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Refineries rehabilitation: Obasanjo Says NNPCL Invitation To Inspect The Refineries Is Disrespectful
AFOLABI
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has slammed the recent invitation the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited extended to him, describing it as disrespectful.
The NNPCL had, through its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, invited the former president for a tour of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
The corporation’s invitation followed an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, during which the ex-president recounted failed efforts to privatise oil plants in the country.
Obasanjo expressed frustration over the mismanagement of refineries, noting that despite significant expenditure since 2007, no results had been achieved.
He explained that his successor, Musa Yar’Adua, rejected a $750m offer from the Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to manage the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries.
According to Obasanjo, the NNPCL was aware of its limitations in managing the nation’s refineries but informed Yar’Adua that the corporation could operate them, leading to the rejection of Dangote’s offer.
He said, “When I was president, I wanted to do something about the three refineries we have: Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna. Aliko got a team together after I asked Shell to come and run it for us. And Shell said they wouldn’t. I said, ‘Please come and take equity’, they said no. I said, ‘Okay, don’t take equity, come and run it’, they said no.
“Aliko got a team together and they paid $750m to take part in PPP (Public–Private Partnership) in running the refineries. My successor refunded their money, and I went to my successor; I told him what transpired; he said NNPC said they wanted the refinery and they could run it, and I said, ‘But you know they cannot run it.”
Obasanjo added, “But I was told not too long ago that since that time, more than $2bn had been squandered on the refineries, and they still would not work.”
He stressed that if a company like Shell rejected his offer to manage the refineries based on their reasons, he would believe the company.
The former president expressed confidence in Dangote’s ability to manage his privately owned refinery effectively, contrasting it with the government’s inefficiency.
In response, the NNPCL spokesperson Femi Soneye insisted that the refineries were working.
Soneye explained that the NNPCL had not only carried out turnaround maintenance on the plants but also embarked on a complete overhaul of the refineries to meet world-class standards.
He said, “We extend an open invitation to former President Obasanjo for a tour of the rehabilitated refineries to witness firsthand the progress made under the new NNPC Limited.”
Reacting to the invitation in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Obasanjo said such an open invitation was disrespectful to his office and person.
The former president, while speaking through his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, stated that the oil company had not sent any formal invitation to him as of Thursday, January 2, 2024.
“Is that the right way to invite a former president of the country? Who says Baba has even seen the statement or read the news? It is a total disrespect for the office of the former president.
“Ask the NNPCL that as of January 2, have they written to him? Is there any official letter addressed to him, inviting him to the refinery? It is an absolute insult, and the former president cannot dignify such with a response,” Obasanjo’s aide stated.
Saturday PUNCH called Soneye three times and sent him text and WhatsApp messages to ask if the oil company had indeed officially invited the former president.
However, Soneye did not take his calls or respond to messages from our reporter as of the time of filing this report.
The news of the reopening of the Warri refinery for production had been met with skepticism from Nigerians.
This was after the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari, announced that the Port Harcourt refinery had officially commenced crude oil processing on November 26.
However, visits by Saturday PUNCH to the refinery on two occasions showed the contrary.
On Friday, November 29, when our correspondent made his first visit, he discovered there was no activity on site as the loading bay was empty.
Workers at the refinery revealed that the facility was undergoing calibration, which might last until the following week.
After two weeks of inactivity, the Port Harcourt Refining Company reportedly resumed operations, with the NNPCL claiming that no fewer than 11 trucks had started loading from the plant.
During our reporter’s second visit to the plant on Thursday, December 19, 2024, he observed that the lifting of petrol had again stopped.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that the lifting of petrol actually stopped on Friday, December 13, as the 18-arm loading bay of the Port Harcourt refinery was empty.
A truck driver said, “It was Friday last week they loaded last. About 15 trucks or so loaded that day. Since then, not even a single truck has been loaded till now.
