Former presidential spokesman Dr. Doyin Okupe has called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and oil marketers to avoid actions that could cast President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a negative light.

In a statement on Friday titled “Dangote Refinery, NNPCL, Oil Marketers, and the Voodoo of PMS Pricing,” Okupe urged oil industry stakeholders to consider the economic challenges faced by Nigerians.

He suggested that the current approach to Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) pricing could create an impression that the government, which no longer directly controls petroleum prices, is to blame for price hikes, potentially tarnishing the president’s image.

Okupe expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in determining fuel prices, describing it as “a national embarrassment.”

He noted that the Free On Board (FOB) price of PMS at Rotterdam was $0.541 per liter, equivalent to about N927.82 at an exchange rate of N1,715 to $1.

He further explained that with a landing cost of N978 per liter in Lagos, locally refined PMS should benefit from reduced freight costs, which save approximately N85 per liter.

Consequently, Okupe argued, “No local refinery should sell above the FOB price at Rotterdam, minus freight savings of N85, which totals N842.83 per liter.”

The former Director-General of the Peter Obi 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Okupe challenged NNPCL, the Dangote Refinery, and oil marketers to dispute his calculations.

Recall that NNPCL recently increased the price of petrol just three weeks after a previous hike.

The latest adjustment raised the pump price to N1,060 per liter in Abuja, up from N1,030, while in Lagos, the price increased from N998 to N1,025 per liter at NNPCL outlets.

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has distanced itself from what it described as President Bola Tinubu’s bias for the Yoruba in federal appointments.

The group insisted that they do not support Tinubu for appointing Yorubas as head of all arms of the criminal justice system and other sectors.

Afenifere shared its reservations in a statement by its leader and the National Publicity Secretary, Ayo Adebanjo, and Justice Faleye, respectively, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday.

They insisted that the development threatened the age-long inter-ethnic relationship and peaceful co-existence in Nigeria.

The statement partly read, “We can never condone the outrageous bias by Tinubu to make Yorubas head of all arms of the criminal justice system (EFCC, DSS, Attorney-General and Chief Justice); the economy (Coordinating Minister of the economy, CBN, Finance, Blue Economy, Digital Economy, Trade, Industries and Investment, Bank of Industry, Solid Minerals); as well as the forces (army, police, customs, immigration, DSS).

“Afenifere can’t use several decades to fight against Fulani hegemony only to support Yoruba or any other hegemony. Afenifere bitterly complained that President Buhari’s northern hegemony can’t remain mute on ethnic hegemony, as being perpetrated by Tinubu.

“Buhari was accused of bias for the North, with three regions, not to talk of Tinubu bias not for the South, but a single ethnicity and single region. Our progenitor, Chief Obafemi Awolowo once threatened to curse anyone that tied Afenifere to Yoruba only.”

The group explained that it adheres to clear-cut principles of being social democrats and would not support autocratic leaders.

“By the virtue of our name, Afenifere, meaning those that want good for all humans, and as omoluabi Yorubas, we won’t support any government that engages in undemocratic practices. Nor would we support a government whose first year pushed over 14 million people into poverty with anti-people policies.

“President Tinubu is no stranger to Afenifere, but having backed him into power in 1999, and witnessed his 24-year precedents in Lagos, it would have been wicked and morally irresponsible to support him into power as President.

“This was why the true Afenifere supported Peter Obi and was in charge of his presidential campaign headed by Akin Osuntokun, an Afenifere chieftain,” the statement added.

President Bola Tinubu says the tax reform bills will not be withdrawn from the national assembly as recommended by the national economic council (NEC).

In a statement on Friday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said Tinubu received NEC’s recommendation, however, the president said the legislative process should continue.

On October 3, Tinubu asked the national assembly to consider and pass four tax reform bills.

The bills include the Nigeria tax bill, the tax administration bill, and the joint revenue board establishment bill.

Tinubu is also seeking to repeal the law establishing the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and replace it with the Nigeria Revenue Service.

Reacting to the development, the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF)opposed the proposed bills, following a joint meeting with the northern traditional rulers council at the Kaduna government house on October 28.

The governors asked the national assembly to reject any legislation that may harm the region’s interests, calling for equitable and fair implementation of national policies and programmes to prevent marginalisation of any geopolitical zone.

Following the opposition from the northern governors, the presidency on Thursday assured them that the proposed laws were not recommended by Tinubu to disadvantage any part of the country as they were designed to improve the lives of Nigerians and optimise existing tax frameworks.

