FEATURES
The Federal Government has set aside N700bn from the federation account for the implementation of the distribution of free electricity meters under the Presidential Metering Initiative, according to the Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Strategic Communications and Media, Bolaji Tunji.
In a chat with The PUNCH on Friday, he noted that the PMI was on course with a target to deliver two million meters yearly.
He revealed that the amount reserved for the project had reached N700bn and procurement had started.
He said, “The Presidential Metering Initiative is still on course. Two million meters every year, delivery of the first batch will start by the first quarter of next year. About N700bn provision has been made, and the money is ready.”
The special adviser further revealed that the government would fulfil its promise to deliver 1.3 million electricity meters out of the 3.2 million meters under the World Bank Distribution Sector Reform Programme initiative this month.
“The DISREP programme will commence this month,” he noted.
However, an analysis of the Federal Account Allocation Committee meeting minutes obtained by our correspondent between April and August showed that the government had saved N420bn from a monthly deduction of N100bn.
The amount deducted from the monthly federation revenue before allocation to the three tiers of government was aimed at bridging the metering gap in the country, which currently stands at 50 per cent.
Recall that N120bn was deducted from April revenue as the first tranche for the PMI, bringing the amount deducted from the federation account for the initiative as of August to N420bn.
In May, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said that the government would provide an initial N75bn as seed capital while the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority pledged to inject N250bn annually for the initiative.
The minister also disclosed that the initiative would leverage debt financing from diverse financial institutions to bolster the PMI’s resources.
The Managing Director of Abuja Distribution Electricity Distribution Company, Mr Victor Ojelabi, recently said that the PMI would unlock about N1tn in revenue currently tied up in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry due to a large number of unmetered customers.
Under the initiative, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission announced the approval of N21bn for the 11 electricity Distribution Companies to provide meters for end-use customers at zero cost.
The Distribution Sector Recovery Programme is a comprehensive initiative aimed at addressing the challenges and inefficiencies within Nigeria’s electricity distribution sector.
Recently, the NERC acknowledged that the country’s metering gap remains substantial despite installing 3.03 million meters since privatising the power sector in 2013.
It said 6.15 million out of 13.33 million registered customers had been metered, bringing the metering rate to 46.14 per cent in 2024.
Dele Farotimi: Anxiety as activists dare police, threaten to protest in Ekiti, Lagos, Abuja, UK
AFOLABI
…over author’s detention
The determination of the police to stop activists from protesting the continued detention of human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, is creating deep anger.
Despite Ekiti State Police Command’s claim that the decision to prohibit the planned protest was reached to ensure the safety of lives and property in the state, activists have refused to back down and declared Tuesday, December 10 as their preferred day.
In fact, the activists have threatened to extend the demonstration to Lagos, Abuja and the United Kingdom to draw attention to what they termed the illegal arrest, detention and trial of Farotimi.
Ever since officers from the Ekiti State Police Command arrested Farotimi following a defamation petition filed by Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, various individuals and organisations have expressed sadness over the development.
Among them is the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, which argued that the offence for which Farorimi was arrested had been decriminalised under the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011, disclosing that defamation as a criminal law was repealed by the Supreme Court in a case between Aviomoh v. Commissioner of Police & Anor (2021) in 2021.
The rights lawyer, in his book: ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,’ had alleged that Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgement in the service of his clients.
Bail application
Unconcerned, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, in the 2023 general elections, Mr Omoyele Sowore, and other rights activists in London have planned a protest for Tuesday when the court hearing of bail application filed by Farotimi’s legal team is schedule to sit.
Although the Police Public Relations Officer of the state’s command, DSP Sunday Abutu, in a statement, said: “any form of unlawful gathering, demonstration or protest is unacceptable as the intelligence report available has it that some unscrupulous individuals have planned to hide under this protest to hijack it and unleash mayhem and create apprehension in the state,” Sowore urged Nigerians to use the demonstration in calling for Farotimi’s release.
Venue
The publisher of Sahara Reporters said this via his X, formerly Twitter, noting that the point of convergence in Abuja will be the Ministry of Justice and Federal High Court, Abuja; Ekiti convergence point is the Police Headquarters Ado-Ekiti ; convergence point in Lagos will be the Afe Babalola Chambers at Emmanuel House, Plot 1, Block 4, CMD/Jubilee Road, Magodo; and meeting point at the United Kingdom is King’s College London.
Sowore stated: “The @PoliceNG can’t ban protests anywhere; we are getting loads of Nigerian citizens to shut down Ado-Ekiti on December 10, 2024, from 7 am. Buses are ready for those coming from out of state.
