Two Nigerians, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, have been sentenced by a United States federal jury to 30 years combined jail term for defrauding some US citizens of $3,500,000.

This was contained in a press release made available on the US Department of Justice website and obtained by PUNCH Metro on Monday.

According to the statement, the duo of Ibekie and Aniukwu deceived their victims by telling them that they had received substantial inheritances that required some money to claim.

The duo would then request their victims to send some amounts of money with a promise to refund them once the inheritances were claimed.

It also noted that the duo carried out romance scams by establishing romantic relationships with their victims and demanding them to send money after they had built trust in their victims.

It read, “An undercover law enforcement investigation has resulted in federal prison sentences for two Nigerian nationals residing in the Chicago suburbs who conducted online inheritance scams and other fraud schemes.

“Using aliases, Anthony Emeka Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu communicated with victims throughout the United States, convincing them they had received substantial inheritances and needed to send money to individuals associated with the defendants in order to claim it.

“In addition to the inheritance scam, the pair carried out an online romance scam that involved communicating with victims via social media and dating websites, building trust with the victims through a purported online romance, and convincing them to send money to a predetermined recipient. Aniukwu and Ibekie also orchestrated a ‘business email compromise’ scam that targeted corporate email accounts.

“The fraud schemes were uncovered by a covert law enforcement investigation. The scams resulted in losses to victims of at least $3.5 million.”

The statement noted that following their arraignment on no fewer than 14 counts, the duo pleaded guilty to their various changes.

Upon their guilty plea, Ibekie was sentenced to 20 years jail term on Thursday while Aniukwu was sentenced on November 8 to 10 years jail term.

The statement continued, “A federal jury earlier this year convicted Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, Ill., on all 14 counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, making false statements to a bank, and passport fraud. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger on Thursday sentenced Ibekie to 20 years in federal prison.

“Aniukwu, 50, of Romeoville, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and money laundering charges. Judge Seeger on Nov. 8, 2024, sentenced Aniukwu to 10 years in prison.”

Meanwhile, an accomplice of Ibekie and Aniukwu, who is a US citizen, Jennifer Gosha, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18 following her guilty plea.

“A third defendant, Jennifer Gosha, 52, a U.S. citizen from Oak Park, Ill., pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of wire fraud and making false statements to a federal agent. Gosha is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Seeger on December 18, 2024,” the statement concluded.

About N3.87 trillion has been allocated for recurrent expenditure across 13 Nigerian states in their proposed budgets for the 2025 fiscal year.

The governors of these states have presented budgets that prioritise administrative costs, including salaries and overheads, while also allocating significant funds for capital projects aimed at boosting infrastructure development.

The total proposed budget across the 13 states for 2025 stands at N9.07tn. Of this total budget, N3.87tn is allocated for recurrent expenditure, which covers the ongoing costs of running the government and providing essential services.

The remaining N5.845tn is directed towards capital expenditure, reflecting the states’ focus on long-term projects.

The figures provided in this report were derived from details of the budget submitted by the state governors to their respective State Houses of Assembly. The reports were posted on each state’s official website.

Recurrent expenditure refers to the regular and ongoing costs that a government or organisation incurs in the day-to-day running of its activities.

Capital expenditure, on the other hand, refers to the funds used by the government or an organisation for the acquisition or construction of long-term assets that will contribute to future growth and development.

In Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu proposed a budget of N3.005tn, with N1.24tn allocated for recurrent expenditure, representing a portion of the total budget. The state also earmarked N1.76tn for capital expenditure, highlighting its focus on infrastructural development.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, presented a N465.09bn budget, with N182.74bn allocated for recurrent expenditure, which makes up 39.3 per cent of the total budget. The remaining N282.34bn is set aside for capital expenditure, underscoring the state’s commitment to development.

In Bayelsa State, Governor Douye Diri proposed a N689.4bn budget with N263.38bn earmarked for recurrent expenditure, accounting for 38.2 per cent of the total budget. A larger portion, N404.76bn, was allocated for capital expenditure.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, presented a N390.03bn budget, allocating N245.8bn (62.9 per cent) for recurrent expenditure, with N144.23bn dedicated to capital expenditure.

Oyo State’s budget, presented by Governor Seyi Makinde, is N678.09bn, with N325.57bn allocated for recurrent expenditure. This represents 49.41 per cent of the total budget. The state has also proposed N349.29bn for capital expenditure.

Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, presented a N606.9bn budget with N139.5bn allocated for recurrent expenditure, representing 23 per cent of the total. A larger share of N467.5bn is dedicated to capital expenditure, though the state faces a projected deficit of N148.3bn.

In Gombe State, Governor Muhammadu Yahaya proposed a N320.11bn budget, allocating N111.09bn for recurrent expenditure and N209.02bn for capital expenditure.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, presented a N375.7bn budget, with N192.3bn (51 per cent) allocated for recurrent expenditure and N183.4bn (49 per cent) for capital expenditure.

Additionally, Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, presented a N498bn budget, with N170bn allocated for recurrent expenditure, representing 34 per cent of the total. The bulk of the budget, N328bn, is focused on capital expenditure, aimed at supporting infrastructure growth.

In Akwa Ibom, the state’s executive council approved a N955bn budget, with N300bn set aside for recurrent expenditure and N655bn for capital projects. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the state Commissioner of Information, Ini Ememobong after the council’s meeting presided over by Governor Umo Eno, on Wednesday.

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, presented a N936bn budget, allocating N348bn for recurrent expenditure and N587bn for capital expenditure.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State presented a budget estimate of about N471.1bn to the State House of Assembly for the 2025 fiscal year on Monday. In Plateau State, Governor Mutfwang proposed a N471.1bn budget, with N201.5bn allocated for recurrent expenditure, representing 43.46 per cent of the total budget. The capital budget estimate is N258.8bn, representing 56.54 per cent of the total budget.

Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State on Monday presented the State’s 2025 Budget Proposal to the state House of Assembly. Katsina’s recurrent expenditure stands at N157.97bn, representing 23.15 per cent of the total budget, while capital expenditure is N524.27bn, representing 76.85 per cent of the budget.

Commenting, the Chief Executive Officer of Cowry Treasurers Limited, Charles Sanni, shared his insights, “The huge budgeted recurrent expenditures speak to the fact that little is available for capital projects. This will lead to capital investment rationing. A low capital expenditure budget simply tells us that not much growth and contribution to GDP will be expected because only significant capital budgets will promote economic, human, and social investments.”

He further suggested two primary options for improving the financial health of the states: “Cost optimisation—stop leakages, adopt strict budget control measures, and cut down on the size or cost of personnel, particularly political aides—and increasing internally generated revenue through more public-private partnership deals, multilateral organizations’ direct budget financing support, and diaspora engagement for special projects funding.”

An economist and investment specialist, Vincent Nwani, also weighed in, by stating that “the budget is small; some Nigerian universities’ annual budgets are even larger. It is too small for any significant development, and for infrastructure, it is still a small amount.

“What’s worse is that a large portion of the capital is being used for non-productive purposes, such as buying cars, instead of funding long-term projects that can drive economic growth. There are issues of corruption and a lack of transparency that need to be addressed. The states need to start generating more income to meet their obligations, as they have borrowed before and need to repay.”

The PUNCH reports that economic stakeholders have projected that the 2025 proposed budget of N47.9tn may underperform due to its bullish assumptions.

The Association of Bureaux De Change of Nigeria has announced that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted a six-month extension for BDC operators to complete their recapitalisation.

The President of ABCON, Aminu Gwadebe, announced this development yesterday during a virtual general meeting with members.

Naija News understands that due to this extension, the new deadline for recapitalisation is now set for June 3, 2025.

In May, the CBN introduced new operational guidelines for BDCs, which took effect on June 3.

These guidelines require all existing BDCs to re-apply for a new licence based on their chosen categories (Tier 1 and Tier 2 BDCs) and to meet the minimum capital requirements for the respective licence categories within six months from the effective date.

According to the guidelines, BDCs holding Tier 1 licences must maintain a capital base of ₦2 billion, while those with Tier 2 licences are required to have ₦500 million, along with non-refundable licence fees of ₦5 million and ₦2 million, respectively.

In his statement, Gwadebe noted that several BDCs have begun to comply with the CBN’s recapitalisation directive.

He further indicated that the apex bank has approved an additional six-month period for all BDCs to recapitalise their operations, extending the deadline from December 2024 to June 2025.

He said, “The CBN is willing to partner with BDCs to ensure that the recapitalisation process is seamless. We are sending a message of unity, collaboration, and opportunities to ABCON members to continue to strive to ensure they meet the new capital requirements. We thank the CBN for listening and giving us a six-month extension.”

