President Bola Tinubu has signed a bill creating the North-Central Development Commission (NCDC).
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, announced the signing of the bill today in the Senate chamber.
Details later…….
President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has been called to, as a matter of national importance and for his educational policies to succeed, sack the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board JAMB, Prof. Isaq Oloyede for policy summersault and for his inability to align JAMB along the educational policy of the current admission.
For almost 10 years, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Isaq Oloyede has been at the helms of affairs of the institution since his appointment by former President, Muhammadu Buhari with many policy irregularities linked to his track records.
In 2017, a lopsided and one-sided policy adopted by JAMB led to an avoidable fracas between JAMB and Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) University of Ibadan Chapter with the like of Dr Deji Omole calling on the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede to voluntarily resign from office for his lack of visionary leadership.
The Academic Union also asked the former Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu to call the registrar to order to lessen the difficulty being experienced by the candidates. The JAMB leader Prof. Isaq is has continued to bring out policies without consultation with other stakeholders in the educational sector. Such policies have always become a log on the wheel of educational policy in Nigeria.
Dr Omole said the board had outlived its usefulness and the best thing is to scrap it and allow universities design their standard examination for their own candidates.
He noted that the fact that a mock examination was stopped due to logistic reasons underscored the point of incompetence of the Registrar, noting that if candidates could not do mock, how sure are they to pass the examination.
“Why will anybody make life difficult for candidates whose parents are struggling to live under the terrible condition the government has made them to live in?”
“Why would somebody introduce changes that are only known by members of the board? We have made case for the scrapping of this body because in the present instance, the introduction of different registration procedures has turned candidates to victims of fraud.”
“While different centres now make business by arranging with private schools who bring all their students in group to come and register, children of the masses who cannot afford such privileges look on in despair and helplessness.”
“This is a failed approach to change and the Registrar admitted this with the cancellation of the mock examination. How can we ensure that the candidates prepare well for the exams when they spend weeks waiting for Personal Identification Number and are at the mercy of registration officers who force them to go to cybercafes where they have arrangements to first create their profile before they can have their PIN”
“This is where people are duping Nigerian children. This is a total failure. Students must have at least three months for registration, its procedure must be open and their options to public universities must not be limited to serve the agenda of the proprietors of private universities”, he argued.
In 2018, the nation went agog with the news of a whopping sum of N36m reportedly swallowed by snake under the watch of Oloyede, according to report a “mystery snake” sneaked into JAMB accounts office and made away with the N36m cash, the money was said to be from the purchases of scratch cards from JAMB state offices and other designated centres.
Recently, JAMB allocated a whooping ₦1.1 billion for staff meals in its 2025 budget, describing it as a measure to enhance productivity and protect sensitive ICT infrastructure, one would wonder if the institution is meant for eating and drinking alone.
To put this in context, early this year a sacked deputy director of the JAMB, Mr Yisa Usman, alluded to the corruption in the institution when he told the Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, that he faced threats for exposing corruption at the board.
Usman disclosed this during cross-examination as sole witness in the suit he instituted against JAMB over his alleged unlawful dismissal.
While the controversy about either post UTME should be abolished or not (another milk cow), the current challenges facing prospective candidates applying for 2025 UTME is more worrisome, a check by this medium discovered students at Kado JAMB zonal office, Abuja over-crowded under the scorching sun waiting to be attended to. The board had stated that it has commenced the accreditation of centres, a critical first step in preparation for the annual examination. The board stated that “All new Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres who desire to participate in the 2025 UTME exercise are to first visithttps://www.jamb.gov.ng/Pdfs/CBT_centre_requirements.pdf to avail themselves of the requirements for establishing a JAMB-approved CBT centre.”
To avoid stampede as recorded in 2017 at the JAMB office in Ikoyi, Lagos which many candidates sustained various degrees of injuries and to end irregularities and corruption in the institution with no end, it is high time President Bola Tinubu immediately sack Prof Isaq Oloyede or he voluntarily resign immediately.
President Bola Tinubu has issued marching orders to the military to end banditry and general insecurity by the end of 2025.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, in a viral video.
