It has since become a cliche that Nyessom Wike, the energetic Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, is one of the most mentioned names in the media, political cycles and various discussions platforms in Nigeria today. Even when he is not in the news naturally, Wike purposefully gathers the press around him to chat with them in his raspy voice and push his views forward. And by the time the parley is over, his friends and enemies would have gotten enough sound bites to cut and throw around across the pervasive social media space in Nigeria.

Minister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike again received a lot of mention in the news and online discussion platforms in the past few days for daring to send his men to seal up Access Bank, FIRS office, PDP Secretariat and a host of other office buildings for failing to pay their ground rents to the FCTA.

Watching the unfolding events from the comfort of his villa and sensing that Nigerians will soon begin to see the sealing of PDP Secretariat hours before the party’s NEC meeting would be seen by many critical Nigerians as a case of the Voice of Jacob and the Hands of Esau, President Bola Tinubu quickly jumped in to intervene. He gave embattled PDP 14 days of grace to settle their ground rent and escape Wike’s sledge harmer. The President’s action doused the tension a bit and reduced the numbers of wagging tongues. Had he not taken that appropriate action, the President would have carelessly given free bullets to those who are angrily interpreting the defections into APC as his deliberate effort to turn Nigeria into a one party state, and they would have used those bullets attack him.

The closure of the PDP Secretariat has a lot of revelations and lessons for Nigerians who truly desire a nation that is committed to development. That closure brings to light one of the biggest evidence why PDP as a political party privileged to rule Nigeria for 16 years failed woefully in setting the nation on the path of true and irreversible greatness.

PDP has two Secretariat buildings as a matter of fact. The first one is it’s current Secretariat and the second one is its abandoned headquarters that’s been under construction for nearly two decades.

It’s quite easy to look at the issue of Wike’s closure of the PDP Secretariat from the angle of politics alone. By our nature as a people, the fact that the head office of the FIRS and 12 other high networth buildings were also closed will not mean anything to us. We will conclude easily, that the PDP secretariat was the actual target. We will reason that the other buildings were also closed to make it look as if PDP was not the real target. We miss the most important point in the saga by taking these emotional positions.

The main point in the saga of the closure of PDP’ s Secretariat is a question demanding answer. Should a party that has been in power for 16 years and is still aspiring to lead again owe ground rent for a decade in the first place? Should it owe any form of rent at all? If the PDP were to have a liaison office building in USA, UK or Canada, will it owe ground rent for a year and not lose the building? If that is the case, why then must a party that wants us to commit Nigeria into its care disregard the law so much that it saw no need to pay statutory bills for years. Instead of focusing more on Wike, we should focus more on these questions and demand answers.

Nigeria without doubt is a country of many brilliant people. Brilliant people ought to be able to do things exceptionally well. This always makes people wonder why Nigerians aren’t getting it right as a people. One of the reasons our country has never gotten it right is that we always miss the biggest point in most critical issues. In overlooking how and why PDP put itself in the precarious situation of getting it’s Secretariat building sealed for infraction and focusing on Wike as the aggressor, we intentionally or surreptitiously miss the point again. When we willy nilly choose to always miss the foundational point, we portray ourselves as a people who love to major in minor and minor in major. It’s hard to see how we can choose that path and expect everything to go well naturally with Nigeria.

Assuming that the FCT Minister closed the PDP Secretariat out of malice, would he or the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory Administration have had the opportunity to do so if PDP has been paying its ground rent promptly? If PDP fails to pay its ground rent for a year in UK, can it afford to make noise about the sealing of their Secretariat as political persecution? Shame will not alloy any serious political party make noise about an issue like this in any serious country. This is because they know what it will cost them politically in the next election. But in Nigeria, does it really matter? Yet, we want to live in a country that works. How will a country work when people pick and choose which law to obey and which law to disrespect or when to obey and when not to obey? How will a country work when people in power / government don’t respect the rules?

A Yoruba adage says “the person that will sow a dress for you, it’s the cloth he is wearing that you must first look at.” If we look at the cloth PDP has been wearing on its Secretariat buildings since 1999, no sane Nigerian will regard PDP as a serious political party to hand Nigeria over to for leadership.

