Folarin Kehinde

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has said that he regrets every action he took in ensuring that Siminalayi Fubara became the governor of Rivers State.

Wike, who had boldly announced buying the nomination forms for Fubara and every politician holding elective position in Rivers State, noted that he regretted pleading with the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Felix Obuah and other governorship aspirants of the party to step down for the current governor.

Wike made this disclosure at a thanksgiving service organised by Obuah in Omoku, Rivers State, on Sunday.

The FCT minister pleaded with the people of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area to forgive him for not supporting their son in his ambition to succeed him as a governor adding that despite Obuah’s supports to him, he denied him the opportunity he desired.

Wike appreciated the former Rivers State PDP chairman for his generous and forgiving heart.

“Leadership is all about firmness, it’s all about courage, it’s all about transparency. When a leader takes a decision that is wrong, nothing stops that leader from coming back to say, I am sorry for that decision I took,” Wike said.

“My relationship with Felix Obuah started 2004, when he became the Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government. That was my second tenure and that was his first tenure.

“He showed that he is a man whom God has blessed and therefore he always contributes to people in appreciation of God’s favour in his life.

“It may be painful on how Obuah was treated by the then government, but he is one of those people that will not hesitate to obey my decision. That is why I say, today, I will use this opportunity to do something that is uncommon. In 2023, if you look at those which ordinarily I should support for governorship, Go Round (Obuah) should be one of them in forefront.

“That is if we do things based on your contribution, based on your support, Go Round is the first two persons that ought to get my support. So, I want to use this opportunity to apologise to all of you, to ONELGA for taking a decision that hurt you. I am sorry.

“Your judgement may not be right all the time, but I am a human being, I may make mistake, but it’s important for you realise your mistake and apologise to the people. So, I beg you to beg Go Round to forgive me. I hope one day another opportunity may come, but let nobody lose faith.

“If God has blessed you, no amount of gang-up that can make you to lose faith in your God. That strength that God has given us, we will replicate it at the appropriate time. We will know who knows left and who knows right. Obuah as the leader of the party, supported me and I become the governor.”

Speaking on his experience during and after office as governor, Wike explained that he supported his successor, but regretted that he inherited nothing from his predecessor.

“This is not time for politicking but to let you know we are there. We have the capacity. Some people said they bought the deputy governor. No problem. Tell them to eat. We know how water entered melon.

“Some people today are claiming they brought, but what is important is that we all know how it happened. I initiated the Ring Road, I contracted Julius Berger before I left office to dualise the trans-Kalabari road. As the governor I approved all the major projects because I believe there is going to be consolidation of government.

“I laid the foundation but nobody laid the foundation for me, I came and saw nothing. No handover note to me. I didn’t have any car even on my swearing-in day. I had to borrow car from Ondo State. The governor then, Mimiko donated their own car to us for my swearing-in.

“But as soon as I left as governor, I provided cars for everybody that was coming as a governor, deputy governor. It doesn’t matter about people abusing me. They said Wike is wicked, is the same man that told Go Round and others to step down. You benefited from the wickedness. Don’t worry, whatever you sow, you will reap.”

On the recent crisis in the state, Wike said: “I will accept whatever Mr. President has said and to the glory of God our own team, we have kept our own part and I have also told Mr President that there is nothing in this world that will make me disobey him.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has set off a wave of uncertainty among its staff with the sudden announcement of a head office decongestion plan affecting 1,533 employees.

The move, confirmed in a circular dated January 12, 2024, cites safety concerns and a desire to improve efficiency as the driving forces behind the significant workforce shift.

According to the CBN’s Human Resources Department, the move is aimed at optimising the use of existing bank facilities within Abuja and Lagos, as well as addressing understaffed branches.

The apex bank said there is an alarming discrepancy between the current occupancy of 4,233 and the building’s optimal capacity of 2,700.

The most immediate impact will be felt within the Banking Supervision Department, with approximately 80% of its staff relocated to Lagos.

“This is to notify all staff members at the CBN Head Office that we have initiated a decongestion action plan designed to optimise the operational environment of the Bank.