He said the deadline applies to existing BDCs, while new operators seeking licences have an indefinite timeline to get their licences.

“I want us to brace up and see the opportunities in the recapitalisation, which are immeasurable. There are great opportunities,” Gwadabe said.

The leader of ABCON stated that the regulations set forth by the CBN authorize BDCs to obtain foreign currency from various sources, engage in the sale of foreign exchange, and establish both foreign currency and naira accounts with commercial or non-interest banks. Additionally, they are permitted to work alongside their banking partners to issue prepaid debit cards.

Present at the meeting were more than 220 CBN-licensed BDCs, members of the ABCON Council, and other relevant stakeholders.

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has stated that the latest report by the National Bureau of Statistics on the country’s unemployment rate does not reflect economic realities.

NBS in its latest report stated that Nigeria’s unemployment rate declined to 4.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2024, signalling improved labour market conditions.

According to the report, this marks a decrease from the 5.3 per cent recorded in Q1 2024 and reflects a gradual recovery from the 5.0 per cent in Q3 2023.

Reacting to the development while speaking to Punch, the National Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Chris Onyeka, labelled the report as a “voodoo document” that fails to reflect the stark realities Nigerians face daily.

Onyeka dismissed the claim that unemployment is decreasing, calling it a “fabrication designed to mislead the public.”

He argued that it was impossible for employment to be coming down while factories were closing.

He said, “Unemployment cannot be coming down in Nigeria when factories are closing shops.

“It cannot be coming down when there is increasing inventory and reduced consumer spending. If anything, unemployment is increasing.”

He further questioned the methodology behind the NBS report, describing it as a “figment of imagination concocted by people who want to manipulate figures.”

According to Onyeka, the lack of alignment between the data and visible realities on the ground undermines the credibility of the statistics agency.

“Once data does not reflect reality, it loses relevance. Unfortunately, the NBS has lost credibility as a result of the data they continue spewing out,” he stated.

Onyeka challenged the NBS to substantiate its claims by identifying the sectors supposedly generating jobs. “Where are the jobs coming from? Is it from employers who are complaining of consumer resistance and slowing economic activities? It doesn’t add up,” he remarked.

He likened the situation to what he described as “INEC-style manipulation,” a term he used to draw parallels between perceived shortcomings in Nigeria’s election management and the NBS figures.

“Nigerians can go to court if they don’t like the figures. But the truth remains: the NBS has become a failed institution, much like INEC in the eyes of the public,” Onyeka concluded.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has placed former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, under scrutiny as investigations into his administration’s financial activities intensify.

The anti-graft agency is reportedly examining transactions and contracts awarded during Obaseki’s eight-year tenure as governor.

Obaseki, who concluded his term on November 12, had previously alleged that the EFCC intended to arrest him immediately after he left office.

Recall that Edo State’s new governor, Monday Okpebholo, had set up a 14-member State Assets Verification Committee to review Obaseki’s administration.

Earlier, on November 2, the EFCC detained five senior officials from Obaseki’s government, including the Accountant General, Julius Anelu, over substantial withdrawals from the state treasury within a short timeframe.

Despite these developments, Obaseki has expressed his readiness to face any probe, stating on November 8 that he has no fears about the EFCC’s investigations and is prepared to account for his time in office.

However, EFCC insiders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed to The PUNCH that while investigations are ongoing, no direct link to irregularities has been established against the former governor.

“An investigation into his administration has started, but he won’t be invited until we reach an advanced stage. So far, many transactions are not directly tied to him, as he delegated responsibilities to others. Our team is pursuing leads on contracts and other transactions under his tenure,” a source explained.

Another source revealed that Obaseki, like all former governors, is automatically placed on the EFCC’s watch list to ensure they remain within reach during investigations.

“All former governors are monitored by the EFCC, regardless of active investigations. This prevents them from leaving the country while cases are ongoing,” the source added.

The Convener of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Edwin Clark, has questioned President Bola Tinubu’s silence on the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, particularly the status of former Speaker Martins Amaewhule and 27 other pro-Wike lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In a statement released on Monday, the elder statesman insisted that the lawmakers, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), had lost their seats by law.

Clark accused the lawmakers of perjury, citing conflicting claims in separate court documents filed after their defection on December 11, 2023.

According to him, the failure of Amaewhule and the others to declare their defection in an earlier case before Justice Omotosho against the leadership of the National Assembly rendered the suit invalid.

