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Folarin Kehinde

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Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno Appoints Daughter As First Lady Following Wife’s Demise

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Governor Umo Eno has appointed his daughter, Mrs. Helen Eno Obareki, to assume the role of First Lady of Akwa Ibom State in an acting capacity after the death of his wife, Pastor Patience Umo Eno.

The government said the decision comes as a way to continue her legacy, especially her pet project, the Golden Initiative For All (GIFA).

The decision was made known during Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s condolence visit to the Eno family in Uyo on Friday, while praising the governor’s decision, stating,

“This is a thoughtful way to sustain Patience’s legacy, much like practices in the United States.”
Governor Eno, reflecting on his deep bond with his late wife, said, “I married her when she was 19, and I was 22. I called her Oluwa-Kemi because she was truly a gift from God.”

He added, “Her passing is an irreplaceable loss for me. She was my embodiment of the biblical virtuous woman.”

On the transition of the First Lady’s duties, Governor Eno introduced Helen, saying, “It is not an easy task ahead, but I present our daughter, Helen, to continue the duties of the office.”

Senator Tinubu also offered words of encouragement to Helen, saying, “Your mom didn’t bring you to me for nothing. I believe God will guide you.”

Addressing rumours of remarrying, Governor Eno joked, “I’m not considering remarrying anytime soon. I don’t have the money to pay another bride price.”

He stressed that his late wife’s legacy would continue through Helen, who will coordinate the First Lady’s office and its programmes.

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BREAKING: Wike loses polling unit to APP

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Former governor of Rivers State and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nysom Wike has been dealt a serious blow in the ongoing local government elections in the State.

With results announced so far from Obia-akpor local government area of the state, where Wike comes from, shows that he lost his polling unit to the All Peoples Party (APP).

More details to follow….

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60 million Nigerians gamble daily – Lottery agency DG

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Michael Eja, the Director General of Cross Rivers State Lottery and Gaming Agency, has said that an estimated 60 million Nigerians gamble daily.

He said the gambling industry in Nigeria is doing very well, and currently valued between N500 billion and N600 billion.

According to him, despite this, over 90 percent of the potential of the gambling industry has not been tapped.

Eja stated this in Abuja on Friday at the launch of a new sports betting platform, Woskybet.

“The betting industry is worth about $1 billion in Africa. Lagos state alone generated $243 million in revenue last year. So, gambling is coming up huge. And people are beginning to understand the essence of gambling,” he said.

“In Nigeria, presently, we are doing over N500 to N600bn in revenue. If I am not mistaken, we have over 150 million people in the country.

And presently, from the statistics that we have got, we know that about 60 million Nigerians gamble daily. We’ve not captured 90 percent of that market.”

Speaking on the Federal Government’s complaint about gambling centers failing to remit to the treasury, he added, “The government is doing its best. They are upgrading their platforms and they are working very hard to ensure that all the operators are brought into the tax net of each of the states in Nigeria, and gradually we’re beginning to bring them in.

“So over time, you’re going to see the benefit of, you know, the revenue that the gaming industry can generate in Nigeria.”

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BREAKING: Pro-Wike Loyalists Make Fresh Move to Stop Rivers LG Poll, Embark on Protest

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Loyalists of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, have taken to the streets to protest Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s decision to proceed with the local government elections in Rivers State, defying a Federal High Court judgment that cancelled the polls.

Leading reporters reports that the protesters comprised chieftains and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They demanded that Governor Fubara obey the court’s decision, citing concerns over the legitimacy of the electoral process.

In a similar move, hundreds of All Progressives Congress (APC) members gathered at the party’s secretariat in Port Harcourt, preparing to embark on a protest of their own.

It should be noted that the police on Friday announced its decision not to partake in the election.

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JUST IN: Explosion rocks Rivers APC secretariat as LG poll holds

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Buildings and other property were shattered in the early hours of Saturday as explosives suspected to be dynamite shattered the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

The explosion brought down the gate of the secretariat while doors, windows and other property were destroyed.

