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“From Cabinet To Church: Former Minister Swears Off Politics Forever Following Humiliating Primary Outing”.
Former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has officially announced his retirement from active partisan politics, citing widespread manipulation, the imposition of candidates, and a complete breakdown of internal democracy within the All Progressives Congress (APC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Shittu, a legal practitioner and founding member of the ruling party, made the disclosure during an interview with SYMFONI. He revealed that his frustrating experiences during the party’s recently concluded governorship primary forced him to permanently redirect his focus toward Islamic Dawah and religious activities.
“I am no longer interested in politics,” Shittu declared. “I want to do Islamic Dawah because if you put even a quarter of the effort we invest in politics into God’s work, one will certainly be better compensated.”
The former minister slammed party elites for running a predetermined selection process, questioning why aspirants were pressured to purchase nomination forms worth ₦50 million when an “anointed candidate” had already been chosen behind closed doors. Shittu alleged he was personally deceived into holding onto his position as a federal university Pro-Chancellor under the pretense that it was President Bola Tinubu’s direct wish, only to discover later that the primary outcome was already rigged.
Warning that the current bitterness within the APC will trigger a long-term electoral crisis, Shittu noted that rigid provisions in the amended Electoral Act have now trapped aggrieved politicians. Because participants in a primary are legally barred from defecting to contest on other platforms, he warned that those who built the system are now becoming its first casualties.
Option 2: Sharp and Punchy (High Engagement / Fast-Paced)
Headline: Shittu Slams APC Over ₦50m Primary ‘Deception,’ Abandons Politics for God’s Work
Ex-Communications Minister Adebayo Shittu has completely washed his hands of Nigerian politics, labeling the internal operations of the APC as deceptive and heavily manipulated.
Following the fallout of the party’s governorship primaries, Shittu announced he is pivoting fully to Islamic Dawah, stating that religious devotion offers far greater moral and spiritual rewards than a frustrating political landscape.
The APC chieftain exposed how aspirants were fleeced of ₦50 million for nomination forms despite a winner being predetermined. He also alleged he was misled into staying on as a university Pro-Chancellor using the President’s name, only to realize later that the entire primary process was an engineered facade.
With defection loopholes closed by the Electoral Act, Shittu warned that the massive resentment among shortchanged party loyalists is a ticking time bomb that will deeply hurt the APC’s future fortunes.
Option 3: Analytical & Political Fallout Style
Headline: The Shittu Exit: How APC’s Internal Impositions Formed a Turning Point for the Former Minister
Adebayo Shittu’s exit from partisan politics spotlights a growing crisis of internal democracy within the ruling APC, as structural impositions continue to alienate party heavyweights.
The veteran politician’s move from the cabinet to the mosque comes after a highly controversial primary process. Shittu detailed how powerful individuals have hijacked party structures for personal gain, leaving dedicated aspirants financially exploited and politically stranded.
By highlighting his own experience—where he claims a ₦50 million entry barrier yielded nothing but pre-arranged results—Shittu underscored why he believes political sacrifices in Nigeria are no longer worth the emotional and financial toll.
His warning about the Electoral Act’s restrictive clauses blocking external avenues of escape points to a tense future, where internal resentment could quietly erode the ruling party’s foundation from within.
entertainment
Double Whammy! Phyna Suffers Devastating Loss Amid Fierce Online War With VeryDarkMan.
Reality TV star and Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner, Ijeoma Otabor (popularly known as Phyna), has been hit by a double dose of misfortune. Just hours after dragging controversial social media critic VeryDarkMan (VDM) into an explosive exposé, the star’s official Instagram account was completely suspended.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The digital wipeout comes during an incredibly emotional week for Phyna, who is also battling online trolls over the tragic death of her younger sister.
The Receipt That Blew Up Phyna’s Instagram
The bad blood escalated after Phyna publicly accused VeryDarkMan of orchestrating a targeted smear campaign against her. According to Phyna, VDM’s hostility stemmed from bitterness after she allegedly rejected his sexual advances.
The drama unfolded rapidly:
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The Denial: VeryDarkMan vehemently denied the allegations, arguing that asking an adult for consensual sex is standard practice and dared her to provide concrete evidence.
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The Receipt Drop: Phyna fired back by leaking a purported WhatsApp chat between herself and the critic directly onto her Instagram grid.
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The Suspension: Within hours of posting the private chats, Instagram clamped down on Phyna’s account, pulling it offline for violating community guidelines.
Taking to her handle on X (formerly Twitter) to clear the air, Phyna confirmed the platform’s intervention:
Phyna on X: “I didn’t deactivate my IG. Deactivate say wetin happen na? It got suspended.”
“I Will Never Forgive Myself” — Phyna Weeps Over Sister’s Tragic Death
Compounding her online woes, Phyna recently broke down in tears during an emotional live broadcast while addressing cruel allegations regarding her late younger sister, who was crushed to death by a Dangote truck driver.
Insensitive critics had attacked the reality star, accusing her of financial greed and neglecting her family’s welfare during the tragedy. One comment read:
The Critic: “It was ur greed, nobody lied against u, stop all this emotional blackmail, u were too greedy u didnt care about ur sister’s welfare.”
Responding through heavy tears, Phyna revealed that her family has faced relentless judgment from the public. She expressed deep agony over the justice system’s failure to hold the truck driver accountable, stating that she will never forgive herself for how the legal case turned out and the malicious falsehoods being spread about her grief.
latest
Terror In The Highlands! Presidency Declares Mountain Prayer Grounds “Bandit Zones,” Bans Fellowships.
