₦airaland Forum

By Abubakar Ahmadu Maishanu


The convoy of a member of the House of Representatives, Magaji Da’u, was on Thursday attacked by his constutuents in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa State for alleged poor representation.

The police said Mr Da’u, who represents Birnin Kudu/Buji federal constituency, was on his way to a political event in the area when his convoy came under attack.

The police spokesperson in Jigawa, Lawan Adam, told PREMIUM TIMES that contrary to reports that the convoy was attacked by gunmen, “the incidents was caused by mere political disagreement between warring political groups”

“The situation is under control and the police have arrested some suspects with regard to the chaos, the police spokesperson said.

The attackers reportedly blocked the road on which the lawmaker was travelling to Kukuma community for the political event.

The residents hauled derogatory remarks, accusing the lawamaker of poor representation and abandoning his constituents until now that he started showing up because of the 2023 election.

The situation led to a confrontation between the assailants and the supporters of the lawmaker in his entourage.

The known phone contact of the lawamaker did not connect Thursday evening to obtain his comment on the incident.

A 69-year old man, Ogunleye Emmanuel, has lost his life after he reportedly slumped and died during a sex romp with a lady in a popular hotel in the Federal Capital territory, Abuja.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on Monday at a hotel in the Pipeline area of Kubwa, a satellite town in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to Police sources, the deceased went to the hotel with a lady for sex romp and while in the act, he became unconscious, slumped and eventually died.

The lady, who was with him, raised an alarm which attracted the attention of the hotel management, who held the lady and contacted Police at Kubwa Division. The Police operatives visited the scene to evacuate the lifeless body of Emmanuel and deposited it at the mortuary for autopsy report.

The Police also recovered his driver’s license, which bore his identity, age and address, which the Police is trying to use to locate the family as the corpse was deposited at the morgue of the Kubwa General Hospital, Abuja.

Meanwhile, the Police have arrested the lady over suspicion that she may have killed the deceased through induced sex or other means and she is undergoing interrogation under the Police custody.

At the Kubwa Police Division, the Divisional Police Officer, Abdullahi Bello, declined to speak and directed journalists, who went to get official response over the death, to the PPRO for response.

However, Police sources confirmed the incident and further stated the lady, who the Police declined to disclose her name, will be charged for murder if she is found culpable for the death of the man, Emmanuel.

ames Emejo and Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja


The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva, yesterday expressed doubts over Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption figures, describing them as crazy and opaque.

The minister who appeared on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), a government-owned broadcast station, in apparent frustration, noted that there’s nothing that needed to be interrogated that had not been questioned on the subsidy matter.

Also, the Founder/Chairman of Heirs Holdings Limited, Mr. Tony Elumelu, yesterday said incessant oil theft in the Niger Delta region remained a major national challenge requiring urgent attention by the country’s leadership. Elumelu, while delivering the National Defence College, Course 30 Lecture titled: “Strategic Leadership: My Business Experience,” further described the activities of oil thieves as a national disgrace which requires national seminar and dialogue to address.

Sylva agreed that figures released by concerned authorities were questionable, stressing that the best solution to the issue would have been to completely remove the subsidy.

Nigeria’s subsidy regime has for decades remained a subject of controversy, with the figures from the authorities ranging from between 50 million litres per day to around 103 million litres.

As at today, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) is the sole importer of the product, since private businessmen exited the scene due to non-availability of foreign exchange years ago.


Having backtracked on its plan to remove fuel subsidy as dictated by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the executive arm of government is set to approach the National Assembly to approve the N3 trillion for the payment of subsidies in 2022. The government last week extended the implementation by 18 months.

The minister alleged that a few persons were holding the rest of the country to ransom, explaining that the rich rather than the most vulnerable in the country gain more from the payment of subsidies than the poor.

Speaking on the dynamics of rising consumption figures and increasing subsidy payment, Sylva explained that although there was something fishy about the data, there’s nothing that hadn’t been done in the past to muscle those bleeding the country without success.

“There have been efforts at controlling some of the smuggling. And then something dramatic happened. When we had the deregulation discussions, and the price moved up to N162 from N145 where I met it, we realised that the consumption dropped to less than 50 million litres or to the 40 million.

“So, later on, once the exchange rate also now moved up a little bit and swallowed the gains we made from the N162 move, the figures increased again.

“And sometimes, the figures you hear are crazy. I mean, when they tell you 90 million litres a day, I mean, they’re crazy figures. So I mean, so for me what is the sum total of all this? We’ve been interrogating these numbers for 20 years.

“We continue to interrogate these figures because we all know that there is a problem here, it’s opaque . The opportunity, the premium is not coming to government and it is not going to the poor people. It is going to a select people who are feeding fat on these things.


“So why don’t we just get rid of this thing? Okay, we should interrogate this thing, but I mean, to me that is not the solution. Why don’t we get just get rid of this whole subsidy so that we know that this problem is over once and for all.

“I know when people say the figures are… I mean, we agree that the figures are all opaque. We agree. That’s why we are saying look, let’s stop all the shenanigans. Let’s stop all this discussion.

“Let’s leave all this opaqueness, all this corruption in the subsidy, let us move away from subsidy and go on higher ground. And then they say no, no, no. There’s been trial of subsidy thieves. Oh, we’ve gone on television to say okay, these are the template, these are the components of the templates,” he stated.

The minister was reacting to the insistence by a co-guest, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, an energy law expert and President Nigerian Association of Energy Economists (NAEE), that Nigeria must investigate how many litres it consumes, among others.

The minister maintained that even labour which is against the removal of the subsidy knows the issues, adding that Nigeria continues to hemorrhage because the subsidy regime persists.

“Why don’t we just get out of it? Okay, there has been some corruption. So we can always deal with the corruption issues. We can always deal with all the opaque issues. But should we allow Nigerians who are not benefiting from this thing as you agree with me, to continue to be hemorrhaging?


“Because we need to get out of this, because look at it, N3 trillion budgeted. You can imagine if this N3 trillion were to be budgeted for something else. Who’s going to be benefit from it? I’m not into the downstream, I’m not going to benefit,” he stated.

He argued that even the Dangote refinery would not survive in a subsidised environment, reason the businessman carefully planned it as an export facility around the Export Free Zone (EFZ) in Lagos.

“It is by his port, because he was not refining to sell at a loss as the other refineries were designed to do. He designed his to sell at a profit internationally. If we are to buy from him, we will also buy at the international market. The only saving we will make as a government in that case, is the cost of freight,” he argued.

“So, you find that that it was his own model, it is still not going to function under a subsidy regime, even Dangote refinery will not function. So, it is agreed that no refinery in the world can survive in a subsidy regime,” Sylva added.

On the issue of pipeline maintenance and repairs, the minister stressed that under the PIA, the refineries will be managed distinctly from the crude oil pipelines.

Describing it as a very thorny issue, he expressed the view that the PIA will be the solution to some of the current problems with managing the pipelines.

He pointed out that before now, the midstream in the industry was grossly under-developed because the fiscals were not there.


“If you have a situation where somebody owns a refinery and then at the same time is expected to run a pipeline that is 600 kilometres long, then it becomes difficult for him to run.

“He should focus on running a refinery if it’s a refinery operator, then you must have somebody who also focuses on running the pipeline and it becomes his business.

“Unfortunately, in Nigeria, we never saw the pipeline as a business. So the pipeline was always an attachment to a refinery. It was becoming very sub-optimally managed because the refinery operators could not manage the pipelines.

“So what we are now doing is to decouple the pipelines from the refineries, outsource those pipelines to people who can now focus on managing the pipelines. So it will be a different ballgame after the fixing of the refineries, he assured”

Omorogbe had in her comments, said that the reforms in the industry were unnecessarily slow, with the PIA taking over 20 years to bring to fruition.

“The downstream has been in a mess for a long time. Any downstream operator will tell you that off the record, and will tell you that it’s worsening.


“I’m just in pains to know how we can implement the petroleum industry act. But I think a lot of the problem is that Nigerians have never really interrogated what this subsidy is, if it’s there to cushion us against the different price effects of importing petroleum products.

“What are the components of what is being paid for subsidy? When you look at landing cost, what are the components of that landing costs? How much of it is the demurrage for example?


“Why are we paying for the incompetence of the system? If the government would get out of this area, I can see that many things would be wiped out, even though one is talking about temporarily having the price shoot up, it’ll come down.

“When there’s competition. No private person will pay for some of the things that are happening right now. That’s why I say I really don’t know where to start. But we should just sit down and interrogate that subsidy, subsidy price and see what we are paying for it and what’s in the landing costs.

“Let’s interrogate and say, how many litres do we use in Nigeria every day? Statistics in the downstream is incredibly opaque,” she argued

Elumelu Raises Concerns over $4bn Oil Theft, Says Its National Disgrace

According to Elumelu, who is also the Chairman of the United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), between January and September last year, Nigeria lost over $4 billion to oil thieves

who don’t pay tax but use their illicit proceeds to acquire more lethal ammunition and continued to pose threats to the country’s corporate existence.

