Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has raised concerns about the pervasive corruption in Nigeria, labeling it a major challenge for the nation.

Ndume made these remarks during an interactive session with journalists in Kano on Saturday.

“Our major challenge in this country is corruption. To date, we have no law that can proactively or reactively address the issue of corruption. If you find someone within our system, especially in politics or government, who is not corrupt, it is because he is fortunate enough to be God-fearing.

“Otherwise, it is only in Nigeria that you can steal money, walk freely, and be celebrated. If you visit an area like this, people will start lobbying and prostrating before you, even when they know the money was stolen.

“In this country, someone who had no money yesterday or last week can suddenly buy ten cars and jets, and his family will celebrate him,” he stated.

The senator noted that in developed countries, people would inquire about how, when, and where an individual acquired their wealth, but the situation is different in Nigeria.

Ndume pointed out that multiple efforts to enact a law addressing unexplained wealth in Nigeria have faced obstacles. He mentioned that he had once asked a former president to sign an Executive Bill, but the request was declined.

“To this day, there is no Unexplained Wealth Act in Nigeria, and no Executive Order addressing it,” Ndume emphasized.

He also expressed his concerns regarding hunger in the country, advocating for increased cultivation of food crops to address the issue.

“There is hunger in the land, and to date, we have not cultivated even five percent of our land. Nigeria is blessed with vast arable land.”

According to him, Nigeria possesses fertile land throughout the country that could be utilized for growing food crops tonourish the population.

Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), has credited Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for facilitating his appointment.

Lokpobiri made this revelation on Saturday at an event organized in honor of Wike by the Ijaw Peoples Congress (IPC) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

“It is important to tell you my brothers and sisters that me that is standing before you today as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources was also made possible by Nyesom Wike,” Lokpobiri said.

He added, “You also heard the account of the MD of the NDDC who said that the Minister of the FCT played a direct role in his appointment.

“My own case could have been a more direct role. Some of you may not know. It all started in Wike’s house in Port Harcourt and it all got concluded in his house in Abuja.”

Lokpobiri continued, “My second journey of becoming a Minister started at the house of the Minister in Port Harcourt and it was concluded in his house in Abuja. It is important for me to complete this history.

“Because when I was looking at the welcome address, our names were not included among those who have benefitted from his benevolence. I thought that my name, Heineken Lokpobiri, would have been included amongst those that he has helped.

“But since my name is not included, I have to complete it. I want you Ijaw people to know that we have a brother, we have a friend.

“It is always better to have a good friend than to have a bad brother. Of what use is a bad brother? It is of no use. But if you have a good friend in the case of the FCT Minister, you are already blessed.”

Lokpobiri expressed gratitude to Wike, saying, “Your Excellency, the FCT Minister, let me on behalf of the Ijaw people all over the world, express our gratitude to you for your show of love to Ijaw people.

“We Ijaw people are very grateful people. If you do us good, we will not pay you back with evil. So, we will always be grateful to you for what you have done for our Ijaw people. We are looking forward to you to do more for our Ijaw people.”

Prior to his current appointment, Lokpobiri served as Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development from 2015 to 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

He was appointed Minister of State for Petroleum Resources by President Bola Tinubu in August 2023, concurrently with Wike’s appointment as FCT Minister.

The federal government has handed over 64 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

The buses were presented to the unions on Sunday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.

Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, led the government delegation to the handover ceremony.

The delegation included Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, Abubakar Bagudu, minister of budget and economic planning, and Ayodele Olawande, minister of state for youth development.

Speaking at the event, Edun said when deployed for commuter service, the buses would significantly reduce transportation costs in the country, bringing hope for a more affordable and efficient public transport system.

He described the distribution of the buses as fulfilling President Bola Tinubu’s promise to provide affordable and efficient transportation under the “Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGi)” to support Nigerians after the removal of fuel subsidies.

He said the initiative is aimed at “alleviating the burden on the poor and vulnerable” and supporting macroeconomic reforms that would position the country on the path to economic stability.

The minister further said the symbolic handover of 64 buses on the eve of Nigeria’s National Day marked the beginning of a broader national rollout.

He said the federal government planned to distribute “over 500 CNG buses and 100 electric vehicles” in the first instance.

“The CNG initiative aligned with Nigeria’s commitment to cleaner energy while leveraging its energy resources for industrialisation,” he said.

“Today marks another critical milestone in the policies of President Tinubu. It is a transition to cleaner fuel. The emphasis is on mass transit.”

Edun said the federal government placed emphasis on intervening on the side of workers to ensure cheaper transport to enable them to cope with rising prices.

According to Edun, the CNG initiative will “significantly impact inflation positively.”

“We’ve had an initial spike in inflation, now it has peaked, and it is coming down,” he added.

“Mr President and the whole team are determined to ensure that we keep inflation coming down, and this is one of the major ways.”

The minister also said the fuel cost for CNG-powered vehicles was about “one-third of the fuel for petrol-powered vehicles.”

According to Edun, motorists can now “pay as low as N15,000 to fill a tank instead of N50,000 or more.”

“Today, it is CNG. Tomorrow, it will be helping farmers to cope with the remainder of the wet season planting and then the dry season planting, starting from November, with fertiliser, inputs, seeds, and herbicides,” he said.

“This is all to get prices down and get the economy moving again.”

Michael Oluwagbemi, programme director and chief executive of PCNGi, said since its establishment one year ago, over 125 conversion centres have been established, compared to the initial seven.

He said investment in the sector has exceeded “175 million dollars,” with “12 new mother stations commissioned and 75 more under construction.”

“Technician training is being ramped up, with 40 new technicians trained weekly. Over 34,000 conversion kits have been ordered, with more than half already distributed,” Oluwagbemi said.

He added that vehicle conversions were taking place at “53 centres in eight states,” and that the centres would be expanded to all the 36 states and the FCT.

On their part, Nuhu Toro, secretary-general and chief executive of TUC; Lucky Emonefe, NANS president; and Uche Ekwe, head of the international desk, NLC, commended Tinubu for the gesture.

They called for more CNG buses to be made available to the public.