Latest News
FEATURES
The Federal Government, through the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, has raised concerns over ministries conducting promotion exercises for special civil servants without adhering to due process.
According to Punch, a memo signed by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, cautioned such ministries against bypassing established protocols.
The document emphasized that cases involving promotions for special, deserving civil servants must be submitted to the Federal Civil Service Commission for approval.
The memo, addressed to key government officials, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, ministers, heads of departments, and agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and permanent secretaries, highlighted the need for compliance.
Dated October 28, 2024, the memo stated, “Henceforth, all Ministries/Extra-Ministerial Departments are advised to follow the extant procedure as provided in Part IV Section 24 of the “Guidelines for Appointments, Promotion and Discipline” (2004 Edition) issued by the Federal Civil Service Commission, in their requests for special promotion for deserving officers.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all requests for special promotion must be forwarded to the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission by the recommending Permanent Secretary, through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“Kindly ensure strict compliance with the content of this Circular.”
The newly appointed Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, has said his mission is to deliver Kano State to the All Progressives Congress in 2027.
The development came as the immediate-past minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, faulted the decision to choose Ata as his replacement, describing it as a wrong political decision.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after his maiden visit to Kano after his swearing-in as minister, Ata said, “My appointment was mainly for political reasons, APC has lost Kano State and now it will take Kano State. The main problem is the Kano Central and I am from there.
“Even as a minister, I will continue to sit in this ward, we are going to work very hard to see that APC gains control of Kano State by 2027.
“My mission, like I said, is purely political. Even though I am posted to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, I will do my work but I will be coming to Kano State every week so as to work towards gaining control of the state.”
The minister appreciated President Bola Tinubu for the appointment, adding that it was not for his own person but for the citizens of Kano and Nigeria as well.
He, therefore, assured the President that come 2027, the APC will win Kano.
“This is my assurance given to the President,” he said.
The President had sacked Gwarzo alongside four other ministers in a recent cabinet reshuffle.
Speaking during an interview with the BBC Hausa service on Saturday, Gwarzo said the President should have chosen the APC standard-bearer in the 2023 governorship election, Nasiru Gawuna, in order to improve the party’s fortunes in Kano Central senatorial district.
The former minister said his sack was not due to poor performance but political schemings orchestrated by some chieftains of the party in Kano.
“I was surprised because I wasn’t found guilty of any wrongdoing or poor performance. And I was a minister of state with the senior minister who handles a large chunk of the ministry’s activities.
“Before the announcement, the President had put me on notice of his decision.
“He said Kano North was overloaded with political officers, hence the need to strike a balance. We gave our advice, but it was ignored.
“From there I began to suspect that some people were behind this because for me that wasn’t a valid reason.
“If it’s true that the ministerial slot will be allocated to Kano Central, we have our 2023 governorship candidate, who is also our leader in Kano Central. Why not consider giving him the slot?” Gwarzo queried.
He added that Mr Gawuna’s current position could not sustain him to properly manage his structures.
“Gawuna should be offered the position first, unless he declines, in which case it could be given to someone else.
“All his other colleagues who contested in other states were given positions, such as the candidates from Plateau and Zamfara states,” Mr Gwarzo added.
The former minister added that he had accepted his fate and moved on as he pledged continued support for the administration of the President.
US President-elect Donald Trump has announced the appointment of former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Tom Homan as the incoming administration’s “Border Czar.”
In this role, Homan will oversee national border security and manage the deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Trump expressed confidence in Homan’s capabilities, stating, “I am pleased to announce that the Former ICE Director, and stalwart on Border Control, Tom Homan, will be joining the Trump Administration, in charge of our Nation’s Borders.”
Homan, who served as acting ICE director from January 2017 to June 2018, has been a prominent advocate for stringent immigration enforcement policies.
His tenure was marked by a significant increase in deportation arrests and the implementation of policies aimed at deterring illegal immigration.
His return to the administration signals a continuation of hardline immigration strategies.
In addition to Homan’s appointment, Trump had named Susie Wiles as his incoming White House Chief of Staff.
Wiles, who managed Trump’s successful 2024 presidential campaign, is recognized for her strategic expertise and leadership.
Her appointment marks the first time a woman will hold the position of White House Chief of Staff.
Wiles’ extensive experience in political consulting and her role in orchestrating Trump’s campaign are expected to influence the administration’s policy direction and operational efficiency.
Observers anticipate that Homan and Wiles will play pivotal roles in shaping the administration’s approach to border security and overall governance.
A former member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has insisted that the controversial tax reform bill presented by President Bola Tinubu will be passed into law by the National Assembly.
