The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Sunday, said the police have the right and power to initiate any approach to curb crimes and criminality in Nigeria, as is applicable in other climes.

DAILY POST recalls that the NBA Section on Public Interest had earlier issued a seven-day ultimatum to Egbetokun to stop the directive requiring vehicle owners to register and obtain a CMRIS certificate for a fee of not less than N6,000.

NBA-SPIDEL questioned the legal basis for the Nigeria Police Force’s issuance of the CMRIS Certificates, stating that no law had granted the police the authority to issue such licences or certificates to vehicle owners following vehicle registration at the appropriate offices.

It made the call in a letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police, and co-signed by NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, John Aikpokpo-Martins; and Secretary, Funmi Adeogun.

But while reacting in a statement on Sunday, Adejobi faulted the report saying no agency can take the police up on the initiative, adding that the police have been issuing CMR for decades, so it’s not a new strategy or document.

“This is unfounded, fake, and misleading. The NBA as a body will react to this. Stop spreading fake news. Who are those who made the statement or declaration, and in what capacity?

“I challenge you to share the press statement with me, then we can talk.

“Do your investigation on this. The police have the right and powers to initiate any approach to curb crimes and criminality in Nigeria, as it’s applicable in other climes.” It said

According to the statement, no agency can take the police up on this initiative, adding that they will rather key into it, harmonise the system for the good of the country, and its citizenry

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, has faulted the the agitation for the creation of additional states in the South-East, insisting it would not solve the problem of the region.

Rather than create more states, Agbakoba,  a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, said the National Assembly should amend the constitution or put together a completely new one that would return Nigeria to regional governments.

The lawyer expressed the view in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos.

NAN reports that the House of Representatives recently passed for second reading a bill seeking the creation of Etiti State out of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states from the South-East geopolitical zone.

The bill  was jointly sponsored by Godwin Ogah, Miriam Onuoha, Kama Nkemkama, Princess Nnabuife and Anayo Onwuegbu.

Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, Ogah, representing Abia State, said the establishment of Etiti State was not just a matter of administrative convenience, but a step towards ensuring balanced regional development and effective governance.

The lawmaker said the bill was a response to the aspirations of the people of a very important region to the country and aligned with the principles of equity and inclusivity enshrined in the country’s democratic idea.

Similarly, some lawmakers and stakeholders have also called for the creation of Anioma State from states in the South-South and South-East regions.

One of those leading the call, Senator Ned Nwoko( PDP-Delta North), said the creation of Anioma State would correct what he described as the marginalisation of the South-East geo-political zone.

However, speaking with NAN on Sunday, Agbakoba said  though  an average person from the South-East would support an additional state in the region, anyone who could see the big picture could tell that the creation of additional states would not guarantee development.

He said, “This agitation will arise because it is on the basis of the number of states that federal allocation flows.

“So the fact that the South-East has five states means to them that they are losing revenue and that is a one point of view and also an emotional point of their agitation.

“However, a pragmatic developmental point of view, which I go for, is that even if you create a sixth state in the South-East to give them a sense of belonging, will this new state in addition to the 36 states take us towards the path of development?

“Will it reverse the hunger, insecurity, poverty and unemployment in the land? Absolutely not.

“We need to do away from state creation to regional system of government.”

Agbakoba explained that he was not in support of additional states because most of the 36 states are economically unviable, insolvent and not capable of bringing about infrastructural development and even paying the proposed minimum wage.

“State creation at this present harsh economic will, no doubt, lead to an increase in the number of National Assembly members, ministers, local governments, and others, which would further increase the cost of governance in the country.

“This is coming at a time when most Nigerians are starving due to rise in the food prices. Insurgents, bandits and terrorists are abducting people for ransom in other states of the country.

“Therefore, the National Assembly should, instead return the country to the regionalism by collapsing the 36 states into six to eight regions or geopolitical zones, each of which will have a leader.

“This means that the present Nigeria 1999 Constitution would be amended or a new one written to accommodate this proposal.

“This is because making a new constitution for Nigeria has become an overriding imperative based on the fact that new political realities and conundrums have cropped up in the country,” Agbakoba said.

Agbakoba, a human rights activist, said regional governments were once successfully run with Chief Obafemi Awolowo in charge of the South-West, Chief Michael Okpara in charge of the South-East and Ahmadu Bello in the North.

Agbakoba said since Nigeria left the modernity of regionalism, the states had been unviable, apart from Lagos and Rivers.

President Bola Tinubu has praised the “enterprising spirit” of Nduka Obaigbena, chairman of ThisDay and Arise media group. 

