Category: Nigerian Tribune

THE World Trade Organisation (WTO), and the World Bank, have warned that Nigeria’s weak infrastructure and regulatory gaps could prevent the country from unlocking the potentials of the billion dollar digital economy.

According to them, weak broadband infrastructure and regulatory gaps may stymie the country’s potential to ride the digital wave.Nigeria.

The WTO’s stern warning came via a new report jointly carried out by its Secretariat and the World Bank, released under the Digital Trade for Africa project.

The report, assessed Nigeria alongside five other countries; Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda and identified opportunities and challenges in building competitive digital trade systems.

The report praised Nigeria for progress in expanding digital infrastructure, but warned that internet access remains highly uneven, particularly between urban and rural areas.

According to the WTO report: ‘Expanding fibre optic infrastructure and enhancing last-mile connectivity are crucial to bridging Nigeria’s urban-rural divide and fostering a more inclusive digital economy and strengthening competition in the telecommunications sector could further drive affordability and service quality for consumers and businesses.’

The Digital Trade For Africa joint project, co-authored by Antonia Carzaniga from the WTO and Nigorakhon Sadikova and Martín Molinuevo from the World Bank, highlighted the central role of Nigeria’s services sector, particularly digitally delivered services, in driving economic growth.

‘Between 2019 and 2021, Nigeria’s exports of digitally delivered services experienced sharp fluctuations, with financial and insurance services showing notable declines. However, since 2021 exports across all major service sectors have grown steadily, signaling Nigeria’s increasing integration into global digital markets,’

While Nigeria continues to lag behind Ghana in digital trade, the report found that it has outperformed several other ECOWAS countries, underscoring the strength of its long-term potential.

Nigeria has undertaken important international commitments in digital trade. It ratified the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, TFA, and made General Agreement on Trade in Services, GATS, commitments in sectors such as telecommunications.

It is also a participant in two ongoing WTO rule-making initiatives: The Agreement on Electronic Commerce, which ‘aims to foster an enabling environment for cross-border digital trade.’Nigeria Tech JobsTelecom Equipment Sales

The Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement, designed ‘to improve the investment and business climate, making it easier for investors in all sectors of the economy, including digital trade, to operate and expand.’

But the report cautioned that Nigeria has ‘not bound its trade regime for other key digital trade-enabling services, such as computer, distribution, or postal services,’ and has ‘not eliminated tariffs on information technology goods under the WTO’s Information Technology Agreement, ITA.’

On the regulatory front, it informed that Nigeria has taken meaningful steps in data protection and cybersecurity, which the report described as ‘particularly valuable given the nascent nature of the country’s digital sector.’

As politics and politicking continue in top gear ahead of the 2027 general elections, legal conundrums are one of the issues dominating the trends. Just like the build-up to the 2023 general elections, the possibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan returning on the ballot is back alive and active.

As a former president, Jonathan only sought to be elected to the number one political office in the country in 2011. He was on the ballot for the first time and won. But before then, Goodluck Jonathan was elected as running-mate to former late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2007.

After Yar’Adua’s sudden death in May 2010, then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as a President and spent the remainder of the four-year term before seeking to be elected for a full four years.

Remember, Jonathan did not voluntarily leave the Aso Rock in 2015; he was defeated at the polls. That is, Jonathan sought re-election but was ousted by Nigerians in favour of the popular ‘change mantra’ championed by the late Muhammadu Buhari.

Like Alamieyesiegha, like Yar’Adua: Jonathan’s rise to power

Jonathan’s rapid and highly improbable rise to power did not begin in 2007.

Before rising to become the first Nigerian President to concede defeat in 2015, his rise to power both at the state and federal government owed a lot to luck.

Jonathan served as deputy to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was elected in 1999 as the first democratically elected governor of Bayelsa State. However, Alamieyeseigha paved the way for Jonathan to be promoted to governor in 2005. Yes, he was impeached on corruption charges.

From being a low-key governor for two years, Jonathan became Vice President to another low-key boss and President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2007.

Like Alamieyeseigha, the ‘Goodluck’ Vice President who never contested for political office rose to power when his principal died in 2010.

Jonathan as the ‘2027 bride’

Ahead of the 2027 presidential elections, Jonathan’s name is one of the top candidates considered by political stakeholders as strong enough to go head-to-head with the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Though still considered a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Goodluck Jonathan has kept a low profile and miles away from the party activities, shortly after his defeat to Buhari in 2015.

