NGIJ Ushers-in New Executives at Solemn Virtual Inauguration Ceremony

NGIJ Ushers-in New Executives at Solemn Virtual Inauguration Ceremony

In a landmark event, the Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists (NGIJ) officially inaugurated its newly elected National Executive Committee (Exco) today, Friday August 30, 2024, marking a significant milestone in the organization's history.

A statement released by the Public Relations Officer of the Guild, Malam Abdullahi Gulloma stated that, "The inauguration ceremony, which commenced at precisely 12:12 pm, was conducted virtually by Barr. Ahmed Kehinde Lambe, the Principal Partner of Lambe & Co., an Abuja-based law firm and Notary Public."

Added that, "The newly elected Exco members solemnly took the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office, pledging to uphold the mission, values, and principles of the NGIJ. The oaths were administered with the utmost solemnity, underscoring the gravity of the responsibilities the new leaders have assumed.

"I am truly humbled and honored to stand before you today as we usher in a new chapter for the Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists," said the newly elected NGIJ President, Malam Abdulrahman Aliagan in his inauguration address. 

"We are committed to fostering a culture of fearless reporting, holding power to account, and championing the public interest in all our endeavors."

The President acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead, but expressed the Exco's unwavering dedication to advancing the noble cause of investigative journalism in Nigeria. 

"The road ahead will undoubtedly be filled with obstacles, but we are resolute in our commitment to bringing about positive change, promoting transparency, and safeguarding the freedom of the press."

According to the statement, "The newly sworn-in Exco members pledged to serve the NGIJ members with integrity, transparency, and dedication, ensuring that their voices are heard and their interests are represented. They also committed to upholding the organization's constitution and bylaws, and to work collaboratively with their fellow officers and members to achieve the Guild's goals and objectives."

The inauguration ceremony was attended by a diverse audience, including NGIJ members, media professionals, and industry stakeholders, all of whom witnessed the passing of the torch to the new leadership team.

New Executive members of NGIJ are, Malam Abdulrahman Aliagan, the President, Oyewale Oyelola, Vice President (Administration and Strategic Communications), Comrade James Ezema as the Vice President 2 (Investigation). 

Others: Mr. Rowland Olonishuwa, the National Secretary of the Guild, Mr. Gbenga Shaba, the Treasurer while Malam Abdullahi Gulloma sworn-in as the Public Relations Officer and Ikem Ifeoma, the Auditor. Meanwhile, the offices of the Registrar and Financial Secretary of the Guild remain vacant to be filled by bye-election within a possible shortest time.

As the Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists enters this new era, the members, the media landscape, and the public at large can look forward to a renewed spirit of dedication, innovation, and excellence in the pursuit of investigative journalism in the country.

BREAKING: Another Popular Nollywood Actor Dies

BREAKING: Another Popular Nollywood Actor Dies

Nollywood actor Yusuf Olorungbebe has passed away. The Yoruba actor reportedly succumbed to a chronic illness.

The news of his death was confirmed on Wednesday morning by actress Foluke Daramola via Instagram. She wrote, “We lost YUSUF OLORUNGBEBE. We submit to God’s will.”

This follows the recent death of actress Sharon Okpamen, who passed away nearly a month after giving birth to her second child.

Yusuf Olorungbebe had been struggling with a chronic illness for several months. He had appealed to Nigerians, the government, and his colleagues for financial assistance, stating that he needed millions of Naira for his recovery.

A few days before his death, actress Foluke Daramola had urged Nigerians to provide financial support for Olorungbebe due to his deteriorating health. She had written, “I’m here again to plead on behalf of my very esteemed colleague and production manager, Mr. Yusuf Olorungbebe, who is currently on life support. Please, no amount is too small to help him live. Your support will go a long way. Thank you so much, everyone.”

I try to eradicate “divide and rule” and I carry everybody along to make sure we reason together to achieve common goals; ICOP General Secretary, prophet Abiodun Ogunsakin.

INTRODUCTION My name is prophet Adetunbi Olufemi from bulletin unit can I meet you sir?

I am prophet Abiodun Ayodeji Ogunsakin the Leader in Charge of Sanctuary of Solution under Idimu District and by the special grace of God the Council General Secretary.

What are the challenges you have faced and how have you been coping?       

Well we thank God! There are so many challenges as the Secretary being the lifewire of every organization and every society, you should know that there will be a lot of challeges. Bringing people together to have same focus is always a very difficult thing for anybody to do. So as a secretary you need to bring everybody together particularly because we are not in the secular world but in the spiritual realm. So, to bring people to have same focus at the same time or to be in unity is always very challenging. By the special grace of God we are coping, I try to eradicate “divide and rule” and I carry everybody along to make sure we reason together to achieve common goals.

