General

Oyegun Replies Tinubu

Published

9 years ago

08/10/2016

tinubu-oyegun

By Ebitonye Akpodigha

National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr John Odigie-Oyegun, has described allegation of fraud made against him by the national leader of the party, Mr Bola Tinubu, as a “reckless falsehood.”

In his formal response to the letter issued from Mr Tinubu’s Media Office, the APC chairman said all he did was to be fair to all members of the party.

Mr Oyegun admitted that the outcome of the party’s 2016 Ondo State governorship primary has led to issues in the APC.

Below is Mr Oyegun’s reply to Mr Tinubu’s letter.

THE FACTS – 2016 ONDO STATE APC GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION PRIMARIES

The outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2016 Ondo State Governorship Primary Election has led to disagreements among some Party stakeholders in the state and at the national level. The ripples from the controversy over the election have unfortunately dragged our great party on to the front pages of newspapers for the wrong reasons.

Recently, the media office of Bola Tinubu falsely and recklessly accused me of corruption, rigging the outcome of the 2016 Ondo State APC governorship election primaries and overruling the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) “vote” on the 2016 Ondo State APC Governorship Primary Election Appeal Committee Report.

In view of the misinformation and false reports that have been fed to the media and that have pervaded the public space, there is need to set the records straight. Below are factual responses to the salient points and allegations made by the media office of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in its statement.

ALLEGATION

The media office of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in its statement alleged that I overruled the NWC’s vote of “six against five” in favour of cancelling the primary election results and conducting another primary.

FACT

According to the minutes of the 18th emergency meeting of the APC NWC held from Monday 19th September 2016 to Thursday 22nd September, 2016 at the Party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, there was absolutely no meeting which I chaired that voted in the manner alleged. Clearly, the report on which the media office of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu acted was a figment of someone’s wild imagination.

On Thursday 22nd September, 2016 being the final day for submission of candidate by Political Parties, the NWC discussed the possibility of voting having finished deliberation on the2016 Ondo State APC Governorship Primary Election Appeal Committee Report because members in support of cancelling the Primary results were still strident in their position.

A member of the NWC however drew the attention of the meeting to its previous decision in which the report of the Primary Election Committee was adopted while the Appeal Committee was set aside. The implication of this decision he reasoned was that a decision to submit the name of the winner of the primary election was already taken unless the NWC will now wish to reconsider its earlier decision.

I agreed with this and ruled that the previous decision of the NWC be upheld.

ALLEGATION

The media office of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in its statement also alleged that the names of “over 150 valid delegates were excised to make room for an equal number of impostors”.

FACT

The Ondo State approved delegates list was compiled in strict compliance with the Party’s constitution. Only qualified delegates were included in the list. Moreso, none of the aspirants or the Appeal Committee has submitted to NWC a list of delegates who were not qualified to be included in the delegates list but were listed as delegates or presumed qualified delegates who were not included in the delegates list used for the Primary.

ALLEGATION

The media office of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in its statement alleged that I used a “prayer interlude” which I initiated to “secretly excuse” myself from the NWC meeting to submit the name of Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the candidate of the Party.

FACT

The allegation is high fiction and an insult to the intelligence and sensibility of the respected NWC members present at the meeting. We do not and have never engaged in prayer interludes/sessions outside the usual opening and closing prayers. The prayer that is being referred to must be the closing prayer for the meeting.

ALLEGATION

The media office of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in its statement accused me of bribery and corruption over the outcome of the Ondo State APC governorship election primaries.“Oyegun has dealt a heavy blow to the very party he professes to lead. It is an awful parent who suffocates his own child for the sake of a few naira.” The statement issued by media office of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu read.

FACT

This reckless and baseless corruption allegation levelled against me is unfortunate and an insult to my person and my hard-earned reputation which I have strongly maintained. Nobody has the kind of money that can buy my conscience or make me do injury to an innocent man. In all the primaries conducted under my watch as National Chairman, I have strived to ensure a free, fair, transparent and credible process. The 2016 Ondo State APC Governorship Primary Election was not an exception. There must be internal democracy in the Party and our constitution must be respected by all.