He expressed worry that the development had put so much money in the hands of those who don’t pay tax and who are not regulated, making the country unsafe.

Elumelu said, “We produce sometimes about 87,000 barrels per day, and thieves take 50,000 per day.”

He said addressing the sordid situation required strategic as well as resilience of leadership adding that, “things can’t continue that way. The country should wake up.”

“We look forward to men and women of this country to help remove this national disgrace,” Elumelu added.

He said, “The theft in the Niger Delta is a national challenge. To me, it requires national seminar and dialogue. It is in my viewpoint, one of the lethal threats to our country, because it is so much money in the hands of people who don’t pay tax, people we don’t regulate and the country is not safe.

“Nigeria in the last three quarters of last year from January to September lost over $4 billion to thieves who don’t pay tax and they use it to pile more lethal ammunition and pose threats to our corporate existence.”

He also attributed the growing youth restiveness in Nigeria and Africa to the absence of strategic leadership principles which he said among others required setting priorities, execution of goals, setting of timelines and milestones as well as clarity of purpose.

He said these leadership principles had helped shape his focus and eventual successes in the private sector, stressing that they are as well applicable to the public sector if results must be achieved.

Elumelu in the course of his lecture also touched on the need for leaders to match words with actions so people don’t lose interest in their leadership.

He also emphasised the need to pay attention to merit and ensure that the most qualified persons are appointed to positions of authority.

On the role of private sector in fighting terror and promoting peace in the continent, the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation said he had been a proponent of African capitalism which he believes would lead to long-term investment to address endemic poverty.

He argued that people who have economic hope do not take to extremism, saying only jobless persons are susceptible to social vices.

He said governments must get serious with eradicating poverty and creating economic opportunities for the growing youth population in order to avert a greater catastrophe.

“Unless we get serious on our continent, it’s just starting, ” he said.

He added: “There can’t be peace when people are hungry. It’s an imposed peace and it’s only a matter of time before it explodes.”

According to him, what African youths need is economic opportunity and not interested in handouts adding that they presently lacked such opportunity.

Elumelu said government must wake up and realise that the young ones would someday hold them accountable.

He said the fact that 60 per cent of the Nigeria’s population lived below the poverty index had more to do about leadership.

He said, “We can correct these things. We need to do more. Poverty is the reason we have problems in the world.”

By Yakubu Mohammed

Stella Ishiekwene Kpolugbo, an associate professor of English at Anchor University, Lagos State, has expressed dismay over the rejection of her daughter by the Abuja office of the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA).

According to Stella, Ejiro Kpolugbo, a First Class psychology graduate from Covenant University, Ogun State, appeared at the company on December 15, 2021, being her designated Place of Primary Assignment (PPA), with a posting letter from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), but was told Okon Umana, the managing director, was not available.

“She was asked to go home and return after Christmas, precisely in January 2022,” Stella said.

As instructed, Ejiro returned to the company on January 6, 2022, but she got the same narration of the MD’s absence. They also repeated the narration when she visited four days later.

Perhaps sorry for her frequent and vain visits to the company, a staffer collected her phone number and told her she would be called once the MD approved her posting.

However, Ejiro has not been called since then. The last time she went there, she was stunned to see some corps members serving with the company.

“When Ejiro inquired about her status with OGFZA, she was told her letter of posting couldn’t be found,” Stella said.

She also said the company collected a photocopy of the same letter from Ejiro and asked her to return the following week.

“When she went back there, a staff member quietly told her she wouldn’t be accepted unless she had connections from above,” said Stella.

“We got her another primary place of assignment (PPA) and asked her to get a rejection letter from OGFZA. When she got there, they were still telling her the story of the MD being the only one who could sign her letter of rejection.

“Ejiro held her grounds on getting a rejection letter today [sic], otherwise she wasn’t bulging from OGFZA! When they saw her determination, they began taking her from office to office.”

According to Stella, Morgan Mmahi, the Assistant General Manager of OGFZA, signed Ejiro’s rejection letter.

When FIJ contacted OGFZA, a customer care agent identified as Stella on Truecaller refused to comment on the incident. She said a detailed email could provide an appropriate response to FIJ’s enquiries.

A REPORT ON THE INJUSTICE METED OUT ON EJIRO KPOLUGBO BY THE OIL & GAS FREE ZONE AUTHORITY, ABUJA.

My daughter, Ejiro Kpolugbo, was posted to the Oil & Gas Free Zone Authority in Abuja for her PPA on December 14th, 2021. She reported there on the 15th of December, 2021 and was told at the Front Desk that the MD, the alter ego who is to sign her in or out (Accept or Reject) wasn't around to do so. She was asked to go home and return after Christmas, precisely in January 2022.
Ejiro did as was asked and returned there on January 6th, 2022. She was told the MD was still not back to office. Ejiro was asked to come back there the following Monday 10th of January. She did. MD still nowhere to be seen. Ejiro's phone number was collected by a staff of OGFZA and was told they would contact her once her letter of posting was minuted upon by the invisible/ghost MD.

One week. Two weeks. Three weeks and this game went on. By the 6th week Ejiro reported there and saw some corpers had been signed in and started work already. Meanwhile, Ejiro was the only corper originally posted there! Without us influencing the posting.

Ejiro holds a 1st class degree in Psychology from Covenant University, Ota, Ogun state!

So who signed those other corpers in OGFZA if MD wasn't around Imbeciles!!

When Ejiro enquired of her status with OGFZA, she was told her letter of posting couldn't be found. They collected her own photocopy of same and asked her to come back the following week.

When she went back there, a staff member quietly told her she wouldn't be accepted unless she had connections from above. Nigerians you know what that means. This infuriated my husband and me!

Seriously We're both full blooded Nigerians and our daughter was being told she couldn't be accepted in OGFZA for her NYSC PPA unless she had connections from above Oh Fada Lawd!!! In this Nigeria!! "My Dada scatter Morocco!!"�����

My husband and I made moves. Don't ask what moves. We're Nigerians. Our daughter cannot suffer INJUSTICE while we're alive.

We got her another PPA and asked her to go get a Rejection letter from OGFZA. When she got there they were still telling her the story of the MD being the only one who could sign her letter of rejection. TERRIBLE LIARS!!!

Ejiro held her grounds on getting a rejection letter today otherwise she wasn't bulging from OGFZA! When they saw her determination they began taking her from office to office.

Can you imagine they became dogs in a manger in OGFZA? Accept Ejiro, No. Reject Ejiro, mba! God punish satan!! They were playing with fire!

Alas, one Zombie there told them to give her what she wanted and Ejiro walked away from OGFZA with her letter of rejection. In her own words, "I have never been happier to be rejected!"

Shame on OGFZA!
Shame on the FGN!!
Shame on Morgan Mmahi, AGM, Administration who signed her Rejection letter!!!

The fight against this INJUSTICE meted on Ejiro has just begun!

We are Nigerians and INJUSTICE against our children must stop now!!!����

Stella Kpolugbo, PhD; BL.

Passengers travelling from Kano to Lagos on the Nigerian Railway Corporation’s train service are currently stranded after the train conveying them broke down due to mechanical failure.

According to one of the passengers, the train left Kano State on January 31, at exactly 9am but developed a mechanic problem few kilometres to Zaria, Kaduna State.

He accused NRC of abandoning them in the bush for over 32 hours.

“Nigerian railway cooperation, we boarded since yesterday 31st January at exactly 9, o clock from Kano heading to Lagos and till now we haven’t reach Zaria, they’ve abandon us inside the bush for almost 18hours, imagine who is afraid of traveling through road because of kidnapping.

“Now we are still stuck in the middle of nowhere, we really need your help,” the passenger identified as @YomiCriminal on Twitter posted around 10:25pm on Tuesday.

Giving an update with a video posted around 11:30am on Wednesday, he said, “Still stuck.”

The Nigerian government had in September 2021 resumed the Lagos-Kano express train service after it was suspended over COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the weekend, some national news platforms reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a downward review of charges for electronic banking transactions.

According to the viral story, the apex bank announced a reduction in the amount payable for cash withdrawals from other banks’ automated teller machines (ATMs), known as Remote-on-Us, from N65 to N35 after the third withdrawal within the same month.

It also said the CBN cut interbank transfers to a maximum of N50 charge per transaction from N300.

The information was also widely circulated on blogs and social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The news item, shared by multiple account users on Twitter, had garnered hundreds of retweets.

VERIFICATION

Checks by TheCable showed that the CBN posted a document titled, “Re: Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial and Non-Bank Financial Institutions”, on its website on Thursday.

The circular, dated December 20, 2019, was signed by Chibuzor Efobi, director, financial policy and regulation department of CBN.

“The revised Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial and Non-Bank Financial Institutions takes effect on January 1, 2020,” the circular reads.

In the revised guidelines, the apex bank reduced all bank charges, with some getting more than 50 per cent cut.

In 2019, TheCable had reported the story with the caption, “CBN reduces ATM withdrawal fee from N65 to N35”.