Following Tinubu’s order, Badaru said the military will continue its onslaught against bandits and all forms of criminalities.
The Minister said bandits are currently on the run and that the military won’t stop until they are all flushed out.
According to Badaru: “The bandits are now on the run, but the military will not rest until we end this thing. The president has given us marching orders to end insecurity in every part of our country by the end of this year.
“The Chief of Defence Staff, NSA are working day and night to actualize that target, as you have seen we are putting pressure on all the theatre operations.
“And indeed, mining activities have been lifted in Zamfara already and this is part of the reason we are meeting today to look at all areas where we have serious security issues and how best we can secure those areas.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kaduna State governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and other prominent politicians have been accused of planning to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
The allegation was made by a group known as Joint Action on Democracy (JAD).
According to JAD, these politicians are aggrieved because President Tinubu has initiated reforms that are already showing positive results. The group believes that this has made the politicians realize they have no chance of winning the next general elections, even if they work together.
JAD specifically mentioned that Atiku, El-Rufai, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and Abubakar Malami are involved in this alleged plot.
The group warned that these politicians should be held accountable for any harm they cause to the country.
“We have also seen in the past how the likes of Atiku and Obi incited public sentiments against the government, something they will continue to do irrespective of who occupies the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We are further concerned that given utterances from the recent meeting at which these people alluded to a ‘weak government’, desperate attempts to cobble together an alliance that is doomed to fail, and baseless attacks on the government, this collection of politicians are up to mischief that could undermine Nigeria’s democracy,” the statement added.
The group also criticized Tambuwal’s role in the rise of banditry during his time as Sokoto State governor. Similarly, they condemned El-Rufai’s alleged payment of millions of naira to herders, which they believe contributed to the emergence of kidnap for ransom and banditry in the country.
JAD accused the opposition politicians of planning to replicate a failed state scenario on a national scale.
The group called on the authorities to place these politicians, particularly El-Rufai, on a watchlist to prevent any attempt to destabilize the country.
…… says unparallel strategy to curb oil theft, sabotage topnotch
A dedicated player in the oil and gas industry, Solomon Oseagah has applauded the efforts of President Bola Tinubu and the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, Mr. Mele Kyari for their initiatives towards increasing oil production from 900,000 barrels to over 1.5million barrels per day.
Mr. Solomon while speaking over the weekend during an interview with LEADING REPORTERS stated that the Mele Kyari’s move to combat oil theft through the use of the command and control centre has ensured the arrest of over 1,000 oil thieves currently awaiting judicial proceedings.
He explained that security is the main factor that helps towards increasing production stressing that in 2022 production dropped to 900,000 per barrel due to theft and vandalism adding that it was a time where oil majors were selling their assets because they could not deal with the loss due to vandalism that they were facing.
“The government has put in measures to buffer security in oil producing regions and also we have the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited saying that they have set up command and centers where they can track and monitor the our oil assets in real-time, aside the security there are other factors that has contributed to increase in production.”
He also acknowledged that significant reforms were implemented by the GCEO Mele Kyari which aimed at transforming the petroleum sector alluding that this is largely good news because more production means Nigeria can make more revenue their and export adding that the country can have more supply of FX to buffer our currency, buffer their reserve, also in time be able to fund the budget conveniently without large deficit.
“If you look at Seplat energy they said they will double their production to 120,000 barrels per in in the next six month after the acquired Exxon energy and we are looking at Oando that is looking at increasing their production to 100,000 barrels per day from 40,000 barrels per day over the next couple of years after some acquisition from international players.”
Solomon mentioned that three days ago the upstream leadership seek to approach OPEC for a Quota Increase with His relationship with members of European Agency for Energy Security in Vienna-Austria, hence all hands must be on deck to achieve these feat for the benefit of the country.
It is budget presentation season in Nigeria yet the Open Treasury Portal (OTP), a platform designed for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to report daily transactions and enable public financial monitoring, has been down for days.
FIJ observed the portal’s inaccessibility on Monday and the issue remained unresolved at press time. Since then, FIJ has called the department through the phone line available on the webpage to no avail. No one answered the calls.
