PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the commencement of 2024 National Honours Award to Nigerians and friends of Nigeria who have contributed to the development of the country. Zaphaniah Jisalo, Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, made this known at a meeting with management staff of the ministry on Tuesday in Abuja. Mr Jisalo said that the Federal Government would also honour Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavours. The minister explained that the forms and processes leading to the award of national honours were free of charge, adding that people should desist from paying for…
Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani
THE Presidency on Saturday said it received a memo from the Spokesman for President Bola Tinubu, Ajuri Ngelale, to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence for personal and health-related reasons. This was made known in a statement shared on the X handle of the Presidency, @NGRPresident on Saturday night. The statement which was not signed by any individual but had “The Presidency” as signatory, said the reasons given by Ngelale for the leave has been accepted. “The President has received the memo from Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of…
THE Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has proceeded on an indefinite leave of absence. Ngelale said the decision was taken after significant consultations with his family over the past days as a vexatious medical situation had worsened. He made this known in a statement issued on Saturday, adding that he has sent a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. Ngelale explained that he has also stepped down as the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen. “On Friday, I…
OIL and gas expert Henry Adigun has cited production costs denominated in US dollars as one reason the $20bn Dangote Refinery in Lagos might not sell a litre of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), known as petrol, below the new pump price at the retail outlets of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). Adigun was a guest on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television on Friday monitored by News Point Nigeria. He said the petrol type produced at the Dangote Refinery is the best in the world, and the better the quality, the more…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has broken his silence on the increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol. Tinubu ,who addressed Nigerians living in China on Friday, said the petrol price hike and other reforms by his administration are part of an overall strategy to set Nigeria on the path of economic growth. “Nigeria is going through reforms, and we are taking very bold and unprecedented decisions. For example, you might have been hearing from home in the last few days about fuel prices,” presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, quoted Tinubu as saying. “What is the critical…
THE Minister for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, has said that it is expected that there will be availability of Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol, by the weekend. The Minister stated this following a meeting with the Vice President, as well as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, and the Executive Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Mugo Okuoha, at the State House on Thursday. Lokpobiri said the meeting was at the instance of President Bola Tinubu, who he said was concerned about the hardship…
VICE President Kashim Shettima has summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari. News Point Nigeria reports that also summoned on Thursday at the Presidential Villa is the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu over the recent hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol. The Vice President is meeting with the trio in his office at the State House, Abuja. NNPCL on Tuesday increased the pump price of petrol from ₦568 to ₦855, ₦897 (depending on the location…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has commended the flourishing economic partnership between Africa and China which has seen trade between the two parties reaching an estimated 280 billion US dollars. The Nigerian leader was speaking during the opening ceremony of the 2024 summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation taking place in Beijing, China. Tinubu said despite global challenges, the partnership has remained firm. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining the momentum in order to deepen the partnership for the mutual benefit of both regions. “A landmark of our relationship came in the year 2000 with the establishment of the FOCAC.…
A PERFORMANCE report by OrderPaper, Nigeria’s parliamentary monitoring organisation, has revealed that 15 senators and 149 members of the House of Representatives did not sponsor any bills in the first year of the 10th National Assembly. The report, released in Abuja by Oke Epia, Executive Director of OrderPaper, highlighted a legislative output of just 77 bills passed out of 1,442 introduced between June 2023 and May 2024. The senators identified by the report to have sponsored no bills include Amos Yohanna (PDP, Adamawa North), Victor Umeh (LP, Anambra Central), Samaila Kaila (PDP, Bauchi North). Others are; Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi…
STATES affected by the recent flood disasters across the country have received the sum of N3 billion from the Federal Government meant to cushion the effects of the sufferings of their citizens. This was disclosed on Wednesday at the National Economic Council Meeting held at the State House in Abuja. The meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima was attended by governors and deputy governors from across the country and some Ministers. The co-chair of the Bills and Belinda Gates Foundation, Bills Gate and the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote were also present to make presentations. Briefing State…