On the same day, NEC asked Tinubu to withdraw the tax reform bills to give room for consultations.

However, Onanuga said Tinubu urged the NEC to allow the process to take its full course.

“President Tinubu commends the National Economic Council members, especially Vice President Kashim Shettima and the 36 State Governors, for their advice,” Onanuga said.

“He believes that the legislative process, which has already begun, provides an opportunity for inputs and necessary changes without withdrawing the bills from the National Assembly.”

Tinubu also welcomed further consultations and engagement with key stakeholders to address any reservations about the bills while the national assembly considers them for passage.

“When President Tinubu set up the Presidential Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy Reform in August 2023, he had only one objective: to reposition the economy for better productivity and efficiency and make the operating environment for investment and businesses more conducive. This objective remains more critical even today than ever before,” he said.

“The committee worked for over a year and received inputs from various segments of society across the geopolitical zones, including trade associations, professional bodies, different Ministries and Government Agencies, Governors, traders, students, business owners, and the organised private sector.

“The tax reform bills that emerged were distilled from the extensive work of the Presidential Committee.”

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TAX REFORM BILLS

The special adviser said the tax reform bills aim to streamline Nigeria’s tax administration processes, completely overhaul the nation’s tax operations, and align them with global best practices.

Highlighting the purpose of the bills, Onanuga said the Nigeria tax bill “seeks to eliminate multiple taxation and make Nigeria’s economy more competitive by simplifying tax obligations for businesses and individuals nationwide”.

“The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (NTAB): This Bill proposes new rules governing the administration of all taxes in the country. Its objective is to harmonise tax administrative processes across federal, state and local jurisdictions to ease taxpayers’ compliance and enhance the revenue for all tiers of government,” he said.

“The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill: The Bill seeks to re-establish the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) to better reflect its mandate as the revenue agency for the entire federation, not just the Federal Government.

“The Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill: This Bill proposes creating a Joint Revenue Board to replace the Joint Tax Board, covering federal and all state tax authorities. The fourth bill will also establish the Office of Tax Ombudsman under the Joint Revenue Board, protecting taxpayers’ interests and facilitating dispute resolution.”

He said the bills’ overarching objective is to effectively coordinate federal, state, and local tax authorities, thereby eliminating the overlapping responsibilities, confusion, and inefficiency that have plagued tax administration in Nigeria for decades.

According to Onanuga, under existing laws, taxes like company income tax (CIT), personal income tax (PIT), capital gains tax (CGT), petroleum profits tax (PPT), tertiary education tax (TET), value-added tax (VAT), and other taxing provisions in numerous laws are administered separately, with individual legislative frameworks.

The special adviser said the proposed reforms seek to consolidate the numerous taxes, integrating CIT, PIT, CGT, VAT, PPT, and excise duties into a unified structure to reduce administrative fragmentation.

“While there may be differences in approach or specific provisions of the new tax bills, what is not in contention is the need to review our tax laws and how we administer them to serve our overall national development agenda,” he added.

Onanuga assured that Tinubu will continue to respect and welcome the advice and recommendations of the NEC.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says its application portal for the recruitment of tax officers will officially open on November 2.

The FIRS, on its official account on Friday, announced that it is inviting interested candidates to apply for officer II and officer I positions in eight states, including Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, and Oyo.

According to the service, eligible candidates must be 27 years old or below by December 31, 2024, and must have completed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme by no later than December 31, 2021.

“Applicants must possess a Bachelor’s Degree (or HND) in First Class/Second Class Upper Division in any of the following disciplines: Accounting, Actuarial Science, Business Information Systems, Computer Engineering, Computer Programming, Computer Science, Digital/Electronic Marketing, Economics, Engineering, Financial Management, Graphic Arts, Graphic Design, Law, Management/Business Administration, Market Research, Mathematics, Statistics, Taxation, Visual Arts,” the FIRS said.

“Note: Relevant master’s degrees and professional affiliations (e.g., ICAN, ACCA, ANAN, COREN, NSE, etc) will be an added advantage.

“Interested candidates should submit their applications via the official FIRS recruitment portal: www.firs.gov.ng/careers.

“Candidates must apply to only one of the specified locations. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Be cautious of fraudulent recruitment activities; only use the official FIRS website for applications. Regardless of the positions advertised, successful candidates must be prepared to work in any of FIRS’s business locations.”

The FIRS said only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further assessments, which may include aptitude tests, interviews, and medical examinations.

The service said the application deadline is November 14, 2024.

