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Rep Abejide Urges Northern Yoruba Community to Unite In Support For President Tinubu

Published

3 days ago

February 16, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

…as Yoruba Obas Elect New Leaders

By Gloria Ikibah

Rep. Leke Joseph Abejide, the Asiwaju Yoruba in Kano State and member representing Yagba East/Yagba West/Mopa-Muro Federal Constituency of Kogi State in the House of Representatives, has called on Yoruba people living in the North to unite in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Abejide made the appeal during the 10th anniversary and election of new executives of the Association of Yoruba Traditional Leaders/Obas Northern States and FCT held in Abuja on Saturday.

He described the event as a celebration of Yoruba heritage, values, and cultural significance in Nigeria.

Abejide further pointed out the achievements of the Yoruba people across Nigeria, emphasising their reputation for excellence and leadership wherever they reside.

He said, “People like me, I lived in Kano for about 32 years. And I entered Kano as nobody, but I came out as somebody. Through the grace of God.

“And our population in Kano State, if you count us one after the other, we are not less than 5 million Yorubas living in Kano State alone. We can even determine who will be governor of Kano State. That is how important we are in Kano. And I believe in other areas of Northern Nigeria. Let me congratulate you for your 10th year anniversary.

“All the traditional rulers here today. I want you to know that, I, Elder Leke Joseph Abedjide wiill support you, If and only if you will walk along with me to support the president.

“I know most of you are doing very well in your choosen endeavours. I know my own Yoruba King, Otisense, the Oba Yoruba of Kano State, is doing very well. I know the chairman of today, Oba Funtua is doing very well. And many of us here, in their own choosen endeavours. They are not sitting down to go and beg. They command respect among the populace even beyond Yoruba race”.

Rep. Abejide therefore called on Yorubas to rally behind him to support the policies and programs of President Tinubu as he said, “as a group, they will reap the dividends of democracy”.

“I want you to join me in whatever I’m going to do I told my people when I was contesting the election for my second term in the House of Representatives, I said follow me, if you follow me and the president wins this election, you will see what I will bring home and by tomorrow I’m going to flag off a 57.2 kilometer road. It is not my own power, it is because I have a father behind me. So also if you follow me and do what I say you should do, you will what happen in this association.

“It is not me that is doing it alone, but its because I have father who is backing me. I want us to speak with one voice anytime when the time comes, once we do that I can always get things for you as an association. I am the Asiwaju of Yoruba.people in Kano State and I say it here today. I am also the Asiwaju of my place, my community, my federal constituency. As I said, if we count the population of Yoruba in Plateau state, in Funtua, in Katsina, in Gombe, in Kaduna, and other places in the north, by the time we remove that population of Yoruba from the population of this country, maybe it will remain only half.

“We are so many, and let us use our population wisely this time. When it is time, we are still going to hold a very big gathering that will bring all our people in the 19 northern states, including the FCT. And that’s a lot to lose. We are going to speak at that time and I believe the whole world will hear our voice. Anywhere Yoruba man is found is a peaceful man. We don’t believe in a riotous life.

“We live a life worthy of emulation. And that is why, you see, most of us are doing well in our area of endeavors. I just told you, I’m a Yoruba man, but I brought so many people up in Kano, who are indigenous of Kano, who are multi-millionaire today. It is because of my attitude, my character, that I was able to succeed among them, and also brought many of them up like us.

“The Obas are here. They need our support, I didn’t want to bring people much. I was restricted by my Kabiyesi in Kano, because we still have a bigger program to do in Kano. And that is where our next focus is. We are going to build an ultra-modern palace for the Yoruba in Kano. There’s no politics on ground now. It is a cultural and a race living in another region of this country.

“You see, Yoruba-speaking part of this country are in the southwest, that is southern region. But all the people you see gathered here today are from the south-west. That is southern region. And the Yorubas are from 19 states, plus FCT of Nigeria. They are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of kingdoms in the north.

“They are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of kingdoms in the north. They are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of kingdoms in the north. The establishment of kingdoms in the north. It has been a system for several years, but when it comes to proper organization, it started 10 years ago.

“And we are in millions, as I said. In Kano alone, we are more than 5 million. If you got Plateau State, you will see the Ogbomoshos, if you see the number,they are also in millions. In Funtua, we even have communities. We have communities in Kano, we have ‘Anguwan Yorubawa’. We are so many, so,we came together to celebrate our union and the new excos that took over today”.

