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Reno Omokri makes false claim about Nigeria’s debt reduction under Tinubu

Zainab ABDULRASAQ
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Reno Omokri makes false claim about Nigeria’s debt reduction under Tinubu

Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has claimed that Nigeria’s total public debt has significantly dropped under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

Omokri said this during an interview with the News Central at the induction course for ambassadors and high commissioners designate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 27, 2026.

He further alleged that while the debt stood at $113 billion in June 2023, it dropped to $103 billion in April 2026.

He argued that critics like former governor Peter Obi misled the public by calculating the debt profile in naira rather than dollars.

“When this administration came into being on May 29, 2023, Nigeria owed $113 billion. So, if you go to DMO, the Debt Management Office, and go to their website, which is dmo.gov.ng, on March 31, 2023, Nigeria’s total debt was $108 billion. And then, because the DMO gives those figures every quarter, the next quarter, which was June 31, 2023, our debts had ballooned to $113 billion. Right now, as I speak to you, April 27, 2026, our debt is $103 billion.

“So, you can see that our debt under President Tinubu has reduced by 10 billion dollars. What people like Peter Obi tend to do is they calculate our debt in naira.”

As of April 28, the post has garnered over 90,000 views, 100 likes, and 70 quotes, causing lots of ruckus as financial debates erupted.

CLAIM

Nigeria’s total public debt has been reduced by $10 billion under President Tinubu, moving from $113 billion in June 2023 to $103 billion in April 2026.

Screenshot of the viral post on x.
Screenshot of the viral post on x.

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

To verify the claim, The FactCheckHub analysed data from the Debt Management Office (DMO).

Established on December 4, 2000, the Debt Management Office (DMO) of the Federal Government of Nigeria is responsible for managing and storing information regarding the country’s local and international debts.

Nigeria’s debt profile, also known as total public debt, is calculated by summing the total domestic and external debts of the federal government of Nigeria, the thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Data from the DMO shows that as of June 30, 2023, the total public debt was indeed $113.42 billion.

A Detailed Breakdown

On March 31, 2023: Two months before Tinubu took office, the debt stood at $108.30 billion. In naira terms, this was N49.85 trillion, calculated at an exchange rate of N460.35/$1.

By the end of the first month of the new administration, on June 30, 2023, the USD figure rose to $113.42 billion. However, the naira value saw a jump to N87.38 trillion. This was primarily due to two factors: the unification of the foreign exchange windows (shifting the rate to N770.38/$1) and the securitisation of “Ways and Means” (Central Bank loans) which were moved into the official public debt record.

As of the end of September 2025, the debt dropped to $103.94 billion. At this point, the exchange rate had shifted further to N1,474.83/$1, bringing the naira debt to N153.29 trillion.

According to the DMO report released on April 13, 2026, the debt surged again in the final quarter of 2025, that is, by the end of December 2025, reaching $110.97 billion (N159.28 trillion), and not $103 billion quoted by Omokri.

December public debt portfolio. credit: DMO

Reno Omokri’s assertion of a $10 billion reduction is based on a comparison between the June 2023 figure ($113.42 billion) and the September 2025 figure ($103.94 billion). This data cannot be used to assess the current economy in Nigeria.

At the end of 2025, the debt had climbed back up to $110.97 billion. This means that between June 2023 and the latest reported period, the actual reduction is only $2.45 billion, not $10 billion.

While Omokri argued that the debt should be viewed in USD to avoid misleading naira calculations, the naira perspective is critical for domestic economic assessment.

Since June 2023, the debt in naira terms has increased by 82.3 per cent from N87.38 trillion to N159.28 trillion.

VERDICT

The claim by Reno Omokri that Nigeria’s debt has reduced by $10 billion between June 2023 and April 2026 is FALSE. He used an outdated data point from September 2025 to frame a narrative of significant debt reduction. The latest official DMO data, released in April 2026, shows that the debt has since surged to $110.97 billion, making the actual reduction since June 2023 only $2.45 billion.