APPEAL COMMITTEE REPORT

The Party’s NWC decision to reject the 2016 Ondo State APC Governorship Primary Election Appeal Committee Report was taken on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 in executive session after careful and exhaustive deliberations. The minutes and rejection were confirmed by the NWC on Thursday, September 22, 2016.

The NWC in its four-point resolution rejected the Appeal Committee’s recommendation on the grounds that the report was fundamentally and fatally flawed. The NWC observed that the Appeal Committee contradicted itself when it admitted in its report, “In making the above recommendations one is not unmindful of the fact that there may have been substantial compliance in the conduct of the exercise.” but still proceeded to recommend the nullification of the Primary election.

The NWC in its four-point resolution faulted the failure of the Appeal Committee to invite the National Secretariat as the custodian, to authenticate or otherwise the source of the disputed delegates list. Also, the Appeal Committee did not invite the Chairman or members of the Ondo State Governorship Primary Election Committee to clarify issues relating to the allegation of manipulation of the accreditation process. The Appeal Committee rather relied totally on unsubstantiated evidence(s) in the petitions it received to recommend the nullification of the Primary. This is against the principle of natural justice and fair hearing.

The NWC equally observed a serious contradiction in the Appeal Committee’s report in respect of the number of the accredited delegates. Whereas the Primary Election Committee’s report indicated that 2,774 delegates were accredited, the Appeal Committee’s report erroneously recorded it as those who voted in the election, thereby acting under the false impression that there was over voting in the exercise. The actual total number of votes cast was 2,754, as clearly recorded in the Primary Election Committee’s report.

The issue of fresh primaries did not arise as NWC had already rejected the Appeal Committee’s report in view of the stated flaws and upheld the election. In any case, any fresh primary was already time barred. By the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), all governorship primaries and issues related ended on September 19, 2016.

Also, voting on the issue became unnecessary and never took place in view of the NWC’s rejection of the Appeal Committee’s report.

The foregoing are facts backed by the minutes approved by all NWC members that attended the meetings held in respect of 2016 Ondo State APC Governorship Primary Election Appeal Committee Report.

It needs to be stated categorically that the NWC is confident that the Chairman of the Ondo State APC Governorship Primary Election Committee, Abubakar Badaru, Executive Governor of Jigawa State conducted a credible and exemplary exercise. We indeed commend the Governor and his team for their transparency and the free and fair manner the primaries was conducted.

Going forward, I appeal very passionately to leaders and members of the Party at all levels to explore internal dispute resolution mechanisms in addressing their perceived grievances instead of resorting to the media to vent their spleen.

There are enormous challenges in delivering on the Party’s 2015 election promises to Nigerians. On the immediate horizon is the task of winning the governorship election in Ondo state. We cannot afford to be distracted by the present contentions.

I wish to assure Party members that despite the media attention that has been generated by the disagreements in the aftermath of the 2016 Ondo State Governorship Primary Election, the Party is focused on the task ahead and we urge our Party leaders and teeming supporters to also remain calm. The Party has already commenced wide consultations with stakeholders with a view to resolving the political differences that still exist. Hurling brickbats cannot help the cause of the party in any way.

The APC national leadership remains united and solidly committed to the task of winning the Ondo state governorship election to save the people of the state from the misrule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

General

Salary Benchmarking To Ensure Competitive Compensation

Published

2 days ago

20/02/2026

Dipo Olowookere

Salary benchmarking is the systematic process of comparing an organization’s pay rates, bonus programs, and total rewards against market standards. This article walks through why benchmarking matters, how to prepare and run an analysis, the best data sources and tools, and how to turn findings into defensible pay structures and ongoing processes.

Why Salary Benchmarking Matters For Online Businesses And Agencies

Without benchmarking, organizations risk three costly outcomes: underpaying (leading to high turnover and loss of institutional knowledge), overpaying (inflating fixed costs and reducing agility), or misallocating compensation across roles (creating internal inequities and morale problems).