#FreeDeleFarotimiNow 1. Abuja convergence: Ministry of Justice and Federal High Court, Abuja 2. Ekiti parapo convergence: Police Headquarters Ado-Ekiti 3. Lagos convergence: Afe Babalola Chambers, Lagos Address: Emmanuel House, Plot 1, Block 4, CMD/Jubilee Road, Magodo GRA, Lagos 4. London UK CONVERGENCE: King’s College London Address: Strand, London, WC2R 2LS global online and offline revolt against the nigerian judiciary! Date: December 10, 2024. Time: 7 AM West African Time.”
Days after the Central Bank of Nigeria ordered Deposit Money Banks to guard against artificial cash scarcity in the country, findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that the trend still persists in some parts of the country.
In a circular dated November 29, jointly signed by Acting Directors Solaja Olayemi (Currency Operations) and Isa-Olatinwo Aisha (Branch Operations), the CBN outlined measures aimed at improving cash availability.
According to the circular, the CBN directed banks to ensure efficient cash disbursement through both Automated Teller Machines and over-the-counter channels, warning of penalties for non-compliance.
The apex bank also urged customers experiencing challenges to report incidents with details such as account name, bank name, transaction amount, and date. Dedicated phone numbers and email addresses were released for Nigerians to report difficulties accessing cash.
However, as of Friday, Nigerians in some major cities told Sunday PUNCH that they still experienced significant difficulty obtaining sufficient cash over the counters and at ATMs in some commercial banks.
An Abuja resident, who declined to be named, said his bank only dispensed N5,000 over the counter on Friday.
When asked whether this was a bank-wide directive, she stated that it might be due to the limited cash available, adding that customers were often advised to use ATMs.
He said, “As of Friday, it was just N5,000. But if the ATM is loaded, you can withdraw as much as it dispenses. That’s probably all the bank could afford on Friday. Most times, customers are advised to use the ATM, which dispenses fresh mints.”
Similarly, a United Bank for Africa customer in Abuja said his bank dispensed N20,000 over the counter, while ATMs dispensed N20,000 to customers and N10,000 to customers of other banks as of Friday.
A Zenith Bank official in Delta State revealed that their branch paid a maximum of N20,000 to customers, both over the counter and through ATMs.
“It’s N20,000 maximum. The ATM also dispenses N20,000,” she stated.
A Lagos resident, Tunde Ajiboye, shared on Facebook that he withdrew N20,000 from a GTBank ATM in Ikorodu and later withdrew another N30,000 over the counter at Lotus Bank, also in Ikorodu, on Friday afternoon.
In Akure, Ondo State, the cash crunch was also pronounced. A resident, Oluwaseyi Oluwalade, said he visited an ATM terminal in Akure but couldn’t withdraw any cash.
“I rushed to a PoS operator, but I still didn’t get cash. I was asked to make a transfer, which I did on Friday, but I could only collect the cash on Saturday afternoon,” he lamented.
Another Akure resident, Adeniyi Samuel, who works for OPay, confirmed complaints from PoS operators about insufficient cash in banks.
“Many of our operators rely on filling station attendants or BDC operators to get cash because banks give very little over the counter or at ATMs,” he explained.
In Imo State, residents also decried withdrawal limits.
A resident, who asked to be identified only as Onyekachi, said, “We cannot withdraw more than N20,000 in the banking hall. You spend so much time, only to be given a maximum of N20,000. It’s frustrating.”
A similar scenario unfolded in Abia State, where banks limited withdrawals to between N5,000 and N20,000. ATMs dispensed as little as N5,000 to non-customers and N10,000 to customers.
In Kwara, residents also struggled to access cash.
Ibrahim Taiwo, a resident of Ilorin, said banks paid a maximum of N10,000 over the counter and N40,000 at ATMs. He noted that PoS operators increased their charges by N50 across withdrawal amounts.
In Osun and Oyo states, withdrawal limits varied between N10,000 and N50,000, depending on the bank and location.
Reacting to the situation, a source at the CBN accused some banks of favouring high-end customers by giving them bulk cash at the expense of ordinary Nigerians. The source assured that the CBN was committed to penalising erring banks.
However, a banker in Ogun State accused the CBN of being insincere, claiming, “The amount given to us is not enough to load ATMs for two days.”
A Polaris Bank staff member in Lagos linked the scarcity to the naira redesign policy under former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele. He noted that the policy destroyed old naira notes but failed to replace them with adequate new notes, leading to persistent scarcity.
“People are skeptical about depositing money in banks, fearing a repeat of last year’s issues. This is affecting the availability of cash,” he concluded.
The National President of Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria, Fasasi Atanda, accused petrol stations, supermarket operators, traders, and other businesses that handle large volumes of cash daily of contributing to the current cash scarcity.
