Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Proceedings before a Federal High Court in Abuja stalled yesterday in a suit filed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar seeking to disqualify President Bola Tinubu from the January 16, 2027 presidential election.

Atiku, by his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, filed in his name and that of his party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), also listed the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

At the commencement of proceedings, Atiku’s lawyer, Mr Joseph Onu Silas, told the court his client was yet to serve the suit’s originating documents on President Tinubu personally, and sought an order to serve him through substituted means.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Omosanya Popoola, who led the legal team for President Tinubu and the APC, volunteered to accept service on the President’s behalf.

He urged the court to order Silas to hand him the documents in open court.

Silas objected, insisting Popoola first provide a written undertaking that he had Tinubu’s mandate to receive the documents.

A similar intervention by another SAN, Mr Alex Izinyon, representing INEC, was also declined.

Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the case till September 28 for further mention, to allow Atiku and his party ‘put their houses in order.’

The suit challenges provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, which restrict who may question a candidate’s qualification at the pre-election stage.

It argues that such restrictions cannot override Section 137(1)(j) of the Constitution, which bars a candidate who has presented a forged certificate to INEC.

Atiku and the ADC want the court to invoke Sections 137(1)(j), 139(1)(a)(i) and 285(14)(c) of the Constitution, alongside the Electoral Act, to determine whether Tinubu and the APC should be disqualified.

In a supporting affidavit, Atiku alleged that President Tinubu submitted to INEC an NYSC discharge certificate bearing the name ‘Tinubu Bola Adekunle,’ which he said differs from the President’s name, and that the same document was resubmitted for the 2027 election.

He asked the court to determine whether the certificate belongs to Tinubu.

INEC has also been put on notice to produce Tinubu’s Form CF001 for the 2023 and 2027 elections.

‘These are questions that deserve answers, not political insults or presidential silence,’ Atiku said in the affidavit.

Omokri: No FBI criminal record against Tinubu

Separately, Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Mr Reno Omokri, said President Tinubu has no criminal record with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), citing what he described as a 2003 FBI communication clearing the President of any arrest record or warrant.

Speaking on the City Boy Movement Media programme with Otega Ogra, Omokri, a former presidential spokesman and one-time Tinubu critic, argued that a distinction should be drawn between the FBI holding records on an individual and that person having a criminal record.

He read from the document, saying a check of the FBI’s National Crime Information Center in 2003 returned negative for any arrest records or warrants against Tinubu.

He dismissed suggestions that a current US legal matter amounted to a fresh criminal case, saying it stemmed from a Freedom of Information Act request by transparency advocate Aaron Greenspan relating to a 1993 investigation that did not target Tinubu.

If you asked me whether he is the same Dauda Lawal I knew five years ago, I would definitely answer with a NO.

On his 55th birthday in 2020, I wrote a tribute titled, ‘the dauda lawal I know’ in which I described him as a symbolic interactionist: a retired banker seeking a quiet, private life. What the Hausa would describe as ‘ba hayaniya’

As fate would have it, in 2021, despite all the character assassinations and many campaigns of calumny against him, he responded to a very difficult distress plea from his people in Zamfara State: ‘Help us, Dauda’.

The Dauda Lawal of 2018 to 2023 can be viewed as someone who sees society from a micro perspective, who understands how people create and shape social reality, informed by his previous role as a banker who had reached the zenith of his profession.

Since May 29th 2023, I have seen the evolution of an entirely different Dauda Lawal, who, if not for his educational background at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, I would have assumed had learnt from the founding fathers of Sociology, such as Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim, as well as contemporary structural functionalist scholars.

Over the three years we have been in government, during Dauda’s tenure as Governor of Zamfara State, I have witnessed him govern not in a rush, but with precision and a clear focus on results. It is, indeed, the mighty sociological theory of Functionalism at play.

I have witnessed a deep sense of commitment in a governor who appears to understand Auguste Comte very well, prioritising the idea that society is an integrated organic whole, where institutions such as security, education, healthcare, and the economy are deeply interconnected and mutually dependent in keeping the social system functioning smoothly, much like organs in a living body.

