₦airaland Forum

OneCandleAway:
If I were an obedient, I'll draw up a list with pictures of LP defectors and make sure there is a campaign that they don't get re-elected.

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused Arise Television’s TV host Reuben Abati of turning himself into a spokesman to Rotimi Amaechi.

Amaechi was a former Governor of Rivers State for eight years.

Olayinka spoke on Thursday while fielding questions on Arise Television’s Morning Show programme.

The statement comes after Abati had allegedly used unsavoury words to describe Wike while anchoring Arise Television’s Morning Show programme.

Olayinka claimed that Abati and his wife allegedly visited Wike’s house to beg for a bailout when he had issues with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over money he got from Sambo Dasuki.

Dasuki was a former National Security Adviser, ONSA, to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said, “I was shocked to hear him turning himself to spokesperson of Rotimi Amaechi, and I want to also suggest that, since he’s now Amaechi’s spokesperson, he should excuse himself from Arise TV and go and do his job properly.

“He should not be using a platform provided by respected Nigerians to ventilate his anger, his frustration and his hatred for Wike, because it is obvious that he hates Wike, he said Wike is wicked, yeah, that Wike is rude.

“When he had issue with EFCC and he had to pay back the money, the money he got from Dasuki, money from Dasuki loot, he himself and his wife knew the road to Wike’s house, to go and beg for a bailout, which he obviously got, and Wike was not rude that time.

“He has always come to this station to present himself as a moral police, and he will not one day tell us that at one point in his life, he’s a politician, a member of PDP.”

And with attempts of government now to even seek new changes in funding research, [so you can’t be given more money and not get any report or value for the money,” he said.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has thrown its weight behind the Federal Government’s directive requiring federal tertiary institutions to publish important financial and institutional information on their websites.

In an exclusive interview with The Guardian, ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, expressed the union’s support for the directive, emphasising the need for transparency and accountability in the management of university resources and affairs.

The directive, the ASUU President said, has its ‘backing 100 per cent’.

The Federal Government had directed all 203 federal tertiary institutions to publish key financial and institutional data on their websites by May 31.

The Guardian reports that as of June 2, only two out of 72 federal universities had fully complied with the directive.

A sample of 41 major institutions revealed that only 3 per cent had fully complied, while 97 per cent had not.

The directive aimed to promote transparency and accountability in the tertiary education sector by requiring institutions to disclose data such as yearly budgetary allocations, research grants, endowment funds, current TETFund allocation as well as breakdowns of students’ populations.

In a statement in April, Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa stated that this move would uplift the integrity and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s education sector.

The 41 sampled federal universities were categorised into four levels of compliance: fully complied, substantially complied, partially complied, and zero compliance.

It was observed that while two of the institutions fully adhered to the directive, three substantially complied, 22 partially complied, and 14 had zero compliance.

Specifically, out of the sampled size, only the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi (ATBU), ticked all the boxes by fully complying with the directive, while the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Bayero University, Kano (BUK), and Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) have substantially complied.

[b]Institutions with zero compliance as of the time of filing this report include the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT); Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA); Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA); Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), among others.

In a chat with The Guardian, Prof. Piwuna tasked VCs to ensure full compliance with the directive, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in the governance of tertiary institutions.

He said: “When it comes to issues that involve transparency, government will have our backing 100 per cent. We don’t have any problems in asking universities to open their books for public scrutiny. We encourage it, we support it.

“This initiative is one that we support fully. However, universities, Vice-Chancellors, should respond so that the public will know what’s going on”.

The union leader recalled that it has long advocated for transparency, including demands for an audit through visitation. He also noted that ASUU had, in the past, embarked on a strike to push for oversight in universities, underscoring its commitment to accountability.

According to the academic, some universities have secured research grants, stressing that publicly disclosing the data would enhance their rankings and other benefits.

“So, we believe that those websites should be up and running. We also want to know; we don’t want to be in the dark. And with attempts of government now to even seek new changes in funding research, so you can’t be given more money and not get any report or value for the money,” he said.

“We encourage Vice-Chancellors who have not made their financial standing clear to do so. It’s something that we encourage strongly.”

MrMcJay:
He wants to contest Ogun 2027 Guber elections. He's from Ogun West.

Yayi is looking at him and gnashing his teeth.

LordBiden:
Electric vehicle in a country still battling to deliver 24hrs power supply to its citizens.

Kemetian:
Excellent development.

ASUU chiefs must be grinning from ear to ear at all these good news coming from the Tinubu administration.

The federal government has picked twelve universities, two from each geopolitical region of the country, to manufacture electric vehicles. The initiative, which is part of the First Nigeria policy of the President Bola Tinubu administration to be financed by the Bank of Industry and other key financial institutions.

Director-General National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Oluwemimo Osanipin, disclosed this in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. advertisement Osanipin spoke during a stakeholders’ engagement with the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) and the Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (NAMA).

The theme of the engagement was: “Import of Used Cars and Dealership Regulation in Nigeria”. advertisement He said that Nigeria was also committed to component and parts manufacturing as part of its preparation for made in Nigeria vehicles and fulfilment of the First Nigeria Policy.

According to him, the country was on its way to having a 100% made in Nigeria electric vehicles, adding that the federal government has already built stations in 10 of the universities in readiness for the takeoff of the project. He said,

“When I came in, one of the major initiatives I pushed for was component development, but let me state here that no country, no company, no OEC manufactures its own vehicle.

