₦airaland Forum

The Deputy Director General of Akpabio/Barau campagin for Senate President in the 10th National Assembly, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has revealed that Senators in camp of eventual winner of the race, Godswill Akpabio, arrived the National Assembly complex at anout 4am on Tuesday to avert what happened in 2015 Senate President election.

LEADERSHIP reports that the 10th National Assembly was inaugurated on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

Recall that in 2015, Senators-elect loyal to former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, kept vigil in the National Assembly Complex to install the former governor of Kwara State as Senate President while other Senators-elect were at the International Conference Center in Abuja to meet with the the President Muhammadu Buhari at the time of inauguration of the 8th National Assembly.

However, speaking at the reception for his swearing-in for a second term in the Senate, Senator Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central senatorial district of Ekiti State, said that he has not been able to sleep in the last 48 hours in order to ensure the victory of Akpabio as Senate President of the 10th Senate.

According to him, “I have not been able to sleep for the last 48 hours in order to ensure that Senator Godswill Akpabio emerge as Senate President.

“We entered the National Assembly Complex around 4am in order to avert what happened in 2015. The victory wouldn’t have been possible if not for the efforts of the immediate-past Senate President.”

He, therefore, thanked the royal fathers that came from the Ekiti Central Senatorial district for their presence at the reception.

Meanwhile, the immediate-past Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has described Senator Bamidele as the pillar of the 9th Senate, applauding him for his contributions to nation building in the ninth Senate.

According to him, “from day one, he has been a pillar of my Senate Presidency. We had some few cases that I asked him to handle and he performed excellently.

“We have become a family as we continue another four years in the Senate and beyond.”

Other prominent personalities at the reception were Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, Adebayo Adewole; Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Ajakaye, among others.

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, in Abuja, signed the Student Loan Bill into law.

The signing of the bill was in “fulfilment of one of his campaign promises to liberalise funding of education,” a member of the Presidential Strategic Team, Dele Alake, told State House Correspondents on Monday evening.

The Students Loan Act becomes Tinubu’s second piece of legislation signed since he assumed office two weeks ago.

The bill will enable indigent students to access loans at interest-free rates.

The PUNCH reported that the piece of legislation, sponsored by the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, passed the third reading at the House on May 25, 2023.

According to Alake, who was accompanied by other members of the media team, including Tunde Rahman and Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, David Adejoh, the new law mandates prospective beneficiaries to show proof of their origins.

“We’re very happy to announce to you that today the President, His Excellency, Bola Tinubu, signed into law the Student Loans Bill.

“This is a promise made during the presidential campaign by the then candidate, His Excellency Bola Tinubu, that he will bring back the student loans issue onto the front burner.

“And today, that promise he made has been kept. He has just signed that bill into law, which henceforth would allow or enable our indigent students to access Federal Government’s loans to fund the educational pursuit or career,” Alake said.

The presidential aide said the move was in sync with standard practice in developed climes globally and would ease access to education.

“This is how it’s done in other developed climes. So this is a boost to our youths and students nationwide.

“Of course, there are prescribed qualification parameters. And that is the proof of indigenship of whoever is to be a beneficiary.

“Of course, there are committees to be set up. The members of committees will be drawn from various bodies to superintend over the efficient and proficient disbursement of this facility,” he added.

Also said although the bill takes effect immediately, the procedures for application will be worked out by the committees to superintend the process.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Adejoh, said by implication, the current scholarship board of the Federal Government will become a loan board capable of offering educational credit facilities to qualified applicants.

“Today, what the President has done goes beyond the symbolism. It is a demonstration of intent in terms of how he wants to handle education as he progresses in his presidency. Once the bill has been signed, that is the most important thing. A bill tells you what should be done. The how is what we are going to put together.

“What we have now is that nobody shall say money did not allow him to go to school,” he added.

Reacting, the Academic Staff Union of Universities described the loan bill as discriminatory between the children of the rich and the poor.

National President, ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, in an interview with The PUNCH, said, “The union will react soon but everyone knows our position on student loans because you will end up encumbering the children of the poor with loans and debt after graduating. This is discriminatory. If what I read online is correct, it said it is only for children whose parents earn at least N500,000 per annum. That means if your father earns more, you won’t benefit.”

Similarly, the National President, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Mr Anderson Ezeibe, said, “I have not studied the bill and we don’t want to react on the surface. But I have seen one area that will not be practicable.

“It says that students should refund the money two years after NYSC. But what is the provision for someone who is not working after NYSC? And will they all get jobs immediately after NYSC?”

However, the National Association of Nigerian Students described the student loan bill as a “way forward” in the country’s education system.

In a statement made available to The PUNCH on Monday, the Cordinator, NAN, Zone D, Adejuwon Emmanuel, however, faulted the repayment terms.

“Without saying much, student loan bill is a way forward to the educational system in Nigeria, because it will assist student whose parent cannot afford to pay tuition fee to be able to pay with the loan.

“But as good as this is, there are some questions that need to be answered by the government. The ultimatum for repayment is not feasible. As we all know that there is no work anywhere and most graduates don’t get work immediately, how will they pay back? How will it work when most of our graduates do not get jobs. Is there any plan or opportunity for those that have no work two years after NYSC?”

A former Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Uyo, Prof Ini Uko, in an interview with our correspondent, lauded the initiative.

Uko said, “Well, this means that tuition fees will go up. The subsidy on tertiary education will be removed. Vice-chancellors will now be able to introduce tuition fees. This is a good initiative. I am a beneficiary of a student loan and, of course, the people who benefit from it will have to pay back.

“The truth is that we have to stop pretending that the government alone can continue to fund tertiary education. It is not possible.”

A human rights organisation, under the aegis of George Uboh Whistleblowers Network, on Monday advised President Bola Tinubu to direct law enforcement agencies to collaborate with whistleblowers in solving crimes and recovering stolen funds.
The organisation highlighted the significance of whistleblowers in exposing corruption and wrongdoing and emphasized the need to shield them from retaliation.

The Chairman of GUWN, Dr George Uboh, who canvassed the views during a press conference held at the Abuja council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, also revealed how he was arrested and detained for 101 days in 2019 after he exposed the Forex scam by the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

He, therefore, suggested the implementation and strengthening of the whistleblower policy, with the establishment of an independent office to safeguard and compensate whistleblowers.

Uboh commended President Bola Tinubu for his courage in arresting a partisan CBN governor whose unprecedented crimes against humanity, the Nigerian masses were many.

The activist also highlighted the importance of appointing a person with prior experience in whistleblowing to lead the office and protect whistleblowers from any adverse treatment.

Uboh said, “While the media is replete with reports of Emefiele’s corruption post-arrest, pre-arrest, however, no Nigerian dared criticise the Almighty Emefiele. George Uboh Whistleblowers Network (hereinafter GUWN) exposed Emefiele’s corruption regarding forex fraud of over US$3 billion via letters written to Emefiele on or about April 1, 2019

“On May 15, 2019, the day Emefiele appeared before the Senate for screening and clearance for his second tenure, I was arrested in my Maitama office. I was detained for 101 days for defamation of Emefiele’s rotten character. The then Chief Judge, FCT, Ishaq Bello refused to hear my bail application. DIG Mike Ogbizi verbally denied me bail after I fulfilled the administrative bail granted to me by his men at Force CID.

“We humbly request that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR direct law enforcement agencies to work with whistleblowers in order to solve crimes swifter, trace and recover mind-boggling funds stolen or trapped.

“Whistleblowers play a vital role in the fight against corruption, and it is crucial to protect them from adverse treatments and compensate them.”

Foremost Human Rights Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to transfer the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a comprehensive probe.

President Bola Tinubu had suspended Emefiele on Friday and shortly after, the Department of State Services (DSS) picked him up.

The secret police is currently shopping for an order to keep Emefeile in its custody for full investigation, according to reports.

In a statement on Sunday, Falana advised DSS on how not to bungle the case on legal technicalities.

He said DSS lacks the power to investigate and prosecute Emefiele in respect of allegations of money laundering and other economic crimes.

He added that Emefiele should, in turn, be handed over to an agency with the constitutional power to investigate such a case.

“A few months ago, the State Security Service (SSS) levelled grave allegations of terrorism financing, money laundering, and other economic crimes against Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). At the material time, the attempt by the SSS to arrest, investigate, and prosecute Mr Emefiele was frustrated by the erstwhile Buhari administration.”

