NewStats: 3,263,148 , 8,179,263 topics. Date: Wednesday, 04 June 2025 at 08:44 PM j6s3h

So we still have DSS and Fulani herdsmen has turned Benue , Enugu and Plateu states into killing fields ?

The Department of State Services has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to prevent a former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Professor Pat Utomi, from proceeding with his alleged plans to hold rallies related to a suit pending before the court concerning his plans to establish a shadow government.

In a fresh application filed on Wednesday through its lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), the DSS requested the court to restrain Utomi and his associates from making public comments or engaging in rallies concerning the proposed formation of a “shadow government.”

According to the DSS, intelligence reports indicate that although Utomi is currently out of the country, he plans to return on June 6 to stage roadshows and rallies under the guise of freedom of speech and association.

These actions, the DSS alleges, are intended to foment public discontent in furtherance of the establishment of a purported shadow government or cabinet.

Recall that the DSS earlier instituted a suit against Utomi before the court over his alleged plans to create a shadow government.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, seeks to have the move declared unconstitutional and an attempt to usurp the authority of the current government.

Justice James Omotosho has fixed June 25 for the hearing of the case.

However, in its latest motion, the DSS expressed dissatisfaction with Utomi’s alleged plans to engage in protests, roadshows, media interviews, and other activities.

It proceeded to ask the court to issue an interlocutory injunction to restrain him, his associates, and anyone acting on his behalf from organising any public gatherings, publishing media content, or engaging in activities promoting the purported shadow government until the substantive suit is resolved.

The DSS argues that if left unchecked, the proposed rallies and related actions would pose a serious threat to public order, safety, and national unity.

The DSS further contended that as the agency tasked with safeguarding internal security, it is its duty to prevent any threat to the lawful authority of Nigeria.

In its ing affidavit, the DSS claimed that Utomi’s proposed activities could draw large crowds, leading to potential disruptions of public peace, riots, and violent protests similar to the 2020 End SARS demonstrations.

It further alleged that such actions could result in anarchy, loss of lives, and damage to property.

The DSS also referenced a recent event on May 26, where Professor Utomi spoke during the fourth edition of the Topaz Lecture Series hosted by the University of Lagos Mass Communication Class of 1988 Alumni Association. At the event, themed “Shadow Government: A Distraction or Necessity,” Professor Utomi reportedly defended the concept of a shadow government and stated that if the suit succeeded in favour of the DSS, his group would adopt a different name.

The DSS noted that Professor Utomi had been served with the originating process in this case and had entered an appearance through his counsel, Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN), on May 20, 2025.

“Unless this honourable court intervenes by granting this application, the defendant/respondent’s actions may undermine the authority of the court and pose a serious threat to national security and the rule of law,” the DSS stated.

It also urged the court to act in the interest of justice, national security, and public order.

https://punchng.com/shadow-government-dss-seeks-court-order-to-stop-utomis-rallies/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKtYc1jbGNrAq1hzWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeCXZabkJ-jiAb_6dh4wMevY80G3sow1Jgi0h0D6SAVVY_56N_xs3X5xSG7zg_aem_aQItumYAY2eriFWoLosKRQ

That's the norm among political elites in Rivers

The decision comes in the wake of the recent death of the 86-year-old Olu-Epe of Epe Kingdom, Oba Shefiu Adewale, who ed away in the early hours of Saturday, May 31, 2025.

Isn't it funny that less than a week after the ing of the erstwhile King, two claimants are already jostling to take over like they have been praying for him to die

He's not God and that's why he's acting like the human he is ... Don't go about saying what he did not say just to trend

Wike was his appointee and not employee ...

But there was more between both parties than meet the eyes. Same with Wike and Sim Fubara

A yet-to-be-identified man has reportedly fallen from one of the top floors of the 26-storey Cocoa House building in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The incident, which threw the entire business community into panic, occurred in the early hours of Monday.

One of the eyewitnesses said, “When the incident happened, I initially thought it was a large bird falling from the sky.

“It was only when the person landed that I realised it was a human being.

“I had my phone with me but I couldn’t even record anything because I was completely shocked.”

Another eyewitness said, “The victim first hit a roof beside the security post of the building before landing on the ground. It was a terrifying sight.”

As of press time, the circumstances behind the unfortunate incident were still sketchy as the investigation continues.