In December 2019, former president Muhammadu Buhari launched the Open Treasury Portal as part of his administration’s commitment to transparency. The portal was intended to ensure the “timely availability of financial information” for civil society groups and citizens.
Buhari had said that all MDAs must publish daily reports of payments above N5 million. He also mandated that the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) release daily treasury statements detailing inflows and outflows.
“The AGF and all accounting officers must publish daily payments reports,” Buhari said during the launch.
“With these reports, the treasury will publish payments of at least N10 million, and all MDAs must provide answers to any questions from the public regarding their transactions.”
With the portal’s current unavailability journalists, citizens, and observers who rely on it to track government spending, are at a loss, especially during a critical time for fiscal information sourcing.
The need for transparency is particularly pressing because Bola Ahmed Tinubu presented the budget for the 2025 fiscal year on Wednesday. During the presentation, the president had pegged the 2024 budget performance by Q3 at 85% for expenditure and 75% for revenue.
But Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, had recently passed a bill to extend the running of the 2025 budget to June 30, 2025, because of performance reasons. Akpabio had said that capital expenditure performance for the 2024 fiscal year was at 50% and recurrent expenditure at 48%.
“We have noted the 2024 budget performances… Given these great achievements, we have deemed it necessary to extend the life of the 2024 budget,” Akpabio said.
A 50% performance for capital expenditure means only half of the planned projects for 2024 had been funded, while a 48% recurrent expenditure performance indicates that less than half of the allocated funds for salaries, overheads and debt servicing had been used.
Meanwhile, FIJ found that Nigeria had spent only 38% of its allocated funds for capital and recurrent expenditures across all MDAs as recently as September’s end, according to the Open Treasury Portal.
The portal’s inaccessibility contravenes the guidelines set by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Section 7.3.1 of the guidelines mandates that all government websites remain operational at all times.
Source: FIJ
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Hon. Shola Olofin as Chairman Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and 44 eminent Nigerians as chairpersons and Chief executive officers into various boards.
Tinubu also appointed Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as board chairman of Federal Airport Authority Of Nigeria (FAAN) and the 2023 governorship candidate of the APC in Kano State, Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna as the chairman of Federal Mortgage Bank Of Nigeria (FMBN).
According to a statement by the Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, made available to journalists on Friday, Senator Magnus Abe was also appointed as board chairman of National Agency For Great Green Wall, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi as board chairman of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and Hon. Hilliard Etta as named Chairman of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The statement read in part: “The President has also appointed a new managing director for the Nigerian Railway Corporation and a director-general for the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI).
“President Tinubu directs the board chairpersons not to interfere with the management of the organisations, emphasising that their positions are non-executive”.
See full statement below:
STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE
APPOINTMENT OF BOARD CHAIRPERSONS AND CEOS
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed board chairpersons for 42 federal organisations and a secretary to the board of the Civil Defence, Immigration, and Prisons Services.
The President has also appointed a new managing director for the Nigerian Railway Corporation and a director-general for the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI).
President Tinubu directs the board chairpersons not to interfere with the management of the organisations, emphasising that their positions are non-executive.