You can argue, but I have seen a governor who appears to have mastered Comte’s Positive Philosophy. He governs Zamfara by applying empirical observation and evidence to understand social realities, rules, and collective behaviour, moving away from mere speculation. He did so and succeeded. Under his leadership, the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) rose from ?90 million to over ?5 billion monthly.

One day, I must invade Governor Dauda’s library to satisfy my curiosity and confirm whether he owns Émile Durkheim’s The Rules of Sociological Method and George Ritzer’s Sociological Theory.

I spent many years studying Talcott Parsons, and I see in Dauda’s leadership a refined application of Structural Functionalism, in which the AGIL scheme has been strategically applied to the governance of Zamfara State.

According to Parsons, every society must fulfil four basic functional imperatives to survive and maintain stability: Adaptation, Goal Attainment, Integration, and Latency (AGIL).

For Dauda Lawal, Adaptation began with his efforts to reach out to international development partners who had withdrawn from Zamfara due to concerns over transparency and accountability. Among these was the World Bank. By rebuilding trust and restoring confidence, his administration succeeded in bringing development partners back to the state and securing resources for critical projects.

For him, Goal Attainment means setting clear public goals from the very beginning and determining how those goals can be achieved across ministries, departments, and agencies.

For effective Integration, he maintains internal cohesion and coordinates ministries and agencies in ways that help manage conflicts and sustain cooperation across the government.

With a deep understanding of Parsons’ concept of Latency, Dauda Lawal’s administration, grounded in a rescue mission, preserves, transmits, and renews the core values and beliefs that underpin its purpose: rescuing and rebuilding Zamfara.

I wish I could write more, but in the years to come, In sha Allah, every 2nd of September, I will return to the areas I may have missed in previous years, as I continue to celebrate a man whom I no longer see merely as a boss, but as a father.

Happy 61st birthday to Governor Dauda Lawal, whose leadership has transformed the trajectory of Zamfara State and helped alter the negative narrative surrounding the state.

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has extended birthday felicitations to the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

The Governor particularly commended Shettima’s call for a low-key celebration, which he said portrays the VP’s known traits of humility, selflessness, and a resolve to focus on the serious national cause.

Zulum, in a statement he personally signed and which was published in the two national dailies, said, ‘I am mindful, Your Excellency, of your recent appeal for a low-key celebration. This request reflects your characteristic selflessness and your conviction that public attention must remain focused on the serious work of national development. However, for us in Borno, it is too personal to forgo this auspicious occasion without celebrating.’

Zulum further said, ‘On behalf of the Government and the good people of Borno State, I extend heartfelt congratulations to the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, on the joyous occasion of his 60th birthday.’

‘Your Excellency, this milestone offers a profound moment to reflect on a life defined by immense sacrifices for democracy and a lasting legacy of impact in both Borno State and the nation at large.’

‘Your remarkable commitments and track record continue to inspire us to build further and strive for excellence for our people. We deeply honor your courage, wisdom, and steadfast dedication to democratic principles.’

‘As you mark this special day, we wish you many more years of happiness in sound health, great accomplishments, and a better life for all Nigerians, while earnestly praying that Almighty Allah (SWT) continues to guide, strengthen, and bless you with boundless wisdom as you support the push to elevate Nigeria to even greater heights’

Evicted Big Brother Naija Season 11 housemate Sultex has said he believes he should have stayed in the house longer than some of his fellow housemates.

In a post-eviction interview with Pulse, Sultex mentioned Ricky, Nomy and Bells, questioning why they were still in the game while he was evicted.

‘How will some housemates like Ricky, Nomy, and Bells still be on the show while I was evicted? What are they doing there? What are they bringing to the show? How is that even possible? Well, it is all in the past now,’ he said.

Sultex also addressed his altercation with Yusuf in the house.

During the argument, he threatened to get people to ‘deal’ with Yusuf in Lagos.

He said the comment was made ‘in the heat of the moment’ and clarified that he has no plans to fight Yusuf outside the house.

Evictions on Big Brother Naija are determined by public votes each week.

A cloud of doubt and uncertainty is hovering over opposition parties’ plans to field a single presidential candidate for next year’s general election.

The presidential poll is scheduled for January 16.

Already, the election campaigns have kicked off in accordance with the regulations by the electoral agency.

