The Atlantic Bell

The President-Elect of Rotary International.
Olayinka Hakeem Babalola is expected to touch down in Port Harcourt on Sunday, September 7, 2025 to a grand reception by members of the Rotary family in Rivers State and beyond.

He will be received on arrival at the Protocol Lounge, Port Harcourt International Airport and thereafter the Rotary Centre, Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt.

In a statement released on Friday in Port Harcourt by Ibim Semenitari, Rotary Public Image Coordinator, Africa Zone 22, Region 2, the reception will feature distinguished Rotary leaders, members, and friends of Rotary, celebrating this landmark achievement and the new era it heralds for Rotary in Africa.

The Reception for Rotary International President-Elect, Olayinka Hakeem Babalola on his arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport by the leadership of Rotary International District 9141,
serves as a historic event that marks a proud moment for Nigeria and Africa, as they welcome one of their own to the highest leadership of Rotary International, the world’s foremost service organization.

Rotarian Babalola was last month announced as the new President for the 2026/2027 Rotary year.

His emergence marked a historic milestone, making him only the second African – and the second Nigerian – to lead the global humanitarian organisation. The first was Jonathan Babatunde Majiyagbe, who served from 2003 to 2004.

Babalola’s election is being celebrated across Nigeria and Africa as another proud moment of continental leadership on the global stage.

A member of the Rotary Club of Trans Amadi, Nigeria, Olayinka Hakeem Babalola was selected by the Rotary International Board of Directors following the resignation of SangKoo Yun, who stepped down to focus on recovery after cancer treatment. Babalola will formally assume office on 1 July 2026.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has revealed that 171 associations applied to it for registration as political parties. This, the body said, was as at September 3rd, 2025.

In a statement, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said the Commission is finalising the shortlist of pre-qualified associations for the next stage of the registration process, with recommendations already prepared for consideration.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) attributed the delay in concluding the verification and prequalification of associations seeking registration as political parties to constant changes in logos, acronyms, interim leadership, and defections of their leaders.

Olumekun appealed to the groups to exercise patience and avoid practices that slow down the process.

“We urge associations to desist from frequent changes to their logos, acronyms, and addresses, or from submitting multiple requests. Worse still, some associations have altered their interim leadership following defections to other associations or existing political parties, thereby delaying the process,” he said.

Reassuring applicants, INEC promised that all submissions would be treated fairly, while urging consistency from the associations to enable a smooth process.

“As always, the Commission will continue to keep Nigerians informed on all its activities,” the statement added.

Giving an update on the Anambra governorship elections, the Commission said about 2,802,790 eligible voters will decide the fate of the next governor of Anambra State during the November governorship election in the state.

It said 27,817 of those who took part in the voter registration exercise in Anambra state ahead of the election were found to be double or multiple registrations and removed from the list.

The statement reads: “The Commission met today, Thursday, 4th September 2025. Among other issues, the meeting deliberated on the final register of voters for the Anambra State Governorship Election and the status of letters of intent from associations seeking registration as political parties.

“In continuation of preparations for the forthcoming Anambra State Governorship Election, the Commission carried out voter registration in the 326 Wards across the State from 8th to 20th July 2025. During that period, 168,187 citizens registered as new voters.

“At the end of the registration exercise, the Commission earmarked a period of one week (8th to 20th July 2025) to display the list of new registrants in all the Wards for claims and objections by citizens in the spirit of Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“Furthermore, the Commission scrutinised the list using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to detect invalid registrations. At the end of the process, 27,817 records were found to be double or multiple registrations and removed from the list.

“Consequently, the figure for new registrants now stands at 140,370, while valid applications for transfer into the State are 5,983, making a total of 146,353 new voters.

“Prior to the recent voter registration, Anambra State had 2,656,437 registered voters. With the new registrants, the voter roll for the State now stands at 2,802,790.

“The distribution of the new figures by Local Government Area shows that Idemili North with 246,318 (8.79%) has the highest number of voters, followed by Awka South with 216,611 (7.73%) and Ogbaru with 188,016 (6.71%).

“On the other hand, Dunokofia and Anambra West have 83,580 (2.98%) and 71,332 (2.55%) registered voters, respectively. The distribution of new voters by Local Government Area is uploaded to our website and other official platforms for public information.

