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Makes U-Turn from supporting Tinubu
Joe Igbokwe, a staunch supporter of President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), has alleged that those who will rescue Nigeria have not been born.
Igbokwe, one of those who campaigned actively for Tinubu in the buildup to the election, said this while commenting on the cost of living crisis.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Igbokwe lamented that a bag of rice now costs N100,000
“With all the rice mills we have in Nigeria, my wife just told me that a bag of rice is now ₦100k plus. Without sounding immodest, I am constrained to say that the men and women that will rescue this country from self-inflicted pains and tears are not born yet,” he wrote.
Recently, Igbokwe, who served under virtually every Lagos governor since 1999, has been critical of some policies of the Tinubu administration, marking a departure of what he stood for.
Two weeks ago, he lamented over the hike in electricity tarrif, asking Tinubu to look into it.
In a post on his Facebook page three weeks ago, Igbokwe lamented that N20,000 worth of units only lasted him for just a day.
He said: “PBAT, please look into the new electricity tariff in Nigeria. It will kill businesses if the government does not act as quickly as possible. I have a small office in Surulere with about 7 units of AC.
“We used to buy 300 plus units for N20,0000. Yesterday we bought N20,000 worth of units and it lasted for just one day. They call it band A group. I pray that we review this.”
Buba Galadima, a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), says President Bola Tinubu‘s planned cabinet reshuffle would not make any difference.
On September 25, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said Tinubu “has expressed his desire to reshuffle his cabinet and he will do it”.
Speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels TV on Friday, Galadima said reshuffling the cabinet would not curb food inflation.
Galadima claimed that the president intends to reward his cronies with the reshuffle.
“That (planned cabinet reshuffle) has nothing to do with me or any Nigerian. What is of importance to all of us is bringing down the harsh conditions of living and the buck stops only on the table of one man. That is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Galadima said.
“No amount of reshuffling can make a difference. As far as that team is only ‘job for the boys,’ nothing will come out of it.
“Anybody that calls himself president or governor is responsible for their cabinet’s performance. He should be told that some of his appointees are more interested in their pockets than service delivery.
“I expected him to do better than this; and to hit the ground running.”
The NNPP chieftain asked Tinubu to find a solution to the country’s foreign exchange crisis “which has seen the naira performing abysmally”.
There have been growing calls from Nigerians and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Tinubu to reshuffle his cabinet and remove underperforming ministers.
Tinubu’s policies have driven petrol prices to record highs and depreciated the naira to record lows since he assumed the reins on May 29, 2023
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has said that President Bola Tinubu is not responsible for the fuel subsidy removal.
According to him, Tinubu simply made the announcement.
Dogara said there was no provision for fuel subsidy in the budget before Tinubu made the announcement.
He stated this on Friday during an appearance on Channels TV.
The former speaker opined that fuel subsidy removal was a good move for Nigeria despite the effect.
He said, “In this case, there was no provision for it, and anybody who told you Tinubu suspended it was just joking because how did he suspend payment that was not budgeted for in the first instance?
“There was no provision for subsidy in that budget and I am not aware of any amendment that took place to accommodate the payment of subsidy.
“The truth is that he (Tinubu) was not the one who removed the subsidy. But he did make that pronouncement.
“There was no provision for it in the budget and you know the budget is backed by the Constitution. If there’s no provision for it in the budget, then how do you pay for it?”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has outlined at least fifteen charges against the former Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku.
Naija News reports that the anti-graft agency whisked away the former state leader from his residence in Abuja during the early hours of Friday, September 27.
Ishaku was apprehended for involvement in an ₦27 billion fraud.
The former governor is set to stand trial on 15 charges, ranging from criminal breach of trust to misappropriation and embezzlement of public money.
These alleged crimes took place from 2015 to 2021 while Ishaku was in office, involving the state’s and local government’s funds.
In particular, Ishaku is accused of siphoning off ₦1.01 billion from the 2.5% reserve fund of the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, between August 2015 and March 2016.
He is also said to have misused ₦3.348 billion from the funds of local government councils for his own benefit and took ₦639 million for personal use.
More accusations point to the theft of ₦1.138 billion from the same reserve fund between July 2015 and May 2019, as well as the theft of ₦193 million from the Donga Local Government Council’s funds.
Other charges include the theft of ₦650 million from the Gassol Local Government Council, ₦170 million from the Gashaka Local Government Council, and ₦201 million from the Ardo Kola Local Government Council.
The ex-governor is also being accused of purchasing a duplex in Abuja with funds from the Taraba State Government and using ₦761 million to settle a loan for his company, Worthy Construction Limited.
The spokesperson for the Commission, Dele Oyewale, has confirmed these allegations.
The charge sheet reads in part: “That you, DARIUS DICKSON ISHAKU, while being the Governor of Taraba State and BELLO YERO, while being the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, between 25th August 2015 and 21st March 2016 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N1,010,000,000 (One Billion and Ten Million Naira), which sum formed part of the 2.5% contingency funds belonging to the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to your own use and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under the same Section.
“That you, DARIUS DICKSON ISHAKU, while being the Governor of Taraba State between 3rd September 2015 and 29th January 2018 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacity entrusted with dominion over certain property, to wit: an aggregate sum of N761,301,000 (Seven Hundred and Sixty-One Million, Three Hundred and One Thousand Naira), which sum formed part of the funds belonging to Taraba State Government and Local Government Councils in Taraba State, and you hereby committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property, when you dishonestly diverted the said sum to defray the loan of One Billion Naira granted by Zenith Bank Plc. to your company, Worthy Construction Limited, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria 2007 and punishable under the same section.”