PDP ruled Nigeria for 8 years of Obasanjo. 3 years of Umar Musa Yar’ Adua and 5 years of Goodluck Jonathan and for these 16 years PDP was a tenant in WADATA House. It was like a king ruling from the house of one of his subjects as a tenant for nearly two decades and boasting that he is the richest king in earth.

PDP used 16 years to plan and prepare to build their own befitting Party Head Quarters and it was already over 60% completed before Jonathan left office in 2015. Most Nigerians know that the chunk of the donations for that highrise building of about 7 floors was direct and indirect government money donated and allocated by party stalwarts and contractors.

Since 2015 till date, the PDP building has been abandoned by all of PDP big men and women. There has never been a time since 2015 till date that PDP has less than 30 percent of Governors, Senators and Honourables elected in the elections, yet, all these people demonstrated lack of wisdom and passion to complete their party secretariat building. Infact, the most annoying thing is that no development work has happened in that abandoned building since 2015 – 10 years ago.

PDP supplied the gum that Wike used to seal their party secretariat in a way. How did they do that? About six months ago, the FCDA in her revenue drive made it known that the ground rents of many buildings in Abuja haven’t been paid. WADATA House was one of the buildings listed then. It was during that revelation that many Nigerians discovered that WADATA House didn’t belong to PDP. Even with such news in the open, PDP management didn’t think it necessary to do anything about the rent until the building was closed. The question is “would the reaction to the closure of the Secretariat be the same if there was no big party meeting going on around the period?”.

How can a political party which can not run it’s affairs well, run the affairs of a country excellently? Only in Nigeria can such a political party feel cool and seek to return to national prominence without any soul searching exercise or heartfelt apology for it’s years of missed opportunities for greatness.

To be fair to PDP, it needs to be said that most of Nigeria’s political parties are poorly run and badly managed. Even though LP did well by coming third in the last election, how was the party before the Peter Obi surge? How has it been fairing since? How well run is APC the ruling party? If APC is being run well as a political party the charade of endorsing the president in their last NEC meeting would have been an exercise to assess how it’s government has performed in the last two years to see what’s working and what’s not working. SDP is the oldest party in Nigeria by name and it has a beautiful Secretariat in Abuja. But can it be said that SDP is a strong party that is being astutely run to give Nigeria the best leadership possible? Our poorly run political parties give us a glimpse into why our governments are poorly run across board. Our poorly run parties and government reflect the poverty of leadership qualities in our society. The society that selectively choose things to condemn and things to permit will be far from excellence and meritocracy for ever unless a miracle or revolution occurs.

Despite Buhari’s terrible performance, APC’s Tinubu won the election of 2023 to succeed Buhari. Only in Nigeria can a badly performing political party win election. Beyond the noise of rigging, we must look at our sense of assessing issues and correct what must be corrected.

Nigeria is a big community of politicians with no defined political philosophy, ideologies and little or no honour. As it was in 2014, disgruntled, desperate and power hungry politicians are now gathering together to present themselves to Nigerians as the best alternative in 2027. Nigerians will be carried away by their lies and smooth talk again because we always miss the point. And if we do, our self inflicted suffering will continue.
May God open our eyes in Nigeria to our truths and give us the courage to address them appropriately.

Osho is a leadership, political and good governance apostle.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) wishes to draw the public’s attention to misleading messages circulating via a spoofed version of its 66019 shortcode. These messages instruct candidates—some of whom have already sat for the resit examination and received their results—to reprint their examination slips for a resit examination.

We categorically state that these messages are not from JAMB. There are currently no scheduled examinations, and candidates who have successfully completed the resit examination and received their results need not be concerned. Such messages are fraudulent and intended to sow confusion.

The only examination that JAMB is planning to conduct, which has yet to be scheduled, is the foreign examination held in nine countries across Europe, the Middle East, and certain African nations. Additionally, there will be a mop-up examination for candidates who missed the main and resit examinations and have been granted waivers only for 2025 to participate in the usual mop-up for those who experienced biometric failures.

We urge the public to disregard these deceptive messages. Those qualified for the mop-up examination, as specified, will be duly notified once preparations are finalised.

Fabian Benjamin, Ph.D.,
Public Communication Advisor 
JAMB

How time flies! May we not be indebted! Because if you promise to pay back in four years’ time and then go to bed, thinking you still have time, four years will stealthily creep on you like the biblical thief in the night and become tomorrow before you knew it! Hence the saying of the wise that a thousand years will soon become like tomorrow!

