News
Arguments Swing Left and Right over Rumours of ‘Coup against Buhari’
The Presidency yesterday, said, it was ready to ruffle unruly feathers as the opposition claimed that rumours of plot to remove President Muhammadu Buhari from office through undemocratic means are attempts to blackmail Nigerians and distract them from the ruling government’s below par performance.
President Muhammadu Buhari
Elsewhere, the military, dissociated itself from such anti-democratic utterance and position and pledged loyalty to the President.
Also, Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, assured that no form of coup will oust the President from power, because God endorsed democracy of Nigeria.
And Femi Adesina, special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, expressed the federal government’s readiness to thwart such moves by ruffling some unruly feathers in the process.
In what appears a major doubling down on a statement by the Department of State Services (DSS), alleging sinister moves by misguided elements to wreak havoc on the government, sovereignty and corporate existence of the country; the presidency in statement, said available evidence indicated that some disgruntled religious and past political leaders are poised to throw the country into a tailspin, which would compel a forceful and undemocratic change of leadership.
According to the statement, further proof showed that the disruptive elements are now recruiting the leadership of some ethnic groups and politicians round the country, with the intention of convening some sort of conference, where a vote of no confidence would be passed on the president, thus throwing the land into further turmoil.
“The caterwauling, in recent times, by these elements, is to prepare the grounds adequately for their ignoble intentions, which are designed to cause further grief for the country. The agent provocateurs hope to achieve through artifice and sleight of hands, what they failed to do through the ballot box in the 2019 elections,” it said.
The Presidency emphasised that Nigerians have opted for democratic rule since 1999, adding that the only accepted way to change a democratically elected government is through elections, “which hold at prescribed times in the country as any other way is patently illegal, and even treasonable. Of course, such would attract the necessary consequences”.
It also accused external forces of collaborating with the mischievous individuals and groups to cause crisis in the country and warned that it will not take kindly to such move.
“These discredited individuals and groups are also in cahoots with external forces to cause maximum damage in their own country. But the Presidency, already vested with mandate and authority by Nigerians till 2023, pledges to keep the country together, even if some unruly feathers would be ruffled in the process,” the release added.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the major opposition party described the allegation by the Presidencyas a resort to blackmail in the face of failure.
In a statement on Tuesday signed by Kola Ologbondiyan, national publicity secretary, PDP said that the Buhari government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should live up to the responsibilities of office rather than “engage in frivolous allegations against Nigerians”.
The statement was titled, ‘You’re Haunted By Your Own Shadows, PDP Tells Buhari Presidency, APC’.
It partly read, “It is however imperative to state that the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress are being haunted by their own shadows as Nigerians know the persons as well as the political party with the history and penchant to scuttle democratically elected government.
“Perhaps, the Presidency has forgotten that in 1983, Brigadier Muhammadu Buhari, as he was then known, led a military coup to truncate a democratically elected government thereby causing our nation a huge drawback on democratic governance.
Also, the military, stated categorically that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain fully committed to the present Administration and all associated democratic institutions.
In a release by brigadier general, Onyema Nwachukwu, acting director defence information, said that “We shall continue to remain apolitical, subordinate to the Civil Authority, firmly loyal to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Mohammadu Buhari and the 1999 Constitution as Amended”
Reacting, Primate Ayodele, said though the administration will continue to experience imbalance, economic hardship, protest, insecurity, there will be no coup.
“The Presidency should not be afraid of any form of coup, there will be no coup. Nobody can overthrow the government though the administration will be marred by anarchy, destruction, and confusion.
“The presidency should put their head on their pillow and sleep, no coup can happen in Nigeria now even though economic hardship, protest, will continue. As long as the government fails to work on insecurity in the country but they should not think of coup, it can’t be successful’’
“God is more powerful than humans, I’m not against the government but I say what God tells me, if the government continues like this, there will be so much imbalance, and they won’t get things right unless they listen to the masses and solve the problem we are facing.”
N
The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) have agreed to a new strategic partnership aimed at driving innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce readiness.
Led by its National President and Chairman of the Organized Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN), Engr. Jani Ibrahim, a high-level NACCIMA delegation visited the TETFund headquarters in Abuja today.
The team was received by the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny S.T. Echono, during what both parties described as a milestone engagement.
Discussions during the meeting focused on collaborative initiatives including entrepreneurship development, support for the green economy, commercialization of academic research, industry–academia synergy, and skills development to better equip graduates for the evolving demands of the labour market.
A key outcome of the meeting was the mutual agreement to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and establish a NACCIMA–TETFund Joint Technical Committee that will oversee the implementation of agreed initiatives.
Both sides also expressed commitment to developing additional partnership frameworks that will bolster Nigeria’s competitiveness and economic resilience.
Also present at the engagement, Prof. Umar Bindir lauded the collaboration, highlighting the need for structured, long-term partnerships between academia and the private sector to generate practical solutions to Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
Arc. Echono, in his remarks, praised NACCIMA’s leadership in promoting enterprise and innovation, and reaffirmed TETFund’s readiness to work closely with the Organized Private Sector to foster research, innovation, and economic transformation.
This collaboration positions NACCIMA as a key driver of national development, helping to bridge the gap between education, enterprise, and policymaking, while empowering young Nigerians and strengthening the foundation of the country’s knowledge economy.
PalmPay, a digital banking platform, in partnership with Nigeria’s telecom giant, Glo, is celebrating winners in the ongoing PalmPay & Glo Recharge. The exciting campaign, which kicked off on June 19, 2025, will run until August 23, 2025, rewarding loyal customers with fantastic prizes and exclusive bonuses.