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has revealed that the Nigerian government spent N15.57 trillion between 2006 and 2023 on the Petrol Motor Spirit(Petrol) subsidy.
NEITI disclosed this recently during the unveiling of its 2022 and 2023 Independent Oil and Gas Industry Reports in Abuja.
The report was unveiled by George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ola Olukoyede, the chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other government officials on Thursday.
According to NEITI’s report, the year with the highest amount paid for fuel subsidy termed as under-recovery and price differentials was N4.714 trillion in 2022.
The report also revealed that the federal government was owed $6.071 billion and N66.4 billion in unpaid revenues from the oil and gas sector as of Jun 2024.
DAILY POST reports that fuel subsidy had been a subject of controversy despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announcing its removal in May 2023.
However, the World Bank had hinted that with the price per liter, Nigerians buy petrol, the product is still subsidized.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also stated that Fuel subsidy is back.
However, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company had clarified that the firm only takes care of petrol importation shortfalls between the company and the federation.
In recent times NNPCL has increased fuel prices to N950 and N1,100 per litre indicating removal products’ subsidy.
Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Group recently called on the Nigerian government to completely remove fuel subsidies.
His comments come after Dangote Refinery’s petrol commenced distribution into the Nigerian market on September 15, 2024, through NNPCL.
While Dangote push for complete fuel subsidy removal which will see fuel rise above N1,100 per liter, Nigerians have continued over high energy costs.
Meanwhile, a recent report by Major The Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, MEMAN on Thursday revealed that the landing cost of Petrol import dropped to N981.08 per liter in September 2024 from N1,130 in July.
Nigerian man pleads guilty to defrauding 15 Americans of over $1M, faces five-year jail term
AFOLABIIsaiah Okere, a 42-year-old Nigerian man, has pleaded guilty to charges of internet fraud that defrauded over 15 Americans and organizations out of more than $1 million.
Okere appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Liman in New York on Tuesday, admitting his role in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, revealed that Okere collaborated with members of the transnational criminal group, Black Axe, to carry out a series of romance scams, lottery frauds, and business email compromise schemes targeting vulnerable individuals.
The frauds primarily affected elderly and isolated victims, some of whom lost their entire life savings.
Okere was arrested in South Africa in December 2021 and extradited to the U.S. on August 23, 2024. He now faces a potential five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to “one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.”
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stated, “Isaiah Okere and his co-conspirators preyed on elderly and vulnerable victims, some of whom lost their entire life savings. This office’s global reach ensures that he will be held accountable in the United States for his crimes.”
The scam, which began in 2015 and continued until November 2019, resulted in significant emotional and financial damage to its victims.
Some victims were tricked into believing they were in romantic relationships with Okere and his associates, leading them to drain their retirement savings and even borrow from family and friends. One victim reported becoming suicidal after losing her savings to the scam.
In addition to romance schemes, Okere and his accomplices used fraudulent lottery schemes and business email compromise (BEC) fraud to steal from individuals and companies.
“Many victims experienced severe emotional harm, including a woman who reported becoming suicidal after losing her retirement savings to this scheme.
“He used the phony lottery scheme to inform certain victims that they had won a cash prize but first needed to make certain payments to access the funds.
“Similarly, using the BEC fraud scheme to induce a corporate victim located in Manhattan to release company funds under fraudulent pretences by impersonating the founder of the company.
“Okere used accounts under false identities to communicate directly with his US victims. He also controlled multiple foreign bank accounts in South Africa that received funds from victims targeted by these schemes,” the US stated.
Okere’s accomplice, Timy Hakim, was sentenced to two years in prison in 2023 and ordered to pay over $1.4 million in restitution.
Two Nigerians, Shodiya Babatunde (43) and Jamui Ahmed (31), have been indicted by the United States for their alleged involvement in a $13 million fraudulent business email scheme targeting healthcare companies in Minnesota.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota announced the charges on Thursday, revealing that the two suspects, along with co-conspirators, siphoned millions intended for Fairview Health into accounts under their control.
According to U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, Babatunde and Ahmed manipulated unsuspecting employees of several Minnesota-based healthcare firms, deceiving them into redirecting payments to fraudulent accounts.
The scheme, which spanned from October 2020 to 2024, involved the creation of fake internet domains and email accounts impersonating top Fairview Health executives.
“As part of the scheme, Babatunde and Ahmed created a fake ‘spoofed’ internet domain designed to appear as though it was controlled by Fairview Health,” Luger said.
The duo used these fake accounts to carry out phishing attacks, acquiring sensitive information such as passwords and account details from vendors.
The statement added, “Unbeknownst to the vendor companies, the new accounts were actually controlled by Babatunde and Ahmed and their co-conspirators, not Fairview Health.
“In total, Babatunde and Ahmed fraudulently directed more than $13m in payments intended for Fairview Health from Minnesota-based healthcare companies to accounts controlled by Babatunde, Ahmed, and their co-conspirators.”
Babatunde and Ahmed have since fled and are currently fugitives from justice, residing in Nigeria.
Popular Nigerian singer David Adeleke, aka Davido, has opened up about how he handles the pain of losing loved ones.
The singer is no stranger to grief, having lost his mum, Mrs Victoria Imade Adeleke, at 11, and his 3-year-old son, Ifeanyi Adeleke, as well as associates, Tagbo, DJ Olu, Obama DMW, and personal photographer Fortune, in quick successions.
Speaking in a recent interview with Mystery Fashionist in New York, Davido said his faith has kept him going despite the tragedies.
“I have lost a lot of people. I lost my mum at the age of eleven. I’m just being strong. I did a song called ‘Stand Strong.’
“I feel like strength and obviously, my faith has kept me going,” he said.
Davido also addressed some misconceptions about him.