The tax agency reiterated its commitment to promoting equal opportunities for all eligible candidates, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or background.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed disappointment that, one year after their president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, was brutalized in Owerri, Imo State, no one has been held accountable for the vicious attack.

Despite the ordeal, Ajaero remains committed to serving Nigerian workers. According to Benson Upah, NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Ajaero was abducted, brutalized, and left for dead by state agents in Owerri, Imo State, simply for leading a peaceful protest against non-payment of salaries and pensions.

The statement highlights the severity of the attack, noting that Ajaero required more than six months of treatment in and outside the country to regain his sight and bodily functions.

Furthermore, the harassment has continued, with Ajaero being invited by the police to defend himself against allegations of terrorism financing, subversion, and treasonable felony.

The NLC finds it disturbing that no one has been brought to justice for Ajaero’s ordeal, despite the National Security Adviser’s promise to do so. The organization believes Ajaero deserves justice and remains committed to serving Nigerian workers.

Oil marketers, on Friday, revealed that the price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery was between N1,015 and N1,028/litre depending on the quantity being purchased.

Based on this, the dealers vowed to import the commodity and sell it below the Dangote refinery price as well as the price being sold by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Data released by the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria on Thursday showed that the landing cost of petrol was N978.01/litre as of October 31, 2024.

It stated that the landing cost of diesel was N1,069.97/litre, while that of aviation fuel was put at N1,119.67/litre. 

The landing cost of these white products is the unit price of the imported commodities on landing on Nigeria’s shores.

Since the Dangote refinery commenced the release of refined petroleum products domestically, it had refused to announce the cost of the commodity despite several demands for the price.

However, a major marketer, who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, confirmed that the cost of petrol from the Dangote refinery was higher than that of imported PMS.

According to the official, the refinery currently sells to oil marketers making bulk purchase at N1,015/litre and small buyers at N1,028/litre.

The major marketer also disclosed that three cargoes carrying petroleum products recently arrived and had been discharged at seaports along the nation’s borders.

“Dangote is selling to bulk buyers at N1,015/litre, but to marketers who are not buying in bulk, the refinery is selling at N1,028/litre.

“But imported PMS is cheaper than the cost of Dangote’ own, and that is why he is doing all he can to ensure that the government stops the importation of fuel,” the dealer stated.

Commenting on the development, marketers under the aegis of the Petroleum Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria vowed that they would sell imported petrol below the price offered by the Dangote refinery.

The association said its PMS would also be cheaper than that of the NNPCL.

The PETROAN Publicity Secretary, Dr Joseph Obele, however, told Saturday PUNCH that the price of Dangote PMS might be higher because the refinery was still producing with the imported crude it bought at a premium.

He said the association had struck deals with some international fuel suppliers to import PMS at a good price, adding that the product would arrive in Nigeria at a price around N800/litre.

“PETROAN is an association, but we have incorporated our limited liability company called PETROAN Limited. We have got the licence from the Corporate Affairs Commission, and we have applied to the NMDPRA to licence us and give us authority to import. So, as we get that authority to import, I think we will import from the best market.

“And it is good also for the general public to understand that the landing costs in all the nations are not the same. PETROAN has got a partner from the international market, that the product will arrive here at close to N800/litre. So, since PETROAN has the best value for Nigerian citizens, we are calling on the regulatory agency to release our authority to import in no distant time so our first stock will come in.

“And we assure you that PETROAN will sell far less than Dangote. It will sell at prices far less than NNPC. Right now, NNPC is selling to us at N1,040/litre. PETROAN will not sell like that, because we have negotiated. And all our partners and foreign counterparts are on standby to make sure we give Nigerians the best value,” Obele said.

The associations spokesperson stated that he would not be able to disclose the exact quantity to be imported, but stressed that PMS imported by PETROAN would be cheaper.

Obele explained that Dangote was only selling to NNPC directly, while NNPC sold to marketers.

“I am telling you that that the position of NNPC as a middleman is still active till tomorrow. NNPC has refused to announce how much Dangote is giving. Dangote has also refused to announce how much he is selling to NNPC. So, I think there is an agreement that they don’t announce it.

“All we know is how much NNPC is selling it to us. However, the transaction between the two is not in the public domain. NNPC has refused to mention it. And the general public has said, please make these things open,” he said.

Speaking on the landing cost of N978/litre, he emphasised that the landing cost differs from country to country.

“N978 to N1,000, that’s the landing cost. It was about N1,100 as of last month. But because of the drop in the selling price of crude oil in the international market, PMS has witnessed a downward review in the international market too. So, I think we should also witness a downward review,“ he said.

