Category: Nigerian Tribune

In the spirit of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day celebrations, the Crude Oil Refineries Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) has warned that the Nigerian petroleum industry may suffer imminent collapse if steps are not taken to stop the disruptions in the sector by key stakeholders.

The association issued a strong appeal to the Federal Government to urgently intervene in addressing the rising disputes within the petroleum sector, warning that prolonged conflicts could destabilise Nigeria’s energy security, undermine private refinery operations, and disrupt the well-being of millions of citizens.

According to CORAN, the ongoing disagreements between some of the sector’s most influential players-including the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), and the Dangote Refinery-pose an immediate risk to the stability of the petroleum industry.

The association believes that without prompt and decisive government action, the disputes will continue to threaten private refinery operations and widen the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.

In its submission, CORAN stressed that no union or group of individuals should be allowed to unilaterally block the supply of crude oil or gas to any refinery in violation of existing agreements. Such actions, it noted, undermine not only contractual obligations but also the broader national interest.

For this reason, CORAN called on the Federal Government to restore sanity and fairness by ensuring that contractual rights are respected and disputes are resolved through transparent dialogue and fair processes.

The association also recommended that the government should convene all stakeholders in the oil and gas refining value chain to deliberate on a binding framework that protects supply contracts, encourages investment, and secures the national economy from recurring disruptions.

CORAN emphasised that the survival of private refineries is indispensable to achieving energy self-sufficiency, safeguarding foreign exchange reserves, and protecting household welfare.

CORAN highlighted the significant contributions of private refineries to Nigeria’s economy. Its members, made up of locally owned refining businesses, have invested heavily-often with limited access to funding-in projects that aim to provide the country with a sustainable energy future. These refineries help reduce reliance on imported petroleum products, saving the government scarce foreign exchange and creating opportunities for local employment and industrial development.

Despite these efforts, CORAN acknowledged that private refiners continue to face enormous challenges. Access to crude oil feedstock remains one of the most pressing obstacles, often complicated by regulatory delays and supply chain disruptions.

Additionally, the business environment is hampered by what the association described as the disruptive actions of vested interests that benefit from the continuation of import dependence. Such actors, CORAN noted, are resistant to change and are using disputes within the industry as leverage to undermine the growth of the local refining sector.

The association maintained that Nigeria cannot afford to have its energy system held hostage by conflicts that drag on without resolution.

It argued that the resilience of the nation’s refining industry is critical to economic health, job creation, and the stability of every Nigerian household that relies on affordable energy.

By protecting private refinery operators and ensuring uninterrupted access to crude and gas supply, the government would be reinforcing one of the country’s most strategic pillars of economic security.

CORAN further stressed that the Federal Government must act decisively, impartially, and without delay. It insisted that investigating all claims and counterclaims impartially is the only way to foster mutual trust and long-term peace within the petroleum industry.

Moreover, the association argued that a government-led resolution process would not only prevent energy instability but also send a clear signal to investors that Nigeria is serious about building a sustainable and predictable petroleum sector with sufficiency, and the welfare of its citizens taken into account.

President Bola Tinubu says his administration has achieved 12 remarkable economic milestones in just over two years, driven by sound fiscal and monetary policies.

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ýSpeaking during a televised broadcast marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, the president said his reforms were now delivering tangible results.

ýHe said: ‘Under our leadership, our economy is recovering fast, and the reforms we started over two years ago are delivering tangible results.

‘In the last two years of our administration, we have achieved 12 remarkable economic milestones as a result of the implementation of our sound fiscal and monetary policies.’

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ýTinubu said Gross Domestic Production (GDP) growth, inflation, agricultural production, and food security indicators were all showing positive trends.

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ý’The second quarter 2025 Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.23%-Nigeria’s fastest pace in four years-and outpaced the 3.4 per cent projected by the International Monetary Fund.

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ý’Inflation declined to 20.12 per cent in August 2025, the lowest level in three years.

