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Edo Guber: I Didn’t Approve Any Protest At Party Secretariat, Says Labour Party Aspirant Olumide Akpata

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Edo State Labour party governorship Aspirant, Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata has debunked rumours accusing him of initiating the protest which took place on Sunday at the Labour party state secretariat in the state capital.

In a statement released on Monday, Akpata said the rumours are baseless, false and ridiculous.

 “It has come to my attention that there was a protest on Sunday, Sunday, 4th February 2024, at the Labour Party State Secretariat in Benin City, Edo State, which allegedly turned violent. I want to clearly and unequivocally state that I have absolutely no knowledge of this protest, nor have I sanctioned or approved it in any way. The baseless rumours and insinuations that have been mischievously circulated that these protesters are carrying out my bidding are totally false, unfounded, and quite frankly ridiculous.

He also said the rumours emanated from certain quarters within and outside the party who are against his quest to be the party’s flagbearer.

“As a loyal, dedicated member of the Labour Party who has invested significant time, energy, and resources towards building and strengthening the Party across Edo State since I joined, it is both laughable and utterly despicable that I would be linked to any kind of violent protest at the Party’s secretariat. It is very likely that these bogus allegations and rumours are emanating from certain quarters within and even outside the Labour Party that are opposed to my emerging as the Labour Party’s gubernatorial flagbearer in the upcoming February 22, 2024, primary elections.

“In their desperation, they have resorted to underhanded tactics and smear campaigns to undermine my widespread credibility, acceptability, and support base within and outside the Party in Edo State and across the country. Amusingly, this is quite similar to an earlier campaign of calumny that sought to link me to acts of violence meted out against a former National Youth Leader of the Party in Benin City. This is yet another ludicrous attempt to unjustly give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.

“I want to categorically state that I, my campaign organisation, supporters, and well-wishers do not engage in, encourage, or sanction any kind of violence or unwholesome conduct. These puerile allegations are the products of malicious minds that are aimed at unfairly and irreparably tarnishing my hard-earned reputation, image, and rising popularity as a foremost gubernatorial aspirant of choice within the Labour Party in Edo State.

“The good and discerning people of Edo State and Nigerians at large know what I stand for. They know my antecedents and that my track record is one of integrity, maturity, and excellence. As such, these attempts to unjustly smear my character by linking me to acts I have no knowledge of or involvement in will certainly fail.

“As a lawyer of more than 30 years, I fully understand that peaceful protest is the fundamental right of every Nigerian citizen, guaranteed by the constitution and upheld by the courts of the land. Law-abiding citizens have a right to freely associate and to protest, provided that this is done peacefully and legally without threatening lives or property.

 “However, if any person has acted unlawfully in the course of this alleged protest, I strongly urge that they be promptly reported to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for proper investigation and possible prosecution as provided by our laws.

“In conclusion, I once again reject all insinuations and rumours linking me or my supporters to this purported protest. I remain focused and steadfast in pursuit of my gubernatorial aspirations in a lawful and peaceful manner, upholding the principles of tolerance and justice.

“I have confidence in the discerning wisdom of members of the Labour Party, Edo people, and indeed Nigerians to reject all forms of violence, propaganda, and deceit. United in our diversity, we shall build a greater Edo State.”

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More tthan 20,000 people gather at the Vatican to Mourn Pope Francis

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More than 20,000 people have gathered at the Vatican as mourners file past Pope Francis’s open coffin.

Pope Francis’s body has been moved from his residence in the Vatican to lie in state at St Peter’s Basilica.

Mourners are now filing past the coffin, which will stay in front of the Papal Altar during the three days of public mourning.

The Pope died on Monday morning – his funeral will take place on Saturday, attended by leaders from around the world.

Source : BBC

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JUST IN: Filling stations shut after Dangote Refinery’s petrol price drop

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Some filling stations and petroleum products marketers, partners of Dangote Refinery’s petrol, temporarily shut down for the past five days after the latest premium motor spirit price drop by the 650,000 barrels per day refinery.

Recall that for the past five days, MRS filling stations in Abuja, along Kubwa Expressway, and others have not dispensed fuel since Dangote Refinery announced its ex-depot fuel price reduction to N835 per litre on Tuesday, 16 April, 2025.

