Author: The Whistler Newspaper

Stakeholders from Ikwuano/Umuahia North and South Federal constituency have promised to deliver 60 percent of the total votes cast in the entire Abia State to the Abia State Governor Alex Otti in the 2027 general election.

They made the declaration on Friday in Umuahia during a grand civic reception in the honour of the Governor held at the Umuahia Township Stadium Umuahia, Abia State.

Speaking at the event the Commissioner for Budget and Planning and Chairman of the Planning Committee, Hon. Kingsley Anosike, expressed gratitude to the governor for transforming Umuahia from what was once seen as a “glorified village” into one of the fastest-growing state capitals in Nigeria.
He noted that Governor Otti’s leadership has restored dignity to Abians through visible and impactful governance.

Anosike further assured the governor of the unwavering support of the Umuahia–Ikwuano people, pledging their commitment to ensuring his return to Government House in 2027.

Also speaking, the deputy speaker and member representing Umuahia East State Constituency Hon. Augustine Nmeregini commended the governor for fostering synergy between the executive and legislative arms, noting that such collaboration has made governance more effective and responsive to the needs of the people.

Barr Monday Ubani, a senior advocate of Nigeria lauded Gov. Otti for bringing joy and renewed hope to Abians.

He highlighted key infrastructure projects, including the award for the reconstruction of the Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene road, as evidence of the governor’s commitment to development without political excuses.

Ambassador Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, son of Nigeria first military head of state and High Chief Victor Ikeji, the state’s representative at the federal character commission also praised the administration’s achievements, particularly in education and healthcare, noting that the narrative of governance in Abia has significantly improved.

The speakers collectively described Gov. Otti as one of the most impactful governors in Nigeria today, emphasizing that ongoing projects including plans for a 250-room five-star hotel in Umuahia and the completion of key infrastructure will further transform Umuahia to a befitting capital.

In his remarks, Governor Otti reiterated that governance should be rooted in service rather than self-interest.

He assured the people that his administration remains committed to delivering quality projects across all sectors, adding that every project initiated will be completed.

2027: Umuahia/Ikwuano Constituency Assures Otti Of 60% Votes In Abia is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez has recommended the immediate establishment of an European army to bolster the continent’s security posture.

Sánchez made the call on Friday at the European Pulse Forum 2026 in Barcelona, where he advised allied nations to close ranks to deal with the current and emerging realities.

“We (Spain) are ready to move forward with a common European army,” he told the gathering. “Not in ten years or two—as soon as tomorrow.”

Sánchez repeated his condemnation of Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip, urging the international community not to allow “a new Gaza in Lebanon.”

The prime minister added that in the face of violations of international law, Europe must act consistently if it wants the support of the rest of the world.

Sánchez earlier condemned this week’s Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which resulted in over 250 casualties and injured more than 1,100, according to Lebanon’s Civil Defence and Health Ministry.

The Spanish leader accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “contempt for life and international law,” and asked the European Union to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel.

On Friday, Netanyahu stated that Spain was engaging in a diplomatic war against Israel and removed the country from the coordination center overseeing the Gaza ceasefire.

Netanyahu said Spain defamed IDF service members, whom he described as “the soldiers of the most moral army in the world,” vowing that Israel will not “remain silent in the face of those who attack us.”

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar scolded Sánchez for criticizing Israel and its army, saying “Spain’s obsessive anti-Israel bias is so egregious that it has lost all capability” to remain in the Gaza peace process.

Sánchez has been vocal since Israel started its military action in Gaza after the Hamas attack in October 2023. Spain also recognizes the state of Palestine, and recently recalled its ambassador to Israel.

Spain’s Sánchez advocates European army, fears Gaza situation in Lebanon

The United States President, Donald Trump, has said Iran is in a weak negotiating position, claiming the country lacks leverage beyond Hormuz control in the ongoing tensions with the US.

Trump made the remarks in a post on Truth Social, where he criticised Iran’s strategy and accused it of relying on temporary pressure tactics.

“The Iranians don’t seem to realize they have no cards, other than a short term extortion of the World by using International Waterways.

