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Names Ribadu As NSA; Gen. C.G. Musa, CDS; Gen. Lagbaja, Army Chief; Katose Egbetokun, IGP

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has sacked the chief of defence staff, all the service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

• A statement from the office of the Secretary the the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, on Monday, June 19, 2023 in Abuja, said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate retirement of all service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police, advisers, Comptroller General of Customs from service, as well as their replacements with immediate effect.”

Tinubu consequently named Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who was last week appointed as special adviser on Security, as National Security Adviser (NSA); Maj-Gen. C.G. Musa, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS); Maj-Gen. T. A. Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff (OAS); Rear Admiral E. A. Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS); AVM H.B. Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), DIG Kayode Egbetokun, acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Maj-Gen. E.P.A. Undiandeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence.

The President also approved the appointments of Col. Adebisi Onasanya as Commander, Brigade of Guards; Lt-Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf, 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja; Lt-Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa 177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State; Lt-Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim, 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger State and, Lt-Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote, 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

Other appointments include Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (N/14695), Commanding Officer, State House Artillery; Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183), Second-in-Command, State House Artillery; Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656), Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence; Maj. T.S. Adeola (N/12860), Commanding Officer, State House Armament and, Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578), Second-in- Command, State House Armament.

Akume also announced the President approval of the appointments of Hadiza Bala Usman as Special Adviser, Policy Coordination; Hannatu Musa Musawa, Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy; Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (Senate) and Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim, Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).

“Finally, the President has approved the appointment of Adeniyi Bashir Adewale as the Acting Comptroller General of Customs.

“It is to be noted that the appointed Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police and the Comptroller General of Customs are to act in their positions, pending their confirmation, in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement stressed.

THE Federal Government and the Organised Labour have agreed to resolve all outstanding issues and conclude negotiations on possible interventions, following the removal petrol subsidy, in the next eight weeks.

The meeting, which held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, began about 5:30 pm and was expected to consider Labour’s demands for increased minimum wage and proposed palliatives from the Federal Government.

At the last meeting held on June 5, 2023, the Federal Government and the two labour unions- the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC)- agreed to suspend their planned strikes and resume talks on June 19, 2023 to agree on an implementation framework.

The NLC delegation was led by its President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, and the TUC by its President, Mr. Festus Osifo, while the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Special Adviser to the President on Revenue, Zachaeus Adedeji; Special Adviser on Energy, Olu Verheijen and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachallom Daju, represented the Federal government.

Also in attendance were Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari; that of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed; Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe, and others.

THE immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has revealed how he survived poisoning at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Abuja last December and major challenges he faced during his two terms in office.

Wike, who disclosed these while addressing a congregation at a special Thanksgiving Service at the St. Peters Deanery, Rumuepirikom in Obio-Akpor Local Council of the state on Sunday, June 18, organised by his family, also said he was in pains, as the poison affected his liver and kidneys and almost killed him, but for God’s intervention.

At the service, where President Bola Tinubu was represented by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and attended by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; deputy senate president, senators, members of the House of Representatives, former governors, former ministers, royal fathers, captains of industry, some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP and others, Wike said: “God was in charge, everybody who knew how we came to power in 2015, knew it was turbulent.

“But God saw us through. When you are in office, many people think things are going well with you. Nobody wants to find out the problems you are facing as a human.

“In December 2018, it was a day my former chief of staff was going to have Thanksgiving. I was to attend that Thanksgiving. From that Sunday, I never came down from my room. It was bad.

“But those who attended the January 1 state banquet of 2019 will know that I never spoke that day; I just sat down there and told the deputy governor to speak on my behalf. I thought it was over.”

He explained his condition became critical and so he had to be flown to a hospital in Beirut, Lebanon, at midnight, where doctors, after running series of tests, told him that his liver and kidney were no longer functioning.

“I didn’t know I had been poisoned at our party’s secretariat,” he told the crowd at the service, adding that the doctors battled to keep him alive before he was discharged after about one week and asked him to return home in a period that coincided with his second term campaigns.

