₦airaland Forum

The All Progressives Congress has rejected the final result of the Bayelsa State governorship election, in which the Independent National Electoral Commission declared the state governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Douye Diri, winner, on Monday.

The state APC agent, Dennis Otiotio, who stated this in an interview with journalists after the INEC State Returning Officer, Prof Kuta Farouq, announced Diri as the winner of the polls, refused to sign the results sheets.

Otiotio claimed that the APC would have won the governorship election if over 84,000 votes scored by the party in the field were not allegedly voided by the commission.

He alleged that the electoral umpire connived with the ruling PDP to cancel votes polled by the opposition APC.

He said, “Over 84, 000 votes scored by the APC in Nembe and Southern Ijaw were cancelled. So we will not be signing this result. In Nembe over 29,000 votes that the l APC scored were cancelled. In Southern Ijaw, over 54,000 votes that the APC scored were cancelled.

“If you add the total cancelled votes that the APC scored which were about 84, 806 votes, if you add it to what the party scored here (at the collation centre), APC clearly won the election.

“But it is clear that INEC has colluded, connived with the PDP to cancel (it) here in this INEC office, not on the field. The votes were brought from Forms EC8A and EC8B down here, and at this INEC office here, they decided to cancel over 84,000 votes scored by the APC.

“It is unprecedented, it has never happened anywhere and we are totally rejecting this result.”

Otiotio, who is also the state chairman of the APC, said the party had already written the necessary petition to challenge the collation process.

Responding to a question on what action the party would take, he said, “Well, the Electoral Act allows INEC to review the results within seven days, and we have written the necessary petition which we have delivered, believing that INEC in good conscience, will look at our petition and deal with it accordingly.”

Diri polled 175,196 to defeat his closest rival, Timipre Sylva of the APC, who garnered 110,108 votes while the Labour Party polled 905 votes.

A Captain in the Nigerian Army identified as Alphonsus Alexander Kalthy Bazza, has reportedly committed suicide in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

A relation of the deceased soldier told SaharaReporters on Sunday that the lifeless body of Captain Bazza, who recently became a father, was found hanging from a tree in a bush on Saturday night.

The family source described his death as ‘mysterious and suspicious,’ adding that the cause of death had not been ascertained as he left no suicide note for either his wife, elder sister or any other member of his family.

“How can a Captain in the army hang himself with a mosquito net that he used to sleep? He didn’t have any reason to kill himself. Did he kill somebody? No! So why would he just kill himself? He lost his tent mate under mysterious circumstances when he was in Yobe.

“He got married in 2017 and he has only one child – a boy,” the source said.

He said that the Nigerian Army headquarters said an investigation to determine the cause of death had begun.

“We lost this young man (my brother-in-law), Captain Alphonsus Alexander Kalthy Bazza, last night. He committed suicide in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

“But the army headquarters is investigating the real cause of his death. They claimed his body was found hanging in the bush. No note was given to either his wife or any member of his family; the family is not aware that he left any note behind,” the family source said.

The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) is planning a total shutdown of its six-train, 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA)-capacity plant in Finima, Bonny Island, Rivers State over a proposed maintenance operation scheduled to commence by February or March 2024, investigation has revealed.

This routine exercise, it was learnt, may worsen the current shortages of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), better known as cooking gas, being suffered by Nigeria, as well the current inadequate supply of LNG to the European markets caused by the Russia-Ukraine War.

It will also potentially affect the federal government’s efforts to boost foreign currency liquidity in the economy and strengthen foreign exchange (FX) through the securitization of about $7 billion of Nigeria’s dividends from the NLNG.

THISDAY gathered from multiple sources that the gas liquefaction company is currently on mini shutdown as the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor is carrying out mini maintenance on the plant.

The NLNG which is adjudged as the only successful Nigerian company with an element of government ownership, has been facing the challenge of under-capacity production due to feed gas supply shortages resulting from the rampant oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.

This has not only impacted its gas delivery to the domestic and international markets but also its revenue generation, as the company had in July last year reported a Year-to-Date $7 billion loss due to under-capacity production.

In addition, the planned shutdown of operation for the maintenance may further delay the company’s plan to begin domestic LNG supply to the Nigerian market with an initial volume of 1.1 million tonnes per annum with effect from July 2022.

NLNG has been operating at roughly 50 per cent capacity for many months running and had lamented that the trend had dampened the hope of gas supply availability for its Train- 7 currently under construction, a project that has reached a 52 per cent completion level.

The liquefaction firm had also hinted that the gas supply shortages might hinder its planned expansion to Train-8 and beyond.
According to one of the sources, who spoke to THISDAY on condition of anonymity, NLNG’s plant is on “mini-shutdown” to enable us to carry out “Catalyst change-out”.

“But it’s not a major shutdown, it’s a mini shutdown because the major shutdown will be by either February or March next year. By then, they will stop operation totally until the maintenance is completed,” he added.

NLNG is a supplier of LPG to the Nigerian market and has committed 100 per cent of its LPG production, representing 40 per cent of the total cooking gas consumed by Nigerians annually, leaving the larger volume for import by the oil marketing companies.

The company disclosed recently that it had delivered about 380,000 metric tonnes of LPG so far this year, out of the 1.3 million tonnes per annum national consumption figure.

However, marketers, especially LPG plant owners have been complaining of supply deficit for the past several years, resulting in the hike in the retail prices.

Similarly, Nigeria, through the NLNG is one of Europe’s top LNG suppliers, and the country, as confirmed by the European Union (EU) exported 9.4 billion cubic meters (bcm) of LNG to Europe in 2022.

During a recent visit to the NLNG in Bonny, an EU delegation had indicated the imperative of reinforcing its diplomatic relationship with its reliable LNG partners like Nigeria in the short term to enable it to bridge the gas supply gap in the continent that resulted from the Russia-Ukraine War.

The EU’s Commissioner for Energy in Nigeria, Ms. Kadri Simson, who led the delegation, had revealed that Nigeria exported 9.4bcm of LNG to Europe in 2022.

Simpson, whose delegation took a tour of NLNG’s Central Control Room (CCR), the plant complex, and the Train-7 construction site, had also stated that there was potential to improve Nigeria’s gas supply to Europe between then and 2027.

However, NLNG declined to comment on the said shutdown of operation next year as its Media and Communications department did not respond to phone calls as of the time of filing in this report.

By Adekunle Sulaimon

https://cdn.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/10163201/Zainab.jpegZainab Abidoye.


A 22-year-old lady, Zainab Abidoye, has claimed that she rejected her suitor’s marriage advances because he was about 30 years older than her.

Abidoye, who had just graduated from the University of Ilorin, added that although the man, identified as Alhaji, was taking care of her needs while they were dating before things began to get sour when he was pressurising her for marriage, and she declined.

Recounting her experience with the man who has now gotten married to another woman on Thursday via X (formerly Twitter), the UNILORIN graduate wrote, “This man that I refused to marry decided to send me a wedding video of him and his small wife today at 6 am. Was I pained? Yes, a little bit, can’t lie. But did I regret my decision? No!!!! The lady even looks exactly like me, same shape and, the same complexion. Men are funny” (she expressed with a laughing emoji).

The lady in a new development noted that aside from age difference, the marriage advance was also rejected on toxicity grounds and some other reasons she wouldn’t like to go into in detail.

She wrote, “Wasn’t expecting my tweet to go viral, but since a lot of people are curious.

“He was 30 years older than me; He wanted me to be his second wife, which I’ve vowed not to ever be; He was toxic (won’t go into details); He has a lot of money to take care of me, which he was generous about can’t lie but that’s not enough reason for me to marry him, it’ll be very bad of me to marry him because of money because what if the money goes away? And I was/am not ready for marriage so….”

“Lastly, I believe in my abilities a lot and I believe I can be a millionaire too in the future so why marry someone I don’t like cuz the the love wasn’t there no matter how hard he tried? I rejected,” she stressed.

Meanwhile, a check by PUNCH Online to verify the claim she had made revealed that Abidoye and the Osogbo-based Alhaji (name withheld) had been dating since she was an undergraduate in the university, and he had allegedly been funding her extravagant lifestyle.

According to the source who craved anonymity, Abidoye was a Hijabi (A Muslim woman who follows the religious practice of wearing a head covering such as a hijab), and that was what grew Alhaji’s interest in her.

“He (Alhaji) funded several of her trips out of the country, and things have been going well between them, but Zainab betrayed him when it was time to marry him, claiming that he is too old.

“It was Alhaji’s son who called her out on social media when his mother informed him.

“In fact, she was given the Young And Getting It award (YAGI) by her Faculty when she was an undergraduate,” the source added.

However, Zainab’s tweet on September 14, 2023, countered the claim by the source that her trip was sponsored by her supposed suitor as she revealed that her five voyages out of the country were sponsored by her parents.

“My parents have so much faith in me tbh, This is the fifth country I’m travelling to solo and they’ve supported me all the way. So so grateful for them (sic).

A yet-to-be-identified agent of one of the political parties contesting in Saturday’s governorship election in Imo State has attempted to persuade journalists to cast ballots for his preferred candidate without using voter cards.

The development was shared by TheCableIndex on X (formerly Twitter). The data arm of TheCable newspaper said the incident occured in Omuma 10, Polling Unit 035, Health Centre, Oru East, Imo State, at about 10:58 am.

Their tweet read, “A party agent walked up to the journalists, thinking they were voters. He said, ‘Come and support our brother. You don’t need a voter card here.''

They did not provide more information on the agent or party he worked for.

Reports of malpractices have defined Nigeria’s elections since the country began practicing democracy, and this was a major controversy at the presidential election tribunal.

In Imo, 17 candidates are on the ballot, and among them are Hope Uzodinma, the incumbent governor and flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Anyanwu Samuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Achonu Nneji of the Labour Party (LP); and Odunzeh Uche of the All Progressives Movement (APM).

The lingering Russia- Ukraine crisis has raised the demand for Nigeria’s crude oil grade into the European markets.

The hostilities in the Eastern bloc also caused a dip in demand for Nigeria’s oil in the Asian market, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has said.

