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During the week, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shetima, made waves across the media when he gave the leader of the United Kingdom Conservative party, Kemi Badenoch, an uppercut.
Recall that before Badenoch got to the position as the leader of the UK Conservative Party, she had described Nigeria as socialist nation brimming with thieving politicians and insecurity. She also talked about “growing up in a place where fear was everywhere. You cannot understand it unless you’ve lived there. Triple checking that all the doors and windows are locked, waking up in the night at every sound listening as you hear your neighbour scream as they are being burgled and beaten and wondering if your home will be next.”
I Can't give up because I have a mother and two brothers — Blind 23-Yr-Old Fabiyi...
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So, while responding to Badenoch’s thoughts about the country during an event, Shetima criticised her for always ‘denigrating’ Nigeria, suggesting that she could remove the ‘Kemi’ from her name if she wanted.
Well, Badenoch has responded to Shettima after he criticized her for ‘denigrating’ Nigeria. Her Spokesperson said Kemi stood by her statement and was not interested in laundering the image of Nigeria.
The gbas gbos has pulled thousands of reactions from Nigerians who expressed divided opinions on the matter. When the issue came up on Arise TV’s programme on Thursday, Ojy Okpe questioned why “there is an issue when people in power be it Kemi or Davido come out to denigrate Nigeria, then it becomes a huge conversation.”
A netizen, Oluwaseun Ajede’s comment was first read out before the floor opened for discussion. He wrote, “The truth often hits the wrong side here. Speaking truth is always labelled as denigrating the country. It’s impossible to repackage what inherently cannot be packaged. Shettima and friends should fix up”
Then, the crew dug up three promises made by Badenoch a few years back about how she intended to help Nigeria out of her misery. So, I ask, what changed? Is Nigeria worse off now that warranted opinion change? Did Badenoch say the truth about Nigeria’s sad situation or was she just playing politics? Is she supposed to just maintain the flow and not openly criticize her land of birth for patriotism sake? Let’s keep reading.
While explaining that there was crime all over the world including on the streets of UK, Rufai Oseni maintained that the sad situation that Badenoch tried painting was not exclusive to Nigeria. According to him, “Kemi is simply playing politics and I’m shocked that people can’t see through all of this. Kemi is just a bloody hypocrite. Is Britain not a socialist nation? Do people go out and work in Britain, don’t they live on welfare? So, what’s the problem? She is just a social climber and has been able to use this narrative. Why not also blame the rightwing nationalists who are causing chaos in England? Do you see how the rightwing nationalists assault people, racially abuse people and cause riots?”
Dr Reuben Abati takes it from another angle. “There’s something called group psycho analysis- meaning all of us should take one position and then the other who is different in terms of opinion is demonized. So, people will always have different opinions. We thank God that there are many others who are abroad and are still proud of their country.”
Dr Abati stated that the main focus now should be on how “We take this as a challenge to make our country better such that our children who relocate abroad who choose another aspect of their nationality will not look back and talk down on their country. This is a great country as the vice president pointed out but we need to be in a situation where we will be very proud of this country.” That’s a good one from Dr Abati.
By implication, so many netizens who commented on the programme, fully supported Dr Abati’s opinion. Take a look at a few of their comments.
@chukwuemekaehumadu3138 wrote, “Kemi is simply encouraging us to repair Nigeria. Simple!”
@tyy5557 commented, “Kemi Badenoch has the right to her own opinion. Shettima and his corrupt group should fix the problems in Nigeria.”
@augusttineeze-t8p reacted, “whoever said the Nigeria system is okay, let his family be like the Nigeria system.”
@chuksteve-live also on X wrote, “Kemi has spoken the mind of the ordinary Nigerian citizens.”
@Amadinkennedy responded, “Kemi is not talking down on Nigeria as a country. She is only putting Nigeria politicians on a high jump to do the needful.”
@angelicakweku5293 wrote, “The beautiful, brilliant Kemi should not give these ignorant, greedy, selfish politicians relevance.”
@amaka8086 simply wrote, “Kemi Badenoch was not lying.”
@justinalaeto5482 wrote, “Tell Shettima to stop his brothers from terrorising Nigerian people and leave Kemi alone.”
In a very long response, @chinoouzodinma wrote, “Kemi Badenoch is actually within her rights to describe Nigeria for what it is. Pride for our country does not mean blindness to a point where we cannot criticize the madness in the country. On the contrary, having a passion and true pride for our country should in fact, be a driving force to call out things as they are. A country rich in oil yet, poor to the letter…”
A rancorous scene occurred at the premises of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ona Iye Parish in the Iloye area of Sango-Ota, Ogun State penultimate week as a commercial driver swathed by his family members and associates clashed with the pastor and founder of the church, Prophet Abiodun John, in a scandalous paternity row.
