1. All new vehicles, generators or tricycles being procured by the government and its agencies must be powered by Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, solar or electric, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, decided on Monday. It was one of the major decisions reached by the council before it adjourned its marathon proceedings till today after over four hours.

2. Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara took the political crisis in the state a notch higher by declaring his intention to probe the administration of his predecessor and godfather, Nyesom Wike. Fubara, who served as Accountant-General of the state during Wike’s administration said a judicial panel of inquiry would investigate how the affairs of governance were conducted before he assumed office on May 29, last year.

3. Organised Labour on Monday called for a total reversal of the power sector privatisation and recovery of all sold public electricity assets. Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, made the demands while picketing offices of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, in Abuja and electricity distribution companies, DisCos, nationwide.

4. Key opposition figures on Monday began coalition talks ahead of 2027 polls, barely one year into the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Former Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi held meetings with his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, counterpart, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

5. A new wage system based on employee productivity in the civil service is underway, the Federal Government said on Monday. The government explained that with the system, workers on the same level could earn different wages.

6. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will arraign a former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor, Godwin Emefiele on Wednesday over the unlawful withdrawal of N124.8 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation. The agency also accused him of approving the printing of N684.5 million at the rate of N18.96 billion.

7. Some cement workers were abducted at Okpella, Etsako West local government area of Edo State, on Monday. The workers were in a Coaster bus heading back to Okpella community after the close of work when they were kidnapped.

8. Senator Olaka Nwogu has told Rivers State Governor, Sir. Siminalayi Fubara, that the plan to probe the past administration is a mere witch-hunt that will escalate the ongoing crisis. The former senator and elder statesman, who represented the Rivers Southeast in the National Assembly, said any attempt to initiate any probe at this stage of the crisis would be viewed as vendetta.

9. An officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, serving in the Federal Capital Territory, Abdulwahab Magaji, has reportedly shot himself dead at his Abuja residence. According to reports, Magaji killed himself with a pump-action rifle at his residence located at Binta Street, Farm Estate area, Abuja.

10. No fewer than 45 people were arrested by the men of the Ondo State Security Network Agency also known as Amotekun Corps, for allegedly involving in some criminal activities across the state. The suspects allegedly committed crimes which include, kidnapping, vandalism, theft, burglary and cultism.

The Federal Government has said it will go back to the drawing board with relevant stakeholders to address the issue of the electricity tariff hike.

Mamudah Mamman, permanent secretary at the federal ministry of power, spoke in Abuja on Monday while addressing members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Members of organised labour were out to picket offices of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), ministry of power and the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) in Abuja over the tariff hike.

The NERC on April 3 approved an increase in the electricity tariff for elite customers.

Organised labour is calling for a reversal of the increase and a return to the negotiating table.

Mamman said members of the national assembly have told the ministry to do a wide consultation with relevant stakeholders on the matter.

The permanent secretary assured that the ministry would sit down next week with the leadership of the NLC to see how the issues could be resolved.

“The national assembly had written the ministry to go and do a wide consultation with all the relevant stakeholders,” he said.

“What the ministry does is give policy directions. We realise that the policy direction given is pushing Nigerians to the corner, and we need to do things differently.

“What we need to do is for all of us to come to the table, look at it, and decide what is the best way. I don’t have the power to reverse the tariff, so we will go back to the drawing board with the regulator and NLC.

“I’m going to take your message to the relevant authority, and we will look at it and inform you.”