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Buhari Succumbs, Agrees to Restructure Nigeria

*NASS, condemns Shiite protests, seeks release of El-Zakzaky
By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja
There are indications that President Mohammed Buhari has finally agreed to the restructuring of Nigeria and the operation of true federalism that would see the devolution of powers to federating units.
Buhari had on some occasions demurred to the restructuring of the country on the grounds that its advocates were not on same page over what exactly it would entail for the nation.
Former governor of Ogun State and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Segun Osoba who disclosed this said President Buhari has approved the report of the committee on Devolution of Power and true federalism set up by the APC and chaired Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-rufai.
The former Governor, who was in the Villa to present his book – “Battlelines: Adventures in Journalism and Politics” to Buhari, who featured in it prominently, maintained that the APC even had restructuring as devolution of powers from the Federal Government to States, enshrined in its manifesto.
Osoba therefore, appealed to Nigerians, especially statesmen and other activists agitating for restructuring of the country, to be patient with the President and the APC adding that steps would be taken to get the National Assembly start debate on legalising the relevant aspects of the report.
“But I can tell you, all this noise about restructuring, we APC put devolution of power, true federalism in our manifesto and we’ve moved far from there to where a committee was set up headed by the governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai. “That committee has submitted its report, that report has been presented to us in the caucus and the president was there, the president endorsed the outcome. I want Nigerians to please, give us time.
“I hope and pray that at the right time, the government or the party would send that report to National Assembly for debate.
“I would say with all authority that restructuring lies with National Assembly. The president is not a military president, he cannot change anything by decree, sovereignty in Nigeria now is vested in the National Assembly.
“Those agitating for sovereign national conference must go through the National Assembly and unless the national assembly surrenders part of its powers by an Act, there can never be sovereign nations conference.”
According to the former governor, agitation for referendum, there must be an act of the national assembly to create that referendum, it’s not the president that would by fiat or by executive order, order for referendum.
Explaining further he said that the process must go through the National Assembly.
“That is why “I plead with our elders: Pa Edwin Clark, Pa Adebanjo, Professor Banji Akintoyin, all across Nigeria, they met the 8th senate and they heard what that National Assembly has done in terms of the review of the constitution.
“They should come back and tell us! We can no move forward until we recognize the importance and the powers vested in the National Assembly. And for restructuring, let us go through the legal route.”
He recalled his bow his relationship with President Buhari started saying, “the president and I have been close since the civil, he was a young officer – a lieutenant in the 1st Division.
“It was the first division that started the civil war from Nsukka end and as fortune would have it, I followed the president to when he was a governor in the north eastern region and became the oil minister. From there on he appointed me on June 12 1984 as the Managing Director of Daily Times. It was the crowing peak of my professional life that prepared me for governance.
“I have written a book in which the president featured a lot even with pictures during the civil war.
“So I have now come to present the book formally to the President and to autograph it to him. Part of the book was he riding on the train from the north to Ifo, Ogun State to spend his holiday when he was in Form One in 1946. So we have had some historical reminiscences not just now. “
On what he discussed with the President at the meeting Osoba said MR President asked about the situation in Ogun State.
“I took the time to brief him on the efforts that the governor is making to ensure peace and u it’s in the state. I have told him that governor Dapo Abiodun is starting on a very good note and he said the governor has also briefed him,” he said.
On agriculture he said that President Buhari told him that he has given instruction that the central bank should give Ogun State maximum support in agriculture.
On politics, Osoba said that he assured Mr President that the incident that occurred in Ogun state would never ever happen again and the president thanked me.
Speaking further he said that the essence of the visit was to discuss situations in Ogun state and assessment of governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration.
Asked to clarified on the claim that late Moshood Abiola supported some members of SDP to join Abacha’s military government he said: “there have been a lot of blackmail and denigration of people. For example, people like Jakande, Onagoruwa, late Alex Ibru, they said that they went and collaborated with Abacha which is not true.
“Solomon La, Abububakar Rimi and all others were all in a meeting in MKO Bashorun Abiola’s house on a Sunday after Abacha seize power on November 17, 1993 and kicked us out, the following Sunday we met in Bashorun MKO Abiola’s house and we debated with chieftains of SDP and we that produced him as president and made June 12 possible and there we agreed that those that may be invited to come and serve in deter to the country, they should serve but remain loyal to the mandate and use their influence to perhaps persuade the military to return the mandate to Abiola.
“So when people said we didn’t know about those people…. Iyor Cha Ayu was one of them, he was former senate president, I can call many of them who were at the meeting in which MKO Abiola presided.
“So I have to clear this doubt that Abiola had knowledge and gave approval to serve in Abacha’s government.
Asked if serving in the military government made impact to the return to democracy in 1999, the former governor said, the democracy that we are into today is the one in which Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar presided over.
Asked what advised he has for the president regarding the ministerial list, Osoba said, “I have said it, I am one of the founders of APC, I would not discuss in details because I have access, I am part of the presidency because the president is our president.”
