Two men were arraigned by the police before a Badagry Magistrates' Court on Wednesday for locking up two police inspectors who were in their house to arrest them. 

 

The suspects were accused of assaulting and threatening the lives of the two police officers, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. 

The suspects, Sule Kurti (49) and Omotunde Ismail (35) are standing trial on four counts of assault, threat to life, breach of peace and malicious damage.

 

The prosecutor, ASP Ikem Uko, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on May 7, at about 5 am in the Morogbo area of Lagos.

 

He said the defendants threatened the lives of Inspector Izevbekhai Imevbore and Inspector Ariyo Kayode, who were sent from Morogbo Division to arrest them.

 

ASP Uko further told the court: “The defendants hit one of the officers, Kayode, with an iron rod on his left hand and shoulder and inflicted internal injury on him.

 

“They also assaulted them by locking the police officers in their house and beating them while performing their constitutional duty.

 

“The defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by locking the iron gate against them.

 

“They also damaged one phone valued at N45,000, property of one of the police officers.”

 

The Magistrate, Mr Patrick Adekomaiya, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 each, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to May 25.  

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Reverend Father Joseph Akete of St. John Catholic Church, Kudenda in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has been reported dead while in the kidnappers' den. 

According to Punch, Father Joseph was among those kidnapped eight weeks ago by suspected bandits who invaded the church, an attack that also led to the killing of the church security guard.

The Church Chancellor confirmed the pastor was sick before he was abducted, stating that the criminals did not allow him to go along with his drugs when the incident happened. 

The Chancellor said, “Rev. Father Joseph, aged 48, was kidnapped from his residence, in St. John Catholic Church, Kudenda, where he was serving as parish priest, on March 8, 2022.

“His brother was killed there in his presence and after his brother was killed, his condition worsened and he died."

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown open its ticket for the 2023 presidential election, shunning calls for zoning.

 

The party also appointed former Senate President, Senator David Mark, as the Chairman of, the National Convention Organising Committee, scheduled for May 28 and May 29 to elect the party’s presidential candidate, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. 

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba, disclosed this while reading the communique issued at the end of the party’s 96th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Wednesday night in Abuja.

 

“After very extensive deliberation, NEC aligned with the recommendation of the PDP National Zoning Committee that the Presidential Election should now be thrown open.

 

“The Party should also work towards consensus candidate where possible," he said. 

 

There have been calls by some activists, civil society groups and politicians, particularly from Southern Nigeria, that the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should zone their presidential ticket to the South, saying it is the fair thing to do. 

The incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari, is from Northern Nigeria and would have spent eight years in office by 2023 when his tenure would expire. 

 

"NEC noted the recommendation of the Zoning Committee that in the interest of justice and fair play, the Party should take decision on Zoning timeously so as to prevent complications in the process.

 

“On the Presidential Primary and National Convention, NEC ratified that the conduct of the Presidential Primary (Special National Convention) to elect our Party’s Presidential Candidate be done on Saturday, May 28 to Sunday, May 29 in Abuja.

 

“NEC approved the setting up of the National Convention Organising Committee and approved the appointment of Senator David Mark as Chairman; Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as Deputy Chairman and Ibrahim Shema as Secretary.

 

“NEC assured of free, fair, credible and transparent processes for the emergence of our Party’s Candidates for all elective positions in the 2023 general elections.”

 

Ologunagba said that the NEC condemned the inability to rescue Nigerians still languishing in their abductors’ dens, including victims of the March 28 terrorism attack on the Abuja/Kaduna train.

 

“NEC urged the Federal Government to live up to its Constitutional duty to secure life and property and ensure an unconditional release of all the abductees.”

 

He added that NEC also rejected the continuing closure of public universities in Nigeria.

 

Earlier in his opening remarks, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, said that with the enthusiasm spirit within the party, he believed that nothing would stop the PDP from regaining power in May 2023.

 

Ayu urged PDP NEC members to continue with enthusiasm to resolve differences within the party among themselves and to make sure they work hard at the grassroots level to win elections.

 

“I can assure you that the National Working Committee (NWC) will continue to listen to you, we will continue to make sure that we improve and work harder.

 

“At the end of the day, it will not be for lack of trying. I believe our effort will be good enough,” Ayu said.

 

Also, the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal, pledged the commitment of the governors to successfully conduct the party convention.