Asked if any explanation was given, he replied, “I don’t know. Nobody is giving us any information or telling us anything. Some trucks that were here have left. I’m just here because my director said I should wait a bit.”
Soneye on both occasions declined to respond to phone calls and text messages from Saturday PUNCH.
While the oil company had yet to address growing doubts over the refinery’s operations, Kyari announced on December 31 that the Warri Refining & Petrochemical Company in Delta State had commenced operations.
Afenifere, CUPP back ex-president
Reacting, the Secretary-General of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Sola Ebiseni, said it was disrespectful for the NNPCL to have invited the former president through newspaper publications after he rightly commented on the management deficiencies that had grounded Nigeria’s refineries for years.
“What former President Obasanjo said was quite illuminating about the way the affairs of the country have been or are being handled. He has been out of office since 2007, and until now, what we have seen is the epileptic performance of the refineries. So, it is sheer arrogance and disrespect for the NNPCL to claim they invited him to come and see,” Ebiseni stated.
He added, “If you want to invite a statesman and former president like Obasanjo, no matter how you feel about the statement he made, you shouldn’t resort to disrespectful politics. If you believe that what he said does not reflect the current state of the plants, you should pay him a courtesy visit to present your views about the situation. But to go on the pages of newspapers to paint a picture of a liar—which is what the NNPCL’s action implies—leaves much to be desired,” the Afenifere scribe concluded.
Similarly, the National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Chief Peter Ameh, said inviting the former president through newspapers amounted to public ridicule and utter disrespect for his history, reputation, and record in the country.
He said, “You cannot invite Obasanjo on the pages of newspapers. Even the GMD cannot invite another company head in such a manner, not to mention someone who has served both as a General in the Nigerian Army and as a military Head of State, as well as a two-term democratically elected president of the country. The NNPCL must learn how to do things the right way and avoid politicising everything, as this is why our economy has nosedived.
“That is simply the NNPCL’s usual way of prioritising politics over issues that affect the lives of ordinary Nigerians. If Obasanjo says the refineries are not working after we have wasted about $2 billion on them, he is merely stating that we should have handed the plants over to private individuals to get them working optimally through private partnerships.”
The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nze Ozichukwu Fidelis Chukwu, on Friday said President Bola Tinubu would have written his name in gold if he orders the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Chukwu made the remark while welcoming Tinubu to the South-East ahead of his official visit to Enugu State on Saturday.
He expressed immense delight over the gradual attitudinal change of the Federal Government under Tinubu towards the Igbo nation.
In a statement by Ohanaeze spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia, Chukwu said: “It is therefore hoped that with the Enugu visit, President Tinubu will write his name with gold in the hearts of Ndigbo and all the well-meaning Nigerians, if he orders for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
Ohanaeze insisted that national peace, unity, patriotism and sustainable economic development of any country are the outcomes, effects or products of equity, and social justice.
According to the statement: “In other words, there is hardly any society or group that can be complacent under severe existential threats such as orchestrated marginalization, relative deprivations, and external instigation of insecurity, conflagrations and crises.”
Ohanaeze also commended Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of Enugu State for his “disruptive, innovative and massive infrastructural developments in Enugu State; Enugu International Conference Centre, Enugu Smart schools in all the electoral wards of Enugu State, hospitals across the states, resuscitation of Hotel Presidential Enugu, Flour Mills, Nigergas, the construction and rehabilitation of hundreds of roads in the State, etc, within a short period of his administration”.
The statement added: “We also appreciate His Excellency, Sen Hope Odidika Uzodimma, CON, the Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Chairman of the All Progressive Governors Forum, for the life-saving installation of Night Landing Equipment at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri.
“Finally, we wish President Tinubu a safe, joyous and eventful trip as he is treated with the Igbo hospitality in Enugu State.”
Wealth has always been a measure of influence, with some of history’s most powerful people amassing fortunes that seem unimaginable.
