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The Senate has received a request from President Bola Tinubu for the confirmation of the appointments of seven ministerial nominees announced on Wednesday.
President Tinubu’s request seeking expeditious consideration of the requests was contained in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio who read it at the commencement of the plenary on Thursday.
Tinubu urged the Senate to consider and confirm the seven nominees for appointment as ministers.
The ministerial nominees for confirmation include Nentawe Yilwatda (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction), Muhammadu Dingyadi (Labour & Employment), Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (State Foreign Affairs), and Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade and Investment).
Others are Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Livestock Development), Yusuf Ata (State, Housing and Urban Development), and Suwaiba Ahmad (State Education).
Akpabio referred the nominees to the Committee of the Whole for further legislative action as soon as possible.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has stated that Nigerians’ perception played a key role in President Bola Tinubu’s decision to dismiss five ministers from his cabinet.
On Wednesday, Tinubu approved the reassignment of 10 ministers to new portfolios, relieved five of their duties, and nominated seven new individuals for Senate confirmation.
The President also renamed the Ministry of Niger Delta Development as the Ministry of Regional Development, scrapped the Ministry of Sports Development, and merged the Ministries of Tourism and Arts and Culture, forming the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.
The ministers dismissed from their roles include the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye; Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John; Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman; Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim; and the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Gwarzo.
Providing more details on the cabinet reshuffle, Onanuga explained that the decision to remove these ministers was based on public perception and empirical data.
According to Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, introduced a technological system that allowed Nigerians to assess the performance of the ministers.
“It wasn’t done arbitrarily. Hadiza Bala Usman brought in technology, asking Nigerians to rate the ministers. So, the removal of these ministers was based on empirical facts, shaped by the public’s perception. The scorecards were filled out by the people, and the President acted on those results,” Onanuga said in an interview on Wednesday night.
“It wasn’t just about meeting the President’s expectations but also the public’s. A few weeks ago, during a cabinet meeting, the President urged the ministers to inform Nigerians of their accomplishments, because, according to him, there was a public perception that the government wasn’t performing. The government believed it was, but the ministers weren’t effectively communicating their work,” he added.
Onanuga further mentioned that in addition to dismissing the ministers, the administration is working to reduce the cost of governance.
“The President will soon announce measures to reduce government expenditure, starting with the ministers. I don’t want to pre-empt the details, but the cuts will be significant to demonstrate the government’s seriousness in reducing the cost of governance.”
“The government is aware of what’s required to address the country’s challenges. It’s not about the size of the government, but about having many competent hands to drive its agenda. You will hear announcements soon about how the government plans to cut the cost of running its affairs,” he concluded.
President Bola Tinubu wielded his big stick on Wednesday, and like a surgeon in a theatre, he used his surgical knife, yanked off five ministers, redeployed 10 and appointed seven fresh nominees as ministers to replace the sacked ones as well as two others — Betta Edu who was initially suspended, and Simon Lalong who left his cabinet to join the Senate.
Tinubu, ex-Lagos governor, appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, three months after his inauguration. The Senate immediately screened and confirmed the ministers. One of the ministers, Betta Edu, was suspended in January while ex-Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, resigned and moved to the upper legislative chamber.
There have been growing calls for the President to reshuffle his cabinet as many Nigerians are not impressed by the performance of some of the ministers, especially in the face of unprecedented inflation, excruciating economic situation and rising insecurity.
Despite the shake-up on Wednesday, 31 ministers were not affected; they were not sacked or redeployed.
