The Presidency on Saturday said it has received the memo from the Spokesman for the President, Ajuri Ngelale, to proceeded on an indefinite leave of absence due to personal and health-related reasons.
This was disclosed in a statement shared on the X handle of the Presidency, @NGRPresident, and that of the Nigerian Television Authority, @NTANewsNow, on Saturday night.
Unlike previous statements by the Presidency, it was not signed by any official as it simply indicated “The Presidency” as the signatory.
It read in part,“The President has received the memo from Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President as well as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, informing of his decision to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence for personal and health reasons.”
Ajuri had earlier announced his decision to step down from his roles within the Presidency citing family related reasons.
In the statement, the President Bola Tinubu extended his heartfelt prayers to Ngelale and his family, wishing him a swift recovery and a complete return to good health.
The President also took the opportunity to acknowledge Ngelale’s tireless service to the nation, especially his remarkable contributions in advancing national discourse and spearheading critical initiatives such as climate action.
“The President recognizes Chief Ngelale’s dedication and thanks him for his efforts in various capacities,” the statement read
The Presidency further requested that the privacy of Ngelale and his family be respected during this challenging period.
Ngelale was appointed as Tinubu’s spokesman on July 31, 2023.
On 19 May 2024, was the first Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
[Punch]
Todsy, the Super Eagles of Nigeria play against the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in one of the group qualification matches for the African Cup of Nations 2015.
The match will be played on home ground in Uyo, the only venue approved by FIFA as suitable for Nigeria’s Grade A international football matches. That speaks volumes.
Uyo is a venue with excellent facilities but that holds mixed fortunes for the national team. The beautiful modern city in the heart of Nigeria’s remaining rainforest area has hosted as many matches that have been lost as have also been won. It is a home ground that does not play out as one. Gone are the days when the home ground of the national team was described as ‘an abbatoir’ where visiting teams are ‘slaughtered’ on the hallowed turf of the ‘main-bowl’.
The Uyo Township Stadium is seen these days, particularly by visiting teams, as a neutral ground where they can come and stretch the patience of fanatical Nigerian fans. They do not fear coming there to play anymore. The myth of Nigeria’s invincibility at home has been broken, so, winning for the Super Eagles has become psychologically more difficult.
So, as they line out today, for the first time ever, Nigerians lack the usual confidence that their beloved Super Eagles will trounce the Cheetahs, a team that was Nigeria’s whipping boy for all the decades since football between both nations began. It used to be unthinkable that Nigeria could ever lose a football match to Benin Republic. If things were done correctly by Nigerian football administrators, both teams should never belong to the same planet of football. Haba.
Even today, the Cheetahs parade Nigerian players that fail to make the cut of the third-eleven of the Nigerian national team, yet they only have to stroll across the border at Seme, simply and easily change their nationality, and start to play for Benin Republic. These are some of the players that now constitute a real threat to the Super Eagles. This Saturday, they are coming, led by an aggrieved foreign coach, to attempt to terminate Nigeria’s shaky march to Morocco 2025.
The Cheetahs have become a real threat to Nigeria’s ambitions.
The Cheetahs are led by a man with an axe to grind with Nigeria. Gernot Rohr, a German, handled the Super Eagles longer than any coach since Clemens Westerhof in Nigeria’s football history.
At the end of his last contract, for not winning anything and for his team not being convincingly impressive. His contract was not renewed. He left angrily. A segment of the Nigerian media, particularly one suspiciously benefitting from his generosity or presence, somehow, supported and promoted his re-engagement by the Nigerian Football Federation and failed. Meanwhile, the NFF were under pressure from the people to win anything, even pako (wood), but they failed to do so. Reason prevailed, however, and Gernot Rohr was asked to leave. Since then, Rohr has been on a revenge mission.
The elements must have been enjoying the drama and stretched it further with the present plot where a once-rejected coach lies in the other path of Nigeria’s qualification.
He has won Round One on neutral ground in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire in a humiliating and convincing defeat of the former ‘giant’ of African football, a team that has diminished in stature and reputation and become vulnerable on home ground, threatened by all teams now, small or big, in African football.
