DESPITE economic hardship and suffering, some state governors have yet to reduce the cost of governance, particularly in the number of vehicles in their convoys, findings show. The governors, who are the major beneficiaries of the fuel subsidy removal which resulted in more revenues from federal allocations, have yet to adjust their extravagant lifestyles. Cutting the cost of governance by political officeholders has been emphasised as a way to mitigate economic hardship. On October 24, President Bola Tinubu restricted ministers and heads of agencies of the Federal Government to a maximum of three vehicles in their official convoys. The president…
Author: Farouk Abbas
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THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked the public to disregard reports on the death of its Chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi on Saturday said Yakubu is alive. The clarification was necessitated following reports that the INEC Chair had died in London. “Our attention has been drawn to a fake news narrative circulated by a section of the social media claiming the purported death of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu at a London hospital. The story first appeared on Monday, 9th December 2024. “We hereby appeal to…
THE Peoples Democratic Party has asked former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election on its platform. In an exclusive interview with this newspaper, the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, emphasised that it would be a regrettable development if Jonathan chose another party for his presidential bid. He revealed that the PDP had been eagerly awaiting the former president’s return for a second term, stressing the party’s continued connection to Jonathan’s political rise. Abdullahi highlighted the party’s historical role in shaping Nigeria’s leadership, citing several notable figures who had emerged from the party. “We’ve said this…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Tajuddeen Abbas, governors, senators, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and nephew of the former president Muhammadu Buhari, Mamman Daura, were among the dignitaries who attended the wedding fatiha of the children of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I Jibrin. The wedding fatiha of Senator Barau’s son, Jibrin Barau I Jibrin (Abba) and Maryam Nasir Ado Bayero, the daughter of former Emir of Bichi; and Aisha Barau I. Jibrin and Engineer Abubakar, the son of Dr Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina,…
THE joint sitting of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance and the Committee on National Planning has expressed dismay over their discovery of N88 billion as personnel expenditure in 2023 by the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). The committee therefore directed the NUPRC to provide all details of oil production, crude sales and other activities in the Upstream Petroleum Industry in the country. The directive followed a presentation by the NUPRC Executive Commissioner Economic Regulation & Strategic Planning (ECR&SP), Babajide Oluwole Fasina and some members of its management at the ongoing interactive session with key agencies on the…
THE Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, granted the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum. This was after the former governor had pleaded not guilty to the 19-count charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He is facing an alleged money laundering trial to the tune of N80bn but pleaded not guilty to all the charges. When the case was called for hearing, on Friday, Counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, notified the court of the intention of the Prosecution…
MILITARY authorities yesterday retired 656 senior non-commissioned officers (SNCOs). The soldiers, who had served their fatherland for 35 years, underwent six months of demilitarisation training and were disengaged from service at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) at Oshodi in Lagos amid fanfare. They comprised 535 soldiers of the Nigerian Army (NA), 86 from the Nigerian Navy (NN), 35 from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), and two from the Nigerian Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). Praising the retirees for their invaluable service to the country, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubarkar, said the culmination of…
THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has defended the demolition of properties in the nation’s seat of power, saying he won’t be swayed by blackmail. Wike said the structures being demolished by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) are properties illegally built on government lands. “Let me use this opportunity to tell Nigerians and residents of Abuja, we are not afraid of blackmailing,” the minister said during the distribution of operational vehicles to security agencies at the FCTA Secretariat in Abuja on Thursday. “In fact, you cannot be in this kind of position and say you…
A TOTAL of 129,417 Boko Haram terrorists and their family members surrendered to troops between July 10 to December 9, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa has said. Musa made this disclosure while delivering a keynote lecture titled “The Nexus between Citizen’s Socio-economic Development and National Defence” at the ongoing Africa Security Watch awards and conference in Doha, Qatar. Giving a breakdown of the figures, Musa said 30,426 were fighters, 36,774 women and 62,265 children. He said the country was making progress towards an increasingly peaceful society that promotes socio-economic development. The CDS attributed the surge in…
THE House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to investigate alleged smuggling activities by Nigeria Customs Service personnel. The House took the decision at a plenary session following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the member representing Badagry Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Mr Oluwaseun Whingan. Justifying the need to support the motion, the Lagos lawmaker stated that a report by an online newspaper, Sahara Reporters, on November 18, 2024, “Exposed the mass smuggling of over 2,000 cars carrying 6,500,000kg of rice through Badagry under the watch of Customs officers.” He added that “Videos published by investigative…
