AFOLABI

AFOLABI

 

When the latest wave of defections began in March 2025, marked by the high profile exit of Mallam Nasir El Rufai from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s ruling party, of which he is a founding member, and his open association with “like minds” such as Waziri Atiku Abubakar (PDP) and Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party who together promoted the idea of a coalition of the opposition to get President Tinubu and the APC out of power, there had been speculations about whether or not coalition politics would work in Nigeria at this time. 

 

I had reflected on the development in two pieces: “Nasir El-Rufai’s Defections: PDP, CPC, APC, SDP” (ThisDay, March 11) and “The Emerging Coalition Against Tinubu/APC” (ThisDay, March 18). Reactions to El-Rufai’s exit and the idea of a coalition were varied and robust. Shehu Sani, spokesperson of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) which El Rufai had announced he was joining dismissed El-Rufai as a liability to the APC and his latest political choice as being of “no consequence”. El-Rufai’s old colleagues in the Kaduna State Chapter of the APC dismissed his defection as a “non-event” which no one should be disturbed about.  Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, in a television interview had warned that the former Governor was sulking because he was not a Minister in President Tinubu’s cabinet, but “he should stop behaving like a child as if someone stole his bread and learn to move on”. El-Rufai was not ready to move on. Instead, the coalition leaders who wanted to sack Tinubu from office held public meetings. They even visited the former President, Muhammadu Buhari who tactically, and promptly dissociated himself from any attempt to sabotage the same party through which he served as President for eight years. Mr. Onanuga dismissed the coalition politicians as “disgruntled… sore losers, an amalgam of Tinubu haters” and that the President who is “focused on governance to build a prosperous country would not be distracted.”

 

It would be naïve for anyone to think that a political leader, not even one that is well versed in the art of conspiratorial politics, would wave off an attempt to unseat him from office. Politicians love to defeat their opponents. In the rough and tumble jungle of Nigerian politics, it is the person with the smartest strategy that wins. It is a fitting illustration of the political dexterity of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that in less than two months, he and his strategists have switched the cards, and turned the tables. The voice of the coalition leaders has been muted out, drowned out, and when occasionally they speak up, they tend to sound like the meow-ing of a compound cat. The new reality in town is that the same opposition figures that were called upon by Atiku and co to join hands together to remove Tinubu are all now forming a pro-Tinubu coalition, kissing his ring, singing his praise.  It didn’t take too long, less than a month for Mr. Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 Presidential candidate of the SDP, for example, who had earlier welcomed Nasir El-Rufai and other persons into the party, to start singing a different tune. At the 50th birthday celebration of his wife in Abuja, Adebayo told everyone within earshot in April that El-Rufai and Atiku will not be allowed to hijack the SDP for their personal battles against Tinubu, and that the SDP “will not be a getaway car for a conspiracy and robbery.” He even referred to the possibility of the coalition being “just a crime centre for disappointed Tinubu followers.” Mr. Adebayo has done a much better job than Tinubu’s appointed spokespersons. Within the same week that he made a volte-face as it were, Governors of the PDP, the main opposition party, along with the party’s leaders and the Acting National Chairman of the Party, Ambassador Umar Damagum met in Ibadan to distance themselves and the party from any coalition or merger talks. The PDP Governors literally threw their 2023 Presidential candidate under the bus, even when there was an attempt to sugar-coat the Ibadan meeting as an attempt to reposition the PDP as the go-to party for other Nigerian politicians.  

 

The cloud cleared not long after when the PDP Governor of Delta State, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the former Governor, Senator Patrcik Okowa, all members of the Delta State House of Assembly, local government chairmen and other party members decided to declare en masse for the APC.  The main justification offered by both the former Governor and the incumbent is that Delta State cannot afford to be on the periphery of national politics.  Senator Okowa put it as follows: “... It was not about me. It was not about the Governor, but about the fact that there is a need for us to connect to Abuja. That goodwill that is in Abuja, that resource that is in Abuja, of which Delta State is a large contributor – there was a need to connect to it.” It is odd that most Nigerian politicians believe that they have to connect with the party at the centre. Nigeria is a diverse, heterogenous nation. It must be the worst form of retrogressive politics to wilfully encourage the quasi-unitary system that Nigeria’s democracy appears to be. The collapse of the PDP structure in Delta State is most unfortunate. Since 1999, this had been a PDP state, but now Senator Okowa says he and the Governor and others have acted in the people’s interest. Which people? We need to be told what the people of Delta State have gained and where a referendum was organized to know the people’s mind. The political elite in the state are interested in themselves and the fight has now started over the control of the APC in Delta State, a three-way fight between the Governor, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, hitherto the APC leader in Delta, and Hon. Festus Keyamo, SAN, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development. Governor Oborevwori has since gone to the Presidential Villa to pay obeisance to the President. 