Atanda alleged that instead of depositing their cash earnings into banks as expected, those entities hoarded the money and sold it at inflated rates to cash dealers.
“There is no reason for cash scarcity if there are no saboteurs. There is cash commoditisation. Today, we have saboteurs who are dealing in the sale of cash. They sell cash in bulk; they have their sources, and they buy in bulk and sell. What you can’t get in the banks, you will get from cash dealers.
“We are aware of petrol stations, restaurants, supermarket operators, and others selling their cash instead of depositing it in banks.
“People often wrongly accuse agents of selling cash. Agents are not selling cash, we are servicing the people and the charges are for the cost of data and transportation. In reality, if the government can take care of these costs, agents can render their services free of charge,” Atanda said.
He urged the CBN to engage PoS operators as official agents of cash distribution, adding that this would address the challenge of cash scarcity in the country.
The acting Director of Corporate Communications for the CBN, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, did not respond to calls and a text message sent to her phone as of press time.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called for a minimum remuneration benchmark for medical doctors to curb the mass migration of health professionals seeking better conditions abroad.
Speaking on Saturday after the 3rd National Health Summit (NHS) and the group’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, the NMA President, Prof. Bala Audu, emphasized the urgent need for standardized pay, improved welfare packages, workplace security, and health insurance to retain doctors and improve health outcomes.
Highlighting disparities in doctors’ pay across states and institutions, the NMA urged the government to ensure fair remuneration while raising concerns about the lack of motivation and mentorship for younger professionals, advocating for an appropriate reward system to sustain the workforce.
He said, “It is a strategy to help Nigeria retain its critical health care workforce and prevent the ongoing ‘japa’ syndrome.
“What it seeks to do is to ensure that every registered doctor who is licensed by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has a minimum remuneration benchmark that you cannot go below, whether the individual is employed in the public sector or in the private sector.
“And even in the public sector, whether the individual is employed by federal, state or local government, and even within those sectors, whether the individual is employed in a primary health sector, hospitals or in other departments and agencies that require the services of a doctor, such as university lecturers, and others such as customs and other security agencies who employ doctors.
“Everyone must comply with that minimum benchmark. It will produce stability, so this is the essence.
“This initiative is also aiming to tackle internal brain drain, where doctors don’t want to serve in local governments, because the pay package is not as good as in state governments, or where some doctors leave state government hospitals to go and work in federal hospitals when they are needed more in the state hospitals.”
The NMA Chief also stated that the Summit underscored the urgent need for an integrated clinical governance mechanism across all health facilities to improve accountability and outcomes.
Addressing policy implementation, the Summit noted the partial and non-enforcement of provisions in the National Health Act (NHA), Audu emphasizing that “Specifically, it advocated for issuing certificates of standards to hospitals as a means to enhance public confidence in healthcare services.
The Federal government has assured that the President Bola Tinubu administration will never do anything to undermine the ideals of participatory democracy in pushing for its transformative reform agenda.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this on Saturday at the 2024 Annual Public Lecture/AGM and Awards organised by the Kaduna State Chapter, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR.
The event held on the theme ‘Tax Reform: The Role of Public Relations in Fostering Constructive Dialogue for National Economic Renaissance’.
He said the administration has also been very clear that the Executive will listen to, and work with, all stakeholders to ensure that all concerns are duly and comprehensively addressed.
“The theme for the public discuss, ‘Tax Reform: The Role of Public Relations in fostering Constructive Dialogue for National Economic Renaissance’, has brought to the fore, yet again, the place of constructive dialogue as a vital pillar of democracy.
“Society advances by mutually respectful engagements, where we give voice to diverse opinions, and respect those who we disagree with.
“We will certainly not always agree on all issues, perhaps not even on most. But we will always be guided by the fact that the things that unite us, our common humanity, our nationhood, our sense of patriotism, our collective vision for a Nigeria that works for all, will always be more important and more meaningful than our differences of age, religion, region, ideology, gender, culture, and social class.
“The topic before us today is a sensitive yet important and inescapable one: taxation. All over the world, effective taxation is important as a source of financial power for governments to provide social services for their citizens.
“However, there is plenty of reason to believe and assert that Nigeria’s tax administration system has become long overdue for reform, on account of design and implementation flaws as well as the general attitudes of taxpayers toward taxation.
“In light of this, the ongoing review of the country’s tax laws and realities is timely and crucial, especially as part of a larger set of macroeconomic reforms aimed at setting the country on an irreversible path of growth and development.
“The full details of the new tax bills are available in the public domain. One must commend the Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reform for an excellent job in this regard, in terms of public engagement so I will not attempt to go over these details again here.
“What I will say is that it is very inspiring and heartwarming to see Nigerians from all walks of life coming out to express their views and opinions on these matters of critical national importance, as such is the very essence and meaning of democracy.