‘The administration is working diligently to boost agricultural production and ensure food security, reducing food costs,’Tinubu added.

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ýHe further revealed that Nigeria had surpassed its 2025 non-oil revenue target of N20 trillion by August.

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ýThe president said: ‘We have attained a record-breaking increase in non-oil revenue, achieving the 2025 target by August with over ?20 trillion.

‘In September 2025 alone, we raised ?3.65 trillion-411 per cent higher than in May 2023.’

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ýTinubu said there was a major drop in the debt service-to-revenue ratio from 97 per cent to under 50 per cent, easing pressure on public finances.

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ýHe said the controversial petroleum subsidy removal had freed trillions of Naira for real-sector investments and pro-poor social programmes.

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ýExternal reserves, he added, had surged to $42.03 billion in September 2025-Nigeria’s highest since 2019.

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ýOn tax reforms, the president said the focus was on broadening the tax base without overburdening existing payers.

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ýHe said: ‘Our tax-to-GDP ratio had risen to 13.5 per cent from less than 10 per cent.

‘The ratio is expected to increase further when the new tax law takes effect in January.

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ý’The tax law is not about increasing the burden on existing taxpayers but about expanding the base to build the Nigeria we deserve and providing tax relief to low-income earners.’

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ýTinubu highlighted Nigeria’s trade surplus for five consecutive quarters as proof that economic diversification wad taking root.

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ýOn oil, he said, daily production rose to 1.68 million barrels from about one million in May 2023, due to improved security and fresh investments.

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ýHe added that Nigeria is now refining PMS (fuel) domestically for the first time in 40 years and leads Africa in aviation fuel exports.

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ýTinubu said the Naira had stabilised following the elimination of multiple exchange rates, which previously fuelled corruption.

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ýThe president said N330 billion had been disbursed under the Social Investment Programme to eight million households receiving ?25,000 in one or two tranches.

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ýHe added that the solid minerals sector, particularly coal mining, is now contributing significantly to GDP.

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ýOn infrastructure, he said, transport networks were expanding rapidly across the country.

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ý’Rail and water transport grew by over 40% and 27 per cent ,respectively. The 284-kilometre Kano-Katsina-Maradi Standard Gauge rail and Kaduna-Kano rail are nearing completion.

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ý’Work is progressing well on the legacy Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and

‘ Sokoto-Badagry Highway.

‘ The Federal Executive Council recently approved $3 billion to complete the Eastern Rail Project,’ he said.

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ýTinubu said international credit rating agencies had upgraded Nigeria’s outlook, citing improved economic fundamentals.

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ý’Our stock market is experiencing an unprecedented boom, rising from an all-share index of 55,000 points in May 2023 to 142,000 points as of September 26, 2025,’the president said.

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ýHe revealed that the Central Bank of Nigeria at its last MPC meeting slashed interest rates for the first time in five years, reflecting confidence in macroeconomic stability.

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ýOn security, Tinubu said the government remains focused on enhancing national safety and defeating insurgency to create an enabling environment for economic growth.

In a dramatic escalation of long-simmering tensions, the unified leadership of the ancient Ugborodo community has issued a stark, seven-day ultimatum to International Oil Companies (IOCs) and a key regulatory body, threatening to halt all oil operations within its territory.

The threat was delivered on Wednesday during a tripartite press conference at Ode-Ugborodo, the community’s global headquarters in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The well-attended event was convened by the Ugborodo Community Management Committee (UCMC), the Ikpere Alemeje Women Traders Association, and the Ugborodo Community Youth Development Body (UCYDB), who together represent the community’s recognised administrative organs.

Addressing journalists on behalf of the coalition, Mr Emmanuel Onuwaje, Chairman of the UCMC, stated that the community’s patience had been exhausted after ‘five decades’ of neglect.

‘We cannot be by the river and soap is gradually blinding us,’ he declared, using a local proverb to illustrate their plight amidst vast oil wealth.