How were you able to cope with the workload to Horeb 2024 with the 5 different Programmes tied to it?

By the special grace of God anything you're to do in this world put God first to assist you. Horeb 2024 was a special programme. The installation of a new Baba Aladura, installation of new CSP, sendforth of the former CSP and ordination of new prophets and prophetesses was successfully done.  The first challenge we faced as a governing council is the change of government. Its not easy. This is the first of its kind that we (ICOP) change our supervising prophet when the former one is still alive. Other ones that we have been having they die before we choose new supervising prophet. In the council today, we have so many people that are still loyal to the former council supervising prophet (CSP) despite the fact that they know it is the constitution of the church that brought about the change. Secondly, the absorption of the new CSP and the governing council in one accord is also tasking and stressful. Nevertheless, the mind of God and the spirit of God in us it was so time consuming and demanding day-in day-out we are on duty 24/7 because we try to bring people that has been working before together and orientate them to conform with the existing operational guidelines. 

You has served two or more CSP how was your experience with them?

Well, I started serving during the time of our father special Apostle Prophet Andrew Adekunle Adebayo and that time sincerely speaking, the Council of Prophet was not that popular. I started with him by trying to use all my resources to make the Council of Prophets popular and to make baba Adebayo to be recognized. Like that time nobody sees the need for supervising prophet as some who is supposed to be using car and during Baba Akinrele’s tenure we usually join train transportation from one place to the other. They don’t rest at all. From one place to another supervising branches of the church and I don’t think he boarded airplane once before he died. I try all my effort to ensure that the supervising prophets seat become a recognized one in C & S and a whole. I started rough with Baba Adebayo, being the National CSP, all the hurdles, I make arrangement for him to be in Lagos despite coming all the way from Abuja through road transport. I book him in the hotel here in Lagos for as long as the programme will take and thank God today we can smile. Alagba Zacheus was the Secretary that time and I was the deputy secretary and we worked with Baba Adebayo till the last day before Alagba Zacheus was appointed as the Supervising Prophet. So the zeal I started with Baba Adebayo was what I passed on to the other supervising prophet. Giving them the honest and respect due to them. The  most disappoint thing during Alagba Zacchaeus  tenure is that the letter given to him was being tenured. I became so angry that is not constitutional for council of prophet to be tenured. Fortunately, so far so good we have started with Alagba  Joel Adeniran and everything is fine; we are moving very fast.

For record purposes can you mention the excos that worked with you during Horeb 2024 programme?

I don’t have exco as at 2024 except the last meeting we did now that we ratified thing about exco. This is because we had exco that were existing during the former tenure which I was the secretary then. The present supervising prophet, Prophet Adeniran decided to maintain the exco for a while before any change. We don’t make any change but at the same time we did something similar. For example if you check the pamphlet of this year’s Horeb programme you will not see any exco name there because we inaugurated CSP’s inauguration committee. It was after the programme that we held a meeting to that effect, the previous exco has been redundant and it is now we have started with exco now that the inauguration committee has been dissolved. 

The new government inject a lot of units and focus in her government what does it intend to achieve?

What we intend to achieve is for the council of prophet to really bear the name people are calling us. Council of Prophet is as old as the conference. Now as the eldest in the house, I can say the council of prophet is the lifewire of C&S Movement. Then as a council of prophet we are the one that is suppose to pave way for the growth of the church. All what we are doing in the council of prophet is how to rebranding the council conference grow. This growth is directly proportional to the yearly Horeb conference. When the council of prophet is growing then the  conference will be growing too. We have to arrange and set the pace so that everybody coming after will follow. 

Fake prophet and prophetess are becoming alarming?

Thank you for that word “fake” the parasite in our midst there is no way they will not be there. If Jesus Christ can have 12 disciples and out of the 12 one Judas is there. In this year’s ordination more than one thousand people were ordained. There is no way that there wouldn’t be parasite. We have people like that. The only way to curb people like this is to deal with them with wisdom. I don’t really know the definition of fake maybe because they were ordained in a crook way, how would we know that? Right from the era of our founder Orimolade such news is being heard.  Just like a fisherman that went to catch fishes, when he throws the net into the ocean it catches both fishes and other things. So, council of prophet is striving to be in unity there is no way that we will not hear the news of prophet or prophetess with some shortcoming. I pray God will help us in this kingdom race.   

Why I ‘sacked’ my father’s wife, other Directors — AIT’s Dokpesi

Why I ‘sacked’ my father’s wife, other Directors — AIT’s Dokpesi

Why I ‘sacked’ my father’s wife, other Directors — AIT’s Dokpesi

The Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, owners of AIT, Raypower and Faaji FM, Raymond Dokpesi (Jnr), has offered explanations on why he had to ease 10 Directors, including Dr. Oluwatosin Dokpesi, the wife of his late father, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, out of the company.

