Buhari's appointees undermining anti-corruption war – Reps - Newstrends
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Buhari’s appointees undermining anti-corruption war – Reps

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The House of Representatives has accused ministers and other appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari of undermining the government’s efforts to tame corruption.

Chairman, Public Accounts Committee of the House, Wole Oke, stated this on Wednesday during the 2023 budget defence session with the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation.

This came after the auditor General of the Federation, Andrew Onwudili, had said his office had proposed a total budget of N11.151 billion for 2023 but the budget office approved and put N5.112 billion in the budget.

According to him, the office had proposed a personnel cost of N3.041 billion as against the N2.349 billion contained in the budget; a proposal of N5.59 billion for overhead costs as against the N2.113 billion; and a proposal of N2.52 billion for capital expenditure as against the N62.70 million contained in the budget estimates.

This apparently angered the committee members and immediately summoned the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed; the  Acting Accountant General of the Federation, Sylva Okolieaboh and the Director General, Budget Office the Federation, Ben Nwabueze; and the Head of Service, Folashade Yemi-Esan, giving them a seven-day ultimatum to appear.

He said, “It is very important at this point in time to state clearly. We want to observe that the government of President Buhari was elected based on his promise, determination to tame corruption, to humble corruption in our country.

“And one of the institutions, as a matter of fact, the fundamental institution which the crafters of our constitution put in place under Section 85 is the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation. By Act of the Parliament, we have created ancillary institutions like ICPC, EFCC to work with the products, with the findings of the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation after due consideration by the parliament.

“It is very unfortunate that we have noticed the concerted effort, determination to undermine the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation. To eradicate, to repeal illegally the supreme audit institution of this country. We have seen the determination of the lieutenants of Mr President, particularly the minister of finance, the DG Budget Office to undermine Mr President in his determination to wage war against corruption on the land.”

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Court remands alleged ‘fake PFIPC DG’ Adeyemi in Kuje over forgery

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Court remands alleged ‘fake PFIPC DG’ Adeyemi in Kuje over forgery

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the remand of Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, at the Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged forgery.

Justice Muhammed Umar reportedly made the order on Wednesday after Adeyemi was arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged forgery.

Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court also fixed October 12, 2026, for the hearing of his bail application and directed that the case be given accelerated hearing.

One of the allegations against Adeyemi relates to the alleged forgery of presidential letterhead paper on March 8, 2024.

He was also accused of allegedly forging a request for collaboration with the Ministry of the Area Councils, as well as documents requesting land allocation and office accommodation across the 36 states of the federation.

The documents were allegedly presented as having emanated from the State House in Abuja.

The case is connected to the controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, an organisation the Federal Government has said was never established as a government agency.

The Presidency had earlier disowned the organisation and warned members of the public and foreign missions against dealing with Adeyemi on the basis of his alleged claim to have been appointed by the Presidency.

The government subsequently said investigations had established that the purported agency was fictitious and alleged that Adeyemi used forged appointment letters and other government documents to present himself as a presidential appointee.

The authorities further alleged that documents associated with the purported organisation were used to seek official recognition and diplomatic assistance.

The controversy also attracted the attention of the House of Representatives, which investigated the activities of the organisation and the circumstances surrounding Adeyemi’s alleged appointment.

During the investigation, lawmakers were told that the appointment letter allegedly presented by Adeyemi had been confirmed to be fake by relevant government authorities.

The case has also raised questions over how the purported organisation was able to operate and obtain correspondence with some government institutions before the Presidency publicly disowned it.

Adeyemi, however, has denied the allegations against him and previously made counter-allegations concerning the circumstances surrounding his purported appointment. He has also questioned references to the PFIPC in government documents.

Those claims remain part of the wider controversy and have yet to be determined by the court.

With the latest order, Adeyemi will remain at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending further proceedings.

His bail application is expected to come up on October 12, 2026.

The allegations against him remain unproven until determined by the court.

Court remands alleged ‘fake PFIPC DG’ Adeyemi in Kuje over forgery

 

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FG Opens Nationwide Youth Registration, Targets Nigerians Aged 15–35

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FG Opens Nationwide Youth Registration, Targets Nigerians Aged 15–35
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande

FG Opens Nationwide Youth Registration, Targets Nigerians Aged 15–35

The Federal Government has commenced nationwide registration of Nigerians aged 15 to 35 under the National Youth Data Bank (NYDB), a new initiative designed to build a reliable database of young people and support access to jobs, skills training, internships, entrepreneurship and other opportunities.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, announced the commencement of the exercise as the government launched the National Youth Data Bank, saying accurate youth data would help improve the planning, targeting and delivery of government programmes.

