President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with Governor Simi Fubara of Rivers State at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The governor arrived at the Presidential Villa about 5:35 p.m. and proceeded straight to the president’s office.

Unlike the last time he came to the State House with a delegation of his loyalists during the peace meeting with his estranged political godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, and the President, the governor came alone today.

Although the agenda of his visit was not made public at the time of filing this report, it may not be unconnected with the political crisis between the governor and the FCT Minister over the control of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, structure in Rivers State.

Vanguard News

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party , Mr Peter Obi says President Bola Tinubu must ensure that those culpable in the alleged scandal involving the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu are brought to book.

Obi said in a write-up in his X-handle platform on Thursday that the government should go beyond the suspension of the minister, which he described as a welcomed development, and carry out a comprehensive investigation into the matter.

According to him, the government must give the problem of public sector corruption the severe urgency it deserves.

Obi expressed disappointment that a ministry created in good faith to attend to the plight of the suffering masses was being turned into a conduit pipe to steal from the poor as seen in the current and previous ministers of the ministry.

“I like to add my voice with most Nigerians concerned about accountability in government and judicious use of public funds, to welcome the suspension of Edu, and subsequent directives for her investigation.

“The investigation must be comprehensive so that all those culpable are brought to book,” Obi, a former two-term Anambra governor said.

Cautioning against taking the issue lightly, Obi added that the suspension of the minister should not be a window-dressing action but should be a peg to get at all those who are deserving of blame, punished just like the minister.

“By a sad coincidence, the alleged fraudulent diversion of N585 million of public money by Edu broke almost at the same moment that the minister who held the same portfolio in the last administration is being investigated for a whopping N37 billion misappropriation.

“The ministry may have been created by the system as a conduit pipe to siphon public funds while using the poor as a face.

“Equally worrisome and disgusting is the fact that the missing funds are meant for poverty alleviation in a time of severe suffering among the people.

“Unfortunately, the ruling elites can shamelessly convert, divert, or misappropriate such huge sums meant for the poor and cannot be trusted to address the severe poverty ravaging the people.

“It is not only immoral but also insensitive for those entrusted with funds for public welfare to steal from the poor,” the Labour Party leader said.

Obi called on the Tinubu administration to use these cases to initiate a thorough system-wide and systematic investigation of all reported cases of fraud and corruption among high government officials in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Tinubu on Monday, suspended Edu, following controversies about financial transactions she authorised in her ministry.

The suspension according to a statement by presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale was with immediate effect.

The scandal included the approval of payment of hundreds of millions of naira into private accounts of civil servants.

Edu had come under criticism from Nigerians for ordering the transfer of N585.2 million into the private bank account of a civil servant, who is the accountant in charge of grants for Vulnerable Nigerians.

The minister had issued a memo to the Accountant General of the Federation in December 2023, ordering the said amount to be paid into the civil servant’s private bank account.(NAN)

The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has asked President Bola Tinubu to focus on creating a true federal constitution and restructuring of Nigeria.

Iwuanyanwu made this appeal in an interview with Arise Television on Wednesday.

According to him, the peace committee he set up by Ndigbo was intended to clear up the misunderstandings and curb the alleged unfair treatments that other Nigerian tribes show towards Igbo people.

On the need for a federal constitution, Iwuanyanwu said, “That particular government before independence, they had a constitution, a true federal constitution. A constitution that could actually apply and bring, without a lot of strain, to a people who have diverse background like Nigeria. We had a true federal constitution in 1960,1963, and that worked for us.

“Later on, they changed to military constitution which is not right. Now, that is why we in Igbo land, we are saying, please, let us have a true federal constitution. What we are operating today is a unitary government. It doesn’t work with a people who have diverse backgrounds.

“I believe that the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu should take steps to see if we can actualise this restructuring of Nigeria. Without a proper restructuring, Nigeria will continue to have problem, there is no way this country can survive. Today, everybody is talking about presidency. In a restructured Nigeria, the presidency will not attract so much attention as it does today,” he said.

Speaking on alleged animosity displayed towards Igbos, Iwuanyanwu said since the recent Presidential elections, there had been unfair treatments towards Igbos.

He said, “Suddenly after the elections, Igbo buildings were being demolished in various places with excuses. I have investigated the demolitions in Lagos with example, and it is very clear to me that some of them didn’t follow the process of law of any civilised society.”

On the peace committee that has been set up to clear the prejudice between the Ndigbo and the rest of Nigerians, he said, “We’re going to produce our own story about the events in Nigeria from 1966. We’re going to produce a book which we are going to keep in Nigeria for posterity, to know the position of Igbos.

“Because today, a young Northerner, for example, will think Igbos hate Northerners by killing two great leaders from the North, it’s not true. But when we put our story, this community will put up a story, it will be clear position is.”

