By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP nosedived on Thursday after stakeholders of the party from the South-East repudiated moves to remove Senator Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary.

The stakeholders in a strongly worded statement in Owerri, capital of Imo State, maintained that Anyanwu was the substantive PDP National Secretary based on the stay of execution issued by the Court of Appeal.

’The stay of execution has said it all. There is only one National Secretary, and it remains Senator Samuel Anyanwu,’’ the PDP stakeholders said on Thursday.

The leaders in a statement by the Chairman of South-East PDP Stakeholders Forum, Chief Maxwell Okoye, attributed the conflict and internal wrangling in the party to individuals positioning themselves for the 2027 polls.

The stakeholders praised PDP elected governors for their sterling performance

They urged the governors and Board of Trustees (BOT) members not to play pranks with the Office of the PDP National Secretary.

‘’The battle for the control of the PDP ahead of 2027 has created confusion, uncharitable impressions and insinuations that those fighting Anyanwu are agents of the ruling party in the country’’.

The South-East leaders warned party bigwigs not to allow the crisis in the party to degenerate any further.

‘’ Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been intimidated, harassed, insulted, abused, blackmailed and even physically attacked for the soul of the party’s secretary seat by some political godfathers’’

The stakeholders in their statement emphasized the stay of execution, respect for the rule of law and objectivity in maintaining their stance that Senator Samuel Anyanwu remained national secretary of the PDP.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

International Business Machines (IBM) has revealed plans to exit Nigeria, Ghana, and other key African markets, transferring its regional operations to MIBB, a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Midis Group. The transition will take effect from 1 April 2025 as part of a new operating model in select African countries.

MIBB will assume responsibility for marketing and selling IBM’s range of products and services across 36 African nations. This includes providing direct access to IBM’s software, hardware, cloud solutions, and consulting services.

According to an email sent to TechCabal, MIBB will also oversee operations, support, and customer relationships in the region.

IBM has had a significant presence in Nigeria for over five decades, playing a crucial role in the country’s technology landscape.

The company provided infrastructure and consulting services to key sectors, including banking, telecommunications, oil and gas, and government. Its high-end storage and computing solutions were especially popular among financial institutions such as Zenith Bank.

However, IBM’s market share in Nigeria has declined in recent years due to growing competition from companies like Dell and Huawei, which have increased their presence in the banking sector.

On the global front, IBM has been facing financial challenges. In 2024, the company reported a 2% drop in consulting revenue, totaling 5.18 billion USD, while infrastructure sales decreased by 8%.

Despite this, IBM’s overall revenue increased by 1%, reaching 17.55 billion USD, largely driven by a 10% growth in software sales, which amounted to 7.92 billion USD. The company also posted a net income of 2.92 billion USD for the fourth quarter and expects a minimum of 5% revenue growth in 2025, buoyed by a projected free cash flow of 13.5 billion USD.

IBM’s exit from West Africa marks the end of its direct operations in the region, creating uncertainty about the long-term impact on local businesses and government partnerships. While MIBB’s takeover may offer new opportunities for innovation and support, businesses that rely on IBM’s services will need to adjust to the changes. The full effects of this transition will become clearer in the months ahead as the African technology landscape adapts to the new operational model.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The family of the Baale of the Lotu community in the Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area, Chief Jubril Adebayo Fatai who was brutally killed in a land dispute, has expressed frustration over the prolonged delay in the trial of the suspects involved in the shooting.

The family renewed their call for speedy justice on Thursday, February 6, 2025 while also appealing to Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions to do everything within its power to ensure that the trial is not delayed or influenced and those linked with the gruesome murder of their patriarch are smoked out and made to face justice as soon as possible.

The late chief was allegedly gunned down on July 15, 2023, in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State, reportedly in the presence of his wife, Ejiro Jubril, and teenage daughter, during a land dispute.

Media reports had earlier stated that a certain police inspector, Dikko Usman was directly involved in the matter and that the inspector was promptly dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force and charged to court for his involvement in the murder.

A report published by PUNCH Metro on August 6, 2024, revealed that an advisory signed by the DPP Deputy Director, Sunmonu Tunde, on behalf of the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, also named Omotola Adeboyejo and Wasiu Agbaraojo as suspects to be prosecuted for conspiracy to commit murder and murder.

The advisory read in part, “Facts in the duplicate case file reveal that one Chief Fatai Jubril Asalu was shot at on July 15, 2023, at Museyo community, Ajah, and died as a result of the gunshot injuries to the head as indicated in the Medical Cause of Death Certificate dated August 23, 2023, issued by one Dr. O.O. Onayemi, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

Despite the detailed DPP advisory and court charges listing the suspects, the family expressed frustration over the lack of progress in the case, blaming the DPP for the delay.

The grieving family added, “The case has been stuck in the magistrate court for nearly a year. We understand that only the DPP can transfer it to the high court for a proper hearing. We’ve been pursuing this matter since last year.

“We initially postponed the burial, hoping to get justice first. However, due to the prolonged delay, we had to proceed with the burial in December 2024, especially since the hospital we used has now been converted into a Federal Medical Centre.

“We faced numerous challenges before securing a burial warrant. The case has been left stagnant at the magistrate court, which claimed it was waiting for the DPP. According to our lawyer, only the DPP can instruct the court to transfer the case to the high court.

A family source confirmed that the family feared the brutal murder of the Lotu chief might be overlooked, urging both the public and authorities in the state justice department to step in and ensure justice is served.

He said, “We are afraid this matter will soon be forgotten. My brother was killed in broad daylight, in front of his wife and teenage daughter. What’s stopping them from moving the case to the high court?”

It is recalled that in July 2023, in a rare show of solidarity with the family of the deceased, members of the community including youths, elderly women and men led a protest rally, blocking major arteries of the Ibeju-Lekki express road and bearing placards with different inscriptions such as ‘We want Justice for Asalu,’ I cry for Help.”