The NYDB is designed to capture information on young Nigerians, including their education, skills, employment, entrepreneurship and other demographic characteristics. The official platform says the database is intended to provide a centralised and continuously updated picture of Nigeria’s youth population.

The government said the initiative is not an electoral registration exercise but a youth development programme aimed at improving how government identifies young people and connects them with relevant opportunities.

The registration covers young Nigerians in different sectors and settings, including those in schools, the informal sector, agriculture, sports, creative industries and technology.

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A key part of the exercise is the establishment of approved NYDB registration centres or cluster points. According to the official NYDB platform, young Nigerians can register at approved locations within their state, Local Government Area (LGA), school or other specially designated locations.

This means that not every school, LGA office or public facility is automatically a registration centre. Applicants are expected to use approved NYDB cluster points, where trained registration personnel will guide them through the process.

The exercise is being extended across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with the programme designed to reach young people in rural and underserved communities as well as those in urban areas.

The registration process begins with a visit to an approved NYDB cluster point, followed by an eligibility check and the creation of a youth profile. Participants are then required to confirm the information provided before completing the registration.

The 15 to 35 age bracket is the target population for the data-bank exercise. The database is expected to be updated continuously to maintain current information on eligible young Nigerians.

The Federal Ministry of Youth Development says the information gathered will help government understand where young people are located, what qualifications and skills they have, whether they are employed or seeking opportunities, and what forms of support may be required.

The NYDB platform identifies education, skills, employment, entrepreneurship, civic participation and health among the key areas of information being developed to strengthen youth-focused planning and interventions.

The initiative is also expected to improve the ability of government and authorised partners to identify young people who may be missing from existing datasets, particularly those in rural communities and underserved groups.

The Federal Ministry of Youth Development has separately announced plans for a National Youth Confab 2026, scheduled to begin in October, with participation expected from young Nigerians across the country’s 360 federal constituencies.

For Nigerians within the 15–35 age bracket, the government is therefore encouraging participation through the approved NYDB registration centres as the nationwide exercise expands.

FG Opens Nationwide Youth Registration, Targets Nigerians Aged 15–35

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Tinubu Returns After 30 Days in Europe, Says ‘I’m Healthy and Ready to Work’

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Tinubu Returns After 30 Days in Europe, Says ‘I’m Healthy and Ready to Work’

Tinubu Returns After 30 Days in Europe, Says ‘I’m Healthy and Ready to Work’

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after spending about 30 days in Europe, declaring that he is healthy, sound and ready to work after his extended working vacation.

Tinubu arrived at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 6:22pm on Tuesday after departing Paris, France, where he spent the final part of his trip.

Speaking briefly after his arrival, the President said he had enjoyed his time abroad and dismissed concerns about his health.

“I enjoyed myself,” Tinubu said when asked about his trip.

Asked whether he was ready to resume work, he replied: “Ready to kick. Ready to work. There’s nothing wrong.” He also described himself as “healthy, sound and ready to go.”

Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for what was initially announced as a three-week working vacation. He spent time in London before travelling to Paris, with the Presidency later announcing an extension of his stay.

During the European trip, Tinubu maintained contact with Nigerian officials and continued to receive updates on government affairs, according to the Presidency.

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While in Paris, he held a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace and met French businessman Vincent Bolloré and executives of the Bolloré Group.

He also witnessed the signing of an agreement involving the Ogun State Government and DP World for the proposed development of the Gateway Deep Sea Port and Blue Marine Economic Zone. The Presidency has described the proposed project as a $7 billion investment.

Tinubu’s extended stay abroad attracted public debate, particularly after he did not personally attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the UNGA and delivered the country’s national statement.

The Presidency defended the arrangement, maintaining that Tinubu remained in charge of government and continued to direct affairs while abroad.

His return to Nigeria through Lagos also comes ahead of the country’s 66th Independence Day celebrations on October 1.

Tinubu is expected to attend the premiere of MKO, a documentary on the life of the late businessman and pro-democracy campaigner MKO Abiola, at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos.

The film features archival material and interviews with prominent Nigerians, including former military leaders Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and Tinubu.

Tinubu’s return brings his extended European working vacation to an end, with the President expected to resume his regular official engagements as the administration enters the final quarter of 2026.

Tinubu Returns After 30 Days in Europe, Says ‘I’m Healthy and Ready to Work’

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