“However, following the suspension of Mr Emefiele as the Governor of the CBN by President Bola Tinubu, the SSS quizzed him in Lagos and flew him to Abuja yesterday. According to media reports, the investigation of the suspect by the SSS has commenced. Even though the SSS, which initially denied the arrest, has since turned around to admit that Mr Emefiele is in its custody.

“In the case of Dr Bukola Saraki v. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2018) 16 NWLR (pt. 1646) 433-434, the supreme court ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission lacks the vires to investigate and prosecute the appellant for the breach of the provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. It was for that principal reason that Senator Saraki was freed by the apex court.

“In line with the principle of law enunciated by the apex court in Saraki’s case, the SSS lacks the power to investigate and prosecute Mr Emefiele in respect of allegations of money laundering and other economic crimes. Therefore, after investigating the alleged involvement of Mr Emefiele in terrorism financing, the SSS should transfer him to the EFCC for the purpose of investigating the allegations of money laundering and allied offences. Otherwise, the investigation of the case will be bungled by the SSS!” Falana said.

Ahead of next Tuesday’s inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, the Senate Presidency bid of former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, has received a major boost following President Bola Tinubu’s refusal to impose a leadership on the two chambers of the next National Assembly.

Senators-elect including those of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who hitherto were in support of the party’s preferred candidate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, were said to have now gravitated to Senator-elect Yari’s camp after the meeting between President Tinubu and the federal lawmakers-elect on Thursday.

Already, Senators-elect of the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other minor opposition parties, were said to have made up their mind to support Senator-elect Yari, putting the former Zamfara State governor in clear lead having secured the support of a majority number of the Senators-elect ahead of the June 13, 2023 inauguration date.

Further facts emerged at the weekend that President Tinubu did not at the Thursday meeting with Senators-elect and Members-elect of the House of Representatives, endorsed the APC zoning formula but only charged the incoming legislators to vote for candidates of their choice as Senate President and House Speaker in line with provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Rules of the National Assembly.

President Tinubu was said to have expressed serious concerns over undermining the independence of the legislature and charged the lawmakers to agree among themselves as provided by the Rules of the Senate.

An APC Senator-elect, who is close to the ruling party’s leadership said that President Tinubu’s action has further showcased him as a true democrat and believer in the Rule of Law, adding that his position was well-received by lawmakers-elect across party lines.

“President Tinubu has shown that he is a true democrat and firm believer in the Rule of Law. He is a Senator of the Federal Republic and a very experienced politician.

“He understands the workings of democracy in respecting the independence of the legislature and we assured him that no matter who emerged as Senate President and House Speaker, he can always count on our full cooperation.

“The majority of the Senators-elect are supporting Senator Yari. That does not mean that we are in confrontation with President Tinubu or the party. No! Far from that. We are rather deepening our democracy to even help the executive to function well under a stable democratic atmosphere. We are not in confrontation with anybody and I can assure you that we are all on the same page now,” he stated.

The lawmaker-elect, who is from the South-South, however, confirmed that leaders of the APC have started backtracking on Senator Akpabio’s choice in the face of new realities, which have been worsened by Akpabio’s alleged cold relationship with many lawmakers of the 9th Assembly.

According to him, many of the Senators-elect are not at home with Akpabio for accusing National Assembly members of hugely benefiting from large contracts in the NDDC without a proof.

A Senator-elect was recently reported to have queried how an individual, who denigrated the National Assembly can preside over the same institution.

“I have withdrawn support for Senator Akpabio. It’s not only me. Many of us have withdrawn our support and it will show on the floor. I used to have very high regard for Senator Akpabio as a person but I can’t support him to be the Senate President. How can he (Akpabio) come and preside over an institution which he once described as a cesspit of corruption after benefitting from the same institution,” the Senator-elect was reported to have said.

Meanwhile parliamentary watch groups including the Coalition for Parliamentary Democracy (CPD), have asked Senator Akpabio to withdraw from the Senate Presidency race if he has no capacity to show but only rely on zoning and external endorsement, which offer nothing to the demand of the office of the Senate President.

Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly on Tuesday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Saturday, raised the alarm over alleged plots to arrest lawmakers-elect, who are opposed to the preferred candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the race for presiding offices of the Assembly.

The national publicity secretary of PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, who accused some elements within the APC of being behind the plot, said the move was aimed at intimidating and harassing lawmakers-elect to choose the party’s annointed candidates

Recall that President Bola Tinubu and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC had zoned the Senate President position to the South-South and specifically endorsed Senator Godswill Akpabio as its candidate with Senator Barau Jibrin from the North-West as the deputy.

In the House of Representatives, the Speaker position was zoned to the North-West and specifically to Hon. Tajudeen Abbas with Hon Benjamin Kalu from the South-East as the deputy.

But, in the next Senate, Senators-elect Abdulaziz Yari, Orji Uzor Kalu, Osita Izunaso, have opposed the party’s choices, while the G-6 aggrieved aspirants have also disagreed with the party in the House of Representatives.

The inauguration of the 10th National Assembly is slated for June 13, 2023.

However, speaking at a press conference on Saturday in Abuja, the PDP spokesman, who decried attempts to undermine the independence of the legislature, insisted that the members-elect in both Houses must be allowed to elect their leaders.

Ologunagba urged the lawmakers-elect to remain steadfast in asserting their independence in the election of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He said, “Since the PDP made its position known, feelers from public discourse indicated that some elements in the APC have become agitated and resorted to plots to influence the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly outside the floor.

“Information at our disposal reveals attempts by such APC elements to intimidate, harass and threaten lawmakers-elect with the view to influencing the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly.

“Reports in the public space indicate plots to arrest individuals who are considered to be strong proponents of the independence of the legislature and the right of members-elect to elect their leadership.

“The PDP notes that the independence of the legislature is a prerequisite for a virile democracy and therefore insists that the members-elect in both houses must be allowed to elect their leadership.”

He noted the provisions of the subsisting Standing Rules of both chambers of the National Assembly, which emphasise the need for the legislators to elect their leadership among themselves on the floor.

“This is the critical ingredient of constitutional democracy, independence of the legislature and principle of Separation of Powers.

“The national assembly is the symbol of the sovereignty of the people in a participatory Democracy. The people exercise such sovereignty through the choices made by their elected representatives on the floor of the National Assembly.

“Fundamental to this sovereignty is the choice of the presiding officers of the National Assembly which must not be appropriated by any group of individuals. Such will amount to a dethronement of the sovereignty of the people.

“The PDP charges the lawmaker-elect to remain steadfast in their resolve and continue to keep in mind that Nigerians expect them to assert their independence in the election of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives,” he stated.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has asked senators-elect to “vote wisely” when the upper legislative chamber is inaugurated next week.

The senate will elect its presiding officers for the 10th assembly on Tuesday.

Speaking during the ninth senate’s valedictory session on Saturday, Shettima told the lawmakers that the stability of the country is greater than that of their pockets.

There have been allegations that some senate president hopefuls are using money to woo senators-elect to vote for them.

Although the All Progressives Congress (APC) has nominated Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, for the position of senate president, Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara, and Orji Uzor Kalu, chief whip, have insisted on vying for the position.

The vice-president said the country’s interest should inform who they elect as senate president and deputy.

“To my incoming colleagues, I will leave you with a parable, ‘the stability of this nation is superior to the stability of our pockets’. On Tuesday, let us vote wisely, let us vote for the Nigerian nation,” he said.

The number two citizen described his colleagues as “friends who have become an integral part of my history”.

“We have served shoulder to shoulder in the face of adversity and worked relentlessly for the betterment of our nation,” he said.

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, on Saturday, condemned the suspension of the the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, describing the action by President Bola Tinubu as a sign of ethnic cleansing.

The group disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists by Mazi Chima Uzor, Director of National Interest Matters.

The organisation observed that Emefiele’s suspension did not follow due process, adding that the decision was part of the current administration’s deliberate efforts aimed at alienating the Igbos from public offices.

The statement reads, “The Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Worldwide hereby condemns in its entirety the suspension of Dr Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“To say the least, this suspension is without due process and the arrest despite court order against DSS from arresting him is provocative and well-meaning Nigerians must resist it and ensure that it does not stand.

“We view the development as clearly part of the new administration’s scheme of ethnic cleansing of the Igbos from public offices.

“This is nothing but a witch hunting directed at the Igbos for no other reason other than they dared to oppose the new administration in the last general elections.

“We are therefore asking President Bola Tinubu to beware of starting his administration with actions capable of driving an already shaking nation into chaos.

