Dons EzeENUGU YOUTHS CAUTION WIKE OVER REMARKS AGAINST MBAH
ENUGU YOUTHS CAUTION WIKE OVER REMARKS AGAINST MBAH Enugu youths, under the auspices of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), have issued a stern warning to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike, over his recent comments against Governor Peter Ndubisi Mbah. In a statement released on Friday, the Chairman of the NYCN Enugu State Chapter, Comrade Chukwuebuka Bartholomew Okoh, expressed concern that Wike’s remarks suggested an intent to undermine PDP governors who do not align with his stance. He described such comments as unnecessary and dangerous to the unity of the party. According to Okoh, statements like these only serve to weaken the PDP’s internal structure and distract from critical governance and development issues. He emphasized that Governor Mbah has been instrumental in fostering the growth and stability of Enugu State, ensuring leadership remains focused on meaningful progress. He noted that attempts to discredit Mbah’s efforts through inflammatory remarks are not only unfair but also detrimental to the PDP’s cohesion, particularly in the South-East region. The youth leader urged Wike to exercise restraint and adopt a more diplomatic approach when addressing party matters. He stressed that as a former governor and serving minister, Wike has an obligation to promote harmony within the PDP rather than fuel unnecessary conflicts that could derail the party’s objectives. Reaffirming their support for Governor Mbah, the Enugu youth body called on PDP stakeholders to focus on strengthening the party’s structure instead of engaging in divisive politics. They maintained that unity remains the party’s greatest asset and should be safeguarded at all costs. Full Statement from NYCN Enugu State Chapter: “The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Enugu State Chapter, stands firmly with Governor Peter Ndubisi Mbah in light of recent developments within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-East. At a time when collective effort is needed to strengthen the party, internal attacks and divisive remarks can only weaken the foundation we have worked hard to build. “Governor Mbah has played a vital role in advancing Enugu State, ensuring that governance remains focused on real development. His leadership embodies fairness, stability, and strategic growth—qualities essential for both the state and the PDP. Any attempt to undermine his efforts through inflammatory rhetoric is not only unjust but also counterproductive.” “We are deeply concerned about Nyesom Wike’s recent statements, which suggest an intention to disrupt PDP-led state governments that do not align with his views. Such an approach does not foster unity or strengthen the party. True leadership is demonstrated through dialogue, constructive engagement, and respect for differing perspectives.” “The PDP has long been a party that encourages robust internal discourse, but this must be conducted with responsibility and respect. Party leaders must lead by example, choosing collaboration over threats and discord. The focus should be on strengthening the party’s position in the South-East and nationwide, rather than engaging in actions that create unnecessary division.” “We urge Nyesom Wike to reconsider his stance and refrain from making further comments or taking actions that could deepen divisions within the PDP. As a former governor and serving minister, he has a duty to uphold unity rather than stir conflicts that could derail the party’s objectives.” “Now, more than ever, PDP members must remain focused on the bigger picture—building a stronger and more effective political structure. We reaffirm our support for Governor Peter Ndubisi Mbah and encourage all stakeholders to work towards a more united and stable party.”