In soccer parlance, the language that many of our soccer-loving compatriots will better understand, this is half-time for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his first four-year term as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Two years down; two more to go. Never mind that the politicians are already looking beyond 2027, not reckoning with another saying of the elders that mocks anyone promising heaven and earth tomorrow when he has no guarantee he would witness the end of today. No one knows tomorrow!

A standard football match is divided into two equal parts of 45 minutes each. At half-time the teams enjoy a period of rest when strategies are reviewed and changes made, where necessary. These days, novel ideas keep finding their way into the popular sport, such as the VAR and the introduction of half-time within each half-time for the players to cool off.

President Tinubu may have borrowed a leaf from FIFA. During the half-time of the first-half of his first term (that is, when he was one year in office), he reviewed the performance of his ministers; some got the boot while fresh (?) blood was injected into the bloodstream of his administration. Many, however, expressed displeasure over some ministers who retained their slot despite the widely-perceived impression that they have not done well.

Now at the half-time of his first four-year term, the President is again taking a hard look at his cabinet and may be minded to tinker with it again. That is a prerogative no one can deny him as he possesses the power to hire and fire. We, as a people, however, have a duty to guide him as to who should go and who should stay. To do this, let us look at the critical sectors that impact the life of citizens most. This is so because the whole duty of the government centres around making life more meaningful - and better liveable - for the citizenry.

The Utilitarian School long ago settled the debate that the purpose of Governments is to ensure - and provide - for the greatest happiness of the greatest number of its citizens. In other words, the government cannot make everyone happy or satisfied at one and the same time. There are many reasons for this, which need not detain us here, but suffice it to say that because resources are scarce and demands often outstrip supply is one of such reasons. Another is that a number of differences - personal, ethnic, religious, political, cultural, social, and economic - always create an atmosphere of conflict and disagreement that make100 percent unanimity on any issue hard to build.

That said, there are basic fundamentals upon which a consensus can be built by the vast majority of the people. Mercifully, the fulcrum of the democratic system that we operate posits that while the majority may have their way, the minority must be allowed to have its say. Grandma taught me that if you get persistent with that part of your body that itches, you will scratch yourself to the bones. Therefore, instead of half-empty, I will say half-full here today. I am sure you understand what I mean!

So, what are those areas where life can be made more meaningful for Nigerians? The first is in the area of security of life and property. The most basic and fundamental human right is the right to life. Without life, nothing! The Tinubu administration inherited a very, very bad security situation, made worse by the generally-perceived duplicity and complicity of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in the insecurity that whacked the country, especially the Fulani herdsmen and bandits’ atrocities all over the country. But two years down the line, how has the Tinubu administration fared?

To the government, a lot has been achieved and insurgency will soon be defeated. Kudos to our fighting forces: they have made, and continue to make, immense sacrifices to rid the country of terrorists of all hues. But to the people - and as some of those in power have also attested to - there is yet no cause for cheers. The war against insurgency is, at best, a ding-dong affair, a back-and-forth kind of exchange between our gallant military and those despicable elements.

The war against insurgency has been made doubly difficult to wage because of many factors: Fifth columnists within the fighting forces themselves, exacerbated by the (deliberately mischievous and sinister?) integration of so-called Boko Haram repentants into the armed forces; religious, tribal, traditional, and political elite’s complicity with the terrorists; corruption within the military and the government itself, external plots and interference, to mention but a few.

The President may, this time around, with the advantage of another cabinet reshuffle, take a hard look at his security architecture. That sector is not performing well at all. The daily cases of massacres across the country and the incursions and advances the terrorists are making into new areas of the country must be checked.

Insecurity impacts so many other facets of our national life. The country is bleeding. Funds that could have been channeled into other productive activities are wasted on this never-ending war, which has become the pot of soup and bottle feeding many influential persons who may not want an end to it. The blood-letting is gushing.

The dislocation of economic activities, especially farming, has compounded inflationary trends, especially as they affect the cultivation of food crops. Recourse to importation adds more strains on the Naira. High exchange rates frustrate businesses. Business closures and trim-down worsen the unemployment situation. Lack of jobs means more exodus of able-bodied and highly-qualified Nigerians in what has come to be known as the JAPA syndrome. Those who cannot JAPA remain an army of disgruntled, hungry, and angry elements waiting for the catalyst that will propel them into violent action.