With former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who ran on the platform of the PDP in 2019 and 2023, out of the party, Tribune Online reports that the Bauchi State governor and Chairman of the PDP governors’ forum, Muhammed Abdulkadir Bala, recently revealed that the party is considering bringing Jonathan back, actively, into the party as a possible candidate to fly its flag in 2027.

While the idea of PDP dragging Jonathan from ‘political retirement’ into the race sounds realistic, the party is not alone.

Tribune Online also reported that a powerful group within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) – a coalition political party – is wooing ex-President Jonathan for the 2027 presidential race.

The source confirmed that key figures in the ADC were comfortable with having Jonathan as their presidential candidate and had, in fact, reached out to him.

Five years in power: Much ado about Jonathan’s possible return

With the possibility of Jonathan’s return dominating national headlines for weeks, critics, including serving political officials, have advised the PDP against the idea of Jonathan, citing a constitutional stance that may deny the party a presidential candidate in 2027.

Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, in a report by Tribune Online, cautioned the PDP against the idea of fielding Jonathan against his principal in 2027.

According to Keyamo, the party risks not having a candidate at all because Jonathan’s candidacy could pose a constitutional threat under section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which could disqualify anyone who has been sworn in twice as president from contesting again.

‘If he is fielded, the Party runs the RISK of NOT HAVING A CANDIDATE AT ALL,’ Keyamo wrote, warning that any challenge would end up before the Supreme Court.

‘The constitutional amendment was made AFTER the court judgment which cleared him (Jonathan) to run in 2015, so nothing is decided yet on that new amendment, hence I use the word ‘RISK’ advisedly. All the arguments as to whether the section can be interpreted to affect him will not be decided on Social Media, but at the Supreme Court.’

Before Keyamo, a legal luminary and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, (SAN), had in a 2022 report published by Tribune Online, posited that Jonathan is constitutionally-barred from seeking re-election.

Falana, in his conviction rooted in jurisprudence and the constitution, argued that the Supreme Court had ruled that the amendment barring a situation like that of Jonathan can apply in retrospect.

He alluded to the apex court’s pronouncement on a similar amendment to draw his conclusion.

The provision reads, ‘A person who was sworn in to complete the term for which another person was elected as president shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.’

The amendment, among others, was signed into law by then President Muhammadu Buhari following his emergence in 2015. Jonathan, being the only living ex-president to have enjoyed the succession-by-default arrangement, is widely perceived as the target of the amendment,

However, another Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, had also joined Jonathan’s eligibility debate, disagreeing with Falana.

According to Ozekhome, Jonathan ‘is pre-eminently constitutionally, morally and legally qualified to contest the 2023 presidential election.’

In his argument, Ozekhome said the Court of Appeal ruling of 2015 had settled the issue raised by Falana.

He said: ‘In a lead judgement delivered by Justice Abubakar Yahaya, the full panel of the Court of Appeal unanimously held that President Jonathan had only spent one term in office as president, going by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

‘Mr. Njoku had contended that Jonathan had already sworn to the oath of office and allegiance twice and therefore, should be disqualified from contesting the 2015 election, as any victory he secured would amount to being sworn in thrice.

‘However, the court ruled that the oath that Jonathan took in 2010 was merely to complete the unexpired tenure of late Yar’Adua; adding that by virtue of Section 135 (2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, Jonathan only took his first oath in May, 2011. The Court of Appeal further held that disqualification is through election, not oath taking.’

Concluding his argument, Ozekhome noted that former president Jonathan being sworn to complete Yar’Adua’s tenure is by provision of the constitution as a Vice President and not by election, adding that ‘election involves conducting primaries by party, nomination, election and announcement of results. All these processes were not done.’

Jonathan puzzle: What does the constitution say?

Both Keyamo and Falana, in their arguments, had cited section 137 (3) of the 1999 constitution as amended by the Fourth Alteration Act No. 16, 2017, which states: ‘A person who was sworn in as President to complete the term for which another person was elected shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.’

While this law prohibits a person who completes another person’s tenure from seeking election more than a single term, including in acting capacity, the fact that it’s not been tested in court contributes to the legal conundrum on whether the provision can take a retroactive effect, especially for Jonathan.

Another constitutional provision that may be contested in this debate is Section 135 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which stipulates a four-year term in office for the President and when they must leave.

But in Ozekhome’s argument, section 135 (2) b provided guidance on the eligibility of Jonathan to contest despite completing Yar’Adua’s remaining one year in office.

