National News
Procurement Acts: BPP Caught in NIPOST Certification Scandal

Procurement Acts: BPP Caught in NIPOST Certification Scandal
By: Joe Lazarus
Reports reaching NEWSng on Monday indicated that Staff of the Nigerian Postal Service, NIPOST may be out for a showdown with the management over what some of the staff describes as tribal sentiment and blind interest under Dr. Adebayo Adewusi led management.
The staff also faulted that the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP for awarding a certificate to a staff of the organization, which according to them did not have a background in procurement, adding that by the procurement act, he was not supposed to attend such a course or obtain a certificate to that effect.
“They (Management) have flouted the procurement acts by awarding procurement certification to staff without procurement background in the 2021 procurement conversion examination.” A source in the organization told NEWSng
Also the staff in a petition written to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation insists that, the staff, a 54 year old Mr. Samuel Oluwasegun Sangotayo, which was on the BPP list number 118 with Examination number BPP/PCC/NOV/2021/142 was co-opted into the procurement department of NIPOST with fraudulent intention as he has no background on procurement before the NIPOST Management move against the procurement acts and rules of the civil service to appoint him as Director of Procurement.
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The petition in part reads: “From all indications NIPOST has co-opted the BPP into its fold of agencies that abuse and flagrantly disregard extant rules, guidelines/procedures. This is manifested in the impunity by NIPOST management in planting a 54 years old substantive Deputy Director( Legal) on GL 16, by name Mr. Samuel Oluwasegun Sagontayo, in the procurement department, and allowing him to attend Procurement conversation course in 2021.
“This is against the procurement act. To Staff amazement the BPP went ahead to issue Certificate to this unworthy candidate despite petition. Mr. Samuel Oluwassegun is number 118 on the BPP Certification lists. This is contrary to a circular from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, dated 14th June, 2017 with reference No. 59780/S.1/1.1/117 which states that Officers from other cadres in civil service are prohibited from procurement functions where career procurement Officers are available.
“Specifically, the BPP mandatory conversation training guidelines for 2021 as obtained from its website clearly indicated that; 2(b) Current cadre and grade level (Nominees should not be above GL 15 or equivalent). Why was Mr. S. O. Sagontayo, who has been on GL.16 since January 2018, allowed to take part in the November 2021 conversion exercise? Has the rules changed? 3(e) Nominees who are more than 50years of age or have less than 5years in service are not qualified to apply. Here the rule was violated because Mr. S.O Sagontayo is 54 year of age.”
According to staff of NIPOST the organization has moved from bad to worse since the coming on board of Dr. Ismail Adewusi, who took over the administration of NIPOST in December 2019.
“Under him (Dr. Ismail Adewusi) management have been operating with total disregard to the laid down rules and procedures obtainable in civil service. The provision of a circular from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, dated 14th June, 2017 with reference No. 59780/S.1/1.1/117 states that Officers from other cadres in civil service are prohibited from procurement functions where career procurement Officers are available.
“On the contrary, a case in hand is the drafting of a non-career officer, a deputy director from the legal department to succeed the retired Director, while there are two (2) senior certified procurement officers with total disregard to the above cited circular.” A staff told NEWSng
Attempt to speak to the Director Corporate Communication; Mr. Frank Alao did not yield result as his phone is not reachable.
Procurement Acts: BPP Caught in NIPOST Certification Scandal
National News
VP SHETTIMA AND THE ILLOGICAL PERMUTATIONS FOR 2027

