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How I Would’ve Handled Subsidy Removal As President – Amaechi

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Former Rivers State Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has said he would have handled the removal of the fuel subsidy differently if he had been elected President, emphasising the need for social housing and job creation as cushioning measures.
Mr Amaechi, who served as Minister of Transportation (2015-2022) and vied for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket in 2022 but lost to President Bola Tinubu, shared his perspective on the second day of a democracy conference held in Abuja.
The two-day event, themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity,” was organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), and the National Peace Committee (NPC).
Speaking as a panellist during a session on the “Impact of democracy on the national economy,” Mr Amaechi acknowledged that removing fuel subsidy was unavoidable for any President but questioned the timing and preparedness of President Tinubu’s government.
“There is nobody that would have become President that would not have removed the subsidy. What I don’t know is what time was appropriate for the removal. How prepared was the Tinubu government when he announced the removal?” he queried.
“My wife and children asked me what I would have done differently. My response was this: I would remove the subsidy, but I would not remove it without social housing. Why? With the money saved from subsidy removal and Naira devaluation, it could be used to build between 200,000 and 300,000 houses”, he added.
Mr Amaechi explained that such a policy would not only address the housing deficit but also create jobs across various sectors.
“If you build between 200,000 and 300,000 houses in the states, how many jobs have you created? At least 300,000 bricklayers, 300,000 carpenters, and 300,000 plumbers. By the time you do those things, what have you done? You have put money in the hands of the people,” he stated.
Mr Amaechi also lamented the growing gap between the rich and poor in Nigeria, describing the absence of a functional middle class as a critical challenge.
“The last time we had the middle class was under President Olusegun Obasanjo. He created an economy that generated jobs. Even though some argued it was a shaky middle class that disappeared at the end of every month when salaries were paid, at least we had a middle class,” he said.
He continued: “Now, it’s either you are rich or you are poor. If social housing and investments in agriculture had been implemented alongside subsidy removal, people would not feel the impact as harshly as they do now.”
Mr Amaechi stressed that the government’s use of funds saved from subsidy removal should focus on tangible projects that directly improve citizens’ lives and provide economic opportunities.

 

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PDP Crisis: BoT Urges Immediate Swearing-In Of Ude-Okoye As National Secretary 

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The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially transmitted the resolution of its emergency meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

It also attached the communique of the meeting, the findings of the Saminu Turaki SAN-led fact-finding committee as well as copies of the Court Judgement/ orders with an instruction to the NWC to immediately swear in Sunday Ude-Okoye as substantive National Secretary.

This was sequel last Wednesday’s emergency meeting held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

This was contained in a memo from the BoT to the NWC, yesterday, barely 24 hours after the meeting.

The memo read in part, “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) is hereby drawn to the attached Legal Opinion of the BOT Committee led by Dr. Taninu Kabiru Turaki, SAN; and the Communique issued at the end of the Emergency BOT Meeting affirming Rt. Hon. S.K.E. Udeh Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of our Party.

“NWC is hereby invited to please. study the report and its recommendation for immediate implementation.”

The documents were stamped and received by the Office of the Deputy National Chairman (North), Amb. Umar Damagum’s office before he became Acting National Chairman.

An Enugu High Court had in a ruling affirmed Ude-Okoye’s appointment as National Secretary, and the decision was subsequently upheld on appeal.

However, Senator Samuel Anyanwu told a national daily that, “With all due respect, the BoT’s position is advisory.

“I have a valid stay of execution from the Court of Appeal. The substantive matter is still before the Supreme Court, the PDP as a law-abiding party should wait for the final decision of court and not rush into taking decisions that would become counterproductive.”

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Reps Seek Life Imprisonment For Fake Drug Producers, Importers 

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The House of Representatives has urged the Attorney General of the Federation to propose harsher sanctions, including life imprisonment, for producers and importers of fake drugs into the country.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance, sponsored by an All Progressives Congress lawmaker, Tolani Shagaya, and read on the floor during yesterday’s plenary.

Highlighting the importance of the motion, Shagaya expressed concern over the alarming increase in the production, importation, and distribution of fake and substandard goods, drugs, food, and beverages across Nigeria.

According to him, this development poses significant threats to public health, national security, and the economic stability of the nation.

He added that the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have repeatedly warned that Nigeria is one of the most affected countries in the world by counterfeit medicines, contributing to thousands of avoidable deaths annually.

