Folarin Kehinde

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Delu Bulus Yakubu as the pioneer national coordinator and chief executive officer (CEO) of the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA).

A statement by Anjuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, on Thursday, said the appointment is subject to senate confirmation.
The National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA) (Establishment) Act, 2023, was signed into law on May 22, 2023.
Yakubu holds a Masters degree in agronomy from the State University of Bio-Technology in Kharkiv, Ukraine, with over 15 years worth of working experience in Social Investment Programme management.

President Tinubu was quote to have said he expects the new appointee to convey the highest level of efficiency, transparency, and qualitative service delivery at NSIPA, in his determination to actualize the Renewed Hope agenda of his administration.

President Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, September 17, approved the nomination of Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim as Minister of Youth and Mr. Ayodele Olawande as Minister of State of the ministry.
The new nominations are subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Senate, a statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said.

He said: “President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim to serve as the Minister of Youth, pending her confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The President has further approved the nomination of Mr. Ayodele Olawande to serve as the Minister of State for Youth, pending his confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim is a young medical doctor and most recently served as the President of the Progressive Young Women Forum (PYWF). She has also served as the Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Mr. Ayodele Olawande is a community development expert and youth leader in the governing All Progressives’ Congress (APC). He most recently served in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Innovation from 2019 to 2023.

“President Tinubu charges the above-mentioned nominees to ensure that they consistently reflect the dynamism, innovative zeal, and unyielding productivity that are synonymous with the young people of Nigeria as they discharge their duties.”

A United Arab Emirates (UAE) official has contradicted the claim by the Nigerian government that it has lifted the visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers.

According to CNN, the official from the Gulf state disclosed this in a chat.

“There are no changes on the Nigeria/UAE travel status so far,” the source asked not to be named was quoted to have said.

Presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, had claimed that the visa ban was lifted after President Bola Tinubu met with Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his UAE counterpart, on Monday.

Daily Trust had reported how President Bola Tinubu proceeded to Abu Dahbi, UAE capital, from India, where he attended the G-20 Summit.

In a statement issued after the meeting, Ajuri had said, “President Bola Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalised a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travellers.

“Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.”

But the UAE authorities were silent on these issues in a statement they issued after the meeting, fueling suspicion among Nigerians.

In its statement, the Middle East country said Nigeria and the UAE would work together to reinforce their ties and explore opportunities for further bilateral collaborations.

Apparently reacting to the controversy created by his initial comment, Ngelale had said officials from both countries needed more time to finalise agreement details, a pure contradiction of his previous statement that the issue had been resolved.

“Given the agreement struck between the two Heads of State, there is need to allow cabinet officials from both sides to work out the finer details and finalize the cross-sectoral agreements,” he said, adding that “Everyone can now allow the process to work itself out organically, devoid of speculation.”

Asked to react to the visa ban and flight resumption issue during the Aviation Africa Summit in Abuja on Thursday, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, said there was no timeframe.

He had said: “So, we are beginning to work out all the tiny details. I have met with Emirate before I left UAE, and we are working out the details. We cannot say the time frame. Kicking off an airline operation again on a route, does not mean you will go and grab one empty plane sitting in a place.”

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Muhammad Sani Abdullahi Dattijo as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Dattijo served as Commissioner of Budget and Planning under immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.

The president also sacked all the deputies that served under Godwin Emefiele, former governor of CBN, who is in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Presidential spokeman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, announced this in a statement on Friday.

Ngelale said President Tinubu had approved the nomination of four new Deputy Governors of the CBN, for a term of five (5) years at the first instance, pending their confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.

Aside from Dattijo, under nominees are: Mrs. Emem Nnana Usoro, Mr. Philip Ikeazor, and Dr. Bala M. Bello.

The appointments are subject to confirmation of the Senate.

There was mild drama on Friday when former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in a trending video on social media, ordered some Yoruba monarchs to stand up and greet him.

Obasanjo who was in Oyo State on the invitation of the governor Seyi Makinde made the remarks during the commissioning of a 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Road and the completed Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Iseyin Campus, which houses the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources.

He said in Yoruba, “I greet the kings and chiefs here sitting; I am grateful that you are here. Let me say this: wherever the president or governor is, the kings present must stand up to honour him.

“In Yoruba land, there are two things that are most respected among others: age and position. When a governor is still in power, he’s more powerful than any king.

“Even when I was president, I prostrated for kings outside, and when we went inside, the kings would prostrate for me. So, let’s always celebrate our culture.”

Muhammad Nami, former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has spoken about the record he would have set if President Bola Tinubu had not replaced him.

