Meta, owner of social media giant Facebook has announced plans for a text-based social network designed to compete with Twitter.

The Twitter-like platform would allow users to follow accounts they already follow on Instagram, Meta’s image-sharing app.

Also, it could potentially allow them to bring over followers from decentralised platforms such as Mastodon.

A Meta spokesperson, Chris Cox confirmed the platform was in development.

“We’re exploring a standalone decentralised social network for sharing text updates,” they said.

“We believe there’s an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests,” the Meta spokesperson told BBC.

Meta’s chief product officer said coding was under way on the platform.

The tech giant aims to release it soon, although no date was given. There is some speculation that it could be as early as the end of June.

Screenshots have appeared online which were shown internally to employees, potentially giving an idea of what the app will look like.

Sources within the company have told the BBC that these leaked screenshots are genuine. If they are, the layout of this new platform will be familiar to anyone who has spent time on Twitter.

The text-based network – which has a working title of P92 – could turn out to be a greater rival to Elon Musk’s Twitter than either BlueSky or Mastodon.

While both have attracted users disillusioned with Twitter, starting afresh on a new social network and rebuilding a community, is difficult.

But the Instagram community is enormous. Meta says it has around two billion users, which dwarfs the 300 million that are believed to use Twitter – although its figures can no longer be verified.

If even 25% of Instagram users can be coaxed into using P92 (it will undoubtedly have a sexier name when it launches), it will instantly become bigger than its older rival.

Meta says it takes “inspiration” from other products, although others put it less kindly – Stories on Facebook was based on a Snapchat feature, and Reels on Instagram is unmistakably similar to TikTok.

Twitter has come under scrutiny in recent months over moderation on the platform, and in May withdrew from the EU’s voluntary disinformation code.

Under Mr Musk, Twitter moderation has reportedly been reduced – which critics say allowed an increase in the spread of disinformation.

But Mr Musk says there is now “less misinformation rather than more” since he took over in October 2022.