 

“I assure you that your governors, as always, are ready to continue to give you every support that is required for our party to emerge successful in the general elections, starting with congresses at various levels.”

 

He added that the forum is also proud of the Ayu-led National Working Committee, especially for the transformations he is bringing to the party.

 

Also speaking, the minority leader in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, speaking for the PDP National Assembly Caucus, commended the commitment of the NWC, and all the stakeholders toward the challenge ahead.

 

Elumelu advised the Federal Government to immediately address the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the problem in the aviation sector.

 

“More importantly, we call on Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari to take stronger steps to secure the release of those abducted by terrorists, including those in the Kaduna-Abuja train, especially the woman who put to bed at the den of kidnappers.

 

“We must not let our citizens continue to languish in captivity,” Elumelu said.

 

The minority leader who claimed that Nigerians are waiting for the return of PDP, urged the party’s NEC members to go into the committee meeting united. 

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President Goodluck Jonathan has formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in a bid to recontest for President in 2023.

This comes hours after disowning a nomination form purportedly procured for him by a northern group.

Following reports that a coalition of northern socio-cultural groups, basically of Fulani extraction, purchased N100 million nomination and expression of interest forms of the APC for the former President to contest for President again in 2023, Jonathan swiftly rejected the presidential form purchased for him on Monday. 

Speaking through his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, the former president said it was an insult for the group to have bought him the form without his permission.

But according to the News Agency of Nigeria, a credible source in Jonathan’s camp said the former President has finally decided to vie for the top office again. 

Jonathan lost to the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told NAN that the former president has formally joined the APC after registering at his Otuoke Ward in Bayelsa.

He is expected to submit the duly filled forms on Thursday. See Also Exclusive EXCLUSIVE: How Jonathan Gave Jigawa Governor, Badaru Over N200Million, Sent Him To Buy APC Presidential Nomination Form To Deceive Nigerians 0 Comments 1 Week Ago

“Several bigwigs of the party have also been calling Jonathan to pledge their loyalty and support to the former president,’’ the source said.

The source told NAN political correspondent late on Wednesday that some influential African leaders had called Mr Jonathan earlier on Monday to advise him “to contest the election in the interest of Nigeria".

“At least three top African leaders called the former president on the matter. They all urged him to run.

“One of them specifically told him that it didn’t make sense travelling all over Africa settling disputes only to shy away from leadership responsibility in his home country.

“Another reminded him of the implication of failing to put the experiences he garnered as a former Nigerian president and as a continental statesman to good use,” the source also said. 

According to the source, some of the African leaders told Jonathan that Nigeria was passing through challenging times and in need of "a unifier like Jonathan at this time’’.

The source did not disclose the names of the African leaders. 

SaharaReporters exclusively reported on Tuesday that claims by the former President that he did not authorise the purchase of the multi-million-naira forms were far from the truth.

“Contrary to his denials, former President Goodluck Jonathan gave over N200 million to the governor of Jigawa, Mohammed Badaru, to purchase the APC nomination and expression of interest forms for him,” a source privy to the arrangement told SaharaReporters.

Interestingly, the Jigawa governor, Badaru had last week joined other interested presidential aspirants to vie for the ticket of the APC by buying the N100 million nomination and expression of interest forms.

“I will join the Presidential race since everyone knows I’m a highly qualified person to do the job,” Badaru had been quoted as saying during an APC stakeholders’ meeting held at Government House in Dutse last Tuesday.

The governor was also said to have told the gathering during the meeting that he was pressurised by his colleagues to contest for the presidential seat.

His media aide, Auwalu Sankara, said his principal had sought President Muhammadu Buhari’s blessings before buying the forms.

But SaharaReporters learnt that the Jigawa governor had bought the forms and come up with the statements as a ruse to deceive Nigerians; as he was indeed working for Jonathan.

It was further learnt that Jonathan had backed out of the plan and swiftly come up with the denial after the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, refused to guarantee that the former President would be the consensus candidate of the ruling party.

“The reason why he (Jonathan) gave him that much money – over N200 million – was that he asked the governor to buy himself a form too in order to cover up the deal,” the source had said.

“And upon purchasing the form, Jonathan alerted Buhari. Buhari told him to meet with the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, but Adamu said he can’t guarantee him as a consensus candidate

“At that point, GEJ (Goodluck Ebele Jonathan) started denying that he purchased the form,” another source had said.

