The banking sector dominated headlines in the past few days following the humongous earnings released by most of the financial institutions in their full-year 2024 financial results.

In a country where individuals and companies are hurting from economic challenges and rising cost of basic necessities, the financial industry seems to be projecting a stark contrast as commercial banks continue to churn out staggering and record-breaking earnings.

For instance, the pre-tax profit for five tier-1 banks rose by about 69.5 percent to N4.56 trillion in 2024, as against the N2.69 trillion they recorded in 2023, just as their net profit after tax grew by 66.2 per cent, from N2.27 trillion in 2023, to N3.78 trillion in 2024.

Key extracts from the full-year financial results of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, First Holdco Plc, Zenith Bank International Plc, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) and Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc revealed a strong jump in their respective profitability and assets.

Their combined total assets hit N108.21 trillion in the review year, compared with the N72.80 trillion recorded in 2023.

For UBA, while it recorded a pre-tax profit of N803.72 billion in 2024, compared with N757.68 billion in 2023, its net profit rose from N607.7 billion to N766.6 billion. Zenith Bank’s profit before tax rose from N795.96 billion in 2023 to N1.32 trillion in 2024, while its profit after tax also crossed the N1 trillion mark from N676.9 billion to N1.03 trillion.

GTCO printed pre-tax profit of N1.27 trillion in 2024 as against N609.3 billion in 2023, and its net profit rose from N539.66 billion to N1.02 trillion. First Holdco doubled profit before tax from N356.15 billion in 2023 to N862.39 billion in 2024, while its profit after tax increased from N308.4 billion to N736.7 billion.

Stanbic IBTC Holdings’ profit before tax doubled from N172.91 billion in 2023 to N303.8 billion in 2024, while profit after tax increased from N140.62 billion to N225.3 billion.

In the same vein, Fidelity Bank Plc which is not in the tier-one league reporting a 210 per cent growth in its profit before tax to N385.2 billion in 2024. According to the bank’s results released on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), its profit after tax jumped by 179.6 percent to N278.1 billion in 2024.

Clearly, this is a startling dissonance and most Nigerians are wondering how possible it is for a sector to thrive so magnificently amid the economic hardship in the land? They are also questioning if these earnings are a testament to sound financial management, or do they signal a widening gap between the prosperity of the banking sector and the struggles of everyday citizens?

This questions arise because today, millions of Nigerians still experience multidimensional poverty as the country faces unique challenges in addressing poverty, considering its diverse population and regions. With the rebased Consumer Price Index, inflation in Nigeria today stands at 23.18 percent with the harsh business environment.

While the robust finance performance is partly attributed to banks taking advantage of the high interest rate environment and foreign exchange revaluation gains, many banks also short-change their customers and illegally profit from hidden and arbitrary charges. These excess charges range from commission on NIP transfer, VAT charges, SMS VAT charges, SMS alert charges, processing fees, interest charges, commission on turnover, card and account maintenance fees, withdrawals, and transfers charges, ATM fees, stamp duty fees, among others. Annoyingly, some banks charge for each of the more than two SMS notifications they send on a single transaction, in a country where workers’ minimum wage remains lower compared to other emerging economies.

These numerous charges significantly erode bank customers’ savings in Nigeria, compared with other jurisdictions where such charges are often non-existent, especially for basic accounts. It also impacts negatively on financial inclusion.

Indeed, this is not about demonising banks making profits, it is about advocating for a more balanced approach and responsible banking. The concerns of banks profiting from excessive charges call(s) for scrutiny and highlight(s) the need for consumer protection.

Also, beyond declaring huge profits, banks should note that they are essential in providing a safe place for individuals and businesses to store their money, offer loans to stimulate economic activity, and facilitating a wide range of financial transactions.

The concern by the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Francis Meshioye, who recently stated that commercial banks are not supporting manufacturers and small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) enough should also be looked into.

According to Meshioye, the percentage of bank loans to the real sector yearly, compared to other sectors, is abysmal, currently at about 12.9 per cent.

“Besides scarcity, the cost of funds is too high and no manufacturer can produce anything with the current interest rate. If the banks have access to short-term funds, they cannot give long-term loans. The cost of funds will determine how much the banks are going to give out as they certainly cannot give out funds at a loss to them.

“The banks are growing their capital base and declaring huge profits while manufacturers are declaring losses and closing shops. When we even get the funds, by the time it is time to pay back, the cost of funds has gone up and we find out that our capital base has eroded even more,” he said.

From the foregoing, commercial banks must shun arbitrary deductions from customers’ accounts, and transparency, fairness should be their guiding principles.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) which has statutory mandate under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act to intervene in matters that adversely affect consumer interests, must also be alive to its responsibility to prevent banks from ripping off consumers.

