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INEC Working With APC …Wike Alerts …Says New Police Postings To Rig Rerun Polls
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has accused the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmud Yakubu of taking steps to scuttle credible rerun elections in Rivers State by having secret meetings with the Rivers State APC Chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya and Senator Magnus Abe on July 19, 2016.
Addressing thousands of PDP supporters at the Rivers East PDP Senatorial campaign rally in Okehi, Etche Local Government Area, yesterday, Wike also regretted the unfortunate posting of compromised policemen to Rivers State with the aim of damaging the security network ahead of the rerun elections.
Wike further accused the INEC National Chairman of concluding plans to postpone the July 30 , 2016 rerun elections in deference to the fear of defeat expressed by the leadership of Rivers State APC.
He wondered why anyone would be happy to destroy Rivers State just because they want to satisfy the politician who funded APC national elections through Rivers State resources.
In his words, “they are frustrating elections in Rivers State because of one man who sponsored elections for APC. They have posted electoral officers from APC states to rig elections and they want to accede to the request of the Rivers State APC to post out the Resident Electoral Commissioner.
“But the truth is that nobody can rig elections in Rivers State. The INEC national chairman only has the power to postpone elections, but he has no power to rig elections here.
“As I speak to you, on 19th of July, 2016, the APC Chairman, Davies Ikanya, Senator Magnus Abe and others by 7.30 to 8pm were with the INEC National Chairman in his office.
“Rivers State is key to the development of this country. Will they continue to deny us representation at the Senate and majority of the constituencies of the House of Representatives?”
He called on the people of Rivers State to continue to resist every attempt by INEC to rig elections in the state because power resides with the people.
According to him, “You saw what happened in Turkey, where the people effectively resisted the Army who plotted a coup to dethrone an elected government. Here in Rivers State, the people will resist any attempt to use compromised security personnel to rig the polls”.
The governor said that the APC are not campaigning for the rerun elections because of the assurances they have received that the elections will be rigged in their favour.
He noted that just as the Rivers APC backed by security agencies could not swap the result sheets handed over to them by compromised INEC officials on March 19, 2016, so they will fail when the forthcoming rerun elections are conducted as a result of the vigilance of the people.
He reiterated that anyone posted to Rivers State with the aim of rigging the elections should inform his family the location of his hidden wealth as he will face the treatment reserved for armed robbers.
Commenting on the politicised posting of compromised senior police officers to Rivers State, Wike said that he has written four letters to the new Inspector General of Police on the issue and made 45 calls to the police chief on the issue without getting a response.
Speaking further, he said the new Inspector General of Police posted Mr Akin Fakorede, the former Officer in Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad who distributed fake SARS uniforms to APC thugs during the March 19 rerun elections leading to the death of several innocent Rivers people.
He also accused Fakorede of embezzling N18 million meant for the rehabilitation of armoured personnel carrier before he fled the state after the rerun.
Wike accused the Inspector General of Police of posting one Mustapha back to the state after he ran away upon his false testimony at the tribunal, and stated that Mustapha now heads MOPOL 56 in Bori, one of the major locations of the rerun elections.
He added that the Police High Command has also reposted one Stephen Asin, former officer-in-charge of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, back to the state after the same officer publicly declared that he will destroy the security network in the state. He informed that Asin will now head the Operations Department of police in the state.
“My interest is for the security of the state to be sustained. We are enjoying relative security in the state and I will not fold my arms and allow anyone destroy the security of the state through the posting of politicians who hide under police uniforms” , he said.
In his remarks, former Minister of Transportation, Dr Abiye Sekibo, said that the people of Rivers State will continue to vote PDP because it is the only political party that will address the hunger in the country.
Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah assured that the PDP will win all the forthcoming rerun elections because of the performance of Governor Nyesom Wike.
In his address, Rivers East Senatorial Candidate, George Thompson Sekibo, urged the people of the district to reaffirm the elections of all PDP candidates during the forthcoming rerun elections.
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.”