“I think sometimes, people think I am not approachable. Another misconception is that people also think I am too accessible.
“I grew up in a big family, I’m used to having people around me. My talent and success is God-given,” he explained.
Billionaire Barbadian singer Rihanna has opened up about motherhood.
According to the 36-year-old mother of two, being a “boy mom” is an Olympic sport.
Rihanna stated while sharing a clip of her first son, RZA, struggling to get out of the baby cot, via her X handle.
In the video, RZA eventually got out of the cot after several failed attempts.
She captioned the video; “Being a boy mom is an Olympic sport
.”
Recalls that Rihanna and her partner, A$AP Rocky, welcomed RZA on May 19, 2022, barely a year after they confirmed their relationship.
In August 2023, the couple welcomed their second son, Riot Ross.
Earlier this year, there were rumours that Rihanna was pregnant with her third child but she debunked the rumours in a chat with ET.
She, however, added that she would “definitely” have more kids.
In April, Rihanna told Interview Magazine that she had been looking for a female child but kept giving birth to boys.
“I don’t know what God wants, but I would go for more than two. I would try for my girl. But of course if it’s another boy, it’s another boy,” she said.
•Corrupt electoral officials must be punished
•Only electronic voting/transmission can guarantee credible polls
•Continued voter education necessary
To whom much is given, much is expected. Nigerians had invested their trust in the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct a credible election in the country. Everything the Commission needed, including funds, had always been provided.
And Nigerians would sacrifice their precious time to cast their votes on the election date hoping their votes would count. But the electoral commission had always failed to live up to their expectations. Nigerians had hoped that INEC would have repented of its evil ways and would use the September 21 Edo State governorship election to redeem its image.
But 25 observer groups who monitored the election, in their reports accused INEC officials of manipulating the election. They specifically fingered collation officers at the Local Government and State Collation Centres for altering the figures that were obtained from the polling units.
The groups in a joint statement also said, “We reject the result declared because there are two sets of result sheets. One was taken to the field, and another to APC in Edo North, some parts of Edo South, and Edo Central. We observed that the military and police disrupted the collation of results at the wards and local government collation centres, including intimidation of INEC officials that collated results contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines. There is a significant concern about the credibility of the results collation process.
“We reject the result of the election which declared the All Progressive Congress Candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo. There was militarization and use of impunity at wards, local governments and state collation centres. INEC, Military and police have clearly violated the provision of Electoral Act 2022 concerning the collation of results in the governorship election.”
Nigerians in their reactions have expressed total disappointment with the conduct of the Edo governorship election saying it is sad that INEC hasn’t repented from its evil ways. Some have however proffered solutions on how to ensure future elections are credible and the votes of the people will begin to count.
While some called for a constitutional amendment making it mandatory for electronic voting and electronic transmission, and a law barring the President from appointing INEC chairman, others suggested readopting the Option A4 system to avert the manipulative tendencies of INEC officials.
Perpetrators of electoral fraud must be punished —Aborisade
Femi Aborisade, Human rights activist on his part said: ”Future elections may be protected against manipulation by electoral officials only if those suspected to have manipulated the results are made to suffer the consequences for their action. It is impunity that is responsible for electoral officials manipulating results. The critical challenge is whether the system will permit the culprits to be brought to justice. The non-governmental observers, including YIAGA, made a case against the appointment of the INEC Commissioner who conducted the election, arguing that by his relationship with some prominent personalities, he could not be trusted to be concerned with organizing a free and fair election in Edo State. They also decried the shifting of the counting of votes at some local governments to the central collation centre, which was contrary to the electoral law and guidelines issued by INEC. The INEC did not bother. Therefore, impunity, including not acting by the predetermined electoral procedure, is at the root of the votes of the electorate not counting in the emergence of those who rule. Nigeria’s democracy has thus become the democracy of the few and mighty politicians who have captured not only political power but also the wealth of society which they use in compromising institutions and their officers.
We may resort to Option A4 system —Clarkson
Amaebi Clarkson, a legal practitioner and former Spokesperson of the Movement for the Survival of Ijaw Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta, MOSIEND, said: “The Edo poll has clearly shown that no amount of electronic intervention in our electoral process will cure election malpractices and manipulation unless we have reorientation of our value system as a people. This can only be done if we get the leadership question right because any positive change in the behavioural pattern of a people comes from the top and not the bottom. The president asking the losers to go to court in the face of such brazen manipulation of election results speaks volumes. It is frustrating that despite the huge resources allocated to INEC and the reforms on paper, it cannot conduct an acceptable election. We may need to look inward and readopt Option A4 system if it can give us any reprieve.”
Nigerians must begin to defend their votes to the last collation centre —Rev Hayab
Rev Joseph John Hayab, former Chairman CAN Kaduna State: ”It is very sad to see that INEC has not repented or learned any tangible lesson from the past electoral malpractices that were committed. INEC has not only again shown that it is Nigeria’s democracy’s biggest enemy but has confirmed that the will of the people does not matter as long as some INEC officials get cheap money from desperate politicians. A political leader who knows his or her victory is not from the people will never listen to the people or serve the people. INEC has failed to keep the trust of the people and the nation who are bigger than the few money bag politicians. The serious consequence of this unpatriotic action by some politicians and some greedy and selfish INEC staff is that we will continue to suffer together from leaders who have no legitimacy and are disconnected from the people. It is now left for the Nigeria public to unite and begin to defend their votes in future elections up to the last collation center since it is so glaring that you cannot find justice during election from INEC to the courts”.
