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Nduka Obaigbena, a congenital blackmailer and hustler, “lies without shame” Says Alake and Onanuga
Ordinarily, we consider it beneath us as well-bred media professionals to continue to engage in public spat with Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, a congenital blackmailer and hustler, especially in deference to ceasefire calls by well-meaning leaders and elders. The interventions followed our statement on Monday entitled “Obaigbena and His THISDAY/ARISE News’ Hypocritical Grandstanding On Public Morality”.
But we crave the indulgence of these well-meaning Nigerians to allow us respond to Obaigbena’s latest rambling, called a statement.
The largely diversionary composition was an attempt to deodorise his ethical problems.
Obaigbena tried to deflect attention from those pertinent issues we raised about ethics. There is nothing he said to creditably detract a jot from our accurate summation of his well-known perverse and ignoble approach to media practice over the years, a practice that continues to undermine the integrity of journalism profession in the country.
In his first statement attacking us, Obaigbena craftily attempted to mis-characterise as an attack on free speech, our principled stand against his blackmail to have Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu appear on Arise TV and its PDP sponsored Town Hall meetings.
In the second statement, he was still adamant that our candidate must attend his Town Hall debate, despite our stance that our candidate is already executing another communications strategy to reach the most important target: the Nigerian voters. We, repeat again: We will not make our candidate available to validate a scheme which, in the light of unassailable information at our disposal, is nothing but a racket by the Arise TV owner, designed to embarrass our candidate.
We now proceed to give a blow-by-blow response to Obaigbena’s latest very poor attempt at red-herring:
Rigmarole on Dasukigate:
How laughable that Obaigbena is now denying he was not in EFCC custody for receiving illicit funds from National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki. He attempted to rationalise that the money received was compensation for losses incurred by newspaper proprietors following the clampdown by security agents. But he craftily glossed over the meat of the matter: the grave misconduct to have the funds paid into the bank account of Hydrocarbon, a shell company (obviously set up for money-laundering) to which Obaigbena was the sole signatory. Since NPAN has bank accounts, why was the money not transferred there directly?
Moreover, the petty lie in Obaigbena’s statement was punctured by the joint disclaimer issued on 12 December 2015 by Tribune, New Telegraph and Peoples Daily in whose names he had collected money. The three newspapers said they did not receive a kobo.
His claim that he pocketed the chunk of the money received from Dasukigate as compensation for the alleged terrorist attack on his Abuja office is a laughable afterthought.
Rewriting June 12 story:
Contrary to Obaigbena’s lame attempt to rationalise his campaign against June 12 as action taken in furtherance of his membership of National Republican Convention (NRC), nothing can be further from the truth. His long story about sitting close to MKO Abiola on a London-Johannesburg flight begs the questions. He craftily sidestepped the issue of being recruited by the military regime to go on CNN to unconscionably declare “Abiola did not win any election”, shortly after NEC suspended the announcement of June 12 results. That dirty campaign was to prepare the grounds for the eventual annulment on June 23 of the election. If Obaigbena was pro-democracy as he falsely claims, why did he take up media consultancy work to Ernest Shonekan, the head of the Interim National Government, cobbled together by the junta to legitimise the illegality?
South African/London fiascos:
Obaigbena also tried to downplay the gravity of his misadventure in South Africa for which he had to flee, abandoning his office equipment and furniture till today. On one hand, he lied that it was President Nelson Mandela who asked that he set up the newspaper in South Africa because the dominant newspapers in the country were owned by the white establishment. On the other hand, he claimed that the same white establishment frustrated his venture. He forgot that when he floated ThisDay South Africa in 2003-4, a black President was in power!
Contrary to claims that he met a hostile environment, his habitual unethical practices gave him out. His business model of funding his newspapers and a champagne lifestyle from proceeds of blackmail rackets fell flat in South Africa where rules of a good society are rigidly enforced. To deceive advertisers, he inflated his circulation figures which the regulatory agency frowned at. Also, he owed printers and his workers. Gale of complaints against the “carpetbagger from Nigeria” soon reached the authorities and one official was quoted as famously saying, “You call yourself Thisday, very soon it will become That-day”. The prophecy came to pass with chilling accuracy soon after.
On his misadventure in London, Obaigbena disingenuously put it down to Forex crisis as if it happened this year or last year. The details of the judgment by the presiding judge were damning enough: Obaigbena lacks the personal honour and integrity to run any decent company.
His claim that his seven year directorship ban has been appealed is not the full story. He already lost one appeal at the Chancery in August.
