General
Lagos Guber: Emefiele Not Involved in Politics or Supporting Gbadebo—CBN
By Dipo Olowookere
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reacted to a report by a national newspaper alleging that its Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, was plotting to get back at the president-elect, Mr Bola Tinubu, by ensuring that the candidate of the opposition Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, fondly called GRV, defeats the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
Mr Tinubu is believed to be in control of Lagos State, which is the commercial capital of Nigeria, since 1999, when he was elected as the governor of the state.
Though his term ended in 2007, according to reports, he has been actively involved in who leads the state, from Mr Babatunde Fashola (the current Minister of Works and Housing) in 2007 to former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in 2015 and the incumbent Mr Sanwo-Olu, who now seeks another four-year term in office.
In the February 25, 2023, presidential election, Mr Tinubu, for the first time, lost Lagos State to the candidate of LP in the contest, Mr Peter Obi. This unsettled his camp and has put Mr Sanwo-Olu under pressure over fears that another protest vote could chase him out from Alausa this weekend.
Last year, Mr Emefiele attempted to clinch the presidential ticket of the APC but was stopped by the court, which held that he could not remain as the CBN chief and be involved in politics.
This fuelled calls for his resignation and cast doubt on his Naira redesign and cashless policies, which some politicians, including allies of Mr Tinubu, said were targeted at the president-elect.
Today, a newspaper with ties to Mr Tinubu published a story alleging that the apex bank boss was plotting to ensure the president-elect loses control of Lagos State in the governorship election this Saturday.
According to the report, Mr Emefiele has provided funds to the candidate of the Labour Party to prosecute the election and unseat the ruling party.
However, the acting Director of Corporate Communications of the CBN, Mr Isa Abdulmumin, refuted these claims, stressing that his boss is not partisan.
“The attention of the CBN has been drawn to a story published in The Nation newspaper of Monday, March 13, 2023, edition, alleging that the Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, has launched a fresh plot against president-elect.
“The aforementioned story went further to allege that the Governor has made a certain amount of money available to a candidate ahead of the March 18, 2023, gubernatorial poll.
“We wish to inform members of the public that this story is completely false and malicious as the CBN Governor does not know and has never met or even spoken with Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, either in person or through a proxy.
“We wish to reiterate that the CBN Governor does not take part in politics and, therefore, urge anyone with contrary information to prove the Governor wrong by providing any facts.
“As such, the Governor and his team at the CBN should be allowed to focus on their assigned job with a view to achieving the statutory mandate of the bank,” the statement said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A hotline number, 0800 123 5264, for Nigerians to report any MRS Oil Nigeria Plc filling stations selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, above the approved pump price of N739 per litre, has been released by Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The private refiner said the number was now active nationwide, enabling consumers to promptly report violations and help maintain fair pricing across over 2,000 MRS stations.
This measure follows the refinery’s recent commencement of nationwide PMS sales at N739 per litre—a strategic intervention aimed at stabilising fuel prices and easing the financial burden on Nigerians during the festive season.
“We encourage Nigerians to avoid purchasing PMS at inflated prices when locally refined fuel is available at N739 per litre.
“Report any MRS station selling above this price by calling our hotline. Together, we can ensure that the benefits of this price reduction reach every consumer,” the company stated in a statement.
The organisation stressed its mission to deliver affordable, high-quality fuel while safeguarding national economic interests, reaffirming its commitment to steady supply, backed by a guaranteed daily output of 50 million litres, and warned against attempts to create artificial scarcity or manipulate supply.
Regulatory authorities have been urged to remain vigilant and take decisive action against unpatriotic practices.
By refining locally at scale, Dangote Refinery is reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imports, conserving foreign exchange, stabilising the Naira, and strengthening energy security. This initiative represents a significant milestone in the country’s journey toward sustainable energy solutions and economic recovery.
The refinery also issued a stern warning against attempts by unscrupulous operators to create artificial scarcity in response to the price reduction, calling on government agencies to act decisively.
“Any attempt to create artificial scarcity or manipulate supply to frustrate recent price reductions is unpatriotic and unacceptable. We urge regulatory authorities to remain vigilant and take firm action against such practices, especially during this critical festive period,” the statement added.
Consumers were advised to resist purchasing fuel at inflated prices when cheaper, high-quality alternatives are readily available.
By Bon Peters
The Airport Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) at Omagwa Rivers State has praised the Customs Area Controller for Customs Area 1 Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku.
At the end-of-the-year party attended by stakeholders, including the leader of the association’s chapter, Mr Charles Onyema, said the customs officer has done well in stakeholder engagement and trade facilitation.
At the event held last Friday, he said his association has been enjoying a very cordial relationship with other organisation in the ecosystem.
“You can see what is happening today, everybody is working together and our operations here are seamless,” he noted.
He stated that apart from creating a very robust business environment for his members and other stakeholders to operate, he has taken a decision to build and commission a befitting ANLCA Secretariat which would be completed soon and be commissioned by the ANLCA national president, Mr Emenike Nwokeoji.
The ANLCA chapter chief said since “Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku assumed office at Customs Area 1, Port Harcourt Command, it has been a different ball game, facilitating trade and increasing Revenue generation.”
“I remember I told her she was a mother during her maiden visit to the airport.
“You know when you have a woman in charge of an affair, food will not lack, compassion will not lack and motherly love will not lack.
“She is very wonderful in stakeholder engagement, revenue generation and trade facilitation,” Mr Onyema enthused.
Projecting into the future, Mr. Onyema said the year 2026 would be better for his members, adding that he has advised them on financial discipline which he said would help them during the trying period.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has declared Thursday, December 25, and Friday, December 26, 2025, as public holidays to mark Christmas and Boxing Day respectively.
The government also declared Thursday, January 1, 2026, for the New Year celebration.
The declaration was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mrs Magdalene Ajani, on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
According to the statement, the Minister urged Nigerians to reflect on the values of love, peace, humility and sacrifice associated with the birth of Jesus Christ.
Mr Tunji-Ojo also called on citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity, to use the festive season to pray for peace, improved security and national progress.
He further advised Nigerians to remain law-abiding and security-conscious during the celebrations, while wishing them a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Business Post reports that on these public holidays – the foreign exchange market, the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), as well as the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange will not open to trade.
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