The driver, Badiru Folarin, who is the husband of a female church member brought to the church for spiritual healing, screamed that the pastor claimed ownership of his four-year-old child after he caught him having an illicit affair with his wife, Morufat.
Folarin claimed the pastor’s sexual escapades with his wife was revealed by his 14-year-old son, Saheed, who told him that his mother was always visiting and cooking for the clergyman while he was away and that the cleric in turn visited their home at odd hours.
He said: ”The pastor claimed that my in-law had given my wife to him as his wife. However, the question is, can a woman be given to two men as wife?
”The pastor confronted me to my face that he is the biological father of our last child, a four-year-old. Yet my wife rained curses on me, saying that Ogun (Yoruba god of iron) should strike me dead so she can enjoy her benefactor.
”I am a driver. I never enjoyed my wife at home. She was always away to church for several days in the guise of vigils and special spiritual protection. My mother-in-law was disturbed about my wife’s continuous absence from home under the pretext of participation in church activities.”
Amid the yelling, screaming and cacophony of noise at the scene, Morufat told her husband’s family members and bystanders that she was not in the least prepared to leave her husband, although she conceded the paternity of the child in question to the embattled pastor when asked to choose between the latter and Folarin.
She said: ”No one should blame me for what has happened…and If you all must know, I cannot be married to two men in my life…but my husband is not ready to take care of me, he is a shameless man…I will deal with him when we return home.”
Folarin, however, retorted: ”You cannot come back to my house…anything can happen to you if you come back to my house.”
Recalling how the messy affair between the pastor and her wife began, the father of six said he did not believe that the clergyman was having an affair with his wife when neighbours alerted him until his son tipped him off that his wife was having a tryst with the cleric at his house within the church premises.
Folarin said: ”I did not realise that the pastor was sleeping with my wife.
“I am a Muslim while my wife is a Christian. She was having some spiritual attacks and went to the church for deliverance.
“Suddenly, she started frequenting the church, and when I heard that she was having an affair with the pastor, I confronted her but she denied it.
”She would send my children to me for upkeep while at the church and I usually sent money to her, not knowing that she was using my money to prepare meal for her pastor-lover.”
”The pastor knows me very well. He had even given me some spiritual items for use that would attract fortune, but my transport business witnessed a reversal of fortune instead.
”I have been married to Morufat for more than 30 years and our first child is 30 years old. I was giving her about N6,000 every day for upkeep.
“When I got home a few days ago, she rained curses on me. Her action got my 14-year-old son, Saheed, angry, and he opened up that his mother had been flirting with the pastor to the extent that she was cooking for the cleric with the money I have been giving her as daily upkeep.
“My son said his mother had just returned from the church where she took food to the pastor shortly before I returned home on that day.
”The pastor told me to my face that he is the biological father of my last child, a daughter (Alimot).
“I gave my wife the sum of N68,000 when she was pregnant with our last child, but she gave the money to the pastor and relocated to the church for several months under the pretext of seeking spiritual protection.
“Along the line, we had accommodation problem, and that was when I gave her money for a new accommodation. Instead, she spent the money on her lover and later claimed she was sick and that she used the money for treatment.
”Again, I got some money and got another apartment for her at Plaza area in Sango-Ota despite her insistence that she did not want me to get another accommodation.
“I warned her against having any close affair with pastor and asked her to stay in the new apartment.
“Surprisingly, she complained she did not like the fact the apartment is in a one-storey building.
“I would give her N3,000 in the morning and N3,000 in the evening because I usually left home around 5 am to take early turn to pick passengers at the motor park.
“Last week, my son told me that his mother had been with the pastor’s house for four days. I stormed the place and I was shocked to find them together in a room half naked.
“The pastor tied a towel around his waist while my wife also tied a piece of cloth around her waist while she pushed two of my little children to play outside the room.
”She started abusing me and calling me all sort of names. I reported the affair to my wife’s uncle and the old man slapped the pastor for luring my wife to bed to the extent of impregnating her.
“We tried to take my children away from her but she bit off my hand while the pastor claimed that he is the father of my last daughter, who is my sixth child.
“The pastor told all of us at the scene that he is the biological father of my daughter and that I cannot take the girl away from him.
“My wife said she was not ready to leave me and that she cannot also leave her pastor-lover.
“I later discovered that she had aborted a pregnancy for the same pastor some years ago.
“I cannot take my wife back and because the pastor has vowed to deal with me.
“I have 13 siblings and only three of us are the surviving children of my parent.
“I don’t want the pastor to kill me. Nigerians should save me from the ruthless pastor.”
Speaking with our reporter, Saheed, Folarin’s son, who allegedly exposed his mother’s illicit affair with the pastor, said his mother threatened to poison him for exposing her affair with the pastor.