 

In Akwa Ibom state, Governor Umo Eno openly endorsed President Tinubu for a second term. He boasted that the people of the state “will stand by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for eight years”. He even quoted the Bible to justify his anti-party vituperations. Like Delta, Akwa Ibom has been a traditional PDP state having produced four PDP Governors since the return to civilian rule in 1999. In the North, Senator Sumaila Kawu (NNPP, Kano South) has also since led members of the New Nigeria People’s Party and the Kwankwasiya movement to the APC. Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the party is stunned! In Osun, Hon Wole Oke (representing Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency) has also moved to the APC. Oke has been a lawmaker on the platform of the PDP for about 20 years. Like Governor Oborevwori of Delta state, he says his movement to the APC is strategic. The other big revelation is the endorsement last week of President Tinubu by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). The President was on a state visit to Anambra where there would be a Gubernatorial election on November 8. Professor Soludo heaped so much praise on the President, who is of a rival party extraction, that a section of the crowd, APGA supporters, started singing: “Na our Papa be dis oh, we no get another one”. The reception for the visiting President was so joyous that the Governor at some point broke into a sprint and he and his guest had a short dance together. Tinubu left Anambra with a chieftaincy title conferred on him by 179 traditional rulers led by the Chairman of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council: “Dike si mba Anambra.” Confidently, the Chairman of the APC has boasted that “2027 is a done deal”.  

 

Those who have argued vehemently with him on this score may be doing so in vain. No week passes without a new or old group pledging allegiance to President Tinubu, and it looks like there will be more. Over the weekend, PDP Governors met in Abuja, again, after the Ibadan meeting. The main news was that the meeting was attended by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, a known PDP chieftain, and Governor, who designed the rebellion within the party in 2023. He has been very aggressive in reminding everyone of his unshakeable support for President Tinubu. He is said to be behind the crisis in Rivers State, and the mass movement of other politicians into the APC.  He does not deny his loyalty to President Tinubu. The meeting of the PDP Governor’s Forum in Abuja ended without any major disclosures. It is not impossible that the PDP leaders ended their meeting, singing: “On your Mandate we shall stand, Tinubu, on your mandate we shall stand” as they did in Ibadan. We live in such interesting times that by the following day, the Nigerian media was awash with news of the declaration of support for President Tinubu’s second term in office by former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. She declared that Mrs. Remi Tinubu is her friend and she would not join anybody to remove her friend’s husband from office.  Where are the coalition politicians? They seem to have lost out. The owner of the game has upstaged them. 

 

However, there is now across the land, the fear of an emerging one-party state, namely that before the 2027 general elections, the only party that would be standing would probably be the APC. Or better still, the only Presidential candidate that will be standing on very firm grounds would be President Tinubu. With the growing politics of personality cult and the stomach, it would be much easier for the APC to win the election than at any other time since 2015. A one-party state is the very opposite of multi-party democracy which our country recognizes. The Nigerian Constitution recognizes the diversity, the pluralism of the country, and on that basis alone it would be difficult for anyone to impose one individual or one political party on Nigeria. Any attempt to change the Constitution along those lines could be stoutly resisted and it would be such a discredit to President Tinubu’s democratic credentials. He should not contemplate it. 