Meanwhile, a statement released by Odu’a Investment Company Limited, the firm managing Cocoa House, on Tuesday, in Ibadan, the state capital, confirmed the incident.

The Head of Branding and Communication of the company, Victor Ayetoro, who authorised the statement, said, “The individual involved was swiftly attended to by the emergency response team and taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for urgent medical attention.

“The company expressed deep concerns over the development and assured the public of its full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the fall,” he added.

https://punchng.com/man-falls-from-26-storey-cocoa-house-in-oyo/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKsFj1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHohFhV6iD-6uk4rhW3raTkTE7NFU8ujD9VgNyvMSduzDlIyYOxgYUenkW7Hz_aem_5y1Mg2o2wlBLlKt9yI3Zdg

This Tinubu government is allergic to truth

No government will hate constructive criticism and yet succeed in delivering dividends of leadership to its citizens. APC just loves and applauds sycophants!

This won't bode well for APC in 2027, especially with defected from the opposition parties that are already assured of automatic tickets

It's a matter of time ...

A television anchor with Arise TV, who served as aide to former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Reuben Abati, has described the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as rude.

Abati’s remarks come a day after the FCT Minister referred to a former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, as a politician who is hungry for power.

“Now that they are out of power, they say they are hungry. It’s not hunger for food. It’s hunger for power,” Wike said during a media parley on Monday morning.

While anchoring a TV program on Arise TV on Tuesday morning, Abati described Wike as a rude politician, noting that Amaechi is Wike’s boss in the field of politics.

“I think that Nyesom Wike is very rude and disrespectful because Rotimi Amaechi is his boss in politics,” said Abati.

“When he was local government chairman or was it councillor during Amaechi’s second term, it was Rotimi Amaechi that helped him to become local government chairman.”

Abati recounted a time when Wike knocked an elder statesman, Peter Odili, stating that he (Odili) did not qualify to be an elder.

“There is no time he has not insulted Peter Odili. He even referred to him as one man and his wife as one woman.”

He also advised President Bola Tinubu to be wary of Wike because he could insult him in the future just as he has done with Amaechi and others.

“Who will Nyesom Wike not insult? He insulted Senator John Mbata, who was his godfather at some point. He also showed signs that he will insult President Bola Tinubu.

“He pointed out that if he had known that President Tinubu would declare a state of emergency in Rivers, he would have offered a different kind of advice.

“That is already a signal to Tinubu that this man you are dealing with is only interested in his own permanent interests, not permanent friends. President Tinubu should beware because tomorrow he will also abuse this same President Tinubu.”

https://guardian.ng/news/wike-is-rude-may-insult-tinubu-someday-abati/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKrr05leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHlIFzCbteaPQgg5wwQoOOJQDxQhIEKJMItkUkTeQZUp_FOUoxrmpgZZdPJgD_aem_tBcBJn_DFAcz-DO_OT2wVQ

Imagine this ex-convict that was caught with his hands in the cookie jar claiming saint

Abeg ask him, You go prison, abi you no go prison?

Wike: You know one thing I don't like in this Nigeria: We have the time to listen to junks

Coming from a drunkard who takes pleasure in paying journalists every fortnight to hear himself speak

Imaginary economic gains that are hardly felt by the masses

Ok

Bitter truth

A faction of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying his renewed hope agenda has turned into a nightmare for Nigerians in the last two years.

Afenifere in its mid-term report by its Leader and National Publicity Secretary, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and Justice Faloye, accused Tinubu’s istration of engaging in “massive propaganda claiming false successes.”

The group also said there have been ‘titanic crash’ in domestic production, ‘astronomical rise’ in public debt and ‘horrific increase’ in poverty under his watch.

The body said Tinubu runs an “unabashedly profligate” government for the privileged and connected.

The factional Afenifere also alleged that Tinubu’s government is destructuring democratic federalism, pushing the country towards a one-party state.

According to the group, the Midterm Report shows that every human development and sociopolitical index has regressed since the coming to office of the President Bola Tinubu istration, turning the promise of renewed hope to a nightmare of regressing hopelessness and despair.

Afenifere said “Rather than take full responsibility for the unmitigated sufferings inflicted on Nigerians in the past two years on of its wrong policy choices and wasteful spending, the Tinubu istration has engaged in massive propaganda claiming false successes and shifting blames to global and historical factors, and showing scant empathy for ordinary Nigerians.

