Abia ThinkTank - Abia ThinkTank News

Feb

2026

‘What Transpired When Atiku, Makinde Met IBB In Minna’ – Fayose Opens Can Of Worms

‘What Transpired When Atiku, Makinde Met IBB In Minna’ – Fayose Opens Can Of Worms A former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has alleged details of a high-level political meeting between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, claiming discussions centred on a potential presidential ticket under the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In a statement shared via his verified X handle on Wednesday, Fayose said the Minna meeting was strategically arranged, with the “venue and personalities involved carefully chosen so as to ensure confidence and acceptability.” He claimed that political calculations around zoning and regional…

Feb

2026

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Nigeria Now Largest Crude Oil Producer In Africa – OPEC

Economy, FGN, News Flash

Nigeria Now Largest Crude Oil Producer In Africa – OPEC Nigeria retained its position as the largest crude oil producer in Africa after an increase in the country’s January output, according to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) data. In its latest monthly report on Wednesday, the oil cartel said Nigeria’s oil output increased to 1.45 million barrels per day (bpd) in March — from 1.42 million bpd in December According to the international organisation, the latest figure represents a 2.11 percent drop from the previous month’s output. The oil alliance said its figures were derived from direct…

Feb

2026

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CBN Approves BDCs’ Return To Forex Market, Allows Purchase Of Up To $150,000 Weekly

CBN/Commercial Banking, Economy, FGN

CBN Approves BDCs’ Return To Forex Market, Allows Purchase Of Up To $150,000 Weekly The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has authorised licensed Bureau De Change (BDC) operators to resume participation in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM), in a move aimed at improving liquidity and enhancing access to foreign exchange in the retail segment. The approval was contained in a circular signed by the Director of the Trade and Exchange Department, Dr Musa Nakorji. The circular stated that each licensed BDC is permitted to purchase up to $150,000 weekly, subject to compliance with existing operational guidelines. Under the new…

Feb

2026

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By Abia ThinkTank

I Will Soon Be Arrested By FGN – El-Rufai Reveals, Give Reason

FGN, News Flash, Politics

I Will Soon Be Arrested By FG – El-Rufai Reveals, Give Reason Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, says he expects to be arrested “any moment now” by federal authorities. Speaking in a recent interview with BBC Hausa, el-Rufai said four individuals who worked closely with him during his tenure as governor have already been arrested, adding that he believes he may be involved. He alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is aggressively pressuring politicians—either to defect to the party or to remain inside it—as the battle for 2027 begins to take shape. “Four people who worked with…

Feb

2026

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NNPP Rejects US Bill Seeking Sanctions On Kwankwaso Over Alleged Religious Violations

News Flash, Politics, Religion, Security

NNPP Rejects US Bill Seeking Sanctions On Kwankwaso Over Alleged Religious Violations The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has condemned a bill before the United States congress seeking to impose sanctions on Rabiu Kwankwaso, its national leader, for alleged “severe religious freedom violations”. On Tuesday, five US lawmakers introduced a bill in the country’s house of representatives to compel the secretary of state to submit a “comprehensive report on US efforts to address the ongoing religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria. If the proposed legislation becomes law, the Departments of State and Treasury are expected to impose sanctions, including…

Feb

2026

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Omenuko Bridge: How Governor Otti Ended The Dark Era Of Impossibility And Broken Promises In Abia – By Ebere Uzoukwa, Ph.D ( SSA To Governor Otti On Public Affairs)

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Good Governance

Omenuko Bridge: How Governor Otti Ended the Dark Era of Impossibility and Broken Promises in Abia By Ebere Uzoukwa, PhD For decades, the Omenuko Bridge stood as a stark metaphor for failed governance in Abia State. Dangerous, neglected, and endlessly politicised, it posed a daily threat to commuters and served as a painful reminder of promises repeatedly made but never fulfilled. Over time, the bridge became more than an infrastructure deficit; it evolved into a symbol of institutional inertia, bureaucratic evasion, and deep public frustration. Constructed in 1955, the narrow one-lane bridge deteriorated severely over the years, claiming lives and…

Feb

2026

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Nigeria Slips In Global Corruption Ranking, Now 36th Most Corrupt Country In The World (Detailed Report)

News Flash, People Reorientation, World News

Nigeria Slips In Global Corruption Ranking, Now 36th Most Corrupt Country In The World Nigeria has again been ranked among the world’s most corrupt countries, placing 36th on the global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International, a global anti-graft coalition monitoring corruption trends worldwide. According to the 2025 CPI report, Nigeria was ranked 142nd out of 182 countries, with a score of 26 out of 100, where 0 indicates highly corrupt and 100 means very clean in terms of public sector integrity. Despite sliding two places from its 140th position in 2024, the West African nation retained its…

Feb

2026

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Port Harcourt Refinery Ready To Resume Operations- PENGASSAN

Business, Economy, News Flash, Oil & Gas

Port Harcourt Refinery Ready To Resume Operations — PENGASSAN The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has said the old Port Harcourt Refinery has been rehabilitated to about 90 per cent and could resume operations within one week if the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) approves its restart. The PENGASSAN President, Mr Festus Osifo, disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. His remarks come amid renewed debate over the future of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries, following comments by NNPC Ltd’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, who described the reopening…

Feb

2026

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Dangote Refinery Slashes Petrol Price To N774 Per Litre

Business, News Flash, Oil & Gas

Dangote Refinery Slashes Petrol Price To N774 Per Litre Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reduced its Premium Motor Spirit gantry price by N25 per litre, lowering its ex-depot rate from N799 to N774 per litre in what industry analysts describe as a strategic price recalibration amid evolving market dynamics in 2026. The refinery communicated the price adjustment to marketers on Tuesday, noting that the new rate takes immediate effect. In a notice issued by its Group Commercial Operations Department, Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE stated, “This is to notify you of a change in our PMS gantry price from N799…

Feb

2026

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Policy, Not Propaganda: The Senior Citizens Act And The New Welfare Direction – By Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Abia State, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Good Governance

Policy, Not Propaganda: The Senior Citizens Act and the New Welfare Direction In an era where governance is too often measured by slogans, soundbites, and staged optics, the real test of reform is whether compassion is codified into law. That is why the Senior Citizens framework recently signed in Abia represents more than a welfare gesture — it is a structural policy signal. It moves social protection from discretion to statute, from promise to enforceable obligation.Public debate has recently been saturated with claims, counter-claims, livestream arithmetic, and political theatre. Yet serious governance is not built on viral clips. It is…