1. Respected and Distinguished Nigerians of all positive colouration, retired public servants, military and civilians of the highest degrees, professional groups, Nigerian workers, civil society organisations, leaders of ethnic nationalities, traditional and religious leaders, youths including students Unions, women and other non-unionised bodies met at different times in 1994 and established NADECO, a broad based, nation-wide, non-partisan platform to reject the contemptuous, provocative and tyrannical annulment of the June 12, 1993 election which  most Nigerians and the international community considered to be the then  freest, most transparent presidential election in Nigeria and where Chief M. K. O. Abiola of the SDP defeated Alhaji Tofa of the NRC, on June 12, 1993. Also, the platform campaigned creditably for an immediate return to Federal Constitutional Governance/ National Restructuring along the Independent/Republic constitution.
2. NADECO stood up to the most violent, most brutal military despot in Nigeria’s history, Gen.Sani Abacha until he expired in 1998.Many leaders of the Pro-democracy movement were violated, incarcerated, brutalised, dehumanised,  hunted and hounded and in fact eliminated by the agents of the goggled general.
3. Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar organised a very short transition within a year but the military strong men forcibly enthroned their former boss and Commander In-Chief, Gen. Obasanjo as elected President. Obasanjo was reported to have deliberately perverted the election that brought in Governor Umar Musa Yar Adua as President thinking that Yar Adua would allow him to continue to govern by proxy.
4. But the gentleman that Yar Adua was admitted that the election that brought him to office was flawed and established the Justice Mohammed Uwais Election Reform Panel before he departed to the great beyond. The recommendations of that panel which were considered positively directed to making Nigerian election truly free, transparent, credible to meet international best practices have not been implemented except for making funding of the election umpire to be on the first charge.
5. President Jonathan was regarded by many as a lackluster politician with no visible political constituency and was dislodged by a convergence of dispirited groups in 2015.The beneficiary of that political scheming was another military strongman, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari.
6. The reality of the Nigerian political trajectory demonstrates vividly that the country has been administered on fire brigade approach by successive military strongmen who were politicians in military uniform. For example, the military in its first outing on January 15, 1966 spent 13 years before the aberration of Alhaji Shehu Shagari for four years.
7. Again, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari led an insurrection that toppled President Shagari on 31/12/1983 and the military even though changed bartons through a palace coup spent another 15 years making  the military rulers in uniform to have spent a total of 28 years.
8. To demonstrate their overall monopoly of political and economic powers in Nigeria, when the military was forced to return to the barrack as military rule was no more in vogue, the politicians in military uniform along with their retired bosses, used undue advantage acquired over their prolonged rulership to ensure that one of their former Military Rulers became the "elected president" in 1999 and repeated the same in 2015. (Gen. Obasanjo and Gen. Buhari).
9. Thus, the military in agbada has now spent 16years as the so called civilian rulers. A combination of the military rulership of Nigeria in uniform and mufti total up into 28+16 years ie 44years out of 62 post-independence of Nigeria.
10. There is no denying the fact that whenever and wherever the military conquers and or captures a geographic space, everything-human and material resources therein have become part of the spoil of war. Since Nigeria was captured on January 15, 1966, all of us including our democratic culture, value system, and ethos have become part of the military spoil of war.
11. The consequences of the prolonged military dictatorship include the fundamental fact that they have prevented the growth of democracy, democratisation, expansion and consolidation of democratic features and culture in Nigeria. Because over 65% of Nigerians are young people, most of them have never experienced democracy and its features. All that they have always known is the culture of military dictat/command structure. The CONCEPT OF POPULAR WILL IS ALIEN AND STRANGE TO THEM.
12. Nigerians never voted nor rejected our cherished Parliamentary System which proved to be much more responsible and responsive; cost effective, and not as destructively corrupt as the Executive Presidential System which the military imposed on the country through various subterfuge arrangements in 1979 & 1999 respectively. They preferred a military system type where powers flow from the top by the Commander-In-Chief to the subordinates below.
13. Again, the military abrogated, and substituted our cherished and negotiated federal constitution and replaced it with their various decrees which had unitarised all government policies and activities and which in turn has occasioned injustice, inequity, disregard for the rule of law and all kinds of discriminations.
14. All the giant strides recorded by our founding fathers in the First Republic had been significantly destroyed while all the hopes and aspirations of our people's at independence have been dashed by the politicians in military uniform who have staged insurrections against Alhaji Tafawa Balewa and Alhaji Shehu Shagari governments and even their fellow colleagues in arms.
15. NADECO therefore will expect President Tinubu to return Nigeria to the path of Federal Constitutional Governance upon which Nigeria secured her independence and which most Ethnic Nationalities Leaders, Civil Society bodies, Opinion leaders, e.t.c had vigorously campaigned for in the last 30 years at least.
16. This is because while we practiced federal constitution, there were spectacular and visible developments, by the regional and national governments. The economic policies lifted the people out of poverty and we were the envy of the black world and even our colonisers, Great Britain.
17. As an activist and pro-democracy leader, there can be no excuse to retain this unsustainable system that negates all known transparent, technological and value driven, modern governance. President Tinubu perhaps was brought to government by Providence, nay by God, to return Nigeria to the path of sanity where it would be able to establish a productive government that fastly lifts it's people out of prolonged misery and poverty, modernise its education system, and organise its agricultural endowments to meet the value chain necessities required in the modern world where agriculture is organised as a business.
18. NADECO therefore demands from President Tinubu to capture accurately the national mood and demands from his government to implement the report of Mallam Nasir El Rufai Panel which recommended that APC should fulfil its manifesto promise of returning Nigeria to Federal Constitutional Governance. POPULAR WILL IS GIVING PROMINENT RECOGNITION IN MODERN GOVERNANCE.
19. While a return to Federal Constitutional Governance will not immediately solve all the many infractions imposed by the military on our governance, most of the aberrations at the national and sub-national levels can be taken on board for resolutions. For example, the fear that States created whimsically to satisfy selfish interest of the military strongmen and their civilian friends and confederates will be reverted is unfounded. Mono Regions as you have in Germany, Canada, Belgium, e.t.c will determine what is best suited for their regions.
20. President Tinubu must be conscious of his place in history, timing is critical. Upgrading Socio-political and economic, infrastructural e.t.c are desirable and urgently needed considering our national endowment. But the most lasting and worthy legacy to pursue NOW AND VIGOROUSLY is to legally and constitutionally restore Nigeria back to federal constitutional governance which was the basis upon which the heterogeneous people's accepted to be part of project Nigeria. Otherwise, whatever he possibly believed he has accomplished can be reversed within hours, weeks, months or years by the new ruler. This system is unsustainable. Our President must govern to meet current challenges and what his legacy will be after he has completed his tour of duty.

SIGNED

NADECO

12/6/2023

Today is June 12, marked in our dear country as Democracy Day. It is a historic day that deserves to be celebrated.

