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A popular Enugu-based traditional Ogene musician, Okezie Chikezie Mba, popularly known as Igbo-Jah, was shot dead at the premises of the Tactical Squad of Enugu State Police Command late Friday when he reportedly went there for a ‘friendly’ visit.
Reports said Igbo-Jah was leaving the command’s premises after the visit when, for reasons yet to be ascertained, a police inspector fired his rifle, hitting him.
He was immediately rushed to a hospital, according to the police, but was confirmed dead by a doctor. His body was deposited in the mortuary.
The police inspector who killed serves in the anti-cultism squad of the command. He was detained by other police officers.
Spokesman of the command, Daniel Ndukwe, later said in a statement that the incident occurred around 8:10 p.m. on Friday, and the state commissioner of police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, directed the deputy commissioner in charge of the State CID to conduct an investigation into the incident after which appropriate actions would be taken against the police officer.
The commissioner consoled Igbo-Jah’s family, friends and associates, describing the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable. He assured that the police officer and anyone else found culpable would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
“CP Kanayo urges everyone connected to the victim to remain calm and cooperate with the police to ensure that justice is served,” the spokesman stated.
[Leadership]
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has called for urgent removal of the entire electricity value chain from the exclusive list, so as to grant states the power to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity for themselves.
Though Electricity Act has put electricity on concurrent list, but the bulk of power generation and distribution are still within the purview of the Federal Government.
Atiku in a tweet on Saturday, saw no reason why an industrial dispute with the Federal Government in Abuja should affect industrial activities in any of the states or cities of the country.
“Even as we focus on investments in additional generation, there’s a compelling need for capacity for the complementary transmission and distribution infrastructure to transport the supplementary energy produced,” he said.
The former vice president expressed worry that for the past three week, South East and the entire states of the North West and North East that have been in complete blackouts.
He noted that considering that energy opportunities exist in different parts of the country, “the strategy should be a viable mix of renewable (hydro, solar, wind and biofuels) and non-renewable (coal, gas).
“I wish to restate my earlier recommendation to encourage private investors to invest in developing multiple green-field mini-grid transmission systems to be looped into the super-grid in the medium to long term.”
Atiku called every government department responsible for addressing the problem power failure to be quick in its intervention and restore electricity back to the distressed geopolitical zones.
[newtelegraphng]
Many victims are trapped under the debris of a collapsed building in the Sabon Lugbe area of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
Details of the incident are sketchy as of the time of this report, but some social media users said the affected building caved in on Saturday evening.
“People are under this rubble. It is a building under construction.
“We are calling on the government and relevant agencies to come and rescue those who are trapped here,” a witness disclosed to newsmen.
This development follows a similar incident some days ago on Amusu Street, in the Orile Iganmu area of Lagos State, where a two-storey building collapsed.
The building as seen in a trending video, collapsed, leaving residents close to the house to seek for safety.
According to a newspaper report on July 15, 2024, Nigeria experienced 135 building collapse incidents between 2022 and July 2024.
[DailyTrust]
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said he is yet to decide on contesting in the 2027 presidential election.
He, however, added that if he decides to via for the presidency in 2027 no one can stop his ambition.
He stated this in an interview with Daily Trust which was published on Saturday.
According to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum Chairman, he is more concerned about making the party strong and cohesive.
He said: “I haven’t told anyone I want to run for president now. In 2022/2023 I presented myself as a presidential aspirant but didn’t get the nomination. Perhaps that’s why some people still associate me with that ambition.
“But what have I done to cause problems aside from navigating within the Governors’ Forum? It’s a forum of equals, much like the Senate or House of Reps-you don’t make decisions alone, but you do take responsibility. My ambition in 2023 should not be confused with my current focus.
“Right now, my priority is to see the PDP strong and cohesive, capable of producing a presidential candidate who can win Nigerians’ confidence. It doesn’t have to be me-it could be anyone with the vision, energy and national outlook to win.”
He disclosed that many individuals and groups have continued to mount pressure on his to contest for president.
“Of course, if the time comes and I decide to run, no one will stop me. But for now, I’m focused on my work. Many young people and organisations are encouraging various individuals to run, not just me. So, why focus on me? I haven’t responded to any of them. Even when a group came to my council urging me to run, I told them I couldn’t unless one of my political mentors (former President Goodluck Jonathan) steps aside, just as I said in 2023. I’m not arrogant; I’m willing to work as part of a team.