“The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!” he wrote.

The president also accused Iran of being more effective in media engagement than in military confrontation.

“The Iranians are better at handling the Fake News Media, and ‘Public Relations,’ than they are at fighting,” he added.

His comments come amid heightened tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route through which about one-fifth of the world’s crude supply passes.

The strategic waterway is expected to be a central issue in upcoming peace talks between the United States and Iran scheduled to take place in Pakistan on Saturday.

Although both countries have indicated that the channel would reopen following a two-week truce announced earlier, lingering threats from Tehran have reportedly continued to limit shipping activities in the area.

Iran lacks cards, only alive to negotiate – Trump

The Independent National Electoral Commission has denied that its chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, owns or has ever operated a personal account on X, formerly Twitter.

This followed the circulation of a tweet attributed to him in which he allegedly declared that “victory is sure” for the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2023 general elections.

THE WHISTLER reports that the post, dated March 18, 2023, was a reaction to a tweet by the APC national youth leader, Dayo Israel, in which Israel claimed to have swung votes for the APC in “Igbo dominated community” in Lagos.

An account bearing Amupitan’s name then commented “Victory is sure” under Israel tweet.

The old post has since garnered thousands of views and sparked reactions from Nigerians who questioned the impartiality of INEC.

But speaking through his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, on Friday, the INEC boss described the allegation as “entirely baseless, a total fabrication, and a figment of the imagination of its purveyors.”

The statement reads, “The INEC Chairman does not own or operate any personal account on X.

“He has at no time engaged in partisan commentary, nor has he ever associated himself with any political leaning or activity in his private or public capacity.”

INEC further described the post as “a desperate attempt to impugn the integrity and neutrality of the Chairman at a critical period when the Commission is focused on significant electoral reforms and preparations for upcoming polls.”

The commission said it was “working in close collaboration with relevant security agencies and cyber-intelligence units to track and identify the individuals or groups behind this identity theft and misinformation,” adding that those found responsible would be prosecuted under the Cybercrimes Act.

“Identity theft and the dissemination of deepfake or forged social media interactions are criminal offenses under the Cybercrimes Act,” the statement said.

“Those responsible for this mischief will be tracked and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others who believe the digital space is a safe haven for criminality.”

Oketola urged the public to disregard the post and seek information about the commission only through verified channels.

INEC Chairman Disowns 2023 Tweet Declaring ‘Victory Is Sure’ For APC is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Ex-Benue Local Government chairman, Moses Iorhen Shirsha, and his wife, Mercy Mngusonun Shirsha, have been laid to rest in a joint burial ceremony in Mbator, Mbatsen, Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State.

The burial, which took place amid tears and tributes, drew sympathisers from across the state, as family members, friends, and associates gathered to honour the deceased couple.

The late Shirsha, a former Chairman of Konshisha LGA, also made history as the first Students’ Union President of Benue State University.

His wife, Mercy, served as a Senior Special Assistant to the Benue State Governor during her lifetime.

Sources said the former chairman died just days after the loss of his wife, compounding the grief surrounding the tragedy.

Speakers at the burial described the incident as deeply painful, noting that the couple, who shared their lives together, were also laid side by side in death.

Prayers were offered for the repose of their souls, while condolences poured in for the Shirsha Adeega family over the double loss.

Ex-Benue LG chairman, wife buried same day in Konshisha

Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has made his most direct allegations yet against his former deputy, Aminu Abdussalam, claiming that the resignation which ended their political partnership was linked to a deliberate plot to remove him from office.

Speaking at Government House in Kano while receiving a group of praise singers, Yusuf said the events surrounding Abdussalam’s exit pointed to a calculated attempt to force him out and install the former deputy as governor.

“Whatever pushed him to act in that manner was an effort to depose me and occupy the seat,” Yusuf said. “But God did not permit it.”

The governor also revealed that he had never personally seen or received the resignation letter attributed to Abdussalam, raising fresh questions about how the exit was formally processed.

“Today, the deputy governor who was elected alongside us is no longer part of this government. No one wronged him. In fact, I have not even come across his resignation letter, so why should I be concerned about it?” he said.