Dokpesi offered the explanation in an interview with Daily Sun on Wednesday, days after the sack was confirmed by the firm.

He said: “I think the first thing to recognise is that it is not a personal decision to ask anyone to go. 

“If I had it left to me and to myself, I would definitely want to harness the experiences, the relationships and the skills that the existing management has for a little bit longer. 

“But the reality of the matter is that we are a publicly listed company. 

“We are the only publicly listed media company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and that means we are also bound by the Securities and Exchange Commission rules and the code of corporate governance is mandatory for all publicly listed companies. 

“So, that means our responsibilities to our shareholders transcend personal choices or personal opinions.

“We have persons who are leaving the organisation after 27 years; we have people who are leaving after 22 years. 

“The vast majority of this time, they have spent in executive management positions and yet, the code of corporate governance and our internal documents state we should only do a maximum of two terms of five years.

“So, their retirement is, in fact, long overdue. 

“It was a decision which ought to have been made, even as far back as five, six, seven years ago. 

“But as of that time, my dad was still alive, very present and very active and also, we were going through different political turbulence as far as our organisation is concerned.

“Nobody needs to be reminded of the history of the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration with reference to the treatment of AIT and our founder in particular.

“Notwithstanding, whatever you want to say about the incumbent administration, I think, to some large extent, they have shown their capacity for accommodation of all shades of opinions from public broadcasters.

“We don’t feel the heat and the intimidation of governments as we did a couple of years ago and the time is opportune and right as well for us to review where exactly we want to go, going forward from here.

“For me, and I think also for the vast majority of members of our board, the decision comes down to simply determining: Do we want to continue on our existing trajectory or do we want to do something differently? 

“And if we are looking at doing something differently, it means we have to subject ourselves to abide by the terms and conditions of extant laws and regulations to give the investing public confidence into our organisation and the administration and also to be able to attract the kinds of funds and investments we need to grow and expand beyond our existing programmes.”

DAAR Communications PLC announced the retirement of members of its Executive Management with effect from October 31, 2024 in compliance with Code of Corporate Governance as well as Company’s Internal Control Policies and Procedures Manual.

A statement signed by the Company Secretary, Miji Jonah, said the affected officials have spent over 10 years in such capacity. 

Those affected were Senior High Chief Tony Akiotu, Dr. Oluwatosin Dokpesi, Dr. Ambrose Somide, Anthony Uyah, Paulyn Ugbodaga, Mary Lawrence-Dokpesi, Faith Ikems, Imoni Amarere, John Iwarue and Johnson Onime.

The Board of DAAR Communications PLC expressed gratitude to all the retiring Executive Board members for their invaluable contributions to the company during their tenure and wished them the very best in their future endeavours.

The statement added that the media conglomerate is working on major restructuring of its leadership and once this is concluded, the Nigerian Exchange Limited and other regulatory authorities, its shareholders and the general public would be notified.

NGX rates Fidelity Bank highest on corporate governance

NGX rates Fidelity Bank highest on corporate governance

Fidelity Bank Plc complies with the highest corporate governance standards as the leading commercial bank adheres promptly to all full disclosure requirements and global best practices.

Fidelity Bank is awarded CG+, the highest rank under the Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS), which screens quoted companies against prescribed best practices and standards.

A review of the latest compliance report showed that Fidelity Bank sustains its highest-ranking rating of CG+, with shareholders and market pundits commending the high corporate standards of the bank.

Head, Listings Regulation Department, NGX Regulation (NGXRegco), Mr. Godstime Iwenekhai, explained that the CGRS was designed to strengthen the governance structures of listed companies and provide a valid basis for discerning investors to differentiate between listed companies on the basis of their compliance with acceptable standards of corporate governance.

“In our view, corporate governance promotes ethical business practices, transparency and fair competition,” Iwenekhai said.

He pointed out that the special character combination “CG+” underlined compliance with best practices and highest corporate governance standards, which entitle the rated companies to special privileges at the stock market.

Corporate governance compliance at the stock market includes prompt submission of detailed operational results from period to period as required by the market rules, full disclosures of all material and regulated information and accurate rendition of reports and accounts.

Also, compliance includes ensuring that the company’s shares are not encumbered in a way that impinges on free float or number of shares available to the general investing public for efficient price discovery, compliance with all investor-protection safeguards in communication with shareholders and organizing statutory meetings as required among others.

The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) noted that the compliance tracker was aimed at maintaining market integrity and protecting the investors, noting that listed companies are required to adhere to high disclosure standards.

“Financial information which is periodic disclosure and on-going material events disclosure should be released to NGX in a timely manner to enable it efficiently perform its function of maintaining an orderly market,” NGX stated, referencing some of the criteria for its corporate governance rating.