Jibrin, disagreed with the position of Borno Senator, Ali Ndume, who said the bill was dead on arrival.
Speaking on Sunday during an interview with Channels TV, Jibrin, who represented Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State in the House of Representatives, said contrary to the belief in certain quarters, the North is not against the bill.
He said the National Assembly would check the clauses in the bill, and it will be passed.
According to him, after the bill is passed, Nigerians would also be able to see that what President Bola Tinubu packaged in the bill is in their interest.
“It is not a consensus in the North that this bill should be shut down. And talking for myself and also how I know the National Assembly operates in terms of following procedures of the passage of the bill, I can be able to tell you authoritatively that the bill is not dead on arrival,” Jibrin said on the programme.
“I can explain to you that hundreds of clauses in these bills are things we have been pursuing for ages and I will be able to tell you this; the work that we are going to do for Nigerians to see all the clauses in detail and everything, I can confidently tell you that bill will go through the processes in the National Assembly and it will be passed,” he added.
Naija News reports that despite the controversy generated by the bill, including the recommendation by the National Economic Council led by Vice President Kashim Shettima for the bill to be stepped down, President Tinubu has insisted that the bill would not be withdrawn from the National Assembly.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has extended congratulations to Nigerians who recently won elections in various foreign countries.
In a statement signed by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols at NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, lauded the accomplishments of four Nigerians who have attained significant political milestones.
The successful individuals include Dr. Oye Owolewa, who was re-elected as the Shadow Representative for the District of Columbia under the Democratic Party; Chiaka Barry, elected into the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Legislative Assembly representing the Ginninderra District under the Liberal Party; Segun Adeyina, re-elected as State Representative of District 110, Georgia, USA; and Yemi Mobolade, who made history as the first Black person elected as the Mayor of Colorado Springs, USA.
Dabiri-Erewa commended their achievements, emphasizing the importance of their contributions to the political landscapes of their respective communities and recognizing them as standard-bearers for Nigerians worldwide.
“Your victories demonstrate the resilience, dedication, and excellence of Nigerians in the global arena. We are proud of your successes and urge you to maintain the tenacious spirit as you serve in your new capacities,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
She prayed for their continued protection, strength, and wisdom in carrying out their responsibilities, urging them to remain committed to service and leadership.
Dr. Oye Owolewa, a pharmacist, expressed gratitude to his supporters for their confidence in re-electing him as the Shadow Representative of the District of Columbia. Chiaka Barry, known for her experience in legal practice, legislative drafting, and community service, has been celebrated for her dedication to public service.
Segun Adeyina brings over 25 years of experience in IT program and project management, having worked for Fortune 500 companies such as General Motors and Hewlett Packard/Cap Gemini.
Meanwhile, Yemi Mobolade’s election as the 42nd Mayor of Colorado Springs marked a historic moment, being the first Black individual to hold the position in the city.
See the statement below:
The estimated cost of landing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, on Nigeria’s shores has seen a significant 20.34 per cent reduction, falling to ₦971.57 per litre over the past three months.
This decline, which includes importation and distribution expenses, reflects relief from global market fluctuations and supply chain dynamics.
Despite this drop, the retail price of petrol in Nigeria has surged by ₦443 or 71.79 per cent, increasing from ₦617 per litre on August 1, 2024, to ₦1,060 per litre as of November 8, 2024. Independent marketers are selling at even higher prices, up to ₦1,180 per litre.
Data from the Major Energies Marketers Association’s daily energy bulletin indicates that in August, oil marketers imported petrol at ₦1,219 per litre when Brent crude was priced at $80.72 per barrel, with an exchange rate of ₦1,611 per dollar. During this period, petrol retailed at ₦617 per litre.
However, by November, the landing cost had dropped to N971.57 per litre, with Brent crude priced at $75.57 per barrel and the exchange rate at ₦1,665.84 per dollar.
Yet, petrol now sells for ₦1,060 per litre at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) outlets and ₦1,180 at independent marketer stations.
The data also shows that the landing cost stood at ₦945.63 in September and ₦903.64 per litre in October 2024.
The increase in retail price, despite falling landing costs, is attributed to factors such as the ongoing deregulation of the fuel market, exchange rate fluctuations, rising inflation, and wider economic challenges.
Experts expect that the decline in landing costs should result in lower retail prices. However, on Sunday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) accused fuel marketers of inflating petrol prices, stating that the current pump price is disproportionately high compared to the actual market value.
