Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has slammed a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Henry Marah and Channels TV, with a ₦3 billion lawsuit over alleged defamatory comments about the probe of N423 billion loan.

Marah, in a recent interview with Channels TV, commented on the ongoing probe into El-Rufai’s alleged borrowing of funds valued at N423 billion during his tenure as Governor between 2015 and 2023.

Marah was quoted in the interview as saying that El-Rufai’s borrowings were done without due process and the funds unaccounted for.

According to Daily Trust, in the writ of summons filed before an FCT High Court dated July 11, 2024, El-Rufai, through his counsel, A.U. Mustapha (SAN), is contending that the interview on June 5’s “Politics Today” on Channels TV titled “Investigation of El-Rufai Administration” was malicious, unwarranted, without justification, defamatory and greatly damaging to the reputation of the claimant.

The former Governor is demanding the sum of N3 billion jointly and severally against Marah and Channels TV over the injury, embarrassment and distress suffered by the claimant regarding the loss of reputation and goodwill due to the malicious, unwarranted and defamatory publication.

Recall that El-Rufai had earlier filed a ₦1 billion suit claiming lack of fair hearing to him by the Ad-Hoc Committee on Investigation of Loans, Financial Transactions, Contractual Liabilities and Other Related Matters of the Government of Kaduna State from 29th May 2015-29th May 2023 empanelled by the Kaduna State House of Assembly on the 16th of April 2024 over the loans.

However, no date has been fixed for the hearing.

Former Ogun State Governor, Chief Segun Osoba said it is undemocratic for governors to use their political powers to enthrone their party men as chairmen of all local governments.

Osoba stated this in an interview on Channels Television on Friday. 

According to him, there must be a total change in the country’s political dynamics for federalism to be effective in Nigeria.

He said, “If you look at how we conduct our local government elections, I am very unhappy. Virtually, any government in power will claim 100% success in our local government elections.

“It is painful that when local government elections are conducted at the state level, each state will be scoring 100% and when it comes to general elections, those who are scoring 100% in their states either lose the general elections or struggle to survive; it doesn’t speak well of the current democratic system,” Osoba said.

The former governor’s comments come after the Supreme Court granted financial autonomy to the third tier of government, directing the Federal Government to pay the 20.60% monthly allocation of the 774 LGs in the country directly to their exclusive accounts and not to accounts controlled by governors.

The apex court in the landmark judgement also barred power-drunk governors from dissolving democratically elected local government councils.

Nigerians believe that true LG autonomy would come in free and fair local government elections where the parties in power in states have no power to coronate LG chairmen in elections conducted by state-controlled electoral umpires which in most cases declare party loyalists of governors as LG chairmen.

Osoba, who was Ogun State governor first from January 1992 to November 1993, and later between May 1999 and May 2003, said party discipline must be restored to the political arena.

The APC chieftain said elections must be free and fair at local government, state and federal levels.

He said highest-bidder politics should end and Nigerians should be allowed to put their desired representatives in political offices.

He said, “I am not happy. The party discipline is not as strong as it should be. I have been preaching direct primaries all my life, not delegates, because in the case of delegates, it is the highest bidder. We all know this…but with direct primaries with registered (party) members, there will be less corruption.”

He said the APC needed to “still work hard on current party discipline and structure” like in the days of the late sage Pa Obafemi Awolowo who allowed party members to ventilate their views in regular meetings.

He said though the expectations of Nigerians have not been satisfactorily met since 1999, the stability of the democratic dispensation in the Fourth Republic should be considered a gain.

Osoba said restructuring in a “consensus manner” has become necessary but the National Assembly cannot be bypassed in realising the tenets of restructuring.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said it has sold $122.671 million dollars to to 46 authorised dealers in its determination to promote stability and reduce market volatility in the foreign exchange market.

A statement signed by the Bank’s Director in charge of Financial Markets, Dr. Omolara Duke, disclosed that $67 million was sold to 27 Authorised Dealers, while  $2.5 million was bought from one Authorised Dealer on July 10, 2024. The range of the bid for the July 10, 2024 sales was N1,480/$ and N1,500/$, while the value date for the payments, going by the settlement cycle of two days (T+2), is July 12, 2024.

Similarly, on July 11, 2024, the sum of $55.171 million was sold to 19  Authorised Dealers at N1,540.0/$, and no FX was purchased. The value date for the payments of the spot sale is July 15, 2024.

The statement, therefore, urged all Authorised Dealers to ensure that foreign exchange purchases from the CBN are used exclusively for trade-backed transactions, which should be reported within 72 hours.

While reiterating that the CBN supplies foreign exchange to the Foreign Exchange (FX) market to improve liquidity through FX spot sales to Authorized Dealers using two-way quotes, it assured that the Bank will continue to ensure stability in the FX market.

The World Bank Group young professionals programme (YPP) has opened for application.

The group announced the opening in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, the application will open on September 1, 2024, and remain open until 11:59 pm on September 30.

The World Bank said the programme is aimed at recruiting young professionals from around the world with various academic and professional backgrounds relevant to its operations and those of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).

The WBG YPP is a two-year leadership development programme at the beginning of a five-year employment contract with either the World Bank, IFC or MIGA.

The selected professionals would start the program in Washington DC, where they would engage in intensive training — on the job and in the classroom — learning the fundamentals of leadership and development operations across institutions.

“YPs are full-time employees, making significant contributions to their respective unit’s work program, while building networks and knowledge across the Bank Group through the YPP,” the organisers said.

“They often join field missions, where they work on the frontlines of WBG operations, learning key aspects of our work and directly engaging with our clients.