The Delta community leaders presented a litany of grievances, accusing IOCs, particularly Chevron Nigeria Limited and the newly renamed Renaissance Africa Energy Company, of systemic marginalisation.

A representative of the community leadership detailed the employment issues, stating, ‘There is an ongoing direct Chevron staff employment exercise. Several qualified Ugborodo indigenes and other Itsekiris applied and have gone through the aptitude tests.

‘While many applicants from other parts of the country have been employed in this process, not a single Ugborodo indigene or Itsekiri from other communities has been employed. This is most unacceptable.’

A central demand is the immediate implementation of a report by the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), which delineates host communities within a 500-meter coastal buffer zone.

The leadership, in a statement signed by Messrs Onuwaje, Eyengho Samuel Besidone (UCMC Secretary), Wilson Ejeh (UCYDB Chairman), David Mamah (UCYDB P.R.O.), Madam Helen O. Nuco and Madam Paulina Omagbe (Chairlady and Secretary of the Women Traders Association), expressed grave concern over the NUPRC’s delay.

‘We have waited for too long. Our patience cannot remain indefinite,’ the statement read. ‘The communities are becoming restless, and as leaders, it is becoming increasingly difficult to hold back the frustration of our people.’

The community also raised the alarm over an existential threat from the Atlantic Ocean, highlighting the ‘persistent ocean surge gradually washing away our communities’ and the ‘urgent need for a world-class shore protection.’

Further adding to the tension, the leadership condemned a recent meeting in Warri where a rival ‘Governing Council of Ugborodo Community Trust’ was formed. The unified bodies labelled the act a ‘laughable and dead-on-arrival’ attempt by ‘self-exilees’ to destabilise the community.

Concluding their statement, the signatories issued a final warning. ‘Let it be on record that failure of these IOCs, NUPRC and other relevant government agencies to act within a reasonable time frame of seven days, will leave us with no other option but to put a complete stop to all International Oil Companies’ operations within our communities.’

The ultimatum sets the stage for a potential major confrontation in one of Nigeria’s most critical oil and gas-producing regions.

The Business and Hoteliers Stakeholders Forum (BHSF) in Edo, on Wednesday, decried the dearth of their businesses, owing to the unwarranted arrest and harassment of their customers by law enforcement agents, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Addressing newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Benin, the state Chairman of BHSF, Bishop Omogiade Edokpolo, urged the EFCC to desist from indiscriminate arrest of their customers and lodgers, claiming over 93 young people were arrested in various hotels in the state recently.

He added that the whereabouts of the 93 lodgers arrested by security agents remain unknown to the families of their customers, who are allegedly in EFCC custody.

Edokpolo appealed to the Chairman of the EFCC to swiftly address the issues of unwarranted arrests by its operatives in Edo State, adding that any sort of arrest that the EFCC wishes to carry out should at least be backed by the provision of a legal warrant.

He also called on the EFCC Chairman to redeploy the Edo state EFCC Zonal Director to other states, as businesses and economic activities in the state are suffering, owing to their style of operations targeting hotels and businesses only in Edo.

According to Edokpolo, EFCC has, by its actions, so far shown a calculated attempt to suffocate businesses in Edo.

He said, ‘What we will no longer accept as business owners is the EFCC oppression and depression of businesses in Edo State.

‘Our biggest fear is not that we don’t want them to do their jobs, but they have successfully created a runaway mentality in people from owning and operating businesses in Edo State. ‘

Responding to the allegation via telephone, EFCC spokesman, Mr. Dele Oyewale, said the Business and Hoteliers Stakeholders Forum (BHSF) in Edo State has no understanding of the operations of the agency on its mandate to tackle all economic and financial crimes in the country.

He said that the EFCC investigates cases of economic and financial crimes, including corruption, money laundering, and other related offenses.

The Government and people of Kogi State received with deep sadness the news of the boat mishap which occurred on the River Niger, involving traders travelling from Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State to Ilushi Market in Edo State.