However, the story has been erroneously reported by some platforms as new development.

An official of the CBN communications unit told TheCable that the apex bank shared the document to enlighten bank customers that didn’t know about the reductions.

“The date is clearly stated there. I guess it was put there on the website because it was not there before now. This is to inform stakeholders that were not aware of the policy,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

“The date on the circular is the date it was released. The point is that there are different policies that from time to time, people are reminded.”

VERDICT

The viral reports that the CBN has just reduced electronic banking charges are misleading. The apex bank only reshared an old policy document from 2019. There is no fresh review by the bank.

By Samuel Akpan
A bill seeking to increase the educational qualification for election into the office of the president has passed first reading at the house of representatives.

The proposed legislation also seeks to raise the minimum academic qualification for election as a governor, state and federal lawmaker.

Sections 65, 106, 131 and 177 of the 1999 constitution state that a person must be qualified for election into the aforementioned elective offices if he/she “has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent”.

But the new bill which is sponsored by Adewunmi Onanuga, a lawmaker from Ogun state, seeks to raise the qualification to at least a “university degree level or its equivalent”.

The development comes days after Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house, had said there is a need to amend the constitution to increase the academic qualification for elective offices.

“I also sincerely believe that the national assembly needs to look into section 131 (d) of the 1999 constitution with a view to increasing the minimum educational qualification for persons aspiring to be future presidents of Nigeria and other top offices including the national assembly as against the current minimum requirement of a secondary school certificate or its equivalent,” Gbajabiamila had said.

“As we have reduced the age for eligibility to contest those offices, so also, we should increase the minimum educational requirement. It will be another step in reforming our electoral system and providing strong leadership for the country.”

TheCable had reported that for these sections of the constitution to be amended, they must be supported by 24 states houses of assembly.

Section 9 (2) of the constitution states that “an Act of the National Assembly for the alteration of this Constitution, not being an Act to which section 8 of this Constitution applies, shall not be passed in either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of that House and approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the States”.

Militants from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād on Monday mounted roadblocks in some parts of Borno State.

Areas, where the checkpoints were mounted by the terror group, include Mile 40, along Maiduguri/Gajaram road and Wajiroko, along Damboa/Biu road.

Sources said the insurgents were on the highways “checking on travellers' identity cards to fish out security operatives travelling in mufti.”

“They were also issuing tax receipts to defaulters,” another source confirmed.

SaharaReporters had in several reports in 2021 reported how ISWAP had been taxing residents of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe State.

Sources said failure of the residents to comply with the directive attracted the death penalty.

The terrorist group also lifted the ban imposed on fishing and farming activities in the Lake Chad area, three years after chasing people out of the area for allegedly spying for Nigerian troops.

It, nevertheless, imposed new taxes and levies in the areas controlled by ISWAP-Boko Haram, to regulate trades and agricultural activities.

Several fishermen, farmers and merchants had returned to the Lake-Chad area to engage in socio-economic activities, under the arrangement of the new ISWAP-Boko Haram leadership.

Since the death of JAS leader, Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has been consolidating its grip in locations around Lake Chad.

Just recently, it appointed Wali Sani Shuwaram, a 45-year-old as the new Leader (Wali) of ISWAP in Lake Chad.

The sect’s membership has swollen with the defection of hundreds of Boko Haram fighters under Shekau.

The Nigerian Army has repeatedly claimed that insurgency had been largely defeated and the military frequently underplays any losses.

The terror group has caused over 100,000 deaths and displaced millions of individuals mainly in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.

A health worker who allegedly treated the gunshot wound of Bello Turji, a bandit kingpin, has been arrested in Sokoto State.

Abubakar Kamarawa, the health worker, was arrested in a massive raid launched by security operatives.

He was arrested in different operations across the three local government areas of Sokoto state

The areas include, Illela, Rabah and Goronyo, all in the eastern part of the state.

Abubakar admitted to have been treating bandits who were injured in a gun battle with security operatives and supplied them with intoxicants.

He recalled how he treated Turji after he was injured on the head about three years ago.

The health worker, who own a pharmaceutical shop at Kamarawa, said he was introduced to Turji by one Musa.

“Musa took me to Turji when he was shot on the head some years back. He took me to his camp where I treated him,” he said

According to him, bandits used to come to his shop for treatment and intoxicants, including pentaxocine injections.

“But I have repented since my arrest and trial about two years ago. In fact, I have left the area and now reside in the state’s metropolis,” he said.

Suspected Fulani herdsmen have reportedly gang-raped and killed a housewife, Mrs Roseline Joguntan at Igbokoda in Ilaje council area of Ondo State.

Vanguard gathered that the victim, a fruit seller was murdered at her farm.

The deceased was said to have gone to the farm to gather fruits as usual for her business with one of her children when she was attacked by the bandits.

A source said that “after gathering the first basket of the fruits, she told her child to take it home. It was when the girl came back that she noticed that her mother was missing before she later found her dead in the bush.

” The deceased husband, Mr Joguntan reported the case at the police station.

Residents alleged that the Fulani herdsmen who have dominated the community in the recent past gang-raped and killed her.

According to one of the residents ” no sooner than the incident happened, some herdsmen were seen vacating the town en masse.

Speaking on the ugly incident, the police command image maker, Funmilayo Odunlami said that it was the husband of the deceased that informed the police when he could not reach his wife on phone.

Odunlami said that it was when the husband went to the farm to check on her that he found her lifeless body in the pool of her blood.

She said that the killers would soon be exposed and brought to book.

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Ilaje Security Council, Prince Emorioloye Owolemi, has lamented that the killings are becoming rampant in the council area and pleaded with the state government to come to their aid.

Owolemi said “It is so sad that Igbokoda is witnessing the highest security threat. It has become daily killings. People live in fear and business activities have paralyzed.”

“Therefore, we are calling on the state government to please help in strengthening local vigilante in Igbokoda

Owolemi also called on the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State and other security agencies to, as a matter of urgency, unravel the circumstances that led to the killing of the housewife and bring the perpetrators to the book.

He said ” We are determined to fight for justice on behalf of any of our citizens, and before things get out of hands in Igbokoda, all perpetrators need to face the full wrath of the law,” he stated.

It was gathered that the police have deposited the corpse at the state specialist hospital morgue for autopsy.

Ahead of the 2023 Presidential election, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s support base keeps swelling by the day despite his reluctance to declare his Presidential ambition.

Several support groups urging him to run for the President have sprung up across the country even when Osinbajo has constantly described them as distractions to his current assignment and theu nation’s Vice President.

Although the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has yet to officially zone the Presidential ticket to the South for Osinbajo to be eligible to contest the presidential slot, there are expectations that such would be done by the party in no time.

Already, a former Lagos State governor and National Leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, who is generally considered Osinbajo’s political godfather had declared his intention to run for the President in 2023.

The declaration has made many in Tinubu’s political camp to consider Osinbajo’s rumoured ambition an anathema as they argue that a house divided against itself can never stand.

It would be recalled that Osinbajo was the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney- General for the eight-year Tinubu’s tenure as the governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007. Osinbajo’s emergence as the Vice Presidential candidate to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) in 2015 was also attributed largely to the backing of his former boss, Tinubu.

Since their political paths crossed, Osinbajo’s loyalty to the Tinubu’s political family has never been in doubt. However, even when Osinbajo has yet to make up his mind on whether to run or not, the Tinubu political family in the ruling party has been divided between the Vice President and the APC National Leader.

Only recently, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters in the Office of the Vice President, Babafemi Ojudu, came out boldly to rule out the possibility of his working for Tinubu’s Presidential ambition.

While debunking the claims that the APC National Leader made him and some other persons politically, Ojudu argued that their relationships were mutual and symbiotic.

Ojudu, obviously, was not speaking for himself alone. He spoke the minds of several politicians, who have the moral burden of allegiance to the political behemoth of Bourdillon.

Ojudu’s disclaimer of Tinubu’s political hegemony, especially in Lagos State and the South-West at a time some politicians are working on setting up Osinbajo for Presidential race, has raised some posers.

Could it be that the Presidential aide was holding forte for his principal to neutralize the sense of entitlement coming from Tinubu’s camp? Could it be that the hitherto quiet Tinubu’s camp has imploded?

Could it be that the godfather’s stranglehold on his men has loosen up? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, the APC National Leader had been rumoured to have informed the Vice President of his Presidential ambition.

Unconfirmed reports stated that Osinbajo told some of his close associates that he would shelve his ambition should Tinubu press tenaciously for the ruling party’s Presidential ticket when zoned to the South.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, Laolu Akande, had described as fake recent news that Osinbajo had informed the President of his intention to run for President in 2023.

Reacting, Akande had said, “there is no basis for these speculations since the Vice President has not indicated interest in Presidency in 2023” Urging the media to be circumspect about such stories and speculations, he stated “they are normal at a time like this.

Do not be surprised that more of these stories will continue to come” He also insisted that the, “President did not meet with the Vice President on New Year day,” where he told his boss of his intention to take over the rein of power from him.