“We wish to assure new voters in Anambra State, as well as those who applied for transfer or replacement of their lost or damaged Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), that their cards will be ready for collection well ahead of the Governorship Election holding in the next 63 days on Saturday, 8th November 2025.”

A top delegation of the Bank of Industry (BOI) last Thursday, September 4, 2025, paid a courtesy visit to the newly appointed Managing Director of the Rivers State Microfinance Agency, Onene Osila Obele-Oshoko at the agency’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.

Led by Mr Babatunde Ajala, Regional Manager South~ South (MSME Directorate), accompanied by Mr Pacqueens Irabor, Divisional Head (MSME), and Mr Christopher Omondiagbe, Head Rivers State BOI, the visit was to congratulate the MD on her appointment and renew the collaboration between both institutions.

The visit was to brief the MD/CEO on the existing collaboration between the Rivers state Government and the Bank of Industry (BOI), as it relates to the Four Billion Naira Matching Fund provided by the bank and Rivers State Government.

The BoI delegation during the visit held extensive discussions on existing and future collaborations between both institutions.

In her response the MD/CEO, Ms. Onene Osila Obele-Oshoko expressed gratitude to the delegation for the visit, noting that the engagement was fruitful and mutually beneficial to both institutions.

The MD/CEO expressed optimism for more mutual beneficial collaborations between RIMA and BOI, for the overall benefit of the people of Rivers State, especially those that genuinely desire to do business.

She noted that RIMA would strive to support those who genuinely wish to grow MSMEs, but lack the capital to push or finance their businesses, which will in turn create jobs and vibrancy in the economy of Rivers State.

It will be recalled that in 2024, the Rivers State Government released a four billion Naira matching fund with the Bank of Industry to support existing and new MSMEs to grow their businesses to drive economic growth and create jobs and wealth for the citizens.

The Rivers State Secretariat complex was yesterday, September 4, 2025 turned into a theater of the absurd as a Permanent Secretary and a Director in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism were engaged in a brawl which degenerated into fisticuffs.

According to sources and eye witnesses at the Secretariat, the brawl, which took civil servants and visitors by surprise, was said to have attracted attention to Block C, which houses the ministry and others.

Inside sources told The Atlantic Bell that trouble began when the Permanent Secretary (name withheld) allegedly requested the Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA), a lady (name withheld), to transfer the sum of Twenty-two million, two hundred thousand Naira released by the state government to a private account.

The money, sources said, was meant for a special project to be undertaken by three ministries, namely – Culture and Tourism, Agriculture, and Commerce and Industry.

However, the DFA in whose custody the money was domiciled, was said to have turned down the directive of the Permanent Secretary, insisting that only a letter signed by the Permanent Secretaries of the three Ministries involved, would make her transfer the funds to the “special account.”

The Atlantic Bell learnt that the disagreement resulted first in a shouting match before degenerating into a brawl.
Though the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said to be a pastor of one of the pentecostal churches in Rivers State remained calm and unruffled, in spite alleged “verbal assaults”, other staff, especially a lady Director in charge of Publication, Research and Statistics in the same ministry, rose to his defence, accusing the DFA of “overstepping her bounds”.

It was learnt that thereafter, both female directors were said to have engaged in fisticuffs, throwing the entire Secretariat into pandemonium. One of the directors was alleged to have inflicted bodily harm on the other as a result of the fight.

Efforts to get the reaction of the state Head of Service, Inyingi Brown, to comment on the show of shame, proved abortive.

Inside sources said the bank was experiencing technical glitches, which started since Wednesday, September 2025 and have remained unresolved, as at the time of this report.

While customers could hardly conduct intra- Bank transfer (First Bank to First Bank), unless one went physically to the bank, inter bank transfers were impossible to conduct in almost all the First Bank branches in Port Harcourt, Rivers State visited by The Atlantic Bell.

Customers who thronged bank branches early Thursday morning with the hope of having their transfer issues sorted out were left in utter disappointment as they learnt that transfers, especially to other banks, were impossible.

Though no official statement has been issued by the bank, at least to customer’s phone lines, which is usually the practice, a staff of the bank at the Station Road Branch in Port Harcourt Township, told The Atlantic Bell that, they “were having technical issues “. The female staff who refused to disclose her name and had no name tag on her refused to give further details as to what the technical issues were, but pointedly told customers who besieged the bank, that the “issue will be resolved by next week.”