Free, fair elections won’t happen now in Nigeria—Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN
Former Attorney General of Akwa Ibom and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Uwemedimo Nwoko, asserted that Nigeria will never witness free and fair elections under the present crop of leaders in the country. His words, “I think for now Nigeria should just forget about free and fair elections or free and fair judiciary because it won’t work. If we want to be honest with ourselves, there’s no point hoping against hope, no need for us wasting our time. What is the moral pedigree of the present crop of leaders? What is their legal pedigree, what do they have to show in terms of decency in life? I will say it anywhere, Nigerians cannot have free and fair elections with the present crop of leaders and the judiciary will continue to be a victim. Our justices are individuals and we have people who know how to connive and threaten justices. This is not just about bribing them, people go to justices’ houses and threaten them to bend their will”
We must all turn a new leaf—Elder Ambakederimo
Elder Joseph Ambakederimo, Convener, South South Reawakening Group, said: “It is unfortunate that our electoral process is not improving, our elections are getting worse and from what I have seen, it is not going to get better because those shouting about manipulation are also involved, they were just out maneuvered. There was a time in this country when picking the ticket of a political party to contest the general election is as good as winning the poll. There were high profile assassinations and attempted assassinations then. Until all of us turn a new leaf there is nothing anyone can do about what is going on with our elections.”
Continued voter education necessary—Pastor Nwokocha
Pastor Innocent Nwokocha, Executive Director, Initiative For Ideal Development And Emancipatory Leadership In Nigeria “IDEAL-NIGERIA said: “The simple empirical approach cum solution to the whole of this nauseating situation that is fast eating up the electoral confidence of the masses on the electoral umpire and the leadership structure across board is continued voter education and by extension, the strengthening of the entire civil space. The level of corruption in the country now has fast gained traction and momentum. This can only be attributed to weak style of leadership and the increasing and uncontrollable quest for power. Unfortunately, too, the government in power in Nigeria does not have quick fix solutions at hand as it seems obviously embedded in the whole of the shenanigans constituting the rounds. It is high time all Nigerians rose to the occasion and challenged this sepulchral charade .”
Only the judiciary can correct the anomalies—Chief Osuoha
Also, Chief Ikechukwu Osuoha , two time Commissioner for Housing, Abia State, and the Deputy National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP called for resistance to a drift towards one party state. Osuoha who described the Edo election as a charade and open display of impunity by the ruling party, however, said that “only the Judiciary can correct the anomalies.” He acknowledged the erosion of public confidence in the Nigeria judiciary but added that “there are still few judicial officers who are still standing. What happened in Edo was a disgrace to our democracy. But shall we resort to violence? No! So, we still have to look up to the judiciary. The judiciary remains the hope of the common man, and that’s why as a party, we have resolved to go to court. There are still some judicial officers who are not compromised and we believe we will always get justice in the end “
Indicted electoral officials must be prosecuted—David-West
Mr David-West Bekinwariye David, Chairman, Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, Bayelsa State chapter said: “For our future elections not to be manipulated, we must as a people ensure that electoral officials who collect money from politicians to manipulate the process are prosecuted and sent to prison and the case must be disposed of on time.”
Hon Stephen Adewale, former Ondo SDP state chairman: “It’s unfortunate that our electoral system has been one stride forward, two steps backwards since 1999. What transpired in Edo State brings the question of autonomy to the forefront, particularly for sensitive agencies like INEC. As long as the country’s election umpire remains accountable to the president, no progress will be made. In addition, opposition parties can help improve our electoral system by ensuring that political infrastructure exists in every polling unit. In Edo State, like in other recent elections, the APC was able to present a polling unit agent in each polling unit. Even the ruling party in Edo State, the PDP, was unable to do this. As a result, the lack of polling unit agents from opposition parties makes it easier for the party with the most foot soldiers on the ground and the electoral umpire in its pocket to manipulate the election results. And by the time the aggrieved opposition parties decide to approach the court to contest the election results, they will have wasted the court’s time because they will not have genuine evidence from each polling unit to back up their claims due to a lack of reliable polling unit agents in each polling unit.
Edo election the worst in recent times — Peretei
Kennedy Peretei, Ondo state Publicity Secretary of People’s Democratic Party:
“The truth is that the present democratic dispensation is a product of the struggle of Nigerians through a process that caused loss of lives. The soldiers were forced to return to the barracks. Therefore, a civilian government ( with questionable credibility) cannot return to the dark ages. The Edo election was the very worst in recent times and those who rigged the election are asking the victims to approach the Courts, as if the Judiciary is dependable. What I know is that the people are already on edge and will resist any further attempt to subvert their wishes. If you ask me how? l will say, those who make peaceful change impossible, make violent change, inevitable”
There must be positive change of attitude by the electorates —Comrade Olaposi
National Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday said that, “Positive change of attitude by the electorates in Nigeria is needed to have the new Nigeria of our dreams as far as the electoral system is concerned in Nigeria. The sellers and buyers of votes are all culpable and nearly all Nigerian political parties and politicians engage in these illegal practices. The law enforcement agencies like EFCC and Police must ensure that both sellers and buyers of votes are prosecuted and committed to prison to serve as deterrent to others. INEC should also be very ready to perform an impartial role as unbiased umpire. There must be a level playing ground for all political parties and politicians. Any INEC officer(s) that compromises to manipulate election results should be arrested and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to other corrupt officials. Lastly, until proper orientation is done and imbibed by Nigerians, the performance index of INEC will continue to be below average. Every Nigerian must be ready to vote for candidates of his or her choice without requesting for money or financial inducement.
