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  • I was offered N5bn to impeach Fubara —CoS, Ehie

    I was offered N5bn to impeach Fubara —CoS, Ehie

    In a startling twist to the political intrigues in Rivers State, Chief of Staff to suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Mr. Edison Ehie, has alleged that he was offered N5 billion to coordinate the impeachment of his principal.

    This is coming as Fubara, yesterday, vowed to continue to defend the interests of Rivers People, just as the Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, and Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in the state revealed their plan to sue President Bola Tinubu’s appointed Sole Administrator of Rivers State for the alleged misuse of fund.

    I was offered N5bn to impeach Fubara —Ehie

    Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Ehie claimed he has evidence of the bribe offer stored on his phone.

    He said: “I can also open my phone to show you, in the beginning of October 2023, when they approached me with a bribe of N5 billion. It is here in my phone,

    “It was for impeachment. It’s here. I have it and I have printed it and distributed it, in case, in their evil imagination, they decide to attack me. I already have a son and a brother.”

    Ehie said the offer was made while he was serving as the majority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

    He also denied claims that he orchestrated the October 30, 2023, bombing of the Rivers Assembly complex on Fubara’s orders.

    The allegation was made by a former Head of Service in the state, George Nwaeke, who alleged that he witnessed a bag of money being handed over to Ehie at the Government House to execute the operation.

    Dismissing the claims as false and politically motivated, Ehie said: “It is very important to clarify that I had no hand and was not part of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Like everyone else, I woke up in the early hours of October 30, 2023 to hear of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

    Ehie stated that he had instructed his lawyers to file a lawsuit against Nwaeke for criminal libel.
    “I will not join issues completely with Mr. George Nwaeke because I have already instructed my lawyers to file an issue of criminal libel against him, and I hope he is very prepared to substantiate his claims and his allegations,” he said.

    He further alleged that Nwaeke had sought financial assistance from him on the same day he resigned as head of service.

    Fubara vows to defend Rivers’ interests

    Meanwhile, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara has vowed to defend the interest of people of the state despite the ongoing crisis that degenerated into a state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu penultimate week.

    He said: “Their goal is to create problems and deny people their means of livelihood. We will not allow that. We will continue to operate peacefully and respect constituted authority to ensure that our state remains a model for others in Nigeria,”

    Fubara assured residents that the ongoing political crisis in the state will ultimately strengthen the people rather than weaken them.

    He stated this when he received Muslim leaders from 20 Islamic-based groups, including the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, at his private residence in Port Harcourt during an Eid-el-Fitri visit.

    Addressing the delegation, Fubara urged them and his supporters to trust in God’s process, saying: “This season is one of love, sharing and sacrifice. You have come to share in our pain and have made a great sacrifice through your prayers. As Christians, we believe that everything happens for a purpose, and I strongly believe that this situation is leading us toward a greater purpose.”

    He acknowledged that the current political tension might leave many feeling depressed but emphasized that supernatural forces may be at play beyond human understanding.

    “No matter what we see, we must remain steadfast. In all things, we give glory to Almighty God. I believe that, in the end, we will emerge stronger,” he added.

    TMG, CSOs to challenge Rivers Sole Administrator in court

    The Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, and several Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, have declared their intent to challenge the actions of Rivers State’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), in court. They accused him of unlawfully spending state funds without an approved budget.

    At a press briefing in Port Harcourt, TMG Coordinator, Nathaniel Akporuvweku condemned the state of emergency and Ibas’ governance as unconstitutional. “No provision in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, allows for the appointment of a sole administrator to govern any state in Nigeria,” Akporuvweku argued.

    He listed grievances against Ibas, including: Suspension of all political appointees in the state, unauthorized spending of state funds without due process, appointment of government officials without legislative approval and secret investigations of Governor Fubara.

    “The ongoing political instability is distressing to Rivers people. The Sole Administrator must adopt a neutral approach to avoid worsening tensions. If he continues this unconstitutional spending, we will have no choice but to seek legal redress,” Akporuvweku warned.

    He reiterated calls for President Tinubu to lift the state of emergency and restore democratic governance in Rivers State, emphasizing that the rule of law must prevail.

    Don’t kill democracy in Nigeria, Dele Momodu tells Tinubu

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dele Momodu, yesterday, faulted President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Fubara, his deputy and the Rivers State House of Assembly, labelling the move as “anti-democratic.”