AS SPEAKERSHIP BATTLE RAGES IN SOME STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLIES
AS SPEAKERSHIP BATTLE RAGES IN SOME STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLIES There was commotion at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday as security operatives sealed off offices of Speaker Mojisola Meranda, her deputy, and clerk of the House. The scenario reactivates memories of similar incidents that occurred in others states across the country. LAGOSThere was chaos at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, as the Department of State Service (DSS) invaded the assembly, allegedly on the orders of the clerk.In the ensuing melee, the lawmakers forcefully gained entry into the hallowed chamber and declared their support for the Speaker, Mojisola Meranda.The Governance Advisory Council, the highest decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, has, however, reaffirmed its plans to meet with President Bola Tinubu over the ongoing crisis in the state House of Assembly.The fresh rift followed the militarisation of the Assembly complex by officials of the DSS on Monday.The crisis deepened following moves by ousted Speaker Mudashiru Obasa to return to the House.Obasa, who was removed by the majority of the lawmakers on January 13, 2025, approached the court last week to seek redress.The lawmaker dragged the Assembly and the new Speaker before a Lagos State high court in Ikeja, claiming that the lawmakers were wrong to have removed him when the Assembly was in recess. RIVERSTwenty-seven members of the Rivers State House of Assembly had in December 2023, “dumped” the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the heat of political crisis in the state.The lawmakers led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, are loyal to a former governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, who is currently the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).Their “defection” followed the feud between Wike and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, over political control in the state. It also led to multiple litigations.Meanwhile, a five-member House led by Speaker Victor Oko Jumbo is loyal to Governor Fubara. OGUNIn January 2024, Olakunle Oluomo was impeached as Speaker of the Ogun State Assembly Speaker by 18 members of the House.He was immediately replaced by another ranking lawmaker, Oludaisi Elemide, representing the Odeda state constituency.Oluomo was reportedly at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta—a few metres away from the Assembly complex— attending the swearing-in of customary court judges by the governor when his colleagues moved against him.Governor Dapo Abbiodun, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Kayode Akinmade, linked Oluomo’s impeachment to long-standing “internal wrangling in the Assembly that had persisted and degenerated despite several interventions.” ONDOOn June 2, 2023, armed security men sealed off the Ondo State House of Assembly following an alleged plot to impeach the Speaker, Bamidele Oloyelogun.This came a few hours after a letter purportedly written by the embattled Speaker announced his resignation.The letter, according to reports, was hurriedly written by the Speaker to escape being impeached a few days to the expiration of the 9th Assembly which he led.The two gates leading to the complex were blocked by the security operatives.Olamide Oladiji was elected Speaker of the House on 4 June 2023. NASARAWAIn 2023, the intrigues, twists and turns in the leadership crisis that engulfed the Nasarawa State House of Assembly tore the Assembly into two factions, with each claiming legitimacy to its leadership.Daniel Ogazi and Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, both of the All Progressives Congress (APC), emerged speakers of the Assembly at different sittings.While Abdullahi, the immediate past Speaker, who sought a third term, was elected during a sitting at the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Lafia, Ogazi emerged Speaker during a sitting at the Assembly complex.The emergence of both Abdullahi and Ogazi, aside from factionalising the Assembly, threw up issues regarding the validity of anyone laying claim to…
NORTHERN MINISTERS GET MARCHING ORDERS TO DEFEND PRESIDENT AS OPPOSITION GROWS
NORTHERN MINISTERS GET MARCHING ORDERS TO DEFEND PRESIDENT AS OPPOSITION GROWS Northern ministers in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet have started throwing their weight behind the administration in the face of growing criticism from opposition figures. Sunday PUNCH noted that some of the ministers and senior officeholders recently became vocal following criticisms of the administration by notable elites and politicians. As the dissenting voices became strident, credible sources said the Presidency gave marching orders to political leaders, ministers, and holders of other top political appointments to move and counter nay-sayers. Fighting back The Tinubu administration recently came under intense attack from political groups and party bigwigs, including former governors. The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, had