BOKO HARAM KILLS 40 FARMERS IN BORNO, DOZENS MISSING
Dons Eze
- January 13, 2025
BOKO HARAM KILLS 40 FARMERS IN BORNO, DOZENS MISSING
BOKO HARAM KILLS 40 FARMERS IN BORNO, DOZENS MISSING Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have reportedly killed at least 40 farmers in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. It was gathered that the attack which happened around 4:30pm on Sunday in a farming community, Kayakura village, in Doron Baga ward, also left dozens of farmers missing. This is coming barely 24 hours after two people were killed and a church was set ablaze in a similar attack on Chibok community, southern part of the state. A local source said members of the deadly group invaded the villages in large numbers and started shooting sporadically. “As we speak, many people are missing and they killed more than 40 farmers, predominantly those who escaped the attack in Gwoza local government area,” he said. However, a security source in the area gave the number of people killed as 30. “Thirty people lost their lives during the attack on the farmers in the Doron Baga ward,” the source said. Efforts to speak to the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Kenneth Daso, proved abortive as his telephone line was not reachable as of press time.
FUBARA WINS AS COURT NULLIFIES RIVERS PDP CONGRESSES
FUBARA WINS AS COURT NULLIFIES RIVERS PDP CONGRESSES Justice Stephen Jumbo of the Rivers State High Court has dealt a significant blow to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Nyesom Wike, nullifying the Ward, Local Government Area, and State party congresses held in 2024. This ruling is a major setback for the party, which has been embroiled in internal conflicts and power struggles. FCT Minister, Nyesom WikeThe court’s decision is a result of a dispute over the legitimacy of the congresses, which were conducted by the Wike-led faction of the party. The nullification of these congresses raises questions about the validity of the party’s leadership structure and the potential implications for future elections. This development is not isolated, as the Rivers State High Court had previously invalidated the Local Government and State Congresses conducted by the Tony Okocha-led All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State. The APC congresses were held despite a court order, leading to the inauguration of new executives. The nullification of the PDP congresses in Rivers State is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the party and its leadership. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the party will respond to this ruling and what implications it will have for future elections.
LAGOS LAWMAKERS IMPEACH SPEAKER AMID MULTIBILLION-NAIRA FRAUD ALLEGATION
LAGOS LAWMAKERS IMPEACH SPEAKER AMID MULTIBILLION-NAIRA FRAUD ALLEGATIONS Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, accusing him of multiple statutory and financial infractions. Mr Obasa was subsequently replaced by his deputy Lasbat Meranda. Mrs Meranda, who represents Apapa Constituency 1, was also a former chief whip of the House. The removal came days after The Gazette reported how Mr Obasa oversaw the withdrawal of N43.5 billion for back up vehicles for lawmakers, as well as other controversial activities. Mr Obasa was in Atlanta Unuted States of America, when he was impeached. Mr Obasa, 52, was first elected Speaker on June 8, 2015, resuming office alongside former one-term governor Akinwunmi Ambode. Repeated charges of fraud and political thuggery have marked his speakership. In 2020, The Gazette published a series of investigations detailing how Mr Obasa diverted Lagos funds to his personal firms and bank accounts. Sahara Reporters at the time also uncovered Mr Obasa’s assets across Lagos. He was invited to be questioned by the EFCC after the anti-graft office became overwhelmed by media reports of Mr Obasa’s mismanagement. He denied all allegations, and no charges were filed after he met with detectives.
PROTEST AT PDP HEADQUARTERS OVER TUSSLE FOR NATIONAL SECRETARY POSITION
PROTEST AT PDP HEADQUARTERS OVER TUSSLE FOR NATIONAL SECRETARY POSITION Protest has erupted at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja over the position of the National Secretary. Protesters loyal to Senator Sam Anyanwu, who was removed as the party’s scribe by the Court of Appeal have stormed the party’s secretariat. The protesters were opposing the anticipated resumption of Sunday Ude-Okoye, who was declared the authentic National Secretary by the Court of Appeal. The protesters gathered at the rear gate of the PDP’s Wadata Plaza headquarters in Wuse Zone 5, chanted slogans such as “No vacancy in the National Secretary’s office” and “Senator Sam Anyanwu remains the National Secretary.” The atmosphere is charged, with security personnel struggling to maintain order. Security has been heightened at the premises, to avoid any disruption of activities. A police lorry has been stationed outside the main gate, and personnel are working alongside the PDP’s regular security team to search workers and visitors before granting them entry into the building.
LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL ROAD MISSING IN 2025 BUDGET
LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL ROAD MISSING IN 2025 BUDGET There is uneasy calm over the omission of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road from the 2025 budget proposal presented to the National Assembly recently by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,. The coastal road, one of the signature projects of President Tinubu which has generated a lot of controversy since its commencement last year, is expected to gulp around N16 trillion. Questions have been raised about the funding of the project which the federal government hitherto stated would be through a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement. In February of last year, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a N1.07 trillion contract for the construction of the first phase of the project. The minister disclosed that the pilot phase covers a 47.47-kilometre dual carriageway of five lanes on each side and a train track in the middle. The minister disclosed that FEC at its October 30 meeting approved the procurement of the project under the EPC+F (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing) and in favour of High Tech Construction African Limited. Umahi said, “They already have started searching for the funding, but hitches here and there. And so, the ministry had to go back to Mr President to ask for two things, and that was on January 18. We asked, Can we fast-track this? “Since this project was going to be procured in two phases and multiple sections, can we get the federal government to fund phase one, which is what is 47.47 kilometres running from Ahmadu Bello in Lagos down to Lekki Deep Seaport? Mr President graciously approved. “Today, we have procured the first section, which is 47.47 kilometres, under 10 lanes and FEC graciously approved the contract for N1.067tn with no objection.” In December, last year, Umahi further disclosed that some sections of the highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway would be commissioned by May 2025. However, the source of funding of the project remains unclear as there was no mention of the project in the 2025 budget. The Federal Ministry of Works has a total capital allocation of N1,065,171,466,605 in the 2025 budget proposal. But the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road which is under construction was not included in the budget as further observed by BudgIT, a leading civic-tech organisation while raising fresh concerns over the 2025 budget. In a recent statement released on its X handle, BudgIT asserted: “This omission implies that if funding for this project materialises, it will likely necessitate reallocating funds from other critical projects, potentially hindering their implementation and impacting the budget’s credibility.” The statement was signed by BudgIT’s Communications Associate, Nancy Odimegwu. According to the group, some of the projections in the budget were unrealistic even as it faulted the failure of government to provide a breakdown of the budget of some ministries, departments and agencies. BudgIT noted that in previous years, it identified several budgetary insertions made by the National Assembly that deviated from the federal government’s constitutional mandate and priorities while such projects were assigned to MDAs “that have neither the capacity nor the mandate to implement the inserted projects.” The group noted that in 2021, it observed that 5,601 capital projects were added to the Appropriation Bill during the review process by the National Assembly. In 2022, it increased to 6,462 projects across 37 mother ministries and 340 MDAs, while in 2024, 7,447 insertions amounting to a staggering N2.24 trillion were found in the budget. “While the constitution grants the National Assembly the authority to appropriate funds, it often modifies the executive’s proposed budget to distort its original intent and disconnect it from the nation’s long-term development agenda. “Many inserted projects usually lack proper conceptualisation, design, and cost estimation, undermining their effectiveness and feasibility. We believe that the legislature must exercise this power…
FG ACCUSES NNPCL OF FINANCIAL IRREGULARITIES, DIVERT N2.68TRN, $9.77M