Some analysts credit former minnows in Africa football with developing their football and earning their new place as worthy challengers on the continent. My truth, however, is that it is Nigeria’s decline at all levels of development (excluding female football), and a reflection of the state of the country itself.
The Super Eagles have lost the stronger feathers in their wings!
AFCON 2023, for a period of one month, showed glimpses of interesting possibilities and potential for greatness, but since then, the team has returned to their flightless nature of the past decade.
So, as the match today approaches, sadly, Nigerians are not brimming with their usual confidence. And that includes me. That’s why, also, the build-up to the match has been ‘humble’ and uninspiring. Expectations have been limited. This is reflected even in the team’s build up.
Without a coach until one week ago, the composition of the Super Eagles, as team of players, has not changed significantly from the team that inspired Nigerians at AFCON 2023, and dampened their spirit since then.
More or less, the same set of players are back in it. Captain William Troost-Ekong has fully recovered from a major injury and surgery, but has not played for the national team since February.
Africa’s current Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, did not play the last set of matches with the Super Eaglesincluding the one against Benin Republic. His state of mind will be a big factor in his performance. It may either weigh him down, or be a source of challenge to prove that his absence was a factor in Nigeria’s loss. He has also been embroiled in several controversies, all of them psychologically dampening. These include his spat with the last coach of the Super Eagles, Finidi George, issues with his coach at Napoli, and issues around his end-of-season transfer saga, a very poor advertisement for his management, and a huge distraction for any meaningful preparation for this match in Uyo.
Victor is the last player to arrive at the Uyo camp with only 24 hours to train with the team for the first time since February. To start him in the line-up will even be a big gamble for coach Eguavoen who is handling the team without earning the right to do so.
Until a few days ago, the team did not have a preferred coach. In fact the team has not had a permanent coach since the team’s relative success at AFCON in February. In the period after then till now, there have been 3 different unsuccessful coaches that handled the team, including the man now saddled once again to do so on a temporary basis for the next two matches over a period of one week.
I feel sorry for Augustine Eguavoen. He is making his 4th appearance at the helm. Yet, he fails till now to secure the people’s confidence. He could neither negotiate nor reject an assignment that is laden with ‘poison’.
Should he ‘fail’ again, he would surely carry the can of responsibility. Should he succeed, his employers are already searching for a foreign successor. So, he has little motivation beyond self to deliver victory.
Finally, he is saddled with assistants that are untested ‘rookies’ in international football. How will the megastars in Super Eagles relate with these local handlers without their level of exposure and experience in playing or even coaching?
That’s the setting for the match this weekend in Uyo.
For once, I shall join in the night vigil for the Super Eagles.
I hope that, somehow, they find the motivation, inspiration and good fortune to inject some rhythm into their game, play with patience, be clinical in front of goal when the rare chances come their way, and win this match for all Nigerians.
Victory will provide a launch pad for hope and better performances ahead for the rest of their campaigns for qualification for AFCON 2025, and the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
I wish the Super Eagles the best of luck today.
Mr Bonu Solomon, the lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency 1, Lagos State House of Assembly, has appealed to residents of Badagry communities to pay their electricity bills regularly.
Solomon appealed shortly after the restoration of the electricity supply to some communities in Badagry after almost two years of disconnection from the national grid.
He urged the residents of the affected communities to always pay their bills to avoid being disconnected again.
“We give thanks to God as EKEDC has successfully energised and illuminated our communities.
“I encourage all residents to acquire prepaid meters to prevent future complications.
“Prompt payment of electricity bills will guarantee a steady and reliable power supply directly to your homes,” he said.
Solomon commended the residents for allowing peace to reign in the communities during the outage.
“I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the community for choosing peace and allowing us to resolve this issue harmoniously.
“I am grateful for the trust and support you have shown me.
“Please ensure timely payment of your bills to enjoy uninterrupted electricity services,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on May 9, some Badagry communities had lamented the prolonged power outage of over 18 months in the area by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).
The communities affected by the outage include Jegba Quarters, Posikoh, Huntoh, Farakoh, Igbaho and Awahjigoh.
Mr Arowolo Lukuman, the Chairman of the Electricity Committee of the area, said the outage, which occurred on Oct. 22, 2022, was due to a fault on a transformer.
He said the outage had paralysed the economic and social activities of their communities.