He said, “The House is aware that NAFDAC recently seized counterfeit food and pharmaceutical products worth over ?5 billion in a raid at the Cemetery Market in Aba, Abia State, highlighting the widespread nature of this menace.”

“The House is concerned that Nigeria suffers economic losses of approximately ?15 trillion annually due to counterfeit and substandard goods, as reported by the Standards Organization of Nigeria. The unchecked proliferation of fake products not only jeopardises consumer safety but also discourages genuine investment in the food and pharmaceutical industries.”

“The House is further concerned that despite existing regulations, weak enforcement mechanisms, corruption, and the absence of stringent penalties for offenders have emboldened perpetrators to continue endangering public health.”

“We recognise that the current legal framework does not provide sufficient deterrence, as offenders often return to the illicit trade due to lenient fines and bailable sentences, allowing them to operate with impunity.”

He further added that a national state of emergency is necessary to intensify enforcement efforts, strengthen regulatory institutions, and impose stricter sanctions on perpetrators.

Following overwhelming support for the motion by lawmakers, the House urged the Attorney General of the Federation to propose amendments to existing laws with a view to imposing stricter penalties.

These include, “life imprisonment for those involved in the production and importation of fake drugs and significant fines for businesses found guilty of dealing in counterfeit goods.”

The House also urged the Federal Government to strengthen the capacity of regulatory agencies, particularly NAFDAC, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Customs Service, by providing adequate funding, modern equipment, and advanced technology for effective surveillance, detection, and enforcement.

It further urged the Federal Government to establish a special task force comprising security agencies, regulatory bodies, and the judiciary to fast-track investigations and prosecutions of individuals and businesses involved in counterfeiting.

The House also directed its Committees on Health, Commerce, and Industry to conduct a comprehensive probe into the prevalence of counterfeit products and propose legislative measures to address regulatory gaps.

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How Akande Lied Against Me Over Bola Ige’s Case – Ladoja

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Former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, has dismissed the claim by former National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, that he has crucial information regarding the murder of Chief Bola Ige as a complete falsehood.

In a recent interview, Chief Akande also said Senator Ladoja entered a no case submission for the suspects accused of assassinating the ex-Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

But the ex-governor has denied the allegation, saying old age has probably affected the memory of the former Osun State Governor to remember what happened during the period.

Senator Ladoja wondered why Chief Akande, who said he knew many things about the assassination that he would not disclose, did not tell the public what exactly surrounded the killing of the former AGF on December 23, 2001.

Senator Ladoja, next in the hierarchy to the Olubadan of Ibadan, said this when speaking with reporters in his Bodija residence in Ibadan.

 

Speaking in an interview with Edmund Obilo, Chief Akande suggested that Senator Ladoja might have important information about late Chief Ige’s killing.

He alleged that Chief Ige was killed by the government and described his death as a “state murder” — but never affirmed a specific person who committed the crime.

Chief Akande claimed that Senator Ladoja withdrew a case related to the murder that had initially been pursued by his predecessor, former Governor Lam Adesina.

“I was the chief security officer of Osun State at the time, not Oyo State. Lam Adesina was the chief security officer of Oyo State and he went to court and the governor that took over from him, Ladoja, withdrew the case from court. He might be able to tell you more, he might know more than I do know,” Chief Akande said.

“There are many things that die with people. I know Lam Adesina went to court over the matter, and I also know his successor, (Rashidi) Ladoja, withdrew the case. Ask Ladoja; he would know more about Bola Ige’s death”, he added.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain also expressed regret that ex-governor Adesina had confided in him about certain details he could no longer disclose.

Chief Akande noted that key figures, including the former Oyo state governor, who could have shed more light on the case, had passed away.

“Because there are many things you don’t want to tell the public. I don’t want to tell anybody. Now Bola Ige is dead, and Lam Adesina too is dead, so who will be my witness? Nobody,” he added.

Addressing journalists at his residence in Ibadan, Senator Ladoja described Chief Akande’s claims as false.

He said that the case was pursued up to the Supreme Court during his tenure, and denied ever having withdrawn any charges.

“I didn’t withdraw the case; my government didn’t withdraw any case. The case was even prosecuted till apex court, Chief Akande lied against me. This is not the first time people said he lied; someone like Baba Adebanjo even said he lied in his book.

“We are not all happy as a result of Chief Bola Ige’s death, and we are all concerned about his death. I was very close to Chief Bola Ige while alive”, he said.

In 2016, former President Muhammadu Buhari ordered that the investigation into the murder be reopened, but there has been little progress since.

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