The report indicated that the Vice President had gone to meet with the President to seek the “blessing of his principal who did not make immediate commitments.

Notwithstanding the disclaimer, many notable Nigerians have continued to mobilize support for the Vice President ahead of 2023. They cite age and experience as his cutting-edge in the race to the nation’s number one position.

Only on Friday, an influential group within the ruling party, APC Professional Forum, led by the former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, paid Osinbajo a courtesy visit in the Presidential Villa, where he was invited to join their group.

Even when they were not reported to have discussed politics, a discerning mind may be politically correct to conclude that the professionals may be another group routing for Osinbajo’s presidency in 2023.

In any case, the race for the nation’s number-one position in 2023 is not, by any means, a two-horse race between Tinubu and Osinbajo.

Other notable contestants eyeing the position, especially from the South-East, include Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Senator Rochas Okorocha (APC) and the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim amongst others.

Adelola Adetomi, an entrepreneur based in Lagos, could not believe her eyes on November 29, 2021, when she received debit notifications of N103,000 and N900 from Guaranty Trust Bank. She learned Sporty Internet was the recipient.

Adetomi said she called GTB customer care immediately, and the call representative admitted it was a fraudulent transaction.

“She said she could see I did not initiate the transaction. She said she would request GTB to put a restriction on the recipient’s account, and she sounded like Sporty Internet was their customer,” she told FIJ.

Adetomi said she went to a GTB branch in Abule-Egba the following morning to complain, and the bank representative who attended to her asked her to fill a dispute form and assured her he would send it to the right unit.

Adetomi said she did not rest but called GTB customer care every day until December 3, when they told her in an email that her account must have been compromised online.

READ ALSO: Between SportyPay and Access Bank, N300,000 Vanishes From Customer’s Account

“GTB said I used my mobile banking app, which I have never used or downloaded. I have always done all my transactions with the USSD code,” she said. “They said I also received a one-time password before they debited me, but when I asked them for the number that received the OTP, they were silent.”
She said GTB insisted that someone transferred the money from her mobile app to the recipient.

FIJ attempted to speak with a GTB representative vial phone call, but it was not successful. At press time, the bank had not responded to an email sent to them.

As much as many detest to hear about the word cheating in a relationship or union, it doesn’t eradicate its actual existence.

There’s no greater betrayal than finding out one’s husband is cheating. Although, women are sometimes culpable but the ‘cheating’ space seem to be owned more by men.

According to experts, the following are 10 reasons why your husband may just be cheating on you by having an affair.


Resentment

Resentment is one of the primary emotional triggers of cheating. Specifically, the feelings of being neglected, wherein their infidelity becomes a way to recapture their partner’s attention.

Some husbands have an excessive need for attention and feel neglected however, they fail to communicate same to their partners and resort to cheating instead.

Validation/Vulnerability

Validation/vulnerability is also another the key reasons why married men cheat.

In a bid to satisfy the “hunger for attention,” men can look outside of their relationship and find themselves engaging in workplace affairs, where finding the admiration and appreciation they seek might be more readily available to them.

Inability to express self

The feelings of stifled or limited self-expression a person may feel within their own relationship can lead them to cheat on the spouses.

When this happens, the person in question may feel they need to look outside of their existing partnership for a connection that allows them to express themselves in whatever way they don’t feel they’re able to with their partner.

Self-expression is key when it comes to communication in a relationship. Toxic-masculinity is real and creating space where you can nurture SQ (SPIRITUAL QUOTIENT) and EQ (EMOTIONAL QUOTIENT) in your connection will only strengthen it.

The enticement of ‘forbidden fruit’

Affairs are “rarely about sex” but in fact, have more to do with desire specifically, the desire for that which one doesn’t have.

Self-gratification

An inflated man needs to self-gratify. When your main concern is me, me, me, you tend to lose sight of the bigger picture, more specifically, the value in long term goals.

Disappointment

Disappointment is one of the main causes of infidelity.

As it relates to disappointment, some partners find themselves unable to cope with a lack of excitement or the flaws of their long-term relationships, and so they engage in an affair as an alternative to dealing with the confrontation of communicating their disappointment to their partner.

Boredom

There’s no doubt that infidelity happens year round but there’s just something about the holidays.

Much as we’d like to think that during the most festive time of year, family is number one on everyone’s mind, it’s just not always the case.

In fact, oftentimes it happens that one (or both) people in a relationship can find themselves feeling so overwhelmed by the season, and underwhelmed by their partner, that their better half ends up taking a back seat to their own search for something a little more exciting regardless of whether it lands them on the “naughty” list.

Financial Reason: Wage gap

Some people believe the financial-factor has more to do with cheating that the intimacy-factor.

In the sense that, a ‘wage gap’ between partners might be the thing that sends the person who earns less looking for a way to even the footing in the relationship.

While this ties into the idea of resentment, it goes a further to identify men as the gender most likely to take lesser-earnings to heart between themselves and their significant other.

Disconnection

At its core, cheating is more of a symptom than a cause of something, Precisely, a symptom of an inability to connect with one’s partner, and not something purely rooted in lust.

The result of this disconnection being even the simplest of connected moments that one partner might experience with someone else, in which they may see this new person or connection as a source of replenishment for what they feel is missing at home.

Emotional needs

We are never able to meet all of our needs on our own, in spite of our desire for independence.

Relationship(s) is the logical source for those emotional needs which we need help satisfying.

The core reason for cheating is as simple as someone feeling their emotional needs aren’t being met in their relationship.

Policemen have arrested Muaz Magaji, one of the fiercest critics of the governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje.

He was arrested by the police after a live television interview at Trust TV in Utako, Abuja around 9:15pm.

Although police are yet to speak on the arrest, witnesses told DAILY NIGERIAN that Mr Magaji was chased by the police immediately after leaving the television station office.

“A few minutes ago something really unfortunate, worrisome and regrettable happened along Ngozi Okonjo Iwela way by TOS Benson Crescent junction. Engr Magaji Muazu was pushed into an accident where his Honda car was pushed off the road and made to hit a street light pole. Although he came out of the car looking unharmed, but all the airbags are out.

“Apparently it was a police operation because he was immediately arrested and forcefully taken to the Utako police station. As I write this I have been at the scene securing his car and we are now on our way to the police station. His bag and the battery of his car are with me,” said a witness.

On January 17, police in Kano invited Mr Magaji to answer questions regarding a petition against him.

He however sent his lawyers to the command instead of appearing in person, and then filed a fundamental enforcement case against the police.

Mr Magaji, a former commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, was fired by Mr Ganduje over “insensitive comments” over the death of Chief of Staff to the president, Abba Kyari.

Since leaving the government, the former commissioner has been critical of the governor for his leadership style and involving his family in the state affairs.

Following the emergence of Senator Shekarau-led faction of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, the former commissioner joined the faction.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says he will consult Lagosians before making a decision on whether to run for a second term in office in the 2023 general elections or not.

The governor made this known on Friday while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme monitored by The PUNCH.

The 56-year-old governor, who assumed office in May 2019, would be completing his first term in office by May 2023, and he is constitutionally permitted to be in office for one more term of four years if the electorate so decide.

Sanwo-Olu had clinched the ticket of the All Progressives Congress for the 2019 governorship election in Lagos defeating the then governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, who was in office for just a term.

Ambode, the first Lagos governor to stay in office for four years since the return to democracy in 1999, was said to have been kicked out due to intra-party squabbles after APC leader and strong man of Lagos politics, Bola Tinubu, anointed Sanwo-Olu.

The PUNCH had reported that Sanwo-Olu backed Tinubu’s presidential ambition on Thursday, saying the ex-governor of Lagos between 1999 and 2007 is the most capable individual to succeed the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) in May 2023.

Asked during the television programme on Friday about his political future and whether he has a plan for a second term as Lagos governor, Sanwo-Olu said, “As we speak, we’ve done two-thirds of our time, about 66 per cent because we count it every day. The field is not open yet; the race has not been declared open but for me, this four years that I have promised my citizens, I put in every bit of my sweat into it.”

Continuing, Sanwo-Olu marked the script of his administration as “doing a very good job”, adding that the citizens would decide whether to allow his cabinet complete what it started.

“I will ask, I will consult, that is how you get it done, keep your focus on, try and finish very strong. When it is time for us to all of the politicking, we will do it,” he said of the 2023 governorship election in the state.

By Seun Opejobi
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has rejected former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposed single four years tenure if elected as president in 2023.

The apex Igbo social-cultural group described Atiku’s proposal as a hoax.

Recall that Raymond Dokpesi, an ally of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant, had said the former Vice President would govern Nigeria for a single term, if elected as president.

Dokpesi vowed to go naked if Atiku fails to handover to the Igbos after his tenure.

Reacting, Ohanaeze Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said the remark was a collective disrespect to people of the southeast.

Isiguzoro also declared that Igbos will reject the vice-presidential slot, stressing that the region should be allowed to produce a president in 2023.

