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BREAKING: Kyari Rubishes Fuel Quality Talks As Mere Drama, Bad Marketing Antics

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Nigeria is not refining crude locally – NNPC GMD

 

. . . Insists NNPC Ltd Didn’t Import Products This Year
. . . Says Importation A Standard Industry Practice Worldwide

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari has flayed talks about the existence of sub-standard fuel in Nigeria, describing it as unfortunate drama and bad marketing practice.

Kyari, who was speaking while fielding questions at a fireside chat during the 60th Nigeria Mining & Geosciences Society (NMGS) Conference in Abuja said the NNPC Ltd, and indeed the country does not have any issues of quality in the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol across the country.

“The talk around fuel quality is unfortunate and a very bad marketing practice. It’s all drama and entertainment and as we know, drama has a way of entertaining the people,” Kyari stated.

ALSO READ: Atiku Bombs Tinubu Over Violence In Osun State

He said Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) has quality standards which are obtainable in every country and there are no two countries that have the same standards.

Citing an example, Kyari said in Europe, oxygenate (a fuel additive) has to be introduced into PMS otherwise it will solidify the tank in people’s cars. But if the same fuel additive is introduced into cars in Nigeria, it turns to water once it gets into contact with air.

In essence, Kyari said, what is required by law to be introduced in one country, it is also required by law not to be introduced in another country.

He added that in the case of Nigeria, the country has standard regulatory agencies such as the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA), whose job is to ensure that every product that comes into this country meets the required products specifications and standards.

“I believe these regulatory agencies are doing their job. They have not come back to tell anyone that we have substandard products in the country,” Kyari told the audience.

The NNPC Ltd helmsman said the Company has already taken the necessary legal and security steps to ensure that people (behind such video) don’t mess up the country.

He said the implications of such acts are not only on NNPC Ltd anymore but more about messing up the whole country.

Kyari, who maintained that people can have their frustrations, cautioned that falsehood should never be extended into business.

The GCEO also debunked reports claiming that NNPC Ltd has imported 200 million litres of fuel in February this year.

“These are just lies, because we didn’t even import products within that window that the report was published. All the mischief about aligning this fictitious importation with the so-called low-quality fuel are just baseless,” he stated.

He explained that importation is a normal practice in the Industry, as every country imports petroleum products, including the United States.

He said Nigeria has supplied petroleum products to countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which doesn’t mean that there are no refineries in those countries.

Earlier in an address, Kyari charged members of the Nigerian Mining & Geosciences Society (NMGS) to embrace new technologies and foster a culture of continuous improvement in order to maximise the nation’s natural resources and generate more revenue for the country.

The Conference, which has as its theme “Transformation of the Mineral, Energy, Water, and Construction Sectors through Innovation”, focused on conversations around mining industry reforms, policy enhancements, and broader public appreciation of geoscience’s role in national development.

 

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Lawyer Petitions Court To Declare Rivers Sole Administrator’s Appointment Null

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A lawsuit has been filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.

The legal action seeks to nullify his appointment and bar the President from making similar decisions in other states.

The suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/572/2025, was initiated on Tuesday by Abuja-based lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who argues that the appointment violates Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.

The President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, is listed as the 1st defendant, while the Attorney-General of the Federation, Vice Admiral Ibas (Rtd.), and the Attorneys-General of the 36 states are named as the 2nd to 39th defendants.

Jideobi is urging the court to declare all decisions made by Ibas in his capacity as Sole Administrator unconstitutional and of no effect.

READ ALSOTinubu Swears In Ibas As Rivers Sole Administrator

He is also seeking an order preventing the President from appointing Sole Administrators in any state across Nigeria.

Through a team of lawyers led by Chimezie Enuka, the plaintiff is asking the court to rule on the following:

“Whether the President has the constitutional power to remove, suspend, or interfere with the tenure of an elected governor or deputy governor.

“Whether the suspension of the Rivers State Governor and Deputy Governor on March 18, 2025, was lawful.

“Whether the Constitution permits the appointment of a Sole Administrator to govern a state.

