General
APC’s Victory in Saturday’s By-elections Divine Instruction to PDP, Others–Eze
Last Saturday’s Federal House of Representatives by-elections held in Katsina, Kwara and Bauchi States have been described as an indicator to the popular acceptance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the rejection of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) by Nigerians.
Making the analogy in a statement issued and circulated in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital on Thursday, a chieftain of the APC in the State, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, also pointed out that the outcome of the by-elections was a parable to the duo of the Senate President, Mr Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, that their political reign had come to an end.
Mr Eze, who is also a former ally of the duo National Assembly leaders, noted that the by-elections, held on the eve of the upcoming general elections, was a divine instruction, intended to emphasize that the APC had come to change Nigeria for good, also to stamp the fact that those who used to determine the destinies of millions of Nigerians negatively will no longer have access to public offices as the people are now free to reject them without consequences.
It would be recalled that the by-elections were held on Saturday, November 17, 2018, in Katsina, Kwara and Bauchi; the home states of President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon Yakubu Dogara respectively and the polls were all cleared by the APC. It would also be recalled that Senator Saraki and Hon Dogara had defected from the APC to the PDP earlier in the year.
“Most importantly the APC success in these states signifies the general acceptance of President Muhammadu Buhari as the true leader of our present generation and eclipse of the political careers of some political heavyweights like the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Barr Yakubu Dogara who recently decamped from the ruling APC to PDP whose notoriety and looting of our common patrimony with impunity led to most of the economic challenges currently facing Nigeria.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) convincingly won the by-election into the Kankiya/Kusada/Ingawa federal constituency seat of Katsina State; Toro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State and that of /lrepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero federal constituency of Kwara State while in Katsina, the APC candidate Abubakar Kusada polled 48,518 votes beating his closest rival, the PDP candidate, Abdussamad Abdullah, who polled 20, 193 votes. APC also through Alhaji Yusuf Nuhu, won the by-election in Toro Federal Constituency of Bauchi having scored a total vote of 22,317 to lead his close rival of the PDP candidate, Alhaji Shehu Buba who polled 18,235 votes to come second. In Kwara the APC’s candidate Olawuyi scored 21,236 votes to beat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Saheed Alatise who polled 18,095 votes.
“This demonstrates, not minding all the PDP propaganda, that the electorate was still enthusiastic about APC and the President Buhar’s administration. What the people of Bauchi and Kwara have done to both Barr Dogara and Dr Saraki respectively is that they are going to be politically buried come February 2019 and I am sure that both Saraki and Dogara would be politically retired by the good people of Kwara and Bauchi for having poorly represented their people and frustrated most of the good programs of the APC administration”, he said.
He, however, congratulated the people of Katsina, Bauchi and Kwara states for once again demonstrating that there are truly patriotic Nigerians, saying “kudos to the Minster of Information and the current political leader of Kwara State, Lai Mohammed and the entire Kwara people for freeing themselves from Saraki who have enslaved them all these years, mis-mismanaged their economic and political rights over the years.
“I urge Nigerians to continue to support and keep faith with the administration of President Buhari as he is on a divine mission to make Nigeria the great nation that God has destined her to be,” the APC chieftain said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) recently hosted a high-level delegation from Newryton International Industrial Development Company Limited, a leading Chinese investment and industrial development consortium, to advance discussions on deepening bilateral trade, industrial cooperation, and development financing between both countries.
The Newryton delegation, led by Mr David Chen, Assistant Secretary-General of the China Hainan Investment Council, had earlier engaged with the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). They were accompanied to the NCSP by Mr Joe Onyuike, Vice-Chairman of NACCIMA’s Agriculture and Livestock Trade Group, who conveyed NACCIMA’s support for the delegation’s engagements.
Discussions centered on the establishment of a Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform, including a proposed Promotion Centre in China to support Nigerian products, investors, and state governments.
The consortium also presented opportunities within Hainan Province’s Free Trade Port (FTP), which offers preferential policies that Nigerian businesses can leverage to expand exports and attract new investments.
