₦airaland Forum

From 2015 to 2019, Nigeria could only produce 1.46 billion litres of petrol due to low refining capacity caused by the country’s inactive refineries, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics.

It disclosed this in its 2023 Petroleum Products Distribution Statistics released recently.

The PUNCH observed that the 1.46 billion litres produced within the period was not up to what the country would consume in two months.

According to the report, in 2015, the country produced 377.9 million litres of petrol; 1.05 million litres in 2016; 951.56 million in 2017 and 128.1 million litres in 2019.

No fuel was refined in 2018, it indicated.

From 2020 to 2023, the country only produced diesel and kerosene with the help of modular refineries, as the country’s refineries were moribund.

As a result, over 20 billion litres of petrol was imported in 2023, three billion litres below the 23 billion litres imported in 2022.

According to the report, 20.30 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit were imported in 2023 relative to 23.54 billion litres in 2022, dipping by 13.77 per cent.

In the same period, PMS truck out stood at 20.22 billion litres, indicating a 16.96 per cent decrease relative to 24.35 billion litres recorded in 2022.

The Federal Government had repeatedly linked the reduction in the quantity of imported petrol to the removal of subsidies.

It was revealed that about 69.71 million litres of kerosene were locally produced in 2023, compared to 44.68 million litres in the previous year, indicating a 56.02 per cent rise.

For automotive gas oil (diesel), 109.39 million litres were locally produced in 2023, compared to 102.47 million litres reported in 2022, representing a 6.76 per cent growth rate.

“Also, 4.94 billion litres of automotive gas oil were imported in 2023, indicating an increase of 23.66 per cent compared to 4.00 billion litres in the previous year,” the report stated.

Despite being an oil-rich nation, Nigeria depends on imported petrol due to a lack of refining capacity.

However, the Dangote refinery appears set to break the jinx as it commenced petrol production in September.

The President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, said the refinery would put an end to fuel importation when it became fully operational.

A former acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Folashodun Shonubi, on Wednesday, told Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that intrigues and politics were involved in the naira redesign exercise carried out in 2022.

Shonubi, who served as the Deputy Governor of Operations before his appointment as acting CBN Governor and is now retired, appeared in court as a witness in the trial of ex-CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

He claimed that the redesigned naira notes released by the CBN under Emefiele were different from what ex-President Muhammadu Buhari approved.

While responding to questions from Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), Shonubi said the late 2022 naira redesign exercise, ahead of the 2023 general elections, was fraught with politics.

“The currency redesign of 2022 was the only one I was part of. When we had meetings with the defendant (Emefiele), he said there were politics and intrigues around the whole exercise,” Shonubi stated.

However, he did not elaborate on what the intrigues and politics entailed.

When asked if there was indeed presidential approval for the naira redesign, the witness said Emefiele presented a document during one of the CBN’s Committee of Governors’ meetings, which contained the signature of the President.

He also revealed that the redesigned naira notes produced by the CBN under Emefiele were not the same as what was approved by the President.

“The CBN, under Emefiele, produced something different from what former President Muhammadu Buhari approved,” he stated.

Shonubi added that he did not come across any letter from either the Committee of Governors or the CBN board protesting or condemning the President’s approval for the currency redesign.

When asked if he knew everything that transpired between President Buhari and Emefiele during the naira redesign exercise, he replied in the negative.

He explained that Emefiele alone interacted with the President on the issue.

Shonubi also disclosed that he was once invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in connection with the redesign case and made statements to the commission.

However, he said the EFCC did not conduct a face-to-face confrontation between him and Emefiele regarding the statements related to Emefiele.

The witness further stated that the memo presented to the President for the naira redesign was solely prepared by Emefiele and sent to the President without following the laid down procedures of the CBN.

He explained that the standard procedures require the Currency Management Department of the CBN to make a recommendation for the redesign.

“After that, a proposal would be submitted to the Committee of Governors for consideration. Upon the COG’s approval, the matter would be forwarded to the CBN Board, which, in turn, would make a recommendation to the President. After receiving the President’s approval, the bank would then set up an internal committee to execute the currency redesign exercise,” Shonubi explained.

As a Deputy Governor of the apex bank, Shonubi said he was a member of both the COG and CBN Board.

He alleged that Emefiele disregarded a recommendation made in early 2021 by the Currency Department for a naira redesign.

“While serving as Deputy Governor, there was a time when the naira was redesigned — that was in 2022. The CBN did not follow the procedures for redesigning the currency. I was a member of the CBN Board as Deputy Governor, and the Chairman of both the COG and Board was the Governor.

“Prior to 2022, in early 2021, the Currency Department recommended the redesign of the currency notes. A paper was presented to me, but on the instruction of the Governor (CBN), it was stepped down. In 2022, we again presented the paper and were asked to hold on,” Shonubi explained.

“In mid-October 2022, the Deputy Governors of the bank were invited to a meeting in the Governor’s office, where he informed us that he had received presidential approval for the currency redesign.

“He showed us the memo, Mr. President’s signature, and the instructions on the last page,” Shonubi added.

Following his testimony, the court adjourned the case until October 9 for further hearing.

BY Aderonke Oni


Segun Ajayi-Kadir, director-general (DG) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), says government officials must face consequences for making policies that ruin businesses.

Ajayi-Kadir spoke on Tuesday during a forum themed ‘Nigeria’s Challenging Economy: Strategies For Recovery,’ organised by Channels Television to commemorate Nigeria’s 64th Independence anniversary.

He emphasised the need for consequences when policies lead to economic setbacks for industries.

“There must be consequence for government officials who make policies that ruin businesses,” Ajayi-Kadir said.

“I mean, you make a policy today, it becomes a disaster for industry and government simply changes it, and you walk away. We don’t have this luxury in the private sector.

“If you make a mistake, your business is gone, and you could distrain your property. So I think we need to see that movement also on the part of government.”

He said the challenges caused by the ongoing rise in interest rates should be alleviated.

The DG said borrowing at rates of 30-35 percent makes it nearly impossible for businesses to survive, particularly in an economy where consumer purchasing power has drastically declined.

“We should be able to assuage the challenges we are having with continuously raising interest rates,” he said.

“You’ve done it for more than 18 months plus, and you’ve not done any impact assessment on the productive sector.

“I think you need to be able to insulate that sector so that you can inflate the economy.”


‘THERE’S NEED FOR INDUSTRIAL POLICY’

Ajayi-Kadir said there is a need for an industrial policy to guide the government’s approach to industrialisation.

According to the DG, the policy would promote better coordination between key government ministries such as the ministry of industry, trade, and investment, the ministry of finance, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“I must say that policy coordination is extremely important for us because you can’t operate in such a way that you don’t know what to expect tomorrow,” he said.

“It will basically define where we want to be, and it will guide our operations.”

He also questioned the effectiveness of Nigeria’s embassies abroad, calling for key performance indicators (KPIs) aimed at facilitating foreign market penetration for Nigerian products and attracting foreign investments.

While commending the efforts of Wale Edun, the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Ajayi-Kadir called for a more deliberate government policy, urging the government to avoid playing politics with economic policies.

Also, Ajayi-Kadir advocated for a coordinated approach with clear expectations, deliverables, and accountability measures to ensure that the government and industry move in the same direction.


‘FG SHOULD LOOK BEYOND OIL SALE TO GET FX’

Ajayi-Kadir said Nigeria does not need to rely solely on oil sale for foreign exchange (FX), urging the government to diversify its revenue streams, particularly by tapping into the potential of diaspora remittances.

“We don’t really also have to depend on the sale of oil for us to be able to get forex. First, we must realise all the income that we can get from oil and we shouldn’t have any impediments, whether human, structural, or system-imposed. I mean, we should be clear about it. It’s our natural resource,” he said.

“We should fully recover all the forex that we can get from there. We need to address the issue of diaspora remittance that has a very great potential of bringing in far more forex than Nigeria is receiving. Those ones can help to address the foreign exchange challenges that we have.

“There’s one presently that I still cannot understand why we’ve not been able to overcome it and it’s the N2.4 billion unredeemed forwards with the CBN.”

The DG also said the FX exposure has caused massive losses for manufacturers.

“I believe that it will require the intervention of Mr. President, because I have a member, for instance, who has lost N7.2 billion because of this forex exposure for no fault of his and eight of our members, because of the forex exposure, have actually lost 918 billion in the last one year,” he said.

Ajayi-Kadir said addressing the pressing issues does not require new laws or executive orders but a coordinated effort to resolve FX challenges.

Over 40 per cent of Nigerian electricity consumers are currently enjoying over 20 hours of regular electricity supply across the nation, Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said.

Mr Adelabu disclosed this on Sunday in a statement reviewing the activities of the power ministry in the last year.

He explained that certain revolutionary measures were taken to ensure that Nigerians enjoy a more stable and regular electricity supply.

“Moreover, the major achievement is the fact that today we generate over 5,500 megawatts of power, we transmit and distribute it, and over 40 per cent of customers today enjoy over 20 hours of regular power supply across the nation. You can see that there is a significant improvement between when we came in and now, which we intend to improve further,” Mr Adelabu said.

He said all these were achieved with the support of President Bola Tinubu as part of his renewed hope agenda to galvanise the economy.

He noted that the president has consistently said that Nigeria can be great and achieve breakthroughs in industrialisation through a stable and consistent power supply.

Mr Adelabu emphasised the need for Nigerians to realise that stable electricity in any economy cannot be overemphasised.

“This is why you see great economies like Korea, China, Europe, and North America industrialised today. Their stability in electricity supply has been instrumental to their economic growth and industrial development. That’s why we say that we must achieve this for Nigeria as a country. We need to achieve the requisite economic growth and industrial development. Our dear president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, included this in the Renewed Hope Agenda as a major electoral policy for Nigerians.

“In his New Year speech on the 1st of January, 2024, he emphasised the need for the country to have stable, functional, and reliable electricity to drive other critical sectors. This is the only way we can achieve the required economic growth and industrial development. None of the critical sectors can function optimally without electricity stability and functionality.

“Therefore, our vision is to ensure that we provide households, businesses, and institutions (educational and health institutions as well as industries with stable electricity supply. This will enable them to power their activities, improve their capacity, and create more jobs,” he said.

According to him, in a country like South Korea, industrial giants like Samsung, Hyundai, and LG didn’t just become global giants overnight.

“They were supported by the government through the provision of stable and reliable electricity for their operations. This is the vision we have for Nigeria. At the end of the day, a large proportion of our population will be electrified, industries will enjoy stable electricity, and this will increase production and create employment for our people,” he added.

The Minister noted that the mandate of the ministry is to engender national development through the formulation of appropriate policies and the establishment of proper structures and institutions to ensure or achieve stable, functional, reliable, and affordable electricity supply to households, businesses, institutions, and industries.

