Ridoola's blog

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has expressed support for the Federal Government-led tax reform, describing the state’s position as “extremely comfortable”. The governor disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the Africa Investment Forum, Market Days 2024, in Rabat, Morocco. Sanwo-Olu emphasised the need for reforms despite resistance from certain quarters. “What those uncomfortable with the tax reform are not willing to accept is that there is no way of making an omelette without breaking the egg. “You cannot make changes if the reforms are not set in. I have advised that people should take time to read the provisions of the reform very well and to fully understand what they’re trying to do. “I’ve seen comments around. Comments like Lagos is going to be the major beneficiary. It is not true. Lagos is actually going to be a shaped-off in some places, but on a larger scale basis, we see it as a global thin...

Kehinde Oduse , the sole survivor of a brutal attack on a family of four in the Ita Marun community of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, has died. The 25-year-old passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at Gbagada General Hospital after battling severe burn injuries sustained during the attack. Recall that on Tuesday, November 26, Kehinde, his wife Eniola , 22, and their two young children, 4-year-old Eri and 2-year-old Onoara , were trapped in a fire that engulfed their home. The family had been asleep when unknown assailants entered their house around 2 a.m., dousing the rooms with petrol before setting it alight. Tragically, Kehinde's wife and children did not survive the inferno. Kehinde’s twin sister, Taiwo, confirmed his death, explaining that he succumbed to the severity of his burns.  “He passed away around 5 a.m. today,” she said through tears. “The doctors did everything they could, but the injuries were too much for him. They had told us initially th...

Pastor Bolaji Idowu, Lead Pastor of Harvesters International Christian Center (HICC), has responded to allegations of fraud involving ₦1.5 billion, maintaining his innocence in a statement addressing the claims circulating on social media. Pastor Idowu acknowledged the widespread reports during his Wednesday, December 4, “ Next Level Prayers”  session. “Over the last 24 hours, there’s been a lot of news about me on social media, ” he said. “ I just want to state some facts clearly.” In his defence, Pastor Idowu denied any involvement in real estate transactions , emphasising that he neither owns nor trades in properties. “I do not have any property in Nigeria apart from the one bequeathed to me by my late parents,” he stated. “I am not in the business of buying or selling properties.” The pastor also dismissed claims of large sums being deposited into his accounts, particularly billions of naira. “Someone said I received billions into my account. My account is public;...

Pastor Bolaji Idowu, the Lead Pastor of Harvesters International Christian Center (HICC), has been released from police custody following significant interventions from Aso Rock Villa and prominent clerics. Idowu, under investigation for alleged fraud amounting to ₦1.5 billion, was held by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja. According to Sahara Reporters, Pastor Idowu was released late on Tuesday evening, December 3, after pressures mounted from powerful individuals, including presidential officials and influential religious leaders. “Pastor Bolaji was released late into the evening after big pastors and President Tinubu's Aso Villa intervened in the matter,” a senior police source disclosed. The pastor was reportedly asked to repay the funds traced to his account within two weeks. The controversy stems from a real estate fraud scheme allegedly involving one of Idowu’s pastors. Investigations revealed billions of naira linked to the scheme were trace...

Peter Obi, Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has called on the National Assembly to ensure Nigerians actively participate in discussions surrounding the federal government’s proposed tax reform policy. Taking to social media platform X, Obi emphasised the need for transparency and inclusivity in the policy formulation process. “A public hearing on tax reform is essential, allowing Nigerians from all walks of life to engage meaningfully,” he said. While acknowledging the importance of tax reforms, the former Anambra State Governor stressed that such policies should not prioritise government benefits over national sustainability. READ ALSO: FULL LIST: 6 influential opposition to Tinubu's tax reform bill “It is insufficient to focus solely on the benefits to the government, particularly in terms of increasing revenue collection. We must also consider the overall impact on the nation and the sustainability of all its regions,” he noted. Obi urged the ...

Since Nigeria began its political journey to nationhood post-independence in 1960, no fewer than 10 presidential elections have been held with each of them resulting in one controversy or another mostly over the issue of credibility. This trend of rancorous electoral outcomes can be said to have its roots firmly in the nation's first real exposure to electoral contests in 1964. After achieving the status of a republic a year before, Parliamentary elections were held on December 30. The process was marred by violence and manipulation, allegedly orchestrated by the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) controlled by the federal government, which supervised the election. The election's aftermath saw a series of riots in the Western region and birthed the infamous Wild-Wild West situation, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency. Historians and analysts have argued that the scenario of that period and the political atmosphere created a justification for the military office...

A man identified as Michael Akinmolayan has been apprehended by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly raping and assaulting a female neighbour in the Sango-Ota area of the state. The incident occurred on Thursday, November 28, 2024. Multiple reports claimed that Akinmolayan attacked the victim with a grinding stone, inflicting severe head injuries.  The victim was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention. The Ogun State Police Command, upon receiving a report of the incident, swiftly dispatched officers from the Sango-Ota Division to the scene. The officers apprehended Akinmolayan and took him into custody. Omolola Odutola , the state police spokesperson, confirmed the arrest and stated that a thorough investigation into the matter is underway. She further revealed that detectives visited the crime scene, collected crucial evidence, including blood-stained clothing and the alleged weapon, and transported the victim to Banuso Clinic, Ota, for ...

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has openly addressed the growing controversy surrounding the proposed tax reform bills, warning President Bola Tinubu about the potential fallout. Speaking during an interview with Channels Television on Sunday, December 1, Zulum acknowledged Tinubu’s ability to push the legislation forward but stressed the consequences for Nigerians. “We know the power of the president. I’m a system man; I respect him,” Zulum said. “If the president wants to use his power to pass the tax bill, he may have his way, but it has its consequences for the people.” The tax reform bill, which recently passed its second reading in the Senate, has encountered resistance, particularly from northern elites. Groups such as the Northern Governors Forum, the Northern Elders Forum, and key figures like Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume have urged the federal government to withdraw the bill , arguing that it does not adequately represent the region's interests. Zul...

The Network of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria (NOPCN) has criticised the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) for allegedly disparaging a leader of the Port Harcourt refinery's host community. The group also called on President Bola Tinubu to sack NNPCL's Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mallam Mele Kyari, accusing him of misleading the public about the refinery's operations. The group, in a statement signed by NOPCN President Engr.  Igeniwari Edward  and Comrade  Omototsho Ogbe backed recent comments by Timothy Mgbere , Secretary of the Alesa Community Stakeholders Forum. Mgbere alleged that the products recently loaded from the Port Harcourt refinery were old, unused stocks stored since 2016, not freshly refined petroleum. "Before the refinery's 2016 shutdown, large quantities of petrol, kerosene, and diesel were stored as dead stock," the statement explained. "These were evacuated during the so-called rehabilitatio...

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has made known his position on the controversial Tax Reform Bills sent to the National Assembly for passage by President Bola Tinubu. In a post on his X on Sunday, December 1, 2024, Atiku said he has keenly followed the intense public discourse on the bills, noting that Nigerians are unanimous in their call for a fiscal system that promotes justice, fairness, and equity. He cautioned against any fiscal system that may further complicate the uneven development of the federating units by enhancing the status of a few states. " Nigerians are united in their call for a fiscal system that promotes justice, fairness, and equity. They are loud and clear that the fiscal system we seek to promote must not exacerbate the uneven development of the federating units by enhancing the status of a few states while unduly penalising others ," his post partly reads. In September, the President transmitted the four-piece legislation to the National Ass...