General News
APC, PDP Bicker over Fresh Plot to Shift Elections
All Progressives Congress (APC), has raised the alarm over the relentless scheming by the Jonathan Administration and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to push for another postponement of the 2015 general elections.
But the PDP said that the comment by the APC that the PDP is plotting to scuttle the general election could only be a product of hallucinating mind of the opposition.
APC however insisted that the renewed plot must be sanctioned by the international community, while warning that the consequences of another postponement will be dire, especially because it will create a constitutional crisis that is capable of endangering the country’s democracy and destabilising the polity.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, national publicity secretary, APC, in a statement said the multi-pronged efforts to prevent the elections from holding as rescheduled include the use of some 23 portfolio political parties to seek a further shift in the election dates and the destabilisation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) election plan through the orchestrated removal of Prof. Attahiru Jega, its chairman.
It said the same 23 satellite parties of the PDP that were used to push for the six week postponement have again started testing the waters by pushing for a further shift in the elections in the six-states of the Northeast, ostensibly to allow the conclusion of the counterinsurgency battle and also to allow those displaced to return home.
“The plan is to use the same bogey of insecurity in the North-east to push for another postponement in the elections. The signs are ominous indeed.
“The body language of the President and his party does not support the holding of elections. They are mortally afraid of losing because the use of PVCs and Card Readers have thwarted their rigging plans,” APC said.
The party said while the 23 parties are pushing for the elections to be further postponed, the Jonathan administration and the PDP are simultaneously forging ahead with their plan to remove Prof. Jega and replace him with a malleable acting Chairman whom, they believe, will do their bidding.
“Once they remove Jega, his replacement will either seek more time to organise the polls or simply jettison the plan to use Card Readers, thereby opening the door for those who have been buying up PVCs to use them.
“Is it not interesting that the same administration that has been flaunting free and fair elections as a key achievement has now gone for the jugular of the same man who organised those polls?
“Is the man they don’t want not the same person who organised the 2011 polls which the administration has described as free, fair and credible?
“What has now gone wrong between them and their poster boy for successful elections? It queried.¬
The party called on Nigerians, especially the civil society, to be vigilant in the days ahead, as the cloud of uncertainty becomes thicker and the vultures begin to circle.
It also called on the international community to consider imposing stiff sanctions on key members of the Jonathan administration if they force another postponement or scuttle the polls.
“We believe that Nigerians themselves bear the utmost responsibility for the success of their nation’s democracy and the survival of their country, and we commend those who have stood up to be counted in the ongoing battle to have free and fair elections.
“However, we also believe that the international community has a role to play in helping to check the desperadoes who are using the Laurent Gbagbo rule book as if it was made for them, and who will not hesitate to bring the whole system crashing down on all if that is what it will take for them to perpetuate themselves in power.
“Nigeria is too important to be toyed with or allowed to go under. For example, Nigerians make up more than 56 per cent of the estimated ECOWAS population of 300 million.
“A destabilised Nigeria, therefore, is a destabilised West Africa and, indeed, a hobbled Africa!
“That is why we believe a travel ban and tough economic sanctions from the international community against these agents of destabilisation will be in order. This is a patriotic call,” APC said.
But the PDP in its reaction yesterday denied the postponement allegation, even as it expressed confidence that it is coasting to victory in the elections with the level of its campaign so far.
At a press briefing in Abuja, Femi Fani-Kayode, the director of the PDP Presidential Campaign, Chief said that the comment by the APC that the PDP is plotting to scuttle the general election could only be a product of hallucinating mind of the opposition.
He said: “With the level of preparation from the party, from the campaign office and all the notable leaders of the party who are toiling day and night to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan, it sounds unbelievable that anyone could still be talking of scuttling the election.
“The APC is only hallucinating and I can tell you that the party has only seen their defeat and that is why they are putting out that information.”
Chief Fani-Kayode also said that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s appearance at Chatham House last week was a last-minute decoy to divert the attention of Nigerians and the whole world from the fact that his trip to London was mainly to seek medical attention and care.
He said: “The point we are making is that Gen. Buhari was not originally scheduled to go to Chatham House but in order to divert attention from the real purpose of the trip, the Chatham House speaking engagement was hurriedly put in place.