    Momodu, who spoke on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief, said that the decision contradicts the democratic ideals Tinubu once advocated.

    His words: “I think it is very unfortunate. I know President Tinubu very, very, very well. Though I’ve not been in the same party with him and all that, we were together in exile, and he fought gallantly for this democracy. So a lot of us, co-comrades at that time, are actually very embarrassed that we have a pro-democracy leader in government, and yet what we are witnessing is worse than dictatorship.

    “And I have said it openly so many times, in many open letters, you can fail in economy, no problem; people will forgive you and say you’re not a professor of economics. You can fail in other areas, but don’t fail in democracy.

    “I’m pleading with President Bola Tinubu, ‘Please don’t kill democracy in Nigeria.’

    “Everybody who loves him will tell him this. I don’t; I’ve not asked him for anything, but we love him for his contributions to the motivation in the back, which is what is going down the drain.”

  • Samsung co-CEO Han Jong-Hee dies at 63

    Samsung co-CEO Han Jong-Hee dies at 63

    Samsung Electronics co-CEO Han Jong-hee, credited with boosting the South Korean tech giant’s television business on the global stage, died of a heart attack Tuesday aged 63, the company told AFP.

    “He died from cardiac arrest today,” a Samsung spokesperson said, adding that Han was survived by his wife and three children.

    Han joined Samsung in 1988 and was seen as having played a key role in getting its high-end TV sets noticed worldwide.

    “Han was central in the unveiling of Samsung’s world-class LED TVs,” the firm said in a company biography published earlier this month.

    “His numerous other innovations enabled the company to continually demonstrate its technology leadership,” it added.

    Han was credited by the company with taking Samsung televisions “to the pinnacle of the global market” — and keeping them there.

    Samsung Electronics is the flagship subsidiary of South Korean giant Samsung group, by far the largest of the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

    Han was not part of the Samsung family, which still dominates the company, with third-generation leader Lee Jae-yong the current chief of Samsung Electronics.

    Han’s death could deal a blow to Samsung’s strategy to keep its number one place in the global TV market, Kim Dae-jong, professor of business administration at Sejong University in Seoul, told AFP.

    “Considering he has been deeply involved in Samsung’s TV business for decades, helping it firmly secure its global standing, his absence could affect its global strategy for years to come.”

    Samsung, like other TV titans LG and TCL, has been packing ever more AI into huge screens that are inching towards being digital assistants capable of chatting with users and other devices in homes.

    – AI headwinds –

    Han’s death also comes as the world’s largest memory-chip maker faces business headwinds in its race to produce chips used in artificial intelligence.

    Analysts have said Samsung was struggling to meet demand for chips used in AI servers, especially from US titan Nvidia.

    Meanwhile, local rival SK hynix has become the US giant’s main supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips for its AI graphics processing units.

    The challenging conditions prompted Samsung Electronics chairman Lee to declare that the company must adopt a “do-or-die” mindset to confront the challenges posed by AI, according to media reports last week.

    Samsung acknowledged in October that it was facing a “crisis”, admitting that questions had arisen about its “fundamental technological competitiveness and the future of the company”.

    At the company’s general meeting of shareholders last week, the last public event Han attended, he also noted that the company would need fresh momentum to gain an edge in the competitive AI field.

    “We will continue to pioneer in various areas such as robotics, medtech and next-generation semiconductors to secure new growth momentum,” he told the meeting.

    Samsung’s operating profit sank almost a third in the fourth quarter last year, owing to spending on research.

    Samsung’s struggles come as the tech world has been shaken by news of DeepSeek new R1 chatbot, which sparked a rout in tech titans earlier this year and raised questions about the hundreds of billions of dollars invested in AI in recent years.

  • SEC talks tough over market infractions

    SEC talks tough over market infractions

    The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has indicated that it is going hard on market operators engaging in unscrupulous activities.

    The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that only fit and proper individuals are permitted to operate in Nigeria’s capital market to enhance investor protection.

    Speaking in an interview in Abuja over the weekend, SEC Director-General Dr. Emomotimi Agama, stated: “It’s important that, as a form of self-regulation, they are aware beforehand that if you do what is not right, the SEC will bring you out to the world to say that you do not have character, because the very ethics of regulating or of registering a securities market operator is in the principle of the fit and proper person’s test. A fit and proper person’s test means that you satisfy all of the requirements that have been laid down in the Investments and Securities Act 2007 and in other regulations that the SEC has brought out to make sure that this happens.

