A lot of newsworthy events shaped August 13 to August 19. Here is a list of some selected top national stories across the country.
- I warned against ‘Emilokan’ politics – Pastor Tunde Bakare
- El-Rufai Absent At Son’s Wedding
- Forex crisis: Marketers propose N720/litre, suspend fuel imports
- Why We Shunned Abdulsalami Delegation – Niger Junta
- Transportation cost increased by 98% in one month – NBS
- DSS now attack dog of ruling party – Tunde Bakare
- Nigerian Air Force Aircraft En Route To Niger State Crashes
- Fuel price hike: We’re on our kneels – Parents’ association begs Tinubu
- Asari-Dokubo: Tinubu Bars N’Delta Ex-agitators From Aso Rock
- Ifa council suspends Isese festival in Ilorin
- Tinubu appoints Wike Minister of FCT; Umahi, Works
- CBN introduces FX price verification system portal for importers
- Popular Isese activist, Talolorun, remanded in prison for defaming Emir of Ilorin, others
- Falana sues CBN for alleged illegal floating of naira
- Emefiele: DSS Arrests NIRSAL Boss
I warned against ‘Emilokan’ politics – Pastor Tunde Bakare
On Sunday, the overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, reminded his members that he had warned Nigerians about the dangers of “Emilokan” politics.
Emilokan, a Yoruba phrase meaning ‘It’s my turn,’ became popular during President Bola Tinubu’s campaign ahead of the 2023 elections.
Bakare claimed that Emilokan is a tendency towards authoritarianism.
El-Rufai Absent At Son’s Wedding
On Sunday, it was reported that ex-governor, Nasir El-Rufai was visibly absent when Bello, his eldest son, tied the nuptial knot with his second wife, Aisha Habibu Shuaibu, on Saturday.
Recall that El-Rufai left the country after the imbroglio that characterised his ministerial nomination.
The senate had last week confirmed 45 out of the 48 ministerial nominees of President Bola Tinubu.
But El-Rufai and two other nominees – Stella Okotete (Delta) and Danladi Abubakar (Taraba) – were not confirmed as the senate said they were awaiting security clearance.
Forex crisis: Marketers propose N720/litre, suspend fuel imports
On Monday, oil marketers indicated that if the dollar continues to trade between N910 and N950 at the parallel market, the cost of Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol, could increase to a range of N680/litre to N720/litre in the upcoming weeks.
They mentioned that due to the scarcity of foreign exchange, dealers looking to import PMS are being compelled to postpone their plans. This warning follows the recent crossing of the N900/dollar mark by the local currency, with the naira being sold at over 945/dollar in the parallel market on Friday.
Why We Shunned Abdulsalami Delegation – Niger Junta
On Monday, the military leaders of Niger, led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, revealed why they ignored the delegation led by Nigeria’s former military Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar (retd), in their efforts to restore the deposed government.
President Bola Tinubu dispatched a high-powered team led by Abubakar and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, to end the crisis in Niger through dialogue.
The delegation, however, returned to Nigeria without attracting the junta’s attention.
Transportation cost increased by 98% in one month – NBS
On Monday, the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that the average cost of bus transportation within Nigerian cities rose from N649.59 in May 2023 to N1,285.41 in June 2023 as the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit rose.
This means that the cost of intra-city bus transportation rose by 98 per cent or N636 within one month.
Figures obtained from the Transport Fare Watch report of the NBS for June 2023 revealed.
DSS now attack dog of ruling party – Tunde Bakare
On Sunday, Senior Pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church, formerly known as the Latter Rain Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare said the department of state security (DSS) has become a tool of oppression and intimidation in the hands of politicians.
He stated that the actions of the DSS are completely unprofessional and run counter to the laws and acts that established the secret police.
Bakare said this in reaction to the continued detention of the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele, and Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, FCC, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa.
Nigerian Air Force Aircraft En Route To Niger State Crashes
On Monday, a Nigerian Air Force aircraft crashed en route to Niger State.