Ticking time bomb! Crime is on the rise. If the Tinubu administration can overcome the insecurity noose tightening around the country’s neck, he would have reduced the country’s problems by half.

The other half is the economy. A weak currency is at the heart of the country’s economic hardship. How can we make the Naira stronger? Ramp up local production and reduce dependence on the importation of foreign goods and services. Reduce corruption and wasteful expenditure. Explore new sources of income by creating new wealth, rather than taxing an already-impoverished citizenry to death and removing subsidies on every conceivable item.

Every country subsidises one item or the other for its citizens, especially to drive its economy. What is the Nigerian government subsidizing for Nigerians to drive the economy? Subsidies on fuel and Naira exchange rate have been removed and the deleterious effects are still with us two years after, offering no respite despite the coming on stream of local refineries. Nigeria, an import-dependent economy floated its currency and turned it overnight into paper-weight, sending it crashing into the abyss as one of the worst-performing currencies in the world. What local exports have the devaluation promoted?

Subsidies on power have massively been removed. Even the Presidency is running away from paying the so-called market cost of power! Still, the power-mongers in the power sector of the economy are baying for more blood from a hapless citizenry. So, if the Presidency cannot pay, who, then, can? Telecom charges have hit the roof and Nigerians’ access to one another and to the outside world is being constrained. In the sense in which we are closing down every sector of the economy, pricing it beyond the reach of the vast majority of the people, how do we then develop the country? Can the few of them in power do it all by themselves?

This time around, the various ministers and aides saddled with economic and other matters that directly impact the life of Nigerians must have their tenure reviewed by the President.

End insurgency and make the country safe again. Revamp the economy and end the hardship in the land. These are the two tasks before the President. So far, has the Tinubu administration failed or has it succeeded in these two important areas? I will say mildly that it is still work-in-progress. Yes, Buhari’s administration ruined the country beyond imaginations, but after two years in office, the blame for the parlous state of affairs can no longer be Buhari’s alone. The question must now be asked: In the past two years, what have been Tinubu’s own contributions to the salvaging - not savaging - and rescuing mission?

LAST WORD: Did you see our President in an English suit shaking hands with the new pope? For God’s sake, who advised Tinubu to wear an English suit to the occasion? It didn’t fit at all, to say the very least! Maybe, when was the last time he wore one? He looked strange in it. Our native attires fit him better and would have been more appropriate for the occasion - to showcase our culture. Next time, please! Next time!

The Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, has lamented that despite his tremendous effort to curb insecurity in the state, the situation continues to escalate.

Alia noted that even with the deployment of additional security personnel and visits by security chiefs, not a single terrorist had been apprehended.

He shared his frustration via a statement by his media aide, Kula Tersoo. Alia was responding to criticisms from a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

The APC faction claimed that the governor lacked the capacity to handle the state’s growing insecurity.

However, Alia’s media aide, Tersoo, said, “What more do they expect from the governor? He has worked tirelessly to address the security crisis. His efforts are evident in the visits by the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, other top security officials, and even the National Security Adviser.

“More security personnel have been deployed, yet, sadly, no terrorist has been arrested. The governor has supported these operations by providing 300 motorcycles to ease the mobility of the security forces.”

The governor also urged Akume’s APC faction to reflect on the security challenges that plagued previous administrations, particularly under Akume and Samuel Ortom, citing communal clashes and armed herder invasions.

“What is happening now is not worse than the crisis during Akume’s tenure when people from Taraba and Nasarawa states invaded Benue or the attacks under Ortom’s administration,” he said.

[NaijaNews]

The bulls sustained dominance on the equities sector of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), as the overall capitalisation crossed the N70 trillion mark.
The All-Share Index (ASI) gained 1,721.29 points, representing a gain of 1.57 per cent to close at 111,606.22 points. Also, market capitalisation rose by N1.085 trillion to close at N70.377 trillion.

The upturn was driven by price appreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks amongst which are; Airtel Africa, Aradel Holdings, Okomu Oil, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) and Lafarge Africa.

On market outlook, Afrinvest Limited, said, “We expect the positive momentum to carry into the next trading session, as investors continue to evaluate upside potential in tickers with sturdy earnings performances.”

