Author: Daily Post Nigeria

A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State, Dr. Jeffrey Kuraun, has urged the party’s national leadership to either nullify the recently conducted governorship primary in the state or recognise him as the rightful winner.

Governor Hyacinth Alia was declared winner of the APC governorship primary after polling 367,786 votes. Other contestants in the exercise include Terwase Orbunde, who secured 3,247 votes, and Kuraun, who got 2,923 votes.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Kuraun rejected the outcome of the exercise, insisting that the primary election held in Benue last week lacked credibility, transparency and fairness expected of a ruling political party.

He alleged that the process was manipulated and failed to represent the genuine wishes of APC members spread across the 276 council wards and 23 local government areas of the state.

Kuraun further maintained that among all the aspirants, he was the only one who fully complied with the APC guidelines ahead of the primary election.

“Prior to the primary election, I duly submitted the comprehensive list of my ward and local government agents to the APC Governorship Primary Election Committee at the APC State Secretariat in Makurdi. The submission was formally acknowledged by the committee.

“To the best of available evidence, no other aspirant submitted such comprehensive agents’ lists covering all 276 council wards and 23 local government areas.

“Most importantly, I was the only aspirant with agents physically present and verifiably deployed across the field during the exercise. This fact is supported by extensive pictorial and video evidence taken across the wards and local government areas in Benue State.

“Our agents and supporters were visibly present, mobilised, and prepared for the democratic exercise. They wore identification tags, coordinated party faithful, and waited for the distribution of election materials in anticipation of a credible process.

“Unfortunately, what followed was deeply disturbing,” he stated.

According to him, election materials allegedly failed to reach many designated ward centres despite reports that they left Makurdi around 1:00 p.m. for distribution across the state.

“My agents and supporters across the 23 local government areas patiently waited at their respective ward centres for the arrival of election materials, which reportedly departed Makurdi at about 1:00 p.m. for onward distribution to the designated wards. However, in many instances, these materials never arrived at the approved ward centres for the conduct of the primary election.

“Instead, reports and evidence later showed that the materials were taken away or found in the possession of certain government appointees and individuals outside the designated electoral process.

“This unfortunate development ultimately created room for the diversion of election materials to unknown locations and opened the door for the falsification and fabrication of results without actual voting taking place in many areas.

“I challenge anyone claiming victory in that exercise to publicly provide authentic video or pictorial evidence showing actual accreditation, voting, counting, and collation processes across the 276 council wards of Benue State,” he said.

Kuraun also disclosed that he had activated the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism in line with APC guidelines but claimed that members of the appeal committee became unreachable when he attempted to file his complaint.

“However, when it became time to formally file my appeal before the Governorship Primary Election Appeal Committee, the committee members became unavailable and could not be found anywhere despite repeated efforts by myself, my representatives, and my legal team to reach them.

“It is my firm belief that this deliberate unavailability was calculated to frustrate my constitutional and democratic right to seek redress within the party framework.

“Faced with this obstruction, I had no option but to forward my appeal through DHL courier service to the National Chairman of the APC, with copies duly sent to the National Legal Adviser.

“The complaint was officially acknowledged at the office of the National Chairman on 25 May 2026. Regrettably, up till this moment, I have neither received any formal response nor been invited for any meeting, hearing, or discussion concerning the complaint filed.

“On 27 May 2026, I further sent a formal reminder and pre-action notice through my solicitors, again urging the party leadership to urgently address the complaint before the expiration of the statutory timelines applicable to pre-election matters,” he added.

The APC aspirant insisted that many party supporters turned out across the state expecting a transparent primary process and warned against suppressing their participation through manipulation.

He therefore called on the APC National Working Committee to either conduct a fresh governorship primary under independent supervision or declare him winner of the contest.

“In view of the overwhelming irregularities, absence of transparency, denial of due process, and the failure of the exercise to meet acceptable democratic standards, I respectfully call on the National Working Committee of the APC to:

“Cancel the purported governorship primary election conducted in Benue State on 21 May 2026 and conduct a fresh, transparent, and independently supervised primary election.