 

The civil society in Nigeria today is in a relative wait and see mode; it is important that the APC government does not do anything to trigger its sleeping energy. One-party states are often based on a defined ideology such as communism in China, Cuba, North Korea, Eritrea, Vietnam or fascism in Nazi Germany and Musolini’s Italy. In next-door Republic of Benin, Mathieu Kerekou after seizing power in 1972, imposed a left wing, one -party state on the country. Benin later transformed to a multi-party democracy in 1990. The country is yet to fully recover from the damages imposed by that political experience. A one- party state is an authoritarian state. Professor Adele Jinadu, a political scientist, scholar and theorist has warned against the dangers of authoritarianism. Citizens in a one-party state are robbed of their fundamental freedoms, competition is not allowed, dissent is punished, power is centralized, the same centre that members of the Delta PDP are struggling to identify with. A one-party state reality will roll back whatever Nigerians have achieved with the return to civilian rule in 1999. 

 

In states where people subscribe to a one-party system, the ideological illusion is that such states are organized for the benefit of the people and that the politicians are strictly guided by the common good. In Nigeria, all the defecting politicians mention the people’s name only in vain. What is it that motivates them to join the pro-Tinubu bandwagon? Persuasion, inducement, coercion, or the fear that they could be punished for crimes committed, or corruption? It is the fashion in Nigeria that once you identify with the centre or the man of power, you are rewarded with the forgiveness of your sins or a place in the corridors of power.  The same Nigerian politicians who are disappearing into the APC today would run into another party the day the APC leaves power. They won’t even think about the amorality of their action. The name of the people will still be invoked: the same poor, impoverished people whose misery the leaders have failed to reverse. There is also the legal challenge. When the whole of Delta State PDP moved to the APC, the acting Chairman of the PDP threatened that the defection will be challenged in court, but can anyone trust that this approach will work? In Rivers with a similar situation, it was even the courts that further complicated the process. Whereas lawmakers can be challenged within the purview of Sections 68 (1)(g), and 109 (1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, the law is silent on the fate of defecting Governors. The last time Nigeria saw a defecting Governor who demonstrated honour, integrity and pride was with Mallam Abubakar Rimi of Kano State ((1979 – 1983). When Rimi fell out with Mallam Aminu Kano, the leader of his party, the Peoples’ Redemption Party (PRP), and defected to the Nigerian Peoples’ Party (NPP), he resigned as Governor and handed over to his Deputy. It is a terrible sign of the times that men of such integrity are today in short supply. There is an urgent need for a Constitutional review to make it compulsory for anyone at all who leaves the party on whose platform he/she wins election to automatically vacate the position. 

A Nigerian man has been apprehended while waiting for a minor he had allegedly solicited sex from online.

 

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The video making rounds on social media shows the moment security agents accosted him while waiting for the minor.

 

He allegedly met the minor online and in their course of discussion, solicited sex from her.

 

According to reports, his act was monitored by some security agents who apprehended him at the place he had asked to meet the minor.

 

“My darling” the terrified suspect said to the security agents immediately they accosted him.

 

The suspect, who worked with the Elderly, said he resides in the country legally. He said he has been speaking with minors for three months.

 

He is facing 10 years in prison to life imprisonment if found guilty.

 

The name of the suspect was yet to be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

Suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has said he doesn’t wish to return to office following his suspension, if not for the pressure among Rivers people for him to come back to further his passion for leaving a lasting legacy for the common good.

 

The governor, at the Sunday Night of Tribute, put together by Rivers Elders and Leaders in honour of Pa Edwin Kiagbodo Clark and held at the Royal House of Grace in Port Harcourt, said he has felt more peace and is looking better outside the pressurised atmosphere of the office of the governor, as a lot of persons are unaware of what the situation is.

 

He told the audience at the tribute, “This is the first time I’m speaking publicly after the event of March 18. A lot of people don’t know what the situation is. It’s not about the force of activism. It gets to a time when activism won’t solve problems. For that reason, I am a bit careful.

 

Gov. Fubara observed that the evening should strictly remain within the purpose of paying tribute to Pa Clark and not be about the political situation in the state, as he particularly cautioned those who spoke about the President and Minister of FCT to restrain themselves, saying, “When they leave here, it may not be presented the way it is said. They will say Fubara gathered his supporters to speak against the president and the FCT minister.”

 

He queried, “Even some of you, have you asked yourselves if I am interested in going back? Don’t you see how much better I look? Do you think I am interested in it?