Market experts and shareholders agreed that corporate governance compliance is a major factor in deciding on investing in a public and the safety of such investment.

Managing Director, Arthur Steven Asset Management, Mr. Olatunde Amolegbe, said corporate governance compliance rating is “extremely important” as it indicates to the investing public the quality of compliance of a company to listing requirements.

“As you know, stock prices are driven primarily by available information and the NGX has a minimum level of disclosure expected of quoted companies. This disclosure helps the public make qualitative decisions as to the state or performance of the companies they are seeking to invest in. These markers are therefore the initial indicators as to whether the companies are meeting their disclosures and other regulatory obligations or not,” Amolegbe, a former president of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), said.

Managing Director, APT Securities & Funds, Mallam Garba Kurfi, said the corporate governance rating “shows the extent companies are in compliance with corporate governance”.

“High rating means very good in doing the right thing timely while low rating discourages foreign investors from investing in such companies,” Kurfi, a leading market operator and member of the board of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), said.

Managing Director, HighCap Securities, Mr David Adonri, noted that “CG+ means excellent corporate governance rating”.

“When a company is organised and upholds good corporate governance, the benefit to stakeholders is maximized,” Adonri said.

Investors said its high corporate governance was one of the compelling reasons they chose to invest in Fidelity Bank.

President, Association for the Advancement of Rights of Nigerian Shareholders (AARNS), Dr. Faruk Umar said Fidelity Bank has a very good corporate governance structure that reassures investors of the safety of their investments.

According to him, while the bank has a good succession plan, the calibre of the independent non-executive directors on the board gives shareholders strong confidence of the kind of board oversight they will be expecting.

National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Mr. Moses Igbrude, said Fidelity Bank’s impressive performance over the years had been built on good corporate governance.

“My appeal to the board is to continue to imbibe good corporate governance in order to sustain this growth,” Igbrude said.

National Coordinator, Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mrs. Bisi Bakare, said Fidelity Bank has created a “very excellent impression” in the minds of shareholders.

According to her, the bank has continually showcased exemplary leadership with continuous impressive results, with successive growths over the past five years.

“Fidelity Bank is a very good bank that shareholders are very happy with their investments and we have never regretted buying into Fidelity Bank,” Bakare said.

National Coordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr. Boniface Okezie said good corporate governance was the cornerstone of Fidelity Bank’s sustained growth and impressive returns over the years.

“Fidelity Bank remains one of the best stocks that investors should look forward to investing in for better returns. I’m very optimistic about the bank’s healthy strong assets. With its good corporate governance and excellent customers’ service, there is every reason to hope for a more promising future,” Okezie said.

The NGX tags defaulting companies for poor corporate governance and also applies various monetary and non-monetary sanctions, including fines ranging between N100,000 to N100 million, partial or full suspension of trading, naming and shaming with a red alert tag and compulsory delisting in extreme cases.

Photo gallery taken during CWC Orile igbon 16/8/2024

DSP/Sec/unit head 

COPs

CSP and his cabinet 

CSP addressing vital issues 

True leader crack brain and secure solutions 

Prayers for his Grace, Dr, pro Emmanuel Abiodun Alogbo 

Service mood

Atiku Cannot Decide For Us, We Are Ready To Support Goodluck Jonathan In 2027 – PDP

Atiku Cannot Decide For Us, We Are Ready To Support Goodluck Jonathan In 2027 – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has supported the call for former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race.

Recall that the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed vowed to jettison his presidential ambition if Jonathan indicates any interest to contest.

Some northern elites and politicians who are displeased with President Bola Tinubu’s administration have also called for Jonathan’s return to the presidency.

Reacting to the development during an interview with Punch, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the position of the Bauchi governor and northern elites resonated with the opposition party.

He said, “We are absolutely in support of the position of the Bauchi State governor. Don’t forget, he was a prominent member of the. Jonathan’s administration where he was a minister. As the chairman of the 13 governors of the PDP, a two-term minister, former senator and a two-term governor rounding off his second term, you will expect him to understand and appreciate the situation of where this country is coming from, where it is at the moment and where we hope to take it to in the future.

“If you are talking about a southern Presidency in 2027, we should be looking at one who had enjoyed one term and will probably give Nigerians hope and prosperity as opposed to the one we have in power. Secondly, if you are also talking about a nationalist, somebody who would not rig an election to keep himself in office, who announced before the counting process was over, that he lost, it has to be Jonathan.

“You remember that he called the victor, congratulated him and asked him to send people for the transition process. So, it is this kind of person with a listening ear that we believe can save the situation. No President in Nigerian history has been as criticised as Ebele Jonathan. We tolerated all sorts of insults targeted at us and his Presidency. But today, he is the one everybody is looking for with torchlight, even in broad daylight.”