He added that in a subsequent case filed on December 13, 2024, before Justice Donatus Okorowo, the lawmakers openly admitted their defection to the APC, which further highlighted the inconsistencies in their legal arguments.

The elder statesman argued that by law, lawmakers who defect from the party on which they were elected automatically lose their seats unless they can prove a division or crisis within their original party.

He said, “Now that the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and his 27 colleagues have confirmed in a court of law that they defected from the PDP to the APC, they have automatically lost their seats as of December 11, 2023, and are therefore disqualified from bringing any court action on behalf of the Rivers State House of Assembly and its members.

“Not disclosing their defection to Justice Omotosho’s court shows clearly that the case in Justice Omotosho’s court is null and void and of no effect. Therefore, the judgment allegedly given by Justice Omotosho in suit no: FHC/ABJ/1613/2023 is null and void, and it was a judgment obtained by fraud.

“Similarly, the three-man panel that sat on Justice Omotosho’s case did not preside over any valid judgment to be reviewed or supervised by the Court of Appeal, because the case was dead long ago. Therefore, they resorted to using unnecessary and insulting language against the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, which is tactless and uncalled for.”

Clark also alleged that the FCT Minister and the lawmakers were doing everything possible to undermine Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, adding that President Tinubu had failed to call Wike to order.

He criticised Wike for having no respect for the Constitution, stating that Nigerians would one day ask the President why he allowed the Minister to breach the Constitution on several occasions.

“He (Wike) wants to bring down the government of Siminalayi Fubara at all costs and without justification. Everybody in Nigeria heard him threatening the government of Siminalayi Fubara, an innocent governor, and the impression is being given that some people are above the law, including the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and his 27 colleagues.”

“Mr. President has been called several times to call his Minister to order because a Minister cannot disobey the Constitution of Nigeria, yet Mr. President looks on.”

“We have respectfully appealed to President Bola Tinubu on several occasions to call Nyesom Wike to order or prevent him from breaching the Constitution of Nigeria, but unfortunately, Mr. President has failed to carry out his duty as the number one citizen of this country.”

“Nyesom Wike, who is a serving Minister in President Bola Tinubu’s government, has no regard or respect for the Constitution of Nigeria. Mr. President may one day be asked by patriotic Nigerians why he allowed Nyesom Wike to breach the Constitution of Nigeria on several occasions,” the statement said.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has threatened to take legal action against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, over claims that lawyers aid the illicit financial flows to offshore accounts.

Olukoyede had earlier alleged that it was impossible for major financial fraud to occur without lawyers’ involvement.

He stated that lawyers prioritize personal gain over national interest, particularly in cases like the P&ID scam and the Mambilla Power Project.

Reacting, the NBA, represented by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, (SAN) argued that the EFCC boss lacked sufficient evidence to back his claim.

He berated Olukoyede for painting the legal profession in a bad light.

Osigwe challenged the EFCC chairman to provide evidence or forever hold his peace.

He said, “We challenge the EFCC Chairman to come up with empirical evidence and if he can not, he should never make such a statement again.

“Unfortunately, he is one of us. He is a lawyer. We had earlier drawn his attention to the fact that many men and women who make the investigation and prosecution of cases by the EFCC worthwhile are lawyers.

“Is he then suggesting that his lawyers are aiding money laundering and financing of terrorism?

“It is common in Nigeria for people to make hasty generalizations, yet, very few lawyers, to my knowledge, have been prosecuted by the EFCC for aiding money laundering.

“If for example, he has evidence of many lawyers who have aided money laundering and who are standing trial or who may have been convicted or who had pleaded guilty, then, one could say that he has evidence.

“It is unfortunate that such a statement was made and I am sure that with the benefit of hindsight, he would not have made the statement.

“In the absence of evidence, such a statement should never be made. We are proud members of the legal profession and we must draw the line in performing our professional duties and aiding the commission of crime. We do not do that.

“There may be a few bad eggs but that does not represent the picture or the majority of lawyers who toil to build up a reputation of integrity and professionalism.

“The EFCC Chairman should not for whatever reason soil that image by portraying all of us as aiders of money laundering.

“If that happens again, we will take legal action to protect the image of the legal profession.”

President Bola Tinubu has expressed delight with the latest Gross Domestic Product report by the National Bureau of Statistics, which shows an improvement in Nigeria’s economic outlook.