“Declare me, Dr. Jeffrey Kuraun, the valid winner of the primary election based on the undisputed fact that I was the only aspirant who substantially complied with the party’s stipulated preparatory requirements for the conduct of the exercise, including the duly acknowledged submission and deployment of agents across the 276 council wards and 23 local government areas of Benue State, as well as the overwhelming turnout and visible participation of my supporters across the state despite the failure of election materials to reach the designated ward centres.

“Benue deserves credible leadership recruitment processes, not manufactured outcomes. Internal democracy remains the foundation upon which public democratic legitimacy rests. Once internal democracy collapses, governance itself becomes endangered,” he said.

Benue: Declare me winner or conduct fresh primary – Guber aspirant tells APC 

The President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, has stressed the need for central banks across the world to maintain their independence amid growing political and economic pressures.

Speaking on Thursday at a conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Lagarde said the challenge facing monetary institutions was no longer just how to guarantee independence, but how to protect it when tested.

“The question is no longer simply how to guarantee independence,” she said. “It is how to protect it when it is put to the test.”

Lagarde noted that central banks in emerging markets and developing economies had long operated under more difficult conditions and said developed economies could learn from their experiences.

“We have more to learn from your experience than the other way around,” she told central bankers from parts of the Middle East and West Africa attending the conference.

Her comments come amid rising concerns over political interference in monetary policy, particularly in the United States, where President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised the Federal Reserve System over interest rate decisions.

Lagarde also referenced lessons from the 1970s oil shock and stagflation era, arguing that evidence had shown countries with less independent central banks often experienced higher inflation.

“This evidence underscored the need to shield monetary policy decisions from the electoral cycle,” she said.

According to her, central banks must remain close enough to governments to serve the public interest, while retaining enough autonomy to resist political pressure.

“To best serve the public interest, a central bank must be close enough to the state — but independent enough to resist the pressures of the moment,” she added.

Lagarde further warned that increasing economic shocks and declining public trust in institutions could weaken the authority and credibility of central banks globally.

“It is precisely when monetary policy decisions are politically fraught and economically costly that credibility is most needed,” she said.

Her remarks followed recent comments by ECB board member Isabel Schnabel, who warned that rising government debt levels could quietly erode central bank independence by increasing pressure on policymakers to keep interest rates low.

Central Banks Independence Under Threat, Ex-IMF Boss Lagarde Warns is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Speaking on the Kogi West senatorial primary, the group maintained that Ustaz Ola secured the highest number of

The post Kogi West: Declare Ustaz Ola winner of senatorial primary, APC group urges NWC appeared first on Tribune Online.

The average retail price of household kerosene has risen sharply across Nigeria, with residents of Sokoto, Lagos and Kebbi now paying close to N4,000 per litre, according to the latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Kerosene was once one of the most commonly used cooking fuels in Nigeria before many households […]

The post Kerosene price nears N4,000 per litre in Nigeria appeared first on Tribune Online.

A coalition of civil society organisations has urged the African Development Bank Group to invest in agroecological and climate resilient farming approaches rather than financing industrial livestock models that drive land conversion and degrades the ecosystem

They called for the prioritization of support for small holder farmers, pastoralists, women producers and indigenous and local communities.

The call comes as leaders gather in the Republic of Congo for the 2026 African Development Bank Annual Meetings.

The organisations under the Stop Financing Factory Farming Coalition, in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday, harped on the need for greater transparency and accountability on finances shaping the food systems across Africa,

 stressing that decisions reached at the meeting would shape African agriculture, land use and economies for decades.DAILY POST reports that AFDB’s flagship Feed Africa Strategy estimated that transforming African agriculture would require between US$315 billion and US$400 billion in investment over ten years. The Bank has committed US$24 billion to catalyze additional public and private investment through large scale value chain development, agro-industrialization and blended-finance mechanisms.

However, the coalition warned that without stronger safeguards, transparency and participation from affected communities, the financing could reinforce unsustainable and extractive food system models that would strain land, water, biodiversity, and rural livelihoods across the continent.

The statement reads, “As leaders gather in Brazzaville for the African Development Bank Annual Meetings 2026, civil society organizations under the Stop Financing Factory Farming coalition are calling for greater transparency and accountability around how development finance is shaping the future of food systems across Africa.

“The urgency is growing as Africa simultaneously faces escalating climate shocks, water stress, debt pressures, biodiversity decline, and food insecurity. As development finance institutions deepen their engagement in agriculture, transparency and accountability are essential. The question is not only how much finance is mobilised, but what kind of food systems that finance is designed to support.