[Vanguard]
‘We’re going to provide you with insecurity’ — Monday Okpebholo goofs during Edo guber campaign
Admin
Less than 24 hours after he made headlines for a controversial statement, Monday Okpebholo is back in the news again — for a not-so-good reason.
During his campaign rally at Ovia-north LGA on Thursday, the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate for the Edo governorship election goofed while addressing the crowd.
“We’re going to provide you with insecurity,” Okpebholo said in video clips now making the rounds on social media.
Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo-north and former governor of the state, who was standing beside Okpebholo on the podium, was seen signaling to him, after which the candidate corrected himself.
“We are going to provide you with security; we are going to fight insecurity,” he then said.
“We’re going to make sure that the evil ones are out of our land. This land does not belong to kidnappers.”
On Friday, video clips of Okpebholo saying he would repair interstate roads and claim double the amount from the federal government if elected surfaced online.
The governorship election is scheduled for September 21, and Okpebholo is up against Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) and 14 other candidates.
[TheCable]
Fuel Hike: Nigeria’s Poverty Rate Will Surpass World bank 104 Million Estimate Soon – Economist
AFOLABI
Following the recent increase in the pump price of petrol and the prevailing food supply challenges gripping the country, economists have warned that the number of Nigerians below the poverty line may soon exceed the 104 million projected by the World Bank in 2023.
The global bank had said the poverty rate in the country increased to 46 per cent in 2023 representing 104 million poor Nigerians.
Disclosing this in its Nigeria development update, titled, ‘Turning the Corner: From Reforms & Renewed Hope, to Results’, released in December last year, the World Bank said Nigeria’s poverty rate had risen from 40 per cent in 2018 to 46 per cent, as the number of poor people increased from 79 million to 104 million.
“Sluggish growth and rising inflation have increased poverty from 40 per cent in 2018 to 46 per cent in 2023, pushing an additional 24 million people below the national poverty line,” the World Bank said.
The report said the number of poor people in urban areas — more exposed to inflation — increased from 13 million to 20 million, while the number of poor people in rural areas rose to 84 million from 67 million within the same period.
The World Bank had predicted that the increase in poverty rate would be undone by the economic reforms 
of President Bola Tinubu from the beginning of 2024 till 2026.
But speaking with Saturday PUNCH on Thursday, some economists said the policies and policy decisions of the current administration with the latest being the fuel price increase would definitely increase 
the number of poor Nigerians beyond the World Bank estimates because the salaries of most people had remained stagnated despite the surging inflationary trend.
A professor of Development Economics, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Taiwo Owoeye, said with the way the fuel price hike had jerked up transportation costs, prices of basic commodities of the poor people would worsen the inflationary pressures. 
He said that with a 45 per cent hike, the new fuel price would have ripple effects on every aspect of the economy.
According to him, there has not been an onward increase in the salaries of workers, because while most states have yet to implement the N70,000 minimum wage, more Nigerians may find themselves in poverty very soon.
“Definitely, it will push more Nigerians into poverty. It is a 45 per cent increase in the price of fuel and that will affect other aspects of the economy. So, it will definitely put a lot of people below the poverty line,” he said.
Also in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, an agricultural economist from the Centre for Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Tobi Awolope, said the latest fuel price hike would worsen the misery already afflicting the poor people in the aspect of food crisis. 
When asked whether the recent fuel price hike and other related factors will jerk up the number of poor Nigerians to over 100 million, she said, “It’s very possible. Aside from the fuel price increase, there has been an irregular pattern of rainfall and climate change does have a long-term effect.”
The Edo State Government has announced an indefinite postponement of resumption of all schools in the state over the hike in fuel price.
The government announced this in a memo signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Ojo Akin-Longe, in Benin on Saturday.
The permanent secretary said the resumption, scheduled for September 9, was postponed until further notice.
“The Edo State Government hereby announces the postponement of the resumption of all public and private schools in Edo State, originally scheduled for Monday, 9th September 2024, until further notice.
“An official statement from the government has directed that schools remain closed due to the tension arising from the recent increase in fuel prices and the challenges faced by parents and guardians.
“The government urges parents, guardians, and caregivers to monitor the activities of their children and wards closely, given the current situation and the rising tension caused by the fuel price hike,” the memo read.
