Today’s Headlines: Shettima commends Nigerians in Russia on patriotism; Nigeria’ll Emerge Stronger from Fuel Subsidy Removal, Says Gombe Gov

Shettima commends Nigerians in Russia on patriotism

Vice President, Kashim Shettima has commended Nigerians in Russia for their patriotism and urged them to keep hope alive for a better Nigeria.

Shettima made the commendation when members of the Nigerian Community in Russia met with him on the sideline of the 2nd Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Summit.

He said that the Federal Government is committed to the well-being of Nigerians and urged them to always be good ambassadors of their country.

Earlier, Prof. Maurice Okoli, President of, the Nigerian Community in Russia, appealed to the Federal Government to explore the opportunities provided by the Russia-Africa partnership forum. This should be done to drive the economic prosperity of the country.

The 2nd Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Summit took place in St. Petersburg, Russia on Thursday and Friday.

Nigeria’ll Emerge Stronger from Fuel Subsidy Removal, Says Gombe Gov

Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya yesterday Nigeria and Nigerians will emerge stronger. It will happen from the current economic challenges occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidies and other global factors, noting that the government had been taking concrete steps to bring succor to the people. 

Yahaya gave this indication in Kaltungo while speaking at a civic reception for the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi as the ‘Madakin Kaltungo’. 

He also appealed to leaders and eminent individuals in the society to lend a helping hand to the needy, saying the relationship between those in positions of authority and the led is symbiotic in nature and reciprocal.  

Yahaya further appealed to the people to be patient and support government policies and programs in the interest of the growth and development of society. 

He explained that no one predicted these tough times, though the people “have shown resilience in the present circumstances. We are still appealing for patience and understanding because every one of us must do the right thing and contribute his or her own Toyota.

Call for Bichi’s sack, a sinister plot to blackmail FG, says CSO

Rising-Up for a United Nigeria (RUN) has claimed that the call by Arewa Civil Society Organisations (ACSO) to sack the Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, is a calculated attempt to divert public attention from the ongoing prosecution of high-profile individuals facing criminal charges.

RUN, in a statement jointly signed by its National Convener, Amb. Solomon Adodo, and Co-Convener, Mallam Suleiman Musa, expressed concern over the attempts by some individuals to undermine national security efforts to evade punishment for their crimes.

They urged security agencies to remain vigilant and unwavering in their constitutional duties, emphasizing that the nation’s unity, peace, and stability surpass any individual or group’s interests.

“It is saddening that some Nigerians have sold their consciences to corrupt elements that impoverished them while in office.

Matters Arising from Ttinubu’s Partial Ministerial List

President Bola Tinubu’s much-anticipated list of ministerial nominees finally arrived the National Assembly on Thursday while the Senate was in session. The last legislative day of the week, Thursday was a day shy of the hard limit imposed by the constitution. The list of nominees, despite all the drama and the suspense around it, landed ‘not with a bang but a whimper.’ Save for the presence of a fey exceptional nominees, the incomplete list left many Nigerians with a hollow feeling. ‘Is this it—is this the list that took the president almost all of the allowed time to compile and send, is this what we have been anxiously waiting for?’ The list, to put it mildly, is underwhelming. 

It is not all downers though. On the positive side, a quarter of the nominees so faareis female. It is still far below the minimums prescribed by the 2022 National Gender Policy and the National Development Plan 2021 to 2025. But it is some progress over recent cabinets, if the pattern is maintained or surpassed with the remaining nominees and if all the female nominees scale through Senate’s confirmation. Still on the bright side—there is a 36-year-old on the list and at least two others in their early to mid-forties. For a country of mostly young people, having a sprinkling of ‘youths’ on the list still falls short but it is some improvement on the last two cabinets. We can also drag this into the plus column: the list has a good mix of established politicians and a few accomplished technocrats, including some people who straddle the classifications.

Akabest (
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