By Adedapo Adesanya

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has come under fire from the camp of President Bola Tinubu over his criticism of the latter’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

President Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Mr Olusegun Dada, regarded the former president as “Nigeria’s grandfather of hypocrisy trying to whitewash his bad democratic records.”

While commenting on the Rivers issue in Abuja on Monday, Mr Obasanjo said, “Democracy is not about power grabbing illegally and telling victims to go to court.”

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, in what appears to be a rebuttal, Mr Dada stated that the former president is attempting to exonerate himself from blame for how bad the nation’s democracy has become.

“Coming to Obasanjo’s remarks at the Ihedioha Colloquium, it is obvious that OBJ is trying every trick possible to whitewash his bad democratic records by trying to exonerate himself from blame for how Nigeria’s democracy has fared.

“It is shocking to many who were adults during the Obasanjo 1999-2007 era to hear OBJ preaching that democracy is not about power grabbing illegally and telling victims to go to court. He even said democracy is dying in Nigeria.

“This is the same OBJ that turned himself into a kingmaker and a demigod in his second term in office between 2003-2004. Anybody who disagreed with him became prey.

“Obasanjo is simply the grandfather of hypocrisy in Nigeria at the moment.

“This is an OBJ who worked with his then VP, Atiku Abubakar to steal opposition states for PDP thanks to their job man, Prof. Maurice Iwu who was INEC Chairman.

“OBJ made sure incumbent governors of Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, and Oyo states who all belonged to AD were rigged out using federal might. Only Lagos survived the rigging onslaught.

“Atiku himself later willingly confessed publicly how they spared only Lagos governed by Bola Tinubu in the South West that was formerly controlled by AD as of 1999,” Mr Dada’s post read.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Monday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 1, 2025, have been declared as public holidays by the federal government to celebrate the end of Ramadan.

A statement on Wednesday by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Ms Magdalene Ajani, confirmed that the two days are work-free to mark this year’s Eid-el-Fitr.

On March 1, 2025, Muslims in Nigeria joined the others across the globe for this year’s annual 30-day fast. It will end this weekend.

In the statement, the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, was quoted to have congratulated Muslims across the country on the successful completion of the Ramadan, urging them to embrace the virtues of self-discipline, compassion, generosity, and peace.

He reportedly “encouraged citizens to celebrate safely and responsibly, while remembering the less privileged through acts of kindness and charity, in keeping with the true spirit of Ramadan and Eid.”

“On behalf of the federal government, he extended heartfelt Eid Mubarak wishes to all Muslim faithful and prayed that the blessings of the season bring happiness, success, and fulfilment to everyone,” the statement noted.

By Adedapo Adesanya

On Wednesday, the Senate mandated the Senate Committee on Communications to investigate the recent increase in the cost of internet data packages by telecommunications companies in the country.

Recall that MTN had implemented another price hike on internet plans, the second time in the last three months after the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) approval of a 50 per cent tariff increase in January.

The probe was part of resolutions after a debate on a bill sponsored by Mr Asuquo Ekpenyong, the Senator representing Cross River South, which highlights the financial strain the price hike has placed on millions of Nigerians, particularly young people who rely on affordable internet access for their livelihoods.

The probe will also recommend solutions for a more sustainable and business-friendly telecommunications sector.

The bill noted that the over 200 per cent increase in costs had “placed significant financial strain on millions of Nigerians, especially young people who rely on the internet for their livelihood.

“Among resolutions passed, the Senate asked the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, to engage with telecommunications providers to review the data costs and “ensure that pricing remains fair and affordable for all Nigerians.”

The bill identified multiple factors contributing to the high cost of telecommunications in Nigeria, including poor infrastructure and unreliable power supply; high import duties on ICT equipment; multiple taxation and excessive regulatory charges; security concerns increasing operational risks and insurance costs; bureaucratic bottlenecks slowing business operations and innovation; and high diesel and alternative energy costs due to unreliable national grid supply

To resolve the challenges, lawmakers asked the federal government to engage with network providers to review recent data price increases and ensure fair and affordable pricing.

The red chamber also passed a bill mandating the compulsory registration of citizens to overhaul Nigeria’s identity management system through the repeal and reenactment of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act.

The passage followed the submission and consideration of a report by the Committee on National Identity Card and Population, chaired by Mr Victor Umeh, the senator representing Anambra Central.

Mr Umeh explained that the legislation seeks to establish a harmonised, cost-effective identity system that aligns with global best practices, enhances data accuracy, promotes inclusion and closes existing gaps in Nigeria’s identity database.

Once signed into law, the bill also provides for the creation of a centralized database and a commission responsible for registering citizens and issuing identity cards. It now awaits consideration by the House of Representatives before being forwarded to the President for assent.