‘Subject to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of four years commencing from the date – (a) in the case of a person first elected as President under this Constitution, he took the oath of allegiance and the oath of office; and (b) in any other case, the person last elected to that office under this Constitution took the Oath of Allegiance and the oath of office or would, but for his death, have taken such Oaths’ – Section 135 (2) b of the Nigerian Constitution (1999 as amended)

Relying on this provision, Ozekhome said Jonathan was first elected on merit in 2011 and that was the only complete four-year term in office that he used.

Another expert weigh in

Another legal practitioner, Kola Oloyede, while sharing his perspectives, backed Keyamo’s assertion that Jonathan’s return to the race could cause a constitutional crisis, stating that there ‘are very many shades of plausible arguments!’

According to him, Section 136 (1) and (2) of the 1999 CRFN states that a President and Vice President are elected on a joint ticket and bound on the same tenure of office.

‘Now the interesting question is if President Yar’Adua has spent any out of the whole four years . would there have been any more years for president Jonathan, No?,’ he said.

Continuing, he added if a Vice President is qualified to vie for this position after expiration of four years or eight years as the case may be, then it negates the idea of a joint ticket.

‘The alternative view is that if a vice president is qualified to vie for the post of presidency thereafter, that negates the idea of a joint ticket and being bound on the same term of tenure of office and Mr. Atiku Abubakar will not have a basis of contesting again!

‘Further alternative argument is: was President Jonathan elected when he took the last one year to replace Late Yar’Adua? No! Rather, he was only fulfilling constitutional provisions in the same way that a Senate President would have occupied the presidency if occasion arises!’

He, however, concluded that should former President Jonathan choose to vie for the office again in 2027, it would no doubt ‘create a constitutional crisis, and only full sitting of the Supreme Court of Nigeria can decide.’

Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, has maintained his earlier stand against the introduction of ‘IYALOJA CONCEPT’ into markets administration in Benin, the Edo, saying that he was yet to fathom the aim of the concept, he termed as allien.

Recall that Oba Ewuare II had recently told the daughter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mrs.Folashade Ojo Tinubu, and the Iyaloja-General of Market Women Association, Mrs.Folashade Ojo Tinubu, who led a group of women to a visit to the palace that there was no Iyaloja title amongst market women in Benin Kingdom

The first Class traditional ruler, educated the President’s daughter on assigned roles of the various market women leaders (Iyeki) who make rounds at market shrines, report to the spirits by serving as spiritual rails in addition to coordination of market women, on behalf of the palace whose authority the markets were founded.

According to Oba Ewuare, ‘In Benin, we have a special place for women. When you mentioned Iyaloja – meaning Iyeki-general as they say. This is a bit alien to me. I just say, it’s a bit alien to us here in Benin’.

However, reaffirming his earlier position against Iyaloja’s nomenclature in Benin through a press statement issued on Tuesday by six top palace Chief that include Chief Edionwe Oliha on behalf of the Benin Traditional Council (BTC), the Oba questioned that if Iyaloja was a national thing, such should have be extended from Lagos to other states in the country.

The statement queried whether an Edo woman could be made the Iyaloja of Lagos or of Nigeria?

‘Can this concept of Iyaloja be extended to Aba, Owerri Keffi, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto and other parts of Nigeria?’

The Oba said it would have advised the Edo State government on salient tradition if it were consulted much earlier on the Iyeki (market leader) title.

He warned that any deviation of the age-old cultural system of Iyeki might lead to breach of peace.

Market women had visited the Benin Monarch palace to thank him for insisting that Iyaloja title was alien to the Benin culture.

Frowning at the use ot trade associations to run open market and play partisan politics, the Oba Ewuare II said the twin factors were antithetical as well as inimical to the essence of market tradition in Benin culture.

The Oba expressed reservations about the tendency of market women allowing themselves be used as political pawns in the political field under the aegis of Market Associations in Edo State.

He appealed ‘to the market women and the politicians behind them to eschew dragging the sanctity of the name of the Oba into their partisan political affairs.’

According to the statement, ‘The Palace feels that if we were duly consulted about what the tradition says about IYEKI ROLE in Benin tradition all the ensuing controversy or tension would have been avoided.

‘Benin Traditional Council wishes to reiterate that in Benin, there is nothing like Iyeki general, which this lyaloja concept seems to imply. In Benin culture, lyeki emerges among the market women.