“The presidency is about consensus. No one should think they’re bigger than others. If you can harmonise our vision and lead with collaboration, you can become president. But when people start thinking they’re superior to governors or others, they’ve missed the mark. I’m not bigger than anyone-every PDP governor, even some outside the party, may be more qualified to be president. If they don’t step up that’s their choice. But if I decide to run, with the support of my people in Bauchi and across the country, I won’t fear anyone,” he said.
Controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, may face fresh criminal charges over claims that he served his jail term in a private apartment and bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to drop money laundering charges against him.
Sunday PUNCH exclusively gathered that a panel set up to investigate the claims recommended that he should face defamation and criminal charges.
Bobrisky was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on April 12 for abusing the naira. He was released from prison on August 5.
A few weeks after his release, controversial social critic, Martins Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, shared a voice note of a conversation purportedly between Bobrisky and another person, where the crossdresser allegedly stated that he bribed EFCC officers with N15m to drop money laundering charges against him. He also claimed to have bribed officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, subsequently constituted an investigation panel, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Magdalena Ajani, on September 30, to probe the claims.
The panel, while presenting its report, said there was no evidence that Bobrisky slept outside the Kirikiri Custodial Centre during his six-month sentence.
Details of the report, exclusively obtained by Sunday PUNCH on Friday, stated that Bobrisky tarnished the image of the correctional service with false claims.
The panel also asked the Department of State Services to investigate whether, directly or through a proxy, he bribed the EFCC or the correctional service.
If the allegations of bribery by Bobrisky are substantiated, the panel said he should be charged with corrupt practices.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service should file defamation suits against Bobrisky under sections 373-375 of the Criminal Code Act for his false claims about bypassing the prison system, tarnishing the institution’s reputation.
“The DSS should be requested to investigate whether Bobrisky, directly or through a proxy, bribed EFCC or NCoS officials. If substantiated, Bobrisky should face charges under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act for bribing public officials,” the report partly read.
The panel also indicted four correctional officers who were recommended for disciplinary action as outlined in the NCoS’s condition of service, civil service, and applicable laws.
One of those recommended for sanctions is a former Controller of Corrections, Ben Rabbi-Freeman.
He was accused of “effecting the transfer of Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju without proper documentation of Form 5 and Form 5A from the Medium-Security Custody Centre to the Maximum-Security Custodial Centre on April 22, 2024, after over four months of the transfer date, and after the inmate had ended his imprisonment term; backdating the transfer documentation in relation to 1a and 1b above.
“Causing the in-charge Ikoyi Custodial Centre, in-charge Medium-Security Custodial Centre, and in-charge Maximum-Security Custodial Centre to sign backdated transfer documents in relation to Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju.”
In addition, the Deputy Controller of Corrections who was in charge of the Kirikiri Medium Security, Micheal Anugwa, who claimed during a parliamentary inquiry that he had not been suspended despite an official order from the Minister of Interior, was recommended for disciplinary action.
He was indicted for receiving Bobrisky into the Medium Security Custodial Centre without the relevant documentation on April 12, 2024, and without the necessary transfer documentation.
“DCC Balogun Sikiru (retd) — formerly in-charge of Maximum Security Custodial Centre for receiving Bobrisky into the Maximum Security Custodial Centre without the relevant documentation on April 22, 2024, and without the necessary transfer documentation, and DCC Sikiru Kamoru Adekunle who was in charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre for backdating the transfer documentation in relation to receiving of Okuneye Idris into the Maximum Security Custodial Centre on April 22, 2024, which was a period he was yet to resume as the in-charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre.”
The panel further recommended an audit of all inmates and detainees in all custodial centres of the NCoS, their warrants, and other records. It asked that a mechanism be set up to do this and sustain it as an effective oversight weekly.
It demanded “decommercialisation of all welfare and support services to inmates with immediate effect and ensuring that adequate funding and oversight are put in place to ensure the continuation of these. This will also include building sustainable partnerships with civil society organisations (example, with relevant NGOs and professional associations) on some or all of these.”
“Facilitate the effective implementation of non-custodial measures across the entire country to help reduce the number of people in custodial centres by utilising imprisonment only as a last resort,” the report added.
Special facilities in custodial centres
A senior management officer of the NCoS told Sunday PUNCH that what people called VIP treatment for certain prisoners was a special facility that had existed for years.
According to the high-ranking officer, custodial centres have different facilities and prisoners’ conditions (health, age, sex) determine which facility they stay in to serve their jail term.