Meanwhile, members of the House of Representatives yesterday asked the federal government to as a matter of urgency release the detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
Recall that El-Zakzaky was detained following the alleged death of a soldier who died during the December 2015 clash with soldiers and his supporters, (Shiite group).
His supporters were accused of blocking a major road that was to be used by the army chief Tukur Buratai. However, despite several courts granting him bail; the government has insisted on detaining him. In view of that therefore, his followers have embarked on several protests, demanding his immediate release. Reps urge IGP to flush out bandits, kidnappers from Sokoto.
The group latest protest took another dimension yesterday as they were accused of shooting and injuring security officials who held them back from entering NASS premises. They were equally accused of damaging vehicles at the National Assembly environment.
Minority leader, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu, filed a motion calling on his colleagues to investigate the matter and ensure adequate security measures are in place at the legislative chamber. Some of his colleagues, who supported his motion, argued that the circumstances surrounding the matter are similar to what led to the emergence of the Boko Haram terrorists’ group. “If the court has given an order for the release of the man, we should call on the government to release him. The discourse should not be on the invasion of the national assembly alone”, said Onofiok Luke from Akwa Ibom.
Mr Bamidele Salam from Osun state said El-Zakzaky’s continued detention is injustice and “injustice to one is injustice to all.”
His words, “I want to urge the federal government to look into the matter of the leader of this movement and allow the rule of law to take its course. “If we are able to secure the national assembly, what happens to the man and woman in the market elsewhere?”. Simon Davou from Plateau state said rather than detain el-Zakzaky against court orders, the government should release him and ensure surveillance, with enough security operatives to monitor his activities.”
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Nasarawa Gov, Others, Woo Dangote at Trade Fair

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule has urged Dangote Industries Limited to consider investing in more sectors of the State economy.The Governor, who spoke at the ongoing Nasarawa Trade Fair Exhibition said Nasarawa is home to solid mineral resources, adding that the strategic partnership between the duo will speed up Nigeria’s industrialization project.
Sule, who was represented by the Commissioner for Trade, Industry, and Investment, Hon. Muhammed Sani Otto, commended the Dangote Group for its outstanding performance at the Nasarawa Sugar Company Limited (NSCL).He expressed confidence that, given this success, the company would be a valuable partner in exploring additional investment opportunities within the state.In his remarks at the Dangote Special Day, Chairman of the Nigeria Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Nasarawa State Chapter, Nidan Sambo Manasseh, said the Trade Fair which was sponsored by the Dangote Group has been very impactful.The Chairman advised Dangote Group to scale up its investments in the State by considering other sectors.He added: “The Nasarawa Trade Fair Exhibition (NASTFE) is a vital catalyst for the State’s economic transformation. This strategic initiative by NASSI directly aligns with Governor Abdullahi Alhaji Sule’s vision to stimulate investment and unlock significant growth.”The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment Hajiya Khadija Oshafu Nuhu said the state is strategically open for business, and that Dangote Group can be part of the compelling opportunities abound in the state.A statement from the Dangote Group’s Chief Branding and Communication Officer, Anthony Chiejina, said: “Nasarawa State is central to our overall investment in Nigeria. It is home to Dangote’s Nasarawa Sugar Company Limited (NSCL). The sugar project, when completed, will be one of the biggest sugar investments on the African continent.”The statement quoted the Senior Special Adviser to the Dangote Group’s President, Fatima Wali Abdurrahman, as saying that: “We are not taking this partnership for granted. Our Strategic Business Units (SBUs) are participating.According to her, some of the Strategic Business Units that are participating from the Dangote Group are: Dangote Fertilizer Limited (DFL), Dangote Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited (DPAN), Dangote SinoTruck, Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Salt (NASCON) and Dangote Cement Plc.COVER
Nigeria Airports Rank Below Global Standards, Says Keyamo

By David Torough, Abuja
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo disclosed yesterday that Nigeria’s airports were below international standards, while hinting at the expansion of Old Murtala Muhammed International Airport.Keyamo admitted while quoting a commendation tweet by a Nigerian in diaspora, Dipo Awojide with the username @ogbenidipo, who hailed the improved passenger experience and recent improvements at the MMIA in Lagos.