Equally, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has to ensure that the regulatory environment is strengthened so that banks can operate in a manner that aligns with the nation’s developmental goals. Policies that promote financial inclusion, encourage lending to productive sectors, and curb excessive interest rate spreads are essential. It is equally important for regulators in the financial system to initiate enduring public awareness programmes that will build financial knowledge and literacy of consumers.

The development also justifies the need for the federal government to ensure the enforcement of last year’s imposition of a windfall tax. In July 2024, the National Assembly passed a bill that was assented to by President Bola Tinubu in August 2024. By the Finance (Amendment) Act 2023, the windfall tax targets the significant profits banks made due to the naira’s devaluation. This policy is expected to push banks towards more sustainable and ethical business practices, where profit generation is aligned with long-term value creation, customer satisfaction, and economic development.

Finally, for Nigeria to truly prosper, the benefits of economic growth must be more equitably distributed. Banks must also contribute towards ensuring that the country achieves inclusive growth and one where the prosperity of the few translates into opportunity for many.

In Nigerian politics, loyalty is not merely a virtue—it is a double-edged sword, a cross to bear, and sometimes, a noose. A man who stands firm with his principal will either be praised as a committed ally or seen as an obstacle to someone else’s inordinate ambition. In the latter case, such a man must be “removed.”

This appears to be the case in the ongoing saga between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Akpoti-Uduaghan, who initially attributed her removal as Chairman of the Local Content Committee to sexual harassment, has now changed her tone—claiming she was sacked for “protecting Northern interests.”

When one places this narrative side-by-side with the comments of Busola Saraki, Atiku Abubakar, the Arewa Consultative Forum, and other Northern elements, the larger play unfolds. This is not an innocent drama of legislative disagreement. It is a carefully choreographed spectacle—replete with villains, pawns, and shadows.

At the heart of it stands Akpabio—a man accused, maligned, and marked. Not because he has broken any law or committed any proven wrong, but because he has stood firm beside President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. And for that, he must be brought down.

There is, without question, a gathering of dissenters—former aspirants, serial losers at the ballot, political relics whose time has passed but whose ambitions remain undimmed. They have no national vision to offer, no coherent philosophy to propose—only a festering grievance and a common enemy: the man who defeated them.

Their aim is simple: to seize, through subterfuge and scandal, what they could not secure through the sovereign will of the people. And if power cannot be regained, then the next best thing is to make the country ungovernable.

The first phase of this plot is clear—decimate the President’s Praetorian Guard. Strip him of loyal allies. Render him vulnerable as 2027 approaches. In their crosshairs is Akpabio, and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan appears to be the willing hired gun for the dirty job.

Why Akpabio? Akpabio is the first supporter they wish to sacrifice on the altar of vengeance. A visible ally of Tinubu. A formidable defender of the administration. They know that weakening Akpabio loosens the pillars holding up Tinubu’s house. And so, they reach for their weapons—not of war, but of whispers and smear campaigns, sponsored headlines, and strategic falsehoods. Among these, the most visible instrument is Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan—a willing tool for their evil enterprise.

They know that as long as Akpabio remains Senate President, Tinubu’s re-election bid will enjoy solid legislative backing.

As Machiavelli put it, “He who guards the throne is more dangerous than he who sits upon it—remove the guardian, and the throne becomes a chair.”

 Akpabio is a major guardian of the Tinubu throne. Hence, the attacks from all angles.

Let us not be beguiled by sentiment. Senator Natasha, in this context, is not a lone voice of justice crying in the wilderness. She is no accidental heroine. She is a pawn in a larger political game—a game devised in the drawing rooms of desperate politicians who, unable to govern Nigeria, now seek to ruin those who do.

The names are not unfamiliar: Atiku Abubakar, Nasir el-Rufai, Peter Obi—the trio of ambition, bitterness, and illusion. They lost the 2023 election, not through fraud or manipulation, but through the expressed will of millions of Nigerians. Yet, rather than accept the verdict of democracy, they now seek to dismantle its very instruments. What better place to strike than the Senate? And what better target than its presiding officer?

This is not speculation. Their recent statements, social media antics, and strategic silences at critical moments reveal their hand. Atiku’s viral, unprovoked attack on Akpabio is no coincidence—it is part of the plan.

Natasha is not a loose cannon; she is a guided missile. The game plan is simple: manufacture crises from the most mundane matters, paint key figures as villains, and set the stage for a grand opposition showdown in 2027. Her sudden outburst in the Senate and carefully choreographed media blitz were the cold open of the movie. Now the sequence has been established, and the opening credits are rolling—featuring Bukola Saraki and company.

