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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said that former Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema raised the bar for governance in the state through sustained investments in infrastructure, education and healthcare during his eight years in office.

The President, speaking while congratulating Shema on his birthday on Tuesday, described the former governor as a visionary leader whose record of public service remained a benchmark in the country.

Shema, a lawyer and politician, governed Katsina State between 2007 and 2015. He is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council.

In a statement from his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu joined the former governor’s family, friends and associates in celebrating him, commending his dedication to nation-building and national development.

The President particularly acknowledged Shema’s interventions across several sectors during his tenure as governor, including investments in rural roads, schools, business institutes, clinics and a state-of-the-art specialist hospital.

‘President Tinubu believes the former governor raised the bar of governance in Katsina through sustained investment in durable infrastructure, including rural roads, schools, business institutes, clinics, and a state-of-the-art specialist hospital’, the statement said.

Tinubu also thanked the former governor for his continued support and prayed that Almighty God would grant him many more years in good health.

A former Chief Press Secretary in Edo State, Mr John Mayaki, has criticised the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki’s investment model, questioning whether the state secured commensurate value from some projects to which substantial public resources and assets were committed.

Mayaki contrasted the former administration’s handling of projects such as the Radisson Blu Hotel and the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) with Governor Monday Okpebholo’s decision to secure equity stakes for Edo State in two electricity projects with a combined proposed generation capacity of 300 megawatts.

He said an administration that projected itself as private-sector driven should have been careful to ensure that every naira, parcel of land and financial obligation committed by the state produced clearly defined and proportionate benefits for taxpayers.

‘You cannot preach investment sophistication and then leave the public struggling to understand what it owns after its money and assets have been committed,’ Mayaki said.

He said the contrast with Okpebholo was striking, citing the governor’s 10 per cent stake for Edo in the 100MW Ologbo power project and another 10 per cent interest in the proposed 200MW Edo North Independent Power Project.

Mayaki said the Ologbo transaction was particularly significant because the state secured its interest without making a direct financial investment in the power plant.

‘Obaseki was celebrated as an investment banker and technocrat, so the standard expected of him was even higher,’ Mayaki said.

‘The question is not how impressive a project sounds at commissioning. The question is: what did Edo contribute, what does Edo own and what will Edo people ultimately receive?

‘Okpebholo has shown that government can welcome private capital, protect the treasury and still insist that Edo has a seat at the ownership table.’

The government said it secured the Ologbo equity by leveraging land and providing security and an enabling environment for the investment.

The 100MW plant is being developed by CCETC Ogua Energy Limited in Ologbo, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.

The state also has a 10 per cent stake in the proposed 200MW Edo North Independent Power Project being developed by Edo North Electricity Company Limited.

Commissioner for Power, Paul Usenbo, had said the project would improve electricity supply across Edo North and complement supply from the national grid.

Turning to the Obaseki administration, Mayaki said the controversies surrounding Radisson Blu and MOWAA illustrated the need for governments to clearly establish what taxpayers receive when public resources and assets are committed to major projects.

He said the Radisson transaction raised questions about the scale of the state’s financial exposure relative to the ownership interest ultimately retained by Edo.

The Okpebholo administration has said the state continues to service financial obligations associated with a N25 billion capital-market facility connected with the hotel project.

Mayaki said MOWAA presented a different concern because public resources and land were committed to the cultural project without the state holding equity in the independent institution.

Supporters of MOWAA have argued that the institution is a charitable, non-profit organisation rather than a conventional commercial enterprise and that the state’s contribution should therefore be viewed as support for cultural and public infrastructure rather than an equity investment.

Mayaki said the power projects could have implications beyond the value of the state’s shares.

According to him, improved electricity supply could lower operating costs for businesses, encourage manufacturing and agro-processing, support small and medium-sized enterprises and strengthen Edo’s attractiveness to investors.

He said reliable power could also stimulate industrial development around the Ologbo axis and expand economic opportunities across Edo North.

Mayaki said the ultimate measure of the projects would be their completion, electricity delivered to homes and businesses, jobs created and the economic value generated for the state.

‘Edo should not just be the place where investments are located,’ he said.

‘Edo should benefit from the wealth those investments create.’

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen said on Tuesday that the federal parliament was committed to the conduct of a free, fair and credible general elections in 2027.

