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Lai Mohammed Opens Up On Governance, Credits Communication For APC’s Rise To Power.
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has reflected on his years in public service, saying his experience in opposition politics greatly influenced his approach to governance after taking office in 2015.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to a statement by his media aide, Nnadi Atupulazi, Mohammed is currently on a speaking tour in the United Kingdom, where he is engaging audiences on leadership, governance, and public communication.
The sessions are based on his new book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined an Administration, which documents his time as Nigeria’s government spokesman from 2015 to 2023.
Mohammed stressed that communication plays a central role in governance, describing it not as a supporting tool but as a core element of political leadership and administration.
He stated that his experience strengthened his conviction that effective communication is essential to both politics and governance.
He also highlighted how strategic messaging helped unify the then-opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), enabling it to challenge and eventually defeat the ruling party in the 2015 general elections.
As part of his engagements, the former minister delivered lectures at the Leadership Speaker Series of the Cambridge International Education Conference at St John’s College, Cambridge, as well as at the London School of Economics.
Speaking at Abbey College, Cambridge, Mohammed traced the evolution of Nigeria’s opposition politics, recalling the aftermath of the 2003 general elections, which he described as a major setback for opposition parties.
He explained how the 1999 elections produced a relatively balanced political landscape among major parties, but said the 2003 polls drastically weakened the opposition, leaving his party with only Lagos State.
According to him, this political setback forced a realignment that eventually led to the formation of successive opposition coalitions, culminating in the emergence of the APC.
Mohammed noted that despite its limited control at the time, the opposition relied heavily on communication to remain relevant, describing it as its most powerful tool.
He said every message had to be carefully crafted to ensure visibility and influence in the public space.
Through consistent messaging and political engagement, he explained, the opposition gradually regained strength, expanding its influence from one state to several before merging into the APC in 2013.
He added that the APC quickly became a dominant opposition force and eventually achieved a historic victory in 2015, when it unseated the ruling party at the national level for the first time.
Mohammed concluded that his experience reaffirmed the importance of communication, describing it as a tool of persistence, clarity, and strategic influence in governance and politics.
The administration of President Bola Tinubu has approved an upward review of peculiar allowances, welfare benefits, and exit packages for civil servants across Nigeria.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
This was disclosed on Friday in Abuja by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, during a press briefing.
She explained that the adjustment applies to workers under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) as well as the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS).
According to her, the revised allowances have been designed to cut across all grade levels, ensuring improved earnings for both senior and junior officers.
Further details are expected to be released later.
Taiwo Oyedele has officially taken over as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy following a formal handover from his predecessor, Wale Edun.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The transition, which reportedly took place on Thursday evening, was confirmed in a statement issued by the Ministry’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Efe Ovuakporie.
According to the statement, the handover was concluded within the timeframe set by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In his inaugural address, Oyedele pledged to consolidate ongoing reforms while delivering measurable economic outcomes.
He said his administration would prioritise fiscal discipline, transparency, and improved performance across key sectors of the economy.
He also expressed his readiness to work closely with staff of the ministry to strengthen efficiency and service delivery.
Oyedele commended his predecessor, Wale Edun, for his role in advancing Nigeria’s economic reform agenda, and thanked President Tinubu for entrusting him with the responsibility.
The Permanent Secretary, Raymond Omachi, alongside the Permanent Secretary (Special Duties), Mohammed Danjuma, welcomed the new minister and assured him of the full support and cooperation of the ministry’s workforce.
During Edun’s tenure, the ministry implemented several fiscal reforms aimed at improving revenue generation and economic coordination. However, the period also faced challenges, including budget implementation constraints that affected ministries, departments, and agencies.
There were also concerns over outstanding payments owed to pensioners and contractors during the same period.
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of an Abuja-based lawyer, Victor Giwa, and a police officer, Edith Erhunmuuse, after they failed to appear in court.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The two defendants were scheduled to be arraigned alongside another accused person, Cecil Osakwe, on a nine-count charge marked FCT/HC/CR/222/2023, filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
They are accused of criminal conspiracy involving the alleged forceful eviction of occupants and damage to property valued at about N300 million.
When the matter was called on Friday, the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, told the court that although the charge was filed in January 2023, arraignment had repeatedly stalled due to what she described as a consistent pattern of absence by the defendants.
She argued that neither the first nor second defendant had consistently appeared in court or informed the prosecution of their absence, insisting that a bench warrant was necessary to compel attendance.
However, counsel to Victor Giwa, Ogbu Aboje, opposed the application, informing the court that his client was absent due to illness and had submitted medical documentation to support his condition. He also urged the court to hear a pending application before proceeding further.
He asked the court to excuse Giwa’s absence, citing health challenges as the reason for his non-attendance.
In response, the prosecution maintained that arraignment is the proper starting point of any criminal trial, adding that any proceedings before it would be invalid.
The prosecution therefore urged the court to issue a bench warrant to ensure the defendants appear for arraignment.
The third defendant, Cecil Osakwe, was present in court with his lawyer, Farouk Akanbi.
Delivering her ruling, Justice Samira Bature granted the prosecution’s request and ordered the arrest of Victor Giwa, stating that the explanations and medical documents presented amounted to deliberate delay tactics.
The judge noted that the case had suffered repeated delays since it was first filed in 2023 and commenced before her court in July 2024, lamenting that arraignment had still not taken place nearly two years later.
Justice Bature stressed that courts are not venues for delay tactics, adding that the defendants had shown disregard for the judicial process by failing to appear for arraignment.
She further ruled that all pending applications could only be considered after proper arraignment, stating that the court’s jurisdiction in criminal matters becomes fully activated only after that stage.
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