This is the second time the Chief Tony Okocha-led APC would be experiencing such an attack at its secretariat this year.

This came as the local government elections is set to hold in the state today as the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission said on Friday that all sensitive materials have been distributed to the various local government areas.

A viral video of the incident scene seen by our correspondent showed some workers at the facilities going round to ascertain the extent of damage.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she had yet to get a report on it but promised to revert.

The party has yet to make a statement on the incident.

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Tinubu bows to reps’ pressure, confers GCON on Speaker Abbas

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the nation’s second highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

This follows a protest by members of the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

In his 64th Independence Anniversary Speech on October 1, Tinubu had conferred the Commander of the Federal Republic( CFR) on the speaker and the deputy senate president.

But this development led to a debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, calling on the President to confer a higher honour on the Speaker.

In a statement on Friday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu was persuaded by the House of Representatives position and has decided to remedy the “historical error and oversight”.

“Thus, he has decided to upgrade the Speaker to GCON from CFR, in accordance with the National Order of Precedence.

“The speaker, the Senate President, other principal officers of the National Assembly and the Chief Justice of Nigeria will be formally decorated with their new honours later.”

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Nigeria may experience gas supply crisis in 2030 – NUPRC

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has expressed fear that Nigeria may face a gas supply crisis in 2030.

NUPRC’s Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe, stated this during the ongoing energy conference in Lagos.

According to Komolafe, between 2020 and 2030, demand for gas is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.6 per cent per annum.

“And Nigeria may face an impending gas supply crisis with a potential shortfall of 3.1 billion cubic feet per day by 2030 in the ‘Base Case Demand and Supply’ scenario,” he stated.

In his special industry address at the conference themed, ‘Gas as Energy Transition Fuel: Navigating Nigeria’s Trilemma of Finance, Energy Security, and International Politics’, Komolafe maintained that the post-Paris Agreement era had witnessed a growing recognition of the urgency to combat climate change.

Consequently, he noted that more countries and entities are establishing carbon neutrality targets, which in turn have resulted in a global shift towards a more sustainable and low-carbon energy landscape.

This, he said, has also brought about a decline in oil and gas investment as investors and financiers face mounting pressure from various fronts.

Komolafe maintained that the blueprint for various pathways to energy transition aligns perfectly with NUPRC’s national stance on “just transition”.

“The agenda for Nigeria and other resource-rich developing economies is that the evolving energy dynamics must be calibrated against geography, history, and politics as well as the need for energy justice, equity, inclusivity, and sustainability.

“The new dynamics in the global energy arena necessitate that Nigeria, a country long dependent on the exploitation of oil and gas as the mainstay of its economy, re-examine its strategy to secure a blossoming energy future while meeting the global climate goals.

“The future we envisage for the petroleum industry should assure for the utilisation of Nigeria’s endowed natural hydrocarbon resources for shared prosperity, energy accessibility, affordability, sustainability, security as well as energy independence and energy sovereignty which are the cardinal pillars of the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan,” he stated.

Komolafe recalled that the government had declared natural gas as the immediate transition fuel because it provides a cleaner alternative to oil and coal, emitting significantly fewer greenhouse gases while maintaining the reliability needed to power industries and homes.

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World Bank Approves $500m Loan For Nigeria

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The World Bank has given the green light to a $500 million loan to support the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) initiative to mitigate challenges of climate conditions.

World Bank’s Regional Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Development for West and Central Africa, Chakib Jenane, announced this during a visit to the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation on Thursday in Abuja.

Jenane said the SPIN project was approved during the World Bank’s Board meeting on September 26, adding that it was scheduled to commence in January 2025.

He added that the project is designed to address climate-related issues, including floods and droughts, through enhanced dam safety, improved water resource management, and expanded irrigation services.

Janane stated that the project would benefit approximately 950,000 people, including farmers and livestock breeders, emphasising the need for Nigeria to continue preparations to meet the remaining conditions for the project to be effective by the target date.

The World Bank team also provided an update on the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project, which is nearing completion.

