The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has seized the passports of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, over the ongoing investigations into scandals in the ministry.
Edu, who arrived at the EFCC headquarters, Abuja at 10am on Tuesday, was still being quizzed by the commission’s investigators as of the time of filing this report at 7pm.
As the EFCC interrogated the suspended minister over the N44bn fraud uncovered in the ministry, it was learnt that managing directors of three commercial banks were also questioned on Tuesday over the fraud.
The scandal involving Edu burst open after a leaked memo revealed that the suspended minister directed the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer N585m to a private account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry claimed currently serves as the Project Accountant, Grants for Vulnerable Groups.
The minister had claimed that the N585m payment was meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states, describing the allegations against her as baseless.
The Media Assistant to the minister, Rasheed Olarewaju, said in a statement that it was legal within the civil service for such payments to be made into private accounts of staff members, especially project accountants.
In deference to public pressure, the President on Monday suspended Edu and directed her to hand over to the permanent secretary in the ministry.
On Tuesday, Edu honoured the EFCC invitation and she was subjected to marathon interrogation by investigators.
It was learnt that her personal and official passports were taken away by detectives and she was barred from travelling out of the country.
Passports seized
Her predecessor, Umar-Farouq, had been quizzed by investigators for 12 hours on Monday in connection with the probe into the N37.1bn allegedly laundered during her tenure in office, through a contractor, James Okwete.
The ex-minister’s passport was also seized as part of her bail conditions before she was subsequently released late Monday night.
An impeccable EFCC source said the passports of Edu and the former minister were seized to deter them from fleeing the country while the investigation subsists.
“The commission has seized the passports of the two ministers, Sadiya Shehu and Betta Edu. We have also seized Mrs Halima Shehu’s passport pending the conclusion of investigations. The commission does not want to risk having any of them leave the country while they still have questions to answer,” the source said.
The lawyer to the former minister, Dipo Okpeseyi, SAN, could not be reached for comment on his client’s ordeal as he did not respond to phone calls. He also did not respond to a message seeking his comment. Also, efforts to get Edu did not succeed
The PUNCH could not immediately confirm whether she was released on Tuesday night.
Apart from Edu, Ms Halima Shehu, the National Coordinator and CEO of the National Social Investment Programme, an agency under the humanitarian ministry, had been similarly suspended indefinitely over alleged financial misappropriation.
Shehu had been arrested and questioned by the EFCC in connection with the movement of N44bn from the NSIPA account to some suspicious private and corporate accounts within the last four days in December 2023.
The huge sum was reportedly moved without presidential approval.
As part of her bail conditions, Shehu has been reporting to the EFCC office every day to assist investigators.
Before her appointment, Shehu worked as the National Coordinator of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Top EFCC sources confirmed the probe of the senior bank executives to our correspondent on Tuesday.
An impeccable EFCC source revealed that the banks were deeply involved in the fraud under investigation.
The source revealed, “The MDs of the banks were grilled by our interrogators at the EFCC headquarters on Tuesday. They were invited and are being probed in connection with the uncovered N44bn fraud and the N585m involving Halima Shehu and Betta Edu.
“The suspended minister and the coordinator have both given new revelations during their interrogations, and the investigation is still ongoing.’’
Giving his opinion on the unfolding scandals, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accused the All Progressives Congress of using the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and poverty alleviation as a cash cow for successive governments.
Atiku said the suspension of the minister, Edu, was commendable, but not enough.
Atiku in a statement by his Special Assistant, Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Tuesday, described it as unfortunate that a programme that was designed to lift over 100 million Nigerians out of extreme poverty had allegedly become a cash cow for successive APC governments.
He said, “While Tinubu deserves commendation for suspending Edu, we believe this is a belated move. Firstly, he had no business appointing her as a minister of such a sensitive ministry in the first place. Tinubu put politics ahead of competence, hence this scandal.
“What experience did Betta have in the development sector? How was Imaan Ibrahim, with her wealth of experience, overlooked? How did the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, stand as Betta Edu’s referee during her clearance at the Senate?”
Atiku who called for reform of the Ministry, alleged that it was not only Edu that was involved in the transactions.
“Betta Edu should not be the fall guy. Others who have remotely and wickedly benefitted from money that was meant for poor Nigerians ought to be fished out, probed, and prosecuted too. It is demonic and tendentiously wicked to steal in the name of the poor, he stated.
The statement read in part, “There is a need for the government to reform the humanitarian affairs ministry and other interventionist programmes that had become an ATM and POS for those in power.