They are:
| 1 | MINISTER OF POWER – ADEBAYO ADELABU |
| 2 | MINISTER OF DEFENCE – MOHAMMED BADARU |
| 3 | MINISTER OF STATE, DEFENCE – BELLO MATAWALLE |
| 4 | MINISTER OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT – AHMED M. DANGIWA |
| 5 | MINISTER OF BUDGET & ECONOMIC PLANNING – ATIKU BAGUDU |
| 6 | MINISTER OF WATER RESOURCES & SANITATION – JOSEPH UTSEV |
| 7 | MINISTER OF POLICE AFFAIRS – IBRAHIM GEIDAM |
| 8 | MINISTER OF STEEL DEVELOPMENT – SHUAIBU A. AUDU |
| 9 | MINISTER OF STATE, ENVIRONMENT – IZIAQ ADEKUNLE SALAKO |
| 10 | MINISTER OF FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY (FCT) – NYESOM WIKE |
| 11 | MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION – SA’IDU ALKALI |
| 12 | MINISTER OF STATE (GAS) PETROLEUM RESOURCES – EKPERIPE EKPO |
| 13 | MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT – BALARABE ABBAS LAWAL |
| 14 | MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY – ABUBAKAR KYARI |
| 15 | MINISTER OF STATE, AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY – ALIYU SABI ABDULLAHI |
| 16 | MINISTER OF INTERIOR – OLUBUNMI TUNJI-OJO |
| 17 | MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS – YUSUF M. TUGGAR |
| 18 | COORDINATING MINISTER OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE – ALI PATE |
| 19 | MINISTER OF AVIATION AND AEROSPACE DEVELOPMENT – FESTUS KEYAMO |
| 20 | MINISTER OF WORKS – DAVID UMAHI |
| 21 | MINISTER OF STATE (OIL) PETROLEUM RESOURCES – HEINEKEN LOKPOBIRI |
| 22 | MINISTER OF INNOVATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY – UCHE NNAJI |
| 23 | MINISTER OF SOLID MINERALS DEVELOPMENT – DELE ALAKE |
| 24 | MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND NATIONAL ORIENTATION – MUHAMMED IDRIS |
| 25 | ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE – LATEEF FAGBEMI |
| 26 | MINISTER OF NIGER DELTA AFFAIRS – ABUBAKAR MOMOH |
| 27 | MINISTER OF STATE, LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT– NKIRUKA ONYEJEOCHA |
| 28 | MINISTER OF SPECIAL DUTIES AND INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS – ZEPHANIAH JISALO |
| 29 | MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, INNOVATION AND DIGITAL ECONOMY – BOSUN TIJANI |
| 30 | MINISTER OF FINANCE AND COORDINATING MINISTER OF THE ECONOMY – WALE EDUN |
| 31 | MINISTER OF MARINE AND BLUE ECONOMY – ADEGBOYEGA OYETOLA |
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has begun supplying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, directly to some oil marketers, bypassing the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
Reports indicate that more marketers are seeking to purchase PMS directly from the refinery, while others continue importing the product, with hundreds of millions of liters of imported petrol expected to arrive in Nigeria in the coming weeks.
Earlier, The PUNCH reported that at least four vessels carrying imported PMS had docked at Nigerian ports between October 18 and October 20, with around 123.4 million liters of PMS unloaded at two seaports to help stabilize nationwide fuel supply.
This move by marketers comes in addition to the $20 billion Dangote refinery’s output, providing further support to the market.
Marketers have now begun lifting PMS directly from the Dangote plant in Lekki, Lagos, signaling a significant change in Nigeria’s fuel supply chain.
According to a senior refinery official, this direct purchase arrangement operates on a willing-buyer, willing-seller basis, allowing oil marketers to bypass third-party suppliers and engage directly with the refinery.
“Marketers are already coming to the refinery to lift PMS directly, and agreements have been made with some marketers. If the price wasn’t favorable, they wouldn’t be coming to us,” the official said, indicating that Dangote’s pricing is competitive enough to attract interest.
“Some of the trucks you saw there today were from marketers purchasing the product directly from Dangote, without recourse to NNPC. So the direct sale has started,” another source told The PUNCH.
Officials also revealed that the refinery is dedicating around 53% of its crude oil supply to PMS production due to high demand for petrol in Nigeria and other countries.
The proportion of crude used for PMS may change if demand for other products grows, but for now, petrol remains the primary focus.
“This could be reviewed in future if the demand for other finished products increases more than the demand for petrol, but right now about 53 per cent of our crude is used for petrol production, while other products account for the remaining percentage,” the official stated.
