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Supreme Court Blocks CBN from Releasing Funds To Rivers Govt, Directs Amaewhule to Reconvene Pro Wike Assembly

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Supreme Court has prohibited the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other relevant agencies from releasing funds to the Rivers State Government until it complies with previous court orders.

Delivering a one-hour, thirty-six-minute judgment, Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, leading a five-member panel, dismissed a cross-appeal by Governor Siminalayi Fubara challenging the legitimacy of the Rivers State House of Assembly under the speakership of Martin Amaewhule.

The court ordered Amaewhule to resume sitting immediately with all elected members of the House, ruling that Governor Fubara acted unlawfully by presenting an appropriation bill before a four-member Assembly, thereby excluding 28 constituencies. It described this action as a violation of a court directive requiring him to present the 2024 budget to a duly constituted Assembly led by Amaewhule.

Additionally, the court condemned the governor’s handling of the alleged defection of 28 lawmakers, labeling it an act of “brigandage and dictatorship” aimed at preventing the House from carrying out its legislative duties.

The Supreme Court further criticized the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, describing it as an abuse of executive power intended to obstruct the legislative process.

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Natasha is a content creator, liar -Akpabio’s wife dismisses sexual harassment allegations

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The wife of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Unoma, has dismissed claims of sexual harassment against her husband by Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti.

Unoma said Natasha was maligning her husband and “creating content for personal gains”.

Earlier, the lawmaker had accused Akpabio of making sexual advances at her.

Narrating her ordeals, the light skinned lawmaker recalled how the Senate President made sexual advances at her in the presence of her husband.

The Kogi born senator made the allegation on Friday while fielding questions on Arise Television Morning Show programme.

Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Akpabio blocked her motions from being heard on the floor of the red chamber because she rejected his advances

However, Unoma while addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday, dismissed Natasha’s claims.

The wife of the Senate President described her husband as a disciplined and jovial person who is often misinterpreted.

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Natasha Vs Akpabio: ‘From Senate Seating to Bed’, Ex-Lawmaker Calls For Caution

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

A former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central at the Nigerian Senate has called for caution in the debacle between the Senate President and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Describing the aftermath of the incident perceived to have started from a seating arrangement order in the Red Chamber as unfortunate, Shehu Sani called for caution from all parties involved in the matter.

He said, “It’s unfortunate,that the senate Issue was simply about seat and now about bed.

“Need for caution and restraint,” Sani wrote on X.

Recall that a brawl had ensued between Godswill Akpabio, Nigeria’s Senate President and Akpoti-Uduaghan over seating arrangement last week.

However, making an appearance on Arise Television on Friday, the Kogi lawmaker accused the Senate President of making sexual advances towards her.

She added that her problem in the Senate – which allegedly involved harassment and stepping down some of her contributions and proposed bills – stems from refusing the advances Akpabio made towards her.

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Tinubu
Headlines

Breaking: Tinubu signs N54.99trn 2025 budget into law

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday signed the ₦ 54.99 trillion 2025 appropriation bill into law at the presidential villa in Abuja.

The bill, which was passed in separate sessions by the two Chambers of the National Assembly on Thursday, February 13, after increasing it from the initial figures of N49.7 trillion submitted by President Tinubu, was signed in a brief ceremony in the President’s office.

The 2025 Appropriation Act represents a 99.96% increase from the 2024 Budget of N27.5 trillion.

The key breakdown of the 2025 budget is as follows: Total Expenditure: ₦54.99 trillion; Statutory Transfers: ₦3.65 trillion; Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure: ₦13.64 trillion; Capital Expenditure: ₦23.96 trillion; Debt Servicing: ₦14.32 trillion; Deficit-to-GDP Ratio: 1.52%.

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Headlines

BREAKING: Supreme Court sacks all Rivers Local Government Chairmen loyal to Fubara

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Supreme Court has invalidated the local government elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on October 5, 2024, citing significant breaches of the Electoral Act.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Jamilu Tukur ruled that the election was null and void due to a lack of substantial compliance with electoral laws and guidelines. According to the court, RSIEC failed to adhere to proper procedures, particularly by continuing voter registration after officially announcing the election date.

