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Tinubu mandates NADF to champion $70m tractor deal

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President Bola Tinubu has instructed the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), to champion the deployment of 10,000 John Deere tractors across Nigeria, valued at $70 million.

NADF Executive Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, who disclosed this at a contract signing with AGCOMS International Trading Limited, yesterday in Abuja, said the investment would boost food production.

Ibrahim disclosed that the deployment would commence with a first tranch of 2,000 units in the first quarter of this year and would scale up to 10,000 in the next five years.

He said: “The National Agricultural Development Fund, NADF, as we have mentioned earlier, has been mandated to implement one of the four mechanization programmes of the Federal Government of Nigeria, led by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who in his aspiration to see that Nigeria transits from a monolithic economy and see that agriculture becomes what it is.

“We have various mechanization programmes, so the NADF is implementing one.The one we are implementing is the John Deere 2, 000 tractors.

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“This entails everything, the normal contract terms and conditions of this implementation of this programme. The plan, henceforth, as we mentioned, we got the conveyance of the Federal Executive Council in October 2024 and we have taken three months to go on a very robust, intensive negotiation with John Deere.

“We have also had a stakeholder engagement hosted by a mechanization international partner, Haifa, where we invited various mechanization stakeholders, understood where the main points are, where the successes are, and where the learnings should be.

“This will now drive us to conclude on the implementation programme. The John Deere tractors hopefully will be delivered before the wet season.”

Aside signing a pact with the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), he disclosed that 2000 tractor would arrive tye country before the wet farming season.

“We have also gone in to get into another MoU with the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, who would hopefully provide the John Deere AGCOMS International Trading Limited, who have signed the contract with, a space within the ports or close to the ports where they would set up their assembly plant, and then hopefully have these tractors delivered to the various parts of this country as will be contained in the implementation programme.

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Also, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, commended NADF for the milestone achieved by the contract signing with AGCOMS International Trading Limited, a company which is the sub-dealers of John Deere Tractors.

Kyari assured Nigerians that the Federal Executive Council would back up the contract deal, stressing that the mechanisation effort in the agricultural sector, would attract to agribusiness investors.

On his part, Country Director, AGCOMS International Trading Limited, Engr Okoli Chijioke, said: “On the 1st of October, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu mentioned that there is an assembly plant attached to the John Deere Tractors acquisition, and that is actually a fact and it is something that would actually not just only help the assembly of these 2,000 tractors but also give our own youths the opportunity to understand the technology behind what we are trying to assemble.

“Bringing in any piece of equipment you want, whether you like it or not, until you have a plan for continuity with respect to product support and that whole aim is defeated.

“So the assembly plant plays a very crucial role because the people that will be opportune to go through the process with us will have the opportunity of having first-hand visibility on what it takes to put it together.

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“So we can be rest assured that this unit can confidently give us years, possibly decades of actual work on the field. So the total procurement value is about $70 million, and that is the value to get it down to the collection center in Abuja and Lagos for the first two years.”

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Natasha: SERAP sues Akpabio over failure to reverse suspension

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The raging controversy over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan has attracted yet another legal action following a suit by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio over the failure to reverse her suspension.

It is the contention of SERAP that “the patently unlawful suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, is based solely on the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression.”

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/498/2025, Akpabio is sued for himself and on behalf of all members of the Senate.

The Senate recently suspended Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, after she reportedly ‘spoke without permission’ and ‘refused her new seat in the Senate chamber.’

Her salary and allowances have also been withheld for the duration of the suspension, and she has been barred from identifying herself as a senator.

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Before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, the group is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to rescind the unlawful suspension of Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, reinstate her, and fully restore all her legislative rights, entitlements, and privileges.”

An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Senate from further suspending or taking any disciplinary action against Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan solely for the peaceful exercise of her fundamental human rights.”

SERAP is equally seeking “a declaration that the application of sections 6(1)(2) of the Senate Rules, the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended), to suspend Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan violates her human rights and deprives her constituents of their right to political participation.”

It noted that given the impracticality of direct participation of all citizens, article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights provides that a citizen shall exercise political power either directly or through freely chosen representatives.”

“The suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Senate has restricted and seriously undermined the ability of the residents of her Kogi Central Senatorial District to effectively participate in their own government.”

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“The Senate has the obligations to uphold the rule of law and the provisions of section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s obligations under article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

“Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] provides that, ‘(1) Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.’

“Under Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights: ‘1. Every individual shall have the right to receive information. 2. Every individual shall have the right to express and disseminate his opinions within the law.’”

“Article 19(1) of the Covenant establishes the right to freedom of opinion without interference. Article 19(2) establishes the Senate’s obligations to respect and ensure ‘the right to freedom of expression,’ which includes the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, either orally or in writing.”

“The Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended) should not and cannot set aside Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s right to express herself and disseminate her opinions which is clearly guaranteed in section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and under the human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party.”

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No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

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Amnesty condemns NYSC for threatening Corper over video criticizing Tinubu

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Amnesty International has condemned the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)’s threats and intimidation of a corps member, Ushie Uguamaye, who criticized Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for inflation and economic hardship.

In a ‘X’ post, the group stated that it is her right as a citizen to express her unhappiness peacefully, while also asking the government to focus on addressing the issues she addressed rather than threatening to delete the video.

“It is perfectly within her right to express discontent peacefully. Instead of threatening her for her opinions on rampant inflation, the authorities should be prioritizing addressing the country’s economic woes,” Amnesty said.

The Lagos-based corps member expressed fear about claimed threats following her viral video criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s government.

In a video posted to her TikTok account #talktoraye on Saturday, Uguamaye voiced displeasure with Nigeria’s deteriorating economic situation, stressing that hard work becomes fruitless in the face of financial difficulties.

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She openly lambasted Tinubu, describing him as a “terrible leader” and criticizing the government’s efforts to ameliorate citizens’ suffering.

Shortly after her video gained traction, Uguamaye alleged that she began receiving threats, reportedly from NYSC officials, pressuring her to take down the content.

“Dear Nigerians, they have my address. In case you guys don’t see me online, please you know who to hold accountable. I didn’t do anything wrong; I just asked that they work on the inflation.

“Why can’t I speak up? Being an NYSC corps member doesn’t mean I signed up my right to complain,” she said.

Amnesty, meanwhile, in their post, said millions of Nigerians are facing extreme poverty, which aligns with her post on TikTok, urging the government to find measures to urgently address it.

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“Millions of people in Nigeria are facing extreme poverty. So far, the authorities have failed to put in place effective mitigation measures, leaving millions of people without the hope of getting out of the economic challenges and enjoying their human rights,” the group said.

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Politics

Damagun denies resignation rumors, calls it fake news

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The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Damagun, has dismissed reports of his resignation, labeling them as false and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.

In a statement on Saturday, his Personal Assistant, Nuru Shehu Jos, clarified that Damagun remains in office, and the party’s constitution guarantees the National Chairman a four-year term.

The PDP also denied claims that Arise News was the source of the false resignation report, urging the public to ignore the misinformation.

The party warned those spreading the rumors to desist or face legal action, calling on members and stakeholders to remain united as the PDP strengthens its position ahead of the 2027 elections.

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