General News
Buhari’s Character, Integrity Unimpeachable’
Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation has condemned what it described as desperate and despicable attempts by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to denigrate the person and impugn the character of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.
It said the PDP is bewildered by the emergence of a politically and morally impregnable candidate on a popular national platform, the APC.
In a statement by Mr Dele Alake, communications director, the organisation described as absurd the claim by Dr Doyin Okupe, senior special assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, that Buhari is trying to make poverty a virtue.
Okupe was quoted as saying: “Buhari is trying to make poverty a virtue but poverty is not a virtue. The fact that Buhari has left office for so long and says he is so poor, is nothing to celebrate, it is indeed indolence and shameful. Is that a role model? Is that who you will want your child to be, a poor man?”
The organisation said this “arrogant statement” demonstrates the utter alienation of the Jonathan administration from the existential realities of the vast majority of Nigerians.
“Dr Okupe is grossly mistaken. He lives in a completely perverse and illusory world. General Buhari is immensely rich in character. He is affluent in integrity. He is prosperous in credibility. He is wealthy in honesty. He is bounteously blessed in self -discipline, self- control and contentment. Those are greater and more valuable assets than all the material acquisition in the world,” the organisation said.
According to the campaign organisation, Buhari is a proud and honourable pensioner after a lifetime of selfless service to his fatherland.
It said Buhari owns a house in Daura his hometown and another in Kaduna, as well as manages a modest farm which is enough to meet his needs.
“He has not exploited and abused the privilege of holding public office to loot the public treasury so as to feed his greed.
“This remarkable and incomparable patriot was a former governor of the then North Central state (Borno, Yobe and Adamawa), General Officer Commanding (GOC) the third Division of the Nigerian army, former Petroleum Minister, former Chairman of the Board of NNPC, former Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and former Head of State.
“Despite occupying these high profile positions, he owns no property in Lagos, Abuja or outside the country. This is a most rare virtue in corruption-ridden contemporary Nigeria. It is why millions of Nigerians passionately admire and adore the austere General,” the organisation said.
It said it was unfortunate that Okupe does not see the glaring relationship between the fabulous wealth of the minority of Nigerians who have utilised public office to enrich themselves and the plight of millions who are immersed in poverty in spite of Nigeria’s abundant resource-endowment.
“We can thus understand why corruption has festered so badly under the Jonathan presidency to the detriment of national development.
“There is absolutely no doubt that, given his sterling antecedents, General Buhari has the qualities to offer the kind of leadership that can sanitise Nigeria morally, tame corruption and help realise the country’s potentials,” the organisation added.
It also debunked claims by “sponsored hack writers and dubious intellectuals” that Buhari threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable if he lost the 2011 election.
“There is not the slightest scintilla of evidence to back this wicked falsehood. Those who make the allegation believe that a lie repeated often enough will ultimately acquire the status of truth.
“Unable to taint the General’s unimpeachable integrity, they seek to portray him as a lawless and violent man. The baseless allegations cannot stick. Nigerians are more sophisticated and discerning than these peddlers of lies think,” the organisation said.
It recalled that the Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, had made the same insinuation in a column he published on page 51 of The Guardian of April 22, 2011.
Faced with a N1 billion legal suit by the General for the defamation of his character and reputation, the newspaper published published a retraction stating that “the publication was based on information which we believed to be reliable at that time,” and that “we assure General Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) of our highest esteem and regret any distress or embarrassment which the said publication may have caused him – Editor”
The campaign organisation said Buhari is a law abiding patriot who has devoted his life to peace, stability, progress, discipline and good governance in Nigeria.
“Each time he has been robbed of victory in flawed elections, he has sought redress in the court of law and abided by the judicial decision. That is not the profile of a man who resorts to self- help and has disdain for the rule of law.
“We can understand the utter confusion and consternation in which the PDP is engulfed. The APC and General Buhari today symbolise the hope of the vast majority of our country men and women for liberation from the despondency of the present and the possibility of a glorious future.
“It is too late for the PDP to stop the momentum of change through falsehood and cheap abuse,” the organisation added.
MultiChoice, a CANAL+ company, has retained the distribution rights to 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels following the signing of a new multi-year, multi-territory agreement between CANAL+ Group and Warner Bros. Discovery, marking a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership.
MultiChoice
The new deal, which spans several regions across Africa and Europe, covers the distribution of HBO Max as well as the renewal of selected Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels. It represents a major milestone in the companies’ international collaboration and strengthens content offerings across MultiChoice Group territories.
