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Why Buhari Didn’t Intervene In Adamawa Governorship Saga — FG

Published

2 years ago

April 19, 2023

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, explained that President Buhari did not intervene in the governorship drama in Adamawa State because the matter was within the purview of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, could handle.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this why fielding questions from State House correspondents at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Mohammed maintained that the just-concluded elections in the country was the most transparent and rancour-free elections in recent times due to the introduction of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System, BVAS.

He added that President Buhari did not use security to rig elections in favour of the ruling party.

He was then asked why Buhari has not intervened in the alleged misconduct of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in charge of Adamawa State, Hudu Yunusa Ari, who usurped the powers of the Returning Officer to announce the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Senator Aishatu ‘Binani’ Ahmed as the governor-elect, while collations were ongoing.

Mohammed said the INEC Chairman was saddled with the responsibility of handling election matters.

According to him, “I don’t think this government has ever intervened in the way the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, conducts elections.

“So there was no need for us to intervene. It was entirely an INEC and INEC handled it.

“The Chairman of INEC is in charge of all employees of INEC and he is handling it, so what do you want the government to do?”

Reminded that INEC had written a petition to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, to take the alleged unwholesome display of the Adamawa REC to the President, he maintained that the INEC Chairman is capable of handling the matter.

Obi’s ‘treason’

He also spoke on his trip to the US and why he accused the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi of treason.

Lai said since Mr. Obi did not rebuke his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, for saying that if the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is sworn-in on May 29, it would be the end of democracy in the country, it meant that Ahmed said the mind of Mr. Obi.

He said, “I went to the US to balance the skewed report about the just-concluded elections.

“And everywhere I went, I said it very unambiguously that the last general elections in Nigeria are the most transparent, the freest and was authentic.

“And that’s despite the efforts of the opposition to delegitimise or discredit the elections. And I forwarded my position there as to why these elections were the best.

“One, that deployment of technology, especially BIVAS, made it pretty difficult for anybody to do the usual things before which were overvoting, stuffing ballots and the like, because once it takes your biometrics you can’t go twice.

“Secondly, I said because the President also showed that he promised that he will provide a level-playing ground, which he did.

“In the first instance, Mr President did not confer any advantage on his ruling party.

“And that is why as far he was concerned, he would rather lose the election than win at all costs and the results showed it.

“The President lost the presidential election in his state in Katsina. It has never happened in Nigeria, for a sitting President to lose the election in his own state.

“And I went further to say that the President also prevented anybody from misusing security to rig elections. Of course, the last election is largely the least violent in the history of Nigeria.

“What I said about Mr. Peter Obi is very clear. I said, Mr. Peter has every right to seek redress in court like Labout Party.

“But nobody has the right to call for insurrection, or to threaten to say that if the President-elect is sworn in, that would be the end of democracy.

“That was precisely what the running mate of Mr. Peter Obi said on television. And I have not heard Peter Obi reign him in or correcting him.

“So if your running mate says something, of course he was saying it on behalf of the party and the candidate.

“That’s why I said that it was treason for anybody to say that if a duly elected President in Nigeria is sworn in, that would be the end of democracy. So I don’t see anything controversial in that.”

News

BRC Sympathises With Edo NSCDC, Family, On Painful Death Of Commandant

Published

4 hours ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

Benin Recreation Club 1933 (BRC) has sympathised with Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edo State Command, over the painful demise of the state commandant, Agun Gbenga Joseph.

In a statement issued by the club’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Edoko Wilson Edoko, president of the club, Mr. Osayi Courage Osamuyi, described the death of commandant Gbenga as shocking and a painful loss to the security community and the state at large.

“The late Commandant’s death is indeed shocking and a painful loss. He was jovial, very accommodating, and an initiative-driven individual,” Mr. Osayi stated.

“I recall our Club’s visit to his office, where I led members of my Executive Committee to meet with him. We discussed areas of collaboration between Benin Recreation Club and the NSCDC, Edo State Command”, he said.

Osayi further urged the bereaved family and the NSCDC to draw strength from the late Commandant’s legacy of service, professionalism, and dedication to duty.

He prayed that God grants them the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

Recall that the Commandant reportedly slumped and died on Thursday, 2nd October 2025, while delivering a goodwill message at an event organised by the International Association of World Peace Advocates held at the Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre in Benin City.

News

House To Probe $20bn Shortfall In Oil Firms’ Cleanup Funds

Published

13 hours ago

October 9, 2025

Editor

The House of Representatives launched an investigation on Thursday into the compliance level of oil and gas companies with decommissioning and abandonment regulations in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.

This comes against the backdrop of concerns over a staggering $20 billion compliance gap and spikes in environmental, fiscal, and social risks associated with outdated infrastructure.

This followed the presentation of a motion of urgent public importance by the Chairman, House Committee on Political Parties Matters, Mr Zakaria Nyampa, at Thursday’s plenary.