On that day in 1993, we the people of Nigeria stated our unreserved preference for true democracy. Though under military rule, we freely chose a transparent voting method. Our votes reflected our true choice as a people. Our choice on that day defied divisions of ethnicity, religion, and region.
It is these qualities that added up to make June 12 special in our search for true democracy.
Our collective choice of late Chief M. K.O Abiola as a worthy leader for the nation was saluted by Nigerians and governments and people across the world.

Therefore, June 12 underpins our long collective journey to nationhood as a true democracy.

However, the current state of our politics tells a different story. Our democracy is deeply troubled while our nation’s destiny remains uncertain and precarious.

We remain a nation in search of solutions to too many basic problems. One of these is the search for a credible electoral system that would command the trust, confidence, and belief of ALL Nigerians just like June 12 did.

We should, therefore, use the commemoration of June 12 as an occasion to return to the true virtues of a truly democratic nation. We achieved that feat on June 12, 1993.

In the spirit of June 12, therefore, we need to emplace an electoral system that commands the trust of the people. This is in recognition of the tenets and core values of democracy, which rest on respect for the wishes of the people as expressed in their ballots.

Above all, the government must respect and protect the institutions of the democratic state by respecting the social contract with the people by meeting their needs, obeying their wishes, and fulfilling the responsibilities of responsible governance as contained in the constitution. A cardinal responsibility of government in this regard is respect for the rule of law.

Regrettably, we are now in an era where these foundational pillars of democracy are undermined by prevalent impunity and pervasive violence, and bloodletting.

The trust deficit between the leaders and Nigerians continues to expand. The deficits of trust and efficiency in our last elections demonstrate this malady quite boldly.

The challenge of June 12 and a dedicated Democracy Day is to inspire us to correct the errors of our recent elections. This is the surest way to restore the confidence of our people in the future of our nation and the promise of true democracy.

I however urge us all not to lose faith in the inbuilt design of our democratic system to self-correct.

I remain committed and convinced that a New Nigeria is POssible. Our aspiration for a nation of equity, justice, security, and peace can hardly be a utopia. We are a nation blessed richly with human and natural resources. What we lack, are selfless leaders who are committed to national interest, sustainable development, and innovative thinking that offers every Nigerian irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or social strata, the freedom of choice of abode, and protection of lives, property, and ordered liberties. These aspirations are real and achievable, and I hereby reiterate my promise to Nigerians that we will not relent in our fight to bring about leadership that will accord them the priority they deserve.

Let me, therefore, on behalf of the Labour Party and the Obidient Movement across the globe wish all Nigerians a happy democracy day. 

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Femi Fani-Kayode, has hinted on possible appointment of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as the new National Security Adviser (NSA).

The former Minister of Aviation, in a post on personal Twitter handle on Monday, shared pictures of himself, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila and Ribadu among others.

“Had a great afternoon with my brothers Senator Mohammed Hassan, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (our incoming NSA) and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu) today. We had a wonferful time. Thanks be to God,” he wrote.

However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is yet to make any official appointment following that of former Benue State Governor, George Akume, who was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

Meanwhile, Fani-Kayode had in a tweet last week lambasted critics of Ribadu, who retired as a police officer, describing them as ignorant.

He tweeted: “Those that say only a military man can handle the position of NSA are ignorant.

https://twitter.com/realFFK/status/1665251181420068864?t=dcHna-svJF2N715g_zZAow&s=19

“Amongst the best that held that position in our history were retired police and/or intelligence officers such as Umaru Shinkafi, Gambo Jimeta and Ismaila Gwarzo.

“I have no doubt that my brother Nuhu Ribadu, who is a retired police officer, once confirmed as NSA, will acquit himself well and follow in the footsteps of these three reverred men.”

Manchester City have now toppled Chelsea as the fourth most successful English team following their Champions League triumph.

City lifted their first ever major European title thanks to a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan on Saturday night.

They also became the second team to win the Treble, after rivals Manchester United in 1999, and moved up the list of England’s most successful clubs.

City now have 26 major trophies, overtaking Chelsea’s 25, and they are now hot on the heels of Arsenal, who have 31.

Liverpool are the most successful team with 45 trophies, ahead of Manchester United who have won 43 major titles.

The most trophies won by English clubs:

Liverpool 45
Man Utd 43
Arsenal 31
Man City 26
Chelsea 25
Aston Villa 20
Tottenham 17
Everton 15
Newcastle 11
Blackburn 10

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was sworn in as the President of Nigeria on May 29, 2023, following his victory in the February 25 presidential elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Tinubu celebrating his first democracy day as the President of Nigeria on Monday, June 12, and address the people of the country by 7:00 am.