Today, names like Elon Musk and Bill Gates dominate conversations about wealth, but their combined net worth is absolutely nothing compared to one of China’s emperors.
Wu Zetian, better known as Empress Wu, was not only the first and only female emperor of China but also the richest woman to have ever lived.
Her reign during the Tang Dynasty (624–705 AD) saw China control around 23% of the global economy, making her wealth in today’s terms a staggering £12 trillion, according to a report from SCMP.
For comparison, Musk’s net worth is estimated to be around £339 billion and Gates’ at £83 billion. This means that even combined they are worth £11 trillion less than Empress Wu.
China: Wu Zetian (Empress Wu), 624-705, Empress Regnant of the Zhou Dynasty (r.690-705)
Born in Shanxi Province in 624 AD, Wu came from a wealthy family with strong ties to the imperial court.
At just 14, she joined the palace of Emperor Taizong as a secretary, where she gained the education and political skills that would later propel her to power.
After Emperor Taizong’s death, she became the concubine of his son and successor, Emperor Gaozong.
Her rise to the throne was then full of controversy. She first ruled through others before forcing her son to abdicate and assuming the throne herself.
Once in power, Wu ruled with an iron grip. Wu’s reign reshaped Chinese society, shifting power from military officials to scholars and fostering economic growth.
Her leadership was decisive, and while she was accused of being ruthless – linked to several alleged purges and murders – she maintained control with remarkable efficiency.
One of the successes against cyber-crime recorded by the Benin zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2024 was the conviction of three young men for impersonating the Spiritual Director of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach Evangelist Ebuka Anozie Obi, to defraud members of the public.
The three men, Odion Victor, Amos Godwin and Ayomide Michael, were arraigned in the Edo State High Court in Benin by EFCC for impersonating the Evangelist on the social media.
They had created social media platforms in the name of Evangelist Ebuka and deceived many members of the public to give money towards treatment of some purported sick people, sow seeds for spiritual breakthrough or for special prayers.
They were also directing the members of Zion Ministry to pay the money into bank accounts created by the trio. Hon. Justice G.O. Madegbelo who presided over the case found them guilty of the charges and thereafter sentenced them to Community Service.
Justice Madegbelo also ordered them to forfeit their mobile phones, the balance in their bank accounts “being proceeds and instrumentality of crime to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.”
‘Why would a father tell son not to give mother his password?’ - Basketmouth’s estranged wife queries
AFOLABI
Estranged wife of comedian Basketmouth, Elsie Okpocha has shared some cryptic messages on social media that appear to be aimed at the comedian.
In her first Instagram story, Elsie questioned why someone would try to hinder another person’s happiness, writing, “How are you still trying to frustrate her efforts because she decided to be happy.”
In a follow-up post, she expressed concern over a father’s actions, specifically a father telling his 16-year-old son not to share his phone password with his mother.
“Tell me why a father should tell a son of 16 years! 16 years! not to give his mother his password,” she wrote. “I need an answer. Is a mother not supposed to have access to her 16-year-old’s phone?”
The posts have reignited attention on the separation between Elsie and Basketmouth, which was announced in December 2022.
The couple’s 12-year marriage came to an end, leaving fans and friends shocked.
At the time of the split, Basketmouth released a statement, acknowledging the difficulty of their separation and emphasizing the importance of prioritizing the well-being of their children.
Elsie and Basketmouth share three children, including their 16-year-old son, Jason.
A federal high court in Abuja has ordered an interim freezing of 21 bank accounts domiciled in some commercial banks over the allegation of money laundering.
Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, also ordered the police to arrest the account owners.
The judge granted the order on Friday following a motion ex parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1965/V/2024 moved by Ibrahim Mohammed, counsel for the inspector-general of police (IGP).
The judge further granted an order “directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a post-no-debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATMs while allowing inflow into the said accounts” pending the conclusion of the investigation.
“I have listened to the submission of the learner counsel for the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence,” Nwite said.