“He should be humble enough to rescind this unpopular decision and allow Dr Emefiele to complete his term as the governor of the apex bank instead of rocking the boat and destroying all the reforms that were carried out by the CBN under Emefiele’s leadership.”

A sergeant in the Nigerian Army, was on Wednesday killed by a passenger train at the railway crossing at the PWD area of Ikeja, Lagos.

The train was said to be on its way to Iddo in Lagos from Ibadan when it eventually rammed into the soldier who had attempted to smartly dash across the rail line on his bike.

Wednesday’s incident is coming barely three months after a passenger train ran into a Lagos State government staff bus conveying workers and their families on the same spot.

Six persons were killed and about 80 passengers injured in the unfortunate incident which occurred in the morning of March 9, 2023.

Eyewitness said the Wednesday’s incident occurred around 6.30pm on Wednesday.

The deceased soldier, identified as Sergeant Jidean Samson, was until his death attached to the 9 Brigade, Ikeja in Lagos.

A military source said the incident occurred at the railway crossing at PDW and that the 9th Brigade of the Nigerian Army had since been informed about the demise of the sergeant.

The source, who did not want his name in print because he was not authorised to speak, said the military authority moved the body to the Military Hospital mortuary in Yaba, Lagos.

Deputy Director, Public Relations of the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army in charge of Lagos and Ogun State, Lt. Col Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, did not respond to his calls.

The Labour Party and its presidential candidate in the February 25 election, Peter Obi, on Thursday evening, sought an order of the Presidential Election Petition Court in Abuja to interrogate the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The LP and Obi, among other things, are seeking details relating to the information and communication technology experts used by INEC in the conduct of the election.

The LP and Obi are challenging the declaration by INEC that Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress won the election.

In two separate motions argued by their lawyer, Patrick Ikweto (SAN), Obi posed 12 questions to be forwarded to INEC as part of efforts to support their petition which questioned the integrity of the election.

The petitioners averred that the interrogatory application if acceded to, would assist them in solidifying their claims that the conduct of the election was flawed.

However, counsel for INEC, Kemi Pinhero (SAN), objected to the move, on the grounds that the application was brought outside the time specified and allowed by law.

He contended that moving the application outside the pre-hearing session had robbed the court of jurisdiction to hear it.

Also, both the counsel for Tinubu, Akin Olujimi (SAN) and counsel for the APC, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), opposed the request.

The presiding Justice, Haruna Tsammani, reserved the ruling on the interrogatory applications by Obi and his party.

He also adjourned further hearing in the petition till Friday (today).

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday, called their first subpoenaed witness at the Presidential Election Petition Court despite vehement objection by the respondents.

The witness, Friday Egwuma, who was an INEC ad hoc staff, told the court that he served as Presiding Officer at Polling Unit 17, Aba North in Abia State.

Egwuma told the court that he experienced technical glitches at the point of uploading the captured presidential results to the INEC Results Viewing Portal.

He alleged that the results could not be electronically transmitted in real-time after capturing it on the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System.

Egwuama gave the testimony during his cross-examination by the counsel for INEC, A.B. Mahmoud (SAN).

He pointed out that the difficulty he encountered was only in relation to the presidential results as other results pertaining to the senatorial and House of Representatives elections were electronically transmitted to the portal seamlessly.

He, however, noted that there was an option to use an offline mode in such a situation.

Earlier on, before the witness testified the respondents had opposed the admissibility of his deposition.

The court reserved ruling on the objection until final judgment.

By Linus Effiong, Umuahia


Lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial district, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has recounted an experience he had when he was sworn in as Deputy Governor of Abia State.

Abaribe and Orji Uzor Kalu, now a Senator, took oath of office as Governor and Deputy Governor on May 29, 1999.

During an interactive session with journalists in Umuahia, Abia capital, he recounted how his convoy was taken away from him on inauguration day.

“I was sitting at the podium in Umuahia stadium, there was a flashback, I remembered exactly what happened to me as a deputy governor.”

“I went to shake the now deputy governor, Emetu, and I looked at him and I just laughed you know why? On the day I was sworn in, I took the oath first, the governor, Kalu, took the oath, after everything was done and we were to go to Okpara auditorium for lunch, I couldn’t find my vehicle.

“The vehicle was given to me by the departing colonel Obi, a convoy, and we stood there, I and my wife, and we were looking, where is the convoy? Eventually, we managed to scramble into a relative’s vehicle to take us to the event centre.

“We found out that from the field there, somebody had given instruction for the convoy to move and that they were no longer my convoy and it was now designated as the convoy of the wife of the governor.

“When I confronted the governor the next Monday, I said what happened? he said “I didn’t know, they just told me it is my wife’s convoy and I said ok, let them move it. This is the kind of things that people see in politics.

“There are two ways to react; you lie back and take it or you strongly protest and then you are tagged a trouble maker.”

Kalu had not responded to Daily Trust inquiries on the development as of the time this report was filed.

The rise in the price of petrol has reduced the level of patronage at filling stations as Nigerians grapple with the ripple effects of the government’s decision on fuel subsidy removal.

Checks by our correspondents on Wednesday revealed that due to the N537 new pump price of fuel introduced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), many filling stations in the territory now record fewer customers.

In most of the stations, the product was available but motorists bought less petrol, describing full tank purchases as avoidable luxury.

It was learnt many others had parked their vehicles at home, while others used theirs when it was absolutely necessary.

Civil servants who could not afford to go out have resorted to staying at home even without permission from their employers.

Those who have personal businesses only go out when there are no options; a development that has rendered highways less busy.

A manager at a filling station in Kano who pleaded anonymity, said they used to sell out their stock within two days before, but “it is now a week and we still have the commodity.

“If you see anyone filling up his tank, look at the type of the car, it will definitely belong to a government official, politician or an influential person.”

Pump attendants at some filling stations described the new development as “scary”, saying patronage had dropped by over 50 per cent.

Adeyemi Joy, an attendant at Shema Filling Station along Kubwa-Zuba Expressway, said “Many of our customers now buy between N5, 000 and N10, 000 fuel and this is below half tank considering the current price.”

Another fuel attendant who did not want his name in print, said, “It is a surprise to us that most of our big customers who used to be regular here have not been regular anymore since the fuel price increase. Even when they come, they no longer pay to fill their tanks.”

In a tweet Wednesday, leading activist and founder of ANAP Foundation, Atedo Peterside said “Let us watch NNPC Limited daily consumption figures collapse as the component parts of the old figures were – real domestic consumption, petrol smuggled across the border and non-existent petrol that only existed because it was assigned to bogus subsidy claims.”


Workers skip duty

Our correspondents gathered that workers in some agencies in Abuja now skip days due to the high transport fares.

Fewer vehicles were seen on the streets as most car owners have parked their vehicles. The situation was the same in Kano, Zamfara, Ekiti and Lagos states.

Our correspondent in Kano reports that many car owners were considering the option of substituting their cars with motorcycles or battery powered bicycles. In a visit to Audu Bako Secretariat, a civil servant told our reporter that most of the vehicles belonging to the junior staff of the ministry have been grounded.

“You know how a junior worker is, especially one under a state government payroll. Normally, they hardly drive their cars for 30 days straight without parking them to wait for their salary.

“Now that we are experiencing this high price of fuel, most of them have grounded their vehicles while some of them are looking at alternative means – to sell them and replace them with motorcycles.”

Faisal Ali, who works with one of the local government areas in Kano, said they have started skipping attendance.

“It has not been institutionalised but our superiors are not complaining. Many of us now go to the office two or three times a week.

“Those whose work is inevitable in the office are being supported by the superiors,” he said.

The level of patronage at filling stations in Ekiti State is very low due to the hike in the price of petrol.

However, the majority of the stations do not sell in the daytime but prefer to sell late in the evening at higher prices between N600 and N650.

Our correspondent reports that the situation is biting harder on workers as they don’t resume at the normal time. Some stay on the road to see who will assist them to get to the nearest point to get to their destination or office.

Many offices were virtually empty as only a few workers were seen around.


Govs back subsidy removal

Despite the hardship residents are facing over the subsidy removal, governors yesterday expressed support for the president’s decision to end the subsidy regime.

The governors under the banner of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) led by their chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, spoke when the president hosted them at the State House, Abuja.

The governors, who took turns to speak, expressed happiness with the president for the decision to remove subsidy, all-inclusive leadership and statesmanship. They congratulated him and promised to work with him to ameliorate the short-term impact of the decision.