“In spite of the challenge of trust deficit that tends to crop up around matters of governance in Nigeria, we have still been able to have what can be adjudged as robust debate on this sensitive issue.
“President Tinubu has also been very clear that the Executive will listen to and work with all stakeholders to ensure that all concerns are duly and comprehensively addressed.
“We will continue to ensure open lines of communication and engagement with the National Assembly and all other stakeholders on these taxation bills.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria’s electronic payment statistics have shown that, between January and June 2024, 252.06 million transactions, which amounted to N2.19tn, were carried out via Unstructured Supplementary Service Data codes.
This is a significant milestone compared to the full-year data for 2023, which showed that N4.84tn was transacted via USSD codes across 630.6 million transactions.
The N2.19tn recorded in the first half of 2024 represents 45.3 per cent of the total value of USSD transactions in 2023 and 40 per cent of the total transaction volume for the same year.
Initially developed by telecom companies for providing airtime and subscription services, the USSD service has been widely adopted in the banking sector because it does not require an Internet connection.
USSD codes continue to play a crucial role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion strategy, offering a platform for users with limited internet access to make quick and convenient transactions.
This is especially important in rural areas, where internet connectivity remains unreliable.
However, this form of transaction has been threatened by over N250bn debt, which has been a contentious issue for the past six years, prompting past interventions from the Central Bank of Nigeria under Godwin Emefiele’s leadership and the former Minister of Communications, Isa Pantami, but no lasting solution has been reached.
The Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, earlier lamented that banks have been profiting from USSD services without fulfilling their payment obligations in the last six years.
Last month, The PUNCH reported that telecom operators in Nigeria were seeing some progress in the repayment of the N250bn debt tied to Unstructured Supplementary Service Data services, with smaller banks beginning to settle their obligations.
However, tier-one lenders responsible for the bulk of the debt are yet to make significant payments.
At the time, the ALTON chairman disclosed that while some repayments have been recorded, they fall short of expectations.
While USSD remains a dominant channel amidst existing challenges, other electronic payment methods have also seen substantial growth.
Automated Teller Machine transactions have experienced a remarkable volume, with N12.21tn transacted in the first half of 2024 for 496.44 million transactions.
Point-of-sale transactions are also significant, indicating the country’s ongoing shift towards cashless payments.
Nigerian Gospel singer cum founder of Spotlite Nation, Moses Bliss, has broken silence about the early exit of former signee, Ebuka Emmanuel Hillary, known professionally as Ebuka Songs.
Naija News reports that during a press conference at The Experience 2024 music concert, the ‘Daddy Wey Dey Pamper’ crooner claimed that Ebuka violated a three-year contract by leaving after just 11 months.
Bliss said he has no grudge against Ebuka Songs, adding that the goal is for Jesus to be seen and give people the opportunity to minister the gospel.
“Me and Ebuka Songs? There are no issues between us. Of course, he was signed to Spotlite Nation. He just said he wants to do things on his own.
“Our contract didn’t end when it was supposed to end. It was a three-year contract. I think 11 months into it, he said he wants to do his music alone. I prayed about it and I said, ‘You can go’.
“We hold no grudge against him. The goal is for Jesus to be seen. Our goal is to give people the opportunity to minister the gospel.
“We are not fighting. I love him and I am happy to have been part of his journey and wish him the best,” Bliss said.
[NaijaNews]
MORE facts have emerged on reasons behind the sealing off of the entrance gate leading to the palace of the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, on Friday
Though the Nigeria Police were yet to speak on the matter, a reliable source disclosed that the action carried out by law enforcement agency was aimed at preventing the breakdown of law and orders in Bichi town where Emir Sanusi was scheduled to visit to install a district head for the town.
A source, who preferred anonymity, said that the residents of Bichi town had allegedly mapped out plans to prevent the installation from taking place.
The feelers were, however, not favourable to security operatives, as they swept into action to prevent the Emir of Kano from attending the programme.
It was also believed that the move was also taken to prevent eminent personalities from visiting Bichi town to attend the same event.
Sunday Tribune learnt that many residents of Bichi town were not happy about the planned installation, querying the rationale behind the idea of a district head.
Some residents who spoke with our correspondent felt that the planned installation was to demote the town.
According to them, when the five Emirate councils established by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje were sacked by current Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, he [Governor Yusuf] went ahead to appoint second-class emirs for three of the sacked Emirate councils and excluded Bichi town.
Some of the residents said the reason for their planned resistance to the Friday’s installation was because the governor demoted their kingdom to be ruled by an ordinary district head while the others towns that were sacked alongside are now being ruled by second-class emirs.