The Presidency has issued an urgent security warning to residents and religious organizations in Kwara and Kogi states, advising an immediate and temporary suspension of all mountain-top prayer gatherings, popularly known as “Ori Oke.”....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The directive was issued on Monday by Abiodun Essiet, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement for the North Central region. The sudden warning comes on the heels of a dangerous surge in violent attacks, mass abductions, and killings by heavily armed gangs across the two states.
Sacred Peaks Turned Into Criminal Hideouts
For decades, thousands of Christian worshippers and spiritual seekers have frequented isolated mountain tops and dense forests for fasting and intense prayer retreats, seeking quietude.
However, the Presidency has revealed that these once-sacred locations have now been heavily compromised:
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Strategic Kidnap Zones: Strategic hilltops and forests have increasingly been seized by bandits and terrorist elements to use as operational hideouts.
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Soft Targets: Worshippers gathering in these remote, isolated areas face an extreme risk of being ambushed, killed, or kidnapped for multi-million Naira ransoms.
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No Security Presence: The far-flung nature of these terrains makes immediate rescue operations by security agencies nearly impossible during an attack.
“God Is Everywhere” — Presidency Pleads for Caution
In the official statement, the Office of the SSA emphasized that spiritual devotion should not come at the cost of human lives, reminding the public that God’s presence is not limited to geographical heights.
Official Presidential Statement: “The Office noted that God is omnipotent and can be worshipped anywhere, stressing that mountains and forests have increasingly become hideouts for bandits and criminal elements, thereby posing security risks to worshippers and communities. We appeal to residents and religious groups in Kwara and Kogi States to temporarily suspend Ori Oke prayer gatherings until the security situation in the affected areas stabilises.”
Growing Insecurity in North Central Nigeria
The security advisory follows a string of deadly incursions by armed bandits in both Kwara and Kogi states over recent months. Entire communities have been raided, dozens of citizens murdered, and travelers abducted along major transit routes.
The Presidency has strongly advised the public to remain highly vigilant, avoid lonely or isolated terrains, and restrict all religious fellowships to secure, well-populated urban areas until normal security is restored to the region’s highlands.
latest
“Shock Wave! Tinubu Administration Suddenly Cancels Massive $717.7 Million World Bank Loan”.
The Federal Government of Nigeria and the World Bank have jointly cancelled $717.7 million in undisbursed financing originally meant to revive the country’s struggling electricity sector.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The decision abruptly halts the remaining portion of a massive $1.52 billion Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSRP) aimed at boosting electricity supply and reducing the fiscal strain on public funds.
According to official World Bank restructuring documents, the project’s closing date has been aggressively pulled forward from June 30, 2027, to May 31, 2026.
Why the $1.52 Billion Programme Collapsed
The PSRP was structured in two distinct phases, but major macroeconomic shocks caused the second phase to derail completely:
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Phase 1 (The Parent Operation): A Success Story Approved in June 2020 with $752.5 million, this phase achieved substantial results. Tariff shortfalls plummeted by 71% (from ₦581bn to ₦166bn) between 2019 and 2022, grid supply increased by 13%, and nearly 95% of the funds were successfully disbursed.
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Phase 2 (Additional Financing): The Derailment To consolidate these gains, a $763.5 million additional package was approved in June 2023. However, this phase hit a brick wall, with the World Bank labeling its implementation progress as “Moderately Unsatisfactory.” Only about 9% of these new funds were ever released.
The Forex Shock and the ₦1.9 Trillion Tariff Gap
The World Bank attributed the failure of the extended reforms to severe macroeconomic shifts in Nigeria, primarily driven by the June 2023 liberalisation of the foreign exchange market:
1. Skyrocketing Generation Costs
Over 70% of Nigeria’s grid electricity is generated from natural gas, which is priced in US dollars. The sharp depreciation of the Naira caused gas prices—and subsequently, electricity production costs—to skyrocket.
2. The Tariff Freeze
While production costs surged, electricity tariffs for the vast majority of Nigerian consumers remained frozen. The sole exception was Band A customers, who only saw cost-reflective adjustments in April 2024.
3. Ballooning Shortfalls
This severe mismatch caused annual sector tariff shortfalls to explode from a modest ₦140 billion in 2022 to a staggering ₦1.9 trillion per year in both 2024 and 2025, suffocating the Federal Government’s fiscal space.
World Bank Statement: “Recent financing plans have not fully identified sufficient sources of funding to cover tariff shortfalls, nor established a credible trajectory for their reduction.”
Deep-Rooted Structural Bottlenecks
Beyond macroeconomic shocks, the World Bank noted that the design of the loan became heavily misaligned with current realities due to persistent institutional hurdles:
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High Losses: Severe technical, commercial, and collection losses continue to plague electricity distribution companies (DisCos).
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Grid Infrastructure: Persistent transmission bottlenecks and the underutilisation of available generation capacity remain unresolved.
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Bureaucracy: Delays in aligning performance improvement plans and stringent verification requirements—particularly involving the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)—severely restricted the trigger of fund disbursements.
Timeline of the Loan Breakdown
AGF Warns: Nigeria Won’t Tolerate World Bank Delays
This massive loan termination comes closely on the heels of a stern warning from the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Shamseldeen Ogunjimi.
Speaking during a recent courtesy visit by a World Bank delegation in Abuja, Dr. Ogunjimi cautioned that Nigeria would begin rejecting facilities if bureaucratic bottlenecks continued to stall project execution.
Dr. Shamseldeen Ogunjimi: “We expect timely processing of funding requests… These are loans, not grants, and they carry repayment obligations. If approvals take more than six months, the Nigerian Government may no longer honour such arrangements.”
With the remaining $717.7 million officially wiped off the table, fresh anxieties are mounting over how Nigeria will navigate its persistent liquidity crises, infrastructural deficits, and the widening financial black hole in its electricity market.
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