AbdulRasaq thanked the president for the invitation to deliberate on the challenges of poverty and security, promising that they would support the federal government in meeting the targets of human development.

“The NGF will follow the tradition of working constitutionally and harmoniously with you,” he assured.


Major oil marketers promise 100 buses, support FG

Meanwhile, the president has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima led National Economic Council (NEC) to begin the process of providing interventions to the people.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State revealed this yesterday while briefing State House reporters after leading some major oil marketers on a courtesy call on the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The governor said the marketers were in the presidential villa to express solidarity with the president for his bold decision to end the fuel subsidy payment.

He said the president’s action showed his determination and courage to remove the haemorrhage that had bedevilled the country for decades.

He said the country was spending about N4 trillion annually on subsidy, which henceforth would be taken to the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) for sharing among three tiers of government.

The governor said while there would be some discomfort on the part of the people, the move would eventually pay off as there could be no gains without pain.

He said with the policy in place, the country would be saving over N6 trillion annually, noting that fuel prices have escalated in some neighbouring countries because of the increase in pump price in Nigeria.

The Chairman of the Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPMAN), Mrs Winifred Akpani, announced the intention of the oil marketers to donate 50 to 100 ‘50-seater’ compressed natural gas buses to support the government’s interventions.

Akpani said the courtesy visit was to express their support for the federal government’s decisions to remove the fuel subsidy and maintain a single exchange rate in the country.

She said that they were aware of the difficulties the subsidy removal had created in the country, expressing optimism that it was going to reposition the country.

The Managing Director of Northwest Petroleum and Gas Company Limited noted that Nigeria in the first three months of 2023 spent over N2 trillion, adding that if it continued with the payment, by the end of the year, it might spend about N7 trillion in subsidy.

Akpani said the association had been consistent in its clamour for a free market with subsidy removal, which successive administrations could not do because of a lack of courage and political will.

She said they made some suggestions to the president, adding that the removal of fuel subsidy and government policy of conversion of vehicles to use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in place of petrol would attract more investments in the gas sector and create more jobs.

She said the president was pleased to hear the association’s resolve to support the government in providing relief for the people, adding that Tinubu demonstrated knowledge of the oil market by asking intelligent questions.

But data released by Pricewaterhousecoopers (PWC) showed that in 2022, the country paid N4.4trn on subsidy; N1.4trn in 2021 and N900bn in 2020.


Reduce workdays to 4, MURIC tells FG

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has urged the federal government to reduce workdays to four throughout Nigeria.

MURIC’s Director, Prof Ishaq Akintola, in a statement yesterday, said the removal of fuel subsidy had started a bandwagon effect on the lives of Nigerians in different ways, particularly transportation.

He said, “Transport fares have skyrocketed to unbearable levels in all parts of the country, leading to a situation where workers and other commuters get stranded midway.

“The MURIC is deeply concerned about the plight of poor Nigerians who are getting stranded on the way due to a rise in transport fares. We are particularly worried about the fate of students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions whose pocket money and allowances are fast drying up and those whose pocket monies cannot take them home.

“As our honest and sincere contribution to the search for interventions and palliatives, MURIC suggests that FG should reduce workdays from five to four. This will make Nigeria’s workdays start from Monday to Thursday if this policy is adopted.

“This template has been tried in Kaduna State and it is still working well. It has brought happiness to both workers and students in the state since it was introduced three years ago,” he said.

“The latest model is that of Kwara State where the state government introduced a three-day work week two days ago. State governments may pick their own preferences,” he added.

A former senator who represented Kaduna Central at the 8th Senate, Shehu Sani, on Wednesday mocked the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai for missing out in the recent appointments made by President Bola Tinubu.

Daily Trust had reported that Tinubu appointed a former Governor of Benue State, George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation while the outgoing Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila was appointed the Chief of Staff.

Akume, who was sworn-in by the President on Wednesday at the Aso Villa, had served during the second tenure of the former President Muhammadu Buhari as Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Before Akume and Gbajabiamila were appointed, insinuations were rife in various quarters that the former Kaduna State governor would get one of the positions considering his closeness to the President during electioneering.

Reacting to the development, Sani, who was apparently referring to comments credited to El-Rufai on Islamisation agenda, said Tinubu had “dodged a poisonous knife” by scheming the former governor out of the two positions he described as “critical”.

“If Tinubu had appointed ‘Mr Over Sabi’ as SGF or Chief of Staff, he would have sown the seed of discord between the President and the Vice President, speak and move around as more important than the two. Tinubu has dodged a poisonous knife,” Sani said in a tweet on Wednesday afternoon.

El-Rufai was alleged in a trending video on social media to have said that the Muslim-Muslim ticket in the Kaduna governorship election would be sustained beyond 20 years in the state.

In the video, the former governor, who spoke in Hausa, also claimed that Muslim domination was being replicated at the national level, and that the victory of President Bola Tinubu had silenced his critics, particularly the Christian Association of Nigeria.

Onwuka Nzeshi


Barely one week to the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, indications have emerged that former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, may have his ambition to lead the Senate cut short due to some misgivings about his past among his colleagues in the Red Chamber.

Akpabio, a vibrant personality and former Leader of the Minority Caucus in the Senate, had been one of the front runners since the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presented him as its anointed candidate.

However, there are strong indications that he may be losing grip of the race as some senators-elect who were hitherto backing him are reportedly withdrawing on account of issues connected to his relationship with the National Assembly when he superintended over the Ministry of Nigeria Delta Affairs.

New Telegraph learnt that some senators-elect were having a rethink on Akpabio’s aspiration following accusations that he was disrespectful to the institution of the legislature when he, as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, openly accused members of the National Assembly of hijacking large contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) without any proof. Akpabio made the said accusation when he appeared before an Adhoc Committee of the House investigating sundry allegations of corruption and poor performance at the NDDC.

A senator-elect who would not want to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue confirmed that the withdrawal of support for Akpabio was real because they saw his accusation as a deliberate attempt to cast aspersions on the National Assembly.

“I have withdrawn support for Senator Akpabio. It’s not only me. Many of us have withdrawn our support and it will show on the floor.

“How can he (Akpabio) come and preside over an institution which he once described as a cesspit of corruption after benefitting from the same institution? I used to have very high regard for Senator Akpabio as a person but I can’t support him to be the Senate President,” he said.

In response to the changing tide, the Deputy Director-General of the Akpabio/ Barau Campaign Organisation, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele( APC/Ekiti Central) was said to have commenced an extensive lobby on Monday to woo back that senators-elect believed to have developed cold feet towards Akpabio’s bid.

Barring any last-minute hiccups, the 10th National Assembly will be inaugurated on June 13, 2023. On that day, senators-elect will file out to elect a new President of the Senate President to pilot the affairs of the Red Chamber for the next four years.

Akpabio is contesting alongside a former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Abdul’ Aziz Yari who is said to enjoy massive support among colleagues across party and regional lines.

By Azuka Onwuka


The continuous implementation of the subsidy on petrol has been the most thoughtless decision of the Nigerian administrations in the past two decades. Therefore, on May 29, 2023 when he was inaugurated, President Bola Tinubu announced that petrol subsidy had been removed. It was the wise thing to do. By announcing it on the day of his inauguration day, Tinubu believed that he was taking a decisive step that former President Muhammadu Buhari could not take throughout the eight years of his presidency.

However, there was a snag in that announcement by Tinubu. Beyond the shock of it on the populace, which made the price of petrol to rise from N189 per litre to over N500 in one day, it was the most hypocritical action Tinubu could have taken.

In January 2012, after months of consultations and discussions with different Nigerian stakeholders and general public, the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan eventually began the implementation of the removal of petrol subsidy. Tinubu, as the national leader of the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, condemned the removal of petrol subsidy. He called it “Jonathan tax” and accused Jonathan of breaching his social contract with the people. He noted that with the subsidy removal, the people would become “enslaved to greater misery.”

Buhari, as the national leader of the opposition Congress for Progressives Change, was also fully against the removal of petrol subsidy. He said that subsidy did not exist but was only a smokescreen for corruption. Buhari said inter alia: “Nigerians are being deceived on the issue of fuel subsidy. The Federal Government takes out fuel for refining, only to come back and talk about removing the subsidy. That is nonsense and an attempt by a clique within the PDP-led Federal Government to siphon the proceeds to be realised from the removal of oil subsidy.”