Jideobi contends that the only lawful means of removing a governor are outlined in Sections 180, 188, 189, 305, and 306 of the 1999 Constitution, none of which provide for the appointment of a Sole Administrator.

The plaintiff is asking the court to: overturn the suspension of the Rivers State Governor and Deputy Governor, Invalidate the appointment and swearing-in of Ibas as Sole Administrator, Order Ibas to immediately vacate the Government House in Rivers State and Issue an injunction stopping the President from appointing Sole Administrators in any Nigerian state.

In a 32-paragraph affidavit, Jideobi insists that Nigeria operates a federal system of government, where elected governors are not subject to presidential removal.

“As a lawyer, I have never seen the term ‘Sole Administrator’ in the 1999 Constitution,” he asserted.

He further argued that allowing the President to make such appointments could set a dangerous precedent, potentially leading to political instability in the country.

No hearing date has been scheduled yet. 

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Senate Confirms Nwakuche As NCoS Controller General

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The Senate has confirmed Sylvester Nwakuche as the new Controller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), following his appointment by President Bola Tinubu on December 13, 2024.

His appointment comes after the retirement of Haliru Nababa.

The confirmation was finalized during Tuesday’s plenary session after the Senate Committee on Interior, chaired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, submitted its report.

READ MORE: 12 Inmates Escape Kogi Prison, Authorities Launch Manhunt

Lawmakers unanimously approved the committee’s recommendation, officially endorsing Nwakuche’s leadership of the NCoS.

Announcing the confirmation, Senate President Godswill Akpabio urged Nwakuche to take urgent steps to enhance the security of correctional facilities across the country.

“We hope that under your leadership, the era of frequent jailbreaks in the country will come to an end,” Akpabio stated.

This call for improved security comes in the wake of a recent jailbreak at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Koton Karfe, Kogi State, where 12 inmates escaped in the early hours of Monday, resulting in the death of one correctional officer.

 

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Sen. Natasha Moves To Disbar Senate Ethics Chairman

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Suspended Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has petitioned the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), seeking the disbarment of Senator Nedamwem Imasuen, who currently serves as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.

In her submission to the LPDC, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Imasuen of being previously disbarred in the United States for professional misconduct.

She cited a ruling from the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, dated May 10, 2010, which she claims found him guilty of fraud, misappropriation of client funds, and failure to respond to disciplinary authorities.

READ ALSO: I’ll Never Apologise – Suspended Senator Natasha Fights Back

To substantiate her claims, the senator provided a copy of the Justia New York Case Law 2010, titled Matter of Imasuen, and stated that she would present additional evidence from official records when the case is heard.

According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Imasuen was disbarred after a complaint was lodged by Daphne Slyfield, a former client who had allegedly paid him significant legal fees but was later abandoned.

The US court determined that he had violated multiple professional rules, leading to his permanent removal from legal practice in the country.

Following his disbarment, Imasuen moved to Nigeria, where he continued to operate as a lawyer while also building a political career.

He eventually won a seat in the National Assembly as the Senator representing Edo South and was later appointed as the chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, a position that requires unquestionable integrity.

Akpoti-Uduaghan argues that Imasuen failed to disclose this crucial part of his history, both in his legal career and during his political aspirations.

She specifically pointed out that he did not reveal his disbarment in his Form EC9—his sworn declaration of personal details submitted to INEC during his election bid.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition is closely linked to her recent six-month suspension from the Senate, which was enforced under Imasuen’s leadership.

She alleged that Imasuen ignored an interim order from the Federal High Court in Abuja, issued on March 4, which had restrained his committee from proceeding with disciplinary action against her.

According to her, despite receiving the court’s directive, Imasuen “acted in contempt of court” by going ahead with her suspension. She also accused him of deliberately attempting to undermine the judiciary by disregarding the ruling.

Legal experts suggest that if the LPDC rules in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s favor, Imasuen could face serious professional and political consequences, including the potential revocation of his ability to practice law in Nigeria.

As of now, Senator Imasuen has not publicly responded to the allegations.

 

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