Justice Tukur emphasized that the electoral commission’s actions violated Section 150 of the Electoral Act, which outlines the necessary procedures for conducting local government elections.

The court further noted that the hurried process leading up to the election compromised its credibility, rendering the entire exercise unlawful.

More to come…

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Headlines

Fuel Price Hike: Bayero University Loans Bicycles To Workers

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The leadership of Bayero University Kano State on Thursday, February 27, announced that it distrusted some bicycles to staff of the institution.

A post by the university in its X page said this was the second batch of bicycles distributed to workers of the institution.

According to the post, the bicycles were given to the junior staff of the university to cushion the challenges faced by the increased fuel prices and the economic hardship hitting hard on the people.

Also a statement on the university’s official website said, “In a bid to ease transportation challenges for junior staff, the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, distributed the second batch of bicycles under the university’s welfare initiative.

“During the distribution ceremony, Professor Abbas, assisted by the Chairman of the Bicycle Loan Committee, Professor Mahmoud Umar Sani, and other committee members, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to staff welfare,” the statement said.

It also stated that the bicycle will assist mobility of staff to work.

According to the statement, a total of 47 bicycles were distributed while 100 bicycles were distributed in the first phase.

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Why I rejected N500m offers from Ministers, DGs during my mother’s burial – EFCC chair

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede on Thursday disclosed how he turned down offers from government officials amounting to N500m during his mother’s funeral in 2019.

The EFCC boss, who spoke at the 38th Anti-Corruption Situation Room in Abuja, explained that the substantial gifts, which included cheques and drafts, were sent to him by ministers, directors, MDAs and other high-ranking government officials.

Olukoyede noted that he was serving as the Secretary of the commission at the time he buried his mother.

Recounting how he received the offers, Olukoyede narrated that upon his return to his family home in Ekiti State prior to the burial, his gate man presented those checks to him.

According to him, after reviewing the cheques, he decided to return them.

The EFCC chairman narrated, “I lost my mother in the year 2019 (in Ekiti State). We went for the funeral. I was the secretary of the EFCC then. People came. So I went to my place a day before the funeral service.

By the time I got to my small compound, which I built several years ago before I joined the EFCC, I saw about 17 cows in my compound, including pregnant ones.

“When I got home, my gate man presented a box to me and inside it, I saw so many cheques and drafts from ministers, permanent secretaries, directors, DGs of agencies, etc.

“And so, I went in and showed it to my wife. She said, ‘Praise God’. I said, ‘Praise God for what?’ By the time we put all the cheques together, it counted close to N500m.

I did the burial in September 2019. By July 2020, I was under investigation. Now, assuming all those cheques were paid into my account as traditional gifts and some of the MDAs that we were investigating in the EFCC, some of their directors and their DGs and their ministers sent cheques to me.

“Ordinarily, I mean for burial, some gave me one million, N20m and all of that. Even though that would not have influenced my decision if I was in a position to determine what would happen to their investigations, how would I have explained before a panel that they saw cheques paid into my account?”

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BREAKING: Akpabio after me because I refused to have sex with him – Senator Natasha

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, has claimed her troubles in the Senate started after she rejected Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s sexual advances.

Speaking during an interview with Arise TV on Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan compared her experience to that of a student being unfairly punished by a lecturer for refusing to give in to inappropriate demands.

“My case is a case of a student being punished by a lecturer for refusing to sleep with him,” she said.

The senator also addressed the controversy surrounding her sitting arrangement in the chamber. She acknowledged that Order 10 of the Senate Rules states that senators must speak from their assigned seats. However, she argued that when it comes to issues of privilege, lawmakers are allowed to speak from anywhere in the chamber.

On why other female senators have not publicly supported her, Akpoti-Uduaghan suggested they had their own reasons for staying silent. However, she revealed that Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory, had privately called her—not to offer support, but to criticize her for filing a defamation lawsuit against Akpabio.

The Kogi senator also responded to Akpabio’s previous nightclub comments, in which he had jokingly referred to the Senate as a nightclub. She dismissed claims that it was a slip of the tongue, alleging instead that the Senate President had once personally suggested organizing a private party in a nightclub setting for them to “have fun.”