Executive director, Crude & Condensate, NNPC Trading Limited, Maryamu Idris, said in a panel presentation at the Argus European Crude Conference in London, that in addition to the substantial price shocks impacting commodity and energy prices globally, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has triggered a situation where India, a primary destination for Nigerian grades, increased its appetite for discounted Russian barrels to the detriment of some Nigerian volumes.

Providing insight into how the lingering conflict between Russia and Ukraine has impacted Nigerian crude oil inflows in the international oil market, Idris said, “To illustrate the extent of this shift, Nigeria’s crude exports to India dwindled from approximately 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the six months preceding the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine to 194,000 in the subsequent six months afterwards. And so far, this year, only around 120,000 bpd of Nigerian crude volumes have made their way to India,” she said.

On the other hand, she noted that the Nigerian crude flow to Europe has increased in a bid to fill supply gaps left by the ban on Russian crude, pointing out that six months before the war, 678,000 bpd of Nigerian crude grades went to Europe, compared to 710,000 bpd six months later and 730,000 bpd so far this year.

“This trend makes it evident that Nigerian grades are increasingly becoming a significant component in the post-war palette of European refiners.

Several Nigerian distillate-rich grades have become a steady preference for many European refiners, given the absence of Russian Urals and diesel. Forcados Blend, Escravos Light, Bonga, and Egina appear to be the most popular, and our latest addition — Nembe Crude – fits well into this basket. This was a strong factor behind our choice of London and the Argus European Crude Conference as the most ideal launch hub for the grade,” Idris also said.

On production challenges, Idris remarked that, like many other oil-producing countries, Nigeria had faced production challenges aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including reduced investment in the upstream sector, supply chain disruptions impacting upstream operations, ageing oil fields, and oil theft by unscrupulous elements. These factors, she said, contributed to production declines in the second half of 2022 and early 2023.

Idris, however, noted that the challenges are fast becoming a thing of the past with the introduction and implementation of a new framework for the domestic petroleum industry (the PIA of 2021), rejuvenating the business landscape, and re-positioning NNPC Limited to adopt a more commercial approach to the management of the nation’s hydrocarbon resources.

According to her, NNPC Limited has secured vital partnerships with notable financial institutions to promote upstream investments to restore and sustainably grow production capacity in the coming years.

“NNPC Limited is championing concerted efforts in partnership with host communities and private stakeholders to address the security and environmental challenges in the Niger Delta to further fortify production growth. Suffice to say we have already begun seeing significant progress on the rebound.

In September 2023, Nigeria recorded its highest crude oil and condensate output in nearly two years, reaching 1.72 million barrels per day. This, we believe, is just the beginning of our production rebound.”

She affirmed that in addition to sustainably growing upstream production volumes, NNPC Limited is also increasing its participation in the downstream sector in line with a ‘wells-to-wheels’ approach, taking the country’s unique hydrocarbon molecules as close as possible to end-users.

The vehicle for this, she said, is the restructured NNPC Trading Company, focused on growing NNPC’s presence in the global market for crude, condensate, gas, and petroleum products.

The Argus Crude European Crude Conference Panel Session was held with the theme, ‘The Invisible Hand: How Are Shareholders and Asset Managers Meeting the Crude Industry? What Does This Mean for the Future of Crude in Europe?’

Vice President Crude of Argus, James Gooder, moderated the event.

In clear disregard of constitutional provisions, at least 31 governors are yet to concede financial autonomy to the legislative arm of government in their states.

Findings by The Guardian show that Houses of Assembly in only five states – Lagos, Delta, Plateau, Oyo, and Nasarawa – currently enjoy a semblance of full financial independence.

Twelve others have partial autonomy. They are: Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Enugu, Kogi, Kwara, Bauchi, Ogun, Osun, and Rivers.

However, those without any shade of financial autonomy are: Ondo, Katsina, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe, Ekiti, Abia, and Imo. Others are Bayelsa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Niger, Bauchi, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa and Kaduna states.

Recall that last week, members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) in about 20 states nationwide began a nationwide industrial action following the expiration of the ultimatum for the implementation of financial autonomy by state Assemblies in the country.

Ekiti State PASAN Chairman, Gbenga Oluwajuyigbe, noted that financial autonomy is for both the National and the State Assemblies. While the National Assembly has been enjoying full autonomy, because their funds are put in the first line charge in the past 10 years, the story is different in the legislative arm of government in states.

He explained that compliance with autonomy could be divided into three levels – partial implementation, full implementation, and non-compliance.

There is full financial autonomy when the spirit and letter of Section 121 is implemented and allocations of the legislature are placed in the first line charge. And it is a partial implementation when salaries of the legislature are still being paid by the executive.

Oluwajuyigbe said: “There is a provision in the 1999 Constitution as amended in Section 121, which grants financial independence to the legislature. All we are clamouring for is that the government should implement this provision of the constitution.

“When you say non-implementation of the autonomy clause, it means they have not commenced any form of implementation of Section 121. In this case, the State Assembly still goes to the governor to apply for money for virtually everything.

“We can say that Ekiti is under partial implementation because salaries are not being paid at the state assembly, but still being controlled by the Accountant General. Until they have their own pay point like we have at the National Assembly, it remains a partial implementation.”

National President of PASAN, Usman Mohammed, confirmed that Lagos and Plateau are autonomous already, adding that Jigawa is onboarding gradually.

“The Constitution didn’t say you should do it partially, it has granted autonomy to the state legislature under Section 121. It says the entire fund meant for the state legislature and the Judiciary should be transferred to their accounts. It didn’t say you transfer only the overhead or personnel costs or the capital, it says all the funds,” Mohammed said.

It will be recalled that the struggle for financial autonomy for State Houses of Assembly, which began in 2010, has been facing several challenges because of many roadblocks erected by the governors of the 36 states of the federation to prevent it from happening.

In the beginning, the state legislatures, which were then under the firm grip of the governors of the state, could not champion financial autonomy with zeal and vigour, which was why they lost it in the first amendment exercise in 2010 at the National Assembly.

Sources told The Guardian that the goal of making the second arm of government financially independent began when former President Muhammadu Buhari signed Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 to give teeth to the alteration to the Constitution, 4th Alteration Act, of 2017.

A source said: “In 2017, the Eighth National Assembly had passed alterations of the constitution giving financial autonomy to State Houses of Assembly and State Judiciary. Under the alteration, the amounts standing to the credit of State Houses of Assembly and the Judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State shall be paid directly to the said bodies, respectively.”

In March 2019, the President set up a Presidential Implementation Committee on State Legislature and Judiciary to ensure that funds appropriated to these arms of government are directly paid to them.

To overcome implementation challenges posed by the governors, President Buhari intervened by issuing Executive Order 10 to ensure compliance with the Constitutional provisions.


However, implementation of the financial autonomy as granted by the Constitution became an issue as the state governors through their umbrella body the “Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), said they were not able to implement it due to what they termed “lack of modality for implementation.”

Dissatisfied with Buhari’s Executive 10 Order, NGF approached the Supreme Court to challenge the validity and got judgment in their favour.

A source told The Guardian that “to resolve the crisis, stakeholders such as NGF, Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Presidential Committee on the Implementation of Financial Autonomy, Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Office of the Minister of Labour and Productivity and others got together to chat the way forward.

“For the first time, there was a semblance of consensus on the modality for implementation and this led to an amendment (the 5th Alteration to the Constitution).

“President Buhari on March 16, 2023, gave presidential assent to the consequential amendment (modality for implementation) on the Financial Autonomy for the State Houses of Assembly, which finally granted the state assemblies the much-needed financial independence.

“However, eight months after the unambiguous provisions in the 1999 Constitution (as Amended), as well as the modality for implementation clearly spelt out, only five states out of 36 have so far granted full autonomy to their Houses of Assembly.”

Reacting to the development, a lawmaker who did not want his name mentioned for fear of victimisation, disclosed that some state assemblies still depend on their governors to fuel generators that they use during plenary sessions.

He said: “How can you have quality legislation when we are being treated like a department of government institutions? There is no gainsaying that he who pays the piper dictates the tunes. Whatever the governor wants is what is done. We need to be autonomous like the National Assembly.”

In the aftermath of recent industrial action, the Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti, has pleaded with the striking parliamentary workers that the state would soon begin implementation of financial autonomy law and urged them to end the strike.


The Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun, said the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, had received the request from the parliament to approve financial autonomy for the Assembly, assuring that the state would soon be among the league of States with legislative financial autonomy.

Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed on August 6, 2022, signed into law the bill to give the legislative and judiciary arms of government financial autonomy, but PASAN chairman in the state Mr IsiakaJibrin Gital, said the implementation of the law was still partial.

He disclosed that one of the factors that would ensure financial autonomy is functional ‘Assembly Service Commission Law 2004’ and ‘Fund Management Law’, which the state already has in place.


PASAN chairman in Cross River State, Florence Ebeku, said the state has not implemented the Executive Order 10 saying, “What we want from the government is that the State Legislature must be financially autonomous.”

Assistant Director of Publications, Benue State House of Assembly Bem Abunde told The Guardian that the governor has granted the Judicial autonomy and ignored the legislative arm, noting that “you cannot choose which part of the law to obey and which part not to obey.”

Speaking in the same vein, Majority Leader of the Benue State House of Assembly Saater Tiseer, told The Guardian that the state has not yet granted financial autonomy to the House of Assembly.

He disclosed that the current assembly met a pact already negotiated by the last (9th) Assembly, whereby instead of financial autonomy, the former governor, Samuel Ortom, made an upward review of the overhead accruable to the House.

Tiseer, however, intimated that the current governor, Fr Hyacinth Alia, has expressed willingness to comply and has already set up a committee headed by the state Commissioner of finance to work out the modalities.

In Kwara State, the House of Assembly is still enjoying partial financial autonomy. A lawmaker who pleaded for anonymity told The Guardian that, “the House merely enjoys autonomy in recurrent expenditure while it is handicapped in handling capital expenditure.”

He said even at that, it is still better than what obtains in some states where the Assembly must write financial proposals to the Accountant General and the Commissioners for Finance before they can buy stationeries.

PASAN chairman in Kano State Bashir Yahaya, regretted that the state Assembly is still dependent on the executive arm for both recurrent and capital expenditure.

