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Dev Projects Spread, My Focus – Wike …Says Fake Video Clip, A Diversion …PDP Fingers Abe, Others As Masterminds

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The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike says the focus of his administration is to spread projects across the state by ensuring that no senatorial district is left behind.
The governor stated this last Saturday when he conducted selected journalists and line editors of national newspapers on a tour of projects across Rivers East and Rivers South-East Senatorial Districts.
He pointed out that the distribution and execution of projects have set the state on a platform of growth where every senatorial district feels the impact of good governance.
The governor explained that the people of Rivers State deserve quality projects, hence, the commitment to quality at all project sites.
Wike expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work on all the roads visited, pointing out that he will continue to monitor the projects to ensure that people get value for the money invested by the government.
Commenting on the roads inspected across the two senatorial districts, Commissioner for Works, Iheanyichukwu Harrison, explained that all contractors are compelled to respect best practices to ensure the durability of the projects.
Speaking on the school projects, Commissioner for Education, Prof Kaniye Ebeku, said that the Wike-led administration through the comprehensive rehabilitation and reconstruction of prominent schools in the three senatorial districts of the state was repositioning the education sector.
The governor led the line editors on the inspection of the reconstructed Igwuruta-Chokocho Road, dualization of Saakpenwa-Bori Road, reconstruction of Obiri-Ikwerre Airport Road, reconstruction of Ogbunabali internal roads, reconstruction of Aluu Road, Omuchiolu-Agbada 1 Flowstation Road, Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori, and Government Girls Secondary School, Rumuokwuta.
The projects tour also covered Federal High Court Complex being funded by the Rivers State Government, Ozuoba-Rumuoparali Road, Igbo-Etche Road, Chokocho-Umuechem-Ozuzu Road and Ulakwo-Afara-Nihi Road.
It would be recalled that earlier last Friday, Wike had led some online publishers and bloggers on a tour of different set of projects.
Meanwhile, the Governor has declared that he will complete all ongoing projects to ensure that the economy of the state remains buoyant.
Speaking during an inspection tour with journalists and bloggers, Wike said projects execution under his administration was targeted at the empowerment of the people.
The governor said that his administration will never abandon any projects because his blueprint targets projects that would be completed within 18 months to two years.
He noted that most projects were not completed during the immediate past administration because officials of that administration inflated contracts.
Wike assured that his administration remains focused to rebuilding the state, pointing out that development projects and programmes critical to his dream of a NEW Rivers.
Speaking after the inspection, Publisher of NewsAfrican Magazine, United Kingdom, Mr Moffat Ekoriko, said that he was impressed by the development strides of Wike.
He said that the quality of the projects will improve the landscape of the state and attract tourists to the state.
In her remarks, Legal Adviser of BusinessDay, Theodora Kio, urged the governor to continue with the development strides of his administration.
Wike took the journalists and bloggers to projects located in Port Harcourt City, Obio-Akpor and Eleme Local Government Areas.
The prominent projects visited include: Second Nkpogu Bridge/Road, Land Reclamation in Nkpogu/Ogbunabali, Woji-Akpajo Road/Bridge, dualization of Elelenwo-Akpajo Road, Restoration of Brick House at the Government House, Port Harcourt Pleasure Park, and the new Government House Chapel.
In another development, Governor, Wike has stated that the contrived audio clip being sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) was produced to divert public attention from the massive electoral fraud by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), police and military killings that marred the rerun elections.
He said that the audio clip was fabricated using audio software, pointing out that he never spoke with any electoral officer or anyone for that matter, either in person or over the phone seeking to influence the elections.
The governor spoke during an interactive session with members of the Federated Correspondents Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists in Port Harcourt.
He said: “When you look at certain things, you just laugh. At no time did I speak to any electoral officer, let alone issue threats to any electoral officer.
“There is nowhere I spoke to an electoral officer, threatening him or her as the case maybe. I never spoke with anybody, I never threatened anybody. Nobody can say that he sat with me or that I threatened him or her. Let any electoral officer come forward to say that Ì call him or her on phone.
“I never spoke to anybody. It is totally not correct. The major issue is, did the police participate in rigging election? Did the Army participate in rigging election? Did INEC compromise? The police is denying somebody that was captured on video. That is what they are trying to cover up”.
The governor said: “Face the reality and stop chasing shadows. Let them show me. What is audio clip? What can’t this government do? I don’t have an orderly, I don’t have a chief security officer, I don’t have a camp commandant. All were taken away before the election.”
The governor stated that rather than bring the SARS Commander, Mr Akin Fakorede, to justice for his criminal activities captured on video during the rerun elections, the police authorities have arrested the policemen who accompanied him to stop Akin Fakorede from swapping Rivers East Senatorial District results sheet.
“They have now arrested and detained the policemen who accompanied me to the collation centre to stop that criminal. Even Akin Fakorede who was caught on video, has been released so that police can bungle it.
“What kind of country is this? And you are telling me that they are circulating a contrived audio clip. You caught a man on camera committing crime, but you have swept it under the carpet”, Wike said.
Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State says it has uncovered the characters behind the concocted Sahara Reporters audio which has attempted to blackmail the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike.
A statement by the state Chairman of the PDP, Felix Obuah, said the major character in the senseless and laughable drama was Senator Magnus Abe, whom the party accused of having boasted on a radio programme a day before the fake and concocted audio clip was posted, that the audio was in the offing.
The statement, which was signed by the PDP chairman’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, described the audio clip as extremely ridiculous, adding that when the false, defectively conceptualized audio against the governor came up on Sahara Reporters a day after Abe first broke the news, it became very clear that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator was behind the charade.
The PDP said it will hold Abe and other APC leaders who falsely concocted and manufactured the audio culpable for the consequences of their action.
Obuah also said that the few misguided youth who went to the Rivers State Police Headquarters and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in the name of protest in Port Harcourt last Friday was part of the well-orchestrated plan by the APC to attack the security of the state, cause instability and undermine the prevailing peace in the State.
The PDP chairman described the desperation of the APC leaders as shameful and condemnable, adding that the APC was instigating youth to take up arms against the government of Rivers State and continue to create a state of insecurity.
He noted that the insistence by the so-called APC protesters that the two police officers implicated in the killings and snatching of election results in the just concluded rerun elections must not be transferred out of the state, was a confirmation of the conspiracy between the APC and the police, Army and SARS to subvert the electoral process.

