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.