Featured
PDP Distances Self From APDP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Caretaker Committee says it is not a party to the purported planned registration of Advanced Peoples Democratic Party (APDP).
The Publicity Secretary of the committee, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, said in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja that the committee or any of its members as individuals, had no hand in such plan.
Adeyeye said the clarification became necessary to clear the air on falsehood that the committee was planning to abandon PDP structure for the Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff led group.
“We state clearly and without ambiguity that the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP is not in any way involved in the plans to register any party by the name APDP or any other party for that matter.
“It is unthinkable that the National Caretaker Committee which without any doubt, enjoys the support of all the recognised organs of the party, will contemplate such a move.
“We, however, acknowledge and recognise the rights of party members to seek alternative platform to actualise their political dreams which is an inalienable right guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We also wish to state clearly and without ambiguity that the committee is holding leadership power in the party in trust for the millions of party faithful who instituted the committee at the National Convention,”he said.
Adeyeye said that whatever decision that would be taken on the PDP brand shall be taken by members at a properly constituted National Convention. He added that such decision could not be taken by a few individuals no matter how highly placed.
“For the records, no decision has been taken that the PDP should be abandoned and a new party formed out of the current structure. “At least, no such proposal is before the caretaker committee as at this moment,” the spokesman said.
He reiterated the party’s belief that the leadership issues before the Supreme Court would be resolved on the side of truth and that Justice would be served in the interest of peace.
Adeyeye urged party faithful to keep calm and allow the reconciliation efforts to move forward, adding that this was necessary without prejudice to the appeal before the Supreme Court.
“We are confident that Justice will be served at the end either through the court or through the reconciliation efforts or a combination of all of them,”he said.
Also, the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, described the plot to register the new party as a fraud.
He said there was no way the national leadership of the party would allow the registration to succeed.
The former member of the National Assembly said that the PDP, under the leadership, of Sheriff would frustrate the attempt to register the party.
He said, “You know that is 419 (plot to register APDP) in another name. We will protest to the commission and also use other legal means to frustrate it.
“We are alerting Nigerians now that those who want to duplicate PDP are nothing but 419 people. If they want to register a new party, they should put on their thinking cap and form one.
“We won’t allow them use our name for their selfish interest. There are so many names out there that they can coin and form their political party without adding PDP to it.
“If they can’t even get a name, tell me how they want to win election. If they want to attempt at allowing that, we won’t agree. We are ready for them.”
Some aggrieved members of the party had approached the Independent National Electoral Commission, seeking to register the APDP.
The commission is however keeping the identity of those behind the yet-to-be registered party secret.
The aggrieved persons were said to have the backing of some governors as well.
It was further learnt that already, the governors are sharply divided on the need to pursue a political solution to the perennial crisis in the party.
The chairman of the governors forum, who is also the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, had said the governors would remain with the sacked National Caretaker Committee of the party headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi.
At a meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan, it was gathered that some of the governors insisted that the appeal lodged by the Makarfi camp at the Supreme Court must be pursued to conclusion.
It was learnt that the two governors from the northern part of the country, Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), and Darius Ishaku(Taraba) were among the few who canvassed political solution to the crisis.
They were said to have been particularly backed by Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Seriake Dickson(Bayelsa), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Ben Ayade (Cross River).
Meanwhile, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s intervention for a peaceful resolution of the lingering crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have suffered a major setback as the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee is already at the Supreme Court to challenge the recent Court of Appeal judgment in favour of the Senator Alli Modu Sheriff leadership.
Jonathan had accepted to assist in resolving the crisis in the party, a decision believed to have brought some relief and renewed confidence to stakeholders, who believed that a political solution to the crisis was possible after all.
But the excitement arising from this was cut short the moment the Makarfi group headed for the Supreme Court to appeal the judgment that conceded the PDP leadership to the Sheriff group.
Our correspondent gathered that Sheriff has been served with the notice of appeal at the Supreme Court.
Although the Makarfi-led caretaker committee has vowed to proceed with the appeal to the Supreme Court, spokesman of the group, Chief Dayo Adeyeye, said his group had nothing against the move by Jonathan to broker peace in the party.
Nobody will be comfortable continuing with the peace talks once there is a Sword of Damocles dangling over his head”, he said.
“The former president has made good effort; let him continue. We have nothing against it but the understanding we had with the former president is that we shall continue with peace efforts without prejudice to the ongoing court process. So, the court process will go on and if there is any political solution, that will be okay. We cannot wait for the political solution before going back to the court,” he said.
Adeyeye explained that there was every reason for them to insist on seeing the appeal through to the Supreme Court in order to put the party in a strong position for negotiation.
However, with regards to the Jonathan peace moves and the renewed effort by the PDP standing committee on reconciliation headed by the Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Dickson, and Senator Ibrahim Mantu, the two sides said they would support the initiative.
Mikko told newsmen that the Dickson committee would complement efforts of the former president in settling most of the animosities amongst members.
“Looking at the grievances that are being heard across board, I think this is the best time for him to look into the grievances held by party members with a view to resolving them. We feel the Dickson committee will serve to complement what former President Jonathan is dong. They are not working at cross-purposes but complementing each other,” he said.
On factors responsible for the failure of previous peace efforts, Mikko said before the latest Court of Appeal judgment, there was a proposal canvassed by Sheriff to the effect that both sides should select six persons each as acting members of the National Working Committee pending a new national convention.
“Part of the proposal that we put out was that both parties should appoint six persons each to serve as acting members of the NWC, who would make presentations to the NEC meeting after which we will go for a national convention on September 25. But Makarfi did not get back to us on its position, instead they opted for the botched convention on August 17.
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.”