The officer said, “There are different facilities in the custodial centres across the country, and it is not out of place to treat some of the prisoners according to their health conditions, sex, age, and category of the sentence. Importantly, the prison authority also considers human rights and the treatment of the prisoners.
“The case of Bobrisky is an eye-opener for us. The NCoS authority confirmed that he is a woman from the middle upward, while he is a man from the middle downward. We had never had such a person in our custody, and there is no facility for such a situation. He had to be placed in a separate cell so that he wouldn’t be abused. That facility is what he ignorantly called a private apartment.
“Whether VIP or not, the condition of a prisoner will determine the facility he/she is going to stay in. We can’t put a prisoner who has high blood pressure in a cell without enough ventilation.”
Activists make case for crossdressers
Okuneye’s case has sparked debate on human rights and recognition of crossdressers, transgenders, and transsexual individuals in the country’s laws, institutions, and facilities.
Some activists, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH, argued that the government and its institutions should be aware of the presence of these individuals and make provisions for them.
The activists believe that sexual orientation is part of the human rights to be respected by the Nigerian government.
An activist, Femi Adeyeye, said the Kirikiri Custodial Centre where Bobrisky served his jail term was not befitting of his sexual orientation.
Adeyeye urged the Federal Government to respect the rights of individuals regardless of their sexual orientation. He also called on the government to provide special facilities for transgender inmates.
“A special cell for transgender persons is a welcome development; it’s something the government should look into,” he stated.
Another activist, Michael Adaramoye, noted that the Nigerian society had not come to terms with the reality of a growing transgender population.
However, Adaramoye said, “While we must recognise the right of individuals to sexual freedom, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others, we must also be sensitive to the concerns of other members of society.
He advocated the provision of facilities to accommodate transgender individuals in prisons and cells.
“It is important to note that our correctional centres are organised in a way that dehumanises inmates. Under such vicious conditions, it is difficult for any positive character reform to occur. The prison system in Nigeria is in dire need of deep reform and overhaul,” the activist added.
Also, human rights lawyer, Toyin Taiwo-Ojo, said the Federal Government’s position on homosexuality was ambiguous.
“The Nigerian government must re-evaluate Bobrisky’s detention and consider the long-term implications of their decisions,” she concluded.
- Count me out of party’s internal crisis, says Atiku
The underground work to draft former Senate President, David Mark, into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairmanship race appears to be losing steam, party sources said yesterday.
There are ongoing moves in the party, spearheaded by some of the state governors elected on the platform of PDP, to get rid of the acting national chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Damagum and replace him with a substantive chair.
Benue State born Mark, a retired brigadier general, is one of the people being tipped to occupy the office.
A former governor of Benue State,Gabriel Suswam and Engineer Conrad Utaan have both also indicated interest in the position.
Utaan insists that “there is no other solution to the lingering crisis in the PDP than resolving the issue of chairmanship, and there is no other way of resolving the issue aside returning the position to the North-Central where it belongs rightfully, on moral and legal grounds.”
Utaan also hails from Benue.
Mark’s supporters are promoting him as a consensus candidate who can be relied upon by all the factions in the party to salvage the fortunes of the former ruling party.
They cite his state/geo political zone which is the same as that of the former Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, whose truncated tenure is due to lapse in December 2025.
Ayu threw in the towel in the heat of the controversy that trailed the party’s loss of the 2023 presidential election.
A former National Security Adviser, some retired generals and former top government functionaries are said to be driving the Mark chairmanship agenda.
However, party sources told The Nation in Abuja that the campaign is not receiving the kind of positive response his promoters were expecting from party members. Some even go as far as saying the scheme has failed.
Party sources said the former Senate President himself is not particularly enthusiastic about the project for some personal reasons, including his age – leading to fears it may eventually be jettisoned.
He is currently 76 years old.
A source said the demands of the office include extensive travelling within the country and wondered how much of that could be done by Mark at his present age.
It was also gathered that the ongoing litigation over the party leadership does not look encouraging to Mark.
The source also wondered how much work Mark could do to put the party in order by December 2025.
Damagum’s position as acting national chairman is currently protected by the October 11,2024 order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, restraining the national executive committee (NEC) and board of trustees (BoT) of the PDP from removing him.
Justice Peter Lifu also ordered that aside Damagum, no other person must be recognised as the PDP acting national chair until the party’s convention scheduled for December 2025.
Lifu held that party members are bound by Articles 42, 47 and 67 of PDP’s constitution which stipulates that national officers of the party can only be elected during the party’s national convention.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/579/2024 was filed by Umar Maina, Yobe state PDP chair.