This mark the first official nationwide broadcast to Nigerians since President Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023.

Below are some major steps and actions President Tinubu has taken since he assumed office about thirteen days ago.

1. Implemented the fuel subsidy removal regime.

2. Held a security meeting with the nation’s service chiefs, heads of security agencies, and the National Security Adviser (NSA).

3. The President appointed Femi Gbajabiamila as his Chief of Staff and also named Senator George Akume as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

4. He held a meeting with all Governors of the 36 states of the federation.

5. He mandated the National Economic Council (NEC) led by Vice President Kashim Shettima to work out the modalities on palliatives for subsidy.

6. Signed the Bill increasing the retirement age for Judicial officers.

7. Reached an agreement with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) leading to the suspension of the planned national strike over fuel subsidy removal.

8. Selected and got Senate approval for the appointment of 20 special advisers.

9. Signed the 2023 Electricity Bill Act.

10. Held a meeting with traditional rulers in the country.

11. Suspended Godwin Emefiele as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Less than 48 hours to the election of new leaders of the 10th National Assembly, Senators-elect Abdulaziz Yari has reportedly moved ahead of Godswill Akpabio in the race for Senate President.

With more senators-elect reportedly pledging loyalty to Yari, Akpabio’s camp had claimed that senators-elect were financially induced to move en masse to Yari’s camp.

Recall that Akpabio’s camp had on Saturday night met at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. The meeting was reported to be a flop with abysmal attendance.

It was gathered that lawmakers-elect across parties have expressed a preference for the Yari/Orji Uzor Kalu camp.

Speaking to Daily Independent, a member of the Yari camp described the allegation of financial inducement as “not only false, laughable but also unfortunate, irresponsible and a feeble resort to falsehood and smear campaign which is unbecoming of any individual that wants to lead an institution as important as the Senate.”

He stated that Senators-elect are already made, respected, contented, very responsible, and independent-minded individuals who cannot be compromised or induced.

“Senators-elect across the camps see this allegation as a deliberate smear on our individual and collective reputation, integrity, and image,” the lawmaker-elect added.

Also, a Senator-elect from the South-South, who left Akpabio’s camp, described the allegation as false.

He disclosed that senators-elect are queuing behind Yari out of conviction and not influenced by any financial inducement, stressing that the senators-elect are not at home with Akpabio due to their belief that he cannot lead the Senate in addition to his damaging allegation without proof, that National Assembly members were hugely benefiting from large contracts in the NDDC.

“I left Sen. Akpabio because I came to realize that he doesn’t have the capacity and required regard for the institution of the legislature. Many of us have that impression. It is our conviction, and we have the right to our own opinion.

“It is rather unfortunate that instead of accepting defeat and respecting the opinion of senators-elect, they are coming out with allegations of financial inducement. Senators-elect see this as a huge insult to us. How can a senator-elect label and smear his own colleagues? It is unfortunate.

“That was how Senator Akpabio accused members of the National Assembly of benefiting from large contracts in the NDDC without a proof. These are issues of integrity,” he said.

Elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, says he won’t comment much on the Bola Tinubu presidency until the conclusion of the election petitions tribunal where the outcome of the February 25 presidential poll is being challenged.

Clark stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja ahead of the 30th anniversary of the annulment of June 12 presidential election.

Asked for his views about the Tinubu presidency, which got underway on May 29, Clark said, “I don’t want to commend on that because the election tribunals are still sitting.

“I don’t want to make statements that are prejudicial. So, let the law take its normal course.”

Clark supported and endorsed the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, who emerged third in the election and has gone to the election tribunal to challenge declaration of Tinubu as the poll winner.

Meanwhile, on June 12, the 96-year-old Clark said government must ensure a peaceful country where citizens are guaranteed equality before the law.

He said, “We all desire that we live in a country that is peaceful, that is free from crisis, security and economic challenges and low corruption level.

“Corruption in the country is so high, which I always say since 2014, that government should declare a state of emergency on corruption.

“The rate at which corruption is going on in the country is terrible where every arm of government cannot be trusted.

“We want a Nigeria where all of us live together peacefully and there is no discrimination and we should all obey the provision of the constitution, which states there should be no state religion.

“There should be no promotion of a particular religion over and above others.

“When we were in the 2014 National Conference as an elder statesman, we made a lot of recommendations for the survival of Nigeria as a country.