“He noted that the fact that the previous Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, was also being probed for N37bn fraud was evidence that immediate and urgent actions need to be taken to reform the ministry.
“Even during the COVID-19 lockdown, Umar-Farouq continued to implement the school feeding programme. She ridiculously claimed that the food would be delivered to the students at home since schools were shut.
“Today, Betta Edu claims that over three million households got N20,000 each during the Yuletide. Sadly, there is no evidence of millions of Nigerians getting such money. This shows that money has just been going into private pockets.
“The scandal that we are contending with is not about Betta Edu, nor about Halima Shehu, or any other rogue element for that matter. It is about a problem of systemic corruption through which the APC continues to bleed the treasury, ironically, asphyxiating the poor and vulnerable segment of the country, all in the name of caring for them.
“The APC has weaponized poverty and hunger to control the minds of the vulnerable masses, and it is even worse that they have devised a method to use poverty as an instrument of official corruption.”
APC slams Atiku
Reacting, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, cautioned the former vice president against jumping to conclusions, noting that Edu is not guilty until the allegations against her are proven.
He berated Atiku and the PDP, saying they faced more corrupt allegations than Edu and the APC.
Ibrahim stated, “Atiku, from his record, it was said somewhere that he read elementary law. And if indeed he read law at whatever level, even if it is a kindergarten level, ought to know that the presumption of the law on an accused is that he is innocent until proven guilty.’’
The APC official noted that the way President Tinubu responded to the allegations showed that ‘’he is a president that listens to the yearnings of Nigeria and that will act by the provision of the law.’’
He added, “At the stage, we are now, a thorough investigation has been directed; it will be wrong for anyone to jump to the conclusion that there is theft or that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs is a conduit that is made to siphon public funds for APC governments.
“If it is, the investigations will not have been directed, and the government would not have acted swiftly and appropriately it did.”
On the allegation that the APC is a corrupt party, Ibrahim clarified, “If you say because a few people in the APC who are accused of wrongdoing are to limit wrongdoings to the APC, then, one is not being fair to the composition of parties.”
He continued, “In Nigeria, and I am sure like in other countries of the world, there is no party that is composed of saints, there is no party that can beat its chest and say its members are infallible.
“What is important is to see that the party they belong to has the willingness, the desire, and the courage to call them to order when they go wrong. The APC and the President of the country, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have demonstrated that willingness.
“If on the basis of allegations you will jump to conclusion, the PDP will not be in a position to talk because ever since the formation of the party in Nigeria, there has not been any party that has faced allegations of corruption like the PDP.”
In a related development, the PDP has asked the President to suspend and investigate the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo over his alleged involvement in a N438m contract awarded by Edu.
Tunji-Ojo had denied involvement in the consultancy contract awarded to New Planet Project Limited, a company in which he was a former director.
The minister explained that he resigned as a director of the firm in 2019.
But the opposition party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, Tuesday asked the President to take immediate action “to protect the resources meant for the wellbeing of poor Nigerians from further plundering by suspending the Interior minister over the alleged fraud and hand him over to the EFCC for investigation like his suspended counterpart.’’
Interior minister
Meanwhile, Tunji-Ojo has dismissed reports claiming he was summoned to the Presidential Villa over allegations of involvement in the humanitarian ministry scandal.
Rather, the minister said he was at the State House to brief President Tinubu on the outcome of the recently launched online passport portal.
Tunde Alao, the media aide to the minister, in a statement on Tuesday, said Tunji-Ojo’s visit to Aso Rock was to keep an earlier scheduled meeting with the president, stressing that he was not summoned as speculated.
“The minister only visited Aso Rock to keep an earlier scheduled meeting with President Tinubu. The sensational social media headline that says the minister was summoned to Aso Rock was quite misleading and should be discountenanced by Nigerians,’’ he said.
Also, a former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, has commended President Bola Tinubu on the suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
Shekarau commended Tinubu in an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday.
[Punch]
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has justified why President Bola Tinubu acted swiftly on allegations of fraud against the suspended minister of humanitarian affairs, Betta Edu.
The party said there are processes information undergoes before it gets to the president.
The National Publicity Secretary of the All progressives Congress, Felix Morka stated this in an interview with Arise Television on Tuesday.
Morka said, “We are talking about the president of the federal republic of Nigeria, you don’t expect that every act that happens in a ministry is something that is mirrored in the presidency or that there is a board where the president is seeing everything happening in every ministry.