Another Federal High Court sitting in Zamfara State last week declined to stop the party from postponing a meeting of the NEC.
There were speculations that the purported meeting was to remove Damagum .
The Nation gathered that despite claims by the Chairman of the PDP National Reconciliation Committee, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, that the party is now one and there are more factions, entrenched groups remain antagonistic of each other.
On one side are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his supporters and on the other are those of Damagum and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.
The Atiku group, backed by some of the governors, is insistent on Damagum’s ouster largely because of the danger they perceive he constitutes to Atiku’s presidential bid in 2027.
President of PDP Frontliners, Engineer Abdulraheem Ilyasu Garba,said while the major stakeholders in the party may have made a ‘tactical withdrawal’ in their battle for the control of the party for now, there is still a great deal of work to be done to resolve the differences among members ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said PDP stakeholders acknowledge that with or without a replacement for Damagum, some measure of ferment is inevitable because the political processes of interest articulation in a party like the PDP cannot be the same as obtains in some other political parties.
While shying away from direct comments about Wike and Atiku, he acknowledged that it is normal for highly influential stakeholders like the duo to have loyalists who sometimes do proxy battles that they are not sent to do.
He believes that Damagum’s position is safe for now as only a collective decision of various stakeholders can remove him.
He said:“Damagum is not going anywhere for now; his presence along with members of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Board of Trustees, National Working Committee (NWC), PDP National Assembly Caucus and the Forum of Former PDP Governors at last Tuesday’s meeting at Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja says something.
“Only his personal decision in response to likely proposals by PDP governors can get Damagum to leave and revert to his position as Deputy National Chairman (North) but that has not happened yet so, he can only be dislodged that way by a collective decision that includes his input.
“Besides, the November 16, 2024 Ondo Governorship election is keeping everyone focused and the October 11 judgment of Justice Peter Odo Lifu at the Federal High Court in Abuja declared that Ambassador Umar Damagum remains the PDP’s acting National Chairman until a collective decision can be taken at the national convention scheduled for late 2015.”
‘Count me out of PDP crisis’ – Atiku
Speaking on the PDP crisis yesterday,Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shuaibu, said the former vice president has no hand in the matter.
He said any suggestion that Atiku is sponsoring people to foment trouble in the party is bizarre.
“Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar believes in due process and he has been focused on how to build the PDP into a more formidable party and he completely has no hand in any crisis that would rather draw the party backwards,” Shuaibu said.
“It is extremely farfetched and unfair to insinuate that Atiku has any involvement with any individual or group’s plans to brief lawyers and go to court towards vacating Justice Peter Lifu’s judgement.”
Atiku and Wike are locked in a running spat sparked by Atiku’s presidential bid in 2023.
Atiku’s ally,Iyorchia Ayu had failed to quit as PDP National Chairman after Atiku’s emergency as the party’s presidential candidate.
Wike had kicked that it was against the constitution of the PDP for the chairman and the presidential flag bearer to come from the same part of the country.
Only last weekend Wike called Atiku a serial loser who has been repeatedly rejected by Nigerian voters.
He told the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election to pack his things and go home.
Atike dismissed Wike’s comment as baseless rants and said “ It is clear that Mr. Wike is more concerned with self-interest than addressing the real challenges faced by the nation.”
[TheNation]
As fuel consumption plummets nationwide due to soaring prices, oil marketers have expressed concerns over significant losses, with around 10,000 oil dealers about to shut down.
Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority indicate that fuel consumption dropped to 4.5 million litres per day in August 2024, down from 60 million litres per day in May 2023—a staggering 92 per cent decline.
The data also show that only 16 out of the 36 states received fuel from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited in August, leading to widespread shortage.
Since President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy in May 2023, petrol prices have surged by about 488 per cent, rising from N175 to over N1,000 by October 2024.
The continuous price hikes have strained the economy, driving up transport costs and fuelling inflation, as struggling Nigerians lament the hardship. The situation has also forced many motorists to abandon their vehicles, opting instead for public transportation.
The national leadership of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria said the drop in fuel consumption had caused the association huge losses, adding that about 10,000 of its members were on the verge of shutting down.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the PETROAN National Public Relations Officer, Dr Joseph Obele, said the cost of a truckload of PMS had moved from N7m to N47m in the last 16 months.
“Three days ago, there was a meeting at the national headquarters of PETROAN. At the meeting, there was, an indication that about 10,000 of our members would quit business in the next 45 days because their trading capital had been severely affected,” Obele stated.
