FEATURES
After Hilda Baci broke the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon in June, another Nigerian woman, Helen Williams, achieved a new record for the longest handmade wig.
Announcing the feat on its official X handle, the Guinness World Record detailed that Helen achieved the feat for the longest handmade wig, which stretches an incredible 351.28 metres.
“Helen Williams from Lagos, Nigeria, has achieved a new record for the longest handmade wig which stretches an incredible 351.28 metres (1,152 ft 5 in),” a tweet by Guinness World Record read.
Naija News recalls that Hilda was officially declared the holder of the longest cooking marathon Guinness World Record in June. Over her four days in the kitchen, the 26-year-old Nigerian chef cooked over 100 pots of food from Thursday, May 11, to Monday, May 15.
Hilda was, however, dethroned as the record holder of the longest cooking marathon record by an Irish restaurant owner, Alan Fisher, last week.
It was gathered that Fisher broke the longest cooking marathon for an individual after cooking in a time of 119 hours 57 minutes.
His feat was more than 24 hours longer than the previous record set by Baci.
Fisher, a chef who operates his restaurant in Japan also claimed the longest baking marathon for an individual, with a time of 47 hours 21 minutes.
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Yusuf Halilu, judge of a federal capital territory high court in Maitama, has revoked the bail granted to Geoffrey Akindele, one of the defendants, standing trial with Ahmed Idris, former accountant-general of the federation.
In May 2022, Idris was arrested in Kano after he failed to respond to invitations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer questions over the allegation of a N80 billion fraud.
He was later suspended in July 2022 and arraigned on a 14-count charge alongside Akindele, Mohammed Kudu Usman, and a firm — Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
The defendants were granted bail in liberal terms.
At the resumed trial on Tuesday, Akindele, who was the technical assistant to Idris, was not in court.
Despite pleas by S.E. Adino, Akindele’s counsel, that his client was on the way to court, the judge insisted on revoking the second defendant’s bail.
The judge said when a court grants a defendant bail, such person must reciprocate the gesture by coming for trial.
He added that, Akindele had clearly not shown good character and conduct by his refusal to attend court.
“The second defendant had abuse the terms of his bail,” the judge held.
Consequently, Halilu revoked the second defendant’s bail and ordered the FCT commissioner of police and the EFCC to arrest Akindele and produce him in court in the next adjourned date.
He then adjourned the case to February 1, 2024 for hearing.
Although, Idris and the other defendants were present, counsels to the former attorney-general and counsel to the company were not in court.
Earlier, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, EFCC counsel, had informed the court that he received a letter from counsel to Idris but did not receive any from the counsel for Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.
Atolagbe said despite the fact that there were competent lawyers in the office of Idris’ lawyer, none of them announced appearance for the former accountant-general of the federation.
“This is not fair on the prosecution. It is definitely a ploy to delay trial,” Atolagbe said.
A final-year student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Oladokun Ayomide, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly poisoning his girlfriend, Ugbokwe Mmasichukwu, and another lady, Odumosu Semilore.
The police said the suspect administered a poison believed to be an admixture of brownie cakes, alcohol, and an unknown harmful substance after inviting his girlfriend to his residence in the Surulere community in the Camp area of the city on Friday.
PUNCH Metro gathered that while leaving for the suspect’s residence, Mmasichukwu told her schoolmate, Semilore, to accompany her to her boyfriend’s place at Surulere community, Camp, Abeokuta.
Serving them the substance suspected to be poisonous, our correspondent learnt that the victims were rushed to the hospital when they lost consciousness immediately after they ate the harmful cake.
Although the reason behind the suspect’s action remained unknown as of the time this report was filed, the police told our correspondent that a preliminary investigation revealed that Ayomide was suspected to have an intention to harm the victims.
The Chief Security Officer of the Federal College of Education, Osiele Abeokuta, Olusola Ajibola, who led the arrest of the suspect, told the police that Mmasichukwu and Semilore were students of the institution, while Ayomide was a final-year student of FUNAAB.
Contacted, the Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, told our correspondent that the victims were responding to treatment, adding that further investigation was going on to unravel the circumstances behind the incident.
