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Following the approval of 240 per cent tariff increment for Band A customers by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, some power consumers in that category are complaining of severe extortion by the various electricity distribution companies in the country amidst worsening power supply.
NERC had on Wednesday announced the tariff increment for Band A power consumers from N68 to N225 per kilowatt-hour with immediate effect.
With the new tariff, the regulator said the subsidy on electricity had been withdrawn completely from the Band A consumers, who constitute about 15 per cent of the total number of power users across the country.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, insisted that the Federal Government would continue with the new tariff regime for Band A consumers despite calls for its reversal.
He said this was because the government could no longer continue paying humongous sums as power subsidy, stressing that subsidy on electricity for 2024 would cost the government about N2.9tn.
But in a flurry of reactions to the development via their X handles on Saturday, some customers lamented that despite paying exorbitantly for electricity following the tariff hike, they were experiencing poor supply in their different neighbourhoods across the country.
This is just as some Nigerians in Bands B, C, D, and E alleged that they were now being made to pay N225/KWh by the Discos instead of their old tariffs after the distribution companies upgraded their payment platforms to reflect the Band A tariff increment.
An X user identified as Heybeedo @Fadodunabayomi, stated, “My environment was listed among Band A, but we have never used a 20-hour electricity supply per day. As I am typing, there has been no light since around 1am in the early hours of today (Saturday). Who will pay for the shortfall in their supply? A lot needs to be clarified.”
Kaduna-based Tariq Abdulazeez @tariqq2 wrote, “The Kaduna Disco has failed to comply with the new regulations thereby upgrading 80 per cent of its customers to band A. We barely get 8hrs power supply.
@OlaosunSina posted, “IKEDC claims OPIC in Isheri-North belongs to Band A and immediately implemented N225 per KwH. N50,000 energy (VAT inclusive) purchased yesterday (Thursday) gave 207 KwH Units. Light was taken since 9.34am today (Friday) 5th April and as of 3.37pm yet to come. This is a pure SCAM!”
Vivo Val also tweeted, “Though I am on Band B, IKEDC gave me 82 units for N20,000.”
One Michael Ifeanyi posted on the platform, “Please NERC, ask Enugu Electricity Distribution Companies to downgrade Centenary Estate Enugu to band C we hardly enjoy 10 hours light. They are charging us for band A.”
One Bolaji @bolsaid said, “I am on Band A and have not had up to 20hrs supply in the last five days, from Easter Monday till now. NERCNG, FCCPC Nigeria,” while @Otyjonah wrote, “My environment is under Band A even though the Disco has refused to issue us a prepaid meter. I have seen power supply since 11pm on d 4th of April. Today is 6th and there is no single hour of light in almost 48hrs. Will I be made to pay for the darkness at the end of the month @NERCNG?”
Lere Ojedokun @doklere said, “There is so much secrecy and loopholes in the electricity ecosystem which investors and players exploit to milk electricity consumers. This is why we will continue to be at their mercy.”
Oluwakemi @tykeemon said, “Are there really any Band A users in Nigeria? Are we joking? I get less than eight hours of electricity supply daily and I have been fraudulently classified as a Band A user. @NERCNG, you are not a regulator but an accomplice to rip off.”
Isaac Emalunegbe said, “We in Calabar around the Akai Effa axis suffer from your Disco staff here. They will tell us we are in Band A and we get supple less than those in Band C and at the end of every month they will issue exorbitant bill. I was a victim in 2021.”
‘Sack minister now’
In a related development, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Lere Olayinka, has called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the Minister of Power for alleged incompetence reflected in his inability to ensure a steady power supply.
Olayinka, a former House of Representatives aspirant, also accused the minister of insensitivity with the incessant electricity tariff increases despite failure to ensure constant power supply since he assumed office.
Olayinka, in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Saturday titled, ‘Sack power minister, Bayo Adelabu, now; he can’t even give you constant electricity in Aso Villa, PDP chieftain tells Tinubu’, advises the government to save itself from further embarrassment by sacking Adelabu and replacing him with a professional.
Obasanjo Farm, others downgraded
Meanwhile, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company has downgraded the Olusegun Obasanjo Farm in Ogun State and 27 other feeders from the Band A to the Band E category.
The firm disclosed this in a list it released on Saturday, which contained the names of the erstwhile Band A feeders downgraded to B, C, D, or E by the company across Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, and Osun states.
According to the list, some areas within the states dropped from 20 hours of daily power supply to zero hours.
This, according to NERC, brought about the removal of those feeders from Band A to the bands that fit their daily power allocations.
Power ministry, NERC inefficient — Afenifere
Similarly, the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, has described the electricity tariff increase as an attempt to thwart President Bola Tinubu’s economic recovery efforts.
Afenifere stated this in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi and made available to journalists on Saturday.
While noting that the electricity tariff hike will shrink both corporate and small medium businesses in the country, Ajayi said, “It is clear that rather than exploring ways to reduce the cost of producing energy thus reducing the pains of Nigerians, the relevant government agencies are passing the price of their own inefficiency on the people.
In a related development, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called on the management of IBEDC to urgently address current irregular power supply in the state.
Adeleke, who made the demand at a meeting held with the management of the company in Ibadan, Oyo State, described Osun as a critical stakeholder in the Nigerian power sector with Osogbo, the state capital, hosting the National Transmission Control Centre.
The governor said it was “unacceptable that the state will be having epileptic power supply,” which he said has been affecting its local economy and businesses badly.
[Vanguard]
The decisions of the remaining 20 state governors on the proposed establishment of state police are expected to be submitted within the next four weeks.
This is according to the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Asishana Okauru, who spoke in an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH on Friday.
Sixteen state governors had earlier thrown their weight behind the establishment of state police as a panacea for the insecurity ravaging the different parts of the country.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nwkocha, had earlier disclosed in a statement that discussions were held at a meeting of the National Economic Council and that 16 out of the 36 states had already submitted their reports on the state policing initiative.
The NEC received the reports from the 16 governors at its 140th meeting held at the Aso Rock Villa on March 21, 2024.
Nwkocha said there was an expectation that the remaining 20 governors, whose identities were not disclosed, would also submit their reports, stressing that all the states across the country expressed their support for the establishment of state police.
Okauru explained in a telephone conversation with one of our correspondents that the governors were unanimous in their support of the state police.
He added that the remaining 20 governors were already in the process of submitting their reports, and would turn them in a few weeks from now.