He claimed that the affected marketers had a total staff strength of about one million.
“That was why we wrote a letter to Mr President, dated October 21, requesting a grant of N100bn to save the affected marketers’ businesses from shutting down in the next few weeks.”
The President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, also confirmed that there had been a reduction in fuel consumption, adding that members of the union were equally affected.
He said, “There is a drop in consumption and the price of a truckload is higher now. So, we have reduced the quantity of fuel we buy. For instance, someone who bought 10 trucks before can only buy eight now. So, we haven’t been getting the right quantity that we are supposed to get. We sell only the little quantities we get.”
The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers said the inability of oil marketers to buy products had resulted in job losses for truck drivers and petrol station workers in the country.
In an interview with our correspondent, the NUPENG Secretary-General, Mr Afolabi Olawale, said, “The economy is not smiling at all. Many petrol station owners cannot even buy a single truckload, and this has affected our members. Those of them that are truck drivers hardly get loads to carry anymore. Many petrol stations have closed down and our members who are petrol station workers have lost their jobs.”
When asked to give the actual number of NUPENG members affected, Olawale said, “This is an unfolding situation. It’s evolving, so I may not be able to give you the actual number of people affected now because we have those in the informal and formal sectors. We have people in the upstream, downstream, and midstream. But I don’t have the statistics right here with me to give you.
“Though everybody is affected, those in the downstream are the most affected. It affects those in the downstream sector directly because they are truck drivers, station workers, and the representatives of the marketers at different depots.”
Obele said the hike in fuel price had also blocked the cross-border racketeering of the product.
[Punch]
The camps of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and that of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have returned to the drawing board to re-strategise ahead of the rescheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 28.
Wike had, while addressing his supporters in Port-Harcourt at an event, last week, promised to continue to be “a problem for Atiku, Obi and some PDP governors”, who are politically opposed to him and President Bola Tinubu.
Sunday Vanguard gathered in Abuja that Wike and his loyalists have been holding meetings in Abuja and Port-Harcourt to safeguard what they consider a string of court victories in the intra-party power struggle.
The camp considered it advantageous that the NEC meeting was rescheduled to November because it would save time for its poster boy, the PDP Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, to remain in office.
In contrast, the Atiku camp has been licking its wounds since the former substantive National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, resigned his position and moves to replace him with a candidate from the North Central has been stalling.
A decision by a Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the NEC and the party’s Board of Trustees from removing Damagum from office has further complicated matters.
Appealing court order
Party insiders, however, confirmed to Sunday Vanguard, that a team of lawyers under the guidance of two prominent Senior Advocates of Nigeria is being assembled to appeal the court order.
A member of the party’s NEC familiar with this development who spoke on condition of anonymity, for fear of retribution said, “Of course, we are appealing the court order.
“Go back to the resolution of our 98th NEC meeting held on April 18th. It was resolved that the NWC should conduct congresses at the relevant levels in states where the tenures of their executives have lapsed and prepare grounds for a replacement for Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu who resigned from his position.
“But for some strange reasons, Damagum has found one excuse or another to cling to power in an acting capacity by refusing to convene NEC.
“To further complicate matters, he caused his lieutenants in Yobe State, to go to court to restrain the Board of Trustees and NEC from removing him from office.
“This man is still the Deputy National Chairman (North), a position he also holds today.
“How can a man who says he has the party’s best interest at heart, go to court and tie our hands by removing one of the main items on the agenda of our NEC meeting?
“We have news for him, he can’t be acting chairman in perpetuity. That judgement or whatever it is will be appealed and vacated.”
The source further explained that it was out of place for the Wike camp to celebrate the latest shift in the date for the NEC meeting.
Ondo election
The source said, “The shift in the date for the NEC meeting was a win-win for everyone. Irrespective of which camp any of us belongs to, no one wants to be blamed if anything goes wrong with the Ondo State governorship election.
“Yes, the postponement gives Damagum more time but it also affords others the time to go to Court and get the contentious order vacated. “
The North-Central is however not giving up on its demand to produce Ayu’s replacement.
A former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it would be wishful thinking for anyone to imagine the zone will give up on its desire to have the letter and spirit of Section 47 (6) of the party’s constitution respected.
He said, “The PDP is a party built on the rule of law as enshrined in our constitution. Our party is the only institution that has survived this long as a political party.
“The reason is simple; we have always bounced back even when some people think we are finished.
“Our demand that the North-Central produce Ayu’s successor to complete what is left of his tenure is intact.”