This report is republished from FactCheckHub. The original story can be read here.

PDP’s cracks widen after Supreme Court ruling

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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PDP’s cracks widen after Supreme Court ruling

THERE appears to be no end in sight to the crises rocking the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) as the party joins its contemporaries to prepare for the 2027 elections.

The conflicts took another turn on Thursday, April 30, shortly after the Supreme Court nullified the Ibadan Convention of a faction of the party, backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and other stalwarts, in November 2025.

The convention produced the Kabiru Turaki-led National  Working Committee of the faction.

In its ruling, the court lampooned the faction and voided the convention over what it described as deliberate disobedience of subsisting court orders.

Consequently, the Turaki-led group’s Board of Trustees announced its readiness to assume the party’s leadership.

However, the rival faction belonging to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike said the apex court’s ruling simply affirmed its control of the PDP.

The Turaki-led BoT, through a statement by its charman, Adolphus Wabara, a former senator, said it would assume the PDP’s leadership to avoid a vacuum, and “pursuant to the empowering provisions of the constitution of the PDP (As amended in 2017)”

It posited that the Supreme Court verdict nullified both the Ibadan Convention and the Wike-backed convention in Abuja.
“While the Supreme Court invalidated the Ibadan Convention, it also in a unanimous decision of the five justices on the panel, upheld the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature, Kamaldeen Ajibade as National Secretary, National Organising Secretary and National Legal Adviser respectively from the party.
“The implication of today’s judgment by the Supreme Court is that all actions taken by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature and Barr. Kamaldeen Ajibade including the appointment of Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman, the composition of the National Caretaker Working Committee and the conduct and outcome of the March 29, 2026 Convention in Abuja are illegal, null and ab initio void.
“The consequential invalidation of both the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led as well as the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led Working Committees directly places the statutory onus of leadership of our great party on the shoulders of the Board of Trustees (BoT) as the Second Highest Organ of the Party, pursuant to the express and unambiguous provision of Section 32 (5) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017),” the Turaki faction’s BoT said.
The BoT noted that it was convening an emergency meeting to appoint an Interim National Working Committee to take charge of the National Secretariat of the PDP and pilot its affairs.
Late Thursday night, the Turaki-led faction held an emergency stakeholders’ meeting, which further ratified the decision for its BoT to step in and lead the party pending the appointment of a caretaker committee.
Some of the faction’s organs at the meeting are its BoT members, Governors’ Forum, members of the National Assembly Caucus, the National Executive Committee (NEC), the National Caucus, State Chairmen, and Ex-Officio members.
 Meanwhile, shortly after the Supreme Court verdict, Wike addressed a press conference where he claimed that the ruling had resolved all disputes surrounding the party’s leadership structure.

“Today, the Supreme Court has brought to an end the so-called factions of the PDP. There is no more faction in the party. There is only one PDP. The Supreme Court has validated our (Abuja) Convention and set aside all claims to any parallel structure. What this means is that the PDP has come to stay as one united party,” he said.

Wike added that the PDP remained Nigeria’s leading opposition party and a “credible alternative” to the All-Progressives Congress (APC) – the party he is currently serving in.

The ICIR reports that Abdulrahman Mohammed emerged as National Chairman, and Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary of the Wike-backed PDP.

Whereas, nother statement signed by Wike’s faction BoT members on Thursday evening affirmed Mohammed and Anyanwu as the party’s leader following the apex court verdict.

The statement, signed by its chairman, Mao Ohuabunwa, a former senator, averred that the Ibadan Convention was annulled as ruled by the court.

According to him, the verdict also validated the convention held in Abuja by Wike’s block.