“When there is a problem, that problem works its way up through the channels of information of vetting and filtering to present information to the president for his assessment and decision.
“I don’t think the timeline that you are talking about is less swift because people discussed it first. My point is that the president responded as swiftly as can be and appropriately on this matter.”
Morka also said no one can regulate the actions of humans, adding that there is no mechanism available for a party to modulate the conducts of its members.
He added that the only thing that can be done is to set standards and consequences for those who take those actions.
“You are expecting superhumans to be members of the APC and therefore people who are high above reproach and will do no wrong. That is not the standard of any democracy or any political party because people populate the parties. The question is not whether people do wrong, there is no mechanism available for a party to modulate human conduct.
“You can set standards and parameters for imposing consequences for when those actions are taken. That is what this president has done. Whether people choose to do what they do is beyond the control of the president.
“The question is, has the president responded as expected in a democracy? Yes. He swiftly responded to the appearance that something wrong was done,” he said.\
Recall that Edu had asked the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein to send public funds to a private account that belonged to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as a project manager by the minister.
The minister had approved that N585,198,500.00 should be disbursed into a personal account.
The ministry approved funds for flight tickets and airport taxis for her team from Abuja to Kogi State, even though the latter has no airport.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu on Monday suspended Edu and ordered an investigation into the alleged fraudulent activities of the minister.
The Federal Government yesterday launched a probe of degree racketeering in foreign and local private universities.
A seven-member inter-ministerial committee will investigate the allegations within eight weeks.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, mandated it to review the role of any ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) or their officials in the facilitation of the recognition and procurement of fake certificates in question.
The committee has the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Committee of Vice Chancellor of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), Prof. Jibrila Amin, as the head.
Other members are Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki; Lazarus Ikpadaba from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr Abel Olanrewaju from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Others are Omeh Nwokpoku from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Amina Lugga from the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, and Mrs Doam Iyortyom from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The minister, while reading the terms of reference, urged the committee to review existing policies and procedures on accreditation and certification.
He said: “The committee must also examine the rules, procedures and processes for recognition and accreditation of foreign universities and programmes by the Federal Ministry of Education.”
“Establish if unapproved foreign institutions (Degree Mills) exist or not in Nigeria in whatever form with their identities and locations if any.
“Make appropriate recommendations for review of any rules, procedures, processes to prevent re-occurrence and sanctions for identified erring officials.
“Make other recommendations that will strengthen the system of recognition, accreditations and quality assurance of degrees in Nigeria.
“Examine the extant rules, procedures and processes for granting of provisional licences to new universities by the NUC.”
The Federal Government last week announced the suspension of accreditation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo.
The decision followed an investigative report titled: “How Daily Nigerian reporter bagged Cotonou varsity degree in six weeks.”
Zenith, Providus, Jaiz CEOs Face EFCC Over Funds Diverted By Humanitarian Ministers Edu and Farouq
AdminThe Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Zenith, Providus, and Jaiz banks have reportedly been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following their link to fraud allegations surrounding suspended and former Ministers of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu and Sadiya Umar-Farouq.
A source close to The Guardian confirmed the development saying Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu (Zenith Bank), Haruna Musa (Jaiz Bank), and Walter Akpani (Providus Bank) were arrested on Tuesday.
The source revealed further that they have been suspected of facilitating the improper diversion of public funds into private accounts.
Speaking further, the source said EFCC is working on unearthing suspicious transactions involving hefty sums of public money going into private accounts involving both Edu and Farouq during their tenures as ministers.
Recall that Farouq, a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs under the Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari, was accused of embezzling N37 billion meant for the conditional cash transfer program under Buhari’s tenure.
Meanwhile, Betta on the other hand was accused of fraud involving the sum of N585.189.
Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election has faulted the recent National Assembly’s approval of President Bola Tinubu’s request for the securitisation of outstanding N7.3 trillion ways and means debt balance.
While Ways and Means is a loan facility through which the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provides short-term financing to cover the government’s budget shortfalls, securitisation is the practice of pooling together various types of debt instruments and selling them as bonds to investors.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued via his verified X page, Obi described the securitisation as “illegal”.
“This is the time when we need to go beyond politics and partisan grandstanding to address the fundamental issues of rational economic management. I am afraid that the current administration is not paying sufficient attention to issues of rational economic management,” he said.