According to a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, reports indicate that the unfortunate incident has allegedly claimed the lives of no fewer than 26 passengers.

‘This is a heartbreaking loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased, as well as the entire Ibaji Local Government Area, in this moment of grief.

‘His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, has expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and has directed relevant agencies, including the State Emergency Management Agency, to work with local authorities to provide immediate support and relief to those affected.

‘The Governor further assured that the State Government will intensify ongoing efforts, in collaboration with federal agencies, to improve safety measures on our waterways in order to prevent a recurrence of such a tragedy.

‘We call on our people, especially riverine communities, to always prioritise safety by avoiding overloading and by using life jackets and other precautionary measures whenever they travel by water.

‘The Government of Kogi State stands with the people of Ibaji Local Government Area and will continue to support them through this difficult time.’

Candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), ahead of the November 8, 2925 gubernatorial election in Anambra, Sir Paul Chukwuma, has declared the urgent need for a fresh vision in the state.

Chukwuma stated that Anambra deserves leadership that surpasses the current administration under Governor Charles Soludo.

He argued that the people of Anambra are ready for transformative governance that addresses their aspirations and challenges more effectively.

Speaking alongside his running mate, Uzuegbuna Okagbue, during the party’s rally in Umueri, Anambra East Council Area on Tuesday, the YPP candidate highlighted that the party has been actively engaging with all segments of Anambra society. These interactions have revealed a widespread desire among the electorate for meaningful change and progressive leadership committed to the state’s development.

‘So far, I can confidently say that Ndi Anambra want something new, and that is what we are bringing. Ndi Anambra want a government with a human face, one that respects the people it governs,’ he said.

The YPP candidate pledged that, if elected, his administration would bring clarity to governance, entrench accountability, and prioritise the interests of the people in government programmes and projects.

He assured that security would be restored within three months of assuming office, using the same security vote currently available to the Soludo administration, which he accused of failing to deploy effectively.

‘This shall reenergise investors’ confidence in our state. Just as we are campaigning day and night, we shall also work day and night for Ndi Anambra,’ Chukwuma added.

Reiterating his resolve, he declared, ‘I am Paul Chukwuma, and I join Ndi Anambra to echo that Anambra deserves better. Vote YPP.’

Irked by the increasing rate of deaths arising from crashes on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the Federal Road Safety Corps has established an RTC clinic to provide immediate medical care for the victims.

The FRSC noted that many lives would have been saved if there were health facilities within proximity of the accident scenes.

The Sector Commander, RS2.2, Ogun State, Akinwumi Fasakin, at the commissioning of the multi-million-naira RTC clinic in Ogunmakin, decried the rising death toll from crashes on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

He added that many lives would have been saved if there had been prompt access to health facilities along the way.

In line with this directive, the RS2.29 KM27 Unit Command, Ogun State, recently commissioned a multi-million-naira RTC aimed at attending to victims of road traffic crashes along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The FRSC, according to him, has the constitutional responsibility of ensuring safety not only on the highways but on all roads in the country. Part of the measures is the establishment of RTCs at the various units.

‘With this development, many lives will be saved through the prompt response of medical service providers to the victims of road crashes.

‘This project (RTC) is a welcome development. It is in line with the vision of the leadership of the FRSC.’

Speaking in the same vein, the Acting Unit Commander, Phillip Gogomi, said: ‘The Command has recorded an alarming rate of crashes with attendant fatalities within its area of jurisdiction.

‘This is because the Lagos-Ibadan expressway is one of the most densely populated with vehicular movement, making it the busiest road in the West African region. This road also perhaps has the highest number of unlicensed drivers, who, in most cases, drive dangerously.

‘Another factor observed to be common with drivers on the expressway is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, as well as operating mechanically deficient vehicles.