PASAN chairman in Sokoto State Abubakar Yusuf disclosed that the state Assembly still relies on the governor for its finances and threatened that the ongoing strike would continue until full financial autonomy is granted to the second arm of government.

A member of Enugu State House of Assembly, representing Igboeze south constituency, Harrison Ogara, told The Guardian that,”As it is today, the situation has not changed. The constitutional provision is yet to be implemented in Enugu State and indeed most of other states in Nigeria. This is the reason why the PASAN went on strike nationwide.

Former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye Ekiti, (FUOYE), Prof. Kayode Soremekun, and former Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, have warned against emasculating the state legislature, which are considered as authentic voices of the people, saying that this could deal a mortal blow to the nation’s democracy.

The duo in a separate interview with The Guardian, urged the governors to have a rethink and do what is needful as provided for in the Nigerian Constitution, saying that the legislative arm is too critical to undermine.

Soremekun said, “The danger of lack of autonomy for the state Assembly is that it has the capacity to imperil this democracy. By the time you emasculate the seemingly authentic voices of the people, you are dealing a mortal blow to democracy. I think the governors should have a rethink and do what is needed as provided for in the Constitution.

“The arm of government we are talking about is very important for the survival of democracy. This arm of government is too critical and should not be emasculated in the interest of the people and the governors themselves. Parts of the problems are the way the lawmakers were elected, which was not without the input of the governors.

“They are all members of the same party and they were almost distinctively bowed to the wishes of the governors. However, the legislators should hold their own and realise their essence in democracy. The legislators should not be eternally grateful to the governors but to the people who elected them.

“What we need to do is to further educate the governors about the need to obey the spirit and letters of the constitution. It is in their own interest in the long run to allow the second arm of government to be truly independent, so that they can make good laws and do check and balance to the arbitrariness of the Executive arm. In the final analysis, if the Houses of Assembly are truly independent, our society will be better governed,” he said.

For Ajayi, a lawyer, both the state Assemblies and the Judiciary arm of government are suffering the same fate.

He said: “On the issue of their finances, they are fighting for what is already provided for in the 1999 Constitution as amended. Ordinarily, there should be no education about this. The Judicial arm of the government started its own last year for a couple of months. We could not go to court because of their workers’ strike. It was called up because of the intervention of senior citizens in the country, not because their demand for full autonomy was met. The judiciary and legislature are affected by the crisis. What was granted to them was deceit.

“There is a clear provision in our constitution and there is also a Supreme Court decision on the matter. It is the executive arm that is using its big hand to oppress and undermine the legislature and the judiciary. They were able to do this because they control the state resources and security apparatus of the power.

“I think this is sheer oppression of the two arms of government. What is happening is not good for democracy. It will interest you to know that President Muhammadu Buhari even signed Executive Order 10, but the governors frustrated it. There is nothing that has not been done to ensure that state Assemblies are truly independent.

“I am fully in support of the strike action. Why is the executive overpowering the legislature and judiciary? It is because in doing so, they can manipulate them. It will interest you that the Chief Judge and the Speaker normally go cap in hand like beggars to take pittance from the executive. They are by this oppression, unable to dispense justice according to law,” Ajayi said.

Governor Umaru Bago has threatened to shut down the Kainji Dam and other power infrastructure supplied to the Delta region if the federal government does not extend the payment of 13% per cent derivation fund enjoyed by oil-producing states to Niger.

“We will take the federal government to the Supreme Court unless the 13 per cent derivation from our land, water, air, grass, and everything given to us is paid. We need 13 per cent derivation for water supplied to the Delta. Our people are ravaged and displaced year in, year out because of the flow of water from the Niger to the Delta,” stated the Niger governor Monday while receiving the federal commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, Tijani Aliyu, in Minna.

Mr Bago added, “The federal government will pay Niger state N1 trillion in the next three months for hydrocarbon exchange, they must. We have provided this country with hydropower for a long time; nobody is compensating us for it.”

The governor, who said the state had been neglected and marginalised for too long, also demanded compensation from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

“Abuja Electricity Distribution Company must pay us, they have consumed from Niger state hydrocarbon exchange, and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation must pay us,” the northern governor. “We have woken up, we can never ever tolerate being neglected or abandoned again. The only way we can ensure that the federal government heeds to us is to shut down the hydro dams unless we are paid.”

However, Mr Bago stressed that his administration would collect “every dime” Niger deserves.

“We are serious about this. It is not a threat; it is a statement. Every dime that is due to us, we will take it. We will take every kobo that is for Niger state,” the governor explained. “We are not going to be marginalised again; our waters, our lands, our borders are strengths for us and not weaknesses.”

Mr Bago added, “We demand compensation for our people. Everything, every resource that comes from Niger state, must be compensated. We will not tolerate this anymore. We must be compensated. Our people have done enough for Nigeria.”

By Agency Report


The Court of Appeal in Lagos on Tuesday reserved ruling in the appeal filed by the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) against the re-election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The Labour Party candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and Abdulazeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, of the PDP, are challenging the 25 September ruling of the election tribunal which upheld the Mr Sanwo-Olu’s victory at the18 March 18 governorship election.

At the hearing of the appeal on Tuesday, the Court of Appeal panel led by Yargata Nimpar, reserved judgement after listening to the argument of the parties.

The court said the date for judgement would be communicated to the parties.

Earlier, Labour Party counsel, Benson Olagbade, urged the court to grant his clients’ appeal and set aside the decision of the tribunal.

According to him, the tribunal erred in law when it held that the burden of proof of specific oath of allegiance subscribed to by Mr Sanwo-Olu’s running mate and Lagos State deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, as well as the evidence of his renounced citizenship rested on the appellant.

He urged the court to interpret section 182 (1) (a) of the Constitution regarding the disqualification of Mr Sanwo-Olu and his deputy.

“We invite this court to give full interpretation of the law to this matter.

“It does not matter whose ox is gored,” Mr Olagbade said.

Responding, Wole Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), counsel for Mr Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Mr Hamzat, urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

He said the dual citizenship argued by the appellant was never brought before the tribunal.

“They are now presenting a case of dual-citizenship, they believe that this is a trial court.

“The tribunal found out that the purported oath of allegiance to a foreign country was not before it so it ruled it out.

“We urge your Lordship to dismiss this appeal,” Mr Olanipekun said.

In the second case, PDP, filed its own appeal asking for disqualification of Mr Sanwo-Olu’s re-election.

He also faulted the tribunal for striking out his petition against Rhodes-Vivour, the candidate of the Labour Party in the election.

Mr Adediran and his political party (PDP) reiterated that their petitions, asking for the disqualification of APC and Labour Party candidates, were premised on the provision of Section 177(c) and 182(1)(j) of the constitution.

He said the Sections were constitutional grounds for qualification and disqualification for the office of Governor in Nigeria and supported by section 134(1) and 134(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

The counsel of Mr Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Mr Olanipekun submitted that the prayers sought by the appellants were such that they must succeed on the strength of their petition and not on the weakness of the respondents.

He argued that the appellants did not prove anything before the lower tribunal and no burden shifted to the respondents to disprove any fact.

“In the instant case, the petitioner tendered the alleged false document (Exhibit P36) from the bar, the petitioners could not produce before the court the original document from which exhibit P36 was counterfeit.

“It is trite law that where oral evidence and documentary evidence tendered by a party in proof of a fact says different, that party cannot be said to have led credible and cogent evidence in proof of that fact,” Mr Olanipekun argued.

(NAN)

Written by Olushola Bello


Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) has revealed that its pan African operations have fetched Nigeria $687,977 million.

The company stated it has so far repatriated over $576.009 million through various banks in Nigeria, in addition to a $111.968 million cash swap arrangement between Dangote Cement Plc and Ethiopian Airlines; thus, saving the same amount that would have been paid by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The company revealed this in a statement made available to journalists.

Dangote re-affirmed its determination and belief in Nigeria, noting that the present government of President Bola Tinubu, has shown the will and resolve to get the economy moving again.

“We believe in Nigeria, and we believe in Africa. We are genuine and authentic about our investments, and we call on all relevant agencies to investigate our FX transactions in the past ten years and make public any infraction noticed or discovered,” he said.

Insisting that all forex purchased in respect of its African Project Expansion were genuine and fully utilised for what they were meant for, Dangote revealed that, the projects for which the forex was utilised are visible for everyone to see.

To him, “It is on record that some of these projects were commissioned by Nigerian top-ranking government officials and in attendance were chief executives of various banks, Captains of Industries, and the Presidents of the host countries supported by their Senior Government Officials.

“The commissioning events of these projects were well documented and covered by both local and international media. There are also print and electronic copies of the commissioning ceremonies as further testimony to the judicious utilisation of the funds.”

Ahead of the Saturday, November 11 off-season elections, the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, has promised to redeploy the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, over alleged partisanship.

He spoke days after the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, the Labour Party, and Civil Society Organisations, called for Barde’s redeployment.

Egbetokun made the development known Sunday night during a Channels Television programme themed “Peoples Town Hall On Election Security,” which was monitored by our correspondent.

Egbetokun said, “We are aware that there are allegations against the Commissioner of Police in Imo. Before the elections, we’re changing the CP. This is not to say the CP has been found guilty. But for neutrality sake, we are changing the Commissioner of Police in Imo State.”

The PUNCH reports that following the attack on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, the Imo State capital last Thursday, the organised labour had issued a five-day ultimatum for the redeployment of the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party had also expressed its support for calls made for the immediate redeployment of the CP and other officials allegedly involved in the recent attack on Ajaero in the state.

Ajaero, was attacked and brutalised in Owerri, on Wednesday, while he mobilised workers for a protest over their unpaid salaries brutalised.

Amidst the widespread outrage that followed the incident, the NLC and the TUC had accused the Imo CP of being complicit in the attack and threatened a five-day ultimatum for the Federal Government to replace him.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) may begin importation of 110, 000 barrels of crude oil per day from Venezuela or Saudi Arabia to operate the Kaduna Refinery due to come on stream next year.

Also, the Dangote, Bua and other refineries may be forced to import about 1.322 million barrels of crude oil per day amid oil production challenges in Nigeria, existing contracts on crude oil swap as well as other commercial issues.