From a routine seating arrangement—a mundane legislative procedure—Senator Natasha has now conjured accusations of sexual harassment, threats to life, and elaborate conspiracies. The timing of this remembrance, suddenly arising a year after the alleged incident, is not only convenient; it is calculated. A smokescreen. A decoy. An attempt to stain a man’s name in the court of public opinion, where evidence is no longer required, and accusation is guilt enough.

There’s an old legal maxim: Give a dog a bad name and hang him. That, indeed, is what is unfolding. The Atiku-led clique is directing the movie. The volume of money pumped into this needless campaign to lure international media and embarrass the nation is staggering.

One day, it’s alleged insults. The next, sexual harassment. Tomorrow—who knows? Perhaps they’ll say Akpabio plans to auction Nigeria. The strategy is obvious: manufacture offence, amplify it through a compliant media, and weaponize it for political gain. But Nigerians are growing wiser—and wearier.

Even locally, all these unpatriotic efforts to create global embarrassment have yielded nothing. Nigerians are not fools. They know, as all people of discernment do, that justice cannot be built on lies, and democracy cannot thrive on deceit. The cry for accountability rings hollow when it emerges from a place of partisanship, not principle.

If Senator Natasha were truly pursuing justice, would she be flanked only by those with a declared interest in toppling the administration? According to the ancient Nigerian proverb: “When an owl hoots in the night and a child dies in the morning, we all know who to suspect.” In this case, it is now clear: Natasha was never a bystander. She was a hired agent provocateur sent to destabilize the Red Chamber. The logic was simple: strike Akpabio, the shepherd, and the sheep would scatter.

Before the unsuspecting public, a mere seating issue has now mushroomed into a web of accusations—sexual harassment, assassination plots, and shadowy threats—all conveniently aimed at one man. When we uncover the lies, she changes the script—hoping the audience forgets the plot.

This is a textbook case of “Give a dog a bad name and hang it.” The goal is to destroy Akpabio’s public image. First, he allegedly harassed her. Then, he sidelined her. What next? That he plans to privatise the oxygen Nigerians breathe?

Let us be clear: the Natasha debacle is a scripted drama to paint Akpabio as a villain and a threat to democracy. Ultimately, the goal is to weaken Senate leadership. But Nigerians are not being fooled—and many already see through the charade. History has taught us that in politics, those who cry the loudest often have the most to hide.

This episode is not about justice, democracy, or the protection of women—it is about power. Senator Natasha Akpoti, who has previously accused several men of sexual misconduct, is a well-placed pawn in a political chess game. Akpabio is simply the collateral victim. The true aim is to erode Tinubu’s support base and pave the way for an opposition comeback in 2027. Those who cannot see this are either naive or willing accomplices in the drama.

Akpabio, for all his human flaws, remains a political heavyweight whose loyalty to Tinubu is unshaken. And that, dear people, is his real crime. If Natasha truly sought justice, she would not wage a media war in harmony with those who lost at the ballot and now hope to win through chaos.

As the Yoruba wisely say, “The rat cannot claim innocence when found near the pot of soup.”

The motives are transparent. The cast is clear. The only question is whether Nigerians will fall for the performance or stay focused on the real issues.

To Senator Akpabio, I say: take heart. The storm may rage, the winds may howl—but the tree with deep roots does not fear the tempest, and the eagle does not flinch at the storm. History is rarely kind to the mob—but it always remembers the man who stood tall when it was easier to fall.

Dr. Daika, a Political Communication Strategist writes from Plateau

We ordinarily would not waste words on faceless social media platforms like the so-called "Adamawa Happenings." However, in light of inquiries from concerned Nigerians and credible members of the press, we are compelled to set the record straight:

His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007) and Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has not — we repeat, has not — resigned from the PDP. He remains a steadfast, bonafide, and loyal member of the party.

The source of this baseless rumour is a Facebook page peddling falsehoods, evidently orchestrated by desperate political operatives with nothing but mischief and confusion on their agenda. It is a calculated attempt to mislead the public and sow discord among the millions of Nigerians who look to Atiku Abubakar for direction and leadership.

This is not just fake news — it is a crude, shameless political hatchet job.

We urge Nigerians, especially supporters of the Waziri Adamawa, to disregard this malicious fabrication. It is a vile, vexatious ploy that deserves nothing but contempt.

Atiku Abubakar remains committed to the ideals of the PDP and to the democratic aspirations of the Nigerian people.

Signed:
Paul Ibe
Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar
Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party
Abuja

The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission ( FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has described the coronation of the 46th Aláàfin Ọ̀yọ́, Ọba Abímbọlá Akeem Ọ̀wọ́adé, as a giant leap in Yoruba renaissance.

