President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in the 17th Summit of Heads of State and Government for the Global South and Emerging Economic Bloc, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS).

The President’s flight touched down at the Galeao Air Force Base tarmac at 8:45 pm on Friday, where the Galeao Air Force Base Commander coordinated the Guard of Honour.

Brazil’s Deputy Minister for Africa and the Middle East, Ambassador Carlos Sergio Sobral Duarte, and the Deputy Minister for Trade Promotion, Science, Technology, Innovation, and Culture, received President Tinubu.

President Tinubu is in Brazil at the invitation of President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva. The Nigerian leader will attend a bilateral meeting hosted by President Lula today, July 5, ahead of the summit on June 6 and 7.

At the BRICS Summit, the President will participate in a plenary session and deliver an address on Nigeria’s ongoing reforms to reposition the economy for global competitiveness.

According to the Presidency, he will also attract investors to capitalise on the country’s opportunities in agriculture, solid minerals, healthcare, and alternative energy.

The summit’s theme is “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.” Deliberations will centre on health, Artificial Intelligence, governance, and Climate Change issues.

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Ahead of the Leaders’ Summit, the political negotiators of BRICS brainstormed over aligning more commitments to combat socially determined diseases, artificial intelligence governance, and climate finance.

State Governors participating in the summit with the President are Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Prince Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta) and Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger).

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appointed Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori as the acting National Chairman of the party following the resignation of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Dalori, who currently serves as the Deputy National Chairman (North), was directed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to assume the leadership role in an acting capacity pending the meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which is being convened immediately to fill the vacancy.

The announcement was contained in an official statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, on Friday in Abuja.

According to the statement, Ganduje tendered his resignation with immediate effect in order to attend to “urgent and important personal matters.”

Dalori’s appointment comes nearly two years after Ganduje was appointed National Chairman in August 2023, succeeding Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

During his tenure, Ganduje was praised for promoting party cohesion, driving electoral strength, and overseeing key defections into the party.

With Dalori now at the helm, the APC said it remains “steadfast and unwavering” in delivering President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and sustaining internal unity.

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The party expressed gratitude to Ganduje for his “invaluable contributions and distinguished record of service” and extended well wishes for his future endeavours.

President Bola Tinubu has signed the four tax reform bills into law. Tinubu assented to the bills at the Presidential Villa on Thursday.

The four proposed laws are the Nigeria tax bill, the Nigeria tax administration bill, the Nigeria revenue service (establishment) bill, and the joint revenue board (establishment) bill.

The signing ceremony was attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, and Julius Ihonvbere, house majority leader.

Also present were Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman, governor of Kwara, Hope Uzodinma, his Imo counterpart, and Wale Edun, minister of finance, among others.

Tinubu transmitted the proposed legislation to the national assembly on October 3, 2024, urging lawmakers to pass the tax reform bills.

The bills initially faced opposition from the northern governors, who argued that the proposed laws could harm the region’s interests, asking the national assembly to reject the bills and demanding fair and equitable implementation across all regions.

However, in January, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) endorsed the bills after agreeing on an “equitable” VAT-sharing formula.

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The house of representatives passed the bills in March, while the senate approved them in May.

On June 18, the legislature transmitted the bills to the president for assent.

Speaking earlier on Thursday, Tinubu said the tax bills will unify the country’s fragmented tax system.

“They (tax reform bills) deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu said.

“For too long, our tax system has been a patchwork—complex, inequitable, and burdensome. It has weighed down the vulnerable and shielded inefficiency. That era ends today.”

Tinubu added that the bills will eliminate wasteful duplications, reduce red tape, restore investor trust, and promote transparency and coordination at all levels.

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A businessman, Peter Otomewu and his company, Pebeto Enerji Limited, were on Monday arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, before the Ikeja Special Offences Court for allegedly defrauding a petroleum services company of $75,000.

The defendants were docked on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing, preferred against them by the EFCC.

The anti-graft agency’s prosecution counsel, M.S. Owede, told the court that Otomewu and his firm committed the alleged offences sometime in 2018.

Owode told the court that the defendants fraudulently obtained the sum of $75,000 from Virgin Forest Energy Limited under the false pretext that they had a vessel, MT AYSU, capable of transshipping petroleum products from a mother vessel.

