News

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Barely seven days before the expiration of his final tenure, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the long-awaited Dangote Refinery in Lagos. The newly commissioned refinery is the first private-owned oil refinery in Nigeria. 

The President was flanked by many dignitaries from within and outside Nigeria during the unveiling. He described the refinery as a ‘game changer’ for the country’s economy. 

“This clearly makes this event a notable milestone for our economy and a game changer for the downstream petroleum product market not only in Nigeria but the entire African continent,” He said.

The accomplished businessman and owner of the refinery, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, gave the welcome remark at the unveiling ceremony.

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his support and said he was his source of inspiration at times he felt like giving up. 

He also appreciated the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, for ‘moving mountains’ in the course of the project. 

The billionaire also revealed that the first product of the $12 billion facility “will be in the market before the end of July, beginning of August this year”.

“Beyond today’s ceremony, our first goal is to ramp up production of the various products to ensure that within this year, we’re able to fully satisfy our nation’s demand for higher quality products,” he said.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical is the largest single-train refinery in the world and has a capacity of 650,0000 capacity a day.

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq 

With just about one week left to the end of his second and final term in office, Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has approved the deposition of His Highness Jonathan Paragua Zamuna, the Chief of Piriga, and His Highness General Aliyu Iliyah Yammah, the Chief of Arak, with effect from Monday, 22nd May 2023. 

The Kaduna State Ministry of Local Government Affairs made the announcement. 

Details later…..

By Muhammadu Sabiu
 
The Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party, and their presidential candidates’ requests for a live broadcast of the election petition proceedings in court have been declined by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja.
 
On Monday, Justice Haruna Tsammani, the Tribunal’s head, denied the request for live coverage of the court proceedings, adding that the request lacked merit.
 
The All Progressives Congress candidate, Bola Tinubu, won the presidential election on February 25.
 
Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s candidate for president, submitted a request on May 8 for live coverage of the court proceedings in his case.
 
Peter Obi, who was also running for president in the election, had also submitted a request for a live broadcast of the court hearings related to the election petition.
 

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdurrashid Bawa, and Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state continue to trade words over corruption allegations.

The anti-graft agency chairman challenged Matawalle to expose him if he has any fraud record against him.

Bawa has thrown this challenge against Matawalle in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Thursday.

He added that even though no human being was 100 percent clean, he would love it if Matawalle could expose him.

The Daily Reality reported that Matawalle was currently under investigation over alleged N70 billion fraud.

The EFCC chairman stated that it was intriguing that Matawalle would want to take on the role of a supervisor, who tells the EFCC whom to investigate.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State is currently under investigation over alleged N70 billion fraud, says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Abdurrashid Bawa, the EFCC Chairman, disclosed about the development on Thursaday during a press briefing.

Our reporters gathered Matawalle and Bawa have recently engaged in a battle of words and Matawalle had leveled allegations against Bawa and dared the commission to go after members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.

However, the anti-graft agency chairman urged Nigerians not to be swayed by the Matawalle’s recent outburst.

In his response through the Director of Public Affairs of the commission, Osita Nwajah, Bawa added that “It is intriguing that Matawalle would want to take on the role of a supervisor, who tells the EFCC whom to investigate.

“Is this a case of a “’thief’’ saying he must not be touched until other ‘’thieves’’ are caught?

“Unfortunately, it is not within Matawalle’s remit to dictate to the EFCC whom to arrest, when and where. Suspects in the custody of the Commission cut across all sectors and social class.

“The qualification to get a space in the Commission’s detention facility, is to commit a crime. It does not matter whether you are a priest , Imam, Governor or minister.

“Currently, a former minister of power is in the custody of the EFCC over a N22billion corruption allegation. That conveniently did not attract Matawalle’s attention,” Nwajah said.
 

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chirist Ngige, has thrown a threat to the striking resident doctors saying that the Federal Government will hire ad-hoc doctors to replace their positions.

The minister stated that the ad-hoc doctors would be paid with the salaries of the striking doctors.

The Daily Reality gathered that the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) began a five-day warning strike Wednesday.

However, Ngige, who in an interview with journalists yesterday said there was nothing like warning strike, disclosed this during Channels Television programme.

It was also learned that the association is demanding increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salary of doctors; new allowances included in its letter to the Minister of Health on July 7, 2022, on the review of CONMESS; payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund; payment of salary arrears and consequential adjustment of the minimum wage.

Ngige added that the NARD was disrespectful to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), which was already negotiating with the government on its behalf.

“The resident doctors are part of NMA. They are young doctors in training. So if the NMA is negotiating on their behalf as the parent body, what these young people (resident doctors) are doing is disrespecting the NMA. They are crying wolf when there is none,” he said.

• NewsDesk

As Nigeria approaches May 29, the inauguration date of a new administration, newly elected lawmakers and politicians have intensified the lobby game. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic human rights group, has also joined the debate. Though a Muslim group, MURIC wants the Senate presidency to go to a Christian from the South. The group has therefore called on all Muslims vying for the post to withdraw.

