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Tinubu’s Inauguration Is Unstoppable, Sultan of Sokoto Asserts
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has called upon Nigerians to offer prayers for the upcoming administration’s success in governing the nation.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion in Abuja with traditional and religious leaders, the Sultan emphasized that regardless of personal preferences, a new administration would assume office on May 29.
The event, organized by the World Bank, aimed to explore solutions for enhancing human capital development, particularly in the field of girl child education, within the country.
The Sultan, who was urging attendees not to abandon the advocacy of ending child marriage and other impediments to the growth of the girl when they get to their community said: “There must be change because in the next few days or weeks there will be a new government, what can we contribute to that government to stabilize?
“Whether anybody likes it, it must take place, a new government is coming on 29 May, so what can we do besides prayers because we believe in Almighty, we believe in God that gives and takes.
“After that so what? What do we do to help the government stabilize and move the country forward?”
He added that it is an opportunity for religious and traditional leaders to work together for the betterment of the country.
“Let us continue to work as one big family with different mothers and fathers or whatever it is, but our main father and mother is Nigeria. As religious leaders, there must be equity and justice in whatever is being done and that is what I think we need to talk about the most,” Sultan said.
While explaining the efforts the leaders undergo for the development of their communities, he said, “We cater for thousands of people to go to schools but we don’t come out to say it. This is a forum where an example is brought for people to know how others can key into this. Some of our big men have so much that I don’t know what they will do with the money if they live 100 or 1,000 years and will not spend N1 of N1m of it, what will they do with it? How can they come out and help, such organizations or groups and individuals who are spending a lot to help our communities.”
He added, “Of course, our health care system, you know what it is, if a big man has a headache, he goes to London to take Panadol and comes back, it is a fact. So many of our governors built so many clinics, nothing is there but littered with rats but in the books, you have built 1,000 clinics in your state, it is a fact. These are things we are seeing.
“I am not mentioning anybody but giving a general view, so let no governor come and pick me and say Sultan has criticized me. I am not criticizing anybody. I am making a critique which is different from criticizing, so people should know that. You can critique an issue so that people will be better. We don’t criticize anybody because we have access to these people to sit down one on one, that is what we have been doing.”
He added that the religious and traditional institutions are bulwark to a progressive growth in the country as such must be accorded due respect.
“We are the most respected religious and traditional leaders and there is nothing anybody can do about it. That is why you see political candidates coming to our palaces to seek our prayers. I am sure many of our colleagues here must have seen so many politicians wanting to be Senate President or Speaker of the House going to your palaces or comfort zones to say, pray for me that I am the best candidate.
“We see this every day, so these institutions are the most prominent and productive for anybody who wants to be in a place where he wants to hold this country. So this country must hold these two together.”
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to court over the oil major’s failure to account for approximately ₦5.9 billion expended its incorporation, transition and rebranding from the NNPC into NNPC Ltd.
According to the SERAP, the NNPC Ltd paid over ₦2.9 billion for incorporation expenses from petroleum product proceeds, while the National Petroleum Investment Management Services also charged a similar amount against the crude oil revenue for the same purpose, bringing the total to ₦5.9 billion.
Consequently, the organisation is seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel the NNPCL to account for about ₦5.9 billion allegedly spent on the rebranding of the NNPC to the NNPCL.”
It is also asking the court to “direct and compel the NNPCL to provide a comprehensive reconciliation statement detailing the specific financial transactions relating to the ₦5.9 billion expenditure, including the identities of the contractors involved, and how the funds were utilised for the rebranding of NNPC to NNPCL.”
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The SERAP further asked the court to “direct and compel the NNPCL to disclose the names and official positions of the government officials who authorized and approved the release and expenditure of the ₦5.9 billion reportedly spent on the rebranding of NNPC to NNPCL, and to clarify whether the expenditure complied with applicable procurement laws and due-process requirements.”
The order of mandamus is contained in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1248/2026 filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the NGO’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
Filed on behalf of the SERAP by its lawyers, Oluwakemi Agunbiade, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, the suit also noted that the Senate Committee on Public Accounts reportedly raised concerns over the expenditure described as incorporation and transition costs during the transformation process.
“The Committee described the spending of the ₦5.9 billion as excessive, unjustifiable, and deserving of further explanation, investigation, and legislative scrutiny in the public interest,” the SERAP noted.
The SERAP argued that there is a legitimate public interest in the disclosure of the details sought.
“The NNPCL has a legal responsibility to explain whether the ₦5.9 billion expenditure represents value for money, constitutes lawful spending of public funds, and complies with applicable due process requirements.
