By our Correspondent

For more than a week, the University of Uyo has been in total blackout across its Town Campus, Annex Campus, and the Permanent Campus following disconnection from the national grid, our Correspondent reports.

A highly placed source in the Works Department of the University, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed that officials of the Power Holding Company cut off supply because the institution owes electricity bills running into millions of naira.

“The school has not been consistent in paying. NEPA came and disconnected the light, and since then everywhere has been in darkness,” the source said.

The situation has thrown both students and staff into dire conditions, with sanitary challenges worsening by the day.

In the female hostels, students lament that toilets are clogged and unfit for use. “The place is very dirty. Everywhere smells because there is no light to pump water. Some of us can’t even take proper baths,” a 300-level student in the Faculty of Arts, who lives in the Hostel, lamented.

Another student from the Faculty of Medicine said the blackout has disrupted academic life. “We can’t read at night. Even in the laboratory medical students suffer because the generators can’t run continuously. This is affecting our training seriously,” he said.

From the Faculty of Education, a final-year student expressed frustration: “We are preparing for tests, yet we are in darkness. If this continues, students may protest. We have endured too much already.”

In the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, students also raised concerns about the impact on laboratory work. “Our practicals depend on steady light. Now everything is suspended. It feels like the management doesn’t care about our future,” a student complained.

Staff of the University are equally stranded. Offices remain unequipped to function, leaving core administrative duties hanging.

A staff member in the Exams and Records Department, who spoke under condition of anonymity, revealed that the blackout has slowed the processing of transcripts. “People think we delay transcripts deliberately, but how can we prepare them when there is no light to power computers? Applicants keep piling pressure on us, yet we are handicapped,” the staff lamented.

The frustration is widespread among lecturers as well. “We can’t even print documents or access online materials from our offices. The Vice Chancellor has failed us. Administration is about foresight, but here there is none,” a lecturer in the Faculty of Social Sciences stated.

Many stakeholders point fingers squarely at the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, accusing him of ineptitude and poor leadership.

“The management is clueless. How can a university be cut off from power for over a week in this age? This is a disgrace, and the Vice Chancellor should be held responsible,” a staff in the Faculty of Education asserted.

Students are already mobilizing, and a major protest may erupt if urgent steps are not taken to restore power.

In a landmark ruling that has sent shockwaves across China and the global political landscape, former Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian has been sentenced to death after being found guilty of taking massive bribes amounting to $38 million (268 million yuan) over a period of nearly two decades.

The judgment, delivered on Sunday by the People’s Court of Changchun in Jilin Province, marks one of the most high-profile convictions in President Xi Jinping’s ongoing anti-corruption crusade.

Court Verdict and Sentence

According to court officials, Tang Renjian abused his positions of authority between 2007 and 2024, amassing illicit wealth in both cash and luxury assets. Judges declared that his crimes “caused particularly severe losses to the interests of the state and the people”, which justified the death penalty.

However, in line with Chinese judicial practice, the death sentence was issued with a two-year reprieve. This means Tang could potentially have his punishment commuted to life imprisonment if he demonstrates “good behavior” and cooperation during incarceration.

The court also emphasized that Tang admitted to the charges and expressed remorse throughout the proceedings—factors that played a role in the conditional nature of his sentencing.

Xi Jinping’s Anti-Graft Campaign

Tang’s conviction is the latest chapter in President Xi Jinping’s sweeping anti-graft campaign, which has toppled dozens of senior political and military officials in recent years. While supporters argue that the campaign has restored accountability and discipline in public service, critics suggest it has also been used as a political weapon to neutralize rivals.

The fall of Tang follows the dramatic ouster of two former Chinese defense ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe, who were both investigated for corruption and misconduct. Li was expelled from the Communist Party after only seven months in office, while reports suggest his successor, Dong Jun, may also be under scrutiny.

Tang Renjian’s Career and Downfall

Before his appointment as Agriculture Minister, Tang held influential positions as Governor of Gansu Province and Vice Chairman of Guangxi Autonomous Region. His career trajectory made him one of the most powerful figures in Beijing’s agricultural and rural development policies.

But investigators revealed that during his tenure, Tang consistently traded government influence for cash, real estate, and other illicit benefits—a pattern the court described as “deliberate and systematic corruption.”

Global and Domestic Reactions

The sentencing has stirred international attention, with analysts highlighting how the ruling underscores China’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption. Human rights advocates, however, have raised concerns about the use of capital punishment in corruption-related cases, questioning whether political motivations may have influenced the trial.

