Nelson Ugwuagbo

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Governor of Rivers State, has reaffirmed his commitment to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stating unequivocally that he has no plans to leave the party.

During a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike declared his readiness to confront the challenges within the PDP, referring to his adversaries as “vampires” and emphasizing his determination to stay and fight for what he believes in.

Wike dismissed speculation about joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that he conducts his actions openly and would not secretly switch parties. He emphasized his loyalty to the PDP and his willingness to face any challenges that come his way.

“I don’t back down from any fight. I will stay in the PDP and face whatever comes. Who do I have to run from? The vampires?” Wike stated, underscoring his resolve to remain in the party.

Wike also highlighted his past actions as evidence of his integrity, recalling how he openly refused to support the PDP’s presidential candidate. He emphasized that if he wanted to join the APC, he would do so openly.

Wike criticized those who question his loyalty, suggesting that they lack the integrity he values. “People should be known for something. Integrity is crucial. Those who are talking are just scared of my presence,” he concluded, asserting his commitment to staying in the PDP.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged voters and political Stakeholders in Edo State to ensure a peaceful and coordinated elections in the forthcoming Edo State Governorship elections.

INEC’s Supervising National Commissioner for Edo, Delta and Cross River States, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, stated this at the commission’s office in Benin at the presentation of voter registers to the chairmen and representatives of the 16 participating political parties.

Gumus said, “Election should not be a do-or-die affair. If you do not win today, you may win tomorrow. Problems always erupt on election day. Politicians and their supporters in Edo State should eschew violence.

“INEC is ready for the governorship election in Edo State. We want the stakeholders to cooperate with the electoral commission to make the activities before, during and after the election to be seamless. I am giving an assurance that with the support of the security agencies, the election will be peaceful, free and fair.”

The supervising national commissioner also urged Edo residents and other Nigerians to be proud of their motherland, and never to allow tribe or tongue to divide them.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Edo, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, earlier reiterated that 2,501,081 voters were registered in the state for the 2023 general elections, while 173,048 persons were registered during the Continuous Voter Registration from May 27 to June 9, 2024, with 119,206 registrants, including the persons who transferred their PVCs, being valid, thereby bringing the total to 2,501,081 eligible voters.

The REC said campaigns would stop on September 19, while the governorship election would hold on September 21.

The Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in Edo, Greg Igbinomwanhia, who is also the state’s Chairman of People’s Redemption Party, commended INEC for carrying out activities of the election without hitch.

Igbinomwanhia added that the September 21 governorship poll in Edo must not just be free and fair, but peaceful.

He urged the leaders and members of the political parties to shun violence so that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s successor would be elected without rancour.

The Naira fell to N1, 600 per dollar in the parallel market from N1,590 per dollar last weekend.

The Naira strengthened to N1,579.22 per dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), marking an appreciation in value.

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange rate for NAFEM fell to N1,579.22 per dollar from N1,579.89 per dollar last week Friday, indicating 67 kobo appreciation for the naira.

The volume of dollars traded in the market increased by 41.4 per cent to $162.99 million from $115.23 million traded last weekend.

Consequently, the margin between the parallel market and NAFEM rate widened to N20.78 per dollar from N10.11 per dollar last week Friday.

Nigerian Billionaire and Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu has launched Ucee Microfinance Bank, a subsidiary of United Capital Plc, a leading investment and financial services group.

Tony Elumelu performed the unveiling ceremony in Lagos, accompanied by a delegation of top executives, including Stephen Nwadiukpo, Chairman of Ucee MFB, Peter Ashade, Group CEO of United Capital Plc, and Esther Adeola-Balogun, Managing Director/CEO of Ucee MFB.

According to Elumelu, the new bank is committed to improving lives, creating prosperity, and helping society live comfortably. Elumelu expressed hope that the new bank would surpass the collective expectations of the group, consumers and the Nigerian public.

He expressed confidence in the bank’s leadership’s ability to take it beyond Nigeria’s shores.

Ashade said that Ucee MFB strives to drive financial inclusion and increase access to capital financial services in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) objectives.

Adeola-Balogun explained that the new microfinance bank was digitally focused on bridging the gap between digital and traditional microfinance banking operations.

She said that beyond profit-making, the Ucee MFB was ready to impact the lives of Nigerians.

According to her, the bank’s medium of reaching the Nigerian public is via its mobile app, a one-stop shop for all its products and services.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has inaugurated a 10-man Inter-Ministerial Committee to enforce the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.

The committee was announced on Tuesday in Abuja by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the SGF, Segun Imohiosen. Imohiosen revealed the names of the committee members, which include the SGF as Chairman.

The committee members comprise key government officials, including the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and Accountant General of the Federation.

Other members include the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, and representatives of state governors and local governments.

According to Imohiosen, the committee’s primary goal is to ensure local governments are granted full autonomy, enabling them to function effectively without interference from state governments.

This move aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to implement the Constitution’s provisions, recognizing local governments as the third tier of government.

Implicating Documents revealing Alahaji Aliko Dangote’s half brother as part of the sect importing substandard Petroleum from Malta to Nigeria has been uncovered by Journalist.

The Documents obtained show that MRS Oil & Gas Co. Limited, owned by Sayyu Dantata, half-brother of billionaire Aliko Dangote, imports premium motor spirit (PMS) or fuel into Nigeria from Malta.

Dantata is the founder and CEO of MRS Holdings Ltd, formerly known as MRS Group.

Recall that Alahaji Aliko Dangote himself was the one who raised alarm on the Importation of substandard PMS from Malta by some individuals in Nigerian National Petroleum Commission Limited (NNPCL).

He alleged that these NNPC officials had established a refinery in Malta, from which they import inferior fuel into Nigeria in other to sabotage his own rifenery.

