The Federal Government has said that oil marketers should expect a payment of N236 billion as the first tranche of the outstanding N348 billion subsidy claims by the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA).

Chief Operating officer, Downstream of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Henry Nkem-Obih who disclosed this said government was fully committed to pay the first tranche as promised on Friday and will be paid through promissory notes that would be issued by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

“We agreed that after the first tranche is paid, the marketers would form a committee to work on details of how the next tranche will be paid in 2019 and the last tranche in 2020,” he said.

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The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has decried the alleged freezing of all accounts belonging to its Vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his wife as well as his family members and their businesses by agencies of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

In a statement by a spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party wondered why the Presidency would choose to investigate “Peter Obi, who left office as governor of Anambra five years ago with a nationally acclaimed clean record and zero tolerance for corruption,” alleging that the Buhari Presidency was intimidated by Obi’s resume, particularly, his general acceptance as epitome of fiscal responsibility, frugality and transparency in governance.

“It is ludicrous that President Buhari would continue to condone the looting of our treasuries by his party leaders and the cabal in his Presidency, which even, the First Lady had alluded to, only to be using government agencies to attempt to blackmail our presidential and vice presidential candidates whose reputation stands clear before all Nigerians,” it added.

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Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reacted to the accusation by the opposition party, stressing that the PDP failed to mention any agency.

Acting Spokesman of the EFCC, Tony Orilade, who disclosed this in a statement, said the EFCC is a law abiding agency committed to ridding the nation of economic and financial crimes and it would not relent to do. so

“But let nobody cry wolf where non exist. Please direct your question to the author of the statement; and please let us not speak in parables. And let the media not interpret out of context,” he added.

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday declared that he had no preferred candidate in the forthcoming general elections adding that he would not tell Nigerians to vote or not to vote for any particular candidate.

Following calls by some supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for sanctions to be met on Governors Rochas Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun of Imo and Ogun respectively, for engaging in anti-party activities, the ruling party has said it would not be stampeded to make any hasty move, but wait for the outcome of steps taken by the reconciliation committee.

Spokesman of the party, Lanre Issa-Onilu, who spoke on the development in a report by Guardian, noted that such actions meant anti-party activities, but would be too early to start taking action against anyone since the activities of these people also emanated from issues surrounding the primaries, stressing that there was need to allow the committees to do their work.

“Our world view is that every man has one vote and everybody is equal before the law. And in the application of our rules, there would be no fear or favour, but our main focus is reconciliation and we are very hopeful that at the end of the day, there would be no need for any punitive action,” he added.

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And stories from around the world:

China warned Canada on Saturday that there would be severe consequences if it did not immediately release Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s [HWT.UL] chief financial officer, calling the case “extremely nasty.” (Reuters)

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Yemeni officials have said that removing President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi will “not solve the country’s problems” after their adversaries, the Houthi rebels, proposed the formation of a new transitional government. (Al Jazeera)

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A body, believed to be that of murdered British backpacker Grace Millane, was found Sunday on the outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand police said.

Formal identification would take place Monday, but police were confident the search for Millane had come to an end. (AFP)

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani predicted a “deluge” of drugs, refugees and attacks on the West if U.S. sanctions weaken Iran’s ability to contain them. (Reuters)

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French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe has vowed to “restore national unity” after violence broke out during a fourth consecutive weekend of protests.

Police used tear gas and rubber bullets on Saturday – the latest day of “yellow vest” demonstrations against fuel tax rises and high living costs. (AFP)