Professor Wumi Iledare, a respected expert in petroleum economics, has cautioned against rushing to sell Nigeria’s state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna. He advised President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to adopt a more strategic and transparent approach that puts national interest first.

His warning follows comments by NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, who recently hinted in an interview that the refineries may be sold after their ongoing reviews. Responding to that, Iledare argued that the major issue isn’t government ownership but poor efficiency and management.

“Selling them off without addressing deeper governance failures could lead to the same problems we’ve seen in the past and also risk our energy security,” he said. He recommended public-private partnerships and performance-based agreements as better alternatives, aligning with the spirit of the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021. He also warned that privatisation shouldn’t become a tool for monopoly or be controlled by a privileged few.

According to him, the focus should be on unlocking value and reviving the downstream oil sector in a sustainable way. This comes after NNPCL shut down the Port Harcourt Refinery in May 2025 for maintenance. Despite large sums spent on reviving the Warri and Kaduna plants, both remain inactive. Meanwhile, Aliko Dangote recently stated that those refineries may never function again.

Nigerian Tv Presenter, Morayo Afolabi-Brown, makes headline as she received backlash from the public.

This was prompted after the presenter took to her slicks media and left a cryptic political comment “Dear @officialasiwajubat, please allow him to be President for six months while you take a leave of absence. Let’s see what kind of magic he claims he can perform. This level of desperation is becoming quite disturbing.”

Despite not mentioning names, many of her followers assumed she was talking about Peter Obi. This sparked debate and speculations from his followers who came into her comment section to support him.

President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has sent a strong message to Peter Obi, cautioning him against forming a joint ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 elections. Onanuga believes Obi would not enjoy the same level of passionate support he had in 2023 if he decides to play second fiddle to Atiku.

According to him, many of Obi’s supporters were drawn to his individual candidacy and would likely not back an alliance that makes him a running mate. Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, Onanuga maintained that the APC remains confident going into 2027. He said Tinubu’s work in office will speak volumes when it’s time to campaign again.

He added that while opposition figures like Obi, Atiku, and other political players are busy testing out alliances and strategies, the ruling party is focused on governance and delivery, which, he claims, will keep Tinubu in power beyond 2027. Obi and Atiku are currently involved in a political coalition that recently adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its platform.