The Speaker said religious bodies remain formidable organisations respected by the people who listened to them, urging religious leaders to use their influence for a peaceful Nigeria before, during and after the elections.

Speaker Abbas spoke when Religious Network for Peace and Development visited him to present its programmes ahead of next year’s polls as well as present a letter of appointment as Grand Patron.

The organisation also called for the support of the Speaker for the campaign for peace and unity ahead of the elections.

Speaker Abbas urged the association and other religious bodies to ‘step up activities during the campaigns and the elections’ towards a successful and peaceful conduct of the polls.

He stated that the House will always support such causes ‘as and when due.’

Accepting the appointment, the Speaker said he was ‘very elated’ while describing Tuesday as an ‘important day.’ He added that he was ‘humbled’ by the Grand Patron appointment.

While noting that ‘this association speaks for itself,’ Speaker Abbas said Nigerians know the antecedents and contributions as well as the benefits that the organization has brought to the country.

Stating that the House is a ‘solid partner’ of the Religious Network for Peace and Development, he said together with the Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress, Hon. James Faleke, he will convey the group’s activities to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

He said he was honoured to be part of the association, noting, ‘I want to assure you I will not be a passive member or patron.’

A former Governor of Kano State, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, who led the delegation, presented a letter of appointment to the Speaker, as well as a catalogue of past activities and programme of activities towards the 2027 general elections.

The ex-governor noted that members of the association, which he said has been existing for over three decades, are drawn from various religious organisations. He added that the body is working towards growth and development of Nigeria.

Shekarau also noted that with the elections approaching, the group is committed to integrating its objectives across the country, mobilising communities, especially the youth and religious organisations.

The former governor stressed that the body is after the existence of peaceful cooperation between and among all Nigerians. ‘Our concern ultimately is good governance,’ he stated.

Participation of Nigerians in the country’s oil and gas industry and value retention has hit 60 per cent.

The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil) Senator Heineken Lokpobiri disclosed in Abuja yesterday during a courtesy call by of the Minister of Petroleum, Republic of Congo, Stev Simplice Onanga and his delegation.

The team came to learn from Nigeria’s robust experience in oil and gas production and especially local content policy implementation.

Lokpobiri recalled that the International Oil Companies (IOCs) used to account for 90 per cent of Nigeria’s production, which has now reduced by 30 per cent in favour of indigenous companies.

The improvement, according to him, also indicates 60 per cent of retention of the value of petroleum production in Nigeria.

‘I mean, you don’t need any interpreter to tell you that before now it used to be 90 per cent IOCs, right now we have 60 per cent indigenous, you know, companies, you know, accounting for the production we have in Nigeria.

‘That means 60 per cent retention of value in the country. And so, I believe that that is a tremendous impact, you know, in our economy in Nigeria,’ he said.

Lokpobiri attributed the achievements to the strategic and hard decisions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said the IOCs have also decided to operate deep water offshore because of their exclusive competence in the area.

On the other hand, Lokpobiri disclosed that the IOCs have divested the onshore to indigenous firms, which Nigerians also operate.

Asked whether a further increase in volume of crude oil production would result in lower petroleum products pump prices, he said being an international commodity, higher input from Nigeria may not necessarily result in lower pump prices in the country because the industry has been deregulated.

The minister said NIgeria is on course to hit 3million barrels per day production in the next few years as the number of operational rigs have grown to 64 from about 10.

Lokpobiri said: ‘The price here is the same as the price in London. And so, whether we produce three billion barrels or not, it may not affect the price of locally refined products. That is the essence of deregulation.

‘Before we came, they were about 10 to 14. Today, we have over 65 rigs, actively working in different fields in Nigeria. What we are producing today was the wells that were drilled by the IOCs.’

He said the government’s complete deregulation of the industry has resulted in the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals largest refinery Initial Public Offer (IPO).

He said: ‘Market dynamics must be allowed to determine the price.’

He vowed to support the Republic of Congo with Nigeria’s 15 years local content implementation experience.

Meanwhile, Onanga revealed that the aim of his visit ‘is really to come and to see how Nigerians develop the local content policy and things like that. You know that we try to do something in Congo.’

Where the carcass is, there the vultures gather. (Matthew 24:28 and Luke 17:37).