Some stakeholders, who confided in Sunday Tribune, admitted that the police action could be a blessing in disguise as the situation could have caused a serious crisis in Bichi town which could escalate to many communities and state capital.
It will be recalled that as of 7 a.m. on Friday heavily armed policemen had taken over the entrance leading to Emir Sanusi’s Kofar Kudu palace.
[Tribune]
President Bola Tinubu has said things are taking shape for the better, even though people may not like his government.
He said amid the tough challenges in the country, his administration had made some progress, noting that there are better days ahead.
The President, who was represented by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, made the remarks at the graduation ceremony for the Executive Intelligence Management Course 17 at the National Institute for Security Studies in Abuja, on Saturday,
He said, “Things are happening in our country today. People may not like us. They probably will disagree with one or two. But fundamentally, things are changing. And Nigeria will change.
“The economy is changing. Very tough, very difficult, very huge challenges we are facing. But I can assure you, better days are ahead of us,” he stated.
Tinubu also assured Nigerians of his administration’s commitment to ensuring security and stability in the country.
He said people with questionable character, would face justice irrespective of where they live.
“If you are a bad man, whether you are inside Nigeria or outside, you are in trouble. We will go after you. We will bring you to justice,” he stated.
[DailyTrust]
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described the expulsion of the House of Representative member from Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, as null and void.
PDP National Working Committee, NWC, said Ugochinyere’s expulsion by his Ward chapter of the party was of no effect.
The PDP Umuopia/Umukegwu Ward chapter of the PDP had expelled Ugochinyere for gross indiscipline, insubordination and anti-party activities.
Ugochinyere’s expulsion was contained in a letter from the Ideato LGA chapter of PDP, dated December 5, 2024.
The letter was signed by the LG party chairman, ThankGod Okeke, and the secretary, Onyebuchi Umeh.
Ugochinyere’s expulsion followed the report of the party’s disciplinary committee, dated November 27, 2024, which investigated misconduct charges against him in line with Section 57 (1-4) of the PDP Constitution, 2017, as amended.
The lawmaker was initially suspended at his Umuopia/Umukegwu ward on October 14, 2024, after failing to honor an invitation to appear before the ward executive committee on October 5, 2024.
He was summoned to answer allegations of disciplinary offenses, and ignoring reminders and further invitations sent to him on October 7, 2024.
However, in a statement on Saturday, the PDP NWC insisted that Ugochinyere is a bonafide member of the party with all rights and privileges.
Parts of the statement, signed by PDP spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) @OfficialPDPNig has been drawn to the purported expulsion of Hon. Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu @IkengaImo from the Party by the Umuopia/Umukegwu Ward Chapter of the PDP in Imo State.
“The NWC declares the said purported expulsion as null and void and of no effect, not being consistent with the express provision of Sections 57 (7) and 59 (3) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) and laid down Rules of our great Party.”
The party relied on Section 57 (7) of its Constitution to affirm Ugochinyere’s continued membership.
Meanwhile, the LG chairmen of the PDP in Imo State at the weekend named Ugochinyere the leader of the party in the state.
Ugochinyere is the highest ranking government official elected on the PDP platform in Imo State.
The Imo PDP local government leaders, who passed vote of confidence on Ugochinyere, also insisted that the party’s acting national chairman, Umar Damagun, and national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, should be immediately removed to pave way for the reinvigoration of the opposition party.
[DailyPost]
More...
Despite numerous consultations and meetings, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains in a conundrum on how to oust the party’s embattled acting national chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, The Nation has learnt.
The latest of the consultations was Thursday’s meeting of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) in Abuja where members expressed frustration at “the current state of affairs in the PDP, particularly with regard to the administration of the party.”
And for the umpteenth time, the BoT spoke of its disappointment at the “continued shifting by the NWC in convening a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.”
This delay, it said, “not only undermines the trust and confidence of our members but portrays our party as having been hijacked by certain interests.”
The Nation gathered that midway into the meeting, news reached the BoT members of the defection of the PDP House of Representatives member from Ethiope in Delta State, Eriethake Ibori-Suenu, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Rep is the daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori.
The BoT members were said to have perceived the defection as yet another fallout of alleged incompetence of the current National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
They reportedly blamed Damagum in particular for the situation and thought his time was up.
A former PDP acting National Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, who is also the BoT Secretary, was said to have played a critical role in calming nerves as discussions at the meeting became heated.
Majority of the BoT members expressed deep lack of confidence in Damagum’s leadership which observers interpret to have reflected in their demand for the party’s National Working Committee (NWC to “immediately commence the restoration of internal harmony, unity, stability and public confidence in the party by respecting the PDP Constitution and adhering to the zoning of NWC offices to the various geo-political zones in the country.”