A statement on Monday, signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said the positive performance shows that the reforms embarked upon by the President are bearing goof fruits.

Naija News reports that the NBS, in its latest report released on Monday, disclosed that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.46%. The growth showed an increase in economic performance from Q2 GDP of 3.19% and higher growth from 2023 Q3 GDP of 2.54%.

Reacting, Dare conveyed President Tinubu’s assurance to Nigerians of better economic output as the economy continues to expand following the newly released third quarter Gross Domestic Product report by the National Bureau of Statistics.

He added that the growth in GDP shows that President Tinubu’s quest for a more robust boost in the economy and, by extension, a better standard of living for all Nigerians is on course.

The media aide noted that President Tinubu remains committed to actualizing a $1 trillion economy for Nigeria by 2030.

“The 3.46% growth indicates Nigeria is recovering from the reforms’ unintended effects.

“President Tinubu said his administration has not and will never forget his promise of a $1 trillion economy by 2030. He assured that once the economy is rebased by early 2025 to capture its dynamism and record significant changes that have occurred in different sectors, the country will be on its way to shared prosperity.

“The latest GDP growth in the third quarter is driven by key sectors such as Agriculture, Transport, Education, Health, Real Estate, Finance and Insurance, ICT, Trade, and Manufacturing.

“This performance once again shows that the reforms embarked upon by the Tinubu administration to reposition the economy and ensure better fiscal management are beginning to yield fruits,” the statement reads.

Dare also explained further that Tinubu’s proposed tax reforms are intended to benefit the entire nation by ensuring more equitable distribution of the country’s wealth.

“The proposed tax reforms also indicate the administration’s resolve to reduce the tax burden on small businesses and spread prosperity to the poor. The new Tax regime seeks to promote equity by reducing what is known as the headquarters effect—a situation where states where company headquarters are based get more benefits because their taxes for the whole nation are remitted—in favour of spatial and demographic equity.

“President Tinubu said, “I am excited by the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics that our economy grew in the third quarter more than last quarter and even beyond projected estimates. While I welcome this development, the latest figure also shows the much work that needs to be done. We won’t rest until Nigerians feel the positive impacts in their pockets and experience a better living standard. My administration remains committed to the welfare of our people.”

“The top contributing sectors to GDP in Q3 2024 are Agriculture 28.65%, ICT 16.35%, Trade 14.78%, Manufacturing 8.21%, Crude Oil 5.57%, Finance & Insurance 5.51% and Real Estate 5.43%,” the statement concluded.

“I hear that the National Assembly has approved the external borrowing of a $2.2 billion for the Tinubu administration to address the fiscal deficit in the 2024 Budget”

“Bros, I tire. I just tire. What on earth do they do with all these borrowings?”

“There is actually a deficit of $9.17 billion deficit in the 2024 budget, when you add Eurobonds, interest on Ways and Means, foreign debt and domestic debt, and I hear that Nigeria can borrow more in line with Section 21(1) and Section 27(1) of the Debt Management Office (DMO) Establishment Act of 2003.”

“The DMO will quote anything to please any government in power. Is that woman still there? My concern is what they do with all the money”

“They want to service debts and finance capital projects”

“In November? I would have thought that by now, we should have been talking about Budget 2025. This is November. We are rushing to borrow more money as the year ends. Don’t they want to maintain the budget cycle again? I am confused. And which capital projects is anyone talking about? SUVs, for the lawmakers? Presidential jets? Foreign trips? I am sorry I can’t see any capital projects. They just want to borrow more money for consumption, not productivity. The roads are bad. Nobody talks about the railway system in the country anymore. Air travel is a nightmare. The refineries are still not working. The cost of living is high. The average man cannot breathe, cannot eat, cannot live. Yet, the Federal Executive Council approved more external borrowing and it took the National Assembly 48 hours to rubber-stamp the loan.”

“Did you expect anything different? The National Assembly is an extension of the Executive arm of government. It will rubber stamp anything that comes from the Executive and that is the case with the VAT Bill too.” 

“But if it is a bill on things that would pave the way for good governance, the same National Assembly could spend years huffing and puffing, but anything that would benefit the elite and make it easier to have access to more of the state’s resources, the APC-dominated National Assembly would act quickly. The real wonderful in wonderland.”. 

“Have you heard?”

“You and your rumours.”