Payment of salaries/pension:
Obaigbena tried to deflect his chronic indebtedness as something common in the media industry. It is an affliction peculiar to THISDAY/Arise which purports to make lots of money (as reflected by bumper advert patronage) but curiously still fails to pay workers as and when due. Even when the economy was relatively “good”, Obaigbena never paid workers regularly. His popular saying to staff, as well known in the industry, is that : “THISDAY/Arise ID card alone is your meal ticket”.
Such corrupt philosophy underlies the unethical practices in media companies run by Obaigbena.
A classic illustration of the untold hardship and dehumanization of his workers was provided by Mr. Paul Ibe, who is now the Special Adviser on Media to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Obaigbena tricked Ibe to South Africa with mouth-watering offers. But Ibe ended up enduring hunger there before finding his way back to Nigeria. Following a suit filed at the National Industrial Court in 2011 (suit no NICN/ABJ/26/2011), Mr. Ibe was awarded damages against Obaigbena for backlog of salaries, non-remittance of taxes and pension deducted from his wages over the years and outstanding entitlement. Tens of other staff of Thisday have died due to lack of money for medical care while awaiting Obaigbena to pay them their entitlements.
Open partisanship/Mefy racket:
We observe too that Obaigbena disingenuously sidestepped the questions raised about employing the services of Dr Reuben Abati, a card-carrying member of PDP as anchor person on Arise TV, as well as Obaigbena’s multi-million Naira consultancy role in the ill-fated attempt by a sitting Central Bank governor, Godwin Emefiele to compete for APC’ presidential ticket.
These are weighty moral issues Obaigbena, with all his resourceful facilities to lie and dissemble, could not defend.
Again, we challenge him to deny if Abati wasn’t the running-mate of Senator Buruji Kashamu on PDP’s platform in the governorship contest in Ogun in 2019. Kashamu was a wanted drug lord in the US. Of course, the same Abati, who never allows any opportunity to pass without attacking Asiwaju Tinubu daily, would have been one of those Obaigbena would have lined up at his dubious Town Hall meetings to “interrogate” Tinubu! Such shameless, unethical practice!
Further, while pontificating on public morality, Obaigbena conveniently ignored the perversity of collecting hundreds of millions as “media consultant” to Godwin Emefiele, the occupant of a critical public office from which utmost sobriety and non-partisanship is expected. Through patronizing reportage in THISDAY/Arise, Emefiele was egged on to openly descend into the political arena and bid for the presidential ticket of APC in its last primaries in what is now commonly called the “Mefy racket”.
This has antecedents: Obaigbena was also “consultant” to President Jonathan as he was to Chief Ernest Shonekan. Whatever happened to journalism ethics?
The culture of media merchandising:
In a futile attempt to burnish his image, Obaigbena resorted to dropping the names of U.S. and UK leaders who had attended events staged by him. Dropping the names and pictures of these former Western leaders who attended paid-for-appearance ThisDay events as if they attended when serving in office, is another Obaigbena’s vainglorious clout chasing scheme to scam the public. He failed to disclose that the high-profile personalities who delivered keynote addresses at such events were handsomely paid from money he collected through media blackmail from captains of industries notably bank chiefs. To con the outside world, Obaigbena had boasted in an interview with New York Times that he had corporate fortune of $100m accruing to his company annually. But later, tax officials in Lagos could not reconcile those bogus claims with his tax records and non-remittance of taxes deducted from workers. It was so easy to expose his fake lifestyle.
Since Nduka Obaigbena introduced his blackmail and extortionist brand of journalism into Nigeria, generation of Bank CEOs, company Chief Executives, politicians and Governors from 1999 have suffered in silence, seeking liberation from oppressive journalism by intimidation. In 2009, Nduka Obaigbena raided Niger Delta states with his Thisday Entertainment’s packaged Niger-Delta Peace Concert. He coerced the Niger-Delta Governors then to contribute hundreds of millions of Naira with a promise to bring A-list pop stars such as Jay-Z and Beyonce to perform. After collecting the money the promised superstars didn’t show up. One of the governors was at the airport till almost midnight waiting to receive the superstars. These governors complained and suffered in silence because they were afraid of Nduka and his Thisday Newspaper which he has turned to instrument of oppression.
We took notice of Reuben Abati’s ramblings on Arise TV on his Wednesday Morning Show where he laboured in vain to defend his despicable record and perversions. Abati queried our statement that he is a registered member of PDP.
The query is rather for him. How did he become a deputy governorship candidate to the Late Senator Buruji Kashamu in 2019 without a membership of PDP as required by law?
We really do not expect much from Abati. He is a known pathological liar, who has lived on lies and deceit all his professional life. While he has successfully created the image of a conscientious public intellectual over the years, the fact is that he is a morally bankrupt man who has no scruples in selling his soul to the devil as long as money is involved.