Already, party chieftains from Benue State where Ayu hails from have started signifying interest in the position.
A former governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam, had told those who cared to listen that he is interested.
Also, a businessman turned politician, Conrad Utaan, who has also declared interest, said the PDP National Chairmanship should not be the exclusive preserve of those who have held one public office or another.
Utaan said, “It is my desire to lead this party with humility, with sacrifice, and the only person who can, the only people who can help me drive this message are you that is sitting here around this table, because I may not have what it takes.”
While recognizing the influence of governors and ex-governors of the party in the scheme of things, he maintained that he would join other stakeholders to ensure the right things were done.
He said, “They could be perceived owners of the party- the governor’s. That’s a huge block that cannot be ignored in the party. But then there’s also an issue of law and morality.
“But maybe I’ve come again to bell the cat. It is not about who is interested in the North Central or not. It is about the law and interpretation of the law, and trust me, we have what it takes to extract that interpretation.”
[Vanguard]
“I grew Nigeria’s FX reserves from $3.7 billion to $45 billion, saved $25 billion in ECA” — Obasanjo
Admin
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has recounted how he boosted the country’s foreign reserves from a meager $3.7 billion to $45 billion during his eight-year tenure.
Speaking in an interview with News Central, which aired on Thursday, Obasanjo disclosed that he inherited a heavy debt burden upon assuming office.
At the time, Nigeria owed $36 billion, with debt servicing costs amounting to $3.7 billion, while the foreign reserves stood at just $3.7 billion.
The former president explained that through persistent advocacy for debt relief from international creditors, the country’s debt dropped from $36 billion to $3.5 billion by the end of his administration.
Simultaneously, the nation’s reserves grew from $3.7 billion to $45 billion during the same period.
“When I came in 1999, I met $3.7 billion in reserve. And as I told you, we were spending $3.5 billion to service debt. That’s how we had. By the time I left eight years later, with debt relief.
“When I came in, we had a debt overhang of close to $36 billion. By the time I left, with the debt relief and clearing what we had to clear, the quantum of debt that I left was about $3.5 to $3.6 billion from over $3.6 billion or around $36 billion. At the same time, the reserve that was $3.7 billion went to $45 billion,” Obasanjo said.
Furthermore, the former president stated that he established the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to manage budget surpluses from crude oil sales, leaving a total of $25 billion in the account.
He explained that the budget during his administration was intentionally conservative, allowing them to save the surplus in the ECA.
“At the same time, we had what we called excess crude- this is the amount between what we budgeted that we would sell the crude oil and what we actually sell it, normally we are conservative in the budget- we had around $25 billion. When you add that to reserve, we are talking of $70 billion,” Obasanjo said.
Funds depleted years later
Obasanjo further lamented that the savings accumulated in the treasury were depleted after he left office.
He noted that 17 years later, from 2007 to 2024, Nigeria now owes more in international debt than it did in 1999 when his administration sought debt relief.
According to him, this situation is the result of fiscal mismanagement and a lack of accountability in leadership and public service.
“The point is that I left in 2007 and today in 2024, just 17 years after, all that amount of money has gone. Not only that, but all the money they made during that period had gone.
“Today, we owe more than we owed when I came to government in 1999. Why? Poor leadership, poor management of the economy, corruption galore, and abrasive corruption which is also part of poor leadership.
“Not given consequences; that when you do something wrong, you have consequences. I call it lack of consequences and impunity,” Obasanjo added.
What you should know
In recent years, Nigeria has grappled with a severe fiscal crisis driven by poor economic management, a soaring debt profile, and rising debt servicing costs.
- These challenges have strained the country’s reserves, intensified foreign obligations, and depleted the national treasury.
- By the second quarter of 2024, Nigeria’s debt had surged to N134.3 trillion, the highest in its history. Meanwhile, data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revealed that the Excess Crude Account (ECA) holds only $376,655, reflecting the country’s dwindling revenue prospects.
- The current CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso, has prioritized rebuilding a robust reserve base. So far, the foreign reserves have increased to $39 billion, with a target of $40 billion by year-end.
- However, this strategy has come at a significant cost: reduced interventions to stabilize the naira, which has depreciated sharply to N1,700 per dollar, making it one of the weakest currencies in Sub-Saharan Africa.
[Nairametrics]
Some Governors in Nigeria have approved minimum wage higher than the benchmark approved by the Federal Government led by President Bola Tinubu.
Naija News reported that the Federal Government approved ₦70,000 after meeting with organised labour union.
