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Tariff hike: FG begs workers as electricity union insists on strike

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The Federal Government has appealed to members of the National Union of Electricity Employees not to down tools over the recent electricity tariff hike.

This is as the union insisted that they would withdraw their services should the government fail to rescind its decision on the removal of subsidy on the tariff payable by Band A customers.

The National President of the union, Adebiyi Adeyeye, in an interview with our correspondent on Sunday said the union stood by its warning to the Federal Government.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission had on April 3 raised the electricity tariff for customers enjoying 20 hours of power supply daily.

Customers in this category were said to be under the Band A classification and the increase raised their tariff to N225 per kilowatt-hour, from N66KWh.

In its earlier reaction, the union had warned the government to reverse the tariff hike saying, “If the government fails to address the crippling cost of electricity, NUEE will not hesitate to take strong action, including the swift withdrawal of our members expected to be used by DisCos to impose the tariff hike on the good people, to protect the livelihood of our members.”

Adeyeye said the supply of 20 hours of electricity is not feasible with the current infrastructure.

“We just want the citizen to know that this thing is not possible, it is not feasible, you cannot give what you don’t have. When we don’t have the energy to give to the people and you ask our people to go out and collect such money, you know it is dangerous. Most times we don’t disclose what to do to the public because our sector is very critical to the nation,” he stated.

While saying that the union has yet to give any ultimatum on strike, he stressed the NUEE is advising the government to do the needful “before we will withdraw our services”.

He explained, “The reason why we are saying this is simple, you ask our members to go the the public to collect 20-hour tariff from people that are not even experiencing a four-hour supply of electricity. There is no way there won’t be crises between our staff and those customers.

“We’ve recorded a lot of attacks on our members, even with the present situation. And these guys have nothing to defend themselves. They have targets to meet where there is no supply. Our members are being threatened by the DisCos, even when they know that what they are promising Nigerians is not feasible”.

He disclosed that the union must save its members from daily attacks, saying the hike would aggravate the attacks.

“We told our members that they cannot go out and collect that kind of tariff from unmetered customers. More than 70 per cent of these Band A customers are not metered. The government is just promising what we don’t have. We are the ones working there, we know we don’t have the transformers to distribute such load. 20 hours of electricity is not possible except for those on eligible lines. We were not carried before the tariff hike,” the union leader emphasised.

Adeyeye, who said the union would not accept any threat from anyone said, “On the issue of strike, it is not what we normally do directly. We said it that we would withdraw our services if the government fails to do the needful, and we are still under that ‘if’. They still have time to do the needful. It is very difficult for us to collect such money. We don’t have the equipment to supply even 10 hours of electricity to the people.

“We stand on our point, and they can’t bring people from anywhere to come and do this work. We Nigerians will do this work ourselves and heaven will not fall. If they fail to do the needful, we will withdraw our members, and we will never accept any threat from anybody. Nigeria belongs to all of us”.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has urged the union not to withdraw its members.

In an interview, Adelabu, who spoke through his media aide, Bolaji Tunji, said the government was doing everything to improve supply in Nigeria and everybody will be happy at the end of the day.

“We just want to appeal to the labour union to understand what led to this. This is not about strike. it is about understanding; so that we can all work together. It is not anybody’s joy that there are blackouts all the time. These steps are being taken to solve the problems in the power sector. I beg the labour union to understand that this will galvanise the economy and create jobs.

“I want to appeal to the union to bear with us. It is for the good of the nation,” he stated.

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Tinubu Names Yari, DG Presidential Campaign Council

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President Bola Tinubu has constituted the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections, with himself as chairman and Vice President Kashim Shettima as vice chairman.

According to a State House statement released on Saturday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), former Zamfara State governor Senator Abdulaziz Yari will serve as Director-General of the campaign. Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State is the secretary.

APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda will also serve as vice chairman. National Secretary Senator Ajibola Bashiru and Hadiza Bala-Usman are deputy and assistant secretaries respectively.

The council’s body of advisers includes Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Segun Osoba, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Senator Florence Ita Giwa.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni have been named deputy directors-general for the South and North. They will work with Senators Bamidele Opeyemi and Jibril Barau in the two zones.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole is deputy director-general in charge of mobilisation, while the President’s Chief of Staff is deputy director-general for administration. James Abiodun Faleke returns as deputy director-general for election planning, coordination and monitoring.