He said, “Even at 650,000 bpm and 700,000 bpm that we are producing was a better quality than what was imported. And I am sure most of you will have problems with your vehicle because of the bad fuel that were imported into the country, I still stand by what I said

Indeed, Nigeria’s petroleum imports from Malta skyrocketed to $2.8 billion in 2023, a stark contrast to the previous years: $0 between 2017 and 2022, and a negligible $13.32 million in 2016.

Meanwhile, documents obtained have revealed that Dangote’s half-brother has also been importing fuel from Malta, showing Nigeria’s big players in the petroleum industry have been importing refined fuel from the European country.

One of the documents dated March 4, 2024, is a letter from Moyosola Kuku, General Manager of Risk Management at MRS & Oil Co. Limited, addressed to the Managing Director of NNPCL.

The letter, titled ‘Submission of Shipping/Cargo Documents for Petroleum Product Delivery MT AETHER/SUB with Laycan 17th-19th February 2024,’ provides evidence of fuel importation by MRS from Malta.

The letter from Moyosola Kuku, GM Risk Management at MRS & Oil Co. Limited, referenced attached original documents related to MT AETHER, including: Marine Insurance (Mother Vessel); letter from supplier; bill of lading; certificate of quantity; certificate of quality before loading; certificate of quality after loading; master receipt; notice of readiness loadport; vessel survey report before and after loading; ullage report before and after loading; bunker survey report (fuel oil & diesel oil); cargo pumping log; time log and VEF.

These documents provide detailed information about the fuel shipment.

Also, in a letter addressed to the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) dated March 4, 2024, and signed by Moyosola Kuku, the MRS Oil & Gas Co. Limited General Manager, Risk Management, the firm confirmed the purchase of fuel from OPL Malta.

Part of the letter titled ‘Letter of Advice on Trade to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’, reads, “We, MRS Oil & Gas Co. Ltd, with registered address No 2, Tincan Island Port Road, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria.

“We hereby confirm that MRS Oil & Gas Co. Ltd purchased 91,219.232 Mt Vac of unleaded gasoline 91 Ron from PETROCAM DMCC, which was loaded at the port of OPL Malta, onto vessel MT AETHER with bill of loading dated 19/02/2024…

“In line with the February 2024 spot gasoline supply contract, we subsequently sold full cargo on board MT AETHER (91,219.232 MTV) to NNPC for delivery Offshore Lagos.”

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has given his approval for a new monthly minimum wage of N70,000 for workers in the state and local government.

The state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Emmanuel Fashe, stated that the decision was made during a meeting on Monday afternoon with leaders of organised labour.

Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Fashe revealed that state government employees will receive the new wage this month, while local government workers will see the increase starting next month.

He explained that the new wage will be implemented using the same consequential adjustment table used in 2019 for the previous N32,000 minimum wage, pending the release of updated guidelines from the National Salaries, Wages, and Income Commission.

“Whatever the worker was getting as present national minimum wage of N32,000 as it applies to Adamawa state, that same will be applied in terms of percentages in implementation of the new minimum wage,” Fashe said.

He said Fintiri accepted the N70,000 new minimum wage even before the release of the table from the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission because he is keen on the welfare of workers.

Barrister Niyi Ijalaye, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogun State, has passed away.

He reportedly slumped and died in his hotel room in Abuja on Monday evening.

The incident occurred shortly after Ijalaye attended a meeting of RECs at the INEC headquarters.

The meeting, chaired by INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, focused on the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States, as well as discussions on seven vacant seats in the National and State Assemblies.

Ijalaye had been in high spirits during the meeting and was seen in photos posted by the Commission, dressed in a blue-striped kaftan and a red cap.

However, he reportedly retired to his hotel room at the Bon Octagon Hotel in the Federal Capital Territory, where the incident took place.

The cause of Ijalaye’s death has not been officially disclosed. He was posted to Ogun State in March 2022, following the transfer of Olusegun Agbaje to Lagos State.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not yet released an official statement regarding Ijalaye’s death. His passing has come as a shock, and the circumstances surrounding his death are still unclear.

Tragedy struck in Sokoto State as four military personnel who were part of Operation Hadarin Daji, were killed in an ambush by terrorists in the Bachaka Kurya Forest, located in the Gudu Local Government Area.

Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, confirmed the incident in a statement released in Abuja on Monday.

The ambush took place near the Nigeria-Niger border. The military authorities said in the ensuing firefight, several terrorists were killed, and troops recovered weapons and ammunition.

The statement added, “The corpses of the killed terrorist reveal that it was perpetrated by a terror group from Niger Republic known a Lakurawa. Sadly, 4 of own personnel were killed in the encounter.“The remaining of the terror group escaped into Niger Republic. Troops are however in pursuit to find and destroy the terrorist.”

The Abia State Government has confirmed one case of Monkeypox in the state, according to Commissioner for Information Prince Okey Kanu. Out of 13 suspected cases, one tested positive, nine were negative, and three are still awaiting confirmation, with no fatalities reported so far.

The lone case was recorded in Isialangwa, and the state has established centers for treatment and management, including the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, with more centers to be opened soon.

Special Adviser on Health Dr. Ngozi Azodo emphasized the collaboration between the Ministries of Health, Environment, and Public Utilities to combat infectious diseases.

A steering committee has been set up, and the state has adopted the Federal Government’s “One-Health” policy.

Azodo urged citizens to maintain good hygiene, avoid contact with animals, and steer clear of individuals with suspected cases.

She also announced plans to upgrade 200 Primary Healthcare Centres in 100 days, starting in September, with completion expected by December as a “Christmas gift” to the people of Abia.

The state government is taking steps to strengthen healthcare facilities and maintain high surveillance to prevent the spread of Monkeypox and other infectious diseases.