WEDNESDAY 7TH MAY 2025

OF MOTHER AND CHILD HOSPITAL...

After Disastrous Local Polls, Tory MPs Meet to Discuss Ousting Kemi Badenoch

Members of Parliament (MP) of the UK’s Conservative Party will hold meetings this week to discuss how to remove their leader, Kemi Badenoch, as panic grows over the future of the party following Reform’s success in the local elections.

“We cannot continue as we are and she (Ms Badenoch) is just not up to the task,” one of the MPs said.

The moves come after the Tories lost 15 councils and 674 seats last week in devastating results which put the future of the party at risk. At the same time, Nigel Farage declared his

Two senior backbenchers confirmed to The Independent that they are calling meetings with fellow parliamentarians to discuss ousting the Conservative Party leader.

party has now taken the place of the Conservatives as the main opposition to Labour as it won 676 seats and overall control of 10 councils.

One Conservative MP said: “These results were actually worse than last year’s general election. We have somehow gone backwards.”

Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives suffered a heavy defeat last Thursday, losing hundreds of councillors and control of 15 councils

It is understood that a number of Tories have also contacted Robert Jenrick to stand again for the leadership just six months after he failed in his first attempt. While some of those plotting were his supporters it is being claimed that the discussions on Ms Badenoch’s future “go beyond the usual suspects”.

There are claims that former foreign

Senate Begins Tax Reform Bills’ Consideration Today as Finance Panel Submits Report

Akpabio pledges legislative efforts to curb insecurity, hunger

Sunday Aborisade

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, yesterday at plenary, disclosed that the red chamber will today begin the consideration of the Tax Reform Bills month after they were first introduced by President Bola Tinubu.

Akpabio stated this after the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, submitted his panel’s report on the fiscal documents.

Akpabio urged the committee to distribute copies of the bill to all senators to enable them to study it so that they would be able to make informed contributions during the consideration.

Also during plenary, the Senate President charged the federal lawmakers to renew their commitment to tackling the nation’s worsening insecurity and growing economic hardship in the country.

He urged them to approach their duties with integrity, unity, and a sense of urgency as Nigerians grapple with deepening hunger and insecurity.

He highlighted key national challenges—rising living costs, instability in the energy sector, and escalating insecurity—as areas needing immediate legislative attention.

He described the violent conflicts in the South-East and North-West, herder-farmer clashes in the North-Central, and environmental

degradation in the South-South as “the bleeding wounds of the republic.”

Akpabio noted that the recent legislative recess coincided with Easter and Eid-el-Fitr, a period he said should inspire the values of sacrifice and discipline in public service.

“The burdens on our shoulders are enormous, and no season better prepares the soul to carry such burdens than the one we’ve just passed through,” Akpabio stated.

He reaffirmed the chamber’s support for the Tinubu’s administration, pledging to enact laws and strengthen oversight to back Executive efforts in stabilising the country.

On the national conversation

Dangote Group Donates 20,000 Bags of Rice to Plateau State Govt

The Dangote Group of Companies has donated 20,000 bags of 10kg rice to the Plateau State Government to support vulnerable residents across the state’s 17 Local Government Areas.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who flagged-off the distribution in Jos, lauded the Dangote Group for its sustained commitment to humanitarian support.

He described the gesture as exemplary, urging others in the private sector to emulate the company’s dedication to uplifting disadvantaged communities.

“No matter how wealthy one becomes, if you do not remember the poor, you will not find true value in your riches,” Mutfwang said.

The governor reiterated his administration’s efforts to mitigate the hardship faced by vulnerable groups, particularly during the farming season.

He disclosed that measures are in place to make fertilizers more accessible and affordable to farmers in a bid to boost food production.

He also expressed optimism about the state’s agricultural prospects, particularly in rice cultivation, stating that Plateau aims to position itself as part of Nigeria’s rice belt with an anticipated bumper harvest in the southern region of the state. Presenting the donation on behalf of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Bashir Kawu stated that the initiative, carried out through the Dangote Foundation, is designed to alleviate food insecurity in all

local government areas.

He called on officials overseeing the distribution to ensure that the rice reaches the most vulnerable beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, Governor Mutfwang also received reports from the Committee on Land Administration and the Task Force on the Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Air Commodore Christopher Rwang (rtd), chairman of the resettlement committee, explained that the team was inaugurated on March 25, 2024, with six key mandates guiding its work.

He said the committee’s report sheds light on new challenges preventing many IDPs from returning to their ancestral homes, citing security concerns in areas previously affected by violence.

around electoral and judicial reforms, Akpabio acknowledged citizens’ growing demand for institutional accountability and called on his colleagues to respond with courage and diligence.

“The people are watching. The world is watching. Our constituents are watching. And history—silent but not sleeping—is watching,” he said.

secretary Sir James Cleverly is also positioning himself for a potential leadership contest as a centrist alternative to the right-wing Mr Jenrick, the report added.

Over the weekend, Sir James told GB News that Badenoch “knows she has my full support” but said he could “rule nothing out and nothing in” regarding a potential leadership bid should there be a vacancy.

Critics of Badenoch in the parliamentary party have spoken of their frustration over a lack of a strategy to deal with Reform.

In particular an attempt to get her support for an anti-Reform attack unit, with the help of former allies of Farage from Ukip and the Brexit Party who have joined the Tories, fell on deaf ears despite support from grandee Brexiteer Sir Bill Cash.

One senior backbencher said: “I feel like I have been banging my head against a brick wall trying to find out what the strategy is to take on Farage and Reform. There has been nothing.”

Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, noticeably posted on X how all the Tory council candidates in his Newark seat had won on a day which saw hundreds of Tory councillors lose their seats. He spent the weekend

doing party fundraisers in different parts of the country.

But one MP said: “If we give Kemi another year it could be curtains for us. There are no policies, no ideas, no strategy and she has no charisma.” MPs are calculating that once safe seats in East Anglia, Essex, Kent and across the south of England and shires would fall based on last week’s results. There are also complaints about her choice of senior staff, especially ex-MPs like Rachel MacLean and Therese Coffey.

“They just don’t seem to understand the trouble we are in,” another MP said.

However, Tory MPs also are concerned that the updated rules meaning a third of them (currently 41 MPs) are needed to trigger a vote of confidence with letters to the 1922 Committee chair Bob Blackman.

While MPs are not putting their names on the record calling for Mrs Badenoch to go yet, other Conservatives have.

Jason Smithers, the former Tory leader of North Northamptonshire Council, called for Ms Badenoch to go following the results, saying: “I can’t see how a leader of a party can stay on with such terrible results across the country.”

NELFUND Assures of Easier Access to Loans Through Tech-driven Platform

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND has assured Nigerian students of its commitment to building a technology-driven system to enhance seamless access to its loan services.

This assurance was given by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NELFUND, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, during a stakeholders’ engagement session and technical workshop held in Abuja with representatives from polytechnics, monotechnics, and institutes.

Sawyerr revealed that more than 320,000 students have already received funding, while many more are currently undergoing verification. He emphasized that NELFUND’s mission is not only to disburse loans but to ensure that every willing young Nigerian, regardless of their background or location, can access education without financial barriers.

“For too long, students in technical institutions have faced steep financial obstacles. Some drop out, while others never even apply due to a lack of means,” Sawyerr said. “This is the

gap NELFUND seeks to close. But we can’t do it alone. It requires collaboration with government bodies and the private sector.”

Highlighting the Fund’s goals, he stated that NELFUND is developing a platform characterized by transparency, accountability, and efficiency. The aim is to enable students to apply with confidence, institutions to verify swiftly, and funds to be disbursed in a timely and fair manner.

“We’re aiming for access without stress—a platform students can use with confidence,” he added.

“Transparency and trust are key, so that no one is left wondering about their application status. This system must reflect real-world conditions, not just assumptions.”

He praised the technical institutions for their role in developing skills, building careers, and supporting communities. Sawyerr emphasized the importance of institutional feedback and cooperation in shaping a loan system that is responsive and effective.

“To NBTE, we recognize your leadership in technical education.

Your collaboration is essential as we advance the integration of NELFUND

systems,” he noted. Also speaking at the event, NELFUND’s Executive Director of Operations, Mr. Iyal Mustapha, reaffirmed that over 320,000 students have already been paid, and verifications are ongoing for more applicants. He explained that of the 576,000 students registered on the NELFUND portal, only 516,000 completed their applications.

“The difference stems from incomplete processes—some due to lack of data, others from disinterest or system testing. We want to close this gap,” Mustapha said. “With institutional support, we can ensure more students complete the process and access both the upkeep loan, which offers N20,000 monthly, and the institutional loan, which is paid directly to schools.”

He emphasized that institutions play a key role in verifying student information and enabling the disbursement process. He announced that NELFUND is exploring technical integration with institutional portals through APIs, which would allow seamless access to student data directly from the schools’ systems.

INAUGURATION

First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, represented by Hajiya Nana Shettima, wife of the Vice President (centre); Governor Hope Uzodimma, CON (3rd right); His wife, Barr. (Mrs.) Chioma Uzodimma (3rd left); Wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hajiya Fatima Tajudeen Abbas (2nd left); and Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (2nd right), during the commissioning of the Mother and Child Hospital at Awo-Omamma General Hospital, Oru-East LGA, in Imo State

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

SENATE RESUMES PLENARY AFTER RAMADAN/EASTER BREAK...

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Solomon Adeola; President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau; Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; and Senate Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno, at the resumption of plenary after the Ramadan/Easter break, yesterday

Lagos Govt: Africa’s Largest Central Food Systems Hub Will Boost Lagos N14trn Market

Segun James

As part of move to boost the Lagos Food System which is the most sophisticated in Africa, the state government is in the process of completing a Central Food Systems and Logistics hub in Epe that will increase the worth to N14 trillion.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya who revealed this yesterday, said: “The Lagos Central Food Security Systems and Logistics Hub, represents a flagship project by the Lagos State Government to modernize and secure the state’s food distribution ecosystem, conceptualized as part of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s broader vision for agricultural and food systems transformation.”

According to Olusanya who disclosed this during the ongoing ministerial press briefing to commemorate the second year in office of the second term of the state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Alausa, Ikeja, the facility will also serve over 1,500 trucks daily.

His words: “The hub is designed to serve as a central, data-driven, and technologically integrated complex for food aggregation, storage, processing, and distribution.

“Upon completion, it will stand as the largest food logistics hub in Sub-Saharan Africa. It will feature

facilities to service over 1,500 (40mt) trucks daily and is expected to boost the N14 trillion food market in Lagos.”

She added: “With expected completion of Phase 1 within the next few months, it will be a game changer in the Nigerian food sovereignty plan, considering the emulation of Lagos as a pioneer as seen recently in the adoption of the project by other states.

“Upon completion, Lagosians can anticipate an impactful reduction in food prices due to integrated facilities like cold and dry storage, a 14,000-capacity abattoir, and a jetty for streamlined goods transportation.”

Olusanya, stressed the project is structured as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) under a DesignBuild-Finance-Operate-and-Transfer (DBFOT) model to ensure long-term sustainability and professional

management of the facility.

“The hub occupies approximately four million square meters (400 hectares) of land. The first phase alone covers 100 hectares, and once fully developed, the facility is expected to handle the storage, processing, and timely distribution of over 1.5 million metric tonnes of food annually.”

She explained the hub will generate over five million income

opportunities across the agriculture and logistics value chain - from farmers and transporters to retailers and cold chain operators.

The Commissioner noted it will “guarantee uninterrupted food supply to over 10 million Lagos residents for at least 90 days during emergency or lean periods. Reduce food transportation costs and post-harvest losses, which currently account for 30–50 per cent of total food losses in Nigeria.

“Beyond its immediate function as a food distribution center, the hub is fast becoming a model for other Nigerian states and West African cities.

“It will serve as a foundation for the development of satellite food hubs across the 57 Local Government/ council development Areas of Lagos, integrating rural and peri-urban food systems with urban consumption patterns,” Olusanya stated.

Pate: FG’s Health Sector Reform Recording Progress

‘Improvement in skilled birth attendance, antenatal care, data reporting’

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has said Nigeria was making significant improvements in healthcare access and in the delivery of quality healthcare services to Nigerians, especially at the Primary Health Care (PHC) level.

Pate who spoke at the Sector-Wide Approach State Strategic Engagement with North Central and South Western States Stakeholders ‘ on Tuesday in Abuja, said that following the reforms in the health sector, about 80 million contacts were made at the

Primary Healthcare Centres.

He commended the collaborative efforts of the states ensuring improved healthcare delivery to the people at the grassroots level.

According to him, despite the prevailing challenges, some states have recorded significant improvements in skilled birth attendance, antenatal care attendance as well as in performance data reporting.

He said: “In some areas, the performance is marginal, but we’re also learning from each other. Overall, we’re seeing improvement in how states are reporting data about their performance.

Africa Facing Over 100 Health Emergencies Annually, Says WHO

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that Nigeria and the rest of Africa are being confronted with over100 health emergencies every year

Speaking during the formal presentation of eight emergency response vehicles to the FCT team led by the Mandate Secretary for Health and Social Services, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, the Country Director of the WHO, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, said the initiative seeks to develop a multidisciplinary, trained and rapidly deployable national workforce, backed by strong operations and logistics at all level and led by the government.