Currently, the Dangote Refinery, with 650, 000 barrels per day refining capacity, is relying on imported crude, while the Bua Refinery within the South South region would need about 200,000 barrels per day of crude oil from next year. NNPCL is also looking to bring back its 445,000 barrels per day refineries between next month and next year, while the existing modular refineries will require 27,000 barrels per day.

Nigeria has been struggling to sustain its crude oil production. The country currently records 113.52 million barrels shortfall in meeting Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) output quota. That loss alone is about $8.9 billion in the first seven months of 2023.

While OPEC’s production quota allocated to Nigeria stands at about 1.742 million barrels per day, figures from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) showed that output has been averaging about 1.1 million barrels.

The NNPCL is with current obligations to supply crude to contractors, but the recent borrowing of $3 billion from Afreximbank would drastically reduce the volume of crude the national oil company could provide to the local market.

The Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission is currently dragging oil producers in an attempt to enforce Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which introduced Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO) to Nigeria’s oil industry to ensure domestic refineries are not starved of crude oil supply.

Although the regulator is threatening a fine of $10,000, a penalty of 50 per cent of their fiscal price per barrel of crude oil not delivered to refineries and denial of export permits, many of the crude oil producers are worried over commercial issues that may come up in such a transaction.

They are concerned about the logistics side of supply and safety of their data with NUPRC.

They added that refiners would need to convince them that the off-takers have dollars to pay for crude oil sustainably. Besides, most of the producers are divesting owing to crude oil theft, insecurity in the Niger Delta region and other problems bedevilling the oil and gas sector.

Renowned energy expert, Dan Kunle, said crude oil importation would not be ruled out next year for NNPCL-owned refineries because the daily local production is being hampered by poor investment.

“As long as the Federal Government continues to hold controlling shares in all the petroleum companies in Nigeria, there will be no crude oil and gas. Once the assets are transferred to private sector investors, the industry will shape up,” Kunle said.

He alluded to the fact that the country’s product pipelines are very weak and long out of use.

“There are too many cross cuttings issues in infrastructural framework. It is very highly likely that the Port Harcourt Refinery may not resume operations,” he said.

He noted that there is huge local add-on cost to a litre of petroleum products owing to inefficient and unreliable infrastructural facilities to support movement of products.

Energy economist, Prof. Wunmi Iledare, stated that the coming on stream of the Kaduna Refinery and others was gratifying.

According to him, refineries are designed for a crude oil type and product yields, therefore, the Kaduna Refinery, being designed for a heavy crude type, would need import from Venezuela and Saudi Arabia for bitumen and heavy fuel, which are for industrial use.

“The current economic reality is inconsequential if PIA 2021 is implemented according to the intent of the law and not necessarily the letter of the law with subjectivity,” Iledare said.

According to him, road and pipeline infrastructure will be a major challenge for the coming on stream of the Port Harcourt Refinery.

“I have a strong disposition to believe there are ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the roads and pipeline infrastructure to facilitate products distribution. There just has to be a credible plan to do just that if value is to be created from the refinery rehabilitation investments,” Iledare said.

Former President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and Professor of Economics at Babcock University, Segun Ajibola, is worried over sustainability of supply to Kaduna Refinery and the profitability if the import should keep coming from Saudi Arabia or Venezuela.

The cost of production, according to him, may become unrealistic, thereby, impacting the sale at the pump.

He said that though the prevailing situation might push private refiners to import, the ability of NNPCL to effectively and efficiently manage such an arrangement is important.

Ajibola said: “I would have thought that a more sustainable strategy is to find solutions to the recurring challenges militating against crude oil production in the Niger Delta. I believe Nigeria has enough oil reserves. The time is ripe for a holistic approach to resolving the multiple challenges limiting oil-drilling operations in especially the Niger Delta. This may be a more enduring solution rather than a stop gap measure of crude imports.”

The expert also expressed worry over the planned coming on stream of the Port Harcourt Refinery, saying pipeline and roads have strong impact on lifting of products from the refinery.

Other experts also concurred that the state of the road from the refinery may stall evacuation of products from the facility.

Although Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) was seen on site last week working on the Eleme section of the East-West road, near the facility, it might take more than a year to make the road motorable again.

Communities are already being thrown into panic over the development, as they fear possible explosion of NNPC product pipeline or tankers.

In the face of huge subsidy payment that drained the country’s foreign exchange and sparked exchange rate problem to record worst, President Bola Tinubu, who had deregulated the downstream petroleum sector, announced that Port Harcourt Refinery would resume operation by next month.

For over six days, NNPCL spokesperson, Iyabo Abayomi-Ojo could not provide information on the exact plan of the corporation to ensure evacuation of refined products from the refinery.


Dangote Refinery

The Kaduna Refinery was designed to refine heavy crude, primarily from Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. The declaration by the Group Chief Executive Director of NNPCL, Mele Kyari and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, that the facility, being rehabilitated along with other assets for $2.2 billion would start work next year, is an indication that the state oil firm would have to import crude oil for its operation.

Abayomi-Ojo could not make clarifications on the planned importation, which could see the NNPCL transporting the crude with tankers from Lagos to Kaduna in the face of pipeline challenges.

Last month, after being accused of secretly awarding contracts to some northern companies, the NNPCL disclosed that some 16 companies were offered contracts to rehabilitate the pipelines. Oilserve Ltd, Chu Kong Steel Pipe Group Company Ltd, and Saudi Crown Oilserve, are to handle LOT one. LOT two is to be handled by MacReady Oil and Gas Services, COBRA Instalicios S.A, Control Y Montajes Industriales & International De Pipelines, Iron Products Industries Ltd, Batelitwin Global Services Ltd, BauenEmpresaConstructora SAU, Sanderton Energy Ltd and The Spanish National Association of Manufacturers. LOT three is to be handled by A A Rano, Zakhem Construction Nigeria, Bablinks Resources Ltd, and VAE Controls S.R.O. LOT four would be handled by MRS Oil and Gas, and CPPE Nigeria Ltd. The contracts are to be executed on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreements, as selected partners are to finance the rehabilitation. NNPCL was silent on the cost of the jobs, timeline for completion and how long the companies would operate the assets.

A pipeline expert, Osaro Gomba, told The Guardian in Eleme that there was no sign that product pipeline from the Eleme refinery was being repaired.

He warned that with the pipeline already facing serious integrity problems, the NNPCL could ignite serious explosion if products are transported through the pipeline.

The National President of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Yusuf Othman, expressed worry over what he called persistent distribution challenges owing to bad road network and cost of diesel, while the Heavy Truck section of the National Union of Road Transport Workers within the South South, Southeast corridors comprising 11 states lamented that hauling products out of the region had remained a mirage.

Also lamenting the worsening state of road within the regions, especially Port-Harcourt into Benin, Benin into Okene in Kogi State, Calabar into Taraba and Enugu into Otukpo in Benue State, the Chairman of NURTW Monitoring Committee (South-South/South-East Heavy Truck), Muhammed Giwa, said over 15 members of the union had been kidnapped in the last few months by gunmen and that the group loses N194.4 billion yearly to illegal and multiple tax collectors.

Incorporated Trustees of Mzough U Tiv, an umbrella body for Tiv nationalities worldwide, has instituted a suit against the Tiv Area Traditional Council (TATC) over alleged cultural practice by the Tiv tribe.
The allegation borders on claims that the Tiv man entertains his stranger with his wife.

Lead counsel to Mzough U Tiv, Sabastine Hon, explained that the cause of action is that the umbrella body of the entire Tiv race has dragged the Tiv traditional council to court to determine the veracity of the claim that Tiv men give their wives out for pleasure.

He lamented that the matter has raged for long, hence the need to have a permanent solution to it.

Hon also said they have lined up witnesses who are well versed in Tiv tradition and culture, positing that if anyone has anything to the contrary, this is the time for him to come.

“There can’t be collective defamation because we don’t have a cause of action to say that your tribe has been defamed. If we have a determination now, then someday, trace any Tiv man character anywhere, this judgment will be binding on him worldwide and it can be used to sue individuals.

“This is why we are in court, because as a tribe, we have been traumatised. We had expected the Tiv Traditional Council to have taken action since but they deterred and refused to take action, so we are here to enforce our rights as a tribe and nation.

“Our prayer is for the court to make a declaration that no such custom exists in Tiv land and an order of permanent injunction restraining the Tiv Traditional Council from sitting just aloof.

Read Also: Impeachment: Another court restrains Rivers Assembly, others

“We are hoping to get judgment and we are praying to get judgment,” he said.

Counsel to the Defendant (Tiv Area Traditional Council), Edward Ashiekaa, SAN, said the allegation that Tiv people give out their wives to strangers is completely false.

He said: “When this allegation came up, there were lots of complaints from well meaning Tiv sons globally and nationally as to what was happening.

“The Tiv traditional Council was about taking a decision as to the way forward to debunk this allegation when suddenly we were served with the writ of summons to come and defend this.

“Our defence is very simple, we are asked to do something about it. The traditional council is ready to take a decision on this so that whatever resolution is taken will stand as notice to all.

“We are not defending the character of the falsehood of this allegation but what we are coming to court to say it that the traditional council is aware of this allegation and is taking every step to ensure that is not repeated at any other time in future.”

During the mention of the matter, Sabatine Hon, SAN, for the plaintiff, acknowledged that the defendant served him with statement of defence which he has perused and will apply for substantive hearing of the matter because of the issue involved and the zeal in the issue.

While the defence counsel E. Ashiekaa, SAN confirmed that the defendants have filed service of defence.

“It is an interesting case, and to the best of my knowledge, this case has never been mentioned, and I join by brother silk to sit down, depending on how many witnesses they will bring.

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman sparked controversy on Friday after his attempt to kiss his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock while posing for a group photo in Berlin went viral online.

The video shows Radman, 65, reaching out to Baerbock to shake her hand and trying to kiss her on the cheek at a photoshoot during an EU conference Thursday, while the German foreign affairs minister dodges his affections.

The gesture drew fierce debate on social media and sparked outrage from feminist groups, but Grlic Radman shrugged off the criticism.