The aircraft departed Kaduna for Minna, the Niger state capital when the incident occurred, PUNCH quoted a source as saying.
However, it is immediately unclear whether there were casualties from the mishap as other details about the incident still remain hazy as of the time of filing this report.
Fuel price hike: We’re on our kneels – Parents’ association begs Tinubu
On Monday, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene and do everything possible to prevent petrol price from going up further and out of hand.
Mr Adeolu Ogunbanjo, National Deputy President of NAPTAN, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the appeal was coming following an emergency meeting of the association on Monday in Lagos.
Recall that Tinubu, had in his broadcast to the nation in July, said the government was monitoring the effects of the exchange rate and inflation on gasoline prices, promising to intervene if and when necessary.
Asari-Dokubo: Tinubu Bars N’Delta Ex-agitators From Aso Rock
On Tuesday, it was reported that all ex-Niger Delta militant leaders have been barred from visiting President Bola Tinubu in the presidential villa in Abuja.
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that the decision was taken in the aftermath of the visit to President Tinubu by the leader of the defunct Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahedeen Asari-Dokubo, on June 16.
According to reports, Tinubu was disturbed by Asari-Dokubo’s public utterances and actions following his visit.
Ifa council suspends Isese festival in Ilorin
On Tuesday, the planned Isese festival in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, has been postponed, according to the International Council for Ifa Religion.
According to a statement in Abuja and signed by the Council’s President, Oluwo Solagbade Popoola, the festival’s temporary suspension was issued to prevent conflicts. The council also charged the Police with harbouring animus towards the Ifa faith.
Tinubu appoints Wike Minister of FCT; Umahi, Works
On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu appointed immediate past governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, as minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
He put former governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi, in charge of Ministry of Works.
Tinubu is expected to assign portfolios to other ministerial nominees confirmed by the senate as he seeks to put in place a proper cabinet to help him manage the country’s affairs and find solutions to plethora of challenges that plague the it.
CBN introduces FX price verification system portal for importers
On Thursday, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed that a foreign exchange (FX) price verification system (PVS) portal was created to enable importers to access forex.
The CBN made the disclosure in a statement.
The apex bank said a price verification report from the portal is now mandatory for all Form M requests, effective from August 31, 2023.
The Form ‘M’ is a declaration of intention to import physical goods into Nigeria.
Popular Isese activist, Talolorun, remanded in prison for defaming Emir of Ilorin, others
On Thursday, a popular Ilorin Isese devotee and activist Adegbola Abdulazeez, a.k.a. Talọlọrun (Who is God), was arrested and remanded in jail for defamation, in Kwara State.
Talolorun, was reportedly arrested for insulting the Emir of Ilorin among other offences.
According to a post on his Facebook page Thursday, the popular Isese activist was arrested on August 16 in Ibadan and taken to a police station in Ilorin.
“Taniolorun was arrested in Ibadan this evening (August 16) and taken to a police station in Ilorin,” the post simply read.
Falana sues CBN for alleged illegal floating of naira
On Friday, Nigerian lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) said he has sued the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for alleged illegal floating of the naira.
Falana in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday said that the decision of the CBN under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to float the naira is illegal and being challenged in court.
He said the CBN Act made it compulsory for the apex bank to fix the exchange rate.
“There’s no provision for floating the naira. It’s illegal. You say, ‘The value of the naira will be determined by market forces.’ That is not there in the law,” Falana said.
Emefiele: DSS Arrests NIRSAL Boss
On Saturday, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Abbas Umar Masanawa, was picked up by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Although the reasons for his arrest were unknown, sources familiar with the matter said it was in connection with the ongoing investigation of the embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
Before being appointed to succeed Abdulhammeed, Masanawa was the Managing Director of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), also known as ‘The MINT’.
The senior banker was a close ally of Emefiele and reportedly sought to run for governor of Katsina State on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022.