“This will enable us to achieve the desired economic growth and industrial development. We also provide general oversight to ensure the overall well-being of the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). This is the mandate of the Ministry. However, we are not doing this alone. We work in conjunction with our agencies.

“Apart from the agencies under the Ministry of Power, we also operate through 27 power generating companies, including hydroelectric power companies and thermal companies (which are gas-powered generating companies). We also have 11 Electricity Distribution Companies across the country that operate.

“We also work in conjunction with some international development agencies like the World Bank, the African Development Bank, GIZ, USAID, and so on. These are multilateral institutions that support the Ministry of Power,” Mr Adelabu said.


Data

He said upon assuming office, the country had an installed generation capacity of 13,000 megawatts, but it was only producing, transmitting, and distributing about 4,000 megawatts of power to the entire country.

This, he said, was quite low and unacceptable given the population and level of economic activities.

“Therefore, we were determined to improve the situation. At that time, there was epileptic supply. Almost all customers, both residential and commercial, could not be guaranteed 12-15 hours of supply,” he said.

Additionally, he said the adoption of renewable energy was skeletal in terms of solar or wind sources of energy.

“Between then and now, which is about a year, there has been significant improvement. Today, our installed capacity is over 14,000 megawatts of power due to the addition of the newly commissioned Zungeru hydroelectric power plant and improved capacity of some of the existing power plants,” he added.

Senator Representing Southern Borno, Ali Ndume, says former President Goodluck Jonathan was able to flush the Boko Haram insurgents out in the last minutes of his administration through the services of Private Military Consultant (PMC).

Ndume reminisced the success story while interacting with journalists on the sidelines of the just concluded 10th Senate retreat of the Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution held in Kano.

He recalled how the engagement of the services of the PMCs from South Africa in collaboration with the Nigerian Army significantly flushed insurgents out of Maiduguri in 2014.

He said, “I have been Chairman of the House Committee on Army and I am from Borno State where it all started. We fundamentally have three challenges in the country, Boko Haram, Bandits or Kidnapping and IPOB. All these three, interacting with all security agencies, if the government is very serious about these, it can be addressed in six months and at most one year.

“These bandits are not trained and not equipped. Most of the equipment they used is that delivered to them or taken over from our armed forces. In today’s technology, with advancement in ICT, if they can trace where an individual or politically exposed persons effectively, what stops you from tracing where Turji or other criminals are? So there is something fundamentally wrong there.

“And I commend the Chief of Army Staff who cried out to say that with the meagre resources, put together the security agencies, securing 230 million people is unrealistic. So, the response to it immediately is to recruit more people into the Nigerian Army. We have the youths who are willing to serve but no opportunity or encouragement. We can’t move forward when 70 per cent of our population are the youths and mostly from the poor. And they are losing faith in the country and being too desperate. Before our forefathers were captured to go and be sold as slaves. Today, our youths are taking the risks of going to Niger and others to go and become slaves on their own. They even pay for it.

“I have been advocating for one thing. Boko Haram reached its last peak in 2014, during the last days of Jonathan and somebody advised him to engage Private Military Consultants, (PMC) from South Africa and they entered agreement with them. They said they should give them two or three months to flush Boko Haram out and they did.

“When the consultant came, they were 14. They collaborated with the Nigerian armed forces and recruited from the youths, the civilian JTF who knows the bad guys and went after them to pick them up. And that was when you heard Boko Haram ran away from Maiduguri. Otherwise, there were some areas that in the afternoon you dare not go there. But Alhamdulillah, it has gone down in Maiduguri to three spots, Lake Chad region, Mandara mountain and Sambisa. So operating in those areas, if you have men on the ground, drones, Boko Haram will be history.

“These bandits go to the extent of recording themselves and broadcasting it, yet all the service Chiefs and ministers were in Sokoto, and could not get Turji.”

He pointed out that with the capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces in tackling security challenges bedeviling the country, it only takes commitment of raising the number of personnel and provision of the right equipment to bring an end to the current acts of insecurity bedevilling the country adding that incorporating modern technology will also go a long way in tackling banditry in the country.

“The Nigerian army is known for their agility, professionalism, competence and commitment but once you don’t have enough personnel, good training, equipment, arms and ammunition, there will be no result and no magic. If you give them (Service Chiefs) what it takes and give them a deadline, they will achieve it, especially when you give them the special forces and give the PMC the contract.”

“You have the terrorists, Boko Haram having the more sophisticated arms, and I go round and I observe I have not yet seen a Nigerian Army in any formation having enough number of new AK 47 not to talk of AK 49. The only time I saw new AK 47 and AK 49 is in Abuja whether in presidency or escorting a General at the front. Let us be serious. Let us concentrate on the security and welfare of the citizens. Let us not treat our problems superficially by pretending. There is hunger in the land. We have not cultivated 5 per cent of our lands in Nigeria.”

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has said his counterpart in the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is responsible for his appointment in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.

Lokpobiri made this known on Saturday at an event organised in honour of Wike by the Ijaw Peoples Congress in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

The former Senator also revealed that the move to become a minister in Tinubu’s administration started at Wike’s house in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, and concluded in his Abuja residence.

PUNCH Online reports that Lokpobiri, who hails from Bayelsa, was the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development between 2015 and 2019.

He said, “It is important to tell you, my brothers and sisters, that me that is standing before you today as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources was also made possible by Nyesom Wike. You also heard the account of the MD of the NDDC, who said that the minister of the FCT played a direct role in his appointment.

“My own case could have been a more direct role. Some of you may not know. It all started in Wike’s house in Port Harcourt, and it all concluded in his house in Abuja. My second journey of becoming a minister started at the minister’s house in Port Harcourt, and it concluded in his house in Abuja. It is important for me to complete this history.

“Because when I was looking at the welcome address, our names were not included among those who have benefitted from his benevolence. I thought that my name, Heineken Lokpobiri, would have been included amongst those that he has helped. But since my name is not included, I have to complete it. I want you, Ijaw people, to know that we have a brother and a friend.

“It is always better to have a good friend than to have a bad brother. Of what use is a bad brother? It is of no use. But if you have a good friend, such as the FCT minister, you are already blessed.

“Your Excellency, the FCT minister, let me on behalf of the Ijaw people all over the world, express our gratitude to you for your show of love to Ijaw people. We Ijaw people are very grateful people. If you do us good, we will not pay you back with evil. So, we will always be grateful to you for what you have done for our Ijaw people. We are looking forward to you doing more for our Ijaw people.”

By Daily Trust


Joe Igbokwe, a staunch supporter of President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), has alleged that those who will rescue Nigeria have not been born.

Igbokwe, one of those who campaigned actively for Tinubu in the buildup to the election, said this while commenting on the cost of living crisis.

The Interesting Things About Pha Din Pass, Dien Bien That Just A Few People Know

In a Facebook post on Friday, Igbokwe lamented that a bag of rice now costs N100,000.

“With all the rice mills we have in Nigeria, my wife just told me that a bag of rice is now ₦100k plus. Without sounding immodest, I am constrained to say that the men and women that will rescue this country from self-inflicted pains and tears are not born yet,” he wrote.

Recently, Igbokwe, who served under virtually every Lagos governor since 1999, has been critical of some policies of the Tinubu administration, marking a departure of what he stood for.

Two weeks ago, he lamented over the hike in electricity tarrif, asking Tinubu to look into it.

In a post on his Facebook page three weeks ago, Igbokwe lamented that N20,000 worth of units only lasted him for just a day.

He said: “PBAT, please look into the new electricity tariff in Nigeria. It will kill businesses if the government does not act as quickly as possible. I have a small office in Surulere with about about 7 units of AC.

“We used to buy 300 plus units for N20,0000. Yesterday we bought N20,000 worth of units and it lasted for just one day. They call it band A group. I pray that we review this.”

By Bunmi Aduloju


On September 23, Aliko Dangote, the founder of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, said petrol is about 40 percent cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia.

Dangote spoke during an interview with Bloomberg TV.

Speaking about the subsidy situation in Nigeria, the billionaire entrepreneur said it is the right time to stop the payments.

“For example, in Saudi, the citizens believe that oil is our God-given gift and should not charge us for it. Government was selling it at a very low price,” he said.

“But today, as we speak, gasoline is about 40 percent cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia, which I think does not make sense.”


VERIFICATION

Data from Saudi Aramco, the Saudi Arabian oil group, showed that for September, the price of octane 95 petrol is 2.33 riyals per litre while octane 91 petrol is 2.18 riyals in the country.

According to the company, the octane number is related to the engine’s compression ratio, which indicates the fuel’s anti-knock ratio and establishes the maximum compression the petrol can withstand before igniting.

As of September 25, the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia said the exchange rate for N1 is 0.002280 riyal, which means 1 riyal exchanged for N438.5.

Consequently, the price of octane 95 petrol in naira is N1,021.92 per litre while that of octane 91 petrol is N956.14 riyals.

On the other hand, on September 3, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited increased the petrol price across its retail outlets to N855 per litre.

After converting the riyal value to naira, the naira denomination was used to determine the difference between petrol prices in both countries.

As a result, Saudi Arabia’s petrol is 17.78 percent (for octane 95 petrol) and 11.16 percent (for octane 91 petrol), respectively, more expensive than that of Nigeria.

Moreover, converting the petrol prices of both countries to dollars would lead to a similar result which is way less than the 40 percent Dangote claimed.


VERDICT

Verdict: Partly false.

The claim that petrol costs 40 percent less in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia is an exaggeration.

While Saudi Arabia’s fuel prices are indeed higher, the actual difference is not 40 percent as claimed. Data reveals a significantly smaller price gap between the two countries.

Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, the Nigerian transgender woman better known as Bobrisky, spent only three weeks in prison after receiving a six-month sentencing for naira abuse in April, FIJ can report.

On Tuesday, Martins Vincent Otse, a social media user predominantly known as VeryDarkMan, released a phone conversation during which Bobrisky confessed to serving her term outside the prison and paying N15 million to have the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) expunge ‘money laundering’ from the charges against her.

The controversy has since attracted renewed attention to corruption in Nigerian prisons, with Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo already ordering “an unconditional and comprehensive investigation into the allegations of bribery and corruption within the Nigerian Correctional Service”.

On Thursday, sources familiar with the matter told FIJ that while Bobrisky was indeed taken to Kirikiri in April after her sentencing, she left after just three weeks. Meanwhile, she was only officially released from prison in August.


‘GUARDED LIKE A PRESIDENT’

“Bob spent only three weeks here with us in Kirikiri before she was taken out to another place we don’t know,” a prison official told FIJ. “That was where she spent her time; it was an ‘arrangee thing’. And money was involved.”

The source also told FIJ how Bobrisky was “guarded like a president” until she was “secretly taken away after three weeks”.

“She received VIP treatment all through,” said the source. “She lived in a special cell. The money she said she paid is actually true; no lies. Yes, she paid the money.”

