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N1.14trn Subsidy Payment Fraudulent -PDP …As Ezeife, Yakasai, Others Tell Buhari To Drop 2nd Term Bid
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of corruption over the fuel subsidy regime of his government, throwing its weight behind state governors’ query of the subsidy regime.
The main opposition party has therefore challenged the President to submit himself for an independent inquest into his handling of the subsidy regime as well as the alleged complicity of his Presidency in other exposed financial impropriety by cronies of his government, particularly in
revenue collecting agencies.
According to a statement issued Kola Ologbondiyan, the party’s National Publicity Secretary in Abuja yesterday, such inquest, which it noted, was already backed by state governors across board, “will not only expose humongous corruption but also show the world that our African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption champion had not been totally spotless.”
The party invited Nigerians to note that the demand by governors to probe all subsidy deals since 2015 was a direct indictment on President Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum, particularly, following allegations that the stolen funds were being warehoused to fund his 2019 re-election bid and the opulent lifestyle in the Presidential Villa.
The party noted that if President Buhari allowed the inquest, “it will reveal how our president, who had queried the genuineness of the oil
subsidy payments by PDP administration and described the process as a fraud, had secretly engaged in underhand oil subsidy deals.”
The party asserted: “Nigerians will also understand how the cost of fuel geometrically rose from the PDP subsidized the cost of N87 to N145, representing a criminal N58 tax, per liter of fuel.
“Nigerians recall that it took over two years of secret oil subsidy deals under President Buhari before it was exposed last December. Since then, the Presidency and the NNPC have been seeking ways to cover the fraud which include claims that local consumption suddenly jumped from 28 million liters per day to 60 liters per day.
“PDP considers this as a fabrication to retire the billions being stolen as subsidy, even when statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics and the reality of the retarded purchasing power of citizens, under the prevailing economic recession, do not validate such claims.
“Nigerian, therefore, deserve to know who authorised the payments and the identity of the beneficiary companies, if any.
“The PDP is happy that state governors across the board and the National Assembly are on the same page with our party in condemning the humongous fraud going on under President Buhari’s fuel subsidy.”
The PDP, therefore, demanded that the inquest should cover the alleged the N15 billion stolen from the NHIS, the N18 billion stolen from the PINE initiative, the alleged leaked memo of N9 trillion corrupt oil contracts at the NNPC, the reported diversion of N1.1trillion worth of crude last year and why indicted Presidential cronies and fronts have not been prosecuted.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised alarm over what it described as deliberate attempts by the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to completely clampdown on opposition elements across the country.
Rising from its meeting, last Saturday, in Abuja, where members discussed issues on the state of the nation, particularly the clampdown on opposition and dissenting voices, the PDP stated that it was taking the pains to alerts Nigerians because of the dare consequences such government policy could have on the nation’s democracy, peace and economic development of the country.
A statement issued by the party in Abuja, said, “The PDP alerts all Nigerians that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Federal Government have commenced a vicious and direct clampdown of major opposition leaders, perceived political opponents and individuals with interests and views that are divergent to those of their Presidential aspirant, perhaps, candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“The clampdown is tailored to silence opposition as well as those who refused to join or support the APC in their unlawful design to emasculate other political parties, undermine our laws and electoral system, foist a one-party state and perpetuate their incompetent, dysfunctional and anti-people rule on our nation.
“It is instructive to inform that our leaders, particularly, our National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, have been receiving threats since the PDP filed a petition to the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations, detailing documented threats to democracy by the APC and its Federal Government, abuse of human rights, mass killings, extra-judicial executions, persecution of opposition and unabated constitutional violations.
“The PDP is aware of clandestine plots against key opposition leaders, particularly, members of the PDP National Working Committee, some dissenting members of the APC, members of the civil society, opinion leaders, journalists and bloggers, who refuse to succumb to intimidation and that such persons have already been listed and currently being trailed by agents of the state.
“This has become manifest in the plot to rope members of ‘nPDP’, especially those in the National Assembly, into gun-running and murder charges just because they came out to voice their opposition to the APC government’s constitutional violations and executive brigandage in the running of our nation’s affairs.
