In today’s edition of Nigeria in brief: president Muhammadu Buhari meets King Charles III; Mele Kyari laments threats to life; angry mob attack Atiku in Borno; Hushpuppi gets a TV series; Kuda launches in the UK, and other top stories making headlines today.
Atiku loses Borno, accuses APC of sabotage
Atiku Abubakar may have suffered an unprecedented defeat in Borno State in his journey to Aso Rock. This is because 74 persons have been hospitalized and several vehicles vandalized as hoodlums attacked the campaign convoy of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in Borno State on Wednesday. The campaign train was reported to be heading from the Shehu of Borno’s Palace to the Ramat Square, the venue of the presidential rally, when they were attacked by hundreds of angry mob. The mob were said to be wielding stones, clubs, cutlasses, and other weapons. The spokesman for the PDP Presidential Campaign, Senator Dino Melaye, disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday, and accused the APC of being behind the attack. Melaye alleged that the APC deployed their thugs at strategic locations in the state to attack and frustrate the PDP presidential rally but insisted they have failed as nothing would stop the rally. However, correspondents’ reports is that while Atiku and his team were leaving Borno State, a fire service vehicle and water tankers were seen spreading water on the road while hundreds were sweeping the road as a sign of sweeping Atiku and PDP off Borno.
KUDA crosses the Border
In order to better serve Nigerians in diaspora, Kuda, the money app for Africans is launching in the UK. Kuda recently secured an investment of over US$90 million which further strengthened its global customer acquisition drive. According to Kuda official statement, Kuda’s mission is to empower Africans in diaspora to fully functioning, friction-free international financial transactions that is affordable. Kuda is entering the UK market (through its UK-based subsidiary – Kuda EMI Limited) charging a flat fee of only £3 with a transfer limit of £10,000. With over £3 billion sent from the UK to Nigeria every year, Kuda is set to save UK Nigerians millions of pounds. Parent company Kuda Technologies Limited was founded in 2019 by two Nigerians, Babs Ogundeyi and Musty Mustapha. Its Nigerian business rapidly expanded to become the country’s number one money app, with nearly five million customers.
PDP crisis worsens, blames Jonathan for G-5 Governors
To say there is tension in the PDP camp is an understatement. And To say that there is trouble in paradise is even putting it mildly. The PDP and its presidential flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar have waded in some troubled waters recently and it seems to be getting muddier by the day. Some of the problems that have bedeviled the party recently include lack of cohesion within the party ranks, over decentralized leadership where everyone is a king, and the seemingly frustrating question of leadership zoning in the party, all compound to give the umbrella party an image of a divided house. And now, the party have decided that the only solution to their problem is the former president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Yesterday, we gathered that the party is planning a crucial meeting between the former president and the G-5 Governors to ameliorate the crisis within the party. The G-5 Governors include the five governors who are aggrieved by the party’s pro-North leadership style. According to an undisclosed source within the Atiku/Okowa campaign council, the party thinks that given the fact that the G-5 governors are Jonathan’s scions, they would respect him and work with the party, especially for the interest of the forthcoming presidential elections. The source further added that some members of the party are of the opinion that the G-5 Governors: Nyesome Wike of Rivers State; Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Samuel Ortom of Benue State; and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, would not be so emboldened to act against the party if they were not being aided by the former president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
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A lemonade for Hushpuppi in prison
Iconic rapper and movie/TV producer, Curtis James Jackson, aka, 50 Cent has announced his plans to make a TV series based on the story of the Nigerian internet fraudster, Ramon Abas, better known as Hushpuppi. Hushpuppi was arrested two years ago for defrauding about 1.9 million people most of whom were Americans. This week, a judge in the US handed the Nigerian born internet scammer an 11 year jail term. But it seems life is not done with him yet, as the ace movie producer has spotted an opportunity to make him even more famous – and rich. 50 Cent shared the news on his Instagram page yesterday and wrote, “For my scammers I gotta do this one, Hushpuppi series coming soon!”
The King and the President
President Muhammadu Buhari has decided to use one stone to kill two birds. The president who left the country two weeks ago on an emergency medical vacation has met with the King of England, King Charles III at the Buckingham Palace in London. This is the first official and unofficial meeting between the Nigerian president and the British King since his coronation. King Charles III was crowned King of England following the death of the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II. President Muhammadu Buhari, who is still on his medical vacation in London is expected back in the country in the second week of November.
Kyari, crude oil theft, and threat to life
The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr Mele Kyari has raised an alarm over threat to his life by some unscrupulous elements in the society who see him as a threat to their illegal business activities within the petroleum sector. Mele said this at a special summit on legislative transparency and accountability organized by the House of Reps committee on Anti-Corruption in Abuja, yesterday. The GCEO lamented that Nigeria was losing 700,000 barrels of oil per day to oil thieves. He added that his administration has closed down thousands of illegal refineries in the past 45 months, and restored two trunk lines. We recall that for decades, Nigeria has been the highest producer of oil in Africa, but in recent years, oil theft have sabotaged output greatly causing the African giant to lose millions of dollars daily. In 2022, Nigeria’s oil output was at the lowest since 1990, as oil production fell below 1 million barrel per day (BPD) according to date from OPEC. Data also have shown that smaller countries like Angola and Libya have overtaken Nigeria in oil production. Hopefully, Kyari’s effort will yield the expected results and get the giant on his feet again.