“Basically, due to unforced errors, especially the oversight of the production element of subsidies and floating the Naira, without any preparation to cushion the predictable impact, the Tinubu Economic Reforms has turned out to be Tinubu Economic Deforms.

“Two years into its tenure, and contrary to its well d electoral promise, the Tinubu istration is yet to implement Oronsaye Report to cut cost of governance, instead the costs have ballooned with new cost centers for cronies to milk. The tone of government at all levels is one of profligate ‘jaiye jaiye’ lifestyle, while the masses are being berated about Nigeria’s wasteful past and the imperative of sacrifice to restore fiscal integrity. The government’s first supplementary budget and subsequent budgets were spent on not only preserving but increasing the luxurious lifestyle of those in government – new Presidential jet, Cadillac limousines, N160 million cars for each federal legislator and scandalous increase in uned constituency projects worth billions to each legislator.”

The group also said Tinubu’s quest for absolute power has made to trade off lives of Nigerians by refusing to devolve power for state police.

“The Tinubu istration is destructuring instead of restructuring the military imposed constitution, towards true federalism. It has shown increasingly centralizing tendencies to further weaken the federalist elements in the constitution by attacking federating units with the takeover of their istrative units, known as local governments. Tinubu is destructuring the pillars of our democracy by neutralizing the legislature and judiciary put in place for balance of power and robust representative governance. It is obvious that the agenda is a one party state totalitarianism.

“In the last two years, we have witnessed a markedly increase in intolerance of protests by dissenting civic groups. Peaceful protesters, students and labour groups are hounded, destabilized and bullied. In recent times, we have seen a gale of opposition politicians decamp to the ruling party to prevent institutional victimization. Even government sponsorship of internal conflicts in opposition parties and sociopolitical groups are in open. Some recent appointments to Independent National Electoral Commission are speculated to be card-carrying of the ruling party. The emasculation of liberal democratic values are flagrantly displayed, without any shame or restraint.

“It has been a harrowing experience living through the pain and anguish of the last two years, inflicted on the nation by the istration of President Bola Tinubu. This Midterm Report is a duty that Afenifere must fulfil to prevent government propagandists from drowning the voices of millions of hungry and deprived Nigerians.

“Rather than focusing on service delivery, the Tinubu istration is focusing on winning the 2027 election regardless of the voters. No amount of propaganda will erase hunger and poverty in the land,” it added.

The body urged the President to reflect for a change for the love of Nigeria and Nigerians.

https://dailytrust.com/youve-failed-nigerians-afenifere-tells-tinubu/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKqIcBjbGNrAqohsWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeOR5OFKxibbA9_wc0nwjN6GuHd1K0xHUdSLaSjDSnQT1_bDLpcSMOBOds-9A_aem_HYSddWEZB0ZTaRyTVhVNrA

Pastor Adeboye is only saying what appeal to his . He knows prayers don't solve insecurities, hunger and poor economy.

I never knew another president will be worse than buhari. He messed up every sector of the economy and Nigeria is now worse off than when he assumed power.

Master strategist only in politics but zero at governance.

Same way your predecessor pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with him.

Our household name has now become patience.

Host Governor or just figurehead? The real Governor is in town

Father and son affair

Keep them poor and hungry is a strategy adopted by Nigeria politicians to whip the populace into docility

Yeah you're very correct
Tinubu wouldn't have come close to power if not for the same issue of short memory..

The Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, has said many Nigerians blame the President for the country’s problems because they have “short memory” and often forget the situation before Tinubu took office.

Onanuga made this statement during an interview on Arise TV on Friday. He said people are too quick to blame the current istration without ing the state of the country before the President came in.

“Let me start by saying that many of us in this country, many Nigerians, we sometimes exhibit the problem of lack of memory. We have very short memory.

“We forget where we started from and we just start blaming President Tinubu for all the problems that Nigeria is going through,” Onanuga said.

He recalled that Nigeria was already facing a serious fuel crisis when President Tinubu took office in May 2023.

He said fuel scarcity was common during the months leading up to the general election, with long queues and supply shortages across the country.