“The PDP wants Nigerians and the international community to know those to hold responsible should PDP leaders, as well as other members of the opposition start falling victims of untoward situations like assassinations, unexplained accidents, inexplicable ‘armed robbery’ attacks, high profile abduction and sudden disappearances.
“These include wanton arrest, manhandling and detention of opposition leaders on trumped-up charges, as well as illegal invasion of their homes and businesses by agents of the state.
“Apart from allegations of corruption, there are also plots to clamp down and detain opposition leaders for charges bordering on treason and the PDP is also aware that some compromised judicial officers have been enlisted to give convictions and jail members of opposition as well as dissenting voices, on flimsy grounds.
“Moreover, we know that the APC is fixated with the PDP because of the renewed popularity of our party among Nigerians, as the inevitable vehicle to return power to the people, restore democracy, national cohesion and safeguard our territorial integrity, come 2019.
“The PDP’s response to all these plots is that we are not cowed. Nigeria belongs to all of us and our laws on political engagements are very clear. The PDP, as a party committed to democracy and freedom will continue to uphold the inalienable rights of our citizens to free speech, political association and to politically aspire to any position in the land, including the Presidency.
“Our party, therefore, urges all Nigerians to be alert, united and remain resolute in their decision to collectively defend our democracy and its tenets, constitutionally guaranteed personal freedom and the rule of law in our nation,” the PDP added.
Similarly, some elder statesmen in the country have urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek a second term in 2019.
The leaders from different parts of the country gave various reasons for advising Buhari not to seek re-election in separate interviews with newsmen, last Saturday.
A former governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said age was no longer on the side of the President, adding that the stress associated with his office was already having negative effects on his health.
Ezeife, who noted that he was opposed to Buhari’s election as President in 2015, prayed that God would change his (Buhari’s) heart to dump the second-term bid.
He said, “Let us pray so that God would stop Buhari from talking about a second-term and instead, begin a six-month emergency restructuring of Nigeria.
“It is not a matter of whether he is fit or qualified, age is important. He claims to be 75, he may be 82. Even at 75, he is too old to be in that office.
“The second consideration is his comprehensive failure in the first term. If you recorded a failure like that, why do you want to seek a second term?”
Also, the Chairman of the Northern Elders’ Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, said he had never supported Buhari to become President of Nigeria.
Yakasai said, “Buhari and his party (All Progressives Congress) were not prepared to rule Nigeria in the first instance. Therefore, in my opinion, he should not have contested at all.”
Similarly, a former minister of health, Prof. A. B. C. Nwosu, noted that as a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, he would never have supported Buhari to be Nigeria’s President.
Nwosu, who is a member of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said, “It is his (Buhari’s) constitutional right to seek any office just like anybody else. We need to organise ourselves to provide an alternative with a clear set objective that will make life better for Nigerians.”
Meanwhile, self-acclaimed spiritualist and leader of Divine Intelligence Ministry, Prophet George Fakolade, last Saturday warned President Muhammadu Buhari, to stop further activities towards his re-election in 2019, saying the second term bid was ill-fated.
Fakolade, who spoke to newsmen in Abuja, said there would be fatal consequences, if President Buhari does not retract and rescind his public declaration to run for a second term in office.
He said: “There is a very serious warning for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari over his ill-fated ambition for a second term as president in 2019.
“President Buhari must retract, rescind, and withdraw his decision to seek a second term, and apologise to all Nigerians or else, history shall repeat itself on him with fatal consequences and many calamities”.
“He has been weighed on the balance and found wanting. All Nigerians should be on red alert as President Buhari’s public declaration to run again in 2019 at the APC National Executive Committee Meeting was an act of arrogance that will end in a fatal manner,” he warned.
The man of God had earlier predicted that there would be a 2015 change of government in Nigeria; a Dr Goodluck Jonathan takeover of government from late President Musa Yar’Adua; a Presidential election victory for Barack Obama in 2008; and the demise of late military Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, in 1998.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday arrested over 100 suspects at Proxy Night club located at No. 7, Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, where a drug party was going on.
Spokesman of the Agency, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this yesterday, said the suspects arrested include the owner of the club, Mike EzeNwalieNwogu, alias Pretty Mike, who was taken into custody for screening.
