Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, has withdrawn from the presidential race in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has returned to work.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who monitored development at the ministry in Abuja on Monday reports that Sylva withdrew having considered the enormous work at hand at the ministry.

NAN reports that the Northern Solidarity Group had on May 9, presented the APC’s Expression of Interest and Nomination form to the minister to enable him to contest the party’s 2023 presidential primaries.

An official at the ministry who chose to remain anonymous said Sylva withdrew from the race to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his quest to achieve a robust oil sector.

“He promised to consult the leader of the country and his political leaders the day he was presented with the form.

“He believes that concentrating on his work will attract more investments for the oil and gas sector.

“He has consulted and he believes that the challenges at the ministry and oil and gas sector are enough issues for him to begin to deal with now than going to pursue presidential ambition at the expense of the nation.

“The oil and gas sector is the mainstay of the economy and it is not like any other ministry somebody can just come in and take over.

“It requires some measures of time for the person to understand what is happening in the system.

“For the interest of the industry and the nation, he has decided to wave that personal ambition to see what he can contribute in the remaining part of President Buhari’s administration.

“The implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 is very critical and he wants to continue to make his own contribution to the day-to-day running of the country and support Mr President for robust achievements,” the official said.

Meanwhile, Mr Horatious Egua, Senior Special Assistant to the minister on media, when contacted, confirmed to NAN that the minister was back to work. (NAN)

Ms Hasfat Abiola-Costello, the Director-General, Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation, has said she will stand with Governor Yahaya Bello (GYB) of Kogi State in the race for the APC presidential ticket and not South West aspirants.

Abiola-Costello said she is throwing her weight behind Bello because she had seen in him, qualities of the kind of leader Nigeria needed at this point in time.

She said this on Monday while addressing newsmen in Lagos ahead of the APC presidential primaries slated for May 30 and 31, in Abuja.

Abiola-Costello, daughter of the winner of the 1993 presidential election, late Chief MKO Abiola, said she chose Bello over all other South West aspirants because she had seen in him, a true commitment to the progress of the country.

She also said she is proud of the governor’s records in Kogi.

Abiola-Costello, however, said Bello was a loyal and respectful person, who would carry everyone along after he emerged.

On the economy, she noted that statistics from the World Bank on states’ accountability rating in Nigeria indicated that Kogi ranked top among other states in the country.

She said: “This is a man who met a debt profile of about N135 billion in Kogi when he assumed office in 2016 but had been able to reduce it to about N70 billion.

“This is in addition to his huge investments in education, agriculture, security and infrastructural developments.

“The World Bank accountability ranking of states in Nigeria evaluated Kogi as second in 2017, first in 2020 and 2020.

“The draft report for 2020 shows that Kogi scored 100 per cent in all the areas and from indications, the state will maintain the first position in 2021, judging from the draft report that was released just yesterday.

“I am proud of Bello because of his development records in Kogi. This is a governor that is always looking for progress and the development of the lives of his people.

“This is me, a Yoruba, supporting someone from North Central.

“There is no progress without demands, I lost both my parents, though unfortunately because Nigerians believed in them. I’ve been working with GYB for a while and I have seen that he has the courage and intelligence to deliver Nigeria.”

She said as one of the foremost presidential aspirants of the party, Bello had reached out to party stakeholders in nearly all parts of the country, adding that he stood a better chance to clinch the party’s ticket than others. (NAN)

Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa is a Nigerian radio and television on-air personality. He was known to most just as Wildchild but since his marriage, has been known as simply IK.  He is known for his work with Rhythm 93.7 FM, but he is also a presenter on MNet’s Studio 53 and is best known as the presenter of Big Brother Africa. Here’s Ik Osakioduwa Biography, Age, Net worth, Wife, Children, Education, Occupation, etc.

Who is IK?

Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa was born May 21, 1979 in Lagos. His parents are homemaker Felicia Oviawe and Brigadier General Samuel Oviawe, he is the middle child of five children. I.k. started out on stage at a young age, acting in stage plays and being in the choir as early as age 7. At age 15 along with some of his siblings and cousins recorded a tape in which he pretended to be a radio show host taking calls from listeners.

Full name: Ikponmwosa Osakioduwa

Stage name: Ik, Wild Child

Date of birth: May 21, 1979

Age: 43

Place of birth: Lagos

State of origin: Edo State

Nationality: Nigerian

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Spouse: Olohije Osakioduwa (m. 2008)

Parents: Rtd Gen Sam & Mrs. Felicia Oviawe

Children: Osahar ^{and Micah}

Siblings: 5

Net worth: $7 million

Education: University of Lagos, King’s College, Lagos

Occupation: On-air personality, TV Presenter, TV Producer, MD Lite Communication Limited

Awards: Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Award for African Broadcaster of the Year (Male)

Social media: [email protected]https://www.instagram.com/ikosakioduwa/

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While studying Ik Osakioduwatook part in many stage plays and concerts, where he discovered and groomed his talent as a Master of Ceremonies/Host. After graduating from University in 2001, Ik Osakioduwa worked for Rhythm 93.7 FM, as a presenter popularly known as The Wild Child (thanks to his humorous and unpredictable personality).

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Photo Credit: Getty

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