“I am of the view that the motion ex-parte is meritorious.
“The application is hereby granted except that the period of the investigation can only last for a period of 90 days.”
The judge adjourned the matter until April 3 for mention.
The commercial banks are Access Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Ltd, Wema Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank Ltd, United Bank of Africa Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, First Monument Bank Plc, Heritage Bank Plc, TAJ Bank Plc, and Keystone Bank Plc.
In the motion ex parte, counsel to the applicant (IGP) submitted that the accounts are the subject of investigation, which are reasonably suspected to be warehousing proceeds of unlawful activities or fraud.
He said, “If there is any dealing with the accounts by way of withdrawal or transfer to another account by the person under investigation/investigator and the person that has absolute power to deal with the account, it will render nugatory any consequential order(s) which the court may make at the conclusion of this application”.
In the affidavit attached to the motion, Glory Ohio, a detective with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and attached to the force criminal investigation department, said the IGP received a petition bordering on stealing and breach of trust, which preliminary investigation revealed to be money laundering.
“That the complainant alleged that he needs a special purpose vehicle company to enable him to secure the contract with the Nigerian Navy, which led him to enter a joint venture agreement with the defendant, who has the company name Indetix Limited,” the affidavit reads.
“That the petitioner was offered a contract to supply ICT equipment and accessories, supply 10 wooden canoes and outboard engines, supply 13x115HP Yamaha 4-stroke long shaft outboard engines, supply and installation of inverter batteries, and supply of outboard engines and firefighting equipment.
“That the Nigeria navy offered the petitioner the contract and both parties opened a joint account with Zenith Bank where they made themselves the two signatories to the account.
“That both parties concerned drafted a memorandum of understanding and a clause spelt the sum of 15% of the profit to be paid to the defendant and parties appended their signatures.
“The Nigeria Navy disbursed the contract sum in installments to be used in the execution of the contract.
“That the petitioner received a letter from the complainant that he is not comfortable with the first agreement signed by both parties for 15% of the profit rather than 7.5% of the total sum of the contract to his own share of the contract.
“That the petitioner disagreed with the proposal and the new terms intended to be smuggled into the parties’ earlier agreement.
“That the refusal of the petitioner does not go well with the suspect, as a result of which the suspect sent a purported company resolution to the bank and removed the petitioner as a signatory to the joint account, which makes him the sole signatory.
“That his act was motivated in furtherance of his clandestine motives to steal from the joint account, and he did steal money under the guise of the purchase of the board engine.
“That the suspect further transferred the contract sum paid into the joint account to various accounts in order to disguise the origin of his illegal activities.”
Ohio said the purported money disbursed for the purchase of the engine board was later transferred back to the suspect via a different account from the joint account.
According to the detective, this is done to promote money laundering and conceal his illegal activities.
The officer said the intelligent report gathered so far revealed that the suspects were making an effort to transfer or withdraw money from the accounts, noting that unless the court grants the order, the investigation will be jeopardised.
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has revealed that the late former Nigerian President, Umaru Yar’Adua, cancelled the sale of the Port Harcourt refinery to a consortium led by Dangote Oil to protect Nigeria’s national interest.
Falana made this known in a statement issued on Friday, stating that the reversal was a critical step in addressing the legal and ethical breaches surrounding the transaction.
According to the Nigeria Senior Advocate, under the Privatisation and Commercialisation Act, the Vice President is the chairman of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), the body responsible for overseeing the privatisation of public enterprises.
Falana alleged that former President Olusegun Obasanjo bypassed this legal requirement by sidelining then-Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and directly managing the privatisation of several state-owned enterprises.
He said, “On May 17, 2007, President Obasanjo sold a 51% stake in the Port Harcourt refinery to Bluestar Oil for US$561 million. In another transaction that took place on May 28, 2007, President Obasanjo sold 51% shares in Kaduna Refinery to Bluestar Oil for $160 million.”