According to Prof. Olaopa, the coronation of a new Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́ is always an event that possesses social, political and cultural symbolism and significance. "This is why I deeply congratulate His Imperial Majesty, Ọba Abímbọlá Akeem Ọ̀wọ́adé, on the ascension of the throne of his fathers. This is an event whose significance transcends Yorùbáland and reverberates into the Yorùbá diaspora and the entire world where Yorùbá sociocultural and political influence is felt."

This is contained in a congratulatory message Olaopa issued to celebrate the new monarch whose coronation takes place on Saturday April 5, 2025 .

To Olaopa, the new Aláàfin is "wearing big shoes not just as the successor of the charismatic and highly influential leadership of past rulers, from Aláàfin Atìbà Atọ́batẹ́lẹ̀ to the unforgettable Aláàfin Lamidi Adéyẹmí—the traditional geniuses whose deep sense of history enabled them to curate the cultural relevance of the ancients and their traditional wisdom and institutions. He is also the inheritor of the great ancient tradition and heroic achievements of the leadership accomplishments from Ọ̀rànmíyàn to Ṣàngó, those whose foresights and selfless humanism laid the foundation of the formidable Ọ̀yọ́ Empire, and a cultural philosophy that gave the idea of the ọmọlúwàbì to the world."

For Olaopa, therefore, this ascension is therefore not a sinecure as he is confronted "with a modernizing imperative that serves as the core of the urgency of facilitating a Yorùbá renaissance at home and abroad. This renaissance must be founded on the rich tapestries of Yorùbá culture and civilization—that the Yorùbá built cities and founded dynasties; they created cultural dynamics and oversaw resilient political institutions; they conquered lands and incubate an entrepreneurial spirit that kept them on the critical frontiers of multidimensional achievements that have weathered the erosion of time. All this makes the Aláàfin a singular figure—a traditional agent of modernization that stands at the crossroads of managing the orthodoxy of tradition while launching the Yorùbá on the path of renewed modern vigor. This is even all the more so as traditional institutions in Nigeria places the traditional ruler within the context of democratic rejuvenation and consolidation. This is because it is at the level of the traditional institutional framework that Nigeria’s local governance dynamics become clarified and revitalized.

"The Aláàfin therefore becomes a symbolic pointer to the possibility of local governance that serves also as a modernizing influence on grassroots development. Yorùbá renaissance must therefore start at the level at which the Aláàfin constitutes the rallying point for southwest socioeconomic development. But this role as the vanguard of local governance means the Aláàfin has to first stimulate a climate of peaceful coexistence that constitutes the most significant element for socioeconomic development, starting from Afijio communities to the Òkè-Ògùn axis and rolling outward to the entire southwest as a corridor of development that builds on a climate of peace to instigate an industrializing progress that will eclipse past developmental efforts."

For the new monarch to realise these, according to Olaopa, he must be able to "stand above the recurring adversarial relationship that seems to define the relationship between the Aláàfin and the Ọọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀. This is one historical moment when the Aláàfin needs to be meticulous and deliberate in deploying his status, as the symbol of cultural unity, to articulate a relational framework that will ensure that all cultural and political resources are harnessed towards the task of making Yorùbáland a source of exemplary leadership that undermines the depth of irrelevance to which traditional rulers and traditional institutions have been reduced in Nigeria’s contemporary sociocultural and political reckoning.

" The ascension of the monarch will bring a cosmopolitan touch to modernize tradition for the emancipation of Oyo people.I see the coronation of His Imperial Majesty, Kábíyèsí Ọba Abímbọlá Akeem Ọ̀wọ́adé as the signal to a new beginning not just for the Ọ̀yọ́, Òkè-Ògùn and the southwest, but essentially for the injection of a youthful dose of creative and cultural innovation into Nigeria’s democratic experiment. May the reign of His Imperial Majesty, Aláyélúwà, Kábíyèsí Ọ̀wọ́adé be long and peaceful and fruitful—Àṣẹ!."

President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the passing of Bauchi-based Islamic cleric Dr Idris Abdulaziz Dutsen Tanshi, who passed away in the early hours of Friday.

He was 68 years old.

President Tinubu, deeply moved by the loss, said the cleric contributed to moulding millions of youths and other Muslim faithful on the tenets of Islam.

The President extolled Dr Abdulaziz's efforts in countering the spread of violent extremism, especially in the early days of the Boko Haram conflict.

He said the Muslim faithful would greatly miss the cleric's trenchant voice, calling for moral rectitude and probity.