“It is indeed a reason for joy to see this ceremony, which is here to mark the official hand over of eight utility vehicles, by the WHO to the Federal Capital Territory administration,” he said.

Molumbo said the flagship project was designed by the Regional Director in consultation with Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) to ensure that countries are able to mobilize within 24 hours of a confirmed emergency.

“The initiative aims to develop a multidisciplinary, trained and rapidly deployable national workforce, backed by strong operations and logistics at all level and led by the government.

He said the donation was a practical step forward in realizing the initiative of four pillars, namely, the workforce development, the response coordination, operations and logistics and Risk Communication and Community Engagement.

He explained that the intervention was a joint initiative between WHO African region and Africa, CDC. Mulombo said the event served as a reminder of a journey started by WHO and partners three years ago in December 2022, when they

organized the training for the first batch of advocacy responders.

“This is in recognition of the fact that, as you know, Africa continues to experience more than 100 health emergencies annually, ranging from disease outbreaks and natural disasters to conflict-driven crises, and Nigeria contributes a lot to that, as you all know.

“The COVID 19 pandemic, Ebola outbreak, cholera outbreak, Lassa fever, recently, dictatorial outbreaks, and even anthrax have tested our system and exposed gaps that need to be urgently addressed. These he said ranges from coordination to mobility, workforce readiness and logistics.

“On behalf of the World Health Organization in Nigeria, today, we are gathering to mark an important milestone in our collective effort to strengthen emergency preparedness and response in the Federal Capital Territory.

“Just to put it in context, every quarter about 20 million contacts are made with Nigerians through the primary health care system that has now been revamped.

“That means about 80 million contacts. It doesn’t mean 80 million people, but it means at least 80 million contacts per year, which means that the primary health care system, imperfect as it may be, is beginning to pick up because of the reforms that this government started under the leadership of the president and with the support of all the states, the local government, civil society, and development partners, as well as Nigerians, because it is all of us, including community leaders, traditional leaders, that have to demand for the care.

“This is an exercise to assess our performance by ourselves, leading

up to the joint annual review that we will do later this year, and we’re very pleased with the support that we’re seeing from all the states that are actively engaged in this effort, which is part of really the transformation that we are undertaking together with everyone.”

Pate who regretted that the health sector had suffered many years of under investments, noted that even though it would take some time before the country’s health sector is positioned the way Nigerians were looking forward to, the current administration has in the last two years, undertaken deliberate investments to drive needed reform in the sector.

“We expect that on an annual basis, that joint review will take place, the state of health report will be produced, so that Nigerians get

a sense of where we are. We have a health sector that has had many years of under investments, but this administration over the last two years, deliberately, under the leadership of the president, has invested, and many state governments are matching what the federal government is trying to do.

“So, it’s a continuous process, and it will take us some time for Nigeria’s health sector to be the way we want it to be.

“But we have started that journey of transformation, and we all have to continue on that path. We have to join hands with the federal government and state, local governments also have to step up.

“The civil society organizations and the media also have to educate Nigerians that health is one thing that should bring everybody together, because it affects all of us.

Nigeria Champions Electrification of 300 Million Africans By 2030

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has announced that Nigeria is taking a leadership role in electrifying the African continent, with a goal to provide power to 300 million Africans by 2030.

Abbas made this statement during the First Legislative Conference and Expo on Renewable Energy, hosted by the House Committee on Renewable Energy in collaboration with the UNDP in Lagos.

He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving a $1 billion investment for the Rural Electrification Agency in December 2024 of which

$750 million is dedicated to expanding solar access through 124 mini-grids and 25,000 solar home systems, benefiting over 200,000 Nigerians. Abbas emphasized Nigeria’s participation in the Mission 300 Initiative - a collaboration with the World Bank and African Development Bank as a testament to its dedication to clean and inclusive energy access. He urged cohesive action from all sectors: legislators to develop solid legal frameworks, the executive to act with urgency, the private sector to innovate and invest, and civil society to drive awareness and accountability. He reaffirmed the House’s commitment to clean energy, citing the formation of a Standing Committee

on Renewable Energy and strategic legislative steps like removing VAT on renewable energy components and compressed natural gas (CNG) technologies.

He also highlighted efforts to provide legal backing for Nigeria’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (REEEP) of 2015. Citing international energy trends, Abbas stressed the urgency of a clean energy transition.

“In 2024, over 92% of new global power capacity came from renewables, bringing total global capacity to over 4,448 GW. In 2023 alone, $1.7 trillion of the $2.8 trillion invested in energy went into renewables,

Kayode Tokede

For closing at -13.20 per cent in the first four months of 2025, the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) Oil & Gas Index has maintained its position as the worst performing indicator on the bourse amid the overall stock market growth in the period under review.

Investors’ return on the NGX has appreciated by 2.79 per cent in the first four months of 2025 but NGX Oil & gas index, NGX Insurance Index and NGX Industrial Index have continued to depreciate as investors trade stocks in the sectors with caution.

THISDAY analysis of trading numbers showed that the NGX Insurance Index and NGX Industrial Index dropped by 6.10 per cent and 5.80 per cent in the first four months of 2025, respectively.

With a return of 170 per cent in 2024, the NGX Oil & Gas Index outperformed the NGX Banking

Index, NGX Consumer Goods Index, among other indices as the best performing index, attributable to reforms by the federal government.

But the index has been on a downturn over the past few years, recording negative returns to shareholders. For instance, in 2018, the NGX oil and gas declined by 8.61 per cent. This indicates that, on average, investors in this sector experienced a negative return of 8.61 per cent for the year.

Similarly, the sector declined by 14.6 per cent in 2019. Also, in 2020 and 2021, the index recorded a loss of 13.03 per cent and 8.73 per cent, respectively.

However, succour came the way of investors as the sector witnessed a turnaround in performance, achieving a gain of 98.3 per cent in 2023.

Despite posting positive 2024 unaudited result and accounts for period ended December 2024,

investors’ negative sentiment have continued to rock the listed Oil & Gas companies.

So far in 2025, the three fundamentals stock in NGX Oil & Gas have seen downward momentum as two appreciated and one trading flat since 2024.

An investigation by THISDAY revealed that Etern Plc, Totalenergies Marketing Nigeria Plc, two listed Oil & Gas companies appreciated in stock price, while Seplat energy Plc has remained flat at N5,700 per share since 2024.

The stock price of Eterna closed April 30, 2025 at N49.95 per share, gaining 106 per cent YtD from N24.30 per share it closed for trading in 2024. On the other hand, Totalenergies Marketing Nigeria moved to N705 per share as of April 30, 2025, up by one per cent when compared to N698 per share it opened for trading in 2025.

On the flipside, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc closed trading April 30, 2025

at N157.50 per share, about 28 per cent decline from N217.80 per share, while the stock price of Oando Plc dropped to N42.05, a decline of 36 per cent from N66 it closed for trading in 2024.

In addition, the stock price of Aradel Holdings Plc fell to N448 per share, a decline of 25.1 per cent from N598 per share, while Conoil Plc closed April 30, 2025 at N331.20 per share, a decline of 14.5 per cent from N387.20 per share it opened for trading this year.

Commenting on Aradel Holdings, Investment Banker & Stockbroker, Mr. Tajudeen Olayinka said, “the company’s stock dropped because the entry price or introduction price was fundamentally hurtful. The price of the stock is going through the usual market correction.”

Other analysts linked the performance of the sector in 13.20 per cent YtD to late filing of 2024 result and accounts and declaring

dividend payout to investors.

On his part, the Vice President, Highcap Securities Limited, Mr. David Adnori, said, “The Oil & Gas sector was propelled in recent times by Oando. Oando’s stock price appreciated significantly and when Aradel Holdings was listed, the price was very high and it drove the index growth in 2024.

“However, since the beginning of the year, Oando and Aradel Holdings have taken a serious beating. The NGX Oil & Gas Index worst performance has to do with listed companies not with the industry itself. Investors’ confidence around Oando dropped and Aradel Holdings could not sustain the high tempo which it migrated from NASA to NGX,“ he added.

The Managing Director, Globalview Capital Limited, Mr. Aruna Kebira, had attributed the downward movement in the NGX Oil & Gas index to

profit-taking in Oando. He said, “The management of Oando proposed a bonus of one new ordinary share for every 12 existing ordinary shares and other listed companies’ bonuses have a terminal date of 90 days. The management put a bonus for three years, which is to be credited for 36 months. Investors felt the management of Oando was taking them for granted and opted to take profit.”

He added that the poor performance in the NGX Oil & Gas is based on investors’ sentiment that Conoil, among others may declare a dividend that is not commensurate with their 52-week high.

“Investors believed that the dividend they are expecting from listed Oil & Gas companies cannot be commensurate with their prices. So they are exiting ahead of the dividend payout. Investors can exit quietly now when the dividends are not declared,” he said.

The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, is set to officially sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bank of Industry (BOI) and Sterling Bank as part of efforts to boost access to finance for small and medium-scale entrepreneurs across the state.

The signing ceremony, which is part of activities for the launch of a new initiative tagged Lagos State Access to Finance for SMEs through Co-operatives (LASMECO) programme, is billed to hold tomorrow in Lagos.

platform that aims to deliver low-interest, risk-mitigated loans to SMEs across strategic sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, creative industries, manufacturing, and circular economy clusters.

According to the Commissioner of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose, LASMECO is a first-ofits-kind public-private financing

Ambrose explained that the initiative is a game changer that will accelerate access to finance for SME business owners in the state by providing a loan of up to Ten

Million Naira at a 9% interest rate for two to three years. She added that the loans are non-collateralised and will be 50% guaranteed by Sterling Bank.

She disclosed that the Access to Finance for SMEs initiative, which is to be launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the event, would be witnessed by key stakeholders in both public

and private sectors, including Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BOI), Olasupo Olusi, Managing Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Abubakar Suleiman, President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Francis Meshioye and President, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Gabriel Idahosa. During the launch, the

Honourable Commissioner will sign the MoU on behalf of the state government, while the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry will do same for the bank. The programme’s launch marks a significant milestone in Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ economic transformation agenda and pathway to industrial inclusiveness in Lagos State.

Digging Deeper: The Case for Responsible Mining in Africa

oluchi Chibuzor stresses the need for a deliberate effort to build mining models that consider long-term sustainability as part of operating logic, not as an afterthought

By all accounts, mining remains one of the most consequential economic activities on the African continent. From precious metals buried deep beneath Nigeria’s hills to vast cobalt deposits that power the global energy transition, the continent sits atop extraordinary mineral wealth. Yet with this abundance comes a responsibility—a responsibility that extends to the land, water, air, and perhaps most importantly, the communities surrounding every mine site.

In recent years, the discourse around responsible and sustainable mining has gained momentum, but practice often lags behind principle. Too many mining operations, particularly in emerging economies, are still synonymous with environmental degradation, community displacement, and opaque governance. That’s why it’s important to not only recognise the mines charting a different course—but to study them closely, so their lessons can inform a better standard for the industry.

In Osun State, Nigeria, the operations of Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL) offer a compelling case study. As operators of the country’s first large-scale gold mine, Segilola has had to balance modern extraction techniques with a clear-eyed understanding of its environmental and social footprint. Their usage of compressed natural gas (CNG) generators as the main power supply helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% and is part of Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL)’s broader ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy. The mine utilises seven 1.2 MW CNG generators, with five in operation and two as standby, to power the processing plant. While diesel generators are also used for construction and as backup power, CNG is the primary fuel source for the main power supply. This kind of contextual intelligence is not yet widespread across Africa’s mining

belt, but it is catching on. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kamoa-Kakula copper project has made headlines not only for its resource potential but for its relatively low carbon emissions compared to other largescale copper producers. The joint venture, which includes Canadian company Ivanhoe Mines, has incorporated hydropower into its energy mix—an important step in decoupling mining activity from fossil fuels. Similarly, in Ghana, Newmont’s Ahafo mine has invested heavily in environmental monitoring and community partnerships. The mine funds independent environmental assessments, supports sustainable agriculture projects in host communities, and has instituted grievance mechanisms to ensure that local voices are not only heard but respected. What unites these examples is not perfection but intent—a deliberate effort to build mining models that consider long-term sustainability as

part of their operating logic, not as an afterthought. For instance, rather than relying solely on reactive measures, Segilola proactively waters haulage routes and applies molasses to bind loose soil and suppress airborne particles. It is a simple but effective innovation, rooted in both science and sensitivity. With global demand for critical minerals surging, the pressure to exploit deposits quickly and cheaply is immense. But this moment also presents an opportunity: to build a mining ethos that is efficient without being exploitative, profitable without being predatory. Companies like Segilola Resources Operating Limited, Kamoa-Kakula, and Newmont are showing what is possible when operations are guided not just by ore grades and returns, but by the principles of equity and environmental care.

What comes out of the ground will always matter. But how we take it out—and who we become in the process—matters just as much.

Tariffs Without Power: The Broken Promise of Electricity Reforms in Nigeria

Why TeleCoMs PRivATisATion

suCCeeDeD While PoWeR seCToR PRivATisATion sTRuggles in nigeRiA

Before 2001, Nigeria had just 500,000 telephone lines serving over 100 million people. The demand far outstripped supply, making access to phones expensive and exclusive. Racketeering was rampant, and even a former Minister of Telecommunications implied that “telephones were not for the poor.”