Falana highlighted that the deals drew sharp criticism and concern from key stakeholders, including the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), as they claimed that the country had been shortchanged.
He said following the probe, President Yar’Adua annulled the privatisation of the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries and assured the unions that the federal government would thoroughly investigate the deals.
Falana further commended the role of NUPENG and PENGASSAN in advocating for national interest and called on them to remain vigilant amid renewed calls to privatise Nigeria’s refineries.
He said, “They also alleged that the nation had been shortchanged as the shares acquired in the Port Harcourt refinery for $516 million were worth US$5 billion. Convinced that the deals were not in the national interest, both unions proceeded on a 4-day strike that almost paralysed the Nigerian economy in June 2007.
“It is on record that the cancellation of the privatisation was not challenged in any court as it was carried out contrary to the letter and spirit of the Privatisation and Commercialisation Act.
“The Alliance on Surviving Covid and Beyond (ASCAB) hereby calls on NUPENG and PENGASSAN to intensify their historical struggle aimed at as a counterpoise to the renewed campaign for the privatisation of the nation’s refineries. Those who are awaiting the privatisation of the refineries in a manner at variance with the national interest should be advised to set up their own refineries like the Dangote Group.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria has again clarified that the 1,000 staff members who opted out of service in December 2024 were not forced to quit their jobs.
The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, stated this on Friday in Abuja at an investigative hearing of the House of Representatives’ ad-hoc committee probing the circumstances leading to the exit of the staff members and how the sum of N50bn severance package for the affected persons was arrived at.
Cardoso added that the affected persons opted to disengage through the voluntary Early Exit Program with payment of full benefits.
Represented by Deputy Director, Corporate Service of the CBN, Bala Bello, Cardoso explained. “The Early Exit Program, Restructuring and Re-organization “are basically ways and means through which the performance of an organization is optimized by ensuring that round pegs are put in right holes. The manpower requirement of the bank is actually met.
“I’m very happy to mention that the early exit program of the CBN is 100 per cent voluntary. It’s not mandatory. Nobody has been asked to leave, and nobody has been forced to leave. It’s a completely voluntary programme that has been put in place.”
He also noted that the exercise was not restricted to government agencies alone, saying, “I believe several organisations across the world, and even within this country, both in terms of the private sector and the public sector, are undertaking similar exercises.”
Continuing, Cardoso said, “In the past, we had instances in which cases of stagnation and lack of career progression appear. In an organisation, you’ve got a pyramid where from each level to the next level, the gap keeps narrowing. If not, you are going to have a quasi-organisation, an inverted pyramid.
“It gets to the level where you have, for example, 30 departments in the Central Bank. You cannot have 60 directors manning 30 departments. It’s not going to work.
“Once those vacancies are filled, it gets to a level where some people, even though they are very qualified, able, and willing, but the vacancies are not there. And then they got to a level where they are stagnated for a period of time.”
Speaking earlier, the chairman of the committee, Bello Kumo, noted that the committee’s responsibility was to submit the report to the House.
A professor from the Department of History at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Kemi Rotimi, has characterized community policing in Nigeria as a fraudulent concept.
The academic asserted that discussions surrounding community policing in Nigeria tend to intensify whenever financial support is provided by donor agencies committed to ensuring the safety of citizens and their property.
Rotimi made these remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s program Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, emphasizing a lack of genuine discourse regarding community policing in the nation.
“When Nigeria Force Headquarters chiefs talk about community policing, if I call it a scam, I won’t be too wrong.
“For so many years, we have been mouthing and touting community policing; the noise will be deafening whenever there is donor agency money.
“The moment the donor agency money dries up, the noise will go down. In the last two years, have you noticed that we have not heard much about community policing?
“The Nigeria Police Force, as constituted, cannot be community policing. Why? The rapid turnover of staff—the staff deployment nature of the Nigeria Police Force—does not amount to community policing.
