The Abia State Government has directed permanent secretaries, heads of parastatals and non-ministerial departments to identify civil servants approaching retirement and ensure they commence the mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The directive was contained in an internal memorandum signed by the state Head of Service, Benson Ojeikere.

According to the memorandum, the affected officials are required to compile the names of eligible workers and ensure they comply with the pre-retirement leave policy.

The policy applies to civil servants who have attained the statutory retirement age of 60 or completed 35 years in service. It also covers directors affected by the eight-year tenure limit for the position.

The state government cited the existing Public Service Rules and circulars issued on June 6, 2017, and July 18, 2017, as the basis for enforcing the directive.

Consequently, heads of ministries, departments and agencies have been instructed to identify all workers due for retirement, including directors affected by the tenure limit, and ensure they begin their leave in line with the approved schedule.

They were also directed to expedite the processing of retirement and pension documents within the stipulated timeframe to prevent unnecessary delays for workers leaving the public service.

Ojeikere further instructed the heads of the relevant institutions to report any difficulties encountered in implementing the policy to his office for prompt intervention.

Speaking on the directive, the Head of Service confirmed that the government had issued the memorandum but noted that some workers expected to retire were reluctant to begin the process.

He explained that the three-month pre-retirement leave was designed to give civil servants sufficient time to prepare their retirement documentation while they continued to receive their salaries.

According to Ojeikere, the state government is working to ensure that retired workers begin receiving their pensions as quickly as possible, rather than waiting for months after their salaries have stopped.

He observed that pension payments had sometimes taken two, three or even four months to commence after workers retired, a delay he said could damage the reputation of the state public service.

Ojeikere said the government intended to tackle the problem by ensuring that retirement and pension arrangements were initiated before workers officially left their positions.

He added that civil servants covered by the directive would continue to receive their salaries throughout the three-month pre-retirement leave while the necessary pension arrangements were completed.

A banker and seven other individuals have been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged ₦710 million fraud involving bank accounts and disputed financial documents.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The suspects were brought before the court by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos, on a 12-count charge relating to the alleged release of ₦710 million from eight bank accounts that had been restricted from withdrawals and transfers.

The defendants are Elvis Osazee Eghile, Egharevba MaryJane Osarieyekemwen, Precious Omonigho Irbhogbe, Aghatise Kelvin Uhuenkpoewen, Nweke Nnamdi Emmanuel, Obinyan Esther, Egharevba Emmanuel Osagioduwa and Emmanuel Obinyan Osenonome.

The Commissioner of Police in charge of the unit, Eloho Edwin Okpoziakpo, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Wednesday, October 14.

According to him, the investigation began after the unit received a petition concerning the alleged release of the funds.

Okpoziakpo alleged that Osenonome, a banker and Senior Relationship Officer, collaborated with Emmanuel Egharevba to obtain the personal information of other individuals and use the details to open bank accounts.

Investigators suspect that the accounts were subsequently used to facilitate the movement of funds connected to the alleged fraud.

The police commissioner said an analysis of the transactions revealed that substantial sums were transferred to accounts allegedly associated with individuals close to the principal suspect.

Those linked to the accounts reportedly included Nweke Nnamdi Emmanuel, Obinyan Ebehiemen Doris, identified as Osenonome’s sibling, Egharevba Emmanuel Osagioduwa and Esther Olohitare Obinyan, described as Osenonome’s wife.

The police further alleged that forged or disputed proof-of-funds documents, alongside other banking records, were used to facilitate the transactions.

Police Identify Assets Linked To Alleged Fraud

As part of efforts to trace and recover the missing funds, investigators reportedly identified several assets suspected to have been acquired with proceeds from the alleged fraud.

The assets include a 2020 Lexus RX 350 valued at ₦25 million, two Toyota Camry vehicles estimated at ₦8 million each, and a plot of land in Magodo Phase I, Lagos, reportedly purchased for ₦40 million.

Okpoziakpo also alleged that some of the funds were used to settle personal expenses and finance gambling activities.

He further claimed that ₦40 million was invested in CIBEX trading, while approximately ₦60 million was spent establishing and furnishing a spa and beauty business.

The police commissioner said the Special Fraud Unit would continue investigating the case, alongside other financial crimes involving the suspected abuse of banking procedures.

He added that investigators would ensure all relevant evidence was properly gathered and documented for presentation before the court.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday inaugurated the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), declaring that the ruling party was united and prepared to renew its commitment to Nigerians ahead of the 2027 presidential election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The inauguration took place at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, where Tinubu urged members of the council and party leaders to demonstrate unity, dedication and discipline as preparations for the election gather momentum, while ensuring that governance remains a priority.