In a communique following its National Executive Council meeting, the NLC argued that Nigerians are being exploited, enduring heightened suffering and hunger due to government policies pushing many into poverty.
Ebonyi State-based prophet, His Holiness, Spirit Emmanuel Chukwudi, who prophesied the emergence of Mr Donald Trump has again said that former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will still become the president of Nigeria.
According to him, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has disappeared from the spirit realm.
Chukwudi, who is the General Overseer King of Kings Deliverance Ministries Worldwide, Gbonum Ulepa Ntezi, Ishielu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, gave the prophecy while speaking in an interview shortly after Trump defeated Kamala Harris last week.
Chukwudi had days before the US election, predicted victory for Trump.
He has now said Atiku will become president, as God has directed him to announce it again to Nigerians.
He stated “Today, the Lord has said it again, that just as Donald Trump was elevated to lead Americans on November 5, so shall it come to pass in Nigeria regarding His word on Atiku Abubakar.
“I prophesied in 2019 and 2023, that Uzodinma will win, and he won.
“In 2011, I told Buhari that Goodluck Jonathan will be president.
“Jonathan won and Buhari lost. In 2014, I told Goodluck to retire, that Buhari will rule. The word of God came through me as Buhari won and Goodluck lost.
“In 2015, didn’t I say that Prince Abubakar Audu of APC will win in Kogi? Didn’t he win? He won and died.
“In 2020, I warned Chief Chekwas Okorie of APGA and UPP not to join APC, that he will disappear permanently from politics. Didn’t it happen?”
While decrying the release of fake prophecy by people he called puppet prophets, he declared that: “For many years, I have prophesied that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will become president. It has not yet happened and Nigerians are arguing that my prophecy is false. But know that the word of God does not fail.
“I have made tons and tons of prophecies, and they all came to pass. I don’t prophecy and fail. The word of God lives in me. I cannot even list half of them here.
“Three times, I have said that Donald Trump will be pardoned by God because he is on a rescue mission to save America and the world from the kingdom of darkness. Just a few days before the election, it happened again as I said that he must become president.
“Just like Trump, Atiku is coming. Every word of the Lord shall come to pass and His Word on Atiku shall also come to pass.
“As a matter of fact, the APC has disappeared from the spirit realm. So, Atiku is coming. He will be president. He has been reserved to save Nigeria, and it shall manifest in our presence.”
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has urged the state task force for price control of food items to take swift action against aggregators hoarding food items in their warehouses.
Bago made the call during the flagged-off of the Niger Foods’ corn harvest along Bida Road in a bid to achieve his Feed the Nation Agenda through mechanised agriculture.
He explained that the move was aimed at preventing artificial scarcity and ensure availability of essential commodities at reasonable prices.
” The activities of aggregators often lead to hikes in prices of food items as they stockpile them in their warehouses, ” he noted.
The governor, who was elated with the harvest, disclosed that so far, there are more than 100,000 hectares of corn fields of Niger Foods spread across the state, adding that 100 combined harvesters have been deployed to the farms.
According to him: “The use of the combined harvesters would reduce losses between 80 and 90 per cent. The state is expecting about a million metric tonnes of corn this year aside from rice, Soya bean, sesame, guinea corn and millet.”
In a related development, Bago visited the Emi Guye community around the farm, and interacted with the people while directing that some basic amenities such as water and solar energy be provided to the community and other adjourning communities.
Responding on behalf of the community, the village Head of Emi Guye, Alh. Usman Mohammed, thanked the governor and commended him for his development strides in the state.
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has urged Nigerian judges, particularly justices of the Supreme Court to administer justice with the fear of God.
Sanusi made this call at a public discourse in Lagos with the theme, “Ethics, Morality And The Law,” charging them to remember that they are accountable to God.
The event was held in honour of Justice Habeed Abiru who was recently elevated as a justice of the Supreme Court.
He said his New Year resolution is that he no longer wants to be controversial.
The monarch advised the judges to be upright and should not allow hatred for people to make them do what is not right.
He also charged them to focus more on substantive justice, and not rely on technicalities.
“Do not be an advocate for wrongdoers and do not be an advocate for those who deceive themselves, because Allah does not love sinful wrongdoers.
“When your friends come to you, when government comes to you, and you listen to them and you tilt judgement in their favour, ask yourself, who will be your advocate before God, on the Day of Judgment?” he asked.
A northern Nigeria group, Northern Youths Movement, NYM, has tackled former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido over his recent comments concerning the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Lamido had come hard on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, calling him a “small boy in PDP history” and asked “where he was in 1999”.