According to Iwuanyanwu, the committee is also set to contact the heads of other ethnic groups to find out their misgivings and fallouts with Ndigbo, so that peace can be brokered between the Igbos and the ethnic groups in Nigeria if there were any problems.

Eleven newly appointed Supreme Court justices will be sworn in next week, completing the full quota of 21 justices provided for in the Constitution.

The new apex court judges, whose appointment was initiated by President Bola Tinubu and confirmed by the Senate in December 2023, hail from diverse geopolitical zones.

They Include:

North Central:

– Hon. Justice Jummai Hannatu Sankey, OFR
– Hon. Justice Stephen Jonah Adah
– Hon. Justice Mohammed Baba Idris

North East:

– Hon. Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani

North West:

– Hon. Justice Jamilu Yammama Tukur
– Hon. Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar

South East:

– Hon. Justice Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa
– Hon. Justice Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme
– Hon. Justice Obande Festus Ogbuinya

South South:

– Hon. Justice Moore Aseimo A. Adumein

South West:

– Hon. Justice Habeeb Adewale O. Abiru

The swearing-in ceremony slated for next week will see the Supreme Court bench attain its full complement as stipulated in the constitution.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Thursday, charged the newly appointed Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and directors of the aviation agencies to optimally carry out their duties in the best possible way as outlined in the ministry’s key performance indicators.

He also told the CEOs and directors to resign if their goal in office is to make money and not serve the Nigerian people.

Keyamo stated this during the official induction ceremony for the newly appointed aviation heads of agencies in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

He said some of the key performance indicators of the ministry include ensuring strict compliance with safety regulations, supporting the growth of local airlines/operators, developing human capacity within the aviation industry and generating revenue for the Federal Government, amongst others

He reminded them of the financial policy of the government and advised them to strictly adhere to it and carefully scrutinise documents most especially ones that relate to finances.

Mid December, the Federal Government dismissed all directors of civil aviation agencies in the country following the sacking of the chief executive officers of the same organisations. The government also appointed new CEOs to head the agencies.

The affected agencies include the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigeria Metrological Agency (NiMET), Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Nigeria Safety and Investigation Bureau (NSIB).

The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Umo Eno of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the validly elected governor of Akwa Ibom State after dismissing the appeals of the three parties challenging the outcome of the election held on March 18 2023.

This comes after the apex court panel led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji dismissed the appeals of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Young Progressives Party (YPP) and the Action Alliance (AC) based on the non-qualification of the governor over allegations of certificate forgery, which the governor denied.

The Court of Appeal had upheld the judgment dismissing the suit challenging the primary that produced Umo Eno as the PDP candidate for the state.

Okon had prayed the court to disqualify Eno on grounds that he allegedly forged a West African Examination Certificate (WAEC) which he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the election.

The appellate court had dismissed the suit for want of merit and awarded the sum of 15 million naira against the plaintiff.

The judge ruled that Okon’s arguments were based on assumption and that he was unable to prove to the court that Eno’s certificates were forged.

Former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, has been granted bail in the sum of N50 million.

New Telegraph had earlier reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating Agunloye over the $6 billion Mambilla Hydropower Contract.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court Apo ordered Agunloye, who was charged with seven counts related to the fraudulent award of a contract and official corruption, to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre, until the bail application was heard and ruled upon.

However, during the hearing on Thursday, the Counsel for the former minister, Adeola Adedipe, requested that the court grant bail to his client either through self-recognisance or under lenient conditions.

Adedipe argued that Agunloye is not a flight risk and that the prosecution’s concerns were based on misunderstandings and communication issues.

Adedipe further requested that the court refrain from requiring a public servant to act as surety for his client.

The experienced attorney also contended that the misconceptions and concerns surrounding bail, as well as the arguments put forth by the prosecution, have been addressed by Section 352(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

According to Adeola, this provision states that “once a defendant is granted bail, even if they flee, the trial will proceed, and they will be convicted if necessary.”

However, the prosecution counsel objected to the bail application.
In delivering the verdict, Justice Onwuegbuzie stated that the court leans towards granting bail to the defendant.

The defendant was granted bail of N50 million and was instructed to provide two sureties who could match the same sum.

These sureties must be individuals of good reputation and financial means, residing within the FCT. They must possess properties valued at N300 million, with a verifiable Certificate of Occupancy.
Additionally, they are required to submit copies of their identification cards and photocopies of their international passports to the court.

The defendant must surrender his passport to the court and be present for all hearings. The case has been adjourned until February 12.

Amid the ongoing corruption allegation rocking the President Bola Tinubu led government, former Bayelsa senator, Ben Murray Bruce has revealed that Nigeria has a perception challenge.

Making this revelation in a tweet via his official X account on Thursday, the former Bayelsa senator revealed that there was a problem with the way we see ourselves as Nigerians.

Naija News reports that the former lawmaker called for the need to introduce a mind changing program to counter every negative thoughts of Nigeria in the mind of Nigerians.