    “Disclosures by public companies will be very, very essential making sure that the investor has enough information to make decisions. If information is not provided, then that will be against the rules and regulations of the SEC and indeed, the ISA.

    “So clearly for us, it is getting people to understand that there is no hiding place anymore for anybody that have an intention to defraud Nigerians and to defraud anybody that is investing in this market”.

    Agama also emphasized that investor protection is a fundamental principle for the Commission in line with the provisions of its enabling law, with investor protection and market development as its twin priorities.

    He added, “It is important to state clearly that every investor in Nigeria is under the cover of the SEC as long as the person operates within the Nigerian capital market. And so the year 2025 is a year where we say that there is zero tolerance for any activity that does not fall within the laws of the Investments and Securities Act 2007”.

  • Tesla’s EU sales fall 49% in first two months of 2025

    Tesla’s EU sales fall 49% in first two months of 2025

    European sales of Tesla electric cars dropped 49 percent in January-February compared with the same period a year earlier, the ACEA manufacturers’ association said Tuesday.

    Ageing models are one factor behind the plunge so far this year, but e-vehicle clients may also be refusing to buy in protest of Tesla’s billionaire owner Elon Musk since he became a key supporter of US President Donald Trump.

    Musk has been leading a vocal and divisive cost-cutting drive at the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

    Several Tesla dealerships around the United States have been vandalised in recent weeks and the company’s stock price has plummeted over the past month.

    New Tesla registrations in the European Union fell to 19,046 in the first two months of the year, giving the company a market share of just 1.1 percent, the ACEA said.

    In February alone, Tesla registrations were down 47 percent at 11,743.

    The sales drop came even as overall electric vehicle sales jumped 28.4 percent over the first two months of this year to 255,489 — for an EU market share of 15.2 percent.

    But for ACEA director general Sigrid de Vries, “The latest new car registration figures confirm that market demand for battery electric vehicles remains below the level needed for the transition to zero-emission mobility to progress.”

    She cited a need for tax and purchasing incentives for clients and investments in recharging stations, at a time when the EU is preparing to ease emission reduction targets for struggling European automakers.

    Hybrid-electric vehicles continued to be the biggest market segment in the first two months of the year, rising to 594,059 registrations — for a 35.2 percent market share.

    That outpaced both petrol and diesel models, with market shares of 29.1 percent and 9.7 percent in February.

  • Insecurity: Declare state of emergency in Zamfara – CDD begs Tinubu

    Insecurity: Declare state of emergency in Zamfara – CDD begs Tinubu

    ABUJA – Some pro-good governance advocates, under the aegis of the Coalition for Democracy and Development (CDD), have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency in Zamfara State, citing concerns over governance, security, and economic stability.

    The group alleged that actions taken by the state government had undermined democratic institutions, exacerbated insecurity, and contributed to economic challenges.

    Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the coalition’s convener, Ibrahim Yakubu, condemned the suspension of 10 members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly for 13 months after they raised concerns about the state’s security situation. He described this as a disruption of legislative functions, arguing that it had deprived the people of Zamfara of effective representation.

    The coalition also highlighted the suspension of eight additional lawmakers who had voiced similar concerns, warning that such actions could further weaken democratic engagement in the state. Additionally, the group raised allegations of unauthorised mining activities impacting the state’s economy and called for urgent federal intervention.

    The coalition urged the federal government to take decisive action, arguing that a state of emergency would help stabilise the state, restore governance structures, and address security challenges. They stressed the need for swift measures to safeguard public resources, protect lives, and uphold democratic processes.

    Yakubu stated: “In light of these grave violations, it is time for President Bola Tinubu to act before it is too late. A state of emergency must be declared in Zamfara without delay.

    “The suspension of 10 members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly for 13 months, simply for expressing concerns about security, has crippled the legislative chamber and denied the people of Zamfara their right to effective representation.

    “This has weakened the legislative process and severely restricted democratic engagement in the state.

    “A six-month emergency period is essential to restore order, address governance challenges, and pave the way for a return to democratic processes.

    “This is not a call made lightly; it is a demand born out of necessity, as the current trajectory threatens not only Zamfara but the entire nation.

    “The federal government must act swiftly to secure the state’s resources, protect lives and livelihoods, and ensure that governance structures function effectively.

    “Half-measures and empty promises are no longer an option—strong, decisive action is now required.

