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Gbajabiamila, Ogor, Dogara Top Aspirants for Speakership

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Aminu Tambuwal, speaker of the House
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The tussle for the Speaker of the 8th House of Representatives has thrown up three notable lawmakers for the post that will be vacated in June by Aminu Tambuwal.

The Punch reported that the lawmakers are a three-time returnee and former Chairman, House Committee on Customs, Yakubu Dogara; incumbent Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the current Deputy House Leader,   Leo Ogor.

While Dogara (Bauchi State) and Gbajabiamila (Lagos State) are members of the All Progressives Congress, Ogor (Delta State) is of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Gbajabiamila, a four-time returnee lawmaker , was the deputy House minority leader till the end of the 2007-2011 term. He emerged as minority leader in 2011.

A lawyer, Gbajabiamila, is credited by his colleagues for his “oratory and erudite approach” to debates in the House, which gave the opposition loud presence in the outgoing session.

Dogara, also a lawyer, is reputed to be the “inside research hand and intellect”, who assisted many House committees to successfully conclude major assignments referred to them since 2007.

Ogor, though the deputy House leader, functioned more as the majority leader, helping to direct the course of debates for the PDP, whose sitting Leader in the House is Mulikat Akande-Adeola.

Investigations by The PUNCH on Monday showed that all three lawmakers had initiated contacts with many members and had set up campaign groups to actualise their plans.

Findings indicated that Gbajabiamila was originally considered to step into the position of the majority leader “naturally, “ with the APC assuming full majority control of the House after the March 28 polls.

However, he was said to have been pressured to vie for the speakership after it became apparent that the North would have the President (North-West) and the Senate President (North-Central or North-East).

A source close to the minority leader’s camp, said, “Gbajabiamila is the best material from the South-West in terms of legislative experience and House leadership at the moment.

“The South-West has the Vice-President, but since the South-South and South-East have shut themselves out in a way, it becomes necessary for the South-West to take up the speakership.

“The North has President and they will also take the Senate President ; so?”

However, The PUNCH learnt that Dogara’s backers want him to have the seat because the “North-East suffered marginalisation” since 2011.

One of his confidants in the House said, “Dogara sacrificed his ambition to be deputy speaker in 2011, which ended up with Emeka Ihedioha (South-East) assuming the seat.

“Now, it is his turn to be speaker. The North-East didn’t get key elective political posts since 2011, so if the zone produces the speaker and even the senate president, we are just balancing up the equation.

“In any case, the senate president is most likely going to be a North-Central position.”

Findings on Monday also revealed that Ogor, though a member of the PDP, was already reminding his reelected colleagues that the speakership was not a party position.

He said, “The position of speaker is about who has the knowledge of the job; not about a particular political party.

“It is not even a matter for zoning, which is not recognised by our laws. This is going to be an almost new House, which will require the administrative skills of someone like Ogor to manage without rancour.’’

Ogor’s backers made reference to 2011 when Tambuwal emerged as the speaker in defiance of   the PDP, which had zoned the position to the South-West.

They argued that the House backed Tambuwal not necessarily because he was from the majority party, but because of his “experience, quality, leadership abilities and good rapport.’’

“These same factors were the reasons the House still stood behind Tambuwal even after he defected to the   APC in October 2014”, another Ogor campaigner added.

When The PUNCH sought their comments on Mondy, Gbajabiamila and Ogor tried hard to avoid admitting the obvious.

They asked our correspondent to wait till the National Assembly would have reconvened after the governorship and House of Assembly elections.


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Lawmakers Ask CBN to Suspend Payment to ZTE for Failed $460m CCTV Project

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House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the $460 million Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance project in the Federal Capital Territory has directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend further disbursements to ZTE Corporation pending clarification on the execution of the contract.

Lawmakers Ask CBN to Suspend Payment to ZTE for Failed $460m CCTV Project

The resolution was reached on Tuesday following lawmakers’ concerns over inconsistencies, vague responses, and lack of transparency from ZTE officials regarding the project’s scope, deployment locations, and current operational status.

The committee also mandated the company to reappear with comprehensive and verifiable documentation, including a full inventory of all equipment supplied and installed, precise locations of infrastructure nationwide, and details of 456 Nigerians reportedly trained to operate and maintain the system.

The decision followed a motion moved by Ali Shettima representing Bursari/Geidam/Yunusari Federal Constituency and seconded by Kolawale Akinlayo during an investigative hearing at the National Assembly.

Donald Ojogo, chairman of the committee, said the exercise was not a witch-hunt but a fact-finding mission aimed at addressing public concerns over the project.

This is a constructive engagement, not an attempt to witch-hunt anyone. Nigerians deserve clear answers, and we expect ZTE to respond in line with the documents before us,” he stated.

Irene Momoh, representing the company, said ZTE supplied and installed CCTV infrastructure in Abuja and Lagos, noting that the project was completed between 2011 and 2012.

However, under questioning, he admitted uncertainty about the current functionality of the system.

“To the best of our knowledge, the equipment was delivered and installed within the project timeline, but I cannot confirm its present operational status,” Momoh said.

The response sparked strong reactions from lawmakers, who questioned how a project of such magnitude could lack a sustainable maintenance and continuity framework.

