Vice-President Kashim Shettima mentioned that President Bola tinubu’s  administration faced a challenging situation upon assuming office in 2023.

Shettima stated that Tinubu inherited a challenging situation.

• Shettima made these remarks during a meeting with a United Nations System delegation in Abuja.

• He highlighted that fuel subsidy had been a persistent challenge for Nigerian governments over the years.

“We had two options – either we get rid of subsidy or subsidy will get rid of the Nigerian nation.

“We have to be our brother’s keeper, but we were literally subsidising the fuel of the entire West African region,” he said.

• President Tinubu’s decision to abolish the subsidy and unify exchange rates to allow the Naira to float freely was mentioned as causing challenges from a humanitarian perspective.

• Shettima emphasized that eliminating the fuel subsidy and uniting exchange rates were difficult yet crucial steps needed to save Nigeria from economic turmoil.

• The Vice-President pledged that Nigeria would collaborate closely with the UN to tackle the nation’s difficulties.

• He assured the UN delegation that Nigeria would align itself with the global organization.

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka  recently criticized Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, stating that he is not fit to govern Nigeria.

Wole Soyinka Issues Caution to Peter Obi Before 2027 Elections, Reveals Reasons Why He Shouldn’t Be President

During an interview, Soyinka mentioned that Obi allegedly encouraged his followers, known as Obidients, to attack him and others who held opposing views online ahead of the 2023 presidential elections.

Soyinka advised Obi against running for president in the upcoming election for the country’s benefit, expressing concerns about Obidients’ behavior online.

He emphasized that Obi’s association with individuals who engage in online trolling makes him unsuitable to lead Nigeria, warning that the same followers might eventually turn against him.

When asked what he thinks about the movement, he said;

“It has to do with education. I didn’t read all these (insults by Obidient Movement) but of course, some links were sent to me, especially when facts were ‘being manufactured’.

“When I read these things, I was disgusted. There’s no other word for it. I really was disgusted and I know that it was orchestrated.

“I know that there is a relay mechanism, which is triggered into action by those who control what we call the trolls of the Internet, and so my disgust and contempt. I just went about my business, you know, because nobody, anybody on this earth who thinks they can stop me telling the truth as I see it needs to have his or her head examined. It’s as elementary as that.

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“But it is depressing to see those who wanted to be political leaders encouraging that kind of action, that kind of attitude in the youth. And my mind went to the expression, ‘They don’t know what they’re doing’. Those who sow the wind will reap the whirlwind.

“One of these days, they would be astonished, they would turn on them and teach them a lesson. And so, my attitude was very blasé and it is for me a sad phenomenon, especially for those who want to lead multi-textured (society)- different religions, different ethnic groups, different worldviews – who actually want to preside over such a group as one. It means that they have already declared themselves incompetent to lead such an entity.

“I hope for the sake of the nation that he doesn’t express interest in the next election because for me as a leader if there was any proof that he was unfit to lead that country, it’s in the conduct which he encouraged among his followers.”

Governors of the 36 States of the federation have stated that the proposed N60,000 minimum wage by the Federal Government is unsustainable and unfeasible.

State Governors Reject ₦60,000 Minimum Wage, Deeming It Unsustainable

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) recently went on strike after rejecting this wage offer. However, the strike was temporarily suspended for one week to allow for further negotiations with the government, which had pledged to raise the wage from N60,000.

The state Governors believe that the N60,000 minimum wage is not practical and would lead some states to borrow money to meet salary obligations.

The statement reads;

“The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is in agreement that a new minimum wage is due. The Forum also sympathises with labour unions in their push for higher wages.

“However, the Forum urges all parties to consider the fact that the minimum wage negotiations also involve consequential adjustments across all cadres, including pensioners.

“The NGF cautions parties in this important discussion to look beyond just signing a document for the sake of it; any agreement to be signed should be sustainable and realistic.

“All things considered, the NGF holds that the N60,000 minimum wage proposal is not sustainable and can not fly. It will simply mean that many states will spend all their FAAC allocations on just paying salaries with nothing left for development purposes.