The revelations by the source are in consonance with a 2019 undercover investigation by FIJ founder ‘Fisayo Soyombo, for which he deliberately got himself detained for five days by the police and incarcerated for eight days by the prison service, discovering that it was possible to pay money to live in well-furnished apartments inside prisons, pay to bring in phones, drugs and sundry outlawed items, strike one’s name off the prison records and even live outside the prison while supposedly serving out a jail term.


VIDEO CALL CAMERA ON BOBRISKY

Although the prison authorities did not allow Bobrisky to mingle freely with other inmates, consequently reducing the chances of her eventual disappearance being spotted, the prison official told FIJ about one noteworthy incident.

“There was this day one guy was on a video call with his girlfriend, and he suddenly turned the camera on Bobrisky,” the official said. “It was deemed an invasion of Bobrisky’s privacy, so, as punishment, he was locked up in his cell for nearly two months.”

The source added: “As I said, she was heavily guarded, so there weren’t many of such incidents to point at. And she was quietly taken away after three weeks.”


BUT JAMES BROWN VISITED BOBRISKY IN PRISON?

Since Otse released the audio, some social media users have been wondering whom James Brown, another crossdresser, met with when she announced on June 8 that she had gone to visit Bobrisky at Kirikiri.

“By the time James visited, Bobrisky was no longer in prison,” a source in James’ camp told FIJ on Thursday.

“James went there to see one guy called Vindicate who had invited her to join in recording a song from prison. The prison authorities liked the idea of a song recorded from prison, so they let her come.

“I don’t know why James lied that she went to see Bobrisky; maybe for clout. I will send you videos of James in prison with the people she went there to see. But have you ever seen just one photo of Bob and James in prison?”


NO DENIAL FROM THE PRISON SERVICE

The Nigerian Correctional Service has neither denied nor confirmed claims that Bobrisky did not serve her jail term in Kirikiri.

However, on Thursday night, the interior ministry announced that the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board had suspended two deputy controllers of corrections (DCCs) in charge of the medium security custodial centre, Kiri-kiri, Michael Anugwa and Sikiru Adekunle, “over their unprofessional conduct in handling the case of Nigerian crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky”.

Announcing the action, Ja’afaru Ahmed, secretary of the board, said the suspension was done to pave the way for further investigations.

The federal government through the Budget Office says it has concluded plans to drive an efficient budgetary system for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) by introducing the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System Budget Preparation Sub-System (GIFMIS/BPS).

The Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at the training of MDAs personnel on 2025 budget preparation.

Yakubu said the quality of the national budget has been a longstanding concern, with stakeholders often questioning the relevance, execution, and effectiveness of the country’s budgetary proposals.

He said, “As we prepare the 2025 budget, I urge all MDAs to stay true to their mandates. Our executive budget proposals must be coherent and purpose-driven, embodying the government’s vision for security and development.

“The GIFMIS Budget Preparation Subsystem Training Session provides us with an invaluable opportunity to acquire the tools and knowledge necessary to enhance our budgetary processes. This technology-driven system is designed to improve efficiency, eliminate bottlenecks, address padding and promote accountability,” he said.

The DG charged participants to meticulously review budget submissions to ensure they align with the federal government’s goal; to safeguard the essential economic functions of producing, distributing, and consuming goods and services.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed fresh 16-count charges bordering on fraud against the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, before an FCT High Court, Daily Trust reports.

The charges, which were filed by the Federal Government through counsels for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, Rotimi Oyedepo both Senior Advocate of Nigeria and 7 other lawyers, also joined one Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu as defendants.

The fresh charges were coming on the heels of the former governor’s absence at a Federal High Court, Abuja where he was being tried for alleged charges to the tune of N80.2bn when he held sway in the state.

In a fresh charge sheet obtained by Daily Trust Wednesday night, the anti-graft agency revealed that it had uncovered alleged fresh fraud against the former governor to the tune of N110,446,470,089.00.

“That you, YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometimes in 2016 in Abuja, within the jurisdictions of this Honourable Court agreed amongst yourselves to cause to be done an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum N110,446,470,089.00 entrusted to you,” the charge sheet partly read.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has clarified the reasons independent marketers are unable to purchase petrol directly from Dangote Refinery.

The association’s president, Festas Osifo, at a press conference in Lagos, on Tuesday, said the issue stems from a pricing disparity between the costs at which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) buys PMS and the prices it sells to independent marketers.

Osifo explained that NNPC may purchase PMS at approximately N950, but sell it to independent marketers at around N700, leading to a significant shortfall that NNPC manages.

He said major marketers would buy directly from Dangote at a price similar to NNPCL’s purchase but would need to sell it at a higher price, potentially over N1,000.

Independent marketers prefer to purchase from NNPCL to take advantage of the lower prices, he said.

Osifo noted that some crude oil has been tied to loan repayments, limiting the available supply for local consumption.

He cautioned that the ongoing trend of divestment by International Oil Companies (IOCs) poses both risks and opportunities for Nigeria, including potential reductions in foreign direct investment and production levels.

Despite startling revelations of project duplications in the 2024 budget, the federal ministries of finance and its budget counterparts have kept mum over the allegations.

Indeed, BudgIT Nigeria highlighted projects that are inserted in agencies of government that do not match their areas of focus and competence.

According to BudgIT Nigeria, citing contents of the 2024 budget, the National Assembly allocated N100 million to the Cocoa Research Institute in Ibadan to construct streetlights in Lagos State.

Not only that, the same Institute is also spending N100 million to procure motorcycles in Osun, N100 million on health centre construction in Ondo, and N200 million on classroom renovations in Rivers State.

Meanwhile, the primary function of the Institute is to conduct high-quality research in cocoa, kola, and coffee as well as to provide facilities for teaching and research with the identified agricultural products.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) got N100 million to purchase tricycles, another N100 million to renovate schools yet another N100 million for streetlights, and N100 million for the sinking of boreholes.

NAN also has an allocation of N300 million in its 2024 budget to buy and distribute tricycles (keke) in Abia, renovate schools in Bayelsa, and install streetlights in Rivers.

Again, N80 million was allocated to a Space Agency for pregnancy sensitisation.

As an agency responsible for mechanising Nigeria’s agriculture through innovative research to improve food security, the Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation in Ilorin, Kwara State, was allocated N35 million to construct an office for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Oyo State.

The drama continues with Cocoa Research Institute in Ibadan getting the mandate to construct streetlights worth N100 million in Lagos State.

The mandate of the Institute was extended to cover the supplying of motorcycles with N100 million in Osun State, to spend another N100 million on health centre construction in Ondo, and N200 million on classroom renovations in Rivers.

The mandate of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDAN) is to work towards assisting small and medium-scale enterprises to overcome poor infrastructure in the management of business operations and accessing financial services amongst other tasks.

In the 2024 budget, the agency got N5 billion allocation for the provision of cars for traditional rulers and building boreholes worth two billion naira in Kaduna state.

As expected, outrage has continued to trail the development.

Recall that Senator Abdul Ningi had raised concerns over an alleged budget padding of about N2 trillion. Rather than investigating the allegations, Senator Ningi was slammed with suspension from the law-making chambers.

Speaking on the allusion that allocation is different from actual spending or release of appropriated funds, a public analyst, Oluseun Onigbinde, said the budget is not just a projection but an appropriation act, which gives legal binding to the spending.

“If you want 1000 examples of where an agency without the requisite mandate is delivering a project in a very poor manner, we can as well bring it on. This is a govt that has extended budget implementation to 24 months,” he said.

Allocations of projects to agencies of government that do not have the needed competence in the budget have been a recurring issue in the national budget.

An investment banker, Tolulope Alayande said the latest development is not shocking.

He explained: “This is not shocking, but that it continues to happen year after year is simply disheartening. Perhaps, the government needs to focus on areas like this to plug corruption and resource leakages rather than introduce policies that have impoverished many who do not have access to state funds.”

Although there are arguments about fund allocation, released funds, and funds expended, some experts believe that inserting projects that do not correlate with the focus of agencies is a clever way to misapply funds.

Alayande insisted that the wrong insertion of projects stems from a bad budgetary process and outright corrupt acts.

With low budgetary performance that is below 35 per cent year-on-year, the budgetary process seems to give an impression of big money available to be spent when such funds are an illusion.

By Olasunkanmi Akinlotan


Passengers were thrown into a panic mode on Monday as the windshield of an Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft operated by Air Peace was shattered in Abuja.

As the aircraft landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the windshield reportedly shattered, sparking concerns for passengers and aviation workers who witnessed the development.

Among the passengers onboard was human rights advocate Omoyele Sowore, who was traveling to Abuja.

One of the passengers at the airport who saw the incident, who identified herself simply as Funmi, told our correspondent that it was a scary incident while expressing dissatisfaction with the airline for refusing to explain what exactly happened to the windshield at the spot of the incident.

Attempt to speak with the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Abdullahi Musa, was fruitless as he neither picked up his calls nor responded to text messages sent to him on the matter.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, Bimbo Olajide, noted that the NCAA would be in the best position to respond to the incident.

The NSIB is charged with the duty of promoting transport safety and conducting objective and thorough investigations into transport accidents and incidents in Nigeria, to identify the probable causes.

Olajide said the NSIB is expected to investigate accidents and not incidents of that nature.

“The is classified as an incident and NSIB is expected to investigate accident and serious incident but the development falls in the category of an incident and not serious incident or accident. This falls within the purview of the NCAA.”

When contacted, over the phone, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, Michael Achimugu, promised to speak with his staff and get back to our reporter but never did till press time.

Also asked about what transpired that led to the shattering of the windshield, the Chief Operating Officer of the affected airline, Oluwatoyin Olajide, who angrily responded to our correspondent, claimed that the safety of the flying passengers was not jeopardised.

Olajide who had earlier ignored our correspondent’s call became angry when told that it was gathered that the development caused panic among the flying passengers.

She responded, “What panic for the flying public? Can you verify what you’ve just said? Why are you always very quick to publish negative news about your own?

“Where were you when BA (British Airways) had engine issues and was grounded in Lagos for four days? Why was this not published? This is not a fight but just wondering where you gathered the wrong report from?

“We did not have a shattered screen neither was passenger’s safety jeopardized. What happened is a normal snag and necessary safety measures were implemented. The safety of our equipment and passengers is our top priority.”

Meanwhile, an insider in the airline, who does not want his name in print so as not to violate internal mechanisms, confirmed the development to our correspondent adding that “the aircraft has been temporarily put in service so as not to take any chances. Although, the windshield only cracked and not shattered as claimed.”

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja


Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person and the President of the Dangote Group, owners of the new 650,000 barrels per day crude oil refinery in Lagos, yesterday argued that the decision by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to reduce its stake in the facility from 20 per cent to 7.2 per cent was a huge mistake.

