By BALA BATURE KARAMI

Stage is set for the Executive Secretary, Kano State History and Culture Bureau, Arc Ahmad Abba Yusuf, for an Award of Excellence, among many selected, screened and chosen, for an Award concerning the protection of our history and culture around Nigerian communities, through established state agencies.

An amalgamated and just infused together spaces, of different platforms under the aegis of Protection of African Culture Forum (PACUF), based in Edo state, reaches an advanced stage for the presentation of Awards of different categories, to some selected and lucky Nigerians, who play important role in promoting and protecting Nigerian history and culture, in the year 2025.

Chief Executive Officers of states’ history and culture departments or agencies are one of the categories chosen for the proposed Award of Excellence in the area. Kano’s Executive Secretary of the History Bureau, Arc Ahmad, is among the top prospective Awardees, for this distinguishing recognition among other selected Nigerians.

From the preliminary report of the assessment, it is hinted that, the Forum is keen about how Kano’s ES makes headway in preserving the ancient history of Kano and the culture of the citizens, altogether.

The research shows that, Kano Bureau was neglected for many years by the previous administrations in the state. But the coming of the present Governor, Eng Abba Kabir Yusuf, who appointed Arc Ahmad as the Executive Secretary of the Board, makes rooms for sustainable development in the area. As it also deepens commitment and clarity of purpose of the current administration in history and culture spaces.

With the Award, it means, the state could attract foreign intervention from governments and other development partners, in the area of cultural exchange and exploration in the culture of global communities.

Where Kano could create corridor for such engagements. With this, we can also understand that, an Award for Arc Ahmad, means an Award for Kano state.

The Award, according to my source of information, will take place in Lagos or Abuja, for wider media coverage. Not minding where the event would take place, the main objective of the situation is, Kano, is becoming another turning point for cultural preservation and historical advancement. For the overall development of our dear nation.

As such, Kano is fast becoming a melting pot where cultural efforts and historical benevolence are well protected, preserved and presented for better consumption. Whereas the state government’s effort is being rekindled, re-engineered, reinforced, redirected and rejuvenated. Kudos to the people’s Governor, Eng Yusuf.

Arc Ahmad’s sterling qualities, as an Executive Secretary, creates other opportunities for the Bureau in incorporating the agency with other similar agencies across the nation. As well as breaking global barriers, that were hitherto in a state of comatose.

Ahmad’s involvement in making the agency greater under the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, keeps our history and culture alive and competing with other administrative spaces in governance.

When history and culture are kept alive, there is every likelihood that, society becomes upright, enduring endearing and progressive in its own right.

The research believes that with the kind support the Bureau is getting from Governor Yusuf, Kano History and Culture Bureau would bounce back to glory. With Arc Ahmad, the current state administration, is capable enough to rewrite history of feats achieved from all standpoints.

Karami writes from Abuja
06/02/2026

A consortium of downstream oil marketers has called on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to investigate alleged anti-competitive pricing practices by the Dangote Refinery. The marketers claim that the refinery’s pricing strategies are discouraging fair competition and undermining business sustainability in Nigeria’s oil sector.

In a statement issued to journalists, the consortium emphasized that the FCCPC was established to combat anti-competitive practices and ensure a level playing field in the Nigerian economy. According to them, the commission’s mandate includes monitoring business interactions among wholesalers, retailers, and other market players, with the goal of preventing monopolistic tendencies and protecting consumers from exploitation.

The marketers alleged that Dangote Refinery has engaged in practices that amount to abuse of market dominance. They cited instances where buyers are charged a fixed price for commodities, only for the refinery to announce sudden price reductions after transactions have been completed. For example, they explained that if a commodity is purchased at ₦700 per unit, the refinery might later reduce the price by ₦100 without refunding the difference to earlier buyers.

They further claimed that bulk buyers, such as those purchasing millions of litres, are particularly disadvantaged. According to the consortium, once such buyers load their products, the refinery often reduces the price, effectively discouraging large-scale purchases. This practice, they argued, amounts to “disincentivising business” and creates uncertainty in the market.

The statement also highlighted that price gouging and fixing are recognized as criminal offences under Nigerian law, and the FCCPC has the authority to take legal action against violators. The marketers urged regulators in the oil sector to liaise closely with the FCCPC to ensure that pricing abuses are thoroughly investigated and addressed.

“The aim is to investigate abuse of prices and prevent practices that harm competition and consumers,” the consortium stressed, adding that unchecked market domination could erode trust and destabilize the downstream oil industry.

The consortium of marketers is concerned about pricing transparency and market fairness are now raising questions about its impact on competition and consumer welfare.

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has issued a strong condemnation of the Nigerian Senate’s recent rejection of a real-time electronic transmission of election results, labeling the move a “calculated blow against transparency, credibility, and public trust.”

In a strongly-worded statement released today, Alhaji Atiku described the decision as a “grave setback for electoral reform” and a sign that the ruling establishment is unwilling to subject elections to public scrutiny.

“The decision of the Nigerian Senate to reject the real-time electronic transmission of election results is a deliberate assault on electoral transparency,” Abubakar declared. “At a time when democracies across the world are strengthening their electoral systems through technology, the Nigerian Senate has chosen to cling to opacity.”

The former presidential candidate argued that real-time electronic transmission is a non-partisan democratic essential. “It reduces human interference, limits result manipulation, and ensures that the will of the voter… is faithfully reflected,” he stated. He criticized the Senate for reverting to a “face-saving provision” from the 2022 Electoral Act, which critics say allows for delays and potential interference.

Atiku framed the Senate’s action as part of a troubling pattern. “Every reform that strengthens transparency is resisted, while every ambiguity that benefits incumbency is preserved,” he asserted. This, he warned, raises “troubling questions about the commitment of the ruling political establishment to free, fair, and credible elections in 2027.”

He emphasized that elections must be decided by voters, “not by manual delays, backroom alterations, [or] procedural excuses.”

Concluding with a rallying cry, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar called on “Nigerians, civil society organizations, the media, and the international community to take note of this regression” and to demand a modern electoral system.

“Nigeria deserves elections that are transparent, verifiable, and beyond manipulation,” he said. “Anything less is an injustice to the electorate and a betrayal of democracy.”

The statement signals heightened political tensions as the nation begins its long-cycle preparations for the next general election, with opposition figures positioning electoral integrity as a central battle line.