Former Sokoto State Governor and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, is currently being interrogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged financial scandal involving ₦189 billion.

Sources within the anti-graft agency confirmed that Tambuwal arrived at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja at about 11:30 am on Monday, August 11, where he has since been undergoing intense questioning.

The alleged scandal revolves around massive cash withdrawals reportedly made during his tenure as governor of Sokoto State from 2015 to 2023.

Investigators say the transactions are in direct violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“The withdrawals are in clear violation of the law,” a top EFCC official disclosed, adding that the probe had been quietly ongoing for several months before the former governor was summoned.

Tambuwal, a key figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one of its top strategists, has now joined the growing list of high-profile political figures facing EFCC scrutiny.

When contacted for confirmation, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, declined to comment on the development, stating:

“No official statement will be released until the ongoing questioning is concluded.”

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Ms. Rinsola Abiola, daughter of the late Chief MKO Abiola, as the new Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC).

The announcement was made on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.

Described by the statement as “an expert in strategic communication and government relations,” Ms. Abiola previously served as Senior Special Assistant to the President.

She now heads the Abuja-based institution tasked with nurturing leadership, civic responsibility, and patriotism among citizens.

In his announcement, Onanuga also revealed the appointment of Nasir Bala Aminu Ja’oji as Senior Special Assistant on Citizenship and Leadership.

Noted for his advocacy of women and youth empowerment, Mr. Ja’oji previously served as Special Adviser on Mobilisation to the Kano State Governor and held a position on the Governing Council of the Coordinated Arewa Youth Groups.

Despite mounting criticism accusing the administration of favoritism, favoring political allies, prominent families, and loyalists, the Presidency maintains its appointments are merit-based.

In the official statement, Onanuga declared:

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ms. Rinsola Abiola as Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC). Ms. Abiola, an expert in strategic communication and government relations, previously served as Senior Special Assistant to the President. In addition, President Tinubu appointed Nasir Bala Aminu Ja’oji as Senior Special Assistant on Citizenship and Leadership. Mr. Ja’oji… is an advocate of women and youth empowerment and development.”

Prof. Edeoga,

Former Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Prof. Hilary Edeoga, has officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State.

Edeoga, a renowned Professor of Plant Taxonomy and Cytogenetics, made the move from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he previously aspired to contest the 2023 Enugu governorship election.

The declaration took place during an emergency meeting of APC members at his Ogbuegu-Amede, Eha-Amufu Ward 4, in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, on Sunday.

Explaining his decision to join the national ruling party, Prof. Edeoga said it was driven by his desire to continue contributing meaningfully to national development.

“In Nigerian politics, it’s not the name that matters. What matters is the way one contributes to national development. It is the action of the people,” he said.

He further noted that most of his career had been at the federal level, which made aligning with the party in control of the central government a logical step.

“I’ve been a national player. The majority of my work has been at the federal level, as a teacher in a federal university and subsequently the Vice Chancellor of a federal university. So, I need to key into the federal system, and that’s why I needed to shift grounds,” he explained.

Prof. Edeoga also acknowledged the internal challenges faced by his previous party, stating:

“Again, you know that the party where I was has its internal problems. I can’t say that the Labour Party is bad or that the PDP is bad, no, I’m not that kind of a person. What I know is that wherever one finds himself, he should try and contribute to national development.”

The declaration was met with excitement and celebration among local APC members, who described Edeoga’s defection as a major boost for the party.

Welcoming him, Chief Innocent Achigbo, Chairman of APC in Eha-Amufu Ward 4, described the former VC as a “big fish” joining the party.

“We’re welcoming a big fish, a big masquerade coming from the PDP into our party, the APC. His name is Prof. Hilary Odo Edeoga. He’s an iroko coming into the APC. From today (Sunday), he is no longer a member of the PDP but APC,” he said.

Achigbo added that the emergency meeting was specially convened to honour Prof. Edeoga and others who joined with him.

“This meeting is just for his coming into our party and so, from now henceforth, he has become a member of the APC. Today is a great day in our ward. We’re excited because he is a big fish, a great fish that has come into the party. He will add great colour to the APC. He is a man who likes to support. I’m sure that henceforth he will boost the party in the ward, in the local government, and even in the state.”

Echoing the excitement, Mr. Okwudili Eze, Assistant Secretary of APC in Isi-Uzo Local Government, praised Edeoga’s political relevance and influence.

“Prof. Edeoga is a great son of Amede. We respect him so much. He is somebody that has impacted so many lives. He is a big fish, and we regard him highly. We are happy that he is coming into our party and he is very much welcome.”

“He’s going to add a lot to the party because he is loved by the people, he has followers, and he will help the party to grow,” Eze concluded.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has dissolved the State Executive Council with immediate effect, relieving all commissioners and special advisers of their duties, with a few notable exceptions.

According to a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro, the affected officials have been directed to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most senior civil servants in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

Governor Oyebanji expressed appreciation to the outgoing members of the cabinet for their service and commitment to the state, and wished them success in their future endeavours.

However, the dissolution does not affect several top officials, including:

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice

Commissioner for Health and Human Services

Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security

Commissioner for Education

Commissioner for Works

Commissioner for Trade, Investment, Industry and Cooperatives

Special Adviser on Special Education and Social Inclusion

Special Adviser on Lands, Survey, and e-GIS

In addition, all Directors General who are statutory members of the State Executive Council have been retained. These include:

Director General, Office of Transformation and Service Delivery (OTSD)

Director General, SDGs and Project Monitoring

Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP)

No reason was officially provided for the partial cabinet shake-up.

The Nigerian Senate has received 61 proposals seeking the creation of new states across the six geopolitical zones of the country, according to Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity.

Speaking with journalists over the weekend in Ado-Ekiti, Adaramodu described the process of state creation as highly technical, requiring in-depth evaluation of demographic, geographic, and historical factors, as well as public consultation through hearings.

He explained that while 42 requests were earlier confirmed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio in July, the number has now risen by 19, bringing the total to 61 submissions under review.

“All of these proposals must go through a rigorous vetting process. The Constitution Review Committee, chaired by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, will collate, assess, and filter the submissions,” Adaramodu stated.

According to him, once the committee completes its review, a report will be presented to both chambers of the National Assembly.

“After that, the Senate and House of Representatives will hold joint public hearings where advocates and opponents of each proposal will be given the chance to present their arguments. Only after this stage will the legislature make any decisions,” he explained.

The proposals are part of the ongoing review of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, with state creation emerging as a prominent issue during recent constitutional review sessions held across northern and southern zones.

Adaramodu also addressed concerns about the 2024 budget cycle, emphasizing that the National Assembly is committed to ensuring that capital projects are not abandoned before the end of the fiscal year.

“Without a formal extension, any uncompleted projects risk being dropped from funding, and will have to wait another year to be included in the next budget,” he noted.