”My mother threatened to poison me for exposing her escapades with the pastor of our church to my father.
“She called me an unfortunate child for telling my father that she even cooked for the pastor.
“I know she attacked me because I knew too much about her secret affair with the pastor.”
Giving his own side of the story, Pastor John explained that he is the biological father of Morufat’s sixth child.
He said he had been having an on and off affair with the woman in the last 20 years.
He said: ”My name is Prophet John Abiodun, the founder and pastor of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Orisun Iye Parish.
“I have been dating Morufat for about 20 years now. She told me that her husband abandoned her with two children.
”My church was formerly located in the Ijamido area of Ota before I moved it to Iloye area of Sango-Ota.
“Morufat came to my church about 20 years ago with two young children, Serifat and Saidat, for deliverance and spiritual protection.
“When I noticed that she did not leave after some time, I asked her to bring any of her family members.
”She later invited her aunt called Mama Lekan, who frequently visited her at the church.
“She stayed with me in the church for about six months, during which we started an affair.
“She later left and I did not see her again until about a year later.
”By the time she returned to my church in 2004, she was already pregnant for her husband.
“I reprimanded her for getting pregnant for the same man she had claimed was irresponsible.
”She said her husband had abandoned her again and bolted with a widow.
“I took her to a hospital when she went into labour and carried out special prayers for her and she was safely delivered of the baby. Afterward, I did not see her again.
”I ran into her again when I was supervising the construction of my new church building in the neighbourhood of the apartment where she lives with her husband.
“She later ran to me when she was owing a lender, and that was when we reignited our affair.
”She had a disagreement with her husband and said she was no longer interested in her marriage.
“She said she would have left her husband a long time ago but for her mother’s insistence that she must not leave her husband. By that time, she already had five children.
”My affair with her and the controversial pregnancy led to the separation with my own wife who could not stand it and left me about three years ago.
“Morufat’s mother knows that I am the real father of the baby, and I struck a deal with her mother who was accompanied to my home by one of her friends that I would come back for my daughter when she is 10 years old.
“It was during the discussion that my wife overheard that I was responsible for Morufat’s pregnancy, hence, she quit our marriage.
“It is a pity that Morufat’s mother is not here. I would have challenged her to say the truth.
”I took her(Morufat) on my motorcycle to the hospital when it was time to deliver the baby.
“I paid for her delivery at the hospital, although I heard that her husband had given her the delivery money too before she was discharged from the hospital.
“I was not the one that buried the baby’s placenta: her husband did. However, I am sure that I am the biological father of the girl.”
Prophet Abiodun boasted that he is not ashamed to affirm his affair with Morufat and that she was impregnated by him.
”I can boldly say that I was responsible for the training of some of her children in vocations.
“The husband was not responsible for the upbringing or naming of any of their children.
“Morufat ran to me one day and had a clash with my wife, and that was when my wife took the final decision to leave me.
”I cannot be ashamed to say it anywhere, any day, even it is on a radio programme.
“I named the girl Bose because she was born on Sunday, while her husband named her Shadiat. She was a twins as was revealed to me by ‘God’, but the second child was evacuated from her womb dead.”
Prophet Abiodun, however, added that he cannot take Morufat as wife because of her past relationship with other men.
”I cannot marry Morufat because I know about her journey and some of the men she had dated in the past,” he said.
“I am only claiming my child because I know that she was impregnated by me and I have a scan of the baby.
“Morufat is 46 years old, and she said it in the presence of everyone that I am the real father of her last baby.
“Besides, my family members and hers know that I am the real father of the baby, and I am saying it again that I am not ashamed to say so.”
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK’s Conservative Party, has sparked controversy with her recent comments about her identity and her views on Nigeria.
In an interview with The Spectator, Badenoch emphasised her Yoruba heritage and distanced herself from identifying as Nigerian, citing the country’s northern region as a hub for extremism.
“I find it interesting that everybody defines me as being Nigerian. I identify less with the country than with the specific ethnicity [Yoruba],” Badenoch said.
“I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, the Boko Haram where Islamism is.”
Badenoch’s remarks have drawn widespread criticism from Nigerians, including public figures, who accuse her of presenting a negative image of the country on international platforms.
This criticism comes amid her frequent comments on Nigeria’s challenges with corruption and insecurity in British media.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who hails from Borno, a region heavily affected by Boko Haram, addressed Badenoch’s comments.
“She could go ahead and change her name if she does not want any association with the greatest black nation on earth, the nation called Nigeria,” Shettima said.
Despite the backlash, Kemi Badenoch has stood by her statements.
“Being Yoruba is my true identity, and I refuse to be lumped up with northern people of Nigeria, who ‘were our ethnic enemies’ all in the name of being called a Nigerian,” she said.