The BoT in a communique at the end of the meeting also demanded that the NWC “should show leadership, honour its word and convene the NEC meeting as scheduled in February 2025. This is critical for resolving pressing issues and charting a clear path forward for the party. Any further postponement will exacerbate existing challenges and may spell doom for our Party.”
It asked the leaders of the North Central Zone to “immediately convene a meeting of North Central stakeholders with a view to nominating a replacement for former National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.”
But Damagum supporters are optimistic that he will serve out his ‘term’ which, according to an interim injunction he recently obtained, will expire in December 2025.
One of his supporters who does not want to be named said: “It is wrong to say that he (Damagum) is afraid of being removed if a meeting of PDP National Executive Council is convened in February as demanded by both the PDP Governors’ Forum on November 23 and the BoT on Thursday, November 6.
“He just told us that a court of law has already affirmed that he cannot be removed until the next convention late next year, but if he ceases to remain acting National Chairman, his Plan B is to quietly continue in his position as Deputy National Chairman (North).”
By virtue of Article 35 (2) and (3) of the PDP Constitution, Damagum stepped in as the party’s acting National Chairman following the exit of Senator Iyorchia Ayu.
Supporters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar want him out as they see him as working for the interest of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike.
Wike himself is not in the good books of Atiku and his supporters.
They blame him for making the PDP lose the 2023 presidential election.
[TheNation]
The Federal Government on Saturday fixed February 2025 for the national youth conference.
President Bola Tinubu, during his Independence Day broadcast, announced the gathering of a 30-day national youth conference to address critical issues facing the country’s youths, including unemployment, education, and political participation.
This is as various youth groups across the country expressed disappointment over the presidency’s silence on the proposed confab.
The planned conference was part of the administration’s response to the youth-led protests, including #EndBadGovernance in August 2024 and the #FearlessOctober in October 2024.
“The conference aims to provoke meaningful dialogue and empower our young people to participate actively in nation-building. By ensuring that their voices are heard in shaping the policies that impact their lives, we are creating a pathway for a brighter tomorrow,” the President said.
The conference was greeted with mixed reactions as some youths welcomed the idea.
But almost three months after Tinubu’s pronouncement, no further announcement has been made as some youth groups expressed frustration.
The groups, including Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yoruba Youths Council, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and the Ijaw National Congress, accused the Tinubu-led government of neglecting its commitment to addressing the challenges confronting Nigerian youths.
The National President of AYCF, Zaid Ayuba, said the delay in organising the confab was disappointing and showed Tinubu’s lack of interest in youth development.
“We express our profound disappointment with the government’s inability to organise the much-anticipated national youth conference.
“Our disappointment stems from two key points. First, in an ideal society, a statement or directive from the president should automatically translate into executive action, reflecting the government’s commitment to follow through.
“The President’s announcement of such a conference was an opportunity for all Nigerians to witness a decisive mandate to bring it to fruition. However, this failed to materialise at a critical time, which deeply disheartened us.
“Second, as representatives of Nigeria’s largest demographic—the youth—we viewed this conference as a platform to present innovative ideas and solutions for the nation’s progress. It was supposed to be an avenue where the voices of young Nigerians could be amplified. Unfortunately, the conference did not happen, leaving us disappointed and marginalised.
“While we are disheartened by this missed opportunity, we remain hopeful. We call on the president to prioritise organising this critical National League Conference as the first major event of 2025,” Ayuba said.
On his part, the President of the Yoruba Youths Council, Eric Oluwole, lamented what he called the continued neglect of youths by the Tinubu administration.
“I can say categorically that Nigerian youths are not happy with Tinubu on the delay in organising the national youth conference as proposed by him. It was our belief that the confab would hold as early as possible but when you look at the whole thing now, it is like they have forgotten about it and the conference might no longer hold.
“We are already planning a meeting of Nigerian youths to remind the Federal Government that we are not going to relent until we achieve our goal, because we believe that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow. We also have the power to decide the country’s political future.
“One of our major demands is youth inclusion in governance because we make up 70 per cent of the country’s population and there is no way the government can sideline youths while making important policy decisions,” Oluwole said.
The spokesperson for Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, said Tinubu’s lack of action on the proposed confab undermined his administration’s credibility and integrity.
Ogbonnia said, “The youth confab is to the advantage of the President and shouldn’t be delayed any further because it will enable the President to know the yearnings of the youth. It is very important for the confab to hold.”
Also speaking, the National Publicity Secretary of Ijaw National Congress, Ezonebi Oyekemeagbegha, warned that Tinubu’s inaction on the confab could lead to disengagement and apathy among the country’s youths.