“The leadership structure of the party under Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed – National Chairman, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, FCIPA – National Secretary remains the valid and stabilising authority to guide the affairs of the party at the national level.
“The party remains fully functional and will continue to operate through its recognised organs in line with the constitution of our party (as amended in 2017) Necessary constitutional steps will be taken, as appropriate, to further strengthen the party’s unity, stability, and preparedness for upcoming electoral engagements,” part of the statement said.
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Workers’ Day 2026: Atiku, Obi knock Tinubu over hardship, failed promises, others

Mustapha USMAN
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Workers’ Day 2026: Atiku, Obi knock Tinubu over hardship, failed promises, others

FORMER Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Thursday criticised the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying his government pushed Nigerians into deeper hardship. 

In separate Workers’ Day messages, on Friday, May 1, both opposition figures said the government’s reforms, especially the removal of fuel subsidy, worsened living conditions for workers across the country. 

In a statement titled “Broken Promises, Shattered Hopes: The Nigerian Worker’s Burden Under the Tinubu Administration,” Abubakar said this year’s Workers’ Day should be a moment of grief rather than celebration.

He argued that the “Renewed Hope” slogan of the government had translated into “renewed hardship” for citizens, adding that Nigerian workers, including teachers, nurses, civil servants, artisans and factory workers, had borne the brunt of economic reforms without adequate protection.

Abubakar acknowledged that the removal of fuel subsidy was, in principle, a necessary reform but faulted the manner of its implementation, describing it as “reckless and callous.” 

He said the policy was introduced without proper planning, social safety nets or cushioning measures, leading to a sudden spike in transport, food and living costs.

According to him, while the government claimed to have saved trillions of naira from the subsidy removal, ordinary Nigerians have yet to feel its benefits. 

He alleged that instead, the funds were largely shared among tiers of government and directed toward projects such as the controversial Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which he claimed lacked competitive bidding and due process.

“While the Nigerian workers pay more to transport themselves to and from work, more to eat, more to keep their children in school, the administration is signing off on an $11 billion contract that bypassed every safeguard of transparency and accountability that should protect the public purse,” he wrote.

He added that “increasing taxes during an economic crisis, when citizens are already struggling to survive, is not fiscal responsibility. It is an act of cruelty masquerading as policy.

“What makes this administration’s economic record even more alarming is that, alongside all the new revenues generated, from subsidy savings, from a floating exchange rate that boosted naira receipts on dollar-denominated revenues, and from aggressive taxation, government borrowing has also increased dramatically. Nigeria’s debt profile has worsened. And, yet, for two consecutive years, the government has been unable to fully fund its own budget. Nigerians are owed a full and transparent account of where all this money has gone.”

In his remarks, Obi described workers as “the backbone of every nation,” but lamented that Nigerian workers are increasingly unable to survive on their wages due to rising inflation and cost of living.

He said the minimum wage could no longer guarantee a decent standard of living, stressing that no country could develop beyond the strength and welfare of its workforce.

“It is deeply painful that those who wake up every day to teach, heal, build, farm, produce, transport, protect, and serve our nation are still denied the dignity and fair reward their labour deserves. In today’s Nigeria, the minimum wage can no longer guarantee even the most modest standard of living, as inflation, rising food prices, transportation costs, and economic hardship continue to erode the value of honest work.

“No nation can truly develop beyond the strength, productivity, and wellbeing of its workforce. The progress of any society rests on the quality of its human capital, the skill of its people, and the commitment of its workers. When workers suffer, the nation suffers. When workers are empowered, the nation prospers,” he wrote.

INEC reinstates Mark, Aregbesola as ADC chairman, secretary

Mustapha USMAN
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INEC reinstates Mark, Aregbesola as ADC chairman, secretary

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has updated its website to reflect David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Secretary.

The decision followed Thursday’s Supreme Court’s ruling on the party’s leadership dispute.

The change reverses the electoral body’s earlier stance in April to remove the Mark-led leadership from its portal after citing an Appeal Court judgment on the party’s leadership tussle.

The ICIR reported that the appex court set aside the Court of Appeal’s order directing parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum.