‘After being chosen by the market women, she is brought to the Palace for confirmation. Once confirmed, they are told to go ahead and install her as the lyeki of the market.

‘The Palace never choose anybody as lyeki. It is the market women that do that. Every lyeki is independent of each other. Every lyeki is culturally, spiritually and, religiously tied to the Palace.

‘There is a direct functional relationship between lyeki and the Palace. Just as there is no honorary chieftaincy title in Benin culture, so also there is no honorary lyeki title in Benin culture.

‘Every lyeki has a spiritual function she performs for the Palace and for the well-being of the market. We strongly advice that the function of lyeki should not be politicized.

‘We hope the market women headed by their Iyekis would have learned their lesson now and know their traditional connection with the Palace and what is expected of them. And learn to watch the mood of the Palace and go with it.

‘The Palace feels that if we were duly consulted about what the tradition says about Iyeki role in Benin tradition all the ensuing controversy or tension would have been avoided.

‘We do not know the aim of this Iyaloja concept being introduced to Edo State. We hope if is a national thing then Iyaloja of Lagos (or Nigeria) must extend this concept to the other states in Nigeria before we can believe its authenticity and motive.

‘We also have a question: Can an Edo woman be made the Iyaloja of LAGOS or of Nigeria?

‘Can this concept of Iyaloja be extended to Aba, Owerri, Keffi, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto and other parts of Nigeria?’

The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa on Wednesday emphasised the importance of empowering Nigeria as a gateway country to the black global community, highlighting the United Arab Emirate (UAE)’s support in achieving this goal.

This is as UAE unveiled plans to invest in Nigeria’s film, music, and fashion industries.

The Minister made this known in Abuja during an interactive session with the United Arab Emirates’ Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Musabbeh Al Mahyoub Al Shamsi, to discuss ways to strengthen tourism and cultural ties between the two countries.

She congratulated Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, the Secretary-General of the UN Tourism, on her historic appointment as the first female Secretary-General, noting that she is opening doors for women, inclusivity, and the power of the global South.

‘It is very important for us now, as a country and as a gateway country to the black global community, to empower ourselves in a way that gives us a certain level of independence. Tourism now is power.

‘We all know the importance of Tourism globally but we need to have a more curative relationship with the United Arab Emirates. We want to empower ourselves in a way that gives us a certain level of independence,’ Minister Musawa said.

Barrister Musawa highlighted Dubai’s success in transforming tourism and the potential for alignment between Nigeria and UAE in tourism and culture.

The Minister also invited UAE officials to explore cooperation areas and assured them of Nigeria’s commitment to deepening ties.

In his earlier remarks, Ambassador Salem Saeed Musabbeh Al Mahyoub Al Shamsi welcomed the proposals and expressed commitment to strengthening ties.

‘The UAE has become one of the top five industrial countries so let us find a common interest in culture and tourism to build a stronger relationship.

‘I invite the Ministry to Abu Dhabi to see the development in Dubai to explore specific areas of cooperation in tourism and culture,’ the Ambassador said.

The discussion also touched on Sheikha’s upcoming visit to Nigeria and potential cooperation in culture, tourism, and creative industries.

As part of efforts to promote sustainable housing, the Federal Government has finalized plans to establish building materials manufacturing hubs across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, in his keynote address at the South-West Housing and Construction Exhibition and Trade Fair 2025, held in Abeokuta on Wednesday.

Dangiwa said each of the hubs would help localise production, reduce import dependence, lower costs, and create jobs.

‘The hub will host factories producing cement, steel, tiles, sanitary ware, paints, and doors, all within one industrial ecosystem. When operational, it will create over 50,000 jobs, strengthen the Naira by reducing imports, and position Lagos as a regional export centre for building materials. This is housing as industrialisation turning construction into a complete economic ecosystem,’ the Minister said.

He explained that his ministry is ready to work hand in hand with state governments, investors, and professionals to unlock the potential of housing as a driver of jobs, industry, and prosperity-touching lives and transforming communities across the nation.

Speaking on the theme of the exhibition, ‘Renewed Hope Housing: Driving Regional Growth,’ the Minister said that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not see housing merely as a social service, but as a powerful engine of economic transformation and inclusive growth.

He described the South-West zone as a trailblazer in translating the Renewed Hope vision into tangible results, revealing that the Federal Government is set to develop 2,000 units of the Renewed Hope City at Ibeju-Lekki.