Since the promo commenced, users have won prizes ranging from Oraimo Earbuds to Infinix Hot 40i.
The ongoing weekly campaign has recorded 20 winners, which include:
- Michael Emmanuel from Lagos emerged as the winner of an Infinix Hot 40i
- Perpetual Amos, winner of an Infinix Hot 40i
- Semiu Adekunle Abegunde, winner of an Infinix Hot 40i
- Josiah Oluwasegun Adewale, winner of an Oraimo Earbuds
Michael Emmanuel from Lagos recounted his experience as the lucky winner of the Infinix Hot 401 as he couldn’t hide his excitement. He noted, “I am so excited! I didn’t even expect it. I received a call while I was sleeping, informing me that I’d won, and I went live immediately to confirm it was real. I’ve been using PalmPay for about two years now, and winning this is such a great feeling. I’ll keep using PalmPay, and I encourage everyone to recharge their Glo line on the app; you could win too.”
The campaign, which is in its last week, has winners revealed every Friday during a live raffle draw streamed across PalmPay’s social media channels. The campaign gives customers the chance to get amazing prizes, including an iPhone 15 Pro, an Infinix Hot 40, and many other exciting rewards. Users also enjoy up to 6% cashback when purchasing Glo airtime or data via the PalmPay app.
New Glo data subscribers who have not signed up for a plan in the past 90 days will also receive a 100% bonus on their recharge during the promo period.
How to participate:
- Download the PalmPay app.
- Link your Glo number in the app.
- Purchase airtime or data via PalmPay; every transaction increases your chances of winning.
- Join the live draw
Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has said that the telecommunications sector in Nigeria is once again on a strong growth trajectory.
Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman, ALTON
Engr. Adebayo stated this over the weekend on the side-lines of the unveiling of Nigeria’s first Digital Museum, an initiative that preserves and showcases the nation’s history and cultural heritage.
He commended IHS Towers for spearheading the project, describing it as another clear demonstration of the industry’s commitment to the Nigerian project. He noted that by investing in the preservation of Nigeria’s past while building the infrastructure of the future, IHS has set a remarkable example of corporate citizenship.
Speaking on the state of the telecoms sector, Engr. Adebayo said: “After addressing sustainability concerns earlier in the year, we are now witnessing significant new investments in the sector: the highest we have seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of ALTON are optimising networks, building new sites to meet rising capacity demands, upgrading existing infrastructure, and migrating more sites from old radio links to high-speed fibre connections.”
He further noted that Tower Companies (TowerCos) are enhancing security across telecom sites to mitigate against vandalism and theft. “Removable batteries and generators are now fitted with trackers to trace stolen items, and we strongly advise the public to desist from buying equipment suspected to have been stolen from telecom sites,” he cautioned.
Engr. Adebayo also highlighted ongoing capacity development within the sector: “We are training and retraining our workforce to adapt to emerging technologies. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has set strict service level requirements, and we are committed to not only meeting but surpassing them. Though network optimisation may occasionally cause service disruptions, we appeal to the public for understanding as these efforts will ultimately deliver a much-improved user experience nationwide.”
On industry governance, the ALTON Chairman expressed delight at the inauguration of the new Board of the NCC, chaired by Mr. Idris Olorunimbe.
“We are very excited about the appointment of Mr. Idris. His reputation as a man of excellence precedes him. Working with the competent and visionary Executive Management Team led by the Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, and the other Executive Commissioners, we are confident the sector is set on the right path to sustainability and growth. The new Board will strengthen the remarkable progress already achieved.”
Engr. Adebayo further welcomed the rebranding of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services (EMTS) from 9Mobile to T2, describing it as an important milestone for the industry.
“EMTS is a very important member of ALTON, and we are pleased to see their rebirth as T2. This rebranding enhances investor confidence and underscores the value of collaboration. It assures the public that there are good times ahead for our industry, and we are very excited about what the future holds,” he stated.
Turning to issues of Right of Way (RoW), Engr. Adebayo stressed that investments can only thrive in enabling environments:
“The digital train is moving very fast. States that create hostile conditions for telecom operations risk being left behind. We will not continue to solicit endlessly for cooperation. Where deployment is unwelcome, investments will move to more supportive neighbouring states, and citizens of unfriendly states will inevitably suffer limited connectivity. We urge all state actors to partner with us so that no one is left behind in this rapid transformation.”
On the issue of multiple taxation, Engr. Adebayo commended the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly the Presidential Tax and Fiscal Policy Reform Committee, for its ongoing reforms. Engr. Adebayo described the reforms as a pivotal step toward streamlining Nigeria’s tax system and eliminating the burden of multiple taxation. He highlighted the positive impact on small and medium-sized businesses, noting that the changes will promote entrepreneurship, attract investment, and foster a more business-friendly environment.
“We eagerly await the commencement of the implementation in January 2026. We are confident that the over 56 taxes and levies currently borne by our members across various jurisdictions will soon become a thing of the past.”
Engr. Adebayo concluded by appreciating all industry stakeholders and reaffirming ALTON’s commitment to the Nigeria project:
“The transformation we are witnessing in our sector has not been experienced in recent years. We thank the leadership of the NCC for their commitment, we congratulate and welcome the new Board under the leadership of Mr. Idris Olorunimbe, and we look forward to even greater milestones ahead.
The industry is on the march again, and together, with the support of the public in protecting our critical infrastructure, there is no stopping Nigeria’s telecommunications sector as a driver of national economic stability and growth.”
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