NEWS
Bayelsa APC Chieftain Slam Party Former Deputy Nat’l Publicity Secretary over Defection Comment
From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
Former Vice Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Bayelsa West Senatorial district, Hon. Samuel Aredeh has slammed the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Yekini Nabena over his comment on a possible implosion in the party in the State over the recent defections into the party.
According to Hon. Samuel Aredeh, the claims of an implosion by Yekini Nabena is laughable and describes Nabena as a disgraced political errand boy and not a stakeholder that can gauge the feelings of the party in the state and at the national levels. Aradeh, who was reacting to an interview granted in a National tabloid by Hon. Yekini Nabena, expressed the suspicion that Nabena is speaking on behalf of some chieftains of the Party including the Former Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva and the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, insisting that the only thing that has imploded in the party in Bayelsa is Yekini Nabena’s political career.Aredeh also faulted the claims that the defectors may bring instability to the APC, describing Yekini Nabena as a failure that is associated with non-reality, “Again, that’s the kind of talk you expect from a man who has lost touch with reality.”He also dismissed the relevance of Yekini’s position as the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Party, warning that the position is no longer recognised nor relevant in the Party.According to him, “Nabena stopped being relevant the day he left office. He holds no position, commands no loyalty, and speaks for nobody but himself”If he has any message, he should take it to Abare in Delta, where maybe a few of his old friends will still pretend to listen.”Aradeh also explained that the reward system of the party under President Bola Tinubu is already providing direction, coordination and leadership which is needed by the ruling party.He said despite the confused status of Nabena Yekini and his cohorts, “The President is providing direction, coordination, and leadership, exactly what a ruling party needs.The APC has moved beyond the era of empty noise-makers.”He assured the supporters of the party at the state and national levels to discountenance the unfortunate outburst of the likes of Nabena Yekini, “The APC is too big to be distracted by political leftovers. We are focused on nation-building, not media gossip.Let Nabena keep talking, that’s all he has left. The rest of us are busy making history.”He affirmed that the outburst of Yekini Nabena is allegedly influenced by the likes of the Former Governor, Timipre Sylva and NDDC boss, Samuel Ogbuku, “it’s a known fact that Yekini has and is the attack dog of Chief Timipre Sylva and Samuel Ogbuku, Yekini’s wife works as Chief Samuel Ogbuku’s aide, and Yekini himself acts as Ogbuku’s unofficial assistant — always moving with him and permanently around the NDDC Guest House in Abuja.”They are afraid that Governor Douye Diri will defect to the APC, because of Ogbuku’s 2027 governorship ambition. The Governors coming into the party will not stop anyone from contesting election to any office including office of Governor in 2028.”He also described Yekini Nabena and his cohorts as ingrates as they have decided to undermine genuine efforts by Governors, Ministers and legislators who are joining hands with the President to build a stronger nation.”Yekini Nabena is the last person qualified to lecture anyone about party unity or loyalty. He lost his own credibility a long time ago. What he’s doing now is chasing clout, and frankly, it’s embarrassing.””Yekini Nabena should not abuse the magnanimous nature of the people of Trofani who graciously accepted him from Abare in Patani Local Government Area of Delta State where he hails from, by assaulting their sensibilities.””Moreover, his adopted village has two units courtesy of the people of Trofani.He is not in any position whatsoever to influence anything and anybody in any ijaw community anywhere in the globe, politically and otherwise and should be totally ignored.”Hon. Samuel Aredeh however called on party faithfuls in the State and the national levels to ignore Yekini Nabena and his sponsors”. He is a voice from the past, echoing irrelevance. The APC is united and strong under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.””Those defecting into the party are joining the winning team because they see hope, performance, and direction. No amount of frustrated noise from washed out politicians will stop that momentum.””The only implosion happening is in Nabena’s own interest — an interest of a solo and selfish destructive agenda with His pay masters.”NEWS
OPay Launches XtraCova with Up to N5m Protection for Unauthorised Transactions
In line with its long-standing commitment to regulatory compliance, financial security and customer protection in Nigeria, OPay has launched XtraCova, a funds protection product that reimburses customers for verified unauthorised transactions.
The product reinforces OPay’s focus on strengthening consumer confidence in digital financial services while supporting Nigeria’s transition toward a secure cashless economy.
XtraCova offers reimbursement of up to N5,000,000 per validated claim, with funds deducted from a customer’s account without their authorisation.
The product is designed to respond after a verification process confirms that the account holder did not approve the transaction.The protection framework addresses two categories of risk. The first includes platform-side incidents such as security vulnerabilities, authentication failures, or infrastructure breaches that may lead to unauthorised deductions. The second covers external criminal activities, including identity theft, phishing attacks, malware compromise, or unauthorised access following device theft.
Claims are assessed based on clear policy conditions, verification standards, and reporting timelines. Once all requirements are met, eligible customers receive reimbursement up to the coverage limit.
Elizabeth Wang, Chief Commercial Officer, OPay, said; “Protecting our customers’ money is our highest responsibility. As a company that has served millions of Nigerians over the years, we understand that trust is the foundation of digital finance. XtraCova reaffirms our commitment to continuously invest in security, comply with regulatory standards, and build solutions that truly protect our users. With this product, customers can use OPay knowing that if an unauthorised transaction happens and it is verified, we are ready to stand behind them.”