According to him, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), which was the only fuel importer at the time, had reduced imports because the federal government owed it over ₦4 trillion in unpaid subsidy claims. As a result, NNPC was also unable to pay its foreign suppliers.

He said it was under these difficult conditions that Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy on his first day in office.

The move led to an immediate rise in pump prices and efforts by the government to restore fuel supply.

“I , for instance, in May 2023 when Tinubu took over the government, there was fuel shortage in this country.

“People forgot that all through the election of that year, there was fuel shortage. So when the President announced on day one, the day was sworn in and said he was removing fuel subsidy.

Domestic investors maintain NGX dominance
“The immediate reaction was called by NNPC, which has been the major supplier of fuel, was to increase the pump price. Because as at that time, NNPC was no more willing to import fuel.

“NNPC was saying the federal government was owing it over 4 trillion Naira and it was also owing its suppliers abroad. So what the federal government did, what President Tinubu did, was to bring some life into NNPC to resume importing fuel so that fuel can be available,” he said.

Onanuga said people forget these facts easily. He stressed that Nigeria could no longer afford to maintain fuel subsidy because the country lacked the resources.

In his words, “And we were just spending the money that ought to belong to the future generation. So the resources are not there so government just ought to do the right thing. Yeah, problems followed what the President did.”

He said the Tinubu istration has been open about the challenges that came after removing the subsidy and has rolled out several plans to ease the hardship on citizens.

He also noted that one of the key achievements of the istration is fixing the foreign exchange system.

Onanuga urged Nigerians to give the President credit for tackling problems that past governments, including those under the PDP, ignored, especially the issue of arbitrage in the forex market.

“So I want to start from there and say, look, Nigeria should give this President some credit for stopping the arbitrage that characterised the foreign exchange regime under previous istrations, including PDP.

“But people are just not willing to give him any credit. Some critics.

“But we know that what he has done are very important, are very necessary, and they are for the benefit of our people.

“And we can see the results of the efforts he has done so far. You can see the results, the gains that have accrued to this country, the reforms that have taken place, and the gains are showing and to the benefit of our people,” the media aide concluded.

https://punchng.com/nigerians-have-short-memory-says-onanuga-defending-tinubus-reforms/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKnuwtjbGNrAqe7CmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEe0FkY1LX8Plv6VXcolTG_ejKe796GoahrdP3_lCAuJFNKfJyLe93o9QBmYHs_aem_DeDgRb6SEHQ6rRXgO6NXog

•State drags AGF Fagbemi to Supreme Court

THE crisis over the control of local government councils in Osun State between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) has boiled over, with the state government dragging the Federal Government to the Supreme Court for allegedly seizing the monthly allocations accruing to the councils.

Osun State local government allocations for the months of February, March and April 2025 are reportedly withheld, while that of May has not yet been determined.

The suit dated 23 April 2025 marked SC/CV/379/2025 filed by Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, counsel for the Attorney General of Osun State (plaintiff), has the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) as the sole defendant.

The state government approached the Supreme Court for an order directing the federal government to release the seized funds and for further orders restraining it from further withholding, suspending and for seizing fund allocations to the local government councils in the state.

In an originating summons filed on 24 April, 2025, the state government is asking the Supreme Court to determine the following questions:

Whether upon a proper construction of the provisions of Section 162 (3), (5), (6) and ( of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) via-a-vis the decisions of this Honourable Court in A.G. Lagos State V. A.G. Federation (2004) 18 NWLR (PART 904) 1 and A.G. Federation V. A.G. Abia State (2024) 17 NWLR (PART 1966) 1; the defendant can withhold, seize and/or suspend payment of the monthly allocations, revenues and other funds due to the constituent local government councils of the plaintiff state without any justification whatsoever, notwithstanding the fact that the plaintiff state has in place, at all-time material to this suit, democratically elected local government councils?

Upon a proper construction of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantees the existence and subsistence of democratically elected local government councils in all the states of the federation, including the plaintiff state, whether the act of the defendant in withholding, suspending and/or seizing the statutory allocations due to the constituent local government councils of the plaintiff state without any justification whatsoever, does not pose a threat to the existence, governance and/or subsistence of the democratically elected local government councils in place in the plaintiff state and, by extension, the state generally, and thereby contravening the clear provisions of the constitution?