The UK-based Nigerian tweeted that his recent experience at the airport is the easiest it has been for him in 15 years, while acknowledging the visible improvement. “Kudos @fkeyamo, Lagos airport has changed for good.“Aircraft to the welcome area looks cleaner and the security area is well designed. My bag came out in 10 minutes.“Exit to the parking area is way better. I say this as someone who has been travelling for over 15 years.“This is the easiest it has been for me in Lagos,” the tweet partly reads.Awojide highlighted that there are some cultural issues to tackle, but acknowledged the significant improvement by the federal government,” the tweet reads.Reacting to the extolling post, the minister appreciated the X user for his impressive feedback but stressed that airports in the country are below global standards.“Thank you, @OgbeniDipo for your compliments. But our airports are still far away from global standards, I must admit. We are just making the best of the situation as we found it,” he said.Keyamo noted that the situation is being managed, but barely, and revealed that the old MMIA terminal, built in 1977 for 200,000 passengers annually, now handles three million passengers at the airport and 15 million nationwide each year, putting immense strain on the facilities.He reassured Nigerians that major upgrades are forthcoming under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.The minister specified that a total rebuilding of the Old MMIA in Lagos will be facilitated to meet modern standards and accommodate approximately 20 million passengers annually.“Hence, over the years, the facilities almost collapsed! But thanks to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, @officialABAT, we are about to embark on a total rebuilding of the old MMI Airport in Lagos to meet modern standards, with a projection of about 20 million passengers per annum.“We will unveil the full details before Nigerians in the next few weeks. Thanks.” Keyamo concluded. Air Peace Aircraft Collides with Antelope on Abuja RunwayAn Air Peace aircraft was grounded at the Asaba International Airport in Delta State after it collided with a large antelope while taxiing on the runway.The impact decimated the animal and rendered the aircraft on the ground, causing flight disruptions.Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, who confirmed the incident on Sunday, via his official X account, clarified the implications of such occurrences.According to him, “Monitoring reports yesterday indicated that an Air Peace aircraft ran into a large antelope, decimating the animal and leaving the aircraft AOG (aircraft on ground).”He added that as a result of this incident, flights meant to be operated by this aircraft would naturally be disrupted, even though engineers are on the ground to assess and fix the plane. Passengers waiting would naturally be infuriated.“Incidents like this are literal illustrations of the disruptions NOT caused by the airlines (domestic or international),” he said.Achimugu emphasised that while such events are beyond the control of the airline, they do not absolve operators from their responsibilities to passengers.“This explainer is for illustration purposes, not to excuse airlines when they fail to do their duties to passengers,” he said.“Even with situations like this, the airline still owes its passengers the information, refund, and other forms of care they are entitled to, and can still be sanctioned if they fail to provide the same,” Achimugu added.The agency also noted that efforts are currently underway to repair the aircraft and resume normal operations.COVER
Nigeria Pays off IMF’s $3.4bn Covid Loan, Exits Debt List

By Andrew Oota, Abuja
The Minister of Finance, Wale Edun has confirmed Nigeria’s exit from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan of $3.4 billion.Nigeria had borrowed $3.4 billion from the IMF during the Covid-19 pandemic.According to the minister, “the loan had been repaid on the agreed terms.
””The West African nation now has no outstanding IMF debt, though the Fund expects it to honor some additional payments of roughly $30 million a year in Special Drawing Rights charges, ” IMF resident representative for Nigeria Christian Ebeke said in a separate statement. ”Still, the repayment is a mark of the country’s improved financial position, with the central bank’s net foreign exchange reserves, reaching a three-year high last month.”Nigeria has sought to improve local dollar liquidity after years of running a fixed exchange rate regime that burdened the economy of Africa’s largest oil producer, with a wildly overvalued local currency.”President Bola Tinubu’s free-floated the Naira after taking office in 2023 as part of a broader campaign of economic reform, contributing to the currency losing more than 70% of its value against the dollar.” He said.The Senior Special Assistant on Digital and New Media to President Bola Tinubu, O’tega Ogara had earlier hinted about the debt repayment.The IMF, in the credit outstanding list covering May 1 to May 6, 2025, disclosed that over 90 countries owe $117.79 billion, noting that Nigeria was not among the indebted nations.The IMF published the list on Tuesday.The institution revealed that it disbursed SDR 2.45 billion to Nigeria in 2020, saying repayments were made between 2023 and 2025.It noted that SDR613.62 million was made in 2023, SDR1.22 billion in 2024, while SDR613.62 million was paid in 2025.The development was also confirmed by Tolu Ogunlesi, the former Special Assistant on Digital and New Media to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, via a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, May 8.Ogunlesi, who was serving his second term when the loan was obtained, stated: “This US$3.4 billion (equivalent to 2.454.5 billion SDR; amounting to 100% of our SDR quota) Covid-19 assistance from the IMF to Nigerian governors, under the IMF’s Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI), has now been fully repaid, in line with the terms of the agreement.“A repayment period of 5 years, meaning 2020 to 2025, and a moratorium of 3.25 years, meaning that we had a grace period until Q3 2023 before we had to start repaying.“So, repayment schedule: 2023-2025.“PBAT has kept to the terms, and as of May 2025, the loan has been fully repaid. Naija no dey carry last, and we no dey default.“This is what the repayment looks like, from the @IMFNews website: Outstanding as at June 30, 2023: 2,454,500,000.“Dec 31, 2023: 1,840,875,000; June 30, 2024: 1,227,250,000; March 31, 2025: 306,810,000; May 07, 2025: 0.”