Abdussalam, popularly known as Gwarzo, resigned earlier this year amid mounting pressure from the Kano State House of Assembly, where impeachment proceedings against him had already been set in motion. His resignation abruptly halted the process, but the political fallout has continued to reverberate.

In remarks that hinted at deeper internal tensions, Yusuf also questioned whether unmet political ambitions within the Kwankwasiyya Movement may have driven his former deputy’s actions.

“The deputy governor who left in hopes of getting that ticket — what was his offence? Why wasn’t he given the chance? Isn’t that unfair to him?” the governor asked.

Abdussalam has not publicly responded to the allegations. His silence leaves unanswered what many observers now view as a high-stakes power struggle that came closer to reshaping Kano’s political landscape than previously acknowledged.

How My Deputy Plotted To Seize My Office — Gov Yusuf is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Achebe, has received the chief executive of Flutterwave, Olugbenga Agboola, popularly known as GB, and endorsed the expansion of financial technology solutions as a pathway for economic growth, innovation and youth empowerment across Nigeria’s Southeast.

The monarch who adopted the fintech leader, GB, as a son emphasised that the region’s long-standing culture of commerce and entrepreneurship places it in a strong position to benefit from digital financial innovation.

He noted that the Igbo trading system, which has thrived for generations through resilience and enterprise, can gain even greater momentum when combined with modern technology.

Agboola, whose rise in the global technology sector has been widely followed across Nigeria, was received not merely as a corporate executive but as a symbol of what Nigerian ingenuity can achieve on the international stage.

His journey from local beginnings to building one of Africa’s most recognised fintech companies resonated strongly during the conversation, reinforcing the belief that homegrown innovation can transform local economies.

The discussion placed significant emphasis on collaboration between technology companies and grassroots commercial communities, particularly traders operating in markets across the Southeast.

According to the monarch, bridging traditional commerce with digital platforms would open new opportunities for traders, improve access to financial services and strengthen the region’s competitiveness in an increasingly digital global economy.

Moreover, youth development formed a central theme of the meeting. The Obi highlighted existing community-based programmes aimed at empowering young people and nurturing entrepreneurial skills.

He observed that integrating technology training with such initiatives would allow many young Nigerians to transition from merely seeking jobs to building scalable digital businesses.

Reflecting on the entrepreneurial spirit of Nigerians, Achebe remarked that talent and creativity remain among the country’s greatest assets.

Hard work, he noted, continues to define the success stories emerging from communities across the Southeast, where individuals often build thriving ventures despite limited structural support.

Attention also turned to the famous Onitsha Main Market, widely regarded as one of the largest trading hubs in West Africa.

The monarch explained that its traditional buying-and-selling structure demonstrates the commercial instinct of the region’s people.

However, he argued that introducing structured technology education within such markets could unlock new possibilities for traders who increasingly rely on digital payments and online commerce.

He recalled an earlier attempt to establish an information technology training initiative inside the market, which did not eventually materialise.

Nonetheless, he maintained that bringing innovation closer to everyday traders remains essential if the region is to fully harness the advantages of digital transformation.

Furthermore, Achebe underscored the broader importance of education and knowledge development in advancing African economies.

While acknowledging historical influences that elevated formal education, he stressed that the continent must continue investing in skills, learning and technological capacity to remain competitive in the modern world.

Beyond the immediate discussions, the monarch also extended an invitation to Agboola to address students and stakeholders at Ahmadu Bello University, where he serves as Chancellor.

The proposed engagement, expected to take place at a major university event scheduled for January, would provide an opportunity for the fintech leader to share insights with young Nigerians preparing to enter the technology and business sectors.

Achebe assured his guest that he would personally liaise with the institution’s leadership to facilitate the arrangement, describing the university’s management as forward-thinking and receptive to partnerships that inspire innovation.

Meanwhile, this meeting symbolised more than a courtesy visit. It reflected a growing alignment between traditional leadership and modern technology enterprises, an alliance that could help position the Southeast as a vibrant hub for digital commerce, youth entrepreneurship and locally driven innovation.