“I don’t know what the problem was… We always greet each other warmly. It is a warm human approach to a colleague”, he told reporters.

However, prominent Croatian women’s rights activist Rada Boric slammed the minister’s move as “highly inappropriate”, adding that “warm greetings” should happen only among those whose relationship allows kissing.

“It’s clear that such a relationship doesn’t exist here and that the (German) minister was left surprised with such closeness,” Boric told the Jutarnji List outlet.

Former Croatian prime minister Jadranka Kosor also took to social media to criticise Grlic Radman.

“Violent kissing of women is also called violence, is it not?,” Kosor wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter

Written by Adegwu John


The organised labour on Friday declared Wednesday, 8th November 2023 a nationwide strike following the Monday’s manhandling of the national president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC ), Comrade Joe Ajaero in Imo State.

Deputy president of NLC, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, and the deputy president of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) in a joint briefing with journalists in Abuja gave implementation of six-point demands to the federal government to avert the looming strike.

Among the demands include; the immediate removal of the Imo State commissioner of police, area commander, and other state government officials fingered in the alleged brutalisation of Ajaero and other workers who were humiliated in the assault.

President Bola Tinubu has committed a blunder by nominating Etekamba Umoren from Akwa Ibom State as a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) when the tenure of the current commissioner from the state has yet to expire.

PREMIUM TIMES investigation showed that the tenure of Monday Udo-Tom, an indigene of Akwa Ibom, and currently the Delta State REC, will expire in January.

Therefore, if Mr Umoren is sworn in as REC, having been cleared by the Senate, the oil rich state would have two of its indigenes in that position, a clear violation of the laws of the land.

Illegal appointments

Last week, the president nominated Mr Umoren alongside nine others as RECs of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

PREMIUM TIMES would later find two of them, including Mr Umoren, to be members of Mr Tinubu’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), an affiliation that made their nominations and subsequent appointments illegal.

Mr Umoren also has a political link with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, having served as chief of staff to Mr Akpabio when he was governor of Akwa Ibom.

The other person is Isah Shaka, the nominee from Edo state, who is also believed to be a card-carrying member of the ruling party.

Another two, Bunmi Omoseyindemi (Lagos) and Anugbum Onuoha (Rivers) are found to be long-term allies of prominent politicians in Mr Tinubu’s government.

The Senate confirmed all of them despite public outrage, a petition from a coalition of 17 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and a threat of legal action by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana.

Meanwhile, going by the Nigerian constitution, their nominations and subsequent confirmation was illegal as the third schedule to the Nigerian 1999 constitution clearly prohibits the appointment of partisan persons into the electoral commission.

“There shall be for each State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a Resident Electoral Commissioner who shall be a person of unquestionable integrity and shall not be a member of any political party,” section 14, 3(b) Item F, third schedule of the 1999 constitution states.


Then a blunder

Beyond this illegality, however, Mr Tinubu committed a blunder with Mr Umoren’s nomination, as the REC from Akwa Ibom, Mr Udo-Tom, has until January 2024 before his five-year tenure expires.

He was sworn into the electoral commission (INEC) on 30 January 2019, meaning his five-year tenure ends in January 2024 and that there currently needs to be a vacancy for the position Mr Umoren was appointed to fill.


REC appointment

The Nigerian constitution, which created the office of REC for each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), states that all REC must serve for a complete tenure of five years.

The Electoral Act also states that the REC must be appointed in accordance with section 4 of the Federal Character Commission Act, which requires the need for equitability in the appointment of public officials.

Section 1(a) of the Act states that “the functions of the Commission shall be – to work out an equitable formula, subject to the approval of the President, for the distribution of all cadres of posts in the civil and the public services of the duration and of the States, the armed forces, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, bodies corporate owned by the Federal or a State Government and Extra-Ministerial Departments and parastatals of the Federation and States;”

Section 1(b) added that the functions include “to promote, monitor and enforce compliance with the principles of proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels of government;”


REC removal

Meanwhile, RECs can only be removed by the president after a two–third vote in agreement from the Senate, according to the Electoral Act.

“The Resident Electoral Commissioner appointed under the Constitution may only be removed by the President, acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that the Resident Electoral Commissioner be so removed for inability to perform the functions of the office, whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause, or for misconduct,” Section 6(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 reads.

Meanwhile, INEC said its regulations prohibit any REC from serving in their states of origin. The commission, therefore, as a tradition, deployed RECs in any state in their geo-political zone other than their states of origin.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC, Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, says having two RECs from the same state of origin is not a usual practice.

“It’s not the usual practice to nominate two individuals from the same State for appointment as Resident Electoral Commissioners,” he said in a response to PREMIUM TIMES’ enquiry

The Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, which screened the REC nominees, Abdulaziz Yar’adua, did not respond to calls and messages sent to his line requesting comments on whether the committee was aware that there was no vacancy at the time it screened another REC.

The President’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, could not be reached for comments as his mobile phone line was not connecting and messages sent to his line were yet to be responded to as of the time of filing this report.

…NUPRC moves to secure supply obligations
Local crude oil producers in Nigeria are demanding to be paid with United States dollars as the currency of their operations by local refiners in Nigeria.

The producers made the demand at a meeting with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), convened to activate local domestic crude supply obligation.

Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) introduces the obligation by the oil industry in Nigeria and stipulates that the supply of crude oil to the domestic market shall be on a willing supplier and willing buyer basis.

The volume of crude oil that oil-producing companies shall dedicate to the domestic crude supply obligation shall be based on an allocation system determined by the NUPRC.

Speaking at the meeting, Oluwadare Agbelese of Watersmith said: “A broader discussion needs to be held with the NMDPRA and the CBN to ensure that off-takers have priority access to forex so that they can pay for the product in a competitive manner just like the operators would if they were selling to external off-takers.”

Also raising other concerns, Tunde Akinpelu from Aiteo sought to know whether the local refiners have the flexibility on their crude oil appetite. Adding that, “Kaduna refinery does not process all the product sleeves that we have in Nigeria. So in Port Harcourt and Warri.”

Another stakeholder, Abdalla Buba talked about allowing some time for adjustment in the transition from the pre-PIA regime to the PIA regime.

Responding to the concerns raised, the Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, said any company that fails to respond to a request for production within a specified period is liable to pay an administrative fine of $10,000 to the NUPRC and shall not be granted an export permit.

He said the move by the commission is in a bid to ensure domestic sufficiency, adding that the nation’s inability to meet it’s domestic refining obligation has impacted negatively on the state of the economy given the numbers that are rolled out in terms of under-recovery.

Komolafe said: ‘It behooves us as an industry to find a way to make Nigeria a net exporter of refined product. It is important that we engage the industry as we are trying to implement this important provision of the PIA, which is the domestic crude oil obligation.

“The domestic crude oil obligation refers to the requirement imposed by the government on oil producers to allocate a certain portion of their crude oil production for domestic consumption. What we are trying to do in effect as a commission is to begin the enforcement of this critical provision of the PIA.

“There are now firm attempts to step up domestic refining with some modular refineries. We now also have the largest refinery in Africa, the Dangote refinery. We have received a request from the refinery to guarantee fixed stock and we believe as a nation, it will be a shame if we cannot meet the fixed stock of the refinery.”

In furtherance of the latest move, The NUPRC has written to the producers to furnish them with copies of the committed agreement for the commission to distill the available barrels that are not committed.

Speaking on the concerns around dollar payment terms, Komolafe said the law already envisages a willing buyer, willing seller situation. “The currency of purchase will either be in naira or in dollars. The parties will sit and agree to a purchase agreement and the currency of the transaction.

“We will also escalate to other stakeholders to see how domestic refiners will be able to meet their obligation.”

Speaking on the implementation mechanism, he said; “we are conscious of the fact that every refinery is configured to take a specific type. We will collate that data and factor obligation in respect to the compactable crude type.

Adebayo Shittu, former minister of communications, says some of the female ministers in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet dress like beauty pageant contestants.

Shittu said this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Wednesday.

At the opening of a three-day retreat for ministers and presidential aides on Wednesday, Tinubu warned that ministers who do not deliver on their assignments and set targets will be sent packing from the federal cabinet.

Asked what he made of the president’s warning to members of his team, Shittu said: “I’m happy that President Tinubu appointed a number of female ministers but my impression whenever I see them on television is as if they are going to beauty competitions based on the type of dresses they wear”.

He said there is a need for all ministers to show that they are serious about the business of governance.

“I think there is need for us (APC) as a government to show more seriousness in the assignments that we have in this government,” he said.


COMPARING LEADERSHIP STYLES

Shittu who served as the minister of communications under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2019, also compared the leadership styles of his former boss and Tinubu.

He said Buhari did not issue threats of sack to his ministers, adding that the former president did not supervise his appointees.

Shittu said the warning Tinubu issued to his appointees during the retreat would make them sit up.

The former minister said Tinubu’s warning to the ministers shows that he intends to do things differently.

He said Buhari was the kind of president who handed assignments to appointees without demanding feedback or results.

“Buhari did not give anybody any threat. Buhari is not Tinubu and Tinubu is not Buhari,” he said.

“With all due respect to him, Buhari is a more reserved person. He is one person who gives a job and rarely never ask how you are going about it.

“It is unfortunate but I have to say this for national interest so that the government coming after him will learn lessons.

“Once you are there, you are there. If you are in Buhari’s government, if you don’t go and meet him, probably in the next four years, he will not ask about you.

“In terms of policy formulation and supervision, we rarely did not have such thing. I’m happy that President Tinubu is trying to do things differently.”


FASHOLA’S TAKE ON LEADERSHIP STYLES

In April, Babatunde Fashola, former minister of works and housing, had also described Buhari as a leader who delegates and moves on, and Tinubu as a nocturnal boss who micromanages.

“One delegates completely, the other delegates and stays with you,” Fashola said.

“I was speaking with somebody and I said imagine there are two football coaches; President Muhammadu Buhari is the type of football coach that will prepare his team, sit in the dugout and watch them play for 90 minutes.

“He (Buhari) trusts them to do the work and believes there is nothing he can do.

“Asiwaju will be that kind of coach playing the game with them (players) on the field.”

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru


The brutalized President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero has been rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Owerri with his right eye completely shut.

