Month: September 2024

In the Matter of Dangote Refinery vs NNPC – Simon Kolawole

Emporium Reporters

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery was supposed to be the final solution to Nigeria’s energy needs. What went wrong? Why the brouhaha? Why the anti-climax? I have been observing developments from my balcony — beyond what I have been seeing in the papers, watching on TV, hearing on radio and reading on social media. I could see two major camps in the pandemonium — one painting the picture of a conspiracy to sabotage the refinery so that the “cabals” can continue to feed fat on the nation; the other casting Dangote…

Edo Guber: Tinubu congratulates APC Governor-Elect,Senator Monday Okpebholo

Lukman Laleye Babalola

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Governor-Elect and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo on his victory in the Edo State governorship election, held on Saturday. In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu praised the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leaders, Edo State leaders, and party Governors for their hard work in securing the victory. “The people of Edo State have spoken, and their choice is a testament to the APC’s progressive ideals and commitment to improving…

I weep for Nigeria’s democracy over Edo Guber Election – Gov Fintiri

Emporium Reporters

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, on Sunday condemned the outcome of the Edo State governorship election.   On Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the September 21 governorship poll.   Okpebholo, a serving senator, won the election with 291,667 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Asue Ighodalo, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 247,274 votes.   Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, came a distant third with 22,763 votes.  …

Monday Lines We beg bread, they belch beer By Lasisi Olagunju

Emporium Reporters

Are Nigerians hungry because they’ve been drinking too much free beer and now the brewery is bankrupt? I ask because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu waxed rhetorical Thursday last week as he dissected the very bad hunger wracking his country and its more than 200 million people. “I understand we are hungry, but no free beer parlour anymore,” he said. Except the president is suggesting that we are a nation of drunkards, I am tempted to wonder what shred of meaning connects “hunger” and “beer” here.   What the president said…

APC’s victory in Edo, a vote of confidence on President Tinubu – Sen Barau ….. Hails Ganduje’s visionary leadership

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I Jibrin, has hailed the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, described it as a vote of confidence on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.   Senator Barau, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said that the people’s say remains the most potent force in any democracy.   The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC as the winner of last Saturday’s governorship election…

Provide Completion Dates For Warri, Kaduna Refineries’ Rehabilitation Or Face Legal Action, Falana writes SAIPEM Nigeria

Emporium Reporters

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has formally written to the Managing Director of SAIPEM Contracting Nigeria Limited, seeking information on the completion dates of the rehabilitation projects for the Warri and Kaduna refineries.   He said the contracts, awarded by the Federal Government of Nigeria to the Italian engineering company, were valued at $1.5 billion. According to Falana, the contract was awarded in April 2021 with the projects divided into three phases, expected to be completed within 21, 23, and 33 months, respectively.  …

#EdoDecides: PDP kicks as INEC declares APC’s Monday Okpebholo Winner Of Governorship Election

Emporium Reporters

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the Edo State governorship election held on Saturday, September 21, 2024.   The electoral commission declared Okpebholo winner of the election on Sunday, saying that he polled a total of 291,667 votes to defeat his closest contender, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored a total 247,274 votes.   Olumide Akpata, of the Labour Party came a distant third with a total of 22,763 votes.   Okpebholo won…

Abuja hotel kidnap victim narrates how she met suspected ritualist

Emporium Reporters

Olivia Ijeoma Chukwuemeka, the Abuja hotel victim, has recounted her harrowing experience in the hands of Joseph Efe, a suspected ritualist.   A viral video recently circulated on social media showed Olivia bound and undressed. In the footage, the suspect is seen unwrapping the victim, who is already partially covered in cellophane.   The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) FCT command announced Efe’s arrest on Friday.   While parading Efe, the NSCDC revealed that the 30-year-old suspect specialises in luring women through a dating site known as ‘Coded…

Serious People Are Not Complainers! By Imam Murtadha Gusau

Emporium Reporters

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful   All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. May His blessings and benedictions be upon the Messenger, his household and companions.   Dear brothers and sisters! Please let’s ask ourselves an important question, is complaining an effective strategy for solving our problems? Will complaining improve our situation? Do others enjoy listening to us complain? The answer to all three questions is NO. Then why do people always complain?   There are a number of reasons…

I think Tinubu was right By Festus Adedayo

Emporium Reporters

One by one, three Nigerian former military rulers, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, arrived at Babangida’s Hilltop Mansion in Minna, Niger State, last Sunday. So did former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Aliyu Gusau. The Minna meeting had every trapping of African witches assembling at the coven. Like owls, a pervasive symbol of African witchcraft, did they fly to and perch on their Minna assembly nest at nocturne? Yoruba attribute the kind of powers this trio had/have to witches. They eat the head from the arm and…