He urged the presidency to provide updates and a concrete timeline for the conference, insisting that the confab was necessary for addressing the escalating unemployment rate, brain drain, and rising social unrest among young people.
Oyekemeagbegha said, “It is good that whenever our leaders, particularly the President, make a promise; he must make conscious efforts to fulfill it. It is unfortunate that the confab is yet to be held. We expect that the President should have met with the youth, particularly this time when there is a lot of hardship and there is a need for the President to meet with the youth and other stakeholders in resolving some of the challenges confronting the country.”
The Secretary of the Democratic Socialist Movement, Peluola Adewale, described the conference as a “diversionary tactic” by Tinubu to placate youths during the #EndBadGovernance protest.
“It (confab) was a charade ab initio. The Tinubu government was never sincere about it. It was meant to bribe a section of young people at the period of an upswing in the #EndBadGovernance movement. At present, there is a seeming lull in the struggle, though the mass anger is still highly intense.
“So, the government apparently doesn’t see an immediate need for the youth conference at the moment. I think it is instructive to say that given the intensification of anti-poor policies, the growing impoverishment of ordinary people and the associated mass anger, another mass struggle may break out again.
“This is in spite of the vicious attack on democratic rights and repression of dissent by the Tinubu government. No youth conference will prevent it. In any case, the youth conference is a sheer waste of public resources and another avenue for looting of public funds,” Adewale said.
FG fixes February 2025
Responding to enquiries by Sunday PUNCH, the Federal Government said it plans to begin the month-long conference in February 2025.
The Minister of Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande, said delegates would only converge on the FCT, Abuja, for one week after spending three weeks engaging youths at the grassroots.
“We will do the confab by the first week of February. It is not going to be the usual confab. That is why about three weeks of this confab will be spent with the grassroots,” said Olawande, who added that President Bola Tinubu would inaugurate selected delegates by mid-January.
While providing updates on preparations for the confab on Saturday, the youth minister said the event would not be a time to “talk and spend money.”
“We have changed the idea. The President has given us the go-ahead to come up with something more action-oriented, and after clarifying it with the Chief of Staff and getting his input, we will announce the modalities before the year (2024) ends.
“We will announce the committees. We’ll hit the ground running by mid-January or the last week of January. We will nominate representatives from each ministry and agency to collaborate with the delegates.
“We will announce those people; the President will approve and inaugurate them, and we will do the confab properly by the first week of February. I can assure you that we are going to the grassroots.”
He noted that the 30-day event would allocate two weeks to engagement in federal constituencies, followed by one week in states and local government areas.
The final week will involve a convergence on Abuja, where all findings and progress will be reviewed and discussed to formulate actionable steps.
Reflecting on previous conferences, such as the 2014 confab, he emphasised the need for a fresh and result-oriented approach to avoid repeating mistakes that yielded minimal results.
“This period, we have been looking at what has been done and how we can do things differently and better. That is why we are taking our time because we want results.
“As of now, we are setting up committees and giving them templates. We need to go back to where the challenges are the grassroots. We will not have the same people in various youth organisations who have always been there for a long time and just recruit them for the confab. We don’t think that is the right step this time around.”
In October, Olawande, then Minister of State for Youth Development, had said the Federal Government would set up a task force to implement the recommendations of the youth confab.
He argued that the task force was necessary to help concretise the recommendations into executive orders or bills to be transmitted to the National Assembly.
“We will still ask the President to give us an implementation task force so that when we need to do an executive order, we can put it up immediately. Those (recommendations) that need to go to the National Assembly, we can take it off, and we will start having this as quickly as possible. So, it’s a done deal,” Olawande noted.
He revealed that although the initial brief submitted to the President proposed four days for the dialogue, Tinubu recommended one month instead after listening to their plan to bring youths together for a dialogue.
“We are preparing to roll out things very soon with all stakeholders involved, which the President has consented to,” Olawande stated.
Reacting, the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Lucky Emonefe, urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the planned conference.
He noted that part of the demands NANS would be presenting at the confab was increased youth participation in government, insisting that at least half of all public leadership and decision-making positions must be held by young people.
“We never expected that the conference would take this long. This youth confab and engagement with the youth is very important. We urge the minister of youth to please expedite action. Mr. President should put action to his words to ensure that the conference takes place because it is an opportunity for Nigerian youths to express their mind, their challenges and demands.
“We want a situation whereby like 50 per cent of government position would be occupied by youths so that we can attend to the needs of the youth,” Emonefe said.
The overall best-graduating student in the 2023/2024 academic session of Wesley University, Ondo, Miss Ifeoluwa Mercy Adeyemi, has shared the reasons behind her remarkable achievement.