Investor sentiment, as measured by market breadth, closed positive, as 36 stocks relative to 21 losers. Airtel Africa emerged the highest price gainer of 10 per cent to close at N2,372.50 kobo. Omatek Ventures followed with a gain of 9.23 per cent to close at 71 kobo, while Cornerstone Insurance advanced by 8.63 per cent to close at N3.40 kobo.

NAHCO appreciated by 8.39 per cent to close at N80.75 kobo, while University Press rose by 6.47 per cent to close at N5.10 kobo. On the other side, McNichols led others on the losers’ chart with 9.80 per cent to close at N2.21 kobo. CWG followed with a decline of 9.50 per cent to close at N9.05 kobo, while Champion Breweries shed 7.38 per cent to close at N6.90 kobo.

Red Star Express lost 4.62 per cent to close at N6.40 kobo, while Jaiz Bank depreciated by 4.46 per cent to close at N3.21 kobo.The total volume traded rose by 1.13 per cent to 409.571 million units, valued at N9.870 billion, and exchanged in deals. Transactions in the shares of Custodian Investment led the activity with 37.589 million shares worth N752.119 million. Fidelity Bank followed with an account of 37.589 million shares valued at N752.119 million, while Veritas Kapital Assurance traded 33.005 million shares valued at N34.105 million.

Zenith Bank traded 27.432 million shares worth N1.328 billion, while Access Holdings traded 23.692 million shares worth N519.556 million.

[Guardian]

Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has defended the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu, saying Nigerians are reacting negatively because they are used to “getting easy money” without working hard.

Speaking with journalists at the National Assembly complex on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, the former Abia State Governor and Senate Chief Whip acknowledged the current hardship in the country but urged citizens to be patient, insisting that the benefits of the ongoing economic reforms will become evident in the coming years.

“Let me be honest with you. I’m a businessman, not a politician. There are only a few things that are not happening. The indices of Mr. President’s policies might not be working down the line. People are still suffering — yes, I agree with that. But it has started trickling in at the macro level — that is, at the upper level, not the lower level.

“So I’m hoping that in the next two to three years, the President’s policies will trickle down, and Nigerians will appreciate what he’s doing,” he said.

Kalu praised Tinubu’s bold moves, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange rates, calling them unprecedented since Nigeria’s independence.

“Since 1960, this is the first President — and I have the facts — who stopped the fuel subsidy. This is the first President who merged the dollar rates. That is why we are suffering — because Nigerians are not used to working hard. We’re used to getting easy money.

“People used to sit in their houses, use their phones, get dollars, and sell at very high rates,” he said.

He further criticised the culture of unearned wealth, pointing to practices such as currency speculation and profiteering through tank farms and government papers.

“People sit at home, use their tank farms, collect papers, and make money. This is one President who has said: ‘if you are ready to make money, do it the right way. If you’re not ready, then leave it,'” he added.

[Punch]

US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, on Tuesday ordered a suspension of student visa processing in the latest swipe at foreign students in the country.

The White House is cracking down on foreign students at US universities, revoking visas and deporting those involved in protests against the war in Gaza, accusing them of supporting Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Rubio earlier rescinded hundreds of visas and President Donald Trump’s administration moved to bar Harvard University from admitting non-Americans.

A cable signed by Rubio and seen by AFP orders embassies and consulates not to allow “any additional student or exchange visa… appointment capacity until further guidance is issued.”

The government also plans to ramp up vetting of the social media profiles of international applicants to US universities, the cable said.

The move came as Harvard students protested after the government said it intends to cancel all remaining financial contracts with the elite school, Trump’s latest attempt to force the institution to submit to unprecedented oversight.

Hundreds of students gathered to oppose Trump’s widening offensive, including Tuesday’s measures estimated to be worth $100 million, against the university that has drawn his ire for refusing to give up control of curriculum, admissions and research.

“Trump = traitor” read one student placard, while the crowd chanted “who belongs in class today, let them stay” in reference to Harvard’s international students whose status Trump has upended by summarily revoking the university’s accreditation to the country’s Student and Exchange Visitor program.

A judge issued a restraining order pending a hearing on the matter scheduled for Thursday, the same day as the university’s commencement graduation ceremony for which thousands of graduating students and their families had gathered in Cambridge, Massachusetts near Boston.