Speaking during a Bloomberg Television interview in New York, monitored by THISDAY, Dangote further disclosed that although he has two oil blocks which are set to begin production in October, he will likely not invest heavily in Nigeria’s upstream sector.

Besides, the billionaire businessman noted that the NNPC has pledged to supply the refinery 390,000 bpd barrels in October, stressing that the expected settlement of transactions in Naira would reduce pressure on the local currency by as much as 40 per cent.

But on the reduction of its interest in the refinery, the NNPC had defended the decision, stressing that it planned to invest more in cleaner energy sources like Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

Dangote stated that there was no room for further negotiation on the matter, pointing out that although it was a good deal, the NNPC bungled it.

“We gave them (NNPC) a good deal. We said, okay, fine, we structured an agreement. The first agreement was that they were going to pay us a billion dollars. The deal was about $2.79 billion. And then the balance of the money, $1 billion, which they paid us over a year and a half ago, and then the balance of the money was split into two.

“One portion was that every crude they supply to us, 300,000 barrels per day, we’ll deduct $2 and then up to the time they finish paying that, one third. The other one third will come out of their own profit. So, why NNPC opted out is a little bit confusing.

“They wanted this agreement to be changed where they wanted to pay cash, not in any other way. So, we said, okay, fine. We signed another agreement, you know, cancelling the other one. The new agreement that we signed was for them to pay us after one year, no interest, after one year, they’ll pay us the balance of $1.8 billion.

“The month for them to pay was June. And by June they came back to us and said, no, they’ve changed their minds and they want to remain at 7.2 per cent. So, okay, fine. So, we left it and we own now the rest of the shares, they own 7.2 per cent. And that’s what it is. But I think they made a big mistake.

“But no, there’s no negotiation. The agreement is finished, dead, completed. It’s 7.2 per cent,” he stated.

Dangote stressed that 90 per cent of the world did not really give the refinery the chance to survive, noting that he felt satisfied personally for the progress made so far.

He explained that the company already had loans of about $2.4 billion while the refinery was still trying to get a suitable location because of the complex issues involved, reiterating that everything was built from the scratch.

On recent calls for him to invest in the upstream segment so as not to be held hostage by oil producers, Dangote stated that although he has two oil blocks that will begin production this October, he doesn’t intend to invest heavily in that segment.

“Well, our upstream, you know, is not big. We have two oil blocks which we have and we are starting production this October,” Dangote added.

Dangote affirmed that it remains the sole decision of the federal government to end a decades-long subsidy on fuel, but noted that in the coming days the government will come up with a robust agreement with the refinery on how to move on with product supply, going forward.

“Subsidy is a very sensitive issue. Once you are subsidising something then people will bloat the price and then government will end up paying what they are not supposed to be paying,” the tycoon said. “Removal of subsidy is totally dependent on the government, not on us,” he stressed.

With the recent directive by President Bola Tinubu to NNPC to sell crude oil in naira and for Dangote refinery to sell petrol in the local currency, Dangote stated that the naira will soon begin to stabilise.

“Petroleum products consume about 40 per cent of our foreign exchange,” Dangote said, adding that fuel from his refinery, which started supplying petrol on September 15 to the state-owned oil company for domestic sale, “can actually stabilise the naira.”

According to him, with the commencement of petrol refining in Nigeria, the real consumption of the product, which he characterised as ‘guesswork’ will soon be unravelled.

“We are going to actually put a tracker on them (trucks) to be sure they are going to take the oil within Nigeria. And that, I think, can help the government save quite a lot of money,” he added.

He stated that negotiations were still on with government on pricing, expressing confidence in the ability of the minister of finance and the Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS) boss, Zaach Adedeji to thrash out all pending issues.

He noted that from October the NNPC will supply about 12 million barrels, broken down into 390,000 barrels per day.

“Already we have agreed, like, for example, in October, they (NNPC) are going to give us 12 million barrels, which is averagely about 390,000 barrels a day, which we’ll refine. We’ll sell both gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel, and if there’s any excess, we’ll export,” he observed.

Dangote insisted that the recent price announced by the NNPC that it was getting the product from the refinery was wrong.

“It wasn’t really a disagreement, per se. NNPC bought from us this particular one on the 15th of September at the international price, which they also bought over 800,000 metric tons of gasoline, imported.

“So the one that they bought from us actually is cheaper than the one they are importing. And so when they announced our price, the guy (NNPC spokesman), I don’t know whether he was authorised or not, but it wasn’t really the real price.

“ What they have announced, yes, most likely that is what it cost them, including profit, including whatever, but they have never added profit to their cost. But their own imported one is almost, maybe about 15 per cent to 20 per cent more expensive than ours,” he said.

He also insisted that the much publicised ‘raid’ on his office sometime ago was meant to embarrass the company, even though it cooperated with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) all through.

“They visited the office and they didn’t talk to anybody. They did not arrest anybody. They just came and, you know, and left just to register an embarrassment and that’s all,” he stressed.

On his erstwhile plan to buy Arsenal football club, Dangote said that while he was eager at the time , the plan would have delayed the completion of the $20 billion refinery.

“I think that time has passed. That time, Arsenal wasn’t doing well. I think, you know, I don’t have that kind of excess liquidity to go and buy a club for $4 billion, so to speak, and use it as a promotional something. I’d rather do something with the money.

“ I will continue to be the biggest fan of Arsenal. I watch their games every day. Any time that they are playing, I will watch. So I will remain a major supporter of Arsenal, but I don’t think it makes sense today to buy Arsenal.

“Actually, I regret not buying it before, but my money was more needed in completing my project than buying Arsenal. I would have bought it for $2 billion, but I wouldn’t have been able to finish my project,” he said.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has commenced the process of appointing substantive directors to replace those who were relieved of their appointments, including some who retired about 11 months ago.

An internal advertisement published by the apex bank, a copy of which was sighted by Daily Trust, gave this hint.

In the advertisement, the bank is seeking to fill seven positions namely Director, Corporate Communications Department (CCD); Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department (FPRD); Director, Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department (OFISD); Director, Procurement & Support Services Department (PSSD); Director, Banking Services Department (BKSD); Director, Medical Services Department (MSD); and Director, Information Technology Department (ITD).

There are 13 departments, each currently headed by a coordinator, according to information on the CBN’s website as at the time of this report.

According to the conditions specified in the advertisement, the ideal candidate, who must be a confirmed staff of the bank on the grade of deputy director, must have spent at least three years on the grade as at the date of the advertisement.

It further specified that deputy directors who have two years or less to retire are not eligible for consideration, and that each applicant must apply for only one of the positions listed as multiple applications may lead to disqualification.

The bank also noted that applications should be submitted not later than 4pm on Friday, September 27, 2024, to an email address provided; adding that only shortlisted candidates would be contacted.

In March this year, Daily Trust reported that not less than 27 members of staff, most of them directors at the CBN, were affected by the first batch of reorganisation by the financial institution.

Amongst those affected were eight directors, 10 deputy directors, five assistant directors, two principal managers and two senior managers.

So far, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, has relieved 17 directors he inherited, with four others recently retired on attaining the statutory retirement age of 60.

The move, which was described as “Re-Organisation” in the letters to the directors read: “The new strategic direction of the bank has been widely publicised. In line with our new mission and vision, the bank is currently undergoing a significant organisational and human capital restructuring process.”


Fears some acting directors may be sidelined

There are fears that the conditions set by the management of the apex bank for application for the posts declared vacant may have precluded some of those currently acting, referred to as coordinators, from applying for those positions.

A senior management staff of the bank who prefers anonymity said: “As it is, those overseeing these departments will not qualify. Most of those who should qualify were affected alongside the sacked directors.”

The vacancy announcement further specified that a minimum of 20+ years working experience is required, of which at least 12 years are expected to be post-call cognate experience at senior management level.

U.S. District Court Southern District of New York gave Nigerian businessman Louis Emovbira Williams the go-ahead to withdraw $21 million from Nigeria’s bank account with JP Morgan, used to stash funds from crude oil sales to foreign entities.

Justice Liman Lewis, in August, denied Nigeria’s motion to dismiss the complaint filed by Mr Williams, who was scammed over a food importation business deal that cost him millions of dollars in 1986.

Not only was Mr Williams swindled of $6.5 million, he said he was also tortured by the SSS and tried for “economic sabotage” after he returned to Nigeria from the UK to retrieve the funds. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in 1986 but left prison in 1989, having languished in jail for three years.

He got a presidential pardon from the then military president, Ibrahim Babangida in August 1993 and a “Fidelity Guarantee and Abiding Memorandum of Understanding of Assurance” for him to be paid approximately $6.5 million at 17 per cent compound interest on a rollover basis since 1986 and N5 million including a 25 per cent compound interest.

CBN’s unwillingness to pay the lump sum left the matter unresolved for decades until Nigeria returned to civilian rule and prompted Mr Williams to file a suit at the UK court, where Nigeria was ordered to refund the businessman with compensation.

In 2018, Justice Mary Clare Moulder of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in UK okayed the seizure of $21,231,960.74 and £19,763.130 from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s account domiciled in JP Morgan.

The defendants include the federal government, the Attorney General of the Federation, CBN, JP Morgan & Co. and other parties who have yet to be named in the suit.

Having obtained a court order authorising him to seize millions of dollars from Nigeria’s account with JP Morgan, the businessman argued his entitlement to the funds before the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

But CBN requested that the suit be transferred from the Supreme Court to a lower court where Nigeria can plead sovereignty.

There, Nigeria argued it had sovereign immunity, which made it impervious to the UK court order in that a sovereign state cannot subject itself to the orders of other nations.

But Mr Liman of the U.S. District Court of New York court dismissed Nigeria’s argument and held that Nigeria had already waived its sovereign immunity per the terms of the Fidelity Guarantee issued to Mr Williams in 1993.

“Therefore for the avoidance of doubt, both the Nigerian State and CBN must be deemed to have waived any immunity from levying of execution on amount kept in the name of CBN or State of Nigeria or any institution of Nigeria (save diplomatic) to the extent to which any amount in [paragraph] (14) above remains unpaid,” stated the 1993 Fidelity Guarantee that the Nigerian government issued to Mr Williams.

“Neither the Nigerian State nor the CBN shall raise or invoke any defences so as to deprive Dr Williams of his monies in [paragraph] (14) above or make it financially onerous and burdensome such as requiring Dr Williams to suffer,” the Guarantee added.

Mr Liman determined that Nigeria could not turn around to contend for sovereign immunity, which had already been waived in the Guarantee.

“Accordingly, the Fidelity Guarantee reflects a waiver of sovereign immunity for any proceeding in any court to recognise and enforce a judgement pertaining to plaintiff’s seized funds,” the U.S. judge stated on August 12.

But the Nigerian government, reluctant to part with its cash asset, already sought to appeal the ruling at the Second Circuit in New York as records have been transmitted to the appellate court where the arguments will again be re-examined and redetermined.