In an interview during the institution’s 13th convocation ceremony in Ondo town, Adeyemi revealed that she intentionally chose not to have a boyfriend throughout her four-year course to avoid distractions.
The 19-year-old, who graduated with a degree in microbiology, achieved a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.97.
According to her, having a boyfriend during her undergraduate studies would have detracted from her academic focus.
She stated that her primary motivation was to make her parents proud during her academic journey. “Well, I had actually discussed this matter with several other people, and they told me that it depends on your own perspective”, she narrated.
“But for me, I see it as a distraction because I cannot divide my mind.
“A boyfriend might be demanding my attention, which would prevent me from putting my total effort into my books”.
Adeyemi emphasized that although she had no intention of having a boyfriend at the moment, she was open to the idea at the right time.
Her drive to please her parents played a significant role in her success.
“At first, I have parents that I cannot disappoint. So this is one thing that keeps coming to my mind. Anytime I found distractions, I would remind myself: your parents are out there, and you need to make them proud,” she said.
Additionally, Adeyemi expressed her ambition to make an impact in the health sector.
Her words: “I want to solve problems in this world, especially in the health sector. And I have to put more effort into understanding this course, microbiology, because it deals with microorganisms, which are central to diseases and health.
“So I need to focus on it and make my parents proud.”
Looking ahead, Adeyemi plans to further her education with a master’s degree and eventually a Ph.D., aiming to become a researcher.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Wesley University, Prof. Sunday Samuel Obeka, announced that 39 students graduated with First Class Honours out of a total of 230 graduating students.
He highlighted the university’s commitment to holistic education, rooted in the Wesleyan tradition, which emphasizes intellectual sharpness, character cultivation, and preparation for community service and self-reliance.
Obeka added that the institution had achieved significant milestones, including strategic partnerships and curriculum reviews, strengthening its position as a leading educational establishment in the country.
He emphasized the need for the government to support private universities’ medical colleges, such as Wesley University’s growing offerings in health sciences, to address the shortage of health workers in the country.
Sir Demola Aladekomo delivered the convocation lecture while Pastor Sunday Ogwuche was the guest speaker.
The Chancellor, Senior Pastor Paul Enenche, presented each of the First Class graduates with ¦ 100,000.
In his address, Enenche encouraged the graduates, marking the beginning of great achievements in their lives.
A three-day spiritual crusade led by the guest speaker, Ogwuche, themed, ‘Wesleyan Heritage: A Panacea for Physical, Social & Spiritual Growth,’ was also part of the convocation ceremony. Ogwuche emphasized the importance of embracing their new identities as change-makers in society.
During the event, Olori Comfort Kiladejo, the wife of the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba (Dr.) Victor Kiladejo, was honored with an honorary degree in Entrepreneurship and Humanitarian Service.
[Vanguard]
Mohammed Idris: Nigeria’s tax system long overdue for reforms | Citizens will reap benefits of all sacrifices
Admin
Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, says Nigeria’s tax administration system is long overdue for reforms.
Speaking at the 2024 annual general meeting (AGM) and public lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Kaduna chapter, on Saturday, Idris said the nation’s tax administration system has become long overdue for reforms.
On October 3, Tinubu presented four tax reform bills to the national assembly for deliberation and passage.
The bills, which have passed the second senate reading, are the Nigeria tax bill, the Nigeria tax administration bill, the Nigeria revenue service establishment bill, and the joint revenue board establishment bill.
“All over the world, effective taxation is important as a source of financial power for governments to provide social services for their citizens,” the minister said.
“Society advances by mutually respectful engagements, where we give voice to diverse opinions and respect those who we disagree with. We will certainly not always agree on all issues, perhaps not even on most.
“But we will always be guided by the fact that the things that unite us—our common humanity, our nationhood, our sense of patriotism, and our collective vision for a Nigeria that works for all—will always be more important and more meaningful than our differences of age, religion, region, ideology, gender, culture, and social class.
“All over the world, effective taxation is important as a source of financial power for governments to provide social services for their citizens.
“However, there is plenty of reason to believe and assert that Nigeria’s tax administration system has become long overdue for reforms, on account of design and implementation flaws as well as the general attitudes of taxpayers toward taxation.
“It is very inspiring and heartwarming to see Nigerians from all walks of life coming out to express their views and opinions on these matters of critical national importance.”
The minister assured that “President Bola Tinubu has also been very clear that the executive will listen to and work with all stakeholders to ensure that all concerns are duly and comprehensively addressed”.
“We will continue to ensure open lines of communication and engagement with the national assembly and all other stakeholders on these taxation bills,” he added.
“We are all in this together, as one people, one nation, and just as we are being called upon to make collective sacrifices, we will also collectively reap the abundant social and economic benefits of all of these necessary reforms.”
[TheCable]