However, in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, which was signed by its Chairman, Mallam Ishaya Jato, the NYM reminded Lamido that those he kept referring to as children and small boys were the ones who did not let the PDP die “in aftermath of the 2014 rebellion in which he (Lamido) played prominent roles before he backed out.”
The youth group said it was ironic that those who were children when PDP was being formed had grown to maturity and were now fathers of many political children, while some of the elders of 1998 are still acting like children.
According to the group, “Little wonder that after being a Minister and Governor for eight years, an elder like Lamido had no other person in Jigawa State to present as PDP governorship candidate other than his own son.
“If in the estimation of Lamido, who became a political elder at 50 years, 57-year-old Wike is still a small boy, we wonder what he (Lamido) has become 36 years after he became an elder? Should he now be seen as an ancestral PDP elder?”
They accused Lamido of disparaging former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, as well as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in like fashion.
“Two years ago, Lamido publicly said ‘Obasanjo was an unknown prisoner when PDP was formed.’ Ironically, he went on to admonish Obasanjo to stop talking down on people publicly.
“In 2019, it was Atiku that Lamido described as his junior in politics, saying that he was in the House of Representatives in 1979 when Atiku was still an employee of Nigerian Customs Services.
“As a sitting PDP Governor, Lamido was everywhere disparaging President Jonathan, calling his government a failure.
“Even out of office, Lamido has not stopped disparaging President Jonathan.
“Therefore, we are not surprised that since Lamido and others deceived Atiku to lose the 2023 presidential election, by making him to see himself as President-In-Waiting, more than seven months before the election, he has been venting his frustration and anger on Wike, just because he, alongside other governors like Seyi Makinde, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi refused to be treated like children in a their own party,” the group further claimed.
DAILY POST recalls that the PDP has yet to recover from its loss at the 2023 presidential election, with a major leadership crisis bedevilling the party ever since.
More...
Popular Lagos socialite Pretty Mike has claimed that Magodo is a place where married women often indulge in sexual affairs with younger men.
Magodo is a town in Kosofe LG bounded by Ikosi-Ketu and Ojodu Berger in Lagos state.
Speaking in a recent interview on Arise TV, Pretty Mike alleged that women in this area engage in illicit relationships without their husbands’ knowledge.
He made the claim while reacting to sex scandal involving embattled ex-Equatorial Guinea’s anti-graft boss Baltasar Engonga,
Pretty Mike argued that some societies accept open marriages, where couples consent to extramarital affairs.
According to him, “I think it is their thing. We are in a society where husbands are allowed to sleep with other women and women allowed to sleep with other men.
“In Lagos here it is heavy. Magodo is their headquarters in Lagos. Married women who sleep with young boys. Husbands of those married women are not aware.
“If you are a husband and you are not aware your wife is sleeping with other men that means something is wrong. Or it is a tight niche or a cartel where everybody is having fun.
“They know their husbands are cheating. They would just come together and say ‘you know what, our Ogas are doing this thing, let us just have our own fun.
“Trust me, any day this video or scandal comes out, I am sure it will be small compared to what we saw in Equatorial Guinea.”
Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe has finally spoken about her decision to marry popular movie marketer, Kazim Adeoti, professionally called Adekaz.
The actress spoke during her recent appearance on _Nollywood on Radio’.
Mercy Aigbe announced her third marriage with Adekaz in January 2022, as second wife.
Speaking of her decision to be Adekaz’s second wife, the actress stated, “One of the reasons I got married to him is that we are both in the same industry.
“Together, we are building a production empire. I just felt I needed someone to collaborate with in the industry, and it is a good thing that he understands it too. Combining our strengths, the future looks promising.”
Popular singer and half of P-Square, Peter Okoye, aka Mr P, has debunked the song theft allegation levelled against him by his twin brother and former bandmate, Paul Okoye, aka Rudeboy.
Rudeboy recently accused Mr P and their former producer, Vampire, of stealing his songs.
He claimed that he wrote and sang a song titled ‘Winning,’ which was supposed to be released with his album next year. To his surprise, Mr P released the same song by the same producer.
Reacting to the allegation, Mr P claimed that the song was co-written and composed by himself and Calypso60.
He stated that it was impossible for him to steal his own song as claimed by his twin brother.
He begged his brother to allow him to focus on making music and stop the negativity.
In an Instagram post, Mr P wrote, “Person no dey thief him own Property! It is well! Thank you, @iam_vampire_official, for the clarification.
“For the record, ‘Winning’ was written and composed by @calypso60music and myself. Produced by @iam_vampire_official and co-produced by @goldswarm.