“Community policing, as a matter of fact, is not a programme; it is a philosophy that should undergird and be instilled into policing while training personnel,” Rotimi stated.
The professor indicated that he has conducted research on the history of policing in Nigeria. He remarked that what has been referred to as community policing is fundamentally misleading, stating, “The individual who promoted community policing, former Inspector General of Police Tafa Balogun, became aware of the concept while in America, presented it to President Olusegun Obasanjo, who embraced it; however, it was a poorly conceived and inadequately understood initiative.”
The scholar further asserted that the police force has never received adequate funding since the pre-colonial era. He noted that the early police were composed of former slaves during colonial times, and the legacy of treating police officers as if they were slaves continues to persist. He emphasized that the situation deteriorated further during the civil war and subsequent military regimes.
Additionally, the academic claimed that members of the elite have been known to misappropriate portions of the limited funds allocated to the police.
He concluded that for policing to be truly effective, it is essential to ensure proper funding, along with the implementation of an appropriate philosophy and motivation for the members of the police force.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused a former Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili, of encouraging Governor Siminalayi Fubara to disobey President Bola Tinubu.
He blamed Odili for the failure of the peace agreement signed between his camp and Fubara.
Wike spoke during a reception organised to host Rivers State stakeholders on Friday.
The battle for the political control of the state between Fubara and Wike has been raging for a while following the disagreement between the two former allies, now turned foes.
In 2023, Fubara and Wike’s camp signed a peace agreement. The eight-point peace deal was brokered by Tinubu and other stakeholders, including Odili, at a crucial meeting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
But the peace deal fell apart, with Fubara alleging that he was ambushed into signing a peace deal with Wike’s camp.
Odili, a two-term governor of Rivers State, accused Wike of self-interest.
Speaking at an event in Port Harcourt on December 28, he commended Fubara for preventing Wike from turning the state into his private estate.
“It has now been over 12 months since the 25th of October 2023, when a fierce existential fight, though unnecessary, was waged against Governor Fubara over the soul of Rivers State.
“With assuring fortitude, Governor Fubara confronted the challenge, prevented the quest by one man to capture the state as a private estate, emancipated Rivers people, steadied governance, and made civil servants and Rivers people happier, as it used to be until I left office in 2007,” Odili said.
But Wike fired back at Odili on Friday, insisting that he remained the best governor the state had ever produced.
“I am trying to make Rivers State the medical hub of South-South Nigeria. How did I now come to convert Rivers State into a personal estate?” Wike questioned.
“I am the best governor that Rivers State has ever produced. How did I convert Rivers State into my personal estate? And people will not answer a simple question?”
Addressing the guests, including Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, at the event, the FCT minister insisted that he would not apologise for his comments on Odili.
“He (Odili) said somebody is converting Rivers State to his personal estate and we have now come to show statistics that it is not correct. The man who is converting Rivers State to a personal estate is you, and to crown it all, you are now the general overseer.
“They said Tinubu should be careful, but Tinubu is not like you. Tinubu called Rivers people, your elder statesman (Odili), supposedly. You are Tinubu’s colleague, the President’s colleague, and Mr President read this thing (peace agreement) to them, and you read it and came back home.
“Ordinarily, what you (Odili) should have done was to call Mr President back and say, ‘Mr President, I have tried, we have implemented A, B, C, D, E, it remains F, G, H. Is there any way we can meet again to reconcile these F, G, H?’ Never, rather you encouraged him (Fubara) to disobey everything Mr President said,” Wike said.
The FCT minister also said that he deliberately worked against the People’s Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the party’s former chairman, Uche Secondus.
Wike said, “When I said Secondus, you will not be chairman again, yes, I did it. In 2023, they said Atiku was coming, I said where? There was nothing I was not offered. I told PDP I would not support Atiku because I am not a second-class citizen. I must support the South to produce a President. Even though I know their offer was wayo (fake).”