The White House meanwhile, doubled down in its offensive, saying that public money should go to vocational schools that train electricians and plumbers.

“The president is more interested in giving that taxpayer money to trade schools and programs and state schools where they are promoting American values, but most importantly, educating the next generation based on skills that we need in our economy and our society,” Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News Tuesday evening. “We need more of those in our country, and less LGBTQ graduate majors from Harvard University.”

Tuesday’s protest unfolded as news helicopters hovered overhead and graduating students in academic attire and their guests ate finger food at a reception on the lawns of Harvard Square nearby.

“All my international friends and peers and professors and researchers are at risk and (are) threatened with being deported — or their option is to transfer” to another university, said Alice Goyer, who attended the protest wearing a black academic gown.

One history of medicine student from Britain graduating this week who gave his name only as Jack said that the policies pursued by Trump would make US universities less attractive to international students.

“I don’t know if I’d pursue a PhD here, six years is a long time,” he said.

Harvard itself has filed extensive legal challenges against Trump’s measures, which legal experts say are likely to be overturned by the courts.

Separately, alumni plan to file a lawsuit against Trump on June 9, filmmaker Anurima Bhargava told a virtual meeting staged by Crimson Courage, a grassroots alumni group that held a mass webinar to raise awareness and a fighting fund from former students.

– ‘American values’ –

The cutting of contracts announced Tuesday — estimated by US media to be worth $100 million — would mark the slashing of business ties between the government and the country’s oldest university.

Amid a broad campaign against seats of learning that Trump accuses of being hotbeds of liberal bias and anti-Semitism, the president has singled out Harvard.

In the last few weeks, the elite educational and research powerhouse has seen billions of dollars in federal grants frozen and millions of dollars of federal contracts torn up.

The university has sued both to block the revocation of its right to recruit and sponsor foreign students, 27 percent of its total roll, as well as to overturn the withdrawal of federal funding.

A legal expert suggested Harvard could file a lawsuit to overturn the latest contract cuts as part of existing legal action.

“The case is so strong that the court system is not going to step to the side and allow this… to go forward,” said Albany Law School professor Ray Brescia.

He said the Trump administration’s assault on Harvard was so flawed that a higher court would likely strike down the campaign if the Trump administration were to challenge it on appeal.

On Monday, Trump nonetheless vowed he would prevail in the increasingly public struggle, claiming that foreign students at Harvard include “radicalized lunatics, troublemakers.”

AFP

Starlink, the satellite internet service by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is rapidly deepening its footprint in Nigeria’s fast-evolving internet market with a strategic expansion of coverage and an enticing free trial offer.
In a bid to widen digital access and attract more users, Starlink has upgraded its regional bandwidth capacity, notably in Rivers, Delta, and Edo states, unlocking more service availability in these regions. This move is part of the company’s aggressive growth push across Nigeria since it launched in the country in early 2023.

Konga, Nigeria’s composite e-commerce giant and authorised reseller of Starlink equipment, is further sweetening the deal by offering free nationwide delivery on all Starlink kits. Shoppers who purchase their Starlink kits at any Konga retail outlet nationwide are eligible for this deal. In addition, customers who purchase their Starlink kit on Konga.com will also enjoy an exclusive 50 percent discount on select products from the world’s number one beauty and cosmetics brand L’Oréal.

The company said the partnership between Starlink and Konga has led to better internet accessibility.
“In just two years, this strategic partnership has grown rapidly, with Starlink now ranking among Nigeria’s top three Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Nigeria. This milestone reflects the increasing adoption of satellite internet as a viable alternative to traditional broadband services,” it stated.

The Starlink Mini Kit is a more compact and affordable option designed for customers in need of portable, high-speed internet. Its lightweight build, portability and easy setup make it ideal for small households, businesses, travellers, and remote areas where traditional internet infrastructure is limited.

With limited bandwidth slots opening up daily and demand surging, Nigerians are encouraged to secure their kits early before demand increases further. Whether for home, business, or travel, this promo is your chance to enjoy free high-speed internet for one month, guaranteed reliability, and seamless setup, all with nationwide support from Konga. To take advantage of these limited-time benefits, visit www.konga.com or walk into any Konga store nationwide and experience the Starlink difference.