“The victims were believed to have been fed brownie cake, and they immediately lost consciousness after eating it and were taken to the Osiele Medical Centre for treatment.
“A foil paper pack used for the brownie cake was found when our officers visited the crime scene. The suspect was handed over to the police division by the Chief Security Officer of the school,” Odutola stated on Tuesday.
The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday arraigned a 31-year-old man, Frank Obodom, for alleged theft of a phone worth N720,000 in Alaba International Market, in the Ojo area of the state.
The defendant was arraigned before Magistrate L.Y. Balogun sitting before a Yaba Magistrate Court on one count bordering on phone theft.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Chekwube Okeh, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on October 18, 2023, around 9.42 am at the Alaba market, Ojo, Lagos State.
She stated that Obodom entered a store belonging to Vigis International Limited at the Alaba market pretending to buy a phone case and while the attendant was sourcing for the ones to show to him, he took a Samsung Phone Model A03s.
Okeh also revealed that the defendant was captured by the Closed-Circuit Television cameras in the store and immediately the market task force officials were alerted and he was arrested.
The defendant, a graduate of quantity surveying from a polytechnic in Lagos State, when asked why he committed the offence claimed that he stole the phone because of his house rent that was due and he did not have enough money to pay.
He claimed that it was the first time he was indulging in such a crime.
According to Okey, the offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The charge read in part, “That you, Frank Obodom, on October 18, 2023 around 9 am at Ojo Alaba Market Ojo, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal one Samsung Phone Model A03s, four other Samsung phones, all valued at N720, 000, property of Vigis International Limited and thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Following his pea, the magistrate, Mrs Balogun, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N300,000, with one responsible surety in like sum.
She, however, adjourned the case until December 12, 2023, for a hearing.
Strike: ‘It Is Unthinkable That NLC Could Go This Low’- Onanuga Slams NLC For Shutting Down The Nation
AdminThe Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has knocked the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) for going ahead to shut down the nation over the brutalization of its national chairman, Joe Ajaero.
Naija News recalls that the NLC and TUC embarked on indefinite strike action on Tuesday over the brutalization of Ajaero in Imo and other issues.
However, responding to the move by NLC to go ahead with its industrial action, Onanuga, in a post via his official X handle, said it is a season of madness in the NLC and TUC.
He accused the labour unions of damaging the national economy because of the bruised ego of one man.
“It is truly the season of madness in NLC and TUC. It was unthinkable the NLC and TUC could go this low, resort to damaging the national economy because of the bruised ego of one man,” Onanuga wrote.
Recall that the presidential aide had earlier faulted the decision of the labour union to go ahead with the strike action despite a court order restraining it from going ahead with the industrial action.
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Onanuga, in his earlier statement, alleged that the labour union decided to punish a whole country of over 200million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President.
[NaijaNews]
Nigeria has unpaid gas royalty of $559.8 million, unpaid gas flare penalty of $828.8 million – NEITI
AdminNigeria has an unpaid gas royalty of $559.8 million and an unpaid gas flare penalty of $828.8 million.
This is according to the Nigerian Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).
Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, the Executive Secretary of NEITI said this on Monday, November 13 during his opening remarks at the 2nd German-Nigerian Symposium on Green Hydrogen in Abuja.
He highlighted that despite the country’s standing as a major global gas producer, there are dangers from constant gas flaring activities in the country, which could instead be harnessed as the country looks to implement its Decade of Gas agenda.
He said that the unreconciled figures in the 2021 NEITI report point to an unpaid gas royalty totalling $559.8 million and an additional unremitted amount of $828.8 million related to outstanding gas flare penalties.
This suggests that a considerable amount of gas was flared during the specified period without corresponding payments, posing significant challenges to the global zero emissions initiative.
An ongoing problem
Recall that in July 2023, the Speaker of Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abass, revealed that the country experiences an annual loss of $2.5 billion due to gas flaring.
He emphasized that the flared gas represents potential revenue that could have been generated through its sale or utilization.