When reminded that the decision may not go down well with PDP former presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who has been labelled a serial contester by the ruling All Progressives Congress, the PDP spokesman  argued that Atiku cannot dictate for the party who to field in 2027 despite being a major stakeholder of the PDP.

“It is not the place of Atiku to decide for the PDP. We are running a national political party, for crying out loud; one that has governed this country for 16 years. We cannot be expected to have one person determining the direction of the party. If anything, we respect him. He has given it (the presidency) a trial and has been on this for too long.

“But there are times when you realise a battle is no longer around you and you support someone. This is how things are done. If in 2019, we tried, in 2023, we tried again with Atiku, there is nothing wrong in trying someone else in 2027, especially if the odds seemed to favour that person more, which is the case.

“The situation this country is facing today is one that has gone beyond party lines or other narrow considerations. We require a nationalist in the clout of Goodluck Jonathan to be able to salvage the situation. It is clear that for the six and a half years that he was President, he was able to stabilise the forex to a very reasonable extent. The country was able to go on single digit inflation. This we will continue to reference,” he stated.

Obafemi Awolowo: How Dad Died In Bathroom— Daughter

Obafemi Awolowo: How Dad Died In Bathroom— Daughter

Obafemi Awolowo: How Dad Died In Bathroom— Daughter

Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, daughter of late nationalist, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, has narrated what led to her father’s death in 1987.

The late first Premier of the Western Region under Nigeria’s parliamentary system, died in his bathroom.

She disclosed this in a recent interview with Edmund Obilo at the Awolowo family home in Ikenne.

Recalling her mother’s explanation of how Awolowo died, Mrs Awolowo-Dosunmu said, “She said Papa had woken up in the morning but he locked the door to go to the bathroom. But after a few minutes she thought he should have come out of the bathroom and she knocked gently, no answer; knocked loudly, no answer.

“Then she called his driver of 40 or 50 years and they took a big stick. At that point they knew there was something seriously wrong.”

In the morning of his passing, Awolowo-Dosunmu said she arrived at the family home and laid on her father’s body in tears.

“I simply fell on his body and lay there. They had to pull me off,” she said.

“It was a bad day and I knew I had lost a vital pillar in my life,” she added.

Awolowo-Dosunmu said she saw her father on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then on Saturday he died.

Nigerians struggle with estimated billing as meter price nears N250,000 August 19, 2024, 8:57 am NAIRAMETRICS

Nigerians struggle with estimated billing as meter price nears N250,000 

August 19, 2024, 8:57 am

NAIRAMETRICS

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) move to deregulate Meter Asset Providers (MAP) was hailed as the much-needed solution to the country’s persistent metering gap crisis.

However, this silver bullet has come with a price, and not just figuratively. The soaring cost of prepaid meters has added a new layer of burden for the average Nigerian household, making the dream of escaping the trap of estimated billing feel like an increasingly distant hope.

For millions of Nigerians, the sharp rise in metering costs from about N80,000 to over N200,000 in just one year has become as burdensome as the problem it was meant to solve: eliminating estimated billing.

Four months ago, NERC introduced a promising policy to deregulate both meter prices and providers, embracing a willing-buyer, willing-seller system aimed at opening up the market. This move was intended to empower customers, allowing them to obtain meters from any approved vendor without relying on the DisCos.

While this policy appeared commendable on paper, it has brought new challenges.

The most pressing of these is the increase in meter prices, exacerbated by the prevailing economic conditions and rising inflation.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of customers on estimated billing has surged from 5.83 million in Q4 2023 to 6.43 million in Q1 2024, marking a significant 10% rise.

These figures represent millions of households striving to escape the cycle of overbilling and other abuses by their distribution companies, only to find that the path to obtaining a prepaid meter has become even more difficult.

Latest Meter Prices  

Following the announcement by NERC, DisCos and their meter providers partners have declared new meter prices, pointing to the deregulation policy and ailing economic conditions.

None of the new prices is below N100,000, a very sharp increase from the former price announced by NERC in September 2023.

According to the new prices by DisCos, the cost of a single phase meter rose from N81,975 to about N125,000, depending on the DisCo and the vendor the customer is purchasing from.

Different DisCos announced different prices from N120,00 for a single-phase meter to about N240,00 for a three-phase meter, a sharp increase that has made struggling Nigerians question their choices in obtaining meter and estimated billing.

The average prices announced by distribution companies across the country are as follows.

Abuja DisCo:  

Single Phase Meter — Between N105,000 to  N131,000

Three Phase Meter — N198,000 to N220,000

Kaduna DisCo: 

Single Phase Meter — Between N120,000 to N132,000

Three Phase Meter — Between N206,000 to N215,000

Ikeja DisCo: 

Single Phase Meter — Between N120,000 to N125,000

Three Phase Meter — N213,000 to N225,000

Eko DisCo: 

Single Phase Meter — Between N117,000 to N135,000

Three Phase Meter — Between 145,000 to N247,000

This increase in price is true for all the eleven DisCos across the country.

