The one million-man march planned by leaders of the #EndBadGovernance protest flopped on Saturday across the country due to low turnout.

In different parts of Nigeria, protesters shunned their usual meeting points, which had been occupied by security agents.

Organisers of the protest had said the march would signal the end of the 10-day protest against economic hardship.

In preparation for the march, security agencies deployed operatives into cities as roadblocks were mounted.

Low turnout in Abuja

The security situation was the same on Saturday as the police mounted barricades on all roads leading to Eagle Square, the venue where the protesters intended to converge for the protest.

Although protests were held in the Lokogoma and Apo areas of the FCT, the turnout was noticeably lower compared to previous events.

The protest waned in the FCT after security forces targeted leaders, arresting and shooting at protesters.

After there was calm, protesters returned to the streets.

The youth, who began their demonstration as early as 7 am were chrousing ‘End hunger’ and ‘Reverse fuel subsidy removal,” among others.

Rivers police patrol

In Rivers, protesters were absent on the streets of Port Harcourt and its environs.

It was the third day in a roll that residents refused to come out over fear that the demonstration would be hijacked by hoodlums.

This came as operatives of the Rivers State Police Command embarked on a show of force with huge presence in strategic parts of the state. 

The state spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement on Friday night, had said some miscreants were planning to hijack the one million-man march to loot and attack peaceful residents.

One of our correspondents, who monitored the state on Saturday, reported that cops were seen in patrol vans as security was intensified.

Police patrol vans were also mounted at the gate of the Federal Secretariat, while several operatives hung around in vigilance in the event of any untoward incident.

When contacted, one of the supporters of the protest, Gogo Wellington, said he did not show up due to fear of violence.

He recalled with bitterness how some persons tried to attack some protesters.

“For that reason, we decided not to come out to avoid any clash.

“We hope that the government will be up and doing and immediately address the problems,” he added.

Kaduna, Kano, Katsina stop protest 

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that residents of Kaduna, Kano and Katsina States shunned the one-million-man nationwide protest.

NAN added that hordes of people were seen going about their business activities.

Markets, motor parks, supermarkets and other economic activities were going on unfettered.

Commercial motorists and motorcyclists were also busy conveying passengers to and from their various destinations.

The Kaduna State Government insisted that unverified processions were not permitted in the state for reasons of public safety and security.

The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, gave the warning in a statement on Saturday. 

In Kano, some of the residents of Kano metropolitan local government areas said they would not participate again in any form of protests in the state.

The police and military personnel were also deployed in strategic locations in the state.

In Katsina, protest organisers complied with the order issued by the police and the state government that banned all forms of protests and unlawful assembly.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Aliyu, said the order was still in force across the state.

He said the measure was aimed at preventing further escalation of violence, vandalism, and looting of private and public property.

Edo residents shun demonstrations

The Civil Society Organisations, organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protest in Edo State, could not gather people for a rally on the final day of the protest.

The group, which had chosen Ring Road as its protest venue, withdrew from the protest on the third day, stating that they would review their strategy.

The state capital, Benin, was peaceful on Saturday, with residents going about their business unhindered.

Oba Market and Lagos Street, the major commercial hubs, experienced a surge of activity as people conducted their transactions.

Similarly, Uromi in Edo Central and Auchi in Edo North were also peaceful, with no protests taking place in those areas.

Kola Edokpayi, speaking on behalf of the Concerned Civil Society Group in Edo, confirmed that there were no plans to resume the strike on Saturday.

 Plateau protesters meet gov

Meanwhile, a coalition of youths in Plateau State presented its demands to the state Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, on Saturday, for transmission to President Bola Tinubu. 

A representative of the group, Mr Sam Ode, stated that the demands required the input of both the state government and the Federal Government.

“For the state government, we demand an immediate reduction in the cost of governance. We also request an explanation of how the various palliatives and funding from the Federal Government are being utilised.

“We further call on the state government to implement the minimum wage recently signed into law by the president and to reduce the school fees of tertiary institutions.

“For the Federal Government, we urge the president to end corruption, reverse the pump price of fuel to N300, and also reverse the hike in electricity tariffs,” Ode said.

Ondo gov candidate arrested

Meanwhile, men of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested no fewer than nine youths who took part in the #EndBadGovernance protest in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Saturday.

It was gathered that the protest, which happened at the NEPA Roundabout area in Akure, the state capital, was disrupted by men of the state police command. 