‘This is a landmark project expanding affordable housing along the Lekki industrial corridor near the Free Trade Zone and the Dangote Refinery. It will ease pressure on the mainland, create thousands of jobs, and open new frontiers for urban and industrial growth.

‘In Osun, construction has commenced on the 250-unit Renewed Hope Estate in Osogbo, providing modern homes for workers, artisans, and business people while stimulating the local construction economy.

‘In Oyo, work is ongoing on the Renewed Hope Estate at Ajoda, Ibadan, featuring modern bungalows complete with roads, water, power, and drainage. These are not promises; they are projects that can be visited, seen, and touched – clear evidence that the Renewed Hope Agenda is working.’

In his remarks, the convener of the exhibition and trade fair, Dr Olayemi Rotimi-Shodimu, spoke on the Construction Artisan Training School and Construction Artisans Market, initiatives aimed at revolutionising the construction industry and empowering young people.

Shodimu stated, ‘The training school will provide comprehensive training programs, mentorship, and certification in various construction trades. Our curriculum will be industry-driven, ensuring that our graduates meet the needs of the construction sector.

‘The marketplace will serve as a platform to onboard trained artisans, connecting them with industry players, contractors, and clients. This will enable artisans to access job opportunities, gain experience, and build their professional networks.’

He explained that the project is aimed at equipping one million artisans with industry-relevant skills by 2035, aligning with the nation’s economic development goals. ‘We will utilise this project as a vehicle to achieve our vision of creating a thriving construction industry driven by skilled and empowered artisans,’ he added.

The President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Builder Daniel Kolade, charged the South-West to be a model of housing-led development.

He said the Institute is ready to work with the Ogun State Government, other state governments in the region, and the private sector to ensure that Renewed Hope Housing translates into real homes, real jobs, and real development.

Former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has called for the prosecution of the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.

According to a media report attributed to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the embattled Honourable Nnaji tendered his resignation on Tuesday.

The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, in a statement entitled ‘Forgery as State Policy: Tinubu, His Cabinet, and the DSS Must Be Held Accountable,’ maintained that rather than accepting Honourable Nnaji’s voluntary resignation, ‘he should have been summarily dismissed and prosecuted for deceit and falsification.

‘By permitting him to quietly exit through the back door, the Tinubu administration has once again demonstrated that it is an assembly of forgers, impostors, and morally bankrupt individuals masquerading as public servants.’

While accusing the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration of treating a serious crime of alleged forgery with kid gloves, the former Vice President also criticised security agencies, particularly the Department of State Services (DSS), for failure of due diligence, which he noted ‘has made Nigeria an object of ridicule before the world and raises the question: how many more of such individuals are occupying sensitive positions in this government?’

The statement read: ‘Tuesday’s resignation of Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, has once again brought to light the deep moral crisis at the heart of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. What should ordinarily be a matter of national shame is now being disguised as a ‘voluntary resignation’ – an attempt to whitewash yet another scandal that typifies the forgery-ridden character of this government.

‘Let the truth be told: Uche Nnaji should not have been allowed the courtesy of resignation. He should have been summarily dismissed and prosecuted for deceit and falsification. By permitting him to quietly exit through the back door, the Tinubu administration has once again demonstrated that it is an assembly of forgers, impostors, and morally bankrupt individuals masquerading as public servants.

‘What makes this even more embarrassing is that the same Department of State Services (DSS), which screened out Mallam Nasir el-Rufai for alleged ‘security concerns’, is the very agency that cleared this same character, Uche Nnaji. The DSS truly deserves our flowers for this national disgrace. Their failure of due diligence has made Nigeria an object of ridicule before the world and raises the question: how many more of such individuals are occupying sensitive positions in this government?

‘This episode is not isolated. It is a reflection of a pattern – a rot that begins from the very top. The man who occupies the office of President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has for decades been enmeshed in controversies surrounding his identity, age, and academic records. From the Chicago State University saga to multiple contradictory claims under oath, the world has seen ample evidence that Nigeria today is led by a man who himself has been unable to credibly defend the authenticity of his own certificates.

‘When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance. Tinubu’s personal history of alleged forgery and perjury has effectively institutionalised falsehood in public service. It is therefore unsurprising that his ministers and aides have taken after his example by falsifying documents, inflating records, and desecrating the moral foundation of our nation.

‘I, therefore, call for an independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigation into the academic and professional credentials of all members of the Federal Executive Council, beginning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu himself. Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who preside over their lives and resources.