FG ACCUSES NNPCL OF FINANCIAL IRREGULARITIES, DIVERT N2.68TRN, $9.77M The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has been accused of financial irregularities by the Auditor-General of the Federation, who claims that the company diverted ₦2.68 trillion and $9.77 million over the past four years.These allegations come amid widespread criticism of the company’s financial practices, which have negatively impacted Nigeria’s financial standing. An analysis of the Auditor-General’s annual reports from 2017 to 2021, as reviewed by Sunday PUNCH, revealed significant financial infractions. In 2017, ₦1.33 trillion was reportedly diverted, followed by ₦681.02 billion in 2019, ₦151.12 billion (and $19.77 million) in 2020, and ₦514 billion in 2021. These infractions reportedly violated provisions of Nigeria’s Constitution and the 2009 Act of Financial Regulations. The reports, submitted to the National Assembly, accuse the NNPCL of disregarding good corporate governance by failing to provide justification or responses to the Auditor-General’s findings within the review period. Financial Infractions HighlightedThe NNPCL has faced criticism from organizations like the World Bank, which described it as lacking transparency in financial dealings. The bank’s Nigeria Development Update for December 2023 noted that the company’s opaqueness extends to subsidy arrears and the impact of subsidy removal on national revenues. Former Central Bank Governor Sanusi Lamido also criticized the NNPCL, calling it “the most opaque oil company in the world.” The audit uncovered 14 financial infractions, including unauthorized deductions of ₦1.33 trillion from the federation account, discrepancies in transfers worth ₦663 billion, incomplete information on crude oil allocations, and failure to report crude oil losses. A breakdown of these issues year by year follows: 2017 The NNPCL deducted ₦1.33 trillion from a revenue of ₦2.41 trillion without authorization, leaving only ₦1.07 trillion in the federation account. This violated Section 162 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that all federal revenue be paid into a special Federation Account. 2019 In 2019, the Auditor-General identified seven major financial irregularities totaling ₦681.02 billion. The NNPCL reportedly remitted ₦519.92 billion out of ₦1.27 trillion accrued through the National Petroleum Investment Management Services. Other issues included discrepancies in crude oil allocation data and deductions of $1.278 billion from joint venture royalties without justification. 2020 The Auditor-General flagged ₦151.12 billion in unauthorized deductions during the 2020 financial year. The deductions, allegedly for priority projects and handling costs, lacked evidence of approval or project details. 2021 A review of NNPCL’s SAP payment records revealed that ₦343.64 billion was deducted as operational costs from crude oil sales, with no breakdown provided. Additionally, ₦50 billion meant for the federation account was reportedly unremitted. Deductions of ₦82.95 billion for refinery rehabilitation were also made without authorization. Other anomalies included the misreporting of ₦3.75 billion from petrol sales and the diversion of ₦83.66 billion in miscellaneous income into a sinking fund account instead of the federation account, forcing the government to resort to borrowing. The Auditor-General’s findings highlight significant internal control weaknesses within the NNPCL, raising concerns over the company’s financial management and its implications for the Nigerian economy.
UNTIL PRICE OF FUEL IS AFFORDABLE THERE IS NOTHING TO REJOICE ABOUT RESUMPTION OF REFINERIES – KENNETH OKONKWO
UNTIL PRICE OF FUEL IS AFFORDABLE FOR NIGERIANS, NOTHING TO REJOICE ABOUT RESUMPTION OF REFINERIES – KENNETH OKONKWO A former chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Kenneth Okonkwo, has advocated a reduction in the price of petrol in Nigeria to make it affordable for citizens.Okonkwo argued that there is nothing to celebrate about the resumption of activities in the nation’s refineries if oil is not affordable by Nigerians. The lawyer cum actor who made the submission in a post via his X account on Sunday, submitted that a reduction in the cost of fuel would lead to an automatic reduction in the prices of food and other items, translating to a reduction in inflation and cost of living. He also called for the privatization of government-owned refineries as a way to achieve efficiency in the oil industry. “There’s absolutely nothing to rejoice about the resumption of the refineries until the price of fuel is affordable to the average Nigerian which will bring down the cost of transportation and reduce the cost of production which will translate to reduced prices for food and other items thereby bringing down the inflation and cost of living. “Nigerians are dying of hunger and hardship and we can produce and refine our way out of poverty with the termination of corruption in the oil industry, and the privatisation of the refineries to ensure saturation of the system with supplies and breaking of monopoly which will ensure competition amongst the practitioners in the oil industry,” he wrote.