“This one is hot oh”

“The problem with you people in this country is rumour-mongering. Una too dey carry gist. Una carry gist so tey, you even carry phone spread rumour that Otunba Mike Adenuga had died. This is a man who gave many of you the opportunity to use mobile phones in your life. The Spirit of Africa. A Patriot.  I am sure it must have been one yeye man, using a useless, miserable phone. Nigerians are something else.”

“In Yoruba culture, when your death is prematurely and wrongly announced, it means the person will live long. We pray for long life for Otunba Mike Adenuga, in very good health, upstairs and downstairs and in all ways, with more grace and prosperity. Do you remember the story of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, nationalist, founding father of the nation, pan-Africanist. On November 8, 1989, his death was announced meanwhile the man was hale and hearty and working on a book in his library when he read his own obituary? NTA had rushed to do a documentary on the life and times of the inimitable Zik. Newspapers showed up the following morning with editorials. Columnists wanted to be the first to announce Zik’s death. Such was the force of his impact in politics, business and newspapering. Except that Zik was alive and he lived for another seven years. A burial committee was even announced. Bros, some of the members of that burial committee died before Zik. In Yoruba culture, when people wish you dead, they are actually praying inadvertently for your longevity. May Otunba Mike Adenuga live longer than those who want him buried before his time. So shall it be. Amen.”  

“Is it not journalists? When journalists are not killing people, they are sending them to jail, without conviction. Who is a journalist these days?”

“I don’t know. I guess things are so bad now that anybody with access to the internet can put any information out there on social media. It is the price that the world is paying for the democratization of the information process, the Indomie-nisation of news, the collapse of traditional media systems and the emergence of charlatans in what was once a sacred profession. But let me give you my gist now?” 

“Okay. Fire! Just make sure it is not a fabrication by some ignoramus”.

 “Hen. Hen. I hear that”

“You heard. Hen Hen.”

“I heard that principal officers of the National Assembly, in fact two of them from the South, locked horns, with one holding the other’s agbada around the neck, both trying to suffocate each other. A blow. A jab. I don’t want to mention names. One Northern Senator had to wade in to prevent bloodshed.”

“The story sounds fabulous. Mention names”

“I hear they are trying very hard to cover it up and to prevent pictures of the ugly tiff getting to the media. My source is impeccable.”

“Oh. Oh. Oh. Story. Story. But what has this got to do with the external borrowing approval. What we hear is that the lawmakers all agreed on that. So, what could be the problem after they passed one of the fastest pieces of legislation in Nigeria. No public hearing. Nothing.” 

“It was a fight over who could show that he was more loyal to the Presidential Villa.” 

“Must be a fight over who gets what for his own stomach or for his own people. Afterall, you said a Northern Senator waded in. He shouldn’t have, if that is true. What is wrong with that Senator? Who asked him to stop whatever could have been like a Jake Paul/Mike Tyson fight or a Joshua/Dubois fight, He should have allowed the two gladiators to beat each other up, and by now, we would have known more. I like it when politicians fight. We get to know more, because it is we, the people who suffer in the long run.” 

“Just as the people of Rivers state are the ones going to suffer if the Court of Appeal declares when it delivers its reserved judgement in the FAAC Allocation matter, that the Rivers State Government led by Governor Sim Fubara cannot receive any further Federal Allocations if it does not have a properly presented, passed and legally valid Budget. Who suffers?” 

“The people suffer, and that is because we are running a bowl-in-hand Federation. The states are so dependent on the Federal Government for manna. But nobody should blame the judiciary. The source of the problem is the political gladiators of Rivers State and the elders in that state who talk from both sides of the mouth and serve both Wike and Fubara. One state. Two masters. They have all managed to turn Rivers State into an atomistic society perpetually at war against itself.”  

“I know that phrase. It sounds familiar. That must be Professor Emmanuel Ayandele, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar describing the old Cross Rivers state of the 80s, in the days of late Professor Okon Edet Uya who used to talk about Oron-phobia But those ones were even intellectualizing the politics of Cross Rivers State. What you have in Rivers State is sheer elite thuggery, politics without conscience, agbero politics and the dictatorship of one man who thinks he is the lord and master of Rivers politics.”

“So, I insist that whatever the judiciary decides is not the problem. The problem in Rivers state will not go away whatever the Court of Appeal decides except President Tinubu intervenes and cuts off the oxygen that is fuelling the chaos in that state.”

