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Atiku Storms Washington DC …Shehu Sani Mocks APC

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Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), arrived the United States yesterday, crossing one of the most serious political hurdles on his path ahead of the upcoming general elections.
Abubakar, sources said, left Nigeria early yesterday, and has landed in Washington D.C., the American capital, ending a 12-year deprivation of visa to a country in which he once lived and owned properties.
Campaign sources told newsmen yesterday evening that Alhaji Abubakar would be speaking at a forum by the American Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C. and attend other meetings aimed at boosting his presidential election standing.
Abubakar’s arrival in the U.S. may rattle the ruling All Progressives Congress, which has taunted him for his inability to enter the U.S. for over a decade.
Alhaji Abubakar has not visited the U.S. since 2007 when he left as Nigeria’s vice-president. He served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Our correspondent reported last year that Mr Abubakar sold his estate in the United States, following his inability to enter the country. He denied that his inability to enter the U.S. informed the sale, saying he only sold the mansion because he no longer needed it as he was now fully based in Nigeria.
Abubakar’s visa appears to have come through the intervention of Chief Obasanjo, with whom he recently settled decade-old dispute ahead of the 2019 elections.
Chief Obasanjo wants President Muhammadu Buhari out of office, after accusing him of displaying incompetence in the face of myriads issues confronting the country.
Party insiders told newsmen U.S. authorities made it clear that Alhaji Abubakar was issued visa without preconditions, meaning he would not be detained or harrassed in any way if he entered the country.
Abubakar received a U.S. visa last December, sources said.
The ruling APC warned the U.S. government against granting Abubakar a visa, saying it could tip the outcome of the upcoming presidential elections.
While in US, the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar will meet with the Nigerian business community in the U.S., according to a statement by his Media Adviser Paul Ibeh yesterday.
According to the media aide, the former vice president arrived in the U.S. at 8:20 p.m. Nigerian time and 4:20 p.m. Washington D.C. time. “Yesterday, Abubakar met with the business community in Lagos at an interactive session to unveil his plans to get Nigeria working again.
“Yesterday morning, he left Abuja accompanied by the Director-General of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation and Senate President Bukola Saraki for the United States. “Atiku Abubakar will in the course of his trip hold meetings with the U.S. government officials, the business community and the Nigerian community,” the statement read in part.
Meanwhile, Senator representing the Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani has reacted to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar’s arrival to the United States.
Our correspondent reported that Atiku Abubakar, and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki arrived in the Washington, DC, yesterday.
Atiku’s visit is against the believe that the former Vice President cannot visit the US due to corruption charges.
The Federal Government and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, had claimed the Wazirin Adamawa would never be able to enter the US over money laundering allegations hanging on his neck.
But speaking from US, the former Vice President said he would be meeting with US Officials.
Reacting, Shehu sani writing in pidgin, mocked the APC for claiming that Atiku cannot visit the US.
He tweeted, “I think say una dey brag and una dey make mouth say the man no fit go America. Now as the man don go and dey no catch am, make una kuku take style change una talk before shame come catch una.
“Make una say na sambisa he no go fit go, make una say na those press people change una talk, if una Dey follow that Lai lai na so linesmen una go be for lie lie. Abegi.”

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FG Ends Passport Production At Multiple Centres After 62 Years

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The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.

He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.

“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.

“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.

 “We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.

“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.

He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.

Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.

He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.

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FAAC Disburses N2.225trn For August, Highest In Nigeria

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The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.

This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.

The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.

Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.

The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.

From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.

From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.

Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.

From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.

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KenPoly Governing Council Decries Inadequate Power Supply, Poor Infrastructure On Campus

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The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.

The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.

The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the  Polytechnic, recently.

Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.

He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.

This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly,  Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.

The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.

Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.

He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.

The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.

Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.

 

Chinedu Wosu

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