A protest tagged Occupy Nigeria held in different parts of Nigeria for many days. Especially at the Ojota, Lagos rally, different musicians and celebrities performed. They took their turn to lambast the administration of Jonathan as insensitive and out-of-touch with the masses. Different personalities spoke at the rally, hitting hard on Jonathan.

It is believed that the seed of the merger of Tinubu’s party (the Action Congress of Nigeria), Buhari’s party (Congress for Progressives Change) and the All Nigeria People’s Party was sown during that protest against Jonathan’s removal of the petrol subsidy. About one year later on February 6, 2013, the key opposition parties merged under the umbrella of the All-Progressives Congress. That merger succeeded in ousting the People’s Democratic Party at the next election in 2015.

However, when Buhari assumed office in 2015 as president, to the shock and embarrassment of many Nigerians, he continued with the same subsidy he had claimed did not exist. Not only did he continue its implementation, he even spent much more money on subsidy than his predecessors that he condemned. In addition, Nigerian oil production dropped drastically as a result of oil theft. Even though the Russian invasion of Ukraine created immense wealth for oil-producing countries, Nigeria was getting poorer and running deeper into debt under Buhari. For eight years of his administration, Buhari never apologised for implementing the same petrol subsidy he denied its existence. He never apologised for being in charge at a time corruption was worsening in the oil sector, even though he was also the minister of petroleum all through the eight years of his presidency.

Nigeria is reported to have spent a whopping N21.7tn in the last 18 and a half years, according to a recent computation by Thisday using data from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and an independent review of figures from 2005 and the first half of 2023. The report shows that in 2005 when the computation started, Nigeria spent N351bn on petrol subsidy. By 2012 when the subsidy protest held against the Jonathan administration, the subsidy payout had risen to N1.36tn. Ironically, by the end of 2016, the first full year of Buhari as president, Nigeria paid N240bn on petrol subsidy. That was almost twice the amount paid in 2012 when the petrol subsidy protest took place. And by 2022, the last full year Buhari spent in office, the subsidy payment had ballooned to N4.4tn.

What compounded the woes of the Buhari administration was that he did not have the spine to remove the subsidy despite its terrible effect on the country. The irony is that one of the unique selling propositions that made many people vote in Buhari was that he was a retired military major general who was projected to have the courage to take decisive actions in the interest of the country. But even after his re-election in 2019, he went back and forth on the petrol subsidy removal, and eventually postponed its removal until after his exit, thereby setting up his successor for a face-off with the masses from inception.

With Tinubu taking over from Buhari and announcing the removal of petrol subsidy, it is surprising that Tinubu is taking such an action that he condemned vociferously as a member of the opposition without offering any apology to the public. During that 2012 protest, some Nigerians died; some property was destroyed; many companies lost money. During the succeeding 13 years of petrol subsidy, Nigeria lost a lot of money that could have been put to good use. The continuation of petrol subsidy also helped to impoverish many Nigerians and create more crime and instability in Nigeria.

However, Tinubu did not explain to Nigerians if he was wrong in 2012 for opposing subsidy removal. He did not explain to Nigerians what has changed between 2012 when he opposed subsidy removal and 2023 when he became the president and chose to remove it. That Tinubu could do a volte-face on petrol subsidy without any explanation or apology is not surprising about a Nigerian politician. To expect an apology from Tinubu, Buhari or most Nigerian politicians is like expecting a ewe to grow horns.

The brand of politics practised in Nigeria is negative and retrogressive. It is politics of arrogance, kingship, subterfuge, and non-accountability. Politicians say and do whatever they believe will earn them votes, not concerned about the practicability, truthfulness, or common good in such. Once power is acquired, such politicians can deny making the promise, even if they were recorded in video. They can also claim that it was their aides or party that made such a promise and not them. They can also simply decide not to even bother to respond to such an allegation with the belief that it will not cost them anything. But one thing that is rare to see a Nigerian politician do is apologise for any action or speech in the past or for going against any opinion held in the past.

It is part of the reasons Nigeria is under-performing and retrogressing. The leaders of Nigeria are rulers who have no respect for Nigerians. They don’t take Nigerians seriously. They don’t see themselves accountable to the people. And if leaders are not accountable to the people, the chances that they will be committed to the welfare of the people will be low.

Although it sounds like wishful thinking, one can only hope and pray that Nigerian leadership pattern can change and be like that of countries that are showing clear progress. The fastest way for a country to make progress is to copy the examples from countries which are making progress.

Ademola Omolade, a 22-year-old truck driver from Ogbomosho, Oyo State, born in Osun State, has said that she cannot drive a car despite driving trucks.

Stating how she began to drive trucks, the young lady noted that her parents started pestering her to learn a trade after her secondary school education.

According to her, they wanted her to learn tailoring or hairdressing, but she had no interest in any of those.

At the time, she was living with her aunt in Lagos State, whose husband was a truck driver.

So when her uncle was given two trucks to manage, he asked her if she could be managing the trucks for him and she agreed.

During her course of managing the trucks for her uncle, she developed an interest in driving trucks and that was how she started her journey to becoming a truck driver.

Thousands of constables who were recently recruited into the Nigeria Police Force are grumbling over the non-payment of their salaries for the past seven months.

In May, SaharaReporters reported how the recruits who passed out of the police training institutions on December 29, 2022, had not been paid for months despite resuming at their duty posts across the country.

Two days after the report, the Police Service Commission (PSC) through its spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani said the salary payment for the constables had been approved.

Ani said the approval was in the interest of national security, anchored on the need to amicably resolve the lingering recruitment issues between PSC and the Nigeria Police Force.

The statement had read, “The Police Service Commission has approved salary payments for the 2021/2022 Police recruits who passed out of the Police Colleges and have been in formal Police work in different Police Commands and formations since the past six months without salary.

“The Commission's decision was reached in the interest of national security anchored on the need to amicably resolve the lingering issues of recruitment between the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force which have occasioned untold hardship on the Police Constables.

“The Commission's prompt response also followed outcry and appeals from Nigerians that the 2021/2022 Police recruits who are yet to be enrolled into the Federal Government's Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, and who had not received salaries, six months after they passed out from the Police Colleges and duly posted to Police Commands and formations for active Police work, are not made victims of the face-off between the Commission and the Nigeria Police Force.”

However, a month after the alleged approval, SaharaReporters gathered that the new police recruits were yet to be paid.

Speaking to the newspaper on Sunday night, a female constable serving in Akwa Ibom State said she now relies on sex work to survive.

“2021 constables have not been paid; we are not yet paid at all. Others have gotten their salaries. Na ashawo I dey take chop now ooo (Now I rely on prostitution to feed),” she said.

Another affected officer said, “These people have refused to pay the salaries up till now. After making a public announcement that it had been approved since May 5, that’s last month.”

Also speaking to SaharaReporters, a new recruit serving in Borno said the situation had demoralised many of them.

“It's over a month now and these people haven't paid us yet. People are outside there risking their lives and dying of starvation. We haven't received anything yet from the federal government. President Bola Tinubu should help us and find something to do.

“They have paid salaries to other personnel of the force but it only remains 2021 intakes that are yet to be paid. We are dying of hunger.”

In January, the Police Service Commission asked the Accountant-General of the Federation to halt the capture of the 10,000 constables on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel System.

According to the commission, the police officers had not been issued their letters of appointment and should not be enrolled on the payment portal.

According to the Public Service Rules, public officers not captured on the IPPIS cannot be paid salaries and other emoluments.

The development followed the alleged refusal of the Inspector-General of Police to submit their names to the PSC for vetting on the grounds that he was empowered by the Police Act, 2020 to recruit constables into the force.

The commission had also written to the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari and the Head of Service, Folasade Yemi-Esan about the enrolment of police officers on the salary portal without letters of appointment.

The personnel were recruited in 2020 and 2021.

The face-off between the police authorities and the commission is a spill-over of their supremacy fight over the right to recruit constables.

Though the Court of Appeal on September 30, 2020, ruled that the commission had the constitutional mandate to recruit constables, the NPF had gone ahead with the recruitment process in defiance of the court order.

In 2022, the police appealed against the judgment to the Supreme Court, two years after the order was handed down.

Before its appeal and in spite of the court order restraining the police from conducting constables’ recruitment, the authorities had recruited a total of 10,000 constables in the 2020 recruitment exercise.

In 2020 and 2021, two batches of 20,000 cops were recruited without the active involvement of the PSC under a former IG, Musiliu Smith, who resigned in September 2022, on the grounds of ill health.