If I have my way, I don’t wish to go back there.

 

“My spirit left that place long ago. So, I want everybody to focus on the tribute. There are some fights you don’t engage in, because you need to ask the person if he want it. I have peace. If you have known me and seen me, you can see that I look better.”

 

According to him, “Much as we have some things we need to do for our state and the fact that people have made sacrifices for us in one way or the other, we have to stand by them; it doesn’t mean we should be fighting without any target. We need to be focused.”

 

Harping on the imperative for tolerance and peaceful coexistence among Rivers people over the lingering political situation that pushed the state into emergency rule, Governor Fubara called for caution and urged his supporters not to be confrontational but to follow his peaceful path.

 

He said, “I always tell those of you who want to listen not to do things because you want to do them, but do the things that I want. I am the one wearing the shoes; I know the solutions to my problem and know how to walk through the problems.

 

Gov Fubara insisted that before people go ahead to do anything in his interest, they should seek his consent as according to him, “I have a wife and kids to bring up. They need me now more than ever. So when I finish that work and the work of humanity, the aircraft can land and I will board gallantly.”

 

Reflecting on the legacy of Chief Clark and how he has impacted him, the governor noted, “This event is something I honestly cannot avoid. Pa Clark was a very special person to everyone of us, especially to me. I feel indebted to him. I might have supported the burial programme, but my presence here is the most important thing.

 

“We are here talking about a man who led a sacrificial life. We are here talking about a man who spent his personal money to go to court for me.

 

“What is special about Pa Clark? Maybe when he started his life as a young man, he might have made his own mistakes like everyone of us, but at a certain time in his life, he decided to dedicate it to fighting for the common good of others, and he did it well.

 

“I am a beneficiary of that. I have never met him one day. I spoke to him a few times on the phone, and he stood by me. Until his death, the first time I stepped foot into his house was when I went for a condolence. He supported what he believed in, fighting injustice. And that is the man we are celebrating this evening.

 

“It is a celebration because he got to the age of 97 before his transition and lived for others. So I want us this evening, as we have gathered here to celebrate him, to learn from him and let us dedicate our lives to things that are good.”

 

In a brief homily, the General Overseer of the Royal House of Grace, Apostle Dr Zilly Aggrey, emphasised the temporary nature of life and admonished everyone to live life bearing in mind that there will be a day to return to the maker.

 

He noted that people need to live together in peace rather than in strife, as no man is certain about what happens in the future except God.

 

Other speakers at the night of tribute included Prof. Atuboyedia Obianime, Prof. Steve Azaiki, Alabo Gabriel Toby, Ms Ann-Kio Briggs, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Senator John Azuta Mbata, Prof. Roseline Konya, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe and Bishop Elkanah Hanson

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that his administration is committed to rule of law and the independence of the country’s judiciary.

 

The President, at a book launch in Abuja, in honour of the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, said legislative efforts are being made to support structural reforms and expedite access to justice for all Nigerians.

 

The book, co-authored by Dr Charles Mekwunye (SAN) and the Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports (NWLR), Ayo Olanrewaju, provides a comprehensive exploration of Justice Ariwoola’s years of service in Nigeria’s appellate courts and highlights his significant contributions to the development of the nation’s jurisprudence.

 

Representing the President, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, applauded the Chief Justice’s unwavering dedication to nation buiding stating that Justice Ariwoola (rted.) viewed his role not just as an appointment but as a call to national service.

 

He noted that many of the jurist’s judgments continue to resonate across the legal landscape, particularly in high-profile constitutional and contract disputes. Fagbemi then highlighted the government’s ongoing commitment to judicial independence.

 

Also speaking at the event, the chairman of the occasion, former President of Nigeria Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, reflected on the importance of leadership, accountability, and preserving a lasting legacy.

 

He emphasised that the book documents Justice Ariwoola’s legal contributions and serves as an essential symbol of institutional memory, offering insight into decisions that have shaped Nigeria’s constitutional, electoral, and administrative law.

 

The book, reviewed by Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye SAN, was praised for its richness and depth. “One can say with the benefit of hindsight and the supporting evidence and testimony contained in this book that within this sobering reflection,” he stated.