The prosecutor alleged that the representation was false and that the money was never used for the stated purpose.

Otomewu and his firm were accused of dishonestly converting the entire $75,000 property of Virgin Forest Energy Limited to their use.

According to the EFCC, the offences committed contravened Sections 278, 278(1), and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and Section 1(1)(a) and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

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However, both defendants who were docked before Justice Mojisola Dada pleaded not guilty to the charges against them when it was read.

Following the not-guilty plea, Owede asked for a trial date and also urged the court to remand the first defendant, Otomewu, in a correctional centre.

But the defence counsel, Mr Peter Ajabor, however, prayed the court to grant bail to the defendants on liberal terms.

Consequently, Justice Dada granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N50m, with two sureties in like sum.

The judge ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

She also ordered that the sureties must have N50m in their bank accounts.

Justice Dada further ordered the remand of Otomewu in the correctional centre, pending the perfection of the bail conditions.

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The matter was adjourned to September 29, 2025, for commencement of trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has interrogated an Abuja-based businesswoman, Halimat Tejuosho, over her alleged involvement in an appointment and contract scam.

Tejuosho, said to be the founder of Haleems Integrated Services Limited, was reportedly quizzed after victims accused her of using false pretenses to obtain funds in exchange for promises of federal appointments and lucrative government contracts.

Counsel to one of the victims, Chief Tolu Babaleye, alleged that Tejuosho ran an elaborate scheme involving forged documents and fake appointment letters to deceive unsuspecting individuals.

He claimed she posed as an aide to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to lend credibility to her claims.

“The court had earlier recommended her for prosecution on charges bordering on Advance Fee Fraud, Criminal Diversion of Funds, Criminal Breach of Trust, and Cheating,” Babaleye said.

He also alleged that Tejuosho used her involvement in humanitarian and NGO activities as a smokescreen to attract victims and gain their trust.

EFCC Spokesperson, Mr Dele Oyewale, confirmed that she was invited for questioning and has since been granted administrative bail under stringent conditions.

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Investigations are ongoing, and the commission says she may be formally charged to court in the coming weeks.

The anti-graft agency also urged other potential victims to come forward, reiterating its resolve to clamp down on all forms of financial crime.

Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara is not anticipated to return to office despite his recent meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the latter’s residence in Lagos.

Reports indicate that photographs of Fubara’s meeting with Tinubu circulated widely on social media, coinciding with discussions regarding the ongoing crisis in Rivers State.

This situation places him in a precarious position, particularly as lawmakers aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike have expressed dissatisfaction with his association with Tinubu.

ThePapers has learned exclusively that Fubara is currently lobbying for his reinstatement; however, he has not yet fulfilled certain conditions that were mutually agreed upon.

Sources in Lagos have disclosed that Fubara’s return is not imminent, contrary to some media reports, emphasizing that there are specific conditions he continues to negotiate, which may further delay his anticipated reinstatement. Additionally, another source has indicated that certain decisions would need to be reversed if his suspension were to be lifted. However, the governor appears to be attempting to appease Wike’s adversaries by neglecting these critical aspects during negotiations.

“As for the President, he has no problem in lifting his suspension today, but the suspended governor is trying to dodge some agreed terms which are part of the problem and there’s no way the crisis won’t continue if he returns.

“The President has told him to meet everyone affected and make peace with them, that everyone should speak in his favour and let the matter end in peace. But Fubara is ignoring some people of course.”

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Fubara’s major now is Pro-Wike who are yet to agreed on certain terms and are set to meet the president over their own grievances.

Meanwhile, former President Goodluck Jonathan is among high-profile Nigerians quietly lobbying for the reinstatement of suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, with mounting expectations that a resolution could be reached before June 12, according to Politics Nigeria.

It is understood that Jonathan has already engaged President Bola Tinubu in a lengthy telephone conversation, advocating for Fubara’s return “on or before June 12 in the spirit of Democracy Day.”

Governor Fubara was suspended on March 18 following a controversial presidential order. The decision, widely described as unconstitutional, has drawn sharp criticism from legal experts and political observers who argue that “there is no part of the Constitution which empowers the president to suspend/remove an elected governor,” even in the event of emergency rule.

Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu and state lawmakers were suspended for six months following heightened tension between the governor and his predecessor Nyesom Wike.