responded to recent criticisms from some political figures. He condemned a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for making what he described as “reckless and inflammatory” comments against Tinubu, stressing that they were dangerous, we especially when the government was working to strengthen national unity and security. Similarly, Matawalle reacted to the Northern Elders Forum’s expression of regret over its support for Tinubu in the 2023 general election. He criticised the NEF, describing it as a “political burden to northerners” and accusing the group of attempting to erode the rights of others for personal gain. A former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, also had a public spat over the President. El-Rufai accused the NSA of having “serious amnesia” for denying past statements in which he allegedly described President Tinubu as the “most corrupt” politician. He also referenced records from a 2006 Federal Executive Council meeting, where Ribadu, as the then Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, allegedly made similar allegations against Tinubu. In response, Ribadu, through his lawyer, demanded a public apology and retraction from El-Rufai. In a similar vein, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, recently responded to criticisms of President Tinubu’s administration by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed. Mohammed had accused the Tinubu government of failing to deliver on its promises, triggering a sharp rebuttal from Tuggar. The minister described the governor’s remarks as “mischievous” and urged him to avoid misleading the public on national matters. Tuggar highlighted that Bauchi State had seen a significant increase in federal allocation due to fiscal reforms but lamented the absence of tangible development. He further accused the governor of trying to dominate the state and deploying tactics that had previously led to unrest during his time as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Ministers acting on instructions A strong ally of one of the two defence ministers in the Tinubu cabinet said the northern leaders had orders to confront mounting opposition against the President. The source said, “Yes, we need to silence these nay-sayers,” alluding to the campaigns of the 2027 anti-Tinubu forces from the North. “I’m sure that of recent, you have seen many of the ministers in Tinubu’s cabinet coming out to counter these oligarchs as you call them. “They are in the minority and the President or the Presidency is not afraid of them, but we too, and by this, I mean our political leaders, ministers, and holders of other top political appointments have been given the mandate and marching orders by the Presidency to move to the campaign fields and counter the naysayers from the elites in the north.” Another reliable source in the presidential villa and principal officer to Tinubu told Sunday PUNCH that aside from the marching orders to political office holders of northern extraction to resell the President to the North, there was strong contention between the two subzones in the region over where the pendulum would swing to after 2027. He said, “The issue goes beyond the…
AS FOES AND FRIENDS UNITE AGAINST TINUBU
AS FOES AND FRIENDS UNITE AGAINST TINUBU Although 2025 has only just begun, the Machiavellian maneuvers and the increasingly tensile, high-decibel political shrieks being emitted by politicians about the 2027 election might lead one to believe that the election will take place next year. Of all the political realignments that are forming preparatory to the 2027 election, it’s the unity in political adversity between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Governor Nasir El-Rufai that strikes me as the most intriguing. El-Rufai feels understandably betrayed by his humiliating exclusion from the Bola Tinubu administration whose ascent to power he helped to facilitate with uncommon vim and vigor. Nonetheless, he is protesting his betrayal by making common cause with Atiku Abubakar whom he had serially stabbed in the back more treacherously than Tinubu has thrown him under the bus. It is akin, in a way, to a soldier who, after leading a fierce battle to enthrone a king, finds himself cast out of the palace. Wounded and seething, he seeks refuge in the camp of an old mentor and ally whom he once betrayed in the heat of war, hoping that their shared resentment for the new ruler will be enough to overlook past treacheries. Recall that El-Rufai consistently disclaimed any debt to Atiku Abubakar in his political rise even when leaked US Embassy cables quoted him as telling US Embassy officials that Atiku is the single most important reason he made an “accidental” detour to public service. Worse still, he was the lynchpin in President Olusegun Obasanjo’s all-out, no-holds-barred, scorched-earth decimation of Atiku’s presidential aspirations. As I pointed out in my August 12, 2023, column titled “El-Rufai’s Betrayal and Akpabio’s Buffoonery,” it was El-Rufai who carried Obasanjo’s messages to Western embassies saying Atiku must never be allowed to be president. “On September 21, 2006, for