 

Speaking during the launch, the Co-author, Mekwunye, explained that the book critically examines Justice Ariwoola’s judgments, shedding light on his judicial philosophy and impact, this shedding lights on who Justice Ariwoola is through his judicial activities.

 

He emphasized that Justice Ariwoola, known for his adherence to legal precedent, never delivered a dissenting judgment throughout his career yet advanced legal principles through his consensus opinions.

 

Adding his voice to the call for reform, Dr. Mekuenye stressed the urgent need for the Federal Government to address the plight of detainees languishing in correctional facilities for years without trial.

 

He decried the disturbing reality of individuals remaining incarcerated for up to nine years without being formally charged or granted bail, describing it as a breach of fundamental human rights and a stain on the justice system.

 

The senior lawyer emphasised that true judicial reform must include timely and equitable access to justice for all, especially the most vulnerable.

 

“The government must look into the unjust and prolonged detention of prisoners who have not been brought before a court for a fair hearing,” he said.“

 

The former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, expressed deep gratitude for the recognition and reaffirmed his belief in the judiciary’s sanctity as the common man’s last hope.

 

In his brief remarks, he underscored the critical role of judicial officers in upholding the rule of law. He reminded young legal practitioners to remain steadfast in integrity, discipline, and service.

 

He said that justice should not only be done but must be seen to be done in every courtroom across the nation.

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has adjourned to May 26 a suit challenging the suspension of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, by President Bola Tinubu.

 

The suit was filed by a former federal lawmaker and People’s Democratic Party Rivers State governorship aspirant in the 2023 general election, Dr Farah Dagogo.

 

It is also challenging the president’s decision to suspend the deputy governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and all members of the State House of Assembly.

 

President Tinubu had on March 18 declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing security concerns. He further announced the suspension of the state’s elected leadership and announced Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) as the administrator of the state.

 

In the suit marked FHC/PH/CS/50/2025, filed on April 9, Dagogo argued that the president’s actions were ultra vires and lacked any constitutional backing.

 

President Tinubu, Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Rivers State Administrator, were marked as 1st to 5th respondents.

 

At Monday’s proceedings, counsel to the plaintiff, Cosmas Enweluzo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court that all defendants had been duly served and expressed readiness to proceed with the case.

 

However, only the fifth defendant, Vice Admiral Ibas (Rtd), appeared through his counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju.

 

Ogunwumiju requested an adjournment to respond to the originating summons.

 

After listening to both counsels, the presiding judge, Justice Adamu Mohammed, granted the request but cautioned that the matter would proceed on the next adjourned date regardless of further delays.

 

Speaking to journalists after the court sitting, Enweluzo reiterated that President Tinubu acted outside the Constitution.

 

He stated, “The case challenges the President’s unilateral appointment of an administrator for Rivers State and the suspension of duly elected officials, including the governor, deputy governor, and House of Assembly members.

 

“The president cannot act as a ‘tin god’. He does not have the constitutional authority to suspend elected representatives or govern over four million citizens by fiat. It is a constitutional aberration and must not be allowed.”

 

Enweluzo questioned the justification provided by the president for declaring a state of emergency, citing serious cases of insecurity in some parts of the North without any such action taken.

 

“The insecurity narrative is unfounded. In Benue, Plateau, and Borno States, serious security challenges persist, people are being killed, and some local governments remain under Boko Haram control.

 

“Yet no state of emergency was declared there. Rivers State has remained relatively peaceful,” he explained.

 

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria commended Dr Dagogo for taking legal action in defence of the Constitution.

 

Enweluzo noted, “We are grateful for principled leaders like Dr Farah Dagogo who are willing to defend the Nigerian Constitution. Citizens have a right to be governed by officials they have elected and represented by legislators of their constituencies in Degema, Bonny, and others.”

 

Explaining the reason for the adjournment, Enweluzo said, “Counsel for the fifth defendant informed the court that their staff were at the Registry filing processes in response to our originating summons.

 

“They requested an adjournment to complete their filings. In fairness, and since it was their first request, we agreed. The court, therefore, adjourned to May 26, 2025. If delays persist beyond that, the court will be entitled to proceed with the case.”