Reflecting on her Yoruba roots, Badenoch shared a personal anecdote: “Somebody once told me when I was very young that my surname was a name for people who were warriors. They protected the crown, and that’s what I see myself as doing.”
She concluded with a reaffirmation of her commitment to the UK, “I am here to protect and I will die protecting this country because I know what’s out there.”
UK-based Nigerian pastor Tobi Adegboyega, founder of the SPAC Nation church, has addressed controversies surrounding his immigration status and allegations of financial impropriety.
In an interview with the BBC on Friday, Adegboyega clarified that there is no deportation order against him, despite reports of an immigration tribunal ruling in favor of his removal from the UK.
The pastor, who arrived in the UK in 2005 at the age of 25 on a visitor’s visa, admitted to overstaying but said the lapse was unintentional.
“I lost track of time,” he explained, citing a nearly decade-long delay in applying to regularise his immigration status.
He added that he had assumed his family was handling the necessary paperwork.
The controversy has been fueled by claims that Adegboyega is linked to a £1.87 million fraud involving misuse of church funds.
However, the pastor dismissed the allegations as baseless and attributed them to “disgruntled members” of his congregation.
“How on earth do you run an organisation without disgruntled people?” he asked during the interview.
Adegboyega also emphasized his church’s role in addressing societal issues in the UK.
“Our church has helped get hundreds of knives off the streets and tackled gun violence,” he said, highlighting SPAC Nation’s community outreach efforts.
The charismatic preacher, often seen wearing luxury fashion items, responded to criticism of his lifestyle, stating that his appearance is intentional.
“I put on what is right, what connects to the generation I’m speaking to, so they are not attracted to drug dealers,” he explained.
While the pastor confirmed that the legal battle over his immigration status is ongoing, he insisted the matter is in the hands of the judges.
“There is no deportation order, let me make that clear,” Tobi Adegboyega reiterated, as he continues to fight to remain in the UK.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has asserted that every wise Governor or President must find ways to closely hold the legislature’s leadership.
Akpabio, stated this on Friday, while serving as the Special Guest of Honour at the Public Lecture and Book Launch organised to mark the Birthday of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nyesom Wike, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Taking a swipe at Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s handling of the ongoing political crisis in the state, Akpabio said his greatest fear as Governor of Akwa Ibom State was the state House of Assembly.
Akpabio said he realised as a Governor that he could only be hurt by the House of Assembly and fashioned ways to work with the Speaker during his tenure.
He said “Every wise governor or the President like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must fashion a way to hold the leadership of the legislature closely.
“For those of you who may not understand politics, we were taught that the parliament can turn a woman into a man and a man into a woman. As a governor my greatest fear was my House of Assembly.
“So because of that I never travelled anywhere without my Speaker. Any time I didn’t see him for a day I would send somebody to his house to invite him to come and have lunch with me and I would look at his face to know whether he was happy with me or not.
“The only place that can hurt a governor is the House of Assembly and no court or democracy can stop that from happening. Any President that wants to survive like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must hold the speaker and the Senate President very closely, the way he is holding us.”
British Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, who has been in the eye of the storm over controversial statements about Nigeria, once sought the help of people from the West African country to secure her parliamentary seat, PUNCH reports.
Badenoch (nee Adegoke) had in 2010 sought the support of the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom in her bid to win a seat in the British parliament.
A campaign document which has been making the rounds on social media showed that during her campaign for Dulwich and West Norwood, she reached out to Nigerians while highlighting her roots.
She particularly pledged to uplift the image of the country through her position in the British political system.
In a message to her Nigerian supporters, Badenoch said, “I need your help. I’m running for parliament in the 2010 UK general elections. The race is very tight. Last year, a survey was carried out in this constituency by the News of the World and the forecast was that I would win. This year, things are a lot tougher as the party has dropped nationally in the polls. I need your help.
“In a recent BBC interview, a caller insulted me because I’m Yoruba. I was very disappointed that a Nigerian woman who claimed to have lived in London for 45 years had issues with me being Yoruba than with my political views and shamefully made her comments on national radio.
“We really need to get out of this mindset where we are fighting one another and try and support each other instead. Regardless of party allegiance, a Nigerian in parliament winning purely on merit and not because of her relatives or by buying the election will be amazing.”
She lamented that her generation had suffered enough from the mistakes of the past and it was time to retell the story.
“So I am asking for your help now to support a Nigerian who is trying to improve our national image and do something great here,” she added.
However, the UK-born Badenoch after winning the election, deployed her experiences in Nigeria, as a talking point to rally support for her policies.
She has been accused of exploiting her roots for political gains.
While in the race to succeed former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2022, Badenoch lambasted Nigerian politicians for polluting the environment with degradation.
She said, “I grew up in Nigeria, and I saw firsthand what happens when politicians are in it for themselves, when they use public money as their private piggy banks.”