While praying for the repose of Dr Abdulaziz's soul, President Tinubu urged his family and followers to find solace in his good work.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

Senator Godswill Akpabio has been in public service for over two decades, but it’s only recently that his supernatural powers have been brought to national attention. These days, the Senate President is regularly accused of doing things that would require some kind of paranormal abilities. Nigeria should be grateful for discovering this aspect of the uncommon senator. Last week, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan announced that Akpabio, working with Gov. Ododo and former governor Yahaya Bello, was the one orchestrating her recall from the Senate. She claimed that initially Gov. Ododo was reluctant to be part of the plot, but he eventually caved in due to Akpabio’s surreal powers. It doesn’t matter that the Senate President is not even from Kogi, his influence and abilities cover the whole nation, according to the suspended senator, who also blamed INEC for working for her downfall. Well, it turned out that the recall has failed, but Akpabio still stands accused.

Last weekend, the same Akpoti-Uduaghan added a more bizarre allegation to the mix, claiming that the Senate President was even planning, again with Yahaya Bello, to murder her. She said the plot was hatched at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja (where else?) and that Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong from Cross River State was part of the scheme. In fact, it was Ekpenyong that drove Bello to the hotel for the meeting, according to her. While the nation was enjoying a long weekend, Superman Akpabio was busy planning Natasha’s recall and assassination at the same time; and since Ekpenyong, the young senator from Calabar is a close friend of Akpabio’s, the plot wouldn’t sound believable unless his name was mentioned. But why would anybody try to recall a senator he is planning to murder?

 I understand that the Senate President is already talking to his lawyers and has sent a petition to the Inspector General of Police to investigate the outlandish allegations. I hope that she will honour police invitation to substantiate her claims. It was in 2018 that another Kogi Senator, Dino Melaye, was invited by the police to answer to some allegations. He went into hiding for eight days before he gave up. Melaye, who represented Kogi West, was accused of murder by the police and was declared wanted after he failed to honour their invitation. The eight-day hide-and-seek drama that followed gripped national attention and ended early January 2019 when Melaye opened his front door and came out of hiding. We shall see how Natasha, from Kogi Central, will play her own cards.

While we were still wrapping our heads around Natasha’s allegations, we heard another story of Akpabio’s powers. Senator Elisha Aboh, who lost his seat in 2023 due to a Supreme Court’s judgment, said in an interview with Arise News that it was Akpabio who influenced the Supreme Court. It was an old allegation which he had made in 2023, but had soon recanted and apologized for. But this time, he added that the Senate President had also orchestrated the sacking of five other senators and that the lawmakers in the upper chamber routinely run errands for the senate president and some even serve him tea in his residence. Talk of one man’s awesome powers!

The story of Akpabio’s supernatural powers is quite captivating. Right from his early days in politics, he has always been attributed with breathtaking abilities to the admiration of friends and foes. Some claim that he has abundance of God’s grace, while others think that his source of power is in unfathomable. He was a commissioner in the administration of Gov. Victor Attah when he planned to be governor. As the plan grew, he resigned the job late 2006 and devoted his full time to pursue the ambition. Initially, Attah was rooting for him, but later changed his mind and supported his son-in-law who was also a commissioner. Akapbio beat all the 56 aspirants, including the governor’s son-in-law and other heavy weights, to clinch the party’s ticket. He resisted all attempts by powerful political to take the ticket from him.  

As governor, he faced allegations of being the sponsor of the many cases of kidnappings in the state so as to weaken his opponents. That was the first and only time a governor would be so accused. Till today, with all the abductions happening across the country, no other state governor has ever been accused of sponsoring the kidnappings of his people. But my only regret is that the Senate President has not deployed his unique supernatural powers to solve Nigeria’s myriads of socioeconomic problems!

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Honourable Justice Binta Nyako has issued a restraining order barring all parties involved in the ongoing legal challenge surrounding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from making public statements or granting media interviews on the matter.

The case, which was recently reassigned to Justice Nyako following the recusal of Justice Egwuatu, came up for mention today. The court took appearances from legal counsel representing both parties. Chief J.S. Okutepa, SAN, appeared for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, while Umeh Kalu, SAN; Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN; Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN; and Paul Daudu, SAN, represented the Senate and its committee.

Justice Nyako noted that several applications had been filed, including preliminary objections challenging the originating summons. She directed all counsel to submit to the Court Registrar a list and brief description of their filed processes, indicating which are deemed relevant or otherwise, ahead of the next adjourned date.