How Nigerians are responding to the new meter prices 

For Nigerians already grappling with soaring inflation, skyrocketing living costs, and the recent hike in electricity tariffs for Band A customers, the sharp increase in meter prices feels like an added weight to their already overwhelming burdens.

Beyond the persistent challenge of availability, there’s a pressing concern about the purchasing power of consumers—many of whom are struggling to make ends meet in today’s harsh economic climate.

A lingering question is the stability of these meter prices, especially with the deregulation of the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.

Ifeoma Ugbe, a Lagos-based energy expert, said NERC typically announces price hikes at regular intervals, sometimes within a year. But with deregulation, the situation becomes even more uncertain.

“Deregulation means prices will fluctuate based on market realities, so we can’t expect them to stay the same for long,” she said. 

For customers who spoke to Nairametrics, the recent price increase has been met with frustration and concern.

Mr. Adetunji, a resident of Isolo, Lagos, expressed his disappointment, explaining that his household had been attempting to secure a prepaid meter for over a year before the price hike. “Now, we have to pay the new price. We don’t have a choice. And it’s not even as if the meter is readily available,” he lamented.

Usman Johnson, a landlord in Wuse, Abuja, shared a similar sentiment, noting that the increased cost of meters would only discourage customers like himself from obtaining one.

“Where do they expect us to find the money? First, you have to wait endlessly to get the meter, and now we’re expected to pay more. It feels like this government just enjoys raising prices on everything—tariffs have gone up, everything has gone up. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for the common man,” Johnson said. 

In Maryland, along Ikorodu Road, Mrs. Elizabeth Okiro, a store owner, shared her experience. She and other shop owners had been pooling funds to purchase five meters from their distribution company, only to discover that prices had increased significantly.

“Imagine spending over N1 million just to buy meters in this tough economy. We decided we’ll have to wait because after paying, you still have to cover installation costs. The economy is simply harsh. Our landlord eventually advised us to stop contributing—the cost is just too high,” Okiro explained.  

Her store is one of about 20 in the plaza, meaning most tenants are forced to remain on estimated billing.

Deregulation of MAP won’t ease the burden of the Masses  

Energy expert Ifeoma Ugbe argues that deregulating the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme alone may fall short of solving the challenges in the power sector.

“While the government aims to bring in more liquidity and investment, it is crucial that this is done with the interest of the masses in mind,” she says.  

Ugbe emphasized that for any reform to truly benefit the public, it must strike a balance between attracting investors and ensuring affordability for everyday consumers.

Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has set an ambitious target: to eliminate estimated billing by the end of the year.

But this goal appears increasingly out of reach. Recent data from Q1 2024 indicates that estimated billing rose by 10%, affecting over six million households.

The federal government plans to address this with the move to purchase 3.5 million meters this year to bridge the metering gap.

However, with around seven million customers still unmetered, significant challenges remain.

This has raised concerns that the government may resort to tariff hikes and a stronger emphasis on cost-reflective pricing.

Lawyer and energy expert Nonso Ikechukwu warns that such a strategy could place a further strain on consumers. “For most Nigerians, higher tariffs are simply unaffordable,” Ikechukwu states. 

He also highlights that rising inflation and currency instability will likely push meter prices even higher, potentially undermining the government’s plans.

“If meter prices continue to climb, it’s hard to see how this policy will succeed,” Ikechukwu adds, questioning whether the measures will actually ease the burden on ordinary citizens.

Bashiru Fakorede's Collaborator Modupe Oni-Orisan Exposed! Contradicts and Implicates Self in Oko-Orisan Land Dispute

Bashiru Fakorede's Collaborator Modupe Oni-Orisan Exposed! Contradicts and Implicates Self in Oko-Orisan Land Dispute

The ongoing land dispute between Aare Bashiru Fakorede and Harmony Gardens Ltd., the owner of Majestic Bay Estate, leading to allegations, counter-allegations, and a series of dramatic events, seems to be sorting itself out with a new clarity made possible by the utterance of one of the main villains, Mrs. Modupe Oni-Orisan Damazio, in a new video.

In a video interview with an unidentified media outlet, Mrs. Modupe Oni-Orisan falsely claimed to be the family head, despite the fact that Pa Moshood Babatunde Oni-Orisan, the legitimate family head, is still alive. She admitted her knowledge of Pa Moshood as the agreed family head who alongside other Oju Ota Villager sold part of the land called Majestic bay to Harmony Gardens Ltd. She claimed that she is now the new family head, appointed on June 20, 2024. She claimed to have taken over the headship of the family from Pa Moshood, who has been there for years, which may not be an issue. But the issue is, how do you revoke a legal transaction carried out by a previous leadership?