One customer (name withheld ) said she had visited three branches of FBN in Port Harcourt to carry out an inter bank transfer, but all her efforts were in vain. She said she was expecting her goods from outside, Rivers State, but that the customer was not willing to release the goods without receiving the funds. “Unfortunately, my customer, on the other side, does not have a First Bank account . I am stuck and confused, ” she lamented.

Another FBN customer who spoke with The Atlantic Bell was luckier, as he(name withheld) found a way to navigate the glitch.
According to him, he pleaded with his supplier to help locate anyone with a First Bank account, and they were lucky to get one of her neighbours to receive the money and the business was successfully transacted.

The “technical glitch” has put customers in quantry as frustration and lamentations filled banking halls of First Bank in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Worst still, customers were yet to be notified officially as to the cause of the glitch and when likely they were to be rectified to enable them have seamless transfer. For now, the trauma of the customers continues.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday, said that most Nigerian politicians are not dependable, citing the betrayals he witnessed in 2015.

“You’ll find it difficult to see somebody who will say the same thing in the morning and say the same thing in the afternoon and in the evening.

“They will tell you something this minute and the next one hour, they’ll say another.The next one hour they’ll say another thing. Bu

Jonathan made the remarks at the 70th birthday anniversary of Chief Mike Aiyegbeni Oghiadomhe in Benin, Edo State capital.

However, Jonathan said he saw, during his reelection bid in 2015, in Oghiadomhe, a man whose word was his bond. He said he was quite pleased to associate with him.

According to Jonathan, “Oghiadomhe”, who served as Chief of Staff to him between 2010 to 2014, “is one of the few friends I have who can give out their neck for me.

“Politics in the Nigerian standard is about betrayals. I have witnessed a lot of betrayal during 2015 election.”

He added that Oghiadomhe “is one person who will take a bullet on my behalf”.

“For me, he is somebody that you can take his words to the bank. Most politicians, you can not take their words to the bank.”

Among the dignitaries at the event were Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chief Medical Director (CMD), UBTH, Prof (Mrs) Izia Ize-Iyamu, ex-Governor Lucky Igbinedion, ex-Governor Oserheimen OsunborEx; Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Chief Tom Ikimi, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and others.

In a move aimed at ending persistent protests by retired workers, the Federal Government is seeking nearly the sum of N758 billion to offset pensioners’ arrears.

This was disclosed in Abuja by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, who was quoted as saying this in a statement by the Head, Corporate Communications Unit of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Olugbenga Ajayi, at the launch of the revised Service Charter.

Speaking at the launch of the revised Service Charter, Uzoka-Anite revealed that plans are underway by the government to issue N758 billion bond to pay off pension arrears.

The relaunched charter, PTAD said, reaffirms its dedication to transparency, accountability, and excellence in delivering services under the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme (DBS).

Uzoka-Anite commended PTAD for setting new standards in public service delivery.

She emphasised that pensioners deserve an unwavering commitment to their welfare and dignity, noting that the revised Service Charter serves as a vital instrument to strengthen the confidence between pensioners and government institutions.

She further reaffirmed the Ministry’s steadfast commitment to supporting PTAD’s ongoing reforms

The Minister of State also reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to pension reforms, highlighting his understanding of the difficulties pensions are confronting.

She noted that the government’s reforms offer unique opportunities for workers in both the public and private sectors, providing lifetime insurance that ensures financial security after retirement.

She added that the pension scheme had become a vital part of workers’ financial plans, particularly as it offered a reliable alternative when facing economic challenges.

She said: We have been working with Pencom to ensure that pension funds are not only invested securely but also leveraged to drive economic development.”

Giving a ray of hope to retirees, the minister said, “We want pensioners to know that it is now a thing of the past that they have to cry before they see their money.”

Delivering her opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of PTAD, Tolulope Odunaiya, described the revised service charter as more than a document.

She added: “It is a covenant with our pensioners and stakeholders,” while emphasising that the charter embodies PTAD’s determination to set clear standards, adopt innovation, and deliver services with empathy, timeliness, and professionalism.

The Director-General of PenCom, Ms. Omolola Oloworaran, in her goodwill message, praised PTAD’s collaborative spirit within Nigeria’s pension ecosystem.