The security architecture needs improvement—Ogunsuyi
Lanre Ogunsuyi, public analyst: “The electoral process is not a perfect exercise and a strong security framework is necessary to prevent unpatriotic activities. There is clearly inadequate voter education on the importance of voting and the detrimental effects of vote buying and selling. The lack of accountability and transparency in public office, coupled with the financial incentives, intensifies competition. Public offices should be less financially lucrative. The security architecture needs improvement, especially in violence prevention. Civil societies and the media require funding for election duties. There are no perfect elections; victories are often secured by the highest bidder. People are poor and hungry.”
INEC must fish out bad eggs within it— Balogun
Moruff Balogun, Immediate past Vice Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Ijebu Ode Branch: ”It is not within the contemplation of the law to have elections that will be holistically acceptable by all and sundry as credible and threat-free. Even the Electoral Act, 2022 does not contemplate that. If the elections are substantially conducted and hitch free, it is credible enough in the eye of the law. We are not unmindful that there are bad eggs in INEC; we have seen cases where INEC personnel were terribly involved in electoral malpractices in connivance with political parties. INEC authorities should be bold enough to fish out these scavengers within the commission before it is too late”.
Deola Abegunrin, a legal practitioner in Oyo State said, “except the electorates change, we should not expect any overnight miracle. We, the people should have attitudinal change so that things will work out. The Judiciary is doing its best.”
Similarly, Babalade Omoyefa, a politician said, “all of us are guilty, from the politicians to the electorates. When you are seeking an appointment into any political office, several people put pressure on you to spend for them. Once you do that, they are ready to go to any length to ensure that their candidates win the election”.
Ayodele Alake, Public Affairs analyst argued that: “the politicians, electorates and the judiciary are culpable even including the so called civil societies. Almost all our hands are soiled. There’s so much hunger in the country and when people are hungry, they will jump at anything that will put food on their tables. This is where the larger portion of the blame goes to the leaders of the country. If they provide all necessary amenities for the citizenry, the urge to be corrupt will be minimised. But, when people are starved, they do unimaginable things during elections and that’s when you see the electorates queuing for loaves of bread during elections”.
Pastor Olabode James, Joint Fellowship Pentecostal church: “the fear of God is lacking in the minds of our people. When you fear God, you will think twice before you sell your votes. There is so much impunity in the system, anybody can just do anything. Where the fear of God is lacking, you should expect anything to happen. That’s what is playing out in the country today. Until we see God as the only provider, people will continue to engage in shady activities.”
Barr Shogbeye Eli, All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain
“In view of the fast eroding confidence of Nigerians on the country’s electoral process, we must amend the constitution to remove the power of appointing INEC chairman from the President. It is not enough to cancel an election because of electoral fraud. There must be severe punishment for electoral offenders as well. The law should be made not to be a respecter of anybody. Whoever is involved in electoral crime must face severe consequences according to law. Nigeria is also ripe enough to consider the e-mail voting system as one of the surest ways of correcting electoral fraud. E-mail voting will also save Nigerians from the stress of queuing up for hours on election day.
Only electronic voting and transmission can guarantee credible polls —Dr Arabambi
Dr Abayomi Arabambi, National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party (LP) argued that electronic voting, and electronic transmission are the only factors that can guarantee free, fair elections in Nigeria.
He said, “As Nigerians, we can only ensure future elections’ success if the National Assembly can amend the 1999 Constitution to allow electronic voting and electronic transmission of results from polling units. When the Constitutional amendment is done, any elections that fail to abide by it should be rendered invalid and another election should be conducted in such circumstances.
This will assist all political parties to monitor polls process online and winners will know themselves by the conclusion of the elections and any form of manipulation through falsifications or alteration of results will be eliminated completely. Also, this will make our votes count and props up leaders that will serve their people and not god fathers. Also, elected officials across all political parties will be aware that they are responsible to the electorate only and that any attempt to undermine or under perform will spell doom for them in the next general elections as the people owe the right to either retain them or vote them out”.
[Vanguard]
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Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, has pledged Nigeria’s support to a global campaign against lead poisoning.
Alake spoke during an exhibition at the Lead-Free Future event which took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
In a statement on Friday by Segun Tomori, media assistant to the minister, Alake announced the federal government’s plan to procure additional equipment for the detection of lead in communities.
He said clearing up lead from communities will restore child and maternal health.
Casey Bartrem, the USAID representative, appreciated the minister’s commitment to combatting lead poisoning.
She presented him rock samples retrieved from Zamfara state during a clean-up that followed a lead poisoning incident.
She said USAID hoped to collaborate with the ministry to reduce lead poisoning in mineral extraction and processing.
[TheCable]
Determined to maintain peace in the Niger Delta region, over 30,000 ex-agitators have opposed the planned protests across the country on October 1.
The repentant agitators, mostly youths, vowed not to allow any protest to take place in the region on October 1.
Speaking through their leaders at a stakeholders’ meeting, organised by the Presidential Amnesty Programme led by Dr. Dennis Otuaro, in Warri, Delta State, they called on the people of the Niger Delta region to avoid protests on October 1, assuring that the region’s challenges would be addressed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
The youths disclosed this on Friday at the end of the three-day stakeholders forum held at KFT Hall in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.
Earlier in his speech, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, the administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, revealed that the Federal Government has awarded the contract for the rehabilitation of the East-West Road to a Chinese construction company, adding that work will commence soon.
He urged the people of the region to resist any calls for protests, emphasizing that the peace and stability of the Niger Delta lie in the hands of its residents.
Otuaro reiterated the importance of maintaining peace in the region, noting that constructive engagement with the government remains the best way to achieve progress and development.
According to him: “The East-West Road, a major artery in the Niger Delta, has been awarded to a Chinese company, and anytime soon, they will resume work.
“The President means well for the Niger Delta, and we must support his efforts to bring development to our region.
“The Niger Delta people will not be part of any protest. The problems of the Niger Delta will be resolved by the President, but it is up to us to ensure our region is not used as a base for protests.”
