Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has expressed pride in having made an Ijaw man the governor of Rivers State.

Speaking on Saturday at an event organised by the Rivers Ijaw Peoples Congress in Port Harcourt, Wike said that God used him to make Siminalayi Fubara the governor of the South-South state.

Dismissing social media claims that the Ijaw people in Rivers are against him. “Let me thank this team for this strategic meeting here today. First of all, when I was approached by Senator Johnson Nsakebor… He was sent by the Rivers Ijaw Congress that they want to honour me. I asked what the essence of such was. Why do you want to waste such money? I need the money. Give it to me. But he said so many people go on television and speak as if they were speaking on behalf of the Ijaw people. I said okay, I will come and let Nigerians know.”

Wike also stressed that the gathering was a message to those in Abuja who believe the Ijaw people are against him. “If anybody tells you one day that the Ijaw people are fighting me, it is not correct. We have some ungrateful people everywhere. A father can have twelve children, and one can be an armed robber. Does that mean that the whole family are armed robbers?”

He added that many Ijaw representatives were strategically positioned in the House of Assembly, further undermining claims of conflict.

Wike stressed that no one has a monopoly on violence but said his commitment to playing by the rule of law remains unwavering.

He said, “The mere fact that we choose to play according to the rule of law… and that is what we will continue to do.”

He addressed political critics, saying, “Who has Fubara made? All the things you see are people who are envious of our growth. They couldn’t do what we are doing today. These are people who we have defeated politically several times. If the opportunity comes again, we will defeat them again.”

He concluded, “I have made an Ijaw man governor of Rivers State. God used us. All of us here had sleepless nights. So who loves Ijaw more? Is it people who come out on television who cannot even make their Ijaw brother governor?”

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the names of members of the inaugural Governing Board of the North West Development Commission (NWDC) to the Senate for confirmation.

According to a statement signed by media aide to the president, Bayo Onanuga, the step follows Tinubu’s signing of the NWDC bill into law on July 24, marking a crucial milestone in the commission’s establishment.

Onanuga said the nominees for the NWDC governing board include Chairman: Ambassador Haruna Ginsau (Jigawa State) and MD/CEO: Professor Abdullahi Shehu Ma’aji (Kano).

Nominated members include Dr. Yahaya Umar Namahe (Sokoto), Hon. Aminu Suleiman (Kebbi), Sen. Tijani Yahaya Kaura (Zamfara), Hon. Abdulkadir S. Usman (Kaduna), Hon. Engr. Muhammad Ali Wudil (Kano), Shamsu Sule (Katsina) and Nasidi Ali (Jigawa).

“The nominated board members are expected to contribute their wealth of experience and expertise to the commission’s mandate of developing the North-West region,” Onanuga said.

“The commission will focus on catalysing significant growth, economic empowerment, and social development of the region.”

He added that President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to supporting the NWDC in its mission to bring sustainable development to the North West is steadfast.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested a former governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, over an alleged fraud of N27bn.

Ishaku was reportedly picked up at his Abuja residence in the early hours of Friday.

The former governor was said to still be in the anti-graft agency’s custody as of the time of filing this report.

According to Daily Trust, at least 15-count charges have been filed against Ishaku and he would be arraigned in court soon as evidence against him has been compiled.

“Yes, he’s in our custody right now. We have been investigating him covertly since he left as the State governor. There is a lot of financial malfeasance he perpetrated,” the source said.

The spokesman of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the development but declined further comments when contacted by the paper.

Ishaku’s arrest is coming on the heels of ongoing face-off between the commission and the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who was alleged to have stolen N80.2bn.

The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi) has partnered with transporters in a bid to slash transport costs.

The Program Director/Chief Executive of PCNGi, Michael Oluwagbemi made the announcement in a statement on Friday.

“The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi) commenced today a Transport Fare Drop Programme across the country, starting with Abuja, as it ramped up the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a cleaner, more affordable alternative to fuel,” Oluwagbemi said.

“Representatives of the PCNGi signed an MOU with the National Union of Road Transport Workers covering the Abuja to Itakpe Station—Ajaokuta Train Station—Adavi route to convert fleet vehicles to CNG in return for a 30-40% fare reduction.

“This programme will encourage NURTW members in Abuja to convert their vehicles to CNG in exchange for a fare reduction.”

Oluwagbemi added that On Saturday, September 28, 2024, the PCNGi will continue its nationwide commercial incentive programme for commercial car open days, expanding to 38 centres in Kaduna, Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta and Edo states.

He explained that the PCNGi will sign an agreement with the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) on Monday, September 30, to operationalise the Nigerian Police CNG Conversion Programme and train cadets to manage the strategic conversion centres the NPTF is investing in.

According to the PCNGi’s Programme Director, Oluwagbemi, this initiative will help train the police cadets to manage strategic conversion centres established by the NPTF.

Similarly, to celebrate Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary on October 1st, 2024, the PCNGi will launch the CNG Tricycle Empowerment Program in collaboration with the Ministry of Youths.

This program aims to provide over 2000 young Nigerians with the opportunity to own and operate CNG-powered tricycles.

It will launch the Kogi State Conversion Incentive Programme on Wednesday, October 2 and hand over CNG buses to the state’s mass transit entity to ply interstate routes to Abuja.

Additionally, according to Oluwagbemi, the PCNGI will inaugurate three new CNG conversion sites in the state.

He added that to conclude the week’s activities, the initiative will launch in Ekiti State, where the handover of CNG buses to the state mass transit organisation and transporters to ply the route to Abuja will take place. It will also inaugurate four new CNG conversion sites in the state.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday said contrary to claims made by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, Nigeria did not lose $49.8 billion during his administration.

The ex-President stated this in Abuja at the launch of a book titled “Public Policy and Agent Interests: Perspectives from The Emerging World”, which was edited by former Minister of Finance, Shamsuddeen Usman.

“The Financial Reporting Council queries the expenditure of CBN because it is the Financial Reporting Council that has the powers to audit the CBN, it is not the Auditor General of the Federation.

“There were serious infractions that need to be looked at, that was the reason. Somehow, the time was short. So before we finished, his tenure elapsed, probably he would have been called back,” Jonathan said.

Sanusi served as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor between 2009 and 2014, a period that coincided with Jonathan’s time as the President.

In 2014, the then-CBN governor alleged that Nigeria had lost $49.8bn under Jonathan’s administration.

The claim attracted wide criticism and the government later set up a committee to probe the allegation.

Sanusi was asked to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence, with Godwin Emefiele appointed in his place. He went on to become the Emir of Kano, dethroned in 2020 and was reinstated a few months ago.

The Federal Government (FG) is set to begin with the payment of the new minimum wage to civil servants.

The spokesperson for the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa disclosed this to newsmen on Thursday.

“Employees under the Federal Government (FG) payroll can expect to receive notifications regarding their updated minimum wage salary payments from today,” Mokwa said.

”What I can tell you is that the minimum wage salary payment is today but I am not sure of the arrears,”

President Bola Tinubu approved a new minimum wage of N70,000 on July 18, 2024 after a series of meetings with the organised labour.