“Civil society organisations are calling on the African Development Bank Group to: stop financing industrial livestock production models that contribute to environmentally destructive land conversion, unsustainable water use, and ecosystem degradation; prioritise support for smallholder farmers, pastoralists, women producers, and Indigenous and local communities.

“Invest in agroecological and climate-resilient farming approaches; improve transparency and accountability around agricultural lending portfolios and value chain investments.

 “Agricultural finance must therefore be designed to scale food systems that strengthen food sovereignty, climate resilience, biodiversity, and community wellbeing while supporting locally rooted and sustainable food systems.”

According to Opeyemi Elujulo, the Campaign Coordinator of Stop Financing Factory Farming Coalition, the organisations are advocating for financing approaches that support equitable, climate resilient and community led food systems.

He maintained that the decision made will influence whether Africa’s food future is centred on resilient local food systems, biodiversity protection, sustainable water use, and community wellbeing, or increasingly concentrated industrial models that deepen environmental and economic vulnerabilities.

Civil society coalition calls for community-led agriculture, warns against factory farming

She said the plans are designed for users who want more functionality, particularly creators….

The post Meta launches paid subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp appeared first on Tribune Online.

 

The Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, has rejected the outcome of some of the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in Lagos State, warning that aggrieved party members may stage protests if the disputed results are not reviewed.

Tinubu-Ojo made the remarks during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Alausa, Ikeja, where she openly criticised what she described as alleged manipulation of the primaries in favour of the Justice Forum faction within the party.

She specifically questioned the results announced for Mushin Federal Constituency 02, Agege Constituency 2, and Ojokoro constituencies, insisting that the actual winners of the primaries should be officially recognised by the party leadership.

According to her, Hon. Seye Oladejo, Mutiu Olaide Oladeebo, and Olotu Ojo genuinely emerged victorious in their respective contests and should not be replaced by other candidates.

Tinubu-Ojo warned that attempts to alter the outcome of the primaries could further deepen tensions within the Lagos APC ahead of future elections.

She also alleged that members loyal to the Mandate Group were increasingly being sidelined as politicians allegedly rushed to align themselves with the Justice Forum due to speculations surrounding the 2027 governorship race and the growing political influence of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat.

The Iyaloja-General called on the APC leadership to urgently intervene and investigate complaints arising from the primary elections to prevent a major internal crisis within the party.

She maintained that market women and traders across Lagos remain loyal supporters of the APC, but urged the party to give traders greater political inclusion and recognition in its structure and decision-making process.

Political observers believe the growing disagreements over the Lagos APC primaries may further intensify internal party rivalries ahead of the next general election cycle.

Against widespread allegations of imposition of candidates in the primary elections of the Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has warned members against anti-party activities.

Fintiri spoke on Thursday, barely a week after the primary elections for governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and state House of Assembly slots, in which leaders of the party were widely perceived to have imposed their preferred aspirants, causing disenchantment among those who felt unfairly treated.

The disenchantment is already being seen as the kind that contributed to anti-party activities, which played a significant role in the party’s loss in the governorship elections in the state in 2019 and 2023.

Receiving Adamawa APC executives on a Sallah homage at the Government House in Yola on Thursday, Governor Fintiri appealed to party members to remain united and committed to strengthening the APC to secure victory in all elective positions during the 2027 elections.

He said the party members who emerged as candidates after last week’s primaries were chosen by the will of God and expressed confidence that they would defeat candidates of other parties in the coming general elections.

Assuring party members that his administration would continue to promote unity and political stability across Adamawa State, and reaffirming his commitment to ensuring that all APC candidates emerge victorious in the coming elections, the governor reiterated the need for all party members to work for, and not against, the party.

The state chairman of the APC, Alhaji Hamza Madagali, who led his executive committee on their Eid al-Kabir visit to Fintiri, thanked the governor for his role in the conduct of the party’s primaries.

Gov Fintiri warns APC members against anti-party activities amid primary election disputes

Industry leaders and procurement experts have warned that unmanaged procurement transactions and weak digital visibility are increasing fraud exposure, compliance breaches, and operational inefficiencies across many African organisations.