When asked if marketers had started the direct purchase of petrol from Dangote without recourse to NNPC, one of the notable major marketers in the country replied in the affirmative.
“Yes, everyone is in the process. This was advised that it would happen soon and is a normal business transaction,” the source stated.
This direct sale initiative follows earlier claims that the NNPC would be the sole off-taker of PMS from the Dangote refinery starting September 15.
However, a recent announcement from the Technical Subcommittee on Domestic Sale of Crude Oil in Local Currency, headed by Finance Minister Wale Edun, confirmed that marketers can now purchase PMS directly from local refineries, fostering competition and improving market efficiency.
Although some Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) officials, led by Vice President Hammed Fashola, are still in discussions about logistics and modalities for lifting PMS from Dangote, refinery officials confirmed that direct sales to certain marketers have already commenced.
Meanwhile, the refinery has dismissed claims that it sold PMS to NNPC at N898 per liter when sales began in mid-September, labeling such reports as misleading.
The refinery maintains that the official naira-for-crude committee will eventually announce the product’s price, but as of October 22, no such announcement has been made.
The federal executive council (FEC) has approved N740 billion for the construction of the Kano-Abuja road project.
The approval was given on Wednesday during the weekly FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.
David Umahi, minister of works, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said the government is working on managing the extensive backlog of infrastructure projects.
According to Umahi, the Abuja-Kano road, previously slated for a tax credit arrangement, “will now be procured without such a provision, with the 162-kilometer Berger section already approved for N740 billion”.
The minister also announced that the Shagamu-Benin road is undergoing critical rehabilitation, while procurement processes are being finalised for its full reconstruction using reinforced concrete pavement.
He highlighted other projects undergoing review, including the commencement of construction on the Sokoto-Badagry road, with the Sokoto section to be flagged off imminently.
Umahi also said works on the Oyo-Ogbomosho road, a project stalled for 18 years, will resume, and the Makurdi-Katsina-Ala road will undergo significant repairs.
“FEC also tackled the inherited debt profile of N1.6 trillion tied to 2,604 projects, with a total contract value of N13 trillion,” Umahi said.
To manage the backlog, the minister said the ministry of works has initiated a phased approach to project completion based on available funding.
Umahi said examples of projects in the category are the phasing of the Biu-Kangiwa-Kamba-Kaya Niger Republic road in Kebbi state, the Yola-Hong-Mubi road in Adamawa state, and the Kachako-Dambazua road in Kano state.
On July 29, the FEC approved N1.4 trillion for some road projects across the country.
‘30% ADVANCE PAYMENT TO CONTRACTORS’
Umahi said the council approved advanced payment mechanisms to combat inflation and rising costs driven by fluctuating exchange rates and petroleum prices.
“And finally, we presented a memo to FEC that where there is proof of funds, there is available funds, the Procurement Act allows MDAs to pay a maximum of 30 percent advance payments. And let me emphasise that this advanced payment. When you read the law, it say may pay,” Umahi said.
“And so when people are giving contracts and they don’t mobilise, and they said, I’ve not paid mobilisation, it is not legally binding, because the word says may pay. And so some people turn it (to) shall pay. So no, it’s may pay.
“So where we have funds, and they will have a valuable fund beyond this 30% so what we are, you know, we requested from FEC is approved, that we first pay 30% which is the Procurement Act, and not more, and then when the contractor has started work, and to the satisfaction of the Ministry of works, we should be allowed to pay additional funds.
“Yes, the law allows us to pay in terms of you know, materials on site. But we are asking beyond that, what is the essence of this? Is to mitigate a lot of fluctuation and inflation, because we have a lot of you know, indices that affect the ministry of works like the petroleum you know it affects it.”
The minister also said the dollar exchange rate affected negotiations, adding that the ministry is “doing everything to manage the resources within the available funds so that we mitigate inflation”.
Year-to-date, the naira has depreciated by 59.79 percent in the official window, declining from N1,035.12 per dollar on January 3, to N1,654.09/$ on October 23.
