The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticized the state’s economic performance under Governor Hope Uzodinma, following the release of data on Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue generated across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. In a press statement signed by the party’s state publicity secretary, Lancelot Obiaku, and made available to journalists, the PDP alleged that Governor Uzodinma’s leadership style has rendered the state “unattractive to investors.” The PDP highlighted that Imo State reportedly generated the lowest VAT revenue nationwide, amounting to N235.41 million. It noted that even Zamfara State, which ranked second-lowest,…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that the proposed tax reform bills are not aimed at scrapping any government agency but are designed to enhance efficiency and accountability. Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), made this clarification during the flag-off of a National Sensitisation Campaign in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital. The campaign addressed issues including World HIV Day, Security Awareness, Discouraging Get-Rich-Quick Syndrome, World Human Rights Day, and the Tax Reform Bills. Represented by the Director of Special Duties and State Operations, David Akoji, Issa-Onilu emphasized that the reform would require agencies to account for…
The American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) has called on governors from the South-East to take decisive action toward securing the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). In an open letter signed by AVID President Sylvester Onyia and Secretary Godson Obiagwu, the group urged the governors to engage President Bola Tinubu to facilitate Kanu’s release before Christmas, dismissing fears that his freedom might threaten their political ambitions. Assurances on Kanu’s Release AVID assured the governors that releasing Kanu would not jeopardize their aspirations for the vice presidency in 2027, contrary to…
The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 34-year-old suspect, Nwokpoku Emmanuel, for alleged armed robbery and kidnapping. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Awka. “The Anambra State Police Command has in custody one Nwokpoku Emmanuel, male, 34 years, over a case of armed robbery and kidnapping,” Ikenga stated. Details of the Crime According to the police, Emmanuel and his gang kidnapped a victim, demanded a ransom of N15 million, and subsequently released the victim after the payment. The gang also made away with the victim’s red Mercedes Benz GLE…
Troops of the Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDO KA, have conducted a series of clearance operations targeting camps of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN), resulting in the arrest of two suspected terrorists. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the task force’s spokesman, Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, on Sunday in Enugu. Unuakhalu revealed that on Dec. 5, 2024, troops raided an IPOB/ESN camp at Uhuala-Aku in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State. “The combined force, acting on credible intelligence, encountered the irredentists who fled their camp in disarray into the adjoining forest…
Activist lawyer Deji Adeyanju has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a “dead party,” following its expulsion of Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, a House of Representatives member from Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State. Adeyanju criticized the PDP for expelling Ugochinyere, the spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), over alleged gross indiscipline, insubordination, and anti-party activities, while allowing the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to remain a party member. Ugochinyere’s expulsion was confirmed in a letter from the PDP Ideato LGA chapter, dated December 5, 2024, and signed by LGA Chairman…
Renowned nation-builder and motivational speaker, Fela Durotoye, has called on Nigerians to embrace a spirit of selfless service and rise as heroes during this critical period in the country’s history. In a detailed statement addressing public discourse on the cost of governance, Durotoye debunked misinformation that listed him as a current media aide to the President. He clarified that he served as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Values and Social Justice (SSA-NVSJ) for six months, from October 2023 to March 2024, without receiving any salary or allowances. Durotoye explained his decision to volunteer for the role…
The Arewa Youths Initiative for Energy Reforms (AYIFER) has urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to prioritize the revival of the Kaduna Refinery to enhance petroleum product distribution in the country. In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, the National Coordinator of AYIFER, Bashir Al’Amin, appealed to NNPCL’s Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Mele Kyari, to take decisive steps to restore the refinery to global standards. Al’Amin noted that following the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery and the establishment of the Dangote Refinery in Lagos, it was imperative to shift focus to Kaduna. “We are calling on…
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has declared that he is unmoved by criticism, emphasizing his focus on the development of the FCT. Speaking on Friday at the flag-off ceremony for the design, construction, and furnishing of the office annex for the Body of Benchers of Nigeria in Abuja, Wike said he is indifferent to the actions and words of his detractors. “As a politician, you must have thick skin. I have thick skin,” Wike stated. “I don’t even hear what people say. I don’t even see those who are saying it, and I can’t reply.” The Minister outlined…
President Bola Tinubu has approved a comprehensive restructuring of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), relieving Hon. Emeka Atuma of his position as Chairman and appointing Emeka Nworgu as his replacement. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who announced significant changes to the Commission’s management, including the replacement of all three executive directors initially nominated and the addition of two new executive directors. Hon. Mark C. Okoye retains his position as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Commission. However, Tinubu removed board member Donatus Eyinnah Nwankpa from the 16-member…
