Category: Governance

Such An Enterprise Amounts To A Fool’s Errand’ – Ibas Blasts Rivers Lawmakers Over Move To Probe Him

September 22, 2025 (updated September 22, 2025) Published by

A looming confrontation may be brewing between the immediate past Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), and the Rivers State House of Assembly following the lawmakers’ move to probe state expenditure during the six months of emergency rule.

ObasEmpire that Ibas ceased to be the state administrator on September 17, after President Bola Tinubu lifted the emergency rule and directed Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and lawmakers to resume their offices.

At its first plenary after resumption, the Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, resolved to investigate financial transactions carried out during the period.

The lawmakers noted their intention “to explore the process of knowing what transpired during the emergency rule with regard to spending from the consolidated revenue fund for the award of contracts and other expenditure.”

Reacting, Ibas insisted the Assembly had no authority to investigate him, as they did not appoint him.

Speaking through his Senior Special Adviser on Media, Hector Igbikiowubu, with Punch on Sunday, Ibas argued that the probe was effectively a challenge to the President, who appointed him, and the National Assembly, which supervised his tenure.

He, however, dismissed their resolve as “commentary,” describing any probe against the former administrator as futile.

He said, “When you say they were going to probe the tenure of the administrator, was it the Assembly that appointed the administrator?

You see, the point to note is that commentary is free. You can’t stop people from running commentary. The House of Assembly has been on break for a very long time, and you will appreciate that they have not been able to discharge their functions for such a long time.

Now that they have resumed, they have to make an effort to carry out their functions. So, it will seem their right to probe what has gone wrong in the state. Nobody can stop the lawmakers from carrying out a probe of what they perceive to be their functions within the state.

But like I asked earlier, were they the ones that appointed the administrator? So, if you didn’t appoint the administrator, it goes to reason that you have certain limitations. When you also realise that the administrator was appointed by the President, it goes without reason that the administrator acted for and on behalf of the President.”

When you also reason that the administrator was supervised by the National Assembly, it goes without reason that when you decide to probe the administrator, you’re invariably saying that you will be probing the administrator and the National Assembly.

So, I wish them good luck with their plan and their probe. But you and I know that such an enterprise amounts to a fool’s errand.”

Tinubu Celebrate wife,Oluremi On 65th birthday

September 21, 2025 (updated September 21, 2025) Published by

Says her quiet strength, enduring grace have been his steadying anchor

Describes the first lady as his confidant, counsellor, ready flame dotting his path

Sanwo-Olu celebrates first lady, says she’s ‘our amazon’

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has rejoiced with his wife and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the occasion of her 65th birthday on Sunday, September 21, 2025.Also, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has celebrated the First Lady, describing her as a “compassionate and strong-willed” leader whose influence continues to resonate across the country.The governor described the first lady as “our amazon” and prayed for her continued strength and good health.In a birthday tribute issued late last night, the President Tinubu who addressed his better half as Oluremi Mi, said her strength and enduring grace have been his steadying anchor.President Bola Tinubu has rejoiced with his wife and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the occasion of her 65th birthday on Sunday, September 21, 2025.Also, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has celebrated the First Lady, describing her as a “compassionate and strong-willed” leader whose influence continues to resonate across the country.The governor described the first lady as “our amazon” and prayed for her continued strength and good health.In a birthday tribute issued late last night, the President Tinubu who addressed his better half as Oluremi Mi, said her strength and enduring grace have been his steadying anchor.

President Tinubu also described the First Lady as his confidant, counsellor and ready flame illuminating his path.The president in the seven-paragraph birthday tribute to his wife stated, inter alia: “Oluremi Mi, as you celebrate your 65th birthday today, I honour not only the love of my life, but also a woman whose quiet strength and enduring grace have been my steadying anchor. Through every season, from the long years of struggle and political exile, to leadership responsibilities, you have stood firmly by my side with dignity, patience, and devotion that words can scarcely express.“You are more than my wife. You are my confidant, counsellor, and the steady flame illuminating my path. In you, our children and grandchildren see the example of compassion and faith, and in you, our nation sees the true strength of womanhood; resolute yet tender, humble yet unshakably firm.