instance, El-Rufai met with the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria and the UK High Commissioner ‘under instruction’ from President Obasanjo to inform them of and seek their blessing to deny Atiku Abubakar the chance to succeed Obasanjo,” I wrote and characterized El-Rufai’s volte face as “a wild change of loyalties.” Of course, it’s a banal fact of Third World life that betrayal is the lifeblood of partisan politics. So, there’s nothing out of the ordinary about El-Rufai’s duplicity. In any case, El-Rufai had also ridiculed Muhammadu Buhari as a bigot who was “serially unelectable” but later embraced him and even became the single most important reason why Buhari decided to run for president again, according to Buhari himself. Yet, although Atiku must have developed a thick skin to perfidy (I am sure he, too, has stabbed quite a few people in the back in the course of his political career), I can’t help but wonder what goes on in his mind when he strategizes with El-Rufai toward the political containment of their common foe now. Does he see El-Rufai as a repentant traitor seeking redemption, or merely as a desperate, scorned man whose newfound friendship is actuated by opportunistic political self-preservation rather than conviction? Atiku must feel like sharing a meal with a man who once poisoned his drink. He will probably watch his hands closely and weigh his every word, knowing that today’s ally could easily be tomorrow’s betrayer. Nevertheless, in the ruthless calculus of politics, perhaps Atiku understands that some alliances, however uneasy, are dictated not by trust, but by the urgency of a common enemy. This sentiment underpins the rumored subterranean rapprochement between Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Although they appear to be at loggerheads, there are credible hints that Abdullahi Ganduje’s recent appointment to the chairmanship of the board of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria is a calculated first step to strategically…
EFCC DIRECTS ZONAL COMMANDS TO AUDIT EXHIBITS IN THEIR POSSESSION
EFCC DIRECTS ZONAL COMMANDS TO AUDIT EXHIBITS IN THEIR POSSESSION The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has directed all its commands to audit exhibits in their possessions,. The directive followed reports of recent theft cases in Lagos and Kaduna states. It was further gathered that Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency had launched a manhunt for an officer who allegedly stole over $30,000 and other valuable exhibits from Kaduna Zonal office. The officer involved, identified as Polycarp, reportedly fled when he could not account for the money and other exhibits. According to Daily Nigeria, among other exhibits missing are gold bars worth over N1 billion as well as over $180,000 and about GBP 140,000. Also, a significant amount of cash and valuables had disappeared from the Lagos Zonal Command of EFCC. It was further gathered that between $350,000 and $400,000 had gone missing, along with expensive jewellery and other valuable items. Prior to reports, the commission had dismissed 27 officials for misconduct and fraudulent activities. According to a statement issued by the agency, the dismissal followed recommendations from the EFCC Staff Disciplinary Committee, which were ratified by Chairman Ola Olukoyede. Following the theft of exhibits, the agency announced that 10 officers in Lagos State Command had been detained over theft of operational items they could not account for. Sources, however, revealed that following the recent theft cases, the authorities of the commission have directed all zonal commands to carry an extensive audit of the exhibits in their care. “All zonal heads have been directed to carry out an evaluation of exhibits in their custody and report back to the National Headquarters,” one of the inside sources said on Wednesday. The source revealed that some properties recovered from a suspect in Enugu had been stolen at the state zonal office of the agency. “For instance, EFCC operatives seized vehicles and money from one Mr Patrick Shanchi Nwokike, owner of Let’s Partner With You, a financial institution. He was accused of operating without a license. After confiscating his property and money, sued him at the Federal High Court. “Sometime last year, the court discharged and acquitted him but up till today, EFCC could not produce the cars seized from him. EFCC took some money. They even went to people who had some money from him based on records they have and took away the money but did not record same when they (EFCC) sued.” “The EFCC operatives also went to his in-law and collected several millions of naira from him and some other people. They even went to the bank and forced the bank to give them money. At the end of the day, the money and vehicles disappeared,” the source said. “That’s how bad EFCC operatives have become. I hope someday the man would be able to muster the courage to tell his story. I am not holding brief for him.” Efforts to reach the EFCC spokesman, Mr Dele Oyewale, on his mobile phone for comment failed as his line suggested it was not available to receive calls.