The President expressed confidence in the campaign council and the APC’s ability to work together to achieve its objectives. He emphasised that a shared vision and collective commitment would be crucial to the party’s efforts.

Addressing the gathering, Tinubu thanked party members for their contributions during the last election but warned that their work would not be complete until they secured victory in the next polls.

“As I stand before you with a heart full of gratitude and spirit full of resolve, it is my honour to inaugurate the presidential campaign council of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 General Election. I thank all of you for the last election, but no one gets credit for an incomplete assignment until you deliver the next election, until you deliver your electoral wards, until you deliver the votes,” he said.

Tinubu also acknowledged the counsel of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who chairs the Progressive Governors Forum, advising him not to allow the demands of campaigning to interfere with his presidential responsibilities.

Uzodimma assured the President that APC governors and other party leaders would work to communicate the administration’s message effectively to Nigerians.

Responding, Tinubu said the advice was well-timed, stressing that although the campaign council would intensify political mobilisation across the country, his administration would remain focused on fulfilling its promises and addressing citizens’ concerns.

“However, I will still make time to speak directly with Nigerians even as you lead the campaign in the states and local government areas. We have bills to pay. The American creditors cannot wait. We want those investors to come in and invest for the future of our children,” the President said.

He urged campaign council members to engage Nigerians responsibly, communicate constructively and explain the policies and programmes being implemented under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Tinubu also praised Vice President Kashim Shettima for what he described as an excellent speech, commending his eloquence and patriotic commitment to national development.

The President further acknowledged the contributions of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, to his achievements during his time as governor of Lagos. He particularly highlighted efforts to address the encroachment of the Atlantic Ocean along the coastline.

“There is a limit, but there is no limit in daring. We dared the Atlantic Ocean, and the result is the Atlantic City in Lagos,” he said.

Shettima Defends Tinubu’s Leadership

Earlier, Vice President Shettima praised Tinubu’s courage and commitment to strengthening democracy in Nigeria.

He recalled the President’s support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in 2007, when Tinubu backed Atiku’s bid for the presidency on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Shettima criticised Atiku for what he described as an attempt to diminish the dignity of the presidential office.

“You can call him Bola, if you like, call him Adekunle, but he is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the Vice President said.

He also criticised Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Movement, accusing him of using misleading statistics and comparing Nigeria with other countries without providing adequate context.

APC Chairman Charges Council To Promote Tinubu’s Record

In his remarks, APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda said the inauguration reflected the party’s collective commitment to building a better Nigeria.

He pointed to the presence of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as evidence of support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Yilwatda urged the campaign council to communicate the President’s policies and achievements clearly, saying the administration had recorded progress over the past three years.

He assured Tinubu that the council would mobilise voters across wards, local government areas and states to support the President in 2027.

According to him, the campaign would focus on explaining how government investments and reforms could translate into tangible improvements in Nigerians’ daily lives.

He also called for an election centred on ideas, performance records and policies, urging political actors to conduct their campaigns peacefully and respect the electorate.

Uzodimma Praises Tinubu’s Economic Reforms

Governor Uzodimma, who also serves as secretary of the presidential campaign council, assured Tinubu that the administration’s policies would help the council deliver its campaign message.

He praised the President for confronting economic challenges that he said previous administrations had failed to address, particularly the petrol subsidy regime and the multiple exchange-rate system.

Uzodimma argued that the previous arrangements had become unsustainable and commended Tinubu for taking action at the beginning of his administration despite the potential political consequences.

He also praised the administration’s tax reforms and other economic measures, noting that Nigeria’s economic growth had risen to 4.43 per cent from 4.23 per cent a year earlier.

While acknowledging that the reforms had caused hardship and inconvenience for some Nigerians, the governor said economic indicators suggested that the country was moving in the right direction.

Governors, Wike Pledge Support For Re-election

During goodwill messages, Governor Adeleke, Governor Soludo and FCT Minister Wike expressed support for Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

Adeleke drew cheers from attendees with his familiar dance moves during the event.

Wike said he was backing Tinubu because he believed the President had demonstrated the determination to confront the country’s longstanding challenges.

“Previous administrations identified our problems, but did not tackle them. You have not shied away from tackling such problems. You tackled them from Day One,” the minister said.

He also urged governors to ensure victory for Tinubu in their respective states.

Other speakers, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs Ibrahim Kabiru Masari, and elder statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, called on Nigerians to support the President’s bid for a second term.

They said a renewed mandate would allow the administration to continue implementing its reform agenda and build on the progress it says has been achieved so far.