    “The people of Zamfara deserve leadership that upholds the rule of law, prioritises security, and safeguards national resources.

    “Decisive action is essential to restore stability and protect democratic institutions.”

  • Japan compensates longest-serving death row inmate with $1.4m

    Japan compensates longest-serving death row inmate with $1.4m

    A Japanese man wrongly convicted of murder who was the world’s longest-serving death row inmate has been awarded $1.4 million in compensation, an official said Tuesday.

    The payout represents 12,500 yen ($83) for each day of the more than four decades that Iwao Hakamada spent in detention, most of it on death row when each day could have been his last.

    The former boxer, now 89, was exonerated last year of a 1966 quadruple murder after a tireless campaign by his sister and others.

    The Shizuoka District Court, in a decision dated Monday, said that “the claimant shall be granted 217,362,500 yen,” a court spokesman told AFP.

    The same court ruled in September that Hakamada was not guilty in a retrial and that police had tampered with evidence.

    Hakamada had suffered “inhumane interrogations meant to force a statement (confession)” that he later withdrew, the court said at the time.

    The final amount is a record for compensation of this kind, local media said.

    But Hakamada’s legal team has said the money falls short of the pain he suffered.

    Decades of detention — with the threat of execution constantly looming — took a major toll on Hakamada’s mental health, his lawyers have said, describing him as “living in a world of fantasy”.

    Hakamada was the fifth death row inmate granted a retrial in Japan’s post-war history. All four previous cases also resulted in exonerations.

  • What CBN did to Oceanic bank and Cecilia

    What CBN did to Oceanic bank and Cecilia

    The appointment of a new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua marked the beginning of turbulent times for many of us in the banking industry. With his radical reforms, the Governor aggressively pursued top bankers, accusing several of financial mismanagement and misappropriation. Many of us found ourselves hunted down under the guise of cleansing the financial sector.

    Hopes that subsequent administrations would reverse some of these draconian treatments of bankers quickly faded. It soon became clear that any official appointed by a previous government would remain in office unless found wanting during their tenure.

    My husband’s illness and a distress call

    At the time of these unfolding events, I was in America with my husband, who was battling Parkinson’s disease and its complications. Our lives had already been upended by his health struggles when I received an urgent call from Dr Erastus Akingbola, the Founder and Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank PLC. His message was clear and alarming:

    “The CBN is coming for our banks. You need to return immediately.”

    I was taken aback. “On what grounds?” I asked. Akingbola explained that the CBN Governor and his allies would stop at nothing until they had taken over our institutions.

    I was torn! My husband needed me, but my career and life’s work were under siege. I had no choice but to call my eldest daughter, asking her to fly in immediately to help care for her father while I returned to Nigeria to defend my bank.

    A conversation with the Attorney General

    After my several attempts to see the president became futile as he was already in Germany for medical treatment, I sought an audience with the Vice President Goodluck Jonathan who referred me to Mohammed Adoke, the then Attorney General of Nigeria. I believed Adoke would be sympathetic since he had previously worked as Oceanic Bank’s lawyer in Kano and the North. In fact, he had even persuaded Oceanic Bank to employ his wife, whom we employed and assigned to the legal department of our headquarters.

    On my Iast visit to Adoke, he gave me an unexpected lecture. He told me that he was a Mushim but had studied both the Qur’an and the Bible. Then he asked me a chilling question: “Who killed Jesus?” I remained silent. He answered his own question: “The Government.”

    With that, he delivered his message — blunt and clear. He was warning me that the government had the power to destroy me if it wished. He further advised me never to bring my case before President Jonathan again.

    I left his office completely shaken. My cousin, who had accompanied me, was so disturbed by the conversation that she went straight to bed upon returning home, shivering for the rest of the day. The following morning, we returned to Lagos.

    Desperate attempts to reach the presidency

    Upon my arrival in Nigeria, I tried to contact Erastus Akingbola, but I was unable to reach him. I realised that I was wholly on my own.

    Desperate to halt the looming disaster, I attempted to reach First Lady Hajia Turai Yar’Adua, hoping she would facilitate a meeting with the President. However, she refused to take my calls. With no other option, I went directly to Aso Rock, where I had always been welcomed before. But this time, the reception was different.

    The staff who would normally rush to usher me in ignored me completely. When I insisted, they coldly responded that my name was not on the President’s visitor list. I pleaded with them to take my name to the First Lady, but they refused.