In a statement he signed and forwarded to DAILY POST, Isiguzoro recounted how Atiku rejected a single term offer from Igbo elders in 2019.

He said: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has declared openly that attempts to trick and entice the southeast with attractive offers from the ally of former Vice President and 2019 PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Raymond Dokpesi to get southeast’s support for his principal (Atiku) in 2023 are hoaxes and collective disrespect on the sensibility of the people of southeast, no amount of enticing promises will make southeast to swap their right to 2023 presidency to anyone.

“Atiku Abubakar’s refusal to adhere to a written request from Igbo elders for a Mandela option of a single tenure in 2019 will continue to haunt his 2023 presidential ambitions, instead, he replied to Igbo leaders in 2019 with his then six years economic blueprint for Nigeria (2020-2026) which was a clear understanding of having the ambition of a two-term as president if elected.

“This evidence is now contradictory to the recent request from Atiku’s ally for southeast’s support, as no force can thwart the 2023 Igbo Presidency Project with vice presidential offer to the southeast, which is not feasible, as there will be a power shift from the North to the East in 2023.”

House of Representatives Special Committee on Amendment of the 1999 Constitution has rejected a bill seeking to confer immunity on presiding officers of the National Assembly and judicial officers.

The presiding officers of the National Assembly are Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy Speaker of the House.

The bill, sponsored by Segun Odebunmi (APC, Oyo), is titled, “An Act to alter Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to extend immunity to cover presiding officers of the legislative institutions.”

Odebunmi is the sponsor of the controversial National Broadcasting Commission bill and the Nigerian Press Council bill. He also chaired the Committee that approved the suspension of Twitter by the Federal Government.

A similar bill was introduced in the 8th Assembly by the then Minority Leader, Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta). The bill was, however, rejected by the lawmakers then.

At the public hearing on the bill yesterday, Abdulhamid Mohammed, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who is one of the consultants working with the committee, presented the position of the consultants to the lawmakers.

Mohammed said even though the bill allows citizens to seek leave of the court to sue any of the mentioned public officials, it will create a conflict of interest, particularly as it relates to the judicial officers. He noted that the bill did not indicate which court has the competence to hear such cases. He added: “The immunity is not absolute.”

Speaking against the bill, Uzoma Abonta (PDP, Abia), said immunity should only cover issues regarding duties and functions of those public officers, not criminal acts like rape or murder.

He noted that even though there are examples of abuse of process by the executive against the legislature and judiciary, blank immunity is not acceptable.

The Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase, in his reaction to the submission by Abonta, said legislators are already covered by immunity on activities on the floor of the House by virtue of the powers and privileges act.

He added that even though there are instances where some executives have been “reckless” in actions against lawmakers and judicial officers, it is left for the House to decide on the bill.

He, therefore, ruled that the bill should be stepped down.

The House also condemned the resurgence of military coups in the West African sub-region.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo) on the floor of the House.

He decried the trend of military coups, describing the most recent in Burkina Faso as being part of a resurgence of “a coup culture” in West Africa.

The lawmaker said if the trend is not immediately checked, it could erode democratic achievements and distort the emerging culture of constitutionalism.

He added that it would promote opportunistic and undemocratic actors in the region, and by extension the continent.

The House urged the Federal Government to strongly condemn the coups, impose strong sanctions, and mobilise other nations and stakeholders to do same.

Nigeria has dropped five places on the 2021 corruption perception index published by Transparency International (TI).

In the 2021 index released on Tuesday, the country scored 24 out of 100 points — ranking 154 out of 180 countries.

In the 2020 index, Nigeria had scored 25 out of 100 points, ranking 149 out of the 180 countries surveyed.

The development means that Nigeria dropped to 154 — five places down — out of the 180 countries surveyed, in comparison with the 2020 rating.

It also scored 25 out of 100 points — less than the 24 points obtained in the 2020 CPI.

This is the worst ranking the country has got under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In 2015, Nigeria was ranked 136th; 136th in 2016; 148th in 2017; 144th in 2018; 146th in 2019, and 149th in 2020.

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), the Nigerian arm of Transparency International (TI), said the CPI aggregates data from eight different sources that provide perceptions by experts and business people on the level of corruption in the public sector.

CISLAC said the CPI result is coming when the country is battling rising nationwide insecurity, high unemployment and damning revelations around public finance management.

The organisation said the index does not show specific incidents of corruption in the country but the perception of corruption.

There has been a major security breach at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, SaharaReporters exclusively gathered.

An Arik Air aircraft, a Boeing 737-73V with registration number EI-ULN, was ransacked by thieves, who stole the Flight Management Computer, one of the major subsystems of the Flight Management System.

The FMS is an on-board multi-purpose navigation, performance and aircraft operations computer designed to provide virtual data and operational harmony between closed and open elements associated with a flight from pre-engine start and take-off, to landing and engine shutdown.

The FMC, according to aviation experts, is worth hundreds of thousands of United States dollars.

Reliable sources at the airport and Arik Air confirmed to SaharaReporters that the incident happened between 11:00pm on Wednesday night to 7:00am on Thursday, January 20, 2022 at the Domestic Terminal II.

The thieves did not only vanish with the FMC but also tampered with the pilot static cover and other sensitive parts of the aircraft, making it impossible for the aircraft to be flown.

Aviation experts told SaharaReporters that the act could have only been carried out by persons with aircraft technical skills.

“It is impossible for a novice to have successfully removed the FMC, that thing was stolen by an expert,” one aviation source said.

Flights originally scheduled for the aircraft were either cancelled or postponed.

The aircraft was leased to Arik by Eznis Airways LLC, an airline based in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Authorities have since suspended flights on every of the aircrafts leased by the Mongolian company.

Breach of security at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport continues to raise concerns among citizens and major stakeholders in the sector.

There had been reports of security breaches at the car park in recent times with vehicles parked at the facility reportedly vandalised.

Recall that SaharaReporters had detailed how security at the domestic terminal of the airport appears compromised as faulty equipment were being used to screen bags of travellers making use of the airport.

It was also discovered that security screeners deployed by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria to MMA Terminal Two are not certified by the National Civil Aviation Authority to carry out the screening.

In 2019, there was an airside incursion at the airport as passengers aboard a Port Harcourt-bound flight panicked after a man climbed the aircraft while it was about to take-off at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja.

According to a video shot by one of the passengers in Lagos, the man illegally gained access to the airside with a piece of hand luggage.

SaharaReporters had also previously reported how a Nigerian woman bypassed all security points at the international wing of the airport and attempted to sneak into a United States of America-bound Delta Air Line.

She was, however, arrested by security as she was about to board the aircraft.

It was reliably gathered that of the not less than 629 staff of FAAN Aviation Security at the Lagos airport, about 85 security personnel are NCAA screeners certified.

By Salim Umar Ibrahim


A train conveying passengers has crushed a Cement trailer and commercial tricycle, popularly known as “Keke NAPEP”, in Kano.

The incident occurred on Obasanjo Road in Kano metropolis, on Sunday morning.


Eyewitnesses, who run businesses near the rail-track, said they saw the trailer coming towards the rail line as the train was speeding.

The witnesses said they attempted to flag down the trailer but the driver didn’t notice.

It is unclear if anyone was killed in the accident but people were rushed to the Murtala Muhammad Hospital, Kano, from the scene of the accident.

By Ronald Adamolekun


Aliko Dangote recorded a boost of as much as $1.3 billion in his fortune in the year to January 21, a period that was a blessing to investment for shareholders of his cement firm, Dangote Cement Plc.

At $20.4 billion according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index on Friday, the wealth of Africa’s richest man now approaches the value of the economy of the entire nation of Senegal, which the World Bank estimates to have a gross domestic product of $24.9 billion.

Dangote owes the latest rise in its fortune to the execution of the second tranche of the share buyback of his cement firm this week, which investors are betting will lift the valuation of the company further.

Dangote Cement has so far yielded 11 per cent since the turn of the year, firming up its reputation as Nigeria’s biggest company by market value at a market capitalisation of N4.9 trillion as of Friday.

It contributes roughly half of Dangote’s wealth, reaching its peak level of N265.7 per share since 2010 on Friday.

The mogul, Bloomberg reported, is among the 35 billionaires of the top 100 in the world that recorded an increase in their wealth in January. The most phenomenal advance was the jump by $13 billion to $89.5 billion in the riches of India’s most affluent man, Gautam Adani.

Dangote’s wealth is on course to see a much greater boost later in 2022 when his $19 billion petroleum refinery project is expected to be delivered.

The 650,000 barrels per day capacity refinery is said to be the largest single-train refinery in the world and is located on a vast expanse of land, about six times the size of Victoria Island.

The refinery is expected to wean Nigeria off its almost absolute dependence on imported fuel and transform it into a net exporter, helping the government to conserve scarce forex.

Dangote’s investment ambition knows no bounds, and the industrialist has told the Financial Times his intention to buy an English football club when his refinery project is done and dusted. David Pilling, the Financial Times journalist who interviewed him on the subject in 2018, said Dangote talked of buying Arsenal “as though discussing (buying) the latest model of iPhone.”