“This initiative aims to ensure compliance with building safety standards and enhance the efficient utilisation of our office space.

“This action is necessitated by several factors, including the need to align the Bank’s structure with its functions and objectives, redistribute skills to ensure a more even geographical spread of talent and comply with building regulations, as indicated by repeated warnings from the Facility Manager, and the findings and recommendations of the Committee on Decongestion of the CBN Head Office Building,” it stated.

However, the development has led to uncertainties among staff.

Reacting, a staff member who spoke under anonymity said, “The move is ill-planned. How does the management want those married to cope with the situation?”

Another source said, “I doubt the motive of the management. The decision has been made. Likely, the government is shifting attention to Lagos.”

The much awaited news of the commencement of Dangote refinery for the production of petro chemical products would have been a succor to Nigerians considering the high cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as petrol commonly used by Nigerians.

Recall that the company announced the commencement of production
commenced on Friday.

The refinery received the fifth crude oil shipment of one million barrels of Bonny Light supplied by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited last week.

The 650,000 barrels-per-day oil processing facility started operations in May 2023.

It is designed to process crude oil grades from the three continents of Africa, Asia and America.

Dangote refinery made a move towards the commencement of production of refined petroleum products with the receipt of an additional one million barrels of bonny light crude supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).

The fresh one million barrels of crude from the Shell terminal via the MT Otis owned by Trafigural is the second consignment to be delivered to the Dangote facility out of the six million barrels of crude being expected by the world’s largest single-train refinery.

About a week ago Dangote Refinery received one million barrels of Agbami crude grade from Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (STASCO), one of the largest trading companies in Nigeria as well as globally, trading over 8 million barrels of crude oil per day.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Mr Akin Omole revealed that despite commencing operation, Dangote refinery will not start with the production of petrol but with diesel, aviation fuel, and LPG.

“Once the 6 million barrels are fully delivered, it will facilitate the initial run of the refinery as well as kick-start the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and LPG before subsequently progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).”

The one million barrels represent the second phase of the 6 million barrels of crude oil to be supplied to Dangote Petroleum Refinery by a range of suppliers for the production of petroleum products.

The Aliko Dangote-built oil refinery howver received its first supply of crude late last year, despite its scheduled June 2023 start date.

The refinery has an excess of petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation jets that it may export in addition to meeting all of Nigeria’s needs for refined goods.

The refinery’s two SPMs, which are situated 25 km offshore, are designed to handle crude oil, while its three more SPMs are designed to release petroleum products. Furthermore, the refinery’s truck-loading gantries can load 2,900 trucks per day.

The complex is located on 2,635 hectares (6,500 acres) of land in the Lekki Free Zone on the outskirts of Lagos.

It is anticipated that the Port Harcourt refinery will start producing at the same time as the Dangote refinery.

The Federal Government, in December, confirmed the commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt Refining and Petrochemical Company in Rivers State.

The Federal Government has scrapped the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Computer Science program across all technical institutions in Nigeria.

The move is aimed at diversifying skilled manpower in the fast-evolving IT landscape and equipping graduates with specialised skillsets.

The announcement was contained in a letter dated January 8, 2024, and signed by Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

The letter, addressed to the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and copied to key stakeholders, outlines a phase-out plan by the 2025 academic session.

The letter said no HND Awarding institutions will be allowed to admit a new set of students to study Computer Science from the 2024/2025 Academic Session. However, students who might have wanted to study computer science at the HND level can now choose from any of the four specialised areas floated from the former “Computer Science” discipline.

The four new areas of specialisation floated from Computer Science include HND Artificial Intelligence, HND Networking and Cloud Computing, HND Software and Web Development, and HND Cybersecurity and Data Protection.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), particularly the areas of Bwari and Dei Dei, has witnessed a distressing surge in bandit attacks and kidnappings, with over 96 individuals abducted in the past 21 days.

Residents in the areas are now living in constant fear as the criminal elements continue to terrorize their communities.