The Federal Government has directed all Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of tertiary hospitals across the country to activate alert systems for heightened vigilance in patients exhibiting COVID-like symptoms. The directive follows the global circulation of the newly detected XEC COVID-19 variant, which has been identified in 29 countries, including Australia. In a circular dated December 5, 2024, with reference number DHS/INSPDIV/017/VOL.1/46, the Head of the Teaching Hospital Division for the Permanent Secretary, Dr. O. N. Anuma, raised concerns about the variant’s potential public health impact, citing its demonstrated growth advantage over other circulating strains. The letter, titled “Letter…
Residents of Unguwar Yargaladima in Zamfara State have rejected claims by the state police command that the recent explosions along the Gusau-Dansadau Road were orchestrated by Lakurawa terrorists. According to the residents, the explosives, which detonated in two separate locations, were planted by local bandits operating within the area. Speaking to journalists in Gusau, a resident, Mallam Ibrahim Usman, attributed the attack to a notorious bandit kingpin, Dogo Gide, and his gang. He accused the police of withholding the truth about the incident. “This attack has nothing to do with Lakurawa terrorists,” Usman asserted. “It was planned by Dogo Gide’s…
The Yobe State Police Command has arrested three suspected ATM fraudsters as part of its efforts to combat cybercrime and related offenses in the state. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, announced the arrests in a statement on Saturday, describing it as a significant breakthrough in the fight against financial fraud. According to Abdulkarim, the suspects, identified as Sani Kasim (35), Nura Umaru (24), and Umar Suleman (22), were apprehended on December 6, 2024, by operatives of the State Intelligence Department (SID). “These individuals are part of a criminal syndicate targeting ATM users in the state. They…
The Labour Party (LP) has vowed to declare vacant the seats of four lawmakers who recently defected from the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly. The affected lawmakers, representing constituencies in four states, are Chinedu Okere (Owerri Municipal/Owerri North/Owerri West Constituency, Imo), Mathew Donatus (Kaura Federal Constituency, Kaduna), Akiba Bassey (Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Constituency, Cross River), and Esosa Iyawe (Oredo Federal Constituency, Edo). In a statement issued on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh, the Labour Party condemned the defections as “irrational, untenable, and inconsistent with democratic norms.” Ifoh cited Section 68(g)…
Erhriatake Ibori-Suenu, a member of the House of Representatives and daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Her defection was announced on Thursday in a letter read on the floor of the House of Representatives. Ibori-Suenu’s father, James Ibori, who served as Delta State Governor from 1999 to 2007, is regarded as a key figure in the PDP’s political structure in the state. Her move to the APC marks the latest defection in an ongoing wave of lawmakers switching allegiance from opposition parties…
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) have initiated discussions on a potential merger aimed at strengthening opposition efforts ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. The ADC National Chairman, Ralphs Okey Nwosu, disclosed this development during the official launch of the Digital Political Academy at the ADC Global Campus in Abuja. According to Nwosu, both parties share a commitment to justice and a vision of building a formidable opposition to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). “Our party, ADC, and the PRP are committed to building a virile opposition and are standing firm together on…
Gunmen have reportedly abducted a 25-year-old student of Delta State University, Abraka, identified as Onoriode Roman, in Ethiope-East Local Government Area of Delta State. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, with reports indicating that the assailants stripped the victim naked before abducting her. Sources revealed that the gunmen used Roman’s phone to contact her family, demanding a ransom of one million naira. The abductors reportedly instructed the family to deliver the money by 1:00 p.m. on Friday, December 6. The victim’s mother, Mrs. Florence, and her elder sister, Ese, have expressed distress over the situation and called on the police…
A High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State, has nullified the sale of the Secretariat complex belonging to the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Imo State Council, located along Port Harcourt Road, Owerri. The judgment was delivered following a lawsuit filed by Precious Nwadike, Steve Uzoeshi, and Lambert Ojukwu on behalf of other union members against Chris Akaraonye, Juliet Dim, and others. The plaintiffs alleged that the sale of the property was conducted illegally. In her ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Ann Ononeze Madu, stated that the respondents lacked the administrative capacity to carry out any transactions on behalf of…
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has alleged that political adversaries are targeting his key supporters, including traditional rulers and government officials, in efforts to destabilize his administration. Fubara made the accusations on Friday during the commissioning of the remodeled Government Girls’ Secondary School in Ahoada East Local Government Area. He specifically cited the arrest and four-month detention of His Royal Majesty, Eze Ekpeye Logbo Kevin Anugbom, and High Chief Cassid Ikebidi, attributing their ordeal to their loyalty to his administration. The governor also criticized the Nigerian Police Force for declaring his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, wanted, claiming it was…
The Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Abba Moro, has refuted claims that Senate President Godswill Akpabio overruled his deputy, Senator Jibrin Barau, regarding the controversial Tax Reform Bills. Speaking to Channels Television on Friday, Moro clarified that there was no case of overruling, emphasizing that the Senate remains focused on its legislative responsibilities and will not succumb to external pressures. “I don’t see it as an overruling as such. The Deputy Senate President presided over the session; on the next day, the Senate President presided over the session,” Moro stated. ” Adjustments are permissible under normal circumstances, and that…