Speaking on the significance of the motion, the Adamawa lawmaker said, “Across oil-producing countries, operators are required to set aside funds during the productive phase of their assets to cover the future costs of dismantling, site remediation, and restoration.

“This principle is clearly enshrined in Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and the NUPRC/NMDPRA Decommissioning and Abandonment Regulations of 2022, yet compliance remains alarmingly poor.”

He argued that Sections 232 and 233 of the PIA mandate licensees and lessees to “Establish decommissioning programmes, maintain dedicated escrow accounts, obtain regulatory approvals, and pay penalties for non-compliance.

“Unfortunately, most operators in the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors are flouting these provisions. In some cases, International Oil Companies have divested from assets in the Niger Delta without adequate D and A funding, effectively transferring future environmental and financial liabilities to the government and host communities.”

In his words, over 90 per cent of operators have failed to meet their mandatory D&A funding obligations, while regulatory agencies, particularly the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, have not shown the necessary enforcement commitment.

“We are witnessing a dangerous regulatory gap. The regulators must be held accountable for ensuring that every operator complies fully with decommissioning laws. Otherwise, Nigerians, especially host communities, will bear the brunt of environmental disasters,” he added.

He added that the cost of decommissioning in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is estimated between $500,000 and $1m per well, and up to $50 million per field, with total liabilities projected at $10bn to $15bn in the upstream sector alone.

“Less than 20 percent of operators have established properly funded escrow accounts. The total amount contributed so far is below $1bn, leaving a massive shortfall and compliance gap of about $15bn to $20bn across the industry,” he expressed.

Nyampa raised the alarm that the midstream and downstream sectors face huge risks, with decaying refineries, depots, gas plants, and pipeline infrastructure constituting potential remediation liabilities of up to $5bn.

“If urgent action is not taken, Nigeria risks widespread environmental degradation, oil spills, toxic contamination, and safety hazards such as fires, gas leaks, and explosions, particularly in already vulnerable host communities.”

Following the adoption of his motion, the House resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the level of compliance with decommissioning and abandonment provisions as spelt out in the PIA.

When constituted, the Committee is expected to invite relevant regulatory agencies and oil companies, scrutinise their D and A escrow accounts, and report back to the House within twelve weeks for further legislative action.

News

Tinubu Approves National Honours For 959 Nigerians

Published

13 hours ago

October 9, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday approved the conferment of 959 national honours and endorsed reforms to strengthen the funding framework for the Nigeria Police Force.

This came as he presided over marathon meetings of the National Council of State and the Police Council at the State House, Abuja.

Addressing State House correspondents after the meetings, the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr Emanso Umobong, said the President approved the report of the National Honours Award Committee for 2024 and 2025, as well as special awards that were earlier bestowed by the President from January 2025 to date.

According to Umobong, the current honours committee, reconstituted in August 2021 and chaired by Justice Sidi Bage, screened over 5,000 applications before recommending 824 recipients for the 2024/2025 National Honours and 135 special awardees, totalling 959 honourees.

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“The award of titles of honour and decorations of dignitaries is a yearly event at which the President honours deserving nationals and non-nationals who have distinguished themselves in the service of the nation and humanity,” she said.

Umobong added, “After diligent screening and selection by the committee, a total of 824 successful applicants were recommended for the 2024/2025 National Honours and 135 special awards by the President, bringing it to a total of 959 awardees.”

She noted that President Tinubu, in the spirit of inclusive national recognition, had already honoured several distinguished Nigerians and friends of Nigeria in the past year, including Bill Gates for contributions to public health, Uncle Sam Pemu for journalism, and the Super Falcons and D’Tigress for excellence in sports.

Others include the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four, honoured posthumously for environmental activism, and Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the outgoing INEC Chairman, recognised for service to Nigeria’s democratic process.

The updated list of awardees, Umobong said, would be published soon.

Following the Council of State session, President Tinubu chaired the Nigeria Police Council, where members approved major reforms to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.

In his first-ever briefing to journalists since assuming office in August 2023, Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, said the Council ratified proposals to repeal and re-enact the 2019 Police Trust Fund Establishment Act to remove its six-year limit and transform it into a permanent agency.

“The sunset clause of six years in the current Act limits the lifespan of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund and impedes long-term planning, thereby constraining sustainable police reform.

“We also prayed that the Council approve the repeal and re-enactment of the Nigerian Police Transparency Establishment Act 2025 in order to remove the sunset clause and transition it into an agency,” Geidam said.

He explained that the Council further approved an upward review of the Police Trust Fund’s allocation from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of the Federation Account, as well as a directive to the Attorney-General of the Federation to incorporate all resolutions into an executive bill for submission to the National Assembly.

Established in 2019, the NPTF was designed to bridge funding gaps in policing by supporting training, welfare, technology acquisition, and logistics. However, its limited tenure and budget constraints have long hindered sustainable reforms.

“All these prayers have been approved without any omission,” Geidam confirmed, adding, “The Council also directed that the Honourable Attorney-General and Minister of Justice input all the approvals of the Council in the proposed Executive Bill.”