According to him, it became clear after the NGF’s last meeting that there was a need for the governors to speed up “whatever report they were putting together in respect of state police and submit it.”
He said, “The official position of the forum is in favour of state police. I don’t know of any state that is not in support of state police. I can tell you that I don’t know of any state not in support of the idea. That the governors have not submitted their reports for now is not saying they are not in support of it (state police).
“They are in the process of submitting their reports and I can tell you that in the next couple of weeks that would have been resolved. This is the only way to go. The forum has come a long way. So, there’s a very strong consensus in support of state police.”
Asked if funding would be a major challenge for the state police, the NGF director-general added that the government should begin to think about innovative ways to fund the security architecture of the country.
“Even the way the police structure is configured, funding is still an issue. So, the funding issue will always be there. In some other countries, the police institution is to some extent revenue-generating. You know, it has revenue-generating potential. I mean, if done well, you know that everybody will agree to it. Let’s accept that the funding issue will always be there whether it is done centrally or you are for state police.
“Another point that must be made is that it is not because some states have not submitted their reports that the idea hasn’t taken off. It became very clear after the last meeting that they needed to speed up whatever report they were putting together in respect of state police and submit it. So, a maximum of about four weeks, and it should be done,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu had on Thursday, February 15, 2024, agreed on the need to establish state police as recommended by state governors to curb rising insecurity in the country.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents after a meeting between the President and the governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, the possibility of creating a state police structure will be further discussed.
He further said that a lot of work needed to be done, and the President and the governors agreed on working out the modalities for the idea.
In October 2023, the President mooted the idea of increasing the numerical strength of the police, which is just a little over 300,000.
At the end of the Nigeria Police Council conclave, which Tinubu chaired, he set up a Constitutional Review Committee to carry out comprehensive police reforms.
The 2014 National Political Reform Conference recommended devolving policing by allowing states to create their police and enabling community policing.
However, former President Goodluck Jonathan, who initiated the 2014 conference, and his successor, Muhammadu Buhari, did not implement the recommendations despite the deteriorating security situation in the country during their administrations.
Reps plan retreat
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review will host its first retreat on the State Police Bill and other related bills slated for deliberation ahead of the planned constitutional review.
This is contained in the work plan of the committee obtained by Sunday PUNCH.
The bill seeking to establish state police has passed the second reading in the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, and 14 other lawmakers proposed to transfer the term “police” in the 1999 Constitution from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list.
The bill, which comprises 18 clauses, seeks to amend sections 34, 35, 39, 42, 84, 89, 129, 153, 197, 214, 215 and 216 of the constitution.
On February 15, the Federal Government set up a committee to explore the creation of state police given the worsening spate of insecurity across the country.
The Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, said given the fact that the bill was a constitutional matter, the onus was now on the Constitution Review Committee, which rolled out a two-year work plan to deliberate on state police, local government autonomy, fiscal federalism and other items listed for deliberations in the constitutional amendment process.
“The State Police Bill is a constitutional amendment. After the second reading, it was referred to the Constitution Review Committee like all other constitutional amendments. The committee has rolled out its two-year work plan,” Waive said.
The retreat, which will be held in Abuja later this month, will witness collaborative efforts between the Clerk to the Committee on Constitution Review and the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre.
In May, the committee will engage with stakeholders, including civil society organisations, to collate inputs after which the committee will call for a public hearing
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said both chambers of the National Assembly were ready to amend the constitution to accommodate state police if the decentralisation of the security architecture would end kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and other crimes being experienced in Nigeria.
Security experts speak
Commenting on the development, a security expert, Akin Adeyi, said the adoption of state police was a welcome development and advised the remaining 20 governors to submit their reports as soon as possible.
He added that rather than waiting for the governors to submit reports, the President could submit a bill to the National Assembly for review, while the governors would only append their signatures afterward.
According to him, allowances received by the state governments from the income generated from the removal of fuel subsidy should be enough to fund the state policing initiative.
Adeyi said, “Ordinarily, it’s supposed to be the responsibility of the state governors and state governments, but they are going to complement the effort of the Federal Government. With the removal of subsidy on petrol, there should be enough money on the ground to fund state police. I have that confidence except if the governors are not prudent in managing their resources.
“State police is going to be the best because it is going to be domiciled where the people are living; so automatically I will know you, and you will know me. At least, as a community person, you will not take sides with any judgment.
“I read a report recently that state governors don’t need to write a memo before the matter can be resolved. So, what the Federal Government should do is what a member of the House of Representatives has done. He has submitted a bill to the National Assembly. Let them review the law and that is all. Once the bill is passed by the National Assembly, the state governments will just go there and do their job.”
However, the founder of Beacon Consulting, an Abuja-based security risk management and intelligence consulting firm, Kabir Adamu, said the country was not ready for state police with the current process of governance in the states.
According to him, creating state police is dangerous as it will turn the governors into “mini-emperors.”
He said, “It is indicated in the Renewed Hope Agenda that the Federal Government will decentralise policing. What we don’t know is the form it will take. I do not think we are ready for state police as a country. While there is a need to enhance security at the grassroots, I am worried that if we hand control of policing over to the governors, we are going to have mini-emperors.
“They (governors) are ruling their states like mini-emperors. They have the legislature under their control; they have the judiciary to an extent under their control. So, if you take the instrument of power, which is security, and add to these other components, we will have stronger mini-emperors.”
He, however, said there was a need for the establishment of policies that would improve the democratic culture at the state level where the legislature could effectively check the excess of the executive before policing could be decentralised.
On her part, a professor of Criminology at the Kaduna State University, Evelyn Yusuf, said the creation of state police was important to address the security challenges in the country.
She stated, “State police would have been excellent if the ruling class would allow the personnel to work and not engage them for other things. If there will be no abuse of power, I am in support of state police, because we need more police up to the level of community police to be able to curb the insecurity in Nigeria.
“There should be a policy that will guide against the ruling class using them as political thugs. If that can be done, state police will be fantastic. I recommend community policing more than any form of policing because, within the community, we know ourselves and anyone coming into the community will be easily identified.”
•Reporter narrates his story
•REVEALED: Councilor who took slain soldiers on trip reportedly captured, burnt
ONE conspicuous reason concerned citizens heaped scorn on the Army in the March 14 killing of 17 soldiers at the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area is the participation of its personnel in the settlement of communal disputes.