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Untitled15-5-750x375.jpg


Bold and outspoken Nollywood actress, Omalicha Elom is at it again!

The light-skinned script interpreter, who always insists on not dating or marrying a younger lover, has gone a step further. Now, she has added another thing to her marriage wish list.

In a recent encounter with Saturday Sun, Ms. Elom says for a man to have her for keeps, he must not only be wealthy, such a man must also be blessed with a good and strong manhood!

“I wish to get married this year. But I can never marry a young lover. I like older guys; three to five years older than me. I like my man being in charge and in control. I can’t be submissive to a younger lover; I’m too strong-headed. So, I like a man that will sometimes say ‘no’ to my bad habits and excess spending.

“Dating a younger lover would make it seem like a small child caressing my breasts. On the other hand, I can’t also date a much older man. I can’t stand the thoughts of an old man even hugging me, no matter how rich he is. My man must be wealthy, respectful and with a good dick. Even if he doesn’t know how to use it properly, I can ride very well,” she explains.

On her New Year resolutions, the actress said, “I want to make more money and make life easier for my mom and sisters. I’m the first child and breadwinner of my family, so all the responsibilities fall on my tiny shoulders. I also want to keep being a loner, because the girls I call my friends aren’t genuinely happy for me.”

On Monday, January 17, thousands of supporters of a national leader of the All Progressives Congress APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu converged on the International Conference Centre ICC in Abuja to discuss strategies aimed at ensuring the emergence of the former Lagos State governor as the party’s presidential flag-bearer.

All roads leading to the ICC were shut down by thousands of supporters who came from across the country.

They were in fact drawn from over 2, 500 support groups working for the actualization of a ‘Tinubu presidency’ in 2023.

Some of those who spoke at the well-attended summit was a former Governor of Borno state and incumbent senator, Kashim Shettima, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Babachir Lawal, Kano APC chieftain, Senator Abu Ibrahim, Hons. James Faleke, Abdulmumuni Jibrin and Kano state Assembly members led by their speaker.

The event tagged, Support Group Conference, was organized by Support Groups Management Council SGMC of which Hon. Jibrin as its director-general.

They expressed readiness for the battle ahead, saying Tinubu towers above all his political rivals.


Bricklaying, weight lifting

So much has been said about the age and health status of the former Lagos State governor, but his supporters say he is just 69 and that despite his firmness of mind and body, they are not going to the Villa to lay blocks or lift weights.

They also spoke of the recent road trip they made with the APC leader to Sokoto, describing his quick recovery from recent knee surgery as evidence of the fact that his vital organs are still very active and easily respond to treatment like a young man.


Mental, physical alertness

At the event which was chaired by Sen. Ibrahim, keynote speaker, Sen. Shettima harped on the mental acuity and physical fitness of Tinubu.

According to him, the mudslinging that has trailed Asiwaju since his presidential bid took the top spot in the country is a mere acknowledgement of his political track record and inimitable influence on the nation’s political firmament.

Shettima noted that the attempts at weaving ridiculous fiction “to override the history we’ve all witnessed demonstrate the detractors’ utter desperation and cowardice. One of such is the mischievous fixation on his age and the wild conclusions that he is physically unsuitable for the Office of the President. This obsession characterizes the thinking of those who have no understanding of Asiwaju’s incredible work ethic”.

“A few days ago, I joined him on a trip to Zamfara state to condole with the people and identify with their realities, and the experience made a nonsense of the propaganda that he is unfit to run Nigeria.

“On the eve of the trip, Asiwaju had retired at 6 am, after Subhi prayers, and was already awake and attending to guests by 11 am. We departed for Sokoto around 2 pm and had to traverse the menacing hinterland of that part of the North-West for seven hours from Sokoto to Gusau—where he made a generous donation of N50 million as he had in other places struck by tragedies—and then back to Sokoto.

“On returning to Abuja by midnight, his schedule was entirely a series of meetings that kept him up till 3 am. Now, excuse my curiosity, how many of us here can match or endure such a demanding schedule? Asiwaju’s alacrity, therefore, has never been a subject of scepticism for those who have worked with him, and even his critics are aware of this. If he were half the man in their tales by moonlight, they would have long succeeded in subduing him”, Shettima submitted.


Mark of leadership

Shettima who is reportedly eyeing the APC National Chairmanship seat specifically told Nigerians that the mark of true leadership is not in the ability to lift a bag of cement.

He said it is in the mental effort to think rationally of solutions designed to redeem one’s people and territorial jurisdiction.

“This was why leaders like Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States of America, stood out. Roosevelt took power in a country wrecked by the Great Depression of the 1930s and guided its economy through the Second World War, and the quality of his thoughts and ideas made the United States a superpower under his watch. Similarly, the accident that had Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki confined to a wheelchair didn’t disable his ability to produce sound ideas, and Kenyans were sold on his virtue that they chose him as their President over what some would consider a fitter option.

“I am not asking you to tone down critical assessments of your future leaders, but redirect you to see the bigger picture. We are not here to prepare for the Olympics, but an institution that relies on the superiority of ideas to thrive. Asiwaju’s credentials aren’t only appealing, they are proof of the qualities this country needs to redeem its vast potentials and possibilities. We are here to testify to this power of ideas—one that overturned the fortunes of Lagos state sustained its supremacy as the largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa and kept the opposition alive when it was more profitable to sell out.

“Those who seek to make us go low hope to present the presidency as a brick-laying exercise. But that’s the work of a machine created by an idea, and who else to guide us towards manufacturing the best ideas to redeem this country?

“To derail us at this point is a futile ambition. The conversations we are prepared for aren’t pedestrian obsessions with the mundane, but comparisons of ideas and track records of service to the nation.

At the top of our expectations from Nigeria’s next president should be mastery of the dynamics of the modern economy, testified leadership skills and competence, and, very significantly, sensitivity to the complexities of Nigerian sociology”, he stated.

He also told President Muhammadu Buhari that it was payback time for Asiwaju who was greatly instrumental to the emergence of Buhari first as APC presidential candidate and then going on to defeat an incumbent in the 2015 general election.

He said when uncertainty loomed over the country during the military era, Tinubu was the man who disbursed his resources to fight for the return to this democracy. In fact, his supporters said he had opened a gas station in the United States, the proceeds of which he used to support pro-democracy activists, some of who squatted in his apartment in exile.


Cabals hijack APC

On his part, Babachir said the APC has derailed from the vision of its founding fathers, hence the need to pull it from the brinks.

He said cabals have now hijacked the APC and that it is this current state of the party “that we, gathered here, must operate to deliver Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the party’s flag bearer at the 2023 presidential election.

“And this we will do be it through consensus, indirect or direct party primaries by the grace of God. We are neither offended nor threatened by whichever method the party chooses to adopt for the emergence of its presidential candidate. But of course, being Democrats, we prefer a method that involves all the card-carrying members of the party in this choosing process.

“Therefore our task, beginning from today, is to develop a smart strategic plan that we will faithfully execute to deliver Sen Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the candidate of APC and to thereafter deliver him as a landslide winner of the 2023 presidential election”, he stated.


No one can defeat us

Also speaking, Hon. Jibrin who said the delegates came from 2,500 Tinubu support groups, said his team had worked day and night to also streamline the groups and be sure that the 2500 delegates are all rooted from the national to the state level; from the local government to the wards and of course the units.

Jibrin said though campaigns have not started, the event was part of the group’s preparatory activities in its own foresight to continue to organize the support groups for easy management and to be able to achieve set objectives.

“All you can do now is when we all go back to our constituencies is to continue our aggressive political mobilization based volunteering. We must continue to recruit people.

“It is going to come handy whether it is the direct primaries or the indirect primaries that is adopted, support groups are key. If it is the direct primaries, you are the voters. I don’t see how anybody can defeat us in an election.

If it is indirect primaries where delegates are going to vote, these delegates are not going to drop from heaven. These delegates are your neighbours. They are your relatives. They are your brothers. They are your sisters. They are your mothers. They are your uncles. So if it is in the other primaries, if we have our members of the support groups, of course, it is an automatic vote. If we do not have, the support groups will play a key role in going door to door, house to house to campaign to these delegates”.

From his days in the Alliance for Democracy AD, through the Action Congress AC, then the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN and now the All Progressives Congress APC, the former Lagos State Governor has proven to be a dogged fighter. As a kingmaker, he has installed and dethroned kings. Now that he seeks the crown for himself, it remains to be seen how he intends to convince other “palace chiefs” to support his bid.

By Emmanuel Aziken

Fresh insights into the jostling for the All Progressives Congress, APC 2023 presidential ticket have revealed how the plot to project and draft former President Goodluck Jonathan into the party’s 2023 presidential race collapsed.

The collapse of the Jonathan plot ostensibly pushed by some elements in the leadership of the party with the intention of taking over power from him in 2027 came against the background of whispers that projecting Jonathan would further humiliate Transportation Minister Chibuke Amaechi.

