Today’s Headlines:Tinubu Will Face Those Who Lived Through His Failures-Atiku;Ex-President Obasanjo hails Eruani’s extraordinary vision on $1b Azikel refinery

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has said President Bola Tinubu cannot escape public judgment over the country’s economic hardship and insecurity by surrounding himself with influential politicians.

Atiku said the expansion of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council would neither erase the difficulties Nigerians were facing nor guarantee the President another term in office.

He made the remarks in a statement issued on Wednesday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council.

Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has commended the President of Azikel Group, Dr Eruani Azibapu, for his extraordinary vision, entrepreneurial courage and monumental investment in the development of the $1 billion Azikel Refinery in Bayelsa State.

Obasanjo, who gave the commendation during his historic visit to the Azikel Refinery located at Obunagha, Yenagoa Local Government Area, where he performed the symbolic erection of the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), expressed satisfaction with the transformation of the refinery site since his earlier visit eight years ago, when he laid the foundation for the industrial development.

He applauded Dr Eruani’s determination and commitment to indigenous petroleum refining investment.

The Azikel Refinery is being developed as a full-scale petroleum refinery designed to produce Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), or diesel, and other refined petroleum products.

𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 — 𝗢𝘆𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has stressed the need to protect vulnerable Nigerians from the adverse effects of economic reforms, saying social protection measures are essential to ensuring inclusive growth.

Oyedele stated this at Africa’s Golden Future Forum held in Bangkok, Thailand, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head of Media at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Efe Ovuakporie.

The statement noted that the minister “stressed the need to protect vulnerable citizens from the effects of economic reforms through effective social protection measures.”

Oyedele disclosed that the Federal Government’s cash transfer programme had reached more than 10 million households, while over 1.5 million students had benefited from education support initiatives.

𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗔 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 $𝟲.𝟯𝟱𝗯𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 — 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁

FIFA is set to spend $6.35bn on global football development between 2027 and 2030, following a proposed $3.4bn increase in funding to member associations and other football bodies.

As reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, the world football governing body plans to release the additional funds from its reserves, more than doubling the amount initially budgeted for distribution during the four-year period.

FIFA said the proposed increase was made possible by the commercial success of this summer’s World Cup.

The proposal is expected to be considered at a meeting of the FIFA Council on Thursday, amid pressure on president Gianni Infantino following criticism of his proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan, which sought to sell stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors.

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