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“In fact, a few states will end up borrowing to pay workers every month. We do not think this will be in the collective interest of the country, including workers.

“We appeal that all parties involved, especially the labour unions, consider all the socioeconomic variables and settle for an agreement that is sustainable, durable, and fair to all other segments of the society who have legitimate claim to public resources.”

The Kano State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reported seizing 230,600 tablets of Tramadol and apprehending 106 suspects in the state. Commander Mr.

NDLEA Seizes 230,600 Tramadol Tablets, Detains 106 Suspects in Kano

Abubakar Idris-Ahmad shared this information with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kano.

During operations preceding the Eid-el Kabir celebration from June 10 to June 13, the command intercepted 230,600 Tramadol tablets along the Zaria-Kano road.

“The operations, mandated by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba-Marwa, in curbing the menace of drug abuse in Nigeria, resulted to the arrest.”

He revealed that the agency also apprehended 106 male suspects, including 11 identified as major drug dealers.

“The suspects were arrested at various drug joints in Sani Abacha Stadium, Karkasara, Sani Abacha Youth Center, Dorayi, Dan-Agundi graveyard, Brigade Mini Stadium and the infamous Filin Idi drug den.”

The recovered exhibits include:

Cannabis sativa
Rubber solution
Suck and die
Exol tablets
Codeine syrup
Other illicit substances

“These illicit substances were intended for distribution and use during the Eid -el Kabir celebrations.

“NDLEA Kano Command is committed to eradicating the scourge of drug abuse and trafficking,” Idris-Ahmad said.

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The commander extended wishes for a drug-free Sallah celebration to the good people of Kano State and encouraged the public to report any drug-related activities to the nearest NDLEA office.

”Together, we can work towards creating a safer and healthier community for all,” Idris-Ahmad said.

The family of the late former Chief Executive of e-commerce giant, Konga, Nick Imudia, has refuted claims that he died by suicide.

Family of Former Konga CEO, Nick Imudia, Denies Suicide Reports

They stated that investigations are still ongoing to determine the cause of his death, with suicide being ruled out.

The family also challenged reports that Imudia had contacted his brother and daughter with instructions before his death, emphasizing that news of his passing while they were at the hospital trying to save him seemed suspicious.

“The family of Nick Imudia is unhappy with the unprofessional manner the media has wrongly characterised the reporting of Nick Imudia’s death as suicide. This is also supported by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police’s office that has vowed to investigate the sudden death of Nick. Neither did Nick call his brother in America with instructions on how to distribute his wealth, nor placed a call to his daughter with any instructions.

How come the news was reported so hastilly (less than 3 hours from his death) before his family members even knew about it and the medical team was still trying to resuscitate him at the hospital! The Imudia family wonders!”

The family added that the former Konga CEO comes from a close-knit family where support abounds.

“Nick never showed any sign of stress and he was not diagnosed as depressed at any point. The thought of suicide in the manner portrayed and hastilly reported by the news media is suspect. Nick Imudia, until his death was the Group CEO of D.light International with Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, where he was residing. He managed the company’s worldwide operations from Nairobi. Nick was full of life and people that worked closely with him or met him in the last hours prior to the incident surrounding his death were shocked with the media attributing his death to ‘suicide’.

He was on a short visit to Lagos after a brief trip to the Netherlands and was to return to Nairobi a day after his sudden death. Nick made his initial career mark with Nokia, the Finnish based Telecommunication Company before he was transferred from Helsinki to manage Nokia Asia operations in Singapore.

Later in his career with Nokia, he was appointed as the Managing Director of Nokia – West and Central Africa. When Microsoft bought Nokia, he opted to leave the company. Looking for a new challenge, he became the CEO of Konga Nigeria where he reengineered the company’s operation.

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At his prime age and the level of his achievements, people who knew Nick well are all shocked and do not accept the characterization of his death as suicide. Members of Nick’s family do request the media and the general public to allow them to grief their loved one without any unfounded rumour of the circumstances surrounding his death.”