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Former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose on Monday emerged as chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) as President Bola Tinubu announced 26 new appointments into 10 Federal Government agencies and commissions. Major General Junaid Bindawa was also announced as chairman of the National Salary and Wages Commission.
Fayose heads the board of REA, with Alhaji Ahmadu Abubakar and Engineer Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta appointed as members and non-executive directors. The incumbent DG of the agency, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and three executive directors previously appointed make up the remaining board members.
President Tinubu made eight other appointments to the Wages Commission, along with Maj General Bindawa. Former member of the House of Representatives from Lagos, Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas, is the new secretary of the commission. Dr Ogbole Ene Lilian, Oladele Olatubosun, and Yakubu Umar Barde, representing Benue, Oyo and Kaduna, were appointed as commissioners.
Dr Mai Adamu Yau, from Borno, Ginika Florence Tor (Enugu), Engineer Lawrence Okoh (Edo) and Bello Morenike Iyabode (Kogi) were appointed as members of the Commission.
Tosin Johnson Adeyanju, who was previously appointed as the Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), has now been moved to the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission as Secretary.
President Tinubu also appointed Dr Abuh Mohammed as Director-General of the National Population Commission, Dr Akinola Odeyemi as Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), and Dr Anthony Inalegwu Godwin as chairman/CEO of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission. Engineer Julius Oloro, a former council chairman, is the new CEO of the Kwara-based National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation(NCAM), replacing Dr A.R. Kamal, who died last January.
President Tinubu constituted the board of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, with Dr Abdullahi Maikano Saidu as chairman. The board members include Mohammed Asmau, Mohammed Aliyu Makama, Dr Suleiman Gidado, Louis O. Ndukwe, Amaechi Ugwele and Olaniyi Idowu Onikola.
Shuni Muhammad Dahiru is the new executive secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education, replacing Professor Shu’aibu Shehu Aliyu, who was reassigned to the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) in April.
To replace Mathias Byuan, the former executive director, finance of the Federal Housing Authority, who resigned to contest the governorship election in Benue, President Tinubu named Gisaor Vincent Iorja. Iorja is an economist, legal scholar, and academic currently serving as the secretary of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC).
All the appointments take immediate effect.
Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of Malami’s University, Other Property Worth N213.2b
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Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of Malami’s University, Other Property Worth N213.2b
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of over 40 property, including a university, worth N213.2 billion linked to a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN.
The court made the order while delivering judgement in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions (EFCC), seeking final forfeiture of the affected property to the federal government on claims that they form part of proceeds of crime.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the respondents failed to rebut the reasonable suspicion that the properties were acquired through unlawful activities.
Justice Abdulmalik also dismissed objections to the final forfeiture brought by Malami, his family members and some companies linked to the properties, for lacking in merit.
While stressing that the issue before the court was not “who owns the property, but how legitimate are the funds used to acquire the properties”, the court held that the respondents had “not dislodged the reasonable suspicion that the property was acquired by unlawful activities.”
Meanwhile, Abdulmalik relied principally on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act in granting the final forfeiture order.
However, she vacated the interim forfeiture order in respect of some of the properties.
Recall that Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court had in early January, ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties linked to the former AGF and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru—Rahman Malami,
The properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities of the defendants were valued at over N213.2 billion.
The affected properties located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States, according to the interim order are to be forfeited to the federal government. City& Local Guides
According to court documents the properties to be temporarily forfeited to the federal government included: Rayhaan University Buildings, Agro allied factory buildings, machines, hotels, pharmacy, supermarket, primary and secondary schools, oil and gas filling stations, shops and other buildings.
Others are luxury Duplex at Amazon Street, Plot No. 3011 Within Cadastral Zone, A06 Maitama; File No: AN enhancement 11352, which was purchased in December 2022 at N500, 000, 000.00 (value after enhancement at N5,950,000,000).
“Two Winged Large Storey Building Situate at No. 3, Onitsha Crescent, Area 11,Garki, Cadastral Zone, A03, Abuja (formerly Harmonia Hotels Limited), FCT, which was purchased Dec. 2018 at N7,000,000,000.
“Plot 683, Jabi District, Cadastral Zone B04, Comprising of a five storey Building (Now Luxurious Meethaq Hotels Ltd, Jabi with 53 rooms/suites), which was purchased in Sept. 2020 at carcass level at N850,000,000 with additional N300,000,000 to take possession (value after completion N8,400,000,000).
“Property No. 3130 within Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, FCT, Abuja, Comprising Terraces, purchased in January 2021 at N360,000,000. City& Local Guides
“Property No. 3 Rhine Street, Maitama, Abuja (Meethaq Hotels Limited, Maitama With 15 ROOMS), which was purchased in February 2018 at N430,000,000 (current value after rehabilitation is N12,950,000,000).
“Plot No. 1241B, Asokoro District Zone (No. 11A Yakubu Gowon Crescent) Asokoro District, which was purchased in July 2021 at N325,000,000.