While the opposition is proposing a single candidate to battle President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is seeking re-election, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) predicted total failure for the opposition parties.

On Monday, seven opposition parties held what they described as a summit in Abuja to form an alliance with the intention of producing a single presidential candidate.

Top presidential candidates – Atiku Abubakar (ADC) and Peter Obi (NDC) – did not attend the meeting.

Their running mates were also absent at the event coordinated by a group with the name G-100.

The Monday summit was another attempt to put the opposition parties together, following the failure of the April 25 Ibadan summit hosted by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), who was also absent.

Apart from producing a single candidate, the conveners of the meeting said they were working toward a one-term presidency for whoever is picked as their joint standard bearer.

APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru said the idea of a single opposition candidate is dead on arrival, adding that a bottled maize cannot be devoured by hens.

Also, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, and Nigerian Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, said opposition parties have embarked on a fruitless search that would lead nowhere.

Although Atiku and Obi have at different times expressed interest in spending only one term if elected, none of them has given any indication of readiness to drop the ambition.

In May, Obi parted ways with Atiku, leaving the ADC, which they both joined with the intention of forming a coalition.

ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, who spoke on the outcome of the Abuja meeting on television, merely said the opposition leaders discussed issues beyond the proposed single candidacy.

He said: ‘To the best of our knowledge, there were so many things on the agenda beyond producing a single presidential candidate. One of the lead conveners said it is also about exploring areas of cooperation among the political parties.

‘If it will lead to a situation where we have a single presidential candidate, it will be fine. But that is not the main objective of the conversation.’

‘They can’t find common ground’

Basiru, who chided opposition figures for indulging in falsehood, said the proposal for a single candidate would hit the rock.

He said: ‘They cannot get a single candidate. Their case is like a maize inside a bottle that hens cannot eat. That is the analogy.

‘In the build-up to the primaries, they could not come together. They went their separate ways. They are not driven by the love for Nigeria, but by a selfish agenda. They are dishonest. That is why they cannot acknowledge the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has put the country on the path of progress, despite the challenges.’

Basiru added: ‘The truth is that candidates have emerged on the platforms of all political parties. It is laughable for anybody to now say he or she wants to have a single candidature. It is like closing the stable when the horse has already escaped.

‘Because they are motivated by their individual inordinate ambition and not the interest of the Nigerian people, they cannot come to any understanding and unanimity as to anybody stepping down for themselves.

‘For us in the ruling party, their gathering was more of a publicity stunt than actual political relevance.’

Basiru also berated Atiku for adopting failed strategies to dent the image of the president by raising issues about age and ‘speaking from two sides of the mouth about fuel subsidy.’

He added: ‘Atiku said President Tinubu is over 90. But he heard the president addressing MKO Abiola then as uncle. If Abiola were alive today, he would be 89. The man is also speaking from two sides of the mouth about subsidy. They don’t have blueprints. They cannot match the APC.’

Morka: coalition not a threat

Morka said the renewed push for a coalition is dead on arrival because the opposition is not united.

The publicity secretary said the opposition would face the judgment of the electorate during the election.

He said: ‘The absence of the principal actors at the gathering was enough to show that their move hit the rock before the journey even began.

‘They will be roundly rejected at the polls again. The defeat they suffered in 2023 was child’s play compared to what Nigerians will do to them in 2027.’

PDP not part of G-100 summit, says spokesman

The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) yesterday stood by its earlier stand that it had nothing to do with the opposition summit and that there is no prospect of actualising their agenda.

The PDP restated what its National Publicity Secretary, Jagundo Haruna Mohammed, told The Nation on Sunday.

Omokri: egos will frustrate coalition

Omokri insisted that the coalition is dead on arrival, adding that leading contenders would be unwilling to subordinate their individual ambitions.

He said since Atiku and Obi would not agree on who should surrender his presidential ambition for the other, the alliance cannot see the light of day.

Speaking during the ‘City Boy Movement Media One-on-One with Otega Ogra,’ Omokri said the personalities involved in the opposition possess strong political ambitions and egos that would make the compromises required for a viable coalition difficult.

He said: ‘It’s not going to happen because the people in the opposition, they have very big egos.

