Folarin Kehinde

President Bola Tinubu has sacked the heads of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

Those sacked are Mr. Babatunde Irukera, the EVC/CEO of FCCPC, and Mr. Alexander Ayoola Okoh, the Director-General/CEO of BPE, according to a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, on Monday.

The statement directed the outgoing CEOs to hand over to the next most senior officers in their respective agencies.

“By this directive of the President, their removal from office takes immediate effect,” the statement added.

Suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, defied President Bola Tinubu’s directive to hand over to the Permanent Secretary on Monday evening, Politics Nigeria has learned.

Barely minutes after the official announcement of her suspension, which carried a clear instruction to hand over and “fully cooperate with investigating authorities,” it has been observed that no immediate handover activity has taken place at the ministry.

Instead, staff confirmed that Dr. Edu left the office shortly after receiving the suspension letter delivered by a State House official. It is also learnt that all security and protocol personnel assigned to her were also recalled, following standard procedure.

However, questions arose about the official handover as an unnamed Ministry official familiar with public service operations said the Permanent Secretary requires an official memo, not just a media report, to act on a suspension directive.

Efforts to reach the Permanent Secretary, located on the 5th floor of Phase 1 in the Federal Secretariat, proved unsuccessful, Nigerian Tribune reports. His personnel stated he was busy and unavailable for comment. When informed of the official suspension letter, they emphasised the need for due process, saying, “The Perm Sec has not seen the letter. He’s a man of due process.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, for questioning over allegations of corruption in the handling of N37.1 billion social intervention funds during her tenure.

Mrs Umar-Farouq arrived at the headquarters of the commission in Abuja in honour of an earlier invitation over the pending case on Monday morning.

She posted via her X handle at 10.17 a.m. on Monday that she had just arrived at the commission’s office.

“I have, at my behest, arrived at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to honour the invitation by the anti-graft agency to offer clarifications in respect of some issues that the commission is investigating,” she tweeted.

EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, similarly confirmed the development in a telephone interview with our reporter, saying, “Mrs Sadiya Umar-Farouk arrived at our office this morning.”

The ongoing investigation by the EFCC revolves around the staggering sum of N37.1 billion (N37,170,855,753.44) allegedly laundered by officials of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development then led by Mrs Umar-Farouk as the minister.

The EFCC had earlier grilled Halima Shehu, the suspended National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) being supervised by the ministry.

The commission detained Mrs Shehu after raiding NSIPA’s office in the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, on 2 January. She was held for questioning till the following day when she was released on bail.

Mrs Shehu, who was recently suspended by President Bola Tinubu, was responsible for overseeing the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. She was replaced with Akindele Egbuwalo, in an acting capacity.

The EFCC also summoned Mrs Umar-Farouk for questioning over the case, but she requested a rescheduling of the appointment.

When the news of the ongoing EFCC investigations started filtering out linking her to one of the officials at the centre of the alleged scam, Mrs Umar-Farouk tweeted to deny any wrongdoing.

“I remain proud to have served my country as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with every sense of responsibility and will defend my actions, stewardship and programmes during my tenure whenever I am called upon to do so,” she had posted on X.

A fresh political crisis seems to be brewing in Ondo State following an allegation of certificate forgery against Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

A social-political group, the Ondo State Redemption Initiative (OSRI), has accused the Governor Aiyedatiwa, of certificate forgery, adding that he is unfit to lead the state.

This was contained in a statement by its president, Adebayo Ogunsanmi; secretary, Jide Oriola; and publicity secretary, Sunday Ayeni; on Monday.

The group alleged that Aiyedatiwa’s educational claims have been exposed as fraudulent.

According to the group, Aiyedatiwa’s curriculum vitae indicated that he obtained an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Ibadan in 2001.

However, their investigation revealed that such a diploma was not available at the University of Ibadan in 2001.

The group presented Aiyedatiwa’s academic records, stating that his educational journey commenced at Saint Peter’s UNA (now FAC) Primary School in Obe Nla/Obe Adun, Ilaje Local Government Area (LGA), Ondo State, from 1970 to 1976.