An erstwhile National Vice Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Salihu Lukman, has alleged that the APC and the duo of former President Muhammadu Buhari and incumbent President Bola Tinubu ruined the country.
Lukman, who said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, also stressed that 2027 presents a golden opportunity to replace them.
The former APC stalwart noted that it would not be enough to merely replace the APC, adding that Nigerians have to work hard to entrench a system whereby the new political party that would produce the next leaders, has the power to put elected officials in check.
He lamented that the current crop of leading opposition politicians are working at cross-purposes as they are each focused on their presidential ambitions, rather than subsuming their narrow interests under the broader national interest of rescuing the nation from the vice-grip of current political hawks.
According to him, unknown to key political opposition leaders, the strength or confidence of President Tinubu is derived from their inability to open themselves and honestly commence negotiations to build a united front ahead of 2027.
He said key opposition political leaders like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi and Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have paid their dues and are still actively nursing ambitions to become President, even though they were Presidential candidates in the 2023 election.
Lukman said while the opposition leaders all agree that the performance of President Tinubu in the last year since his assumption of office has been disastrous, unfortunately, their agreement falls short of making them accept to work together towards building a common platform, capable of mobilizing and uniting Nigerians towards defeating President Tinubu and APC in 2027.
He said it is quite worrisome that notwithstanding the dangers before the nation, key opposition leaders believe in a business-as-usual approach to politics whereby the most important thing in politics is the management of their ambitions to become President.
Lukman said; “At this point, it is important to appeal to our key opposition leaders to wake up and try to be compassionate and appreciate the gravity of the dire situation facing citizens.
“The big question is whether, on account of personal ambitions, we want to continue to mismanage our reality and sacrifice every opportunity, which ideally a democratic system offers.
“The opportunity that the democratic system offers is that any government, which fails its citizens should be voted out. No doubt, by any standard, both President Tinubu and APC have failed Nigerians. It is quite disheartening that a party, which came with all the promises of changing Nigeria for the better has ended up ruining the country.
“From the economy to problems of insecurity and corruption, which were the three cardinal challenges APC and former President Muhammadu Buhari promised to tackle in 2015, what we had in 2015 is a child’s play today.
“The hard truth is that both former President Buhari and President Tinubu have turned out to be self-centred and unable to produce the needed leadership to pull the country out of its current challenges.
“Certainly, all of us who were actively in support of these leaders never imagined that they would be such colossal failures.”
Popular movie producer and actor, Chris Bassey, has left the Nigerian entertainment industry for plumbing work.
Chris made this known while sharing insights into his new life in Canada.
Speaking during a live chat with Daddy Freeze on Instagram, he emphasized that his new career pays better than tech jobs and also gives him a more relaxed lifestyle.
Daddy Freeze asked: “I know you as a producer and actor, what career are you into this Yankee?”
Bassey replied: “I’m into construction here.”
Daddy Freeze who was surprised by the development, however questioned the actor’s transition despite his fame.
Bassey said in pidgin: “In the last seven months, the province I have visited just on weekends in Canada, even person wey dey do tech no fit afford am.
"For here, I don’t know about the UK or US.”
Watch the video below:
The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has warned the federal government not to take Nigerians for granted.
The President-General of the forum, Yerima Shettima stated this while reacting to the hike in the price of fuel.
Speaking to newsmen, he lamented that it seemed like the current government may have lost touch with the current realities of what Nigerians were going through.
According to him, it was unfortunate for the same government that appealed to Nigerians not to embark on protests with the promise to make life better to wake up all of a sudden to add to the pains of its people.
He said, “The price of foodstuff is no longer within the reach of an ordinary Nigerian and is now clear that the increase in minimum wage to N70,000 is nothing but a deceit,” stressing that it cannot meet the needs of one person not to talk of a family.
“For me, the federal government should have a rethink on the numerous challenges.
“President Bola Tinubu must allow Nigerians to breathe because with the situation of things now, angry and hungry Nigerians are further being pushed to the wall and the reaction of a hungry and angry person may be unimaginable.”
He then called on the government to live up to its responsibilities and let Nigerians feel the positive impact of the ‘renewed hope agenda’ by making life and living better for Nigerians.