The minister also emphasised his unbroken record of electoral victories, saying, “I ran for the local government election in 1999, and up until today, I have never lost an election, and nobody I have supported has lost. I have no regret in supporting Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Wherever you are, pray for Mr President. We will continue to support him. It will be better this year. Mr President is taking tough decisions but for the interest of the country.”
Earlier, former Senator representing Rivers South-East, Magnus Abe, criticised the politicians supporting Governor Fubara, accusing them of doing so to undermine the FCT minister.
He said, “In the last election, everybody in Rivers State did anti-party. Your Excellency, with all due respect, I did anti-party. I didn’t allow the SDP candidate to come here and campaign. When he came to my house, I told him I was with Tinubu. Oga (Wike), you too did anti-party. You were very clear that you were with Tinubu and did not support the PDP presidential candidate. The present governor also did anti-party; he was with you and didn’t support the PDP presidential candidate.”
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The Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has likened the support of Nyesom Wike for the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to a football club giving its best player to a rival football club for free.
He also sarcastically appreciated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for giving its ‘best player’ to the APC.
Oshiomhole made the submission on Friday against the backdrop of Wike’s support for the APC in the 2023 election after his fallout with his party, the PDP, on the party’s presidential ticket.
Wike was subsequently appointed as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in what is widely seen in political quarters as compensation for his support for the APC and the subsequent emergence of President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 election.
Though Wike remains a member of the PDP, he is one of the top officials in the APC government led by President Tinubu.
Speaking on the scenario on Friday during a New Year luncheon organised by Wike in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Oshiomhole took a dig at the PDP, describing the development as a football club allowing its “best player” to join a rival without collecting any transfer fee.
“Thank you to PDP for giving us Nyesom Wike to help us fix Abuja. I don’t belong to any club, I only belong to Bendel Insurance but I listen to those who say they are Manchester United fans [and the likes]. When you are giving your best player to another club, you pay heavily,” the lawmaker said.
Oshiomhole also hinted that the APC would want Wike to join the party, saying they won’t be willing to return Wike to PDP due to the good works he is doing.
“Thank you for what you’re helping us in APC to do. PDP Rivers led you to us without saying we should pay a transfer fee. We may not be happy to return you; we would even create a toll gate to prevent that.
“Tonight, we are celebrating a Nigerian who is adding value to the FCT; who is showing there has to be the rule of law and that we must respect certain environmental laws,” Oshiomhole said.
The former Edo State Governor appreciated the FCT Minister for his dedication to duty, noting that Wike would “step on toes” to set things right.
“So, thank you for what you are doing in Nigeria; thank you for what you are doing in Abuja,” Senator Oshiomhole submitted.
The family of Sunday Morakinyo, one of the Osun indigenes involved in the infamous ‘death-for-fowl’ case, has appealed to the government and well-meaning individuals for assistance in addressing the mental illness he has been battling.
According to the family, Morakinyo was in good and stable condition before his arrest by the police in November 2010 for allegedly stealing fowl and eggs in Oyan, Osun State.
On January 30, 2013, the police arraigned Morakinyo and his co-accused, Segun Olowookere, before Justice Jide Falola of the Osun State High Court in Ikirun, on charges of conspiracy, robbery, and stealing.
They were accused of conspiring in November 2010 to rob one Oguntade Faramade of fowls and eggs worth N20,000.
Morakinyo and Olowookere were convicted and sentenced to death by the Osun State High Court on December 17, 2014, for conspiracy to commit armed robbery, robbery, and stealing.
However, Governor Ademola Adeleke pardoned them last week following a public outcry.
Morakinyo, upon his release, returned home with a mental illness that reportedly developed after his arrest.
Olowookere, had in an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH, revealed that Morakinyo’s mental disorder was a result of the torture they endured at the Okuku Police Division.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Morakinyo’s uncle, Ojo Olaide, refuted claims that the ex-convict had been suffering from a mental disorder before his arrest.