The Chief of Defense Staff, CDS, General Christopher Musa, made several attempts to validate the “peace mission” of the officers and men that turned catastrophic.
Not many agree with CDS’s robust avowals in defence of his men.
However, they all deplored the brutal killing of the soldiers.
Regardless of their primary mission of forestalling lawlessness, protecting the nation’s oil infrastructure, and maintaining the peace in the oil-rich Niger Delta, the military Joint Task Force, JTF, since its deployment in the region, had dug into settling issues, ranging from misunderstanding between individuals, and family relatives to both intra and inter-communal disputes in the region.
However, the simple reason is that the military outfit in the region appears to be more viable, forthright, and “quick” in resolving issues compared to other security agencies saddled with such responsibilities.
Therefore, people take misunderstandings and hostilities between relatives, including quarrels in matrimonial homes to the military outposts for arbitration.
Military personnel often shoulder the responsibility of resolving the issues without charges which has further endeared them to some.
Reporter’s experience
In 2005, the JTF arrested and detained a Vanguard reporter, Chancel Bomadi Sunday, at Bomadi, over a fight between his younger sister and his brother’s wife over a family misunderstanding. “During the fight, my younger sister bit my brother’s wife on the face and transferred her anger onto me by arresting me with soldiers. Though I was not at the scene of the quarrel that led to the fight, I only saw the soldiers on the arrest mission to my room, as my brother’s wife led them”, Sunday narrated.
“They threw me into their guardroom and detained me for hours with some others whom I met there. It was after the intervention of her husband, who told the commander then that I was innocent that they released me to settle amicably within the family.”
More so, creditors, debtors, property owners, tenants, house owners and thieves often take their issues to the different JTF outposts for settlement.
Military, civilians on joint missions Intermittently, the military carried out operations in the region with civilians, especially when the need arose.
In such missions, the military camouflages the civilians with military uniforms as occurred in the Okuama case, which some people had referred to.
For instance, when a former supervisory councilor, Hon. Pius Aboh, ran to the Bomadi Division of the JTF and complained that the Okuama people took his brother, Anthony Aboh, hostage, the Commander, Major Saffa, immediately mobilized his men to the Gbaregolor community waterfront to hire speedboats for the rescue mission.
In that mission, according to sources, they camouflaged the drivers of the hired speedboats, and the former supervisory councillor, who joined them specifically to identify his brother at Okuama.
The military believed that they would be shields to the civilians in case of any aggression, not envisaging the worst that would happen to them on that day.
That is why journalists participating in the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions wear camouflage, reporting and photographing, even during crossfire.
Supervisory councillor burnt on a stake!
However, community sources disclosed that those who ambushed the soldiers in Okuama captured Aboh,who dived into the river and attempted to swim away, bringing him back to the community.
A source said they tied him to a stake and burnt him alive right in the community while another source said they butchered him having identified him as an Okoloba indigene. Since the incident, nobody has heard anything about his whereabouts.
How JTF settled Okpokunou, Tuomo, Ojobo crises
Nevertheless, the JTF had settled some intra-communal crises, some being the Okpokunou, Tuomo, and Ojobo communities in the Burutu local government area, variously engulfed in intra-communal crises years back, and in recent times, over selection or election of community chairpersons and traditional rulers.
The military outfit went to the communities on invitation, settled issues, and saved the communities the agony of irate youths bent on destroying properties.
They have also ventured into communal issues of several other communities.
Therefore, the issue of Okuama was not different.
The soldiers were reportedly on a “peace and rescue mission” to avoid escalation of the brewing crisis between the two neighboring communities, Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area, and Okoloba in Bomadi Local Government Area, both in Delta State.
Extra-curricular activities of soldiers
Responding to what he, apparently, regards as immoderations of the Army in the state, a senior lawyer in a Facebook post, said, “Since 2016, the Army in Effurun is located at a checkpoint in a private residence. The house is painted in the color of the Command. Not less than 10 soldiers are posted there 24 hours.
“And the soldiers, as part of the command duties, or peacekeeping, established a ‘court’ in the premises, where they preside over matrimonial, land, landlord and tenants dispute. They also double as debt and rent collectors, enforcers of contracts/civil agreements, etc.”
Another reputable lawyer, Martins Ahweyevu Mukoro Esq., also in a Facebook titled, “Okuama Social Soldiers and Soldiers of Peace”, said, “Have not Nigerian soldiers always been soldiers of peace? I am at a marriage ceremony in Ughelli South local government area of Delta State. This is not Okuama, it is not near Okoloba, there is no communal land dispute between the neighbouring communities, yet two uniformed soldiers are on duty, possibly, on a peace mission.
“They are either from Effurun or Agbarha Army Barracks; or are they from the barrack in Bomadi? I think not. So, who and how was an application made, to whom, and why were these soldiers posted to a marriage ceremony to perform peaceful guard or security assurance duties for peak lovers getting married?
“In the part of Delta State where I live, soldiers are routinely posted at a price to man purely civilian social ceremonies, including burial and marriage ceremonies, where military functions are absent.
“We condone all of this aberration, we never queried the social soldiers, we never asked for a policeman in place of the corruptly posted social soldiers. It took Okuama for us to question the abuse of our soldiers. So, I ask, were we, honestly, taken back that soldiers went on a peace mission to Okuama?”
Ali Ndume, chief whip of the senate, has rejected the recent increment in electricity tariff.
On Wednesday, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved an increase in electricity tariff for customers under the B and A classification.
The commission said customers who receive 20 hours of electricity supply daily, will pay N225 per kilowatt (kW), starting from April 3.
The new rate is about three times the existing figure.
Since the announcement, there has been a public outcry against the new tariff.
In a statement on Saturday, Ndume, senator representing Borno south, said Nigerians are yet to recover from the removal of petrol subsidy by the federal government.
“The news of the increment came to me and many of my colleagues as a shock. It also came at a time when the National Assembly was on a break,” the statement reads.
“Personally, I think the timing of this hike is very wrong. Nigerians are grappling with many challenges.
“To put this fresh responsibility on them is very unfair. Nigerians are yet to recover from the fuel subsidy removal of last year.
“Many Nigerians are still grappling with the ripple effects the removal had on them. To now come up with this is wrong.
“I believe that the timing is wrong. There ought to have been some consultations, especially with the national assembly as representatives of the people. We were not consulted. We saw the news like every other Nigerian.