“The desperation of the APC leaders to grab power at all costs and by any means has resulted in them committing the most abominable and unimaginable form of fraud such as attempting to pass off an old interview which took place at the Abuja Transcorp Hilton Hotel by a known sympathiser of the APC whose name is Kemi Fadojutimi and who works for the USA-based TV show ‘All Eyes on Africa’, as one that took place in the United Kingdom and that was conducted by a so-called London based journalist.
“The APC propaganda machinery facilitated the publication of a picture of the interview, which they claimed took place in London, on the front pages of some newspapers.
“Indeed, despite desperate attempts by the APC propaganda machinery to coerce newspapers from retracting the fraudulent picture of Gen. Buhari’s purported London interview, The Guardian, one of the most respected newspapers on the African continent, who had printed the picture on its front page edition on Sunday, 22nd February, 2015, was quick to publish a retraction on page 2 of the newspaper’s Monday, 23rd February, 2015 edition.”
Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has dissociated itself from BNBEX’s activities and warned Nigerians against using the online trading platform.
BNBEX, a global cryptocurrency trading, with headquarters in Miami, Florida, USA, had claimed that the NFIU is conducting a compliance review of all transactions related to Nigerian users on her platform pursuant to Nigerian Financial Surveillance Regulation.
However, in a swift reaction, Sani Tukur, head, strategic communications department, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, said such circular was not issued by the NFIU and bears no connection whatsoever to any of the unit’s current regulatory or compliance initiatives.
According to him, ” the NFIU wishes to inform all financial system stakeholders and the general public that it did not authorise nor author the document recently posted by BNBEX on its website, which falsely claims that the NFIU is conducting a compliance review of all transactions related to Nigerian users on her platform pursuant to Nigerian Financial Surveillance Regulation.
“The NFIU categorically states the circular was not issued by the NFIU and bears no connection whatsoever to any of the Unit’s current regulatory or compliance initiatives.
“Secondly, the Unit wishes to state that ‘Nigerian Financial Surveillance Regulation’ referenced in the circular is non-existent and has no basis in Nigerian law or regulatory frameworks.
“It further states that the logo and insignia used in the circular does not belong to NFIU and is fake. Additionally, the Unit presently has no office situated at Central Business District, Abuja or any other location outside it’s head office at No. 1 Monrovia Street, Wuse II, Abuja.
“NFIU therefore, strongly dissociates itself from the claims made in the circular and urges members of the public to rely only on official NFIU channels for accurate and legitimate information. Finally, the Unit has no affiliation to the entity known as BNBEX nor validated any of its operations.
“For purposes of clarification or to report suspicious information purporting to be from the NFIU, please contact the Strategic Communications Department at info@nfiu.gov.ng.”
Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has emphasized the critical need for robust collaboration among academia, industry, and government.
This call was made during a working visit by a delegation from Lancaster University, United Kingdom, led by Professor Kirk Semple, Director of International Research, to NITDA’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.
The visit centred on exploring avenues for strategic collaboration under the Research and Innovation Partnership for Entrepreneurship (RIPE) programme, an initiative aimed at leveraging academic research and innovation to spur entrepreneurial development and economic transformation.
Addressing the delegation, Inuwa noted that Nigeria and Africa broadly face a significant research investment gap that continues to hinder the continent’s progress toward building knowledge-based economies. “For us to build a robust and sustainable economy, we need to invest in research. That is where we have a huge gap in Nigeria and Africa at large, we don’t invest in research,” he said.
Using agriculture as a case in point, Inuwa observed that many Nigerian farmers lack access to critical data and digital tools that could revolutionise productivity and resource efficiency. He stressed that research and development (R&D) are foundational to solving such sector-specific challenges and to informing policies and regulations that can accelerate digital transformation.
Inuwa further outlined NITDA’s focus on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), blockchain, robotics, and additive manufacturing, noting that these technologies hold vast potential for solving local problems and creating new economic opportunities.
“The goal is to create a vibrant technology-research ecosystem that unites academia, industry, government, entrepreneurs, and risk capital,” he stated.