In a unanimous ruling, the court ordered the return of the litigation on the crisis to the Federal High Court for determination.

It held that the matter must proceed at the trial court for full hearing and determination. The court frowned at the “unnecessary, improper and unwarranted” ante bellum order by the Appeal Court.

The leadership crisis in the party had deepened after controversial orders were issued by courts.

In the suit before the Federal High Court, the party’s factional leader, Nafiu Gombe asked the court to restrain Mark’s faction from parading itself as the party’s leaders and compel INEC to recognise him instead.
Upon hearing the matter, the Federal High Court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit, to prevent actions that could undermine judicial process.
Dissatisfied with the proceedings at the trial court, Mark’s faction approached the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear the case.
However, the Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge and upheld the proceedings at the trial court, affirming that the Federal High Court was competent to entertain the suit.
The appellate court further directed all parties, including INEC, to maintain the status quo to avoid rendering the outcome of the case useless.

Relying on the Appeal Court’s directive, INEC announced it would not recognise any faction of the ADC and subsequently removed the names of Mark and his executives from its official portal, effectively leaving the party without a recognised leadership.

Dissatisfied, the Mark-led faction approached the Supreme Court to challenge the decision.

In a unanimous ruling on Thursday, the Supreme Court described the ante bellum order as “unnecessary, improper and unwarranted,” while it asked parties in the suit to return to the Federal High Court for proper hearing of the case.

Tinubu nominates Joseph Tegbe as power minister

Esther Tomo
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Tinubu nominates Joseph Tegbe as power minister

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has nominated Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Nigeria’s Minister of Power.

Tegbe will succeed immediate past power minister, Adebayo Adelabu, if his appointment is confirmed by the Senate.

Announcing his appointment in a statement on Thursday, April 30, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga said Tegbe was expected to strengthen ongoing efforts to reform the nation’s power sector, enhance grid stability, and attract sustainable investment.

It also noted that the nomination had been forwarded to the Senate in line with constitutional procedures.

Tegbe, from Oyo State, is an experienced economist and policy expert with over three decades of work across government and private sector.

“He is a former Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he led wide-ranging initiatives in fiscal policy reform, institutional transformation, and governance. He has also advised key government institutions and private sector organisations on strategic reforms, regulatory frameworks, and investment structuring.”

“He is currently serving as Director-General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, where he coordinates development efforts between Nigeria and China,” the Presidency said.

The ICIR reported that the former minister Adelabu resigned to pursue governorship ambition in Oyo State.

Another report by The ICIR highlighted the challenges in the nations’ power sector and tasks awaiting the new minister.

 

 

 

UPDATED: Supreme Court returns ADC leadership case to Federal High Court, affirms Mark’s leadership

Mustapha USMAN  and  Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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UPDATED: Supreme Court returns ADC leadership case to Federal High Court, affirms Mark’s leadership

THE Supreme Court has ordered the return of the leadership dispute rocking the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) to the Federal High Court for determination.

In a unanimous ruling delivered on Thursday, the apex court set aside the Court of Appeal’s order directing parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum.

The court held that the matter must proceed at the trial court for full hearing and determination and frowned at the “unnecessary, improper and unwarranted” ante bellum order by the Appeal Court.

It also refused to entertain the appellant’s argument challenging the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal, ruling that the lower appellate court acted within its powers.

With the decision, the Supreme Court effectively restored the David Mark-led executive of the ADC, pending the outcome of the substantive case at the Federal High Court.

In the suit, Gombe asked the court to restrain Mark’s faction from parading itself as the party’s leadership and to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him instead.

Upon hearing the matter, the Federal High Court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit, to prevent actions that could undermine the judicial process.

Following the earlier ante bellum order by the Court of Appeal, INEC had announced that it would not recognise any faction of the ADC. It proceeded to remove the names of Mark and his executives from its official portal, citing the need to comply with the court’s directive.

The Mark-led faction subsequently escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, again challenging the jurisdiction of the lower courts.