That narrative changed dramatically in 2001 when the federal government liberalised the telecoms sector. Private operators were licensed and, recognising the massive demand, invested aggressively to expand the network. Since then, over $100 billion has been invested, and active telephone lines have skyrocketed from half a million to over 220 million today. Importantly, these operators did not wait for cost-reflective tariffs to invest—they thrived on volume, not price. The result? Nigerians now pay much less for telecommunications than during the NITEL era, with significantly better availability and service.

PoWeR seCToR PRivATisATion:

A DiffeRenT sToRy

In 2013, the federal government privatised the electricity sector, selling off generation companies (GENCOs) and distribution companies (DISCOs) to private investors. However, it retained ownership of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). Although transmission operations were briefly handed to Manitoba Hydro International (Canada), this was later reversed. At the time of privatisation, Nigeria generated about 6,000 megawatts of electricity. Twelve years later, that number has declined, hovering between 3,000–5,000 megawatts. In stark contrast to telecoms, electricity supply has worsened post-privatisation.

Why DiD PoWeR seCToR PRivATisATion fAil?

The main difference lies in investment. While telecoms companies poured billions into infrastructure, power sector operators did not. Electricity output has declined rather than increased. With proper investment, Nigeria could have been generating 25,000 megawatts or more

by now—thus reducing tariffs and improving availability. By global rating, 1,000 megawatts is to serve one million people therefore Nigeria with over 200 million people is expected to be supplying 200,000 megawatts but currently doing only 5,000 megawatts. Rather than committing billions of dollars to expand supply and tap into the massive power deficit, power sector companies have focused primarily on tariff increases.

so Why hAven’T The PoWeR CoMPAnies invesTeD?

The CAPiTAl PRobleM

Most of the DISCOs simply lack the capital.

A review of their filings at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) shows that the total share capital of all 11 DISCOs is less than N1 billion—about $583,000. Below is a breakdown of their capital: DisCo Capital (n) Capital (usD*)

1 Abuja N15m $10,000

2 Benin N5m $4,000

3 Eko N200m $140,000

4 Enugu N10m $7,000

5 Ibadan N10m $7,000

6 Ikeja N100m $70,000

7 Jos N500m $350,000

8 Kaduna N10m $7,000

9 Kano N10m $7,000

10 P’Harcourt N10m $7,000

11 Yola N5m $4,000

*USD values are approximated Rising CosTs, sTATiC suPPly Despite declining output, electricity costs have risen sharply. Why?

1. Loan Repayments: To pay for the licences in 2013, DISCOs borrowed nearly $1.5 billion at an exchange rate of ₦155/$1. With today’s

rate around N1,500/$1, they now face over N2.25 trillion in loan repayments, up from N232.5 billion. These escalating costs from foreign exchange losses are being passed to consumers without any increase in power supply.

2. Inefficient Structure: Before privatisation, PHCN (formerly NEPA) was the sole provider of 6,000 megawatts. Today, there are 46 entities—33 GENCOs, 11 DISCOs, 1 TCN, and 1 NBET—yet they collectively generate less electricity than PHCN did. Consumers now are forced to bear the cost of operating this bloated structure with high tariffs to generate enough revenues to meet these costs from only 5,000 megawatts! Consumers have gone from paying for one Managing Director under NEPA to footing the bill for 46 Managing Directors across the power sector—yet they’re receiving even less electricity than before. The system is clearly broken.

A MinisTeR seRving The CoMPAnies, noT The PeoPle?

The current Minister of Power appears aligned with industry operators, pushing for tariff hikes instead of enforcing investment. In 2023, he approved

a 250 per cent increase for Band A customers (from N65/ kWh to N225/kWh)—all without any new generation, transmission and distribution capacity. Despite supplying no more than a 5 per cent increase in electricity, the power sector cashed in with a 70 per cent revenue hike, according to the Minister’s own report. There are indications that the Minister may soon approve another round of tariff increases, still based on the same stagnant 5,000 megawatts of electricity supply! Even worse, while consumers pay higher tariffs, they are still expected to buy their own meters, transformers, and pay for repairs.

WhAT shoulD The MinisTeR Do?

To truly serve Nigerians, the Minister must refocus on reform, not liquidity. Here’s how:

1. Distribution Reform • Require DISCOs to invest in infrastructure, just like telecom companies did.

• In telecoms: Licence → $285m; Investment → $100bn; Success through scale.

• In power: Licence → $100m; Investment → Almost none; Failure due to stagnation.

Nick Agule

Arial view of SROL, Osun State

Adelabu

Market Cap Adds N1.05trn in One-day on Demand for ETI, Others

Kayode Tokede

The stock market section of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) yesterday sustained its bullish sentiment by N1.05 trillion as investors continued to show strong interest in Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Plc (gained 10 per cent) and 41 other large-cap stocks.

The All Share Index (ASI) gained by 1,662.60 points,

representing a growth of 1.56 per cent to close at 108,361.10 points basis with the Monthto-Date and Year-to-Date returns settling at +2.6per cent and +5.3per cent, respectively.

Also, market capitalisation gained N1.05 trillion to close at N68.105 trillion.

Market breadth remained positive, with 42 gainers outpacing 25 decliners. Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), Northern Nigeria Flour

Mills (NNFM) and Nestle Nigeria recorded the highest price gain of 10 per cent each to close at N25.85, N82.50 and N1,210.00 respectively, per share.

Beta Glass followed with a gain of 9.98 per cent to close at N132.80, while Austin Laz & Company up by 9.94 per cent to close at N1.88, per share. On the other hand, Guinea Insurance led the losers’ chart by 8.70 per cent to close at

63 kobo, per share. DAAR Communications followed with a decline of 6.78 per cent to close at 55 kobo, while VFD Group declined by 6.59 per cent to close at N17.00, per share.

Wapic Insurance depreciated by 6.07 per cent to close at N2.01, while Regency Alliance Insurance declined by 4.69 per cent to close at 61 kobo, per share.

Also, the total volume traded

declined by 16.45 per cent to 475.459 million units, valued at N13.899 billion, and exchanged in 17,575 deals. Transactions in the shares of Access Holdings topped the activity chart with 103.915 million shares valued at N2.202 billion. Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) followed with 37.985 million shares worth N2.423 billion, while United Bank for Africa (UBA) traded 30.731 million shares valued at N1.039 billion.

Sterling Financial Holdings Company traded 27.177 million shares valued at N147.244 million, while enith Bank sold 26.184 million shares worth N1.235 billion. On market outlook, Afrinvest Limited said “we expect the domestic bourse to sustain gains, driven by market reassessment of opportunities on the back of the largely impressive Q1 2025 earnings performance.”

Gov. Mutfwang: Trudging on amidst Recurrent Distractions

Polycarp Auta

In the run up to the 2023 general elections, political analysts identified Mr Caleb Mutfwang, a contestant to the Plateau governorship seat, as one candidate that was sure of victory.

They hinged such optimism on the affection the lawyer enjoyed among Plateau residents long before he picked the ticket of his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Such popularity was amply demonstrated when he returned from Abuja after collecting his party's flag.

The crowd that came to welcome him at the Heipang Airport was so massive that his opponents feared an imminent defeat.

And, true to the fears, Mutfwang easily won the election and was sworn in on May 29, 2023.

The battle for the seat was to continue at the courts with the Supreme Court finally declaring him winner in January 2024.

Mutfwang quickly settled into governance, moving with the speed of a leader ready to fulfil his contract with the people.

The first challenge was the high debt profile and the decay in the state's civil service.

Civil servants were already on strike as they were owed several months’ salaries. The outstanding salaries and pension arrears were paid and the workers returned to work.

Available records also show that the government has also paid gratuities and death benefits dating back to 1986.

The minimum monthly pension has also been increased from N5,000 to N20,000, with the payment now more regular.

Attention has also been paid to transportation.

According to Mutfwang, the goal is to "invigorate Plateau economy and draw investors to its vast potential".

In this respect, Jos intra-city bus service has been launched, easing movement across the capital.

In the first phase launched on May 7, 2024, 15 busses were inaugurated with more coming on board as the demand kept rising while more routes are getting covered.

To boost inter-state transport services, 15 busses have been added to the Plateau Express Ltd, while 20 Toyota Sienna vehicles have been acquired to ply the Jos-Abuja route.

The governor has also ratified a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Valuejets Airline for thrice-weekly flights to Jos. Government has also brokered a deal with the Nigerian Railway Corporation to rejuvenate the dormant rail transport and mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal on the populace.

The envisaged train service is anticipated to invigorate economic activities, attract investments, bolster commerce, enhance tourism and create direct and indirect jobs.

The health sector is also being revitalized with the Plateau State Drugs and Medical Commodities Agency (PS-DMCMA), equipped to procure, store and distribute drugs and medical supplies in state-run medical outfits.

The goal, Mutfwang says, is to ensure that essential medications are available, accessible, and affordable.

Until recently, Plateau was celebrated as one of Nigeria's cleanest states, making it a choice destination for tourists.

The Mutfwang administration found a changed situation with Jos grappling with heaps of refuse and powerful stenches oozing from all angles.

To tackle the menace, government has declared a state of emergency on the environment with refuse disposal trucks evacuating waste in Jos/ Bukuru metropolis and beyond.

The reintroduction of the monthly sanitation programme, supervised by the Governor, has led to significant improvements and the streets are noticeably cleaner.

The monthly stipend of street cleaners in Jos has also been reviewed from N8,000 to N15, 000 to encourage them to put in their best.

To improve road network across the state, government has initiated significant projects within the Jos/Bukuru Metropolis and across the 17 Local Governments.

The administration has rehabilitated a network of roads constructed more than 40 years ago and had deteriorated into hazardous conditions.

It has also completed the flyover bridge linking NASCO and Abattoir communities. This project is significant as it eases traffic within the capital city.

The construction of a 6.5km road at Angwan Rogo, with a bridge to Hawan Idi/Ali Kazaure, and a 12.1km road covering Amma Street to Apata, is another critical project.

Other critical road projects executed are the Sabon Barki-Building road, the Tudun Wada-Mado-

Jabong road, among many others across the state, turning Plateau into a construction site.

In the agricultural sector, the state has distributed N3.6 billion worth of fertilizer to bolster dry-season farming efforts.

The Plateau Agricultural Development Programme (PADP), has also launched coconut and oil palm plantations to further diversify and strengthen the state's agro-forestry sector, while 500 farmers specializing in maize, rice and wheat value chains, have been given assorted seeds to boost yields.

PADP has also procured 200 tractors, while 300 tractors belonging to ASTC were revamped and put to use.

Piggery farmers in Jos South and Langtang North LGAs, who were hit by the 2022 floods, have been assisted to restart.

Mutfwang has carried women and children along in his vision, beginning with the nomination of Mrs Josephine Piyo as Deputy Governor.

So far, the women affairs ministry has trained 102 widows on various skills at the Mangu Centre and equipped them with starter packs to start their businesses.

In the area of education, the Governor has reduced tuition fees by 50% for Plateau natives enrolled in state-owned tertiary institutions.

Additionally, there has been a 300% increase in scholarship award for Plateau students pursuing higher education across Nigeria.

Government has also addressed the issue of unpaid salaries for ad hoc staff, some of whom had been on that status for several years.

Worried by the destructive malarial menace, the State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP), has secured 2,998,650 Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) for distribution across households.

The Mutfwang leadership has also boosted the capacity of the Plateau Hospital, Jos, with 22 medical consultants across various specialities, while its long-abandoned laboratory complex had been completed and equipment worth N2 billion fitted into it.

In the area of primary education, government has renovated and constructed 148 classrooms and dug boreholes in schools to make the learning environment conducive.

A lot has also been sunk into water supply with N1.3 billion spent to procure assorted Water Treatment Chemicals while N700 million went into settling liabilities incurred on similar items by previous administrations.

INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE

In pursuing his dream of a greater Plateau, Mutfwang has shown no discrimination either on the basis of religion, tribe or political leanings. Two commissioners - Bashir Lawandi in water resources and energy, and Mohammed Nyalum of commerce - for instance, are Muslims.

He also has many Special Advisers, Special Assistants and top aides that are Muslims and is on record as sponsoring the highest number of Muslims to Hajj in 2023.

Areas with Muslims as residents have also enjoyed many development projects, a privilege that has attracted speedy growth to the areas.

SECURITY CONCERNS

But, as Mutfwang speedily moves to build a prosperous Plateau, a recurrent distraction - insecurity - is slowing down the steam and blurring his focus.

Indeed, the challenge of insecurity has, for long, been the lot of Plateau residents.

When Mutfwang came in, he visited camps where Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are kept in Riyom, Mangu and Bokkos Local Government Areas, to asses the situation.

Few weeks before he was sworn in, his own Mangu Local Government Area came under severe attack on May 15, 2023.

The attacks claimed a lot of lives and appeared to give him a signal that evil was lurking.

The violence subsided in the later part of 2023, 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, but resumed in the last few weeks with Bokkos, Bassa, Mangu, Barkin-Ladi and Riyom as the targets.

A distraught Mutfwang has since been running from pillar to post to secure his people.

He has made it a duty to visit every hit community to commiserate with victims and caution against reprisal attacks.