Nigeria has already lost on a similar ground from another court of appeals in the U.S., the one in the District of Columbia in Washington D.C., which ruled in favour of Zhongshan Chinese investors to seize Nigerian assets abroad over a botched free trade zone deal.

The appellate decision in the Chinese case in the District of Columbia Circuit is not binding on the courts under the Second Circuit, where New York falls.

The case adds to the mounting list of litigations that sully Nigeria’s reputation among its international counterparts as courts in France, UK and Canada have similarly given orders green lighting the confiscation of Nigerian assets abroad.

Mr Williams said the funds, when recovered, would be used to improve children’s health and education in Nigeria. (Peoplesgazette)

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the Saturday governorship election in Edo State. According to the Returning Officer who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Of Technology, Minna, Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta, the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat his arch rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who secured 247,274 votes.

Daily Trust reports that the APC won in 11 local government areas while the PDP won seven. The APC won the six local governments in Edo North Senatorial District and two out of the five local government in Edo Central Senatorial district. Beyond the loss and victory, this piece focused on some individuals who played key roles in the election and contributed to its outcome.


NYESOM WIKE

At the time APC denied Obaseki returning ticket in the build-up to 2020 Edo election, Nyesom Wike, then governor of Rivers State, and some other PDP gave him a solid backing to secure the party’s ticket. Wike, now Minister of Federal Capital Teritorry (FCT), worked for Obaseki’s victory against APC’s Osagie Ize-Iyamu in the 2020 election.

Not long after his re-election, Obaseki and Wike fell apart. In fact, Obaseki supported former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, against Wike, as the Presidential candidate of PDP in the last election. Wike would later tender apology to Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Obaseki’s estranged godfather, to forgive him for “helping Obaseki win re-election.”

The FCT Minister in the build-up to the Saturday’s election stated he would not support the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, having fallen out with Obaseki.

But during an interview, Obaseki said Edo voters do not need Wike’s influence to decide who they would vote for.

He said, “He (Wike) came to get Edo people to vote for me, right? Wow! Edo people are not that dumb. They know who to vote for. They don’t require the services of an outsider to make their decisions. Edo people will make decisions this time because they know what they want.”

At a point, the PDP through its Edo State Chairman, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, demanded redeployment of the State REC, Anugbum Onuoha as well the Commissioner of Police, CP Nemi Edwin-Iwo, over their alleged ties with Wike.

Aziegbemi said, “We are worried that the election may have been compromised even before it start. This is because we are certain that the officials responsible for conducting a free, fair, and credible election are close associates of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.”

Wike dismissed allegations of him influencing the appointment of his cousin, Onuoha, as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, warning propagandists that ‘nobody born of a woman’ can intimidate his cousin.


PHILIP SHAIBU

During the rift between Obaseki and Oshiomhole in 2020, Shaibu stood behind Obaseki against Oshiomhole, noting that the former governor was playing godfather when they both never allowed such to happen in Edo. Like Wike, Shaibu was another key factor in securing Obaseki’s reelection. He particularly took the political battle to Oshiomhole’s doorstep, attacking with foul languages at different fora.

However, the table turned as Shaibu, fell out with Obaseki over his governorship ambition. Obaseki didn’t only deny him PDP ticket, he masterminded his impeachment. There was a twist in July as Shaibu was reinstated as the deputy governor by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja. Following his reinstatement, Shaibu, defected to APC alongside several key PDP legacy coalition members.

Shaibu’s defection to a large extent depleted PDP’s strength going into the Saturday’s election. He described Obaseki’s candidate as an outsider, saying he would rather back APC candidate.

“I will support a homeboy. I came into the contest to be governor of Edo State because I needed governance to return to a homeboy, somebody who understands our plight and somebody who understands what the people are feeling.

“We don’t want an outsider. We have experimented with an outsider and it is not working, so this time, we want a homeboy. We have only two home boys in the major political parties; one is in the Labour Party and one is in the All Progressives Congress,” Shaibu said.


DAN ORBIH

Dan Orbih, former National Vice Chairman, South-South of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and immediate past Edo Chairman of the party, is another political leader, who worked against Ighodalo’s victory.

Orbih, one of the allies of Wike, did not hide his hatred for Obaseki and his anointed candidate. He is the leader of the Legacy Group, comprising leaders of PDP worked for Obaseki’s victory in 2020. The group members were at loggerhead with governor for not fulfilling promises he made to them during the Edo 2020 election.

When Ighodalo emerged party’s candidate, Orbih declared he would not support him. Infact, he rejected PDP’s governorship campaign council’s membership.

The leader of anti-Obaseki’s Legacy Coalition, who hails from Etsako Central Local Government Area in Edo North, said: “Nobody told me of any governorship campaign council membership in Edo PDP. I am not aware of it.

“Some persons, who saw my name on the list, called me. I have not seen the list, and I am not aware of it. I am not party to the composition of the campaign council.”

In June, pro-Obaseki PDP leaders expelled Orbih, from the party, for alleged anti – party.

The party said it has also expelled Shaibu, and Hon. Omorgie Ogbeide Ihama, an immediate past House of Reps member, representing Oredo Federal Constituency.


ANSLEM OJEZUA

Ojezua is another Obaseki’s ally turned political enemy. He was State chairman of the Edo State chapter of APC and led members of executives from state to ward to pitch tenth with the PDP when Obaseki was denied returning ticket in 2020. In leading the party leaders, he cited loss of confidence in the national leadership of the APC and alleged disobedience to the party’s constitution.

The resolution which was signed by 22 members of the Executives of the party led Ojezua and Chairmen of the party across the 18 Local Government Areas of the State, said over 150, 000 supporters of their supporters have concluded plans to defect with them.

However, Ojezua like Shaibu fell out with Obaseki over his governorship ambition on the platform of PDP.

After Obaseki’s man emerged PDP candidate, Ojezua faulted the primary and dragged Ighodalo to court.

Ojezua said he sought redress in court because Obaseki, “played a huge role in ensuring that the primary was not transparent”.

“I am not satisfied with the outcome. From the onset, I have expressed my impression that the process was neither transparent nor was it in obedience to the rules,” Ojezua said.

Early this month, a Court of Appeal, Abuja division, dismissed Ojezua’s suit seeking disqualification of Ighodalo’s candidacy.


KABIRU ADJOTO

He is a former Speaker of the Edo House of Assembly who defected from PDP after falling out with Obaseki. There are allegations that he fell out with Obaseki over his failure to name his deputy after the controversial impeachment of Shaibu.

Obaseki named Marvellous Omobayo as his deputy, a development which reportedly set him up against Adjoto.

At a meeting of the Legacy Group held at Orbih’s country home in Ogbona, Adjoto tackled Obaseki over his failure to manage 2020 electoral victory.

He said that instead of consolidating on the victory recorded in 2020 election by rewarding those who worked for his re-election, Obaseki opted for others in the party who did not work for the party.

“Dan Orbih, we have seen what you saw and we are here to queue behind you anywhere you go, we go. We are waiting for you instruction,” Adjoto said.

With the right interventions by the Federal Government, the pump price of petrol produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery may crash below N600/litre, crude oil refiners have said.

The Publicity Secretary of the Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria, Eche Idoko, told Sunday PUNCH in an interview that the association still has a strong belief that local refineries like Dangote and others can bring down the cost of petrol.

Idoko said the N898/litre claimed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited as the price it bought petrol from Dangote reflected the rising exchange rate.

He explained that the N898 would drop to N550 if the exchange rate is pegged at N1,000/$ for locally-produced petroleum products.

According to him, the PMS being sold by the Dangote refinery since last week Sunday was produced from imported crude and the ones bought locally in dollars.

“If you remember, we did say that if we begin to refine locally and there is a naira sale, the price of PMS will drop. We still stand strongly by that position. This particular batch of product that is being sold by Dangote, the crude was purchased in June at the international price.

“NNPC supplied 60 per cent of that crude and the remaining percentage was imported by Dangote at the international price. Now, when they refine that product, they have to sell at the international price because they are a business, they have to make money,” he said.

Even at N898, Idoko emphasised that the NNPC is buying at 300 below the usual landing cost of almost N1,200/litre.

“The pricing that you are seeing now is a reflection of what the international price is, less the cost of freighting. If you look at it now, NNPC was buying the product at N300 less; they’re paying N300 more for the product they were importing than what they are buying from Dangote at N889.

“That N300/litre was what I had mentioned before that local refining would take care of, even without any intervention,” he noted.

The CORAN spokesman added that the naira crude sale would automatically free up about 40 per cent of the nation’s foreign exchange which he said had gone into servicing the importation of petroleum products.

“If the financial sector is sincere, we should see an immediate climb by the naira against the dollar. And if the naira climbs against the dollar, without even the government pegging the price of the exchange rate for dollars in the pricing of that group, we will see a reduction in the price automatically,” he stated.

To crash the price of Dangote petrol significantly, Idoko advised the Federal Government committee working on crude sales to local refineries to sell the feedstock in naira at a discount and peg the exchange rate at about N1,000 to a dollar.

“But because we are not completely in touch with what happens in the financial sector, we have said to the government – two things you will do. You will sell in naira at a discount, and then at that discount, you will peg the price at a particular exchange rate to the dollar.

“For instance, you can say, you are using N1,000 as an exchange rate for this dollar deal, for the locally refined petroleum products. And like that, you will see a significant drop in the price,” he stated.

He noted that the special committee had gone back and was still working.

“So, whatever is happening now is outside whatever is being discussed by the government. And there is a whole lot of politics here and there. Some people are afraid that this would make Dangote become a monopoly. Dangote now is a member of our association and will play by the rules of our association. We would also control the chances of monopoly to start with. Then the NMDPRA is there as a major gatekeeper to control any form of monopoly.

“There are two more things I will say, rather than see what is happening as a minus, NNPC should be thanking the local players for coming in to rescue them. The NNPC should see Dangote and the other private players that have come in as a partner and work with them to solve this issue. Let us all work together and not try to gaslight the public against the other person,” he said.

Idoko condemned the imposition of levies and taxes on the PMS price by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority as reflected in the estimated prices released by the NNPC.

“In this price alone, about 25-30 per cent of that money goes to the government in levies. In that breakdown, you see that this money goes to taxes and levies from NMDPRA and other organisations. At a time when Nigerians are groaning, you reconsider these fees. When people’s purchasing power has been enhanced, then you can improve this. It happens all over the world, even in the United States. they give tax cuts every day,” he emphasised.

The refiner spoke further, “As it is right now, this pricing you see is a reflection of what the price will look like if there is no intervention at all, because of how the naira is doing and because of what crude is doing in the international market. But if the government intervenes by way of naira sales and pegging the dollar exchange rate for crude transactions at a reasonably low rate, you will see an improvement. This is different from paying money as a subsidy. You are only just putting mechanisms in place to ensure the product is cheap.”