The former governor also disclosed that his wife called him during his presidential primary campaign and told him she had been diagnosed of cancer, saying  he had to put a call across to leaders of his campaign team, including the G-5 governors, indicating his plan to quit the race.

That decision, he stated, changed when his wife urged him on, saying all would be well. He noted: “Being a strong woman, my wife never showed it. But today, my wife is hale and hearty. The cancer incident was the one I knew that God had done all for me.”

Wike said he kept most of the incidents secret to avoid frightening his supporters, stating that he decided to thank God for allowing a peaceful transition in Rivers State and granting him victories in all the elections held in the state.

Wike also thanked all members of the G-5, which later became Integrity Group, for their roles during the presidential election.

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as his Special Adviser on Security.

A statement signed by the Director of Information, State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, listed the names of advisers approved by Tinubu and their portfolios as Dele Alake (Special Duties, Communications and Strategy); Yau Darazo (Political and Intergovernmental Affairs); Wale Edun (Monetary Policies); Mrs. Olu Verheijen (Energy); Zachaeus Adedeji (Revenue); John Ugochukwu Uwajumogu (Industry, Trade and Investment) and Mrs. Salma Ibrahim Anas (Health).

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has abolished multiple Naira/Dollar exchange rates, saying all segments of the foreign exchange market are now collapsed into the I&E window.

The apex bank said applications for medicals, school fees, Business Travel Allowance/Personal Travel Allowance and SMEs would continue to be processed through the I&E window, what is seen by experts as capable of curbing corruption, increase Forex inflow and boost economic development.

The action is in tandem with the directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his inaugural speech.

Under the suspended CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, whose tenure is being probed, the apex bank resisted pressures from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to allow the naira to float and determine its real value, thereby eliminating corruption in the multiple exchange rates regime.

In the circular, the CBN also stated that the operational changes to the foreign exchange market include the re-introduction of the “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” model at the I&E Window.

“Operations in this window shall be guided by the extant circular on the establishment of the window, dated 21 April 2017 and referenced FMD/DIR/CIR/GEN/08/007. 

“All eligible transactions are permitted to access foreign exchange at this window.”

The circular stated that all operational rates for all government-related transactions shall be the weighted average rate of the preceding day’s executed transactions at the I&E window, calculated to two decimal places.

“Proscription of trading limits on oversold FX positions with permission to hedge short positions with OTC futures limits on overbought positions shall be zero. 

“Re-introduction of order-based two-way quotes, with bid-ask spread of N1. All transactions shall be cleared by a Central Counter Party (CCP). 

“Re-introduction of Order Book to ensure transparency of orders and seamless execution of trades. 

“The operational hours of trades shall be from 9 am to 4 pm, Nigeria time,” it said.

In addition, there would be an end to the RT200 Rebate Scheme and the Naira4Dollar Remittance Scheme from June 30, 2023.

FOLLOWING the suspension of Abulrasheed Bawa from office as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over allegations of abuse of office levelled against him, the Director of Operations, Abdulkarim Chukkol, has taken over as acting Chairman of the agency with immediate effect, as directed by the federal government.

President Bola Tinubu, had in a statement from the office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), on Wednesday, June 14, announced the suspension of Bawa and directed the EFCC Director of Operations  to take over in acting capacity, pending when a substantive chairman would be appointed.

Bawa was subsequently arrested by the Department of State Service (DSS) for questioning.

Chukkol took over from Mohammed Abba as the Director of Operations following Abba’s return to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) after acting as acting chairman of the commission when Ibrahim Magu was also suspended by then President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement by its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC released a profile of the acting Chairman, saying: “A pioneer staff of the Commission and an illustrious member of the EFCC Cadet Course One, Chukkol is a consummate and vastly experienced investigator, with speciality in cybercrime and money laundering.

“His Command appointments in the Commission include spells as Head of the Advance Fee Fraud and Cybercrime Sections of the Lagos and Abuja Zonal Commands between 2011and 2016; pioneer Commander of the Uyo Zonal Command in 2017 and Commander of Port Harcourt Zonal Command in 2020.”