“He pursued his secondary education at Ikosi High School in Ketu, Lagos State, completing it in 1982,” the group said.

“In 1986, Aiyedatiwa achieved his Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) in Economics and Government at Lagos State College of Education (now known as Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education) located in Ijanikin, Lagos.

“He claimed to have earned an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Ibadan in 2001, after which he claimed to have become an alumnus of Lagos Business School – Pan Atlantic University, situated in Lekki, Lagos, though year and course of study were not included,” the group announced.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has invited the suspended Minister of humanitarian affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, to its headquarters for questioning over an alleged payment of N585.189 million grant meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states into a private account.

President Bola Tinubu had announced Mrs Edu’s immediate suspension from office through his Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale following reports of financial improprieties in her ministry.

An explosion at an illegal used engine oil modular refinery located in a densely populated area in Kano metropolis killed one person and injured several others on Monday.

LEADING REPORTERS reports that several houses were razed in the incident, which occurred at Katango area of Wailari, located along Ring Road Bypass, opposite Maryam Shekarau Estate, in Kano.

It was gathered that the fire started around 09:50 am.

It took about three hours for men of the Kano State Fire Service, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and fire workers from Salbas Petrol Station to bring the fire under control.

A dead body which was burnt beyond recognition, was later recovered from the debris.

The deceased was identified as Aminu, the driver of a truck conveying drums of used engine oil.

An eyewitness, Ahmad Umar Gaya, a personnel of the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), said he was on duty along the road when he heard an explosion.

Narrating what happened, Gaya said, “I immediately called the attention of the Kano Fire Service and directed them to the location.

“The place, which is located in the midst of residential houses at Katango in Wailari, is used to stock scraps of trucks and trailers and also to refine used engine oil for other purposes.

“No one can tell what exactly happened that led to the explosion. The trailer carrying drums of the used engine oil was gutted by the fire in which the driver was trapped and burnt beyond recognition.

“Close to the location were residential houses with women and children, and about five houses were gutted by the inferno.

“An old lady who could not walk was rescued from one of the houses and two kids were also rescued from another house when their mother ran out and left them inside, all through humanitarian efforts by onlookers. The fire incident took about three hours before it was put out.”

Governor Yahaya Bello has dissolved his entire cabinet and appointed caretaker chairmen to head the 21 local government councils.

Bello also deposed the Ohimege Igu, the paramount ruler of Koton Karfe, along with two other first-class chiefs. He has appointed the Ohinoyi of Ebira land and the Maigari of Lokoja.

More to follow…

Doyin Okupe, former head of the Labour Party’s presidential campaign, has resigned from the party, citing ideological differences that emerged after the 2023 elections.

In a letter made available on Monday, Okupe explained that his lifelong alignment with right-wing and liberal democratic principles clashed with Labour’s left-of-center ideology, making continued membership untenable.

The letter reads, “I submit herewith my letter of resignation from the Labour Party with effect from today. You will recall that our flagbearer, Mr Peter Obi, myself and others left the PDP abruptly and had to look for a Special Purpose Vehicle in which to contest the 2023 Presidential Elections.

“The Labour Party, your good self, and other members of your executives provided us with this veritable platform with no burdensomeness whatsoever and for which we were extremely grateful.

“We did contest the election on the platform of the Labour Party and lost. This makes it exceedingly difficult for me to continue to stay in the Labour Party which is ideologically rooted in the left of the center.

“I have been a rightist and a Liberal Democrat all my entire life. It is therefore this ideological conflict that makes me seek an exit so that I may continue my political activities with liberalism, sincerity and freedom.

“I wish to thank you in particular and other members of the leadership of the party for the cordiality and respect accorded to me as the Director General of the Obi-Datti Presidential Campaign Organization.

“I wish you and the party success in your future endeavors. Long live the Labour Party. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Your brother, friend and compatriot, Omooba (Dr Doyin Okupe, Former Director General Obi-Datti Campaign Organization.”