SaharaReporters much earlier broke the story of how a cabal in the ruling APC had pushed for Jonathan to succeed Buhari, after being impressed by how the former President never openly criticised the Buhari government despite its ineptitude and the insults the APC, as an opposition party, hurled at him (Jonathan) ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

The fact that Jonathan cannot spend more than one term in office, if they can manage to get him there, was also not lost on the cabal. However, SaharaReporters had also reported how Jonathan was later called a betrayer by the cabal after he failed to fulfil some of the conditions given to him, including convincing some PDP governors to defect to the APC.

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Former deputy governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and presidential aspirant of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Kingsley Moghalu has said battles will be taken to the enemies if he is elected president of Nigeria.
Moghalu, in an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday monitored by SaharaReporters, said people abducted by terrorists and bandits will be rescued using tactics as seen in movies or as done in advanced countries.

He said, “The military has to be strengthened; we need to go into the forests and take control of our territory, you must take the battle to the enemy.  
"You manage the risk of collateral damage, do terrorists live in the forest? Terrorists are living in this forest." 
"Well, there are ways to rescue victims; it happens. We watch it in movies and we have seen it done in many countries; that’s why I talked about upgrading and also using technology. If we use technology, I think we can be more proactive against terrorists,” he said.
Moghalu also knocked TraderMoni and FarmerMoni initiatives of the Muhammadu Buhari-led government, saying if they were successful, there wouldn't have been a high unemployment rate in the country. 
He, however, promised to establish N1 trillion venture fund that will give temporary employment to Nigerian graduates for a period of between six months and a year. 
“I intend to establish a one trillion naira venture capital fund which will give temporary unemployment support to young people coming out of the universities for a period of six months or a maximum of one year on a condition they go through skills training and the venture capital fund will give young people funds to start a new business based on their skills,” he said. 
Moghalu also promised to revamp the police force.  

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Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio

Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs has tendered his resignation. 
This is to allow him to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio
President Muhammadu Buhari earlier on Wednesday directed all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) running for elective offices to submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday, May 16, 2022.
The order was announced during the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by the President at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.
His resignation comes after those of the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, both also aiming for the presidency. 
The Minister’s Personal Assistant to the Minister on Media, Jackson Udom, confirmed the resignation to The Nation.
“The minister has resigned. He has submitted his resignation letter to the SGF. We are waiting for him at the ICC, where he is coming to submit his nomination form,” he said. 
Incidentally, the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Tayo Alasoadura, had also picked up relevant forms to contest for the Ondo Central Senatorial seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). 
He will also have to resign from office to keep his political ambition alive, meaning there will temporarily be no minister in the ministry. 




 

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Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation has tendered his resignation. 
This is to allow him to contest the 2023 presidential election.

President Muhammadu Buhari earlier on Wednesday directed all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) running for elective offices to submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday, May 16, 2022.
Amaechi's resignation comes after those of the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, all aiming for the presidency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). 
APC United Kingdom on its official Twitter handle on Wednesday announced the resignation of Amaechi, saying, “Nigeria’s Minister of #Transportation, HM Chibuike R. Amaechi [@ChibuikeAmaechi] has resigned from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to focus on his Presidential Campaign.
“Thank you for your service to Nigeria.”

[BREAKING]

Nigeria's Minister of #Transportation, HM Chibuike R. Amaechi [@ChibuikeAmaechi] has resigned from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to focus on his Presidential Campaign.

Thank you for your service to Nigeria🇳🇬 👏👏👏@MinTransportNG @NigeriaGov pic.twitter.com/7T0ByKjJ2z

— APC United Kingdom (@APCUKingdom) May 11, 2022

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Abbas Umar Masanawa, Managing Director of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc was among those who picked the N50 million All Progressives Congress governorship nomination and expression of interest forms ahead of the primaries for the 2023 elections, SaharaReporters has gathered.
Masanawa is seeking to succeed Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari in 2023.

