News

N200m Election Fund Divides Edo APC

Published

4 years ago

August 26, 2021

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State is currently emerged in crisis over N200 million election funds allegedly meant for the Edo Professional Drivers on Wheel.

This was revealed on Thursday when a chieftain of the party, Mr Adam Ehigiamusoe, in a press briefing, alleged the party’s governorship candiate in 2020 election in the state, Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu, of embezzlement of fund meant for the elections.

Ehigiamusoe who is the President of the Edo Professional Drivers on Wheel, said Ize-Iyamu’s interest in the APC is self-serving and not for the growth of the party.

He said the money meant for his trade union to mobilise for the governorship election was never released, adding that Ize-Iyamu held on to the fund inspite of all entreaties to get him release it.

While calling on the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to call Ize-Iyamu to order, he warned that his actions and activities is about “destroying the state chapter of the party.

Ehigiamusoe said that the APC governorship candiate in the last Edo election has succeeded in hijacking the party’s structure to himself.

“Ize-Iyamu was never interested in the growth of the party but what he stands to benefit from the party, he is self-cantered and arrogate everything that comes to himself and cronies.

“As we speak, he has already compromised the forthcoming congress; he has positioned his people to take over every possible position available and that I fear will led to parallel congress being conducted in the state.

“A man who failed to win his local government and even his ward in an election he stood as a candidate should not be allowed to take control of the party.

“Ize-Iyamu’s anticident at destroying party is well known, just the same way he destroyed the PDP before jumping ship is about the same thing he is doing to APC now.

“That is why i am callig on the NWC of the party to heard to my call by calling Ize-Iyamu to order. He must not be allowed to kill the party that we have laboured to build before he (Ize-Iyamu re-joined),” he alleged.

Reacting to the allegaion, Ize-Iyamu described the claim by Ehigiamusoe “as manifestly false.”

Ize-Iyamu who reacted through a statement signed by Mr John Mayaki, said at “no point before, during, or after the campaign did he met with Ehigiamusoe, whether in person or proxy, to offer such “outlandish promise.”

He continues, “My engagements with the transport unions in Edo State during the 2020 election campaign were subjects of sufficient media coverage – similar to meetings held with other representative bodies of stakeholders in the state.

“If any promise was made, it would have been reported and long claimed, not a year after when some persons are understandably attempting to ingratiate themselves with the ruling party because the burden of opposition proves too great for them to bear,” he stated.

On the coming APC congress, he said, “The party hierarchy at the national and state level is responsible for conducting congresses across the country.

“My only involvement is playing my role as a registered member of the party as outlined in the constitution guiding participation.

“I have neither the intention nor desire to manipulate the process. To what end?

“I do not know what may have motivated Mr Adams Ehigiamusoe’s unwarranted falsehood and attack.

“But I encourage him and others so minded to move on from the 2020 election and commit themselves to strengthening the party and renewing our promise to the people of our dear state who are, daily, yearning for effective representation.

“Notwithstanding, if their political goal is to mend fence with certain blocs, they can pursue that without smearing innocent parties with falsehood to demonstrate allegiance.”

News

PAP Sends Additional 34 Foreign Post-graduate Scholarship Beneficiaries To UK Varsities

Published

6 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has deployed an additional 34 foreign post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries to various universities in the United Kingdom for the 2025-2026 academic year.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Warri by Mr Igoniko Oduma, Special Assistant on Media to Dr. Dennis Otuaro, the Administrator, PAP.

According to the statement, the scholars’ programmes include data science, fintech analytics, cyber security, international energy law and policy, construction project management, public health, agri-food technology, electrical and petroleum engineering, among others.

The statement added that more foreign post-graduate scholars will be sent to UK universities in the current academic session.

“In December 2025, nine students, who were the first set of offshore post-graduate scholarship developments by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic year, graduated from their various programmes in UK universities.

“Otuaro has deployed over 9000 students to universities within and outside Nigeria for different industry-relevant programmes since he assumed office in March 2024,” the statement partly reads.

Speaking at the pre-departure orientation programme for the scholars at the PAP headquarters in Abuja, on Thursday, Otuaro said that the large-scale deployment was aimed at making the Niger Delta a knowledge-driven region.

He said that his leadership reinvigorated the programme to give it a new momentum in service delivery to the people of the region based on the mandate of President Bola Tinubu.

Otuaro said, “We are sending all of you for post-graduate studies in various universities in the United Kingdom.

“The PAP now has a new momentum and direction because of the repositioning and broad reforms that we carried out in line with the mandate of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.

