The Presidency has confirmed that a cabinet reshuffle is on the horizon, indicating that up to 11 ministers could soon be relieved of their positions.

This development was shared during a media briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Joining Onanuga at the briefing, O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, did not provide a specific timeline for the reshuffle but hinted that an announcement could be made later this week.

Insiders who spoke with Guardian noted that the long-anticipated changes were postponed following the conclusion of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday.

“It’s true President Bola Tinubu has plans to reshuffle his cabinet, but I can’t say specifically whether that will be done before the Independence celebration on October 1,” Onanuga stated, emphasizing that the President initially appointed his ministers in August of last year.

Reports suggest that Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, is among those potentially facing dismissal. While the exact details remain unclear, it has been made known that a comprehensive review of ministerial performance is underway as pressure mounts from various stakeholders for a more effective cabinet.

The platform disclosed that former minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola is noted to have been identified as a likely replacement for Gbajabiamila. If he declines the offer, the current principal secretary to the President, Hakeem Muri-Okunola has been identified to fill the void.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun is expected to get a junior minister in the person of the Chairman, Presidential Fiscal
Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Mr Taiwo Oyedele.

While decisive action is likely to be taken on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, insiders note that the ministry might be scrapped due to the level of malfeasance and corruption perpetrated under the guise of intervention programmes.

Also, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management, Ishak Salaco, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite, Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and a few others may not be lucky in the imminent cabinet reshuffle.

According to those familiar with the imminent changes, some ministers may be moved to other ministries, while those found to have performed below par will be removed.

The insiders also noted that a minister who served under the Buhari administration will likely be returned to serve under the present administration.

The official confirmation of a cabinet shake-up comes after months of speculation since Tinubu’s first anniversary in office, as Nigerians grumble about the need for better governance performance amid economic challenges.

This is also happening against the backdrop of some ministers falling below expectations regarding his Renewed Hope agenda.

A year after President Bola Tinubu inaugurated his 45-minister cabinet, many Nigerians expressed displeasure with the team’s performance.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially presented the certificate of return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, following his victory in the Edo State governorship election.

The presentation took place at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, solidifying Okpebholo’s position as the elected governor.

Okpebholo emerged victorious in the election held on September 21, where he secured a total of 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,274 votes. Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) trailed in third place with 22,763 votes.

In this election, Okpebholo’s APC party made significant gains, winning in over 10 of the 18 local government areas, while the PDP managed to claim marginal victories in the remaining councils.

Notably, the APC dominated in two of the three critical senatorial districts within the state, reflecting a decisive shift in the political landscape of Edo.

Meanwhile, the PDP has rejected the results of the recent Edo State Governorship election, as declared by the INEC.

During a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Umar Damagum, expressed his party’s dissatisfaction with the outcome, asserting that the people of Edo State rightfully voted for the PDP’s candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and expect him to be announced as the governor-elect.

The House of Representatives on Thursday adopted a motion to investigate the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the allegation of receiving ₦15 million from crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.

Social media influencer, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, alleged that Bobrisky, when convicted by the court for abusing the naira, allegedly served his jail term in a private residency and not the correctional center.

Following a motion titled ‘Urgent Need to investigate the disturbing allegation of corruption against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Correctional Service‘ by Hon Patrick Umoh, the House resolved to set up a committee to probe the allegation against EFCC.

The motion by the Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara federal constituency member read in part:

“The House notes the disturbing and widely circulated publication emanating from Martins Vincent Otse (also known as VeryDarkMan) against critical Nigerian law enforcement institutions; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Correctional Service;

“Also notes the publication alleges that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dropped money laundry charges against Idris Okuneye (also known as Bobrisky) upon collection of the sum of Fifteen Million Naira (15, 000, 000):

“Further notes that the publication alleges that Idris Okuneye, upon conviction for abuse and defacing of the Naira, by the court did not serve his time at the Nigeria Correctional Service, but was lodged outside the confines of the Service.”

The motion further “Urge the House to set up an ad-hoc Committee comprising of persons of unquestionable integrity to immediately probe the allegation and report to the House within 3 legislative weeks.”

Source: Terry Ikumi

The Take It Back Movement (TIB) has proposed holding a virtual meeting with the Lagos State Police Command instead of an in-person discussion, citing logistical challenges.

This proposal was outlined in a letter sent on Wednesday to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, State Intelligence Department, Jaiyeoba Joseph, by the group’s legal team, Inibehe Effiong Chambers.

Naija News reports that the letter follows an invitation from the police, delivered on Tuesday, which requested key members of the TIB, including National Coordinator Sanyaolu Juwon, to meet with the new Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Ishola, to discuss matters of national interest.