Nigeria owes you more than many will ever know. In every sacrifice you made quietly, in every burden you carried without complaint, you have served this country as surely as I have, not from the podium, but from the heart of our home.“Today, as your husband, I thank God for your life, health, and unwavering love. As your President, I salute you as the First Lady whose warmth and empathy continue to touch millions of lives across our land. And as your lifelong companion, I say that I love you more than ever, and am blessed every day by your presence. Your love is a treasure I hold dear.

Happy 65th birthday, Oluremi. May the years ahead be filled with joy, peace, and the fulfillment you so richly deserve.On his part, Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a congratulatory message issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, praised Mrs. Tinubu for her contributions to public service both in Lagos and nationally, noting her record as Lagos First Lady for eight years and as a three-term senator.“On behalf of my adorable wife, Ibijoke, the government and the entire people of Lagos State, I heartily congratulate Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady and the wife of our leader and President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on the occasion of her 65th birthday,” the governor said.

He lauded her work through the Renewed Hope Initiative, a pet project of the First Lady, which he said has touched millions of lives since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.According to Sanwo-Olu, Senator Tinubu has demonstrated a strong commitment to improving the lives of women and children, spearheading empowerment programmes and philanthropic projects across the country.“Senator Oluremi Tinubu is a great ambassador of our dear State. She has served the State passionately as First Lady for eight years and as a member of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly for three consecutive terms without any blemish,” Sanwo-Olu said.

We are proud of her achievements in both private and public offices. Her contributions to the development of both Lagos and Nigeria are commendable.“We celebrate Senator Oluremi Tinubu today and always for her kindness, advocacy for social justice, and philanthropic endeavours,” the release further read. “As our Amazon, Senator Oluremi Tinubu turns 65, I pray for God’s continued guidance and good health for her.“God will give her more strength and grace to render more service to humanity and our dear country, Nigeria,” he prayed.

Labour Party asks Senate to reinstate Senator Natasha, warns against abuse of law

September 14, 2025 (updated September 14, 2025) Published by

The Labour Party (LP) has demanded the immediate reinstatement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, following the expiration of her six-month suspension.

The call was contained in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by LP’s national publicity secretary, Tony Akeni.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March. In a letter dated August 28, she notified the National Assembly of her intention to resume on September 4, which she said marked the end of the suspension.

But in a response dated September 4, the acting clerk of the National Assembly said the suspension remained in force pending the outcome of her appeal before the Court of Appeal.

Reacting, LP said it had been informed of the position of a US diplomat on the face-off between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Kogi senator.

The party noted that the diplomat shared a letter written by Fatoumatta Njai, a Gambian lawmaker and member of the Pan-African Parliament, condemning the Senate’s defiance of a subsisting court order that nullified Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension.

In the view of the American diplomat, the ‘abuse of the rule of law by the Nigerian senate against a subsisting court judgment which, since July 4, 2025, nullified the suspension of Senator Natasha and implicitly ordered her unhindered return to the senate, is shameful for your country’,” LP quoted.

Njai, in her letter dated September 9, urged the Nigerian Senate to “immediately reinstate” Akpoti-Uduaghan, warning that defiance of court orders undermines democracy in West Africa.

BREAKING: Hospitals Shut as Resident Doctors Begin Nationwide Strike

September 12, 2025 (updated September 12, 2025) Published by

Hospitals nationwide are expected to be shut as resident doctors under the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have commenced a five-day warning strike.

The action followed the expiration of a 24-hour ultimatum issued to the Federal Government after an earlier 10-day deadline lapsed on September 10 without resolution of their demands.

ObasEmpire reports that NARD had, on September 1, warned that it would down tools if the government failed to address lingering issues.

The association confirmed the commencement of the strike in a message released on Friday and signed by its Secretary-General, Dr. Oluwasola Odunbaku

According to NARD, the strike decision was reached after a six-hour virtual Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting, which followed the expiration of its ultimatum to the Federal Government.

