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Not Otedola: First HoldCo Reveals Buyer of N323.3billion Bank Share

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First HoldCo Plc, the parent company of Nigeria’s oldest lender First Bank, has revealed the details of the buyer that purchased huge volumes of the shares of the financial services group through off-market dealings during the week.

Roughly one quarter of First HoldCo’s total issued shares, equivalent to 10.43 billion ordinary shares, were traded off the market on Wednesday in 17 negotiated deals at N31 per unit, a source told PREMIUM TIMES. That put the value of the transactions at N323.3 billion.

“The sellers were Barbican Capital Limited & affiliates and Leadway Group & affiliates, and the buyer was RC Investment Management Limited,” First HoldCo said in a statement to NGX Regulation Limited on Friday, seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

Barbican Capital Limited is controlled by Oba Otudeko, a one-time chair of the board of directors of the holding company, while Tunde Hassan-Odukale, a former chairman of First Bank, is the chief executive officer of Leadway Assurance Company Limited.

According to information gathered by PREMIUM TIMES, Barbican Capital sold 5.88 billion units, Peace Account GASL Nominee (associated with Mr Otudeko), sold 1.52 billion shares, RAML/MEF9 (associated with Mr Otudeko) sold 392.9 million shares, UBAPC/Leadway Pensure PFA Ltd FD1-T (associated with Mr Hassan-Odukale) sold 6 million shares, while ZPC/Leadway/NNPC Staff Pen Inv A/C – TRA (associated with Mr Hassan-Odukale) sold 24 million shares.

Also, Mr Hassan-Odukale sold 30.7 million shares, UBAPC/Leadway Pensure PFA Ltd FundIII-T (associated with Mr Hassan-Odukale) sold 39.9 million, Leadway Holdings Limited (associated with Mr Hassan-Odukale) sold 1.03 billion shares, ZPC/Leadway Assur. Prem. Coll. & Inv. A/C-T (associated with Mr Hassan-Odukale) sold 323.6 million, Leadway Assurance Co. Ltd (associated with Mr Hassan-Odukale) sold 432.3 million, while UBAPC/Leadway Pensure PFA Ltd-T (associated with Mr Hassan-Odukale) sold 392.3 million shares.

“Immediately the information entered the market, it pushed the share price sharply upwards to N32.2. The deals happened towards the close of the market,” a trader with knowledge of the deals told PREMIUM TIMES in confidence.

In the same document, the financial institution refuted reports by ThisDay and Business Day newspapers as well as by Arise TV regarding the shares.

First HoldCo stated that its chairman, Femi Otedola, was not involved in the purchase of the shares, going further to say that neither did the Federal Government of Nigeria or any of its agencies acquire the shares.

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BREAKING: Presidency Finally Speaks After APC Governor Builds Beer Factory in Two Years

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Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has praised Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia over the completion of the Food Basket Brewery, a facility his administration built from the ground up within two years.

Onanuga made the remarks while sharing a video of a visit by the presidential media team to the brewery in Benue State, sharing footage of the facility with the public. The brewery produces the Zeva beer brand and malt, and has so far employed over 2,000 people since it began operations.

Governor Alia initiated and completed the brewery project within his first two years in office. The facility represents one of the more visible industrial investments tied to his administration, introducing a locally branded product while creating thousands of direct jobs in a state historically known for agriculture rather than manufacturing.

The presidential media team’s visit drew attention to the scale of the project, with Onanuga pointing to it as evidence of tangible progress under the APC governor’s watch.

The timing of the visit carries political significance. Governor Alia is expected to seek re-election in the 2027 general elections, and the spotlight on the brewery comes as the ruling party looks to showcase achievements by its governors ahead of the polls.

The presidency’s statement has started generating mixed reactions from Nigerians. Below are some of their comments:

Obi Okafor wrote: “A reverend father built a local brewery; APC and Tinubu are praising him. Peter Obi built an international brewery; Reno, Bwala, Bayo and the rest of the APC gangs have been demonising him.”

Iwunna commented: “The same APC and its presidency that mock Peter Obi for brewery is celebrating brewery in Benue?”

Samuel tweeted: “I hope they will not also come after him by the time he dumps this party called APC, just like they always come after Peter Obi, saying instead of him building industry that will benefit Nigerians,

Real Samson, Esq. said: “That is what Tinubu should be doing. He should try to revive Ajaokuta Steel Company and Textile companies in Kaduna and Kano.”