This was made known in a statement issued on Thursday, May 18, 2023, by the Executive Director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads:

“As the clock ticks away for the 29^th May inauguration date of the Bola Tinubu administration, elected lawmakers and politicians have intensified the lobby game. We have seen how the different geo-political zones, as well as individual politicians and stakeholders, have demanded key positions in the National Assembly.

“Chief among those positions is the Senate presidency as it is the Number 3 position in the country after the president and vice president. As a major stakeholder in the affairs of Nigeria, we have followed with keen interest the imbroglio, which greeted the Muslim-Muslim ticket and how it ended in Nigeria having a Muslim President-Elect and a Muslim Vice President-Elect.

“In view of this outcome and considering the multi-religious character of our dear country, Nigeria, it is our considered opinion that the post of senate president should go to a Southern Christian. Nigeria needs the cooperation of both Muslims and Christians because only such collaboration can engender peace and development.

“Although we are a Muslim group, we believe very strongly that Muslims should not take all the top posts despite being the undisputed majority group in the country. Muslims must be ready to share power with their Christian compatriots. Politics is a game of give and take, and Nigerian Muslims must play it right.

“We must all be ready to demonstrate a willingness to work together as a people in spite of our religious differences. Afterall, there is no Muslim electricity supply, no Christian roads, no Muslim public transport system and no Christian naira. Our problems are identical, and whatever affects our country affects both Muslims and Christians together.

“A good example is COVID-19. Hunger knows no Muslim, and malaria knows no Christian. Poverty is common among the adherents of both faiths. Let us, therefore, share what belongs to all with love and find solutions to our common problems together.

“MURIC, therefore, calls on all Muslim candidates vying for the position of the senate president to withdraw in order to allow Christian candidates from the South to have a free hand in the competition (preferably the South-South because the South East has occupied the post on several occasions).

“In addition, MURIC tips any suitable candidate from the North West for the post of deputy senate president in view of the fact that the zone gave the largest number of votes to the party and the candidate that won the election.” 

By Uzair Adam Imam

A psychiatrist, Dr. Adeoyo Oyewole, said the physical and mental stress journalists are exposed to daily has psychological effect on them that could lead to mental shutdown.

The doctor said the pressure used to create a mental disequilibrium which manifests psychologically and phphysically.

Dr. Oyewole, who is a consultant at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, also added that lack of proper stress management killed journalists discreetly.

He made this shocking revelation on Monday at a seminar organised by Fountain University for practising journalists and final year Mass Communication students of the institution.

The seminar was themed: Effect of Poor Stress Management among Nigerian Journalists on Mental Health Productivity, at its campus, Osogbo.

The doctor further stated that Nigerian journalists carry Nigeria on their shoulders at a mental cost, and struggle daily to gather information in spite of humiliating cultural and bureaucratic bottlenecks.

He added, “There is a need for journalists to be proactive in managing time, value relationships and posses the will to break through barriers to achieve daily goals.

“Financial freedom is also essential. No journalists should be underpaid in discharging their responsibility as a professional in order to meet their daily demands both personally and as a family.

“A journalist must be able to meet his daily diet and supplement demand to be physically and mentally ready for the rigours of the job”, he said.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has declared a British and Indian citizen, Deepark Khilnani, wanted on the ground of fraudulent activities.

The Commission in a post on their verified social media accounts disclosed on Wednesday that Mr Khilnani is wanted for conspiracy, stealing and money laundry.

The Commission gave his brief details and requested that persons with information that could lead to his arrest should not hesitate to contact the EFCC.

“Deepark Khilnani, 63, Indian/British citizen is wanted by the EFCC for Conspiracy and Money Laundering. If you have any information that could lead to his arrest, please do not hesitate to contact the EFCC immediately”, they posted.

By Uzair Adam Imam

There are still debates on the Presidency`s plan to collect $800 million loan from the World Bank. The money is said to be used to succour to the poorest of the poor upon removal of the petrol subsidy in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari had sought the Senates approval to collect the debt few days to leave office as the President of Nigeria.

Ali Ndube, the senator representing Borno South, has threatened to drag President Muhammadu Buhari to the court over this plan.

The senator stated this in an iverterview on Trust TV`s Daily Politics, describing the attempt as unfair, illegal and unconstitutional.

Ndume stated that, “I will go to court on that because it is unfair, illegal and unconstitutional. Let me give you example, we are two now in the studio and you say you are going to borrow one million and share among the two of us, how are you going to select the two?

“Beside that if you are giving to the two and they are the ones to pay that is okay but it is all Nigerians that will pay.

“If you give Nigerians today ₦4,000 randomly, how fair is that? In fact, it is unconstitutional because the constitution of Nigeria does not allow you to discriminate.

“These guys they will just use grammar to confuse this old man (Buhari) and he will just approve. He (Buhari) doesn’t understand this, they just want to steal the money, we cannot continue to allow this kind of things.

“What they are targeting is what they can get out of it not, what Nigerians can get, you can quote me on that, any of them come to challenge me on TV, I will come back to explain myself, they are misleading the President,” he stated.