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Corruption: Many governors richer than their states — Clark

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Former Federal Commissioner for Information and South- South Leader, Pa Edwin Clark has accused many state governors of using the position to amass wealth overnight to the extent of being wealthier than their states.

He also accused them of spending their security votes without accountability.

Clark, who stated these in his 688-page autobiography titled: “Brutally Frank,” regretted that corruption has being the undoing of Nigeria.

The 25-chapter book, which was launched in Abuja, last Thursday, revolves around Clark’s journey as a classroom teacher, commissioner, Minister, Senator and Nationalist spanning over 70 years.
In Chapter 23, titled: “Kleptocracy in our society” from Pages 539 to 542, Clark took a swipe at some governors, saying they were nowhere yesterday and have now become so rich and powerful overnight because they were elected as governors.

The elderstatesman also accused President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio of introducing what he described as two irresponsible laws when they were governors of Lagos and Akwa Ibom states respectively, adding that Tinubu introduced Ex-Governors’ Life Pension Law while Akpabio introduced Former Governor and Deputy Governor’s Pension Bill 2014.

Clark said: “It is most regrettable and disappointing that corruption has eaten so deep into all facets of the Federal Government to the extent that those we expected to eradicate corruption in their states and the Attorney-General under whom anti-corruption agencies operate, seem to be involved in scandalous practices over the Paris Club loan repayment… Some lawyers bargain with the Governors Forum as to how much they are entitled to in the repayment being made to them by the local government even though it is not possible to follow all the exchanges. Corruption is the greatest tragedy of Nigeria…

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Britain introduced corruption into Nigeria

“It can rightly be said that the British colonial government was the first to introduce corruption to Nigeria in their scramble for Africa with other European countries after the Berlin Conference of 1884 through the traditional chiefs, who acted as their agents. A typical case which affected my people is the role played by the British colonial government in using a powerful local chief in the Niger-Delta, Dore Numa, to remove other local chiefs from office when they refused to cooperate with the colonial government. A good example is Nana Olomu of Koko Benin River. An expedition war was staged against him in 1892 and he was later deported to Accra in the Gold Coast. This gave the colonial government uninterrupied entry into the interior land.

“Similarly, they used the same Dore Numa against His Royal Highness, Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi of Benin Kingdom in 1897. He too was deported but this time to Calabar, where he spent the rest of his life. This gave the British officers room to loot local artefacts and monuments. The looting of artefacts in 1897 was carried out by Capt. Philip, who further sold them to various countries in Europe. It is remarkable that today, a lot of these artefacts sold to Germany are being voluntarily returned by the German government after 124 years.

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“The same British government rewarded Dore Numa by making him a Paramount Chief of the Itsekiri people and the political agent of the British.

“This gave him enormous power over others. The British government used him to acquire extensive land in Warri township which was leased to prominent businessmen in the same Warri township. In fact, there was much to be said of British corrupt practices as in the famous 1925 case of Omenta v. Dore Numa – a case which Omenta brought in defence of Agbasa people. Dore Numa had fraudulently leased to the British a portion of Agbasa land. An intelligence report stated that the case went on to Appeal in 1934; whereas, Dore Numa had died in 1932.

“It was expected, based on the foregoing, that this trend of corrupt practices would be handed over to Nigerians when eventually they became part of government.

“There was one of such alleged corruption cases involving the Premier of Eastern Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe, the foremost politician at the time. A Nigerian Tribunal of Enquiry was appointed to enquire into allegations of improper conduct (on the 4th of August, 1956), by the Premier of Eastern Region and certain other persons holding ministerial and other public offices in the Eastern Region of Nigeria. The alleged improper conduct was in connection with the affairs of the African Continental Bank (ACB) Ltd. and other relevant matters with the minutes of evidence taken before the Tribunal by Nigeria.

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“A statement was made by the Hon. Premier in the House of Assembly on the 8th of August, 1956 during the debate on a motion to appoint a Judge of the High Court of the United Kingdom and independent persons to serve in a Commission of Enquiry to investigate the relationship of the Hon. Premier with ACB. This enquiry was going on at this particular time when Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the pre-eminent champion for the struggle for Nigeria’s independence. He was indeed very popular all over Nigeria.