Good morning, NEC Members, thank you all for your continued cooperation and understanding. As clearly stated in our earlier communique, the strike is scheduled to commence at 8:00 am today (Friday).

All Centre leadership is expected to guide their members accordingly. Further updates will be communicated to NEC members in due course,” Odunbaku said.

The issues raised by the doctors include the non-release of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, non-payment of five months’ arrears arising from the revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, as well as outstanding specialist and hazard allowances.

BREAKING: Tension in Anambra as Soludo’s Security Operatives Kill Pregnant Woman, Others

September 9, 2025 (updated September 9, 2025) Published by

Personnel of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (Ocha Brigade) have allegedly killed four persons, including a pregnant woman, following a violent clash with traders at the Onitsha Main Market.

The incident happened on Tuesday along Bright Street, opposite First Bank, when the task force stormed the market to seize traders’ goods.

It is understood that resistance from the traders led to chaos, during which the operatives allegedly opened fire on unarmed civilians.

Happening now at Main Market Onitsha. Ocha Brigade came as usual to pack people’s goods but the owners refused to allow them, and the whole thing quickly escalated into a very ugly scene when one of the operatives started shooting directly at people at close range. According to the latest reports, two people among those shot are already dead,” an eyewitness wrote on Facebook.

Senate rejects Natasha’s request to resume, insists suspension remains [DETAILS]

September 9, 2025 (updated September 9, 2025) Published by

The Senate has rejected Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s bid to return to plenary, insisting that her six-month suspension remains in effect pending the outcome of her appeal.

In a letter signed by the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, the Senate confirmed receiving Akpoti-Uduaghan’s notification that she intended to resume legislative duties on September 4, 2025, which she argued marked the end of her suspension.

However, the Senate maintained that her suspension, which began on March 6, 2025, is still valid and cannot be lifted while the case is before the Court of Appeal.

The matter remains sub judice, and until the judicial process is concluded, no administrative action can be taken to facilitate your resumption,” the letter read.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, was suspended in March over alleged breaches of Senate standing orders. The Federal High Court in Abuja later upheld the suspension, prompting her to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.

The Senate stated that her suspension would only be reviewed after the appellate court delivers its judgment.

JUST IN: Peter Obi at Crossroads as Labour Party Confirms He Won’t Get 2027 Ticket

September 8, 2025 (updated September 8, 2025) Published by

The Labour Party (LP) has declared that its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will not be given the party’s ticket for the 2027 general elections.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Arabambi, made this known on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Lunchtime Politics.

We are going to do our 2027 without Peter Obi; he will not have our ticket,” Arabambi said, while stressing that the party’s momentum in the last election was not solely because of Obi but largely driven by the EndSARS movement and widespread discontent with the former president Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Arabambi also accused the LP’s acting National Chairperson, Nenadi Usman, and activist, Aisha Yesufu, of colluding with Obi, adding that the party would take steps to expel them. He further challenged Obi to openly announce his departure from the party.

Obi has one leg in Labour Party, one leg in PDP, and one leg in ADC. If he believes he has the proficiency on his own to have seven million votes in 2027, we advise him to pronounce his departure from Labour Party,” he added

Obi, who came third in the 2023 presidential election, has publicly backed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) but has yet to formally defect to the coalition platform.

Dead Body Found At National Assembly Complex

September 8, 2025 (updated September 8, 2025) Published by

The decomposed body of a 55-year-old man has reportedly been discovered in a car parked outside the annex gate of the National Assembly complex, Abuja.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the deceased, identified as Gaddafi Iwar, a Tiv man suspected to be a labourer at a construction site within the complex.

He was found motionless in a red Peugeot 406 with registration number BWR-577 BF at about 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 7.

The body was evacuated to the National Assembly Clinic for medical confirmation and later conveyed to Asokoro General Hospital, but was rejected due to advanced decomposition.