He has severally met with President Bola Tinubu, Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and other top security officials to work out ways to tackle the menace.

At first, it appeared that the efforts had yielded fruits with both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies adopted to restore peace, but the resurgence of hostilities has shown that more needs to be done.

To tackle the violence, the Governor has reactivated the hitherto dormant state-owned security outfit —Operation Rainbow.

The outfit is expected to mobilise 600 personnel, chosen from across the local governments, to secure the state.

Its personnel shall be expected to use the knowledge of their communities to provide effective security, focusing on intelligence gathering and the relay of early warning signals.

The administration has also established the State Security and Information Centre where citizens can report security concerns via a toll-free line. This centre enables the government to receive timely information on pressing security issues in rural communities.

But, as the governor battles to secure

the state, analysts fear that the situation would worsen if all stakeholders are not united to end the crisis.

They particularly decried a situation where politicians seek to make political capital out of the bloodshed and feared that desperate politicians could even stock the fire of violence to put the governor on the defence.

Worried by the recurring attacks on the rural communities, President Tinubu has directed security agencies to fully mobilise all resources to end the bloodshed.

He has also promised to fully support measures that could restore normalcy.

Former Plateau governor Jonah Jang has also decried the worsening insecurity in Plateau, urging everyone to support the Governor to bring peace.

Jang said that resolving the crises and restoring peace to Plateau was not a matter the governor could handle alone.

“The attacks in Plateau are not mere communal disputes; they are perpetrated by a group with a specific agenda

“It is crucial for the President to understand the true nature of these attacks in order to address them effectively,” Jang said.

Jang advised Tinubu to convene an expanded meeting with community leaders to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the situation in Plateau.

He said that such a meeting would provide a platform for stakeholders to share their insights and experiences, enabling the President to develop a more informed approach to tackling the problem.

Jang urged the people of Plateau to remain strong and resist any attempt to destroy their state.

He urged the people to love everyone around them, but admonished them to "always remain alert so as to protect the state from invaders".

Retired Admiral Bitrus Atukum, former Plateau Military Administrator, has spoken in the same vein and urged President Tinubu to give security agencies "specific instructions" to flush out miscreants invading Plateau rural communities.

Atukum, who ruled Plateau from 1984 to 1985, said that the attacks were constituting a "huge economic sabotage".

"We are now in the farming season; if the attacks continue, farmers won't go to the farm. That will lead to hunger and poverty," he fumed.

On his part, Mutfwang has consistently rehashed what his predecessors had always said - that the violence is targeted at land grabbing - vowing, however, that no Plateau land shall be ceded to anyone.

While lamenting that many communities had been seized by the invaders, the Governor has promised to ensure that all displaced people return to their ancestral lands.

Analysts believe that the governor's current consultations will bring peace to the state and ward off recurrent distractions obstructing his focus toward building a greater Plateau.

•Auta writes for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Gov. Mutfwang

Group Demands Reversal of Nigeria Maritime University’s Key Appointments

Following the controversy that trailed the appointment of three principal officers at the Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, Delta State by its governing council, critics have called for the reversal of the appointments.

More than three weeks after the appointment, the allegations of procedural breaches and ethnic bias are yet to ebb, just as calls for its reversal have continued to gather momentum within and outside the university.

Those appointed were Dr. Paul Bebenimibo as Registrar, Abduldayan Fatimah Jibril as University Librarian, and Gbe Tamaraudebaemi Justin as Bursar.

Many stakeholders insisted that the process that led to the appointment of the principal officers was at variance with provisions of the federal character principles and university recruitment standards.

The appointments were made during NMU 21st governing council on April 15, 2025, in Warri, with an eight-member selection panel led by Mr. Abdullahi Nedanda Bardi, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council.

Other members included Prof. Emmanuel Adigio, Hon. Benedict Aguele, Mr. Freeman Kasa, Professor Chris Orubu, Professor Bariweni Perekibina, Mr. Anthony Dirisu, and Mrs. Helen Wang, who represented the Federal Ministry of Education.

It was alleged by those familiar with the process that Wang compromised her role and failed to uphold the integrity expected of her as a representative of the ministry.

They said that the appointments did not reflect the equitable representation mandated by the Federal Character Commission (FCC), which among other statutory roles and responsibilities upholds

Nigeria’s federal character policy, and were instead driven by ethnic favouritism.

They also pointed to the fact that the appointment of Bebenimibo, an academic and former head of department at Delta State University, Abraka to the non-academic role of registrar, traditionally reserved for seasoned university administrators who have attained the rank of Principal Assistant Registrar or higher is flawed.

An advocacy group ‘Let The Right Thing Be Done Advocates’ described the process as a “mockery of due process,” blaming the selection panel for what they termed a “shoddy job.”

The group said, “How does a lecturer become registrar in a federal university without fulfilling the administrative criteria? This is not just unprofessional. It is an aberration. The selection committee failed its duty and Mrs. Wang, who should have upheld the Federal Ministry of Education’s position on transparency and merit, was unfortunately compromised. This betrayal casts a long shadow on the process.”

In a swift reaction, the prochancellor maintained that due process was followed and the appointments were in line with NMU’s statutes.

He dismissed the criticisms as politically motivated and aimed at discrediting the council’s work.

However, the uproar has raised serious questions about the credibility of the appointment process and the role of regulatory oversight within Nigeria’s higher education sector.

NMU, which was founded in 2015 to promote maritime education and Nigeria’s strategic participation in global maritime trade, now finds itself at the centre of a governance scandal that threatens to undermine its integrity.

Ayedatiwa Pledges Support for AFUED

Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa has pledged to develop Adeyemi Federal University of Education (AFUED), Ondo.

The governor stated this during a recent courtesy visit to his office in Akure, by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairwoman of the Governing Council, Mrs. Ganiyat Adeola Yusuf, and the university’s management.

The chairwoman was accompanied by a member of the governing council, Mr. Adedapo Lam Adesina; the acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Akintunde; the acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Olajuyigbe; the Registrar, Mrs. Olufisayo Fakorede; the acting Librarian, Dr. (Mrs). Adeola Afolabi; and the Director of Information and

OOU Pharmacy Students Bemoan Delayed Induction, as Dean Seeks Patience

Some final year Pharmacy students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) are worried that their dream of pursuing their career now hangs in the balance following the perceived delay by the Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, Professor Lateef Kasim, to present their results to the University Senate for approval.

The affected 44 students regretted that the delayed approval of results would hinder them from participating in the induction into the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), scheduled for May 8 at the university.

They also fear that the negligence of the Faculty of Pharmacy may cost them an extra year, as the next induction may be towards the end of the year or early next year.

THISDAY learnt that the matter started after the 90 students admitted in 2019/2020 completed their final exams on August 1, 2024, and on November 5, the school released the list of students who passed and, consequently, the list of would-be inductees.

Some students whose names were not on the list because of an outstanding course were

said to have revolted. They approached some powerful figures who prevailed on the school authorities and the vice-chancellor to recall the senate-approved induction list.

After a series of consultations and almost two months of information blackout, a new induction list was released in late January 2025, which excluded 44 students.

The students cried out that their results were altered on the result portal, and marks were changed at random, but the dean reportedly advised the affected students to stop complaining and rewrite the exams if they wanted to be inducted with the unaffected students.

He allegedly issued them a two-week ultimatum to pay a full tuition fee of N280,000, which they complied with.

After writing the exam on February 3, they waited 10 weeks to get their results, which should be released within four weeks.

After the release on April 14, as part of the protocol, the results would be approved at the university senate meeting, usually held every last Thursday of the month.

But, at the meeting on April 24, the dean reportedly failed to supply the electronic copy of

the results. Thus, the results of the 44 affected students missed the senate’s approval.

This stirred a fresh uproar as students, parents, and some alumni besieged the office of the vice-chancellor on April 28 to appeal the decision.

A mixture of exasperation and anger drove the parents and students to write a letter of appeal to the dean. They arrived at the dean’s office with pleas and tears, but he allegedly told them another induction would be arranged for them in June.

But the students expressed disbelief, saying, “When they cancelled our result for no just reason, he encouraged us to rewrite the exam and that he would delay the entire induction so that we all can hold one ceremony together. We did that, but he failed to keep his word. Now he is telling us the same lies.”

Parents are also planning a lawsuit against the Faculty of Pharmacy for causing psychological trauma, stealing their children’s future away from them, and subjecting them to adverse economic hardship.

They noted that in 2020, due to the ASUU strike, the students wasted a whole academic year. Now, they are confronted with another year if this matter is

not urgently addressed.

An official at the university said conducting two separate inductions in a year is not usually feasible, suggesting that the dean was being evasive and deceptive.

The official added that the dean could still make amends by liaising with the vice-chancellor to call an emergency senate meeting for approval and subsequently merge all the inductees.

In a telephone chat with THISDAY, Prof. Kasim condemned the students’ conduct and impatience, saying that he was always truthful and hospitable towards them and genuinely concerned about their welfare, but their recent behaviour showed a lack of confidence in him.

When asked to consider the students’ request to organise a joint induction ceremony, the dean insisted that they should exercise patience and wait, which is part of their training.

He refuted the claims that the results were not approved at the last senate meeting because he didn’t provide electronic copies, and assured the students that the results would be presented for senate’s approval this month, while induction will follow shortly, but did not say when.

‘PAD

Public Relations, Mrs. Oluseto Olatuyi.

The governor lauded the prochancellor’s vision to grow the university to an enviable one and promised that his administration would support its development to meet its vision and mission.

The governor stated that the state has four tertiary institutions, which has a lot of financial implications for his administration, he however acknowledged the enormous support of the federal government which he said had brought remarkable relief to his government.

He expressed his willingness to attend the 35th convocation ceremony of the institution, where the first lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, would be the guest of honour.

Me A Girl Initiative’ Launches Pad Bank to Support IDP Girls, Women

Funmi Ogundare

Gatmash Media’s ‘PAD Me A Girl Initiative’, in collaboration with Access Bank, has launched a transformative project, ‘Pad Bank’, to supply free reusable sanitary pads to girls and women living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, Durumi, Abuja, and Ortese, Benue.

The effort targets menstrual health awareness and aims to combat period poverty among displaced populations.

Convener of the PAD Me A Girl Initiative, Theresa Moses, expressed excitement about the launch of the Pad Bank, saying

that it will restore dignity and provide relief to thousands of displaced girls and women.

According to her, access to menstrual hygiene is a basic right that supports education, health, and economic participation. She added that the Pad Bank provides a sustainable, eco-friendly solution, disclosing that the reusable pads can be washed and used multiple times, reducing dependency on disposables and contributing to environmental sustainability.

The initiative, she noted, supports several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG4

and five on quality education and gender equality, SDGs six and 12 on clean water and sanitation; responsible consumption and production, as well as SDG13 on climate action.

Moses noted that Access Bank plays a key role in funding and resource support, enabling the widespread distribution of reusable pads to those in need.

“We’re proud to partner with PAD Me A Girl to promote menstrual health among IDPs,” said Moses. “Together, we’re working toward a future where no girl misses out on life or learning because of her period.”

Other sponsors include

Checkers Custard, Vita Baites Foods, PROSTAR SPORTS INTERNATIONAL, Jeffery Kuaran Foundation, Nigeria Online Media Alliance (NOMA), and anonymous donors. Some of the beneficiaries shared how the pads have changed their lives.

“I’m grateful for the sanitary pads. I can now attend school without worrying,” said Joy Terseer, 12.

“The pads gave me back my confidence,” added Hadiza Ibrahim, 15. “Before, I lived in fear of embarrassment from unexpected periods. Now, I feel ready to face the world.”

OOU gate

Uchechukwu Nnaike

ABIODUN HOSTS INNER GALAXY GROUp...

Kanu Admitted Calling for Attack on Police Officers, Witness Tells Court

As court grants DSS application to remand leader of Benin-based Marxist group

A Federal High Court in Abuja heard on Tuesday how the self-acclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, admitted operating an illegal radio station and inciting members of the public to attack police officers.

An official of the Department of State Services (DSS) said this while testifying as the second prosecution witness (PW2) in Kanu’s ongoing terrorism trial before Justice James Omotosho.

The witness said Kanu confirmed his activities while giving his statement.

In another development, an Edo State High Court sitting in Benin has granted the Department of State Services (DSS) application to remand in custody the leader of a Benin-based Marxist group, Talakawa Movement, Kola Edokpayi.

A top intelligence source revealed DSS arrested Edokpayi and four others on April 30 for planning to stage a rally in support of the leader of Burkina Faso’s military junta, Ibrahim Traore.

Led in evidence in the IPOB matter by prosecuting lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, the PW2 said beside being the leader of the proscribed IPOB, Kanu is the founder of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the armed wing of IPOB.

The witness said Kanu also operated an illegal radio station, which

broadcast on frequencies 102.1 FM and 88.0 FM.

He also said the radio was illegal because it was not licensed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

He added that on July 2021, he was assigned the duty of taking Kanu’s statement following a letter from the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) requesting the IPOB leader be investigated for his alleged terrorism activities.

The witness said he carried out the assignment in the company of four other colleagues. He said he handed Kanu the letter from the AGF, which the defendant read and also gave his lawyers to read, following which he requested that Kanu respond to the issues raised in the letter.