In addition to printing the banknotes and the postal orders of Nigeria, the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc also prints some electoral materials for the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The company, also referred to as The MINT, was established in 1963 by the Nigerian government in partnership with De La Rue of the UK and is under the Central Bank of Nigeria.
It began full operation in 1965, producing currency notes and coins for the CBN as well as a wide range of security documents for the government, commercial banks, and blue-chip companies, among others.
Sources told SaharaReporters that Masanawa has refused to resign despite picking up the APC governorship forms.
“The man that mints the naira note has come out to say he is a member of the APC and also declared to run for governor. The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc actually prints some of our election materials. He is from Katsina, he has refused to resign just like his boss at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele,” a source told SaharaReporters.
This comes a few days after the Independent National Electoral Commission said the involvement of the CBN Governor, Emefiele in politics was threatening the 2023 elections.
INEC in a statement by Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to its Chairman, said the commission might move ballot papers from the CBN vaults.
The Chairman of the APC Ward 6 of the Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Nduka Erikpume, had on Sunday confirmed Emefiele’s membership of the ruling party, saying the CBN governor registered as far back as February 2021.
Three support groups had last week purportedly bought APC N100m presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for Emefiele.
Demanding his resignation, some civil society organisations including BudgIt, CISLAC, CLP, Dataphyte, EiE Nigeria said, “The CBN Act (2007) was written to protect the CBN from external political interference, not expecting that the interference could be internal at the highest level.
“If there is any doubt about the implied and expected neutrality of the CBN, Nigerians should be reminded that the materials for our elections are kept in CBN offices across the country and the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (an agency of the CBN) prints some of our election materials.
“Separation of powers is at the heart of any democracy, and it is for this reason that by our laws, the CBN Governor cannot be appointed or removed at will by the executive arm of government.”
Earlier in the year, Auditor General for the Federation in its 2019 report indicted the mint company under Masanawa for N162 billion in financial infractions.
According to the AGF, the management of the Nigerian government-owned company could not account for the said amount.
The report said N91.1 billion, which appeared in the consolidated financial statements of the minting company for the year ended 31st December 2018 could not be verified and reconciled with the Assets Register due to the non-existence of a proper Non-Current Asset Inventories Ledger.
It also said that Inventories of Raw Materials amounting to N4,459,141,000.00 and Consumables amounting to N2,364,112,000.00 could also not be verified due to the non-existence of proper Inventory Receipts & Issues ledger.
The report said, “In all, a total of N97,918,703,000.00 reported in the company’s financial statement could not be confirmed. The above anomalies could be attributed to weaknesses in the internal control system at the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc.”
The AuGF report also said the sum of N48,931,124,278.37 was overcharged against the Statement of Financial Performance of the company for the years 2016 and 2019 with no verifiable evidence to justify these expenses as most of the figures contained in the Statement of Financial Performance were different from the balances obtained from the Trial Balance.
The report said that the minting company spent about N14.43 billion on salaries and allowances for its staff between 2016 and 2019 without the approval of the National Salaries, Income and Wages.
It also said that in contravention of the Pension Reform Acts, the company paid salaries to its workers without fully deducting only 5% from the workers as against the minimum 8% as stipulated in the law.
The report added that the company failed to deduct about N432.812 million contributory pension from its workers within the period.

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Ogbonnaya Onu

The Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, has resigned from office. 
This follows the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) running for elective offices to submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday, May 16, 2022.

Ogbonnaya Onu
The order which came on Wednesday was announced during the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by the President at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.
According to a report by Punch, sources within the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Ministry of Science and Technology confirmed that Onu had indeed dropped his resignation.
“The minister was at the office of the SGF to drop his resignation. That was expected seeing as the president asked that they all should resign,” a source was quoted as saying.
Onu had on May 6, 2022, declared for the presidency under the ruling All Progressives Congress.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba had resigned from office.
President Buhari had singled out the minister for finding the courage to resign from office.
Nwajiuba had declared his intention to run for President in 2023 and picked up the N100 million expression of interest and nomination forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
SaharaReporters had reported that the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday also asked all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) contesting elective positions in 2023 to resign.
According to Mohammed, the President’s order excludes the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo because he is an elected member of the cabinet. 

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A few days ago, it was reported that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmoud, was going to contest for the office of the President under the All Progressives Congress (APC). At about the same time, it was reported that a group of farmers had paid for and obtained the  nomination form of the APC to enable the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele,  to participate in the presidential primary election of the APC scheduled to hold later this month.  In a prompt denial of the news report, the INEC stated: "The Chairman remains an umpire committed to free, fair and credible elections. His constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation and Returning Officer for the presidential election are onerous enough for him to even contemplate straying into extraneous matters at variance with the law, morality and his personal principles. The chairman will continue to discharge his responsibilities without affection for, or ill-will against, any political party or candidate.” 
 