The LP’s presidential candidate said former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration also got the senate to approve N22.7 trillion in ways and means borrowing from the CBN, barely 26 days to the end of the eight-year tenure.
“In seven years, CBN lending to the Buhari government had climbed 2700% in flagrant violation of the CBN Act,” the former Anambra governor said.
“Indifferent to the illegality of the excessive ways and means borrowing, the national assembly still approved the new Tinubu administration’s request for an N7.3 trn securitization of the existing ways and means facility just before considering the 2024 budget proposals.
“No questions asked. No explanations were sought as to the precise purpose of these borrowings all within the seven-month tenure of this government.
“Ordinarily, minimum public accountability should require that the president and his administration offer more specific explanations about the purpose of these borrowings. But so far, all we have been told is that these borrowings are meant to fund ‘capital’ expenditure,” he said.
Popular traditional chief in Ogun state, Adeyinka Folarin, the Baasegun of the Itunsokun village in the state, has been shot dead by unidentified gunmen.
He was shot at his Sagamu residence around 8:00 p.m. on Monday, January 9, by the gunmen suspected to be cultists.
The tragic incident was confirmed by two traditional rulers seeking acknowledgment.
One of the traditional rulers said: “The information is correct but I don’t have much information about the incident. We heard that the chief who is a popular traditional chief and member of the Akarigbo in-council was killed last night. He is popularly called Baasegun, we however can’t say these are the people who did these terrible acts. We leave the police and other security agencies to do their job.”
According to a Sagamu local government employee who preferred anonymity, the incident also forced the LG employees to quickly end their workday to save their lives.
The source said: “Already, tension is very high in the town as I speak to you, workers are already moving out of the local government secretariat to avoid being caught in any form of crisis. Many are saying the man was killed by cultists but no one could really confirm this, the information is still scanty now.”
However, the spokeswoman for the Ogun state Police Command, SP Omolola, is yet to confirm the incident.
[TheNation]
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday approved “cost-cutting” measures that involves slashing, by 60%, official entourage on local and international travels.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed this while briefing State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
Ngelale said the directive applied to the Offices of the President, Vice President, First Lady, Wife of the Vice President and all Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
He said, “President Bola Tinubu has approved that anywhere he travels within this country he will no longer accept or allow huge security delegations to be following him from Abuja, which attracts massive bills with respect to estacode and duty allowances from now on.
“He has approved a massive cost-cutting exercise that will cut across the entire Federal Government of Nigeria and the Offices of the President himself, the Vice President and the Office of the First Lady. It will be conducted in the following fashion.
“On international trips, the President has directed that no more than 20 individuals be allowed to travel with him. That number will be cut down to five in the case of the First Lady. Additionally, the number in the entourage on official international trips for the Vice President will be cut to five. The number that will be placed as a limit on the wife of the Vice President is also five.
“In terms of local trips, the President has approved a new limit of 25 members of staff to accompany him on domestic trips. within the country.
Ngelale noted that the Office of the First Lady and that of the Wife of the Vice President is now limited to 10 staff members on official trips within the country.
The Vice President will be limited to 15 members of staff on official trips within the country.
The presidential spokesman said ministers are now limited to four persons for foreign trips while heads of agencies can only travel with two persons.
Ngelale added, “By this directive, every minister will be limited to having not more than four members of staff going with them to any event anywhere in the world. In the case of CEOs of agencies, they will be limited to two staff going with them to anywhere in the world.”
Tuesday’s development came four weeks after the Tinubu administration came under harsh criticism for conveying a massive entourage to the COP28 Climate Change Summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
Details shortly…
[Punch]
The Presidency has refuted media reports that President Bola Tinubu summoned the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for questioning at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Reports have it that Tunji-Ojo was summoned in relation to links between him and a company said to be involved in the financial mismanagement involving the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
It would be recalled that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs is said to have given a consultancy contract to the tune of N438 million, for the National Social Register to New New Planet Projects Ltd, a company the interior Minister is linked to.
The Interior Minister had come under fire for alleged involvement in a 438.1 million consultancy contract from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
It was gathered that Tunji-Ojo has since left the Presidential Villa after a meeting with President Tinubu but he was silent about the purpose of the visit.
According to Vanguard, a presidency source has denied media reports that the minister was summoned over the scandal.
The source said, “We are too intelligent to be stupid.”
It is understood that the company, New Planet Project Limited, was one of the numerous consultants awarded contracts from N3 billion given out by the suspended minister for the National Social Register contract.