The most recent incident occurred on January 1, 2024, at approximately 11:30 pm when a high-ranking official of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and several family members, including his wife and a child, were abducted.

This marked another grim chapter in a series of attacks that commenced on December 9, 2023, when 23 residents in Dei-Dei were kidnapped from their homes.

The Mai Unguwar Dei-Dei, Ibrahim Galadima, confirmed the December 9 incident, stating that security vigilantes in the area were able to rescue seven victims about an hour after the abduction.

Galadima suggested that the kidnappers may have released the victims upon sensing the presence of security personnel during their escape into the bush.

As of December 24, 2023, Bwari alone reported 25 abductions, with three lives lost during the attacks.

The violence escalated on December 23, as bandits invaded the Garam community, resulting in the tragic death of a pastor associated with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and the abduction of 13 individuals.

Subsequent attacks on Kuduru and Ahzu on December 28 and 29 led to further casualties and abductions, with residents revealing that the assailants often strike between 11 pm and 11:30 pm.

Leadership reports that residents are alleging collusion between the bandits and security agencies, pointing out that military personnel were reportedly deployed just meters away from the bandit attack on January 1.

The suspended minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, faces an uncertain future, with indications suggesting that her return to office may be unlikely.

Speaking anonymously, sources from the presidency hinted that the alleged scandal surpasses what has been made public, and Edu might not resume her ministerial duties.

One official, who was not authorized to comment on the matter, told Punch, “What we have in that ministry is more than what we have seen. I can tell you that Edu may not return to the ministry or even return as a minister.

“She may not be the only one involved. But as it stands now, she should forget the idea or dream of her returning to the Federal Executive Council. In fact, she is gone.”

The scandal involves a comprehensive inquiry directed by President Bola Tinubu into the misappropriation of N585 million in the ministry.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating Edu for authorizing the funds to transfer into a private account.

The probe also extends to former Minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq, under scrutiny for alleged N37.1 billion money laundering, and Halima Shehu, the suspended National Coordinator and CEO of the National Social Investment Programme.

ICPC, in its investigation, reportedly recovered over N50 billion from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in 2023.

The funds, initially meant for vulnerable citizens, were blocked by ICPC during a naira scarcity period. Attempts to transfer the money into private bank accounts were thwarted, and the recovered funds were paid into the Central Bank of Nigeria.

An anonymous source shed light on the recovery: “During the naira scarcity between late 2022 and 2023, the ICPC under Prof Owasanoye blocked and recovered the sum of N50 billion from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

“The money was meant for the vulnerable and the poor people in the country, which the ministry could not distribute due to the scarcity of currency during the naira redesign period.”

As investigations intensify, EFCC detectives continue to question senior civil servants connected to the financial scandals in the ministry.

There is growing disquiet within the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) following revelations of plans by the new management to relocate major departments from the Abuja headquarters to the former headquarters in Lagos.

The decision, spearheaded by CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso, has reportedly unsettled staff members, particularly married women, leading to discontent within the institution.

The targeted departments for relocation include Banking Supervision (DBS), Other Financial Institutions Supervision (OFISD), Consumer Protection Department (CPD), Payment System Management Department (PSMD), and Financial Policy Regulations Department (FPRD).

A substantial workforce of 1,533 employees is expected to be affected by this massive redeployment.

Sources within the CBN expressed concerns about the potential consequences of such a move, emphasizing the pivotal roles these departments play in the institution.

Some fear concentrating the crucial functions in Lagos may weaken the significance of the Abuja headquarters.

The decision has also reportedly caused distress among married women employees, who are grappling with the prospect of being relocated away from their families. Some staff members are said to be contemplating resignation in response to the policy.

A source who preferred anonymity told Daily Nigerian: “The affected departments are the major departments of the CBN. They are the only departments mentioned in the BOFIA Act [Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act].

“Moving them entirely will only further strengthen Lagos and weaken Abuja. When you move all these departments to Lagos, then what is left of the headquarters? It will become almost useless.

“Women colleagues that are married can’t cope with this decision, especially those from the North.”