‘Peter Obi has actually even a larger ego than Waziri Atiku Abubakar. It’s just that Peter Obi has self-esteem issues. So, because he has self-esteem issues, he is able to hide the big ego.

‘Peter Obi is not going to step down for Waziri Atiku Abubakar. Waziri Atiku Abubakar is not going to step down for Peter Obi. None of those people is going to step down for the other. So, it’s dead on arrival.’

The ambassador-designate said although discussions around an alliance could continue, the principal actors may eventually keep their distance from negotiations once the difficult question of who becomes the presidential candidate arises.

He added: ‘In fact, let me tell you what is going to happen. They will have that meeting. They will send representatives. The big fish themselves will not even go.’

The former presidential aide also predicted victory for the President in the election, adding that he is attracting support from more Nigerians.

Omokri said if the president could win in 2023 under considerably more difficult circumstances, he will win again in 2027.

He stressed: ‘You know, the best predictor of future events is past events. If this man won an election when he had, I think, just 19 governors, maybe, probably 20 governors, the Central Bank moved against him, and then he had a lot of things going against him, and he won, how much so now that he has probably over 30 governors? I mean, he is going to win the election.’

Omokri also alluded to ‘improving macroeconomic indicators,’ including economic expansion and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth outpacing population growth, as factors that could strengthen President Tinubu’s re-election prospects.

He said: ‘The economy has added $67 billion in two years. Our GDP is now growing faster than our population.’

Omokri pointed out that some critics of the administration were already acknowledging improvements in macroeconomic stability, saying that opposition figures should prepare for another four years outside government.

He added: ‘What they are preparing for right now is four more years of opposition, of activism.’

Giving reasons for his own decision to support President Tinubu after campaigning against him in 2023, Omokri identified the administration’s student loan programme as one of its most consequential interventions.

He said more than one million Nigerian students were able to remain in tertiary institutions because of loans provided through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Omokri added: ‘The reason we are spending trillions of naira today fighting insecurity is because in the past we did not spend billions of naira fighting illiteracy.

‘If you have one million university students, undergraduates who are only in school because of NELFUND student loans, that is a major thing. Because those one million people will leave, and then they’re going to be employable, or they’re going to start a business, and then it’s going to expand our economy,’ he said.

He also pointed to regular payment of federal and state public servants, major road infrastructure and developments in the financial markets as evidence of progress under the administration.

On infrastructure, Omokri said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway would substantially cut journey times and logistics costs when completed, with implications for the movement of agricultural produce and other goods across the country.

The federal government has processed over ?12 billion in five months from the first phase of the National Single Window (NSW) project, which commenced on March 27th, 2026.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr Olajumoke Oduwole made this disclosure in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to Oduwole, ‘The National Single Window (NSW) platform has processed about ?12 billion in regulated payments, more than 224,600 licences and permits and registered over 11,000 importers and agents since it went live on March 27, 2026.’

Oduwole, who spoke at a stakeholders’ engagement on the export component of the National Single Window project in Abuja, said more than 8,000 users had also been trained on the platform, providing evidence that the system was gaining acceptance among businesses and government agencies.

She said the experience from the first phase would be used to strengthen the second phase, which is expected to begin in November 2026.

The minister said the Federal Government was determined to use the second phase to remove the delays, duplication and poor coordination that have continued to make it difficult for Nigerian exporters to move goods from production centres to local and international markets.

She said every agency involved in the project must work towards a system in which exporters can complete their regulatory requirements through a coordinated government platform, rather than dealing separately with several institutions.

According to her, the National Single Window must allow exporters to submit information once, track their applications, make payments, and obtain the necessary approvals without repeatedly supplying the same information to different government agencies.

‘Trade does not happen at the border alone. It depends on the system connecting production to market, standards, finance, logistics, regulation, order processes and regional platforms,’ Oduwole said.

She said making the entire system work efficiently was critical to Nigeria’s efforts to diversify the economy, increase non-oil exports and create more jobs.

The minister said an export consultation organised by her ministry in November 2024 identified seven major barriers affecting exporters, with more than half linked to fragmentation, duplication, weak coordination and inconsistent regulation.

She recalled the experience of one exporter who complained that a container had been inspected repeatedly by different government agencies, describing the situation as the kind of unnecessary friction the National Single Window was designed to remove.

