News
No petition on alleged corruption against me in UK- Akpabio denies report
Minister, Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has denied media report that a petition on alleged corruption against him and Scott Tommey, has been received by the UK Fraud Office, saying, the allegation is a figment of the imagination of the purveyors and sponsors of the allegation.
A statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Jackson Udom, called on the public to discountenance and disregard the story and see it as a calculated attempt to tarnish the hard earned image of the Minister over the years.
The statement titled: RE UK Fraud Office Receives Petition Against Akpabio, Scott Tommey, Begins Investigation, reads:
“The attention of the Honourable Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has been drawn to a fabricated fairytale making the rounds and written by one Jackson Ude and published by Pointblank news on the aforementioned subject.
“Ordinarily, the Honourable Minister would have ignored the gibberish, except that it is expedient for purposes of setting the records in order to clear the air over the falsehood perpetrated by serial blackmailers whose stock-in-trade is to indulge in smear campaigns for pecuniary reasons.
“First and foremost, it is important to state as a preliminary point that His Excellency Senator Godswill Akpabio is not aware of the pendency of any petition/ investigation against him at the United Kingdom Serious Fraud Office.
“Howbeit, It is safe to say that the purported petition, investigation merely exist as a figment of imagination in the minds of the blackmail merchant(s).
“For the records, Senator Akpabio does not own any Foreign Account or business in the United Kingdom. He has no investment through a proxy. The centrality of his political life or career has been pro publico bono( for public good). He has made huge sacrifices as a consummate politician to better the lot of many who have come in contact with him.
“The former Senate Minority Leader knows Scott Ikot Tommey as a businessman, just as he knows a host of other businessmen and contractors with the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC).
Senator Akpabio supervises the NDDC and has worked tirelessly to make a mark in the past few years as the supervisory Minister over the Commission.
“At the risk of repetition, it is categorically denied herein that Scott Tommey is and has been a business front for money laundering on behalf of Senator Akpabio. Scott Tommey’s contractual engagements with the NDDC predates Senator Akpabio’s appointment as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
“It is therefore manifestly evident that the publishers of Pointblank news cannot attest to the veracity of this spuriously fabricated blackmail which offends the ethos of modern journalism.
“Senator Godswill Akpabio, possesses a sterling personality that transcends cheap blackmail. His meteoric rise in life, economic acumen, garnered in his over 35 years of successful law practice and his experiences in the private sector, his political clout stand him out as a Nigerian politician and business man of influence.
“He served as Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State for six solid years; Governor of Akwa Ibom State for eight years, Minority Leader of the 8th Senate and currently serves as member of the Federal Executive Council of Nigeria.
“Senator Akpabio is a credible Nigerian who has over the years been committed to the transformation of Nigeria. He has shown great commitment in service in more than two decades of being in public office.
“We challenge the authors of this blackmail to publish and substantiate such claims and documents which they allege link(s) the Honourable Minister to Money laundering.
“The general public should discountenance the said publication and the publisher(s) of this infantile and unverifiable defamatory publication. They must, within seven clear days, retract the said publication with an apology or face the wrath of the law on criminal defamation”.
US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
The Ekiti State Government has reached an agreement with labour leaders in the state, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the payment of the N70,000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government.
Addressing journalists at a brief ceremony in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, the Head of Service (HoS), Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi, announced that the payment would commence immediately.
She lauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the welfare of workers despite the state’s limited resources.
“This development demonstrates the governor’s commitment to improving the livelihood of our workers,” Dr. Olomojobi stated, highlighting the proactive measures taken by the administration to ensure prompt implementation.
In their remarks, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Comrade Sola Adigun, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman, Comrade Olatunde Kolapo, expressed their appreciation to Governor Oyebanji for fulfilling his promises to workers.
They confirmed that the new minimum wage would apply to all cadres, including employees in ministries, parastatals, agencies, and pensioners.
The Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), Comrade Femi Ajoloko, described the implementation as a fair and commendable adjustment.
“This decision reflects the governor’s magnanimity and his dedication to fostering a productive workforce in Ekiti State,” he said.
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