Active service is currently available nationwide except in Lagos State, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and parts of Ogun, where capacity has temporarily reached its limit. However, network upgrades are ongoing, with more slots becoming available in these high-demand areas soon. Starlink is also offering a 1-month free subscription on the purchase of any Starlink Standard or Mini Kit from authorized resellers. This offer is available to customers who activate a new Residential service plan. This limited-time promotion runs until June 16, 2025.

[Leadership]

Legislative lawyers, under the aegis of Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, ALDRAP, have commenced moves to compel Nigerian senators to refund part of their salaries and allowances collected since 2023 over alleged poor performance.

A set of 40 senators are equally being asked to make total refund of salaries and allowances received during the period for concurrently holding membership of the Nigerian Senate and
the ECOWAS and Pan-African parliaments, in violation of Nigeria’s laws.

The legislative lawyers, who have approached the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal as consumers dissatisfied with the services received from the senators, have forwarded a pre-action notice to the Senate, through the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

According to the procedure of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, the respondent in a lawsuit is first served with a pre-action notice, before being summoned before the tribunal.

The pre-action notice was conveyed in a letter dated May 26, 2025, and signed by ALDRAP’s Administrative Secretary, Amuga Jesse Williams. The letter was obtained by DAILY POST on Tuesday.

The letter is titled, ‘Pre-action Notice: Demand made pursuant to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Act, 2018, for refund of 78% of the total salaries and allowances obtained by each of the 109 senators from May 2023 to May 2025 for 12% performance and delivery of their statutory duties to constituents (consumers) and refund of all salaries and allowances obtained by the 40 senators who abandoned their duties at the National Assembly to perform duties as legislators of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Pan-African Parliament, respectively, which is a violation of Section 68 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, which prohibits its senators from concurrent membership of the National Assembly and another legislature’.

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Executive Vice-Chairman, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Accountant-General of the Federation, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Parliament, and Secretary-General of the Pan-African Parliament, were copied in the letter.

According to the legislative lawyers, available records show that the Senate has only performed its task at just 12 per cent since the 10th National Assembly took off in May 2023.

As a result, they want the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal to order the senators to return 78 percent of salaries and allowances collected from May 2023 to May 2025 to the national treasury, through the Accountant-General of the Federation, due to poor service delivery.

Parts of the letter read, “The Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, ALDRAP, is a professional association of legislative lawyers who promote adherence to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution by legislators and others within the legislative ecosystem. We use both public education and public interest litigation as methods to compel compliance.

“We have sworn to an affidavit of facts to support our statements in this letter. It is attached/enclosed. We are representatives of the constituents (consumers) of the legislative services provided by the 109 senators of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Due to dissatisfaction with the legislative services provided by the said 109 senators, we, the constituents and consumers, write to make the following demands under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Act, 2018:

“Refund to the Accountant-General of the Federation 78% of the total salaries and allowances collected by each of the 109 senators of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from May 2023 till date (computed at N15,000,000 per month per Senator).

“All salaries and allowances collected by the 40 senators who are members of the ECOWAS Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament, respectively (computed at N15,000,000 per sitting per minimum of 10 sittings per annum).

“Take Notice that in the event of your failure to comply within seven days of the date of this letter, we shall have no other option than to commence legal steps before the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal in accordance with the relevant laws.”

In an affidavit in support of the suit, filed on May 27, 2025, deposed to by Jesse Amuga, the lawyers explained that the suit was brought in the public interest, pursuant to sections 6 and 14 of the Nigerian Constitution, Section 130 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, and sections 69 and 104 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018.

The affidavit stated, “The subject matter of this suit relates to the performance or otherwise of statutory duties imposed on the 109 senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by sections 4, 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which include lawmaking, oversight and effective representation.

“From June 2023 to May 2025, the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has engaged in a legislative pattern and conduct that amounts to failure and neglect of the statutory duties for which they have collected public funds by way of salaries and allowances, thereby unjustly enriching themselves at public expense.

“I rely on the empirical findings and observations made by Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, an expert in legislative law and legal drafting with 21 years of professional legal experience, as contained in his Open Letter to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, and the Majority Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, dated 26th May 2025. Dr. Jaja’s letter highlighted, inter alia, the following particulars and factual instances of legislative failure:

“A. The 10th Senate enacted several Executive Bills without public hearings or meaningful scrutiny, including the National Anthem Act, 2024 and the Bill for Extension of the Tenure of the Inspector-General of Police, both passed in less than one week.