“I saw what socialism is for millions. I saw poverty and broken dreams. I came to Britain to make my way in a country where hard work and honest endeavour can take you anywhere.”
Also, in one of the interviews she had with the British media, she said she did not want the UK to experience what made her flee Nigeria.
“This is my country…I don’t want it to become like the place I ran away from. I want it to get better and better, not just for me, but for the next generation,” she said.
Nigerians in the diaspora, including former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, accused Badenoch of using her Nigerian background when convenient and distancing herself when it suited her political ambitions.
Omokri, on his X page, gave instances when the UK disowned Nigerians during their downtimes, but embraced them at their best.
“Mrs Badenoch may want to acquaint herself with the case of former British star footballer, John Fashanu. When he was the darling of the football-loving Brits, he was called British, and he did not associate with Nigeria,” he said.
Also, Vice President Kashim Shettima, during the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue, stated that she had the right to express her opinions but could not diminish the value of the country.
In response, Badenoch’s spokesperson reaffirmed that she stood by her words.
“She is the leader of the opposition, and she is very proud of her leadership of the opposition in this country. She tells the truth. She tells it like it is. She’s not going to couch her words, and she stands by what she says,” the spokesperson said.
Operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have successfully apprehended a suspected online fraudster named Osang Usie Otukpa.
Otukpa is accused of masterminding a sophisticated scam that defrauded a total of 139 Australians, amassing approximately AUD 8,000,000 (about USD 8 million) in the process.
Otukpa was taken into custody at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday, December 6, 2024, as he arrived from the United States. The operation to arrest him was executed with precision during a carefully coordinated stakeout by the EFCC operatives.
EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, released an official statement detailing the nature of Otukpa’s alleged fraudulent activities. According to the statement, Otukpa operated under multiple aliases—Ford Thompson, Oscar Donald Tyler, Michael Haye, Jose Vitto, and Kristin Davidson—to create a deceptive persona that he used to ensnare victims.
By leveraging social media platforms, he was able to attract potential investors to his fraudulent cryptocurrency investment scheme, known as the Liquid Asset Group.
The scheme was crafted to appear legitimate, luring Australians to invest their hard-earned money into what they believed to be profitable cryptocurrency ventures. However, it was later revealed that these investments were nothing more than a façade, with the actual intent of Otukpa being to divert the proceeds of these fraudulent activities into his bank accounts through a global cryptocurrency exchange platform.
As investigations continue, the EFCC is preparing to bring charges against Otukpa in court, as they work to unravel the full extent of his operations and seek justice for the individuals affected by his fraudulent actions.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced that all versions of the naira, including the old and new designs of ₦1000, ₦500, and ₦200 denominations, as well as the commemorative and previous designs of the ₦100 denomination, remain valid and continue to be legal tender without any deadline.
CBN, in a statement signed by its Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Sidi Ali Hakama, said it is essential to clarify the misinformation regarding the validity of the old ₦1000, ₦500, and ₦200 banknotes currently in circulation.
The apex bank reiterated that the subsisting Supreme Court ruling granted on November 29, 2023, permits the concurrent circulation of all versions of the ₦1000, ₦500, and ₦200 denominations of the Naira indefinitely.
It further advised the public to disregard any claims that the old series of banknotes will cease to be legal tender on December 31, 2024.
The statement reads, “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has observed the misinformation regarding the validity of the old ₦1000, ₦500, and ₦200 banknotes currently in circulation.
“In line with the Bank’s previous clarifications and to offer further assurance, the CBN wishes to reiterate that the subsisting Supreme Court ruling granted on November 29, 2023, permits the concurrent circulation of all versions of the ₦1000, ₦500, and ₦200 denominations of the Naira indefinitely.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all versions of the naira, including the old and new designs of N1000, N500, and N200 denominations, as well as the commemorative and previous designs of the N100 denomination, remain valid and continue to be legal tender without any deadline.
“We, therefore, advise the public to disregard any claims that the old series of the aforementioned banknotes will cease to be legal tender on December 31, 2024. We urge Nigerians to continue accepting all Naira banknotes (both old and redesigned) for their daily transactions and to handle them with care to ensure their longevity.
“Furthermore, the general public is encouraged to embrace alternative modes of payment, such as e-channels, to reduce pressure on using physical cash.”
In 2021, the veteran singer was ordained as a bishop at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church of God in the Iju area of Lagos State.
Speaking to newsmen on Friday in Lagos, the musician explained that the church leadership received divine instruction regarding his ordination.
He shared that the instruction, delivered divinely to the church leaders, came years before he accepted the ordination.
According to him, “The Almighty God told me that I should be made the first bishop of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church of God. He told the leaders of the church.