Obi of Onitsha receives Flutterwave boss GB, endorses fintech in Southeast

The Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, CP Bassey Ewah, has met with hoteliers to strengthen security and enhance public safety.

“The Command is committed to partnering with hotel operators to ensure all hospitality facilities are adequately secured,” Ewah said.

Hoteliers commended the initiative and expressed readiness to collaborate with the police.

They highlighted challenges and pledged to work closely with security agencies to ensure safety.

Ewah urged hoteliers to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.

The meeting aimed to foster collaboration and timely information sharing to prevent crime and address security threats.

Police teams up with hoteliers to boost security in Plateau

There is a saying in engineering that you cannot fix what you will not first measure. For decades, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) operated in a fog of opaque numbers, political interference, and a governance culture that seemed almost allergic to scrutiny. That era, by all available evidence, is finally coming to an end.

On April 2, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made what many initially dismissed as just another political reshuffle. He dissolved the entire NNPC board and executive management, and appointed an entirely new leadership team headed by Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari as Group Chief Executive Officer and Ahmadu Musa Kida as non-executive Chairman. The surprise was not just in the timing, but in the composition.

The board was populated almost entirely by technocrats with deep private-sector experience, former directors of Shell, Total, NLNG, and even NNPC, alongside other seasoned financiers and engineers.

One year on, the early returns suggest that this was not a cosmetic change but a structural reset. Let us start with first principles. What does “governance” actually mean for a national oil company? Under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, NNPC Limited was incorporated as a limited liability company under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), obligated to its shareholders, ostensibly all 200 million Nigerians, and required to declare profits. But the PIA alone could not change culture. That required leadership.

Ojulari’s first move upon assuming office was to reinstate monthly financial and operational performance reports, a transparency measure that had been allowed to lapse. According to Dr Ogbonnaya Orji, immediate past Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), “This level of disclosure sends a powerful signal to the market. Transparency is critical to restoring confidence”. NEITI has since publicly backed Ojulari’s reform agenda, urging NNPC to stand as a model of transparency, accountability, efficiency, and civic engagement.

Beyond disclosure, the new leadership created two new offices: a Chief Compliance Officer and a Chief Sustainability Officer, aligning NNPC with international accountability and environmental responsibility standards. These are not ceremonial titles. They represent a deliberate institutionalisation of oversight that was previously absent.

Even the board’s composition reflects a departure from the past. The new 11-member board includes former NLNG Managing Director Babs Omotowa, respected industry veteran Austin Avuru, and David Ige, alongside representatives from the finance and petroleum ministries. Kida, the chairman, brings over three decades of experience from Elf and Total, where he rose to Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services. This is not a board of political appointees; it is a board of seasoned operators.

Perhaps the most visible test of governance has been the handling of Nigeria’s refineries. Ojulari’s approach has been fundamentally different. Speaking at the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) 2026 in Abuja, he laid out a starkly realistic assessment: “Getting refineries up and running requires three critical elements: financing, a competent engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, and world-class operational capacity”. He also made it clear that NNPC would resist pressure to continue running the refineries at a loss. “NNPC Ltd has embarked on a comprehensive review to recalibrate its refinery strategy, while engaging partners to fulfil its role as supplier of last resort,” he told delegates.

Instead of signing yet another operations and maintenance contract, the new leadership is actively pursuing technical equity partners with proven global expertise. According to Ojulari, NNPC is not selling its refineries outright, but is open to ceding equity to strategic investors who will lead operations, share financial risk, and rebuild internal technical capacity.

A major Chinese petrochemical firm is already in advanced discussions. This is a marked shift from the contractor-led model that left NNPC holding operational responsibility without the capacity to perform.

When President Tinubu issued Executive Order No. 9 of 2026, which stripped NNPC of its automatic 30 per cent management fee on profit oil and gas and directed direct remittance of oil revenues to the Federation Account, many predicted chaos. The conventional wisdom was that NNPC, starved of its customary cash flows, would push back publicly and grind to a halt.

Instead, the new leadership chose engagement over confrontation. The company complied, reframed its financial model, and used the moment to demonstrate fiscal discipline rather than entitlement. This is the kind of institutional maturity that only a board with depth and private-sector instinct can produce.

