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N16bn Release To Osun, Corruption, PDP Tells Buhari …Challenges APC’s Spokesman To Debate
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of aiding corruption in the secret release of over N16.6billion Paris Club fund to Osun State.
A statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, at the weekend, said that the “PDP investigation has revealed that the N16.67billion is to be diverted as bribe to INEC officials, compromised international observers as well as pay hoodlums contracted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in its desperate plot to rig the September 22, 2018, Osun State governorship elections.”
The party said it was reprehensible that President Buhari, whose handlers have been parading as ‘Mr. Integrity’, could approve such dark scheme to convert funds meant for payment of several months’ arrears of workers’ salaries to bribe electoral officers and pay thugs to foist a rejected leadership on an already impoverished people.
“Further investigation reveals that bulk of the money has already been pencilled for sharing to APC leaders, especially at the national level, as bribe, to short-circuit the system to favour President Buhari’s re-election bid, while the people of Osun continue to suffer deprivation,” the statement noted.
According to the statement, “The PDP has been further made aware of how part of the fund will be moved to private company accounts as well as various hidden locations for the compromised INEC officials and APC leaders.
“Indeed, these revelations have clearly shown that the Buhari Presidency and the APC care less about the welfare of Nigerians and have completely sold themselves to sleazes and corruption for selfish gains.
“The PDP, therefore, charges the people of Osun State, particularly the workers to rise up and reject this direct assault on their rights, sensibilities and survival as a people, by the APC, which have become notorious for corruption and subversion of rules.
“Moreover, the PDP has been at alert regarding the movement of these funds and other secret deals between the APC and INEC and will not hesitate to expose the INEC officials, including a close relation of the President, who has been the arrow head of plots to rig elections for the APC.
“The PDP invites the world to note how President Buhari and the APC, who were huge beneficiaries of credible elections conducted by the PDP in 2015, are bent at destroying our hard-earned democracy, just because they have been rejected by Nigerians.
“Nevertheless, in spite of these machinations, the PDP wants the APC to know that it has not retracted the resolve to contend with it head to head, in all ramifications and magnitude, to discomfit and dismantle its rigging machinery, beginning with September 22, 2018, Osun State governorship election.
“The PDP commends state governors, particularly a few in the APC, who have spoken out against this sneaky act by the Buhari Presidency.
“Our party will continue to work with these patriotic individuals in the overall quest to free our nation from the shackles and misrule of the Buhari-led APC,” Ologbondiyan added.
Meanwhile, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, to stop being a masquerade and accept the challenge to debate with one of the Senate President’s aides on live television.
According to the party, Nabena depicted as a depreciation of the standards that should be associated with the spokesman of a ruling party.
A statement by the PDP spokesman in Kwara State, Tunde Ashaolu, which was made available to newsmen, said Nabena had continued to embarrass the ruling party because he lacked the necessary educational or political qualifications to hold such a position.
The statement reads: “People, who know Nabena, are aware that he does not have the necessary pedigree, experience or qualifications to hold such a crucial position. What are his professional and political antecedents? Who knew him before he became the acting publicity secretary?
“This man continues to embarrass the APC and himself through his juvenile press statements and tweets. I mean, for those of us who have been at this level, even at the state level, we know that it takes a certain degree of level and clear headedness to perform effectively as a party spokesman.
“Saraki’s aides have challenged him. He should stop being a masquerade and come out of hiding. Let him accept the challenge and tell the Nigerian people how he and his party have failed all Nigerians. He cannot continue to hide behind press statements, which are authored from Lagos for him. He should come out and give a face and verbal expressions to these statements in public.
“When compared with people who have held this position as spokespersons of political parties in Nigeria like Chief Bola Ige, who was publicity secretary of Action Group in the First Republic, Chief M.C.K. Ajuluchukwu, who served in that capacity for the UPN in the Second Republic, Prof. David Iornem and Dr. Doyin Okupe, who played the roles in the SDP and NRC in the aborted Third Republic, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who is the immediate past publicity secretary of APC and his opposite in the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, to mention a few, where will this Nabena fit in? He is definitely a misfit.
“That position is meant for achievers who have done well in their respective professions, not for an upstart like Yekinni Nabena. However, with the low level that the APC has descended to, we are not surprised that such an incompetent man with no known professional background, who claims to author indecent press statements, dripping with falsehood, is the spokesperson of the ruling party in Nigeria.
“Nabena is an example of why candidates should always have deputies that are qualified, capable and good enough to replace them. When APC fielded this misfit as deputy publicity secretary to assist Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, a Chevening scholar and former minister, they did not envisage that a situation may arise where Nabena will become substantive spokesperson. Look at the pitiable face of the APC public communication now. This Nabena is definitely a poster boy of his drowning party. What a shame!,” Ashaolu stated.
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.”
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.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”