“B. The Senate on 20th March 2025 purportedly enacted a law supporting the Proclamation of a State of Emergency in Rivers State without complying with Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which requires a valid two-thirds majority vote. C. A study by the Order Paper Parliamentary Monitoring Group, reviewing 475 Bills considered since 2023, revealed that only 5.4% addressed security and only 7.3% concerned agriculture and food security — the two most pressing concerns of the Nigerian public.

“D. The 10th Senate focused primarily on passing Executive-sponsored Bills to the neglect of private member bills and issues of public concern, constituting a failure of their oversight and representative roles.”

The affidavit added, “Since the year 2011, the National Assembly Committees on Constitutional Review have always been allocated the sum of N5 billion. Some persons have asked them to refund this money after Senator Ike Ekweremadu, then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review, was alleged to have expended over N8 billion of the said funds. Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele’s justification that 39 meetings were held with the Executive before passing the Tax Reform Bills and that due diligence was applied to the 2025 Budget is both selective and inconsistent with the Senate’s actual legislative record.

“The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, publicly stated that senators were not elected to “fight” the Executive, implying that the Senate is not expected to check the Executive arm of government — a fundamental violation of the doctrine of separation of powers and legislative oversight duty. This same Senate has, however, engaged in intense and excessive confrontational action against a single member, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, including: (a) An illegal six-month suspension exceeding what is permitted by Senate Rules and judicial precedent. (b) A series of litigations, media campaigns, and alleged criminal prosecution initiated against her.

“This inconsistent application of legislative powers — docility toward the Executive but aggression toward a fellow legislator — is a clear dereliction of the institutional responsibility imposed on the Senate as an independent arm of government. By failing to effectively carry out lawmaking, oversight and constituent representation duties as required by the Constitution, while collecting salaries and allowances, the senators of the 10th Assembly have violated the principle of value-for-money and are liable to refund 78% of their salaries and allowances collected for the period June 2023 to May 2025.

“In addition to the above, several members of the National Assembly have accepted appointments and were inaugurated as members of the ECOWAS Parliament and Pan-African Parliament in April 2024 while still serving as lawmakers in Nigeria, in violation of Section 68(1)(a) of the Constitution, which prohibits sitting legislators from holding any other office of profit or emolument.”

The legislative lawyers, in the affidavit, noted further that the concerned senators have been participating in legislative business within ECOWAS or Pan-African institutions while simultaneously receiving salaries, allowances, and privileges as members of Nigeria’s National Assembly. “This dual occupancy and remuneration from both offices is contrary to the Constitution and offends the principle of legislative integrity and accountability,” the affidavit observed.

The association argued that unless the court compelled the appropriate bodies to investigate and order recovery of the received salaries and allowances, and as well order disqualification of ineligible legislators, continued abuse of legislative authority would persist to the detriment of Nigerian citizens.

They argued that it is in the overriding interest of justice and public trust that the court “grants the reliefs sought in this suit”.

An October 2024 report by OrderPaper, Nigeria’s foremost independent parliamentary monitoring organisation, had revealed that more than half of the Bills sponsored in the Senate between June 2023 and May 2024 were recycled from previous assemblies, especially the immediate past 9th Assembly.

The report also found that nearly one-third of the Bills processed in the House of Representatives within the same period were resurrected from the past assembly.

The report revealed a significant gap between sponsorship and progression of Bills. Analysis by OrderPaper showed that from June 2023 to May 2024, the Senate introduced 475 Bills, of which only 19 were passed during the period.

The performance report equally highlighted a lack of focus on critical issues of national importance as Bills related to agriculture and food security made up only 5.8 percent of the House Bills and 7.3 percent of Senate Bills. Security-related Bills account for 7.2 percent of House and 5.4 percent of Senate Bills.

“Despite the significant challenges faced by citizens in these sectors in recent years, Bills addressing these issues remain few, with many not progressing past the first reading,” the report observed.

Overall, available records show that the 10th Senate, in its first year – May 2023 to May 2024, introduced 464 Bills and passed only 19.

In the second year, May 2024 to May 2025, 341 Bills were introduced but only seven were passed. In the House of Representatives, out of 1,727 Bills filed by December 2024, only 114 were passed.

[DailyPost]