“The inflation is still very high. The prices of food commodities, drugs, transportation, school fees, and other daily expenditures are still on the high side.
“The minimum wage has not been increased. Many state governments are yet to even pay the current minimum wage of N30,000.
“How do we expect the people to survive? We’ve to be very realistic and feel the pulse of the people we represent as a government.”
The lawmaker said the federal government should first provide stable electricity and slow down inflation before implementing a new tariff for electricity.
[TheCable]
The traditional ruler of the Azumini autonomous community in Ukwa East LGA, HRM Eze Edward Ebere Eule, has been removed by the Abia State Government.
The traditional ruler, who was suspended from office by the state government in February 2024 for alleged misconduct and actions unbecoming of a traditional ruler, has been finally removed as the monarch of his community by the state government.
A press statement signed by the Abia State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Uzor Nwachukwu, said that Governor Alex Otti has approved the withdrawal of staff of office and certificate of recognition from Eze Eule.
The press release said that the withdrawal of the staff of office and certificate of recognition was because of the alleged refusal of Eze Ebere Eule to comply with the directives stipulated in a letter of suspension given to him on February 23, 2024, in line with the provisions of sections 12, 14 and 20 of the Abia State Traditional Rulers and Autonomous Communities Amended Number 2 Law 2018.
According to the statement by the commissioner, the removal of the traditional ruler was a result of allegations of misconduct brought against the former traditional ruler, for which the Abia State Government set up a panel of inquiry to investigate him.
The panel, the statement affirmed, indicted Eze Edward Ebere.
The statement advised the removed monarch to cease parading himself as the traditional ruler of the Azumini autonomous community and to return the staff of office and certificate of recognition issued to him within 14 days from the day of the announcement.
The statement further affirmed that all rights and privileges previously accorded to the sacked traditional ruler have been withdrawn.
Ali Ndume, the Borno South senator, has called for the reversal of the hike in electricity tariff.
Ndume, who spoke in a statement made available to DAILY POST in Abuja on Saturday, said the timing of the hike is not right as Nigerians are yet to recover from the removal of fuel subsidy.
The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), recently approved a 300 per cent tariff increment for Band A consumers, allowing power distribution companies to raise electricity prices for city dwellers from N68 to N225 per kilowatt-hour with effect from April 1, 2024.
Ndume condemned the move and called on the Federal Government to reconsider its position in the interest of Nigerians.
He said Nigerians are facing many challenges, including unprecedented inflation, poor purchasing power, insecurity and other forms of hardship.
The senator said, “The news of the increment came to me and many of my colleagues as a shock. It also came at a time when the National Assembly was on a break. Personally, I think the timing of this hike is very wrong. Nigerians are grappling with many challenges.
“To put this fresh responsibility on them is very unfair. Nigerians are yet to recover from the fuel subsidy removal of last year. Many Nigerians are still grappling with the ripple effects that removal had on them. To now come up with this is wrong.
“I believe that the timing is wrong. There ought to have been some consultations, especially with the National Assembly as representatives of the people. We were not consulted. We saw the news like every other Nigerian.
“The inflation is still very high. The prices of food commodities, drugs, transportation, school fees, and other daily expenditures are still on the high side. To now add this new burden is unfair.
“The minimum wage has not been increased. Many state governments are yet to even pay the current minimum wage of N30,000. How do we expect the people to survive? We’ve to be very realistic and feel the pulse of the people we represent as a government.
“For me, I think the Federal Government should first of all provide stable electricity, reduce the inflation, stabilise the naira, and prices of food commodities. Then, the purchasing power of Nigerians must significantly improve before we can place a fresh responsibility on them as a government.
“The Federal Government needs to give the National Assembly the opportunity to also step in and consult because we represent the people. We feel their pulse, and we know what they’re going through right now.”
The Federal Government of Nigeria has disclosed plans to launch a new national identity solution with payment functionality.
The Government, through the National Identity Management Commission, said the Identity card layered will be with payment capabilities and social service features.
This new card, developed in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System, will be powered by AfriGO, a national domestic card scheme.
This was contained in a statement on Friday by the Head of Corporate Communications of NIMC, Kayode Adegoke.
Adegoke noted that the national ID card, fortified with verifiable National Identity features, is supported by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, which mandates the enrollment and issuance of a general multipurpose card to Nigerians and legal residents.
The commission said the initiative aims to meet the demand for physical identification, enabling cardholders to verify their identity and access both government and private social services.
The national ID card will promote financial inclusion, empower citizens, and foster increased participation in nation-building endeavours.
According to NIMC, only registered citizens and legal residents with the National Identification Number will be eligible to request the card
According to the statement, “The card, which will be produced according to ICAO standards, is positioned as the country’s default national identity card.
“In addition to this functionality, cardholders will also be able to use the cards as debit or prepaid cards by linking the same to bank accounts of their choice.
“The card shall enable eligible persons, especially those financially excluded from social and financial services, to have access to multiple government intervention programmes.
“In line with data protection regulation and public interest, NIMC remains committed to protecting cardholders’ personal data and will ensure compliance with international standards on data security protocols as security features that protect the confidentiality and safety of users’ information.”
Other features of the card include a machine-readable zone in conformation with ICAO for e-passport information, identity card Issue date and document number in line with ICAO standards, travel, health insurance information, microloans, agriculture, food stamps, transport, and energy subsidies, etc.”
National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has rebuked Kano State governor Abba Yusuf to stop using diversionary tactics to cover up for his failure to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.
Ganduje in a statement by his spokesman Edwin Olofu on Friday accused the governor of shifting public attention from his inability to account for statutory allocations to the state since the inception of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
The APC chairman was reacting to the decision of the Kano State Government to file criminal charges against him over alleged bribery of $413,000, and N1.38 billion.
Ganduje said that the latest attempt by the state to drag his name in the mud would fail adding that it spoke volumes of the level of crass ignorance and disregard for the rule of law by the Governor Abba Yusuf-led administration.
“In their desperate attempt to malign me and my family, they either forgot or probably cannot conduct themselves by the dictates of the law,” he said.
“They failed to take judicial notice of the recent pronouncement of the Federal High Court in Kano which ruled that the so-called offence I am being accused of is a federal offence that can only be prosecuted by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“Rather than join issues with my traducers in Kano over the trumped-up charges levelled against me, I would implore them to redirect their energies towards easing the plights of our people in Kano.