Abati has very odious reputation within the corporate and political circles as “anything goes newspaper columnist” as long as the money is right.
Alake, Adviser, Media and Strategic Communication, and Onanuga, Director of Media and Publicity, sent the statement on behalf of All Progressives Congress (APC) Media and Communication Directorate
A total of 308 kidnapped victims, including 176 residents of Woro community in Kwara State and 132 others abducted in Niger and Kebbi states, have been rescued in a coordinated multi-state security operation.
The successful operation, carried out by security agencies, marks a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping and restore peace across the affected communities. Authorities said the rescued victims have been reunited with their families, while efforts are underway to apprehend the perpetrators and dismantle the criminal networks responsible for the abductions.
The rescue underscores the commitment of security agencies to strengthening intelligence-driven operations and ensuring the safety of lives and property across the country. Further details on the operation and ongoing investigations are expected from the relevant authorities.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery says it has reduced the ex-depot prices of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) as part of efforts to make petroleum products more affordable.
Under the new pricing structure, the refinery reduced the price of petrol from N1,215 per litre to N1,165, representing a N50 reduction, while diesel was cut from N1,650 per litre to N1,570, amounting to an N80 reduction.
In a statement signed by the Dangote Group on Wednesday, the refinery said the price review was aimed at enhancing energy affordability, improving access to refined petroleum products and supporting economic activities across Nigeria.
According to the refinery, the move reflects its commitment to providing “affordable, high-quality petroleum products to the Nigerian market.”
It added that it remained committed to ensuring stable supply while leveraging operational efficiencies to deliver value to consumers, businesses, and stakeholders.
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The company said it would continue to pass on the benefits of improved operational efficiencies to consumers whenever market conditions permit.
It stated that the refinery continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening Nigeria’s energy security, reducing reliance on imports, and supporting the nation’s economic development through the supply of world-class petroleum products.
“Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in the ex-depot prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), reaffirming its commitment to providing affordable, high-quality petroleum products to the Nigerian market.
“Under the new pricing structure, the refinery has reduced the ex-depot price of PMS to N1,165 per litre, down from N1,215 per litre, representing a reduction of N50 per litre. Similarly, the ex-depot price of Diesel has been reduced to N1,570 per litre from N1,650 per litre, amounting to a decrease of N80 per litre.
“The price review reflects Dangote Refinery’s ongoing efforts to enhance energy affordability, improve access to refined petroleum products, and support economic activities across Nigeria,” the statement read partly.
•Working group opens portal for public input • ‘It is Tinubu’s most consequential reforms’
The process leading to the creation of state police has been fast-tracked.
A seven-week roadmap for the National Policing Bill commenced on July 27 and is expected to be completed on September 14.
Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, unveiled the action plan yesterday after the group’s meeting.
He said the seven-week work programme would proceed through simultaneous legal drafting, policy research, data analysis and implementation modelling.
Gbajabiamila added that the final submission would include schedules, an explanatory memorandum, a legal audit, a consequential amendments matrix, clause-by-clause analysis, a state readiness framework, fiscal and implementation notes, a validation report, a risk register and a digital archive.
The Chief of Staff reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to decentralised policing that would not undermine national unity or the rule of law.
He said: “State police cannot mean 36 state militias,” adding that while states must have a legitimate role in public safety, “no political office holder should be able to direct the arrest of an opponent, the suppression of lawful political activity, or the selective enforcement of the law.”
Gbajabiamila explained that federal intervention would remain “exceptional, evidence-based, proportionate, time-limited and reviewable”, while officers would remain accountable to the Constitution rather than political interests.
He said no state would be permitted to commence policing operations until it demonstrated readiness in recruitment, training, equipment, pensions, complaints handling, financial sustainability, firearms control and independent oversight.
Gbajabiamila added: “Operational commencement must be based on readiness, not announcement. Although states could exceed national benchmarks, no Nigerian should receive a lower standard of protection because of where they reside.”
To encourage public participation, the Chief of Staff called for memoranda and position papers from Nigerians, civil society organisations, professional bodies, security institutions and other stakeholders.
He said a dedicated portal, nationalpolicingbill.com, had gone live to receive submissions, with plans to migrate it to a government domain.
On the financial implications of the reform, Gbajabiamila said it was premature to estimate the cost, noting that expenditure would be determined through empirical research conducted on a state-by-state basis.
He dismissed fears that some states might lack the capacity to establish police services.
However, Gbajabiamila explained that where a state is genuinely unable to meet the prescribed standards, the Nigeria Police Force would continue to provide policing services until the state becomes operational.
Gbajabiamila said the committee is expected to submit an Executive Bill to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on September 3.