Whether the defendant, without any lawful justification and/or any valid or subsisting judgment/order of court whatsoever, can single out the plaintiff state herein and decide to withhold, suspend, seize and/or refuse to pay the monthly allocations and revenues standing to the credit of the constituent local government councils of the plaintiff state, notwithstanding the fact that the plaintiff state has in place democratically elected local government councils in the state at all-time material to this suit?

The state government is praying the apex court to make the following declarations:

A declaration that the defendant has no right to withhold, suspend and/or seize the monthly allocations, revenues and/or other funds standing to the credit of the constituent local government councils of the plaintiff state without any justification whatsoever, particularly in view of the fact that the plaintiff state has democratically elected local government councils in place at all-time material to this suit.

A declaration that the acts of the defendant withholding the monthly allocation and revenues due to the constituent local government councils of the plaintiff state for the months of March 2025, without any justification whatsoever, despite the fact that the plaintiff has in place democratically elected local government councils at all-time material to this suit, as unconstitutional, unlawful and ultra vires the powers of the defendant.

A declaration that the seizure, suspension, withholding and/or refusal to pay the allocations and revenues due to the plaintiff state by the defendant is a threat to the existence and subsistence of the democratically elected local government councils which is in place in the plaintiff state at all-time material to this suit.

A declaration that insofar as the defendant is yet to commence implementation of the Judgment of this Honourable Court in Suit No.: SC/CV/343/2024 between A.G. Federation V. A.G. Abia State & Ors. by putting in place necessary logistics to ensure direct payment of the allocations and revenues due to each local government council of the states, the plaintiff cannot be singled out by the defendant for non-payment of its local government allocation while other states in the federation continue to receive payment of the local government allocation for and on behalf of their local government councils.

An order directing the defendant to release forthwith to the plaintiff, the monthly allocations and revenues due to its constituent local government councils for the months of March 2025 which have been unlawfully and unjustifiably withheld by the defendant into its state t local government s.

An order directing the defendant to continue paying the allocation, revenues and other funds due to the local government councils of the plaintiff state through the plaintiff’s state t local government s opened for that purpose pending the necessary logistics.

In an affidavit of extreme urgency deposed to by the Commissioner for Finance, Ogungbile Adeola Olusola, the state government, through the state Attorney General, said the suit was filed against the backdrop of the unjustifiable and unlawful withholding and seizure of the funds, allowances and revenues due to the local government councils from the federation .

The plaintiff told the apex court that “the continuous seizure of this fund by the federation would paralyse the education and health sectors of the plaintiff state if not urgently restrained by this honourable court, hence the plaintiff had contemporaneously filed an application for both interim and interlocutory injunctions alongside the originating summons in this suit”.

The Finance Commissioner said in the affidavit of urgency, sworn to on April 24, 2025 that the various local government councils in the plaintiff state need the allocations and revenue to function.

He said: “I know that if the defendant is not urgently restrained from further withholding, suspending and seizing this fund, the local government councils would not be able to function and perform their constitutional obligations.

“I equally know as fact that the continuous seizure of this fund by the defendant would cripple the governance and subsistence of the local government councils in Osun State and, by extension, cripple the governance of the state itself.”

He said, “The defendant, having withheld the allocation and revenue of the local government councils of Osun State of March, 2025 has caused hardship on the people of the state, and if the defendant is not urgently restrained, the monthly allocation for April, 2025 would also be withheld, suspended and seized and this will cause more and serious hardship on the people of the state.”

The deponent averred: “It will satisfy the interest of justice and fairness if the motion ex parte for Interim Injunction is urgently heard and determined by the apex court so as to mitigate the hardship already being faced by the people of Osun State, due to the withholding, seizure and suspension of their local government councils’ allocation and revenue.

“I depose to this affidavit in good faith, conscientiously believing same to be true, correct and in accordance with the Oaths Act.”

No date has been fixed for hearing of the case.

It will be recalled that the APC had, in February called on the Federal Government to withhold allocations to local government councils in the state, alleging illegal constitution of council heads by Governor Ademola Adeleke’s istration.

According to the APC, Governor Adeleke conducted a “purported” local government election on February 22, 2025, “in disregard of a valid and subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal.”

The party’s spokesman, Felix Morka, said, “In keeping with the rule of law, it is our expectation that the Federal Government will make federal allocation for local governments available only to democratically elected and judicially certified local government officials in Osun state.”