According to one of the protesters, Tope Temokun, some of those arrested are the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress, Kunle Ajayi; Patrick Owolabi, Oluwatobi Akinkuotu, Kolawole Kumuyi and Olalekan Oladehinde.

He said, “The arrest that took place is highly condemnable and stands condemned. If the police has any evidence of violence from the protesters, it should come out with it.

Group threatens to continue protest

But a group, Nigerian Patriotic Front Movement, Northern chapter, threatened to begin an indefinite protest after the curfew in the state is lifted.

The Secretary of the NPFM, Anas Adamu, said the group would resume the protest because the President, Bola Tinubu, failed to address their demands 10 days after the commencement of the nationwide protest.

He said, “We are all aware that Nigeria is facing a major governance and economic crisis, which the government of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has, in 15 months, exacerbated.”

Protesters consider suing FG

The Director of Mobilisation, Take it Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, said the group would reconvene to review its strategies.

He said, “It’s indeed concerning that the government hasn’t implemented any of the organisers’ demands yet. After today, we need to regroup and reassess our strategy. Here are a few possible next steps: Continue to build momentum through online campaigns and social media engagement. Organise targeted advocacy efforts, meeting with key stakeholders and policymakers.”

Adenola said the group would also be considering lawsuits or petitions to demand the needed reforms.

One of the organisers, Juwon Sanyaolu, said he was certain there would be another round of protests.

He said, “We will go back to our internal organs, consult with Nigerians, and other organisers on the next step of actions. But one thing is certain: we will be returning to the streets, and very soon.”

On his part, the Initiator of Creative Change Centre, Omole Ibukun, stated that his group would step up its awareness, mobilisation, and collective actions through other means and prepare for another round of protests should the government refuse their demands.

 ‘Release all detainees’

The Osun State Civil Societies Coalition said another round of protests was coming if the Federal Government did not reverse the removal of subsidy on petrol and electricity.

The coalition, which is an umbrella body of 30 organisations in the state, also called for the release of all protesters arrested and detained by the security operatives.

The chairman of the OCSC, Waheed Lawal, said broader and well-organised protests would be held if the President didn’t return subsidy and ensure the release of these detained protesters.

 Youths seek justice

A group of youths under the aegis of the Take It Back Movement, on Saturday, held a protest march in Osogbo, Osun State, demanding an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of some protesters.

The group assembled at Olaiya Junction, Osogbo, as security operatives took over Freedom Park, earlier planned to be the convergence point.

After moving to Olaiya Junction, Osogbo, the protesters, armed with a large banner with the inscription, ‘End bad governance in Nigeria,’ were addressed by their spokesperson, Victor Lijofi.

They later moved through Fagbewesa Street and returned to their take-off point before dispersing.

But despite the presence of the protesters in the area, there was a free flow of traffic and business activities went on unhindered.

Twenty-seven states and the Federal Capital Territory have yet to set up committees to implement the recently approved N70,000 minimum wage.

The states are Plateau, Kebbi, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Bayelsa, Delta, Osun, Ekiti, Zamfara, Benue, Enugu, Taraba, Gombe, Kogi, Enugu, Adamawa, Niger, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Katsina, Kaduna, Cross River and Yobe.

However, seven other states — Kano, Kwara, Ogun, Borno, Jigawa, Ondo, and Abia — have set up implementation committees. Only Lagos and Edo claimed to have started paying the minimum wage.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu signed the new minimum wage into law on July 29, 2024, after meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.

Lagos, Edo

Speaking with our correspondent on Saturday, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the state had been paying more than the minimum wage before it was passed into law.

He said, “When you look at the minimum wage that was paid in Lagos before, the least state worker earned about N77,000. So, if they said the minimum wage is now N70,000, we have no problem with it at all because Lagos has been paying more than that, and we will continue to pay.”

The Edo State Government also said it had started paying the minimum wage.

Kwara, Kano, others set up committees

On August 1, 2024, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, who also doubles as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, set up an 18-member tripartite committee to work out modalities for the new minimum wage payment.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the committee, comprising representatives from the state government, labour unions, and the Organised Private Sector, had started meeting.

Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano also set up an advisory committee on the new minimum wage, while the Jigawa State Government set up a 10-man minimum wage committee on Thursday, August 8.

Similarly, the Borno State Government recently inaugurated a 22-member panel, while the Ondo State government said its committee on the new minimum wage was working hard to ensure its implementation.

The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, also said the state set up a committee a few months ago to advise the government on the matter.

He said, “Oyo State government set up a committee a few months ago, comprising labour stakeholders and government officials, to advise on the implementation of the minimum wage.”