In the parallel market, the naira has depreciated by 40.65 percent, from N1,230/$ to N1,730 per dollar, within the same period.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a loan of approximately $618 million from a consortium of financiers to procure six M-346 attack jets manufactured in Italy and ammunition for the Nigerian Air Force.
Naija News reports that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced this on Wednesday, October 23.
The Air Force has indicated that the initial three jets are anticipated to arrive by early 2025, with subsequent deliveries expected to continue until mid-2026.
In a recent development, Nigeria’s Air Force revealed the acquisition of 24 Italian-made M-346 attack jets and ten AW-109 Trekker helicopters as part of its fleet modernization initiative.
Air Force spokesperson, Olusola Akinboyewa, noted that a delegation led by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, held discussions in Rome with executives from Leonardo S.P.A., the manufacturer.
Leonardo confirmed that the first three M-346 jets are projected to arrive by early 2025, with the remaining units scheduled for delivery through mid-2026.
This acquisition is expected to enhance the firepower and aerial capabilities of troops engaged in the ongoing battle against insurgents within the country.
Negotiations with the Italian firm commenced in early 2024, following a meeting between Claudio Sabatino, Vice President of Leonardo, and Nigeria’s air force chief, Hasan Abubakar, in Abuja.
In recent years, the Federal Government has significantly increased its defence and security budget to tackle various security challenges across the nation.
For the 2024 fiscal year, approximately ₦3.3 trillion has been allocated to the defence sector.
Despite some successes, recent events indicate that Boko Haram and other armed groups continue to pose a threat in the Northeast and other regions of the country.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says a bank verification number (BVN) platform will be launched by December for Nigerians in the diaspora.
Cardoso spoke on Wednesday during a parley with members of the Nigerian community on the sidelines of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting in Washington D.C, United States.
He said the BVN platform will be launched by the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), a subsidiary of the CBN.
The BVN is an 11-digit number that is unique to each individual, but the same across all bank institutions for the same individual.
BVN is required to own and operate a bank account in Nigeria.
According to Cardoso, the platform would enable Nigerians in the diaspora to operate their local bank accounts, run their businesses and sort out know-your-customer (KYC) issues with financial institutions from anywhere in the world.
The CBN governor added that the initiative is part of efforts to ensure that Nigerians irrespective of their location anywhere in the world can participate in the Nigerian economy.
“As far as we are concerned it is totally unacceptable that you should be out here and be having hassles in operating your accounts or doing your business in your original country,” he said.
“I want to tell you that starting in December 2024 Nigerians in the diaspora will no longer face the hurdle of travelling long distances for physical biometric verifications to access financial services.
“The launch of the non-resident BVN platform by NIBBS will enable enhanced KYC processes remotely making it more convenient and cost-effective for the diaspora to engage with the Nigerian banking system.
“This initiative in collaboration with our banks marks a significant step toward greater financial inclusion and accessibility as we continue to roll out innovative solutions.”
On February 14, 2014, BVN was introduced by the CBN to strengthen the banking system, safeguard bank customers, and mitigate fraud.
As of April 2, 2024, over 61.47 million have enrolled for BVN, according to NIBSS.
American billionaire, Bill Gates has made a donation of $50million to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign.
Information gathered revealed that the donation was made to a non-profit organisation that is supporting Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential run, according to three people briefed on the matter.
Until the donation came into public light, it was meant to stay under wraps.
Although Mr. Gates, who is one of the founders of Microsoft, has not publicly endorsed Ms. Harris, his donation would represent a significant change in the strategy that had previously kept him away from gifts like this.
It was reported that Gates, in private calls this year to friends and others, expressed concerns about what a second Donald Trump presidency would look like.
He however was quoted as saying he would not mind working with either candidate.
While Bill Gates does not have a deep relationship with Ms. Harris, he has celebrated the Biden-Harris administration’s work on climate change.
Mr. Gates’s philanthropic organisation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is significantly concerned about cuts to family planning and global health programmes if Mr. Trump is elected.
Gates has said he made his donation to Future Forward, the main outside fund-raising group supporting Ms. Harris, according to the people briefed on the matter.