“A united country free from crisis, where all the citizens are equal before the law and anyone of them can rise to any position you want to lead,” he said.

Nigeria's downstream oil regulator has alleged ExxonMobil Corp was involved in the illegal lifting of petroleum products from an offshore terminal, according to a letter of complaint to the petroleum ministry seen by Reuters.

Exxon denied the accusation, saying in an emailed response that its "operations are carried out in full compliance with the law".

Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said in the letter that Barumk Gas, a shipping vessel, was lifting butane from the ExxonMobil-controlled Bonny River Terminal without its "authorization or participation".

According to the law, the regulator is the only one allowed to have a key to the oil valve and companies need to be accompanied by a member of the regulatory staff to tap the oil.

"The actions of ExxonMobil and Barumk Gas constitute economic sabotage, criminal damage and theft of Nigeria's national resources," NMDPRA Chief Executive Farouk Ahmed said in the letter dated June 8.

He said Barumk Gas should be stopped from sailing out until an investigation was conducted.

Refinitiv data showed Barumk Gas was fully loaded at the Bonny Terminal.

The Petroleum Ministry and NMDPRA did not respond to requests for comment.

In November last year, a Nigerian court charged 26 men with conspiracy to commit a maritime offence and attempting to illegally deal in crude oil after authorities accused their supertanker of sailing in Nigerian waters without authority.

Oil majors in Nigeria have in the past been forced to halt output following the illegal tapping of pipelines.

Reuters

Nigeria lost $46.16bn to crude oil theft between 2009 and 2020, while it lost $10.7bn annually to subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, the Energy and Natural Resources subcommittees of the Advisory Council of President Bola Tinubu, has revealed.

A summation of the amounts lost to oil theft and subsidy indicated that the country lost a total of $56.86bn, going by figures released in the Policy Advisory Council Report, dated May 2023, which was prepared when Tinubu was still President-elect. 

On highlights of economic and sector challenges in the report, the council also stated that $70bn worth of investments was lost in the petroleum industry since 2011 due to the absence of the Petroleum Industry Act.

The PIA was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari, after dragging for decades as a bill at the National Assembly.

The report further pointed out that at seven per cent, Nigeria’s revenue to Gross Domestic Product ratio was among the five lowest in the world.

It read in part, “Insecurity is a major sector challenge. $46.16bn was lost to crude oil theft between 2009 and 2020. $10.70bn lost annually to PMS subsidy and inefficiencies associated with the purchase, distribution, and sale of PMS.

“Governance and regulatory concerns have eroded investor confidence, diverting private capital needed for the development of critical oil and gas infrastructure.

“Cumulatively, these have reduced the energy sector contribution to economic growth and deprived citizens of the necessary infrastructure and social amenities required for improving living standards.”

The council outlined some targets to be pursued by the President between 0 to 100 days, adding that there was a need to unify exchange rate window, reorganise the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission/Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

It said the reorganisation of the agencies would be to deliver set milestone goals, adding that there was a need to headhunt/place capable resources in critical positions.

“Head-hunt competent, tested, reform-focused leaders in NNPCL (Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited), ensuring its function as commercial entity per PIA (Petroleum Industry Act); paying taxes, royalties and profit to Federation Account and properly regulated by NUPRC/NMDPRA/NCDMB.

“Deregulate PMS pricing and implement Federal Direct Cash Transfer Programme. Signal determination to end insecurity in oil producing states (Imo, Delta, Ondo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom) by engaging key political and community stakeholders

“Reform the operations of the military task force with clearly defined KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and consequent management to tackle deficiencies. Improve financing, agree on cash call arrears and debt repayment framework. Transition to market prices for gas,” the report stated.

On some of the things to execute within 18 to 24 month, the council advised the President to “mandate the NNPCL and NUPRC/NMDPRA to close out outstanding divestments and contract issues for project delivery clarity.

“Strip NNPCL of policy making roles and keep NCDMB within its Act mandate. Consider integrating NUPRC, NMDPRA, and NCDMB into a single regulator or include all midstream activities into NUPRC scope.”

The council called for the expansion of domestic gas reserves and the promotion of the development of a diversified oil and gas industry by implementing reforms in the PIA including “network code.”

It advised the President to develop a sustainable financing model, and to facilitate a third-party gas pricing framework for export market.

The council recommended that the President should enact fiscal enablers for natural gas and deepwater via the Finance Act, and expand stabilisation in the PIA to cover full credit for post FID (final investment decision) levies and taxes.