The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Friday, said the state set up a committee before the Federal Government signed the bill into law.

“We are making provisions for the salary increase in line with the new minimum wage,” he added.

We can’t pay – Gombe, Kogi

However, the Gombe State Governor and Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Inuwa Yahaya, said the lean allocation to the state would make it difficult for him to pay the new wage.

Speaking on Tuesday during a meeting with stakeholders on the nationwide protest, ‘#EndBadGovernance, Yahaya said, “I cannot pay the N70,000 minimum wage, and I suspect many other states are in the same predicament.”

Similarly, the Kogi State Commissioner for Finance, Ashiwaju Ashiru Idris, said no date had been fixed for the implementation of the minimum wage by the state.

Responding to our correspondent’s inquiry, the commissioner said he had no information about when the state would commence payment.

We’ll negotiate – Plateau, Kebbi

Plateau State Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, however, said the government would make its position known on the matter after negotiating with organised labour.

The Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, also said his administration was ready to have a fruitful discussion with the state union leader on the new minimum wage.

His Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, while speaking with one of our correspondents on the telephone, said, “By the grace of God, our governor will sit with the labour union and come out with modalities to ensure that he puts a smile on the faces of the civil servants.”

During a recent town hall meeting on the nationwide protest, Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, also promised to pay the new minimum wage.

He said, “On our part, I want to assure you that the Sokoto State Government is ready to implement the new National minimum wage as approved by Mr. President. Undoubtedly, our country is facing quite a number of challenges that include economic downturn, inflation, cost of living, as well as insecurity, among other challenges.”

Speaking with our correspondent in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Wednesday, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, explained that the state government had rolled out plans to begin the payment.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State governor, Daniel Alabrah, also told our correspondent on Thursday in Yenagoa that Governor Douye Diri had earlier in the year, during the Workers’ Day celebrations, declared that the state would pay any amount agreed upon by the Federal Government and labour.

But he pointed out that the state government may not pay any arrears because the new minimum wage bill was only recently signed into law by the president.

We’ll set up committee soon – Osun, Delta, Benue

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the spokesperson for the Osun State Governor, Rasheed Olawale, said a committee for the implementation of the minimum wage would be set up next week.

He said, “Mr Governor has before now said Osun will pay the minimum wage as he is committed to the welfare of the workers and the people generally. A committee on the implementation of the minimum wage will be set up next week. We are committed to it.”

The Delta State Government also said it would set up a committee for the new minimum wage.

The state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents on Saturday.

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue also said that his administration would pay the new minimum wage, and block every leakage to ensure its smooth implementation.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has confirmed that some officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) have been arrested over the ₦90 billion hajj subsidy.

The spokesperson of the commission, Demola Bakare, told TheCable that some NAHCON officials were arrested by the commission on Wednesday for “refusing to honour an invitation” by the anti-graft agency.

Bakare debunked the claims that ICPC shutdown NAHCON’s office, emphasising that the commission operates within legal boundaries.

He declined to name the arrested officials, noting that they were assisting the commission with useful information.

Bakare said, “We are investigating officials of the National Hajj Commission because they either failed or refused to honour the invitation. We therefore paid them a friendly visit.

“We didn’t shut down the commission as reported by some journalists. ICPC operates within the confines of the law.

“Officials arrested, which I can’t name, were released on bail and would henceforth be helping the investigation process until concluded.”

The spokesperson of NAHCON, Fatimah Usara, while speaking on the arrest, said it was not unusual for officials to be queried after hajj operations.

She said, “Some of the commission’s relevant staff had been making presentations to the ICPC when demanded.

“And this is a thing that the commission considers normal because it happens after every hajj until any doubt is cleared. It’s nothing new.

“The Head of Procurement had an invitation which he didn’t honour so two days ago, on Wednesday precisely, the ICPC sent the relevant officers to him, him alone.

“In fact, NAHCON accommodated them to wait for him to report to work, which they did. And when he came, they left together. No one entered any office at all. They waited outside.”

Organizers of the Take It Back movement protest have vowed to return to the streets soon with a 10-million-man protest across the 36 states of the federation.

This declaration comes following the end of the 10-day series of nationwide protests against economic difficulties in Nigeria.

Naija News reports that the group had commenced the nationwide protest on Thursday, August 1 and wrapped up today, Saturday, August 10.

The demonstrators have taken to the streets in Abuja and various other cities, advocating for the reinstatement of the fuel subsidy and a reduction in electricity tariffs, among other issues.