Through the launch of XtraCova, OPay continues to set a higher standard for financial protection within Nigeria’s fintech sector while reinforcing its role as a trusted partner in the country’s digital financial transformation.
XtraCova is available directly within the OPay mobile application. Users can access the feature by opening the OPay app and navigating to the Security Center section.
To learn more about how OPay is advancing financial inclusion and their security products, please visit www.opayweb.com or connect with OPay on LinkedIn,
@OPay_NG on X, and @opay.ng on Instagram.
About OPay
OPay was established in 2018 as a leading financial institution in Nigeria with the mission to make financial services more inclusive through technology. The company offers a wide range of payment services, including money transfer, bill payment, card service, airtime and data purchase, and merchant payments, among others.
Renowned for its fast and reliable network and strong security features that protect customers; funds, OPay is licensed by the CBN and insured by the NDIC with the same insurance coverage as commercial banks.
NEWS
Tinubu Departs Abuja for Historic U.K. State Visit
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Tuesday for a State Visit to the UK at the invitation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
The president will be accompanied by the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, for the official engagements scheduled during the visit.
King Charles III will host President Tinubu and the First Lady at Windsor Castle from Wednesday to Thursday as part of the state visit programme.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Presidential Spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday in Abuja.
The state visit marks the first by a Nigerian leader to the U.
K. in 37 years, hosted by the British monarch at Windsor Castle.Nigeria and the UK share long-standing diplomatic ties and historical relations built over decades of political, economic and cultural cooperation.
The visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations and explore new avenues for collaboration between the two countries.
Areas of cooperation to be discussed include immigration, trade, investment and cultural exchange.
While at Windsor Castle, Their Majesties will invite the President and the First Lady to view a special exhibition of items from the Royal Collection related to Nigeria.
The King and President Tinubu will also hold private discussions and meet with organisations engaged in interfaith dialogue at both national and international levels.
The Royal Family will later host a State Banquet in honour of the Nigerian guests.
Tinubu will also hold a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street.
The meeting is expected to deepen bilateral engagement between senior officials of both countries.
It will culminate in the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding covering trade, investment, defence and cultural cooperation.
The president will also witness the signing of a £746 million financing agreement between the UK Export Finance and Nigerian authorities.
The agreement will support the refurbishment of the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa Quays) and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.
Tinubu will further attend the Nigerian Modernism exhibition showcasing modern Nigerian arts/culture and participate in a reception with Nigerian and British business leaders as well as members of the diaspora community.
Members of the president’s entourage include: Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed.
Others are; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole and Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd); National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Mohammed Mohammed are also part of the entourage.
The president is expected to return to Nigeria at the conclusion of the state visit.
Foreign News
Iran Hits key UAE Oil Port, Dubai Airport
The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) biggest port and oil storage facility, Fujairah, and Dubai’s international airport have come under further drone attacks as Iran continues to target Gulf transport and oil infrastructure.
Flights were temporarily suspended on Monday after a fire broke out near the airport after a “drone-related incident”.
A fire also raged after a drone attack on the strategically important port and industrial zone at Fujairah, one of the largest oil storage facilities in the region.
And a rocket attack on a car killed a Palestinian national on the outskirts of the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, the city’s Media Office reported.
The attack occurred in the Al Bahia area, it said.
UAE air defense systems intercepted six ballistic missiles and 21 drones on Monday, the Defence Ministry said. Iran has launched over 1,900 missiles and drones at the UAE since the war between the US and Israel, and Iran, began.
Monday’s drone strike was the third incident since the start of the war near Dubai’s airport, which is the world’s busiest for international passengers.
Some flights were delayed, while others were cancelled altogether, in another hit to the UAE’s image of safety and stability.
The country’s energy sector came under attack as a drone hit an oil storage tanker on Saturday, and another drone hit the oil facilities on Monday, causing a fire.
Oil loading activities at the port were halted for a time while damage assessments were carried out.
Fujairah sits on the UAE’s eastern coast, on the Gulf of Oman – rather than the Persian Gulf – and so vessels do not need to navigate the Strait of Hormuz to reach it.
The location means the port plays a “crucial” role in “helping keep global supplies moving” when the Strait of Hormuz is blocked by Iran, sources said
“If tensions with Iran disrupt the chokepoint, the UAE can still export oil through Fujairah via pipelines from the oilfields in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
The port city is “ideally placed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz”, said Dubai-based oil analyst Matt Stanley, who works for commodities data provider Kpler.
“The UAE’s state oil company Adnoc have their oil tankers there, it is crude grade oil which is what the Asian buyers want.”
Iran hitting a storage tanker and oil facilities at Fujairah “shows the vulnerability of Gulf infrastructure”, Stanley said.
“Iran wants to disrupt the flow of energy”.
The port city is close to India and the “first stop out of the Middle East on the way to Singapore and China”, Stanley said.
“Fujairah is on the old Silk Road, the maritime route, and it picked up a lot of business bunkering – that is providing fuel, food, and water – for container ships that have been at sea for 25 or 30 days.”
Fujairah is like a “huge vending machine” for ships, Stanley added.
Despite the attacks on Dubai, Harper says the business community there is “resilient”. Restaurants have been offering deals to get people back into restaurants and “the malls still seem to be busy”. People “underestimate Dubai and its ability to survive a downturn”, he added.
Last week the UAE’s Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh that her country would “bounce back” from the conflict, insisting that its economy was “resilient”