Hon. Abass called for the engagement of all parties involved in gas flaring activities by the Ad-hoc gas flaring committee to investigate the payment of fines and the management of proceeds.
Additionally, Patrick Mgbebu, the Chairman of the Gas Monitoring Committee at the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), informed the House that the Federation Account has been deprived of over $277 million in gas flaring penalties between 2020 and 2022.
More insights from the Hydrogen conference
Speaking at the event, the Country Director, GIZ Nigeria & ECOWAS, Dr. Markus Wagner said:
- “It is crucial to recognize that green hydrogen has the potential to revolutionize our energy landscape. It offers a path to reducing carbon emissions, diversifying energy sources, and boosting economic growth.”
He also emphasized the importance of data and information in facilitating a successful energy transition in Nigeria. Comprehensive planning, monitoring, and evaluation of the implementation plans are crucial elements for navigating the transition effectively.
He suggested that Nigeria should position itself as a technology leader to fully capitalize on the opportunities presented by the energy transition journey.
In addition, Nigeria’s Minister of Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, represented by the Director of Gas, Mrs. Komolafe Oluremi, acknowledged Nigeria’s commitment to achieving Net Zero Emission by 2060.
Ekpo highlighted that hydrogen offers a viable pathway for decarbonizing the country’s energy sector, and it has become a top priority for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
He emphasized the need for substantial investments to scale up the hydrogen economy, and the government can play a role by creating a conducive climate for investors.
Ambassador Annett Günther, representing the Federal Republic of Germany in Nigeria, affirmed the commitment of both Germany and Nigeria to drive the production and utilization of hydrogen.
This collaboration reflects a shared dedication to advancing hydrogen-related initiatives.
[Nairametrics]
Nollywood actress Wunmi Toriola has revealed that she is open to becoming a second wife after her first marriage crashed.
The mother of one, while appearing on the latest episode of the ‘Exciting Moment With Debbie’ with actress Debbie Shokoya, stated that her mindset towards marriage has changed.
Her words: “I used to have the mindset that I couldn’t be a second or third wife, but that has changed because I have a child now.
“If I meet a man who has a child like me or a widower, I will marry him. What matters is my happiness.”
Speaking earlier during the interview, she stated that she believed she could work things out with her estranged husband.
At that point, when I got married, I had the option of becoming the second or third wife; however, I didn’t have the mind to compete, but that was then
“I got married to a young man, and we had our lives coming up. I used to believe that we could work things out, but there was a point where we were having issues, and he kept telling me, ‘you are the one with the fame.”
She also stated that, after her marriage crashed, she channeled all her energy into her acting career.
[Vanguard]
Peter Obi is not desperate for power and is not frustrated to want to leave Nigeria because he lost an election, says the Director-General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Council, Akin Osuntokun, while speaking during a recent interview.
The Labour Party (LP) chieftain, who was speaking on the 2023 presidential election and the 171-day legal battle seeking to nullify the election of President Bola Tinubu, debunked the speculations that Obi is considering leaving the country. According to him, the LP presidential candidate has achieved all that anyone can dream of having.
Laughing to a question by journalists on whether the rumour that Obi may dump Nigeria following his loss at the Supreme Court was true, Osuntokun said: “Then you obviously don’t know Peter Obi. Why will he be frustrated? Tell me. After all, he is not desperate for power. He has virtually everything anybody can wish for in life. The status he has achieved is a big bonus in his life. Personally, as a person, he has grown a lot in stature for the majority of Nigerians to look to as a role model. That to me, is a big deal. Why should any of that get him frustrated enough to want to make him turn his back on his country? Not at all.
“What Obi has achieved, even in the little time he spent with the party, is still there. How can he then abandon all he has done because he didn’t get a judgment from the Supreme Court? Obi has no reason to be frustrated. He is not one who sees the aspiration to become the president of Nigeria as a personal acquisition. It is not a personal loss for him. It is a loss for the country. God has raised him far beyond what he was before. There is no logical basis to expect him to be alienated from Nigeria.”