The protesters, today, remained steadfast with their demands, holding placards and banners with slogans such as “Reinstate a corruption-free fuel subsidy,” “Rent should be paid monthly,” and “Nigerians are weary of ineffective leadership.”

They, however, expressed dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s apparent disregard for their concerns, despite their persistent presence on the streets for a full ten days.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters today, activist, Abiodun Sanusi, indicated that while the movement would pause its demonstrations for the time being, they would return with an even larger and more resolute assembly if their demands continue to be ignored.

“Earlier on, we declared 10 days of rage to end bad governance in Nigeria. However, it is now clear that President Bola Tinubu is not ready to listen to the demands of Nigerians.

“Today is the final day of the 10 days of rage, but we are promising the Nigerian government and President Tinubu that we will come back until he accedes to our demands.

“We will return to the streets, and this time, we will be more than this. We will be declaring a 10-million-person march across the 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT,” Sanusi said.

Naija News reports that nationwide protests were characterized by violence, as security personnel employed lethal measures against demonstrators and journalists in Abuja, Kaduna, and various other states.

Also, the Nigerian Army acknowledged that they inadvertently caused the death of a teenage boy, Ismail Mohammed, during a protest in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has announced the discovery of a staggering ₦18 billion that politicians have misappropriated in collaboration with civil servants in the state.

The Chairman of the Kano anti-graft agency, Barr. Muhuyi Rimingado, disclosed this during a one-day capacity-building workshop organized by the Commission in partnership with the Kano State Head of Civil Service and the International Idea (ROLAC II Programme), aimed at educating Civil Service Directors in Kano State about anti-corruption measures.

Rimingado noted that civil servants have often found themselves entangled in corrupt activities across various investigations conducted by the commission.

This underscores the importance of the capacity-building workshop, which aims to raise awareness among civil servants about the risks of being exploited by politicians to engage in corrupt practices.

He noted that a significant 90 percent of corrupt activities are linked to procurement processes, facilitated by the collusion of politicians and civil servants.

Rimingado stated further that the commission will impose penalties on any civil servant involved in corruption within the state.

He said: “We intend to sensitize the Civil Servant against being used by politicians against the law. They are caught in the middle of corrupt practices. All the ground corrupt practices the agency is investigating in Kano, civil servants are the ingredients and tools in the hands of those elements who operate at a high level.

“Again, 90 per cent of corruption cases are perpetrated through procurement services. When politicians want to steal, they use procurement as cover-up.

“So we are here to sensitize them on Anti-Corruption law, public procurement and financial management laws. We are here to detail to them how to deal with the public finances of Kano state and Anti-Corruption laws and other relevant laws that will guide them on their mandates.

“We also have the local government staff here because we have a case where the politicians used local government cashiers’ accounts to siphon public funds. The cashiers volunteered to withdraw the monies, take them to bureau De Change and make returns.

“We want to warn them and caution them about the consequences of corrupt acts. Whoever is found in any case of corruption will be penalized. We are determined to impose the zero tolerance to corruption principle of state government.”

In his address, the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, expressed his dismay regarding the previous administration’s extensive misappropriation of state funds, stating, “They spent all the eight years looting the state’s money.”

Governor Yusuf, represented by his Deputy, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, emphasized that the current government would not tolerate any form of corruption.

He urged the Directors within the state civil service to reject corrupt practices and to commit themselves to integrity, dedication, and selfless service for the advancement of the state.

Earlier, the Head of Civil Service, Abdullahi Musa, reminded the participants that as directors entrusted with the management of public resources, they have a responsibility to ensure their prudent and effective use for the benefit of all citizens.

He encouraged them to act as exemplary figures for their subordinates and to collaborate in eradicating the issue of corruption.

On the fourth day of the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest, President Bola Tinubu addressed Nigerians in a televised speech.

The president addressed several issues in his speech, including his achievements in office, and defended his policies.

As part of efforts by his administration to ameliorate the hardship being experienced by Nigerians, Tinubu said “more than N570 billion has been released to the 36 states to expand livelihood support to their citizens, while 600,000 nano-businesses have benefitted from our nano-grants. An additional 400,000 more nano-businesses are expected to benefit”.

But five days after Tinubu’s speech, Seyi Makinde, Oyo governor, said the federal government did not give his state any money.

Makinde, in issue 95 of his periodic newsletter, said Oyo only got reimbursed for the funds the state invested in the NG-CARES initiative.

Makinde said it became necessary for him to clarify a “concerned citizen” who referenced Tinubu’s speech and asked him (Makinde) what he used the funds for.