    I then sought to meet with the Vice President, only to be told he had travelled out of Abuja. Frustrated and out of options, I decided to go directly to CBN headquarters to confront the CBN Governor himself. But once again, was blocked at every turn.

    His staff refused to relay my message, insisting that I needed an appointment. Even the deputy governor, whom I knew personally, declined to meet with me.

    In my desperation, I reached out to a woman who knew the CBN Governor well. I pleaded with her to speak to him on my behalf. She was sympathetic but blunt, telling me: “The Governor learnt that you and Akingbola wanted the governorship of the CBN. And I told the Governor that he was now the governor and not you. So, leave her alone.”

    She suggested that I approach Alhaji Umaru Abdul Mutallab, the Chairman of First Bank, who had played a role in the governor’s initial appointment as Managing Director of First Bank. Before that time, he had asked me to assign one of my staff, Archimogu, to work as his personal assistant which I complied.

    When I met him, he looked deeply troubled, as though he carried a burden even heavier than mine. Despite his struggles, he offered me a helping hand.

    Before I left, he simply said: “Pray to God to take absolute control of your situation.”

    The banking tsunami

    I was among the casualties of governor’s banking tsunami. At the time, as Managing Director, I had presented our 2008 audited account to the governor which he did sign and would be presented to shareholders at Tinapa in Calabar. I personally visited the CBN to pay a courtesy call to the Governor and to collect our signed audited report and to inform him of our upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) where we planned to conclude our 2008 financial year and start a new financial year. One of the highpoints of the AGM was that we were going to announce the Custodial arrangement. This arrangement involved 25 banks that were able to meet the N25billion capitalisation. The Yar’Adua government gave each of these banks $1billion to be deposited with their foreign banks. Oceanic Bank was a partner with the Commerzbank of Germany where we were able to raise an import facility of $6billion using the $1billion as collateral which was to be used for PMS (petroleum product) importation. This $6billion was to be shared among the 25 newly recapitalised banks. It took almost a year before the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) gave approval.

    Everything was set for progress. Then came the Monday, August 5th bombshell.

    The Governor’s press conference

    All bank managing directors and chairmen received an invitation to a critical meeting with CBN Governor, scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m. at the old CBN office in Lagos. As expected, we arrived on time, unaware of what would happen.

    We sat there, waiting for over an hour. Then, rumours began to spread in the hall that Governor was holding a world press conference about Nigerian banks.

    We were shocked and confused.

    When the press conference was aired, the message was devastating: The CBN Governor declared Nigerian banks as toxic, effectively blacklisting them from international financial transactions.

    The fallout was immediate and catastrophic.

    Foreign banks, including those with Trading Lines, Letter of Credit, and other financial dealings with Nigerian banks, immediately cut ties, suspending all transactions. The panic spread fast, sending shockwaves through the financial sector.

    A suspicious purge

    Traditionally, when a bank faced financial difficulties, the CBN Governor would summon its Managing Director to discuss necessary remedial processes. Affected banks were tvpically given a six-month window to resolve the issues, after which CBN examiners would verify their progress. If the problem persisted, the Managing Director might be replaced, but in consultation with the bank’s board.

    The CBN Governor bypassed all these procedures. He made no effort to engage the banks privately, preferring instead to humiliate the industry on a global stage.

    This was not banking reform — it was a calculated takedown.

    The whispers grew louder. The Governor had a hidden agenda. But by the time the truth became clear, it was already too late, the damage had been done.

    The whole approach was like a military coup

    The Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was assembled at the Lagos CBN Conference Hall. After his World Press Conference, the Governor arrived to address the Managing Directors and their Chairmen. Some banks were instructed to return to their offices, others were to undergo re-examination, while the remaining banks were asked to stay back for a meeting with  the  CBN  Board.

  • 2027: Finding alternative political party, our main hurdle — Anti-Tinubu coalition

    2027: Finding alternative political party, our main hurdle — Anti-Tinubu coalition

    ABUJA: Ahead of the 2027 general election, the new broad-based coalition of opposition leaders say they are on the verge of reaching a final consensus on its structure and modus operandi, noting that its main hurdle had been finding an alternative political party.

    The coalition noted that while the issue of zoning is being raised by some individuals, the matter had not been formally discussed at its meetings.

    It added that at this stage of negotiations, the main focus was around getting leaders to agree to work together, as “there is strong recognition that prospective members should set aside personal ambitions to contest the 2027 elections.”