“God said this because I am the only musician who has consistently used hymns in my music and performances, and through this, I have won many souls for Christ.
“You know my music is often based on hymns.
“And I tried to avoid the ordination for a while until God finally got me arrested.”
Reflecting on his career, Peters expressed satisfaction with his progress and thanked God for guiding him through the years.
“I am fulfilled; I am content. The only thing I now ask my creator for is to keep enlightening me with His word and to grant me the grace to draw closer to Him.
“There is absolutely nothing I want to ask for now except to continue thanking God for my achievements by His grace.
“When I think back to those I started this journey with, who are no longer here, I remain grateful to my creator.
“As for what my fans can expect, I will only say they should expect something unusual very soon,” he said.
[NaijaNews]
Senate President Godswill Akpabio says President Bola Almed Tinubu muscled the two chambers of National Assembly with the conferment of GCON on them.
Akpabio, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the Public Lecture and Book Launch organised to mark the birthday of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday, mocked Fubara’s handling of the ongoing political crisis in the state.
The Senate President said any President that wants to survive like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must hold the speaker and the Senate President very closely the way Tinubu is holding them.
He said the only place that can hurt a governor is the House of Assembly and no court or democracy can stop that from happening.
He said, “Recently he conferred on us GCON, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, whether he loved it or not he did it. He muscled the two Chambers together.
“For those of you, who may not understand politics, we were taught that the parliament can turn a woman into a man and a man into a woman. As a governor my greatest fear was my House of Assembly.
“So because of that I never travelled anywhere without my Speaker. Any time I didn’t see him for a day, I would send somebody to his house to invite him to come and have a launch with me and I used ideas to look at his face to know whether he was happy with me or not.
“The only place that can hurt a governor is the House of Assembly and no court or democracy can stop that from happening. Any President that wants to survive like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must hold the speaker and the Senate President very closely the way he is holding us.”
Akpabio, who also launched a book on Wike, wondered why despite all resources at the disposal of Fubara, he had not been able to poach some of the 27 lawmakers in the camp of Wike.
The former Governor of Akwa Ibom State said people must rise to condemn politics of betrayal and treachery, noting that such political orientation was affecting sustainability in governance.
He said despite all the insights contained in the lecture delivered at the occasion by the Guest Lecturer and Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, he did not address the critical issue of sustainability.
“He said: “I do not know what is happening in Rivers State but I hope that the successor to Wike realises the fact that no matter how the bird flies, the legs are pointing to the ground.
“Something must be wrong. Today is not for politics. Today is for Nyesom Wike. But sometimes I wonder, I would never be the governor given the resource of Rivers State and then I disagree with my House of Assembly and I am not able to poach at least one member out of the other group. If I do not do that, it means that there is something wrong with my political philosophy.
“I do not care what people say, we must try to stop this politics of betrayal, and politics of treachery because it does not allow for good succession. Prof Julius, in everything you said here, the word that was missing was ‘sustainability’.
“You cannot have sustainability in good policies and governance when the person taking over from you is interested in not destroying you alone but destroying everything that you built. If you are a politician, note, you must have opposition as people oppose you, they are also the step you can use to go higher.”
Akpabio, however, said when politicians served with dedication, passion, confidence and with open heart God would eventually lift them higher.
Turning to Wike, he said he did not become the FCT Minister by chance, but that the position came because of the hard work he put in when he was the governor of Rivers.
[DailyTrust]
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Taraba South Senator, David Jimkuta has asked political leaders to always remember their primary support base and constituents in spite of their newfound status in life.
Jimkuta who recalled his days as an Okada rider (commercial motorcyclist) spoke earlier in the week at the Nigeria Law School, Bwari in Abuja where the Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike had donated seven vehicles to the school and also flagged off the construction of 10 sets of 4-bedroom bungalows for staff.
The Taraba senator who is the Senate Committee Chairman on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters said the minister as a lawyer has done well to have remembered his alma mater.
“I like what you are doing. Me, before I became a senator, I was once an Okada man and it is in the same spirit that I gave them bikes. As a politician, I give to them because that’s my primary constituency.
So, what you are doing here, you are encouraging your primary constituency and it is commendable. It’s not politics. Whoever says it’s politics, let him go and try his own luck.
“Honourable Minister, we appreciate you and we support what you are doing in the FCT”, he stated.
Against the odds
At the primary election of his All Progressives Congress APC, Jimkuta had won the party’s nomination, polling 170 votes to defeat his rival, Danjuma Shiddi.
As of then, Shiddi was the incumbent member representing Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
However, Jimkuta’s name was not submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC. Shiddi’s name was submitted.
Jimkuta promptly challenged the decision at the Federal High Court in Jalingo but he lost Shiddi. Then he went to the appellate court where he won. Shiddi took the case to the Supreme Court where Jimkuta also won and his name was ordered returned on the ballot.