“Cartons of illicit substances, including Loud and laughing gas, were recovered from suspects at the party and the club’s store,” Babafemi said.
The raid followed intelligence about the drug party. NDLEA operatives who were embedded in the party between 11 pm on Saturday, 25th October, however, disrupted the gathering at 3 am on Sunday, 26th October, in line with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Similarly, NDLEA said a total of 70 parcels of cocaine factory packed in walls of cocoa butter formula body cream containers heading to London, United Kingdom, were uncovered at the export shed of the MurtalaMuhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, with three suspects arrested in a series of follow-up operations across Lagos.
According to the statement, “The cocaine consignments weighing 3.60 kilograms were discovered on 14th October 2025 during examination of cargoes packaged as personal effects going to London, UK on an Air Peace flight.
“A cargo agent, Lawal Mustapha Olakunle, who presented the consignment for airfreight, was promptly arrested while investigations stretching into two weeks led to the arrest of two principal suspects linked to the attempt to export the concealed Class A drug to the UK.
“In a follow up operation on 18th October, a female healthcare worker OgunmuyideTaiwo Deborah was arrested following which Mutiu Adebayo Adebiyi, the Chief Executive Officer of a travel agency, MutiuAdebiyi& Co, was arrested at his 23 LadokeAkintola Street, Ikeja GRA Lagos office on Monday 20 th October”.
In a similar development, an attempt by a 35-year-old Lesotho national, Lemena Mark, to export 103.59 grams of methamphetamine concealed in a diabeta herbs coffee tea pack to the Philippines on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from the AkanuIbiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu on Wednesday, 22nd October, was thwarted by NDLEA officers who arrested him and recovered the illicit drug.
No fewer than 21,950 capsules of tramadol 250mg concealed inside a 100-litre water heater were recovered from a suspect, Umar Abubakar, 40, who was arrested by NDLEA operatives at Bode Saadu, Morro local government area of Kwara state, following credible intelligence on Tuesday, 21st October.
In Taraba, the duo of Auwal Musa, 26, and SalihuBala, 22, were arrested on Tuesday, 21st October, with 450,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 at Dan-anacha checkpoint while conveying the consignment in a truck loaded with building materials from Onitsha, Anambra state, to Mubi, Adamawa state.
Also, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Okene/Lokoja highway, Kogi state, seized 162.200kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, from a truck on Friday, 24th October. Operatives in Nasarawa state on Wednesday, 22nd October, recovered 128kg of the same psychoactive substance from a suspect, Abubakar Muhammad, 55, in the Keffi area of the state.
A mother of two, Oyonumoh Glory Effiong, who is a major distributor of Canadian and California Loud, both strong strains of cannabis, in Lekki, Ajah, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and VGC areas of Lagos, has been arrested by NDLEA operatives on Friday, 17th October, during a raid at her Lekki home, where 500 grams of the illicit substances were recovered.
In the Ikorodu area of Lagos, NDLEA officers on Thursday, 23rd October, raided the home of a suspect, OgunyaboAdenigbigbe, at Solomade estate, where 275 litres of skuchies, a new psychoactive substance produced with black currant drink, cannabis and opioids, were recovered.
A 75-year-old grandpa, EchenduOnuoka, was arrested on Wednesday, 22nd October, at Ovum village, Obingwa LGA, Abia state, with 4.7kg skunk seized from him, while a 60-year-old grandma, Aukana John, was nabbed with 225 grams of the same substance at Apanta village, in the same LGA.
While a 150kg skunk was recovered during a raid operation at Lot camp, IkunAkoko, Ondo state, two suspects: Bashir Mohammad, 50, and Samini Ahmed Tijjani, 35, were nabbed with 234.5kg of the same substance at Yan aya ,Saminaka in Lere LGA, Kaduna on Friday, 24th October, just as another set of suspects: IsahUsman, 50, and Salvation Okoler, 18, were arrested with 8,600 pills of tramadol 225mg and rohypnol along Abuja/Kaduna highway.
At the Seme border area of Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, 22nd October nabbed Jacob Ojugbele with 55kg skunk at Ashipa area of Badagry, while AmusaOluwabukola was arrested with 121.3 litres of skuchies at ItogaBadagry.