‘It is on this background, and in compliance with the fulfilment of the FRSC 2025 Corporate Strategic Goals to achieve a 10 per cent reduction in road traffic fatalities and injuries through focused rescue intervention, that the Unit Command initiated the idea of building a clinic in this Command to mitigate the severity of crashes on our roads.

‘In the past ten years, the Command has been working very hard to improve the safety of lives and property on this road, but we have yet to reach the threshold of safety.

‘This is all the more reason for us to jointly work together in bringing safety to every doorstep until the entire Lagos-Ibadan expressway is completely safe for all categories of motorists.’

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has announced the suspension of its nationwide strike against the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, stressing that the action was taken strictly out of respect for the Federal Government and its institutions involved in the conciliation process.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, PENGASSAN President, Comrade Festus Osifo, made it clear that the union is dissatisfied with the terms of the agreement brokered between the parties, particularly as it failed to address their key demand: the immediate reinstatement of over 800 Nigerian workers allegedly sacked by the refinery.

He warned that the union would not hesitate to resume the suspended strike without notice if the Dangote management defaults on its commitments.

‘We are not happy with the terms of the agreement because it did not capture our main demand of recalling the 800 sacked Nigerians. But out of respect for government institutions, for the National Security Adviser, the DSS, the Chief Reconciliator of the Federation, and ministers who worked tirelessly into the early hours of the morning to mediate, we decided to suspend the action. However, let me be clear: if Dangote fails to keep its part, we will resume immediately, without any warning,’ Osifo declared.

The union leader expressed deep reservations about the sincerity of the refinery management, saying PENGASSAN has ‘mutual suspicion’ that Dangote will attempt to renege on the deal. ‘We know that Dangote does not play by the rules or respect agreements. We believe and suspect that some of the promises extracted during the negotiations will not be honoured. But because we respect due process and institutions of government, we will give them the benefit of the doubt. Yet, any breach will be met with severe and immediate response,’ he said.

Responding to widespread allegations that the union’s insistence on reinstating the 800 sacked workers was driven by a desire to secure check-off dues, Osifo dismissed the claims as ‘laughable and mischievous.’ According to him, the salaries of the affected workers are meagre compared to the earnings of PENGASSAN members in other multinational oil companies, making such accusations baseless.

‘So we clearly ask, is it because of check-off dues that PENGASSAN went on strike? The salaries being paid to these 800 members, if you add them all together, are less than what 20 of our members earn in companies like Chevron, TotalEnergies, or ExxonMobil. Their check-off dues are not even up to the check-off dues of our least-paid members elsewhere. So why should we be chasing this because of dues? It is actually about the freedom of association and the welfare of our members, because when we enter organisations, we improve conditions of service, and that is why workers subscribe to us,’ he explained.

Osifo further argued that PENGASSAN has a long record of defending workers’ rights without stifling the companies where its members operate, citing the example of Shell, TotalEnergies, and ExxonMobil which have thrived despite having thousands of PENGASSAN members. ‘At one time, Shell had over 10,000 of our members, and they invested more than $200 billion in Nigeria. Did we kill Shell? Instead, we assisted Shell, TotalEnergies, and ExxonMobil to grow. We are not out to kill Dangote Refinery, which has barely invested $20 billion. That narrative is false,’ he said.

He stressed that the oil and gas workforce has carried the burden of Nigeria’s economy for decades, providing over 90 per cent of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings. ‘We know who we are and what we stand for. We are patriots who love this country more than any single individual, and that is why, despite our reservations, we chose to suspend this strike in deference to government efforts,’ Osifo maintained.

While thanking the government officials and agencies that intervened in the dispute, he reiterated PENGASSAN’s vigilance. ‘We will be monitoring closely. Any slip, any breach, any part of this agreement that is not kept, we will not issue further notice. We will not give any warning. We will resume the suspended industrial action immediately. That is our resolution,’ he warned.

Osifo concluded by affirming that PENGASSAN’s struggle is not against progress but against injustice, and that the union will remain steadfast in defending the rights and welfare of its members, no matter whose interest is at stake.