He further tasked the federal government to fund the National Orientation Agency to enable them steer the country in the direction it needs.

Ben Bruce said, “Nigeria has a perception challenge. How we see ourselves is an issue. How others see us is also not ideal. And to fix that, we need to change our perception of ourselves. The last time this was done effectively was under Jerry Gana’s MAMSER.

“We need that mind changing program back. We must counter every negative thought about Nigeria in the minds of Nigerians with positive, patriotic, enlightening and wholesome thinking.

“This is where the National Orientation Agency comes in. Let’s fund them and set them in the direction this country needs them to go. Because, without that, I fear we may not grow. A well funded and led NOA will create a mental shift that will lead to an economic, social and moral revival in Nigeria.”

Ahead of the 2024 African Cup Of Nations (AFCON), Super Eagles of Nigeria coach, Jose Peseiro has issued a stern warning to his players that there’s no excuse not to give 100% in the tournament.

Peseiro who issued the warning shortly after the first team training on Wednesday night in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire said AFCON is a tough competition, but the team is 100% focused on the first game against Equatorial Guinea and they cannot afford to make mistakes in the tournament.

He said, “We cannot use the weather as an excuse, we need to put our Focus on and understand that, adapt well and do our best with the weather, hot humidity, don’t care about the weather, we only want to put the focus on the first match, it’s important for us.”

“Short tournament is that difficult tournament, hard tournament, Guinea Equatorial did better than us last AFCON and it’s a good team, but you want to win, you want to put 100% focus on everybody.

“No one in the training, meals, rest, meetings, all activities, we must put all our maximum focus because we cannot make mistakes in our next match, we have done a collective game to win our first match and it’s important for us.

“The first training was frustrating due to the long trip, we did hydration training. No tactics training, no conditional training, only hydration training,” he noted.

Peseiro also shared fitness news on Terem Moffi and Kelechi Iheanacho who were called up to the squad after Bayern Leverkusen striker, Victor Boniface was ruled out of the tournament with groin injury.

He said, “Moffi likes 14 because he plays with the team and Kelechi Iheanacho, he had contact with the medical staff, the staff and all the players and there, he’s working there for recovery and we have confidence in them.”

However, after losing 2-0 against Guinea in a friendly game on Monday afternoon, the team will be hoping to claim all three points in their AFCON opening match against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday afternoon by 3 pm at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpé.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday described terrorists and their leaders as “dead men walking”, saying “we will stop at nothing until they are dead or surrender”.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, made the declaration at the regular operational briefing on troops’ exploits across the six geo-political zones of the country.

While assuring of troops’ capacity to sustain “aggressive posturing” across the theatres of operation, the operations’ spokesperson appealed for continuous public support and cooperation, noting that the fight against insecurity had assumed a whole-of-society dimension.

Providing perspectives on ongoing operations, Gen. Buba said: “Our operations clearly indicate that we are hunting the terrorist commanders and their senior leadership. Indeed, from their topmost leadership to the lowest commanders are dead men walking and we will stop at nothing until they are dead or surrender.

“The armed forces have demonstrated commitment by our actions to winning this war. Troops will therefore continue to act with tremendous force to achieve the task ahead.

“The aim of our ongoing operations remains unchanged and clear even in the new year 2024. Our aim is to find and destroy the terrorist wherever they may be hiding in order to ensure their enduring defeat. This would deny the terrorist the ability to terrorize or hurt citizens across the country.

“Pursuant to our goal, troops have in the last one week, focussed on striking the terrorist enclaves from our air attacks. We also exerted significant military power in areas in which the terrorists were hibernating.

“Our operations resulted in 86 neutralized terrorists with 101 of them arrested. Troops also arrested 30 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 21 kidnapped hostages. In the SS, troops denied oil theft of the estimated sum of Seven Hundred and Thirty-Six Million One Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Four Hundred and Seventy Naira (N736,115,470.00) only.4.

“Furthermore, troops recovered 111 assorted weapons and 1,124 assorted ammunition. The breakdown is as follows: 65 AK47 rifles, one HK G3 dun, one G3 rifle, 8 locally fabricated guns, 15 Dane guns, 2 fabricated rifles, one locally made pistol, one english pistol, one pump action gun, 2 auto pump action gun, 2 single barrel guns”.

Others are 14 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 993 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 5 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 5 rounds of 7.62mm x 39mm, 99 live cartridges, one round of 9mm ammo, one of short gun cartridge, 2 bandoliers, 2 fabricated swords, 13 magazines, 5 vehicles, 29 motorcycles, 6 bicycles, mobile phones and one GTA radio amongst other items.

He added thus: “Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 37 dugout pits, 65 boats, 71 storage tanks, 14 vehicles. Other items recovered include 108 cooking ovens, 4 pump machines, one speedboat and 60 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 1,013,530 litres of stolen crude oil, 299,169 litres of illegally refined AGO and 3,158 litres of DPK”.