He said that after reading the letter, Kanu volunteered to make a statement in the presence of two of his lawyers, including Alloy Ejimakor.

The witness said he played some of the broadcasts made by the defendant on his radio station (Radio Biafra), including where he called for the attack of police officers and other inciting comments.

PW2 said Kanu admitted the voice in the broadcast, which he played to his hearing, were his (Kanu’s) own.

On what Kanu was agitating about, the witness said Kanu wanted the secession of the five South East states, parts of Kogi and Benue states from the rest of Nigeria.

The witness said the defendant’s

statement talking session was recorded on video.

At that point, Awomolo showed the witness a copy of a compact disc, which PW2 identified as containing the recording of his interaction with Kanu.

Awomolo then applied to tender the letter from the AGF, the disc and a certificate of compliance.

But lawyer to the defence, Kanu Agabi, SAN, objected to the prosecution’s application to tender the items, arguing that the defence was not served with the AGF letter and the video recording.

Agabi said it was part of the right of the defendant to be given copies of all documents and materials that the prosecution planned to rely on in prosecuting the case.

Awomolo said he was ready to furnish the defendant with all the necessary documents and materials that the prosecution wishes to rely on.

Ruling, Justice James Omotosho held that the defence was entitled to all the documents and materials the prosecution planned to rely on. Justice Omotosho proceeded to order the prosecution to, in line with the provision of Section 36 of the

Constitution, serve on the defendant all facilities, including documents that it intends to rely on to prosecute the case.

Upon an application by Awomolo, Justice Omotosho adjourned till May 7 to enable the prosecution to serve the defence of all the necessary documents and for the PW 2 to continue his testimony.

Earlier, the PW1, identified as PWAAA concluded his testimony after being cross examined by Agabi and re-examined by Awomolo.

Under cross-examination by Agabi, the witness said he was consulted

in relation to the role he played in the case as an investigator before the charge in the case was filed. The witness said he is not aware that the defendant was charged with 15 counts, but that he is aware that Kanu was charged with inciting others to attack members of the police force. PWAAA said: “I was not part of the drafting of the charge, but I am aware that he (the defendant) incited people to kill members of the police force,” adding said he is not aware that the count relating to that allegation was struck out from the charge in an earlier ruling.

Defence Minister Matawalle Meets Chinese Defence Manufacturer to Enhance Nigeria’s Military Capabilities

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, had met with a leading Chinese manufacturer of advanced anti-terrorism and hightech defence equipment to enhance Nigeria’s defence capabilities.

A statement by the minister stated the high-level security meeting, which took place in China, was aimed at strengthening strategic defence ties between Nigeria and China.

Matawalle said the primary

Security: Bayelsa Govt Reaffirms Commitment to Fostering Inter-Agency Collaboration

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration among the various security agencies for the security of lives and property in the state.

Governor Douye Diri stated this on Monday when participants of Study Course 47 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Yenagoa.

Governor Diri, who spoke through his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, noted that Bayelsa had a robust and resilient security architecture, saying his administration was poised to make the state safest for business and residency in Nigeria.

But to achieve this, he said the state government would continue to support the security agencies and ensure “that all hands are always on deck” According to the Bayelsa helmsman, government exists mainly to ensure security of lives and property, and the welfare of the people, which requires complementation and not competition among security agencies.

Governor Diri, while expressing hope that the visit of the Senior Course 47 Defence Study Team to Bayelsa would further help the state improve on its security architecture, added that advanced security equipment were being installed for more effective surveillance in the state.

His words: “On behalf of the

government and people of our state, I welcome you to Bayelsa. We believe that your study is very focused, and the area of focus appears to be the one we have put our foot forward in the comity of states.

“Government exists for two reasons: The primary responsibility of government is to provide security of lives and property, and to promote the well-being of the people.

“We are happy that you are coming to look at our security architecture and to encourage us to improve on it. We have quite a robust, resilient and proactive security system. But we will continue to build on it until we make our state unarguably the safest in this country.

focus of his engagement with the Chinese defence manufacturer was to formalise a collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Chinese firm and the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).

He said the new partnership is expected to play a crucial role in advancing Nigeria’s security sector.

His words: “Under the terms of the MoU, the Chinese company has committed to investing in Nigeria’s defence infrastructure with a comprehensive partnership that includes: technology transfer, facilitating the transfer of cuttingedge defence technology to Nigeria; local production, establishing local manufacturing capabilities for advanced military equipment; and

capacity building, providing technical knowledge exchange to enhance the skills of Nigerian personnel.”

Matawalle also highlighted key areas of collaboration, including the maintenance and upgrading of existing military hardware, servicing of battle tanks, and offering military engineering services.

According to him, “this partnership aims to extend its reach beyond Nigeria, providing military support services to neighbouring African countries and contributing to regional security and stability.”

Stating that this landmark engagement represents a major advancement in Nigeria’s defence modernisation agenda, the minister reiterated the federal government’s commitment to building a selfreliant, technologically advanced,

and globally competitive militaryindustrial base.

In addition to these initiatives, Matawalle said the agreement encompasses the construction of new production lines for various ammunition types, including 7.62×51mm ball cartridges, 7.62×51mm blank cartridges, 9×19mm pistol cartridges, and machine gun ammunition.

“Furthermore, new manufacturing workshops and facilities will be established in Kaduna and Kachia, Kaduna State, for the production of brass casings, bullet jackets, and other essential defence components,” he said.

The minister said the MoU aligns with President Tinubu’s vision for a comprehensive renewal and strategic overhaul of Nigeria’s security and defence capabilities.

Sokoto Receives €60m EU Funding to Enhance Social Protection, Health System

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

In a major boost to Nigeria’s development efforts, the European Union (EU), in partnership with the United Nations (UN) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), has launched three landmark projects worth €60 million in Sokoto State.

The projects, which will be implemented over a four-year period (2024-2027), aim to strengthen social protection, health systems, and sustainable solutions for displacement-affected communities

in Sokoto State.

The launch, which took place in Sokoto State, was attended by Governor Ahmed Aliyu, and ambassadors from nine EU member states.

According to the EU, the projects will focus on enhancing social protection, improving health access, and building resilience in Sokoto State and other parts of Nigeria.

The EU’s investment is expected to make a significant impact on the lives of millions of Nigerians, promoting sustainable development, reducing poverty and inequality, and

improving access to healthcare and social services. The projects are being implemented in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Protection, Health Systems. In his remark Governor Ahmed Aliyu, commended the European Union (EU) for launching three development projects worth €60 million in the state.

Linus Aleke in Abuja

L-R: President, Inner Galaxy Group, Mr. Li Shuang; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; and Vice President, Inner Galaxy Group, Mr. Jackie Chen, during a visit to the office of the Governor at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta on Tuesday

SOLO ROAD TRIP FROM LONDON TO LAGOS REMEMBERED...

L-R: Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe; Ambassador/Solo London-to-Lagos Driver, Ms. Pelumi Nubi; and Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Olanrewaju Bajulaiye, during the one-year anniversary celebration of her groundbreaking solo road trip, held at the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Lagos Island…recently

Tanko Yakassai: North Alone Can’t Decide Tinubu’s Presidential Fate in 2027 Elections

Declares it will play a vital role of numbers ACF: No region can do it alone, it’s a collective venture

Okocha and Adedayo

in Abuja Elder statesman and former parliamentary Adviser, Alhaji Tanko Yakassi, has warned that the North alone could not decide President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, when another election is due, saying it’s a national responsibility.

The 99-years-old, who spoke against the comments by a former Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, that the North would

soon take its stand on 2027, however, declared that the north would play a critical role because of its numbers, among other factors. In the same manner, the National Publicity Secretary of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Prof. Tukur Mohammed Baba, also said the forum has no control over who would win the presidential election and that no region could produce the president on the basis of regional voting alone. This was as stakeholders in the election process in Nigeria have raised concern over eroding electoral integrity

in the country.

Stakeholders worry over electoral integrity

Baba-Ahmed had stressed that no politician could win the Nigerian presidency without the support of the North. “No politician can become president without Northern support, making the region’s stance crucial to any aspirant’s success,” he said.

But Yakassai, a former Liaison Officer to the late President Shehu Shagari and founding member of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, said neither the North nor the South could single-handedly decide the fate of the next president by 2027.

“The presidential election is a national affair. Any presidential election is a national issue. The North alone cannot determine who becomes president; the South alone cannot make it. The South and North must come together with a formidable candidate to get it done.

“When I mean a formidable candidate, it means apart from someone with the popularity, he must have the financial clout. Elections in Nigeria now involve a lot of money. Unfortunately, people with money in Nigeria do not like to sponsor any candidate. You must have enough money to

Minister Meets with Ganduje, Kicks against Kwankwaso’s Rumoured Defection to APC

Says ex-governor no longer relevant in Kano He’s wallowing in darkness, let’s help him, declares party chair

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, has kicked against the rumoured defection of aformer governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ata disclosed this in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje at the party’s national secretariat.

His words: “Anybody who visits Kano State even today will see that there are a lot of changes. It is hardly you will find red caps in Kano.

“Before now, if you visit the mosque you will see many red caps but today you can visit a

mosque and if 5000 people come for prayers, you cannot see 20 red caps in Kano.

“So, we are assuring the president that we are not asking for anything less. We are strongly behind our national chairman. We have been discussing with him. This is the opinion of all the Kano State APC, even to the grassroots.

“Kwankwaso is no longer relevant in Kano. He is only coming to APC, not that we invited him. Because he is going to die politically. I am assuring you and even Mr. President has all his security records from the grassroots in Kano.

“He is no more attractive. So, he is struggling to be accommodated in the APC. That may bring a lot

of crisis in the APC in Kano state. This is our position.

“Unless the National Chairman, who is the leader of the party in Kano takes a decision to accept him, Kwankwaso stands rejected.”

Asked why he won’t be happy if Kwankwaso joined the APC, he said, “Personally, I won’t be happy. Unless it is a decision from our father (Ganduje) to accommodate him. I was in the House of Assembly in 1999 when Kwankwaso was the governor. So, I know Kwankwaso very well.

“He is no more attractive in Kano. We have no deal unless the national chairman, as a leader, said we should accommodate him. No problem.”

However, Ganduje who said

FG Steps-up Citizens’ Registration with Citizen NIMC NIN Authentication

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The federal government has approved the launch of the NIMC NIN Authentication for secure and seamless identity verification and authentication.

President Bola Tinubu has also directed the use of NIN Authentication for verification and authentication across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), in line with the NIMC’s mandate of regulating a reliable National Digital Identity for citizens and legal residents to

affirm their identity. A statement on Tuesday by the spokesman of the commission, Dr. Kayode Adegoke read: “The launch of the “NIN Authentication (NINAuth),” a cutting-edge suite of services that include web, API and mobile verification designed to enhance data security, protect privacy, and simplify access to government services, is part of President Tinubu, Renewed Hope Agenda on strengthening the National Identity Management System.”

He said the NIMC NINAuth application is the official service for integration with the Commission’s backend infrastructure. It Introduces a robust layer of protection, empowering individuals with greater control over their personal information.

By requiring explicit consent before data is shared for Know Your Customer (KYC) processes or other verifications, the platform fosters trust, transparency, and user autonomy in digital identity management.

Kwankwaso has been abandoned by all his followers, added that “when a fish is running out of water, that’s exactly what is happening. “If the water is drying, the fish has to find its way to water. So that is what is happening. I will not say we are not ready to welcome him.

put yourself there but don’t rely on others,” Yakassai said.

Although he agreed that the North could play a critical role in the emergence of a president, it could not make the decision alone.

His words: “Like I said, the North alone cannot decide who becomes President in 2027 but it will play a very important role because of its numbers. Of course, other factors will make it possible for a presidential candidate to emerge and win elections in this country. Those factors include acceptability and support by the stakeholders.”

Yakassai further said every Nigerian with a voter card is expected to cast his or her vote for or against any presidential candidate, explaining that it was not a question of North or south.

‘’Presidential election is a national event. Hakeem Baba Ahmed knows that,’’ the elder statesman maintained.

The ACF, through its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Mohammed, insisted it had no control over who would win the presidential election and that no region could produce the president on the basis of regional voting alone.

According to the ACF spokesman, “In 2027, ACF views the statement as a personal opinion of Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed to which he is entitled. Whether or not it will come to pass, we don’t know.

“ACF as an organisation has no control over that. But we do know that no one can be president on the basis of regional voting alone, as the constitution requirements require what is essentially a pan-regional spread of support at some minimum level.

“Again, whatever anyone thinks, it is the voter, if allowed to vote without interference, manipulation or other electoral malfeasance, that will determine the outcome. So, basically, we need to wait to see how things eventually pan out,” he said.

Stakeholders Worry over Electoral Integrity

Stakeholders in the election process in Nigeria have raised concern over eroding electoral integrity in the country. They also decried the high level of poverty, lack of means or freedom to assert their civic rights and political actors manipulating elections, where vote-buying and exploitation of vulner- able communities distort democratic outcomes.

The stakeholders stated this yesterday in Abuja at a-two day Policy Dialogue on Nigeria’s Triple Challenge: Civic Space, Poverty, and Electoral Integrity organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), and Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) with support from MacArthur Foundation.