Former North West Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna State, Salihu Lukman, has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) cannot defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna the way the coalition party is currently being run.

He, therefore, pleaded with the likes of Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, Ja’afaru Sani, Bashir Sa’idu and others to retrace their steps and unite.

In a statement he personally signed and issued to newsmen in Kaduna to mark the 65th anniversary of the country’s independence, the ADC chieftain noted that the ADC in the state is only building a party whose business is limited to producing candidates.

‘Instead of working to build the party, we are setting ourselves to produce a party whose business will be limited to presenting candidates for elections.

‘People with ambition to contest elections have become restless and want to dominate the process of developing the structures of the party to the exclusion of their opponents.

‘The madness of controlling structures of ADC is the biggest threat before us. For whatever reason, those of us who want the ADC to be an equal opportunity party are being condemned.

‘Sadly, some of our leaders, instead of providing fair leadership, are taking sides with strengthening aspiring candidates for the 2027 elections across the state to the exclusion of others.

‘I want to use the opportunity of this independence anniversary to appeal to all of us to stop this madness of trying to take over the structures of ADC and control it to the exclusion of so-called opponents.

‘If ADC is to emerge as a strong party capable of defeating the APC in Kaduna State, we must agree to work together. Anybody who is not ready to work as part of a united opposition in Kaduna State is consciously or unconsciously working for the APC.

‘I am making this strong appeal with a very deep feeling of disappointment that we are recklessly mismanaging an opportunity to provide the needed leadership to our people.

‘In particular, I want to appeal to Mal. Nasir El-Rufai, Mal. Ja’afaru Sani and Alh. Bashir Sa’idu, as the opposition leader in Kaduna State, to please stop encouraging the madness of aspiring candidates seeking to take over the structures of ADC to the exclusion of so-called opponents.

‘At individual level, I have tried to talk to those I can talk to. Unfortunately, I must also admit that I have failed in many respects. The fact that we have Sen. Musa Bello aggressively seeking to control the structures of ADC in Zone 2 is a reflection of my failure. Largely because I am, in recent times, associated with Sen. Musa Bello, Sen. Lawal Adamu (Mr La) has avoided all my requests to meet him.

‘I have met Mal. Ja’afaru Sani on this matter. We have had some discussions with Mal. Nasir. Sincerely, I am saddened by the fact that we are not united, and the perception is that I am part of the problem.

‘As a citizen from Kaduna State, I am willing to make every necessary sacrifice to move our state forward. I have no ambition to contest the election. Without sounding immodest, I made every sacrifice to contribute to forming the coalition and negotiating the agreement with ADC.

‘May I therefore appeal to Mal. Nasir and all our leaders to please seek to unite all of us. It is only if we are united in ADC that we will be able to unite our people in the state to defeat the APC in 2027.

‘We must bear in mind, it is not just about defeating APC but more about producing a government controlled by our party (ADC) based on collective leadership.

‘We need to put an end to the era when we produce emperors as Governors. Anything short of producing a government managed by collective leadership under ADC will be unacceptable.’

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Wednesday marked his 60th birthday with humanitarian services to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and prison inmates.

Speaker Tajudeen, who clocked 60 on October 1, 2025, had called for low-key celebrations by members of the House, aides, friends and political associates.

He called for humanitarian campaigns instead.

To mark his diamond Jubilee birthday, the Speaker lined up a series of humanitarian activities, including sponsoring examinations for prison inmates and securing the release of others by paying their bail. He also gave food items to IDPs.

At the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja, Speaker Abbas paid registration fees for 100 inmates to sit the 2025 National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and National Examinations Council (NECO) tests. While 57 will sit for the NABTEB examination, 43 were registered for the NECO.

The Speaker was represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff (Legislative), Dr Chamberlain Dunku, who led several senior aides to the presentation ceremony on Tuesday.