According to The Punch, an insiders from the TIB expressed concerns that the physical meeting could be used as an opportunity to arrest some of their members.

Despite these fears, police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the invitation and assured that the meeting was intended to be friendly, with no plans for any arrests.

He also noted that the upcoming October 1 protest would be a key point of discussion.

According to the letter from the TIB’s legal representatives, several members of the group’s leadership are currently out of Lagos and would find it difficult to attend a physical meeting at short notice.

As a solution, the TIB suggested that a virtual meeting would allow all participants to join remotely, making it easier to discuss the important matters at hand.

“Due to the short notice and the fact that several key members of the Take It Back Movement are currently out of Lagos State, attending the physical meeting may be impracticable.

“We respectfully propose a virtual meeting as an alternative, as this would enable all necessary participants to join remotely and contribute productively to the discussions,” the letter partly read.

However, the group also mentioned that if a physical meeting was essential, they would be willing to reschedule, suggesting early October as a possible time when all members could attend in person.

The planned October 1 protest, themed ‘FearlessInOctober,’ is aimed at highlighting economic challenges in Nigeria, with a particular focus on rising inflation and the ongoing fuel crisis.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed hearing on the money laundering case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the immediate former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

Naija News reports that Nwite picked October 30, 2024, for the next sitting on the suit.

This comes after Bello approached the Supreme Court to file an appeal aimed at overturning the arrest warrant issued by the trial court on April 17.

During the proceedings, Bello’s attorney, A.M. Adoyi, highlighted that the matter of the defendant’s arraignment is currently under appeal at the Supreme Court. He expressed the desire to bring the court’s attention to the appeal, referencing an affidavit of record submitted on September 23.

Adoyi further stated that it would be prudent to await the Supreme Court’s ruling on the pending appeal before proceeding with the arraignment to avoid nullifying the appellant’s appeal or undermining the authority of the Supreme Court.

In contrast, Kemi Pinheiro, counsel for the EFCC and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, contended that the defence attorneys were treating the court as a venue for entertainment.

He noted that an appeal filed by the defendant regarding the method of service of the charges and the evidence presented to their counsel was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on August 28 of this year.

“The appellant shall not take any further step until he submits himself. But they took another step,” Pinheiro noted.

In opposing the Defendant’s applications, Pinheiro said, “they had three applications on this – two before your Lordship and one before the Supreme Court. I will now urge your Lordship to demonstrate audacity of coercive power on him.”

On the other hand, Counsel for Bello contended that the matter scheduled for today (Wednesday), specifically the arraignment, is currently under appeal at the Supreme Court by the defendant.

He requested that the court defer its proceedings until the Supreme Court renders its decision, emphasizing the importance of justice in this context.

Justice Emeka Nwite acknowledged the arguments put forth by the counsel and indicated that he would need to address the issues raised in due course.

He announced that he would adjourn the proceedings to deliberate on the matter.

Consequently, he set the next hearing for the 30th of October for both ruling and arraignment.

Last week, the former governor stated that he had complied with the Commission’s invitation, accompanied by Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, but claimed he was neither interrogated nor detained. The Commission, however, countered this assertion, maintaining that he remains a wanted individual.

The EFCC subsequently attempted to apprehend the ex-governor by surrounding the Kogi Government Lodge in Abuja during the night of Wednesday last week, but the effort was unsuccessful.

An economist, Idika Kalu, has said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) knows the right policies to take to grow the country’s economy, but they are not doing it.
Idika Kalu stated this while speaking in an interview with Arise TV on the new interest rate raised by CBN, on Tuesday.

He noted that raising interest rates and, at the same time, removing subsidies that could help the citizens was wrong policy. He argued that Nigeria’s economy cannot grow with such a policy.

Kalu said, “You see, in governance, you can’t remove subsidy for the poor and at the same time increase taxes and interest rate. You don’t do that. So if you have high interest rates and have high taxes, you can’t build an economy by that means. What builds an economy is production. And the Central Bank knows that it has policies that it can tweak to get the economy on a productive trajectory.”

Speaking on what policies the CBN can take to grow the economy, Kalu continued, “First, you have the stock of money supply. They can manipulate that. The interest rate, that is what they are doing and they have been doing for over 20 years. You have volume of credit. You have management of the exchange rate. And you have what we call final expenditure. That is like mentioned ways and means of the Central Bank. You see, what the nation is suffering from is that we are not productive. And government has policies, economic policies, that should, I mean, for people in authority, that’s what should interest them.

“One, the first is your economic development policy. That’s very important. Price stability is the second policy. Then you have healthy balance of payments. You have creating employment opportunities. And of course, the development of the financial institutions. These are key policies of government.”

The Managing Director of GABS Financial Services explained that the current economic and monetary policies of CBN were responsible for no low growth in sectors of the economy.