    The coalition disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja and signed by Salihu Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman, Northwest, of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

    Last Thursday, some opposition leaders had at a news conference in Abuja, opposed the presidential declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

    They also said the group would work as a coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

    Those in the forefront of the coalition are former vice president and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party LP, Mr Peter Obi, former Governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir el-Rufai and Tinubu’s estranged ally and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Babachir Lawal.

    They are joined in the coalition by some aggrieved elements of the APC including a former Governor of Nasarawa State and former National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; former Rivers state Governor and ex-Transport minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and; former Ekiti state Governor and ex-Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi.

    Lukman noted that while responding to a question during the press conference, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had confirmed that the formation of a coalition ahead of 2027 general election was going on.
    According to Lukman, this has generated wide interests and national debates with varied interpretations.
    He said in order to set the records straight, it was important to state that negotiations were ongoing, adding that nothing had been finalized.

    “Once concluded, formal announcements will be made with all the details regarding composition of membership, programme of action towards 2027, framework for contesting the 2027 elections, etc,” he stated.
    According to him, consultations are in advanced stages, basically reaching out to prospective members of the coalition, mapping out issues for agreements among members.

    He said: “At this stage of negotiations, the main focus is around getting leaders to agree to work together and substantially there is strong recognition that prospective members should set aside personal ambitions to contest the 2027 elections.

    “The second issue being negotiated is the political party that will be the platform for the 2027 electoral contest. These two issues are carefully being negotiated. While acknowledging that with respect to the requirement for members to set aside personal ambitions, there are strong interests being expressed around issues of zoning by individual leaders, these issues are yet to be formally discussed at any consultation meeting.

    “The speculation, therefore, by some media analysts about disagreements stalemating the coalition negotiation is not true. The consensus among leaders is that the final decision about processes of candidates’ selection can only be handled and determined when there is agreement regarding the political party on whose platform the coalition will field candidates.

    “The question of negotiating the political party is the most difficult challenge. This is an area that many members of the coalitions have been engaging in different ways for more than a year now. Perhaps, it is important to highlight that there are many groups, including some members of the coalition, who have filed applications to register political parties.

    “For reasons best known to INEC, these applications are being frustrated. The only conclusion that can be reached in the circumstance is that INEC has decided that it will not register new parties.

    “To make matters worse, many of the existing registered parties who did not meet the electoral threshold of winning any seat in the last general elections face the threat of deregistration. Given this unpleasant reality, members of the coalition opened negotiations with some of the existing parties that have met the electoral threshold.

    ‘’Interestingly, somehow, some of the prospective parties being negotiated are being remotely pushed into crises mode in the same way PDP, Labour Party and NNPP have been entangled with existential problems. It is almost a clear case of destroying the legal basis for any party to qualify to field candidates for 2027 other than the ruling APC,” he added.

    Allegation’s untrue – INEC

    However, INEC yesterday disclaimed the allegations, saying associations which meet the requirements for registration as political parties would be duly registered.

    Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the commission had had to even notify political associations when they file incomplete documents for registration as parties.

    Reacting to the allegation, Oyekanmi said: “It is not true, the commission will not frustrate any association seeking registration as a political party. We operate a transparent process. There are conditions to be fulfilled and there is an application procedure to be followed, as contained in the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties (2022).

    “There are documents to be submitted and verified, and there are different stages of an application. An applicant needs to be in compliance with all the requirements and must also submit genuine documents.
    “If there are issues during the application process, the commission will immediately inform the applicant to rectify such areas.’’

  • How 12 inmates escape in Kogi jailbreak

    How 12 inmates escape in Kogi jailbreak

    Twelve inmates escaped in a jailbreak in the early hours of yesterday, at the Medium prison in Koton Karfe, Kogi State.

    The state government confirmed this in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo.

    Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said it has recaptured five of 12 inmates, who escaped from lawful custody, during yesterday’s jailbreak.

    It has also ordered an immediate probe into the jailbreak.

    Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Babatunde Alao, yesterday, described the incident as unfortunate.

    Fanwo, who commended the swift response of security agencies to the jailbreak, praised the swift response of security agencies and described the escape as ‘unfortunate’, assuring citizens that the state government was taking decisive steps to prevent a recurrence.

    According to him, the Kogi State government vowed to work with security agencies to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.

    “The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns.