“Let me state categorically that this is yet another case of misrepresentation of facts. The said funds were part of the World Bank-assisted NG-CARES project — a Programme for Results intervention,” Makinde wrote.

“We were reimbursed funds (N5.98 billion in the first instance and N822 million in the second instance). We invested in the three result areas of NG-CARES.

“The Federal Government did not give any State money; they were simply the conduit through which the reimbursements were made to States for money already spent.”

WHAT IS NG-CARES? 

In 2020, due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and as a response to the hardship caused by the pandemic, the federal government, under the leadership of Former President Muhammadu Buhari, sought a concessional loan from the World Bank to the tune of $750 million on-lending to the 36 states and FCT.

Concessional financing provides organisations or companies with access to capital at favourable terms. This can include lower interest rates and longer repayment periods. A concessional loan is extendable on softer terms and typically has long grace periods.

The loan was to implement a two-year short-term emergency response programme named the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) between 2021 and 2023.

The programme seeks to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in three key result areas:

•  increasing cash transfers and livelihood support to poor and vulnerable households
• increasing food security and safe functioning of food supply chains for poor households
•  facilitating recovery of MSEs while strengthening institutional support for coordination and delivery through a separate Investment Project Financing (IPF) component.

According to the plan, out of the $750 million, each state can access up to $20 million, the FCT $15 million,  and the Federal CARES Support Unit (FCSU) $15 million.

The initiative is financed through the Programme for Result (PforR) at the state level and FCT, while the federal level is funded by the Investment Project Financing (IPF).

In the programme document dated November 13, 2020, the World Bank said Nigeria is central to its mission of eliminating global poverty and that the programme is “fully aligned with the forthcoming World Bank 2020–2024 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Nigeria, as well as Nigeria’s Economic Reform and Growth Plan for 2017–2020 and theGovernment’s Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) to respond to the economic crisis induced by COVID-19”.

IS NG-CARES A GRANT?

No.

The World Bank intervention is a loan to the state governments and has to be paid back.

In fact, the Programme for Results (PforR) nature of the initiative means that states invested their funds in advance, only to be refunded after auditing and verification of expenditure by the global bank.

In 2021, Foluso Okunmadewa, task team leader of NG-CARES for the World Bank, said the programme was designed in such a way that the states would spend their own money in the first batch.

“Each state should be able to earn 20 million dollars within a space of two years. I used the word earn because it is a programme for results approach. It is not as if the money will be given to the states and the state will now have to spend it. No! Then Independent Verification Agent will go and look at the results and on the basis of that, the states will be reimbursed,” Okunmadewa said.

In the Oyo state instance, the programme was domesticated as Oyo-CARES, Lagos-CARES for Lagos state, and in Borno, it is BO-CARES.

In May 2023, Okunmadewa said the government was on track to secure a one-year extension to access the loan.

TheCable cannot independently verify the repayment terms and plan, but in January, Abubakar Bagudu, minister for budget and economic planning, said the loan carries about a one percent interest rate.

“It is important to note that these loans come from the International Development Association, carrying an interest rate of about 1%. However, the federal government is nearing the limit of borrowing under these low-cost loans. Therefore, swift disbursement and timely debt repayment are crucial to maintaining access to these affordable funding sources in the future.” Bagudu said.

HOW MUCH DID STATES GET? 

Mohammad Idris, minister of information and national orientation, said so far, the 36 states and the FCT have received a total of N570 billion collectively, contrary to claims that each state got the said amount.

He said N135.4 billion was released in December 2023, and N438.36 billion in July 2024.

“What the States and the FCT collectively received in reimbursements between the end of 2023 and July 2024, under the World Bank-supported #NGCARES program, is a total of N573 billion naira,” he wrote in a post on X.

Idris’ X post buttresses Makinde’s submission that the funds referred to in Tinubu’s speech were indeed reimbursements financed through a loan from the World Bank and not a support grant from the federal government to the states.

The deal was secured, and the initiative took effect in 2021 under the Buhari administration.

From a breakdown of the July reimbursements made available on the NG-CARES website, Zamfara state got the highest at N49,182,347,834 billion while Ogun state had the lowest at N2,125,069,028 billion.

For the December reimbursement, Abdulkarim Obaje, NG-CARES national coordinator, said: “The top three best-performing states in this Second Round of Assessment are Nasarawa, which earned N13,697,828,496.96, Cross River N10,944,747,818.84 and Zamfara N10,231,055,267.82”.