‘Until this cleansing is done, Nigeria will continue to sink deeper into moral decay, economic ruin, and global embarrassment. The time has come to rescue our country from the grip of deceit and restore integrity to public life.’

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration of treating alleged case of certificate forgery with levity, confirming the party as a nest of certificate forgers.

The party stated that the involvement of a minister in the APC government, Honourable Uche Nnaji in certificate forgery is merely indicative.

Checks revealed that the Minister of Science and Technology has since turned in his resignation letter.

But Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, the ADC described the President’s action as weak and disappointing, saying that a government that claims to uphold integrity cannot afford to treat criminal conduct like a personal matter.

The full statement read, ‘The ADC believes that the decision of President Tinubu to merely accept the offending former minister’s resignation instead of taking a tougher stance gives the unfortunate impression that the President is sympathetic to such behaviour.

‘We are equally appalled that the Minister was allowed to quietly resign after publicly admitting that the certificates he presented were not issued by the relevant institutions. This sends the wrong message to Nigerians, especially the youth, that dishonesty carries no consequence in public life.

‘It is imperative to reiterate that both the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) officially disowned the certificates Mr. Nnaji presented for his ministerial appointment, while court filings by the Minister himself confirmed that UNN never awarded him any degree certificate.

‘In this regard, by simply accepting his resignation, President Tinubu has shown that for whatever reason, his administration is willing to let corrupt officials off the hook easily and he is not willing to set example for those who serve under him that dishonesty has serious consequences.

‘As mentioned in our initial statement on this subject, Nigerians are aware that this is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern that has defined the APC government since its inception.

‘From one certificate scandal to another, Nigerians have watched the APC turn dishonesty into an identity, offering sanctuary to people with questionable integrity and forged.

‘Indeed, if the President cannot act firmly in a case that was this clear, how can Nigerians trust his government to fight corruption in any other form?

‘As a party, we therefore call on relevant law enforcement agencies to pursue an independent investigation into the matter, noting that resignation does not erase criminal liability.

‘Forgery is not a private offence, it is a crime. If found guilty, Mr. Nnaji should be prosecuted in accordance with the law. Anything less will amount to a cover-up.

The Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi, will on Thursday, October 9, 2025, deliver a ruling on the admissibility of critical digital evidence presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing trial of the immediate-past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

It would be recalled that the former CBN helmsman is facing a 19-count charge of alleged fraud alongside his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, as slammed against them by the anti-graft agency.

Justice Oshodi arrived at the date after a fierce argument ensued between counsels involved in the case, over the authenticity and certification of documents extracted from a former Executive Assistant to the CBN Governor.

Before this development, the counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, had continued with the testimony of Alvan Gurumnaan, an operative of the anti-graft agency, who detailed the digital trail uncovered during the investigation.

The evidence presented included WhatsApp conversations between key individuals in the case.

In a significant revelation, the EFCC witness explained the acronym ‘PCS’ found in the chats, stating that one ‘piece’ was a code signifying a unit of N1,000.

Further analysis of the mobile phone of the former Executive Assistant, Mr John Adetola, allegedly unveiled chats with a Mr Eric Eboh, in which instructions were given to deliver $400,000 ‘for Oga.’

Gurumnaan testified that Adetola confirmed receiving and delivering the specified amount, adding that efforts to trace and interview the reportedly elusive Mr Eboh are ongoing.

While some documents dated February 2024 were admitted as evidence without objection, a bundle of subsequent documents extracted from Adetola’s phone met stiff resistance.

Defence counsels, led by Olalekan Ojo, SAN and Kazeem Gbadamosi, SAN, objected to their admissibility, citing concerns over a lack of proper certification as required under the Evidence Act.

In pomp and pageantry, the entire residents of Okulogba Street in Akenpai community, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, trooped came out in their numbers to celebrate one of their own policeman Sentome Obi who had displayed integrity by rejecting a $17,000 bribe offered by a suspect involved in organ harvesting.

Since the rare display of uncommon feat of integrity by the officer, there has been one celebration after another.

He was honoured at the federal level, the state government, Bayelsa State, where he hails from, was not left out, and of course, the Akenpai community, where he grew up , also took its turn to jubilate and celebrate him for being a role model and source of inspiration to other public servants in the country..

The celebration took the air on Sunday when tenants, landlords and well-wishers rolled out their drums to make him an idol of mentorship to the younger generation in the community and the entire state in general.