    “This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest of the fleeing inmates and identify possible saboteurs within the system,” Fanwo said.

    Fanwo added that Governor Ahmed Ododo has directed the State Security Adviser to collaborate with other security agencies to ensure such security breaches do not happen again.

    “There is no cause for panic. We encourage citizens to go about their daily activities as normal, knowing that the security of lives and property remains our top priority,” he added.

    5 fleeing inmates recaptured

    Spokesman of the Prison, Abubakar Umar in a statement said during the unfortunate incident, some inmates in a section of the facility manipulated the padlocks, leading to the escape of 12 inmates.

    “Upon receiving reports of the attack, the acting Controller General of Prisons, Sylvester Nwakuche, in collaboration with heads of sister security agencies including the SSA to the governor of Kogi State immediately mobilized to the facility, and personnel were deployed to secure the facility, restore order, and initiate a manhunt for the escapees.

    “As of this moment, five of the fleeing inmates have been recaptured, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining inmates and bring them to justice,” he stated.

    According to him, the acting Controller General of prison has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escapes.

    “Additionally, a security audit is being conducted across all prison facilities nationwide to prevent future occurrences.

    “The Service urges members of the public to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing any useful information that may assist in the recapture of those still at large. Citizens are encouraged to report any suspicious activities to the nearest security agency.

    “The Service assures Nigerians that the safety of the prisons remains a top priority, and measures are being reinforced to strengthen security across all facilities. The NCoS remains committed to ensuring that correctional facilities fulfill their mandate of safe custody, rehabilitation, and reintegration of inmates,” the service added.

    FG probes Koton Karfe Prison break

    Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo in a statement by his Media Adviser, Babatunde Alao, yesterday, vowed to ensure that all fleeing inmates were captured by leveraging the service’s robust biometrics and already deployed technology solutions.

    The minister also ordered the acting Controller General of Prisons, Nwakuche, to visit the facility in Kogi to evaluate the situation, and commence a comprehensive audit to unravel the events that led to the incident.

    “We are on top of the situation. Our men are on ground in Kogi, and I have ordered a comprehensive audit of the situation,” he said.

  • Democracy not working in Nigeria — Obasanjo, Obi, Tambuwal, Kukah

    Democracy not working in Nigeria — Obasanjo, Obi, Tambuwal, Kukah

    ABUJA—Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, and Aminu Tambuwal, the former governor of Sokoto State, yesterday expressed concerns that democracy was not working in Nigeria.

    The leaders, who spoke at the 60th birthday celebration of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, Emeka Ihedioha, at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Abuja Intercontinental Hotel, yesterday, stressed the need for urgent reforms to address the country’s challenges.

    Speaking at the event also attended by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku and immediate past governor of katsina State, Aminu Masari, Obasanjo noted that democracy, as currently practised in Nigeria and much of Africa, has failed to meet the need of the people.

    According to him, western model of democracy does not align with African values and needs, and “democracy in Africa has failed because it is not African.”

    Obasanjo, who called for a redefinition of democracy to better reflect the continent’s cultural realities and serve the people more effectively, said: “Is democracy failing in Africa? Are we talking of democracy or western liberal democracy?

    “We should remember that in Africa, we had a form of government which attended to the needs of the people. That is democracy.

    “Abraham Lincoln describes it as a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. But what do we have today? The Greek democracy affects everyone but democracy has now become representative democracy and it hasn’t taken care of everyone.

    “Democracy in Africa has failed because it’s not African, it didn’t have our culture and way of life. You will say, go to court when you know that you can’t get justice. Democracy is dying in Africa and to save it, it should be made in the context of Africa.”

    On his part, Obi also noted that the democracy practiced in the country is not working as it should.
    Recalling his experience, where he had to fight for his mandate after being impeached as governor of Anambra State, Obi maintained that he did not resort to bribery.

    He said: “Democracy is not working in Nigeria. Everything has been knocked down. I didn’t pay a dime to retrieve my mandate. When I was impeached, Obasanjo called to ask about my welfare. Nigeria should imbibe the Indonesian democracy, proportional representation.’’

    Speaking further, Obi said Nigeria’s democracy, which had been progressing since 1999, is now being “knocked down” by the current administration.

    “Some people came and knocked everything down. That is the situation we are in now. Everything has been knocked down. Nothing works.

    “I became a governor through the court when President Obasanjo and Atiku were in government.
    “I did not pay the court one naira. I was sitting in my office, and the court declared me the winner. It can’t happen in Nigeria today.

