General
Civil Society Organisation Lauds INEC on PVC Collection
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) has lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ensuring adequate Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) collection, especially at the ward level.
In a statement made available to Business Post by Mr Nelson Ekujumi, its Executive Chairman, the committee said it mobilized its personnel to observe the process in Lagos State and also monitored reports via the media and other sources, and as a result, it is “confidently passing a vote of confidence on INEC for its professionalism and dedication to the seamlessness of the process.”
“We make bold to state that our physical observation and monitoring of collection of PVC at various wards centres across Lagos State shows a fairly encouraging turnout of registrants on a daily basis,” the group said.
It revealed that it monitored wards across Oshodi, Agege, Alimosho, Apapa, Ajeromi Ifelodun, Ikorodu, Badagry, Kosofe and Ikeja local government council areas of Lagos State, adding that this revealed an average of 100 registrants collecting their PVCs daily.
“If we juxtapose these figures, which are almost uniform across the board with our people’s attitude to public interest issues, we are of the view that the turnout so far is encouraging though we recognize that we can still do better, hence the need to admonish all stakeholders to upscale the sensitization so that more people can come out to collect their PVC before the extended closing date of January 29th 2023,” CPPM submitted.
The organisation added that the electoral body has lived up to the billing in line with its mandate as enshrined in the Electoral Act.
In the same breath, the group admonished INEC to increase its staff strength at the centres to reduce the collection time by the registrants, which it identified as an area of shortcomings in the process.
“However, we are not oblivious to the attempts by anti-democratic elements and agents of destabilization to impugn the integrity of the process through blackmail of fake news, falsehood, and misinformation just to discredit INEC and derail our democracy. We must report that from our observation of the process so far, most alarms of falsehoods of ethnicization of the collection of the PVC have not been substantiated in any of the collection centres visited by our crew.
“We at CPPM hereby call on INEC to continue to monitor the process to sustain its integrity which is under threat from fake news by anti-democratic elements and agents of anarchy, just as we admonish the electoral umpire to collaborate with the security agencies in investigating any observed or reported shortcomings and do the needful to arrest the situation as well as the arrest and prosecution of peddlers of fake news and misinformation who have become the greatest threat to our democracy and society.
“As we countdown to January 29th 2023, the closing date for the collection of PVC across the country, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) calls on Nigerians who are yet to pick their PVC to ensure that they go out to collect theirs notwithstanding the little inconvenience of the crowd at some centres so that collectively we will determine with our votes at the polls, our political destiny for a peaceful, progressive and prosperous Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement read.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The new chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement signed by Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media & Strategic Communications at the upstream regulator, the NUPRC boss made this assertation during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday December 23, 2025.
She further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and re-ignite investments in the upstream sector.
Recall that President Tinubu nominated Mrs Eyesan to take over the NUPRC after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Mr Gbenga Komolafe as well as his counterpart in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed.
In her new capacity, Mrs Eyesan also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she said.
The commission boss who has served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and efficiency in operations.
The NUPRC head said with the support of staff and management, the NUPRC will become the gold-standard regulator in Africa. She also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions and professional teams.
On leadership style, Mrs Eyesan promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement, while also soliciting for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
“If we work together we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance, peace, and unity, urging citizens of all faiths to reject violence and intolerance amid ongoing security challenges across the country.
In his 2025 Christmas goodwill message issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President emphasised that no Nigerian should suffer discrimination or violence because of their religious beliefs, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of worship and national cohesion.
“As your President, I remain committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect all people of different faiths from violence,” Mr Tinubu said, noting that all Nigerians have the constitutional right to live, worship, and pursue their aspirations in safety and dignity.
The President acknowledged growing concerns around religious intolerance and insecurity, revealing that he had engaged extensively throughout the year with leaders of Nigeria’s two major faiths.
In the last few months, the country faced a spate of attacks including kidnapping of school children and armed terror, involving the death of a high ranking army personnel.
He also said the government would continue to build on these engagements to strengthen collaboration with religious institutions, prevent conflict, and promote peaceful coexistence.
President Tinubu described Christmas as a period for reflection on the message of Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace, urging Nigerians to draw inspiration from values of love, compassion, and goodwill that cut across all major religions.
He commended Christians in Nigeria for their contributions to national development, particularly their role in caring for the vulnerable and promoting harmony within communities.
“The love for God and love for humanity is at the heart of all the great faiths. These shared values must continue to bind us together as one indivisible and resilient people,” he said.
Reiterating his administration’s stance on security, the President said the government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s unity and stability has remained unwavering since he assumed office in 2023. He stressed that the state would not tolerate violence targeted at any group on the basis of ethnicity or belief.
President Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians travelling during the festive season to exercise patience and discipline on the roads, wishing them safe journeys and returns.
Expressing optimism about the country’s future, the President said that with faith in God and collective resolve, Nigeria would overcome its challenges and build a nation that future generations would be proud of.
He concluded by wishing Christians in Nigeria and around the world a Merry Christmas and Nigerians a happy New Year in advance.
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