The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it will not trample on people’s rights and press freedom in the fight against fake news and disinformation in the country. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja. Idris called on Nigerians to always “promote the truth and nothing but the truth”. “We must be in the forefront of advocating for truthful information all the time. Everything that is fake should not be promoted. “This is because it can lead to anarchy and the destruction of lives and properties. And by the way, nobody will want his home, country, state or nation to be in tatters because somebody is encouraging fake news. “Fake news should be condemned in all its ramifications. I have said that it is important for all of us to be careful in the way we navigate these waters. We know that we don’t want fake news,” he said. The Minister further explained that there are people who are using so many platforms to provide credible information, adding that such is desirable and should be emulated. “So, we must collectively come together and see ways and means by which these fake news can be tackled without necessarily trampling on the rights of the the people, free press and freedom of information,” he said The minister said that Nigeria will key into the strategies and best practices to be adopted by the international community in the curtailment of fake news vendors.

  Nyesom Wike, minister of federal capital territory (FCT), says the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) does not have the authority to declare who can occupy the office of national secretary of the party. Adolphus Wabara, acting chair of the BoT, had asked Samuel Anyanwu to resign as the party’s national secretary on the ground of being the governorship candidate in the November 11 election in Imo state. Replying Wabara, Wike also expressed dismay that the former senate president referred to Emeka Ihedioha as “former governor of Imo state” in his letter to Iliya Damagun, acting chair of the PDP. “Your Excellency, permit me to observe with respect that the Board of Trustees (BOT) lack the moral authority to intervene on the issue of who occupies or should occupy the Office of the National Secretary of the Party,” the minister wrote in his response to Wabara seen by TheCable. “This is more so as the BOT was unable to use its good offices as the conscience of the Party to intervene in the crises that engulfed the Party in the run-up to the 2023 General Elections when Officers of the party blatantly violated the Constitution of the Party. “Secondly, the Ag. Chairman of the BOT is reminded that the issue of who occupies the position of National Secretary of the Party is beyond the BOT’s sphere of authority and influence. “Indeed, if and when a vacancy occurs, the responsibility of deciding who and how the vacancy will be filled is that of the entire Southern States to which the position was zoned and not only the South East geopolitical, as your letter under reference appears to be suggesting.” Wike said the letter to Damagun should not be copied to Ihedioha as the former governor of Imo state because the supreme court had nullified his election. “By the Supreme Court’s pronouncement, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was never elected Governor of Imo State and ought not to have been so copied,” the former governor of Rivers said. “To do otherwise will amount to dressing him in borrowed robes, which will not do him and the Party any good.” In April, Anyanwu became gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming election in Imo scheduled for November 11. Anyanwu, a former senator, polled 802 votes at the election which took place on Wednesday in Owerri, the state’s capital. He was the sole candidate in the race following the withdrawal of other aspirants. The former senator will slug it out with Hope Uzodimma who is seeking a second term in office.