HOW ABACHA REBUFFED CARTER’S EFFORTS TO SECURE MY FREEDOM – OBASANJO
HOW ABACHA REBUFFED CARTER’S EFFORTS TO SECURE MY FREEDOM – OBASANJO In an emotional tribute to ex-United States President Jimmy Carter, who died recently at the age of 100, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, has recalled how the late American leader and other respected world leaders met with former military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, to try to secure his release from detention. Obasanjo said in spite of the interventions, Abacha remained unbending and reneged on some of the understanding he had with them. Carter, the longest-lived president of the United States and the first to reach the age of 100, died on December 29 last year. Abacha, who died on June 8, 1998, had tried and convicted Obasanjo on what turned out to be trumped-up charges of planning a coup. But Obasanjo’s initial death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Due to Obasanjo’s global rating and recognition, he had many world leaders intervening on his behalf. Highlighting the efforts to secure his freedom, Obasanjo said he could never forget Carter. He said apart from being one of his foreign friends, who stuck their necks out to save his life and seek his release from prison, Carter’s activities as US president and after he left office, for humanity and Africa, in particular, were unprecedented. Obasanjo read the tribute, titled, “Jimmy Carter: The Departure of a Titan,” at a memorial service held in honour of the late American president at the Chapel of Christ The Glorious King, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta. Obasanjo described Carter as a humble and selfless man. The former Nigerian president stated, “But why should I decide to have a service in memory of an American president who lived and died almost 5,000 miles away? “It is because he was a great world leader, he was a righteous man whose righteousness spread over the whole world. He was a lover of humanity, a man of God, and a great and true friend of mine. “In terms of early life background, I shared similarity with President Jimmy Carter. He was born into a farming family in Plains, Georgia, and I was born into a farming family in rural village of Ibogun-Olaogun in Ogun State. “He grew up under a father and mother who were disciplinarians, who instilled in him the essence of discipline, morality, hard work, integrity, kindness and humility, compassion for the poor “In the evenings of our lives, I became a victim of a militarist man – Sani Abacha – who wanted to rule Nigeria perpetually, till the end of his life.” Obasanjo highlighted the former American president’s role in the attempt to get him out of prison. He said, “President Carter was one of my foreign friends, who stuck their necks out to save my life and to seek my release from prison. “On President Carter’s visit to Nigeria, he got Abacha to agree to take me from detention to house arrest on my farm. But that did not last for too long. “Many other friends and leaders intervened but President Carter was the only non-African leader, according to my information, that paid a visit to Abacha solely to plead for my release. “I would remain ever grateful to all who worked for my release from Abacha’s gulag. Abacha ensured that I would not be released. “Within a week of his death though, I was released by his successor, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who also facilitated my going round Africa and the rest of the world to thank all those who worked for my release. “In the US, I called on President Jimmy Carter who told me all the efforts he made with other leaders and Abacha remaining unyielding for my release. “But the most surprising thing Carter said to…
FIVE GOVERNORS MAY DUMP PARTY AHEAD 2027
FIVE GOVERNORS MAY DUMP PARTY AHEAD 2027 As the race for 2027 elections begins to shape up, strong rumours of defection are swirling around no fewer than five first term opposition governors, checks have revealed. Investigations by LEADERSHIP showed that governors of Abia (Alex Otti) Enugu (Peter Mbah), Delta (Sheriff Oborevwori), Rivers (Siminalayi Fubara) and Akwa Ibom (Umoh Eno) have had to address concerns surrounding talks about their plans to dump their parties for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). While Mbah, Fubara, Eno, Oborevwori belong to the major opposition PDP, Otti belongs to the Labour Party. Interestingly, both parties have been locked in post-2023 election crises which seems to have defied interventions so far. While some sources confided in LEADERSHIP that some of the governors are being subtly pressured to join the ruling APC, others noted that others, mindful of the instability in their party, are open to joining a platform that would enhance their chances of securing a second term. Since the return