On how the Labour Party plans to rebuild the party following the events of the general 2023 elections, Osuntokun said: “Well, we have just completed the court case and have not really sat to brainstorm on the next step. But for a party that has come out strongly to establish credibility for itself in the last election, I will expect Nigerians who have been frustrated with the status quo to find sanctuary in the Labour Party, especially members of the young generation. I don’t see what the youth will be looking for in the APC, which represents all that people cannot wish for in this country. I mean it is unimaginable that some people at the National Assembly can say they want to buy N160m Range Rover for each member in this present circumstance.
“At a time like this when desperate measures are needed to tackle our challenges, we are hearing some people using the same loan borrowed to buy SUVs and their excuse was that the ministers have three or more. You can see the sickness we are battling. They are not even admitting that they are doing anything wrong. Instead, they are reminding you there is a bigger sinner out there. The public itself has a role to play.”
A popular praise singer in the North, Dauda Kahutu, also known as Rarara, has been sued over alleged inciteful comments and public disturbance.
Recall that Rarara, during a press conference recently in Abuja, accused former President Muhammadu Buhari of destroying the country before handing it over to President Bola Tinubu.
The praise singer, therefore, expressed regret in supporting the former Nigerian leader.
Following the development, a resident of Maraba town in Nasarawa State, Muhammed Sani Zangina, instituted a court against the singer for inciting the public against Buhari.
In a court affidavit on Monday, the complainant, through his lawyer, Muhammed Barde Abdullahi, said Rarara’s action was capable of breaching public peace, as well as causing disturbance, contrary to Section 114 of the Penal Code.
The case, which was filed in a Nasarawa State magistrates’ court sitting in Lafia, could not, however, be held on Monday, November 13, due to the absence of the defendant.
The court’s bailiff explained that the summons issued by the court could not be served on the defendant.
Barrister Abdullahi, thereafter, applied that a substrate service be effected against the defendant, a request the court granted.
The Magistrate, Maryam Nadabo, adjourned the case to December 4.
VIDEO; ‘You Shouldn’t Be Doing This To Us’ – Fish Seller Tackles Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu Over Rising Cost Of Living
AdminA fish seller at Oyingbo market, Lagos state, has lamented the harsh economic reality she and other Nigerians have faced since Bola Tinubu‘s assumption as President.
Naija News reports that the aged woman in the video making the rounds online complained about the high cost of fish, and the inability to send her children to school.
The woman also accused President Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of causing Nigerians and Lagosians pain, adding that things would have been better if the Igbos who contested during the election had won.
Speaking in Yoruba, she said,“Government please help us. You said we should vote for you Now we have voted for you, you are now suffering us. Fish that we buy at N30, 000 before is now N70, 000. Kote fish that was N15, 000 is now N40, 000. Please have mercy on you. We are hungry. Please don’t us through this pain. We can’t go out again nor even eat.
“This is the fish we sell to train our children. We can’t send our kids to school anymore. We can’t eat again.
“This period is causing everyone pain. Don’t cause us pain. We can’t go out anymore. We don’t have money to sell goods nor eat. Have mercy on us Tinubu. Lagos state government, Sanwo-Olu have mercy on us.
“We have voted for you. You shouldn’t be doing us this way. Al the promises you made you have revoked. You have cause us so much pain. You have not made us happy. Fish that we sell to save money and also send our kids to school, you have made us to stop selling them. Look upon us with the eyes of mercy. Have mercy on us. You are causing us pain.
“We are selling fish, we are in pain, the people buying from us are also in pain. Please have mercy on us. Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu have mercy on us. We have voted for you. You Yoruba children, you have entered office now and you are now causing us pain.
“Why didn’t you allow Igbo to enter office. If Igbo entered office, things will not be like this. You people said you will do something. You have not done anything. You are causing us pain.”
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The number of Nigerian students studying in the United States rose to 17,640 in the 2022/2023 academic session despite rising foreign exchange scarcity in the country.
This is a 37.17 per cent increase in the number of Nigerian students in 2022/2023 from the 12,860 that moved in the 2020/2021 session, and a 22.18 per cent increase from the 14,438 that moved in the 2021/2022 session according to data from the new Open Doors Report, published by the Washington-based Institute of International Education.