Shettima noted that the sudden increase in the price of petrol had already created a multiplier effect on prices of not only foodstuffs but in several other areas such as transportation.
Newly crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Vannesa Adetshina, has expressed her emotions about her recent struggles in South Africa.
Recall that she withdrew from the Miss South Africa competition due to controversies that trailed the nationality and allegations of identity theft leveled against her mother by the South Africa’s Home Affairs.
Chidinma revealed in an interview that she faced rejection from South Africans who felt she didn’t belong there due to her name.
She added that the experience was challenging for her, as she further highlighted issues of identity and acceptance in different cultural contexts.
“South Africans felt like I was not South African enough because of my name and it was really hard to see.
“It was a very horrible experience, and I would not wish it on anybody because I have lived there for 23 years.
“ It is heartbreaking to see that I was not welcomed and accepted”, she said.
When asked about the allegations of identity theft levelled against her mum, the beauty queen declined to comment on the issue.
“There were some statements that came out from Home Affairs with regard to my mom’s ID as well, and that is still a legal matter so I won’t comment on it.
“What I do know is that I was born in South Africa, and I am still South African, and I am still proudly Nigerian”, she said.
[Leadership]
More...
Nigerian Singer, Korede Bello, offered reasons why he left the Marvins Record label in 2021.
The “God win” crooner offered the explanation on why he left the record label owned by Don Jazzy in an interview on Hip TV.
Bello, who joined the Don Jazzy-led Marvins Records in 2014, said: “I was at a season in my life where I needed to metamorphose, to explore my inner worth, do introspection, understand myself, understand meaning more, and reconnect to my why.
“Because I was at a stage where I started to feel like a product that is just there (at Mavins Records) to make money.
“You lose sight of what matters when you chase after the next hit, after the next whatever it is that can get you into conversations.
“So a lot of artists are addicted to that cycle.”
[EagleOnline]
Benson Upah is the spokesperson for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). In this interview with Weekend Trust, he expressed concern that the price of fuel may increase to N5,000 per litre. He added that the recent increase runs contrary to the agreement the union reached with the federal government.
During the week, the price of petrol went up again. What will the NLC do about it?
We are planning to have a meeting with the appropriate organs of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). Those organs will take the decisions. We will take decisions that we believe would be in the best interest of our members and possibly, this country.
Not to pre-empt the outcome of the meeting, what should Nigerians expect?
It will be difficult for me to preempt what the NLC will do because the organ has a very large membership. Let me use the example of the National Executive Council of the NLC; it comprises the president, general secretaries and treasurers of all affiliate unions.
It also comprises state chairmen and secretaries of the state councils of the 36 states and the FCT, as well as members of the National Executive Council of the NLC. So, you can see it is a big family. In the absence of a delegates’ conference, it is the highest organ making body of the congress. So, there will be multiple ideas coming in; you know, we usually have robust debates. We look at issues and the implications from multiple perspectives. I will not be able to preempt the direction for you.
Nonetheless, the mood, I can tell you, is that of anger and I want to say that it is not only within the Nigerian Labour Congress that you have anger. Virtually every Nigerian is angry, except that first one per cent that is maintained by the state. You know, that one per cent has everything; we give them everything, those are the only ones who are not complaining. Every other Nigerian is complaining. So, our mood is reflective of the general mood of the country.
Recently, the president of the NLC said President Tinubu betrayed the union, can you elaborate more on this?
After the announcement, the next day, a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media, Mr Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, said we were lying and there was no agreement. We want to reiterate that we feel betrayed by the present increase in the pump price of petroleum products.
One, when Mr. President called for the negotiation, recall that we were stuck at N62,000 and he made two offers; the first was to agree on the N250,000 we recommended while the price of PMS will rise to N1,500 or N2,000 or he will pay N62,000 and the status quo remains. He told us we had a few hours to consult. The labour leaders did not take the bait, rather we asked to be given more time and later requested at least one week to consult outside the Villa. At the end of that one week, the Presidency met again and the labour leaders unambiguously said we would not accept the offer of N250,000.
This was out of consideration for the well-being of the average Nigerian, because we said ‘what would be the effect of this on the ordinary person?’