Speaker Tajudeen said: ‘Identifying with the (Nigerian Correctional) Service in the area of quality transformation of inmates through education is a cause that is very close to my heart. This celebration goes beyond personal milestones; it is about extending hope, giving second chances and investing in the future of our brothers and sisters who, though confined today, still carry within them the potential for greatness tomorrow.

‘The registration of inmates for the 2025 NABTEB and NECO is not merely an academic exercise – it is a statement of faith in human dignity and redemption. It is a reminder that conviction is not condemnation, and that every life, when given the right opportunity, can be transformed.’

He added: ‘As Speaker of the House of Representatives, I reaffirm our commitment to policies and initiatives that promote education, justice and opportunities for all Nigerians, inside and outside the correctional facilities.’

Moved by an inmate’s story, Dr Dunkwu, in personal capacity, gave a cash gift of N1 million to Chikwendu Hart, who is currently pursuing a doctorate at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), and has published seven books while awaiting trial for 13 years.

In Zaria on Wednesday, Speaker Tajudeen spent over N3 million on bail bonds, securing the release of nine inmates from the Zaria Medium Correctional Centre.

The beneficiaries are: Ibrahim Dan’asabe (N240,000), Kabir Ibrahim (N180,000), Ibrahim Ahmed (N60,000), Haruna Musa (N350,000), Aliyu Tukur (N390,000), Prince Wadilor Wodu (N326,000), Mustapha Abubakar (N410,000), Sagir Sani (N685,000) and Shehu Abubakar (N440,000).

Also on Wednesday, Speaker Abbas donated food items to IDPs at the Kabusa Camp. The palliatives include over 1,000 bags of rice.

This is just as his wife, Hajia Fatima Abbas-Tajudeen, donated N2 million to the IDPs, while both the Deputy Chief of Staff (Legislative), Dr Chamberlain Nnamdi Dunkwu, and the Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration), Alhaji Ilyasu Balarabe, donated N1 million.

Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon Chike Okafor, who also announced a N1 million gift to the IDPs in support of the Speaker’s humanitarian gesture, described Speaker Abbas as ‘a national asset.’

Medical personnel from Nizamiye Hospital, Abuja, were also on the ground to offer free healthcare services to the IDPs as part of the humanitarian services in honour of the Speaker.

Addressing the IDPs through Dr Dunkwu, the Speaker noted that the gathering was not just about marking his 60th birthday but about ‘extending a hand of compassion, solidarity, and hope to our fellow Nigerians who, through no fault of theirs, have found themselves displaced.’

He also stated that the event ‘is a testament to the fact that leadership is not only about legislation and policies, but also about love, empathy, and service to humanity.’

Speaker Tajudeen said, ‘We are here to reaffirm that no Nigerian should ever feel forgotten or abandoned. The House of Representatives remains committed to policies and initiatives that protect the vulnerable, empower the displaced, and restore dignity to every citizen.’

The Speaker commended the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), partners and all stakeholders who made the humanitarian exercise a reality.

‘Your efforts ensure that beyond the symbolic cake-cutting and relief distribution, there is a lasting impact on the lives of those we are privileged to serve,’ he said.

While telling the IDPs that their ‘resilience inspires us all,’ Speaker Abbas assured them that their welfare remains a top priority for the government, ‘and we will continue to support measures that provide education, healthcare, food security, and opportunities for a better future.’

He stated: ‘As I celebrate this milestone of life, I dedicate it to service – to humanity, to the vulnerable, and to our great nation.’

Also speaking, Hajia Fatima noted that Speaker Abbas’ birthday was not just a day to celebrate, but also to thank Allah (SWT) for the journey so far, and to reflect on life generally.

She said: ‘His Excellency is not just a patriotic leader, he is also a caring and supportive husband; a protective, affectionate and encouraging father; and an exceptional philanthropist. A humble prince of the ancient Zazzau Emirate. I count myself as the luckiest woman to have him as a husband. He is a perfect gentleman.’