Going mathematical, he analysed the breakdown of the estimated price released by the NNPC.

According to him, a litre of Dangote PMS is $0.52, which translates to N842.61 when calculated at an exchange rate of N1,637 to a dollar. He said this would have been N520 if the exchange rate was pegged at N1,000 to $1.

“The premium is $0.03, which should be N30 if the exchange rate is N1,000. The two will give you N550/litre as the gantry price. If the government removes levies and taxes, the product will be below N600, especially if the crude is sold at a discount.” he stated.

Asked if he is certain that the government can cap the dollar rate at N1,000, Idoko retorted, “For this intervention, yes. The crude belongs to the people now, and it’s NNPC’s crude. NNPC can give the crude for local refining at $1,000. You refine, the NNPC collects everything and stores it. The NNPC needs a strategic storage arrangement. We have depots in almost all the states in Nigeria. Load those depots with PMS for the rainy day.

“Right now, people don’t have the purchasing power. With the intervention, we can keep the price under N600, maintaining this N1,000 as the dollar benchmark for 36 months, after which we will review and go higher. What you are using to buy these things now are purely internal funds. You are not sourcing for dollars or anything; it’s Nigeria to Nigeria. The crude is your own. The currency you are receiving is your own.”

On Monday, NNPC announced that it would sell the petrol lifted from the Dangote refinery at a price above N1,000/litre in the far north.

Its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, disclosed this in a statement titled, ‘NNPC Ltd Releases Estimated Pump Prices of PMS from Dangote Refinery Based on September 2024 Pricing’.

Soneye explained that the price may go for as high as N1,019/litre in Borno State and N999.22 in Abuja, Sokoto, Kano, and others.

In Oyo, Rivers, and other areas in the South, it will be N960/litre. The lowest price, according to an infographic released by the NNPC, is N950 in Lagos and its environs.

Recall that the Dangote Group had disagreed with NNPC last week Sunday on the N898/litre PMS cost announced by NNPC as the price at which Dangote sold the product.

The Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, said the claim that Dangote refinery sold PMS at N898/litre to the NNPC was misleading and mischievous, saying it was deliberately aimed at undermining the milestone achievement towards addressing energy insufficiency and insecurity, which has bedeviled the economy in the past 50 years.

“We urge Nigerians to disregard this malicious statement and await a formal announcement on the pricing, by the Technical Sub-Committee on Naira-based crude sales to local refineries, appointed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, which will commence on October 1, 2024, bearing in mind that our current stock of crude was procured in dollars,” Chiejina noted.

He added that the PMS was sold to the NNPC in dollars with a lot of savings against what the company had been importing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM-jUnELdFo

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has been forced out of the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Benin by the DIG Frank Mba.

Obaseki was on the premises early on Sunday morning at some minutes past 2am and was there until he was escorted outside by the police.

PUNCH Online earlier reported that members of the All Progressives Congress, led by Monday Okpebholo’s running mate, Dennis Idahosa, led protesters to demand the exit of Obaseki from the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission at about 3.30am on Sunday.

As he was being escorted out of the premises, mobile policemen deployed to the INEC office shouted at the governor, “Leave, leave.”

Minutes before Obaseki was led outside by Mba flanked by a contingent of policemen, All Progressives Congress National Secretary, Surajudeen Basiru, addressed journalists that the governor had no reason to be on the premises.

Basiru said, “He is not a candidate. He has no reason to be here”, describing the governor’s action as abuse of office.

The governor was said to have gained entrance into the premises of INEC on Aduwawa Road, Benin City, under the cover of the night and headed straight upstairs, sitting close to the Edo REC’s office where the results were being collated before they would be announced.

The protesters at intervals tried to gain entrance into the premises of INEC, but they were prevented from entering even when they repeatedly banged on the gate.

At some point during the drama, the DIG in charge of the election, Frank Mba, came into the premises with his team and headed straight to where Obaseki was sitting.

A petrol station owned by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, Pinnacle Oil, has been set ablaze.

The incident occurred at the fuel station located along Agbani Road, directly opposite Roban Stores.

Details of the incident are still sketchy, but sources reveal that hoodlums, whose identities are yet to be known, carried out the arson attack.

As the founder and CEO of Pinnacle Oil and Gas Ltd., Governor Mbah has been a known figure in the oil and gas industry.

His company has completed the development of Single Point Monitoring (SPM) and Conventional Buoy Mooring (CBM) facilities in the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

This incident raises concerns about the safety and security of businesses and infrastructure in Enugu State. The motives behind the attack are still unclear, and an investigation is likely underway to determine the perpetrators and their intentions.

What was supposed to be a “soft landing” deal for Yahaya Bello, immediate-past governor of Kogi state, to end his protracted face-off with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) went awry at the car park of the anti-graft agency on Wednesday morning.

Usman Ododo, his successor, had negotiated the deal for Bello with some senior officials of the Bola Tinubu administration — under which the former governor would return some state funds traced to him in exchange for a plea bargain, insiders told TheCable.

TheCable could not confirm the full terms of the negotiation, but the anti-graft agency was still expected to charge Bello to court regardless, even if for lesser offences.

Armed with what he thought was a sealed deal, Ododo took Bello from Lokoja, the Kogi state capital where he had been hiding for months, to Abuja on Tuesday, and accompanied him to the EFCC headquarters on Wednesday.

TheCable understands that Ododo used his status as a sitting governor to gain entrance into the EFCC premises without formalities, following which he announced that Bello was there to honour the invitation the commission sent to him after he left office in January 2024.


A SERIES OF DRAMATIC EVENTS

The development was expected to end the saga, which had seen Nigerian authorities issue a Red Notice to Interpol after the former governor was declared wanted.

However, it turned out that Ola Olukoyede, the EFCC chairman, did not appear to be in on the deal.

When Ododo called Michael Nzekwe, chief of staff to the EFCC chairman, on the phone to announce Bello’s arrival, Nzekwe told the governor that his boss was not around, as the commission was not aware they were coming.

Insiders told TheCable that Nzekwe asked them to leave, promising to get back to them as soon as the coast was clear.

By this time, Ohiare Michael, Bello’s aide, had issued a press statement announcing that his principal had “honoured the EFCC invitation”.

Insiders in both camps told TheCable different versions of what happened next.

According to Bello’s associates, the entourage had spent four hours within the EFCC premises before Nzekwe told them to leave and return when the chairman would be in the office.

They contended that the chairman did not need to personally receive Bello as the EFCC has institutional processes to handle those invited for interrogation.

“You declared a man wanted and he voluntarily submitted himself only for you to turn him back,” one of Bello’s associates told TheCable.

“That would suggest that there was something personal about the whole investigation. If you felt too many people came with Bello, all you needed to do was ask for only Bello and his lawyers to be allowed to enter the office.

“The EFCC was not happy he came voluntarily. They would prefer to arrest and handcuff him for a media show. That was why they came back at night to the Kogi governor’s lodge in Asokoro and started shooting. Bello has always believed somebody wants him dead and the shooting confirms his suspicion. They could have killed him.”


‘PROTOCOLS BREACHED’

The version of events from sources at EFCC is however slightly different.

After Bello’s entourage left, EFCC issued a statement clarifying that Bello was not in its custody — with reports curiously emerging online that the former governor was actually arrested the previous night by the commission.

The reports turned out not to be true.

“First, there are processes for taking in suspects and interrogating them. There are established protocols. None of this was followed. What the governor tried to do was employ intimidation by using his immunity status to railroad the EFCC into acting his script,” an insider told TheCable.

“When Ododo saw that we were not falling for it, he started shouting that they would not leave the EFCC premises. Nobody invited Ododo to the EFCC. It was only Bello that was invited. By intimidating our officials, Ododo thought he could have his way. He probably wanted to be in the interrogation room with his benefactor.”

The thinking in EFCC, as insiders told TheCable, was that only Bello and his lawyers should be allowed in to avoid interference by Ododo — and that was why they were asked to leave, although Olukayode was, indeed, not in the office.

They were asked to return with the unspoken instruction that only Bello and his lawyers would gain entrance and they would have to go through the protocol of filling forms and dropping their phones, among others.

TheCable understands that the EFCC hierarchy was also riled by the viral image taken of Ododo and Bello arriving at EFCC headquarters as photography is strictly prohibited within its premises.


WHO FIRED THE FIRST SHOT?

When Olukoyede eventually returned to the office, he asked his chief of staff to invite Bello back to the commission since he appeared to be no longer on the run.

Nzekwe went to the Kogi governor’s lodge late afternoon to deliver his principal’s message.

What happened next is, again, narrated differently by both sides.

On Thursday morning, Bello’s media office said EFCC operatives had come the previous night to forcefully take away the former governor, blocking the road and firing gunshots.

EFCC’s officials said, rather, that it was Ododo’s security team that started firing gunshots into the air on seeing the commission’s vehicle.

“EFCC operatives responded in kind,” an EFCC insider told TheCable.

While the melee ensued, Bello slipped out of the lodge and exited Abuja, leaving the EFCC empty-handed.

Amid the drama, accusations and counter-claims, the big fish that presented himself on a platter to the EFCC early Wednesday morning — and was turned back — has now disappeared into the ocean, temporarily off the hook.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has received a number of requests from different groups across the country, seeking the recall of their representatives in the national and state assemblies.

This is just as the commission released the revised Regulations and Guidelines for the recall of federal and state lawmakers as well as councillors in the Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Mr Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC revealed these in a statement on Thursday at the end of the management meeting of the commission.

He said that the decision was taken in addition to reviewing the final preparations for the off-cycle Edo State governorship election on Saturday.

He said that some groups even requested the commission to initiate the process of the recall on their behalf.

“For clarity, the process is initiated by the voters in a constituency. The commission only implements their request in line with Sections 69, 110 and 160 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Sections 2(c) and 113 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Accordingly, the commission has reviewed the regulations and guidelines, providing a detailed procedure for recall,” Olumekun said.

He also said that the 10-page document had been uploaded to INEC website and social media platforms for the guidance of prospective petitioners and for public information.

He urged constituents interested in the recall of their elected representatives to be guided by the provisions of the regulations and guidelines in preparing and submitting their petitions to the commission.

By Abdullateef Aliyu


Dangote Group has reacted to the report that it sold premium motor spirit (PMS) to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) at N898 per litre, describing the report as “misleading and malicious.”

In a statement by its Chief Branding and Communication Officer, Anthony Chiejina, Dangote did not state the specific rate it sold the product to the NNPCL but said it was sold in dollars.

Chief spokesperson of the NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye had told Daily Trust in an interview that it bought a litre from Dangote at N898, debunking an initial claim that it was sold at N760 as reported by another newspaper (not Daily Trust.

“We successfully loaded PMS at the Dangote Refinery today. The claim that we purchased it at N760 per liter is incorrect. For this initial loading, the price from the refinery was N898 per liter,” Soneye had said.