WHY UPLOAD OF 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FAILED – INEC
WHY UPLOAD OF 2023 PRESIDENTIAL POLL FAILED – INEC Unanticipated system error was responsible for the glitch that affected upload of the Presidential election result on the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) during the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission has explained. The Commission said a review of the system during the upload process showed that the system was encountering an unexpected configuration problem in mapping the presidential election results uploaded into the system to the participating Polling Units. The INEC explanation is contained in the report of the commission’s stakeholder engagements and retreats carried out by the commission between July 11 and August 5, 2023 to review the conduct of the general elections. Those at in the stakeholders’ engagements include: leaders of the registered political parties, civil society organisations, Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and Administrative Secretaries, security agencies under the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security and media executives. The report said: “During this review, many stakeholders repeatedly sought explanation for the technical glitch that affected the upload of the 2023 Presidential election results. During the review, details of the problem were provided by INEC’s technical experts. “In a nutshell, the challenge of uploading the PU presidential election results on the IReV after the presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25 of 2023 was unique.” Giving an insight into the problem which appeared to have cast some doubt on the credibility of the election, the report said: “As voting ended across the country and POs began the process of uploading the images of the PU result sheets of the elections for the various constituencies around 4pm, the commission began to receive reports that the upload of presidential election result sheets was failing. “Following these reports, the commission immediately engaged with its field officials for details to understand and trace the origin, source, scale and magnitude of the problem across the result management ecosystem to devise appropriate solutions. “In the troubleshooting process, it was established that there was no issue in uploading the PU result sheets of the Senate and House of Representatives elections through the Election Result Modules. However, there was a problem with uploading the presidential election results to the system. “Attempts to upload the results were generating internal server errors, which refer to a significant impairment that usually originate from within an application due to problems relating to configuration, permissions, or failure to create or access application resources correctly. “Further interrogation of the Election Result Modules indicated that the system is encountering an unexpected configuration problem in mapping the presidential election results uploaded into the system to the participating PUs. “Due to the complex, sensitive and critical nature of the systems and the real potential for malicious cyber-attacks, the commission immediately put in place several strict security and audit control measures to prevent any unfettered or elevated access to the Result Upload System.” The report, copies of which have been made available to the Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, also revealed that “in the process of resolving the challenge, it was discovered that the backend system of the IReV was able to query and detect the base States for uploading the PU result sheets based on the mapping of all senatorial district and federal constituency elections to the respective 36 states of the Federation and the FCT as established in the database structure deployed within the system. “In configuring and mapping the election results for the presidential and National Assembly elections, the commission created 470 election types consisting of one presidential constituency covering the entire country, 109 senatorial districts and 360 federal constituencies. “Each senatorial district and federal constituency election on the database was mapped to their respective states. However, the presidential election result…
FG, 21 STATES TO EYE N2.5TN VAT REVENUE IN 2025