To keep this brief, the president acted in breach of his promise to labour leaders and he knows the truth. But let us even look at this matter; what has happened goes beyond the parameters of minimum wage and negotiation. It negatively affects the generality of Nigerians. Since the first wave of price increase, occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023, Nigerians have been trying to reorder their lives to accept the fate they never bargained for.
Coming to terms with 500 per cent hike in cost of education, transportation, food and everything else is not easy. At a time they were just trying to adjust to the new normal, you introduce another shock. So, what we have now is uncertainty; we have moved from pain to uncertainty. In fact, this matter goes beyond the logic and philosophy of our national minimum wage.
When the president mentioned that fuel price will increase to N2,000, one of the labour leaders interjected him and said, ‘Sir, you have removed fuel subsidy, so which other thing are you removing again?’ Remember, the subsidy was removed and prices were stabilised. So, how many times are you removing subsidy, that you have removed? Subsidy was never restored at any point in time as they claimed. So, what will inform moving the pump price of PMS from N650 to N1,500 or N2,000?
I want to tell you something, what this signals is that Nigerians have not seen the end yet, we may end up paying nothing less than N5,000 per liter for fuel in this country. We hope not to get there but if we get there, the decision will be left to Nigerians.
Can the president justify the increase from N650 to N1,000 vis-à-vis the current minimum wage?
I would have said let the president answer that question, but clearly, there is no correlation between the national minimum wage and what he has done. In fact, at the time we demanded N615,000 as the national minimum wage, we broke it down to say N40,000 for rent, N20,000 for food for a family of six. Our permutations were based on a family of six, a husband, wife and four children. We were able to justify that.
We were patriotic enough by coming down to N250,000. But of course, even at that, you saw what the president did. He gave us the devil’s alternatives to choose from and we chose the one we felt was going to be less injurious to Nigerians, believing that he will keep his word but barely a month after, he violated it.
What is the status of the minimum wage, has the federal government commenced payment?
Only one state has started paying and it is Adamawa. We commend the governor for the spirit. But of course, while the process of negotiation was going on, the Edo State governor paid N70,000, with a promise to pay more if the minimum wage was to be resolved to something higher. Lagos paid N70,000. Other than this, I am not aware that other states have started paying, though committees have been put together to work out consequential adjustments to enable them commence payment.
I must tell you; governments are very rich now. What they declare and share from the federation account used to be N700bn, which has since moved to N1.3trn. That is what they declare and it does not include the ones they keep aside and pass under the table. With all of that, have you seen any improvement in the quality of the life of Nigerians? There has been no commensurate improvement, rather what we have been getting is pain, penury and trauma.
What do you think will happen to the other promises the government made; like the CNG buses and other incentives they promised after removing the subsidy in the first instance?
We do not expect much from those promises. How many CNG buses have you seen as an individual? At the time those promises were made, we were also meeting with Innoson Motors, a local brand. We were also in discussion with a reliable foreign firm that makes CNG buses, Yutong, in China. They said they were ready. They assured us they will provide facilities to offer Nigerians soft loans to convert to CNG. At that time, the government said it would cost N800,000 to do it but these people were ready to do it at N250,000.
These facts were made available to the government, yet nothing happened and those conversations fizzled into thin air. So, compare that with what General Ibrahim Babangida did, when he made his own increment. IBB ensured that every state government had a transport company and even labour had a transport company known as Labour Transport Company. It was by virtue of what IBB did, trying to manage the effects of the minimal change when he did his own increase. It was even a minor increase that IBB did compared to what we are now seeing. So, he was prepared and there was no noticeable side effect.
Also, Abacha introduced PTDF, chaired by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. The impact of PTDF was cross-sector, including providing exercise books. Clearly, our military leaders were better prepared than what we are witnessing today because they anticipated the effects and they were prepared for them.
The president announced that subsidy was gone and did not think of what will be the consequential effects of this policy pronouncement.
The Nigerian government and some other persons believe the current economic challenges are pains Nigerians have to bear for a better tomorrow, what do you have to say to that?
They are insulting our collective intelligence. Those who make such comments are not competent to do so because they are isolated from the pains we bear. The National Council of State passed a vote of confidence on the president the other day, all of them are on subsidy. Let me say this, all of them don’t pay for petrol; they don’t pay for light. We did say that they were not competent to pass any vote of confidence. It is Nigerians; those who face this heat that are competent to pass a vote of confidence.