“Through the WBG YPP curriculum, YPs develop the foundational knowledge to contribute to our business and the competencies to lead. Activities range from leadership and professional development workshops to networking, mentorship and conversations with WBG leadership.

“YPs engage in intensive training on the policies, products and operations of the World Bank, IFC and MIGA. This aspect of the WBG YPP curriculum ensures that YPs know how to operationalize joint WBG solutions to development challenges, and how to retain and apply this knowledge for years to come.”

Are you interested in the World Bank Group young professionals programme? Click here to apply

Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, has commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for securing financial autonomy for Local Governments, marking it as the president’s most significant achievement since his inauguration in May 2023.

The affirmation came in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling, initiated by Tinubu’s administration, which mandated the direct payment of Local Government allocations, thereby stripping state governors of their long-held control over these funds.

In a statement released to the press on Friday, Ndume praised the Supreme Court’s decision as a pivotal moment for grassroots governance in Nigeria.

“This judgment is not just a win for the administration but for the entirety of the grassroots level of governance across our nation,” Ndume stated.

For years, the autonomy of Local Governments had been undermined by state governors who managed their allocations, a practice Ndume criticized for stalling development at the local level.

He urged President Tinubu to ensure the immediate implementation of this landmark ruling to catalyze development and enhance governance at the local level.

Ndume said, “This court action instituted at the behest of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the biggest of his achievements. I’m very happy about the development, and I’m hoping that this will be the beginning of the liberation of local governments in Nigeria.

“I urge the President to immediately commence the implementation of the Court judgment. Local Government Councils need to start getting their monthly allocations immediately without any further delays. The people at the grassroots levels will begin to feel the impacts of good governance now.

“The National Assembly made several attempts to amend the 1999 Constitution and address this grey area. But governors didn’t allow the State Assemblies to give the constitutional concurrence. That was how the attempts failed.

“President Muhammadu Buhari also tried to intervene. Governors didn’t allow him. With this Supreme Court judgment, the issue has finally been resolved. No more unnecessary deductions from funds earmarked for local governments.

“The people can now hold the Council chairmen accountable for how they spend their monthly allocations. They’ll begin to demand true accountability and judicious use of the funds they’ll be getting. I salute the courage of President Tinubu.”

Actress and producer, Chief Ejiro Okurame has formally declared interest to vie for the seat of the chairman as the election for the chairmanship of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter draws nearer.

Okurame made her intentions known at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos in the presence of her supporters.

Speaking on what informed her decision to run, Okurame said: “It is the desire and the fact that for a long time AGN Lagos Chapter has been held backward and nothing positive has been seen in the eye of the public even in the diaspora. AGN started in Lagos and it is so funny that it has been forgotten, nothing to write home about. A lot of us have gone out of state, out of the country and we have forgotten to give back. I am here to contribute my own quota positively to the development and growth of the guild and also to empower the younger ones because at the end of the day, we look back and say we were once like these people,” she said.

Continuing, she said, “If you are coming out for them to vote you into power, there have to be a lot of sacrifices and this is one of such. Before I came on board, I consulted with my family, spoke to my pastors, spoke with some elders in the industry, I had a lot of consultations and I was given the go-ahead. And I have taken it upon myself to do this to the end. I want a situation  when we mention AGN, Lagos Chapter, it would be a thing of pride. We are also going to look into how we are going to be united. There is so much hate in the industry. Let us bring back the good old days.”

Other candidates on her team include Prince Eletu (vice-chairman); Jude Orhora (Secretary); Mark Chukwu (PRO;, Cyndi Marcus (Financial secretary); Chidimma Dikeocha (Treasurer);  Emmanuel Onyeka (DGS); Vivian Okoro (Assistant Secretary); and MC Richard (Chief Whip).

A former spokesman for the Atiku Abubakar/Ifeanyi Okowa presidential campaign in the 2023 presidential election, Daniel Bwala, says he is no longer a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Naija News reports that Bwala made this known on Friday, during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

The lawyer cum political analyst declared, “I am not a member of the PDP. Yes, I have left the PDP.”

When asked if he is now a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Bwala said, “I am very close.”

Recall that Bwala was a member of the APC prior to the 2023 election when he defected to the PDP.

Obidients Are IPOB Members And Apologists
Meanwhile, Daniel Bwala has claimed that most Obidients are members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and also their apologists.

Bwala stated that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has no history or record of democratic credentials throughout his life.

He shared his thoughts while speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Friday morning.

According to him, he constantly attacks Obi and Obidients on social media platforms as a form of self-defence against alleged bullying by Obidients.

Bwala berated Obidients for always attacking and abusing those who don’t agree with them on issues concerning Peter Obi and the Nigerian Presidency.

The Federal Government has launched a pioneering initiative to enhance the oversight of medical rehabilitation professionals in the country.

According to it, the move became necessary because, with only 170 staff members and limited funding, the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board (MRTB) struggles to monitor the entire country effectively.

To address this challenge and enhance health security for Nigerians, the Federal Government unveiled 200 volunteers from across the country to serve as Surveillance Officers.

The volunteers have undergone rigorous screening, training, and preparation to uphold professional standards and report any misconduct to the Board, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, said yesterday.

While also unveiling the operation manuals of the Surveillance Officers, Alausa said the milestone marks a significant step forward in the fight against healthcare quackery and the enhancement of healthcare governance.

He emphasised the officers’ role in reducing quackery and improving healthcare delivery, saying, “Your job will not be easy, but remember that you are helping to ensure every Nigerian receives meaningful and comprehensive healthcare, as mandated by President Bola Tinubu.”