Here are Governors ready to pay above ₦70,000 minimum wage:
1. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos State) – ₦85,000
On October 16, 2024, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced a new minimum wage of ₦85,000 for Lagos State workers, ₦15,000 above the federal minimum. He cited the high cost of living in Lagos as a factor and expressed a goal to raise the minimum to ₦100,000 by January 2025.
2. Governor, Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers State) – ₦85,000
On October 18, 2024, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, approved the payment of ₦85,000.00 as the new minimum wage for civil servants employed by the State Government.
3. Peter Mbah (Enugu state) – ₦80,000
Enugu Governor Peter Mbah has approved ₦80,000 as the minimum wage for workers with immediate effect.
Mbah announced this at the Government House after receiving the report of the committee set up to look into the minimum wage issues.
“Today, I’m happy to announce a new minimum wage for workers in Enugu state, reflecting our fidelity to their welfare in regard of which we’ve been resolutely committed.
“We’ve approved the sum of 80,000 Naira to take immediate effect as the new minimum wage in Enugu State,” he said.
4. Governor Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom State) – ₦80,000
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, on Wednesday announced a new minimum wage package of ₦80,000 for public civil servants in the state.
Eno also constituted an Implementation committee with a mandate to deliver its report within one month.
A statement signed by the commissioner of Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong on Wednesday, said the committee is chaired by the Head of the Civil Service, Effiong Essien.
Ememobong said, “Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, has announced that the State Government will pay a new minimum wage of ₦80,000 for all state government employees.”
5. Governor Mohammed Bago (Niger state) – ₦80,000
Niger Governor Mohammed Bago has approved ₦80,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the State.
The minimum wage, however, would take effect from November, 2024.
Disclosing this to newsmen after an extensive meeting between the State Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), the Governor said that the State would be able to sustain ₦80,000 minimum wage for its workers.
6. Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta state) – ₦77,500
The Delta state government officially announced that it would start paying a minimum wage of ₦77,500 to its workers from the end of this month.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Kingsley Emu, announced this at a meeting of the committee of the new minimum wage with the leadership of the state’s organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC).
7. Governor Dapo Abiodun (Ogun State) – ₦77,000
Governor Dapo Abiodun approved a minimum wage of ₦77,000 on October 15, 2024, according to a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi.
8. Governor Nasir Idris (Kebbi State) – ₦75,000
Governor Nasir Idris on Wednesday, October 23 approved 75,000 naira as a new minimum wage for the state civil servants.
Confirming the development, the chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress in the state, Murtala Usman, stated this while speaking with correspondents.
9. Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo State) – ₦73,000
On October 12, 2024, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa announced a minimum wage increase to ₦73,000 for state workers during his campaign kickoff ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
10. Ahmed Ododo (Kogi State) – ₦72,500
Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, approved ₦72,500 minimum wage for civil servants in the state with immediate effect. The governor also suspended the tax burden on the approved sum for one year.
11. Muhammad Yahaya (Gombe State) – ₦71,500
Gombe State governor, Muhammad Yahaya signed an agreement with the Nigeria Labour Congress to pay ₦71,500 as the new minimum wage on October 15, 2024.
[NaijaNews]
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CEO EbonyLife Media, Mo Abudu, has spoken against black tokenism in western films and the sacrifice of substance over shock value in storytelling across board.
Abudu revealed this in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter (THR) on October 22, 2024. The interview came after she was listed among THR 2024 Most Powerful Women In International TV.
According to Abudu, the practice of sensational content, which sacrifices substance over shock factor, and the tokenism, which sees black shows with slightly similar content struggle for a single opportunity must end.
“We need more depth, storytelling that connects emotionally, and narratives that resonate beyond the moment. It seems like black shows and features that may have slightly similar storylines only get one chance, and then that’s it for the next five years. This same logic never applies to ‘white’ shows.”
While women still struggle to prove their competency in spaces such as the media and entertainment industry, Abudu believes one should prioritize focus and letting the work speak for itself.
To ensure equality and diversity in the entertainment industry, she said, “there needs to be a continued focus on creating opportunities for underrepresented voices, particularly women and people of colour. This means not just hiring more diverse talent but also ensuring they have the resources and support to succeed at every level, from entry to executive roles.”
[Leadership]
The Senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack more ministers who are underperforming to fastrack the implementation of his “Renewed Hope” agenda for the country.
In a statement on Saturday in Abuja, Ndume described the rejigging of the federal cabinet, and the establishment of the ministry of regional development to oversee all regional commissions in the country as a welcome development.