“So whether it is the monetary authorities or the fiscal authorities, they should address these problems. So economic growth and development, there are two things. Economic growth is that maybe a sector is contributing to national income.

“But when you talk of economic development, it means the various sectors in the economy are simultaneously contributing to national income, housing, education, transport, health, all contributing. And that is what builds standard of living of individuals. And we are not doing that. We only have maybe the oil. Manufacturing sector is comatose. Nothing is happening. The agric sector, nothing is happening,” Kalu stated.

Speaking on how the capital market would react to CBN’s new interest rate, he explained that “there is an inverse relationship between interest rates and bond or stock market prices.

“So when interest rate goes up, stock market prices come down. And so before you take such sensitive decisions, you should know the implication or the ripple effect in other sectors like the capital market. It is the capital market that really builds a nation because they can mobilize long-dated funds for economic development.”

The Lagos State government has sealed off some organizations and outfits in the state over non-compliance with environmental laws in the state including noise pollution.

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), which carried out the exercise, noted that the sealed establishments include churches, restaurants and hotels.

The General Manager of LASEPA, Babatunde Ajayi, in a statement on Wednesday, said the agency would maintain zero tolerance for non-compliance with environmental laws in Lagos State.

Ajayi disclosed that the areas targeted during the current operation were Ikeja, Mushin, Gbagada, and Maryland.

He added that the sealed establishments include Vital Products Limited, A&P Nigeria Limited, Polite Anchorage and Suites, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Terrag Inn Apartment, Evening Class Guest House, Celestial Church of God, a printing press, Charley’s Bar, and 7th Heaven Hotel & Suites.

The LASEPA boss noted that before they were sealed, the facilities ignored several warnings from the agency.

Ajayi urged all businesses to fulfil their environmental responsibilities and collaborate with the state government to ensure a cleaner, more sustainable Lagos.

“In a decisive step towards tackling noise pollution and other environmental violations, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) today sealed off multiple establishments across various parts of Lagos state.

“The General Manager LASEPA, Dr Babatunde Ajayi, emphasized the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on non-compliance with environmental laws.

“We will not tolerate non-compliance with our regulations,” the statement reads.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, as a serial complainer.

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, said Peter Obi cannot agree with the result of any election he loses or his supporters lose.

Morka, in an interview, on Tuesday, with Arise TV, explained that the Edo governorship election was free and fair.

“Now, first of all, Peter Obi is obviously, I think everyone who bothers with Nigeria’s politics knows that Peter Obi is a serial complainer. He will not accept the result of any election that is not in his favor or in favor of candidates that he supports. He has done that.

“Since the 2003 election, Peter Obi has been a consistent denial of that election and now he has a new pet project to deny the Edo election. We don’t reckon with Peter Obi because he wasn’t a candidate in Edo and he was not a voter. So whatever he thinks of that election is absolutely irrelevant. He can speak what he wants, that’s up to him,” he said.

Speaking on possible court case against the Edo governorship election result by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) governorship candidates, Asue Ighodalo and Olumide Akpata respectively, the APC spokesman stated that the party and its candidate, Governo-elect, Monday Okpebholo, are okay with the decision.

Morka argued that the two candidates have yet to prove there was manipulation of the election results in favour of the APC candidate.

“About those who were contestants in the election, I think that Olimude Akpata and Asue Ighodalo, they have legitimate interests in that election. So if they are not satisfied with the outcome of that election, they must do what they must do, which is to take this matter to court and go there to prove the allegations that they are bandying around right now because that’s what they are doing. They are simply throwing a lot of things, unsubstantiated allegations.

“When an election is done, psychologically people are wounded because you went into it to win. So when you don’t win, understandably you can be sore. But I think that I have not listened to any of them articulate or furnish any sort of reasonable evidence of all of the high sounding allegations that they make and it’s not enough to throw those things out there.

“When you get to court, it’s not about the headlines. You must break down the headlines into credible, realistic evidence before the courts to support your argument that you won the election or that there was some foul play or some manipulation as they allege. So we’re not bothered by that. When they go to court, we will of course meet them in court and also present our side of the story and that’s the beauty of democracy. He who alleges must prove,” Morka added.

Abdulmumuni Abiola, son of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections, the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, has shared personal insights about his father’s family life and Will.

In a recent video that has gained traction on social media, Abdul opened up about his father’s meticulous nature and how his estate was handled after his passing.

He revealed that his father had 30 wives, with each receiving specific amounts of money as stipulated in his Will.

According to Abdul, MKO Abiola, a trained accountant and auditor, ensured that his wealth was distributed carefully, with the first wife, Simbiat, receiving £300,000, while other wives were also allocated significant sums.