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Tinubu Approves New Recruitment Into Federal Civil Service

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Nigeria, Benin Sign Integration Pact

President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment process for 3,252 verified Parent-Teacher Association teachers into the Federal Civil Service, a move aimed at addressing the persistent shortage of teachers in Federal Unity Colleges and improving the quality of education.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah.

According to the minister, priority will be given to verified PTA teachers, many of whom have served in Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges for almost 25 years, allowing them to become part of the mainstream public service.

Alausa described the approval as a major intervention by the Tinubu administration and one of the most significant efforts to strengthen the teaching workforce, while recognising the contributions of thousands of PTA teachers who have sustained learning in federal schools over the years.

“This is a president who cares deeply for Nigeria and for the future of our country.

“The president has approved the recruitment of teachers. Priority will be given to absorbing verified PTA teachers, many of whom have served in our Federal Unity Colleges and Federal Technical Colleges for almost 25 years. This approval provides them with the opportunity to become part of the mainstream public service,” the minister said.

He said the recruitment followed a comprehensive verification exercise conducted by an inter-ministerial committee, which screened eligible PTA teachers across Federal Unity Colleges.

The exercise, he said, verified “3,252 teachers across the cadres of Education Officers, Assistant Education Officers and Technical Instructors, paving the way for their regularisation upon completion of all statutory requirements.”

Describing the development as a milestone under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Alausa said the recruitment would improve the teacher-student ratio in Federal Unity Colleges while rewarding teachers who had remained committed despite years of uncertainty.

According to him, integrating experienced PTA teachers into the federal public service would preserve institutional knowledge, strengthen classroom instruction and improve learning outcomes across the colleges.

“The recruitment forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to improve teacher quality and reposition the colleges as centres of academic excellence,” he said.

The minister added that the education ministry would continue to work with relevant government agencies to conclude the remaining statutory processes required for the issuance of the final recruitment approval in line with public service regulations.

He thanked Tinubu for approving the exercise, saying the decision demonstrated the administration’s resolve to place education at the centre of national development.

“Investing in teachers is fundamental to building a stronger education system, as no education system can rise above the quality of its teachers,” he said.

Alausa assured all verified PTA teachers that the regularisation process would be concluded with transparency, fairness and due diligence.

He also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to implementing policies that strengthen the teaching profession, improve learning outcomes and ensure that learners in Federal Unity Colleges receive quality education from competent and dedicated teachers.

For years, Federal Unity Colleges have relied on PTA teachers engaged and paid by PTAs to bridge chronic staffing gaps caused by inadequate recruitment into the federal teaching service. Many of the teachers have worked in the colleges for between 10 and 25 years without permanent appointments, despite performing the same classroom responsibilities as regular government-employed teachers.

Successive administrations received appeals from the affected teachers and education stakeholders to regularise their appointments, arguing that the prolonged reliance on PTA-funded staff placed a financial burden on parents and created job insecurity for thousands of qualified teachers.

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BREAKING: Tinubu Takes Fresh Action After EFCC Freezes Osun Government Accounts

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President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately approach the court to vacate an order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, saying the timing of the action could undermine public confidence in the forthcoming governorship election.

The President made this known in a statement issued on Thursday after it emerged that the EFCC had secured a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the state’s accounts.

Tinubu said although he respects the independence of anti-corruption agencies and had no prior knowledge of the EFCC’s action, he was concerned that the move came just days before the Osun governorship election.

According to him, actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the Presidency, regardless of whether he was involved in the decision-making process.

“I feel deeply embarrassed, not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action,” the President stated.

Tinubu reiterated that since assuming office, he has consistently allowed the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies to carry out their constitutional responsibilities independently, without political interference or executive directives.

He stressed that strong democratic institutions must operate within the law and without fear or favour, adding that he has deliberately avoided interfering in the operational activities of anti-corruption agencies.

The President, however, noted that while he had yet to receive the full details surrounding the EFCC’s decision to obtain the court order, the timing of the action was “inauspicious” given the proximity of the Osun governorship election.

He warned that no action should create the impression that any federal agency was being used to influence or interfere with the electoral process.

“In the overriding public interest of preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard,” Tinubu said.

The directive is expected to ease concerns over the freezing of the state’s accounts as political parties and stakeholders prepare for the governorship election in Osun State.

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