Nowhere has the change in tone been more evident than in NNPC’s relationship with the Dangote Refinery. Under the previous leadership. In February 2026, Ojulari led a high-level management delegation on a facility tour of the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Ibeju-Lekki.

The visit was not ceremonial. High-level discussions culminated in a renewed commitment to strategic collaboration across multiple fronts. According to Ojulari, the partnership will “unlock synergies across assets, infrastructure, capital, and markets” and provide “visibility of all NNPC-Dangote business relations.”

He further noted opportunities for expansion into upstream operations, trading, shipping, and gas supplies. For his part, Alhaji Aliko Dangote was equally effusive, stating that “Nigerians will be the beneficiaries of the synergy between Dangote Group and NNPC Limited, because our collaboration will achieve economies of scale and unlock value on a large scale”.

This is not the language of reluctant partners. It is the language of aligned commercial interests.

To be fair, not everything has been smooth. Some industry observers have noted that NNPC’s crude production targets remain ambitious, with 2025 federal budget benchmarks of 2.06 million barrels per day still out of reach. Ojulari himself acknowledged at NIES 2026 that achieving 1.8 million barrels per day in 2026 would be a more realistic goal. Critics also point to lingering questions about legacy financial discrepancies, with the Senate Committee on Public Accounts still seeking further clarifications on historical entries.

These are legitimate concerns, and the new leadership would do well to accelerate the reconciliation process.

Perhaps the most significant signal of all is the one least discussed in public. The current leadership is not building a company for today; it is building a company for public listing. More importantly it is working hard towards bequeathing a legacy that will be the pride of all Nigerians.

Every governance reform, from monthly financial disclosures to the creation of compliance offices, from equity partnerships in refineries to transparent engagement with Dangote, is a step towards the day when NNPC Limited becomes a publicly traded company that is accountable to global investors.

That is the ultimate test of governance. And by that measure, Ojulari’s board and leadership may well prove to be a stitch in time that saves actually saves nine.

-Adekayode is an energy analyst with over fifteen years of experience covering African oil, gas, and power sectors.

NNPC Board Reset: A Stitch In Time For Governance, Performance is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

By Juliet Umeh

The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Afam Osigwe, has criticized the involvement of the executive arm of government in providing infrastructure and welfare items for judges, describing the practice as wrong and damaging to the integrity of the judiciary.

Speaking on Channels Television, Osigwe said: “It is wrong for the executive to build courtrooms, buy cars for judges, invite judges and hand over vehicles to them.

He lamented that, “ the growing trend portrays judges as beneficiaries of political patronage and weakens public trust in the justice system.

“Sometimes it would appear that the judiciary is happy. The judges are happy to be paraded by politicians receiving cars, as if the person were doing them a favor.

“As if the governor or minister or whoever is spending his own personal money. It demeans the judges. It demeans the judiciary.”

According to him, such actions create a troubling perception of closeness between the judiciary and the executive,” he stated.

He described the issue as a moral concern, stressing that it raises doubts about fairness in the justice system.

Osigwe maintained that “judicial needs should be handled through proper budgetary processes. If the courts need houses, they should be put in their budget, and the courts should be allowed to handle it. The public display is demeaning and robs them of the perception of being independent,” he said.

On judicial independence, he said: “Constitutionally, yes. But in reality, the perception is that the judiciary is not fully independent.”

He attributed this to financial control by governors, noting: “Sometimes the Chief Judge is reduced to going to the Government House to beg for release of statutory allocations. To that extent, it is not independent.”

Osigwe also warned against the increasing judicialization of politics.

“Over the years, there have been worries that the electoral process has been overly judicialized, with fears of corrupt practices affecting judgments,” he said.

He urged restraint by legal practitioners, adding, “Lawyers should not be a tool in the hands of politicians, not to use litigation to manipulate the political process.”

He further warned, “If the legal and judicial process is put to the wrong use, we may have the tendency of truncating democracy.”

The post Executive building courts, gifting judges undermines judiciary – NBA chair appeared first on Vanguard News.