The NLC Head of Information and Publicity, Comrade Benson Upah, described what happened to Ajaero as an act of abduction that degenerated into attempted murder.

He said that “contact has been made with Congress President, Comrade Joe Ajaero this evening around 15:30 hours at the Police Hospital in Owerri from where he was taken to Federal Medical Centre, Owerri where he is receiving medical attention.

“Thoroughly brutalized, his right eye at the time of contact was completely shut.”

He further said, “Ajaero, who said little stated that immediately after his arrest, he was beaten up and blindfolded and taken to an unknown destination where more brutalisation took place, sometimes with bottles.

“His phones, money and other personal effects were taken off him and have not been returned to him.”

President Bola Tinubu’s public rebuking of his son, Seyi, for attending the Federal Execution Council (FEC) meeting, has been generating reactions on social media and further put the president’s family under scrutiny.

Mr Tinubu had on Monday, during the weekly FEC meeting, complained about how those not permitted to enter the council chamber were allowed in, including his 37-year-old son.

“Last week, I noticed the undue access of people sneaking in and out of this council, including… I saw the photograph of my son, Seyi, sitting behind… That is not acceptable,” Mr Tinubu said.

He further named those permitted to have access to the chamber, including Hadiza Usman, special adviser on policy coordination; Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy; Hakeem Muri-Okunola, principal private secretary and Damilotun Aderemi, private secretary.


FEC meeting

FEC is the cabinet of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and is part of the executive branch of the country’s government.

Section 144 (5) of the Constitution recognises the “executive council of the Federation” (the Federal Executive Council) as the “body of Ministers of the Government of the Federation, howsoever called, established by the President and charged with such responsibilities for the functions of government as the President.

The weekly meeting of the council is presided over by the president and attended by the vice president who is the deputy chairman, secretary to the government of the federation, head of service of the federation, ministers and some top aides of the president.

The meetings are now held on Mondays as against Wednesdays it was held during the previous administrations.

Nigerians react

The decision of the president to call out his son is generating positive feedback from Nigerians on social media.

Charles Beecroft posted on X, popularly known as Twitter, that the action of the junior Tinubu was “overzealousness” but he was glad that the president set the record straight.

“Mr President calls out his own son…says his attendance of FEC is “unacceptable.”

“What was Seyi doing anywhere near FEC chamber in the first place. At times overzealousness and too much self importance blinds us to limits. Am glad @officialABAT put the records straight & clear,” the post reads.

Similar posts on X also echoed Charles Beecroft’s view on the statement by the president.

Ayo Akin with the user name, @The Ayo Akin, posted that “The business of the nation is not a family affair”. He added, “It’s about to get more serious.”

A tweep @lekan Adigun, in his post, described the action of the president’s son as a “gatecrasher”, adding that there should be proper enforcement of security clearance for those who ought to be at FEC.

“Seyi Tinubu has no business at FEC or Council Chambers while the meeting is going on. This is totally on the SGF. He’s the gatecrasher. FEC is a meeting you need highest level clearance to attend. FEC isn’t a meeting one should sneak in or out of. It’s unacceptable please,” the post reads.

Another user, @TemitopeAA, called for the sanction of the security personnel charged with regulating entry into the chamber.

“How did he get in? Who cleared him to enter? Council Chamber is not easily accessible. The officers who may have granted undue clearance should be queried ( that’s if they haven’t already),” Temitope’s post reads.


First family under scrutiny

Aside from the reactions, the comments by the president put additional scrutiny on the president’s family members, notably his wife, Remi Tinubu, and son Seyi.

Last month, Seyi came under criticism for using one of the presidential jets to attend a private event in Kano State. He was flown to Kano in a presidential jet to watch the finals of this year’s edition of the Kano International Polo Tournament.

Bloomberg had also reported that Seyi bought a London property that belonged to Kolawole Aluko, a man who was fugitive at the time of the transaction in 2017.

As of the time of the transaction, the Nigerian government was trying to confiscate the assets and other assets belonging to Mr Aluko.

The president’s son is also the CEO of Loatsad Promomedia Ltd, an outdoor advertising company in Lagos.


First Lady’s office

PREMIUM TIMES had also reported that the president is seeking the approval of the National Assembly to spend N1.5 billion on vehicles for the office of his wife at a time when Nigerians are going through a tough economic situation.

Nigeria has a long history of overbearing members of the president’s family exerting influence on the running of the state. Most notably spouses, who use the office of the First Lady to influence governance.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said government officials and appointees who cannot perform are free to leave while declaring that he must succeed by all means to deliver on the expectations of Nigerians who brought him into office.

He stated this on Wednesday at the opening of a three-day retreat with the theme, “Delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda,” organised for ministers, presidential aides, permanent secretaries, and top government officials at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

President Tinubu, who stated that at the end of the retreat, a bond of understanding would be signed between the participants and himself, said: “If you’re are performing, nothing to fear. If you’re not performing, we review and if you cannot perform, you leave us.”

The president, who assured them of a free hand to carry out their responsibilities, advised them to ask questions about how and when to do their jobs.

He therefore charged his ministers and other government officials to help him to succeed.

He restated that as a human being, he would make mistakes, but added that when such errors were pointed out to him, he would immediately correct them. “You are here to help me succeed.”

President Tinubu, who declared that he is president for all Nigerians irrespective of whether they are affiliated to political parties or not, said the country is one big family with people partitioned into different rooms.

“I’m here to give direction to this family making sure the relationship is stronger by giving hope to our people,” he said.

Addressing the participants, he warned that the civil servants should not see the ministers as those who will come and go and “you will be there.”

He also advised that the ministers should not be seen as opportunistic individuals but people to partner with to contribute positively to the growth of the nation.

Tinubu said that he has accepted the assets and liabilities of his predecessors, telling the participants that as chaos exists around them, they must be focused like one driving in a tunnel to deliver the goods.

The president, while noting that his administration had spent the last six months “reviewing ourselves”, stressed the importance of good healthcare and quality education, which he said is the best weapon against poverty.

The president assured foreign investors that they will be able to bring in their capital, invest and repatriate their gains without problems.

By Musliudeen Adebayo

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A strange fire has razed the residence of a man caught with human parts in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

DAILY POST recalls that men of the Oyo State Police Command few days ago arrested three men over the killing of a yet to be identified man.

The suspects, Taofeeq Olalekan Kabelohun, Rahmon Opeyemi Muibi also known as Alubarika and Tayo Akinrinola, were apprehended with body parts of the deceased.

Our correspondent gathered on Tuesday that Muibi’s residence has been gutted by a strange fire.

The residence located along the Apete-Akufo Road in the Alapata axis of Ido Local Government Area, was gutted by fire Monday evening.

Sources said that the residence went up in flames around 7.30 pm.

A source close to the area said the cause of the fire is not yet known.

“Yes. The residence of Rahmon Opeyemi Muibi also known as Alubarika has been gutted by fire.

“We don’t know how it happened. It occurred yesterday evening around 7.30 pm,” the source said.

President Bola Tinubu has warned unauthorised persons against attending the weekly federal executive council (FEC) meeting.

The president said some persons who were not authorised — including his son Seyi Tinubu — had access to the council chamber of the State House.

Speaking before the commencement of the FEC meeting on Monday at the presidential villa, the president said he noticed that some people were sneaking in and out of the council chamber.

“Last week I noticed the undue access of people sneaking in and out of this council, including… I saw the photograph of my son, Seyi, sitting behind… That is not acceptable,” Tinubu said.

“I will announce to you those people who are supposed to be here.

“Hadiza Usman, special adviser on policy coordination, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, principal private secretary and Damilotun Aderemi, private secretary.

“These are the people who are granted the exception to be here when we are conducting the business of the nation. Unless I send for you, don’t come.”

The president asked George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), and Folashade Yemi-Esan, head of service of the federation, to ensure that the directive is complied with.

The weekly FEC meeting which is presided over by the president is attended by cabinet members and his top aides.

The high-level meeting, previously held every Wednesday, now takes place on Mondays.

Police Nab Boyfriend Of Lady Who Died During Sex Romp In Kwara

A young lady has reportedly died during a sex romp with her boyfriend who is said to be a barber in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The state police command said it has arrested the deceased’s boyfriend over the incident.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the incident occurred on Monday at a Guest House in Temidire community, Offa Garage area, Ilorin.

Sources hinted that the barber was under the influence of drugs apparently to impress her girlfriend before the experience turned sour.

“The girl was said to have got tired during the mating and later gave up the ghost,” a source told LEADERSHIP.

The sources said that the lady’s boyfriend raised alarm when she became unconscious which attracted workers of the guest house.

The lady was said to have been rushed to a nearby hospital where she was confirmed dead.

It was also gathered that when the owner of the guest house reported the incident at the Police ‘A’ Division, Ilorin, the middle-aged man was subsequently arrested.

The spokesman of the state police command, Okasanmi Ajayi, who confirmed the incident on Tuesday, said “The state police command has arrested the man involved while full investigations have commenced to know what actually happened between the man and the deceased.”

As civilians in both Israel and Gaza, the Palestinian territory governed by Hamas, continue to be on the receiving end of the war that broke out on October 7, the political repercussions of the conflict is altering the dynamics in upcoming elections in countries as far away as the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

And with thousands protesting across major cities in Europe, the impact of the war on local politics is more pronounced in Europe than in the United States, and is leading to a divide between Europe and the U.S.

The war is also causing unrest in Middle Eastern countries like Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Morocco, some of which had earlier made peace deals with Israel.

On Friday, only 12 countries supported the US and Israel at the UN General Assembly in opposing a motion calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Palestine.

In the motion sponsored by Jordan, 120 countries voted in support against the 14 that opposed the motion, with 45 countries abstaining from voting.

Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, said the general assembly had “spoken for justice.”

He said the resolution was a clear stand against Israel’s war, against the killing of Palestinians, against war crimes, on the side of international law.

Though the resolution is non-binding, it reflects world opinion on events unfolding in the Middle East. In contract, the Security Council, which has powers to pass binding resolutions, has been unable to pass a motion on the crisis without either Russia or the US wielding its veto power.