Adele, the award-winning British singer, has announced her engagement during her concert in Munich, Germany.

In a now-viral video, the 36-year-old was in the middle of her performance when she spotted a fan carrying a sign reading, “Will you marry me?”

She took a break to read the message out loud before turning down the fan’s proposal.

The ‘Set Fire To The Rain’ hitmaker said she could not marry the fan because she was “already getting married”.

“I can’t marry you because I am already getting married, so I can’t, but I appreciate it, thank you,” she said.

Her announcement also elicited screams of excitement among the concertgoers.

Though she did not reveal her partner’s name, many speculated that it is Rich Paul, her longtime boyfriend.

Adele has been in a relationship with Paul, the US sports agent, since 2021 but only confirmed it in a 2022 interview.

Paul is the founder of Klutch Sports Group, which has represented high-profile basketball stars, including LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and John Wall.

Adele was formerly married to Simon Konecki but filed for divorce in 2019 while stating that they would remain committed to raising their son together.

Their divorce was finalised in March 2021.

Adele is considered one of the greatest British singers of all time. She is the best-selling female artiste of the 21st century in the UK.

She has earned several awards for her craft — including 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards, an Oscar award, a Primetime Emmy, and a Gold Globe.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says it is immoral for the members of the national assembly to determine their salaries and allowances.

Obasanjo spoke on Friday when he hosted some members of the house of representatives in Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun state.

The former president said it is the duty of the Revenue Mobilsation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC) to determine what public officeholders earn.

“Look at your case, with all due respect,” Obasanjo said.

“You are not supposed to fix your salaries or your allowances; it is supposed to be done by the RMFAC, but you decide what you pay yourselves, the allowances that you give yourselves – newspaper allowances, pant allowances – you give yourself all sorts of things. With due respect, you know it is not right.

“It is not right for me to be the one to declare and determine what I pay myself. It is immoral, and then you are doing it.

“The senate is doing it, and in some cases, the executive gives you what you are not entitled to. You all got N200 million.”

The federal legislative arm of government is often criticised for the “huge pay” allocated to its members. The total remuneration the federal lawmakers receive every month is shrouded in secrecy.

In 2018, Shehu Sani, a former senator who represented Kaduna Central, said he and his colleagues received N13.5 million monthly as running costs, aside from salaries.

The Lagos government has announced a 25 percent cut in the blue rail transport fare for off-peak periods.

Abimbola Akinajo, managing director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), announced the reduction in a statement on Saturday.

Akinajo said the 25 percent discount is for commuters travelling “within the off-peak period set at 10.00 am and 4.00 pm daily”.

She said the Lagos rail mass transit (LRMT) blue line would increase its number of trips from 54 to 72 per day, from August 12.

However, Akinajo said the current schedule for Sunday operations remains unchanged.

Akinajo said passengers can now travel between Marina and Mile 2 on the blue line route in just about 18 minutes from the previous travel time of 25 minutes.

According to the LAMATA boss, this means there would be a train every 18 minutes both ways — thus allowing commuters to plan their trips.

“The new train schedule is potentially expected to reduce journey times, encourage more riders to use the train system during off-peak periods and reduce transport spending,” she said.

Akinajo said the new timetables is available on the LAMATA website, stations, and social media handles.

The blue rail line started operations on September 4, 2023 — running 12 trips per day.

On October 11, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, announced that the state would temporarily shut down the blue rail line from October 14, 2023.

But the the service resumed passenger operations days after with 54 trips.

On Thursday, August 8, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, announced to Nigerians that the Port Harcourt Refinery would become operational in four weeks’ time, perhaps to meet the government’s August deadline of producing petroleum products.

The association went further to say that the refinery would equally be supplying between 10 and 12 million litres of petrol to marketers.

The IPMAN’s National Operations Controller, Zarma Mustapha, who let the cat out of the bag in an interview on national television, said the refinery would boost the supply of petroleum products in the country to about 11 to 15 million liters daily, and help ensure energy availability across the board.

According to him, the refinery was set to operate independently and sell at the prevailing market price with little or no government interference.

“There is this understanding that the Port Harcourt Refinery is going to perform independently and sell at whatever prevailing market price for them to recover their cost.

“It is not going to be run like a government entity as it has been before. I believe that the refinery coming up will really boost the demand and supply of PMS to nothing less than 11 to 15 million litres daily.

“I am confident and optimistic that this August deadline is going to be a realistic deadline. It will come on stream and fully produce all the necessary components that the refinery is supposed to produce,” he said.