The president spoke in a birthday message to Obaigbena, who turns 65 on Sunday.

Tinubu also “prays for greater achievements for the renowned publisher, whose philanthropic efforts, especially in education, have demonstrated his passion for human development”.

Obaigbena started ThisWeek magazine before establishing ThisDay newspaper in 1995.

He forayed into broadcast media in 2013 when he founded Arise News Channel, which has bases in Lagos, London, New York City, and Johannesburg, South Africa.

He is a former president of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN).

Obaigbena is a recipient of the national honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and has also earned the highest journalistic honour of the fellowship of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (FNGE).

He is also a lifetime achievement awardee of the 2023 Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME).

According to the organisers, Obaigbena earned the honour because of his “contribution to the media and his dedication to mentoring leaders in the industry”.

England captain Harry Kane has described it as tough and painful losing the Euro 2024 final to Spain.

Substitute Mikel Oyarzabal scored a dramatic late winner as Spain triumphed in Sunday’s Euro 2024 final, beating England 2-1 to win the Euro championship.

England had come from behind in the 73 minutes through Cole Palmer but their resurgence in the game was cut short as Oyarzabal, the Real Sociedad forward, turned in a cross in the 86th minute to hand Spain a record fourth European Championship crown.

This leaves Kane at the age of 30 still looking for the first trophy of a career so rich in goals.

Speaking after the match, Kane said that his team lacked the momentum to push on after drawing level.

“Losing in a final is as tough as it gets… We done really well to get back in the game at 1-1 and then we couldn’t use our momentum to push on… It’s as painful as it can be in a football match.”

On the future of manager Gareth Southgate who hinted he might step down if England failed to win Euro 2024, Kane said, “Gareth will go away and take time to decide. We wanted to win it for him.”

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdulahi Ganduje, has said the party has initiated moves to de-marginalise Igbos to place them in the limelight of national politics.

Ganduje asserted on Sunday during the APC South East zonal meeting in Abakaliki, noting that Igbos had shown massive support to the party and the President Bola Tinubu-led administration presently.

The APC national chairman said that though a line must be drawn between marginalisation and low performance of the southeast in the APC, the party had decided to break the vicious cycle of marginalisation.

“The present appointments offered the zone by President Bola Tinubu’s administration is heartwarming and with more involvement in the party’s affairs, more would be achieved.

“We must break this cycle of marginalisation with determination, unity and total support to the party and President Bola Tinubu-led administration, he said.

He noted that Ebonyi had followed Imo’s trail in massively promoting the party’s activities and thanked Gov. Francis Nwifuru for sustaining the party’s ideals in the state.

“The challenge before us presently is how to claim Anambra, Enugu and Abia and must get all stakeholders together to achieve this goal.

Gov. Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi thanked the party’s leaders for honouring the meeting in the state noting that the party is presently rooted in the state and southeast.

Nwifuru noted that Ebonyi had a policy of inclusiveness which had made all stakeholders in the state to be presently under the APC roof.

“The massive defection of opposition stakeholders to APC on July 13 attests to the fact that persuasion works more than bickering and fighting,” he said.

Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo in his remark, said it is an ugly coincidence that the APC is ruling Nigeria in these hard times occasioned by the world economic meltdown.

The Chairman of the South East Governors Forum said that many citizens of the country experience excruciating hardship with some going into penury.

“People have to know that there is global economic meltdown with some currencies exchanging 15,000 and 20,000 to one dollar.

“I however, have hope that if the tested policies of President Bola Tinubu administration, are well implemented, Nigerians would receive the much needed succour., he said.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu in his remarks, urged people of the south east zone to identify with the federal government’s efforts to de-marginalise the zone.

“President Bola Tinubu has given Ndigbo more than the vote cast for him during the elections.

“It is presently left for us to repay him for his good works because when ones shows appreciation, he gets more,” he said.

He noted that the president offered Igbos lucrative positions in his government as high- ranking ministers, deputy speaker of the house of representatives among others.

“The process for the south east development commission bill which would solve the numerous challenges confronting Igbos, has been finalised and awaiting the president’s accent , he said.

Nigerian singer, Nwakaego Ogbaro popularly known as Ego has opened up about her experiences following her departure from Lagbaja’s Africano band in 2007.

In a conversation on Chude Jideonwo’s podcast, Ego revealed the difficulties she faced and addressed long-standing rumours about her relationship with the masked musician.

The singer dispelled speculations that they were romantically involved and even married.

She explained that her exit from the band was entirely her decision and not a result of a fallout between her and Lagbaja.