INEC decision effectively left the ADC without a recognised leadership at a crucial period in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.

The development also sparked protests in Abuja, with party members accusing the electoral commission of bias and warning that the crisis threatened the party’s internal democracy. The ADC stalwarts led a protest to the INEC headquarters in Abuja, calling on its chairman, Joash Amupitan, to resign.

Despite INEC’s refusal to rescind on its decision, the Mark’s faction went ahead with its planned congresses and national convention, accusing INEC of bias and interference in its internal affairs.

However, a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, April 30, barred INEC from recognising or participating in any congress organised by the disputed caretaker leadership of the ADC.

 The ICIR reports that today’s ruling came two days after the Mark’s faction wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, appealing for urgent and timely delivery of judgment in the pending case concerning the party’s leadership.

The faction, in a letter dated April 28, 2026, addressed to the CJN by its counsel, S.E. Aruwa, SAN & Co., said the unresolved appeal threatened its constitutional right to contest the 2027 polls and could leave it without recognised leadership.

NOTE: This report has been updated to reflect that the Supreme Court ruling returned David Mark as the ADC National chairman.

 

 

 

 

Supreme Court voids PDP Ibadan convention

Mustapha USMAN  and  Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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Supreme Court voids PDP Ibadan convention

THE Supreme Court has nullified the national convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) held in Ibadan in November 2025 over what it described as deliberate disobedience of subsisting court orders.

The convention was organised by the party’s faction, led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki.

In a split judgment of three justices to two, the apex court, on Thursday, April 30, held that the convention, which produced a parallel leadership structure within the party, was conducted in clear violation of judicial directives, making it legally untenable.

Delivering the lead judgment, Stephen Adah faulted the Turaki-led faction for going ahead with the exercise despite a court order restraining it. 

The court said the group ignored instructions from a trial court that had specifically directed that the convention be suspended until all qualified aspirants were given the opportunity to purchase nomination forms and participate.

The justices in the majority, Mohammed Garba and Chidioma Nwosu-Iheme, concurring with the lead judgment. They held that such conduct amounted to a disregard for the authority of the court and could not be allowed to stand.

Adah described the decision to proceed with the Ibadan convention as condemnable, stressing that obedience to court orders is fundamental to the rule of law.

The ruling is the latest development in the prolonged leadership crisis rocking the PDP following its controversial national convention in Ibadan and ill troubles that had bedeviled it.

The convention produced a leadership team led by Turaki. However, some members loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, were suspended during the convention. The suspended members challenged their sack in the court.

On December 22, 2025, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected requests by the Turaki-led team that the commission recognise the party’s new National Working Committee (NWC), citing existing court judgments and unresolved legal processes.

The INEC referenced two Federal High Court rulings in Abuja in October and November 2025, which restrained it from giving effect to the outcome of the Ibadan convention.

The electoral commission noted that pending appeals did not automatically stay the execution of these judgments and emphasised that it remained bound by the law.

A letter signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, explained that, in light of the suits, the commission could not update or recognise the list of national officers elected at the Ibadan convention.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, in January 2026, had nullified the convention and barred Turaki and other officials who emerged from the exercise from acting as national officers of the party. 

In March 2026, the Court of Appeal dismissed the PDP faction’s attempt to overturn an earlier judgment that restrained INEC from recognising the outcome of the convention. The appellate court upheld the lower court’s decision and imposed costs on the Turaki-led faction.

Following the decision, the party announced that it had instructed its lawyers to file an appeal and pursue all available legal options to defend its position.

Despite these rulings, the Turaki-led faction continued to insist on the legitimacy of its leadership, while the rival Wike-aligned bloc also laid claim to the party’s national structure, following a separate convention in Abuja.

The PDP’s internal crisis has been deepened by long-standing political divisions that emerged after the 2023 general elections, particularly disagreements over presidential zoning and the party’s primary election. 