Momoh explained that ZTE had an initial three-month maintenance agreement, which it voluntarily extended to six months before handing over the system. He attributed the project’s decline to the government’s inability to sustain funding post-handover.

“There was no continued funding from the government to maintain and run the system after handover,” he added.

Despite this explanation, lawmakers challenged several of the company’s claims, particularly on the geographical spread of the installations.

 


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Guinness Nigeria Surpasses ₦1Trillion Market Capitalisation, Signalling Strong Investor Confidence and Sustained Value Creation

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Guinness Nigeria PLC has achieved a landmark milestone, surpassing the ₦1 trillion mark in market capitalisation on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), underscoring strong investor confidence and a sustained track record of value creation.

As of April 10, 2026, the company’s market capitalisation stood at approximately ₦1.01 trillion, with an enterprise value of ₦1.05 trillion. This milestone reflects a significant re-rating of the business by the market, driven by improved fundamentals and a renewed growth trajectory.

This achievement caps a remarkable 18-month period during which the company has delivered substantial improvements in shareholder value. As of April 12, 2026, Guinness Nigeria’s share price closed at ₦462.90, reflecting strong upward momentum and sustained investor confidence in the company’s strategic direction and performance outlook.

The company’s latest audited financial results for the 18-month period, ended 31 December 2025, further underscore this transformation. Guinness Nigeria delivered revenue of ₦730.80 billion, while gross profit rose by 152% to ₦230.48 billion, demonstrating strong margin expansion and improved operational efficiency.

In a significant turnaround, the company recorded a net profit after tax of ₦41.16 billion, recovering from a loss position in the prior period. This return to profitability highlights the success of ongoing transformation efforts and reinforces the company’s commitment to delivering sustainable, long-term value for shareholders.

The reporting period reflects a pivotal phase in the company’s evolution, including its transition to a new financial year-end of 31 December and its first full audited reporting cycle under its current ownership structure, laying a stronger foundation for future growth.

Commenting on the milestone, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, Chairman of the Board said: “This is a defining moment for Guinness Nigeria and a strong validation of the strategic direction we are pursuing. Crossing the ₦1 trillion market capitalisation threshold reflects the resilience of our business, the strength of our brands, and the renewed confidence of the investment community in our long-term prospects. We remain committed to disciplined governance, sustainable growth, and long-term value creation for all stakeholders.”

Over the period, the company has driven performance through revenue growth, portfolio optimisation, cost discipline, and expanded route-to-market capabilities. These efforts have been complemented by a sharpened focus on innovation, premiumisation, and consumer-centric strategies, reinforcing its leadership in Nigeria’s beverage alcohol sector.

Guinness Nigeria has also continued to strengthen its balance sheet, embed sustainability into its operations, and uphold strong corporate governance standards, while maintaining its commitment to responsible consumption and positive community impact.

Looking ahead, the company remains focused on accelerating growth through consumer obsession, portfolio expansion, and continued innovation, while maintaining a disciplined approach to capital allocation and shareholder returns.


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Nigeria’s Digital Boom Takes Centre Stage as IoT West Africa Returns to Lagos

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Nigeria is in the middle of one of the fastest digital infrastructure expansions on the continent. Microsoft, Google, and AWS are committing to African cloud regions. MTN and Airtel are at the forefront of advancing telecom infrastructure.

Nigeria’s Digital Boom Takes Centre Stage as IoT West Africa Returns to Lagos

 

The Rural Electrification Agency is rewiring the country’s power base. And enterprise AI adoption is accelerating across banking, logistics, and public services.

On 28–30 April 2026, that ecosystem converges at Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, as IoT West Africa, Power & Water Nigeria, and Data Centre & Cloud Expo Africa co-locate for their fifth edition.

IoT West Africa holds its place as the longest-running IoT and digital infrastructure event on the continent, and the platform that has tracked, shaped, and accelerated West Africa’s technology story from its earliest chapters.

The three-day platform spans AI, cloud, telecoms, IoT, smart infrastructure, fintech, renewable energy, hyperscale data centres, and power generation. Critical infrastructure sits at the heart of this year’s agenda: from the security and resilience of national power grids, to the fibre networks, subsea cables, and edge computing nodes that underpin Nigeria’s digital economy. This is the event where that conversation happens at the highest level.

It is the only event in West Africa where a hyperscale operator, a rural electrification agency, a 5G network operator, and a sovereign AI policymaker share the same stage, and the same room.

The event announces a strategic partnership with Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA), bringing the continent’s foremost data centre industry body into the programme to shape conversations around investment, connectivity, and cross-border infrastructure development.

Confirmed speakers include Dr. Abba Aliyu, MD/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency; Dr. Emomotimi John Agama, Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission Nigeria; and Christopher Ezeafulukwe, MD/CEO of Transcorp Energy; Wole Abu, MD, Equinix; Ina Alogwu, Chief Digital & Information Officer, T2 Mobile; alongside dozens of global industry leaders.

The platform brings together 5,000+ decision-makers including CIOs, CTOs, investors, regulators, and hyperscale operators, with exhibitors including Itel Energy, Vertiv, and Jubaili Bros. An exclusive VIP lounge, a startup pitch session, and a live podcast series complete the programme.

Register: Power & Water Nigeria — pnwnigeria.com/visitor-registration
IoT West Africa — iotwestafrica.com/visitor-registration


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