VP SHETTIMA AND THE ILLOGICAL PERMUTATIONS FOR 2027
By: Inuwa Bwala
As happened in 2023, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was to name his running mate, vested interests are again up in arms, trying to hoodwink or armstwist him into doing their bids.
What people forget, however, is that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a master schemer and knows exactly what to do at the appropriate time. Contrary to what many people think, he has his own game plan and can not be compelled to play to the gallery.
In the last few weeks, I have read a plethora of writeups trying to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu prescriptions on how to chart a new political course if he hopes to achieve his second term bid in the 2027 general elections.
Many of the write ups contain permutations in the event of the emergence of a perceived strong opposition and that unless he drops his Vice President for another person, he will have a difficult task.
As a student of political history, and given our experiences, I dare say that if Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima could win in the face of all the obstacles placed in their ways from within and from without there does not appear any threat to this same ticket in 2027.
I must confess that I have not yet met a shrewed political strategist in Nigeria like the President who against all permutations settled for Kashim Shettima neither am I aware of any politician who could be as loyal dedicated and determined to his Boss as Shettima has demonstrated over the years.
The game is already on, and the biggest threat to Tinubu in 2027 is indeed any attempt to shift the goalpost in the mu
middle of the game.
As far as I know, the combination has given a very good account of itself, and with the rays of hope beyond the immediate horizon, Kashim Shettima remains President Bola Ahmed Tinubu best choice
I am aware that people have been trying to drive a wedge between them by framing false narratives that are neither here nor there. So as not to embolden those who are heating up the polity unnecessarily, the silence maintained on political permutations remains the best by both the president and the vice president.
Silence on certain issues has paid off for both of them before, and it will again pay off.
When people thought Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sick and weak and may even die before the end of his first tenure, he maintained a golden silence on his health status and rather magnified it as real thereby tricking all Nigerians into believing it was true.
Now that he has proven to be healthy and strong, the voices that predicted a doom for the presidency are silent.
VP SHETTIMA AND THE ILLOGICAL PERMUTATIONS FOR 2027
National News
Nigerien Army Deserter Who Joined Boko Haram Surrenders in Diffa Region

Nigerien Army Deserter Who Joined Boko Haram Surrenders in Diffa Region
By: Our Reporter
A deserter from the Niger Republic Armed Forces who reportedly joined the terrorist group Boko Haram has surrendered to local authorities in Kindjandi, located in the Diffa Region of southeastern Niger Republic.
The individual, identified as Abba Ibrahim, had been serving with the Nigerien Armed Forces since 2022 before deserting his post in Bosso on March 8, 2025, according to military intelligence sources. He fled alongside a fellow soldier, Bandam Dala, and subsequently joined a Boko Haram faction active in the Lake Chad area.
Security sources disclosed that Ibrahim surrendered on April 21, 2025, arriving in Kindjandi on horseback with a rifle. He was accompanied by an unidentified young man whose details are yet to be confirmed.
Ibrahim was taken into custody by the Nigerien Armed Forces on the morning of April 22, 2025, and is currently undergoing debriefing and interrogation by military intelligence.
The Diffa Region has remained a hotspot for insurgent activity due to its proximity to Lake Chad and border areas with Nigeria, where Boko Haram and other extremist groups operate.
Nigerien Army Deserter Who Joined Boko Haram Surrenders in Diffa Region
National News
ECOWAS @50: WADEMOS Commends Subregional bloc for Inviting Mali, Burkina-Faso, Niger to Launch

ECOWAS @50: WADEMOS Commends Subregional bloc for Inviting Mali, Burkina-Faso, Niger to Launch
By: Michael Mike
The West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS) has commended the initiative by ECOWAS to extend an invitation to the governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger for the official launch of ECOWAS’ golden jubilee in Accra.
The Network, in a press statement on Tuesday, said it supports the initiative by ECOWAS to ease tensions and foster diplomacy in a bid to sustain the common heritage, shared history, and longstanding socio-cultural ties of the peoples.
The statement read: “As ECOWAS opens its doors and extends an arm of friendship and collaboration to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the Network encourages the three countries to reciprocate the gesture, upholding the spirit of good neighbourliness and cross-border cooperation. Such
cooperation is necessary now more than ever, especially as we require a concerted effort to confront matters of common interest to the subregion, such as security and trade.
“WADEMOS maintains the position that the restoration of trust and confidence between
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, on the one hand, and ECOWAS, on the other hand,
remains critical to sustaining cooperation and enhancing the free movement of goods and people. Building trust and confidence, we believe, is also critical to effectively combat the growing threat of terrorism across the subregion.
“Considering the close ties that exist among the West African peoples, WADEMOS
continues to urge the three Sahelian countries to be reconciliatory in their engagements with ECOWAS.”
WADEMOS is an independent and non-partisan network of diverse national and transnational civil society organisations and civic groups working to promote and defend democracy, good governance, and inclusive development in the West Africa region.
It mobilizes, coordinates, and leverages the collective voice and power of civil society and other pro-democracy actors, resources, and opportunities within the West Africa region to advance its mission. The current membership of WADEMOS stands at 47 spread across West Africa.
The WADEMOS Secretariat is based in Accra, Ghana.
ECOWAS @50: WADEMOS Commends Subregional bloc for Inviting Mali, Burkina-Faso, Niger to Launch
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