He further emphasised the need to align university curricula with real world industry demands, encouraging institutions to develop talent capable of addressing practical challenges through innovation. Inuwa also called for better coordination among stakeholders, warning against the inefficiencies of duplicative efforts.
Inuwa also referenced the eight strategic pillars identified by the Federal Government as drivers of national development. These include Reforming the economy for inclusive and sustainable growth, strengthening national security for peace and prosperity, boosting agriculture to achieve food security, unlocking energy and natural resources, enhancing infrastructure and transportation, focusing on education, health, and social investment, accelerating diversification through industrialisation and innovation, Improving governance and service delivery.
To support these priorities, Inuwa further highlighted NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0 (SRAP 2024–2027), which is structured around eight complementary pillars. These include Foster Digital Literacy and Cultivate Talents, build a Robust Technology Research Ecosystem, Strengthen Policy Implementation and Legal Framework, Promote Inclusive Access to Digital Infrastructure and Services, Strengthen Cybersecurity and Enhance Digital Trust, Nurture an Innovative and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Forge Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration, and Cultivate a Vibrant Organisational Culture and an Agile Workforce in NITDA.
“We place a strong emphasis on research because without it, you can not develop effective policies or regulations that drive real change in the ecosystem,” Inuwa added.
The meeting marked a significant step forward in NITDA’s commitment to international collaboration, aligning with the broader objectives of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and positioning Nigeria to take a leadership role in the global digital economy through research-led innovation, DG stated.
In his earlier remarks, Professor Kirk Semple highlighted Lancaster University’s global research reputation and its commitment to strategic collaborations that deliver societal value. He described the (RIPE) programme as a vehicle for knowledge mobilisation moving beyond academic theory to practical application.
“Universities today are under pressure to demonstrate value beyond knowledge creation. Strategic partnerships like this with NITDA helps ensure research informed policy, supports innovation, and drives meaningful change in communities,” Semple said.
He also underscored the role of innovation in bridging the gap between academia and society, noting that universities serve as critical hubs for organisations especially those lacking R&D capabilities to access expertise and resources necessary for solving global issues like climate change, public health, and technological inequality.
Professor Semple concluded by affirming the importance of creating diverse, long-term networks that foster cooperation across sectors, emphasizing that the true measure of success lies in sustained impact rather than accolades.
The median edition of Lagos Slush’D 2025, an innovation-driven, founder-focused startup conference begins today. The two-day event holding at The Podium, Lekki, Lagos, is part of the global Slush’D movement under the world-renowned Slush Helsinki brand.
Lagos Slush’D 2025 will showcase Nigeria’s fast-growing start-up ecosystem and spotlight the creativity, resilience, and ambition of Nigerian founders.
Mr. Kolawole Okuboyejo, Director, Lagos Slush’D, said the event will also connect local startups with global innovation networks, particularly the Nordics (Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland), known for world-leading innovation, sustainability, and impact entrepreneurship.
“It will facilitate meaningful partnerships between start-ups, investors, corporates, accelerators, and policymakers to drive funding, market access, and knowledge exchange.
“Promote inclusive and scalable innovation that tackles Africa’s biggest challenges — from food security and digital inclusion to climate adaptation and affordable healthcare. Strengthen the Nigeria-Nordics connection, building long-term bridges between ecosystems that believe in entrepreneurship as a driver of societal and economic progress.
“Lagos Slush’D is where ambition meets opportunity — a space for start-ups to pitch bold ideas, meet future partners, and accelerate their journey from local to global impact,” he said.
He noted that Lagos Slush’D place a special emphasis on the Nigeria-Nordics connection, drawing from the Nordics’ strengths in clean technologies, impact investing, sustainability, and start-up innovation, while tapping into Nigeria’s fast-growing, opportunity-rich market.
“Nigeria boasts a young, tech-savvy, urban population, a growing middle class, and rapidly expanding mobile and internet connectivity — all fueling digital innovation.
“Nigeria is home to Africa’s largest economy and most vibrant start-up scene. Over 600 active tech hubs across Africa. African start-ups raised over $5 billion in funding in 2023, with projections for a fivefold increase by 2030.
Africa’s combined GDP is projected to reach $3.2 trillion by 2030. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will become the world’s largest free trade zone, unlocking massive cross-border opportunities.
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