He added: “We have a responsibility to ensure that our region is peaceful. It is in our hands to keep the Niger Delta secure and support the Federal Government’s efforts to improve our communities.”
On his part, a Niger Delta leader, Paul Elvis, popularly known as General Ogubos, called for peace in the Niger Delta region, stressing that war is not the solution to the region’s challenges.
The former militant leader emphasised the importance of dialogue and cooperation in resolving conflicts. “Peace cannot be attained in a place of war. We must understand that violence will only lead to more destruction and suffering in our communities,” he stated, urging stakeholders to prioritise peaceful resolutions to grievances.
“Our people have legitimate concerns, but we must channel these grievances through dialogue, not violence, ” he added.
Elder T.K. Ogoruba, a prominent Niger Delta leader urged the Federal Government to address the longstanding demands of the region to avoid renewed protests.
Ogoruba noted that protests have been a consistent response to neglect since April 1949.
He said: “We must maintain peace in the region, but let’s not forget that protests have been ongoing since 1949. The signs are clear, and protests will continue if nothing changes.”
Ogoruba stressed that the government is fully aware of the region’s demands, which include fair treatment, infrastructural development, and environmental remediation.
He said: “I heard the administrator speak to us. What I came to hear was when he was appealing to all of us that we must maintain peace in the region, because protests are coming.
“Protest is not alien to the Niger Delta. We have protested all our protests, and those are the things that brought about things like the Presidential Amnesty Programme.”
He added: “Our protests have been made, and everybody is aware. So we want to give opportunities to the people the man has appointed to make sure that we get the dividends of democracy.”
Ahead of the planned cabinet reshuffling by President Bola Tinubu, a popular social critic, Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, or VDM, has called for the removal of the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.
DAILY POST recalls that Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy had on Wednesday stated that cabinet reshuffling is eminent.
There are indications that some ministers may be removed while others may be given another portfolio.
Reacting, VDM in a video clip on his Facebook page on Friday pleaded with the president to spare performing ministers.
He, however, said the Minister of Power must be removed, explaining that the “segregation surrounding Band A, Band B and Band C” does not make sense.
He wondered why a section of Nigerians would enjoy power supply for 20 hours in a day while others cannot.
He said: “If at all any minister must be removed or reshuffled, it should be the Minister of Power. They need to remove that guy.
“My reason is this, the segregation surrounding the Band A, Band B and Band C issues makes no sense. What is the reason for that segregation? Are you trying to say that poor people do not have access to light?
“Is it that the poor people are not supposed to use light for 24 hours? It makes no sense because we are all Nigerians.”
Despite Nigeria’s deeply conservative and religious fabric, where sex is often a hushed topic, the sex toy industry is booming — and dildos are flying off the shelves, reflecting a surprising surge in this unconventional market as more citizens boldly embrace erotic pleasures amid economic hardships.
Most days of the week, Niniola (surname withheld) is as busy as a bee, catering to the diverse clientele who frequent her adult entertainment store.
Her well-lit store features a spa parlour alongside a wide array of intimate products and sex toys, including lingerie, sexual enhancers, lubricants, vibrators, dildos, and BDSM kits.
The microbiology graduate from a state university in the South-West, ventured into the sex toy business in 2020, a year after completing her National Youth Service Corps.
The 28-year-old believes her store’s location on an estate in the Ogudu axis has been a core selling point for her pleasure-enhancing business as most of her clients preferred a high degree of anonymity.
Niniola admitted that she sells more of her products via social media platforms and messaging apps to meet the demand for professional discretion.
“My customers don’t have to come down here physically, this business has evolved beyond that,” she told Saturday PUNCH.
“They can contact us, tell us which of their products they want, we give them a catalogue to make their choices and they pay for the services including delivery and we get it across to them.
“From time to time, I get nice feedback. Some of those who patronise us are married, some are single, some divorced, some have spouses outside the country, some of our clients are women and some are men. Their maximum pleasure is our goal,” she said, smiling brightly.
On her X and Instagram accounts, Niniola regularly showcases a variety of sex toys available in her store.
She also includes her WhatsApp number, encouraging potential clients to reach out to her through private messages.
In a recent post, she announced the arrival of new dildos, assuring women that they would provide “long-lasting pleasure.”
When our correspondent inquired from her about the patronage of dildos and whether the economic situation has affected its demand, she giggled.
“I started this business in the middle of COVID-19 and I can tell you that we made a lot of sales during that period. You know, the lockdown and social distancing affected many relationships. Many lovers were stranded and people sought sexual fulfilment from our adult novelty products.
“Even now, I can’t say the economy has affected our business because we still make good sales. We even receive orders from outside Lagos. No matter the economic situation, people will always have enough to attain sexual satisfaction because it’s important,” Niniola added.
‘I’m helping my husband’s weakness’
When Mrs Bunmi Awoyemi (not real name) was first introduced to sex toys a few years ago, she felt a tinge of shame, reflecting the influence of her strict religious upbringing.
The mother of two explained that she arranged for the delivery to a location slightly away from her home, ensuring that no one in the neighbourhood would recognise her or guess the contents of the package she was picking up.
“My husband was the kind of man who downloaded even before the play began. Within a minute or two, it was over. He is a lovely man and a good husband but that’s just our only problem.
“I wasn’t satisfied and rather than cheat on my husband, I decided it was time to try out sex toys. I ordered a vibrator and a dildo and so far, I can say they have made up for my husband’s weakness,” Awoyemi told Saturday PUNCH.
Like Mrs Awoyemi, Saturday PUNCH gathered that many married women and ladies in relationships use sex toys such as dildos to satisfy themselves.
