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2nd Term Inauguration: Rivers People Celebrate Wike …As RSG Carpets Awara Over Comment On AAC Crisis

Rivers State-based entertainers have joined their international counterparts to celebrate Governor Nyesom Wike for his outstanding performance which formed the premise for his victory at the polls.
The entertainers took advantage of the gathering at the event tagged, “Variety Night with Governor Wike”, where the artistes thrilled the high-profile audience with songs, drama and comedy.
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, former Ekiti State Governor, Peter Ayodele Fayose and former Rivers State Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia joined other leaders of Rivers State for the fun-filled night.
The Rivers State Council of Arts and Council performed a wonderful dance drama that detailed the political struggles and successes of the governor.
The Rivers State official cultural troupe highlighted how Rivers men and women defended their votes for Wike against invading forces.
One after the other, the Rivers-based artistes exhibited their talents and skills to the joy of the crowd.
Jikume Bethlehem raised the bar with her inspiring lyrics and wonderful dance steps.
She exhibited the true Rivers spirit and was appreciated by the audience.
Veteran singer, Peter Stonecold proved his mettle as he led the people in a wonderful rendition that lifted the spirit of everyone.
Sensational Bamidele and Ebieri were outstanding in their presentations.
International Gospel Artiste, Mercy Chinwo was a delight as she sang her award-winning songs and lifted the spirit of the people.
Eben was the most outstanding act of the night.
His two songs, “victory” and “we go de hail your name” proved to be the blessing of the night.
Eben defined the wonderful experience of the night with a divine touch.
Three comedians, Akpororo, Prince Hezekiah and Arinze Baba blessed the souls of the audience with their rib-cracking jokes.
In his remarks, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Austin Opara said of the 22 artistes that performed, 19 were Port Harcourt-based.
He said that Wike specifically directed that Rivers-based artistes be patronised for the event.
In appreciation, the artistes trooped out and thanked the governor for his commitment to the growth of the entertainment industry.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has dismissed the allegation by the Africa Action Congress (AAC) that Governor Nyesom Wike was behind the crisis currently rocking the party.
The AAC had alleged that Wike’s “plan scuttled the party’s efforts to reclaim its mandate” at the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which led to the contentious removal of Omoyele Sowore as national chairman and appointment of Leonard Nzenwa in acting capacity.
It would be recalled that in reaction to his replacement, Sowore announced the expulsion of Ezenwa, the former national secretary, for anti-party activities.
Reacting to the development, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, explained that Wike had no hand in AAC crisis.
He said: “Like the governor has always said, he is a PDP leader; he has nothing to do with any other party. He won his election fair and square, Rivers people defended their votes, and they gave him their mandate.
“The governor is also at the tribunal. PDP lawyers are at the tribunal defending the mandate on behalf of Rivers people. He has no hand in their crisis.
“There’s is no party like AAC in the first place. It has nothing on ground in Rivers State, the party is an online party. It doesn’t exist in Rivers or anywhere in Nigeria. How many votes did AAC score in the presidential election or any other election for that matter?
“The mandate is clear, the people voted for him overwhelmingly. Governor Wike won the election by over 712,000 votes and on May 29, he will go for his second term inauguration”, Nwakaudu added.
Earlier in a statement, last Friday, the AAC Rivers governorship candidate, Engineer Biokpomabo Festus Awara, had alleged that, “Mr. Nzenwa, having received an undisclosed sum of Rivers money, is acting a script given to him by forcing the lawyer representing us at the Election Petition Tribunal, Tawo E. Tawo (SAN) to withdraw from representing us, and imposing one of the known cronies of the Rivers State governor to take over the case.
“We have it on a good authority that Governor Wike single-handedly financed the ‘failed suspension’ of our National Chairman, Omoyele Sowore, and in a bid to buy more members of the party, he (Wike) has also reached out to the National Legal Adviser of our party Barrister Inibehe Effiong, who declined to accept the bribe offered him by the governor.
“To this end, we are calling on Mr Nyesom Wike to channel the resources he is expending on bribing everyone just to scuttle our victory at the tribunal to other meaningful ventures like addressing the infrastructural deficit in the state and problems of insecurity rather than wasting our resources on bribery.
“We, therefore, call on Rivers people to remain calm as we continue with our case at the Tribunal.”
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Tinubu Signs Four Tax Reform Bills Into Law …Says Nigeria Open For Business

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

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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17 Million Nigerians Travelled Abroad In One Year -NANTA

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.”