However, the US was the only major power that voted against the General Assembly motion, while a majority of European countries abstained from voting.

Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain,Switzerland and Norway voted in favour of the resolution, while Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Croatia voted against the resolution.

Apart from the four European countries, six of the votes that went the way of the US’ position were from Pacific islands, namely Fiji, Tonga, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

The UN General Assembly resolution stressed the importance of preventing further destabilisation and escalation of violence in the region.

It also asked all parties to exercise maximum restraint and for all those with influence on the feuding parties to work toward this objective.

The US has consistently insisted on the right of Israel to defend itself, refusing to publicly call for a ceasefire.

The surprise abstention was the UK, which has witnessed some of the largest protests calling for a ceasefire.

The protests have put considerable pressure on the UK government, but it is in the opposition Labour Party that the war is causing a rebellion.

Labour leader, Keir Starmer, was quoted in a recent interview as saying Israel has the right to cut food and water supplies from the Gaza Strip.

According to a report from the Independent, citing a recent poll, Labour voters think Keir Starmer has handled the Gaza crisis badly because of his refusal to back a ceasefire.

Starmer, according to reports, is now being warned by front benchers that the party could lose seats over his stance.

A new YouGov survey finds that 42 per cent of 2019 Labour voters think that he has badly handled his response to Israel-Hamas conflict.

Only 26 per cent think Starmer – who has refused to support a ceasefire despite backing from a revolt by dozens of MPs and the party’s devolved leaders – has handled it well.

London mayor Sadiq Khan, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar all broke ranks to challenge Sir Starmer’s stance on Gaza.

Labour MPs have told The Independent that more than 100 of Sir Starmer’s MPs – half his parliamentary party, including some frontbenchers – want him to call for a ceasefire in the fighting.

They also warned the Labour leader that the party faces an “existential threat” in seats with a large number of Muslim voters, as councillors quit and local parties pass motions in favour of an immediate ceasefire.

But as Israel’s assault on the strip intensifies, the Labour leader is facing growing calls from party members and MPs to take a stronger line and demand a ceasefire.

Starmer’s refusal to do so is causing a ruckus within the party rarely seen in his three-and-a-half years as leader.

“It won’t last,” predicted one angry left-wing aide, granted anonymity to speak frankly. “They’re bombing the sh*t out of civilians. He’s going to end up calling for a ceasefire.”

The conflict in Gaza always had the potential to reopen faultlines in the Labour Party, given that Starmer has expended a huge amount of time and effort trying to turn the page on claims of antisemitism under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. Restoring Labour’s shattered reputation with the Jewish community has been Starmer’s top priority as leader.

But Labour also traditionally attracts the support of large numbers of British Muslims — and non-Muslims allied with the Palestinian cause — who are desperate to see the party voice more full-throated support for Gazans.

According to polls, in the 2019 general election, 71 percent of British Muslims voted for Labour, while now just five percent said they would vote Labour again.

And 98 percent of respondents to the poll said their decision was influenced by the Labour Party’s stance on the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine.

As many as 23 Labour Councillors resigned over Starmer’s stance on Israel and 250 Muslim Labour Councillors signed a letter demanding a ceasefire.

In the US, where President Joe Biden has staunchly backed Israel, it is progressive politicians in New York, which has the largest Jewish population, that have found themselves on the defensive.

But in Michigan, where Biden won handily in the last presidential elections, Muslim voters are reconsidering their support for the president and may sit out the next election.

In Michigan, Muslim and Arab American voters turned out decisively for Biden three years ago.

Ammar Moussa, a spokesman for the president’s re-election campaign, said that Biden “knows the importance of earning the trust of every community, of upholding the sacred dignity and rights of all Americans,” and is working closely with Muslim and Palestinian American leaders.

Nada Al-Hanooti, a Palestinian American organiser based in Dearborn, was quoted by the New York Times saying that as of 2020, there were approximately 200,000 registered Muslim voters in Michigan, making the community a significant voting bloc in a battleground state of 8.2 million registered voters.

Ms. Al-Hanooti said Muslims turned out in large numbers for Mr. Biden mainly because they were motivated to help defeat President Trump. As a candidate for president, Mr. Trump called for a shutdown of Muslim immigration and referred to “radical Islam” infiltrating American communities. And while in office, he issued an executive order that imposed restrictions on refugees and visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

Marketers of petroleum products in Nigeria have hinted that the pump price of petrol in the country could rise further to between N700 and N800 per litre, up from the current N580 – N617 per litre.

The oil marketers gave the hint in Lagos at the just-concluded Oil Trading and Logistics (OTL) Africa Downstream Expo, where they expressed their frustration over the return of a regulated petrol pricing regime amid rising landing costs, and shortage of foreign exchange.

Moderating one of the panel sessions with the topic: “Africa Fuels Update -Overview of Trends and Market Development”, Chief Operating Officer of Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, Mrs. Adenike Labanjo, raised the alarm over the looming price hike when she posed a question to the Executive Vice President (Downstream) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mr. Adedapo Segun.

Labanjo stated: “Now given the discussions with the panelists and taking into consideration the subsidy announcement and implementation, we saw a reduction in the consumption of petrol from about 65 million litres per day to 45 million litres per day.

“Now, with the widening gap between the NNPC costs and imports, which plus or minus, could land close to N700 to N800, how do we ensure that the illegal export of petrol does not come back? Because the gaps seem to be widening by the day with the various activities going on all over the world”.

She argued that the rising cost of sourcing petrol had become more unbearable to the marketers than the NNPC because of the imbalance in foreign exchange accessibility that favours the national oil company more than the private marketers.

She added that the challenge faced by the marketers in the importation of petrol at the beginning of the deregulation pronouncement was that the market moved against them due to the volatile nature of FX or due to the inability of some marketers to lock their cargoes at the time.

Labinjo further said: “There is a major imbalance in the FX. Now, NNPC has access to that and others don’t have. NNPC too is a business on its own, but clearly, there is a competitive edge that no one in the industry can compete with. That is very clear even from the very salient points that were made today.

“We talk about things around investments even in refineries or any other type of investment on infrastructure that can support the downstream business.

“With this imbalance in FX access, how can that promote investment to drive the business that we currently do, given the scenario that we see today”.

In his submission, the Executive Director of Northwest Petroleum and Gas Company Limited, Dr Mohammed Salaudeen, said the high cost of sourcing petrol had led to the shutting down of 90 per cent of petrol depots nationwide.

He lamented that the cost of buying a 10,000-metric tonne of petrol locally from the NNPC and others had surged to N7 billion, up from below half of that amount last year.

Salaudeen said the foreign exchange challenge facing the marketers had resulted in most of the players being unable to import petrol even with the approvals given by the government regulatory bodies to bring in their products.

He categorically said that only less than 10 per cent of marketers were able to buy petrol locally while about five per cent were able to import and did so at a huge loss.

He said, “If you look at the marketing plural of petroleum marketers both at MOMAN level, DAPPMAN level even at IPMAN level, how many members of these associations are functioning today? Go to Port Harcourt, Calabar, Lagos, 90 per cent of depots are shut down, not operating.

“To buy a 10,000 metric tonne of petrol locally and land the same in your terminal in Nigeria, you will need about N7 billion. Twice more than what you will need about the same time last year. So, you see what’s happening and it’s quite a lot of challenge and that’s the situation of things today.”

On his part, the Managing Director of Rainoil Logistics, Mr. Jude Nwaulune, said the cost of landing petrol in Lagos has reached about N560 – 565 per litre.

Nwaulune said the cost of moving the same product from Lagos towards the company’s depot in Oghara, Delta State was about N570/litre while taking the product towards Calabar, Cross River State was around N580.

He pointed out that the challenge was basically around FX in addition to the cost of local distribution to the pumps amid the rising cost of diesel to power their trucks as diesel price now hovers around N1000 per litre.

“What that means is that when we transport this product to the filling stations, you find out that the pump price is highly unaffordable. In this chain, the independents are beginning to miss from the chain because 4,000 litres of petrol used to be N7.5 million before deregulation, is now about N25 million”, Nwaulune said.

However, reacting to questions around the perceived FX imbalance and cost of doing business that favours NNPC more than other private marketers, the Executive Vice President of Downstream, NNPC Limited, Mr. Segun, boasted that the national oil company as a private integrated company has a natural edge over its competitors.

He urged other marketers to rise to the competition posed to them by the NNPC because of its competitive edge over them.
“One thing I have to do quickly is remind people that NNPC Limited is not a government; NNPC Limited is not a regulator; NNPC Limited is a competitor to these guys. So, sometimes, when I get questions about what is NNPC doing to encourage, I think, we are in business to compete with other players and if we have a competitive edge which I alluded to earlier, it becomes imperative for our competitors to rise to the occasion,” Segun stated.

In line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), he said the national oil company remained contractor to the government and was excellently positioned to be discharging its service of guaranteeing energy security for the country.

Heineken Lokpobiri, the minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), says Kaduna refinery will begin operation by the end of 2024.

In a statement shared by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Lokpobiri gave the timeframe during an assessment of the progress of work on the ongoing quick-fix project on the Kaduna refinery on Saturday.

Lokpobiri, Mele Kyari, the group chief executive officer of NNPC and other top executive directors, inspected the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Limited (KRPC).

He said the timeframe was given due to the “significant level of progress” he witnessed on the tour.

To ensure the Kaduna refinery is back on stream before the end of this year, Lokpobiri said the federal government would continue its support.

The minister said key players involved in the refinery’s rehabilitation process would be held accountable to ensure the timely delivery of the project.

Lokpobiri said there is an urgent need to get the refinery back on stream for the nation’s economic prosperity and energy security — which are both paths to sustainable development.

On his part, Kyari assured that the timeframe for the fuel plant to begin operation will be met as all hands are on deck.

Kyari said the equipment needed for the quick-fix activities is already in place, adding that the repair would ensure 60,000 barrels per day output at the refinery.

“We are very confident that we will get the appropriate financing to get to the end of it, and ultimately, we will start to deliver value to Nigerians again,” he said.

“We plan the quick fix for 60,000 barrels per day so that we can start making money from this plant and we can continue the other part of the refinery to bring it up to its full-fledged capacity.