The Court further directed that all preliminary objections and the substantive suit would be consolidated and heard together on the next hearing date. Justice Nyako emphasized that in cases involving conflicting affidavit evidence, oral testimony may be required to ensure substantial justice. However, she clarified that the issue of jurisdiction would be determined first before any consideration of the substantive claims made by the plaintiff in the same judgment 

Of particular significance, Justice Nyako issued a formal order restraining all parties, including Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, their legal representatives, and members of the 10th National Assembly, from making public comments on the case through any media platforms, traditional or social. The restriction also extends to legal and political analysts, commentators, and media guests on radio and television programmes.

This development follows recent public engagements by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, including comments made at the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in New York, where she alleged that her suspension was a result of accusations she made concerning sexual harassment by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. She subsequently granted interviews to multiple local and international media outlets, including the BBC, SKY, and DEW.

The matter has been adjourned to May 12, 2025, for hearing of all interlocutory applications and the substantive case. A date for judgment will be scheduled thereafter.

Dr. Tai Solarin, the irrepressible fighter against illiteracy and its attendant product, darkness, as well as awful cognitive impairment, was wont to warn that an educated citizenry is easy to rule, but difficult to ride, easy to govern but impossible to enslave. It is even more so when it concerns a well-educated lady who, additionally, is exposed. Then, factor in the power of woman, hitherto under-estimated and dragged down through the bully of men. Senator Natasha Uduaghan bears within her the accustomed Western European culture of a girl’s outspokenness as well as Nigerian culture of a girl’s rebellion when she feels oppressed and she has been driven to the wall.  A great many may not remember or may have been unfamiliar with the Egba women uprising led by Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti which ended in the dethronement of the Alake, who in fact, fled his throne! Since then the nation has witnessed the emergence of many women activists who do not mince words and who take to the streets over issues they consider are capable of harming national or even the interest of a state. 

Nyesom Wike may have read the handwriting on the wall that Ireti Kingibe has drawn the line in their briefs of engagement as Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and the Lady as Senator representing Abuja Senatorial District covering the capital territory and communities beyond it. Wike seems to have mellowed and his rough tackles and lack of refinement tucked away when it comes to Ireti Kingibe on anything that could bring them into a collision course. Their paths hardly cross these days. Such are the unremitted fangs of a woman when she is ready to fight.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio did not demonstrate tact in his handling of the Natasha affair. With the poor handling that smirks of over-confidence he did not reckon with how far an educated and exposed woman could go, worse if she is, in addition, a lawyer like Natasha. In Western Europe or America an amorous joke carried a little far could be regarded as sexual harassment! An uncurbed display of affection towards a lady can be regarded as an attempted rape, depending on her mood. Ask Mr Donald Trump, back as President in the United States. A lady columnist, Jean Carroll accused Mr. Trump of sexual assault. The Jurors rejected her claim that she was raped, but upheld the charge of sexual abuse by Mr. Trump and held him liable also for defaming the lady over her allegations. He was asked to pay Carroll $5million (Dollars) The lady said in a statement after the verdict: “I filed this law suit against Donald Trump to clear my name and to get my life back. Today, the world finally knows the truth.”  The incident was said to have occurred at a department store in mid-1990s, although Trump commenting on the verdict said, according to PBS NEWS: “I have absolutely no idea who this lady is.” In the case of Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, and Virginia Giuffre in the United States it ended in an out-of-court settlement. Prince Andrew paid the lady an unspecified sum of money in compensation. BBC reported at the time that Prince Andrew was stripped of all military titles, the use of the title His Royal Highness and royal patronages by the Palace. President Bill Clinton escaped being impeached by the Senate by the whiskers following allegations by intern Monica Lenwisky.  

The alleged interventionist plea by Natasha’s husband to Akpabio to allow his wife table her motions did not awaken in him a sensing that Natasha must have told her husband something. He ought to have known that from then he was carrying a burden and he has been lent feet of clay. Some other person in his shoes would have been cautious and would have bent over backwards to encourage Natasha come up with as many motions as she could dream up. What’s more, in a blatant show of power Natasha had her seat reallocated without as little as courtesy of an advanced notice. She came into the hallowed Red Chamber only to find that her seat had been moved. Akpabio finding himself in a similar seating dispute a few years back with Dr. Bukola Saraki in the chair as the Senate President was in piercing rage in which he invested seemingly all his might. Fellow Senators had to intervene to calm nerves. Former Senator Elisha Ishaku Abbo refreshed memories of the incident only on Wednesday, speaking on Arise News Prime Time. He said it was over a seat and there was altercation between Akpabio and Saraki “which was resolved maturely without suspension.” 