For agencies that pitch retainer-driven services, predictable labor costs tied to market rates enable healthier margins and clearer pricing decisions. For in-house ecommerce teams, benchmarking supports workforce planning when launching new product lines or scaling paid acquisition efforts.

Finally, benchmarking is not only financial: it signals professionalism to candidates.

Key Data Sources And Tools For Accurate Benchmarks

High-quality benchmarking blends public data, commercial platforms, and human intelligence.

Public Government And Aggregated Salary Data

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) or national equivalents provide reliable occupational wage ranges, useful for baseline comparisons and compliance checks.

Industry Surveys, Salary Platforms, And Niche Reports

Platforms such as Payscale, Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and specialized reports for marketing and tech roles give role- and location-specific distributions.

Recruiter Intelligence And Peer Networks

Recruiters and hiring agencies provide real-time insight into candidate expectations and accepted offers. Professional networks, Slack communities, and agency owner peer groups can also offer current market anecdotes that databases miss.

Internal Payroll Data And Turnover Metrics

Historical payroll, hiring velocity, offer-acceptance rates, and exit interview themes help normalize market data against internal realities. Using multiple inputs helps find a defensible midpoint.

How To Conduct A Benchmark Analysis Step By Step

A repeatable process keeps benchmarking actionable and defensible.

Gather data from at least three sources: one government/aggregate, one commercial salary platform, and one recruiter/peer input.
Normalize data for location and experience. Convert salaries to equivalent cost-of-living or remote-adjusted values if the company has distributed teams.
Adjust for total compensation. Include expected bonus, commissions, equity, and benefits to compare total rewards, not just base pay.
Build a comparison table with target percentiles (25th, 50th, 75th) for each role and highlight gaps vs. current pay.
Prioritize changes. Use a matrix that weighs business impact, retention risk, and budget feasibility to recommend immediate, near-term, and deferred adjustments.

This framework produces a clear narrative: where pay is behind, how much closing the gap will cost, and which adjustments will most protect revenue and client delivery.

Translating Benchmark Results Into Pay Structures And Budgets

Benchmark results must become predictable pay structures.

Normalize Data For Location, Experience, And Role Level

Apply consistent location multipliers and level definitions (junior, mid, senior, lead) so internal fairness stands up to scrutiny.

Build Pay Bands, Ranges, And Target Percentiles

Create bands with minimums, midpoints, and maximums tied to the chosen target percentiles. Bands help managers make consistent offer decisions and reduce bias.

Model Total Cost Of Hire And Budget Impact

Factor in employer taxes, benefits, onboarding costs, and ramp time. Present scenarios that show both absolute costs and return-on-investment when a higher-paid senior reduces client churn or improves campaign ROI.

Design Salary Bands, Bonus Structures, And Noncash Benefits

Consider sales- or performance-linked bonuses for account managers and revenue-attributed roles. Align Compensation To Performance, Retention, And Career Paths

Tie movements within bands to objective competency milestones (e.g., “strategic link acquisition that improves DR by X points” or “reduced time-to-rank for client cohort”), creating transparent merit progression that drives retention.

Communicating, Implementing, And Ensuring Pay Equity

Change management is as important as the numbers.

Gain Leadership Buy-In And Set Change Management Steps

Present benchmarking findings with clear ROI scenarios and phased implementation options. Leadership will respond to cost/benefit clarity, show how targeted raises stabilize revenue-generating roles.

Communicate Changes To Employees And Handle Pushback

Be transparent about methodology and timelines. Provide managers with scripts explaining why adjustments are happening and how employees can progress to higher bands.

Document Compliance, Pay Equity, And Recordkeeping Practices

Maintain audit-ready records of data sources, decision rationales, and salary matrices. Regularly run pay-equity checks by gender, race, and tenure to avoid legal and moral risks.

Thoughtful communication reduces rumors and ensures raises are seen as strategic investments, not arbitrary rewards.

Ongoing Monitoring: KPIs, Review Cadence, And Market Adjustments

Benchmarking isn’t a one-off. It requires monitoring and simple KPIs.