Mr. Gates has talked about his pro-Harris donation with his peers, including Mike Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor and a major supporter of Future Forward who has considered a similarly sized gift, two of the people briefed said.
Mr. Gates’ donation went specifically to Future Forward’s nonprofit arm, Future Forward USA Action, which as a 501(c)(4) “dark money” organisation does not disclose its donors, according to the people briefed.
Speaking on his preferences in terms of support, Gates had said, “I support candidates who demonstrate a clear commitment to improving health care, reducing poverty and fighting climate change in the U.S. and around the world,” he told The New York Times.
“I have a long history of working with leaders across the political spectrum, but this election is different, with unprecedented significance for Americans and the most vulnerable people around the world," he stated.
![Cabinet Reshuffle: President Tinubu Appoints Seven New Ministers [Full List]](/media/k2/items/cache/327ba4ae95342cdd3029eeb100501ac1_S.jpg?t=20241023_154959)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rejigged his cabinet with the appointment of seven new Ministers.
President sacked five Minister which include Uju-Ken Ohanenye as Minister of Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John as Minister of Tourism; Tahir Mamman as Minister of Education; Abdullahi Gwarzo as Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development; and Jamila Ibrahim as Minister of Youth Development.
Tinubu nominated Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu as the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, while Nentawe Yilwatda as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, officially bringing an end to the tenure of suspended Betta Edu.
The President also nominated Maigari Dingyadi as the Minister of Labour and Employment, Jumoke Oduwole as the Minister of Industry, Idi Maiha as Minister for the newly created Livestock Development Ministry, Yusuf Ata as the Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development, with Suwaiba Ahmad as Minister of State Education.
The President charged the newly appointed ministers to see their appointment as a call to serve the nation.
He added that all appointees must understand the administration’s eagerness and determination to set Nigeria on the path to irreversible growth and invest the best of their abilities into the actualisation of the government’s priorities.
![President Tinubu Reshuffles Cabinet, sacks five ministers - Reassign 10 [Full List]](/media/k2/items/cache/0b7e99498380cb19bdf39c0902aef34f_S.jpg)
President Bola Tinubu has carried out his much-anticipated cabinet reshuffle.
The cabinet reshuffle was announced on Wednesday after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which took place at the Council Chambers of the State House in Abuja.
Naija News reports President Tinubu scrapped the Niger Delta Ministry as well as the Ministry of Sports Development.
He also merged the Ministry of Tourism with the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy.
The cabinet reshuffle is the first to be carried out by President Tinubu since he assumed power as Nigeria’s leader in May 2023.
The President also sacked some Ministers, redesignated some, and appointed some others into his cabinet.
According to a statement from the presidency on Wednesday, President Tinubu sacked five Ministers, thanking them for their contributions to his administration and the governance of the country.
The sacked Ministers are:
1. Barr. Uju-Ken Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs
2. Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism
3. Prof Tahir Mamman, Minister of Education
4. Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo, Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development
5. Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development.
The list of Ministers reassigned to new portfolios are:
1. Hon Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, formerly Minister of State, Education, but now Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty
Reduction
2. Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa, formerly Minister of State, Health but now Minister of Education
3. Barr. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, formerly Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, now Minister of State Works.
4. Hon. Abubakar Eshiokpekha Momoh, formerly Minister of Niger Delta Development, now Minister of Regional Development
5. Uba Maigari Ahmadu, formerly Minister of State Steel Development, now Minister of State, Regional Development
6. Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, formerly Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, now Minister of State Finance
7. Sen. John Owan Enoh, formerly Minister of Sports Development, now Minister of State, Trade and Investment [Industry]
8. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, formerly Minister of State, Police Affairs, now Minister of Women Affairs
9. Ayodele Olawande, formerly Minister of State for Youth Development, now Minister for Youth Development
10. Dr. Salako Iziaq Adekunle Adeboye, formerly Minister of State, Environment, now Minister of State, Health.
More...
President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council have announced the scrapping of the Niger Delta Ministry and the Ministry of Sports Development.