But Dangote in its statement said the N898 claim by Soneye is misleading, disclosing that the Tinubu-appointed committee would announce the price on October 1.

The statement read: “This statement is both misleading and mischievous, deliberately aimed at undermining the milestone achievement recorded today, September 15, 2024, towards addressing energy insufficiency and insecurity, which has bedeviled the economy in the past 50 years.

“We urge Nigerians to disregard this malicious statement and await a formal announcement on the pricing, by the Technical Sub-Committee on Naira-based crude sales to local refineries, appointed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, which will commence on October 1, 2024, bearing in mind that our current stock of crude was procured in dollars.

“It should also be noted that we sold the products to NNPCL in dollars with a lot of savings against what they are currently importing. With this action, there will be petrol in every local government area of the country regardless of their remote nature.

“We assure Nigerians of availability of quality petroleum product and putting an end to the endemic fuel scarcity in the country.”

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, recently wrote a diplomatic letter to the United Kingdom aviation handlers requesting landing slots for Air Peace, at the UK’s Choice airport in Heathrow. These requests sparked discussions in the industry, OLASUNKANMI AKINLOTAN x-rays the matter

The media has been filled with reports about the protest letter written by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to his British counterpart. The letter was written to lodge a formal complaint about the UK airport authority’s refusal to allow the Nigerian Air Peace to land at Heathrow Airport.

In a letter dated August 1, 2024, and addressed to Louise Haigh, the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Keyamo warned that if Air Peace was not allocated a space at London Heathrow, Nigeria would be forced to “reciprocate” by denying British Airways and Virgin Atlantic slots at the Lagos and Abuja airports.

Although Heathrow is the UK’s primary airport, Air Peace currently operates from Gatwick Airport, a secondary airport.

The UK’s Heathrow Airport could be compared to Nigeria’s Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, and Gatwick Airport, UK, may be likened to the Enugu International Airport.

Efforts by Air Peace to get a slot at Heathrow, which is closer to the heart of London, have been unsuccessful, PUNCH has learnt.

Meanwhile, Nigeria and the United Kingdom are both parties to a bilateral aviation safety agreement, an agreement that provides for Civil Aviation Certifications to be shared between the two countries.

This agreement is called the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement.

A BASA sets out obligations and methods for cooperation between the authorities to avoid unnecessary duplication of evaluation, and to facilitate the certification of aeronautical products by the civil aviation authorities.

A BASA, therefore, supports trade in aircraft and related products, while ensuring the highest levels of aviation safety.

This agreement also allows airport managers to provide equal landing privileges to aircraft from member countries in their domain.

Meanwhile, some industry stakeholders were of the view that the Nigeria-UK BASA agreement promoted designated city destinations rather than specific airports.

The stakeholder said Heathrow cannot be explicitly mentioned in the agreement as it falls outside the purview of the Department of Transport and given the UK government’s lack of involvement in airport slot allocation.

They advised Air Peace to address the issue independently and not escalate it.

Meanwhile, the diplomatic dispute between the two countries took another dimension when Airport Coordination Limited, the independent authority responsible for slot allocation in the UK, disclosed that Air Peace missed two critical deadlines while requesting landing slots.

The company claimed that Air Peace failed to submit its slot requests on time for the Northern Summer 2024 and Northern Winter 2024 scheduling seasons.

The missed deadlines, as disclosed by the slot allocator, have added a new layer of complexity to the situation, raising genuine concerns over the airline’s ability to gain a foothold at one of the world’s busiest airports.

A top officer in the airline, who preferred not to be mentioned considering the current diplomatic nature of the matter, told our correspondent that the airline was not happy with the refusal by the UK authority to allow Air Peace aircraft to land at Heathrow airport.

He noted that the airline would not want to dabble into the matter, adding, “It is important to note that we have done due diligence in ensuring that we get a slot, but they were claiming the crowd was too much for them. Only for us to now start hearing that they claimed that we did not apply for two seasons. The same you that initially claimed no slots were owing to the crowd?

“Just like I said earlier, we have done due diligence and we will continue to do what is right. We pray that God backs the minister to help us get the desired slots from them.”

However, the Nigerian government has continued to allow UK flag bearers to land in Nigeria’s primary airports even while aviation authorities in the UK remained adamant on the matter.

In reaction to the development, Keyamo, through his letter, expressed displeasure over the development.

The diplomatic correspondence, which was leaked to the media, reads partly saying, “The consistent denial of slot” by the UK slot office to Air Peace on the Nigeria-London route to fly into Heathrow, its first choice, since it began operations in the UK in March 2024.

“The airline had made consistent efforts in the past to fly into Heathrow Airport from Lagos but was denied, and only approved to fly into Gatwick Airport from Lagos.

“Following the approval granted the airline by the Nigerian government to fly the Abuja-London route, the airline approached the slot office for slot allocation at the London Heathrow Airport, for flight operations planned to commence in November 2024, during the IATA Winter Season. It is highly disheartening that up till this moment, the airline has not received any favourable response from the slot office.”

He reminded the UK that both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic were operating into Nigeria’s primary airports in Lagos and Abuja without encumbrances placed in their ways.

British Airways has been flying into Lagos since 1936.

“Therefore, it is necessary for Nigerian designated carriers to enjoy similar reciprocity that British carriers are enjoying. It is highly unfair on the side of the British authorities and a discredit to the Nigerian authorities and the Nigerian nation as a whole, for slot allocation to Nigerian carriers to be an issue at all times. We feel betrayed by the British authorities for not reciprocating the good gesture of the Nigerian State and its people,” Keyamo wrote.

The minister told the UK airport authority not to allow the slot allocation issue to be an alibi to deny the existence of a bilateral Air Services Agreement between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, whose hallmark was based on the principle of reciprocity.

Following the minister’s threat, a junior staff member of Air Peace, who did not want to be mentioned because he was not in a capacity to speak for the company told our correspondent, “Obviously, the management is concerned by this development between the UK and Nigerian governments, but we are only taking solace in the possibility that the matter may be resolved before the deadline given.”

Also, when contacted, British Airways’ Regional Country Manager for Nigeria and Ghana, Adetutu Otuyalu, who was initially responding to chats from our correspondent, suddenly went mute after the question was posed to her.

Reactions

The President of the Association of Foreign Airlines and Representatives in Nigeria, Dr Kingsley Nwokoma, backed Keyamo, saying if UK airlines could enjoy Nigeria’s best airports, such privilege should also be reciprocated.

He also called for more diplomacy in resolving the matter.

His words, “If they are enjoying our best airport, since we do not have a national carrier, our current national flag carrier should be allowed to fly to their own best airports too.

“This is not rocket science. Both Nigeria and the UK are parties to BASA. So, why shouldn’t our flag carrier be allowed to land at their best airport?

“This once happened between Air Peace and the UAE and the Nigerian government sat with them and things were resolved so, I want to advise that the same tactics be employed to resolve this matter.”

Also, a commercial pilot with over 30 years of experience, Captain John Okakpu, lauded the minister’s decision to shut the landing space against both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic pending the provision of landing rights to Air Peace.

He recalled that the former military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, once shut airlines from the UK when they once disallowed the defunct Nigeria Airways from landing in the UK’s A’ class airport.

“If they refused to allow Air Peace to land in Heathrow, the minister should also banish the airlines to maybe Enugu or even Ibadan.

“Abacha stopped them from coming to our country at a time. They should also feel what we are feeling. Why should they have 21 frequencies to Nigeria and the less than seven we have, they won’t still allow us to complete it even as Nigeria’s flag carrier? At least Arik is not as sophisticated as Air Peace and they go to Heathrow. What is the meaning of all these?

“Can you imagine what Nigerians go through when their cargoes get to Gatwick? They always have to transport it to Heathrow after paying so much for airlifting from their primary destination, which cannot continue. When passengers are going to the U.S. from Nigeria, they will be taken to Gatwick and then transported back to Heathrow before getting their connecting flight to the U.S. So why should Nigerians go through this unnecessary pain and extra spending?” he quizzed.


Ranking

Although Heathrow is now ranked 12th in the global ranking, slipping from its position at 8th in 2023, a survey by aviation analyst Cirium, which calculated the number of airports each hub served between January and June 2024, showed.

It comes despite the west London airport handling more passengers than any of its European competitors and offering over 4.5 million seats this month, according to OAG Aviation.

It was ranked the world’s fifth busiest airport last year.

Its ranking as best-connected has improved considerably in recent years, as pre-pandemic records revealed the west London hub stood in 18th position, according to the Independent.

In the first half of 2024, it served 221 locations, while London Gatwick Airport served 218 and has been positioned 14th.

It trails Heathrow by two spots despite serving half of the passengers Heathrow does.

In the list whittled down from airports worldwide, Istanbul emerged on top with some 309 destinations on offer. Most are on Turkish Airlines, the carrier with the most extensive route network in the world.

It is followed by Istanbul Frankfurt, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol, with 296, 282 and 270 locations on their departure screens, respectively.

The only other European airport in the top 10 and 10th position is Rome Fiumicino, with 234 locations.

Meanwhile, Chicago O’Hare is the top non-European airport listed, serving 270 airports next to Dubai International, which serves 269 airports.

Dallas-Fort Worth, Shanghai Pudong and Atlanta occupy seventh, eighth and ninth place in the table, respectively.

A 65 litres water capacity cylinder of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), which cost N3,500 to fill, will take a car from Abuja to Kaduna, a distance of about 191km, an expert has said.

Mr Mas’ud Yau’, an Engineer and Manager of ABG Conversion Centre, Dawaki, one of the Federal Government’s accredited CNG conversion centres in the Federal Capital Territory, disclosed this to newsmen.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Ya’u spoke when the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGi) undertook an inspection tour and distribution of CNG conversion kits to six centres in Abuja.

In an interview with newsmen after the inspection of his centre, Ya’u said: “CNG is safe, as the gas tank is fire and bullet proofed and the thickness of the tank is between 15mm and 20mm.

“65 litres water capacity of CNG will cover 170km to 200km distance, which means it can conveniently take you from Abuja to Kaduna.

“To fill CNG of 65 litres water capacity will cost N3,500,” he said.

NAN reports that the driving distance between Abuja and Kaduna is 191km, and it takes approximately two hours 30 minutes.

A car using petrol, will use approximately 20 litres of pms to cover the same distance, costing N17,940 at N897 official pump price in FCT.

Ya’u said CNG also improved engine performance and extends its longevity.

According to the Engineer, before conversion, if it takes three months to service a car, after conversion it will extend to five months before servicing without affecting the oil viscosity.

Ya’u said the CNG conversion process is a division of labour and they usually convert about four cars in a day at the centre.

“The process involves installation of the kits in the engine with gas cylinders in the trunk of the vehicle.

“We also conduct detailed inspection to determine if the car is standard enough for conversion,” he said.