Obi Decries State of Nigeria’s Education Sector, Low University Enrollment

Insists Nigeria remains world poverty capital

The Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the recently released results of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), describing them as a reflection of Nigeria’s deteriorating education system.

The former governor of Anambra State, was reacting to the data published by JAMB, which revealed that 1,955,069 candidates sat for the 2025 UTME and that out of this figure, only about 420,000 scored above 200, while over 1.5 million candidates scored below the 200-mark.

In a statement released Tuesday via his verified social media handle,

Obi noted that “this means that over 78% of the total candidates failed to meet the 200-mark threshold – a reflection of the deep-rooted challenges in our educational system.”

Attributing the poor performance to long-standing neglect and underinvestment in the education sector, he stressed that education must be repositioned as a cornerstone of national development.

According to him: “The latest JAMB results once again highlight the consequences of decades of underinvestment in education, a sector that should be central to our national development strategy.”

Mr. Obi also drew comparisons between Nigeria and other countries with significantly stronger educational outcomes, stating that Nigeria’s total university enrollment is currently about 2 million students while in stark

contrast, Bangladesh’s National University, a single university, has an enrollment figure of over 3.4 million students, despite the country having only about 75% of Nigeria’s population.

“Bangladesh, which once lagged behind Nigeria in virtually every measurable development index, now surpasses us in all key areas of development and in the Human Development Index (HDI),” he remarked.

Citing another example, Obi referenced Turkey, which has a population of about 87.7 million but boasts more than 7 million university students - over three times Nigeria’s entire university enrollment. He reiterated his long-standing position that education is not merely a social service but a strategic national investment.

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Chuks

Akinwale

DINNER ORGANISED IN HONOUR BY THE NATIONAL AGENDA FOR TINUBU 2027...

L-R: Legal Adviser to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Abdul Karim Abukaria; Former House of Representatives member, Mr. Farouk Lawan; and National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, during the dinner organised in honour by the National Agenda for Tinubu 2027 in Abuja…recently

18 Imo Judges Appear Before NJC over Alleged Age Falsification and Misconduct

Lawyer demands sanction of judges over abuse of ex parte orders

Alex Enumah and Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

No less than 18 judges in the Imo State judiciary are scheduled to appear before the National Judicial Council (NJC), over alleged age falsification and misconduct.

A source in the Imo State judiciary disclosed to THISDAY that the summons was sequel to a petition to the judges’ umbrella body, by a civil society group, the Civil Society Engagement Platform (CSEP).

This was as a human rights lawyer and activist, Christopher Chidera, has called for the sanction of appeal court judges over the abuse of ex parte order to oppress Nigerians.

CSEP had last month dragged 18 out of the 24 judges in Imo State before the NJC over alleged age falsification and misconduct.

The Executive Secretary of the Coalition, Comrade Onyebuchi Emmanuel, had in the petition, addressed to the NJC Chairman and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),

Bamidele

accused 18 of the judges of falsifying their ages at various times in order to secure appointment into the judiciary, thereby gaining undue advantage.

“The Civil Society Engagement Platform CSEP, a powerful coalition of leading civil rights activists in Nigeria has unearthed an unprecedented age falsification scandal of an alarming proportion in the Imo State Judiciary.

“This is at a level never seen before in Nigeria, involving a whooping 18 Judges of Imo State Judiciary. Unbelievable!

Heads Oversight Committee on Rivers

Senate to hold 3-day national security summit House charges NSA, service chiefs on Benue, probes Giwa Barracks armory Fire, attacks

Adedayo Akinwale, Sunday Aborisade and Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has been nominated to head the committee to oversight the sole administrator in Rivers State, being one of the requisite constitutional demands in the event of a proclamation of a state of emergency. President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, yesterday, made the announcement, when he constituted an 18-member committee to oversee the activities of the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.)

Akpabio reaffirmed Senate’s commitment to upholding democratic processes in the oil-rich state, just as the Senate, yesterday, resolved to organise a three-day National Security Summit in Abuja.

At the same time, the House of Representatives, has called on the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the service chiefs to ensure maximum deployment of security personnel to Otukpo local government Area of Benue State in view of the security crisis in the state.

In the same vein, the House has mandated its committee on army, defence and national security, to investigate the cause of the fire incident at Giwa Barracks armory and the escalating terrorists’ attacks,

and report back to the it for immediate action to prevent future occurrences.

President Bola Tinubu appointed Ibas to administer the affairs of Rivers State after the declaration of emergency and suspension of the governor of the State, Siminalayi Fubara, for six months.

The House of Representatives had since set up its own committee during the Sallah and Easter break.

Akpabio made the announcement during plenary upon resumption yesterday from Easter and Eid Fitr celebrations, appointing the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, to chair the committee.

In his remarks, the Senate President explained that the committee was created to ensure transparency and accountability in the state’s governance.

He said the setting up of the panel was critical in ensuring effective legislative oversight in Rivers State, and charged the committee to commence its oversight duties without delay, insisting that their assignment was urgent.

Other members of the committee included Senators Adamu Aliero, Osita Izunaso, Osita Ngwu, Kaka Shehu, Aminu Abass, Tokunbo Abiru, Adeniyi Adegbonmire and Sani Musa. Also on the committee were Simon Lalong, Asuquo Ekpeyong, Adams Oshiomhole, Ireti Kingibe, Onyekachi Nwebonyi; Idiat Adebule,

Ede Dafinone, and Mohammed Nakudu, alongside the Clerk of the Senate, Andrew Nwoba.

Senate to Hold 3-Day Security Summit

The Senate, yesterday, resolved to organise a three-day National Security Summit in Abuja.

The summit will be attended by participants from all levels of government, traditional institutions, civil society, and the security sector.

This was as it urged the executive to review and update national security policies based on the recommendations from the Summit.

The red chamber said the summit would be convened by all senators in the 109 senatorial districts which they represent in order to create widespread awareness on the outcome of the event.

The summit idea was in response to the escalating wave of killings, kidnappings, and other violent crimes across the country.

This followed the adoption of a motion titled “Urgent Need for a National Security Summit,” sponsored by Sen Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo South) and co-sponsored by Senators Titus Zam Tartenger (Benue North-West), Onyeka Peter Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North), and Osita Ngwu (Enugu West).

“Your lordship may recall that CSEP through its diligent and painstaking covert operations, exposed the former Chief Judge of Imo State, Hon. Justice Chikeka, for the same crime of age falsification.

“We followed up with a petition to the NJC and she was eventually sacked after due process was followed.

“We hereby demand action on this petition so as to save the Judiciary from continued ridicule as a result of the presence of certain Judges who are (allegedly) known to have falsified their ages and still parade themselves as Judges.

“We are confident that you are one person who will not allow the Judiciary to be brought to ridicule,” the letter had read.

A source at the Imo judiciary

disclosed that the affected judges had been summoned by the NJC to defend the allegations.

The appointment of an acting Chief Judge of Imo State had pitted the Imo State Government against the leadership of the judiciary for quite some time.

The judges’ umbrella body had rejected the candidate of Governor Hope Uzodinma, on the grounds that the appointment breached the constitutional hierarchy of the judiciary.

Following the sack of the former CJ, Uzodinma had appointed the fourth most senior judge as CJ, after by-passing the three most senior judges.

The governor predicated his action on the grounds that the three most senior judges were not qualified to

occupy the office of Chief Judge due to various alleged infractions ranging from age falsification to misconduct. But the NJC refused to accept the governor’s candidate, ordering him to comply with constitutional provisions by appointing the most senior judge as CJ. Meanwhile, a human rights lawyer and activist, Christopher Chidera has called for the sanction of appeal court judges over the abuse of ex parte order to oppress Nigerians. The lawyer insisted that if Justice Inyang Ekwo could face sanctions for his misconduct, then the Appeal Court justices who upheld the illicit ex parte decree prescribing Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) issued by the late Justice Kafarati must also be held accountable.

MAN, NECA, N D u ME H AI l FG’ S NIGErIA FIrST Pol ICY

is truly serious about local content and economic patriotism, it must start at the very top.

“We challenge President Tinubu to stop the noise and trade in his beloved Escalade for an Innoson, Nord or any made-in-Nigeria car.

“That single act will do more to promote local industry than a thousand policy memos. Let’s see the ministers—those shameless Rolls Royce connoisseurs—sweat it out in Nigerian-made vehicles too. Or is Nigeria First only for the masses?

“And speaking of double standards, it’s time Mr. President shelves his love affair with Paris and London. If he’s serious about patriotism, his next vacation should be at Obudu Cattle Ranch, Yankari Game Reserve, or Erin Ijesha Waterfalls. Nigeria is beautiful—unless, of course, the President thinks otherwise.”

He added: “More importantly, the era of jetting off for medical tourism while preaching self-reliance must end. We demand that President Tinubu—champion of Nigeria First—conduct all future medical check-ups at LUTH, National Hospital Abuja, UCH Ibadan, or even the #41 billion Naira Akwa Ibom world-class hospital built by uncommon transformer, in Uyo.

‘’If these hospitals are good enough for ordinary Nigerians, they should be good enough for their Commander-in-Chief. Anything less is sheer hypocrisy.

“This government’s addiction to foreign luxuries while demanding sacrifice from suffering Nigerians is the height of insincerity. True

leadership isn’t photo-ops or soundbites—it’s setting the tone by example. Nigeria deserves real commitment, not this never-ending charade,” Atiku said in his challenge to Tinubu on the Nigeria First policy.

PETROAN Cautions Government

Also, PETROAN urged the federal government to be careful in implementing the policy.

In a statement signed by National PRO, PETROAN, Dr. Joseph Obele, made available to journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday, the group applauded Tinubu for the bold step in promoting local produce, but warned of potential pitfalls.

In the statement, the National president of PETROAN, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, urged the government to exercise caution on the import policy to avoid economic shock.

Gillis-Harry expressed concerns that the policy could worsen Nigeria’s inflation and emphasised the need for energy security.

While commending the government’s efforts to strengthen the domestic economy and promote local content, the association urged the government to ensure that the policy does not lead to shortages or price increases, particularly in the petroleum sector, where local refining capacity is still being developed.

PETROAN advised that, “essential and sensitive products, such as petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, and other highly consumable goods,

should be exempted from the ban or have a waiver to ensure their continuous availability.

“This is because some products may not be readily available locally, or their local production may be insufficient to meet demand, leading to shortages and price hikes.” The association noted other factors that may necessitate importing goods to include: “Unavailability of specialised technology or expertise locally, higher quality standards of imported goods, economies of scale favouring imports and strategic or critical nature of the product.”

PETROAN noted that, “even the United States, under the ‘America First’ policy, has implemented targeted tariffs rather than blanket bans, allowing for flexibility and exemptions for critical goods.”

Listing some of the advantages of banning the importation of foreign goods, Gillis-Harry said it promotes local content, stimulates economic growth, create jobs, and increase domestic production.

He added that the policy would aid in reducing reliance on foreign goods, which narrows the trade deficit and conserves foreign exchange.

He said, “Our primary concern is the availability and affordability of petroleum products in Nigeria to meet the daily consumption volume of over 46 million litres of petrol and other petroleum products.

“We must ensure that our policies do not compromise energy security, as this could have far-reaching consequences for the economy and the well-being of Nigerians.”

PHOTO: KINGSLEY ADEBOYE

FIRST SESSION OF THE 36TH SYNOD OF THE DIOCESE OF LAGOS...

L-R: Wife of former Diocesan, Mrs. Oluranti Ademowo, presenting a commemorative plate to Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; with them is the Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev’d. Ifedola Okupevi, during the first session of the 36th Synod of the Diocese of Lagos at Our Saviour Church, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos on Monday

I’m Not Leaving PDP, But Leading Coalition to Challenge APC, Atiku Declares

Media office says Bwala’s outburst exposes Tinubu camp’s mounting panic over coalition PDP BoT women constitute c’ttee to meet party’s governors against defection

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed insinuations that he was planning to dump the party for ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking with female members of the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT), who visited him to help save the party from total collapse, he insisted on a coalition to push out the APC-led government in 2027.

Atiku said the coalition was not just a political strategy, but a necessity to challenge the ruling party and rebuild the country.

THISDAY gathered that Atiku, who was so passionate about the PDP, told the women led by the former Minister of Women Affairs and Ex-National Women Leader of the party, Hajia Inna Ciroma, that the coalition was a workable one that

would assure good results.

According to him, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), the ruling party in the Second Republic, had formed an alliance with the Nigeria Peoples Party, NPN and it was called NPN- NPP accord, saying when the coalition was achieved, the name of PDP would not be affected.

He was said to have told the women about the status of the panNigerian coalition that he was building in conjunction with other leaders and stakeholders across political divides and regions.

Atiku also informed them that the Nigerian Movement was being powered by Nigerians desirous of reclaiming and rebuilding their country.

When contacted, Inna Ciroma said, “We as PDP Board of Trustees, BoT members, the conscience of the party decided to take this bold decision to

ITH $75 Bu D ge T Benc H m A rk, c oncern

allocation to key strategic areas of growth.

He said the excess crude account had always been used to shore up shortfalls in situations where the oil benchmark falls below budgetary expectations.

Idakolo said: “Since the excess crude account is now not funded, it will not be able to cushion the effect of any shortfall. The main implication of crude oil price falling below budgetary projections is reduced revenue that would affect growth projections and affect infrastructural development.”