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INEC To Unveil New Party Registration Portal As Applications Hit 129

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it has now received a total of 129 applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.

The update was provided during the commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, yesterday.

According to a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, seven new applications were submitted within the past week, adding to the previous number.

“At its regular weekly meeting held today, Thursday 10th July 2025, the commission received a further update on additional requests from associations seeking registration as political parties.

“Since last week, seven more applications have been received, bringing the total number so far to 129. All the requests are being processed,” the commission stated.

The commission revealed the introduction of a new digital platform for political party registration. The platform is part of the Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System and aims to streamline the registration process.

Olumekun disclosed that final testing of the portal would be completed within the next week.

“INEC also plans to release comprehensive guidelines to help associations file their applications using the new system.

“Unlike the manual method used in previous registration, the Commission is introducing a political party registration portal, which is a module in our Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System.

“This will make the process faster and seamless. In the next week, the commission will conclude the final testing of the portal before deployment.

“Thereafter, the next step for associations that meet the requirements to proceed to the application stage will be announced. The commission will also issue guidelines to facilitate the filing of applications using the PFRAS,” the statement added.

In the meantime, the list of new associations that have submitted applications has been made available to the public on INEC’s website and other official platforms.

 

 

 

 

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Tinubu Signs Four Tax Reform Bills Into Law …Says Nigeria Open For Business 

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President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.

The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.

They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.

The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.

The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.

The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.

“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.

Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.

Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”

Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”

He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.

“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.

According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”

He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.

The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.

However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.

At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.

They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.

After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.

By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.

In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.

“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.

“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.

He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.

The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.

“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”

 

 

 

 

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Senate Issues 10-Day Ultimatum As NNPCL Dodges ?210trn Audit Hearing 

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The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.

Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.

However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.

Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.

A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.

It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.

The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.

“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.

“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”

But lawmakers rejected the request.

The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.

“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.

“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.

Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.

Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.

The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.

Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.

Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”

Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.

The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.

Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.

The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.

 

 

 

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