The team also gave an update on the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (SURWASH) programme, and stressed the importance of involving more states in the initiative.

Jenane encouraged the ministry to explore the establishment of a National WASH Fund, a key objective under the SURWASH programme’s Disbursement Linked Indicator (DLI) 1.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, expressed his appreciation to the bank for its continued support of Nigeria’s development, particularly in sustainable infrastructure and water resource management.

He assured the delegation that the Nigerian government would provide the counterpart funding support to ensure the successful implementation of all World Bank-backed projects.

Utsev also emphasised the importance of completing the TRIMING Project on schedule and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to meeting the January 2025 deadline.

Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Dr Bello Goronyo also thanked the World Bank for its approval of the SPIN project, reiterating the ministry’s commitment to the project through collaborative efforts.

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VIDEO: Adeboye reverses self on “no tithe-no heaven” claim, tenders apology

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

In a rare case of self reversal and demonstration of humility, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has apologised for saying anybody who does not pay tithe will not make it to heaven.

Adeboye tendered the apology on Thursday while ministering at the ongoing youth convention of the church.

While inspiring the youth to aspire to do more for the Lord, he paused in the course of the message before dropping the shocking and unexpected apology for his comments on tithe payment.

“I am sorry for saying that if you don’t pay tithe, you won’t go to heaven. That is not in the Bible. What the Bible says is: follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man will make heaven,” Pastor Adeboye said.

Alluding to his message some years ago that non-tithers would not make heaven, he said: “It is possible to be right and wrong at the same time. I will prove it to you. For years, we taught that light travels in a straight line. Later, we say it travels in waves.”

He, however, told the youth that it was wrong to have limited people to “10 per cent when some of you should be giving 20 per cent, and 30 per cent, etc.

“10 per cent should be for beginners. Giving should be done violently. If you want to be on top to control finances, you will give beyond 10 per cent,” Adeboye said in what would appear to reduce tithe payment to the discretion of the congregants.

He recalled his experience at one of the conventions of the ministry of Kenneth E Hagin in Tulsa, United States, where a man promised to give more than what the 17,000 participants at the convention gave.

He said all participants had contributed about $3.5 million for the building of the Rhema Bible College, but the man promised he would give more than what everybody contributed to the project.

Pastor Adeboye disclosed that when he asked the man the secret of his sacrificial giving lifestyle, the latter told him how he had started a business with $500 and had told God if he blessed him, he would not insult Him with 10 per cent.

According to him, five years after the man started the business, he was making a turnover of $50 million, adding that was what inspired him to give towards God’s work enormously.

“I am sorry for saying you should pay 10 per cent. If we are going to dominate, we have to give violently,” Church Times quoted Adeboye to have said.

Watch video below:

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Tinubu exempts VAT for electric vehicles, CNG, others

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

In a bid to boost Nigeria’s energy and oil sectors, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has introduced new Value Added Tax (VAT) exemptions on critical energy products and infrastructure, alongside tax incentives for deep offshore oil and gas projects.

The announcement, made on Wednesday, revealed that Diesel, Feed Gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Electric Vehicles, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure, and Clean Cooking Equipment will now be exempt from VAT, offering significant financial relief to these sectors..

Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, emphasized that these measures, known as the VAT Modification Order 2024 and the Notice of Tax Incentives for Deep Offshore Oil & Gas Production, are part of a broader strategy aimed at revitalizing Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

He added that these tax breaks are in line with the Oil & Gas Companies (Tax Incentives, Exemption, Remission, etc.) Order 2024, which aims to attract more investment to Nigeria’s energy sector and make the country a key player in global oil and gas markets.

According to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Finance, these new fiscal policies are designed to reduce the cost of living, strengthen energy security, and facilitate Nigeria’s transition to cleaner energy sources. The tax reliefs on deep offshore projects are specifically geared towards positioning Nigeria’s offshore oil basins as prime destinations for international investments.

These reforms underscore the Tinubu administration’s commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth and enhancing Nigeria’s competitive edge in the global energy landscape.

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