of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, over 20 sitting governors have dumped their political parties for another. The top states with the highest number of sitting governors jumping ship are Sokoto, Imo, Abia and Adamawa. In Sokoto, three governors have dumped their parties for another, while two sitting governors in Imo, Abia, Zamfara and Adamawa have done the same. While some first term governors were able to win a second term, others were not so lucky. In Abia State, concerns about Governor Otti’s loyalty to his party arose when he resorted to the Zenith Labour Party as a special purpose vehicle for the local government election in the state last year. However, talks about dumping his party heightened when after the groundbreaking ceremony for the Abia airport, the minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, declared that the Abia governor would return to the APC. Also, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, had mounted pressure on Otti to join the APC. LEADERSHIP reports that no fewer than five Labour Party House of Representatives members have joined APC so far. In Rivers State, Governor Fubara’s use of APP for the local government election, following his inability to wrest the PDP structure from the minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, has sustained talks that he may dump the PDP ahead of the 2027 election. The closeness of the Akwa Ibom State governor, Eno, to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, one of the national leaders of APC, has sustained suspicions that he might join the party at the centre. In Enugu, there are insinuations that the disruptive politics within the PDP at the national level might make the governor, who isn’t disposed to be distracted by party intrigues, seek another platform. PDP leaders in Delta, under the aegis of Concerned Leaders of PDP, blew the whistle about Oborevwori’s romance with APC leaders. The party leaders, namely Mr Theophilus Ekiyor; Mr. Ochuko Oghenekome, and Mr. Ezekiel Chukwudi, in an open letter accused the governor of secretly romancing President Bola Tinubu’s chief of staff, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in order to secure a second term as Delta governor. Recall that Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, a federal lawmaker and daughter of former Delta State governor, James Ibori, had dumped PDP for APC last year. Ibori is a Tinubu contemporary as governor in 1999 and a close ally. But the governors have pushed back on the rumours, declaring, albeit through their aides, that they will not dump their parties for the ruling APC. Also their parties have declared such claims as the handiwork of the ruling party, seeking to sow confusion within their parties and suspicion against the governors. Mbah has no plan of leaving us…
TINUBU WASN’T ELECTED BY NIGERIAN PEOPLE, HE WAS SELECTED BY ELECTORAL COMMISSION, INEC – SOWORE
TINUBU WASN’T ELECTED BY NIGERIAN PEOPLE; HE WAS SELECTED BY ELECTORAL COMMISSION, INEC – SOWORE Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) has said the 2023 general elections that produced Bola Tinubu as President did not reflect the will of the Nigerian people. He disclosed this while appearing on an interview hosted by VOP TV on YouTube. Sowore, a long-time advocate for justice was reacting to the alleged threat made by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) publicity secretary, Felix Morka, to former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Obi had criticised the worsening political, economic, security, and healthcare conditions, describing the Tinubu government’s claims of progress as inconsistent with the realities on the ground. However, Morka, iduring an interview, said, “Peter Obi has crossed the line so many times and has it coming to him whatever he gets.” When asked why Nigerian leaders attacked critics, Sowore said only those “selected against the will of the people are worried about criticism.” He added that Tinubu wasn’t elected as president but selected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). “That’s exactly what happened in a country where leaders aren’t elected, Tinubu wasn’t elected by the Nigerian people, he was selected by INEC. It was votes allocation, everybody understood that, so when they get there, they will be defensive because they know that they don’t have legitimacy,” Sowore said. “If you are legitimately the leader of the people and you are working for the people, why will you be worried that the people are criticizing you? But this has been the nature of defensive leadership. “Firstly, their accession to power is compromise. Second, they have nothing to offer other than insult. That’s why you see a president of a country is more interested in hiring people who know how to insult as supposed to people who know how to solve problems.”