“Shop No. C82 Citiscape — Shariff Plaza, Plot 739 Cadastral Zone A07, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse Il, FCT, Abuja, which was purchased in March 2024 at N120,000,000.
“No. 4 Ahmadu Bello Way, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, which was purchased in December 2022 at N300,000,000.
“Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Nasarawa, GRA, Kano, purchased in July 2019 with no specific amount stated.
“A Plaza, Commercial Toilets, Laundering, Warehouse Tanks.
“100 Hectares Of Land Along Birnin Kebbi, Jega Road, which was purchased in 2020 at N100,000,000.
“Four Bedroom Bungalow Gesse Phase, Birnin Kebbi, which was purchased in 2023 at N101,000, 000.
“Shops Nos. A36, B3 Vegas Mall, Wuse 2, Abuja, which was purchased in July 2023 at N158,000,000. City& Local Guides
“No. 26, Babbi Drive, Bua Estate, Abuja, purchased in 2022 at N136,000,000.
“No. 27, Efab Estates Avenue, 59™ Crescent, Gwarimpa, Abuja, purchased in January 2016 at N120,000,000.
“Four Bedroom/ 2 Rooms Boys Quarters At No. 10B, Doka Crescent Abakpa GRA, Kaduna, purchased in Jan. 2018 at N40, 000, 000.00.
“Plot No. 13, Ipent 7 Estate, Karsana District, Abuja, purchased in June 2018 at N85,000,000.
“A Bedroom Duplex & Boys Quarters At No. 12 Yalinga Street, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse Il, Abuja, purchased in Oct. 2018 at N150,000,000.
“Two Warehouse Shops B40 And B46, Wuse Market, Abuja, purchased in July 2020 at N50,000,000.
“Twin Houses At Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, Cadastral Zone B01, Plot 14014, Gudu District, Abuja, was purchased between February and May 2017 at N250,000,000. City& Local Guides
“Properties acquired by Khadimiyya for Justice & Development Initiative at the Academic Garden City, Birnin Kebbi, sold by the Federal Housing Authority Mortgage namely.
“Others are nine units of three bedroom, bungalow, three units of two bedroom, bungalow, and 5.4 hectares of land, which were purchased between February 2023 and September 2023 at N187,000,000, among other assets listed in the schedule.
After complying with the orders of the court directing the publication of the interim forfeiture order, the anti-graft agency subsequently applied for final forfeiture which the court granted on Wednesday.
In the motion for final forfeiture of the said property, the commission had told Justice Joyce Abdulmalik that the respondents had failed to place sufficient evidence before the court, to warrant the court to vacate its earlier order for the interim forfeiture of the 57 properties.
The former AGF, his son, Abdulaziz Abubakar, wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, Abiru’ Rahman Abubakar Malami, are listed as 1st to 4th respondents in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026.
Others are Rayhaan Bustan and Agro Allied Ltd, Mountain View Gold and Jewellery Ltd, Amasdul Oil and Gas Ltd, Azbir Arena Nigeria Ltd, Meethaq Hotels Ltd as 5th to 9th respondents.
They also include Rayhaan University Ltd/GTE, Rayhaan Hotels Ltd, Zeenoor Hotels Ltd, Kawsar Ben of Brahim, Alhaji Muktaka Usman Junju, Real Edge Agro Services Ltd as 10th to 15th respondents respectively.
The application was brought pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, No. 14 of 2006.
Specifically, the commission is had sought “a final order of this honourable court forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the properties described in the schedule below, which were found by the commission as properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
The application was predicated on six grounds amongst which is that the court has the statutory powers under the provisions of Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006, to grant the reliefs being sought.
While observing that the motion is a non-conviction-based asset forfeiture, applicant submitted that the properties sought to be attached and forfeited are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
“This honourable court made an interim order forfeiting the properties to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The order of the honourable court has been published in a national daily, namely THISDAY Newspaper of 9th January, 2026.
“No sufficient cause has been shown why the properties under the interim forfeiture order should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” EFCC submitted.
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Procurement Reforms Saved Nigeria Over N1.1 Trillion – Shettima
Vice President Kashim Shettima
Vice President Kashim Shettima has disclosed that procurement reforms saved the nation over N1.1 trillion .
The vice president made the disclosure on Friday in his keynote address as the special guest of honour at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF)-Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Permanent Secretaries Retreat held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State. They retreat with the theme “Strengthening Procurement Leadership and Accountability for Effective Budget Execution and National Development” will end on July 12, 2026.
Prof. Tunji Olaopa delivering the keynote speech of Vice President Kashim Shettima during the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF)-Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Permanent Secretaries Retreat held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State on Friday.
Shettima whose speech was delivered by his representative, the Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission , Prof. Tunji Olaopa, said that ongoing transformation at the BPP remains one of the most important institutional reforms in the government national development agenda.
Prof. Tunji Olaopa and Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack during the occasion.
He stated that so, far, 23 strategic initiatives and reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability, and fiscal discipline in Nigeria have been introduced. And as at the last count, some of the reforms saved the federal government over ₦1.1 trillion in 2025 alone.