 

He added that while all other defendants have been duly served, none have filed a memorandum of appearance, conditional appearance, or any legal response to the suit.

… Says Finance, ICT Sectors Not Generating Enough Jobs Despite Massive GDP Contribution

… Seeks Massive Investments In Infrastructure, Electricity, Transportation

 

 

The World Bank on Monday said that the current structure of Nigeria’s economy cannot support the aspiration of the federal government to grow the size of the economy to $1tn by 2030.

 

It said that while Nigeria’s macroeconomic situation is improving as a result of sustained reforms, more work needs to be done in improving the infrastructure, particularly in the areas of electricity and transportation, among others.

 

The Bank said this in the latest edition of the Nigeria Development Update (NDU) report released on Monday.

 

The NDU further highlights that for the economy to meet the government’s aspiration of achieving a $1tn economy by 2030 and deliver poverty reduction and shared prosperity, the pace of growth needs to accelerate further and its composition rebalanced towards those economic sectors and firms that are most productive, generate positive spillovers, and create jobs and opportunities at scale, especially for the poor and economically insecure.

At present, the World Bank stated that the best-performing sectors of the economy, like finance and ICT, are important drivers of growth but are not sources of mass employment, as many Nigerians do not yet have the skills and opportunities to participate in them.

 

A private sector-led, public sector-facilitated growth strategy, the bank added, can boost inclusive growth.

 

The report, titled “Building Momentum for Inclusive Growth”, showed that economic growth in the last quarter of 2024 increased to 4.6 per cent (year-on-year), pushing growth for the full year 2024 to 3.4 per cent, the highest since 2014 (excluding the 2021-2022 COVID-19 rebound).

 

It said recent reforms have also helped to strengthen the foreign exchange (FX) market and Nigeria’s external position, while the consolidated fiscal position improved in 2024, driven by surging revenues.

 

The fiscal deficit also shrank from 5.4 per cent of GDP in 2023 to three per cent of GDP in 2024, a major improvement which was driven by a sharp increase in revenues of the entire Federation, which rose from N16.8tn in 2023 (7.2 per cent of GDP) to an estimated N31.9tn in 2024 (11.5 per cent of GDP).

 

But the report further added that inflation has remained high and sticky, which is expected to fall to an annual average of 22.1 per cent in 2025, as a sustained tight stance firmly establishes monetary policy credibility and dampens inflationary expectations.

 

The World Bank said the challenge is to consolidate macroeconomic stability and ignite inclusive growth through deeper, wider structural reforms.

 

It added that there is a need for the economy to generate more and better jobs at scale and reduce poverty.

 

“Nigeria has made impressive strides to restore macroeconomic stability. With the improvement in the fiscal situation, Nigeria now has a historic opportunity to improve the quantity and quality of development spending, investing more in human capital, social protection, and infrastructure.

 

“The allocation of public resources can begin to shift away from the past unsustainable pattern and rather towards meeting Nigeria’s large development needs, including the government playing its essential role of providing basic public services and serving as an enabler of private sector–led growth,” said Taimur Samad, Acting World Bank Country Director for Nigeria.

 

The World Bank urged the government to quickly address major infrastructure gaps, such as in electricity and transportation.

It also advocated fostering healthy competition, market openness, and improving the business environment to spur business dynamism.

 

The Bank also called on the government to improve access to finance for new and existing firms to grow and improve productivity and improve policies in key sectors to help unleash the potential of these sectors.

 

“International experience suggests that the public sector cannot sustainably generate growth and jobs by itself. Nigeria is no exception, particularly since public resources remain constrained.

 

“ A useful strategy is to position the public sector to play a dual role as a provider of essential public services, especially to build human capital and infrastructure, and as an enabler for the private sector to invest, innovate, and grow the economy,” said Alex Sienaert, World Bank Lead Economist for Nigeria

Nigerian households have said that the astronomical increase in prices will weaken the economy and their purchasing power.

 

This is based on the April 2025 Household Expectations Survey of the Central Bank of Nigeria. 