Oduwole said Phase Two would therefore bring export permits, certificates, licences, inspections, payments, free-zone procedures and other critical processes into a coordinated end-to-end system.

For exporters, she said, the objective was simple: fewer government interfaces, less paperwork, greater transparency and faster movement of goods from production to market.

She said government agencies would continue to perform their statutory responsibilities, but businesses should not be forced to navigate the internal complexity created by multiple government institutions.

‘That complexity is ours to solve, not theirs to carry. They should experience the Nigerian government as one,’ she said.

The minister said the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment had begun by reviewing its own processes and the systems operated by its agencies and other relevant institutions.

She said the ministry was working with agencies including the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders to align processes, identify areas where systems depend on one another and establish the milestones required to build an integrated export process.

Oduwole gave the participating agencies a firm assignment, saying each institution must know what it was expected to deliver under Phase Two, where it stood against agreed milestones, what remained outstanding and which agency or system was responsible for the next action.

She fixed the end of November 2026 as the deadline for the required deliverables.

‘By the close of this engagement, we must know what we own in the Phase Two journey, where we stand against agreed milestones, what remains outstanding, which institutions or systems we depend on and who owns the next action with a firm date,’ she said.

The minister also warned agencies against using vague descriptions of progress, insisting that every outstanding task must have a clear owner and completion date. ‘Ongoing is not a delivery status,’ she said.

She directed that technical and policy problems should be dealt with quickly, saying incomplete application programming interfaces, pending process decisions and policy issues requiring escalation should all be assigned timelines and resolved early.

Oduwole also called for government systems to exchange information securely where one agency already holds data required by another.

She said the objective was not to take responsibilities away from individual institutions but to remove unnecessary duplication and make the overall process easier for businesses.

The minister said the real test of Phase Two would not be the number of government systems connected to the platform but the experience of exporters using it.

‘An exporter should know what is required, submit information once, track an application, make payment, obtain approvals and move a complete Nigerian product, a compliant Nigerian product, to market with greater speed,’ she said.

She warned that simply putting existing processes online would not be enough. ‘If exporters must still move between disconnected systems, enter the same information or carry approval between agencies, we may have digitised businesses, but we will not have transformed trade,’ she said.

Oduwole said the National Single Window should become a major infrastructure for improving the competitiveness of Nigerian exports.

She linked the project to President Bola Tinubu’s target of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030, saying such an ambition would require a trade system capable of moving goods efficiently and transparently from producers to markets.

She said the expected benefits included increased production, higher export earnings, more value addition and job creation.

The minister said the country’s trade reform agenda must therefore move the export process ‘from fragmentation to flow’ through clear responsibilities, firm deadlines and disciplined implementation.

Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, directed all stakeholders involved in the export component of the second phase of the National Single Window to coordinate their activities, establish clear timelines and meet agreed milestones ahead of the November 2026 take-off.

Adedeji gave the directive at the stakeholders’ engagement on the NSW export project in Abuja on Wednesday, saying the November deadline required every participating institution to understand its responsibilities and deliver them on schedule.

‘In order to meet the November deadline, every stakeholder should know what they’re expected to do, when to deliver on their respective assignments and the expected deliverables ahead of the take-off date,’ he said.

The NRS chairman said the directive applied to all institutions and private-sector participants whose activities form part of the export process.

They include the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), importers, freight forwarders and clearing agents, airlines, shipping lines, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Adedeji said effective coordination among the stakeholders was necessary to ensure that the second phase did not suffer delays caused by disconnected processes or uncertainty over institutional responsibilities.

He said the export component of the National Single Window was particularly important because it could make it easier for Nigerian businesses to access international markets and improve the efficiency of the country’s trade system.

The project is therefore expected to bring together the different regulatory and operational processes involved in exporting goods, reducing the need for businesses to deal separately with multiple agencies.

Kaduna State Government has moved to align its tax administration with Nigeria’s ongoing national tax reforms.

To this end, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has pledged stronger cooperation with the Office of the Tax Ombud to improve revenue collection, protect taxpayers and make the state more attractive to investors.