Jimkuta would go on to cause the greatest upset in the actual Senatorial election where he defeated the then incumbent governor of the state, Darius Ishaku who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
In that election, Jimkuta polled 85, 415 votes to defeat then Gov. Ishaku who scored 45,708 votes.
[Vanguard]
The federation account allocation committee (FAAC) says it shared N1.72 trillion among the three tiers of government in November 2024.
The amount shared represents an increase of N310 billion compared to the N1.41 trillion shared in October.
In a statement on Friday, the ministry of finance said the FAAC announced the disbursements at its December meeting in Abuja, chaired by Wale Edun, minister of finance.
FAAC said the gross total was N3.14 trillion while the distributable amount was N1.72 trillion.
The committee said from the distributable amount inclusive of gross statutory revenue, value-added tax (VAT), electronic money transfer levy (EMTL), and exchange difference (ED), the federal government received N581.85 billion, states received N549.79 billion, and the local governments got N402.55 billion.
FAAC added that the oil-producing states received N193.29 billion as derivation, (13 percent of mineral revenue).
It added that the sum of N103.3 billion was given for the cost of collection, while N1.31 trillion was allocated for transfer intervention and refunds.
For gross revenue, the VAT available for November 2024 was N628.9 billion as against N668.2 billion distributed in the preceding month, resulting in a decrease of N39.3 billion.
“From that amount, the sum of N25.1 billion was allocated for the cost of collection and the sum of N18.1 billion given for transfers, intervention and refunds,” the committee said.
“The remaining sum of N628.9 billion was distributed to the three tiers of government, of which the federal government got N87.8 billion, states received N292.8 billion and local governments got N204.9 billion.”
GROSS STATUTORY RECORDS HIGHEST REVENUE
Also, the gross statutory revenue of N1.82 trillion received for November was higher than the sum of N1.33 trillion received in the previous month by N490.3 billion or 36.7 percent.
From the stated amount, the sum of N77.5 billion was allocated for the cost of collection and a total sum of N1.2 trillion for transfers, intervention and refunds.
The remaining balance of N455.3 billion was distributed as follows: the federal government received N175.6 billion, states received N89.1 billion, and N68.7 billion was allocated to local governments.
FAAC said N121.8 billion was given as 13 percent derivation revenue to mineral-producing states.
In addition, the committee said N15 billion from EMTL was distributed to the federal government (N2.2 billion), states ( N7.5 billion), and local governments (N5.2 billion), “while N0.0627 Billion was allocated for Cost of Collection”.
From the exchange difference of N671.3 billion, the federal government received N316 billion, states got N160 billion, the sum of N123 billion was allocated to local governments, while N71.4 billion was given for derivation (13 percent of mineral revenue).
FAAC also said oil and gas royalty and CET levies recorded significant increases, while excise duty, VAT, import duty, petroleum profit tax (PPT), companies income tax (CIT), and EMTL decreased considerably.
[TheCable]
Lt. Changfe Maigari has made history as the first female pilot in the Nigerian Navy (NN) since its inception in 1964.
Maigari, who is married with a daughter, hails from Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau but was born in Kaduna.
Her remarkable journey began in 2016 when she graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant.
Subsequently, she served aboard the Nigerian Navy Ship Unity.
Maigari was presented with the ‘Pilot Wing’ award during the 2024 NN Ceremonial Sunset at the Naval Training Command Headquarters (HQ NAVTRAC) in Ebube-Eleme, Rivers, on Friday.
In an interview with NAN on the sidelines of the event, Maigari said that she achieved the milestone after completing her basic pilot training and fulfilling all requirements.
“I grew up in a military environment as my father was an officer in the Nigerian Air Force.
“From an early age, I aspired to become a military pilot and when the opportunity to join the navy arose, I did not hesitate.’’
She recounted how her dream of becoming a naval officer materialised when she was selected among the first group of 20 female regular cadets trained at the NDA.
Maigari said she graduated in 2016 as the Best Graduating Cadet in Academics, earned the Gold Medal Navy award, and in 2019, completed her Sub Lieutenant Technical Course as the overall best.
“There were moments during my training when it seemed I might not succeed in my studies or flight procedures, but I persevered.
“Becoming the first female pilot in the Nigerian Navy feels surreal and a significant milestone, not only for me but for all my female colleagues who can draw inspiration from this achievement.
“I also hope my success motivates young civilian girls aspiring to join the military, particularly the Nigerian Navy, to persist because perseverance can overcome any challenge in life,” Maigari advised.
She expressed gratitude to God, her colleagues and her family for their unwavering support in helping her to achieve the milestone of becoming the first female pilot in the Nigerian Navy.
Presenting the award, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, commended Maigari and other award recipients for their exemplary achievements.