Natasha saw in her experiences and Akpabio’s body language some payback for turning down his alleged romantic advances. The last straw was the seating rearrangement. These were the background to her protest. Is there any day there is no voice of dissent or protest in the Senate? Natasha asked why her own protest which landed her suspension of six months without pay is different. She said she did not insult anyone on the fateful day nor did she break any rules. Akpabio did not look far to realise that an insinuation of this nature was going to wake up a sleeping dog. The case of the former Acting MD of NNDC came to mind. In 2020 she claimed she slapped Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of making love advances to her. This has been resuscitated, thus lending credence to Natasha’s claims. Instead of pro-Akpabio forces in the Senate to work discretely to placate Natasha, they are talking about Senate rules. As if no one is sensing that if the issue is not swiftly and properly resolved, it may get out of control steps are being taking to escalate an already embarrassing saga. Her State Government said she should not come to the state, citing security concerns. I believe Natasha has no problem with her constituents in Kogi Central. She, in fact, owes them a journey home to put them fully in the picture. They should hear directly from her, from the horse’s mouth. In other words, if she was suspended as she has been for six months, where else should she think of going first? Not to her constituency? Does the state she represents not owe her adequate security now that she has become a controversial lady, more so that her security details had been withdrawn and her salary stopped for the duration of her suspension as parts of her punishment by her colleagues in the Senate who accused her of misconduct. 

The state government described her as “an incurable liar, a serial manipulator. She is a desperate politician who has built her political career on falsehood.” The government’s statement goes as follows: “This is yet another desperate and calculated attempt by an incurable liar and serial manipulator to mislead the public, inciting unrest, and present herself (sic) as a victim after deliberately violating the ban on political gatherings imposed by the State Government to maintain law and order…We call on security agencies to take note of her reckless utterances and inflammatory actions that pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the state. She should be held accountable for her blatant attempts to incite violence and cause unnecessary tension”.  

There is a subsisting attempt to recall her by her constituents the authenticity of which is now doubtful. The rousing reception she received on landing at Ihima, her hometown, in Okehi Local Government Area has cast serious doubts on the verity of the recall claim. She arrived in her Okehi local government area by helicopter she said was procured for her by her husband, feeling triumphant and she exclaimed that she was back in her homeland, where she is the proud daughter of Dr. Abdul Akpoti. “I am an Ebira woman, the daughter of Dr. Abdul Akpoti. They tried to stop me from coming home. We own Ebira together, and no Senate President would stop me from coming home.” She braved all odds—ban on public gathering and curfew ahead of her flying in. Roads of prospective participants at the gathering were blocked, yet the multitude was unbelievable, stretching beyond sight. They found their way to the reception. Those who gathered there defied all odds, too, avoiding roads that were blocked. With the heroic reception which featured singing and dancing, who will be in doubt that the so-called attempt at recalling her from the Senate must have been orchestrated by powerful interested elements in the state and beyond as she claimed, not by the ordinary people in her constituency who voted for her to represent them. They sang throatily, “Na awa mama be dis oh!” They carried placards extolling her goodness and support for them, and they expressed genuine love to their benefactor.

On an earlier occasion she gave an assurance of her commitment to improving the welfare of her people, especially “women and children who are the most vulnerable” during an economic crisis. On the day in question she distributed palliatives to them in the rain. One of the women touched by her effort said: “This is a great relief for us. Senator Natasha has always stood by the people, and today’s gesture proves her genuine concern for our wellbeing.” 

Commenting on the recall effort, Natasha said the petitioners were members of the opposition party, APC, and INEC must have helped them to perfect their petition and Nigeria and the world in general should ask how in two days 250, 000 petitioners could sign to recall her. She said the petitioners were unidentified names with fictitious addresses. “We saw what happened. They came around and deceived our people that they had empowerment for them with their PVC. They took advantage of our women’s illiteracy. They took advantage of poverty… The recall will not be successful.” She added: “No amount of threats and intimidation will silence my voice in seeking justice. No chain can bind me.” To corroborate her claim of forged signatures on the petition, a prominent and vocal figure, Farouk Garba, in the community was quoted by the media as saying: “Nobody visited my polling unit to ask for our signature for the recall of our senator. We are waiting for the people who forged our signature to come.” 

What the Kogi State Government ought to have done was to formally invite Natasha home, hear her own side of the story, what is happening to her in the Senate. It is an occasion to close ranks. She is widely regarded as one of the best and most resourceful members of the Senate. The testimonial ought to be a source of pride to them that they cannot afford to lose. Following the meeting which should include a few representatives of her Senatorial zone, respected leaders from the state would be assembled. The said leaders would go to Abuja and hold a series of meetings behind closed doors with the leaders of the Senate with the singular object of arresting the deteriorating situation and resolving the disputations. A few leaders of thought, some former Senators and disinterested individuals from other parts of the country could be co-opted. 