“No. President Tinubu is not the headmaster of any state of Nigeria. It is the people of Rivers State that should resolve their own problems. Let the critical actors solve their own problems. For all I care at this stage, they should lock themselves up in a room and have a slugfest. Whoever comes out alive is the winner.” 

“What kind of talk is that? You are recommending jungle justice. Do you want to kill someone? Just look at it. If you lock up Sim Fubara and Nyesom Wike, who says nobody can take Rivers away from him in a room, what will be the likely outcome?”

“I don’t know. This is no longer a matter for the courts. Let them fight, and let us know who is the man”

“This is a democracy. Only Barbarians resort to fist-fight.”

“Then let President Tinubu wade into the matter. This is the point I am making. Wike is his Minister. He is so powerful in Rivers State because he is a big chief in the Federal Capital Territory. The President should remove the rug from his feet. Take the oxygen that makes it possible for him to Buga oh, from him and you will see there will be peace in Rivers State.” 

“Now, I am convinced that you do not understand politics. That is not how politics works. President Tinubu needs Wike as much as Wike needs him. It is not about Tinubu sacking Wike. Who told you that will guarantee peace in Rivers? Why should Rivers be important to Tinubu? Is it possible that a strong, properly empowered Wike is politically more relevant to Tinubu than the whole of Rivers state put together?” 

“How can one man be so important?”

“In politics, what you don’t know, you don’t know. Politics is the ultimate magic, the topmost art of illusion, known to man. Why do you think President Donald Trump is on his way back as the President of the largest economy in the world, despite his many shortcomings including being a convicted felon?”  

“Politics does not always throw up the best people in the society. I know. I guess we must know that. And the people who vote have their own ideas. We just need to let the people know that whatever you decide, you must be ready to live with it. In four years, you can change your mind.”

“Yeah. Yeah. I hope the people of Rivers State are learning and learning good. And we will see how the Americans would learn their own lessons under Trump 2.0 too.”

“Trump has just named his full complement of Ministerial nominees, 15 in total.” 

“I saw that, but I won’t say I am impressed with the list. Just a collection of MAGA loyalists, yes men and women and a few old rivals, completely eclectic.  What is Robert Kennedy Jr. doing as nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services for example? Another nominee is a wrestling CEO, named as Linda McMahon to take charge of the Education Department, a more or less inexperienced choice. Pete Hegseth has sexual abuse issues, like Matt Gaetz, hanging around his neck. At least Gaetz stepped down before he could be openly disgraced by the Ethics Committee of the House of Representatives. And then this Scott Bessent – an openly gay man appointed by Trump who touts Christian evangelism and far-right ideology even when he may not be able to quote the Bible. Politicians are the same everywhere. They just look out for themselves first. America first in my view means Donald Trump first. But let the Americans live with it. They have made their choice.”  

 “All said and done, America has nominated just 15 people, not a nominee per state or per ethnicity. I have not seen anybody saying their own ethnic group has not been represented. No Black. No Latino. No Arab-American and yet no issue.” 

“It is their Constitution, and their culture. We are talking about America not your “whatever” countries in the Third World, please. This is the richest country. The budget that Brooke Rollins as Agriculture Secretary will control is more than the annual budget of some three African countries! In any case, what matters is what a Trump Presidency means for the world, climate change, global peace, the competition with China. But I don’t even want to beat myself over other people’s problems. In two days, America will celebrate Thanksgiving. I have been seeing some pictures of very regal, fleshy Turkeys. Chop time! Fun time.”

“You like food too much. You are reading about American Thanksgiving and you are already doing long throat. I don’t have Thanksgiving on my mind. I am thinking of Christmas. Will there be money for Christmas? School fees? Money for gifts. I hope you know that today, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria is going to announce their usual benchmark rate, CRR, MPR, asymmetric corridor which will tell us how hard life is, how harder it may become and whether or not we can breathe a little. With inflation rate close to 40%, may the Lord help us.”  

“You may be surprised. Benchmark rate may actually come down”

“I want to be surprised. But I actually also know this country so well that when things go up, they don’t come down.” 

“Not quite my friend. The ex-depot price of fuel has just come down from N990 per litre to N970 per litre. And that is a fact. Christmas gift from Dangote Refinery through the now peaceful oil marketers to us” 

“What a wonderful fact!”

“Our God has answered our prayers, He has sent to us, early ahead of Christmas, a Father who cares.”

“You are right. You are absolutely right.”

“Hear! Hear!”