The state government and the PDP, however, countered the APC argument, pointing at a case the APC lost at the same Federal High Court, the appeal on which was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 13 January 2025 for lack of diligent prosecution.

The Court of Appeal recently heard an application filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) praying the court to relist the appeal against the Federal High Court judgement which sacked its chairmen and councilors on 30 November, 2022.

Ruling on the application and on a preliminary objection filed by the respondents, Action Peoples Party and OSSIEC, has been adjourned till a date yet to be announced by the court.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) appealed to the Federal Government not to withhold allocations to the state’s local governments over the controversy surrounding the council elections.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/fg-seizes-osun-lgs-february-march-april-allocations/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKnjnJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHs3GfENCklaGrNx_wjuPIQ_SOzBtBH6R-vH7qIgqSRENviWQKkHnzJuptMlK_aem_LFdnXEUVBH4SRwt20aQrew

Local fuel retailers in Rivers State have insisted that there is no maintenance activity going on at the old Port Harcourt refinery.

The retailers under the aegis of Eleme & Okrika Host Community Bulk Petroleum Retailers Association stated that the facility was denied crude for over three months before it was eventually shut down for repairs.

At a press conference on Thursday, the association reacted to claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited that the refinery worked till last Friday before it was shut down on May 24.

According to them, the facility had been suffering from a crude shortage for unknown reasons, expressing fears that the refinery may remain shut like the Warri refinery.

Speaking further on the matter, the istrative Secretary and Spokesman of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Joseph Obele, said the shutdown of the refinery was far from maintenance.

“As of the Host Community Bulk Petroleum Retailers Association, we have privileged information, and it is true that the refinery has been denied crude for some days now, and shutting down the refinery was far from maintenance, but it was short of crude oil.

“The internal memo from them (the PHRC management) stated that the crude oil cracking process without PMS is of no value. They were not getting PMS from the crude oil; they were getting only AGO. So the refinery was shut down, far from maintenance, based on the information at the reach of the bulk petroleum retailers from the host community,” Obele said.

He told our correspondent that the association was raising the alarm to inform President Bola Tinubu that the facility was denied crude, alleging that the crude was diverted.

“There was no crude supply to the refinery, and the question we are asking is that if they are denying this refinery crude oil, where is the local volume? And it won’t be in any other place than finding its feet in the international market. The Federal Government of Nigeria, under President Tinubu, is against selling the crude meant for local consumption. So, we are raising an alarm for him to know that they have denied the refinery crude oil, and the volume that is meant for the local refinery should be questioned,” he stressed.

He worried that the refinery would not start operations in 30 days if there was no crude in its reservoirs, as of the time of this report.

Even after 30 days, if the refinery is to come up, there will be no crude oil available. So, where is the crude oil meant for the local refinery? Their claim is maintenance but our own position is that how come it stopped getting its crude oil? And even if it comes up in 30 days, there’s no possibility of this refinery coming up in 30 days because there’s no crude oil coming up.

“Weeks before it came up in November, there was a sufficient supply of crude oil. As we speak, the refinery is dry of crude, and there’s a crude oil volume meant for the local refinery. Where is that crude oil? Supply of crude doesn’t take one day, it takes weeks,” Obele argued.

The BoT Chairman, Sunny Nkpe, commended Tinubu for his commitment to revamping Nigeria’s neglected refineries. Nkpe requested a consistent crude oil supply to the refinery, saying the association will monitor allocation and distribution to prevent disruptions, “given plans to potentially deny crude oil allocation and sell abroad.”

He advocated the appointment of a substantive Managing Director with expertise in refinery operations to facilitate the remaining revamping stage. Nkpe sought adherence to the 30-day repair timeline and regular progress updates from contractors and the NNPC to aid the commencement at the refinery within the stated timeframe.

They commended the former Managing Director of the refinery, Ibrahim Onoja, and his team “for their dedication and hard work in revamping the refinery, deserving recognition and incentives.”

When ed, the NNPC spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, did not reply to messages sent to him by our correspondent. However, Soneye recently denied any claim of Sabotage.