Over the past years, there have been issues involving the PSC and NPF over the provisions of part one of the third schedule to the 1999 constitution (as amended) and section 18(1) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.

In 2019, Mohammed Adamu, former IGP, recruited 10,000 constables into the Force.

Displeased by the decision of Adamu, the Police Service Commission filed a suit against the action of the IGP, saying it is the commission that is constitutionally empowered to carry out such recruitment.

At the Federal High Court, the powers of the IGP to carry out the said recruitment were upheld but the Appeal Court later ruled that the PSC has the constitutional responsibility of recruiting police constables.

The Court of Appeal also declared the Police Act 2020, as it affects the constitutional mandate of PSC in terms of recruitment, as illegal.

Highlighting the powers of PSC, Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 constitution (as amended) states that: “The Commission shall have power to — a. appoint persons to offices (other than office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the Nigeria Police Force.”

On the other hand, section 18(1) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 states: “The responsibility for the recruitment of recruit constables into the Nigeria Police Force and recruit cadets into the Nigeria Police Academy shall be the duty of the Inspector-General of Police.”

With the removal of subsidy on petrol in the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) is set to discontinue crude oil swap in favour of cash payments for petrol imports.

To this effect, the company is is winding down crude oil swap contracts with traders and will pay cash for petrol imports as private companies could begin importing petrol as soon as this month, Reuters reports.

This means that NNPC is in the process of ending crude swap contracts with traders. Instead of exchanging crude oil for refined petroleum products, the state-oil company will now make cash payments for petrol imports.

The move is part of President Bola Tinubu’s plans to deregulate the petrol market and reduce the burden on government finances, the statement said.

President Bola Tinubu on Monday during his inauguration announced that “subsidy is gone” sending the market into a tailspin as those who had the products quickly shut their pumps and long queues emerged across the nation.

NNPC has been importing petrol from consortiums of foreign and local trading firms and repaying them with crude oil via what is known as Direct Sale Direct Purchase (DSDP) contracts since 2016 because it does not have enough cash to pay for the purchases, the statement said.

“In the last four months, we practically terminated all DSDP contracts. And we now have an arm’s-length process where we can pay cash for the imports,” Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer, NNPC told Reuters in an interview late on Saturday.

“This is the first time NNPC has said it is terminating crude swap contracts. By importing less gasoline as private companies import the bulk, NNPC will be able to pay for its purchases in cash.”

Nigeria is Africa’s biggest crude producer but imports most of its refined products after running down its refineries. Nigeria’s petrol import bill hit N5.2 trillion in 2022, the highest in six years, as the quest by the country to wean itself off imported fuel drags.

A significant drop in oil production last year coupled with high global fuel prices due to the war in Ukraine pushed NNPC’s debt to traders higher. It owed the consortiums about $2 billion, a September 2022 NNPC report to the Federation Account Allocation Committee shows, the statement said.

“An industry source with direct knowledge of the matter said NNPC was still allocating crude for fuel swaps for July loading, though less than in previous months. In its report detailing March crude oil loadings, NNPC also allocated crude to the swap contracts held by the consortiums,” Reuters said.

Kyari told Reuters that NNPC’s monopoly on petrol supplies was ending and private firms could start importing as early as this month.

“Nigeria’s total crude and condensate output was at 1.56 million barrels a day (bpd) as of Friday. Nigeria has struggled to meet its Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil quota of 1.742 million bpd due to grand oil theft and illegal refining,” Kyari said.

That has raised doubts on whether Nigeria can meet supplies for the 650,000-bpd newly commissioned Dangote Refinery. NNPC has a contract to supply 300,000 bpd to the refinery.

The federal government is currently meeting with representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja but the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, is absent.

The meeting, which kicked off at about 5 pm, is said to have been at the instance of the federal government and is expected to be discussing fallouts from the removal of fuel subsidy.

Recall that the Organised Labour, held a meeting with the government last Wednesday, but it ended in a deadlock.

It was reliably gathered that the NLC had insisted that government should revert to the old price of N195 for the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, otherwise known as petrol before any meaningful negotiation can take place.

The NLC also claimed that there are no concrete measures in place to cushion the effect of the high price of petrol which is having an adverse affect on goods and services.

The federal government’s team is led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume. Others are the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefie; former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.

Also in the meeting are the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Zacch Adedeji; Executive Vice President, Downstream, of the NNPCL, Yemi Adetunji; former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Dele Alake; Hon James Faleke, among others.

On the TUC side are seven members, led by their President, Mr Festus Osifo.

Deji Elumoye and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja


As part of the last-minute efforts to resolve the controversy arising from the zoning of the National Assembly leadership positions by the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Bola Tinubu will today meet with the incoming senators and House of Representatives members elected on the platform of the ruling party.

Tinubu will also hold meetings with Senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect from the opposition parties on Monday, in a move to secure their support for the candidates anointed by the APC.

This is as the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Damagum, has called on the members of the party in the National Assembly to work as a family on the issue of the leadership controversy.

The ruling party had in consultation with President Tinubu, anointed Senators Godswill Akpabio (South-South) and Barau Jibrin (North-west) as its preferred candidates for the positions of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, respectively.

In the same vein, the party had also endorsed Tajudeen Abbas (North-west) and Benjamin Kalu (South-east) for the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.

But some lawmakers of the ruling party, including former governors Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State, and Senator Osita Izunaso, among others, had expressed their opposition to the zoning arrangement and vowed to pursue their ambitions to contest the various positions.

Yari, in particular, has argued that the zoning arrangement is unfair to the North, insisting that it will deny the region the headship of any of the three arms of government.

On their part, lawmakers from the North-central had also rejected the zoning formula because no position was zoned to the area while the party zoned two positions to the North-west.

To ensure that the preferred candidates of the APC do not lose the elections, Tinubu has scheduled to parley the National Assembly members-elect from the ruling party and the opposition parties.

THISDAY gathered that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC led by the National Chairman, Senator Adamu Abdullahi, and other critical stakeholders of the party are also expected to attend today’s meeting, which will be held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Izunaso, who is a strong contender for the position of the Senate President, confirmed today’s proposed meeting in an interview with journalists in Abuja yesterday after a courtesy call on the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Izunaso said the meeting with Tinubu would discuss the issue of the presiding officers’ positions in the 10th National Assembly even as he dismissed the zoning arrangement announced by the APC as mere advisory.

He also confirmed the alliance talks between aspirants who were not favoured by the zoning template released by the party.
He said, “I am the next Senate president.
That does not mean we are not talking to Senator-elect, Abdulaziz Yari.

“We are consulting as much as he is also doing. We are also talking to other people who are contesting for the Senate Presidency.
“I can assure you that at the end of the day, Osita Izunaso will be the next Senate President.

“Nobody has been chosen yet. Don’t make that mistake. When the party chooses someone, we would know. The party is just calling for a better and wider consultation.

“We are just getting an invitation to meet the party tomorrow (today). There is no zoning template, the party merely advised.

“Aspirants have been visiting the National Chairman of the APC and what has been his disposition to it? In fact, someone was addressed as a speaker and he told them nobody has been made speaker yet. There is no zoning yet.”

Speaking earlier during the courtesy visit, Izunaso pledged that the 10th National Assembly under his leadership, would not antagonise the executive arm of government.

He said, “We are going to put the record straight and educate Nigerians on what constitutes constituency projects and the constituency allowance. All the negative notions about jumbo pay are also not correct.”

The National President of the NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo described Izunaso as the best among all the senators vying for the position in terms of competency, experience, capacity, and integrity.

“Izunaso is an outstanding journalist, brilliant lawyer, and a man of integrity and high capacity who would rebrand the National Assembly and give the Legislature and the country a better image,” he added.


Tinubu to Parley Opposition Lawmakers Monday

Meanwhile, today’s meeting between Tinubu and the opposition lawmakers is scheduled to be held at the State House, Abuja.

THISDAY gathered that part of the agenda is the need to firm up a harmonious relationship between the Executive and Legislature arms of government as well as fine-tune the process for electing the leadership of both Chambers of the National Assembly.

An invitation to the opposition Senators-elect and members-elect indicated that President Tinubu would be meeting with Senators by 3 pm and the members of the House of Representatives by 5 pm.

The invitation, which was sighted by THISDAY, was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Tijanni Umar, on behalf of the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The invitation urged the lawmakers to attend and submit their list for security clearance.