“They still have the opportunity to revert to my blueprint for the sustainable growth and development of Kano State. It is not yet late in the day for them to emulate my developmental strides. They can still salvage the situation as my tenure was devoid of any wrongdoings.”
Ganduje who ruled Kano State between 2015 to 2023, described the decision by the administration to set up two committees to probe him over alleged misappropriation of public property, political violence and missing persons in the state as a welcome development.
He, however, said that it would have been in the best interest of the state to extend the dateline of the probe to flag off from 1999 to date.
“As the saying goes, he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. It shouldn’t be seen as targeted at my administration alone,” Ganduje said.
“It should not be seen to be borne out of malice, vindictiveness and ill will. It should be for public good and interest.
“We conducted the affairs of governance in the state openly and transparently during my tenure. We don’t need to be seeking direction from our masters to do what is proper.”
Following the increase of electricity tariff for customers under Band A category of consumers, some Nigerians have expressed dissatisfaction over the haphazard implementation of the hike.
They said customers that are not enjoying up to 20 hours had been lumped up with those enjoying the services.
The situation has led to confusion, protests and complaints, with consumers alleging deliberate exploitation by some distribution companies (DisCos).
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had on Wednesday announced a 300 per cent hike in the electricity tariff to be paid by Band A customers.
Their tariff was moved from N68 per kilowatt hour to N225.
The vice chairman of the NERC, Musliu Oseni, who made the announcement, said the increase was to reduce the burden on the federal government following the increase in gas price and the huge collapse in the value of the naira against the United States dollar owing to what the Bola Tinubu Administration called “forex unification.”
However, many electricity consumers who spoke with Daily Trust Saturday, lamented the implementation that saw them paying for what they were not consuming.
Some residents of the Federal Capital City, Abuja and its satellite towns, who get their electricity from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), expressed outrage as some of them in the same neighbourhood were classified on different bands.
Some of the residents, who were placed on Band A, said they might consider relocating to other areas.
Madam Aminat Adeola, who lives in a one-bedroom apartment at Plot A7, Shagari Quarters, Dei Dei, under Bwari Area Council, said the AEDC placed her on Band A while all her co-tenants were placed on B and C.
“I cannot cope with this. This is unfair to me. Why would they put only me on Band A in this compound? This is an area where we don’t enjoy regular power supply. I will first go to complain in their office in Kubwa before I decide on what to do.
“But honestly, this may force me to go and rent a house in another place,” she said.
Another resident in the area, Mrs Iyabo Ganiyu, who was placed on Band A while other people in her neighbourhood were placed on C, said she had told her husband to go and lodge a complaint at the Kubwa office of the AEDC.
Obas Emmanuel, who resides in Kubwa, said he found out that he was in Band A after purchasing a N3,000 electricity token for his meter.
“I was given 12 units instead of 40. That was when I realised I am on Band A despite not getting the Band A (20 hours) electricity,” he said.
He added that he learnt that his area was in Band A before the NERC downgraded his feeder as they were not getting the service.
Yakubu Lawal is another AEDC customer who said he purchased 40 units at N10,000, which, before now, would secure him 135 units.
He also said his feeder in Kubwa was downgraded to Band B and was surprised that he is now being asked to pay for Band A services.
He urged the NERC to look into his plight by asking for a refund for him from the AEDC.
Consumers in states lament
Eze, a web designer, who lives at Kay Farm Estate, Lagos, in an interview with Daily Trust Saturday said, “I normally enjoy regular electricity in my estate, to be honest.
“I woke up yesterday to recharge N1,000 and was surprised to get only four units. Now, I can’t even use the air conditioning system. I am currently using an electric fan.
“I have recharged twice since yesterday, and I don’t think I would be able to cope with this new rate,” he said.
Another resident of Ojodu Abiodun in Lagos who recharged on Thursday, said she got 22 units at N5,000. Another resident in the area also complained of getting 52 units for the same amount although he is oblivious of his band or category.
A resident of Obalende, under the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, said she got 20 units at N5,000 instead of 74 units with bonus included, asking, “How can this be?”
The manager, Goodluck Stores Surulere, who simply identified himself as Dubem, lamented that the increase in electricity tariff would affect his expenditure on power supply.
“I hitherto bought N30,000 worth of units, which lasted approximately two months, but with the current increase, what they would give me will not last for a month. The implication is that we might have to increase the prices of our stocks,” he said.
He said that Eko Distribution Company, which supplies power to his area, only provided electricity twice in a week.
“We hardly have light here. In a week, we may have two days of constant supply, while on other days we run on generators. On average, within those two days, the light may stay between 4 and 5 hours, but most of the time, we run on generators,” he added.
Meanwhile, officials of some of the distribution companies confirmed that there were system glitches in some areas, which wrongly classified some customers not under Band A, saying those customers had been identified and would be refunded.
An official of Eko DisCo said, “We are about doing a message and all the customers wrongly classified are going to be refunded their excess money. We are working on communication, which will go out today (yesterday).
“We have identified the customers and we have pulled them from our system and all of them would be reached out to,” the official said.
However, Kingsley Okotie, the spokesman for Ikeja Electric, in an interview with our correspondent, said it was not true that some consumers were wrongly classified under Band A as they were thoroughly reviewed before the implementation of the new cost reflective tariff.
He said, “I am not aware of such complaints about being wrongly classified under Band A feeders under IE network. The exercise was thoroughly reviewed before classifications under Band A got regulatory approvals. But I can assure our customers that we will live up to their expectations in terms of the hours of supply in line with the feeder arrangement.
“We have also put in place rapid response teams to speedily resolve complaints as they arise. We appeal to our customers to give us maximum co-operation to ensure the success of this tariff regime, a game changer that will ultimately lead to improved service delivery for all,” he added.
It’ll be difficult to pay – Kebbi residents
Some residents of Gesse Phase 1, GRA and the new settlements at the bypass in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, have complained about the recent increase in electricity tariff.
Those who spoke to our correspondent alleged that they were already paying heavily before the increase.
One of them, Alhaji Abubakar Abbas, told our correspondent that he and others in the area were made to pay hugely on a monthly basis.
“Every month I paid nothing less than N60,000, sometimes N70,000, so with the recent increase, it will be difficult to cope with my electricity bills,” he said.
The industrial area of the town, along Kalgo, and some areas at the bypass are said to be on Band A, and some business owners at the area complained that they may find it difficult to pay for the new tariff.