 

CBN said a significant majority or 71.2 per cent of surveyed households, believe that the Nigerian economy would weaken if prices were to rise faster than the current rate.

 

Nigeria’s inflation rose to 24.23 per cent in March 2025 following the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rebasing.

 

“Unlike in the past, where the base year was 2009, the base year for the rebased CPI is 2024. Meaning, we are comparing prices in 2025 with prices in 2024 instead of 2009.

 

“Also, the CPI baskets are not the same,” said the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

 

Food prices also dropped from 39.8 per cent to 26 per cent, after the rebasing.

 

The respondents argued that a drop in interest rates will lead to price reduction.

 

According to the CBN, most respondents or 49.4 per cent of the households, favoured a decrease in interest rate.

 

The overall outlook for consumers reveals that they are pessimistic due to their family financial situation and economic conditions.

 

According to CBN, the index stood at -15 per cent in April, showing a worse outlook compared to March 2025, which stood at -6.1 per cent.

 

In April, the report said households perceive prices to be relatively high at -22.8 index points.

 

They also believe that prices will rise with a pessimistic index point of -26.7 in May; -29.5 and -25.6 points.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has confirmed that suspended Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has started making peace warm-ups in the wake of a protracted political crisis that rocked the oil-rich state earlier this year.

 

Speaking during a media parley with select journalists on Monday at his Abuja residence, Wike disclosed that Fubara recently visited him in company of two other governors and an elder statesman as part of his reconciliatory moves.

 

The FCT Minister, however, said that while he is open to peace, genuine reconciliation must go beyond symbolic visits.

 

“Yes, he came with two governors and one elder person. Unfortunately, the two governors are APC governors. So, I will not pursue him. He said he wants peace. That’s fine. I also want peace,” Wike stated.

 

Wike’s comments came months after the political standoff between him and his estranged political protege, Fubara, plunged Rivers State into a constitutional crisis.

 

The crisis escalated when President Bola Tinubu suspended Governor Fubara, the Rivers State House of Assembly, and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.

 

President Tinubu subsequently appointed an interim administrator to oversee the state’s affairs for a period of six months, a development that drew both criticism and support from politicians and stakeholders nationwide.

 

Though details of the crisis remain layered in political intrigue, it is believed that the falling-out between Wike and Fubara stemmed from disagreements over political control, loyalty, and governance style.

 

Wike, who is an influential member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had handpicked Fubara as his successor, but their relationship deteriorated over alleged plans by Fubara to hijack his political structure in Rivers.

 

However, while making remarks on Monday, Wike stressed that genuine peace must be reflected in actions, not just rhetoric.

 

He frowned on alleged ongoing protests and media attacks reportedly orchestrated by Fubara’s loyalists, which he said contradicted the spirit of reconciliation.

 

“I told him, ‘Look, I don’t think you have the capacity to really make this peace.’ That’s why when I read what I read yesterday, I felt so bad. Why? If you are making peace, your people are demonstrating every day; if you are making peace, your people are busy on television insulting people. How do you feel in that case?” Wike asked.

 

He further said, “You must take steps. Have you met the assembly people? There are leaders you should meet. It is not to say, ‘I want peace.’ You must show it by conduct and action.”

 

Wike further alleged that Fubara was misled by other governors in the early stages of the crisis, suggesting that those who goaded him into confrontation have since abandoned him.

 

He said, “Governors came pushing him, where are they now? I think the governors are enjoying their own. Fubara is a young man. I warned him, saying, look, go this way, go this way and you will not have problems.”

 

The FCT Minister maintained that he remained committed to President Tinubu’s peace directive but stressed that all parties must act in good faith for a lasting resolution.

 

“The President has called for peace severally and I cannot sit down when the President has called for peace and I say, ‘I don’t want peace,’” Wike noted.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has disclosed that a total of 162 individuals lost their lives in various emergency incidents across Lagos State between January 1, 2024 and March 30, 2025.

 

This was revealed in a detailed operational report released by the agency through its spokesperson, Nosa Okunbor. 

 

According to the report, the Pre-Hospital Care Unit of the agency attended to 5,366 cases during the 15-month period.

 

While 5,204 victims were successfully rescued and treated, 162 persons were confirmed dead.