Work Together as a Family, PDP Tells Members

In a related development, the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagum, has called on the members of the party in the National Assembly to work as a family on the issue of the leadership controversy.

Addressing the party’s elected officials in a retreat organised in Bauchi yesterday, Damagum said: “I want to reiterate, on the issue of the National Assembly; we have to know we are an opposition.

“In order to remain relevant, we must work together as one family. That’s the only way you’ll be able to ensure that your relevance is being determined.”

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says it will no longer fix prices or release templates for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol.

The agency’s Authority Chief Executive (ACE), Farouk Ahmed, who said this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday, said that market forces would henceforth dictate prices under the liberalised market.

“As far as we are concerned in the NMDPRA, this is not like before when the PPPRA fixes the price; in a deregulated market, it is the market force that dictates the price,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the development was a sequel to the removal of subsidy on petrol.

President Bola Tinubu had in his inaugural speech on Monday said the fuel subsidy regime had ended with the commencement of his administration.

Mr Ahmed, however, said the market was now open for everybody that would import as far as they met all the requirements.

“So, it is not about the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) alone.

“We put the regulation in place, we make sure quality control is complied with, we make sure the product is there and we give licence to prospective importer.

“We make sure we guide the operations of everyone in the sector whether at the depot or wherever the product is but we will not put a cap to say this is what the price must be,” he said.

According to Mr Ahmed, the role of the NNPC is to fix the prices of the petrol it imported and not take over the responsibilities of the Authority.

“In the case of the NNPC, the organisation is the sole importer at this point. We told the NNPC to recover its costs because they know how much it cost them to import the product and sell it.

“Of course, we also know how much shipping, offshore, ex-depot and ex-pump are. But we cannot tell them to sell at a price because the market is deregulated,” he added.

The NMDPRA boss also disclosed that the federal government has officially scrapped petroleum equalisation as well as the national transport allowance.


He said the NMDPRA, the federal government and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) would mount aggressive monitoring of activities in the downstream sector to prevent profiteering by petroleum marketers.

Mr Ahmed further disclosed that marketers are now free to source their foreign exchange anywhere around the world to import petroleum products and recover their costs without impediments.

On where the importers will source their forex from, Mr Ahmed said the CBN would not give dollars to anyone because of the open market, adding that anyone willing to import should get the dollars from anywhere to import.

According to him, anyone willing to open a letter of credit from any part of the world can do that to import.

“That marketers can source their forex from anywhere is the beauty of the liberalised market that the NMDPRA has introduced based on the provision of the law,” he said.\

Mr Ahmed said that the market would henceforth be modulated to allow the fluidity of prices, adding that no template spelt out the pricing components of petrol price.

He said that “based on this, the price would no longer be static but rather depend on the international price of the gasoline market.

“This did not imply that marketers could sell at any price”.

According to him, the NMDPRA and FCCPC will collaborate to curb excesses if certain prices were way above the expected profit margin.

“The market structure will dictate the price swings at every point in time,” he said.

Mr Ahmed cautioned against optimism for cheap petroleum products, saying products may not be cheaper because the company would be buying crude oil at the international price.

“Dangote Refinery is a game changer in terms of accessibility. By the time the NNPC refineries and other modular refineries across the country come on stream, Nigeria will be a net exporter of petroleum products,” he said.

(NAN)

President Bola Tinubu has expressed his administration’s readiness to review the present N30,000 National Minimum Wage, so that it would be in tandem with current global realities.

According to him, security and improved livelihood for Nigerians remain priorities of his government, with more people-focused economic policies.

The President, who spoke yesterday while receiving members of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), led by their Chairman, Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, at the State House, Abuja yesterday, said the national and sub-national governments would work together on the minimum wage, which already requires “soul searching.”

He said: “We need to do some arithmetic and soul searching on the minimum wage. We will have to take a look at that together, and the revenue. We must strengthen the source and application of our revenue.”

President Tinubu urged the governors to seize the opportunity of being chosen among millions of citizens in their states to make a difference in the lives of people, adding that he would work for the benefit of Nigerians.

According to him: “This meeting is not strange to me, and the content of the meeting is so valuable. The camaraderie is very stimulating. This is about the Nigerian project, not Bola Tinubu.”

The President also said the multiple exchange rates would be streamlined, noting that governance was a continuum.

“I have inherited the assets and liabilities of my predecessor. This is the first time you entered the Council Chambers, and it is my first time too for a meeting.

“As progressives and thinkers under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress (APC), you have a role to play in educating our people and making sure we manage ourselves,” the President told the governors.

President Tinubu said it was a good and encouraging sign that the APC has a majority in the National Assembly and some Houses of Assembly, which would make it easier to develop policies that would directly impact the economy and the people.

“If we work together, the Nigeria of our dreams is not far away. Be assured that we will not have multiple exchange rates anymore. You asked for this meeting, and I had to set aside time to be here.

“We have a political party that we will need to manage, whichever way, we have inherited assets and liabilities, and we cannot complain,” he stated.

The President said he would maintain an open-door policy, willing to entertain issues, deliberate, and collectively find solutions to the challenges facing the country, including security.

“It is in our hands, and I am ready to work and listen at any time,” he added.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, in his remarks, called on the governors to rally around the President as he tackles the challenges that stagnate the economy, like the oil subsidy and multiple exchange rates.
Earlier, Uzodinma, pledged the support of the Progressive Governors to the President, noting that his initial decisions already foretell good intentions for the economy.

The PGF also threw its weight behind the federal government’s decision to remove petrol subsidy but expressed concern over the sudden hike in petrol prices following Tinubu’s inaugural speech.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting with the President, Uzodinma, condemned the price increase on what he describes as “old stock” and called on Nigerians to rally behind the government’s decision to remove the subsidy.

According to him, the subsidy was no longer sustainable as the country had been having to borrow money to pay for it, and that the National Economic Council (NEC) had already voted against it.

Uzodinma said: “It has gotten to a point that it is either that, which is no longer sustainable, is managed or there will be no Nigeria and all of us are committed to the success and unity of the country and the last appropriation, which is law, made provision for subsidy up till June. The President, who has just been sworn-in a few days ago, has not prepared any budget, and he’s under oath to respect the laws of the land and one of these laws is 2023 Appropriations Acts.

“So, it is not new and I want you people to help this situation because collectively, only by working together, we can save the country. I thought that what we should be saying now is, in the absence of subsidising petroleum products, how are we going to make this product available to Nigerians.”

Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have expressed concerns over the removal of fuel subsidy, pointing to its potential impact on Nigerians and workers. Both unions said Nigerian workers may not survive the effect amid receiving N30,000 minimum wage.

President-general of SSASCGOC, Surajudeen Alakija who is also the deputy president of Trade Union Congress (TUC) emphasised the importance of stakeholder engagement before implementing such a decision.

He said the president’s inauguration day pronouncement had already resulted in a series of events, including the introduction of new pump prices by the NNPC.

Alakija who stated this at the Quadrennial Delegates Conference of Maritime Branch questioned the fate of subsidies already paid between now and June 30th and called for the government to engage workers to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.

Alakija criticised the lack of transparency surrounding subsidies, referring to them as a scam.

He highlighted the absence of information on who receives these subsidies and the substantial annual amounts involved.

While acknowledging the need for subsidy removal, Alakija shared a personal experience of purchasing fuel at an exorbitant price of N540 per liter, amounting to N10,800 for 20 litres. He contrasted this with the minimum wage in Nigeria, which stands at N30,000, equating to less than $50 at the current exchange rate.

Alakija questioned how an average Nigerian could survive under such circumstances and called for a roundtable discussion with stakeholders and the government to address the impact of subsidy removal.

Alakija mentioned the recent deadlock in the meeting between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the government, expressing discomfort with the approach taken in the negotiations.

He emphasised the importance of a roundtable discussion to find a viable solution, incorporating statistical data, facts, and figures to determine what is achievable.

While acknowledging the significance of the Nigeria project, Alakija urged that no workers should be sacrificed in the process, highlighting the need to strike a balance between national development and worker welfare.

Joining the chorus, the outgoing president, SSASCGOC, Abdullahi Abubakar said the removal will have an effect on Nigerians as it affects all homes.

Abubakar also appealed to the federal government, through the minister of Transport and Works to expedite action on the dilapidated Quay Apron at Tin Can Island Port and that of Onne Port Access Road which is continuously (constant) resulting in litigation and loss of revenue.