“For example, the company that manufactures Mercedes has people who produce engines for them, but they have the design, the interior. But there are still people who produce the bulb, the braking system. In all this, no OEM manufactures all the components, but again, we are conscious of what happens after sales.

[b]“Apart from producing parts to service vehicle production, you produce more parts to service after-sales, because let’s say annual production is 500,000, but the vehicles you service on the road are about 18 million. What that means is that we need to produce more parts.

“That’s why we are pushing for components and parts production. As of today, we are expanding. We have identified the components that we can do with comparative advantage and at a lower cost, like plastic parts, because some of those parts will come from byproducts of petroleum products.

“So there are lots of things that we can produce here in Nigeria. We are working with major assemblers. In terms of design, you are talking about how we have started an initiative where we gather 12 universities, two from each geopolitical zone, they are designing what we call the University shuttle bus, which is going to be 100% electric.

“It is going to be designed in Nigeria. Most of the cars will be sourced locally. We are on it. When they finish, we will come together again to work with assemblers and vehicle manufacturers and get support from companies that can finance it, like the Bank of Industry and other financial institutions, to be able to produce these vehicles.

“Gradually, we are going to have electric vehicles fully designed and manufactured in Nigeria. And in preparation for that, we started building stations in certain universities, and in the next few months, we will cover nothing less than 10 universities.

“By the time we have this, we will have built some infrastructure. Gradually, we are building for the future and building parts.”

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is set to witness a historic wave of infrastructure development as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the commissioning of 17 transformative projects across Abuja, beginning Tuesday, June 10, immediately after the Eid-el-Kabir (Sallah) celebrations.

This announcement was made by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in the nation’s capital on Wednesday.

Wike disclosed that the project commissioning will kick off at the iconic International Conference Centre (ICC), marking the beginning of what he described as an “unprecedented milestone in the history of the FCT.”

“Mr. President has finally approved the commissioning of projects to start on the 10th of June, which is Tuesday, after the Sallah holiday. And that will start with the International Conference Centre, and as you can see, we are good to go,” Wike stated.

On Wednesday, June 11, the spotlight will shift to the Gishiri interchange, which connects vital corridors to Jahi, Maitama, and Mabushi—underscoring the administration’s focus on enhancing mobility and urban connectivity in the city.

In a show of strong executive support, President Tinubu will personally commission 10 of the 17 projects. Due to time constraints and scheduling, the remaining seven projects will be commissioned by high-ranking officials representing the President: the Vice President will inaugurate three projects, the Senate President will handle two, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives will commission another two.

“We want to thank the President. It is not easy for him to give us 10 good days, where he will be around to commission these projects,” Wike said, expressing deep gratitude, adding that “This level of presidential involvement shows the importance of what we are doing here. Abuja is truly being transformed.”

According to the Minister, the projects are part of the broader Renewed Hope Agenda, a national development framework championed by the Tinubu administration. Wike emphasized that the impact is already visible in the faces of residents, especially children who are beginning to enjoy the benefits of improved infrastructure and city planning.

“You can see the joy of the children, and they are all feeling the impact of the New Hope Agenda,” Wike noted with pride. “All the promises we made, we’ve been able to accomplish them. Look at the reaction from people. That tells you — if the people are happy, we are also happy.”

Describing the rollout as “unprecedented,” Wike praised the level of coordination and support received from the Presidency, affirming that the FCT administration remains committed to delivering results.

“We can’t tell you how elated we are, but we give God Almighty the glory and thank Mr. President for all his support,” he concluded.

“As the capital prepares to host these historic events, residents can look forward to tangible improvements that reflect the federal government’s renewed commitment to urban transformation and service delivery,” he added.

Two ISWAP Top Commanders Ya Muhammad and Abou Dawuda Confirmed Killed in Damboa Encounter.

Two top commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), identified as Ya Muhammad and Abou Dawuda, have been confirmed killed in an operation by Nigerian troops in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.

Zagazola Makama gathered from impeccable sources that the terrorists were neutralized during a recent attack on Damboa town, which was foiled by the ground troops and the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) aerial bombardments.

The terrorists, who were leading fighters in the attack, were hit during the NAF’s strike targeting their position. Ya Muhammad, recognized as the Ameer Fiya of Garno, was among the five ISWAP commanders reportedly leading the assault.

Following the airstrikes, it was gathered that he initially escaped with two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), which he hid in the Bula Bukarti forest after two other fighters were neutralized under his command.

However, attempts by Ya Muhammad to regroup with more fighters were cut short when he was struck by another airstrike from the Operation Hadin Kai’s air component. His corpse was reportedly found later by fellow terrorists, marking a significant blow to the insurgent group.

The late commander was closely associated with other notable ISWAP leaders, including Abu Ayuba, Abu Khalid and Ameer Sarki. His death has reportedly plunged the terrorists into mourning, signifying his prominence in orchestrating attacks within Borno and Yobe states. Ya Muhammad was believed to have masterminded several attacks on locations such as Wajiroko, Sabon Gari, and Damboa.

The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga has reacted after two traditional rulers mentored by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited him at his Lagos residence on Sunday.

The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga stated on his verified Twitter page on Monday; "President Bola Tinubu and the kings he mentored during a Sunday visit to the President’s Lagos residence."

He stated further; "Standing right of him is Oniru of Lagos, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II and to the President’s left, the Elegushi of Lagos Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi, Kusenla III."