All the appointments take immediate effect:
- NIGERIAN SOCIAL INSURANCE TRUST FUND
– Hon. Shola Olofin, Chairman (Ekiti) - NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
– Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Chairman (Lagos) - FEDERAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY OF NIGERIA, MINISTRY OF AVIATION
– H. E. Abdullahi U. Ganduje, Chairman (Kano) - NATIONAL SUGAR DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
– Sen. Surajudeen Bashiru Ajibola, Chairman (Osun) - NIGERIA BULK ELECTRICITY TRADING COMPANY
– H. E. Sulaiman Argungu, Chairman (Kebbi) - NATIONAL AGENCY FOR GREAT GREEN WALL
– Sen. Magnus Abe, Chairman (Rivers) - NATIONAL TEACHERS INSTITUTE
– Barr. Festus Fuanter, Chairman (Plateau) - NATIONAL BOARD FOR TECHNOLOGY INCUBATION (NBTI)
– Raji, Kazeem Kolawole, Director-General (Oyo) - NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION
– Chief Victor Tombari Giadom, Chairman (Rivers) - TEACHERS REGISTRATION COUNCIL OF NIGERIA
– Comrade Mustapha Salihu, Chairman (Adamawa) - INDUSTRIAL TRAINING FUND
– Hon. Hamma Adama Ali Kumo, Chairman (Gombe) - NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY
– Donatus Enyinnah Nwankpa, Chairman (Abia) - SHEDA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMPLEX
– Sen. Abubakar Maikafi, Chairman (Bauchi) - FEDERAL MORTGAGE BANK OF NIGERIA
– H. E. Nasiru Gawuna, Chairman (Kano) - NATIONAL OFFICE FOR TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION AND PROMOTION
– Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Chairman (Lagos) - NIGERIAN POSTAL SERVICE
– Chief D. J. Kekemeke, Chairman (Ondo) - NATIONAL INLAND WATERWAYS AUTHORITY
– Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, Chairman (Sokoto) - NATIONAL STEEL COUNCIL
– Prof. Abdulkarim Kana Abubakar, Chairman (Nasarawa) - NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
– Hon. Garba Datti Muhammad, Chairman (Kaduna) - NATIONAL BIO-SAFETY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
– Mu’azu Bawa Rijau, Chairman (Niger) - FEDERAL TEACHING HOSPITAL, GOMBE
– Hajia Zainab A. Ibrahim, Chairman (Taraba) - NIGERIAN RAILWAY CORPORATION
– Dr.Kayode Isiak Opeifa, Managing Director (Lagos) - FEDERAL TEACHING HOSPITAL, IDO-EKITI
– Aare (Hon.) Durotolu Oyebode Bankole, Chairman (Ogun) - FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, ABEOKUTA
– Mr Abdullahi Dayo Israel, Chairman (Lagos) - FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, ASABA
– Dr. Mrs. Mary Alile Idele, Chairman (Edo) - FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, LOKOJA
– Nze Chidi Duru (OON), Chairman (Anambra) - FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, OWERRI
– Hon. Emma Eneukwu, Chairman (Enugu) - CIVIL DEFENCE, IMMIGRATION AND PRISONS SERVICES BOARD
– Major Gen. Jubril Abdulmalik Rtd, Secretary (Kano) - FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, UMUAHIA
– Mr. Uguru Mathew Ofoke, Chairman (Ebonyi) - FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, YENAGOA
– Barr. Felix Chukwumenoye Morka, Chairman (Delta) - FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, YOLA
– Alh. Bashir Usman Gumel, Chairman (Jigawa) - DAVID UMAHI FEDERAL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, UBUHU, EBONYI STATE
– Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, Chairman (Imo) - NATIONAL OIL SPILL DETECTION AND RESPONSE AGENCY
– Chief Edward Omo-Erewa, Chairman (Edo) - NIGERIAN MARITIME ADMINISTRATION AND SAFETY AGENCY (NIMASA)
– Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar, Chairman (Kaduna) - NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, NNEWI, ANAMBRA STATE
– Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori, Chairman (Borno) - AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, SHIKA, ZARIA, KADUNA STATE
– Hon. Lawal M. Liman (Chairman) - FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE KATSINA
– Dr. Abubakar Isa Maiha (Chairman) - RAW MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (RMRDC)
– Isa Sadiq Achida, Chairman (Sokoto) - FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE BIRNIN KUDU
– Dr. Mohammed Gusau Hassan, Chairman Zamfara - NATIONAL BUILDING AND ROAD RESEARCH INSTITUTE
– Hon. Yahuza Ado Inuwa, Chairman (Nasarawa) - SOKOTO-RIMA RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
– Amb. Abubakar Shehu Wurno, Chairman (Sokoto) - AMINU KANO TEACHING HOSPITAL
– Augustine Chukwu Umahi, Chairman (Ebonyi) - FEDERAL SCHOLARSHIP BOARD
– Engr. Babatunde Fakoyede, Chairman (Ekiti) - NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS, MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
– Hon. Hillard Eta Chairman (Cross River)
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Kayode Opeifa as the substantive Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa was the former Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos State under the administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola.
He was subsequently appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to help tackle the perennial, notorious, intractable Apapa gridlock and environs.