“Our businesses around here are no longer doing well because of the recent economic situation. I am not sure many of us would be able to pay the new tariff,” Suleiman Babagoro, who owns a mini rice mill in the area said.
Customers will bear the brunt – Kano tailors
Alhaji Abdulhameed B. Adamu, a tailor in Badawa Quarters, Kano, said, “The increase in electricity tariff will force us to increase our charges. A set of plain cloth with no decoration, for which we hitherto charged between N1,500 and N2,000, will now jump to N3,500 and N4,000.
“Also, a set of cloth with decoration that we charged between N3,000 and N6,000 for sewing, depending on the type of decoration a customer chooses, will now cost between N7, 000 and N8,000,” he said.
Ice block makers at Sharada Industrial Estate also described the latest increase as “unprecedented, shocking and devastating.
Abubakar Abdullahi Umar said most of them became confused when they heard of the increase.
He said he used to pay about N500,000 monthly to settle electricity bills before the latest development, and wondered how they would cope.
“We are just discussing this increase because we are all confused. Everybody is lamenting. How do you explain over 300 per cent increase to a customer? Certainly, we will transfer the cost to those patronising our products,” Umar said.
When contacted to speak on the disparities witnessed in some areas, the Head of Kano Distribution Company’s Corporate Communication, Sani Bala, could not be reached. But an official who does not want to be named because he is not authorised to speak, explained that it is basically technical when customers on other bands were charged using Band A threshold, adding that this can easily be rectified.
Only 1.5 million customers will be affected
Speaking on the widespread complaints by Nigerians, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja Friday, said the tariff hike would ultimately benefit the poor.
He said that from the policy formulation perspective, the recent increase would affect just 15 per cent of electricity consumers in Nigeria.
He said that based on the latest statistics, there are a little above 12 million customers in the sector but this would only affect about 1.5 million customers.
He said the remaining 10.5 million customers would continue to enjoy government’s subsidy at 70 per cent.
The minister added that the federal government was investing heavily on infrastructure, which will ultimately lead to better services, assuring that even manufacturers would have a fair deal compared to what they currently spend on diesel to power their machinery.
“A journey of thousand miles starts today,” the minister said.
NERC fines AEDC N200m
The NERC vice chairman, Oseni, said yesterday that the AEDC was fined N200 million because it implemented the new tariff for all customers.
He said this was a breach of trust, and that the fine against the company was to sound a warning that erring DisCos would be punished.
Speaking at a briefing in Abuja on Friday, he said the N200 million would go to the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
“What led to that is that some customers have complained that they are not enjoying 20 hours of supply, they went to vend and they were charged the new rate.
“The Abuja scenario that led to this is unpardonable. The AEDC was saying it was an error. Why didn’t they make an error that would reduce the tariff for all customers? he queried.
He said that in the second scenario, after the review, what the DisCos did was to try and protect their revenue and have three options.
“One was to shut down the platform until they effect the rate change. The second option was to limit the amount the customers can vend, and the third one was to change the tariff for Band A before they will start to clean the system to know who are actually on Band A,” he said.
When contacted for a reaction on the fine, AEDC’s Head of Branding and Corporate Communications, Mimi Angyu, did not respond to calls or messages sent to her line.
[DailyTrust]
FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has said that Abuja Rail Mass Transit (ART) project is now 97 percent completed and will be ready for commissioning by May 29.
Addressing newsmen after an inspection tour of the Metro Station in Central Area and the station at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Friday, April 5, Wike said President Bola Tinubu had approved the schedule for the inauguration of projects to celebrate his one year in office.
He said;
“We are very happy. We are almost 97 per cent completed. All works are ongoing to make sure that the May delivery date is a reality. I believe this is one of the projects Mr President would like to inaugurate because it is very key to the development of the economy.
“For me, it is a dream come true, and we are happy that after all said and done, the metro line will be put to use for Nigerians, come May 29.
“I am really impressed with the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation CCECC. The company has assured us that all the renovation works on the stations will be ready before the commissioning date”
On whether the rail lines would be extended to areas experiencing high traffic, the minister said;
“I am not committing anything now, because we are taking everything step by step. We have to first of all, consider the financial implications. Linking areas like Nyanya are important, no doubt about it. We will talk to the contractor to see what we can do, but for now, there is no commitment.”
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Former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia has come hard on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, advising him to reduce his propensity for power and greed and allow Governor Siminalayi Fubara to do his work.
According to him, an undying inclination for power is tormenting Wike and serving him unstable moments.
Omehia made this assertion in a statement forwarded to DAILY POST on Friday in response to the live television interview which the former governor of Rivers State and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike hosted in Abuja recently.
DAILY POST reports that Wike had at the media parley, in Abuja, on Tuesday, described Uche Secondus, Sen George Sekibo and other PDP leaders in Rivers State as “expired politicians and buccaneers” owing to their support for Fubara.
Reacting, Omehia described Wike’s uncontrolled outbursts as product of a confused mind, saying Wike’s anger was that his ambition of a 3rd tenure has crashed and the people of Rivers State have realized that his quest for power is personal and not for the interest of Rivers State or the South-South at large as claimed.
“The FCT Minister thought that he would continue to control and abuse the resources and governance of the state but God, through the people, resisted the impeachment plot by his members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Wike is notorious for lying against anyone, anytime and disrespects elders at will, so there is no surprise about his outburst and criticism against innocent personalities in Rivers State.
“Wike speaks from both sides of his mouth, he says something today and denies it tomorrow like a clown. I am not a buccaneer and my capacity to contribute to the growth and development of my state and country is not impaired.
“I wonder why he is pained by our support for the Governor and the Federal Government under President Tinubu. Does he want us to perpetually be at political war with everybody, even long after elections are over and governance taken over? Is it not madness?” Omehia queried.
He noted that Wike’s excesses, inconsistencies and hallucinations had reached a shameful peak and advised him to face his job in Abuja as the state was not missing his presence and nuisance value.
[DailyPost]
Four people have been feared killed and 20 others injured when members of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as Shi’ites clashed in Kaduna.
The Nation gathered the Shi’ites trooped out in a large number on Friday for a peaceful procession to mark the International Quds Day in the state capital when the law enforcement operatives, particularly the Nigeria Police, stormed the scene to disperse the procession.
The Shiites assembled near the Katsina roundabout along Ahmadu Bello Way prior to the arrival of the Police, who attempted to disperse them.