“There ought to be full transparency and accountability regarding the reported ₦5.9 billion spent on rebranding NNPC to NNPCL. Nigerians have the right to know who approved the expenditure, who received the funds, the nature of the services rendered, and whether due process and procurement requirements were strictly followed,
“The disclosure of the identities of the officials involved and the processes followed in approving the expenditure would enable the public to assess whether the expenditure was properly authorized, represented value for money, and was undertaken in accordance with due process and procurement requirements,” it said.
It added that, given the size of the expenditure, there is “an urgent need for a prompt, thorough, and transparent disclosure of the details surrounding the spending of the funds.”
It further stated that “the failure to account for the spending of the ₦5.9 billion on rebranding from NNPC to NNPCL reflects a failure of NNPCL accountability more generally and is directly linked to the institution’s continuing failure to uphold transparency and accountability principles.”
The SERAP added that the transformation of the national oil company from the NNPC to the NNPC Ltd followed the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which required it to become a commercially oriented limited liability company fully owned by the federal government.
It also cited constitutional and international provisions, including Section 13 and Section 15(5) of the Constitution, as well as Articles 5 and 9 of the UN Convention against Corruption and Article 21 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to support its arguments.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
The attention of the Osun State Government has been drawn to a statement by the Executive Director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola, accusing Governor Ademola Adeleke of marginalising Muslims in his administration.
The State Government in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi charged Professor Akintola to be guided by the Quran and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad in his engagement with the Osun State Government.
“We believe Professor Akintola acted on misinformation or he is actively an agent of misinformation. Governor Adeleke is a strong believer who relates well with people of all faiths, in line with the inclusive leadership example of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). His administration has appointed qualified Muslims to key positions.
For the record, Governor Adeleke appointed Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye as Secretary to the State Government and Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, a student of Sheikh Kamaludeen Al-Adabiyy in Ilorin, as Chief of Staff. His Spokesperson is a known Mallam of Tijaniya extraction. The Commissioner for Information is alone a deep muslim of Al-Adabiyy extraction. Several other Muslims are also serving as commissioners and heads of agencies, alongside qualified appointees of other faiths.
This administration commenced construction of the Osun Hajj Camp, ending Osun’s status as the only Southwest state without one. The governor also approved a mosque in the Government House for Muslim staff.
We urge Professor Akintola to verify facts before going public, as admonished in Qur’an 49:6.
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He should also assess government performance using verifiable data on budget execution, debt management by the DMO, and healthcare, where Osun was rated best in the Southwest for primary healthcare in 2024 and 2025.
Elections should be about jobs, security, infrastructure, healthcare, and education, not identity politics.
“We expect MURIC to judge this administration by its record of service to all citizens, Muslim and non-Muslim alike”.
Rather than feign his political attack with religious coloration, Professor Akintola should be courageous to declare his partisan interest in the opposition APC and stop using religion to do hatchet job politics.
We challenge MURIC to openly condemn the shooting of law-abiding residents (Muslims and non Muslims) of the state by APC thugs in branded APC campaign vehicles in Ile-Ife, Akoda, Owode-Ede and Osogbo, to disprove the allegation that he’s been paid by the opposition to attack Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Rather than spreading baseless misinformation, we are also of the opinion that MURIC should be more interested in cases like the sudden addition of ‘Munirudeen’ to the names of the Osun APC Governorship candidate, a name which was missing from his primary, secondary and university certificates.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has explained the reason behind the suspension of the 2026 Batch B Stream I Orientation Course for prospective corps members deployed to Niger State.
In a notice shared on its official X account on Sunday, the scheme said the orientation exercise was put on hold due to ongoing renovation work at the state’s orientation camp.
According to the NYSC, the temporary suspension affects all prospective corps members (PCMs) posted to Niger State for the current orientation programme.
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“This is to notify the General Public and Prospective Corps Members (PCMs) deployed to Niger State for the 2026 Batch B Stream I Orientation Course that their Orientation Course Exercise is suspended for now due to ongoing renovation work at the Orientation Camp,” the statement read.
The scheme assured affected corps members that alternative arrangements would be communicated soon, noting that they would be informed of a new reporting date and venue once preparations are completed.
“PCMs affected should note that they will be contacted at a short notice on where and when to report for their Orientation Course,” the NYSC added.
The management also apologised for the inconvenience caused to both the prospective corps members and their parents.
“The Management regrets all inconveniences to the affected PCMs and their parents,” the statement said.
The suspension comes months after a devastating windstorm damaged critical facilities at the NYSC orientation camp in Paiko, located in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The storm reportedly affected several structures, including male hostels, the multipurpose hall, kitchen and staff quarters.
Following the incident, the Niger State Government commenced rehabilitation and renovation works aimed at restoring the camp’s infrastructure to a suitable condition for hosting corps members.
While the 2026 Batch B Stream I Orientation Course began nationwide on June 10 and is expected to conclude on June 30, corps members posted to Niger State will now have to await further directives from the NYSC regarding their orientation exercise.
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