The new management, led by Governor Cardoso, has faced allegations of creating a hostile work environment since assuming office.

Reports suggest that many staff members have resigned under the current management, citing an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.

While an internal memo from the CBN cited the need for decongestion as a primary reason for the relocation, some insiders question the rationale behind the decision.

There are suspicions of a potential downsizing agenda and concerns that the move could elevate Lagos at the expense of Abuja.

The CBN memo stated that the decongestion initiative aims to optimize the operational environment, ensure compliance with building safety standards, and enhance the efficient utilization of office space. It cited safety concerns, reduced efficiency, and potential compromise of the building’s structural integrity due to overcrowding as driving factors behind the decision.

However, critics argue that the immediate-past governor, Godwin Emefiele, had already made provisions for an annexe office and a multi-level car park to address overcrowding concerns at the head office building.

The Dangote Refinery has started production. The largest single-train refinery in the world located in Nigeria’s commercial hub began operations in the early hours of Friday.

This followed the delivery of six million barrels of crude supply to the refinery this week. It had earlier also received other batches.

Although it was supposed to begin operations in June 2023, the oil refinery built by Aliko Dangote received its first crude deliveries late last year in a step to starting up the delayed megaproject.

Billed as Africa’s largest of its type, the 650,000 barrel-per-day Dangote refinery could be a game changer for Nigeria’s economy when fully operational by helping end the country’s reliance on fuel imports.

The initial run will be for the production of diesel and aviation fuel before moving on to petrol output.

Though one of Africa’s largest oil producers and the continent’s top economy, Nigeria relies almost totally on imported fuel and diesel because of a lack of refining capacity.

Fuel imports and subsidies caused a huge drain on foreign exchange when Nigeria was struggling with dwindling oil revenues and foreign currency shortages.

“Dangote Petroleum Refinery can meet 100 per cent of Nigeria’s requirement of all refined products, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation jet, and also have surplus of each of these products for export,” the company said in a statement.

The facility sits on 2,635 hectares (6,500 acres) of land at the Lekki Free Zone on the edge of Lagos city and costs an estimated $19bn.

The refinery, first scheduled to open in 2021, was officially inaugurated by then-president Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended all administered programmes by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), the Federal Government said.

Announcing the suspension in a statement on Friday, the Director Information, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, said the president’s decision was in view of the “ongoing investigation of alleged malfeasance in the management of the agency and its programmes.”

“All four (4) Programmes administered by NSIPA, viz; N- Power Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme and Home Grown School Feeding Programme (the “Programs”) have been suspended for a period of six weeks in the first instance,” the statement read.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also raised significant concerns regarding operational lapses and improprieties surrounding payments to the Programs’ beneficiaries.”

According to the statement, Tinubu also constituted a ministerial panel to conduct a thorough review of the agency’s operations to recommend necessary reforms of the NSIPA.

During the period of this suspension, all NSIPA-related activities, including but not limited to all distributions, events, payments, collaborations and registrations are now frozen.

Tinubu also assured stakeholders and all Nigerians that his administration remains committed to a swift and unbiased process that will ensure that, going forward, social intervention programmes will work exactly as intended, to the benefit of the most vulnerable Nigerians.

The Supreme Court has upheld Caleb Muftwang’s position as the Governor of Plateau State, dismissing the petition filed by Nentawe Yilwatda of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The ruling solidifies the victory of Muftwang, who secured 525,299 votes according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the March 18 governorship poll, defeating Yilwatda, who garnered 481,370 votes.

The Plateau State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had initially upheld Muftwang’s election, but the Court of Appeal in Abuja overturned the victory, leading to the appeal to the Supreme Court.

Justice Akomaya Agim, delivering the lead judgment, emphasized that the sponsorship of a candidate for an election is an internal affair of a political party.

The justice declared that the Court of Appeal lacked jurisdiction to determine the validity of the candidacy of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and stated that Nentawe Yilwatda of the APC had no right to challenge Muftwang’s emergence as the PDP’s ticket-holder.