Today’s Headlines: Ganduje Takes Uzodimma, Okorocha To Villa; Niger: ECOWAS Activates Standby Force

Ganduje Takes Uzodimma, Okorocha To Villa

Photo Credit: The Nation

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and one of his predecessors, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, were at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday, apparently to see President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Uzodimma and Okorocha, who recently became political adversaries, were sighted arriving the Villa around 6:07 p.m alongside the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

But in less than five minutes, the trio came out in company of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

It was gathered that the President had left the office before the APC chieftains’ arrival.

The trio of Ganduje, Uzodimma and Okorocha also went to Vice President Kashim Shettima’s office.

A Presidency source said Ganduje might have taken Uzodimma, who is the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), his estranged predecessor, Okorocha, and Sanwo-Olu to the President’s residence.

Niger: ECOWAS Activates Standby Force

Photo Credit: The Nation

Ten out the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have gotten their their military’s buy-into in the efforts to restore democratic government in the Republic of Niger.

The Defence chiefs of the 10 countries yesterday expressed in Accra, Ghana, their readiness to participate in the Standby Force being activated by the sub-regional body should the need arise.

At their recent emergency summit in Abuja, ECOWAS Heads of Government directed the Defence Chiefs to activate the Standby Force.

The directive followed the forceful removal from office of President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 in a putsch by the military led by Gen Abdourahamane Tchiani.

How Poor Land Tenure, Titling Weaken Real Estate Growth

Photo Credit: Punch

The poor land tenure system, unclear property rights, and limited access to funds have made many lands in the country dead capital. JOSEPHINE OGUNDEJI writes that this has stifled the development of the country’s real estate sector.

Despite Nigeria’s revenue challenges, there are numerous untapped assets that could be utilised. The country’s real estate sector is plagued by a poor land tenure system and a tedious process obtaining of titles for land. As a result, many plots of land have little or no value, contributing to the issue of dead capital.

Dead capital refers to property that lacks legal recognition and, as a result, cannot be effectively leveraged for economic purposes.

Experts have argued that Nigeria’s 1978 Land Use Act, which regulates landownership in the country, was obsolete. They said the government needs to review to address the challenge of dead capital and the torturous process of obtaining land titles.

Banditry: North-Central, N’West Plunge Into N902bn Debt, Poor Revenue Persists

Photo Credit: Punch

At least 77 percent of both North-Central and North-West states struggle with low revenue, poor foreign investments and huge debt profiles amid rising incidences of banditry, according to findings by The PUNCH.

Analysis done by The PUNCH showed that states battling banditry are Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Sokoto and Kaduna.

However, there are 13 states in total for North-Central and North-West, excluding the Federal Capital Territory in the North-Central.

This means that only 10 out of the 13 states were covered in our analysis, which was about 76.92 percent of the total states.

PrinceAI (
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