She also accused Harmony Gardens' CEO, Hon. Dr. Saheed Mosadoluwa, of assaulting her, yet the video evidence she provided was just an attempt to rope the owner of the company into what seems to be a calculative attempt by her and her partners, Aare Bashiru Fakorede, to frame up Saheed and hijack the property, as the video does not show that Saheed was anywhere at the scene. For years, they have sponsored media attacks on the company owners.

Her claim that his necklace fell into her bra during the alleged assault further raised suspicions about her credibility. Moreover, in another leaked video, Mrs. Modupe can be seen admitting to destroying the fence on the disputed property, further implicating herself in the violent attacks.

The dispute centers around a 10-acre portion of the Oni-Orisan family's land within the Oju Ota Gazetted property in Oko-Orisan, Epe, Lagos, which was sold to Harmony Gardens by Pa Moshood Babatunde Oni-Orisan, along with other key family members, including Mrs. Modupe Oni-Orisan Damazio.

The conflict escalated on July 17, 2024, when a group led by Bashiru Fakorede and Mrs. Modupe Oni-Orisan stormed the Majestic Bay project with armed thugs and maliciously demolished significant portions of the estate. This act was done without the presence of a court sheriff, a blatant violation of Lagos State Property Protection Laws. The destruction, valued at over 600 million Naira, included the theft of a payloader machine worth 185 million Naira.

Despite Saheed's efforts to address the issue legally, including reporting the incident to the Commissioner of Police, the situation took a turn for the worse. The AIG allegedly took over the case, but the suspects were released, and Saheed’s colleagues, Chief Sulaiman Salau and Pa. Olatunde Alebiosu, who are Executive Management Officers of Harmony Gardens and Estate Development Limited were surprisely illegally detained instead.

In response to these attacks, the Orisan community members intervened during the second attack, capturing some of the thugs and handing them over to the police. However, rather than proceeding with justice, the suspects were released, and Saheed's colleagues were detained on false charges.

Pa Moshood, the family head, even held a press conference in Lagos, where he defended the sale of the land to Hon. Audullahi Saheed's company, Harmony Gardens, emphasizing the legality of the transaction and his authority as the family head. He shared a 2022 newspaper publication confirming his appointment as the Olori Ebi (family head) by the Oni-Orisan Chieftaincy Family, highlighting that Mrs. Modupe Oni-Orisan had not contested his leadership until the recent dispute over the land sale.

During his speech, Pa Moshood revealed that the family owns approximately 5,400 acres of land in Epe, of which 2,000 acres have been acquired by the Lagos State government for the airport project and Oko-Orisan Scheme. He expressed bewilderment at Mrs. Modupe's sudden objections, given that there is still ample land available for the family's 77 grandchildren to share. He also disclosed that he had received land payment from Harmony Gardens, with the balance of N30 million pending due to the recent attacks on the company's property.

Pa Moshood specifically accused his half-sister, Mrs. Modupe Oni-Orisan, of orchestrating a campaign to undermine the legitimate sale of the land to Mr. Ibile's company and also condemned his sister for conniving with land grabbers to disturb the peace of Oko-Orisan community.

He recounted how she had filed a petition with the police, leading to his harassment by officers from Adeniji Adele and Zone 2, where they want him to implicate and deny selling the properties to Harmony Gardens to frame up Saheed Ibile, despite his advanced age and frail health.

He also criticized her for engaging Aare Bashiru Fakorede's hired lawyer to mislead Justice Harrison into issuing another Form O on an already executed judgment, which amounts to allowing further destruction of Harmony Gardens' property illegally, as the judgment was against another company, China Harbour, and not Harmony Gardens.

In addition, a letter from March 26, 2024, surfaced, revealing that Mrs. Modupe Oni-Orisan had previously acknowledged the sale of the land to Harmony Gardens. The letter, signed by several members of the Oni-Orisan family, instructed Harmony Gardens to suspend future payments to Pa Moshood's personal account and instead make them payable to the Oni-Orisan Chieftaincy Family, showing that Modupe Damazio knowingly engaged Aare Bashiru Fakorede to allegedly land grab what she knows her family had sold to Harmony Gardens, believing in Bashiru's influence with some senior police officers.

This letter contradicts Mrs. Modupe's claims of ignorance regarding the transaction and raises questions about her motivations.

