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Saudi Government To Invest in Nigeria Refineries Support Central Bank Reforms

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The Government of Saudi Arabia has pledged to invest in the revamp of Nigeria’s refineries, as well as provide financial support to sustain the government’s foreign exchange reforms.

Saudi Crown Prince, HRH Mohammed bin Salman made these pledges at a bilateral meeting with President Tinubu on the sidelines of the Saudi-Africa Summit in Riyadh.

To support the Central Bank’s ongoing reforms of Nigeria’s foreign exchange regime, the Saudi Government will make available a substantial deposit of foreign exchange to boost Nigeria’s forex liquidity.

Prince bin Salman commended the economic reforms being implemented by President Tinubu, and expressed the commitment of the Saudi Government to supporting these reforms, and enabling Nigeria to reap the full benefits. According to him, Saudi Arabia is very eager to see Nigeria thrive under President Bola Tinubu, and realize its full potential as the economic giant of Africa.

In addition to these, Prince bin Salman also highlighted Agriculture and Renewable Energy as areas of investment interest for Saudi Arabia, in Nigeria, to help the country attain food and energy security, respectively.

The Crown Prince hinted that the refinery investments in Nigeria will be led by the Saudi state-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco, with the revamp to be completed within a two- to three-year timeframe.

The Crown Prince also expressed appreciation to Nigeria for its active participation in, and support for OPEC+.

President Tinubu thanked the Saudi leader for the proposed investments, and pledged that Nigeria would ensure judicious management and oversight. The two leaders vowed to work together over the next six months to develop a comprehensive road-map and blueprint to deliver on the agreed investments and outcomes.

Also, President Tinubu and Crown Prince bin Salman spoke on the need to strengthen security cooperation to mitigate terrorism, illegal migration and other crises, not just in Nigeria, but across West Africa and the Sahel region.

The two leaders further discussed existing economic and socio-cultural cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, and agreed to open new vistas in bilateral relations.

The bilateral meeting was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Yahaya Lawal and the state Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Adekunle Adeleke.

Mohammed Idris
Minister of Information and National Orientation.

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Kaduna LG poll: Election didn’t hold in Kagarko, Gov Sani should investigate, cancel exercise- PDP candidate Yusuf

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Kagarko Local Government Area (LGA) chairmanship election in Kaduna State, Yunusa Ahmadu Yusuf, who is the Buhun Barkonun Abuja and Sa’Snusnugye (Sarkin Tausayin) Dnata, has described the outcome of the Chairmanship and Councillorship elections held in the state on Saturday, October 19.

The Chairman of Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD-SIECOM), Hajia Hajara Mohammed, announced that elections took place in all the 255 wards of the state and 23 LGAs.

She said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) won all the 23 LGAs Chairmanship positions and all the 255 Councilors’ seats.

However, in a statement he signed and made available to journalists in Abuja on Monday, Yusuf, who resigned his position as Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Revenue and Security Taskforce ahead of the election, said he would have won massively if the election was free and fair.

He said that what happened at Kagarko Local Government Area was not an election, but a charade, adding he remains the popular candidate and choice of the people.

He called on Governor Uba Sani to critically look at what transpired over the weekend and cancel exercise.

He said: “I sincerely want to appreciate my people of Kagarko Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State over the massive love and support shown to me during the Kaduna State Local Government Area election.

“However, I want to use this opportunity to tell the whole world that election didn’t hold in Kagarko LGA, where I was the candidate of the PDP and the popular choice of the people.

“Of a truth, if election was conducted, I would have won overwhelmingly and congratulated by the people of Kagarko Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State as I remain their popular choice.

“I want to place it on record that election did not hold in Kagarko and other LGAs in Kaduna state. In fact, election materials arrived late and came without results sheets, so the electorates, who were rightly suspicious of an untoward game, refused to vote.

“There is a saying that you can’t put something on nothing and expect it to stand. In other words, since the election did not hold, there is no way that results would have been announced to declare winners at the ward levels (Councillors) and at the Local Government Headquarters (Chairmen) as mandated in the KAD-SIECOM law, PART VI Section 23 (1) and (2).

“I have viewed documents on the social media purported to be KAD-SIECOM results sheets, apportioning votes to candidates of political parties, when clearly no such results were collated at the polls.

“Therefore, I side with the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Kaduna State Chapter, in condemning the sham conducted by the Chairman of Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD-SIECOM), Hajia Hajara Mohammed, by claiming that elections took place in all the 255 wards of the state and 23 LGAs, whereas reverse was the case.

“I also call on Governor Uba Sani Gov UBA Sani to critically look at what transpired over the weekend, especially the massive rejection and condemnation of the charade called election and call for the cancellation of the exercise.

“People are supposed to have faith in the governor, so he should not betray the trust of the people, but should do the right thing by calling for a fresh election in order to strengthen democracy in Kaduna state and increase the love, trust and hope people have in him.”

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