He said amid the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic, the Union with her scarce check-off dues swung into action and procured protective materials alongside some immune boosting medicine (drugs) and reach-out to all staff that were reporting to the office.

The group chief executive officer (GCEO) of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has ordered the putting in place of palliatives to cushion the effect of removal of fuel subsidy on Nigerians.

He also insisted that there was no going back on subsidy removal, as it was quite apparent that Nigeria can no longer afford the subsidy payment.

The NNPCL boss, who disclosed these after meeting behind-closed doors with members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday, said the NNPCL won’t continue to be sole importer of oil in the country.

Kyari stated: “There is a gradual process now of making a flexible and single effect regime. Everyone will be able to have access to foreign exchange and there is a transition going on now.

“And NNPC cannot continue to be sole importer. We know that this is going to vanish and the market will stabilise this.”

Kyari also confirmed ongoing rehabilitation of the nation’s four refineries, saying one of them will start operations this year.

“There is an ongoing process of rehabilitation and one of the refineries will come on stream this year. The second will come on stream next year and the third will come in 2025,” he stated.

Noting that the country can no longer sustain the subsidy regime, the GCEO said subsidy bills have piled up.

He stated: “The country is not able to settle NNPC for the money we are spending on the subsidy. Therefore, pricing this petroleum at the market is the right thing to do at this time. We believe that this will benefit the overall country in the long run and in a long term.

“I am aware that Mr President has directed some engagement and some palliatives will be put in place, and I am very sure this will happen.”

Kyari further said while there was provision for subsidy in 2022, not a single Naira was provided to finance the subsidy in 2023.

He continued: “And ultimately, while we held back our fiscal obligations, we still have a net balance of over N2.8 trillion that the federation should have given back to the NNPC.

“For any company, when you have negative N2.8 trillion, there is no company in the whole of Africa that will lend to you. You cannot have receivables. The provision of subsidy is there but absolutely there is no funding for it. It means it is only on paper. So, it doesn’t exist.

“So we no longer can bear it because of liquidity. If we continue we will run into defaults and the defaults of NNPC is the default of Nigeria. Once NNPC goes into defaults and liquidity, it affects every borrowing done by the country. Even the sub-nationals. Your lenders will come back to you and say your country can no longer pay.”[/b]

On the benefits of subsidy removal, Kyari said when President Tinubu declared in his inaugural speech that subsidy was gone, the bond market appreciated within 24 hours.

Tinubu’s target, he pointed out, was to have 7 per cent growth of GDP, which he said cannot be achieved if there is distortion in demands and consumption patterns.
He added: “It is nothing else other than the statement around subsidy and balancing of the apex market. These two elements are major concern that every investor all over the world, every partner that we have is worried about. What is your apex regime and how do you deal with your subsidy?

“They know that this subsidy constitutes a huge amount of money and this country may not be able to survive and pay its debts. It is very clear that everybody understands this.

“Before today, the average subsidy level was N400 billion every month. That means every month you can do one major capital project from money that you do not have. This is really what it means. There is nothing anybody can do about it. There is this common argument that the masses will suffer.

“That we are going to have problems with them. I agree. That once you increase prices of this proportion, as it has happened, it will have impact on inflation. There is no doubt about it. It is very typical also, It goes up and down. The market determines what happens next.”

A member of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Haruna Jilantikiri, has opted for an electric bicycle, instead of a car due to the high cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, SaharaReporters has learnt.


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The lawmaker, who is also the Chief Whip of the state House of Assembly was on Thursday sighted on his electric bicycle while on his way to work.

In Adamawa State, northeast Nigeria, petrol now sells for between N550 and N700 per litre following the removal of subsidy.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited on Wednesday announced that it had adjusted its pump prices of petrol at its retail outlets across the country to reflect the fuel subsidy removal.

According to the NNPCL list, fuel should go for N550 per litre in the state. Meanwhile, before the latest increment, the highest price for petrol in the state was N245 per litre.

However, the lawmaker who represents Madagali State Constituency, told SaharaReporters that he opted for an electric bicycle instead of his personal car to run his daily activities due to the hike in the price of petrol.

Speaking to SaharaReporters in an emotion laden voice, the legislator lamented that "the product is currently being sold at the sum of N550 to N700 per litre at filling stations including that of the government, I do not think that Nigerians can afford it”.

"We are supposed to pack our cars and use bicycles to identify with the electorate because I don't think they can afford to drive cars or ride motorcycles any longer," Jilantikiri added.

He, therefore, appealed to the Nigerian Government to urgently address the issue and ameliorate the hardship being faced by the public due to the increment.

Meanwhile, vehicular traffic has drastically reduced on virtually all roads within Yola, the state capital.

There are also geometric hikes in the cost of transportation, foodstuffs, other commodities, as well as services.

For instance, a ride in a commercial tricycle which previously cost N100 within Yola now costs N300.

Also, a bag of maize which used to cost N25,000 now goes for N37,000.

Aminu Usman, a civil servant, described the issue as catastrophic.

He said, "I'm a daily rated staff member of the state government, on little above N15,000 take-home pay. And with the current reality, I require N8,000 to go to work for 20 days, every month; this certainly is unsustainable."

The Federal Government is expected to meet with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at 2pm, on Wednesday over fuel subsidy.

Joe Ajaero, NLC National President, disclosed this during an interview Wednesday morning on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily programme.

In his inaugural speech on Monday, Tinubu had said “petrol subsidy is gone.” The statement immediately sparked panic buying and fuel queues across the nation.

Weighing in, Ajaero said the President should have asked questions and found out the implications of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians on the streets.

He listed the alternatives to include the repair of the nation’s four refineries, provision of transportation of alternatives for the Nigerian workers, amongst others.

The NLC boss said: “Government seems to have shown interest in discussion. As at last night, they reached out and we have fixed 2pm today (Wednesday) to commence discussion.

“There, all other issues will be discussed because you can’t just say there is no subsidy and then you are not producing and leave us to the vagaries of the market, to people who want to sell the product they bought for N10 for N100 to maximize profit. If there is no more garri, we must find out what to eat.

“The pronouncement by Mr President is as good as law and if in the process we make a law that is not practicable, the same people that made the law can look at it,” Ajaero said while calling for a review of the President’s pronouncement.

“Does it bring pleasure to us to say subsidy is gone and people start suffering? Is it not part of leadership for us to look at how the suffering of the people can be reduced?”

The pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol, on Tuesday, increased to N1,200 per litre in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, following the declaration of the removal of subsidy on the product by President Bola Tinubu.

Scores of residents, who decried the high cost of petrol in the country, said they have since been engaged in panic buying.

Some residents were also seen with their cans as many filling stations were under lock.

A resident, Darlington Okeke, said panic buying was occasioned by Tinubu’s statement during his inauguration on Monday.

Okeke stated that petrol in filling stations was sold between N800 and N1,200, against N230 per litre.

Another resident, Ibrahim Ali, said black marketers sold a litre of fuel for N1,500, adding that the development was causing panic buying and frustration among residents.

He, however, appealed to Tinubu to address the situation to mitigate panic buying and arbitrary hoarding of the products, which marketers introduced after the announcement by the president.

Meanwhile, staff of some filling stations, who spoke under condition of anonymity, disclosed that the management of the Petroleum Dealers Association, Ebonyi State chapter, ordered the closure of fuel stations.

“We are waiting for further directives,” they told NAN.

Efforts to speak with the state chairman of the association, Sailas Njaka, on the development were not successful.

The Oyo State Police Command has raided the apartment of the sacked chairman of Park Management System, Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary.

An online news platform, The Street Journal reported Tuesday morning that the police stormed his Ibadan residence recovering weapons and ammunition.

It was reported that though Auxiliary escaped, some of his loyalists were however arrested by the police.

The federal government through the Civil Defense, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has appointed Deputy Comptroller General of Immigration, Adepoju Carol Wura-Ola as the acting Comptroller General of Immigration.

A letter dated May 26, 2023, signed by the Secretary of the board, Ja’afaru Ahmed, a copy obtained by Daily Trust on Monday in Abuja, said the appointment takes effect from Tuesday 30th May 2023.

The statement reads: “I write to convey the approval of the Chairman of the Board for you to cover duties of the Office of the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) as the most senior Deputy Comptroller General (DCG).

“You are enjoined to bring to bear your wealth of experience on the job as well as Consolidate on the ongoing transformation of the Service.”

The former Comptroller-General Isah Jere’s extended tenure expired on the 29th of May, 2023.