NLC Laments Falling Prices

The NLC said its apprehension arose based on the likely consequences of the price decline which is bound to affect the budget benchmark and the country’s earning capacity.

While responding THISDAY’s enquiry, NLC’s Chris Onyeka said the fears were made more apparent because of lack of fiscal discipline and judicious allocation of resources by the government. According to another top official of NLC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, apart from affecting the ability of the government to discharge its debt repayment obligations, the ordinary Nigerians may be subjected to further deprivation since the government may use it as excuse to cut funding for safety nets and other things that impact on the welfare of the average Nigerian.

“For an economy that is largely dependent on a single product or what we call in economics - mono product economy like Nigeria, we find out that the health of that

particular product determines the state of that country’s economy.

“In essence, the fiscal position of that country is dependent on what happens to the price of that product at the international market.

“Unfortunately for Nigeria, the drop in the price of crude below the budget benchmark will have a significant impact on the nation’s economy. It will make the country’s situation more complicated than it was before.

“This is a nation that has suffered severely as a result of its negative fiscal position, now that the price of oil has dropped to $60, which makes the situation even worse,” he explained.

He said a reduced revenue will make matters worse, adding that for a government that was already borrowing to service its debts, such would pose a big challenge.

“It means that the more you struggle to service your debt, the less you can meet your other fiscal challenges like having money to spend on things like infrastructure, health and education,” he said.

On the fears that organised labour may have on the price slump, the NLC said: “Once this happens, we will begin to have less money devoted to critical needs of the people like the social safety nets and welfare of workers.

“We are afraid that these things will not be provided for adequately, and then the ability to also deliver on the expectations of workers in terms of regular payment of salaries.”

The Labour official, however, said beyond the crude oil price

come into the crisis the party is going through. We as mothers are worried and disturbed with what the party is going through at the moment.

“We are disturbed that the party has no leadership and any organisation without leadership could not stand. We are worried and disturbed. We cannot fold our hands and see things go bad in our great party.

“We decided to visit former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to complain about what we are not happy with, to brainstorm with him on the way forward, on how to save the party from total Collapse.

“We told him that there must be leadership and direction in the party. We had very fruitful discussions with the 2023 Presidential candidate of the party. He told us that he was not leaving the party as he discussed much on the coalition and the need for us to key in.

drop was the issue of lack of fiscal discipline and profligacy on the part of government officials.

“Even with this level of fiscal challenge, the fact is that the problem the country has is waste in the economy. If there is fiscal discipline on the part of those running the economy, the government should be able to prioritise its spending and we will not have any issue.

“But where you have profligacy in the government and nothing is done to check it, then there is going to be little to spend on the people,” he said.

OPEC+ agreed on Saturday to accelerate oil production hikes for a second consecutive month, raising output in June by 411,000 barrels per day.

The June increase from the eight producers in the OPEC+ group would take the total combined hikes for April, May and June to 960,000 bpd, representing a 44 per cent unwinding of the 2.2 million bpd of various cuts agreed on since 2022.

To align with current realities, a number of internationally renowned finance institutions have reviewed their earlier projections for the oil market.

Goldman Sachs slashed its oil price forecast for a third time in one month after OPEC+ decided to hike production in June with a similar 410,000-bpd increase it is implementing in May.

Analysts at Goldman said they now see Brent crude prices averaging $60 per barrel this year, down from a previous forecast of $63 a barrel, while the average price of the US

“We also discussed party funding, that parties should be well-funded so that no single person can control the party based on funding parties must belong to the people and everyone has a role to play in the growth of the party.”

The BoT women further took it upon themselves to have a meeting with the Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, for over one and half hours at Wadata Plaza, PDP National Secretariat.

In order to achieve this, the BoT women constituted a team that would reach out to PDP governors, leaders, stakeholders and other members to discuss the problems, why the crisis and the way forward.

Meanwhile, the Atiku Media Office has said that comments by Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala, had shown that there was a mounting panic over

benchmark, WTI crude, has been downgraded to $56 for 2025, down from $59 a barrel previously.

According to Goldman, next year, Brent may likely average $56 a barrel, down from $58, and WTI is expected at $52, down from $55 per barrel in the mid-April forecast it released before now.

Besides, Barclays lowered its Brent oil price forecast by $4 per barrel to $66/bbl for 2025 and by $2 to $60/bbl for 2026, citing the decision by OPEC+ to accelerate oil production hikes.

Barclays now expects OPEC+ to phase out the additional voluntary adjustments by October 2025, but also expects slightly slower US oil output growth. Overall, this loosens their balance estimates by 290, 000 bpd for 2025 and 110 kbd for 2026, it said.

In the same vein, Morgan Stanley joined other major investment banks in slashing oil price forecasts amid expectations of a larger market surplus later this year as OPEC+ plans to raise output much more than previously expected.

Morgan Stanley cut its oil price forecasts for the remainder of the year, anticipating a bigger glut. The bank revised down its projection of Brent Crude prices to $62.50 per barrel in the third and fourth quarters of this year, down by $5 per barrel from the previous forecast.

The market glut could reach 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd) in the second half of the year, Morgan Stanley reckoned, an upward revision of 400,000 bpd from the previous surplus forecast.

the Atiku-led coalition.

In a statement, Atiku’s media office said they had noted with utter contempt the disparaging remarks by Bwala, during a recent interview on TVC.

The statement stated: “It is both ironic and pathetic that Mr. Bwala — a political turncoat who once served as spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential campaign — now presumes to lecture a statesman of global standing on matters of legacy, destiny, and retirement.

‘’His sanctimonious pontificating, laced with bitterness and duplicity, betrays a desperate effort to curry favour with a floundering administration clearly shaken by the unstoppable

momentum of the national coalition being galvanized by Atiku and other progressive leaders.

‘’Let it be clearly stated: Atiku Abubakar neither seeks nor requires validation from political opportunists who shed principles as easily as they change parties. Mr. Bwala’s current relevance, if any, is owed entirely to the platform he once occupied under Atiku’s leadership — a fact that should breed humility, not arrogance.

‘’The Tinubu camp’s obsession with Atiku’s political future is no coincidence. If, as they claim, Atiku is a spent force, why the relentless smear campaign? Why the strategic allocation of presidential platforms to attack him?

Delta Assembly Speaker, Guwor, 21 PDP Lawmakers Formalise

Six reps members, too Edo speaker, others also join ruling party

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba, Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City and Juliet Akoje in Abuja

Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Emomotimi Guwor, yesterday, formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) together with 21 other members of the House elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Also, six House of Representatives members from Delta State, have defected from the PDP to the APC.

At the same time, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), Mr. Blessing Agbebaku, led two other members of the assembly and some local government councilors of the PDP to the APC.

Guwor and the others were, on 28th April in Asaba, received into the APC by Vice-President Shettima, alongside Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, former governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the chairmen of the state’s 25 local government areas and almost all the leaders and members of the PDP in the state.

However, by yesterday’s formal defection of the Speaker and the 21 former PDP legislators, the Delta State House of Assembly is now effectively transformed into a one-party, APC legislature because the remaining seven lawmakers were already APC members.

The speaker made the announce- ment when the House resumed plenary after the Easter break. He justified the action referencing Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, thanking the members for the support and contribution to legislative activities of the state legislature.

Guwor urged the House to ensure the completion of all pending bills as the second legislative session nears draws towards the end.

From the House of Representatives, six PDP members defected to the APC. They were Hon. Victor Nwokolo, Hon. Julius Pondi, Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi, Hon. Nicholas Mutu, Hon. Okodiko Jonathan, and Hon.Nnamdi Ezechi. Also, two Labour Party members from Enugu State, also defected from their party to join the PDP. They were Hon. Mark Obetta and Hon. Dennis Nnamdi. According to the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, the lawmakers attributed their defections to unresolved internal crises within their parties both at state and national levels.

In Edo, the Speaker, Mr. Blessing Agbebaku, led two other members of the house and some local government councilors of the PDP to the APC. The Speaker said the move was aimed at aligning with Governor Monday Okpebholo to fast-track development across the State.

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

ENHANCING ACADEMIC VISIBILITY…

L-R: Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Retail Development and Investment Company (RDIC) Limited, Ejimofor Akah; Regional Manager, South-South, RDIC, Ewaen Osasuyi; Provost, Federal College of Education (FCET), Ekiadolor, Dr. Emmanuel Asagha, and Registrar, FCET, Henry Itedjere, after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the company and the institution in Benin, Edo State…recently

Eradiri begs Fubara to sustain reconciliation House Unveils Steps to Quell Rivers Crisis, Moves to Restore Democratic Order

Juliet Akoje in abuja, Olusegun Samuel in yenagoa and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The House of Representatives, yesterday, unveiled steps aimed at addressing the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State.

Speaker of the House, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, who disclosed this when lawmakers reconvened from the Easter and Sallah break, emphasised the importance of restoring democratic stability in the state.

This was as a former President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, has urged the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara to sustain the ongoing reconciliation process in the State.

At the same time, President of Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof Benjamin Okaba, has encouraged the acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, George Turnah, to forge ahead and collaborate with the Minister

Three Persons in Custody for Illegal Trade in Endangered Wildlife

Michael Olugbode in abuja

A joint operation by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the National Park Service yesterday led to the arrest in Abuja of three persons, Musa Usman, Samila Abdullahi and Saidu Jagaban, for trafficking in endangered wildlife species.

The suspects were arrested in different parts of the city for illegal sale of prohibited exotic birds and wild animals contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.

A statement by the spokesperson of NESREA, Nwamaka Ejiofor read: Whilst Usman and Abdullahi were found in possession of 15 Senegalese Parrots and one

African Grey Parrot, Saidu Jagaban was arrested for hawking three dead antelopes.

She noted that the trio are to remain in custody while investigation continues.

The Director-General of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor, however, reminded Nigerians that trafficking in endangered species remains a crime under Nigerian law, warning that perpetrators will be prosecuted accordingly.

He stressed that all living things play different roles in ensuring biodiversity sustainability, hence the need to protect those classified as endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to which Nigeria is a party.

JTI Appoints Abdallah Simba as General Manager, Nigeria

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has announced the appointment of Abdallah Simba as the new General Manager for its Nigeria operations, effective May 1, 2025.

Simba brings nearly two decades of commercial and strategic leadership experience to the role, having held key positions across multiple markets and at JTI’s global headquarters in Geneva.

He joined JTI in Tanzania in 2005 in Marketing before taking on an international assignment in Ireland in 2009. He later transitioned into broader commercial roles, leading various Sales and Trade Marketing capabilities with increasing responsibility. In 2013,

Simba moved to JTI’s global headquarters in Geneva, where he progressed into senior roles within the Global Commercial Strategy function. In these roles, he led the optimisation of business models, guided market strategies, and up-skilled commercial teams across a wide range of markets.

Most recently, Simba served as Country Manager for Slovakia, where he successfully led profitable multi-category growth and operational strengthening, positioning the business for long-term sustainability. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern New Hampshire University in International Business.

of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

However, Abbas noted that the House’s endorsement of the emergency rule declaration reflected its firm commitment

to constitutional principles and its prompt reaction to the crisis unfolding in the oil-rich region.

“Following the president’s transmission of a Proclamation of a State of Emergency, the

House acted in accordance with Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to endorse the measure.

“Subsequently, we inaugurated a 21-member

Ad-hoc Committee, led by the Leader of the House, to exercise oversight of the caretaker administration and safeguard democratic accountability in the state.

EFCC:We Arrested VeryDarkMan Because He Failed to Honour Our invitation

Alex Enumah in abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, said it arrested Martins Vincent Otse popularlyknown as VeryDarkMan (VDM) because he failed to honour its invitation.

The arrest of VDM, last Friday, in Abuja, has sparked condemnation and protest against a new generation bank believed

to be connected with his arrest and the EFCC.

However, reacting to the criticisms, the anti-graft agency explained that contrary to public perception, VDM was arrested due to his failure to honour the Commission’s invitation to answer to alleged financial offences.

In a statement by the Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr

Dele Oyewale, the commission, claimed that VDM, “refused to show up in spite of several invitations sent to him through his known addresses and medium of communication.”

The spokesperson noted that the petitions pertained to grave allegations of financial malfeasance that could not be ignored by the Commission.

“It is needful to admit that the

commission is aware of several unguarded attacks of the suspect against its operations. While such conduct is condemnable, his arrest was not informed by such attacks. The relevant law enforcement agency will be allowed to look into them.

“The EFCC has a lawful right to hold Otse in custody like any other suspect being investigated by the commission.”

Expert Links Bad Project Management Delivery to Poor Political Will

A project management expert, Dr. Prince N. Nwosa, has observed that poor planning and bad political will contributes to some failed projects delivery in the country.

Nwosa made the observation during the unveiling of his book titled: ‘Managing Project Successful:

Efficient Strategies for High Impact Delivery’, in Port Harcourt.

In his remarks, Nwosa, a project manager, noted that the Nigerian Government and government of other sub-saharan Africa are doing a good job in project management delivery, while seeking more improvement in their efforts.

He urged project managers to get licensed, read more about

projects and also do research on other projects that failed as well as projects that succeed so that they could get lessons learned to impact on new projects that they can also be successful.

