President Bola Tinubu has appointed Joseph Tegbe as director-general and global liaison for the Nigeria-China strategic partnership.

Earlier in the month, during Tinubu’s state visit to Beijing, Nigeria and China signed deals aimed at broadening their economic cooperation.

In a statement on Sunday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy to the president, said Tegbe will lead the day-to-day operations of the partnership and engage with the Chinese counterparts to ensure that all deliverables are met.

The presidential spokesperson said Tegbe will submit a strategic action plan to enable Nigeria benefit from the agreements between both countries.

“At the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), President Xi Jinping pledged 360 billion yuan, or about $51 billion, in new financing to African nations in the next three years. He also pledged support for 30 infrastructure projects to boost connectivity across the continent and create one million jobs.

“During his official visit before the FOCAC, President Tinubu also obtained a commitment from President Xi to support Nigeria’s economic diversification plans, infrastructure development, technology transfer, and job creation.

“Nigeria and China, among others, agreed to collaborate on expanding Nigeria’s rail network, upgrading power distribution, and creating new industrial parks.

“The two countries committed to establishing hospital alliances and collaborating on medical research. Under the agreement, Chinese healthcare professionals will be deployed to support Nigeria’s healthcare system.”

After his education at the Federal Government College, Ogbomosho, Oyo state, Tegbe proceeded to the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) where he graduated with a first-class degree in civil engineering in 1988.

Tegbe, 58, had about 35 years of experience in business strategy.

He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.

He was the senior partner and head of advisory services at KPMG in Africa, with a portfolio and responsibilities that included the Middle East.

He has worked for many Fortune 500 companies and African conglomerates, advising on strategic planning, investment, and portfolio reviews.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed a governing board for the North West Development Commission (NWDC).

In a statement issued on Saturday, Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information & strategy, said Tinubu has forwarded the names to the senate for confirmation.

The president named Haruna Ginsau as chairman of the board. Ginsau hails from Jigawa state.

Abdullahi Ma’aji, a professor from Kano, was appointed managing director and CEO of the board.

Below are the state and zonal representatives of the commission as named by the president:

• Abdullahi Shehu Ma’aji (Kano)
• Yahaya Umar Namahe (Sokoto)
• Aminu Suleiman (Kebbi)
• Tijani Yahaya Kaura (Zamfara)
• Abdulkadir S. Usman (Kaduna)
• Muhammad Ali Wudil (Kano)
• Shamsu Sule (Katsina)
• Nasidi Ali (Jigawa)

Onanuga said the nominees are “expected to contribute their wealth of experience and expertise to the commission’s mandate of developing the north-west region”.

“The NWDC will focus on catalysing significant growth, economic empowerment, and social development of the region. President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to supporting the NWDC in its mission to bring sustainable development to the North West is steadfast,” the statement reads.

In July, Tinubu signed the North West and South East Development Commission bills into law.

Abubakar Umar, a witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says he gave Gabriel Suswam, a former governor of Benue, the sum of $15.8 million cash – equivalent of N3.1 billion – at his residence in Abuja in 2014.

In 2020, Suswam and Omadachi Okolobia, a former finance commissioner in Benue, were re-arraigned on an 11-count charge bordering on money laundering.

They were both accused of diverting N3.1 billion from the state coffers.

They were first arraigned before Ahmed Mohammed, a judge of the federal high court, in 2015.

During Friday’s proceedings, Umar, a bureau de change operator, told the court how he received money from Suswam through proxies on numerous occasions in tranches.

“One day in 2014, when I was in the office, the former governor of Benue State asked me to meet him in his house in Maitama, Abuja. I went and met him in the house together with one fair woman,” he said.

“He asked me to give the woman my account number. I gave the woman my Zenith Bank account number. The woman said she’ll send money into that account.

“On the 8th of August 2014, N413 million was transferred to my account. Based on this, I called the former governor and he told me to change the money to dollars and I asked him to give me time to do that.

“Three days after I bought the dollar equivalent, I called the former governor and informed him that the money was ready. He now asked me to take the money to his house in Maitama, near Jumat Mosque. I now told him that he should inform the security at the gate that I was coming, if not they’ll not allow me access into the gate.

“I took a cab to the house, and after I arrived at the house, I knocked at the gate and they opened. I told them my name. They opened the first and second gates and I sat in the waiting room where he came and met me.

“I now brought out the money which we both confirmed to be the equivalent of the N413 million.

“The total money transferred to my account was N3 billion.”

After hearing the testimony of the witness, Peter Lifu, the judge presiding over the case, adjourned the matter till October 4, 2024, for continuation of trial.