Chukkol has participated in several special operations with international law enforcement organisations and maintains close relationship with law enforcement agencies, such as the United States (US) FBI; United Kingdom National Crime Agency; US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); United States Secret Service; Australian Federal Police; Dutch Police; German Police; South African Police; etc.

He has worked closely with other governments to develop law and infrastructure for carrying out law enforcement actions and is Nigeria’s contact person at the International Mass Marketing Fraud Working Group, representing key government regulatory, law enforcement, prosecution, immigration and customs, financial intelligence, consumer protection agencies and trade and competition bureaus, dealing with mass marketing-related issues from Spain, Nigeria, Belgium, Europol, Canada, UK and the US.

He has attended several courses, seminars and workshops on Public Corruption, Advance Fee Fraud and other economic and financial crimes, both locally and internationally, including UK’s Oxford University in 2022.

His work and initiatives over the years have earned him several awards and commendations, locally and internationally, including “the Most Outstanding Award in Operations” by the EFCC and “Outstanding Performance Award” by the US Department of Justice, among others.

Chukkol holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Maiduguri (2000) and Post-Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia, US, as well as Graduate Diploma in Cybersecurity and Spectrum Management from the US Telecommunication Training Institute in Washington DC.

He is also an alumnus of the FBI National Academy, Quantico; European Center of Security Studies, Germany and a Fellow of the Nigerian War College.

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC), is headed by the Vice President Kashim Shettima,  at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, June 15, with a charge to the Council to work with his administration to revive the economic fortunes of Nigerians, as there is no excuse for failure.

  Speaking at the inauguration of the NEC at the Council Chambers of the State House in Abuja, Tinubu noted that the task of reviving the economy was daunting, but noted that there would be no excuses not to deliver, since they all begged and even danced before Nigerians to give them the job.

He who urged the Council to swing into action immediately, saying Nigerians are waiting for them, added: “It is very reassuring that our citizens are behind us, but they want reforms and they want them very quickly.”

The NEC meets monthly and has the mandate to “advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation, and in particular on measures necessary for the coordination of the economic planning efforts or economic programmes of the various governments of the Federation.”

   It is made up of the 36 state governors, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other co-opted government officials.

The ceremony was attended by Governors Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara); Ademola Adeleke (Osun); Yahaya Bello (Kogi); Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti); Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa); Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom); Peter Mbah (Enugu); Bassey Otu (Cross River); Caleb Muftwang (Plateau); Nasir Idris (Kebbi); Aliyu Radda (Katsina) and Hyacinth Alia (Benue). 

Others were Dauda Lawal (Zamfara); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Charles Soludo (Anambra); Mai Mala Buni (Yobe); Agbu Kefas (Taraba); Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta); Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers); Mohammed Bago (Niger);Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto); Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi); Uba Sani (Kaduna); Godwin Obaseki (Edo); Alex Otti (Abia); Douye Diri (Bayelsa); Abba Yusuf (Kano); Bala Mohammed (Bauchi); Seyi Makinde (Oyo), as well as Deputy Governors of Borno and Ondo states, Umar Kadafur with Lucky Ayedatiwa, respectively. 

FORMER governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has been elected as the President of the Senate of the 10th Assembly.

Akpabio, who is the preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu, defeated his closest rival and former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari.

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Tambuwal, declared Akpabio as the Senate President having garnered 63 votes against Yari’s 46 votes.

The sitting commenced at 9am and after the Clerk called for nominations, the senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, nominated Akpabio, representing Akwa Ibom North-East, who accepted the nomination, while Elisha Abbo, representing Adamawa North, nominated Yari, representing Zamfara West, despite protest that Yari, being a first-time senator, should not be allowed to stand for the position.

The lawmakers cast their votes in alphabetical order, with two representatives of each candidate counting their votes.

Senators Adeola Solomon and Ndume came out to represent Akpabio, while Abbo and the senator representing Ondo South, Jimoh Ibrahim, represented Yari.

At the end it all came down to Akpabio garnering 63 votes, while Yari had 46 votes.

Akpabio was subsequently sworn in as the president of the 10^th senate. He succeeds Dr. Ahmed Lawan

IN the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, representing Zaria Federal Constituency, emerged as the Speaker

He secured 353 votes out of 359 to defeat rivals Ahmed Wase and Sani Jaji, who polled three votes each.