Furthermore, Akpoti-Uduaghan denied allegations of corruption raised in a petition by a northern youth group, which was submitted to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, Public Petitions, and Code of Conduct. She alleged that the petition was orchestrated by individuals who wanted her to divert committee funds for their benefit.

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Edukoya
BusinessHeadlines

Nigerian EduTech Company Edukoya Shuts Down, 3 Years After Raising $3.5 Million

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

After three years of operation, Nigerian education technology startup Edukoya has ceased operations, citing poor infrastructure and economic challenges that hindered its ability to scale.

The startup, which secured Africa’s largest pre-seed funding of $3.5 million in 2021, announced on Wednesday that it would return capital to investors rather than continue in what it described as an unsustainable market environment.

In a statement obtained by reporters, Edukoya said despite early success, it faced significant adoption barriers, including limited internet penetration, high device costs, and declining disposable incomes, which impacted its target audience’s ability to pay for digital education services.

Launched to revolutionize digital learning for K-12 (primary and secondary) students, Edukoya quickly gained traction, enrolling over 80,000 students, facilitating millions of practice questions, and conducting thousands of live tutoring sessions.

However, after considering strategic alternatives such as partnerships, mergers, and business model pivots, the company found no viable path forward.

“Having explored various strategies to sustain operations—including partnerships, mergers, and business model shifts—without success, we’ve made the difficult decision to shut down and return capital to investors rather than exhaust resources in an unsupportive market,” the statement read.

“This strategic shutdown—though counterintuitive in a startup culture that emphasizes persistence at all costs—creates better outcomes for everyone: our investors can redeploy capital, our team can transition with dignity, and we preserve our vision’s integrity instead of compromising to survive.”

Edukoya’s closure reflects broader challenges in Africa’s edtech sector, where startups struggle to balance innovation with infrastructure limitations and affordability concerns. While digital learning remains a high-potential market, achieving large-scale adoption continues to be difficult.

The company expressed gratitude to its team, parents, students, and investors, stating that while its journey is ending, the insights gained could contribute to future innovations in African edtech when market conditions improve.

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AGF
Headlines

₦1.96bn Fraud: Ex-AGF Pleads With Court To Negotiate With EFCC

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

A former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Anamekwe Nwabuoku, facing trial over an alleged ₦1.96 billion fraud, has requested more time from the Federal High Court in Abuja to negotiate a settlement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Nwabuoku, who is standing trial on a nine-count charge, made the plea on Monday after the EFCC, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Ekele Iheanacho, informed the court that it had five witnesses ready to testify.

Although his lawyer, Isidore Udenko, represented him in court, the defendant disclosed that he had engaged a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to facilitate an out-of-court settlement. Udenko noted that a previous attempt to reach an agreement with the anti-graft agency had failed, leading to the commencement of trial.

Responding, EFCC’s counsel, Iheanacho, stated that while the prosecution was prepared to proceed with the trial, it had no objection to the defendant’s request if it served the interest of justice.

“Even though our five witnesses are in court and we are ready to go on with the trial, however, if the request of the defendant will meet the justice of the case, we will not be opposing,” he said.

Following the submission, Justice James Omotosho adjourned the case to March 13, 2025, for either a settlement report or the continuation of the trial.

Nwabuoku was appointed as acting AGF in May 2022 after the suspension and subsequent trial of former AGF Ahmed Idris over an alleged ₦80.2 billion fraud. However, the EFCC later accused Nwabuoku of financial misconduct before his appointment, leading to his removal in July 2022.

He was subsequently charged alongside a Director in the Federal Civil Service, Felix Nweke. However, the EFCC later amended the charge, removing Nweke as a co-defendant after he agreed to testify against Nwabuoku.

According to the prosecution, Nwabuoku allegedly violated Section 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended in 2012), an offence punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

The court had earlier heard testimony from Nweke, who alleged that Nwabuoku used four different companies to divert public funds. He further stated that the illicit funds were deposited in accounts controlled by an individual identified as Gideon Joseph.

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