He said the refinery was shut down to enhance its operations after the maintenance exercise. “NNPC Ltd wishes to inform the general public that the Port Harcourt Refining Company will undergo a planned maintenance shutdown. This scheduled maintenance and sustainability assessment will commence on May 24, 2025,” he said.

Soneye added that the company is working with relevant stakeholders to ensure efficiency and transparency during the exercise.

“We are working closely with all relevant stakeholders, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to ensure the maintenance and assessment activities are carried out efficiently and transparently.

“NNPC Ltd remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering sustainable energy security for Nigeria. Further updates will be provided regularly through our official channels, including our website, media platforms, and public statements,” he stated.

Soneye told our correspondent exclusively on Friday that the one-month maintenance exercise will follow global best practices with uninterrupted fuel supply during the period.

“We are preparing to undertake a scheduled critical safety maintenance exercise aimed at ensuring the continued safe and sustainable operation of the facility. This maintenance activity, which will follow global best practices, is expected to last approximately one month. To ensure uninterrupted supply during this period, we have adequate volumes of AGO, kerosene, and other products,” he said.

https://punchng.com/no-ongoing-maintenance-in-pharcourt-refinery-marketers-claim/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKmMAVjbGNrAqYwAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeHgmn3p_aZo1qOIhaAU7dsfCcE2S4jjjLNDVV6oPQLuy9xGOp4yoqp8Bxl9Y_aem_pR1kUM9Ulid9QYcXOtTbYw

Here we go again, another wasteful experiments

Contrary to the submissions by various bigwigs of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policies have started yielding results, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Barrister Felix Morka, has said he does not know when the policies of the Tinubu istration would start yielding results.

Morka stated this on Thursday while fielding questions from newsmen at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.

Nigerians have been groaning over high level of unemployment, poverty, hunger, insecurity, high cost of living and other challenges.

But the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas; National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; Imo State governor and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), Hope Uzodinma, among others had during a national summit of the party last week said Tinubu’s policies were already yielding positive results.

But responding to a question on when Nigerians will start benefiting from the policies of government, Morka said, “The child is crawling. Now, I don’t know what age. I can’t say.”

Speaking further, Morka said, “I think it varies from one child to the other. Some kids are faster than the others. So they crawl quicker than some. But irrespective of the time they crawl, they crawl. Children crawl and children are meant to crawl before they walk.

“So, I don’t think it’s an assessment of whether a child who is crawling is doing well. A child who is crawling is doing exactly what a child is expected to do, to crawl before they walk. So if a child is crawling, actually, if that’s your child, I think you should encourage the child to crawl.

“Because it’s by crawling that is strengthening their legs and other parts of the body to withstand the rigor of walking. You don’t need to encourage them to crawl. But I’m not sure why you raised that as an analogy to the conversation we are having.”

Speaking on fuel subsidy, the APC spokesman said, “All the presidents who came before this president preferred to simply postpone the doomsday. Because we didn’t just wake up in the last two years to realise that fuel subsidy was a destructive device in our country. We didn’t.”

Morka, who said Tinubu removed subsidy on fuel in the overall interest of the nation, also dismissed the claims that the APC has commenced campaign for the President’s re-election, saying endorsement of the President is not a campaign.

Responding to a question on insecurity, Morka described it is a global phenomenon, quipping, “insecurity is a challenge that we face as a country, especially over the last 20 years.”

https://dailytrust.com/apc-spokesman-i-dont-know-when-tinubus-policies-will-start-yielding-results/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKljUpjbGNrAqWNOWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeyoNFVLxjp2iOkbNZSLtWnu-1RxE0VqjZiIjavovJs_tuH2O-G3UjDSojJ5k_aem_JANWrI1rd_ZxjDF6qVIBsA

Haba

Kemi Badenoch yesterday threw down the gauntlet to Nigel Farage over Britain's bloated welfare bill by saying it was right and fair to keep the two-child benefit cap.

The Tory leader said Mr Farage's pledge to scrap the cap was 'nonsense' because taxpayers should not have to pay for others having huge families they can't afford.

Her stance also puts clear water between the Tories and Labour, as Sir Keir Starmer has instructed officials to look at how the Government might be able to afford scrapping it.

The Prime Minister issued the order despite suspending the Labour whip from seven MPs who voted against the cap last July.

Mr Farage will use a speech tomorrow to try and appear more Left-wing than Sir Keir by doubling down on his pledge, which would add billions to the benefits bill.