At Mijo Gas Auto, another conversion centre in FCT, the head of the centre, Mr Gaurav Goyal, described CNG as very safe and clean.
“We want every Nigerian to go green. CNG is a good initiative for bringing down the price of PMS, with a spiral effect of reduction in prices of foods, commodities and other items,” he said.

Petroleum products marketers have declared that there was never a boycott of Dangote Refinery’s Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, (petrol).

However, Olufemi Adewole, Executive Secretary, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMAN, told Vanguard, there was a need to get the modalities right.

Adewole said: “The sector needs to operate transparently in a manner that allows all stakeholders to thrive and contribute significantly to the quest of ensuring availability, reliability and accessibility of petroleum products nationwide.”

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Federal Government disclosed that the supply of petrol from Dangote Refinery will commence tomorrow after both parties reached an agreement on pricing and supply.

Speaking in Abuja, a member of the Presidential Committee on the Sale of Crude Oil and Refined Products, and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji said NNPC will remain as the sole off-taker of petrol from the refinery with other marketers getting the product from the national oil company.

In return, he added, NNPC Limited would commence the supply of 385,000 barrels of crude oil to Dangote Refinery on October 1, 2024.

‘There was no boycott’

On the issue of petrol, Adewole, the Executive Secretary of DAPPMAN, said the alleged boycott of Dangote Refinery’s petrol was incorrect.

He explained that petroleum marketers were still awaiting clearance from the government on the modalities regarding the offtake of petrol from the refinery.

Adewole said: “DAPPMAN, as evidenced by patronage of various products from the Dangote Refinery by its members, believes firmly in meeting Nigeria’s energy needs.

“And (DAPPMAN) remains aligned to calls for the nation not to end up in a monopoly, which will only jeopardize our economic growth and development.”

“Offtake will, in keeping with the laws of demand and supply, gravitate towards sources where products can be bought at a lower price, better quality and seamless accessibility,” he stated.

He reassured Nigerians that DAPPMAN would continue to work towards giving the nation top-notch fuel solutions while securing the sustainability of the sector.

How Niger Republic-Born Bandit Terrorising Nigerians Fell Into Military Ambush

More facts have emerged on the killing of notorious bandit kingpin, Halilu Sububu alias Buzu, who terrorised residents of Zamfara and neighbouring states before he was sent to his grave.

Daily Trust had reported how Buzu and his fighters were shot dead in a gun battle with troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, on Thursday.

According to multiple sources, Buzu and his fighters were killed in an ambush at Kwaren-Kirya, a village situated along Mayanchi-Anka road in Zamfara State.

A source in Mayanchi village confirmed that several bandits were killed by the troops during the encounter along Mayanchi-Mafara road.

“We learnt that the bandits were about to cross a stream when the troops, who laid ambush, descended on them and killed Sububu and his foot soldiers.

“We learnt that only three motorbikes of the bandits escaped the ambush during the encounter. The troops have recovered the weapons and motorbikes of the bandits.

“As I am talking to you, our people are jubilating in Mayanchi and the neighboring villages. We are more than happy today. We sincerely commend the Nigerian troops and we hope they will sustain the tempo until they capture or kill Turji and the rest of the bandits. We are tired of this banditry.”


Who was Buzu?

Buzu, who was from Niger Republic, resided in a forest in Zamfara, and often escaped to his country after operating in Nigeria.

He was said to have owned a thriving illegal gold mining site in Bagega and other communities around Sumke forest in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara.

He had a camp on the western side of Bagega and controlled communities and all mining sites in the area.

He was declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters in May.

He had been terrorizing several communities in Zamfara such as Maradun, Faru, Kaura Namoda, Dubuwa, Gidan Gogi and Bakura, among other communities.

Aminu Shehu, another resident, urged the Nigerian troops to double their efforts in the ongoing fight against banditry in North West.

He said, “We have confidence in the Nigerian Army and if the necessary support is given to them, they will surely crush all the bandits in the region within no time.

“The troops have now sent a signal to Turji and other bandits’ leaders in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger and Kaduna states. I hope the federal government will continue to support the troop in the ongoing fight against banditry in the affected states.”


How we got him – Military

Meanwhile, the military has released a statement on how Buhu met his waterloo.

According to a statement signed by Group Captain Kabiru Ali, Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, the operation was part of an ongoing effort by NAF and ground forces to exploit intelligence and secure the area following contact with hostile elements.

“NAF Special Forces of Operation HADARIN DAJI in company of other ground troops initiated a follow-up exploitation mission after troops encountered terrorists in the vicinity of Mayanchi. During the mission, it was confirmed that 38 terrorists had been neutralized, with 4 bodies retrieved for verification.”

“In addition to the elimination of the terrorists, a significant cache of weapons was recovered, including 2 Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) tubes, 1 RPG bomb, 3 PKT machine guns, 5 AK-47 rifles, 29 magazines, and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition of varying calibers.

“This operation underscores the effectiveness and professionalism of the NAF Special Forces in leading critical missions in conjunction with other services aimed at neutralizing threats and maintaining national security,” the statement read.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the appointment of four substantive commissioners of police for Lagos, Abia, Ebonyi, and Akwa Ibom commands.

In a statement on Friday, Ikechukwu Ani, PSC spokesperson, said the appointment is due to the vacancies created by promotion of some senior officers.

The new commissioners of police are
Isah Danladi Nda, for Abia command; Olarewaju Ishola Olawale for Lagos command; Anthonia Adaku Uche Anya fror Ebonyi command and Miller Gajere Dantawaye for Akwa Ibom command

Speaking on the posting, Hashimu Argungu, PSC chair, urged the new police commissioners to make positive impacts in the security management of their respective states.

Argungu asked the new commissioners to build efficient and effective police commands in their states.

The PSC spokesperson disclosed that the approval has been sent to Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, for implementation.

By this development, Dantawaye will replace Waheed Ayilara, the former commissioner of police in Akwa Ibom state, who died on August 29, 2024.

Ayilara reportedly died at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) from prostate cancer complications.

The minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeruka Onyejeocha on Friday, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was equally affected by the recent increase in petroleum products.

In a bid to calm the uproar that greeted her comment, Onyejeocha argued that President Tinubu was not only human, but he was also facing some logistic challenges as a result of scarce petroleum resources and financial constraints.

Speaking at a Town Hall engagement with organised labour and employers on “Imperatives of the Eight Point Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ‘s Administration,” in Abuja, the minister added that Tinubu was aware of the hardship in the country.

She said: ”The President is aware of the hardship that the increase in petrol pump price has melted to Nigerians in the last few days.

“It has brought hardship even to himself. The President is a human being. Let me tell you how it affects him; when he comes out there are no vehicles and sometimes they don’t get enough money to buy fuel. It affects everyone to be honest.

“So I plead with all of us to show more understanding and know that when one is down everybody is down. There is nobody that is affected and that is why we should all put our hands and our heads, everything together under one roof to find a way forward that will bring in meaningful result to the nation. I pray you show more understanding.”

Onyejeocha who stressed that the federal government would not take responsibility for the delay in payment of the new minimum wage as a result of failure of labour to finalise on the consequential adjustment, however said there was hope as separate meetings were ongoing by government and the tripartite committee.

“As we speak there’s a meeting on government side this morning on the new minimum wage and consequential adjustment and by 2pm, the tripartite are meeting with the Head of Service. Once they get what we are supposed to pay they will start paying.

“We will not be take responsibility why the figures has to delay because at the day we pass it, they suppose to have gone ahead constitute the committee then have a figure, because it doesn’t take rocket science to have figures of what we should really give So I believe that that one is something that will soon as possible.”

Speaking further, the minister noted that in an effort to achieve the administration’s mantra Renewed Hope Agenda Unity and Progress for all Nigerians, the ministry was saddled with the task of ensuring decent work in all sectors of the economy; and maintaining industrial peace and harmony in workplaces across the nation which is a prerequisite for national growth and development to ensure the success of at least 6 out of the 8 points in the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“I therefore make no excuses as this Government of APC is determined and committed to tackling headlong all socio-economic ills that have troubled our nation and we shall by the grace of God Almighty evolve solutions to emerging threats to our well-being as a nation.

“Recognizing this, the Federal Government has sought and continues to seek to collaborate with policy makers, in this case both employers and workers representatives who make development possible by generating and sustaining the momentum so that we together we can attain enviable heights of progress in our beloved country.”

The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, noted that the decision to remove the fuel subsidy was necessary for the nation’s growth and development.

Represented by Omolola Adegbenga, he urged Nigerians to show more understanding with the current administration, bearing in mind that things would get better in the nearest future.

“These decisions are important for the progress of our country. The decision by President Tinubu has had severe effect, challenges but at the end of every storm there shall be calm and I believe there will be calm for Nigerians. It’s not a coincidence that the theme of Mr President’s administration is Renewed Hope.

“CBN is committed to supporting president Tinubu in achieving the 8 point agenda.

“Every activity of CBN is committed to Nigeria’s growth. While we may be facing challenges, I believe with every organ contributing it’s quota, we shall be able to achieve those goals.”

By Francis Ugwu


Financial analyst, Tosin Adeoti has accused Aliko Dangote, the Group Chairman of Dangote Refinery, of playing emotional blackmail.

The statement comes after Dangote Refinery said that it will be forced to export 95-97 percent of its Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) because of low patronage by marketers in Nigeria.

According to the Vice President, Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Edwin Devakumar, the only 3 to 5 percent of petrol marketers were willing to buy its petrol.

However, the financial expert alleged Aliko’s strategy has been to cry to Nigerians about some cabals sabotaging his Dangote Refinery so that bans can be enacted just like with his other products.

Adeoti said he should tell Nigerians the price of his Dangote Refinery’s petrol so that marketers can compare it with imported fuel which stands at the landing cost of N1,117/litre.

In a post on his Facebook page on Friday, the financial expert suggested that marketers won’t refuse to buy from Dangote Refinery when it’s selling a cheaper product, adding that it doesn’t makes business sense.

The post read: “Alhaji is playing this emotional blackmail thing and Nigerians are just swallowing it.

“These marketers have written to the president that they have lots of old stock that they bought at higher prices they need to import and sell. So, they ask why they are been forced to exclusively buy from Dangote.

“If you’re selling a cheaper product that makes business sense, how will marketers refuse to buy from you?

“Landing cost of imported fuel is N1117/litre. Let Dangote tell us his own price of petrol and let’s compare. What is he afraid of?

“And even if they refuse, for whatever reason, why not open your own stations, or go into partnership with major petrol stations and sell to the people directly?

“Importation is the only competition Dangote has to improve efficiency.

“But no, the one and only strategy is to cry to Nigerians about some cabals sabotaging the refinery so that bans can be enacted like we have with his other products.

“Nigerians will kuku believe anything if you couch it in patriotic terms even if it’s not in their best interests.”