He highlighted that the sunset ceremony was a longstanding naval tradition marking the conclusion of the year’s activities.
“It is a moment to reflect on our 2024 accomplishments, strengthen comradeship and honour personnel who distinguished themselves through hard work.’’
The navy chief spoke on the navy’s significant strides in combating oil theft, pipeline vandalism and sea piracy, among other maritime crimes, in 2024.
“In January, the navy launched Operation Delta Sanity which successfully curtailed oil theft and maritime crimes, increasing Nigeria’s daily crude oil production; several oil companies reported achieving a 100 per cent terminal factor.
“Two new naval bases were established in Enugu and Makurdi; the Shagunu outpost was operationalised; we also incorporated a maritime component into Operation Fansar Yamma in the North West.’’
He listed advancements in fleet recapitalisation, including the acquisition of two 32-metre fast patrol boats, an offshore survey vessel, and two helicopters in June.
“In November, three additional helicopters were launched and two 38-metre Sea Eagle fast patrol boats were delivered.
“By January, we expect delivery of three 46-metre fast boats from China, while two 76-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels under construction in Turkey are nearing completion.
“Our indigenous shipbuilding efforts include two 38-metre Seaward Defence Boats, three tugboats and several patrol boats, all scheduled for delivery in 2025,” Ogalla said.
He also noted upgrades to barracks in Lagos, Benue, Enugu and Ogun States, as well as ongoing construction of additional housing for personnel in Navy Towns located in Abuja and Lagos.
Gov. Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers lauded the Nigerian Navy for its efforts in combating oil theft, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism.
He acknowledged the immense challenges posed by criminals in sabotaging the nation’s economy through attacks on oil and gas facilities.
“Eliminating these illegal activities in our maritime environment is no small task, especially as 90 per cent of our oil and gas infrastructure is located in the Niger Delta swamps.
“The Rivers Government has always supported and collaborated with the Nigerian Navy and will continue to do so to facilitate its operations in the state.
“As we approach 2025, Nigerians have high expectations and it is vital that we work together to confront and overcome the challenges ahead,” Fubara said.
Philip Stevens, 66, from Ringwood, Hampshire in the UK, has received a £70,000 ($88,000) settlement after a medication prescribed for restless leg syndrome caused life-altering compulsive behaviours.
Shropshire reports on Friday that the settlement, agreed upon without liability being admitted by his GP, highlights serious concerns about the lack of proper warnings regarding the potential side effects of certain medications.
Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1995, Stevens’ health worsened in 2015, forcing him to retire.
In 2017, he was prescribed Ropinirole—a dopamine agonist—to treat a tremor in his left leg that disrupted his sleep.
However, his GP did not inform him about the drug’s potential side effects, which include impulse control disorders such as compulsive gambling and shopping, according to NHS guidance.
Before and After
According to The Independent also on Friday, before taking Ropinirole, Stevens enjoyed occasional, calculated bets at horse races.
Yet, after starting the medication, his gambling spiraled out of control.
“I started betting on anything I could and even woke up in the middle of the night to place bets,” he recounted.
Over four years, he spent thousands of pounds on gambling websites, often disregarding any chance of winning.
The compulsive behaviours extended beyond gambling.
The sextagenarian began shopping obsessively for clothes, hiding purchases from his wife, and undertaking frequent three-day fishing trips, accumulating vast amounts of fishing equipment.
“Things I once enjoyed became obsessions,” he said.
In October 2021, during a review, a neurologist questioned him about side effects and advised him to stop taking Ropinirole immediately.
However, no guidance was provided on how to taper off the drug safely, leading to withdrawal symptoms including paranoia, hallucinations, and exhaustion.
At one point, he asked his children to take DNA tests, convinced they weren’t his.
The emotional toll led him to the local mental health crisis team in 2022.
Despite overcoming the compulsions, Stevens says the shame and withdrawal symptoms have left him mentally drained.
“I am not the same person as I was pre-Ropinirole,” he shared. “But my marriage has survived, and I am starting to look forward rather than back.”
Legal Action
Angharad Vaughan, the medical negligence solicitor representing Mr. Stevens, criticized the delayed recognition of the drug’s side effects.
“It is shocking that it took so long for a medical professional to flag these issues,” she said.
Leigh Day solicitors, who handled the case, hope this settlement prompts greater transparency from medical professionals about the risks associated with medications like Ropinirole.
The agencies report that NHS warns that dopamine agonists can cause impulse control disorders, advising patients to seek help if they experience compulsive gambling, shopping, or binge eating.
Yet, cases like Stevens’ underscore the importance of proactive patient education to prevent such devastating consequences.
For Stevens, the settlement represents a step towards rebuilding his life. “Maybe one day I will believe that what happened to me wasn’t my fault,” he concluded.
[Punch]