According to a tweet by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday, the decision was reached during the FEC meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The statement read, “President Tinubu and Federal Executive Council scrap Niger Delta Ministry and the Ministry of sports development.
“There will now be a ministry of regional development to oversee all the regional development commissions, such as Niger Delta Development Commission, North West Development Commission, South West Development Commission , North East Development Commission.”
He also said the responsibilities previously held by the Ministry of Sports Development will now be transferred to the National Sports Commission, which will take charge of sports-related activities in Nigeria.
“The National Sports Commission will take over the role of the Ministry of Sports,” he stated.
Additionally, the FEC approved the merger of the Ministry of Tourism with the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy, creating a single entity.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed 55,859 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the forthcoming governorship polls in Ondo State.
The development was confirmed in a statement released on Tuesday by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.
Olumekun stated that the collection of the PVCs will be transferred to the commission’s local government offices.
The statement indicated that for a duration of five days, the commission facilitated the collection of PVCs from the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in all 203 wards throughout Ondo State.
The Ondo Governorship election is scheduled for November 16, 2024.
In light of this, INEC has urged remaining voters to collect their PVCs from their respective local government offices, reiterating its stance that no cards will be collected on behalf of others.
“The commission is pleased to announce that at the end of the five days, 55,859 cards were personally collected by new registrants and applicants for transfer and replacement of lost or damaged cards as provided by law. This figure represents 62.2% of the 89,777 cards available for collection.
“This is the highest percentage of PVCs collected in five days in Ondo State since the commission introduced the CVR in 2015. A detailed breakdown of the collection by local government areas has been uploaded to our website and social media platforms for public information.
“Meanwhile, the collection will resume in our 18 local government offices in Ondo State from tomorrow (Wednesday, October 23) to Tuesday, October 29, 2024, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily (including the weekend). Detailed information on the locations of our local government offices in Ondo State is already available on our website,” the statement read.
The money laundering charges filed against an executive of Binance Holdings Limited, Tigran Gambaryan, have been withdrawn by the federal government.
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had in April this year, arraigned Binance, a cryptocurrency firm, and Gambaryan over alleged money laundering.
Mr Gambaryan, a United States citizen, has been in detention since February following the clampdown on the cryptocurrency firm over alleged manipulation of naira.
A lawyer representing the EFCC announced the withdrawal of the charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.
Announcing the development, the lawyer said Mr Gambaryan was merely an employee of Binance, whose activities he was being prosecuted for.
![[PRESS RELEASE] Obi begins Three Cities Appreciation Tour to US](/media/k2/items/cache/a019d607655fe61963eb8c2bdce75b0f_XS.jpg)
In continuation of his interactions with Nigerians in the Diaspora and in keeping with his avowed determination to lead the search for a new Nigeria, the National leader of the Labour Party, who was the party's Presidential flag bearer in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, begins a three day, three Cities tour of the United States of America.
A statement from Peter Obi Media Reach, POMR, said that the tour will begin on Thursday the 24th, 25th, and 26th of October 2024 and will be undertaken in the three cities of Houston, TX, Los Angeles, CA, and Atlanta, GA.
The tour will be the last leg of his North America Appreciation visits that had earlier taken him to Toronto, Canada; Boston, MA; New York City, NY; West Orange, N; Cherry,y N; Dallas, TX; Charlotte, NC; and Detroit, MI.
The tour is also to underscore Mr Obi's commitment during the 2023 electioneering to consistently engage the Nigeria Diaspora and interact with them constructively in the nation-building debate for the creation of a new Nigeria.
He also uses the tour to sustain, by example,e a new narrative where, unlike before, politicians only visit the national population when seeking their votes and support but hardly returns after elections to show appreciation.
The tours will be mostly interactive to provide Obi the opportunity to once again, through questions and answers, unveil his mission for a new Nigeria that is Possible and to also react to the unpalatable state of the nation.
The former Anambra State Governor remains ever grateful to Nigerians at home and abroad who continue to show unwavering support and trust in him morally, materially, and financially during the 2023 presidential elections.
Signed
Ibrahim Umar
POMR SPOKESMAN