“Once again, I want to re-emphasise that corruption has eaten deepinto the fabric of society and unless corruption is reduced, it will destroy Nigeria.

Govs used humongous powers to enrich themselves

As said earlier, Nigerian Governors have enomours powers. But what have they done with these powers? Nothing, except to enrich themselves.

“It is a pity that Governors who were nowhere yesterday, become so rich and powerful overnight because they were elected Governors. Their powers as governors and the money they have access to allow them to do anything, except that which God has not permitted them to do. In fact, some governors have become so wealthy that they are wealthier than their states. Contracts are awarded at inflated prices and the governor has to take 80% of the project for himself and only 20% goes to the state which he serves. This is illicit and criminal. Governors are now demi-gods because they own almost everything imaginable.”

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Relief as suspected Ebola cases in Adamawa tested negative

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said that there are currently no laboratory-confirmed cases of Ebola  in Adamawa.

The NCDC had on Saturday said that there were two suspected cases of Ebola in the north-east state, adding that the individuals had been isolated while contact identification was ongoing.

But in a statement on Sunday, the director-general of NCDC, Jide Idris,
said samples collected from the two individuals, who had symptoms suggestive of Ebola, tested negative after two rounds of testing.

“The report was received by the Adamawa State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) in the early hours of 30 October 2026, following the identification of two individuals presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola, requiring further investigation,” the statement reads.

“Hence the alert that was released early this evening. The individuals have been isolated, and appropriate public health measures have been initiated.

“Samples were collected for laboratory testing to establish the cause of the illness. Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing.”

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Idris commended the Adamawa health commissioner and his team for their “proactive approach”, adding that the NCDC was working closely with the state government to investigate the report of suspected Ebola cases.

“Currently, there is no laboratory-confirmed Ebola case in Adamawa state,” he said.

“The index case previously confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory remains the only confirmed case reported in Nigeria to date.”

He urged the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information or speculating about the situation.

“The public is encouraged to obtain information from official government and public health communication channels,” he said.

Idris described Ebola as a serious infectious disease that requires prompt identification, appropriate clinical management and effective infection prevention and control measures.

“Anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, particularly following relevant exposure, should seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare workers of any relevant travel or contact history,” he said.

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“Individuals should avoid self-medication and follow the advice of healthcare professionals.”

Nigeriaconfirmed its first Ebola case in more than a decade on October 20, after a 42-year-old Swiss woman tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain in Abuja.

The patient, who had travelled from Uganda to Nigeria, was subsequently isolated and treated by Nigerian health workers.

On Monday, the federal governmentevacuated the patient to Switzerland aboard a medical plane.

Her husband, who was identified as a close contact, was also evacuated to Switzerland.

Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said the patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious and communicating, with her laboratory test results approaching baseline levels.

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Good morning! Nigerian Newspapers Headlines: 2027: S’West ADC leaders revolt against Atiku

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1. Many leaders of the African Democratic Congress in the South-West have expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as the marginalisation of the party’s structure in the region by the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The ADC leaders, including some state chairmen and governorship candidates, alleged that Atiku had been conducting his political activities in the region through his friends and allies, while leaving the party structure sidelined as presidential campaign activities prepared to gather momentum.

2. A United States federal court has rejected an attempt to obtain discovery from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and DCI Group in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

3. The Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Bello, has confirmed the “rescue of three of the six Islamic clerics kidnapped on September 12 while travelling to Talata Mafara, Zamfara State.” Bello gave the confirmation in an interview with select reporters in Gusau. He said the rescue followed a multi-agency collaboration and seamless synergy between the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, the Department of State Services, DSS, and police operatives.

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4. The Grand Patron of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, have set a target of at least 1.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. According to a statement, the target was announced on Saturday in Osogbo during the inauguration of the movement’s state and local government structures.

