News

Why I Haven’t Delivered Mubarak Bala’s Open Letter To Tinubu – Soyinka

Published

2 years ago

August 15, 2023

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has expressed reason he was yet to deliver Mubarak Bala’s open letter to President Bola Tinubu.

Bala has been in prison in Abuja for more than three years while serving 24-year prison sentence for dumping Islam for atheism.

At the launch of “A Letter to a President,” last week, Soyinka pledged to help deliver Bala’s open letter to the president when the opportunity comes.

But the Nobel Laureate, in a statement on Tuesday, said he was yet to deliver the letter to Tinubu, because he was yet to meet him, (President).

Soyinka said he had been bombarded with inquiries from both local and international Human Rights organisations about the outcome of delivering the letter to the president.

The statement, titled, “Mubarak Bala’s Open Letter to the President,” reads: “Thanks to my pledge to seize the first opportunity to personally deliver a signed copy of the recently launched Appeal by the above Prisoner of Conscience, Mubarak Bala, to President, I have been bombarded by both local and international Human Rights organisations, with inquiries about the outcome.

“I regret to state that some media have completely misreported this, and I have yet to meet the current tenant of Aso Rock.

“I must however exploit this opportunity to call on all those who participated in the August 5h launch of the document as well as well-wishers of Mubarak Bala to continue and indeed intensify their efforts, through whatever avenues, to secure the release of this unjustly persecuted youth whose only crime was to insist on his freedom of thought and belief, and its expression.

”There should be no let-up until this symbol of our times is restored to full freedom and human dignity.”

Recall, last week, during the launch of “A Letter to a President,” written by Bala to Tinubu, Soyinka called for a national dialogue on religion.

The Nobel Laureate said it was high time Nigerians interrogated how religious practices impinged on the rights and freedoms of individuals in the country.

Soyinka, who was unequivocal while making his demands, called for a meeting of minds on religion not only against the backdrop of Bala’s continuing incarceration but also in the light of atrocities committed by religious fanatics in the name of religion, while referencing Deborah Samuel, the lady who was lynched and burnt to death in Sokoto in 2022 by her fellow students over alleged blasphemy.

News

EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

Published

1 hour ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has condemned the actions of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, who was recently spotted participating in a matchmaking programme on social media platforms hosted by popular entertainer Lege Miami.

The agency has ordered his immediate arrest for retaining official EFCC property, including an identity card, following his dismissal for certificate forgery.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on its official X handle on Monday, said Folarin served as a driver at the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate.

He was, however, dismissed after investigations confirmed he had forged his academic credentials.

It said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, condemned in the strongest terms, the involvement of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, in a matchmaking programme running on Lege Miami social media platforms.”

“Folarin was recently dismissed from the Commission for certificate forgery. He was a driver at the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.”

The statement said EFCC Executive Chairma,n Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered Folarin to be arrested and emphasised that Folarin’s actions should not be associated with the commission.

“The Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered his arrest for being in possession of some Commission’s properties, including an identity card, which he should have handed over upon being dismissed from the EFCC.

“The public is advised against associating Folarin’s post-dismissal conduct with the EFCC,” the statement concluded.

News

NERC Transfers Regulation Of Electricity Market To Bayelsa

Published

2 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State to the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency.

In a notice on its social media handles on Monday, the commission said this was in compliance with the amended 1999 Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State from the Commission to the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency,” the commission said.

Recall that with the Electricity Act 2023, the commission retains the role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.

The Act also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the state regulator.

The transfer order by NERC directed Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc to incorporate a subsidiary distribution company to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Bayelsa State from PHED.

PHED was also directed to complete the incorporation of PHED SubCo within 60 days from August 21, 2025.

“The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from BYERA, among other directives,” the commission said.

It concluded that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 20, 2026.

With this order, Bayelsa has joined states like Lagos, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Oyo and Plateau, which have got the power to regulate electricity markets.

The state can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity while issuing licences to investors within the value chain.

News

Things To Know As INEC Begins Physical Voter Registration Monday

Published

2 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission commenced the physical, in-person phase of its 2025 Continuous Voter Registration exercise across Nigeria today, Monday, August 25.

This follows the online pre-registration that commenced on August 18, 2025.

In an update on its X handle on Monday, the commission provided details of the schedule, locations, and eligibility of voters.

INEC said in-person registration will run Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, and urged eligible Nigerians to complete their registration at INEC state or local government offices in their area.

The commission said those eligible to register or update their details include:

New voters aged 18 and above who have not registered before.

Holders needing to replace lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Voters seeking to transfer their registration to a new location.

People who need to update or correct their voter information (name, address, etc.).

The electoral umpire asked registrants who completed online pre-registration to proceed to their INEC State Head Office or LGA office to finalise the process.

The commission also published a list of registration centres on its official portal.