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General News

No Plans to Sack Jega- Jonathan

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Prof. Attahiru Jega, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
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President Goodluck Jonathan has restated that he has no plan to sack Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ahead of the March 28 and April 11 elections.

Speaking in an interview with Aljazeera, President Jonathan denied he was nursing such a plan and said that INEC is a sensitive and important institution and that removing its chairman arbitrarily would spark public outcry.

There has been speculation that the Federal Government was plotting to remove the INEC chairman before the elections.

Jega’s tenure ends in June but there are claims the administration plans to send him on a three-month pre-disengagement leave before the election.

The speculation followed allegations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the anti-Jega posturing of the Peoples Democratic Party as well as groups and individuals rooting for President Jonathan.

Last Thursday, senators of the APC, led by George Akume, said they had reliable Intelligence that Jega would be asked to proceed on pre-retirement leave this week through a letter that would originate from the office of the Head of Service of the Federation.

But president Jonathan said that “Except somebody is insinuating that the Chairman has done something wrong. You cannot change an officer, except the person has done something wrong,” Jonathan said in response to a question on Jega.

He added that “Government, whether at the federal or state level, president or governor, does not wake up and change somebody, especially somebody like the INEC Chairman, except that person has done something wrong.

“INEC is a very sensitive body. For me to change INEC Chairman Nigerians will ask questions. So, you cannot wake up and change INEC Chairman.”

He added that he had never discussed with “any human being on earth about changing INEC Chairman”.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday passed a resolution warning the federal government of imminent danger that will lead to break down of law and order if the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is removed from office before the March 28 presidential poll.

The House at plenary presided over by the Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, urged the federal government, political class and the security agencies to heed the warning in the interest of the nation, not to interfere with the existing schedules of the general elections.

The House also said it would hold accountable at both domestic judicial forum or at the international criminal court, any person or organisation that foists on INEC any person or action whatsoever, that has the effect of making it impracticable for the election to hold on the 28th March and 11th of April 2015.

A motion under the matters of urgent national importance, moved by Rep Ali Ahmed (APC Kwara), noted that the initial postponement of the general election for six weeks due to the security concerns related to the Boko Haram insurgency has further heightened the tempo for pre-election violence.

He further warned that any alteration to the current arrangement in whatever form including but not limited to illegal removal of the current INEC chairman at this crucial stage would invariably lead to further postponement of the date of election.

He informed the House that already there is documented evidence from several sources that any change in status quo arrangement, especially removal of Jega ” present a possibility of violence” and would occasion the sowing of seeds of a major crisis.

He maintained that the civil society organisations and lawyers including usually reticent senior advocates of Nigeria have sounded “a note of warning” that such removal will be unconstitutional, giving the decision of the Supreme Court that removal of Jega or members of such an independent electoral body as INEC pursuant to section 157 of the constitution can only be achieve when two things happen, either his inability to discharge the functions of the office or for misconduct.

He added that any such deliberate induced violence as it did in 2011 post-election period into widespread or systematic attack, persecution, arson murder, thereby amounting to serious crime of concern to the international community as contained in article 5 of the 1998 Rome status of the international criminal court, to which Nigeria is a signatory.

However, the motion was challenged in a point of order moved by Deputy Minority Leader, Rep Leo Ogor (PDP Delta), who argued that the motion was totally speculative and that it will only bring confusion. He claimed that as it is, nobody is removing Jega as it was reported. His point of order was however over ruled by the Speaker who moved that the motion be read.


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General News

Union Bank’s alpher Initiative Empowers SMEs, Strengthens Nigerian Economy

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Union Bank of Nigeria has reiterated its commitment to entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment through its alpher initiative by sponsoring the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) Women and Youth Entrepreneurship Development Centre (WYEDC) Cohort 2 Programme, which has graduated 125 entrepreneurs who have benefited from firsthand entrepreneurship training and business grants.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria account for more than 50% of industrial employment and contribute approximately 48% to the country’s GDP.

This makes entrepreneurship one of the economy’s building blocks and is a testament to Union Bank’s unwavering dedication to national development in partnership with NBCC.

In her welcome speech, the Director General of NBCC, Dr. Ebere Njoku, reiterated NBCC’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment, and youth empowerment, citing these as catalysts for economic development and sustainability.

She appreciated the sponsors, partners and facilitators who devoted their resources and time to upskilling the participants.

The entrepreneurship initiative stemmed from the visionary goal of Mr. Ray Atelly, President and Chairman of the Council, NBCC, FRPA, to provide entrepreneurship and grant opportunities to Nigerian women and youths.

Mr. Atelly told the graduates in his speech, “This is your chance, make sure you take it. Don’t let any obstacle stop you because there will be many; if you let it stop you, your dreams are not strong enough. You need to keep pushing, someday you will sit at the top of a conglomerate and people will aspire to be like you.”

Also in attendance was the NBCC’s Patron, Senator Akin Odunsi, FRPA, who congratulated the Cohort 2 graduates.

He said, “I encourage all of you not to take the training you have received for granted. Use it as a landmark opportunity to be a beacon of hope to others who look up to you.”

He also urged the Chamber to provide internship opportunities after the six-month entrepreneurship training in organisations for the incoming Cohort 3 and beyond.

He added that the internship experience will give trainees the unique chance to practice what they learned and, in return, benefit the organisations from their acquired skills.