Olaide asserted that Morakinyo, who lived with his grandmother, was healthy and mentally stable at the time of his arrest.
He said, “Nothing was wrong with him before his arrest. He was hale and hearty and mentally stable. He was arrested at the market in Oyan and taken to the police station for allegedly stealing fowl and eggs, which he denied.
“Later, Segun Olowookere was also brought to the station, having been arrested at his father’s shop. We wanted to pay for their bail that day, but our children insisted that we shouldn’t because they hadn’t committed any crime.
“The following day, the two of them were transferred to the Okuku Police Division, then to Osogbo. That was how the case escalated. Our children were eventually arraigned in court for robbery, a crime they did not commit.
“During the trial, the policeman who arrested them testified in court that Sunday and Segun were not involved in the theft of fowls and eggs. Those who actually committed the crime were taken to welfare homes in Osogbo, and I later learnt they were released.”
Olaide accused the police of implicating Morakinyo and Olowookere, alleging that the statements of confession attributed to them were fabricated.
“The police, not our children, wrote the so-called statements of confession. I can defend that claim anywhere. The police implicated our children,” he said.
Asked when the family first noticed changes in Morakinyo’s mental condition, Olaide said it became evident while he was in the Ilesa Correctional Centre.
“I was told Sunday was tortured severely, and that led to his mental illness. I visited him regularly at the Ilesa Correctional Centre, bringing him clothes, but by my next visit, he would have torn them. That was how I came to know about his condition. Sunday was in a very stable condition before his arrest. Unfortunately, he returned home with a mental disorder. He doesn’t recognise people again,” he explained.
Olaide commended Governor Adeleke for pardoning the ex-convicts and appealed for further support to rehabilitate Morakinyo.
He said, “I deeply appreciate Governor Ademola Adeleke for pardoning both Segun and Sunday. However, we are appealing to the government to assist us in treating Sunday’s condition and facilitating his rehabilitation. We plan to take him to the hospital by Monday.”
Popular Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo has disclosed that she has been sexually assaulted five times in the past.
The thespian made the traumatic disclosure with Biola Bayo, on her talk show, Talk to B.
She emphasized her zero-tolerance stance on rape, whilst also expressing her frustration with rape apologists.
Iyabo Ojo also discussed her complicated family history, including her father’s struggles with addiction, which led to his death at 40.
She revealed that she grew up with her grandmother and didn’t meet her mother until she was seven years old.
She said, “I was raped five times in my life. I discovered we have a lot of rape apologists. I don’t care who the person is; if that person is my son, I am going to come for him unapologetically.
“I have never met Naira Marley before my entire life. The only time I lacked was when I insisted this was the man I was going to get married to because, at that time, my dad and I disowned each other.
“My dad did everything, alcohol and drugs, so it messed him up at a young age. He died at 40.
“I grew up with my grandmother, who is half Delta and half Igbo. I think I was seven before I knew my mother”.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has shown excitement about the planned visit of President Bola Tinubu to Enugu State today.
Ohanaeze expressed optimism for the release of the leader of the proscribed Independent People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
According to a statement issued by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, on Friday, the President will commission some of the projects executed by Governor Peter Mbah’s administration during the one-day visit.
Commenting on the planned visitation, Ohanaeze, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia, expressed delight over the gradual attitudinal change of the federal government towards the Igbo.
The statement partly read, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo expresses immense delight over the gradual attitudinal change of the Federal Government towards the Igbo. Ohanaeze has insisted that national peace, unity, patriotism and sustainable economic development of any country are the outcomes, effects or products of equity, and social justice.
“In other words, there is hardly any society or group that can be complacent under severe existential threats such as orchestrated marginalisation, relative deprivations, and external instigation of insecurity, conflagrations and crises.
“It is therefore hoped that with the Enugu visit, President Tinubu will write his name with gold in the hearts of Ndigbo and all the well-meaning Nigerians, if he orders for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”