In a document posted by the editor of a media platform, Pointblank News, Jackson Ude, Tunji-Ojo’s New Planet Project Limited was initially paid N279 million for verification of the list and another N159 million for the same purpose.
But in an appearance on Politics Today on Monday, the minister refuted being a Director in the company, stressing that he resigned years ago from the company.
The minister added that he resigned from the company in 2019 and has no current link with the management of the company.
[NaijaNews]
French President Emmanuel Macron has just appointed 34-year-old Education Minister Gabriel Attal as France’s new Prime Minister on Tuesday.
This move is aimed at Macron’s second term ahead of the European Parliament elections.
Although the appointment does not imply a major political shift, it signifies Macron’s intent to move beyond last year’s unpopular pension and immigration reforms, aiming to enhance his centrist party’s prospects in the upcoming EU ballot in June.
Opinion polls indicate Macron’s camp is trailing the far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s party by approximately eight to 10 percentage points.
Attal, a close ally of Macron, gained prominence as the government spokesman during the COVID pandemic. He is set to replace the outgoing Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.
Attal, among the country’s most popular politicians in recent polls, has earned a reputation as a skilled minister comfortable in various media formats.
Macron, concluding 2023, had previously announced his intention to unveil new political initiatives.
What Macron said
In his message to Attal, Macron said,
- “I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to implement the project of revitalization and regeneration that I announced”.
Attal will be France’s youngest Prime Minister and the first to be openly gay. Also, he and Macron have a combined age just below that of Joe Biden, who is running for a second mandate in this year’s U.S. presidential election.
Macron has struggled to deal with a more turbulent parliament since losing his absolute majority shortly after being re-elected in 2022.
About Gabriel Attal
Gabriel Attal, born on March 16, 1989, is a French politician affiliated with the Renaissance Party, currently serving as Prime Minister since January 9, 2024. He has a diverse background, studied law, and engaged in political activism from a young age.
Attal’s career includes roles such as advisor to the Minister of Health and Member of the French National Assembly. Notably, he became the spokesperson for La République En Marche! in 2018 and later held ministerial positions.
On October 16, 2018, at 29, Attal became the youngest member of a government in the Fifth Republic as Secrétaire d’État.
He later served as Minister of Public Action and Accounts and Minister of National Education and Youth.
Following Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne’s resignation, Attal, at 34, assumed the role of France’s youngest and first openly gay leader on January 9, 2024.
Despite his political success, Attal has faced online hate speech due to his identity, including antisemitic and homophobic attacks.
[Nairametrics]
The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has urged President Bola Tinubu to investigate the Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo following the suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu. NANS alleges that Tunji-Ojo should be probed over his alleged involvement in a N438.1 million consultancy contract with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. This was stated in a release signed by NANS President, Pedro Obi, on Tuesday.
Betta Edu was suspended for reportedly transferring N585 million of Federal Government funds into a personal account. There are also claims that a company allegedly owned by Tunji-Ojo, New Planet Project Limited, received N438.1 million for consultancy services from Edu’s ministry.
Tunji-Ojo, speaking on a TV program, admitted his association with the company but stated that he resigned in 2019 when he ran for the House of Representatives. He emphasized that, while he remains a shareholder, he is not involved in the day-to-day operations of the business.
NANS President insists that Tunji Ojo’s involvement in the N438.1 million consultancy fee should also be investigated. The NANS president’s statement expressed concern about the financial misdoings at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, calling for extensive investigation into the spending under the supervision of the suspended Minister, Betta Edu. Furthermore, they emphasized the need for the prosecution of anyone found wanting in accordance with the law.
More...
President Bola Tinubu has taken a significant step in reducing the travel expenses of government officials, both domestically and internationally, by 60%. This directive, conveyed by the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, is a cost-cutting measure aimed at official travels.
The impact of this directive will be felt across the offices of the President, Vice President, First Lady, and ministers. Ngelale emphasized that it is not a mere request but a firm directive from Tinubu himself.
According to the presidential aide, this cost-cutting measure will significantly reduce state entourages and affect the office of the president and its staff, as well as the Vice President and other appointees. The directive is set to slash official travel expenditure by 60%.
As an organization deeply committed to the progress and well-being of our nation, we are ready to provide our support in the battle against corruption.
We strongly believe that eradicating corruption is essential for creating an environment that promotes sustainable development, equal opportunities, and social justice for all Nigerians.
Therefore, we urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to reaffirm his dedication, along with his government, to the growth and advancement of Nigeria.