Zonal directors under Faleke are: Senator Olushola Adeyeye (South West), Dr Ngozi Olejeme (South South), Senator Uche Ekwunife (South East), Muntaqha Rabe (North West), Ahmed Muhammed Ketso (North Central) and Senator Sani Danladi (North East). Stella Okotete, Engineer Abdullahi Garba Ramat and Audu Maikori are secretaries of the election planning directorate.

Muiz Adeyemi Banire heads the legal directorate, with Dr Liman Hassan and Babatunde Ogala as deputies. Other members include Prince Lateef Fagbemi, former governor Ibrahim Shema, Worgu Boms and Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh.

Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris Malagi will coordinate the media and strategic communication directorate alongside Dele Alake, Bayo Onanuga and Lanre Issa-Onilu. Coordinating deputy directors are Tunde Rahman, Sunday Dare, Daniel Bwala and Felix Morka. Abdulaziz AbdulAziz, Temitope Ajayi, Arabinrin Aderonke and Frederick Nwabufor are coordinating secretaries, while Segun Dada returns as Director of New Media with Solomon Arowolo as secretary.

Five spokespersons, led by Dele Alake, have also been appointed: Alwan Hassan, Ayobami Oyalowo, Kemi Asekun-Shittu and Adamu Fanda.

President Tinubu charged members of the council to work tirelessly for the party’s victory in the January 2027 elections and urged directors to involve other party members not formally listed.

“We have delivered on our campaign promises and set our country on a path of economic progress. We are definitely out of the dark tunnel and are now at the cusp of reaping the benefits of a prosperous economy that will benefit all Nigerians.

As we march into the campaign season, we have many achievements to trumpet—let us confidently showcase our record and inspire hope in every corner of our nation. Let us soundly defeat all those forces who plan to take our country backwards,” the President said.

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BREAKING: ICPC Uncovers Another Fake Agency Operating Inside SGF’s Office (Video)

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President Tinubu Orders Arrests, Suspends Permanent Secretaries

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered another fake agency operating from within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

According to sources familiar with the investigation, the illegal entity was discovered during an ongoing probe into fraudulent government structures. The so-called agency allegedly functioned under the cover of the SGF’s office, raising serious questions about internal oversight and possible collusion by senior civil servants.

In a swift response, President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of all individuals linked to the fake agency. The President has also directed the suspension of the Permanent Secretaries connected to the matter pending the conclusion of full investigations.

The development marks another high-profile case of institutional fraud being exposed by the ICPC within the Federal Civil Service. Officials say further details of the operation and the identities of those involved are expected to be made public as the probe intensifies.

The Presidency has described the discovery as “unacceptable” and vowed that those found culpable will face the full weight of the law.

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Enugu Air: NSIB releases preliminary report

The preliminary report is available for download on the NSIB website for members of the public and the media.

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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has released the preliminary report on its ongoing investigation into the accident involving an Embraer ERJ 170-100LR aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-ENR, operated by Enugu Air Limited.

This was disclosed on Friday by Mrs Funke Adebayo-Arowojobe
Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB.  

The accident occurred on 23 July 2026 at about 14:55 h during a scheduled passenger flight ENU4264 from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Oba Akenzua II Airport, Benin, Edo State.

The aircraft, which had five crew members and 63 passengers on board, landed on Runway 05 at Oba Akenzua II Airport and subsequently overran the end of the runway, entering the unpaved area beyond the runway.

The aircraft struck approach-lighting installations and two fixed concrete structures associated with a decommissioned localizer installation.

All 68 occupants were evacuated without injury using the emergency escape slide.

The preliminary report presents the factual information gathered so far, including information from witness statements, flight recorders, air traffic control communications and a preliminary inspection of the aircraft.

The investigation remains ongoing, and further technical examinations are underway.

The preliminary report also contains four immediate safety recommendations, A-2026-039 to A-2026-042, addressed to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, concerning the runway-end environment, control tower line of sight and the availability of meteorological information.

The preliminary report is available for download on the NSIB website for members of the public and the media.

As part of its commitment to public transparency and the communication of safety information, the NSIB has also released a preliminary flight path recreation video based on data available at this stage of the investigation.

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