  A group, the ProActive Northern Initiative (PANI) has cautioned the Federal Government against suspending the N-Power programme or any part of the Social Investment Programme, insisting that N- N-Power had provided jobs and kept Northern youth away from extremist ideologies. The group in a statement issued by Comrade Isa Aliyu Musa, the convener, demanded that the government immediately reconsider its decision and instead invest in expanding the N-Power program to provide opportunities for the youth, fostering positive change, and ultimately contributing to the region’s progress. “We emphatically repudiate the vilification of our respected northern leadership for whatever reason or justification. In this light, we deem the targeting of our leaders past and present, for vilification, systematic dehumanization, profiling, alienation or any action that will render them object of ridicule, not only immoral and illegal, but also abhorrent to our sensibilities and ordinary decency and therefore unacceptable,” Musa stated. The Group explained that the N-Power programme has been instrumental in providing employment and skills development opportunities for many young Nigerians, particularly in the north. “N-Power is a social investment scheme set up by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 under the supervision the then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and transfered in 2019 to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management under Sadiya Umar Farouq. “As Minister, Farouk made several achievements. One of the key achievements of the ministry under her is the successful launch of the National Social Investment Program (NSIP) through which various social intervention programs are implemented. These programs include the N-Power program, the National Home-Grown School Feeding Program, Conditional Cash Transfer, and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program. “Her tenure also saw significant progress made in other areas. For instance, the ministry worked to improve access to education for children affected by conflict and emergencies through its Safe School Initiative.” “Additionally, the ministry launched a program aimed at addressing malnutrition among children under five years old. The program provided nutrition supplements and education on healthy feeding practices to mothers and caregivers.Another notable achievement of the ministry was the prompt intervention in supporting the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northeast region. The ministry provided relief materials, food items, shelter, and non-food items to the IDPs. They also deployed humanitarian workers to provide psychosocial support to the affected individuals.” “The Ministry was also able to leverage digital technology towards improving services delivery and ensuring transparency. The NSIP, for example, deployed technology to register and monitor beneficiaries to reduce fraud and improve the accountability of the intervention,” Musa recalled. The Group lamented that suddenly, the federal government announced it will suspend the N-Power programme indefinitely for proper investigation and restructuring. “In the process, history is being shamefully and blatantly reviewed, rewritten and falsified to suit certain agendas that tend to portray the former Minister and, by extention, the respected Northern leadership in bad light and render them as the culprit and the guilty entity,” the Group stated. The group clarified that while it acknowledged the need to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in government programs,” we believe that the suspension of the N-Power program at this critical time will have adverse effects on the livelihoods of many young Nigerians who have come to rely on the program for their sustenance.” “Empowering the youth through the N-Power program not only equips them with the necessary skills for employment but also instills a sense of purpose and direction. By keeping the youth engaged in productive activities, the program helps to deter them from engaging in criminal activities or becoming susceptible to extremist ideologies.” “The fragile security situation in Northern Nigeria is already a major concern for the government and the international community. The region has been plagued by terrorist attacks, kidnapping, and other forms of violence for years. The N-Power program was seen as a way to address the underlying economic and social factors that contribute to the insecurity in the region.” “The suspension of the N-Power program leaves a void that can potentially be filled by negative influences, further exacerbating the security challenges faced by the region. The suspension of the N-Power program in northern Nigeria, coupled with the government’s lack of capacity and political will to address the insecurity crisis, poses significant challenges to the region’s development and stability. The program’s aim to empower the youth and keep them focused and disciplined in pursuing credible goals is crucial in combating the prevailing insecurity.” “The suspension of the N-Power program by the Nigerian government is likely to have a negative impact on the fragile security situation in Northern Nigeria. The N-Power program was a youth empowerment program that aimed to address the high unemployment rate in the country.” “The suspension of the program could therefore result in a further deterioration of the security situation in Northern Nigeria. The youth who were engaged in the program may feel that they have no other options but to join criminal or terrorist groups as a way to earn a living. This could lead to an increase in the number of attacks and other violent incidents in the region.” “The people of Northern Nigeria deserve a better and meaningful life, and it is the duty of the government to ensure that their needs are met. It is time for all stakeholders, including the government, private sector, and civil society organizations, to work together towards improving the lives of the people and once and for all get rid of the poverty tag hanging over Northern Nigeria.” “Official breakdown of the beneficiaries in the 19 northern shows that 847287 young people from the North have benefited from the N-Power and if they are now rendered jobless they would be susceptible to negative influences.” “Instead of suspending the program, the government should focus on expanding its reach and impact. By investing in the N-Power program, the government can provide more opportunities for skill development, job creation, and financial support to a larger number of youth. This expansion would not only contribute to the

  The Federal Government has reassured that the pains being experienced by Nigerians over the recent removal of fuel subsidy will be temporary. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja. He explained that it was obvious that the ultimate benefits of the removal of the subsidy would be reaped by the common man. Idris said it was regrettable that only few people were, hitherto, benefitting from subsidy regime adding that the few were enjoying the commonwealth of the entire country at the expense of the majority. “So, President Bola Tinubu said, he would not be part of that. He stands with the majority of Nigerians. Although, the removal will be painful at the beginning, but it will be better for all of us at the end,” he said. The minister explained, “Fuel subsidy removal is like the pregnant woman due for delivery and in labour; when she is in labour pains, she will feel and prefer she never had the opportunity to bear a child. “However, after the child is delivered, then the woman will hold her baby, smile and become the happiest woman in the world. “I think, that analogy can be applied to this issue of fuel subsidy removal. “So, the pains will be temporary, but at the end, we will be better for it; that is what President Bola Tinubu believes in, and that is what he is preaching”. According to NAN, the Minister recalled that, within the first few months of Tinubu’s administration, he allocated funds to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory for palliatives to cushion the effect of subsidy removal   “This is because Tinubu believes that the state governors are people who know their terrains very well. “He also made available assorted grains and fertilizers to help cushion the immediate concerns of Nigerians about the removal of fuel subsidy. “I can assure you that in the long run, Nigeria will be better for it,” Idris said.

  The Lagos State Government on Monday issued a seven-day ‘Vacation Order’ to motorists and commercial bus drivers operating on top of bridges across the state. The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, said the ‘Vacation Order’ was based on the need to remove every infraction impeding free flow of traffic on bridges across State. He said that despite several warnings, commercial bus drivers popularly known as ‘danfo drivers’ have continued to defy government order and causing serious obstructions around these bridges with great negative impacts on the integrity of the bridges and traffic. The official said the government has constructed bus terminals and garages for commercial activities in the state. “Every motorist/commercial bus driver operating along ‘Apongbon’ and ‘Idumota’ (Cater) Bridges, ‘Elegbata:, ‘Ebute-Ero’ and ‘Ejalonibu’ must as a matter of urgency vacate these areas as LASTMA would commence strict enforcement operation immediately after the expiration of this ultimatum until zero tolerance is achieved across the state,” Giwa said, according to a statement by a spokesman for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Adebayo Taofiq. Giwa added that activities of these commercial bus drivers on bridges are contrary to provisions of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018 as amended. He said after the expiration of the ultimatum, violators would be charged to the Lagos State Mobile Court for prosecutions.