The total number of international students in the US grew to 1.06 million in the academic year, which is a 12 per cent increase from the previous year. The total number of students from sub-Saharan Africa was 50,199 in the year under review.
35.14 per cent of the total population of sub-Saharan African students in the US are Nigerians. International students only make up a small percentage (5.6 per cent) of the total number of students enrolled in the US (18.96 million) as of the 2022/2023 session.
This rise in the migration of Nigerian students to the US is amidst a forex scarcity crisis in the country. According to experts, many Nigerians are leaving the country due to the challenging economic reality of the country.
Recently, an intending migrant told The PUNCH, “The day I went for my visa interview, there were about a hundred people there.”
The Founder of Travels N Tours, Biola Abimbola, further affirmed, “Yes. More people want to travel now because the state of the economy is bad and the youths are looking for where there are opportunities, especially the middle class. The problem is that more people are leaving than ever before.”
Nigerians spent about $1.01bn on foreign education in 2022 according to a The PUNCH report. This is a 40.36 per cent increase from the $720.05m that was spent in 2021
Commuters were left stranded across various bus stops in Lagos State on Monday following a protest by commercial bus drivers over alleged arbitrary arrest and extortion by officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the drivers who also frowned upon the activities of officials of the Lagos State Environment and Special Offences Enforcement Unit withdrew their services thereby forcing the workers to trek long distances.
The protest took effect in most parts of the states, including areas such as Egbeda, Ikeja, Iyana Ipaja, Agege, Yaba and Iyana-Iba.
Our correspondents who monitored the event observed how the transport workers embarked on a procession at their respective locations across the states.
Along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, the protesters were seen marching from the Abule Egba area and headed towards the Ile-Zik section of the road.
Trouble however started when the protesters met a resistance by some police officers who fired teargas canisters at them at the Mangoro end of the road. One of the cans of the tear gas also caused damage to the eye of a commuter.
It was also learnt that some of the protesting drivers forced passengers out of some buses whose drivers were not participating in the protest.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro on Monday, some commuters lamented their plight of having stayed at the bus stop for longer hours.
A commuter who identified himself only as Moses said the protest had led to a hike in the price of transport fares.
He said, “We have not seen a bus since morning. I had to trek from Egbeda this morning because of the protest. When I finally got to Mangoro, we were told by the conductor to get down from the bus after collecting twice the normal fare. Since then, I have been standing at the bus stop for over an hour and still haven’t got a bus and it is very frustrating.”
Another commuter, Bolaji Rasaq, said the protest had caused him to miss an appointment.
He said, “You cannot imagine what I have faced this morning. We didn’t know they were going to protest this morning. I had an appointment this morning but I missed it. The government needs to do something about this because we are the ones at the receiving end.”
The protesting drivers who chanted different songs to press home their demand said the protest would continue until there was a lasting solution to the way they were being harassed by state officials.
A commercial driver who refused to disclose his identity claimed that the Lagos State Task Force and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority extorted commercial bus drivers daily.
“We are tired of LASTMA and the Lagos State task force. The annoying part of them extorting us is that they always make it look like it is their right but it is not. They keep extorting us daily and it is becoming unbearable. They think they are powerful because everyone has been quiet about the rubbish they keep doing.
“We have had enough of their bullying. Even military men do not behave like that but they keep behaving like they are the most powerful body in Lagos State and it must end. We came out for a peaceful protest but the police just kept firing teargas everywhere and shooting to scare us away. We want all this rubbish to end,” he lamented.
Another commercial bus driver, Saheed, said, “LASTMA has killed our boss, they have given our boss a stroke. Please, help us appeal to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to help us and save us because the corruption is too much for us to bear. They keep bragging and making life uncomfortable for everyone on the road, especially commercial drivers and it does not make any sense.”
The spokesperson for LASTMA, Taofiq Adebayo, and its task force counterpart could not be reached as calls made to their phones were not answered. Text messages sent to them were yet to be responded to as of the time this report was filed.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has assured that it will continue to partner with commercial bus operators to improve commuting services within the State while promoting safety on the road.