A statement from the Office of the Tax Ombud issued in Abuja on Wednesday said Governor Sani made the commitment when the Tax Ombud and Chief Executive, Dr John Nwabueze, paid a courtesy visit to him at the Kaduna State Government House.

The governor said the success of the country’s tax reforms would depend on closer cooperation between federal and state institutions, rather than separate efforts by different levels of government.

He said Kaduna was ready to work with the Office of the Tax Ombud to build a tax system that could generate more resources for development while giving taxpayers confidence that they would be treated fairly.

According to him, the creation of a fair, efficient and transparent tax system was important not only for increasing government revenue but also for improving Kaduna’s competitiveness and ability to attract investment.

Sani said, ‘Building a strong and sustainable national tax system capable of mobilising adequate revenue for development cannot be achieved in silos,’ stressing the need for effective cooperation between federal and state institutions.

The governor’s position comes as governments at both federal and state levels seek to improve domestic revenue and reduce dependence on other sources of funding for public services and development projects.

He described the Tax Ombud as an important institution in building taxpayer confidence, particularly at the state level, where citizens and businesses interact directly with tax and revenue agencies.

Sani also called for greater awareness among taxpayers about their rights and the avenues available to them when they have legitimate complaints against revenue authorities.

He said making taxpayers aware of the free mediation and alternative dispute resolution services provided by the Office of the Tax Ombud would help build trust and encourage more people and businesses to voluntarily meet their tax obligations.

The governor commended Nwabueze for engaging stakeholders across the country to improve public understanding of the role of the Tax Ombud and the services available to taxpayers.

Dr. John Nwabueze, in his remarks, said the Tax Ombud was ready to work with Kaduna State to improve confidence in tax administration and provide a channel through which genuine complaints could be resolved.

He explained that the office supports state governments’ efforts to improve revenue by helping to resolve disputes between taxpayers and tax authorities.

Nwabueze said taxpayers who believe they have been treated unfairly by tax and revenue agencies should have access to an independent mechanism for seeking redress.

‘Tax compliance and taxpayer rights must go hand in hand if we are to achieve the increased tax-to-GDP growth that Nigeria needs,’ he said.

The Tax Ombud said the way taxes are administered at the state level could influence how citizens view the entire tax system.

He noted that when taxpayers believe the system is fair and transparent, they are more likely to comply with their obligations.

For businesses, he said, a predictable tax environment was also important because uncertainty over tax obligations and disputes with revenue authorities could affect investment decisions and business operations.

Nwabueze therefore called for closer cooperation between state governments, the Joint Revenue Board and the Office of the Tax Ombud in implementing the country’s tax reforms.

He said the objective should be to develop a tax system capable of raising enough money for development while also protecting taxpayers and creating conditions that encourage investment.

He described Kaduna as an important partner in the success of the tax reforms being implemented under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Nwabueze said Kaduna has the potential to show how better revenue administration can support economic growth without weakening taxpayers’ rights.

‘We believe that Kaduna State can serve as an important example of how efficient revenue administration can support economic growth while protecting taxpayers,’ he said.

He also appealed to Governor Sani to support increased taxpayer education and voluntary compliance, as well as constructive engagement between the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service, taxpayers and the Tax Ombud.

Such cooperation, he said, would help produce a more predictable tax environment, improve revenue performance and create better operating conditions for businesses and investors.

Sunbeth Global Concepts (SGC), Nigeria’s leading agro-commodities exporter, has launched its inaugural 2025 Sustainability Report, becoming the first agricultural company in Nigeria, across both the public and private sectors, to voluntarily adopt the IFRS S1 and S2 Sustainability Disclosure Standards.

IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 are international sustainability reporting standards issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

They provide a global framework for companies to discloseinformation about sustainability risks and opportunities.

The launch followed a pre-launch event, bringing together key stakeholders and partners to highlight the significance of the report and Sunbeth’s broader sustainability efforts.

The report, ‘Responsible Sourcing, Pioneering Action,’ documents a year of measurable advancements in ethical sourcing, community resilience, and traceability.

Sunbeth is committing to give investors, capital providers, and international markets the same thorough, actionable sustainability and climate disclosures required of the biggest companies in the world by aligning with the ISSB criteria in its very first reporting cycle.

