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It’s Insulting Comparing Me With Hushpuppi, He Can Never Achieve What I’ve Achieved — Invictus Obi Speaks From Prison

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As a seasoned criminal journalist of Virginia, Obi’s case fascinated me as I wondered how a successful businesses man that graced the front pages of several business magazines found himself in jail.

I reached out to Obinwanne Okeke, popularly known as Invictus Obi, for a prison interview and he kindly accepted. I met Obi on a hot summer August day where he greeted me with a firm handshake, a confident smile, and the charisma of someone very intellectual. My interview was to find out his journey, thoughts, and regrets as he now starts his 10-year prison sentence.

Hi Obi, thanks for accepting this interview, how are you doing?
I am doing very well thank you, I am alive and healthy which I always give thanks for.

How is your reality now you have started serving your 10-year sentence?
The transition from the outside world to prison is hard but I have to face the music. I did what I did and I accept the consequences. I am just making sure I become a better man day by day.

Let’s go back a bit, how would you describe Nigeria growing up?
Nigeria is great when you are young and naive but when you become old enough to fend for yourself you quickly realize that Nigeria is a hazardous obstacle course that most will never navigate their way through. Nigeria is a beautiful country but poverty is too widespread and you can’t rely on the government for help but you have to find your own way. Basic needs such as 24 hours electricity is unheard of, fuel scarcity is common, inflation is high and many are dying of hunger. Most Nigerians are in a state of desperation.

How did the journey to the frauds you are accused of come about?
I was doing a little here and there but the level changed through this one particular friend I used to look up to. I visited him one day and he was living very comfortably with three new cars and a huge house at a young age. When at his house I noticed him on a website www.vionz.to that was selling crypto and bank logins. I asked him about the website and he showed me that he buys bank and crypto logins from there and easily withdraws above $20,000 at a time, that’s how he was funding his lifestyle. In 15 minutes he demonstrated it to me and from there I tried it myself when I got home. After successfully doing my first transfer so easily it was hard to stop after that. From there I got introduced to other money-making schemes that got me where I am today.

How much money have you made from fraud?
I didn’t really keep count, I am a very ambitious person in anything I do regarding money. I believe I will always be an overachiever.

According to your case charges, you made $11 million?
Then there’s your answer, you already know the details.

People compare you to Hushpuppi (Abbas Ramon) who is also facing jail if found guilty, what are your thoughts?
It’s insulting, I and Hushpuppi are not on the same level. Hushpuppi could never achieve what I achieved. He cannot run a business and we are not similar in any way. He was out to please the crowd, I was out to change lives, create jobs, and conquer the business world. I have done so much for my community back home with my charity foundation, which lives has he helped? Nobody.

It sounds like you dislike Hushppupi?
No, I have never met him, but I just find the continued comparison very annoying. Our impact on the world is very different. I have made a much more positive contribution to society than he has.

What do you miss most about the outside life?
I miss being in business, I was a workaholic and most of my joy came from growing my businesses bigger and bigger. I miss family too and of miss my daughter.

Do you have any regrets?
Of course, I do, if I was a little more patient I could have achieved everything I achieved in business by not rushing to get startup capital the way I did, however, hopefully, I can be a lesson to the younger generation that may be tempted to take the quick route in life.

What’s your advice to the youth of Nigeria?
Pick your role models wisely, look up to great leaders and people of good character that look after their communities and families. Believe and you will achieve. Also, remember life is a marathon, not a sprint.

Yahoo News.

 

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CPC Bloc And Buharists Reaffirm Commitment To APC And President Tinubu, Call For Party Chairmanship

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In a live interview earlier today on AIT, political analyst and committed Buharist Chief Okoi Obono-Obla —former member of the National Executive Committee and Secretary of the defunct CPC Merger Committee—addressed recent speculation regarding the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc and Buharists within the All Progressives Congress (APC), following the transition of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Responding to reports that certain former government officials are considering a move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or aligning with a so-called coalition, Okoi stated firmly:

“These individuals do not represent the leadership or the collective will of the CPC bloc. As a Buharist and one who participated in the foundational merger, I can confirm that the CPC bloc remains solidly within the APC and stands fully behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

He emphasized that suggestions to defect run contrary to President Muhammadu Buhari’s legacy and enduring support for the APC:

“If those advocating a move to the ADC were genuine followers of President Buhari, they would respect his clear position. Our leader has declared he remains a member of the APC and deeply appreciates the platform the party provided for his presidency from 2015 to 2023.”

Okoi also conveyed a strong demand from the CPC bloc regarding the future leadership of the APC:

> “The CPC bloc is earnestly calling for the position of the next APC National Chairman to be conceded to our bloc. We are united in our clamour for Senator Tanko Umaru Al-Makura—our respected leader and a committed party stalwart—to assume this vital role.”

This reaffirmation not only signals loyalty to President Tinubu and the APC, but also outlines the CPC bloc’s expectations for inclusive party leadership, rooted in shared history and trust.