FG, 21 STATES EYE N2.5TN VAT REVENUE IN 2025 Nigeria’s federal government and 21 out of the 36 states in the federation have targeted a combined Value Added Tax revenue of N2.5 trillion for 2025 in their respective budget estimates. This figure was derived from financial reports released by the Federation Account Allocation Committee between October 2023 and March 2024. An analysis of the 2025 budget documents from the Federal Government and 21 states revealed a combined VAT revenue projection of about N2.53 trillion, representing a significant increase of N1 trillion (65.8 percent) compared to the N1.527 trillion projected in 2024. This projection excludes additional funds that may accrue from the implementation of the contentious tax reform bills. The 21 states include Kebbi, Kaduna, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Enugu, Borno, Ondo, Kano, Katsina, Ebonyi, Gombe, Anambra, Abia, Niger, Jigawa, Bauchi, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, and Delta. Budget documents for the remaining 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory were unavailable. In 2024, available data from the Federation Account Allocation Committee showed that the federal government’s share of VAT revenue was N512.8 billion, but it is projected to rise to N972 billion in 2025. Similarly, Kebbi State, which received N41 billion from VAT in 2024, anticipates N87.3 billion this year. Kaduna State’s VAT revenue is projected at N57.8 billion, up from N48.2 billion in its 2024 budget. On the part of Ekiti State, it plans to generate N54.9 billion in VAT revenue this year, compared to N52.6 billion in 2024. Oyo State, which earned N78.8 billion from VAT in 2024, projected N144 billion for 2025, while Osun State expects N78.1 billion, up from N45.3 billion last year. Other states such as Ogun, Enugu, Borno, Ondo, Kano, Katsina, Ebonyi, Gombe, and Anambra have projected VAT revenues of N85bn, N74.9 billion, N87.3 billion, N71.5 billion, N97.3 billion, N85.9bn, N50.8bn, N39bn, and N92.4bn, respectively, for 2025. In comparison, their 2024 projections were N57.7bn, N44bn, N49.4bn, N30.3bn, N76.6bn, N46.9bn, N36.5bn, N30bn, and N58.4bn, respectively. Similarly, Abia, Niger, Jigawa, Bauchi, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, and Delta have projected VAT revenues of N60.6bn, N64.6bn, N80bn, N78.5bn, N70bn, N52.5bn, and N46.6bn, respectively, for 2025. Their projections for 2024 were N40bn, N50.6bn, N45bn, N45bn, N45bn, N47bn, and N45.7bn.
ATIKU, OBI HAVE LEARNT THEIR LESSONS, AIDE HINTS ON MERGER
ATIKU, PETER OBI HAVE LEARNT THEIR LESSONS – AIDE HINTS ON MERGER Paul Ibe, the spokesperson to the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has said that his principal and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, have learnt their lessons in the last general election and would unite to kick out the “incompetent and clueless” administration of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Ibe, a media to Atiku, said this as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday. Atiku and Obi scored over 12 million votes combined in the 2023 presidential election won by APC’s Bola Tinubu who got over eight million votes. Obi, a frontline member of the PDP and a longtime ally of Atiku, left the PDP for LP prior to the 2023 general election, when it was clear he would not get the party’s ticket. Analysts believe that with their combined efforts, either the PDP or the LP would have removed the APC from power. However, Ibe said that Atiku and Obi have learnt their lessons and won’t allow a repeat of their mistake in 2023 going forward. “Nigerians deserve better than what they are getting. It’s never been this bad in this country and there is no hope,” he said “The truth of the matter is that Atiku Abubakar has promoted opposition parties to work together, to come together; that is the only way they can kick out this incompetent and clueless government. And I believe that discussions have been going on. “Lessons have been learnt from 2023 by all parties including Atiku Abubakar and I believe that it is on the basis of the lessons that have been learnt that they are moving forward and having discussions. “They have learnt that lesson and want to be united and go forward,” he stated. He said for Atiku, “all options are on the table”, but refused to provide an answer to the question of whether the former Vice President would step down for Obi in the 2027 election.
SENATE SACKS CCT CHAIRMAN, DANLADI UMAR
SENATE SACKS CCT CHAIRMAN, DANLADI UMAR The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday, sacked Danladi Usman as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).The sack of Danladi follows the closed-door session of the lawmakers in which 84 out of the existing 107 serving Senators, signed for his removal The Senate invoked section 157(1) of the 1999 constitution which stipulates that 2/3 of the membership of the Senate can remove the head of any statutory body alleged to have indulged in gross misconduct and misdemeanour in office. Earlier in a motion, which was sponsored by the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, cited Section 157(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended to remove Justice Umar as Code of Conduct Tribunal Chairman. Opeyemi urged the Senate to rely on the Constitutional provision, saying that there are a plethora of petitions against the Chairman. To have a seamless and raancour free debate, he said there was a need for a closed door session to clear grey areas before opening the Chamber for debate. Meanwhile, the Constitution stipulated the two-third majority of the joint Chambers before a Chairman of CCT can be removed from office. The removal of Justice Danladi Umar will pave way for one Mr Abdullahi Usman Bello to be sworn in as a substantive Chairman,.