 

Among the deceased were 124 adult males and 30 adult females, as well as 6 male and 2 female children.

 

“In the year under review, the Pre-Hospital Care Unit of the Agency attended to 5,366 cases during operations between 1st January 2024 and 30th March 2025. Out of this number, 162 were recovered dead, while 5,204 victims were successfully rescued and treated by the agency’s pre-hospital care.

 

“From the 162 dead that were recovered, 124 were adult males, 30 were adult females, and 6 male and 2 female children were also lost. Out of the rescued and treated 5,204 victims of various incidents, there are 1,801 adult males, 1,691 adult females, 131 male children, and 1,581 female children,” LASEMA stated.

 

From January to April 2025 alone, the unit attended to 1,031 injured persons, comprising 420 adult males, 603 adult females, and 8 children.

 

In the same four-month span, 45 fatalities were recorded — 38 adult males and 7 adult females.

 

In total, LASEMA responded to 2,143 emergency incidents between January 2024 and April 2025.

 

Of this number, 1,675 incidents occurred in 2024, while 468 cases were handled between January and April 2025.

 

“Out of the 5,366 cases recorded during operations in the last 16 months, 1,031 injured were rescued and attended between 1st of January and 30th of April, 2025.

 

“From this number, 420 adult males and 603 females were attended to in the last four months, while 6 male and 2 female children were attended to between 1st January and 30th April, 2025.

 

“However, in the same period of time, 45 deaths were recorded in the last four months. This comprised 38 adult males and 7 adult females,” the agency noted.

 

The most common emergencies attended in 2025 included road accidents (147 cases), truck/tanker incidents (110), fire disasters (94), and medical emergencies (63). April 2025 alone saw 121 incidents, with road accidents again topping the list.

 

A closer look at local government areas revealed Alimosho, Lagos’ most populous LGA, led in recorded cases with 332 incidents, followed by Ikeja (242), Eti-Osa (221), and Kosofe (181).

 

LASEMA also reported its continued operations across multiple specialised response units, such as the Eagle Base (Cappa), Tiger Unit (Alausa), Shark Unit (Lekki), Cobra Unit (Onipanu), Dolphin Squad (Igando), Whale Unit (Epe), and Lion Squad (Agbowa).

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, said the energy giant will resume crude oil drilling activities at the Kolmani oil field, located on the border between Bauchi and Gombe States.

 

Ajulari made the disclosure in an interview on the BBC.

 

Recall that in 2022, the NNPC, under the leadership of Mele Kyari focused on resuming oil exploration at the Kolmani Oil Field.

 

According to the state-owned company, the Kolmani project aims to diversify Nigeria’s oil production beyond the Niger Delta and tap into a potential one billion barrels of crude oil.

 

Speaking to BCC, the GCEO disclosed that preparations are already underway to relaunch the project.

 

Ojulari said, “We will continue to work with the government in Kolmani and other areas. Besides the oil drilling work, we will also ensure that we complete the gas pipeline project from Ajaokuta to Kano.

 

“The projects would allow the previously closed businesses to be reopened so that they could continue to operate and open new ones.

 

“This will create benefits in the region, which will lead to the benefit of everyone because the wealth will grow. We have to go back and carry on with this work.”

 

Ojulari expressed NNPC’s readiness to revive the project.

 

The GCEO said that Northerners viewed the drilling in the North as a move toward gaining a stronger foothold in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

 

Crude oil drilling is historically dominated by the South.

 

Ojulari’s move to restart the project comes at a crucial moment as Nigeria grapples with economic challenges and seeks to increase domestic crude production and enhance energy security.

 

Ojulari also said the NNPC has resolved its feud with the Dangote refinery.

 

“We, as Nigerians, must hail Dangote’s courageous efforts. Whatever he is investing in, he is doing it in Africa“. We have addressed the feud between the NNPC and the Dangote Refinery. Very soon, people will start seeing the impact.

 

“We are cooperating, and better days are ahead. Marketers will buy fuel at the refinery any time they want. If there are any obstacles, we will address them. It won’t be in the news anymore that NNPC and Dangote are fighting; now, we are working together for the interests of Nigerians.”