On Thursday, Tinubu had asked Nami to proceed on three months pre-retirement leave, while announcing Zacchaeus Adedeji, his Special Adviser on Revenue, as replacement in acting capacity.

In his farewell statement, Nami expressed appreciation to ex-President, Muhamnmadu Buhari and President Tinubu for allowing him to serve the country for almost four years.

Nami said he was able to collect tax of more than N8 trillion in eight months and would have set a new record of a minimum of N13 trillion at the end of this tax year.

The statement, titled, “My Appreciation To Nigerians’, reads: “With utmost gratitude to the Almighty God, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the erstwhile President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, and the incumbent president, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, for the opportunity given to me to serve the country and humanity as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for almost four years. I want to extend my deep appreciation to the entire staff of the Service, our esteemed taxpayers, and Nigerians for believing in me, and for the support and cooperation extended to me throughout my tenure.

“I want to put on record that the support and cooperation I received enabled my team to meet our target, and set new records for tax collection in Nigeria. Even as I take my bow, we have so far collected more than N8 Trillion in eight months and would have set a new record of a minimum of N13 trillion at the end of this tax year.

“During the inauguration of the erstwhile Board Members of the Service, I promised to raise the country’s Tax-To-GDP ratio from 6% to 10% in 4-years. We already have achieved a Tax-to-GDP ratio of 10.86% within two years (i.e. as at 31st December 2021.)

“I can, therefore, say that I am leaving as a fulfilled man knowing that I have served diligently. I am equally leaving a Service that is built on world-class best practices. Indeed, it couldn’t have been more fulfilling.

“I implore the staff, taxpayers, and Nigerians to extend the same measure of cooperation to the incoming Executive Chairman, Mr. Zacch Adedeji, to enable him to succeed. Tax collection is a sensitive matter that requires all hands on deck to achieve.”

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Olayemi Cardoso as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Details to come…..

The acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Friday, said collaborative efforts were ongoing to secure the “swift” release of eight National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) kidnapped in Zamfara State about four weeks ago.

IGP Egbetokun stated this while delivering his remarks at the meeting with strategic police managers and media briefing highlighting policies, breakthroughs, and achievements of the Nigeria Police Force in the last five weeks.

The police boss stated that the safety and well-being of all citizens, particularly young NYSC members, remained of utmost importance to the Force.

“We are firm in our commitment to intensify our efforts at ensuring the safe rescue of these abducted Corp Members and all others still in captivity of criminal gangs in any part of the country,” he said.

“Currently, we are actively engaged in the sharing and analysing intelligence gathered thus far, while also exploring collaborative efforts with security agencies to secure the unconditional release of these individuals as swiftly as possible without harm.

“It is imperative to note that rescue operations generally demand a careful, tactical and deliberate approach, conducted with the utmost caution to avoid unintended harm to the victims.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday, assured that he will work to ensure Nigerians are taken out of poverty.

Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, disclosed via a statement that Tinubu spoke while receiving a 62-person delegation from Rivers State, at the State House, Abuja.

The delegation comprised leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of which Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers Governor, were part of the delegation.

The President posited that neither Rivers nor Nigeria has any business being associated with poverty, insecurity or under-development.

He assured that under his leadership, the narrative would be “permanently and positively changed.”

“We are not meant to be in a position to be poor. We will turn the tide. Somewhere, somehow in this storm, there’s a quiet and peaceful place for us. We will locate it.

“We are not lazy people. We are richly endowed. We just need to be our brother’s keeper, and good neighbours to one another.

“I am not a President that will give excuses. I will work hard for our nation with purpose, determination and dedication to create wealth for all Nigerians. We have no reason to be poor! We will not look back, we will run aggressively forward.

“Today, we may be swimming against the tide. But the waves will soon propel us forward from behind. We will achieve the goals and dreams of our forefathers. I am inspired by the nation of people I now lead,” the statement quoted Tinubu as saying.

Tinubu further pleaded with the younger generation to be more patient with the processes of government while pledging to work hard for the country.

“I am the captain and chief salesman of the country. We have to reverse the trend and achieve possibilities within a short period of time. Our people have high expectations for us,” he said.

Fubara, on his part, told the President that the people of Rivers voted for him in the last elections based on their belief in fairness, equity and justice.

“This is the first time that Rivers State is truly feeling the impact of the federal government since the inception of democracy in 1999,” he said.

He also commended Tinubu for the appointments of Wike and Ngelale as the FCT minister and presidential spokesperson, respectively, as well as other sons and daughters of Rivers state into the boards and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other institutions.

Recall that former president, Muhammadu Buhari slammed Nigeria youth as being lazy and uneducated.