Meanwhile, despite claims of gains made by canvassers for Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Saturday Vanguard understands that two unusual political camps in the APC were already set to work against him.

The two camps include close aides of the president who have not forgiven him for supposedly overreaching himself while serving as acting president and the camp of his erstwhile political benefactor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Sources privy to the move to project Dr. Jonathan as the APC presidential candidate in 2023 disclosed that the plot was indeed real with associates of the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami working together with two northwest governors and one Northeast governor to actualize the campaign.

The APC chieftains, it was gathered, had also recruited a close associate of Dr. Jonathan’s from Kebbi State who served in his government to Marshall the plan.

However, despite the influence of the group in the party and their privileged walk-in opportunity to the villa, the plot was said to have collapsed on further interrogation.

Among the issues raised in killing the Jonathan plot was the notable question of convincing Nigerians to buy a product that was thoroughly abused eight years ago.

“How do we go back to Nigerians to tell them that this man we said was not good in 2015, is now good? How do we sell him,” a source privy to one of the governors disclosed to Saturday Vanguard.

Another consideration was the Amaechi factor. It was gathered that a school of thought within the presidency was strongly against the Jonathan candidacy on the claim that it would be unconscionable given the role played by Amaechi in enthroning President Muhammadu Buhari in power.

Saturday Vanguard reports that in canvassing Buhari for the presidency in 2015 that Amaechi was loathed in many parts of the South-South for betraying his ‘brother’.

“So, how do you look Amaechi in the face and tell him that you are presenting Jonathan who he opposed to bring Buhari,” the source quipped. That was against the background of the continuing hope by the Amaechi camp for the 2023 presidential ticket.

Noting how Amaechi’s proxy, Dr. Dakuku Peterside was denied a second term as director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA the source said that projecting Jonathan would have been too much for Amaechi to take.

Another source privy to the Jonathan plot to field him as the APC presidential ticket in 2023 disclosed that the former president became disenchanted with the PDP after the opposition party continued to ignore him both in Bayelsa and at the national level.

At a meeting to ponder the option of his return to power last December attended by youth activists from the six geopolitical zones in Yenagoa, attendees were told of how the PDP had continued to humiliate the former president.

“We were told that the PDP could not consider giving him (Jonathan) a slot to fill either in the Bayelsa or even at the national level,” the source who was present at the strategic meeting of youths disclosed.

Meanwhile, Saturday Vanguard learnt at the weekend that the presidential contenders in the APC are subtly weighing in to influence the choice of a national chairman of the party ahead of the national convention scheduled for next month.

Four names were said to have been marked down for the chairmanship of the contest with some of them being actively pushed and bankrolled by some declared and yet to declare presidential hopefuls.

The four according to reliable sources include the immediate past governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura who is being pushed by members of the defunct Congress For Progressive Change, CPC. He was subsequently adopted by one of the declared presidential candidates from the Southwest.

Another chairmanship candidate said to have been under consideration is Saliu Mustapha, a former Deputy National Chairman of the CPC. It was gathered that he was being canvassed by a presidential hopeful from a juicy government agency.

A third aspirant Bawa Bwari, a former minister of mines and chief whip of the House of Representatives. Bwari it was gathered was being canvassed from within the Federal Executive Council, with a well-known Buhari protegee in the cabinet coordinating his cause.

It was gathered that the Bwari candidacy arose following issues raised over the suitability of some of the other major candidates that had earlier declared.

A fourth candidate being pushed by some chieftains is former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu. Senator Adamu is presently chairman of the party’s reconciliation committee who has been going round the states. His canvassers say that his emergence as chairman would benefit the party as it would enable him to from that position continue on what he has been doing.

When preparation unites with expectations and opportunity – results happen. For every feat, there must be diligent preparation and effort. Nothing takes shape in disarray, grumbling and victim complex. We, the Igbo, cannot sit by the Rivers of Babylon and lament our way to the presidency. We cannot have what we are not ready or prepared for.

If work had been put in by Igbo political leaders in the past six years — forging alliances and mobilising consciences — the right atmosphere would have been created for the zoning of the presidency to the south-east by the foremost political parties in 2023. The mood today says otherwise. The Igbo are not prepared for the presidency — even though deserving of it.

I met with some of these leaders years ago. I shared my concerns about the self-relegation of the Igbo in national politics and suggested ways of generating a high-voltage flow for the realisation of the ever-elusive aspiration of presidency by the Igbo. I was discouraged by them. Well, I later found out their reason. Their interest was survivalist, and not about the Igbo.

These same people cry ‘’the Igbo are marginalised and Buhari is Fulanising Nigeria’’, but will work hysterically for another Fulani in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to emerge as president. The fact is if any of the political parties happens to cede the presidential ticket to the south-east, these Igbo political elite will still tarry with the same presidential aspirant from the north-east. That is, survivalist politics — which negates the interest of the whole for that of the individual.

This brings me to the question. What did the PDP do to deserve the loyalty of the Igbo? What did the PDP do for the Igbo in 16 years when the party was in power? The Igbo have trudged with the PDP through thorns and thistles, yet have nothing to show for their years of blind loyalty. Absolutely nothing! I challenge anyone to list the infrastructural achievements of the PDP federal government in the south-east in 16 years.

I have searched frantically, but found nothing. The much-vaunted upgrading of Enugu airport to international standards under the PDP government was a hoax. The airport was only converted from a motor park to an aviation igloo. The Buhari administration later had to shut down the airport for repairs owing to the treacherous runway. The second Niger Bridge was only in the works on paper. But today, the bridge is nearing completion under an APC government that the Igbo do not fancy. Onitsha-Enugu expressway is also nearing completion as well as other projects by the federal government in the south-east.


What did the PDP do to deserve the loyalty of the Igbo?

It is really mindboggling trying to situate the reason for the Igbo’s love affair with the PDP. Some Igbo politicians today are racketing for inland ports in the south-east. They went on the accustomed refrain of nepotism when a dry port was established in Kaduna by the Buhari administration. But these people were in government years ago – for 16 years — what did they do for the south-east? Nothing!

The Igbo keep tailing the PDP through its floundering and wobbles. Even within the party, the south-east is henpecked. Yet, the Igbo sustain the romance.

As I said in the column: ‘In 2003, south-east voted for Obasanjo against Ojukwu – why’, the Igbo’s love for the PDP even conquered Odumegwu Ojukwu. In the 2003 presidential election in which Ojukwu, the famed Igbo leader, vied, the south-east voted tremendously for his rival – Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP. In fact, Ojukwu’s ‘’Igbo party’’, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) could not even win governorship elections in the south-east except in Anambra — the late politician’s native home.

In Anambra, Obasanjo had 466,866 votes which represent 54 percent of the entire count while Ojukwu had 279,378 – 34 percent of the total tally. In Abia, Obasanjo had 386,748 votes (51.7 percent) while Ojukwu had 260,899 votes (34.9 percent). In Ebonyi, Obasanjo had 752,823 votes (94.5 percent) but Ojukwu polled only 20,525 votes (02.6 percent) within the same range as Muhammadu Buhari who had 16,308 votes in the state.

In Enugu, Obasanjo had 897,721 votes (79.7 percent) while Ojukwu had 177,050 votes (15.7 percent). And in Imo, Obasanjo polled 656,861 votes (64.6 percent), but Ojukwu had 281,114 votes (27.7 percent). The late Igbo leader’s second attempt in 2007 was also unsuccessful.

Obasanjo trounced Ojukwu on his own turf. How intriguing? Today and like in the past, the Igbo elite consort with the PDP for their own survival – and not for the advancement of the Igbo. The beneficiaries of the PDP years were the elite who had sizeable representations in government. The south-east’s liaison with the PDP subsists, yet no commensurate dividends in terms of economic and infrastructural development for the region.

The south-east regaining its place means it must look beyond a solitary party. It must put itself in the thick of things. And to sit at the table, it must wrest itself from the enchantment of the PDP. It must forge new alliances – a new political and social concordat.

I ask again, what did the PDP do to deserve the loyalty of the Igbo?

By Eyo Charles


A wife of a medical doctor, Na’omi Jolly, has alleged manhandling by her husband following her refusal to allow their daughter to be circumcised.

She told Niger Delta Trust that her husband almost killed her when he insisted on their daughter being circumcised and she refused.

According to her, the matter, which has degenerated to regular manhandling is currently being investigated by the Cross River State Police Command.

She said the problem, which is now a nightmare to her, started in 2015 when she had her first child.

She said all attempts by a team of mediators from Cross River State Ministry of Justice, to resolve the issue further elicited more battery.

She said her refusal to allow her daughter to go through circumcision stems from her own experience when she was barely 12-years old.

Madam Na’omi said she almost bled to death after her own circumcision years ago.

“It all started in December 2015, when I gave birth to my daughter, Amanda. After delivery, my husband asked me what I know about female circumcision and I told him I don’t like it at all. I narrated my own experience to him. That was when I was 12 years. My parents did it and I bled to the point of death. So I said to him that I will not want anyone to have such an experience.

