Author: darelasisi@gmail.com

American President Joe Biden has thanked his Nigerian counterpart, President Bola Tinubu for the recent withdrawal of criminal charges against Tigran Gambaryan, the Head of Financial Crimes Compliance at Binance. In what looks like a significant diplomatic exchange, the two leaders held a 30-minute phone conversation on Tuesday afternoon, during which they discussed various issues of mutual interest. Gambaryan, a US citizen, was arrested in February during a business trip to Nigeria and faced serious charges, including money laundering of $35.4 million and tax evasion, charges which both he and Binance have denied. His arrest was compounded by the escape…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has denied rumours of a new increase in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) prices across its retail outlets. Olufemi Soneye, NNPCL’s spokesperson, clarified in an interview with Daily Post on Tuesday that he is unaware of any hike in fuel pump prices, countering speculation that the cost per litre had risen from ₦1,030 to ₦1,060 in Abuja. “There is no increase in gasoline price that I am aware of,” Soneye affirmed, dispelling concerns of another price adjustment by the state-owned oil company. Echoing this stance, Chinedu Ukadike, spokesperson for the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of…

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule has dismissed claims that the northern region is opposed to President Bola Tinubu’s administration. His comments follow recent reports suggesting a rift between the North and the Presidency after the Northern Governors’ Forum rejected a proposed Tax Reform Bill during a meeting with traditional rulers and other stakeholders on Monday. Governor Sule clarified that the North remains firmly supportive of President Tinubu, pointing to the overwhelming support he received from the region in the 2023 presidential election. He asserted that the decision on the Tax Reform Bill should not be interpreted as opposition to the…

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo has expressed optimism that some of his administration’s reforms will outlive the incoming government of governor-elect , Monday Okpebholo. Obaseki, whose second and last tenure would expire on Nov. 11,expressed the optimism in an interview with newsmen in Lagos. Speaking on concerns about continuity of some of his reforms after his administration, Obaseki said that his government had made efforts to institutionalise some of them. Obaseki said: “The people are very aware of our reforms and legacies we are leaving behind. I don’t think because there is a change in government, they will change some of…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says President Bola Tinubu has approved a N10 billion Youth Development Fund to empower youths in FCT. Wike revealed this at the inauguration of the upgrading of War College/Army Checkpoint Road and other ancillary roads in Ushafa, Bwari Area Council, Abuja, on Monday. He said that the youth empowerment programme, which would be inaugurated on Thursday, was in line with the current administration’s youth empowerment policy. The minister said that the gesture was possible due to the priority accorded to women and youths by the president. “It was Mr…

Embattled House of Representative member, Alex Mascot Ikwechegh representing Aba North & South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives has been arrested by officers of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command for assaulting a driver in the nation’s capital. Rep. Alex Mascot Ikwechegh “is at the Maitama Police Station undergoing questioning”, Police spokesperson for the FCT Command, Josephine Adeh, confirmed on Monday. In a statement on Monday, the Command said the Bolt driver Stephen Abuwatseya reported the matter to the Command. In a now-viral video, the House of Representatives member was seen slapping the Bolt driver. Ikwechegh represents…

The Presidency has explained the reason why a new presidential jet was procured for President Bola Tinubu. Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said the current jet was procured to avoid the president getting involved in a plane crash due to malfunctions. Onanuga recalled speaking with National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, about the faulty plane and he decried the high rate of maintenance. Bayo while featuring on Inside Sources, a programme on Channels Television, Onanuga said: “People should try to prioritise the safety of the president. I’m not sure anybody wishes for our president to go and crash in the air. We want…

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has described as mischievous the nickname ascribed to his principal over the economic hardship in the country. Darelasisionline.com gathered that Nigerians, who are angered by the ravaging economic downturn, coined the term T-Pain to describe President Tinubu. According to them, the president, through his unfavourable policies, imposed hardship on the citizens. Addressing the matter on Sunday, in an interview with Channels TV, Onanuga said Tinubu has not come to inflict pain on Nigerians but to “repair the economy.” He said, “the President is aware that the citizens…

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has explained why security agencies have not been able to arrest the embattled past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello. Onanuga, while giving the explanation on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-economic programme aired on Channels Television, attributed the inability of security agencies to arrest the former governor to the “complicated” nature of the case. Darelasisionline.com recalls that in April, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, declared Bello, wanted for alleged financial crime to the tune of N80.2 billion. The anti-graft…

The Presidency has spoken on the reason Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu was appointed as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Recall that Bianca was among the new ministers Tinubu appointed on Wednesday to help tackle the problem that the country is facing. In an interview on ARISE TV, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Bianca has some diplomatic experience, stressing that she has been an ambassador to Spain. He said, “Some people will say Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu is widow of Ojukwu and so on, but Bianca has some diplomatic experience. She’s been an ambassador in…