The goodwill message at the graduation ceremony was delivered on behalf of Mrs. Yetunde Oni, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank of Nigeria, by Mrs. Vivian Imoh-Ita, the Bank’s Head of Retail and SME Business, who appreciated NBCC for the life-transforming training they are providing to the youth and women entrepreneurs.

She further stated, “As a Bank, we understand that when we invest in women and youth entrepreneurs, we are investing in the most powerful catalysts of economic transformation. Through the Bank’s alpher initiative, we have enabled success for women-led businesses. In a volatile economy like Nigeria, the challenges facing entrepreneurs are dynamic and significant. As a Bank, we intend to prove that these barriers are not unconquerable and are growth opportunities.”

Three entrepreneurs, namely Evelyn Ekene Ani of Evani.Ng (First place), Martha Padonu of Beyond Photography (Second place), and Therietta Vershima of La Teriz (Third place) were declared winners of the Union Bank Business Pitch competition held during the graduation ceremony and were rewarded with funding for their businesses.

The Bank’s sponsorship of the training demonstrates its commitment to fostering a vibrant, innovative, and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem for women and all individuals.


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Wema Bank Workers, Others Arraigned over Alleged N8.9Bn Cybercrime

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The trial of three employees of Wema Bank Plc and four others accused of orchestrating N8.9 billion cyber heist has been stalled due to the Eid-el-Kabir public holiday.

Wema Bank Workers, Others Arraigned over Alleged N8.9Bn Cybercrime

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the bank staff—Samuel Asiegbu, Fabian Onyeimachi, and Kingsley Kejim—alongside four alleged accomplices: Hannah Okunlola Adesokan, Hamza Zakariya, Achionu Ubaku, and Sunday Osademe, before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos on May 25, 2025.

The seven defendants face an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, cybercrime, and obtaining money under false pretences. They were accused of hacking into Wema Bank’s computer systems in January 2025 and unlawfully transferring N8,568,090,500 to various accounts.

According  S.O. Larry Peters,  counsel, EFCC, the defendants acted in concert with two other suspects—Nurudeen Ibrahim and Alhaji Sulaiman—who are currently at large. The syndicate allegedly manipulated the bank’s data using sophisticated digital tools to cause financial loss and confer illegal economic gains on themselves.

Peters further revealed that two of the defendants—Hannah Okunlola and Sunday Osademe—provided personal bank accounts for the illicit proceeds. Investigators traced N199 million to Okunlola’s UBA account registered under Search Light Media Concept, and N2.25 million to Osademe’s Union Bank account.

The offences, according to the charge sheet, violate Sections 6(2), 8, 14(1), 14(5), and 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as well as Sections 17(a)(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004.

All seven defendants pleaded not guilty. Following their plea, the court remanded five of the accused in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services, while Kingsley Kejim continued on existing bail terms.

The court granted a special request by defence counsel to remand Hannah Okunlola in EFCC custody due to medical concerns.

Justice Aneke had adjourned the matter to June 6, 2025, for commencement of trial. However, due to the nationwide Sallah holiday declared by the federal government, the proceedings could not go ahead as scheduled.

A charge reads: “That you, Samuel Ihechukwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, and others now at large, in January 2025, conspired to alter Wema Bank data to cause the loss of N8.568 billion in order to benefit economically, thereby committing an offence under Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.”

The case has drawn significant attention as one of the most audacious cybercrime cases involving bank insiders in Nigeria’s recent history.


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Music Stars, Comedians Light Up “Evening with Glo” in Ijebu Ode

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The 2025 Ojude Oba celebrations kicked off on Friday evening with “Evening with Glo,” a special event organized by Globacom and headlined by Juju music legend Evangelist Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi and Fuji maestro Wasiu Ayinde Marshall (KWAM 1)

This year marks a significant milestone: Globacom’s 20th anniversary as sponsors of the Ojude Oba festival, an event it has helped transform into a globally recognized cultural spectacle.

The “Evening with Glo” was a vibrant mix of live music, delicious food, and captivating comedy from Gbenga Adeyinka, Bash, and Kiekie. The Conference Hall venue was packed as guests enjoyed more than two hours of Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi’s timeless hits, with the audience singing along and dancing.

Globacom organized the event as a gesture of appreciation to the Ijebu community for their unwavering support over the past two decades of the Ojude Oba festival. “We decided to bring together great sons and daughters of Ijebuland to celebrate our shared heritage, and indulge in the melodious rhythms that resonate deeply throughout Yorubaland,” the company stated.

The company explained their choice of musical icons, noting that the “ageless icon and Juju music maestro, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, has contributed decades of good, sonorous and philosophical songs to our society. His songs are still as fresh and full of inspirational messages as they were yesterday.”

Regarding KWAM 1, the company highlighted that “For decades, King of Fuji, K1 De Ultimate, the Fuji master, has been a great part of the music firmament in Nigeria, with his unique brand of Fuji that has elicited huge interest.”

The event saw a strong turnout of prominent Ijebu figures, including the Olori of Oba Awujale, Chief Mrs. Olukemi Adetona; the Coordinator of Ojude Oba Festival Planning Committee, Professor Fassy Yusuff; and a committee member and Iyalode of Ijebuland, Chief Mrs. Bisi Osibogun.


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