Those two verses of the scripture were what came to mind on receiving the news of the dismissal of the multi-billion-dollar claims by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited regarding the long-stalled Mambilla Hydroelectric Power by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration tribunal in Paris on Thursday last week. Nigeria and Nigerians must count themselves lucky, that the outcome, perhaps more than just another verdict, is actually a decisive blow to the solar plexus of those powerful, unscrupulous and rapacious entities for whom Nigeria, our beloved country, only exist to be serially gang-raped.

It’s hard to imagine what would have happened had the ‘vultures’ succeeded in their case against the republic. As certain as the day, Leno Adesanya and his Sunrise Power would have carted home the sum of $400 million ($200 million settlement plus $200 million default payment) for doing practically nothing for the country (at least that was what the ICC found). The Nigerian government have had to cough of an additional penalty of $2.35 billion in compensation and interest!

If iniquity could not have been more blatant, so has the indulgent long parted with the notion of shame!

Surely, Nigerians must find the story of how the country got itself into this mess, particularly the role played by the central figures, particularly confounding.

An Olu Agunloye, then Minister of Power and Steel, awarding a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract to Sunrise Power to construct a 3,050-megawatt plant, contrary to an earlier specific and unambiguous directive by the Federal Executive Council that the minister halt further action on a memo through which he earlier had sought authorisation.

Sunrise Power on the basis of a flawed agreement, initiating arbitration suit at the International Court of Arbitration seeking $2.35 billion for alleged ‘breach of contract. And then some highly placed officials of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, led by the chief law officer of the federation, Abubakar Malami, a learned Silk, concocting a flawed $200 million so-called settlement agreement with Sunrise, with many objectionable clauses tilted against Nigeria supposedly to get Sunrise to drop the suit. And then the president, smelling rat, refusing to sign off on the ‘settlement’, hence a second ICC arbitration seeking a $400 million penalty.

Interesting, isn’t it. Of course, the sum total of Sunrise Power’s claims was that Nigeria breached contractual obligations under a 2020 settlement agreement and its addendum. Relying on agreements that were for all practical purposes a nullity being tainted with fraud, he did not hesitate to push for $400 million ($200 million settlement plus $200 million default payment) and an additional $2.35 billion in compensation and interest.

It gets more interesting that the tribunal, would in the course of its investigations, find that Sunrise promoter Leno Adesanya had in the course of the prospecting cycle, distributed millions of dollars to the families and entities of highly influential political figures to consolidate control over the project. Among the welfare package was a $500,000 payment in January 2003 to the then-wife of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and other prominent government officials.

It is painfully the case the once renowned Mambilla Plateau and its Hydropower potentials have become a byword for corruption at the highest levels. Now, for all its acclaimed potentials and promises, the plateau like those other abused jewels in the Nigerian landscape, lies prostrate while the rest of us are left to lament its slow death. No thanks to the vultures that have been hovering around hoping, by some chance that the ‘beast’ might at some point give up the ghost; few Nigerians these days remember its famed lush green vegetation, the sprawling elevation at 1,524 to 1,800 meters above sea level – the highest in Nigeria; the massive tea plantations (Highland Tea), extensive cattle ranches, the scenic waterfalls of Nguroje and Barup, and of course the deep valleys and fast-flowing rivers in all their splendours that makes the Mambilla the envy of the world.

Yet, it bears stating that the Sunrise debacle is neither novel nor spectacular. If anything, it is only different from the infamous case of the Process and Industrial Developments Limited (PandID) in details. Nigerians will surely recall the story of the British Virgin Islands-registered shell company that became famous for a massive $11 billion legal and arbitration dispute against Nigeria. Then, the subject matter was a 20-year Gas Supply and Processing Agreement (GSPA) with Nigeria’s Ministry of Petroleum Resources. Whereas PandID’s claim was that the federal government had neither turned the sod not to talk of building the gas pipelines to deliver gas to its facility, there was also no iota of proof that PandID had even acquired land on which to build the plant to receive the wet gas! Yet Nigeria’s head was slated for the guillotine.

And all of these because of the many loopholes in the agreement all of which were inserted by officials of the NNPC and the justice ministry; and to further imagine that the PandID promoters had the effrontery to drag the federal government before a private arbitration tribunal which awarded it a whopping $6.6 billion for lost profits, which, with interest, grew to $11 billion.