Track Competitive Positioning, Turnover, And Time To Fill

KPIs should include average comp vs. market percentile, voluntary turnover by role, offer-acceptance rate, and time-to-fill for critical positions. These metrics signal when the market has shifted.

Schedule Regular Reviews And Trigger-Based Market Rechecks

A typical cadence is an annual formal benchmark with quarterly spot checks for priority roles. Trigger-based rechecks, when turnover spikes, when offer-acceptance drops below a threshold, or when the market is disrupted, keep pay competitive between formal cycles.

With a small set of KPIs and a clear review cadence, agencies and online businesses can avoid reactive panic hires and keep compensation aligned with strategy and market reality.

Conclusion

Salary benchmarking equips online businesses and agencies to hire and retain the right talent without sacrificing profitability. When done well, benchmarking clarifies where to invest, makes offers defensible, and reduces turnover among roles that materially affect client outcomes and rankings.

General

BPP Confirms N1.1trn Savings from Procurement Reforms in 2025

Published

2 days ago

20/02/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Bureau of Public Procurement(BPP) said the ongoing procurement reforms saved the federal government over N1.1 trillion between January and December 2025.

The Director-General of the bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, revealed this while defending the agency’s 2026 budget before the Senate Committee on Public Procurement in Abuja on Thursday.

The bureau also reported reduced contract approval timelines, additional cost savings, and tougher sanctions imposed on erring contractors and non-compliant government officials.

Mr Adedokun appealed for increased budgetary allocation in 2026 to enhance service delivery, create jobs, and strengthen institutional capacity for procurement oversight.

He further revealed that the bureau received N4.032 billion in 2025 and sought higher funding to reinforce anti-corruption efforts under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee, Mr Olajide Ipinsagba, a lawmaker from Ondo North, underscored the bureau’s strategic role in driving socioeconomic development and promoting fiscal discipline.

Mr Ipinsagba assured the agency of legislative support while urging strict accountability and prudent utilisation of public funds allocated for its operations.

BPP reforms were committed to deepening transparency, compliance, and efficiency in Nigeria’s public procurement system. Some of them include adherence to a 21-day timeline, as mandated by the Public Procurement Act 2007. Also, the BPP is required to review cases, issue a written decision within 21 working days of receiving the complaints, and state the corrective actions, reasons for rejection, or remedies granted.

There are also plans to streamline approval processes, standardise documentation, and automate workflows to ensure timely and transparent procurement decisions.

General

FCT Council Elections: Police Impose 12-Hour Curfew

Published

2 days ago

20/02/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced a 12-hour restriction on movement across Abuja and its environs ahead of the council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Command, Mrs Josephine Adeh, said the movement will be restricted to ensure security and the smooth conduct of the polls.

“The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Miller G. Dantawaye, psc., has announced a restriction of movement across the Federal Capital Territory from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Saturday, 21st February, 2026, in view of the scheduled Area Council Elections,” the statement read.

The police clarified that the restriction will apply to all residents, except essential service providers and duly accredited election officials.

The command also called on residents to remain peaceful and cooperate with security agencies.

“The FCT Police Command urges residents to remain peaceful, law-abiding, and cooperate with security agencies to ensure a safe, free, and credible electoral process,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, declared Friday a work-free day ahead of the council elections.

In a broadcast, Mr Wike said the decision, approved by President Bola Tinubu, is to enable residents to travel to their communities to vote.

In contrast to the police announcement, the minister declared a separate restriction of movement across the FCT from 8:00 p.m. on Friday to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, directing security agencies to ensure compliance.

Mr Wike urged residents to turn out in large numbers and conduct themselves peacefully, expressing optimism that the polls would produce leaders who would promote development and stability in the territory.

In the meantime, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says preparations for the elections are at an advanced stage, with strong voter participation recorded during the PVC collection exercise.

INEC disclosed that 1,587,025 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been collected across the FCT, representing a 94.4 per cent collection rate out of the 1,680,315 registered voters.

Security agencies have assured residents of adequate deployment across the territory to maintain order, as authorities emphasise the need for a peaceful, free, and credible electoral process.