Related Topics:chairman community Election Nigeria Tinubu

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Reps Probe NNPCL, NUPRC Over Unpaid Federation Account Funds

Published

3 hours ago

February 19, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has initiated a probe into unremitted funds owed to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and several oil firms.

The investigation, led by Sub-Committee Chairman, Rep. Akinlade Isiaq, arose from concerns highlighted in the Auditor General’s 2020–2021 reports regarding unsettled financial obligations by NNPC Ltd and other industry players.

Findings from the audit indicate that, as of December 2021, NNPC Ltd and oil companies owed the Federation roughly $1.6 billion in royalties due to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) under various agreements, including the Production Sharing Contract, Repayment Agreement, and Modified Carry Arrangement. Additionally, NNPCL’s outstanding claims against the Federation were estimated at N1.9 trillion.

Responding to these queries, NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer, represented by Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, stated that part of the funds had been directed toward government-designated Priority Projects (GPP) and fuel subsidy payments, which remained in effect until its removal in September 2024.

He explained that deductions were sourced from the Federation’s crude oil and gas entitlements, including royalties, and were allocated to projects based on the approved national budget. However, he clarified that no deductions were made for GPP in 2023 and 2024, as implementation was dependent on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

“Regarding the financial claims between the Federation and NNPC Limited as of December 31, 2024, the reconciliation process is ongoing under the supervision of the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. Once concluded, relevant reports will be made available to all appropriate agencies and stakeholders,” Mr. Segun stated.

Meanwhile, the Sub-Committee has vowed to continue its investigation into 2025, with the aim of determining the current status of the debts as of December 2024 and ensuring the recovery of outstanding funds.

Rep. Isiaq reaffirmed the committee’s dedication to professionalism and transparency, emphasizing the importance of accountability in managing Nigeria’s oil and gas resources.

“This hearing is a vital step in ensuring that our national resources are properly accounted for. We are committed to taking all necessary measures to recover these outstanding debts in the best interest of the Federation and its citizens,” he stated.

The committee has also summoned oil companies identified in the NUPRC report, which shows they owe the Federal Government a total of $929 million as of September 30, 2024.

To address financial discrepancies, key government agencies have been invited to provide clarity on the issue. These include the Accountant General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the Ministry of Finance, the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Their input is expected to shed light on the legal and procedural factors behind the non-payment of these funds. This investigation aims to establish stronger accountability and financial transparency within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

News

PDP Mobilises For South-South Congress

Published

5 hours ago

February 19, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The outgoing South-South zonal executive of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has began the mobilisation of statutory delegates of the party for the election of a new zonal executive of the party.

A statement signed by the acting Zonal Secretary of the party, George Turnah M.O.N and made available to newsmen invited all those qualified to attend the zonal congress as specified in Section 28(1) of the party’s constitution to avail themselves for the congress holding in Calabar, Cross River State.

The statement read in part:
“The Zonal Executive Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) South-South Zone hereby notifies and invites qualified Party members as contained in the Party constitution 28(1) , to the 2025 elective Congress of the Party scheduled to hold on Saturday, 22nd of February 2025 at The Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar, Cross River State.”

The zonal scribe while noting that the congress is being convened for the election of “new officers to the Zonal Working/Executive Committee and other matters connected thereto” added that the invitation for the congress is at the instance of “Chief Dan Osi Orbih, National Vice Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party South-South Zone, acting under the powers conferred upon him by Article 28(3) of the Party’s Constitution.”

News

BREAKING! Senate invites DSS, NSA, other, over alleged funding of Boko Haram by USAID

Published

6 hours ago

February 19, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Nigerian Senate reacting to the alleged funding of terrorism in Nigeria by the United States Agency for International Development USAID, Wednesday invited Security Intelligence Chiefs for investigation and veracity of the allegation by Perry Scott of the United States parliament.

The resolution followed an Order of Urgent National Security through Order 41 by Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Mohammed Ali Ndume.

Ndume urged the Senate to consider the revelation as too weighty to gloss over, given the devastation that terrorists have done to the country, particularly the Boko Haram fighters, stressing that the investigation would put paid to speculations on how the non-state actors have been surviving over the years.

The heads of security intelligence agencies summoned by the Senate are, National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Directorate of Intelligence Agency, DIA, Department of State Services, DSS, and the National Security Adviser, NIA.

Senate President, Godswill in sustaining the resolution remarked that security issues should not be discussed in the market, noting that the head of security intelligence will offer the Senate better perspective in a close door meeting with them.