This situation caused tension and unease among the citizens, especially those with businesses situated along Ahmadu Bello Way as shots were fired by the police to disperse the protesters.
Eyewitnesses said shots were fired during the clash and in the process, four members of the IMN were killed, while about 20 others were injured.
Kaduna State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Mansir Hasan confirmed that three Police personnel were injured during the incident and taken to the hospital for treatment.
ASP Hassan also debunked the allegations that the Police operatives killed members of the IMN, noting that no live ammunition was used to dispense the procession.
Speaking earlier during the procession, one of the leaders of IMN, Professor Dauda Nalado, said the Quds day is celebrated annually during the month of Ramadan.
According to him: “The great global leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imaam Ruhullah Al-Musawi Al-Khomeini, Invited Muslims and non-Muslims with humanity at heart to show solidarity with the innocent and oppressed people of Palestine and against the brutality of the usurper, apartheid, and the illegal state of Israel. The imam declared the last Friday of each Ramadan as the International Quds Day.
“Since 1980, the Quds in Britain, France, Sweden, America, Germany, Canada, Australia, and numerous countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, etc. The Islamic movement, under the leadership of his Eminence Sayyid Dr. Ibraheem Ya’qoub El-Zakzaky (H), has been observing this event for decades in Nigeria.
“In fact, one of the reasons of the Zaria massacre executed by the Buhari regime in 2015 was to kill Sayyid Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and crush this noble movement for justice, all due to the staunch support for the Palestinian course. Hitherto, the public could recall that on 25 July, 2014 Nigerian soldiers attacked the Quds Day procession in support of Palestine in Zaria, resulting in the assassination of 34 people, including three biological children of this great African leader.” He added,
“For six months now, the Zionist State has killed almost 33,000 Palestinians and wounded almost 80, 000, of whom more than half are women and children. They have destroyed buildings and turned Gaza City into rubble. They have violated all international human rights rules and committed war crimes with impunity.’
“It is pertinent to remind us that since the illegal state was carved out in 1948, the Palestinians have been subjugated and subjected to oppressive rule, controlling and humiliating every aspect of their daily lives. This current brutality by the Zionists was launched after a retaliative “Aqsa storm operation” by the Palestinians on 7th October 2023. These developments signal the final blow to Zionism.”
He called on all people and nations with humanity to condemn the genocide against the Palestinian population and stop it saying, “Unfortunately, the United States and the United Kingdom are supporters of this genocide.”
He thanked South Africa and the axis of resistance comprising Iran, Lebanon (Hizbullah) Syria, Iraq, and Yemen for their support and condemned the continued brutal genocide of the Palestinian population and support the oppressed people of Palestine in their just struggle.
He called on the Nigeria to severe diplomatic ties with the “genocidal Zionist”state of Israel and also called for a permanent ceasefire and a comprehensive package for the freedom of Palestine.
[TheNation]
Black marketers make brisk business amid queues, NNPC says Apapa depot empty
Queues will ease off before Sallah break next week, say MEMAN, IPMAN
Petroleum marketers say the non-availability of Premium Motor Spirit in filling stations located in Lagos and Ogun states is as a result of shortage in supply.
Similarly, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited confirmed that there were no products in its Apapa depots.
Saturday PUNCH reports that long queues resurfaced in filling stations across the two states on Friday, creating fear of impending fuel scarcity.
Our correspondents, who went round some parts of Lagos and Ogun states, reported that the queues of desperate motorists in some of the filling stations affected the free flow of traffic.
At the Oando filling station in Alapere, Lagos, commuters were held in traffic as motorists struggled to buy fuel. The station stopped dispensing fuel later in the day.
There were long queues at the Conoil filling station, while the TotalEnergies station in the same area was not dispensing fuel to customers.
It was observed that many stations did not dispense fuel and this increased the pressure on the few ones where the product was available.
The NNPC station at Fadeyi did not sell petrol as of noon on Friday, while the NIPCO station recorded a long queue of vehicles waiting to get Premium Motor Spirit.
There were also long queues of motorists at the AP filling station in Onipanu.
The Mobil filling stations at Palmgrove, Alausa and Mile 2 areas of the state did not open for business.
The Enyo filling station at Ojodu junction had long queues when one of our correspondents got there.
It was the same scenario at Eterna filling station at Oworonshoki, Northwest in Oju-Elegba, TotalEnergies and MRS in Surulere.
The NNPC, Mobil, TAS, NIPCO, Enyo, As-Salam and other filling stations along the Mowe-Ibafo route in Ogun State did not sell petrol too.
Similarly, the Capital and Enyo filling stations at Berger did not sell PMS as at the time of filing this report.
The Rain Oil and NNPC stations in Ibafo, Asese and Mowe areas had long queues of motorists, while other stations along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were shut.
The situation affected the number of commercial vehicles on the roads.
At Mile 2, some young men engaged in the sale of the product in jerrycans at N800 per litre.
Commercial motorcyclists, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH, said they had been buying from the black marketers since Wednesday.
A customer on the Ikotun Idimu Road in Lagos, who gave his name as Mr Ejiogbu, said, “I just noticed there are long queues in filling stations around here and I don’t know why it is only the NNPC station that is dispensing fuel in the area.
“I started noticing the scarcity and queues everywhere two days ago and I don’t know why.”
It was observed that the scarcity has started affecting transport fares.
A trader, Mrs Ada Herbert, said, “Ikotun to Cele Express used to be between N400 and N500, but today, drivers pegged it at N600; I don’t know if it was as a result of the fuel scarcity.”
At the Mobil filling station at First Gate along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, there was a short queue of motorists waiting to buy fuel in jerrycans.
One of the fuel attendants said the station managed to get fuel after three days of no supply.
“They just came to supply fuel for us now. We didn’t have fuel for over three days. I don’t know why they didn’t bring it earlier. What matters is that we have fuel to sell now,” the attendant, who declined to give his name, said.
Motorists also queued up to buy fuel at the Mobil station at Alakija, where PMS was sold fuel for N605 per litre.
The National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, had said on Monday that there was a little hiccup in the distribution of the product and expressed optimism that normalcy would be restored after the Easter break.
Fashola stated, “Yes, I think there was a little infraction in supply. The Easter holidays from Friday to Monday also added to the situation. I think from Wednesday it will ease off.
“There was little problem with supply even before the holidays. There was a little hiccup in supply, and the holiday added to it. I am sure will start getting better after the holidays.”