Single ladies who have been jilted by men or have not yet found a man to warm their beds also use artificial penises to pleasure themselves.
“It’s safer to use dildos than to sleep around and get infected with venereal diseases. I would rather pleasure myself with dildos than allow men to lie to me, cheat on me, and break my heart like they like to do,” a hairstylist who gave her name as Cynthia, told Saturday PUNCH.
Dildo varieties
Dildos are adult sex aids that are often used to attain sexual climax for women and also for men.
“While they are sometimes meant to feel like a penis, they don’t have to look like one. They come in different materials, shapes, and sizes. Some dildos are curved to stimulate the prostate or G-spot,” according to WebMD.
Findings by Saturday PUNCH revealed that there are different kinds of dildos based on their structure or designs.
Some dildos are made to look like a penis with testicles while some are made to be strapped on with a harness.
Some dildos are made with a suction base to adhere to a surface, others vibrate to stimulate the user while some, known as double-sided dildos, are designed for two partners to use at once.
The materials with which these dildos are made also vary. There are glass, silicon, rubber, plastic and wooden dildos, some of which are also sold by traditional herb vendors.
Phalluses as old as time
Far from being a novelty dreamed up by the Western mind, dildos have a rich history spanning centuries.
In 2005, German scientists uncovered what The Register described as “one of the world’s oldest sculpted phalluses, measuring 20cm and meticulously crafted from polished siltstone about 28,000 years ago.”
Egyptian paintings from 3,000 BCE also showed women wearing large phallic objects around their waists to pay tribute to Osiris, a major Egyptian god.
The ancient Greeks – the architects of Western civilisation – also made stuffed dildos out of leather, which men often gifted to their wives when they left to go to war.
During the Renaissance, elite members of society reportedly had dildos custom-made from materials like silver and ivory.
Later in the 17th century, English men who were fearful of how artificial phalluses could pose a threat to their sexual prowess passed some laws that prevented women from making them.
Following England’s steps, America banned the sale of rubber dilators, medical devices that help stretch the vagina, leading to the creation of an underground sex toy market.
It was during the sexual revolution in the 1960s that dildos were, once again, widely accepted as tools for pleasure and sexual liberation.
A booming business
In the conservative Nigerian society where an open discussion of sexual issues is often frowned upon, checks by our correspondent revealed that some vendors are heavily patronised and make millions of naira from sex gadgets.
Although frowned upon by Christianity and Islam, many patrons, both online and offline, frequently patronise adult entertainment stores to make up for what is missing in their bedrooms.
Sandra, a sex aid vendor whose store is located in Lekki, told Saturday PUNCH that dildo prices vary based on their sizes, colours and structures.
“The cheapest we have is N11,000 and that is for size 7. We also have size 10 which is N50,000. We have the one made with silicon, N85,000 and strap-on, N25,000.
“The bigger the size and the more realistic the dildo is, the more expensive it is. We have a strap-on dildo that uses a remote control also. That one is N40,000 and we get good patronage on all our products,” Sandra said.
Another vendor in Surulere who gave her name simply as Faith, noted that although there are still some states where sex toys are sold “under the counter,” they have many clients from across the social strata.
“I won’t give a specific figure, but we rake in millions of naira in an average of six months, give or take. We get both male and female customers across different social classes, ethnicities and religions. We don’t discriminate.
“Our products are mostly imported and their prices have risen over the last year due to the forex issues, but yet people still contact us daily for their needs,” Faith disclosed.
An estimate by Statista showed that “the global sex toy market is expected to grow steadily between 2019 and 2026, from approximately $27.17 billion to around $52.7 billion in that period, reaching a value of $80.7 billion by 2030.”
A 2022 survey in the US revealed that approximately 82 per cent of female consumers own some form of sex toys. Additionally, the findings indicated that these toys are most prevalent among individuals aged 25 to 29.
In a video which went viral in February 2022, a lady in Warri, Delta State, expressed astonishment after she found out that a shop which had restocked about 7,000 dildos of different kinds, sold them out within three days.
“They carry 7,000 dildos, different sizes: long, medium and small. They stocked the dildos at the woman shop on Friday and by Monday, we reached there, that place don empty. Who buy them? Who buy the dildos, na mama Destiny?” the woman told some men in Pidgin English.
Women’s sexual awareness
In September 2022, a Nollywood actress, Nkechi Blessing, caused a stir online after she distributed sex toys and dildos as souvenirs at an event in Lagos.
According to a short video of the actress recorded at the event, she said, “I am not saying men are scum because I have a man, but you need to have one (dildo) for yourself in case you don’t have a man.”
Responding to the widespread criticism which greeted her gesture, Blessing revealed that some of her critics begged her on WhatsApp messenger to have the dildos despite lampooning her on social media.
Similarly, in March 2020, popular vlogger and media entrepreneur, Toke Makinwa, advised ladies to please themselves by using sex toys.
“Why is it that we think that sex is something that men are meant to enjoy and something that we are meant to give to men? You deserve orgasms, you deserve a good time, and you deserve less shyness and more boldness.
“I think every female should have a vibrator. I mean, are you crazy, you don’t have one in 2020. Like, dude, how do you even know what your body needs? There are three types of vibrators I will advise every lady to get,” she said in the video clip shared on her Instagram page.
A 2017 study published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy took a survey of 1,000 women aged between 18 and 94 and most of the respondents admitted that they could not reach their orgasms without clitoral stimulation.
An online sex toy store, Erotic Planet, in its Instagram post highlighted some of the common types of adult novelty toys used by women.
It listed vibrators such as wand, clit suction toys, rabbit and finger vibrators and wireless panty sets.
