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Wike Carpets Presidency On Delays To Sign New Electoral Act …Says APC Afraid Of 2023 Chances …Unveils Lecture Halls, Labs At Bayelsa Medical Varsity
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has said that President Muhammadu Buhari was afraid that giving assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill would make the All Progressives Congress (APC) to loose the 2023 general election.
Wike made the assertion at the inauguration of lecture halls, laboratories and offices of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences of the Bayelsa Medical University in Yenagoa, last Saturday.
The governor pointed to the inclusion of compulsory transmission of election results electronically in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill as the APC’s greatest fear.
“They are afraid that if INEC in 2023 transmits election results electronically, that is the end of them, because they know they will fail.”
Wike wondered why the APC-controlled Federal Government always seeks excuses to justify their unwillingness to sign into law what would advance the country’s electoral process.
He explained that in 2019, the president declined assent because the compulsory use of the card reader was included, which was seen as capable of dimming their chances of winning the election.
Again, Wike noted that the president also recently declined assent on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill on the basis that the National Assembly included direct primaries, as well as the inclusion of a clause that a serving minister have to resign before being qualified to contest for election.
“Every time this government, this party will find an excuse of not signing an Electoral Act. In 2018 to 2019, when they inserted the card reader in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, Mr President said no, it is too early, I will not sign because they know if they had inserted it (card reader) in 2019 election, it would have been difficult for APC to win.
“Now, we are in 2022, going for 2023, National Assembly, in their wisdom, said there must be direct primaries by all the parties. Mr President came and said no, put options. National Assembly, in their wisdom has amended the bill and agreed to what Mr President said. Now again, Mr President said I’m in dilemma, I’m consulting. What is he consulting about? That there is a clause that says if a minister or a commissioner wants to run for election, you have to resign, that is why up till now, Mr President cannot assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill?.”
Wike said these are trivial excuses because in 2015, he resigned as minister, contested and won the governorship of Rivers State.
He then, wondered the basis of the claim that the president was consulting or that they were in a dilemma.
“After all, when I was a minister, I resigned to run for governorship. I resigned and I won the primaries. So, what is this hullabaloo of not resigning and you keep Nigerians’ fate hanging?Every day, Nigerians are thinking, what is going to be the future, where are we heading to?”
The governor regretted that nobody wants to do what is good for the citizenry and the country.
He also opined that Nigeria does not have a National Assembly that has what it takes to do the right thing for the good of the country.
Wike further commended the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri for his development strides as it was characteristic of governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said while those of the APC were full of excuses and justify their lack of commitment to the wellbeing of their respective states, those of the PDP deploy wisdom and resources to provide infrastructure that improve the life of people in their states.
Wike donated N500million towards the completion of the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences building project at the Bayelsa Medical University, which was still at damp proof course(DPC) level.
He explained his delight at the courage of Diri in providing such training institution for medical personnel, and added that in the Niger Delta, there was need for mutual support to be engendered while resisting any attempt to create division among the states.
Wike said: “Whatever problems we have we would resolve them amicably. We need to support one another as people of the Niger Delta. We need to be our brother’s keeper.
“Just two years in office, Governor Diri has performed exceptionally well compared to some governors on the other side that had done almost eight years.
“It is when you have something to show that you invite people to come. Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party is telling people from Sokoto in the North and people in the South-South, South-East and South-West to come and see what his government has done.
“That is why when God gives you the privilege and opportunity to serve, you need to thank God. While PDP governors are busy executing and inaugurating projects, others are giving excuses.
“Till now, Nigerians do not understand the modus operandi of the ruling party because every day they find excuse not to sign the amended Electoral Act.
“After all that the National Assembly has done, Buhari keeps refusing to sign the amended Act. I know it is because they are afraid of the provision on electronic transmission of election results in the Act. Mark my words; Buhari won’t still sign the amended Electoral Act.”
On his part, Bayelsa StateGovernor, Senator Douye Diri said his administration has built on the vision of his predecessors in expanding the medical university and increasing the programmes of studies to make it one of the best in the country.
Diri said his administration was building on the vision of his predecessors in the late Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who initially proposed a 500-bed hospital, and Senator Seriake Dickson, who later converted it to a medical institution.
He said BMU was one of the best medical facilities in the country with a crop of distinguished medical professionals.
Diri explained that Wike was invited to perform the inauguration because he has already distinguished himself as a lover of medical education, and relentlessly provided quality projects in developing the subsector in Rivers State.
On the university’s teaching hospital, the governor directed the commissioners for health, education and finance to ensure completion of the project so it could become functional this year.
In his address, Vice Chancellor of Bayelsa Medical University, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu said the Bayelsa Medical University had eight academic programmes in the Faculty of Science and Basic Medical Sciences when it was established in 2018.
According to him, under the administration of Diri, there were now 18 academic programmes with the students at 200-level of studies.
They include Medicine and Surgery, Nursing Science, Dentistry, Optometry and Medical Laboratory Science, among others.
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.”