The Tiv community and youth leaders eventually took the body to Gbawu Village, a border town between AMAC and Kuje Area Council, for burial to prevent a health hazard.

Meanwhile, the wife and daughter of the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sakpefu community, Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, Muhammad Swasun, have been abducted by suspected bandits.

The gunmen stormed the community on Sunday night shooting sporadically to instill fear among residents.

Sources told ObasEmpire on Monday that the victims were Hajiya Fatima, the party chairman’s wife, and Amina, his daughter.

While stating that the gunmen operated for several minutes before whisking away their victims, a source said: “The bandits abducted his wife, Haja Fatima, and his daughter, Amina, and took them to an unknown destination.”

FG Seeks Fresh $1.75bn World Bank Loan Despite Announcing Revenue Growth

September 5, 2025 (updated September 5, 2025) Published by

The Federal Government is preparing to secure fresh financing from the World Bank to the tune of $1.75bn, even after celebrating a sharp increase in national revenues.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday declared that Nigeria had already surpassed its 2025 revenue targets.

The Presidency, in its clarification of the president’s claim, said Nigeria raked in N20.59tn between January and August 2025, representing a 40.5 per cent jump compared to N14.6tn recorded in the same period last year. According to Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the surge was largely fuelled by non-oil revenues, which now contribute 75 per cent of total government collections.

Despite this strong fiscal performance and officials confirmed that borrowing would continue to bridge funding shortfalls in critical sectors.

Documents from the World Bank indicate that the Washington-based lender is expected to approve $1.75bn in new loans for Nigeria before year-end. The funds will be channelled into agriculture, health, digital infrastructure, and small business financing.

Among the projects earmarked for support is the $500m Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth project, designed to boost farm productivity and rural development. Also listed is a $500m digital infrastructure programme to expand connectivity and drive technology-driven growth, alongside a $250m health security initiative and a $500m inclusive finance project for micro, small, and medium enterprises.

The anticipated loans, currently at different stages of review and negotiation, show that the country continues to rely on external borrowing. According to World Bank records, the country has already secured $8.4bn in fresh credit lines over the past two years.

Concerns as CBN quietly pulls down E-Naira Digital Currency

September 3, 2025 (updated September 3, 2025) Published by

Four years after its high-profile unveiling, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) digital currency, the eNaira, has quietly slipped offline, leaving the project in limbo.

The Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), introduced in October 2021 by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, was promoted as a revolutionary tool to modernize Nigeria’s financial system, enhance cross-border payments, and strengthen the cashless economy.

At the launch, Buhari announced that the apex bank had already minted N500 million worth of eNaira, while 33 commercial banks were integrated into the system. “N500 million has been successfully minted by the Bank, N200 million has been issued to financial institutions, over 2,000 customers have been onboarded and over 120 merchants have successfully registered on the eNaira platform,” he said at the time.

The CBN projected that the initiative could raise Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by as much as $29 billion by 2031. Officials also emphasized that the platform would evolve through continuous upgrades. “Given that the eNaira is a journey, its unveiling marks only the first step. This journey will continue with a series of modifications, new capabilities, and enhancements to the platform,” the bank noted.

However, recent checks revealed that the digital currency is effectively unavailable. The original wallet portal, once accessible via www.enaira.gov.ng, now returns a “404 Website not found” error, pointing to an inactive application on Microsoft’s Azure platform.

According to FIJ, a search for the eNaira Speed Wallet app on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store also showed that it has been taken down.

The disappearance of the wallet and app has raised fresh questions about the fate of the ambitious project, which was once hailed as one of the first government-backed digital currencies in the world.

At the start, the CBN promised to collaborate with private partners to ensure inclusivity, particularly for rural communities and the unbanked population. “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has committed to working with relevant partners to ensure a seamless process that benefits all users, particularly those in rural areas and the unbanked population,” it stated during the launch phase.

Today, however, with the official platforms offline and no formal communication on the project’s status, Nigeria’s digital currency experiment appears stalled—leaving citizens and observers to wonder whether the eNaira will be revived or quietly phased out.

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