When reminded that the NNPC just jerked up its price, Obele responded, “No, the issue we have is that the only functional refinery we have is the Dangote refinery. And Dangote has announced to everyone who wants to hear that the crude oil stock he is still working on was the one he bought from the international market; that the naira-for-crude stock, he has not started refining that. So, we don’t expect a downward review from someone who bought old stock when crude oil was selling for $80 and $78 per barrel.

“So, now that it has dropped to $72, we are not expecting to review the price automatically. Because you can put it to us that it is still trading with the old stock. But recently, the price of crude oil has dropped. We hope that whoever is buying the new stock of this new trade should review the price downward. But if what Dangote has used to refine the stock available is the old stock got when crude oil was still selling at $80 per barrel, we don’t expect him to review downward.

“Until the refinery commences production with the stock it just received last week in naira, that’s when people can criticise it. But at the moment, I think the selling rate reflects the former cost of crude oil.”

Meanwhile, the National Assistant Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Yakubu Suleiman, also stated that the cost of Dangote petrol was higher than the imported commodity at the moment.

Suleiman, speaking in an interview with Arise TV, on Friday, stated that the price of fuel from Dangote refinery was higher than the cost of commodities imported.

According to him, the price of petrol at Dangote refinery was set at around N995 and higher than other sources.

Suleiman also accused the Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote refinery, Aliko Dangote, of sidelining key stakeholders in its fuel supply strategy, claiming that limited engagement with independent marketers had hampered their ability to lift petrol from the facility.

When contacted, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Dangote Group, Tony Chiejina, said the figures being bandied were not correct.

He described reports on Dangote petrol price as fake news, wondering where they emanated from.

“This is fake news. People are just posting what they like,“ he said.

Chiejina, however, declined to give the actual price.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday grilled controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, over his claim that he bribed some officials of the commission with the sum of N15m.

Bobrisky was heard in a viral audio released by activist, Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, claiming that some yet-to-be-identified EFCC officials collected the said amount (N15m) from him to drop the money laundering charges against him (Bobrisky).

A source in the anti-graft commission disclosed that Bobrisky’s interrogation began immediately after he was moved to Abuja.

“He was interrogated for hours upon his arrival here. He is still with us as I speak (8:30pm),” the source in the commission added. 

The anti-graft body had earlier disclosed that the cross-dresser was flown to Abuja over his failure to honour its invitations.

The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, confirmed this on Friday morning, adding that Bobrisky could face a fresh charge from the commission if his allegations against the anti-corruption agency were false.

“Bobrisky is on his way to Abuja as we speak,” Oyewale added.

Okuneye’s invitation by the commission reportedly followed a voice recording shared by controversial social critic Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan.

However, the EFCC denied the allegation, stating that the case was legally dismissed and set up a panel to investigate the matter further.

On Thursday night, Bobrisky, while attempting to leave the country for London, the United Kingdom, was removed from an Amsterdam-bound KLM flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The popular cross-dresser posted on his Instagram page to alert followers about the arrest, stating that he had sustained injuries during an altercation with the immigration officers.

According to sources in the commission, Bobrisky did not honour invitations by the commission for him to substantiate his claims, hence the reason for his arrest.

However, a top source in the commission said on Friday that Bobrisky was picked up to prove his allegations against the EFCC.

The source said, “We have arrested him in Lagos and will be flown to Abuja today. He accused us of bribery and corruption; we invited him severally, but he did not show up. He who alleges must be ready to prove. Those allegations are too weighty to allow slide.

“Also, remember that he has also refused to show up at the National Assembly on the matter. We are left with no other choice than to pick him up so that he can substantiate his claims. And that is what we have done. “

Another source said he had been on the watch list of the commission and other security agencies hence it was impossible for him to escape out of the country.

The source said, “He should know that he cannot sneak out of the country when he has made that kind of allegations against not only our commission but others. He should know we would get him and that it was a matter of time.”

At a press briefing on Thursday, the Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwajaren, had stated that one could be charged for giving false information to the EFCC, let alone making false allegations against the commission.

Meanwhile, the EFCC’s spokesperson stated that Bobrisky failed to respond to multiple summonses from both the commission and the House of Representatives concerning his claims of having paid an N15m bribe to the EFCC to dismiss money laundering charges against him.

Speaking in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Oyewale said, “Those that are accusing the EFCC of arresting Bobrisky are not aware of the developments concerning his matter. He alleged that he bribed EFCC officers.