As the legal battle continues, coupled with other events surrounding this issue, it appears that Mrs. Modupe Oni-Orisan's actions are driven by personal grievances and financial interests rather than a genuine concern for the family’s welfare. Harmony Gardens and Estates Development LTD, under the leadership of Hon. Dr. Saheed Mosadoluwa, remain committed to upholding the law and protecting their legitimate investment in the Oju Ota property. The public and authorities are urged to disregard the falsehoods propagated by Mrs. Modupe Oni-Orisan and support a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

PDP withdraws from Local Government elections

PDP withdraws from Local Government elections

Oborevwori begs as PDP youths protest imposition of LG election candidates

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has withdrawn its participation from the upcoming Kebbi State Local Government elections.

The PDP chairman in the state, Bello Suru, announced this in a press statement made available to journalists on Thursday.

He said that the chairman and all commissioners of the Kebbi State Independent Electoral Commission are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state, giving the APC candidates an unfair advantage.

“You will recall that during the last PDP stakeholders’ meeting, we agreed to participate in the forthcoming local government council elections given the circumstances of the time.

“However, as things have continued to unfold, and after wider consultation with various segments of the party membership and prominent elders, it has become necessary to inform you that the party is no longer participating in the Local Government Council elections scheduled for 31 August 2024 due to the following reasons:

“The Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission and all the commissioners are card-carrying members of the APC in Kebbi State. Therefore, organising free, fair, and credible elections will be a mirage.

“We have expressed our concerns regarding their appointments in several communications to the Kebbi State Government and relevant agencies involved in election management in the state,” Suru said.

He mentioned that the PDP therefore “does not have any confidence in the leadership of the State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct the elections freely.”

Furthermore, the party alleged that the electoral body requires participants to make payments, which it argued is contrary to election participation norms in Nigeria.

He added, “The Independent National Electoral Commission has been conducting elections for various offices since its establishment without charging any fees from candidates or political parties.

“The Kebbi State Independent Electoral Commission has introduced administrative fees for chairmanship, vice chairmanship, and councillorship positions as prescribed in the election guidelines,” which he said “not only disenfranchises some candidates but also grossly violates the freedom of choice for candidates, political parties, and the electorate.”

The chairman urged all party members across the 21 LGAs of the state to “remain calm and focused as we continue to reflect on the present and future of our great party at local, state, and national levels.”

He mentioned that the party hopes INEC will “soon take over the conduct and management of local government council elections to ensure free, fair, credible, and acceptable elections.”

In response to the charges, Isa Asalafi, the APC publicity secretary in the state, stated that the claims against the state electoral commission’s chairman and commissioners were false and could not be proven.

He said that the PDP withdrew from the race due to fear of losing, claiming, “They only announced their withdrawal when they realised that the majority of their members had defected to the APC.”

“I am sure you are aware that four of their lawmakers in the state House of Assembly recently announced their defection.”

Hassan Yauri, KISEC’s spokesman, disputed that any member of the commission was linked with a political organisation.

“The chairman of the commission has issued a statement denying the PDP’s allegations. It is unfortunate that rather than focussing their energy on the polls, the PDP has chosen to make claims about events that never occurred,” he said.

Favour Ofili, missing name; Paris 2024; We registered Ofili for 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, says AFN

Paris 2024; We registered Ofili for 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, says AFN

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) says it is in shock on why the name of sprinter Favour Ofili got missing from the 100m event of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

  The reigning Nigeria 100m queen, Ofili had raised the alarm this morning on discovering that her name was not on the list of competitors for the 100m event. She accused the AFN of deliberately omitting her name from the 100m event.

    But in a swift reaction, the AFN said this morning that it is also shocked on why Ofili's name was omitted in the 100m. 

    "We registered Ofili for the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay. We don't know how her name got missing in the 100m. This is our stand as a federation," AFN Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, said in a message to AFN Media. 

   It was athered that the AFN submitted Ofili's name for the three events on the final list it sent to the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) for the Paris Olympics. It was not clear this morning how her name was eventually left out in the 100m event. 

   Ofili ran 11.06 at the Nigerian Olympics Trials in Benin City to secure her place among the 56 athletes that will compete at the Paris Olympics. She has competed in more 100m races this season than the 200m and ran two wind-aided times of 10.85sec and 10.78secs. 

   Ofili took to her social media page to express her anger and disgust.

   "It is with great regret that I have just been told I will not be competing in the 100 meters at this Olympic Games. I qualified, but those with the AFN and NOC failed to enter me. I have worked for 4 years to earn this opportunity.

    ‘For what….to not be entered and compete at the Olympic Games because the responsible organization failed to enter me? ‘Please remember, in the last Olympic Games I was not able to compete because AFN, NADC and NOC failed to release funds for athletes to be tested, which made 14 Nigeria athletes that qualified to not compete.

    ‘Now THIS……..If those responsible are NOT held accountable for taking this opportunity from me, neither organization can EVER be trusted in the future! ‘Next one is the 200meters, I HOPE IM ENTERED,’ Ofili stated.