Today’s Headlines: Why President Deserves Second Term; Obasanjo Says 13% Derivation Is Not Enough

Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, SAN, has outlined economic reforms and development opportunities under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration as reasons the president should be given second term ticket.

Udeh, also a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, said Tinubu’s administration had put Nigeria on the path to economic recovery, adding that the reforms introduced since 2023 required more time to deliver their full benefits.

The minister said this during an interview on Arise News Prime Time, while responding to questions on the 2027 presidential election and the argument for retaining the presidency in the South.

13% 𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗶𝗹-𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 – 𝗢𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗼

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has backed calls for an increase in the 13 per cent derivation allocation to oil-producing states, saying the existing share should be treated as a starting point for further negotiations.

Obasanjo spoke on Monday at the flag-off of the Crude Distillation Unit of the $1bn Azikel Refinery in Obunagha, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, where he also challenged the project’s promoter to complete the facility within 12 months.

Addressing Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, the former President said oil-producing states and communities had not received a fair deal from the exploitation of resources in their territories.

𝗙𝗚, 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴

The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has expressed its readiness to partner with Norway on satellite surveillance of Nigerian waters to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and protect the country’s marine resources from exploitation.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, gave the assurance on Monday when he received Norway’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Svein Baera, who paid a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.

The minister’s media aide, Dr Bolaji Akinola, explained in a statement on Monday that the ambassador was accompanied by the Second Secretary (Political and Project Development), Ms Michelle Hovi.

𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀

The Our Water, Our Right Africa Coalition has called on African governments to reject the privatisation of public water systems and commit to universal access to safe, affordable and publicly managed water services.

The coalition warned that commercial control of essential services such as public-private partnerships, commercial tariffs, concessions and prepaid water-meter systems could worsen inequalities and expose communities to unsafe water if access to water increasingly depended on people’s ability to pay.

They further stated that inadequate public investment, weak water utilities, rapid urbanisation and climate pressures had deepened water access challenges across the continent, leaving low-income households and underserved communities vulnerable.

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