Author: TheScrutinyNG

Ali Ndume, the senator representing Borno South in the National Assembly, has declared that the North is an asset and not a liability to Nigeria, insisting on his strong opposition to the controversial tax reform bills. In a statement issued over the weekend, Ndume again criticised the timing and scope of the bills, arguing that they disproportionately target low- and middle-income Nigerians, who are already bearing the brunt of the current administration’s economic policies. He said, “The North was, is, and will never be a parasite or dependent on any region or even the country. We are assets, not liabilities,…

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has explained why the 36 state governors are demanding wider consultations over the Tax Reform Bills. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju on Sunday, Makinde said it was to carry the entire country along given the bills’ far-reaching implications. He also stated that he was not against the bills but only expressed the reservations raised by the governors to journalists. Makinde explained that the National Economic Council unanimously agreed that the bills should be withdrawn from the National Assembly to allow for wider consultation. “At the NEC…

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), through its Directorate of State (DOS), has called for deliberate actions against poverty. The separatist group was reacting to the death, in Okija, Anambra State, of about 22 women during a stampede at a palliative distribution event organized by philanthropist Obi Jackson. The group expressed deep sympathy to the people of Okija Community and the entire Igbo nation over the tragic loss of the over 22 women. In a statement signed by Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, the group described the incident as heartbreaking and emphasized the need for better crowd…

The United States president-elect, Donald Trump, has dismissed claim of handing over presidency to Elon Musk. On Sunday, Donald Trump answered with a resounding no, pointing to US rules about being born in the country. “He’s not gonna be president, that I can tell you,” Trump told a Republican conference in Phoenix, Arizona. “You know why he can’t be? He wasn’t born in this country,” Trump said of the Tesla and SpaceX boss, who was born in South Africa. The US Constitution requires that a president be a natural-born US citizen. Trump was responding to criticism, particularly from the Democratic…

Abdullahi Ganduje, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that the Federal Government is commited to energy sufficiency for all Nigerians. This is as he reiterated his party’s commitment to also ensuring energy sufficiency for homes and businesses, which he described as crucial for economic growth and the well-being of Nigerians. Speaking at the inauguration of the World Bank-assisted Core Building of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED) at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Ganduje, represented by the former Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, emphasized the importance…

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday 25th, Thursday 26th December 2024, and Wednesday 1st January, 2025 as Public Holidays to celebrate Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year respectively. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani in a statement on Monday in Abuja said The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government. According to her, the minister extended warm greetings to all Nigerians, urging them to use the festive period to reflect on the values of love, peace, and unity that the season signifies. Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasized the importance of…

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has said in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria has a listening leader, urging the citizens to queue behind the president. He said Nigeria has a listening president whose pragmatic approach to governance requires the support of the citizenry. The former Abia governor stated this after a courtesy visit to the president’s private residence in Lagos on Saturday night. Kalu said, “I had to pay my friend and brother of the class of 1999 Governors, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, a friendly private visit to commend his courageous strides in sailing the course of the nation and…

Dr. Doyin Okupe, former Director-General of Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign Organisation and erstwhile Labour Party (LP) chieftain, has attributed the wave of defections from the party to its failure to establish a sustainable structure following the 2023 elections. Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday, Okupe noted that the Labour Party’s current challenges have left elected members seeking political relevance and survival elsewhere. NAN reports that six LP lawmakers recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the floor of the House of Representatives. These lawmakers include Rep. Tochukwu Chinedu…

The Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA) has condemned the alleged murder of 37-year-old Nigerian, Mr Julius Chukwunta, by four South Africans. Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on December 7, 2024, while driving to his residence in Midrand Protea Estate. NICASA President-General Dr Frank Onyekwelu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, said Chukwunta was blocked by the four men while approaching his residence. According to him, after attempting to pass through, he was met with resistance, prompting him to seek help at the security…

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer and activist, has decried the loss of over 105 lives in stampedes during food and cash distribution events in Nigeria, attributing the tragedies to “poverty-induced neoliberal economic policies” and “criminal negligence.” In a statement released on Sunday, Falana, who chairs the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), detailed the incidents and called for justice. “These tragic events are a national shame,” he said. “The victims were not just statistics but human beings driven to desperation by systemic poverty and the gross incompetence of those entrusted with their safety.” The latest tragedies occurred on December…