MultiChoice disclosed that this agreement builds on earlier partnerships concluded in Europe. “It builds on the landmark agreements concluded in France in 2024,including the renewal of the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films just six months after their theatrical release in France and the integration of HBO Max within select CANAL+ group offers – as well as in Poland in 2025, with the renewal of the distribution agreement for 22 thematic channels (including TVN 24 and Eurosport) and 4 free-to-air channels (including TVN).”
Under the renewed arrangement, MultiChoice Group will continue to distribute 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across its territories, with some channels offered on an exclusive basis. CNN International and Cartoon Network will remain exclusive to South Africa while being distributed non-exclusively in other markets. Cartoon Network Porto will be exclusive in Angola and Mozambique and non-exclusive elsewhere. Other channels such as Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Africa, Travel, ID and Cartoonito will be offered on a non-exclusive basis.
According to the partners, the deal reinforces CANAL+ Group’s channel portfolio on the continent. “This agreement enables CANAL+ Group to strengthen its entertainment, kids, news, and documentary channel offerings in African markets.”
The agreement is also expected to improve access for CANAL+ Group subscribers to Warner Bros. Discovery’s premium content through HBO Max and selected channels, including globally recognised series and films, further extending the studio’s international reach while consolidating MultiChoice’s content offering in key markets.
Nigeria Police Force has suspended nationwide enforcement of its tinted glass permit policy, hours before its scheduled rollout, in compliance with a Delta State High Court order.
Tinted glass permit
The policy, set for January 2, 2026, aimed to curb vehicle-related crimes but faced legal challenge from a private citizen against the Inspector-General of Police, the force, and Delta Police Commissioner.
An ex parte injunction issued in December 2025 restrained enforcement pending suit determination, prompting the hold announced by spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin on January 1.
Police entered appearance, filed preliminary objections, and sought injunction vacation; hearing adjourned to January 20, 2026.
The Nigerian Bar Association condemned initial police plans as “executive recklessness,” accusing disregard for rule of law, while police insisted no permanent bar existed on statutory duties.
IGP Kayode Egbetokun reiterated adherence to law while prioritising public safety via intelligence-led strategies during proceedings.
Mr. Thompson Sunday, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), has reaffirmed the Corporation’s strict compliance with fiscal and financial regulations, including the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007, noting that the NDIC has consistently remitted the required percentage of its earnings to the Federal Government.
Mr. Sunday made this known during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Dr. Armstrong Takang, as part of NDIC’s ongoing engagement with key stakeholders following his formal assumption of office in July 2025.
According to him, NDIC takes financial accountability and transparency seriously, stressing that the Corporation complies fully with statutory remittance obligations, including the payment of 20 per cent of gross earnings or 80 per cent of net surplus to the Federal Government, as applicable. He added that NDIC also submits its financial statements ahead of statutory deadlines.
The NDIC MD/CE explained that this culture of compliance aligns with the Corporation’s role as a key institution within Nigeria’s financial safety-net, charged with protecting depositors and promoting confidence in the banking system. He emphasized that adherence to fiscal discipline remains central to NDIC’s credibility and effectiveness.
Mr. Sunday further disclosed that NDIC also complies with the Federal Government’s 50 per cent cost-to-income ratio policy, although he noted that the policy poses operational constraints. He explained that the deductions affect NDIC’s ability to build a strong Deposit Insurance Fund, which is needed to respond effectively to bank failures.
He stressed that international best practices under the Core Principles for Effective Deposit Insurance issued by the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) require deposit insurers to maintain adequate funds to reimburse depositors when banks fail without recourse to government, adding that the NDIC is seeking an exemption to strengthen its capacity in this regard.
Mr. Sunday described MOFI as a critical stakeholder, noting that the Federal Government, through MOFI, holds a 40 per cent equity stake in NDIC. He said sustained collaboration with MOFI is essential to ensuring that NDIC continues to meet its obligations to government while effectively safeguarding depositors’ funds.
In his remarks, Dr. Takang commended the NDIC for its exemplary collaborative spirit and acknowledged the Corporation’s compliance with fiscal regulations. He assured that MOFI would continue to engage the Federal Ministry of Finance on NDIC’s behalf, noting that a strong NDIC is vital to sustaining confidence in Nigeria’s financial system.
Both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation, transparency and accountability, with Mr. Sunday reiterating that NDIC remains focused on balancing regulatory compliance with its overriding mandate of depositor protection and financial system stability.
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