not the roles of the political parties.

“There is a trust deficit, and this may lead to a crisis among various political parties. What the people are looking for are individuals who have a record of service and the ability to be creative.

Regarding Atiku and Obi, he said, “All I know is that every hand is needed to be on board to salvage the situation. We are talking about salvaging Nigeria. And the knowledge required to do that is not domiciled in a single individual. We have a multitude of talents in the country, with the energy and capacity to turn things around for good; it’s just that they have not been organised.

“So, for me, what is critical is to focus on the individuals, the energy sector, and their intellectual base to harness the strength in our diversity for the benefit of all.”

Similarly, the All Progressives Grand Alliance said it was ready to form an alliance with other progressive political forces across party lines to build a Nigeria that citizens could be proud of.

The National Chairman of APGA, Sly Ezeokenwa, made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja, echoing similar sentiments expressed by the party’s National Leader and Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo.

Ezeokenwa stated that with the party’s internal leadership tussle resolved by a Supreme Court judgment affirming his chairmanship, APGA was now poised to reclaim its position in Nigeria’s political landscape.

“APGA proudly has elected representatives within and outside the South East. We are ready and willing to work with all other progressives to build Nigeria because we believe in our country.

“As part of our commitment to reconciliation, we have granted amnesty to party members who are genuinely repentant, irrespective of which side they supported during the crisis,” he said.

But Bala Ibrahim laughed at the thought of both Atiku and Obi, who he described as strange bedfellows, coming together with the sole aim of stopping Tinubu in the 2027 election.

The APC spokesman also said no potential from the opposition, who he said are enmeshed in crisis, can seriously pose any serious threat to the ruling party.

He said, “It is a dream gone wrong. All over the world, you don’t add up the total votes in an election and hope to use it to topple the votes of the winner. No! You don’t do that. A smart winner always capitalises on that to create a crack within the opposition. This is because each candidate is aspiring to win.

“It’s a case of the simple majority providing the winner so far as he meets the requirement and whatever percentage is needed. So, if this is what they are relying upon, then we start celebrating 2027 because they are going to be defeated again. They will be severely beaten.

“We are happy they are learning lessons from the superior antics of the ruling APC. Now that they have admitted they are learning from those lessons, they should wait for new tutorials in 2027. As a matter of fact, the APC has opened a Progressive Institute where they can come with their books and biro to learn more about progressivism.”

Also, in an exclusive interview with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, explained that both the former Vice President and the former Governor of Anambra State were partly to blame for the hardships Nigerians were currently facing.

Osadolor called the potential unity between Atiku and Obi an illusion, noting that neither has demonstrated a commitment to collaborating.

“Atiku and Obi coming together is still illusionary because they have not committed themselves to coming together.

“If they go ahead and come together, they will provide a viable alternative to this APC-failed administration.

“The truth is that Atiku has paid his dues, and Obi has also paid his dues. Both of them contributed to where we are now. If they had united in the last election, Nigeria and Nigerians would not be in the current pain we are in now.

“But for 2027, anybody with his head on his shoulders will be better than President Bola Tinubu. Atiku and Obi will be a welcome development if they agree to work together and manage their egos. But I believe there will be more viable options that we can pick from.

“Atiku brought Obi to the light in 2019, so what Obi searched for and couldn’t find in 2023, he may also want to search for the same thing in 2027. So, for me, it is an ego issue. If Obi can manage his ego and if Atiku can open his heart more, they stand a chance, but I will not foreclose Nigeria’s liberation on them.”

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State says some financially less-buoyant states may not survive if the tax reform bills before the National Assembly are passed and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

“Some states may not be able to survive so it is something that must be carefully studied so that we don’t hurt ourselves in the long run,” the governor said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.

“Well, the tax issue has a lot of components – there is the good aspect and there is the bad aspect. So, we are studying the situation so as also to advise our people on the way forward. It’s an ongoing process and we will continue with the engagement,” he said.

The new tax bills introduced by the Tinubu administration have been enveloped in widespread controversy and sparked scathing criticisms and stiff opposition from many including the 36 state governors under the aegis of the National Economic Council (NEC). The 19 governors in northern Nigeria have also unequivocally rejected sections of the bills.

Lawal, one of the governors in the north, said it would be difficult for many states to pay the N70,000 minimum wage if the tax reforms are implemented.

The governor said, “Reform in a system is inevitable and we should always expect reforms. However, in trying to do that, we also need to be careful not to be in a hurry to do something that will later hurt us.

“So, I believe we should carefully study the situation, and have a clear understanding and take a common stand.

“There is a component of it that talks about derivation and definitely, if we are to go by it, it is going to affect some of the states in terms of what kind of inflows they have and invariably it may make it difficult for some states to be able to pay their salaries.”

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has apprehended 10 persons on INTERPOL’s watch list while attempting to enter the country.

Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, disclosed this on Tuesday during the inauguration of the NIS Technology Innovation Complex in Abuja by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“In the last couple of days, 10 people on the INTERPOL and immigration wanted list were apprehended in one week.

“Before now, those individuals would have entered Nigeria, causing terror. But under the new leadership, Nigeria is a no-go area for any criminal element,” Tunji-Ojo stated.

The newly inaugurated NIS Technology Innovation Complex boasts advanced features, including a command and control center for monitoring regular migration, an NIS data hub, an ECOWAS biometric card production center, an interior data center, and a solar power station to ensure sustainable energy supply.

The minister stated the ability of the complex to assess the risk levels of individuals entering Nigeria, detect irregular migration, and oversee unmanned borders across the country.

He said the solar-powered station is projected to save the country over N300m annually in energy costs.

“We decided to implement an end-to-end energy solution. The 0.5KW solar power plant is 100 per cent operational and connected to the facility,” Tunji-Ojo said.

The minister further noted that the NIS has trained 250 officers to ensure 24/7 surveillance, operating in eight-hour shifts.

“For the first time in the history of this country, we now have over 200 borders under comprehensive surveillance. This state-of-the-art technology has revolutionized our border governance,” he added.

Tunji-Ojo also revealed that the facility houses an automated visa system that ensures visa approvals within 48 hours and produces ECOWAS travel documents for seamless regional mobility.

“We now have an ECOWAS travel document that will facilitate easy movement and travel. “We now have an automated visa regime with 48 hours of visa approval,” he added.

President Bola Tinubu commended the innovation and described it as a vital step in modernizing Nigeria’s immigration infrastructure and enhancing national security.

The minister reaffirmed his commitment to improving service delivery while declaring that the measures will not only fortify Nigeria’s borders but also reduce inefficiencies that have cost the country billions annually.