“It is public knowledge that he made that allegation and we have invited him to come and unravel whoever is involved in the matter. He was also invited by the House of Representatives committee for the public hearing. He neither responded to us nor made himself available to the House of Reps.

“We arrested him because he did not honour our invitation. Once he tells us who collected money from him, we will release him.”

Addressing the timing of Bobrisky’s arrest, which occurred when he was already aboard a London-bound plane, Oyewale simply said, “A suspect can be arrested anywhere.”

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Caretaker Committee in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, on Friday, warned critics against distorting the narrative of the crisis rocking the state, insisting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is the investment of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Okocha disclosed this during a media parley with journalists at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Okocha who served as the Chief of Staff to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi from 2007 to 2015, stated that he feels embarrassed every time he listens to a radio analysis and hears the presenters dishing out a biased narrative.

He said, “I can tell you that the conversations going on around the state are skewed. They need to hear our side of the story. Some people are blaming us at the APC and even bringing in the FCT Minister for the crisis in Rivers. They are holding us in scorn. Naturally, I know what anybody will say is that he (Wike) has done eight years; why is he not allowing someone else to run his own? But that is not the narrative.

“Nobody makes an investment and throws it away; the business will fail. Governor Fubara is Wike’s political investment. I must have said this many times. This is because he lifted him from ground zero and put him where he is today. Fubara was never a politician; he was a civil servant.

“He was taken from a state of relative obscurity in his Local Government to a political crescendo, which is the position of governor in a state like Rivers. So, it is not a case of Wike suffocating anybody in Rivers; it is just a case of Governor Sim Fubara versus the same Governor Sim Fubara. He is the governor. In Ikwerre’s parlance, there is an adage that says ‘You are the man that holds the yam and the knife.'”

Continuing, Okocha also blamed the governor for spurning the intervention of President Bola Tinubu and the court order directing him to re-present the 2024 budget before the Martins Amaewhule-led State House of Assembly.

He said that rather than following the agreed resolution, Fubara allowed his loyalists to go loose by threatening and attempting to blackmail the president.

“There was an intervention by Mr President through an eight-point agenda. The president said the governor was wrong by presenting the budget to a four-member assembly over and above 27 others, and that he should go back and re-present it. Fubara accepted and told Mr President that being the first time he was meeting with him, whatever he said pertaining to Rivers, he would abide by.

“He also made a request, and the president asked him to state it. The request was that those who worked with him from his side should not be vilified or punished. The president assured him that nothing of the sort would happen, as the meeting was for reconciliation. After that, all manner of narratives arose. Some said he signed under duress; others claimed he was ambushed. The fifth columnists were also on the prowl for pecuniary interests.

“But did he implement the decision of Mr President and the judgment of the court to re-present the budget to the House of Assembly under Martin Amaewhule? Now, some people are going about trying to skew the narrative that those who got the recent judgment are enemies of Rivers. But is it right for the governor to run a state without a budget? It is even dangerous for us as a state because you don’t have a limit for spending,” he warned.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, on Friday said the Federal Government is working to minimise fake condoms and other items in the Nigerian market.

He stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

“There are things that should not be in our system that actors may find ways to compromise and those are the minority,” he said.

“Over the years, we have seen a reduction in those kinds of things making it. Somebody may hide in their room, create something that is substandard and get it into the market. That is what we are trying to the barest minimum.”

NAFDAC Raises Alarm

The minister’s assurance comes after the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) has raised an alarm on the circulation of an unregistered condom called Foula condoms.

NAFDAC in a statement on Thursday said the product, which is usually packed in 3s, was discovered in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital and in Zango, Kastina State.

NAFDAC said the discovery was made by the officials of the post-marketing Surveillance Directorate (PMS) while carrying out a Risk-Based Post Marketing Surveillance study on registered condoms in Nigeria.

“The condom is not registered by NAFDAC for use in Nigeria, and the labelling of the product is not in the English Language,” the statement read.

“Condoms are a proven effective barrier method that can be used as a dual-purpose method for both prevention of unintended pregnancy and protection against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. To be most effective, any barrier method used for contraception or preventing infection must be used correctly.”

It stated that the illegal distribution or sale of unregistered condoms poses a risk as the safety, quality, and efficacy of the products are not guaranteed.

“The purchase and use of poor-quality condoms will adversely affect every aspect of condom promotion for the prevention of unintended pregnancy, and protection against HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections. If condoms leak or break, they cannot offer adequate protection,” NAFDAC stated.