Abdul explained that his father’s attention to detail extended to every aspect of his life, including how he structured his financial legacy.

Abdul further discussed issues within the family concerning the management of the Abiola estate.

He accused his brothers, Kola and Wuraola Abiola, of acting as self-appointed directors, lifting over 600,000 barrels of oil from their father’s oil block without consulting or sharing the proceeds with their other siblings.

He claimed that these actions have marginalized the other children, with Kola and his full siblings allegedly running the estate like personal property.

Reflecting on his father’s Will, Abdul described it as a “very detailed document” that outlined specific instructions regarding the distribution of wealth among family members, including wives and siblings.

He noted that his father had also included provisions for a blood test to confirm anyone claiming to be an Abiola before benefiting from the estate.

Asked about his father’s Will, Abdul said, “Like with everything my father did, he was very meticulous in his outlook and approach to everything.

“You know, he was an accountant by trade, as matter of fact, an auditor. And if anybody knows anything about auditors, you know that they’re the one group of accountants that people don’t like, because what they do is they check other people’s work.

“So my father, being an auditor and being an accountant, was very meticulous in everything he did. So, you know, at the time of his passing in 1990s you have to understand that he had been arrested in 94 and he was later on assassinated in 98 and once he was assassinated, you know, my father had a Will and last testimony, you know, and it was very detailed piece of document.

“It was a very detailed piece of document, because what you see, if anybody was to look at the document a little, the document is actually available online, if anybody wanted to check whatever father had put in his Will, what you see is a man who was deliberate, who wanted to ensure that his wealth was divided properly according to his wishes.

“You’ll see that he had specified the wives and the exact amount of money that should be apportioned to each wife.

“He did that basically, what was due the first wife was about $300,000. My mother was apportioned about $150,000 and the third wife was to take about, I think 100,000, just like that.

“And he went down like that. He went to the point that, after he had accounted for all the wives, I think about maybe 30 wives identified, he also accounted for his siblings.

“It was what my father had, if you know, you know, he had a bunch, he had a lot of wives. But then you have to understand that it was also not something that was frowned upon at the time, in the 20th century.

“And so, yeah, so he had 30 wives, and he also identified some of his siblings, and also apportioned funds to them as well.

“So you can see that he was, he was a family man through and through, you know, he identified his family, his wives, he identified his siblings, and some certain people also that he had included in his Will.

“So my father was adamant about certain things, one of which was that anybody who was claiming to be an Abiola would have to go through a blood test, which we had, most of us have done.”

President Bola Tinubu while delivering his speech at the 79th United Nations General Assembly Debate, drew the attention of world leaders to 21 issues.

Represented by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu reminded the world leaders of the urgency of ensuring poverty is addressed across the world. He also advised leaders to work towards addressing terrorism, armed conflict, inequality, and climate change among others.

As compiled by Shettima’s spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, below are the 21 issues Nigeria presented to the world leaders.

1. The UN faces questions about its relevance and resilience in addressing global challenges.

2. The pillars of peace, sustainable development, and human rights are threatened by individual national priorities over collective needs.

3. Ongoing global challenges include terrorism, armed conflict, inequality, poverty, food crises, climate change, and others.

4. Nigeria celebrated 25 years of unbroken democratic rule, but unconstitutional changes of government in some African countries underscore democracy’s fragility.

5. The global debt burden undermines countries’ ability to meet citizens’ needs, while trade barriers and protectionist policies hinder prosperity.

6. Terrorism and violent extremism remain significant threats to peace and development.

7. Climate change is driving insecurity and poses challenges to sustainable development.

8. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict was highlighted, with a call for a two-state solution.

9. Nigeria supports UN Peacekeeping Operations and calls for support to operationalize the African Standby Force.

10. Reform of the UN Security Council is critical, with Africa deserving permanent representation.

11. Most developing countries are behind in achieving Sustainable Development Goals due to lack of resources and unsustainable external debt.

12. Nigeria calls for reform of the international financial architecture and promotion of a fair and inclusive multilateral trading system for developing countries.

13. The international community must strengthen cooperation to recover and return stolen assets and eradicate safe havens for illicit funds.

14. Nigeria advocates for comprehensive debt relief measures and fair international tax regimes.

15. Developing countries need debt relief and special concessions to enable sustainable development financing.

16. Natural gas is seen as central to addressing Africa’s energy challenges while transitioning to clean energy.

17. Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to climate action but emphasizes the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities.

18. The digital divide between Global South and North needs to be addressed, including regulating cryptocurrency trading.

19. Nigeria emphasizes the importance of youth and women’s advancement in national development and peace.

20. The country supports the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

21. Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to multilateralism and active participation in the UN.