Thanks to the English Commercial Court led by Justice Robin Knowles, the story would have been completely different. It was he that set aside the multi-billion dollar award in October 2023, ruling it was obtained through systemic fraud, bribery, and severe abuses of the legal process. The UK Supreme Court would equally dismiss PandID’s final appeal on legal costs in October 2025, ruling that PandID must pay Nigeria’s extensive legal costs in British Pounds.

The same could be said of the Ajaokuta Steel and the ancillary companies over which the country continues to hang its steel aspirations. Nigerians have since lost count of the number of agreements said to have been entered into in their name all of which have rendered our treasury poorer and the nation short-changed. Like the Sunrise Power story, the running thread across all of them is the same: Nigeria is a country to be exploited even where there is no provable value to be delivered.

By the way, where is Leno Adesanya? Atiku Abubakar, we know is running – again – for the presidency in 2027; Malami, who has only recently forfeited hundreds of billions of naira of assets to the federal government, also aspires to govern his home state of Kebbi also in 2027. As for Olu Agunloye, the last we heard is that he’s also answering to charges of official corruption and forgery. Lest I forget, the one-time Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman is currently doing term after being convicted of diverting humongous amounts from the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects.

As they say in these parts – this is how we roll!

Preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign officially kicked off yesterday as the Super Eagles camp opened in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.

Players and technical officials have begun arriving at the team’s base ahead of their opening Group match on Friday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

The three-time African champions are scheduled to hold their first collective training session on today. According to team officials, the first 15 minutes of Tuesday’s session will be open to members of the media for photographic and video coverage.

In a move to facilitate comprehensive coverage, the team management has also set aside Wednesday for media engagements, where all squad members will be available for exclusive interviews at the team’s Ikot Ekpene camp. Exact timings for both the training session and the media interaction will be confirmed in due course.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles’ opponents, the Barea of Madagascar, have reportedly arrived in Uyo ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

According to Prompt News Online, the 28-man delegation, comprising players and officials, safely touched down yesterday at Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo, at about 2:05 p.m.

The Malagasy contingent cleared immigration formalities before heading to their hotel base, with a second batch of delegation members scheduled to arrive today.

Led by head coach Corentin Martins, the Barea will face the Super Eagles on Matchday 1 before turning their attention to a Matchday 2 home encounter against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars four days later.

The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) has said 5,792 civil servants have so far sat for this year’s Directorate Cadre Promotion Examination conducted through the Computer-Based Testing (CBT) system across the country.

FCSC’s Chairman, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, announced this yesterday after inspecting eight examination centres in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he assessed the conduct of the exercise.

Olaopa said the commission had planned for about 5,900 candidates for the examination, which was decentralised across the six geopolitical zones to improve accessibility and reduce the logistical burden on eligible officers.

The FCSC chairman said the FCT recorded the highest number of candidates, partly because of its accessibility to civil servants from neighbouring states, including Kogi and Niger.

He described the adoption of CBT as a major improvement in administering the promotion examinations in the Federal Public Service, saying the system has proved easier to administer than the previous manual process.

According to him, CBT will also enhance standardisation, transparency and efficiency in assessing the candidates.

‘Based on the experience so far, the CBT has proved considerably easier to administer than the previous manual system,’ Olaopa said.

The FCSC chairman stated that about 97 per cent of candidates arrived at their examination centres on time, adding that the few cases of late arrival were appropriately managed.

He said the exercise recorded only minor operational challenges, including initial internet connectivity problems at some centres.

Olaopa stated that the FCSC provided an alternative candidate identification code to enable affected candidates to access the examination without prolonged delays.

The FCSC chairman also said arrangements were in place to accommodate candidates with visual and physical challenges.

He said the FCSC worked with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to make necessary adjustments for candidates who had special requirements but had not communicated them ahead of the examination.

Commenting on concerns expressed over computer literacy among the candidates, Olaopa explained that the examination platform was designed to be simple and user-friendly, requiring only basic navigation skills.

He added that demonstration materials were provided ahead of the examination to familiarise candidates with the CBT platform.

Olaopa urged civil servants to improve their digital skills, noting that the increasing digitalisation of government operations made basic computer competency increasingly important.

He also reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to protecting the integrity of the promotion process and preventing manipulation or undue interference.