GOVERNORS under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have urged security agencies to note the “threats” by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to cause political crises in the state of any governor who tries to interfere in the affairs of the PDP in Rivers State. Wike in Port Harcourt on Saturday had said “I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give back to somebody, I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states“. In a statement, the Director General of the PDP Governors’ Forum,…
PRESIDENTIAL aide, Bayo Onanuga, says the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) admitted to having financial constraints because it can no longer subsidise petrol. Onanugu, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, disclosed this in a post on X late Tuesday. He said if the NNPCL continues to pay the difference between the landing cost and petrol price, the national oil company will go bankrupt. Onanuga said NNPC’s debt was a result of the company’s efforts to absorb rising petrol costs and protect Nigerian consumers, rather than any government deception. “NNPC cried out recently because it…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu on Tuesday met with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing, China. Disclosing this in a statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said both leaders announced the elevation of Nigeria-China ties to that of a comprehensive strategic partnership. According to the statement, the duo agreed to build a high-level Nigeria-China community with a shared future. “This is an important visit for Nigeria and the rest of Africa, as I arrive in my capacity as the Chairman of ECOWAS. I thank you for the high-level of honour accorded to us,” Tinubu…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu is not taking the nation’s security challenges lightly, Vice President Shettima has said. Shettima stated this on Monday while receiving the leadership of the News Agency of Nigeria at the Presidential Villa. “The security situation in the nation is something that the President is very much interested in and is not taking it lightly,” the Vice President was quoted in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha. “The international lecture NAN is organising is very timely, especially on the issue of insecurity in the Sahel.” He called for regional and collective efforts to address the insecurity in…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of former Finance Minister, Dr Mansur Mukhtar as Board Chairman, Bank of Industry. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, Monday. According to the statement, “the President expects the new board of the Bank of Industry to work harmoniously, diligently, and with utmost fidelity to the nation.” See full statement below: STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU APPOINTS NEW BOARD OF THE BANK OF INDUSTRY President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of the following qualified Nigerians to the board of the…
THE Nigeria Police Force has declared a British national, Andrew Wynne, and a Nigerian, Lucky Obiyan, wanted for allegedly plotting to overthrow the democratically elected government of President Bola Tinubu. Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, accused the British national of building a network of sleeper cells to cause chaos and topple the government. He said, “The Nigeria Police Force has launched a comprehensive investigation into the activities of foreign national and subversive elements plotting to undermine the democratically elected government in Nigeria through unconstitutional regime change and orchestrating violence across the country. “Following extensive…
THE trial of nationwide protesters will begin in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Borno today, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Intelligence, Dasuki Galadanchi, has disclosed. The DIG disclosed this at the just-ended Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). He said those to be charged to court today were 126 suspects who were arrested for waving the Russian flag and demanding regime change during the protest, which snowballed into violence that resulted in deaths and looting of private and public assets in some states. A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, will lead other lawyers to defend the protesters before…
NNPC Ltd. has acknowledged recent reports in national newspapers regarding the company’s significant debt to petrol suppliers. According to a statement by Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, Sunday, this financial strain has placed considerable pressure on the Company and poses a threat to the sustainability of fuel supply. “In line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), NNPC Ltd. remains dedicated to its role as the supplier of last resort, ensuring national energy security”, the statement read in part. See full statement below: PRESS RELEASE NNPC Ltd Faces Financial Strain Due to PMS Supply Costs, Impacting Supply…
STRONG indications have emerged that President Bola Tinubu is planning to rejig his cabinet to ease out underperforming ministers and aides. Tinubu has been facing increasing pressure from within and outside his party, the All Progressives Congress, to sack ministers some of whom appeared to have been inactive. The President had last year set up the Result and Delivery Unit, headed by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Mrs Hadiza Bala-Usman, to measure the performance of ministers and other top government officials serving in his administration. He warned that any minister or aide that underperformed would be…
A GROUP of Polish students who were arrested in Nigeria have been released, the foreign ministry in Warsaw said on Wednesday. Nigeria said earlier this month that it had arrested seven Polish nationals for raising Russian flags during anti-government protests in the northern state of Kano. Following their arrest, a Polish foreign ministry spokesperson rejected the accusation that they were waving the flags and said they were merely in the vicinity of the protest. “The Polish students have been released and are in Kano,” the Polish foreign ministry said in a post on social media platform X. “Thank you to…