‘Responsible sourcing is not a buzzword for us; it is fundamental to how we operate, manage risk, and create sustainable long-term value,’ said Olasunkanmi Owoyemi, Managing Director of Sunbeth Global Concepts. ‘Our adoption of IFRS S1 and S2 reflects our commitment to meeting global sustainability and disclosure standards because Nigerian agriculture deserves to compete at the highest level. While building the systems required for this transition has demanded significant investment, it is a necessary step to strengthen the resilience of our business and ensure we can continue supporting the thousands of farmers whose livelihoods depend on access to international markets.

The IFRS S1 and S2 standards represent the most comprehensive global framework for sustainability and climate-related financial disclosures. For Sunbeth, adoption means integrating sustainability considerations directly into strategic decision-making, connecting climate and social data to financial performance, and demonstrating the long-term resilience of its business model to investors and financiers.

‘This is about integration, not just disclosure,’ said Oyinkansola Owoyemi, Sustainability Director. ‘Adopting these standards forces us to demonstrate that responsible business practices are not at odds with commercial success, they are foundational to it. For a sector that sits at the intersection of climate risk, community livelihoods, and global supply chains, this level of accountability is overdue.’

At a fireside chat held during the pre-launch event, Modupe Ojo, Sustainability Manager, Sunbeth Global Concepts, spoke on the business case for sustainability, framing it as core to cost management, revenue protection, and continued access to critical export markets, rather than a compliance exercise.

Key milestones captured in the report include polygon-mapping of over 140,000 hectares and 30,000 farmers for EUDR-ready traceability; remediating 80 child-labour-risk cases through its Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems (CLMRS) programme after becoming the first Nigerian company to join the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI); training over 6,000 farmers, distributing 60,000 hybrid cocoa seedlings; and establishing a 292.81 tCO2e baseline for Scope 1 and 2 emissions with a net-zero-by-2050 target.

In 2025, Sunbeth exported over 58,000 metric tonnes of cocoa, reinforcing its position as Nigeria’s leading non-oil exporter. The full report is available at www.sunbeth.net.

Glo Rocket, a team made up of staff from Globacom’s Sales Force and Value Added Services Department, defeated Strikers FC in the final of an inter-departmental football tournament on Saturday, as the telecommunications company marked its 23rd anniversary with a sports fiesta at The Stable, Surulere, Lagos.

Strikers FC, whose squad drew players from the Rollout, Information Systems, Gloworld Development and E-Pin departments, went down in the final despite reinforcing their team with colleagues brought in from outside Lagos.

Glo Rocket received a giant trophy and a ?1 million cash prize for winning the final, while Strikers FC took home ?750,000 as runners-up. Players from both finalist teams were awarded medals, alongside winners of the other events, who also received medals and cash rewards.

The anniversary event, tagged Glo Fitfest 2026, brought staff together in clusters designed to strengthen teamwork and foster closer relationships across departments. Games on the day included table tennis, Big Ludo, Big Snooker, Beer Pong, Sack Race and Big Ayo, alongside the football tournament, which organisers described as the star attraction.

Dressed in commemorative T-shirts, employees took part in the friendly competition to mark more than two decades of service, with the gathering offering a break from work routines. The event was capped by dancing and celebration among staff.

The Legislative Councils of Ideato North and Ideato South Local Government Areas in Imo State have endorsed President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election and adopted Governor Hope Uzodimma as their sole senatorial candidate for Orlu Senatorial District.

The resolutions were adopted yesterday during a special joint plenary held at the newly constructed Umuchima-Ideato Bridge, with the councils also passing a vote of confidence in Uzodimma over his administration’s interventions in infrastructure and erosion control in Ideato communities.

Moving the motion, the councillor representing Dikenafai, Donatus Ebere, said the choice of the bridge as venue was significant given the area’s past infrastructure challenges.

The councillors cited the Mgbee-Obiohia-Akokwa-Uga Road and the ongoing reconstruction of the Okwelle-Dikenafai-Ntueke Road as further evidence of the administration’s intervention, describing Uzodimma as a ‘great silent achiever.’

The motion, supported by other legislators from both councils, was seen as both an infrastructure milestone and a political statement ahead of the 2027 elections.