An official of MRS filling station, who preferred anonymity because he is not authorised to speak said the filling station is grappling with the loss incurred after Dangote’s latest price adjustment.

“It is because of Dangote’s latest price drop. The filling station had old stock, which it couldn’t sell at a loss.

“This is the reason we have shut down since Tuesday. We may reopen on Tuesday,” he said.

Meanwhile, another official at the filling station said the retail outlet is billed to reopen on Tuesday, noting that it has been undergoing minor maintenance.

“We have been on maintenance for the past few days, which is the reason the station was shut. We will reopen on Tuesday,” he said.

According to him, the filling station would commence dispensing at the new price of N910 per litre from Tuesday.

Other partners of Dangote Refinery, such as AP, Ardova, and Optima, are dispensing fuel between N910 and 920 per litre in parts of Abuja as of Monday, 21st April 2025.

Reacting to the development, the National President of Petroleum Retailers Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, said the latest fuel price drop affected the purchasing power of petrol retailers and marketers.

According to him, indiscriminate price adjustment, whether downward or upward, is not good for the petroleum downstream sector and the Nigerian economy.

At every point, if prices of petrol are indiscriminately changed without any clearly defined economic reason, the chances that it will impact on the buying power of retailers and marketers are there.

“It is not good for business, the economy, and Nigerians.

“Prices of petrol change for reasons that are understandable with proper information to retailers,” he said.

Recall that Gillis-Harry had earlier called for a six-month fuel price stability plan to halt fluctuations.

Earlier, the spokesperson for the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, had hinted that marketers having old stocks of fuel will incur billions of losses following Dangote’s latest fuel price drop.

Last week became the second time the $20 billion refinery reduced its fuel price nationwide. This indicates a combined downward ex-depot price drop of N45 per litre.

Dangote Refinery had, on 10 April, reduced its gantry price of petrol to N865 per litre.

However, the ex-depot fuel price had further dropped to N835 per litre.

This comes after the federal government’s renewed commitment to the indefinite continuation of the naira-for-crude deal with other local refiners and the drop in global crude prices to around $66 per barrel.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited recently reduced its retail price to N935 per litre for customers in Abuja in response to Dangote Refinery’s latest price cut.

This means that Nigerians currently buy petrol at between N890 and N950 per litre, depending on the location nationwide.

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NNPC’s Olufemi Soneye Emerges NIPR Spokesperson for 2025

Responding, Soneye attributed his recognition by the NIPR with its most exalted spokesperson’s award to the dedication of the entire team at the NNPC.

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Soneye (middle) receive NIPR’s prestigious award .

The Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mr. Olufemi Soneye, has emerged the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) spokesperson of 2025.Announcing the award, the NIPR described Soneye as a “diligent” spokesperson, characterising him as “a strategist.” Soneye’s capacity to shape public opinion, also stood him out of the crowd of spokespersons, according to the Adjudication Committee, Chairman, Dr. Shaibu Hussein.

Represented by a member of the committee chairman, Lami Tuiaka, the chairman said the moment to the conclusion of the award was rigorous and demanding. He also predicated Soneye’s victory on his communication skills, crisis management and overall impact.

“Our committee comprising communication scholars, Public Relations practitioners, and media personalities worked tirelessly to review the nomination, assess performances and deliberate on the winner.

I must report that we carefully examined each nomination, considering factors such as communication skills, crisis management and overall impact,” he said.

Presenting him the plaque at the National Spokespersons Award 2025, chairman of the event Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Power, Hon. Joshua Audu, said the institute would celebrate Soneye throughout 2025 as the current NIPR spokesperson award winner.

He said: ” On behalf of the NIPR Award Night 2025, I have the honour and privilege to present the Spokesperson of the year 2025. Please join me to celebrate our latest spokesperson that we will celebrate throughout 2025 in the person of Olufemi Soneye.”

Responding, Soneye attributed his recognition by the NIPR with its most exalted spokesperson’s award to the dedication of the entire team at the NNPC.

Amid a standing ovation, he said: “We are all happy and I am deeply honoured to receive this award tonight from NIPR. This award reflects the dedication of our entire team and we want to thank NIPR for all they have been doing.”

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