She said, “We did not fight, there were no issues, I believe in my instincts a lot, and that time, it was telling me to move. And in all honesty, I felt there was nothing more I could do to top what I had done at that time. So, I said it was time for me to move on. I sort of knew what I wanted, I wanted a band of my own, you know, I just wanted to do my own thing, my own kind of music, that was it, and I went to him, we talked and he was happy, though it’s bittersweet, and he said, ‘I knew you had this leadership quality, I knew you are one of those people that would end up having her own band’, and he was very supportive.”

Asked whether there were days she ever thought of going back to the Lagbaja band, Ego said, “Yeah, I will explain why I said yeah.

“I wanted and I craved that comfort where I don’t have to make certain decisions, where all I needed to do was just sing, dance and just get my pay, where the responsibilities were just not mine. There were days like that where I craved that, because it was hard: you’re dealing with people from different backgrounds, you’re dealing with a lot and you have to make it work. There was a time I actually called him [Lagbaja] and said I know I probably gave you a hard time, but it’s now I understand what it means, and he was like ‘Okay,’ and I said, ah, it’s not easy oh, it wasn’t easy.

“So, there were days I felt like being part of a band again, and just touring, being on the tour bus, you know, there were days like that.”

With just over a year in office, a campaign billboard of President Bola Tinubu for his reelection in 2027 has been spotted in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

On the billboard is a picture of Tinubu holding his wife, Remi, in a lovey-dovey manner with the inscription “Grassroots support for Tinubu 2027”.

The reelection campaign for Tinubu is coming a few months after he celebrated his one year as president of Nigeria.

There are growing concerns about the policies of the present administration, which many believe have worsened the economic situation in the country.

There are fears that the president’s popularity is waning among citizens despite having spent less than two years in office.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to fix a timetable for the 2027 elections.

In May, Abdullahi Ganduje, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the ruling party was being strengthened to enable Tinubu to secure a second term in office.

Ganduje said the APC national leadership is working with states to ensure that the party has functional offices in wards across the country.

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, says the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited no longer owns 20 percent stake in Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

Speaking during a press briefing at the refinery on Sunday, Dangote said NNPC now owns 7.2 percent of the refinery over failure to pay the balance of their share, which was due in June.

“NNPC no longer owns 20 percent stake in the Dangote refinery. They were met to pay their balance in June, but have yet to fulfil the obligations. Now, they only own a 7.2% stake in the refinery,” Dangote said.

In September 2021, NNPC acquired a 20 percent interest in Dangote refinery for $2.76 billion.

Revealing details of the transaction, NNPC, in its audited financial statements for 2022, said NNPC Greenfield holds the investment.

NNPC said the balance ($1.76 billion) of the cost of equity investments made in Dangote refinery would be paid upon completion of the refinery project or any other date agreed.

Dangote refinery commenced production on January 12.

Ola Olukoyede, chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has claimed that some religious organisations are “more corrupt” than public offices in Nigeria.

Olukoyede spoke at a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) leadership conference in Lagos on Friday.

EFCC boss revealed that his organisation recently recovered “how many millions from a religious organisation.”

Olukoyede accused religious leaders of looking at the “speckle in someone else eyes, but meanwhile, there is a log in yours.”

He then urged clerics to use their platform “not only to preach but also to demonstrate” good characters to their congregation.

“Just this last week, I have had cause to recover how many millions from a religious organisation,” the EFCC boss said.

“They appointed you a pastor, and that is when you become a big man. We don’t even know what you are doing to earn a legitimate living. You live on the ministry and the church or mosque money. You can’t even explain the source of your wealth.

“Some religious organisations are more corrupt than public offices. I have evidence towards that. You look at the speckle in someone else eyes, but meanwhile, there is a log in yours.”

In January, Olukoyede said the EFCC uncovered a religious sect laundering money terrorists in Nigeria.

A Nigerian Idol contestant, Chima Udoye, has emerged as the winner of the ninth edition of the popular music show after weeks of training and performances.

The three finalists—Chima, Lammy, and Chioma— went through different stages of the competition to reach the finale.

In their final performances, each contestant tried to convince both the judges and viewers of their worthiness.

Chioma thrilled the audience with her renditions of Jodie’s “Kuchi Kuchi” and Jennifer Hudson’s “One Night Only”, while Chima‘s soulful performances of “Not the Girl” by Dare Art Alade and “As” by Stevie Wonder captivated the judges.

Lammy performed 2baba’s “African Queen” and Alexandra Burke’s “Hallelujah” which was met with applause from the guests.

However, Chima’s powerful performances won over the judges and audience alike, and secured his place as the season 9 winner of Nigerian Idol.