The experts raised the concerns during the Digital Procurement Africa Summit held in Lagos, where procurement professionals, supply chain executives, and business leaders examined strategies for accelerating digital transformation within procurement operations.

Speaking at the summit themed, “Accelerating Procurement Transformation for Large Enterprise in the Digital Era,” the Chief Executive Officer of Gloopro, Olumide Olusanya, said many organisations across Africa were still struggling with poor procurement digitisation despite growing global interest in Artificial Intelligence-driven procurement systems.

According to him, fragmented procurement records, weak data accessibility, and outdated procurement processes remain major barriers preventing organisations from fully leveraging artificial intelligence, automation, predictive analytics, and compliance monitoring technologies.

“AI depends on data. Organisations must first digitise procurement activities before artificial intelligence can deliver meaningful value within procurement operations,” Olusanya stated.

He explained that several procurement activities still occur outside structured digital platforms, thereby limiting transparency, weakening governance systems, and making AI deployment ineffective or potentially risky.

Olusanya noted that organisations embracing digital procurement systems were already recording significant operational gains, including about 67 per cent reduction in procurement turnaround time.

He added that technology-driven procurement platforms also improve transaction visibility, supplier coordination, approval workflows, and compliance oversight across departments.
According to him, procurement-as-a-service models are increasingly helping organisations reduce operational costs while improving efficiency through externally managed digital procurement platforms.

Olusanya urged organisations across Africa to prioritise procurement digitisation as part of broader governance and operational reform efforts aimed at improving accountability and transparency.

Also speaking, Indirect Procurement Manager, Supplier Chain at The Coca-Cola Company, Adenrele Thompson warned that organisations delaying procurement digitisation could face growing operational and governance challenges in increasingly technology-driven business environments.

“If you are not digital, it is only a matter of time. The consequences are inevitable,” Thompson said.

He stressed that repeated bypassing of approved procurement systems weakens compliance culture and creates governance gaps capable of undermining institutional accountability.

Thompson further highlighted the growing risks associated with unmanaged tail spend, explaining that frequent low-value purchases often escape adequate scrutiny because individual transactions appear financially insignificant.

According to him, such practices gradually normalise weak procurement behaviour, expose organisations to control failures, and reduce operational discipline over time.

Also contributing, Chukwuma Nkwodinmah, Supply Chain Leader at Aradel Holdings, warned that repeated emergency purchases outside approved procurement channels often create parallel procurement structures lacking proper oversight and accountability.

He explained that unmanaged procurement systems increase exposure to fraud risks, regulatory violations, reputational damage, and operational inefficiencies.

“Once executives begin to see procurement leakage as governance failure rather than operational inefficiency, organisations will pay greater attention to controlling unmanaged spending,” Nkwodinmah stated.

The experts collectively called on organisations to strengthen procurement governance structures, improve digital visibility, and invest in structured procurement data systems to enhance compliance, reduce leakages, and position their operations for effective AI adoption.

Procurement Leakage Increasing Fraud, Compliance Risks — Experts is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The 15th and 16th Emirs of Kano, respectively, Aminu Ado Bayero and Muhammadu Sanusi II, have responded to directives from the Kano State Police Command asking them to stop their planned durbar, Hawan Daushe, and Hawan Nassarawa processions, respectively.

Earlier, both Bayero and Sanusi had announced plans to hold separate Sallah durbar celebrations during the Eid festivities.

The Kano State Police Command, in what it described as proactive measures, issued a directive prohibiting the planned parallel durbar.

Announcing the suspension on behalf of Emir Bayero, Sarkin Dawaki Babba, Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan’agundi, said the decision was taken in compliance with police directives issued to ensure peace and stability in Kano.

He stated that they are law-abiding citizens and would fully comply with the orders of the security agencies in the interest of maintaining peace in the state.

Similarly, speaking on behalf of Emir Sanusi, Matawallen Kano, Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim said the emirate council received security reports indicating that some individuals were planning to use the durbar celebrations to disrupt public peace and create chaos in Kano.

According to him, the decision to suspend the activities was taken to avoid any breakdown of law and order and to preserve the peaceful atmosphere in the state during the Eid celebrations.

The suspension of the traditional durbar activities comes amid a police statement urging the two emirs to prioritise peace and stability and suspend their planned traditional processions.

Kano emirs suspend durbar processions following police directive over security concerns