Nwosa said researches uncovered that “poor planning, bad political will, actually affects project delivery, and that’s why you can find a project that is well funded, has a good location but still fails or delays because there’s no political will”.

In his address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN), Mr. Henry Mbadiwe, urged Nigerians to adopting ingenious approaches to project management delivery in the country.

Osun Now Ranks 7th in National Examinations from 33rd in 2022

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Governor Ademola Adeleke has achieved another milestone in fulfilling his electoral promises as Osun state is now ranked 7th in national examinations from its 33rd position in early 2022.

Governor Adeleke had during the 2022 governorship campaign

promised to take Osun to a single digit ranking in national examinations, a vow he is keeping with the new report titled “Standard Educational Performance Ranking of States in 2024 SSCE” from the National Examinations Council (NECO).

According to an internal release on the development from the

Commissioner for Education, Hon Dipo Eluwole, the report confirmed Governor Adeleke’s commitment to restoring Osun state education sector to its academic leadership that the state once occupied from its creation in 1991.

For the records, Osun State was ranked number seven out of 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) coming behind Lagos, Kano, Oyo, Benue, Ogun and Katsina States, with 29,101 candidates that obtained at least five credits including English Language and Mathematics out of 41,264, that sat for the exam. Osun state thereby achieved approximately 71 per cent success, first of its kinds in the last 18 years.

Nigeria’s Future Brightens as Thousands of Youths Embrace Ethical Leadership

Mary Nnah

Thousands of Nigerian youths have taken a significant step towards shaping the country’s future, embracing ethical leadership values in a groundbreaking initiative. The Africa Capital Alliance Foundation’s Ethical Living Project in partnership with Enactus Nigeria, has reached over 2,000 students across 20 public secondary schools in Lagos State.

The project’s 2.0 Grand Finale culminated in a thrilling essay competition during the weekend, with top winners emerging from some of Lagos’ top schools.

Samuel Opadotun of Ebute Elefun Senior High School took the top spot, followed closely by Ruben Oshisanya of Baptist Academy and Anuoluwapo Akeni of Jagunmolu Girls’ Senior Grammar School.

Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, chairman of Africa Capital Alliance Group, described the initiative as a movement, saying: “Ethical living project is not just a competition, it is a movement, it is a call to action for each of us to live by the values we espouse, to be the change that we want to see in our communities and society and to live by example in a world hungry for ethical and exemplary leadership.”

Obasanjo, Abdulsalami to Grace Lamido’s Autobiography Launch on May 13

Sunday Ehigiator

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), state governors, federal and state lawmakers, and traditional rulers, are amongst several other dignitaries expected to attend the

book launch of the former Governor of Jigawa State and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sule Lamido.

The book ‘Being True to Myself’, will be launched at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday, 13 May 2025.

Addressing the media yesterday in Abuja, Chairman of the Sule

Lamido Book Launch Committee, Senator Mustapha Khabeeb, said the event will offer a nuanced exploration of Nigeria’s complex political history, spanning the Second Republic’s final years, military intervention, transition arrangements, and the tumultuous dawn of the Fourth Republic.

According to him, the event will allow the former governor to present his book, which encapsulates both his personal and Nigeria’s political, democratic, and governance history, reflecting the nation’s journey towards development and its current challenges.

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Two Arab Teams Agree to Pay Osimhen’s Transfer Clause

Saudi’s Al Hilal, UAE’s Al Ain in battle to sign the Super Eagles striker

Speculations have continued to gather momentum over the future of Victor Osimhen when his loan deal with Galatasaray is up this summer with latest reports now linking the striker with big-spending clubs in Saudi Arabia and UAE.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Inter Win Final Ticket, to Face PSG or Arsenal

Inter Milan qualified for the final of the UEFA Champions League last night with a dramatic extra time 4-3 (7-6 aggregate) defeat of Barcelona in San Siro.

As the last Italian side to lift the Champions League way back in 2010, Inter will be heading to the final in Munich on May 31 for the second time in three seasons.

Federico Dimarco threw San Siro into a rancorous celebration when he stole the ball off Dani Olmo in the midfield and slid through Denzel Dumfries, who rolled it across to Lautaro Martinez for a simple stroke into the empty net for the opening goal of the night.

Inter were on top before the break with two goals under their belt but they looked completely out of it as Barca took a 3-2 lead. Hansi Flick’s side looked set for a first Champions League final in a decade but a late

equaliser in normal time and an extra-time winner puts Inter there for the second time in three seasons. Inter Milan will face either Paris St-Germain or Arsenal in the final.

In the other semifinal tonight in Paris, Arsenal’s Declan Rice has said that the Gunners need “big balls” and “magic moments” if they are to overturn their semi-final 1-0 deficit against Paris St-Germain and reach the Champions League final.

RESULTS

Inter 4-3 Barcelona (Qualify 7-6 aggregate) TodAy PSG v Arsenal U20 AFCoN Nigeria v Kenya Tunisia v Morocco

Cancer Survivors, others Swing Against the Scourge in Lagos

In a continued effort to inspire hope and raise awareness for cancer prevention, the Foundation for Cancer Care, is set to host the 3rd edition of its annual charity golf tournament, Swing Against Cancer Golf Day, on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at the Ikoyi Golf Club.

The event will bring together survivors, supporters, and advocates united by a shared commitment to fighting cancer through golf.

The tournament not only serves as a platform for friendly competition but also plays a vital role in supporting the Foundation’s critical outreach and treatment programmes.

This year’s event aims to raise funds for two key initiatives: the

acquisition of a state-of-the-art mobile cancer screening bus and the provision of radiotherapy treatments for patients who lack access to adequate healthcare.

Over 100 golfers are expected to participate in this year’s tournament, competing in teams of four in a spirited team format. Among the participants will be cancer survivors.

Leading the lineup is the event’s star attraction, Farooq Oreagba, fondly known as “King Steeze.”

A Cancer survivor and passionate advocate for awareness, his involvement in the tournament is expected to inspire participants and spectators alike, highlighting the importance of survivorship and the transformative power of support.

MTN CHAMPS Grand Final Kicks off in Style in Uyo

Day 1 of the MTN CHAMPS Grand Final in Uyo took off in spectacular fashion at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, featuring a range of events across different categories, including the Senior and Junior 400m races, and the Youth 100m, among others.

Reigning NDDC Sports Festival Champion, Victor Sampson, was the fastest overall qualifier in the men’s 400m, racing to a time 46.55s, followed by Johnson Nnamani (47.00s) and Michael Ighogboja (47.54s).

In the women’s 400m, Odot Udo clocked the only sub-54 performance to dominate the category, returning a Personal Best (PB) time of 53.85s ahead of Rhoda Adisa who also clocked a lifetime best of 54.01s, and Rita Munachiso third overall in 54.69s.

Fresh from his gold-medal winning feat at MTN CHAMPS, Team MTN’s Ezekiel Asuquo breezed through his race, posting a time of 48.00s to win his heat in the fastest time overall in the Junior men’s 400m over Chidiebere Obed (49.33s) and

Stephen Adejumo (49.57s). In the women’s race, Miracle Sonny ran a time of 54.75s in Heat 1 to become the quickest across all heats. Elizabeth Olumide (54.85s) and Team MTN’s Toheebat Jimoh (55.83s) were the next top finishers overall. Onyemechi Peter Onoriode narrowly missed the Youth Boys’ 100m Championships Record (CR) of 11.09 set by Team MTN’s Alvin Onyeama in Season 1 of the competition, crossing the line in 11.10s to boast of the fastest time amongst other qualifiers. Team MVP’s duo of Tunmise Ebimetan (11.34s) and Akolo Emmanuel (11.36s) followed closely. For the Youths Girls’ 100m, Team MVP led the way with the three overall fastest times: Enilolobo Rebecca (12.64s), Bernice Onoriode (12.69s), and Promise Egbebe (12.71s).

The standings at the end of Day 1 saw Delta Secondary School lead with 10 points in the Youth women’s category, with Charity School (8 points), Ikot Ibiok Girls (6 points) and West Itam (5 points) following.

Italian newspaper La Repubbicareported yesterday that Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia and Al Ain in UAE have serious interest in the 26-year-old striker so much so they will pay Napoli his release clause of 75 Million Euros.

Both clubs will feature in the expanded FIFA Club World Cup and plan to get Osimhen off the transfer market as early as next month.

Napoli want to offload Osimhen as soon as possible so that they could use the cash from his sale to fund their own in-coming transfers this summer as they prepare to return to the UEFA Champions League next season.

Italian news outlet,II Mattino, reported couple of days ago that Napoli will accept 65 Million Euros from Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal for Osimhen, but on condition they

get the cash not later than June.

It stressed thatNapoli needed the cash from Osimhen’s transfer to finance new signings for the new season.

It is now known fact that Napoli Coach, Antonio Conte, has been unhappy that the former Serie A champions lost top star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to PSG and failed to land some of their top transfer targets in January.

With three games to end of the Italian Serie A season, Napoli are on top of the log on 77 points with Inter Milan (74 points) and Atalanta (68 points) on their heels. A win will return Napoli to the UEFA Champions League and will need to reinforce to make impact in Europe’s top club competition if Osimhen who was frustrated out of the squad last summer exits Naples.

Olusegun Osoba Press Center on Tuesday, during the media briefing on the forthcoming National Sports Festival to be hosted by the state

Gov Abiodun: Gateway Games Will Be New Benchmark for National Sports Festival

Appoints Odegbami as Grand Sports Ambassador of Ogun State

Duro Ikhazuagbe

The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has promised that the National Sports Festival scheduled to be hosted by the state beginning from May 16 through May 31, 2025 will become the new benchmark in the history of the sports fiesta.

Speaking yesterday while addressing sports journalists in the Governor’s Office Press Centre in Abeokuta, Prince Abiodun insisted that Ogun State was ready to host the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to a memorable Games like never before.

He emphasised that Ogun was deliberate in choosing to host the 22nd National Sports Festival, now dubbed Gateway Games, as a way of showing to the rest of the country the great strides that have taken place in the state since 2006 when it first hosted.

“When we bidded to host, we were very deliberate about it. We have developed our infrastructures, improved massively on security, and other areas now than when Ogun first hosted in 2006. Now that we have moved into upgrading our tourism, culture and sports infrastructure, we believe that we have all that it takes to host a games like no other,” stressed the Ogun State Governor.

Prince Abiodun said that it was also deliberate to have all the 10,000 athletes from the 36 states and the FCT in one Games Village as a way of creating unity amongst youths in the country.

“We are aware sports unite the people despite our various differences. This is why we are going to house and fed all the athletes coming to Ogun State for the Games in on place. It’s going to be a Games Village, and that’s like Olympics standard.

“We have also put the best security and transportation in place to ensure smooth transit to and from the Games Village and the venues for all the events,” the Governor hinted.

He commended members of the

Local Organising Committee (LOC) for working round the clock to ensure that facilities earmarked for the Gateway Games are of World-class standard.

‘”The LOC and government have been working day and night to put finishing touches to our preparations. I can boldly say we are ready. “

Meanwhile, Governor Abiodun unveiled Nigeria’s former football captain and an African legendary star, Chief Segun Odegbami, as the Grand

Sports Ambassador of Ogun State. Also appointed as ambassadors are athlete Tobi Amusan and former boxing heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua. Prince Abiodun presented certificate of appointment to Chief Odegbami, whose activities will go beyond the National Sports Festival.

“Permit me to use this opportunity to perform this ceremony of unveiling Chief Segun Odegbami as our grand sports ambassador.

...Delta Governor Receives

National Sports Festival ‘Torch Of Unity’

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State on Tuesday in Asaba received the Torch of Unity from the National Sports Commission, towards the 22nd National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Represented by his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, the governor stressed the importance of peace and unity, noting that sports competition has remained a unifying factor in Nigeria.

Oborevwori urged Delta State athletes, as defending champions, to prepare thoroughly for the tournament and brace up for the true spirit of excellence as they get ready for the Abeokuta meet.

The governor said, “Our young

athletes and the entire sporting community in Delta State, as the defending champions, I charge you to uphold the spirit of excellence and discipline.

“You are the pride of our state and the future of our great nation.

“Delta State has consistently remained at the forefront of sporting excellence in Nigeria.

“We are immensely proud of our legacy, hosting and triumphantly winning the 2022 edition of the National Sports Festival, and nurturing some of the finest athletes who continue to make us proud on the national and global stages.

“Let this moment also serve as a powerful reminder that, despite our diverse cultures and backgrounds, we are united by the Nigerian spirit:

stronger together and driven by common dreams and aspirations.

“I commend the National Sports Commission and Ogun State, the host of the 22nd National Sports Festival, for sustaining this noble tradition and for continuing to promote the ideals of national unity and sporting excellence.

“As we receive this torch today, may it ignite in us a renewed sense of hope, passion, and national pride,” stressed the governor.

Earlier, the Chairman, Delta State Sports Commission. Mr. Onoriode Oborevwori, in a welcome address, lauded the state government’s immense contribution to the development of sports in the state, noting that the torch represents peace, unity and true spirit of sportsmanship.

L-R: Ex-International, Chief Segun Odegbami, receiving his letter of appointment as the Grand Sports Ambassador from the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun at the