    “When I was being impeached, the president sent people to come and intervene on my behalf. Ken Nnamani came, begging the House (House of Assembly) not to impeach me.

    “Today, the president is impeaching a person. They were in PDP; I was in APGA. The president was calling and saying, ‘Peter, are you okay? Even when I was impeached, President Obasanjo called and said, ‘Are you okay? Are you safe?

    “When the court eventually declared me (the winner) under Andy Uba (as governor), President Yar’Adua called my phone in London and said, ‘come back. I said, President, I can’t come back.

    “When I came back, the military people came and received me at the airport. I couldn’t believe it. And took me straight to him. Now, the president would ask me not to come back. Democracy is collapsing.”

    Delivering the keynote address, titled “Is Democracy Failing in Africa?’’ Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, faulted the weaponization of religion in Nigeria, which he described as one of the major hindrances to the country’s democratic development.

    Kukah also described the relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku as being like a Catholic marriage, where they quarrel frequently but never broke up.

    The cleric, who, however, called for a more honest and inclusive approach to addressing the country’s challenges, said further: “Democracy is working for different people as you can see in their outlook. There is the belief that citizens are free to rebel. There has been debate whether the Nigerian constitution is perfect or not.

    “No constitution will be better than the Bible and Koran. Yet, we are still living in sin. The problem is that in Nigeria, the issue of Christian and Muslim prayer is not the best. The weaponisation of religion is a big problem in Nigeria.

    “Democracy is work in progress. God doesn’t discriminate between Christian or Muslim prayers. There is no discrimination. We are children of one God. If we are not treating each other rightly, one of them must be a bastard.

    “Democracy and its principles are endless contests. There are certain things God has given us which people can’t control.

    “We, as Africans, inherited a system that’s not ours, but we can’t say it’s not relevant to us. There are differences between democracy in Asia and that of Africa. Singapore, for example. What do we make of the tenets of democracy in Africa?

    “I feel sorry for the judges. At the last election, even small me, I had people calling me, complaining, talk to this, talk to that. Pressure on judges to deliver justice. I agree that there’s an urgent need to clean up the mess.

    “Democracy is about everything, it’s about justice. How do we know if democracy is working in Nigeria? Do we measure democracy based on the things we wish ourselves?”

    In his remarks, former governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, said democracy in Nigeria is still work in progress but noted that its success depends on the commitment of political leaders to abide by the rules.
    Weighing on the emergency rule declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, Tambuwal recalled that there was cooperation of the National Assembly during a state of emergency under Obasanjo’s administration, saying democracy could work when political actors act responsibly.

    “Democracy will work if the actors play by the rules. It’s work in progress. Under Obasanjo, a state of emergency was declared. The NASS worked together to ensure that 2/3 majority passed the emergency. “Each member had to vote. In this same NASS, we have the same constitution. What happened in the last one? We need to chase out the bad operators of democracy”, he stated.

    Speaking at the event, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said Ihedioha has remained loyal, even when they found themselves on different political platforms.

    “Emeka and I have kept this relationship and till today I have found him extremely loyal, dedicated and focused, even though sometimes we found ourselves on different political divides but we kept our relationship and I think that testifies with the kind of person Emeka is,” he said.

    On his part, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, traced the origin of democracy and what he and his team at the commonwealth did to promote its cause across the globe.

    Anyaoku said: “As Commonwealth Secretary-General, I helped members to transit to multi-party democracy. Also the collapse of apartheid administration in South Africa. Review of 1999 constitution
    “We need a new constitution to address many challenges. True federalism is the answer to the management of national issues.

    “The recent coup in Mali, Niger tend to take us back. The nature of our politics and the conduct of our politicians is another problem of our democracy.

    “They have become instruments of capturing political power. It’s only true, stable democratic governance that can rid our country of the crises which impede development.

    “I believe Nigeria can change this Eurocentric narrative. We in Africa and Nigeria have a responsibility to get a stable democracy and change the Eurocentric narrative.”

    While expressing gratitude to all who attended the event, the celebrant, Emeka Ihedioha, said: “My father told me the most expensive habit is having friends. I have lived my life pursuing the cause for democracy. We should all rise to defend democracy.

    “I urge all men to always speak truth to power and protect democracy. There’s life after money. I will remain who I am. For me and democracy, it is till God do us apart.”