“The objective behind the huge scholarships deployment is to ensure that we develop the needed human capital to transform the Niger Delta and generate knowledge-wealth.

“We want to develop relevant manpower in critical disciplines for our region and by extension, the country, because you are expected to contribute your quota to national development after successful graduation.”

The PAP boss, who was represented at the event by his Technical Assistant, Mr Edgar Biu, advised the scholars to study hard to achieve academic excellence in their various fields of research.

According to him, the scholars have an obligation to justify the Federal Government’s investment in their education and future.

He reiterated his warning that beneficiaries should not take for granted the opportunity to further their academic pursuits in the interest of the Niger Delta and indeed the country.

Otuaro expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his “enormous interest and support for the Programme”, particularly the approval of an upward review of the programme’s budget from N65billion to N150billion.

He also expressed gratitude to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his impeccable guidance and supervision of the programme’s initiatives.

Otuaro, therefore, cautioned the scholars to obey their host country’s laws and the rules and regulations of their various institutions, stressing that they are ambassadors of Nigeria, the Niger Delta and their communities and families.

Highpoint of the orientation programme was the presentation of laptops to the scholars to help them in their studies.

News

Industrial Court Bars Resident Doctors From Strike

Published

7 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

The National Industrial Court in Abuja has issued an interim injunction restraining the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and its agents from embarking on any form of industrial action, including strikes, go-slows, picketing, or preparatory steps for protest, from Monday, January 12, 2026.

Justice E.D. Subilim ordered that the injunction remain in force pending the hearing of the motion on January 21. The suit was filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Federal Government against NARD, its president, Dr Mohammad Suleiman, and Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim.

The court order comes days after resident doctors at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, declared their full support for the nationwide strike announced by NARD over the government’s alleged failure to honour critical welfare and training agreements.

UDUTH doctors cited the non-reinstatement of five disengaged resident doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, unpaid promotion and salary arrears, and incomplete implementation of the Professional Allowance Table as key grievances. Other unresolved issues include withheld specialist allowances, delayed house officers’ salaries, postgraduate training certification delays, and deteriorating hospital infrastructure.

However, NARD had on Tuesday noted that there was no going back on the industrial action, insisting that the strike is necessary and not politically motivated. Speaking in Abuja, Dr Suleiman said the withdrawal of services from midnight on Monday is a response to “unmet commitments, shifting government positions and worsening working conditions for resident doctors, not partisan considerations.”

He argued that none of the demands outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Federal Government on November 27, 2025, have been implemented.

“Every issue is either at the same point where it was when we signed the MoU or we have even gone backwards,” Dr Suleiman said, adding that claims by the Ministry of Health that some issues had been resolved were misleading.
He further challenged the government to show where N90 billion, allegedly allocated in the 2026 budget for health workers’ professional allowances, has been provided.

The association also demanded the immediate reinstatement of the five disengaged resident doctors at FTH Lokoja with full back pay and rejected plans to redeploy them elsewhere.

Other grievances include delayed promotion arrears across 62 tertiary institutions, non-recognition of specialist certificates, and outstanding salary and allowance payments affecting nearly 40 percent of resident doctors.

While NARD remains open to dialogue and has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for decisive intervention, it warned that unless concrete action is taken, the planned industrial action will go ahead, potentially disrupting healthcare services nationwide. Dr Mujitaba Umar, President of the UDUTH chapter, described the situation as “difficult but unavoidable,” while the chapter’s General Secretary, Dr Muhammad Abdulrahman Hassan, urged the Federal Government to act swiftly “in the interest of the Nigerian populace and the healthcare system.”

News

Nigeria To Get Fresh $9.5m Abacha Loot From UK’s Jersey

Published

8 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Editor

Nigeria to receive fresh $9.5 million (£7 million), believed to be stolen funds linked to former military Head of State, Sani Abacha, from the United Kingdom’s Jersey.

According to the BBC, Jersey has agreed to repatriate the fund to the Nigerian government.

The money, described as proceeds of “tainted property,” is said to be part of the vast fortune stolen by Abacha, who ruled Nigeria between 1993 and 1998.

The funds were kept in a bank account in Jersey and had been tied up in legal proceedings for several years.

Although the assets were first recovered during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, court challenges stalled their return to Nigeria. Progress was made in December 2025 when Jersey’s Attorney-General, Mark Temple, signed a memorandum of understanding, MoU, with Nigerian authorities to enable the repatriation.

The latest agreement builds on two earlier arrangements between Jersey and Nigeria that led to the return of more than $300 million (£230m) in recovered assets.