The lawmaker said, “More needs to be done because some ministers are still missing in action.”
Recall that President Tinubu on Wednesday reshuffled his cabinet by sacking six ministers and naming seven others. The president also swapped the portfolios of 10 other ministers.
Ndume, former Chief Whip of the Senate also called on President Tinubu to convene a national economic summit as part of efforts to proffer home-grown solutions to the economic situation in the country.
He suggested that former minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; former minister of education, Oby Ezekwesili; Mansur Muktar, Akinwumi Adesina, Aruma Oteh and Tope Fasua, should drive the economic summit.
“This national economic summit should be purely led by these eminent Nigerians, and they will come up with recommendations instead of the IMF and World Bank’s prescriptions that are harsh and hard on the ordinary citizens.
“I believe if the recommendations are good, President Tinubu will implement them, and this will help the country in no small ways,” Ndume said.
The senator hailed the move by President Tinubu to reduce the cost of governance in the face of economic difficulties and urged other arms of government to do the same.
[DailyTrust]
The U.S. on Thursday sent a plane loaded with medical supplies to pick up Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Limited, from Nigeria.
As per The New York Times, Gambaryan departed the nation following the dismissal of money laundering charges against him by the Federal Government.
The Nation reported that the Federal Government discontinued the prosecution of official of Binance Holdings Limited, Tigran Gambaryan on money laundering related offences on Wednesday Oct 23.
Gambaryan was being tried with his employer, Binance before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a money laundering charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
On Wednesday, prosecuting lawyer, R. U. Adagba, told the court that the prosecution has decided to withdraw against the second defendant, Gambaryan.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Gambaryan’s release reflects the commitment of both countries to collaborate effectively.
The statement reads: “The United States thanks the Government of Nigeria for releasing U.S. citizen Tigran Gambaryan on medical grounds, allowing him to return to the United States to receive the specialized medical care he requires.
“This positive outcome demonstrates the strength of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership and highlights our shared commitment to working together to advance our common interests. Our close law enforcement cooperation remains a cornerstone of our bilateral relationship, and the United States is committed to working closely with the Government of Nigeria to address mutual concerns and prioritize the safety and well-being of our citizens.”
Similarly, Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor at The White House, expressed that they were “pleased” to have facilitated Gambaryan’s release.
“I am pleased that American citizen and former U.S. law enforcement official Tigran Gambaryan has been released on humanitarian grounds by the Nigerian Government and is on his way back to the United States so that he can receive needed medical attention,” the statement reads.
“As soon as we secured Mr. Gambaryan’s release, I called his wife Yuki to share this good news. I am grateful to my Nigerian colleagues and partners for the productive discussions that have resulted in this step and look forward to working closely with them on the many areas of cooperation and collaboration critical to the bilateral partnership between our two countries.”
[TheNation]
Despite President Bola Tinubu’s relieving her of her duty as Minister of Women Affairs, Uju-Ken Ohanenye has resolved that she would “fight alongside” the President to fix Nigeria.
The former minister stated this in a statement on her official X.com account @BarrUjuKennedy on Saturday.
While pledging her commitment to Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda”, the former minister urged Nigerians not to lose hope but to be optimistic that Nigeria will be great again.
She said, “This is a test of time, a highly spiritual movement that no human being can stop.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is destined to fix Nigeria and I, Barr Uju Kennedy will fight alongside him to the last.
“Let’s be optimistic Nigeria will be great! -Barr Uju Kennedy Ohanenye.”
Recall that on October 24, Ohanenye, in a letter of appreciation said she remained committed to serving Nigeria and will do her best to contribute to the nation’s progress and prosperity.
PUNCH Online reports that Ohanenye was sacked alongside the Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John; Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo; and Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim.
This was contained in a statement by the special adviser to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, on Wednesday.
The statement also announced the re-assignment of 10 ministers to new ministerial portfolios; the nomination of seven new ministers for onward transmission to the Senate for confirmation; the appointment of Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports Commission; the appointment of Sunday Akin Dare as Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation working from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu was appointed as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, while Jumoke Oduwole was named Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment.
In a letter of appreciation made available to journalists on Thursday, the former Minister thanked President Bola Tinubu for the privilege to serve as Minister, describing it as an honour and privilege to have contributed to the nation’s development.
She said, “I write to express my sincere gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the extraordinary opportunity to serve as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It has been an honour and a privilege to contribute to the development of our nation.
“Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye thanks Tinubu for opportunity to serve.”
[Punch]