News
‘Mai Gaskiya,’ your legacy will remain indelible — Akpabio mourns Buhari
Godswill Akpabio, on Sunday joined other prominent Nigerians in mourning Muhammadu Buhari, former President of Nigeria, who died in a London hospital earlier in the day at the age of 82 describing him as “a statesman and leader of great integrity.”
In a statement he personally signed, Akpabio, who served in the government of the ex-President as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, also condoled with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the government and people of Katsina state and Buhari’s immediate family over the incident.
Sharing his experience working with Buhari, the second longest-serving Nigerian leader outside Olusegun Obasanjo, who holds the record, and who like his former boss in the military, also ruled Nigeria both as military Head of State and civilian President, Akpabio, said it left him with fond memories.
He wrote in the statement: “It is with profound sadness that I received the news of the passing of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am deeply pained that he died when his wise counsel is needed most in this country.
“On behalf of my family and constituents, the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the entire National Assembly, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of the late President, especially his wife, Hajia Aisha Buhari, and the children, friends and political associates, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Governor Dikko Umar Radda, the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Farouk Umar Farouk, the people of Katsina state and Nigeria generally, over the passing of this great man.”
Describing the late Nigerian leader, who ruled Nigeria for 20 months in uniform and eight as civilian as “a fine military officer that served Nigeria with zeal and patriotism and upon retirement transited to a democratic icon, Akpabio, added: “Through hard work, patience, uncommon resilience and discipline, Gen. Buhari became the first opposition candidate to defeat a sitting president in the history of Nigeria.
“His leadership and legacy will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to our nation’s development and stability. His life signified honesty, truth and justice; he was indeed, the real ‘Mai Gaskiya.’ Buhari commanded an unprecedented cult followership in the political history of Nigeria due to his characteristic stance against corruption, unrelenting pursuit of genuine democratic ideals and his staunch support for the unity and stability of the nation.
“Having worked closely with former President Buhari as a minister under his administration, I can attest to the fact that he lived a Spartan life, thinking about the welfare of the people, especially the less privileged and was a leader worth emulating because he meant well for Nigeria and did his best to advance the cause of the people.
“May God comfort the family and his loved ones during this difficult time and may we continue to draw inspiration from his service to our great nation. May Allah grant him Aljannatul Firdaus in his eternal kingdom.”
Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor of Oyo State, on Thursday, finally threw his hats into the ring by declaring his intention to run for president in 2027, with a message – history beckons.
The governor, whose ambition has been a matter of speculations for months now and who had teamed up with forces angling to force President Bola Tinubu, out of power, told a teeming crowd in Ibadan on Thursday that time had come to reset Nigeria.
At a mega-rally to announce the alliance between the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the Allied Peoples’ Movement, (APM), Makinde, expressed worry over the dwindling fortunes of Nigerians, vowing to engage Nigerians to end the drift.
Hear him: “Without a multi-party system, there is no democracy. Where is our multi-party? Where do we go from here? We have been pushed to the wall.
“They calculated and self-opposition cannot unite but I am here to say that the opposition is the everyday Nigerian. This is the time for all us to ensure Nigeria works for us. This is the time to confront it fears. It is time to engage as citizens and not spectators.
“For the opposition political parties, this is the time to unite and work in unity and give our nation the much reset it needs. The time to reset Nigeria is now. Ibadan is the city of warriors. The first grand alliance is formed. The PDP and APM is formed. This handshake will allow us to field candidates from presidency to state Assembly. And so, I declare my candidacy for office of the president of Nigeria.”
Eyo Ekpe, a professor of cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), on Wednesday, gave a detailed account on how operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) manhandled him on Monday.
He told reporters that he was at sea on why he should fall victim to the assault against his person and eventually arrested given that was not right person directly involved in the information the agency sought.
Some operatives of the EFCC who invaded the hospital, had whisked Ekpe away after firing teargas to scare away the workers, patients and visitors to the hospital, following what appeared like a fracas the ensued over what it claimed was a routine duty in the facility.
Ekpe, Deputy Chairman of the hospital’s Medical Advisory Committee (MAC), described how an operative had first entered his office to make inquiries on why the hospital was yet to give a response to an EFCC inquiry over a medical report linked to a suspect facing trial.
He detailed how he briefed the operative that the said response was being prepared and even went ahead to show him the draft of a letter in that regard, which needed to go through the gamut of official endorsement before being released.
Hear him: “The head of that internal medicine department looked at the report and also discovered that the name of the doctor that signed the report is not a member of staff of that department.
“I had prepared prepared a response to the EFCC on Monday, May 11, 2026, based on the findings. When the EFCC operative visited my office the next morning to collect the document, I told him that the response was ready in draft. I even showed him the draft, but told him that the document still needed approval from the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital before it could be officially signed and released.
“He pretended to have accepted that. He left, but later later returned with another armed operative and informed me that I was under arrest. I asked him why. I was not the one that issued the medical report. My name is not on the medical report. The report was not issued from my unit.
“But he said I would get the answer when I get to their office. I then asked him to at least wait for my staff member who I sent on an errand before joining them. But they refused.
“They started pushing me. They dragged me out of the office. Then I began to cry while they were dragging me. They had warned me not to speak. They had taken my phone. My cry as they were dragging me, attracted the workers to the scene, who enquired what was going on, but because they ordered me not to speak, I couldn’t say anything. They had their guns.
The members of staff of the hospital initially blocked them from taking me away. They then made a call. After that I saw many masked and armed men came violently, broke the protector, threatening the people that were around and people ran away.
“They picked some staff that were still by me. they dragged me and other staff, five of us into their van downstairs. By that time they discovered that the gate of the hospital were locked. So, they drove towards the gate and packed and the commotion continued. We were inside the van.
“I was so emotionally and psychologically traumatised that I couldn’t even look out of the vehicle to see what was happening outside. But I know that teargas and live bullets were shot. That’s all I can say for now.”
Joyce Abdulmalik, of the Federal High Court, Abuja, heard on Wednesday, how Zenith Bank raised alarm over the huge transaction in one of its branches by Abubakar Malami, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF-MoJ).
The bank said it immediately filed a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) in respect to the transactions, during its appearance in the ongoing trial of Malami, his wife, and son over allegation of massive looting of funds belonging to the Federal Government during his tenure.
Mashelia Bata, a compliance officer with the bank, who appeared as witness in the case, where Malami, et al, are facing a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N8.7 billion, to which they pleaded not guilty, gave the testimony while being questioned on the bank’s roles in the matter.
Details of the testimony conveyed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stated how the compliance officer who was cross-examined by Adebayo Adedeji, lawyer to the defendants admitted that the deposits in the account statements complied with the guidelines of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Arguments had stretched when Adedeji, opposed Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), lawyer to the EFCC, who had asked the witness to explain the meaning of a suspicious transaction report, stressing that there was no ambiguity in the term.
However, Okutepa, in response, maintained that section 215(3) of the Evidence Act did not preclude him from re-examining the witness while urging the court to allow the question for proper explanation.
After Abdulmalik, agreed and overruled Adedeji, the witness told the court that banks were required to alert the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) about fund deposits coming in a repetitive pattern, adding: “Any deposition of funds seen in a pattern or repetitive, you must escalate it to the NFIU.”
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