Those that say we should bear the pains should be jailed or shot. For how long are we supposed to continue like this? This situation has gotten to a point where our yesterday is always better than our today.
I keep telling people who say Buhari was the worst that they are joking. For us at Labour, we found Buhari very accommodating. He did everything humanly possible to ensure that life was stable and good. When he came in, he gave money to the states to pay the backlog of salaries and pensions but it was diverted. He made other interventions to avoid the insane increases.
If you ask those same people now, they will tell you that the Buhari administration was very good. We are talking about less than two years ago. Before Buhari came, it was Jonathan. We said Jonathan had messed up this country, but now look at the indices and compare the exchange rate, the interest rate, the debt. So, we are in a situation where we are progressively getting worse.
Those people who say we need these pains should be shot, how much of these pains would they bear themselves? They can’t even bear one per cent of it. It is because they are isolated from this trauma; that is why they have the effrontery to say that we need the pain. We don’t need these pains. We don’t need the president who will come and complain. When this one first came, he said, ‘I asked for this job’. I was impressed by that, but later he said that these problems were caused by his predecessor. When any leader begins to talk like that, that leader has come to the end of the road in terms of ideas.
[DailyTrust]
A member of the House of Representatives, representing Ideato North South Federal Constituency, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo) has said that no congress of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was held in Rivers State at the weekend.
Ugochinyere said, rather the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike held a party with his friends, under the guise of a party congress.
The main opposition party’s state congresses, took place at the weekend, and was marred by complaints from several states, including Rivers, Benue, Katsina, and Kogi.
In Rivers, the congress was held despite an existing court order preventing the process.
This has led to a dispute between the National Working Committee (NWC) that authorised the congress and the PDP Governors Forum, which asserted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara should remain the party leader in the state.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and his faction are also claiming control of the party structure after the congress that was boycotted by the state governor and his supporters.
But the PDP has stated that the process is subject to review by the party’s organs.
Ugochinyere, who is the spokesperson of G-60 federal lawmakers in the House of Representatives, in a statement on Saturday, described the supposed Congress held by the Wike faction as laughable and a jamboree.
According to the PDP chieftain, no PDP Congress was held in Rivers state, rather “Nyesom Wike out of desperation to look good before his dwindling followers who are losing confidence in him held an owambe party and called it state Congress.”
The lawmaker recalling the interim order stopping PDP from holding congresses in the state, said the party Wike conducted for him and his friends was an exercise in futility.
The statement reads, “Take it from me, there is no PDP state Congress yet in Rivers state.
“Wike out of desperation to look good before his dwindling followers who are losing confidence in him held an owambe party and called it state Congress.
“Recall that in July, a State High Court, holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and presided over by Justice Charles Wali had issued an interim order stopping PDP from holding congresses in the state.
“The court decision was clear and the Congress was stopped from holding and so if people out of desperation gather to hold a family or kindred meeting from their hideout under the guise of Congress, you can only but pity and laugh at their political frolicking caused by joblessness and desperate quest for power.
“Defying the court orders, some members of PDP hobnobbing with the APC reportedly made an attempt to pass off some family gatherings of their faction as PDP congress.
“The purported Congress is a nullity and an exercise in futility as there is still an existing valid order against any conduct of Congress in Rivers and in view of that, the purported Congress will be set aside as you can’t put something on nothing.”
[DailyPost]
Popular actress Omotola Jalade Ekeinde has addressed her intermittent absence from the Nollywood industry.
In a social media post, she revealed that she needed to take a break to relax, reflect and recharge.
Omotola, who started her acting career at 15, explained that working non-stop for decades led her to feel the need to unwind and revitalise.
She emphasised that taking time off is essential to maintaining her creative energy and passion for her craft.
“I know many Never understand why I take time off Movies for a few years then come back and do it again!
Lol..,I see fans asking when I’ll be back on screens but when you’ve been working since you were 15! like I have…
“You’ll do good to Relax, Relive, Relearn and Re-charge.,Who Understands & Who’s Following,” she wrote.
[TheNation]