“They all deserve their Credit. And I appreciate them.
“Just As I said in my open letter three months ago, ‘Allow me to do my music in peace.’
“Now that I have a new single out, please allow me to enjoy my new single, WINNING, in peace. Enough of the negativity!
‘Winning’ is out on all music platforms; continue streaming and don’t get distracted. Love y’all, peace.”
![[PRESS RELEASE] Olaopa Decries Policy Research, Govt Disconnect](/media/k2/items/cache/30de061319b048eedd5eeb8c25ef2f89_XS.jpg)
The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has decried what he identified as a palpable poor state of policy research with a virtual disconnect between the objectives of the research industry and the concerns of policy makers in government.
The seasoned public administrator spoke during the 6th General Assembly and Conference of the Association of African Public Service Commissions (AAPSCOMS) held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 6 to 8 November.
Olaopa spoke on the topic "Defining Issues in Research And Policy Linkages In Country-level Development Management in Africa." During the event, Olaopa emerged as the Vice President of AAPSCOMS for West Africa.
According to Olaopa, the disconnect is evident in the incredibly low level of research spend in Africa when compared to global total contributions. He added that the evidence that validates this is the fact that the bulk of usable development and administrative statistics generated in Africa are funded by foreign development agencies.
"This reality explains why African states cannot design their development agenda on their own terms. It also validates the reigning theory that African policy-makers do not as yet understand what development is all about", he said.
In his recommendation, he said "Africa needs a corps of scholars-practitioners evangelists who will push for a significant shift from common sense praxis to a more rigorous scientific approaches to development management in Africa."
Olaopa referenced President Bola Tinubu's desire to institute a government of national competence as a policy framework capable of galvanizing a shift from the pervasive “know-who” nepotism to “know-how”. He enjoined political parties to emulate practices in advanced democracies where for example the Democratic Party in the USA is technically backstopped by the Brooking Institution and the Republican by the American Enterprise Institute. He went further to advocate the professionalisation of planning and policy analysis departments, investment in future research and scenario planning and creation of special cadre in public service into which experts from other sectors of the economy and from the diaspora can be desk officers on renewable performance contracts outside of career paths in the public administration system
He lamented that African states still focus on the hardware of development namely, how many roads, schools, hospitals, mass housing, etc. are built, in utter disregard for intangible assets that enable sustainable development such as the quality of country’s human capital and education; the strength of institutions, rule of law and constitutional order; the value of social capital of communities, efficient judicial system, property rights, timely and reliable statistics, reformed public service, R&D, data security and privacy, intellectual property, patents, copyright, culture of innovation, knowledge creation, to name just a few. Most African states have indeed not confronted a critical indicator of underdevelopment around the question regarding why talented African professionals or experts in Canada, Germany or Japan are ten times more productive than their counterparts who choose to remain in Africa. The answer is that once they walk into those development enabled places, they step into a capacity context provided by an intangible per capital wealth worth on average over $500,000 compared to those in Africa contending with a paltry of $2,748 per capital.
He referenced Prof. Wolgang Stolper, hired by the World Bank in 1962 as Technical Adviser to the Nigerian government in the design and implementation of the country’s First NDP (1962-68), who "delivered a prescient judgement that goes to the heart of African development problematic in a seminal reflection published in 1966.
"Prof, Stolper had published an article titled 'Planning without Fact' as an account of his experience working in Nigeria. His basic thesis was that Nigeria is a country that plans and manages her development programmes without the benefit of evidence-based practices, by merely shooting in the dark, in unscientific manner."
To Olaopa, "this suggests that policy management practices in Africa are ridden in several countries, contexts and over time, with essential lack of statistical parameters by which implementable and sustainable development policies ought to be crafted. In other words, there is an unabating lack of a data culture and associated scientific parameters which makes it difficult to design and implement cogent policies that address strategically, poverty, unemployment, the youth bulge, climate change, induced flooding and all, terrorism and associated insecurities, and in managing critical macroeconomic challenges that the continent faces, within game-changing dynamic".
For Olaopa, policy-engaged research is at a crossroads as research centres in African states are increasingly torn between their original calling to conduct research and publish, and pressure to justify and sustain their existence .
The research agenda of these centres and those of local experts are generally dominated by themes and topics of concern of external partners and the major funders of policy research.
Thus for him, although public policy researchers complain against their works not being used by government, research institutions and think-tanks in Africa need to be strengthened so that they could mobilise resources from external partners, the private sector and civil society organisation without losing their autonomy in formulating their research programmes as such capacity would determine their effectiveness .