However, instead of receiving the news with enthusiasm, Nigerians were rather skeptical considering the fact that several of such promises had been made in the past without any of them coming to fruition.

A segment of the society described the development as a harvest of promises with unending deceptions.

Some are of the opinion that the latest promise which is about the fourth in the series could still go the way of the previous ones, even as others have volunteered to give the government the benefit of the doubt.

Recall that earlier, Nigerians were told that the refinery would start operations in December 2023.

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, had sounded optimistic about the December 2023 deadline, but at the end of the day, nothing happened, and no apologies were offered.

On Thursday, March 13, 2024, Nigerians were again greeted with the news that the Port Harcourt Refinery would become operational in two weeks’ time.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mele Kyari, assured Nigerians that the rehabilitated Port Harcourt Refinery would commence operations in two weeks. He made the revelation at an interactive session with the Senate.

He assured Nigerians that the delivery date of the Port Harcourt and other refineries remained sacrosanct.

According to the NNPCL spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, in a statement, Kyari said: “We will make sure that promises that we made about the rehabilitation of these refineries are kept. We completed the mechanical completion of PHRC in December.

“Now, we have crude oil already stocked in it. It is currently undergoing regulatory compliance tests before we re-stream it. I assure you that this refinery will start in next two weeks

“For the Warri Refinery, we have also done mechanical work on it. It is undergoing regulatory compliance processes that we are doing with our regulators. Kaduna will be ready by December this year, but we have not reached that stage. We believe that it will also be ready on schedule.”

Kyari noted that the Port Harcourt refinery had received 450,000 barrels of crude for processing since the mechanical completion of the plant in December last year.

He called for the cooperation of all stakeholders in the rehabilitation process, saying, “We are all serving this country dutifully and loyally. Nigerians must understand that gradually, we shall get this task done.”

The statement added that the Senate Ad-hoc Committee was expected to visit the three refineries in Kaduna, Warri, and Port Harcourt soon for an on-the-spot assessment of work progress.

The two week’s ultimatum ended in April and the refinery did not even produce a litre of petrol. Most Nigerians were not surprised as they never even believed the statement when it was released.

Again, on Monday, May 20, the National Public Relations Officer, Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Ukadike Chinedu, promised Nigerians that the 210,000-barrel-per-day Port-Harcourt Refinery would finally commence operations by the end of July after several postponements.

He stated that the development would stimulate economic activities, reduce the price of petroleum products and ensure adequate supply.

Again, July came and ended without the Refinery working. Nigerians, again, did not give a whimper because they never took the statement seriously in the first instance.

So, the latest news that the PH Refinery would be operational in four weeks’ time did not receive cheers from Nigerians.

To many Nigerians, it has become a festival of promises. In fact, it has become a cliché to hear that the refinery, whether Port Harcourt, Warri or Kaduna, would work. Since 2015, when the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, wrested powers from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which held sway for 16 years, there have been promises of a turnaround maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery and others and their eventual operation, but none has ever come to fruition. It has all been deceptions couched in political statements to hoodwink the Nigerian masses.

So, when the IPMAN’s National Operations Controller, Mustapha announced on Thursday that the PH Refinery would begin operations in four weeks’ time, as an indication of the government’s preparedness to actually end fuel importation, not many were excited, as most people expressed skepticism, considering the past promises.

There are various views about the development. While some dismissed the news outright as mere political talks, others said even though such promises never produced any positive outcome in the past, they were prepared to give the government the benefit of the doubt this time round.

Those who believe that nothing would come out of it and that it was just mere political talks said it was akin to a political campaign promise where politicians promise that they would build bridges even where there is no river.

However, those who want to give the government the benefit of the doubt are of the view that even a liar would have a day when he would decide to be honest. To them, the government might have decided to turn a new leaf and do the right thing this time.

One of the proponents of those pushing that Nigerians should give the government the benefit of the doubt this time round is the president of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima.

He said although he would like to remain optimistic this time round, he cannot blame those who don’t believe the government’s promise considering the previous promises about the same refinery, which ended with no positive result

He told DAILY POST that: “The problem with the promise is just that we have a government that speaks from both sides of the mouth and previous promises have come and gone without fulfillment. So, even if this one is genuine, a lot of people will have a lot of doubts in their minds.

“But, I hope this will not be the same story because you cannot continue to say one thing today, and then tomorrow, you say another thing.

“Doing that will always put you on the defensive because you always want to say something, giving people hope without anything on ground to fulfill such promises.”