As the President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria, President Tinubu must show the determination and resolve to address the critical issue of corruption, which has plagued our beloved country for far too long.
Corruption remains a significant barrier to our nation's development and hampers our collective aspirations.
It is imperative that we confront this issue directly and foster a society where corruption has no room to thrive. We firmly believe that adopting a zero-tolerance approach to corruption is vital in achieving this goal.
Given recent revelations regarding alleged corruption within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, we urge the President to initiate a thorough investigation into these allegations.
It is crucial to meticulously examine every aspect of the ministry's financial transactions to ensure transparency and accountability.
Additionally, we call for a comprehensive investigation into the financial transactions associated with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as a forensic audit of the ministry and the companies involved in the excessively inflated consultancy's verification fees.
Afenifere raises concerns about the expenditure of almost 4 billion naira solely for verifying beneficiaries and questions how much money will be left to be disbursed to the verified beneficiaries from the limited resources of the country.
We firmly believe that no one should be exempt from this investigation, as the government under President Tinubu's leadership must set an example and demonstrate unwavering commitment to the principles of good governance.
Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of conducting this investigation without any interference or bias, ensuring a fair and just process.
The Nigerian people have entrusted President Tinubu with their confidence, and it is his responsibility to uphold that trust by demonstrating a commitment to transparency and accountability.
Otunba Kole Omololu
National Organising Secretary
Dangote Refinery appears set to commence production of refined petroleum products with the receipt of the sixth batch of barrels of crude supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
The fresh one million Agbami barrels of crude via MT ALMI SUN is the last cargo to complete the initial scheduled 6 million barrels consignment to be delivered to the Dangote facility for commencement of operations by the world's largest single-train refinery.
Exactly a month ago, Dangote Refinery received the first one million barrels of Agbami crude grade from Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (STASCO), one of the largest trading companies in Nigeria as well as globally, trading in over 8 million barrels of crude oil per day.
Since then, Dangote Refinery has been receiving the crude oil in batches, and the 6th batch of one million barrels of Agbami crude, got discharged today at the Single Point Mooring (SPM-C2) at the Dangote Offshore Oil Terminal (DOOT).
It would be recalled that the Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Mr. Akin Omole had told newsmen at the Dangote Quay, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos that the Refinery will be in good stead to commence operation, once the 6 million barrels of crude had been delivered.
Omole said, “Once the 6 million barrels are fully delivered, it will facilitate the initial run of the refinery as well as kick-start the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) before subsequently progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)."
This latest development will play a pivotal role in alleviating the fuel supply challenges faced by Nigeria as well as the West African countries.
Designed for 100% Nigerian crude with the flexibility to process other crudes, the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery can process most African crude grades as well as Middle Eastern Arab Light and even US Light tight oil as well as crude from other countries.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery can meet 100% of Nigeria’s requirement of all refined products, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation jet, and has a surplus of each of these products for export.
The Ondo State Government has reportedly set February 23 and 24 as the dates for the burial of the state’s late governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
This decision was finalized on Monday by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa following a state cabinet meeting, which was not without its share of disagreements.
The meeting witnessed some discord over the composition of the burial planning committee, particularly concerning the exclusion of certain key figures.
Among those reportedly omitted from the committee was the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Princess Oladunni Odu, who expressed displeasure over her non-inclusion.
The late Governor Akeredolu, a significant political figure in Ondo State, left a notable legacy, and his burial is expected to be a major event.
The coming days are expected to be crucial for the planning committee as they work towards a ceremony that honors the legacy of the late Governor Akeredolu.
A source at the meeting who spoke with SaharaReporters said, “the burial has been fixed between February 23 and 24. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who also doubled as the Chairman of the Committee made the announcement on Monday.
“SSG (Odu) got wind that her name was not on the list of the committee and during a meeting with the governor, Aiyedatiwa, at the governor’s office, she raised her concerns about it.
“It became a whole lot of argument and charged at the governor for not including her on the list of the committee. But it took the intervention of other cabinet members at the meeting to calm the nerves of the woman. In fact, I’m aware that the meeting did not end peacefully due to the manner Odu behaved.
“Don’t forget that Odu also has eyes on the seat of the governor and she is ready to contest in the governorship race.”
Naija News recalls that the body of the late former Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, arrived in Nigeria from Germany on the 5th of January, 2024.
The body was received by his wife, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, his children, and siblings led by Prof. Wole Akeredolu, the immediate younger brother.