Opeifa was appointed as the Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Task Team (PTT) to free Apapa gridlock by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who chaired the team and then charged with unbundling the ravaging traffic gridlock at Lagos ports.
Meanwhile, by his new appointment, Opeifa succeeds Ben Iloanusi, who was acting Managing Director that replaced former Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria, who exited on October 18, 2024, after completion of his second four-year tenure.
Opeifa gained prominence during his tenure as Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation where he spearheaded initiatives that modernised the city’s transport sector.
His policies and innovations not only improved traffic management but also established Lagos as a benchmark for urban transportation systems in Africa.
Based on his achievements in the sector, Opeifa was later appointed as Transport Secretary for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by Buhari.
The Federal Government has approved the establishment of Bola Ahmed Tinubu Federal Polytechnic in Gwarinpa, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Leading reporters reports that the proposed institution is expected to promote technological, vocational, and entrepreneurial training.
This is according to a letter dated January 9, 2025, and addressed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
In the letter, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, stated that the initiative is in line with the Federal Government’s plan to ensure each state in the federation has one federal polytechnic. The letter was received by the office of the FCT minister on January 16, 2025.
The Minister of Education has requested Wike to suggest proposed locations for the temporary and permanent sites of the polytechnic in Gwarinpa. A technical team from the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education will visit the sites to review and inspect the recommended locations.
The letter reads:
“I write to inform your Excellency that The National Policy envisaged the establishment of one Federal Polytechnic in each state of the Federation to promote Technological, Vocational and Entrepreneurial Training.
“2. Consequently, the Federal Government has approved the establishment of Bola Ahmed Tinubu Federal Polytechnic, Gwarinpa, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“3. In view of the above, your Excellency is kindly requested to suggest the proposed locations for the Temporary and Permanent sites in Gwarinpa for take off.
“4. In addition, the Technical Team from Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) would be visiting the sites to review and inspect the recommended locations, and based on the Report presented by the Team, the approval will be given.
“5. Perhaps, I should add that the Ministry, at this point encourages takeover of existing Tertiary institutions if the Minister wishes.
“6. Please, accept the assurances of my esteem regards.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is reportedly backing the creation of a new Ijebu State in Nigeria’s Southwest region
The proposed state would be carved out from Ogun State, following a long-standing demand by the Ijebu people for recognition as an independent entity, a fresh report has revealed.
Sources revealed that President Tinubu gave his assurances during a meeting with the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, at his Bourdillon residence on January 5.
During the meeting, Oba Adetona said that Ijebu is the only former colonial province in Nigeria that has not been granted statehood, unlike other provinces such as Oyo and Sokoto, which have been divided into multiple states. The monarch argued that the Ijebu people have waited long enough for their own state.
“The president did not hesitate to express his support,” People’s Gazette quoted a source familiar with the meeting as saying.
Oba Adetona had reportedly highlighted the region’s resources and infrastructure, including industrial estates, an international airport under construction, and plans for a deep-sea port, while making case for the state creation.
In December 2024, Oba Adetona, alongside other traditional rulers and leaders from the Ijebu province, held a meeting to discuss logistics for the proposed state. These discussions focused on issues such as the location of the state capital, the creation of local government areas, and the allocation of federal resources.
The monarch expressed confidence in the region’s ability to thrive as an independent state, stating that it is well-positioned for growth and development. “Ijebu province is economically viable and already has all the infrastructural facilities needed to sustain a state,” he had said.
Before that, in November 2024, Senator Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East, introduced a bill titled the “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2024 (Creation of Ijebu State) to the National Assembly. The bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow for the creation of the new state.
With bills for the creation of other states in other regions of the country, it passed various legislature stages.
Critics argue that the move for the creation of Ijebu State is ill-timed, given the country’s pressing economic issues, including poverty, inflation, and insecurity.
Some political analysts have speculated that President Tinubu’s alleged support for state creation could be politically motivated, as new states might be more inclined to back him for a second term.
Meanwhile, the presidency has reportedly avoided issuing an official statement on the matter, possibly to prevent sparking controversy among supporters of other state creation initiatives across the country.