He advised the government to be honest and sincere with Nigerians, warning that deliberately lying to the people always would only provoke them to anger, which is not good for the society.

“The more you lie to the people about the refinery, the more you provoke people to anger. So, I am of the view that this time round, the government should try to live up to their promise.

“I am not part of those who don’t believe that things will work because I am always optimistic and I strongly believe that there will be light at the end of the tunnel. So, all they need to do is to re-programme themselves to be more sincere and honest to Nigerians,” he said.

He noted that the situation was so critical that the government just has to do everything possible to make sure that the refinery and other things work in the country.

He also advised that the leaders should not continue to give excuses because they knew exactly what the situation was before they went into office.

“We are in a critical period where people must have to understand that things are not okay and the government must also do something because they knew the problem before they took over the mantle of leadership.

“And to that extent, ours is to support them, and let them be honest to Nigerians, so that all of us will be able to survive this trying period,” he submitted.

But for a journalist and public affairs analyst, Nze Ezeocha, there is nothing cheery about the latest promise.

He noted that last year, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri told Nigerians that it would become operational before Christmas.

“Christmas passed and we reminded them about their promise and they gave Nigerians a fresh date, which also never came to reality.

“Now, we are being fed with another promise about the same refinery. This is the fourth time that the NNPCL and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources are telling Nigerians that the PH Refinery would be operational in weeks. And at the end of the day, nothing would come out of it.

“So, as far as I am concerned, I think this latest promise will end up like the previous ones. We have seen the brickbat between the NNPCL and the Dangote Refinery.

“Dangote is still insisting that it has not got enough crude from the NNPCL. Nigerians would like to know the kind of agreement Dangote had with the NNPCL.

“Dangote also demanded that the NNPCL should be mandated to direct the IOCs to be selling their crude to him. Did he not make adequate arrangements on how he will be getting crude before setting up a refinery?

“So, the whole thing about this oil refining in Nigeria is shrouded in secrecy and deception and the earlier the government comes clean on that the better for everybody in this country,” he told DAILY POST.

The president of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr. Pogu Bitrus, equally agrees with Ezeocha.

He stated that nothing would come out of the promise. He believes that the Nigerian attitude has not changed, and would not want Nigerians to build any hope around the promise to avoid suffering unnecessary heart ache.

“We do propaganda with everything. We politicise everything. The President doesn’t have to tell us that the Port Harcourt Refinery is on course when it is not fully on course. Let this government start to do things differently.

“When things are not right, rather than getting political capital by telling lies to Nigerians, they should come out to tell Nigerians the true situation of things,” he said.

Continuing, he said: “There is no point in deceiving the populace. Let them tell the truth and they will better be appreciated, rather than thinking that by telling lies, they are playing politics. They are instead dishonouring themselves, and Nigerians will lose confidence in them very soon.”

Also speaking, a legal practitioner and public commentator, IK Onodi also did not believe that the refinery would become operational in two weeks time.

He said such promises had been made in the past and none came to fruition, and because of that he would not believe anybody until he has seen that the refinery has actually started refining.

According to him: “It is said that action speaks louder than words. We were told last year when the Dangote Refinery was commissioned that it would start producing by July last year.

“From July last year till now is about nine months, and no drop of crude oil has been refined by the Dangote Refinery.

“We have been told times without numbers that the Port Harcourt Refinery and other refineries would come on stream very soon.

“If I were the government, I will not announce anything until the refinery starts producing and when that happens, I will tell Nigerians that this is from the PH or Warri or Kaduna Refineries. I will not believe it until I see it.”

For an independent petroleum marketer, Chief Dipo Lanre, the refinery might not likely work in four weeks as promised.

He, however, noted that he would not totally dismiss it but expressed strong reservation about the feasibility of the promise considering the past promises which never yielded any positive result.

“I pray that this time, the promise will be fulfilled. It should not go the way of previous promises about the refinery.

“Remember that during Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, the same Port Harcourt Refinery was sold to Mike Otedola and Aliko Dangote, but the money was later returned to them.

“And since that money was returned to Otedola and Dangote, the refinery has not returned to operation; it has been promises upon promises. It has become a cancer to the Nigeria society.

“I am tired of the politics of that refinery. Politicians have used it to play politics since the Obasanjo era. What is a refinery anyway?

“What is the big deal in building a refinery? Since 1999 when the democratic governance returned, we could have built more than four refineries if we are serious.

“For almost 25 years, we have been playing politics with the refinery. Let it not be another round of deception this time,” he further told DAILY POST.