“This will also tally with the completion of the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) on the pipeline.”

This, Kyari said, will result in a reliable pipeline delivery infrastructure.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday began a full-scale probe of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, with alleged $15 billion foreign debts topping the investigation.

Emefiele will also account for how the apex bank spent N74.84 billion to produce and roll out currencies, including new naira notes.

The allegations are in addition to alleged fraud uncovered by the Special Investigator, Jim Obazee, who is looking into the activities of the CBN.

Obazee, whose committee is collaborating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the Nigeria Police, has also submitted an interim report on the CBN to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

It was learnt yesterday that the ex-CBN governor was transferred from the Department of State Services (DSS) to the EFCC because the fresh investigation is not covered by the mandate of the security agency.

The DSS does not have the core competence to investigate the weighty allegations of financial crimes against Emefiele, a highly placed source said yesterday.

There were fears that if the DSS continues with the investigation, the ex-CBN governor might win in court on technical grounds.

The source said only the EFCC can put Emefiele on trial, not the DSS, based on the findings made so far.

Emefiele was transferred (technically released) to EFCC on Thursday afternoon to allow for in-depth investigation and trial.

The swap was kept under wraps in order to avoid what the source described as a “distraction.”

Having appraised the allegations against Emefiele and the interim report on the ongoing probe of the CBN, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) sent an advisory to the President that the EFCC is the right agency to probe Emefiele, it was learnt.

“As a man of due process, the President approved the advisory of the AGF. It was on this basis that the DSS handed over Emefiele to the EFCC on Thursday,” The Nation learnt yesterday.

About two to three weeks ago, the Special Investigator on CBN activities, Jim Obazee, submitted an interim report to the President with a lot of findings requiring in-depth investigation. This was another reason the AGF was very strong in his opinion that the EFCC should manage the ongoing probe.

“The truth is that such an investigation is not within the mandate of the DSS. Or else, if Emefiele is put on trial by the DSS, he will win on technical grounds,” the highly placed source said.

At press time, it was confirmed that a panel of EFCC operatives had started grilling Emefiele on the allegations against him, including the following:

•Alleged foreign debts of $15 billion

•Spending of N74. 84 billion on Naira redesign, production and roll out of currencies

•Alleged fraud in Anchor Borrowers Scheme

•Suspicious audit of CBN accounts

•Acquisition of bank, Fintech licences by some top officials of CBN

•Award of suspicious billions of Naira contracts

Another source in EFCC added: “Emefiele is in our custody and he is already responding to issues or allegations raised for him from a team under the supervision of the Director of Operation, Abdulkarim Chukkol.

“As a commission, we won’t talk on his case in order not to compromise ongoing investigation.”

The Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale, was yet to pick his call at press time.

Nigeria has been unable to fully reap the benefits of increasing crude oil prices at the international market, as market report says there were about 30 oil cargoes yet to find buyers at the international market.

Market data report obtained from Reuters, said as of Tuesday, between 20 and 30 crude cargoes for November were without buyers, far more than was typically expected to be left over at this stage of the trading cycle.

The market is “very, very sluggish,” another trader said. “The market is going down, margins look bad,” the report said quoting trading sources.

Although some of Nigeria’s crude grade such as Bonga crude was offered at a premium of $9 a barrel to the benchmark dated Brent, while Escravos and Forcados were on offer in excess of $8 in October, however, the report said freight rates have since jumped and refiners’ profit margins have narrowed, weighing on demand.

The low demand had in turn caused the country’s crude grades to fall by $1 to $2 a barrel, traders said.

Crude oil prices in some of the world’s main physical markets have weakened due to a jump in freight costs and a drop in refining margins, according to traders and London Stock Exchange Group data, suggesting demand weakness that could filter through to the futures market.

Hamas’s armed wing said Thursday that “almost 50” Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attacks have been killed in Israeli bombing raids on the Palestinian territory.

“(Ezzedine) Al-Qassam Brigades estimates that the number of Zionist prisoners who were killed in the Gaza Strip as a result of Zionist strikes and massacres has reached almost 50,” the group said in a statement issued on its Telegram channel.

AFP was not immediately able to verify the claim. Israel launched a massive air and artillery bombardment of Gaza after Hamas carried out brutal attacks on southern Israel.

Earlier, the Israeli army said 224 people were abducted by militants during the attack that left 1,400 people, mostly civilians, dead.

“We have informed the families of 224 hostages. This number is changing based on the intelligence we obtain,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters.

“It will continue to change. The effort to return the hostages is a top priority.”

According to Israeli government figures that could not be confirmed by AFP, at least half of the hostages have foreign passports.

On Thursday in Tel Aviv, an organisation representing the families of hostages warned they had reached “the end of their patience” and demanded a meeting with top government officials immediately.

“No more patience, from now on we will fight,” said the group.

“We demand that the cabinet speak to us this evening and tell us how it intends to bring them back today. We are intensifying the struggle, we are no longer waiting to be led, we are leading the struggle,” said Meirav Leshem Gonen – the mother of Romi Gonen who is among the captives.

To date, four women have been released by the militants following mediation by Egypt and Qatar.

Grace Taiga, the former director of legal services at the petroleum ministry accused of collecting bribes from P&ID, has died, TheCable can report.

TheCable confirmed from multiple sources that Taiga died in September 2023 after battling kidney issues — but the development was not made public by the family.

She will be buried in December in Delta state, sources in the know told TheCable without giving any further details.

Taiga served in the ministries of petroleum resources and defence before retiring in September 1, 2010.

TheCable could not confirm her exact age but she died in her mid-70s.

She was arrested and charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of receiving payments from P&ID to skew the controversial gas supply and processing agreement (GSPA) against Nigeria.

The London Court of International Arbitration had awarded $6.6 billion plus seven percent interest against Nigeria in January 2017 for breach of contract.

The EFCC alleged that Taiga received illegal payments from Marshpearl Limited, a company controlled by the owners of P&ID, through her daughter.

After retirement, she reportedly continued receiving payments from P&ID directors.

She was also accused of failing to follow due process in giving legal advice on the GSPA.

In September 20, 2019, a federal high court in Abuja remanded her at the Suleja prison after she pleaded “not guilty” to an eight-count charge of fraud levelled against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Days later, she was granted a N10 million bail by the court.


‘TAIGA RECEIVED CORRUPT PAYMENTS’

On Monday, Robin Knowles, justice of the Commercial Courts of England and Wales, upheld Nigeria’s request to set aside the $11 billion arbitration award on the ground that it was obtained by fraud.

Taiga had appeared as a witness of P&ID in the proceedings before Knowles and was cross-examined by Nigeria.

In his ruling, Knowles said Taiga “certainly had a role in bringing about” the controversial gas agreement.

The judge said he is “quite satisfied that Nigeria is correct in its allegations” that bribes were paid to Taiga before and after the contract on behalf of P&ID.

“Shortly after the GSPA was entered into, on 29 March 2010, Ms Vera Taiga was paid £5,000 by Hobson Industries,” the judge ruled.

“The payment instruction was again signed by Mr Cahill. The pdf schedule ‘Taiga G – Sept 2019’ showed this payment against the name “Grace Taiga” and marked with the narrative “Gas Contract”.

“The timing of the payments is highly material, just before and just after the entry into the GSPA.

“The fact that, within the ICIL Group, they came from accounts of Marshpear and Hobson Industries and not P&ID is neither here nor there; ICIL Group was not run rigorously between companies.

“In authorising the payments Mr Cahill was, I find, acting for P&ID to incentivise and reward Ms Taiga in connection with the entry of the GSPA.

“They were deliberately kept secret from Nigeria. I am quite satisfied that Nigeria is correct in its allegation that these payments in December 2009 and March 2010 were bribes paid on behalf of P&ID to Mrs Grace Taiga’s benefit in connection with the entry into the GSPA.

“I reject as untrue the evidence of Mrs Grace Taiga and Mr Cahill, in particular, to the contrary.

“By some standards the sums received were not large in absolute terms, but they were in context: US$5,000 was, on her account, an amount equal to the annual salary of Mrs Grace Taiga before allowance and entitlements.

“The payments I have described were not disclosed to Nigeria, her employer, by Mrs Grace Taiga, or by P&ID and ICIL Group, and this was deliberate.”

The judge rejected the claim that the money sent to Taiga on behalf of P&ID was for medical expenses, adding that the lawyer knows that the “payments were corrupt”.

“But keeping these and other payments secret from her employer, Nigeria, was deliberate and the reason for this was that she knew the payments were corrupt rather than because she believed they were a private matter that was irrelevant to her employment,” the judge ruled.

BODY COUNT MOUNTING

Taiga’s death has added to the number of mortalities in the P&ID case.

Michael Quinn, co-founder of P&ID, died in 2015, a year after Lloyd, his son who was also involved in the company, passed.

Rilwanu Lukman, Nigeria’s minister of petroleum resources who signed the GSPA with P&ID in January 2010, died in July 2014 at 75.

Neil Hitchcock, an engineer who acted as P&ID’s project director on the GSPA, died in December 2015.

Taofik Tijani, senior technical assistant to Lukman who also worked on the GSPA, died in March 2021.

There is no suggestion that the deaths are linked.

One of the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday, rejoiced with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

This was after the Supreme Court affirmed the election of Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s president in the 2023 general election.

Tinubu’s election was challenged by his two major opponents – Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

In its ruling on Thursday, the seven-member panel held that the issues canvassed by Obi were the same as that of Atiku’s thus and there was no need for a repeat.

It therefore affirmed the ruling of the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal that upheld the victory of Tinubu in the election.

Daily Trust reports that after the unanimous decision of the seven-member panel, well-wishers at the Villa rushed into President Tinubu’s office to congratulate him.

While this was ongoing, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, who is a member of the PDP, was captured in a video rejoicing with the president.

He walked up to the nation’s number one citizen and shook hands with him.

Tinubu, who was basking in joy, was heard saying, ‘Oh! Diri, you are looking good. I used to see him on television.”

Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who is also a PDP chieftain, was seen in the president’s office.

Diri is standing in for reelection in a few weeks time.

Timipre Sylva, his main opponent, who is of the APC, has been disqualified by the court.