Others include anal toys such as butt plugs; nipple toys such as nipple clamps and penetrative toys which include dildos of various sizes.
Speaking on underlying medical conditions that could make men and women seek out the use of sex toys, the director of the first online adult novelty store in Nigeria, Iheoma Obibi, said, “This can be for individuals being treated for epilepsy and high blood pressure. There are, of course, other pre-existing conditions but individuals must make attempts at discussing with their medical professional as well as with their partners.
“The business has always had room for growth; the issue has been if we can ensure that we do not dump on the unsuspecting public badly made Chinese fake products which are cheaper.
“Getting staff who are willing to learn the special nuances of understanding what sex toys are and can speak about them without the conversation degenerating to gutter talk.”
Clients in same-sex relationships
When our correspondent contacted a sex toy vendor, Tunde (surname withheld) who resided in Lagos, he indicated that only seven-inch dildos were available in his stock.
This, he noted, was due to the high patronage that he receives, especially from clients who identified as gay and lesbian, adding that he had other pleasure gadgets such as poppers, enema bulbs, fleshlights, and different brands of ejaculation delay cream.
“Seven inches is a medium size penis. It’s not too big and not too small. I have the N23,000 one and the N25,000 one. Dildos are a necessity for lesbian ladies. Many queer guys like it too,” Tunde said.
On his X account and WhatsApp status, the vendor regularly posts videos of various male models to illustrate to clients how these gadgets are used.
“There is virtually no area inside Lagos that people have not requested for dildos, lubes and other products. The truth is, many young people today are more sexually explorative and are willing to try new things in the bedroom,” Tunde added.
One of his clients, who pleaded anonymity, told Saturday PUNCH, “I prefer using my dildo whenever I am horny and I need it in my anus. It’s safer than being ‘kitoed’ (set up by blackmailers) or being infected. This is my way of pleasuring myself.”
Sharing a photo of himself posing with several dildos, another client, Seun (surname withheld), who identified as bisexual, confessed that he uses dildos to pleasure himself whenever his girlfriend travelled out of the city.
A dildo patron, identified simply as Desola, who identified as a lesbian, noted that not only does the dildo help her attain sexual climax, it also protects her from exposure to sexually transmitted diseases.
“I use it often and it goes a long way to reduce my rate of exposure to STDs. It’s really no different from those who climb penis, so there’s no issue with it,” she told our correspondent.
Medical experts have noted that dildos can provide internal stimulation to the G-spot, a sexually sensitive area in the vagina, prostate, or other parts of the vagina or anus.
This sexual arousal has been noted to help the body release the feel-good hormones dopamine and oxytocin.
“Every man has a male G-spot. Stimulating the man’s G-spot will give a man the wildest orgasm he has ever experienced. Sadly, most men will never experience this in their lifetime.
“You have to pass his anus to get to a man’s G-spot. A lot of men who felt this probably had this weird feeling first in a hospital when they were getting their prostate checked by a doctor,” the co-founder of Priv Health, Dr Olusina Ajidahun, noted.
Pros and cons
A healthcare practitioner, James Lekwauwa, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, explained that dildos provide new and different sensations and offer experiences that manual stimulation alone may not achieve.
He further stated some sexual medicine experts have recommended sex toys as part of therapy.
“Sex toys are not high maintenance and only need a battery change. They are generally not harmful as long as you make sure they are properly cleaned, used for the intended activities and are also the right size for you,” Lekwauwa added.
However, he disclosed that sharing sex toys can spread sexually transmitted infections and advised that “it’s best used by the owner and not to be shared.”
“Furthermore, if you use a dildo that is too big or goes too hard, it might hurt. Always make sure to take it slow and see what feels right. Its psychological effect is that over-reliance on dildos might make it somewhat difficult to enjoy sex without them.
“There is another urban myth that if a sex toy is made with a platinum-grade material, it won’t harm. This is a myth that is often perpetrated,” he noted.
Also commenting on the negative side effects of the use of sex toys, a mental health expert, Kelechi Okwaraji, stated that overt users may not feel encouraged to socialise with other people because they have the option to fall back on.
“They tend to give users an unrealistic expectation of partner-to-partner sex. Some of these sex toys are powered by batteries and can last longer and faster than a human male. Once the mind gets used to this, it can make natural intercourse pale out.”
Experts urge caution
On her part, a psychologist, Olubunmi Onipede, explained that she did not personally buy the idea of the use of sex toys due to their nature of disrupting social interactions.
“I need to let people understand that sex toys make people feel anxious, asocial, and even terrified to go back and be amongst people later on. It affects social relations and it also leaves certain consequences on sex life.
“As much as people enjoy these items, it is a medium-risk activity for most sexually transmitted infections if you share them with a partner. Its prolonged use also damages the skin.”
While noting the social stigma attached to the use of dildos, Onipede further explained that a lot of dildos and other penetrative toys might be harmful to human health.
“They are made from rubbers and plastics which may be harmful to human health. Bacteria can grow in there, and they might never be fully sanitised. Toys that contact other people’s fluids are inherently unsafe,” she added.
Responding to questions about the dangers sex toys could pose to the human body system, Ajidahun, in a post shared on his X account in November last year, warned that a research study indicated that certain harmful particles are present on the materials used.
“Amongst the materials that were noted to have come from the friction of the toys were small particles known as ‘Micro and Nano plastics.’
“A critical analysis showed one in particular ‘Phthalates’ which is a known substance that has the potential to disrupt the organ in our body called the pancreas which produces insulin which can increase the risk of diabetes.
“They also noted that some of these particles had great potential to cause damage to our nerve cells increasing the risk of brain damage. Since this study might not be fully representative, it linked the risks and made recommendations for more research to be done to understand more,” he wrote