“He said that’s why he wanted our daughter to have it done immediately after birth, according to him, to avoid unnecessary bleeding when she’s grown up.

“I begged him not to allow our daughter to go through such harrowing experience but he refused so I screamed and cried, telling him that I was a victim. I pleaded with him but he said my opinion does not count.

He said it’s a tradition in his family to circumcise any girl-child born into their family.

“Right from that moment, the marriage became a turbulent one with a lot of battering, humiliation and threats to life. Just to be safe from his ill-mannered treatment, I made a promise to him that when I have another child I may allow her to do it just to save my life.

“Not being able to bear the constant beating, in July 2019, we went to the Ministry of Justice, Calabar where we both signed a memorandum of understanding yet the problem was not solved.

“I ran out of the state to Akwa Ibom State. He still came after me to take away my daughter. I left there to Abuja he still came after me. I ran to Lagos, his brothers discovered where I was. They came and I made problem with them. After sometime they came back with my husband and he beat me up to coma just to get the girl,” he said.

In his reaction, Dr Jolly insisted that circumcision is a must for all female children in their family and he cannot afford to see his own daughters not being circumcised.

He denied threatening the wife or beating her up.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Ajala Benjamin, Admin-Officer, to the Commissioner of Police, Cross River State, who confirmed the matter said the case is presently being investigated at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

A police inspector, Eze Akpoelu, has allegedly attacked and injured a lady, Jane Amos, after she reportedly turned down his request for a relationship.

The cop was said to have thrown a burning stove at Amos, which made her sustain burns in different parts of her body.

The incident happened at Rumuokwuta, in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Amos, who spoke to PUNCH Metro from her hospital bed, said the inspector, who resided in the same compound with her, attacked her on Wednesday.

She said, “This morning (Wednesday), I went to the bathroom to bathe my niece for school and Inspector Eze Akpoelu was in the bathroom, bathing. So, I went to bathe her outside.

“He came out and said I was challenging him. He said he had warned that nobody should pour water outside. I did not make any comment. I took my niece into the bathroom. He said I was stupid and I did not have respect.

“Because he had asked me out for friendship and I refused, since then he had been hostile and I kept avoiding him.

“After I finished bathing my niece and went inside, he started saying that I was talking to him and that he would make me bleed. I said if he made me bleed, God in heaven would also make him bleed.

“Later, I came out to put my pot down from the stove because the food I was cooking was almost done. When I opened my door, I saw him by my door. He seized me and held me tight by my neck. He poured what I was cooking away, carried the burning stove and poured it on me.”

A rights group, Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, called for a thorough investigation into the incident.

A statement by the group’s lawyer, Mr Festus Bonwin, said justice must be done in the matter.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the suspect had been arrested and detained.

She said, “He (Akpoelu) has been arrested. We have commenced investigation and if he is found culpable, he will be punished.”

By Tijjani Ibarhim


At least one soldier and an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were killed when bandits stormed a military base in Shinfida community, Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A source said immediately the bandits stormed the military camp, they began to shoot sporadically.

The source said the bandits, who invaded the camp at about 10pm on Tuesday, also burnt down two patrol vehicles and drove away another one which they used to convey food items stolen from the surrounding villages.

The source added that the victims died instantly while those who sustained injuries were being treated at an undisclosed hospital in the state.

“The terrorists attacked the military base located within Government Day Secondary School Shinfida last Tuesday. They killed one soldier and one NSCDC officer on the spot and left many others injured.

“They attacked the military base on their motorcycles. Despite the efforts of the military personnel, the terrorists killed the two victims and set ablaze two patrol vehicles and drove away one with food items stolen from neighbouring villages,” the source said.

The terrorists had in September, 2021, ambushed troops of the Special Army Super Camp 4. Three military officers were killed while many others sustained injuries in the attack.

While the NSCDC confirmed the incident via its Public Relations Officer, DSC Muhammad Abdara, the Nigerian Army could not be reached for comments.

A fresh controversy is looming at the National Assembly as the two chambers of the parliament yesterday approved different versions of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

While the Senate provided the re-amended bill for direct, indirect primaries or consensus as the procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for various elective positions, the House only provided direct and indirect mode.

President Muhammadu Buhari had declined assent to the draft law over the provision of direct primaries as the sole mode of conducting political parties’ primaries.

The bill earlier passed by the National Assembly on November 18, 2021, states that “a political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this bill shall hold direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which shall be monitored by the Commission (INEC).”

The president had said he would assent the electoral bill if the lawmakers provided options for the conduct of political parties’ primaries.


At the Senate, the amendment followed a motion for the re-committal of the bill to the Committee of the Whole by Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi) during plenary on Wednesday.

The Red Chamber, in a motion for re-committal to the Committee of the Whole, amended Clause 84(2) of the bill to include direct, indirect primaries or consensus as methods of nominating candidates for elective positions.

Senator Abdullahi, in his presentation, explained that the motion for re-committal of the bill to the Committee on the Whole was against the backdrop of the need to address the observation by President Buhari over the mode of conducting party primaries.

At the House of Representatives, the lawmakers passed the bill with the provision of direct and indirect primaries. In their version, there was no consensus.

Its passage followed the introduction of the bill after a motion by the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Abubakar Hassan Fulata (APC, Jigawa).


Unlike at the Senate, the House of Representatives provided only two options – direct and indirect mode of primaries.

Speaking on the amendment after the House reverted to plenary, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila said; “For emphasis sake, what was considered and adopted by the House, was only one clause and that was Clause 84 (2), and that was the clause that has to do with direct primaries and indirect primaries. No other clause in the electoral act amendment was considered or adopted.

“So, the electoral act amendment that was sent “ab initio”, initially to the president remains as it is. The only change is 84 (2) wherein we have now included in addition, indirect primaries” which was not what was brought to us by the electoral committee”.

Meanwhile, 13 of the nation’s leading Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have urged the Senate to drop the introduction of consensus as a mode for the nomination of candidates in the Electoral Bill 2021 amendment

The CSOs, in a statement on Wednesday, said the Senate’s introduction of consensus as a mode for the nomination of candidates in the Electoral Bill 2021 was unacceptable.

The CSOs are Yiaga Africa, International Press Centre (IPC), Centre for Citizens with Disability (CCD), The Albino Foundation, CLEEN Foundation, Institute for Media and Society (IMS) and Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF).

Others are Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), Partners for Electoral Reform (PER), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organizations (NNNGO) and Inclusive Friends Association (IFA).

“We reject the decision of the Senate to introduce a completely new mode of “consensus” as a procedure for candidates’ nomination. The consensus mode is antithetical to democratic principles and will result in the subversion of popular will.”

The CSOs said with this development, a harmonization committee will now have to be constituted by the leadership of the National Assembly to harmonize the divergent positions of both chambers thereby delaying the speedy conclusion of the process.

By Saawua Terzungwe


Governors of the 36 states of the federation have resolved to engage the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the proposed N302 new fuel pump price.

Addressing newsmen at the end of their meeting in Abuja, which started on Wednesday night and ended in the early hours of Thursday, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, said the engagement would address the issue without causing disaffection.

The National Economic Council (NEC) had recommended an increase in the pump price of fuel to N302 per litre.

Petrol price currently sells between N162 and N165 per litre in the country.

This is reportedly part of government’s plan to fully deregulate the prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and eliminate monthly subsidy payments with provisions to ensure fair competition in the market.

The TUC, however, said it would meet and take a position on the matter on Thursday.

Reacting, Fayemi said, “The governors discussed issues around fuel subsidy removal and concluded to engage the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Cogress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to address the issue without causing any disaffection but with a view to salvaging the Nigerian economy for Nigerian people at the end of the day.

“So, we will be engaging the NLC as sub-national leaders and with a view to ensuring that the outcome of our engagement will also be fair to the national discourse.

“The report is not from the governors. The National Economic Council chaired by the Vice President of Nigeria has been dealing with this issue over time and really, it is not up to sub-national to decide on what happens to fuel price. However, we are critical stakeholders so we contribute to debate on economic council.”

The governors also commended the senate for “accelerating the removal of the contentious clause in the draft electoral bill and hope the House of Representatives will also follow suit so that the revised electoral bill can return to Mr. President for assent.”

The Managing Director of Assets Management Company of Nigeria, Mr Ahmed Kuru, has been arrested and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Kuru, who has been accused of assets diversion and selling of seized assets to cronies at below value prices by businessmen accused of loan default with banks, was invited by the EFCC earlier on Wednesday.

A reliable source at the EFCC, confirmed that Kuru was invited by the commission after confirmation of his selling assets worth billions of naira belonging to Atlantic.

According to the source, Atlantic was accused of loan default with Skye Bank and properties in collateral were seized while an action was instituted in court.

With the pendency of the court case, Kuru proceeded to selling the properties in dispute at a price far below the prevailing market value.

"Kuru will certainly spend the night with the commission as he is still undergoing interrogation," the source added.