Nowhere is the abuse and unfreedom of women so nauseatingly pasted on their forehead than Afghanistan where by law women cannot go out to any public space unaccompanied by a male relative. Girls have been banned from secondary schools and prohibited from taking university entrance examinations since 2022. As of July 2023, beauty salons were ordered by the Taliban to shut down. The Taliban may appear to be succeeding in putting the women in chains since their return to power in December, 2021 after 20 years out of power. But having found their feet and power during the years of the U.S. backed Administration of Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan pushed by George Bush when they had expanded educational spaces, when they began to boast of doctors in their ranks; when they were teachers, magistrates and judges, the women are resisting the oppression with all the powers with which women are endowed–silent but sure and unmistakable. They got their encouragement and push from Laura Bush. First Lady Laura Bush took over her husband, the President’s weekly radio programme during which she addressed the situation in Afghanistan, putting special emphasis on the suppression of women and children. By 2001, when the Taliban fell, fewer than one million children were in school. But through her efforts, by 2008, children enrolment in schools had climbed to six million, one-third of them girls. She mobilized funds in the United States to build schools for the Afghans. So, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan going to the UN to appraise the world on her experiences could not have been for nothing.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has demonstrated determination and strength. Women with such determination, strength of character and strength of followership can hardly be put down if their cause is right. Little wonder, woman activist, Aisha Yesufu, proud of the unrelenting, irrepressible posture of Natasha, said every state must send at least three Natashas to the National Assembly henceforth.

The world is still groping in the dark with the self-evident collapse everywhere including the so-called civilized world, yielding to an awakening consequent on the pressure of the Light. The pressure is the trigger and instrument of purification that is sweeping through the world in these times, manifesting in the acceleration and intensification of events, bad and good, wholesome and unwholesome, bringing an end to man’s inhumanity to man– until the whole world is cleansed of pestilential elements ahead of the Millennium. With the pressure of the Light, coming from the Son of Man, governments will sooner than later be in place only in accordance with the Will of God. As I have said before in these pages, Leaders are born, not made; they are sent, not electable.  

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),  Mr. Ola Olukoyede, on Thursday, vowed to tackle many cases of non-performing loans in Nigeria associated with underlining fraudulent content.

The EFCC boss, in a statement on Thursday, vowed to tackle such cases of fraud in the interest of justice.

Olukoyede stated this while receiving the  Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Export- Import, NEXIM Bank, Mallam Abba Bello  at the corporate headquarters of the EFCC.

Olukoyede stressed the Commission’s commitment towards using the anti-corruption fight to stimulate growth in the economy.

Economic Sabotage

The EFCC boss highlighted that the Commission is not a debt recovery agency, but only steps in when a certain classification of debts constitutes an economic sabotage on the nation.

He pointed out that “many cases of non-performing loans have underlining fraudulent content and the EFCC would stop at nothing to tackle such cases.” 

“We are careful of the way we come in, particularly when it comes to the issue of loan recovery. We look at the area of economic sabotage. When somebody is granted a loan, particularly if the money is from the commonwealth or from investors’ resources in a bank, and they divert the money or the money does not go to what it was meant for, obviously that is economic sabotage. More than 90% of the cases of bad loans have underlining fraud”, he explained further.

• Olukoyede noted that the mission of the EFCC and that of NEXIM Bank align in the area of stimulation of the country’s economic growth.

“We have shared mandates with your bank as an export-import promoting bank, which is to grow the economy.  Doing that, you are promoting the economy, and on our part, one of our mandates is to also use the instrumentality of the fight against corruption to grow the economy,” he stated.

• He assured that the shared mandate between the institutions would translate to the development of the nation.

More Insights  

On his part, Bello appreciated the EFCC for assisting his bank in handling several financial cases including “abuse which was occasioned by all kinds of things, technical abuse of the process of lending money to beneficiaries of the bank.” 

• He said the bank is trying to see how it can redeem the situation.

“The EFCC helped us and played a leading role in the recovery of the monies that were given out fraudulently or without following due process,” he added.

• The NEXIM boss appealed to the  EFCC to assist his bank  in  recovering loans taken by former internal staffers of the bank.

He also sought collaboration with the Commission regarding fraud prevention within the financial institution.

[Nairametrics]

Naija News reports that the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment, on Friday, by a five-member panel, held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to pronounce Abure the national chairman of the LP having earlier found that the substance of the case was about the party’s leadership.

It held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of the party over which courts lacked jurisdiction.

The Supreme Court allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and one other and held that it was meritorious.

It proceeded to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by the Abure’s faction of the LP for not being unmeritorious.

More Details later...

[NaijaNews]