However, the situation seems to be getting worse four days after the Easter break.
NNPC, marketers speak
The spokesperson for the NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, in a message on Friday, confirmed that there were queues at NNPCL stations, saying there were no products at the company’s Apapa depots.
According to him, the NNPCL has carried out a review and there is no sign of scarcity in Lagos.
Soneye stated, “There were no products at our Apapa depots. We have carried out a review and there was no sign of scarcity in Lagos.
“It is only the NNPC Retail stations that have queues due to our price differential.”
However, the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria differed with the NNPCL as it confirmed queues at its filling stations.
The Executive Secretary of MEMAN, Clement Isong, said there was low stock over the Easter weekend for some of the members, adding that this resulted from truck out to supply stations without replenishment at its depots.
Isong said this led to outages in some retail outlets during the past week.
However, he stated that the depots were currently receiving PMS supplies from the NNPC Trading and would continue to do so throughout the weekend.
Isong said, “Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the recent concerns about fuel scarcity. We understand the importance of addressing these issues promptly and transparently to provide clarity to the public.
”There was low stock over the Easter weekend for some MEMAN members resulting from truck out to supply stations without replenishment at our depots.
“This led to outages in some retail outlets during the past week. Depots are currently receiving PMS supplies from the NNPC Trading and shall continue to do so through the coming weekend.
”Moving forward, we want to assure the public that supplies have resumed and all MEMAN members are collaborating closely to expedite the distribution process. Members are working tirelessly at our depots, including extended hours and weekends, to ensure that retail outlets are adequately stocked.
”Our collective goal is to eliminate fuel queues and stabilise the supply chain before the upcoming Sallah holidays next week.”
Fashola also confirmed that the depots had started loading fuel.
He said, “It is good not to allow queues to occur at all because to arrest the queues usually takes a little time. But from what I saw yesterday (Thursday), over 400 trucks went to the MRS depot to load fuel. So, I am very confident that the queues will soon ease off. You know when it starts, we have to double efforts to address the situation.
“Like I said before, there was a little shortfall in supply and the Easter holidays compounded the issue for us. But with the way they have started working yesterday throughout the weekend, I am sure by Monday we should have a relief.
“When things like this happen, people will start engaging in panic buying. You see people with jerry cans going to stations to buy fuel just to keep. This is very bad and dangerous. People must be sensitised to this.”
He debunked rumours that marketers were hoarding fuel because the Federal Government wanted to reduce prices.
[Punch]
The immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is preparing to fight President Bola Tinubu in at least two courts, Saturday Vanguard can report.
The prospects of the battle are to be staged in the courts of the land where El-Rufai expects to clear his name of the allegation of being a security risk, and also in the court of public opinion where political actors expect him to be a major barricade to the president’s re-election in 2027.
The stage for the coming battle follows what both friends and foes of the former governor assert as his public humiliation by the Tinubu administration of being a security risk unfit for ministerial office.
In a way that has garnered public interest, Mallam as he is fondly referred to by his close associates, has excited the political class with gyrations across the North in the last two weeks.
Besides two public meetings with the Social Democratic Party, SDP chiefs, the former governor has consolidated his identity with the political opposition with a visit to the suspended lawmaker representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Senator Abdul Ningi.
The proclivity towards the opposition follows what friend and foe describe as the public humiliation served on the former governor.
El-Rufai according to multiple sources despite his immense contributions both strategically and financially to the emergence of Tinubu as president had pledged not to serve in the new government.
The former governor had reportedly preferred a sabbatical in academia.
He was, however, courted by the president with a plea to help revive the energy sector. Even before his ministerial announcement, El-Rufai it was gathered had started laying down plans and processes to tackle the sector. His preparation flowed from his years as director-general of the Bureau for Public Enterprises, where he was involved in the energy reform programmes of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.
However, to the shock of all El-Rufai was dropped during the Senate ministerial screening on the claim that he failed security clearance.
The shock of the failure to get a security clearance numbed several political actors given his strategic role in moving the hands of Northern governors to back Tinubu ahead of the All Progressives Congress, APC convention. Besides, it was gathered that the former governor played key roles in facilitating the election of the president in some Southwest states not controlled by the APC.
A senior government official from one of the Southwest states on the condition of anonymity said:
“He played a key role in funding us in my state and I can tell this because I was personally involved,” the official from one of the Southwest states said.
Besides the significant contribution as attested by the official from the Southwest State, El-Rufai in the twilight of the Muhammadu Buhari administration also shocked many with his decision to, along with others challenge the Federal Government over the naira redesign project of the federal government.
Defending why he opposed the Buhari government on the naira redesign policy, El-Rufai had claimed it was meant to instigate the polity against the APC by those around the former president who failed in their bid to stop Tinubu from getting the presidential ticket.
“They also sought to achieve any one or more of the following objectives: create a nationwide shortage of cash so that citizens are incited to vote against APC candidates across the board resulting in massive losses for the Party in all the elections.”
However, despite his stellar role in helping Tinubu to power, a source close to El-Rufai disclosed that the camp of the former governor believed that it was wrong for him to have been so publicly humiliated and to have been tagged a security risk.
One of the confidants of the former governor told Saturday Vanguard:
“You think Mallam will allow this tag to abide on him? I can assure you that he is going to clear his name in court.
El-Rufai is a man who has many contacts internationally and he is not one to allow his reputation to be smeared by the reason given by the Senate of being a security risk,” the source said in revealing the prospects of court action to enable the former governor to clear his name.
Besides the resort to the court of law, the former governor it was gathered is also mobilising to play a role against Tinubu in the court of public opinion ahead of 2027.
Whether El-Rufai would stand as a candidate or mobilise against the president in 2027 in the same way he did in supporting him in 2023 is, however, a matter that is yet to be determined.
Saturday Vanguard reports that the strategic facilitation provided by El-Rufai to Tinubu came after he had in the past lampooned Tinubu as a godfather. He had at a lecture in May 2019 averred that it was possible to defeat the godfather of Lagos.
A year later at a webinar to commemorate the 63rd birthday of Rauf Aregbesola in May 2020, El-Rufai had said that Tinubu was not his man.
While congratulating Aregbesola, El-Rufai said, “I want to congratulate my brother, Ogbeni (Aregbesola), on his birthday. You know I’m your man any day. I’m not Asiwaju’s man and you are Asiwaju’s man, but I am your man any day. Asiwaju and I have differences but you and I have no differences.”