Domestically, state media outlets hailed the ruling as a “strong warning” to other officials tempted by corruption. Citizens on Chinese social platforms expressed mixed reactions, with some applauding the sentence as a necessary measure, while others questioned whether deeper structural reforms were needed to curb systemic graft.

The Bigger Picture

Tang’s downfall illustrates the precarious balance of power within China’s ruling elite. As President Xi’s administration continues to tighten control, more high-ranking figures may face similar fates. The case also raises critical questions about transparency, accountability, and political stability in the world’s second-largest economy.

The Marshal | September 27, 2025

A major showdown is brewing between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, as the oil workers’ union has vowed to storm the $20 billion refinery following the alleged dismissal of over 800 Nigerian employees.

The refinery, located in Lekki, Lagos State, is Africa’s largest, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. It was commissioned with fanfare and positioned as a game-changer for Nigeria’s energy independence. But the latest controversy has sparked outrage, threatening industrial harmony in the nation’s petroleum sector.

PENGASSAN Alleges Retaliation Against Workers

In a strongly worded statement, PENGASSAN General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, accused the Dangote Refinery of deliberately targeting employees who had recently completed the process of unionisation in compliance with Federal Government directives.

“As of Thursday, over 800 Nigerian workers voluntarily joined the union. Management identified them through a headcount, and by the next day, letters of dismissal were issued,” Okugbawa alleged.

He claimed the dismissed workers were replaced with over 2,000 Indian expatriates, a development the union described as anti-labour, discriminatory, and a direct assault on Nigerian workers.

“In this Nigeria, you’re firing our citizens and retaining expatriates who contribute far less. Is that what we call reorganisation? We cannot fold our arms while Nigerians are humiliated in their own country,” he declared.

Dangote Refinery Denies Mass Sack

The refinery, however, denied reports of mass layoffs, insisting that only “a few workers” were affected. According to management, the disengagement was part of a wider reorganisation strategy to address repeated sabotage incidents that had raised major safety concerns.

A letter issued to affected staff read:

> “In view of the many recent cases of reported sabotage in different units of the refinery leading to major safety concerns, management is constrained to carry out a total reorganisation of the plant. Consequently, your services are no longer required effective from Thursday, September 25, 2025. Kindly surrender all company property to your line manager and obtain clearance accordingly.”

The refinery further assured the public that operations remain unaffected and that workers uninvolved in sabotage have no reason to fear.

Court Injunction and Union’s Response

Dangote Refinery is reported to have obtained a court injunction against picketing or any form of industrial action within its premises. But PENGASSAN says it will not be intimidated.

“The National Executive Council of the union will meet to decide our next steps. We will resist injustice, even if it means mass protests across the facility and government institutions,” Okugbawa said.

Labour experts warn that the dispute could escalate if urgent dialogue is not initiated, given the sensitive nature of the refinery as a strategic national asset.

Nigerians React to Controversy

The development has generated heated reactions among Nigerians, with many on social media accusing the refinery of “labour imperialism” and demanding Federal Government intervention.

Some citizens expressed shock that a refinery celebrated as a national pride could allegedly sideline Nigerian workers in favour of expatriates. Others called for immediate investigations by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and the National Assembly.

Possible Economic Impact

Analysts say prolonged labour unrest could negatively impact the refinery’s production schedule, which is expected to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products. The refinery is projected to save the country billions of dollars annually in foreign exchange and stabilise domestic fuel supply.

But with PENGASSAN threatening strikes and picketing, there are concerns that delays in output could affect fuel availability, investor confidence, and Nigeria’s broader economic stability.

Call for Government Mediation

Stakeholders are urging President Bola Tinubu’s administration to intervene swiftly to avert a full-blown crisis. They argue that while management has the right to enforce discipline and reorganisation, such actions must not undermine the rights of Nigerian workers or violate local content policies.

“This issue goes beyond Dangote Refinery. It is about protecting Nigerian jobs, ensuring fairness, and preventing an unhealthy precedent where expatriates replace citizens in their own country,” a labour rights activist said.

Conclusion

As tension mounts, the Dangote Refinery finds itself at the centre of a labour storm that could define its relationship with host communities and Nigerian workers. While management insists the sack was a safety measure, PENGASSAN maintains it was retaliation for unionisation.

The coming days will determine whether dialogue prevails or if the refinery, a beacon of industrial hope, becomes the stage for Nigeria’s next major labour crisis.