The Reform UK leader will also say pensioners – even if they are millionaires – should have their winter fuel payments restored after Labour axed them for 10million elderly people last July.

Mrs Badenoch yesterday insisted the 'principle is that the Government cannot do everything'.

Speaking to the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show, she said: 'We've heard Keir Starmer, reportedly, and Nigel Farage say... they will remove the two-child benefit cap.

Kemi Badenoch, pictured with her daughter in 2019 - the Conservative leader has three children

Kemi Badenoch, pictured with her daughter in 2019 - the Conservative leader has three children
Kemi Badenoch threw down the gauntlet to Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer over Britain's bloated welfare bill by saying it was right and 'fair' to keep the two-child benefit cap.

Kemi Badenoch threw down the gauntlet to Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer over Britain's bloated welfare bill by saying it was right and 'fair' to keep the two-child benefit cap
Tory leader says 'we can't afford ditching two-child benefit cap'

'This is nonsense. We put that cap in at a time when the economy was in a better place. We cannot afford that.

'People are just making promises, throwing out all sorts of things to please people, when they won't be delivered. And that is why we have so much apathy [towards politicians].'

Speaking later to Sky, she said: 'It [the cap] needs to stay. The fact is, our welfare bill continues to grow.

'We're spending over £100billion on servicing debt interest every year... We're borrowing to pay welfare.'

Mrs Badenoch added: 'The two-child benefit cap is reasonable, it's the right thing to do and we want people to know that we manage the economy properly. That's what a government should be doing.

'We cannot afford to scrap it. People know that the two-child benefit cap is there for a good reason, and there are many people out there who say, "If you can't afford to have lots of children, then you shouldn't do so".

'You shouldn't have to rely on benefits to have children. But we do have a humane system where we look after people – the cap is two children, I think that is right. That is fair.'

Mrs Badenoch also pointed out that immigrants tend to have larger families that British taxpayers would be on the hook for.

The Tory leader accused her Reform UK rival of saying 'whatever he wants in order to get into power' and said he would 'bankrupt' the country if he enters Downing Street

The Tory leader accused her Reform UK rival of saying 'whatever he wants in order to get into power' and said he would 'bankrupt' the country if he enters Downing Street
She told GB News: 'It's not fair to allow some people to claim more and more benefits for an endless number of children they can't afford, while other people aren't having children or are waiting longer because they can't afford it and are saving to be able to afford a stable environment.

'There are lots of people coming into the country who'll become eligible for these benefits and they have many children. I don't think this is the time to be removing that cap.'

She said Mr Farage is 'clearly chasing Labour votes', adding: 'We're the only party on the Right.'

The two-child cap was introduced by the Conservatives in 2017 in an attempt to cut the welfare bill.

Mr Farage has previously spoken about how both the welfare and taxation system should be used to encourage families to have more children.

Sir Keir is under growing internal pressure to scrap the cap in a bid to appease as many as 150 Labour rebels threatening to vote down separate cuts to disability benefits.

He backs ending the limit, but is said to be facing push-back from Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Morgan McSweeney, his chief of staff, who are wary of the £3.5billion cost.

The welfare bill already stands at some £316billion for the 2025/26 financial year. Of this, £174.9billion will be spent on pensioners, including the state pension (£145.6billion).

A further £141.2billion will be handed out to working age people, including child welfare, with £75.3billion spent helping disabled people and £35.3billion on housing benefits.

The Resolution Foundation think-tank estimates removing the cap would lift 500,000 children out of poverty by the end of this Parliament.

Sir Keir's deputy, Angela Rayner, said the Government was 'looking at those issues' when asked if it was a 'good idea' to scrap the cap. But she conceded it was not a 'silver bullet' to tackling child poverty.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14748733/Kemis-warning-Dont-lots-babies-you-afford-Tory-leader-throws-gauntlet-Farage-Starmer-insists-two-child-benefit-cap-fair.html?ito=social-facebook-video&fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKlP11leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHqygXw2tBq2rFBzfXvocgjcivge0hmHwaaJWOcvJC2A8uFKjpAvGckGCkRck_aem_vuqQi9e9ssFxrMzzXvenYA

Yes he is doing well in inflicting untold hardship like never seen or experienced on the populace