In a statement made available to PUNCH Metro by the spokesperson of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, explained that enforcement of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018 amended will not be suspended for any reason as it was designed to sanitize the roads and promote good road etiquette amongst Motorists. He appealed to the operators to adhere to the law and avoid apprehension.
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has attributed the current financial distress being faced in the country to bankruptcy inherited by the administration led by President Bola Tinubu.
Ribadu, however, said despite the financial constraint that has affected budgetary allocations, the federal government would do everything within its power to ensure that there is a robust and viable defence management and apparatus in the country.
The NSA stated these in Abuja when he spoke at the Chief of Defence Intelligence Annual Conference 2023 themed: “Leveraging Defence Diplomacy, and Effective Regional Collaboration for Enhanced National Security”.
Daily Trust reports that the conference, which held in Abuja, was attended by Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru; Minister of State, Bello Matawalle; Permanent Secretary in the defence ministry, Ibrahim Kana; the Chief of Defence Staff, and other service chiefs.
“I assure you that the federal government will not rest on its oars in ensuring a robust and viable defence management and security apparatus to address contemporary challenges even in the face of enormous budgetary constraints.
“Yes, we’re facing budgetary constraints. It is okay for me to tell you. Fine, it is important for you to know that we have inherited a very difficult situation, literally a bankrupt country, no money, to a point where we can say that all the money we’re getting now, we’re paying back what was taken. It is serious!
“But this administration is doing its best to meet our requirements, particularly the armed forces, and I believe that you leaders will be able to testify to that,” the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told the gathering.
According to him, the armed forces under the current leadership has shown serious commitment in addressing the prevailing security challenges bedeviling the country, adding that there were positive changes and improvements both in and outside Nigeria.
“Let us come together as one and continue to support our armed forces and other security agencies with this work of securing our country for peace and stability.
“They have done an amazingly good job without talking and I believe that with the support and the resolve of the leadership we have today in our country, things will only be better.
“We are just four or five months old, but certainly things have changed and we believe that what they are doing, they are doing it right. We want to encourage them, stand by them and support them 100 per cent and hopefully this country will be okay in a short time,” he said.
The NSA added that the coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon, and Guinea had led to sudden reversal of democratic fortunes in those countries.
He noted that the essence of defence diplomacy was to pursue strategic engagement with allies and partners at bilateral and multilateral levels while ensuring the attainment of national security objectives.
On his part, the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, said the agency was determined to harness the capabilities of the defence attaché system for the attainment of national security objectives.
Undiandeye said the current and emerging threats facing Nigeria were numerous, complex, integrated, multifaceted and diverse in nature with attendant security implications for national security.
These threats, according to him, have both internal and external perspective, and range from terrorism, high force secessionist agitation, armed mandatory kidnapping, herders-farmers clashes and cyber threat
A former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has revealed how much President Bola Tinubu, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representative, Tajudeen Abbas, allegedly spent during the 2023 general election.
According to Lukman, Tinubu may have spent around N100 billion to clinch the presidency, while Akpabio and Abass spent N50 billion each during the last elections.
Lukman revealed this in an article titled: ‘Resolving APC’s Progressive Retrogression’.
The APC chieftain said the high cost of winning elections was enough to weaken the bond between elected leaders and the party.
He noted that money politics played a key role in the emergence of Tinubu and other public officeholders.
According to Lukman: “It is possible that President Asiwaju Tinubu may have incurred not less than Fifty Billion Naira (N50 billion) to win the APC Presidential primary and emerge as the party’s presidential candidate.
“Certainly, inclusive of the cost of winning the presidential primary, winning the 2023 presidential elections may have cost President Asiwaju Tinubu upward of One Hundred Billion Naira (N100 Billion). By every standard, this is very outrageous and alarming. Cascading it down to Governors, it would have cost each of the APC governorship candidates for 2023 elections not less than Ten Billion (N10 Billion) to win the elections.
”It may have cost both Sen. Godswill Akpabio and Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen nothing less than Fifty Billion Naira (N50 Billion) each to win the contest for Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.”