In his address on behalf of Newryton, Mr Pong outlined plans to collaborate with NCSP in accessing FOCAC-supported financing for strategic investments in agriculture, energy, mining, solid minerals processing, and related sectors. The delegation identified aquaculture as a key area of interest and referenced the forthcoming Global Aquaculture Conference in Hainan Province, encouraging Nigerian stakeholders to participate.
They also expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in vocational training and employment under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Director-General, Martins Olajide, NCSP’s Head of Internal Operations, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.
He highlighted NCSP’s strong interest in the proposed Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform and the development of the Nigerian Oil Palm Industrial Park as a flagship demonstration project.
Also speaking at the meeting, Ms Judy Melifonwu, NCSP’s Head of International Relations, underscored the opportunities presented by China’s zero-tariff policy and the forthcoming NAQS–GACC protocol on the export of Nigerian aquaculture products. She noted that these frameworks would significantly enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in emerging global markets.
Both parties expressed commitment to advancing discussions toward a structured cooperation framework covering all priority areas.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom–Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), established in 2019 as part of a 16-year legacy of UK-funded infrastructure support to Nigeria, convened over 100 senior stakeholders on Tuesday, December 2, to review its progress and formally close out its current phase of operations.
The event brought together representatives from federal and state governments, development partners, development finance institutions, and the private sector to reflect on UKNIAF’s work across the power, infrastructure finance, and roads sectors. Discussions focused on institutional reforms, capacity development, and the sustainability of tools and processes introduced over the past six years.
Since inception, UKNIAF has delivered targeted technical assistance designed to embed evidence-based reforms, data-driven decision-making, and improved institutional performance. Its interventions have mobilised significant financing, strengthened regulatory and planning systems, and enhanced investor readiness across multiple infrastructure markets.
In the power sector, participants highlighted landmark achievements including the development of Nigeria’s first Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines a least-cost and low-carbon pathway for expanding electricity supply. UKNIAF also supported the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in building advanced real-time data capabilities for tariff monitoring, grid management, and outage tracking. The programme enabled pioneering states to establish their own electricity markets following constitutional reforms.
In infrastructure finance, UKNIAF was recognised for strengthening project preparation systems and enabling access to capital. Notable accomplishments include supporting the mobilisation of $75 million from the African Development Bank to the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme in two states, and accelerating mini-grid and solar deployment through improved technical standards at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
UKNIAF also designed a national project preparation facility, for which N21 billion was allocated in both the 2024 and 2025 budgets to build a pipeline of bankable projects.
Speaking on this, Mr Frank Edozie, UKNIAF Team Lead, described the programme’s close-out as a “handover for sustained delivery,” emphasising that strengthened institutions now hold tools that make Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape more transparent, climate-smart, and investor-ready.
On his part, the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, commended the programme, noting that its technical assistance and advisory services had helped lay the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive electricity supply industry.
Mrs Cynthia Rowe, Head of Development Corporation at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Nigeria, praised the partnership, highlighting achievements ranging from state-level electricity market reforms to unlocking major financing and designing Nigeria’s Climate Change Fund.
Enugu State Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, underscored the lasting influence of the programme, stating that UKNIAF’s impact continues through the expertise and leadership transferred to national and sub-national institutions.
The close-out event reaffirmed stakeholders’ commitment to sustaining tools, reforms, and knowledge products developed under UKNIAF, while strengthening collaboration among public, private, and development actors in the infrastructure ecosystem.
Participants included federal and state agencies such as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Federal Ministry of Power, Ministry of Finance, NERC, REA, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, alongside development partners including the African Development Bank, World Bank, and IFC, as well as private sector and civil society stakeholders.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, has been slashed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The Lagos-based oil facility brought down the ex-depot price of the petroleum product by 15.58 per cent or N129 per litre to N828 per litre.
Though the company had yet to release an official statement on this development, real-time market data on Petroleumprice.ng on Friday showed the new price.
Punch reports that data from the platform also showed fresh reductions across several private depots following the refinery’s latest review.
Sigmund Depot cut its ex-depot price by N4 to N824 per litre, Bulk Strategic dropped its price by N3, and TechnoOil slashed its by N15.
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