  Abbas was nominated by former majority leader of the House, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, seconded by Nnolim Nnaji, Tijjani Kayode Ismail, from Kwara State nominated Wase, who is the immediate past deputy speaker of the House, while Ahmed Yusuf Ibrahim from Katsina State nominated Jaji from Zamfara State.

Benjamin Kalu was nominated unopposed and elected for the post of Deputy Speaker.

The APC had earlier endorsed Abbas and  Kalu for the positions, a move that was protested by Wase and other contenders, known as the G-7, who vowed not to step down for the preferred candidates.

  But by Sunday, June 11, two of the contesters- Aliyu Betara and Yusuf Gagdi- dropped out after meeting with President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

  The inauguration process commenced before 10 am, with Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlami, joined by the Clerk of the House presiding.

  Abass and Kalu were sworn in as Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively, shortly after the results were announced.

THE Delta State House of Assembly has elected Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, representing Warri South West State Constituency, as its Speaker.

Guwor emerged following the proclamation of the 8th Assembly by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

Guwor, who was a member of the 7th Assembly, was nominated by Ferguson Onwo, representing Isoko South 2 State Constituency, and seconded by Marilyn Okowa-Daramola, representing Ika North-East State Constituency.

Shortly afterwards, Arthur Akpovwovwo was elected as Deputy Speaker.

In his acceptance remarks, Guwor vowed to be diligent in carrying out the duties of his office,  pledging that the House under his leadership, will work for the people of the State.

“I will carry out my duties with diligence and in line with the standing order of the House and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The House under my leadership will work for the people of Delta State, who gave us the mandate in the first instance.

“The House under my leadership will cooperate with the Executive. Working with the Executive should not be mistaken as working for the Executive,” he said.

He succeeds Oborevwori, who was speaker of the 7^th Assembly.

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appealled to Nigerians to make a little more sacrifice, following the difficulties brought about by the removal of fuel subsidy, saying he understands the hardship the policy has imposed on them.

In his maiden Democracy Day address to Nigerians on Monday, June 12, the President stressed the need for the general public to make little sacrifice for the betterment of the entire country, adding that the temporary discomfort occasioned was necessary to save the country from going under.

According to him: “I feel your pain. This is one decision we must bear to save our country from going under and take our resources away from the stranglehold of a few unpatriotic elements.

“I admit that the decision will impose an extra burden on the masses of our people. Painfully, I have asked you, my compatriots, to sacrifice a little more for the survival of our country.”

   Tinubu in the address, harped on unity, service to the people and defence of the legitimacy of his election victory.

  On the presidential election, he stated: “That the polls were intensely contested is in itself positive evidence that democracy is well and alive in our land. It is only natural that even as those who won and experienced victory in the various elections are elated and fulfilled, those who lost are disenchanted and disappointed.”

He highlighted the fundamental principle of democracy, where winners and losers coexist, as a testament to the strength of the country’s democratic practice, adding: “The beauty of democracy is that those who win today can lose tomorrow and those who lose today will have an opportunity to compete and win in the next round of elections.”

The President stressed the importance of accepting defeat graciously and the value of seeking redress through the legal channels provided by the constitution, reaffirming that democracy is the best form of government, which allows citizens to exercise their rights, while ensuring that the will of the people prevails.

“Those who cannot endure and accept the pain of defeat in elections do not deserve the joy of victory when it is their turn to triumph.

“Above all, those who disagree with the outcome of the elections are taking full advantage of the constitutional provisions to seek redress in court and that is one of the reasons why democracy is still the best form of government invented by man.”

While expressing gratitude for the trust and belief placed in his administration, Tinubu assured Nigerians that their sacrifices would not be in vain.

He vowed to make substantial investments in critical areas, such as transportation infrastructure, education, reliable power supply, healthcare and other public utilities to improve the overall quality of life for Nigerians.

He charged elected officials across the executive and legislative branches to fulfill their promises and deliver tangible democracy dividends to the people they represent.