According to him, the FCSC has a responsibility to ensure that career progression in the Federal Civil Service is based on merit, competence and demonstrable performance.

He said the commission’s broader reform agenda was aimed at strengthening competency-based human resource management in the Public Service.

The chairman said the FCSC had learnt from the previous examination, noting that it rated the conduct of the 2025 exercise at about 68 per cent.

He expressed satisfaction with this year’s examination, putting its performance so far at not less than 90 per cent.

Olaopa identified logistics, network dependence, examination question-setting and other operational processes as areas requiring further improvement.

He praised the candidates, examination officials, JAMB, and other stakeholders for their cooperation, stressing that the commission would continue to improve the examination process to make it more accessible, efficient and credible.

Olaopa added that promotion in the Federal Civil Service must continue to reflect competence, merit and professional development.

Edo State Government has restored hopes of residents of Iwogban-Ute axis in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government by reclaiming a gully that devastated the area for many years.

Besides reclaiming the gully, the road linking communities that the gully previously destroyed was built.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Edo State Flood, Erosion and Watershed Management Agency (EDOFEWMA), Mohammed Okoyomon, said the area was inaccessible because of the gully and bad road.

He said the area was a den of criminals before the intervention was carried out by Governor Monday Okpebholo.

He said the 1.7km road measures had drainage network covering 5.5 kilometres to address the erosion challenge and the access problem.

EDOFEWMA said the restoration of the corridor had helped to improve security and reconnect residents to the wider community.

He said the Iwogban-Ute intervention was part of the wider infrastructure projects being implemented across Edo State.

Some residents said the gully left parts of the community inaccessible and created secluded spots, which criminals exploited to terrorise them.

Shareholders of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc has approved the declaration of a dividend of 4 kobo per ordinary share of 50 kobo each, amounting to a total dividend payout of N802,464,895.88, payable to shareholders.

The unanimous decision was taken at the company’s 30th Annual General Meeting (AGM), with the shareholders approving all resolutions presented at the meeting, reaffirming their confidence in the company’s strategic direction, governance framework and long-term growth agenda.

The meeting, which was convened virtually was chaired by Mr. Adesoye Olatunji, a member of the Board of Directors, who stood in for the Chairman of the Board, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi.

In attendance were the Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Femi Asenuga; the Managing Director/CEO, Mutual Benefits Life Assurance Ltd, Mr. Biyi Ashiru-Mobolaji; Executive Director (Technical), Mr. Joseph Oladokun; Company Secretary, Mr. Jide Ibitayo; members of the Board; representatives of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Company’s external auditors, KPMG Professional Services and the Registrars, Apel Capital Registrars Limited.

In approving the proposed dividends, the shareholders commended the Board for the dividend payout, which represented a 100% increase over what they received in the prior year.

Addressing shareholders, the Chairman expressed appreciation for their continued trust, loyalty and active participation in the affairs of the company.

He noted that the successful conclusion of the AGM reflects Mutual Benefits’ enduring commitment to sound corporate governance, regulatory compliance and sustainable value creation.

He commended the Board, Management and employees for their dedication and contributions to the company’s continued growth and assured shareholders that Mutual Benefits remains focused on delivering long-term value, while strengthening its market position in an evolving insurance landscape.

The AGM comes at a defining moment for Mutual Benefits following its successful completion of NAICOM’s recapitalisation exercise.

With a stronger capital base, renewed regulatory standing and a clear strategic direction, Mutual Benefits said it is well positioned to deepen insurance penetration, drive innovation, enhance customer experience and create sustainable value for shareholders and other stakeholders.

The 70th birthday and retirement ceremony of former Foreign Editor of The Guardian, Femi Solomon Omowumi, have been scheduled for Sunday, at White Hall Event Place, Ipakodo, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Omowumi, who is retiring as the General Secretary of Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT), also served as Media Officer at the United States Information Service, in Lagos.

The celebration will feature the launch of his biography, ‘Lifted By Favour.’

Some notable dignitaries expected at the event include the Chief Executive Officer, Supra Capital Limited, a financial and investment company, Dr. J. J. Udofa; Vice President/Deputy Editor-in-Chief, TELL Magazine, Dele Omotunde; and incoming General Secretary of the GOFAMINT, Pastor Dr. Femi Odeyemi.

Diplomats, members of the clergy, and media professionals are also expected to grace the occasion.