 

@ Okoi Obono-Obla#

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NELFUND To Launch Job Portal Linking Student Loan Beneficiaries To Employers By 2026

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The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has revealed plans to introduce a centralized job portal by 2026 aimed at helping student loan recipients secure employment opportunities both locally and abroad.

This initiative forms part of broader strategies to strengthen the effectiveness of the student loan program and guide graduates toward financial stability.

While speaking at a media briefing in Abuja to commemorate one year since the loan scheme’s inception, NELFUND’s Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, clarified that although the agency does not promise jobs, the planned job portal is intended to ease graduates’ entry into the workforce.

Sawyerr mentioned that the portal will compile job listings from government bodies, private companies, and foreign employers interested in hiring Nigerians.

We don’t just give a loan and leave students on their own. This job portal is our way of supporting their journey towards economic stability, he said

No repayment without employment

Sawyerr reaffirmed that repayment of student loans will only begin when beneficiaries secure employment and have completed their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

If you don’t have a job, you don’t pay. And when you eventually get a job, your repayment starts fresh.

Once employed, 10 per cent of the beneficiary’s monthly income is deducted automatically by the employer and remitted to NELFUND, following verification through the NELFUND employment register.

If an employee is laid off or resigns, the deductions stop. And in the event of death, the loan is written off. The family is not harassed, he said.

Institutions must refund duplicate payments

On the matter of students who made fee payments before NELFUND disbursed funds to their schools, Sawyerr urged institutions to fulfill their obligation and refund the affected students.

We’ve received multiple petitions from students who paid under duress, only to find their fees had also been paid by NELFUND.

Institutions must refund this money. It’s disappointing that some schools have ignored this responsibility, he said.

He further explained that anti-graft agencies have begun investigating: Investigative bodies like the ICPC and EFCC have stepped in to question certain institutions over delays or refusals to refund.

To ensure the right return of funds, he recommended: If an institution cannot refund directly to the student, they can pay the money back to us and we will ensure it gets to the rightful student.

Over 3.2 million student records in system

Mustapha Iyal, the Executive Director of Operations, shared that the Fund currently oversees over 3.2 million student records and anticipates receiving around one million additional applications by the end of 2025.

Basically, our projection right now, we have about 3.2 million students in our system.

What we’re looking at this year, from now to the end of the year, we’re looking at about one million applications. We’re not pushing. We’re not saying that it’s compulsory.

But we’re looking at how we can support one million applications to make sure that no one is dropping out of school, he stated.

What you should know

NELFUND has broadened its scope by launching a loan program that also funds vocational and technical education to empower Nigerian youth seeking practical trade skills. The pilot phase of this scheme will start in Enugu between late June and mid-July 2025.

According to Executive Director of Operations, Iyal Mustapha, the initiative will offer interest-free loans to cover tuition, transportation for attending full-time technical schools, stipends for living expenses, and even tools upon training completion.

Applications will be submitted via NELFUND’s portal, and once the system is active, applicants will be matched with certified vocational training centers in their region.

 

Credit: Nairametrics

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UK To Reduce Voting Age To 16 In General Elections

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The British government announced on Thursday its intention to grant voting rights in general elections to 16- and 17-year-olds, marking a significant shift that would place the UK among countries with the lowest voting age globally.

This move stems from a commitment made by the ruling Labour Party before gaining power last year, and is part of a broader set of proposed reforms to the democratic process, which some have described as “in crisis” due to issues like low voter turnout.

The proposal is expected to spark debate, as opponents argue it could be politically motivated, with younger voters perceived as more inclined to favour the centre-left Labour party.

“I think it’s really important that 16- and 17-year-olds have the vote, because they are old enough to go out to work, they are old enough to pay taxes, so (they) pay in,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

“And I think if you pay in, you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on, which way the government should go,” Starmer added.

To implement the change, the government will need to present legislation in parliament, where it holds a solid majority.

Globally, only a few countries allow citizens as young as 16 to vote in national elections, according to online sources.

These include Austria — the first EU member to reduce its voting age to 16 in 2007 — along with Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Cuba.

Labour ministers argue the reform is designed to “modernise our democracy” and increase participation, while also matching the voting age already used in elections for devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales.

Other planned reforms include the adoption of automated voter registration — a system already in place in Australia and Canada — and allowing UK-issued bank cards to be accepted as valid ID at polling stations.

These proposals come after the former Conservative government implemented laws requiring voters to present photo identification, which the Electoral Commission reported resulted in around 750,000 people being unable to vote in last year’s election.

Harry Quilter-Pinner, executive director of the Institute For Public Policy Research, described the proposals as “the biggest reform to our electoral system since 1969”, when the voting age was reduced to 18.

He estimated that lowering the voting age and introducing automated registration could add as many as 9.5 million new voters.

“Our democracy is in crisis, and we risk reaching a tipping point where politics loses its legitimacy,” he said, expressing his support for the proposed changes.

 

Credit: AFP

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