5. Nigerians lose no less than N75bn annually to visa application expenses across foreign missions, with rejected Schengen visa applications alone accounting for an estimated €11.5m, equivalent to about N19bn in 2025.
This is according to a visa-cost analysis report obtained by Sunday PUNCH from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

6. With one accord, the governors of Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, and Anambra States yesterday urged the people of the Southeast to avoid political distractions, and vote massively for President Bola Tinubu in next year’s presidential election. Governors Peter Mbah, Hope Uzodimma, Francis Nwifuru and Charles Soludo, said it was necessary for the zone to support Tinubu’s re-election bid to enable him consolidate the gains of his administration’s economic reforms

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7. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has said Nigeria’s security challenges predate the administration of President Bola Tinubu, noting that terrorism, insurgency and banditry had been entrenched in the country before 2023 when Tinubu assumed office. He said the country’s security problems were rooted in years of porous borders, illegal arms proliferation, youth unemployment and the spread of extremist ideologies.

8. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike has directed supporters of President Bola Tinubu to deliver their polling unit in the forthcoming 2027 general elections. Addressing the supporters, Wike framed the upcoming general elections as a critical opportunity for residents of the nation’s capital to rectify past electoral missteps and unite under a strategic development banner.

9. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has removed the name of the Kano State governorship candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from its updated list of candidates for the 2027 general elections. A check on the commission’s website shows that the names of Gwarzo and his deputy were conspicuously missing from the updated list.

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10. Four young men have been arrested by the Bauchi State Police Command for allegedly abducting and gang-raping a 12-year-old girl in Sakwa District, Zaki Local Government Area of the state. The suspects were arrested following a complaint by the victim’s 50-year-old father, who reported the incident at the Sakwa Divisional Police Headquarters on Thursday.

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Wale Tinubu, Rabiu, others Join President Tinubu in Makkah for Umrah

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The Group Chief Executive Oando Plc, Jubril Adewale Tinubu; Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, and several other Nigerian business mogul have joined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for the performance of Umrah, the lesser Islamic pilgrimage.

The presence of the prominent Nigerian business leaders alongside the President in the holy city has drawn attention, bringing together three influential figures from Nigeria’s political and business communities in a moment of religious observance.

Tinubu and Rabiu, both prominent names in Nigeria’s corporate landscape, were seen alongside the President dressed in the traditional white Ihram garments worn by Muslim pilgrims performing Umrah.

Umrah, unlike the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage, can be undertaken at any time of the year. It involves a series of religious rites in Makkah and holds profound spiritual significance for Muslims across the world.

For the Nigerian business community, the appearance of the corporate leaders alongside the President also offers a glimpse into the intersection of faith, business and public life, particularly when influential figures come together outside the usual settings of boardrooms, corporate engagements and official functions.

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The development comes as President Tinubu undertook the pilgrimage to seek divine guidance and offer prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and progress.

According to the Presidency, the President performed the Umrah rites early Friday, October 30, at the Grand Mosque, Masjid al-Haram, where he circumambulated the Holy Ka’abah.

Speaking after completing the spiritual exercise, Tinubu described the pilgrimage as significant, linking it to his commitment to Nigeria and its people. He also expressed gratitude to Allah for the opportunity to pray for the country.

The President’s prayers reportedly centre on national harmony, security, economic prosperity and the need for Nigerians to live together peacefully.

Rabiu also used the occasion to express his hopes for the country, describing it as an honour to accompany the President on the spiritual journey. He prayed for lasting peace, unity and prosperity in Nigeria.

For Tinubu, whose Oando Group occupies a prominent position in Nigeria’s energy industry, the journey offered a departure from the familiar world of corporate leadership and business engagements. Rabiu, similarly, is a major player in the country’s industrial sector, with interests spanning manufacturing, cement and food production.

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Their appearance in Makkah alongside the President underscores the presence of leading figures from Nigeria’s private sector at an important spiritual moment for the country’s leader.

Umrah, often described as the lesser pilgrimage, is a significant act of worship in Islam. Unlike Hajj, which takes place during a specific period in the Islamic calendar, Umrah can be performed throughout the year.

President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria next week after completing his spiritual engagements in Saudi Arabia.

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