FG declares May 1 public holiday for Workers’ Day

Esther Tomo
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FG declares May 1 public holiday for Workers’ Day

THE Federal Government has declared Friday, May 1, as public holiday to commemorate 2026 International Workers’ Day.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Magdalene Ajani, signed the statement containing the announcement on behalf of the Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

Tunji-Ojo applauded Nigerian workers for their commitment and contribution to the nation’s development, noting that their roles remained crucial to Nigeria’s progress and economic stability.

He also reassured workers of the government’s efforts to improve their welfare and ensure their safety while working toward economic prosperity for all citizens.

He encouraged Nigerians to remain peaceful during the holiday, adding that Workers’ Day should serve as a time to reflect on unity, diligence, and the collective effort needed for nation-building.

The ICIR reports that the International Workers’ Day is a moment for workers worldwide to reflect on their work and call on government to improve their welfare. The day is marked in many countries by rallies, parades, and speeches by labour unions and governments.

Nigerian workers, through the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have continued to appeal to the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to support their members following increasing hardship in the country.

The government had in 2024 raised the minimum wage from N33,000 to N70,000, but the workers said the new wage was inadequate to meet prevailing economic realities.

Responding to the appeals, the government approved increased allowances for the workers earlier this month, though many workers believe the package could only address some of their challenges.

Tinubu appoints Bianca Ojukwu as Foreign Affairs minister

Nurudeen AKEWUSHOLA
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Tinubu appoints Bianca Ojukwu as Foreign Affairs minister

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appointed Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The appointment followed the resignation of the former minister, Yusuf Tuggar.

The ICIR reported in March that Tuggar resigned from Tinubu’s cabinet to pursue the governorship of Bauchi State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who previously served as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, now takes over the ministry.

Tinubu also nominated Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

The appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.

Until his nomination, Enikanolaiye, from Kogi State, served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations.

He is a career diplomat with over three decades of service. He has held several positions, including Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He also served in diplomatic missions in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London, and New Delhi.

Tinubu said the appointments were part of efforts to reposition Nigeria’s foreign policy for greater efficiency and stronger global partnerships.

He urged the appointees to promote Nigeria’s national interest, advance economic diplomacy, and protect the welfare of Nigerians at home and abroad.

The ICIR reported in March that Tuggar resigned from the cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he moves to pursue the governorship of Bauchi State ahead of the 2027 general election.

 

 

Tinubu sacks NMDPR boss Saidu Mohammed, nominates Rabiu Umar as replacement

Harrison EDEH
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Tinubu sacks NMDPR boss Saidu Mohammed, nominates Rabiu Umar as replacement

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has sacked Saidu Mohammed as head of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA)

Consequently, he has nominated Rabiu Abdullahi Umar to replace him, but the appointment still requires Senate approval.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday, April 29.

The Presidency said the decision was taken in the public interest and in line with the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 to improve regulation of the sector.

Part of the statement reads: “This decision, made pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, is aimed at strengthening regulatory effectiveness in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Mr Umar is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors and a proven track record in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery. He is a graduate of Accounting from Bayero University and an alumnus of Harvard Business School,” it added.

Until the Senate confirms the new nominee, the most senior official at the agency will act as head.

Tinubu thanked the outgoing chief executive for his service and wished him well.

He also said his administration remained focused on strengthening leadership in key institutions to support energy security and economic growth.

In the past weeks, the NMDPRA, the foremost petroleum regulatory agency in Nigeria, has been involved in some controversies.

For instance, the former NMDPRA CEO, Farouk Ahmed, resigned his position almost immediately after Dangote Refinery allegations thrust the agency into controversy.

The developments came amid a petition filed by Aliko Dangote, the president and chief executive of Dangote Industries Limited, to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging abuse of office, corrupt enrichment, and unlawful diversion of public funds by the NMDPRA chief.

On the heels of the allegation, the ICPC said it would investigate a petition filed by billionaire Aliko Dangote against the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, The ICIR reported.

 

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