THE Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja has been temporarily shut following an incident involving an Allied Air flight. The aircraft reportedly experienced a tyre burst after the aircraft landed at the Abuja airport on Wednesday. The aircraft is reportedly stuck near the runway after skidding off, forcing the airport to be shut pending when the plane would be towed. A source at the NAIA, who spoke to our correspondent, said, “We are still at the air side at the moment where the incident happened and efforts are ongoing to reopen the runway.” The incident was said to have caused…
THE federal government said security operatives have arrested 10 persons on INTERPOL’s watch list while entering Nigeria. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said this in Abuja on Tuesday when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Technology Innovation Complex. “In the last couple of days, there were 10 people who were on the INTERPOL and immigration wanted list who were apprehended in one week,” the minister said. “Before now, those people would have entered Nigeria, causing terror. But we have now told them that under the new leadership, Nigeria is a no-go area for any criminal…
– Case Adjourned To January 29, 30 For Hearing THE Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Tuesday, remanded the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello in Kuje Correctional Centre pending his bail application. Justice Maryann Anenih also adjourned hearing in the N110bn money laundering case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to January 29 and 30 and February 25 and 27 for hearing. The judge had earlier refused to grant a bail application filed by the former governor, saying it was filed prematurely. Justice Anenih, while delivering the ruling said, having been filed when…
THE days of Lukarawa, a group terrorising the Northwest are numbered, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede assured Nigerians yesterday. He gave the assurance after a meeting with the President at the State House. Lt. Gen. Oluyede told reporters that the terrorists will be eradicated. He expressed confidence in Nigeria’s collaborative efforts with neighboring countries to tackle cross-border insurgency. “We are hitting them hard at the Nigerian end, and once you hit them hard here, they tend to flee to Niger Republic. Now that Niger Republic is coming on board, that means very soon, Lukarawa will be a…
VICE President, Kashim Shettima has criticised the newly elected UK Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, for disparaging Nigeria. He stated this on Monday at the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue at the State House in Abuja. The Vice President said, “Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Labour or Conservative Party. We are proud of her in spite of her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin. “She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the Kemi from her name but that does not underscore the fact that the greatest black nation on earth is…
NIGERIA’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, will chair the 2024 conference of the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute, scheduled to hold on Wednesday in Abuja, organisers said. This was disclosed in a statement on Monday by Ahmed I. Shekarau, the Secretary of IPI Nigeria. The statement further revealed the list of distinguished guests who have confirmed their attendance of the conference.They include the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba; Publisher, Vanguard Newspaper, Sam Amuka Pemu; President, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Kabiru A. Yusuf, the Special Adviser to…
THE Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has said that those eyeing the presidency from the North in 2027 should wait till 2031. He also has appealed to Nigerians to allow the bills to scale through required legislative processes stating that the bills were well envisioned for Nigerians. Akume, who gave the admonition while featuring on the Politics on Sunday programme of Television Continental, anchored by Femi Akande, assured Nigerians that President Bola Tinubu has not lost goodwill among Nigerians as a result of tax reform bills and other strategic economic decisions taken within the last…
SECURITY Operatives Friday morning blocked the Gidan Rumfa Emir Palace In Kano and prevented Emir Muhammadu Sanusi from attending a royal event in Bichi, News Point Nigeria gathered. A source in the Kano Emirate told News Point Nigeria that Emir Sanusi was scheduled to attend a staff presentation ceremony to the new Wamban Kano, Munir Sanusi, Friday. But in the early hours of the morning, the security operatives raided the palace and told Emir Sanusi to remain indoors without further explanation or clarification. “The Emir has been on the phone and is trying to find out what is going on”,…
A TOTAL of 29 state governors spent N1.994tn on recurrent expenditures, including refreshments, sitting allowances, travelling, and utilities in the first nine months of 2024, findings by this newspaper reveal. It was also gathered that the states obtained a N533.29bn loan, while it spent N658.93bn to service its debts owed to local, foreign, and multilateral creditors. However, these states fell short in their revenue-generating targets, collecting a total sum of N1.92tn as internally generated revenue but fell short of the revenue target of N2.868tn, recording a deficit of N948.28bn. The recurrent data utilised in this report did not include personnel…
A FIRE at the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) warehouse in the Idu area of Abuja has destroyed tools worth billions of Naira. The tools were designated for training N-Power beneficiaries under the NSIPA. In response to the incident, the Minister of State for the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, has directed the formation of a 5-man committee to investigate the fire. During an inspection of the warehouse, the minister assured that measures would be implemented to prevent future occurrences. Dr. Sununu, in a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations of…