He listed some of these reforms as threshold adjustments, which allow contracts below ₦5 billion for goods/services and ₦10 billion for works to be managed by ministerial tender boards rather than the Federal Executive Council; local empowerment that is aimed at the implementation of the Nigeria First Policy, which prioritises locally made goods and services that meet international standards; and institutional expansion which is the approval of seven new zonal offices with a view to deepening compliance enforcement across the country.
According to him , public procurement occupies a central place in the nation’s life as it accounts for a substantial proportion of public expenditure.
” Every road constructed, every hospital equipped, every school rehabilitated, every agricultural intervention implemented and every digital platform deployed passes through the procurement process. Therefore, the reforms reinforce the Federal Government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, transparency, and value for money under the Renewed Hope Agenda. Our administration will follow through these reforms religiously and ensure that all MDAs comply”, he said.
Thus, for him the government will not shy away from applying appropriate sanctions to defaulters, including prosecuting anyone who runs foul of the law.
To him , procurement is no longer simply an administrative or compliance function. It is a strategic instrument for economic growth, a driver of industrial development, a tool for promoting local content, an enabler of infrastructure delivery, a mechanism for ensuring value for money, and above all, it is an instrument of public trust.
He said: “When procurement works well, government delivers. When procurement fails, development suffers. The challenge before us, therefore, is not merely compliance with procurement procedures but strengthening procurement leadership.
“Leadership means ensuring that procurement planning begins early and aligns with approved budgets. Leadership means insisting on professionalism throughout the procurement cycle. Leadership means resisting undue influence, protecting institutional integrity and making decisions solely in the public interest. Leadership means ensuring that contracts are completed on schedule, within cost and according to specification.
” Leadership means building institutions that outlive individuals.”
Noting what he identified as an irreplaceable responsibility of permanent secretaries, he said that ss accounting officers they are the custodians of financial discipline within their Ministries and Agencies. They are responsible not only for ensuring compliance with the Public Procurement Act and extant Financial Regulations but also for creating institutional cultures that reward transparency, professionalism and ethical conduct.
Noting weak procurement planning as one of the greatest obstacles to effective budget implementation, Shettima said that far too often, procurement activities commence long after budgets have been approved, thereby making project designs remain incomplete, needs assessments inadequate, and market intelligence insufficient.
“All these delays compress implementation timelines, increase project costs and ultimately reduce the developmental impact of public expenditure”, he said.
Thus, for him, improving budget performance requires procurement to move from being reactive to becoming strategic. It requires stronger collaboration between finance, planning, procurement and technical departments. It requires greater use of data, technology and evidence in procurement decision-making. It also requires stronger contract management to ensure that government receives full value for every naira spent.
Technology in procurement, according to the vice president, offers enormous opportunities such as electronic document management, integrated financial management platforms and data analytics that can significantly improve transparency, reduce processing time, minimise human discretion and strengthen public confidence.
He said that Nigeria must continue to embrace these innovations as part of the government broader public sector modernisation agenda.
However, he stated that institutional reforms succeed only when they are driven by values as Integrity remains the most valuable asset in public administration. To him, no amount of technology can substitute for ethical leadership. No legal framework can replace personal accountability. No reform programme can succeed without leaders who consistently place national interest above personal interest.
Shettima commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack and the Director-General of the BPP Dr. Adebowale A. Adetokun for their foresight in convening the strategic gathering. He also acknowledged the dedication of all permanent secretaries who continue to provide administrative leadership across Ministries and Extra Ministerial Departments and Agencies of Government.
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Court Affirms David Mark’s ADC Leadership
David Mark and the logo of ADC
The Federal High Court, Abuja, has affirmed the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) headed by former Senate President David Mark, dismissing a suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, for lacking merit.
Justice Musa Liman upheld the preliminary objections raised by the ADC, its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, Mark and the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola.
The judge held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter because it bordered on the internal affairs of a political party, which he described as non-justiciable.
Justice Liman also ruled that Abejide lacked the legal standing to institute the suit, having failed to demonstrate how his rights were violated by the emergence of the current ADC leadership.
He further held that the lawmaker did not exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism before approaching the court.
The court also resolved all the issues raised in the substantive suit in favour of the defendants.
On the legality of the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s leaders, Justice Liman held that the transfer of leadership by Nwosu did not contravene the ADC constitution.
He ruled that the July 2, 2025 stakeholders’ meeting, at which Nwosu handed over the party’s leadership, preceded the National Executive Committee meeting of July 29, 2025, which formally produced Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, under the supervision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to the court, the emergence of the duo complied with the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act, 2026.
Justice Liman subsequently awarded costs of ₦2 million each in favour of the defendants against Abejide.
He also ordered Abejide’s counsel to pay ₦10 million in costs pursuant to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
Abejide had sued the ADC, Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking to nullify the July 2, 2025 handover of the party’s leadership.
Among other reliefs, the lawmaker sought an order restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, as well as an injunction preventing INEC from recognising them as ADC leaders.
He argued that their emergence did not comply with the party’s constitution and the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
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