He said the package would go beyond draft legislation, adding that it would also provide the implementation blueprint required to operationalise a dual federal-state policing architecture once the constitutional amendment creating state police comes into force.
Hailing the initiative, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun described the National Policing Bill as one of President Tinubu’s most consequential reforms.
Also assuring Nigerians of the prospects of the initiative, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said the enforcement of national standards would prevent abuse of state police and protect citizens.
Explaining further, Gbajabiamila said that following the completion of the draft, nationwide consultations would be held before the President grants final approval, after which the executive bill would be transmitted to the National Assembly.
He said: “The resulting draft executive bill package is scheduled for presentation to the President on the 3rd of September.
“We have tweaked the process so that the national consultation will come before the President’s final approval, after which the text and supporting materials will be revised and prepared for formal transmission to the National Assembly.”
He stressed that despite the progress made by the National Assembly, no state police service currently exists in Nigeria because the constitutional amendment has not yet secured the approval of the required number of state Houses of Assembly.
He said that while the constitutional amendment would create the legal authority for state policing, it would not by itself resolve critical operational issues such as recruitment, training, funding, command structures, jurisdiction, pensions, firearms regulation, data management, complaints mechanisms and inter-agency cooperation.
Gbajabiamila explained that those issues would be addressed in the National Policing Bill and other consequential legislation being prepared by the working group.
Gbajabiamila said the assignment also includes a review of the Police Act 2020, the Police Service Commission framework, police regulations and other laws affected by the reform, alongside provisions for minimum national policing standards, state certification, interstate cooperation, independent complaints institutions, human rights safeguards, forensic systems, funding arrangements and transition plans.
He said President Tinubu had approved a multidisciplinary Policy Advisory Committee, chaired by Justice Mohammed Abdullahi Liman, to provide technical oversight and validate the bill, fiscal framework and implementation materials before executive consideration.
He said the committee would draw its membership from the judiciary, academia, security agencies, the National Assembly, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and state Attorneys-General representing the six geopolitical zones. NigerianBusiness Coverage
Abiodun described the National Policing Bill as one of the most consequential reforms of the Tinubu administration, saying the legislation would provide the legal and operational framework needed to translate the constitutional amendment into a workable policing system.
Abiodun, who represents the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, told reporters that the bill would address critical issues, including the jurisdiction of federal and state police, funding arrangements, recruitment, start-up grants for states and amendments to existing laws affected by the reform.
He noted that many Nigerians had assumed that states would immediately establish police services once the National Assembly approved the constitutional amendment, explaining that the current assignment of the working group is to produce the detailed implementation framework that would make the reform operational. NigerianBusiness Coverage
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Abiodun said: “What we’ve seen and witnessed is the amendment of the Constitution, and we’ve seen a groundswell of support by the entirety of Nigerians with a very high level of expectation that once the amendment was completed by the National Assembly, the next thing is for states to begin to implement their various state policing systems.
“The truth is that what this working group is working on is what would allow for the details of that implementation, which will be reflected in the bill.”
Abiodun dismissed insinuations that the Federal Government was attempting to retain control over state policing through the proposed legislation, insisting that the bill was intended only to translate the constitutional amendment into an effective and workable legal framework.
He said: “Someone has to be responsible for ensuring that the amendment now reflects in a bill that can be operated, and that’s what we’re working on.”
The governor explained that the legislation would also make consequential amendments to other existing laws, including the Firearms Act, while clearly defining the responsibilities of both federal and state police services.
He urged Nigerians to actively participate in shaping the proposed legislation through the newly launched public engagement portal, nationalpolicingbill.com, describing it as an interactive platform designed to give citizens a sense of ownership of the reform. NigerianBusiness Coverage
Fagbemi said the primary objective of the proposed legislation was to strengthen the protection of lives and property while ensuring that state police never become instruments of political persecution.
He explained that where any state is not yet prepared to establish its own police service, the Nigeria Police Force would continue to provide policing until such capacity is developed.
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Fagbemi said: “Law abhors a vacuum, so the federal presence will continue to dominate in that area.”
The minister defended the proposed minimum national policing standards, saying they were essential to guarantee equal protection for Nigerians irrespective of where they reside. NigerianBusiness Coverage
He said: “The main thrust of this bill is to ensure security of lives and property, and it is also important that we do not make state policing a weapon of political persecution or oppression.
“There must be standards. There must be the minimum threshold to guarantee the continued existence and operation of society.”
The minister said the standards would be aligned with globally recognised policing practices, assuring that officers moving between the federal and state police services would not lose their benefits.
Other members of the Presidential Working Group at the briefing included the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu; NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN); Chairman of the Policy Advisory Committee, Justice Abdullahi Liman; and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Planning and Research, Nnadubem Moghalu.
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