The residents of Okulogba presented a walking stick, a hat and cash donation to Sonteme, who the governor of the state, Senator Douye Diri, described as an indigene of the state who has brought dignity and pride to the force and Bayelsa..

Bishop Steven Overy said the walking stick represents the famous staff of Moses in the Bible, praying that the staff will help him along the way as he pursues his mission in life

He said that the hat will cover him from danger, while the cash donation will serve as fuel for his journey through life.

Speaking shortly after the celebration, the chairman of Okulogba Street, Mr. Andrew Akpere said: ‘He has made us proud, not just as a street but as a community and state. We are celebrating him because he has used his policing job to provide security for us several times.’

Also, the woman chief of Akenpai, Joan Wilson, said: ‘I give gratitude to the street for honouring our brother. We are grateful to God that our son was able to reject the temptation to take a bribe in order not to destroy another person’s life.’

Another resident, Mr. Promise Sorgwe, said: ‘it is not easy for a man to reject such an amount to save the life of another human. It is good that the government celebrated him, so that it will encourage other police.’

Responding, Obi who got promoted by the police and rewarded with a brand new car and a three bedroom flat by the Bayelsa State government, expressed gratitude to the IGP Kayode Egbetokun, the Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, the Akenpai community and Okulogba street for the honour.

and prayed that as they celebrated with him, celebration will not cease in their lifetime.

It will be recalled that CSP Obi, who heads the Financial and Cybercrime Unit at the zone 16 Command, Yenagoa earned a national acclaim as a result of his rejection of a $17,000 bribe from a crime suspect.

As a reward for his honesty and dedication to duty , Governor Diri, at a reception on July 23 announced a three bedroom flat apartment and a car reward to the gallant policeman.

CSP Obi was also honoured by the Force with Inspector General of police Integrity and police officer of the year Award for 2024.

And for his special promotion, Obi had been promoted from the rank of Superintendent of police to Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP)

IN principle, there is nothing to dislike about the new tax law being mooted by the administration of President Bola Tinubu. For too long, tax collection has been the bane of successive governments in Nigeria, and social scientists see the government’s failure to collect and the average citizen’s reluctance to pay as the hallmark of the poverty of citizenship in the country. To that extent, we couldn’t agree more on the need to institute a new tax regime that will bring more revenue into the coffers of the state and presumably stimulate Nigerians to demand more from authorities at various levels.

That being said, we find unsettling some of the ideas being bandied around by some government officials in this regard. The latest example concerns the Chair of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policies and Reforms, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele. Speaking last week at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David parish, Lagos, the tax czar, understandably eager to drive home the point that the administration will leave no stone unturned in its revenue gathering drive, disclosed that it (i.e the administration) will honour no distinction between legitimate and illegitimate economic activities. In the words of Mr. Oyedele,’One thing about the tax law is it doesn’t separate whether what you’re doing is legitimate or not; it doesn’t even ask you. It just asks you whether you have an income. Did you get itfrom rendering a service or providing a good? You pay tax.’More controversially, My. Oyedele added: ‘If somebody is doing runs girls (sic), they go and look for men to sleep with; you know that’s a service. They will pay tax on it.’

As already mentioned, we are on board with the administration in its drive to ensure that every Nigerian pays their fair share, and that every necessary legal measure be taken to that effect. Where we beg to disagree is the idea that because the government lacks ‘the capacity to distinguish between income obtained from legitimate means and illegitimate ones,’then ‘all income is deemed taxable.’ It would appear that Mr. Oyedele has forgotten that the whole idea of taxing an economic activity is because it is legal, and that what you do to an illegal activity is not to tax it, but to use the entire apparatus of the state, including coercion, to stop it. When any economic activity is beyond the legal pale, it exists in contravention of the law of the land. Accordingly, the government pursuing those involved in that specific activity is tantamount to having one’s cake and eating it at the same time.

The issue of prostitution is a case in point. So far as we know, prostitution is illegal in Nigeria, which is why the police regularly raid brothels. Those raids are not made to ensure tax compliance, but to enforce the law. Is Mr. Oyedele saying that those raids are now illegal? Surely, the government can’t seek to arrest brothel workers and tax them at the same time?

The tax czar’s comments are a reminder that a good policy in principle can be undermined by shoddy execution. Fortunately, there is still time for the government and its spokespersons to clarify the official position. The new tax law is too important to mess up.