In Zamfara state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Gummi-Anka road on Monday, 20th October arrested a suspect, Abubakar Ibrahim, 30, in possession of an AK-47 rifle and 1,746 assorted calibres of ammunition, for AK-47 and GPMG rifles while moving them from Sokoto to Bagega forest, Anka LGA, Zamfara. Both the suspect and the exhibits have since been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, in the past week.
These include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Asabari Grammar School, IluwaIsaleOke, Saki West LGA, Oyo; Government Day Girls Secondary School, BirninKebbi, Kebbi; St. Mark’s College, Nsude, Enugu; Kusaki Secondary School, Gboko North, Benue; Government Day Secondary School, Serti- Baruwa, Gashaka LGA, Taraba; Police Children School 2, Port Harcourt, Rivers and Hajara Ahmad International School, Tudun Wada, Kano state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Lagos, Kwara, Abia, Nasarawa, Kogi, Ondo, Anambra, Taraba, Kaduna, Seme and Zamfara Commands for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed BubaMarwa (Rtd) urged them and their colleagues across the country to continue the Agency’s balanced approach to drug control efforts.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), BayoOjulari, to provide a detailed account of oil revenues reportedly flagged by the Auditor-General of the Federation in the 2022 annual report.
The report, published on September 9, 2025, raised questions over the management of multi-billion-naira transactions, including over N22 billion, $49 million, £14 million, and €5 million in oil-related revenue, handled by the national oil company.
In a letter dated October 25, 2025, and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, KolawoleOluwadare, the organisation called on Ojulari to ensure transparency by identifying those responsible for any unaccounted funds and forwarding the findings to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies.
“These findings raise serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the management of public resources,” SERAP said.
The group urged the NNPCL to recover any unremitted or misapplied funds and return them to the national treasury, stressing that proper management of oil revenues was crucial for national development.
“The allegations, if not promptly and transparently addressed, could undermine public confidence and economic stability,” SERAP stated.
According to the organisation, the Auditor-General’s report drew attention to issues such as irregular payments, uncompleted projects, and documentation lapses relating to oil sector transactions.
SERAP argued that corruption and financial mismanagement in the oil sector had long hindered Nigeria’s ability to channel its vast petroleum wealth into improved public services.
“Despite the country’s enormous oil resources, citizens continue to face hardship due to a lack of accountability and transparency in revenue management,” the statement noted.
The organisation maintained that if the flagged funds were properly accounted for, more resources could be made available for sectors such as education, healthcare, and social welfare.
It added that the NNPCL must take proactive steps to comply with audit recommendations, including closing identified loopholes and enhancing oversight on contract execution.
SERAP also warned that it would take legal action should the NNPCL fail to respond within seven days.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and publication of this letter.
“If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel compliance in the public interest,” the organisation said.
The group cited Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates public institutions to prevent corrupt practices and abuse of power.
The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review has approved the creation of an additional state in the South-East geo-political zone.
According to a statement by the media unit of the committee, the resolution was reached on Saturday at a two-day retreat in Lagos, where it reviewed 55 proposals for state creation across the country.
The session, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, BarauJibrin, and co-chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, resolved that, in the spirit of fairness and equity, the Federal Government should create another state for the region.
Kalu, who joined other lawmakers to champion additional state creation for the region, argued that a new state would give the people a sense of belonging.
When created, the South-East will be at par with the South-South, South-West, North-Central, and North-East zones, each having six states.
The South-East is the only geo-political zone with five states comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
The North-West comprises seven states: Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Jigawa.
According to the statement, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) moved a motion for the creation of the new state, which was seconded by Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro, Ogun State) at the retreat.
“The motion received the unanimous support of committee members and was adopted,” the statement read in part.
Similarly, the committee also established a sub-committee to consider the creation of additional states and local government areas across all six geo-political zones, noting that a total of 278 proposals were submitted for review.
Speaking at the event, Jibrin urged members to rally support among their colleagues at the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to ensure the resolutions sail through during voting.
“We need to strengthen what we have started so that all parts of the country will key into this process.
“By the time we get to the actual voting, we should already have the buy-in of all stakeholders—from both chambers and the state Houses of Assembly,” the Deputy Senate President was quoted as saying.
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