Unlike the INEC Chairman, the CBN Governor, Mr.  Emefiele, claimed to have registered as a member of the ruling party in a ward in Delta State, about three months ago. Notwithstanding the nationwide disapproval of  his involvement in politics Mr. Emefiele has rushed to the Federal High Court to seek the authorisation  to contest the presidential primary election of the ruling party without relinquishing the post of the Governor of the CBN. The ground of the legal gamble is that as a political appointee he is not affected by section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022. By seeking the relief, the Plaintiff wants the Federal High Court to confirm the decision of  the Umuahia Judicial Division of the Federal High Court on the subject matter. 
 

Nigerians have been wondering whether the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Inspector-General of Police, service chiefs and heads of security agencies can become members of political parties and contest elections and thereby destroy the independence and impartiality of the public institutions headed by them. More so, an institution like CBN which warehouses the ballot papers and other sensitive materials of the INEC. Incidentally, both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court have insisted on the independence and impartiality of electoral bodies and security agencies in the management of elections in Nigeria.  Thus, in the case of Olusegun Agagu & Ors v Olusegun Mimiko & Ors (2010) 32 WRN 16, the Court of Appeal criticized the Nigeria Police Force and the Independent National Electoral Commission for displaying bias during the 2007 Ondo State Governorship Election. The Justices of the Court unanimously held: 
 
"The only appeal outstanding for consideration is that of the second Respondent/Appellant who can really claim to be an aggrieved party. The other Appellants are nominal parties who have no stake as to the outcome of the appeal. It is none of their business to decide the person whom the electorates elect and consequently declared by the Court to be the winner and person returned. The primary functions of these purported Appellants are to ensure that there is fairness and security at the election. Public policy demands that the two institutions do not descend into the arena, and theirs is to tend the rope in the interest of peace and stability in the land, thus, they should learn to remain neutral and strive to attain the aura of neutrality bestowed on them by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I commend to these Appellants the attitude of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy, who were equally joined as Respondents, but did not enter the fray to further complicate proceedings that were already complicated."
 
In the same vein, in the case of Attorney-General of the Federation v Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (2007) 20 WRN 1, the Supreme Court berated the Police and INEC for their partiality in the management of the 2007 presidential election in the case of Attorney-General of the Federation v Atiku Abubakar.  Speaking for the apex court, Pius Aderemi JSC of blessed memory said: 
 
"The 2nd and the 3rd appellants in this matter are the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The office of the Inspector General of Police is a creation of the 1999 Constitution. The Nigeria Police Force is also a creation of the 1999 Constitution. See Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution. Also, by the force of the said 1999 Constitution, the Nigeria Police Force shall and is under the command of the Inspector General of Police. The primary duty; indeed the most fundamental duty of the Nigeria Police Force is the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order within the country. In the performance of its duty, the Nigeria Police Force must manifestly demonstrate impartiality; it must not lean to one side against the other; it must be apolitical. It must not take part in any disputation, which has political coloration. These qualities are sine qua non to the enhancement of public respectability to it. The appeal filed by the 2nd respondent (The Inspector General of Police) does the Nigeria Police Force no credit; it paints a picture of partiality by the Force. Also the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by its statutory existence is an independent body with constitutional powers to conduct elections in Nigeria. It must not only be an umpire, it must be seen, in the eyes of reasonable men, to be an impartial umpire in the conduct of an election. INEC must never by act of omission or commission place itself in a position where imputations of partiality in favour of one party against another one will be levelled against it.
 
“Neutrality must be the watchword of the body - it must always remain fair and focused. Having regard to the nature of the function which the Nigeria Police Force also performs, that body must also insulate itself such that impartiality and fairness may at all times be ascribed to it. A situation where both of them (the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC) appeal in the instant case is very much in bad taste. They have both thrown the quality of impartiality and fairness, which they must possess to the winds. Their acts are capable of eroding the public confidence in them. Unknown to them, they may be said, by the public, to be biased and therefore not worthy to be regarded as impartial umpires. This trend must not repeat itself for the good of the nation. It is a sour taste."
 
In the past few weeks, some Ministers made a mockery of the neutrality and impartiality of the institutions headed by them by purchasing the outrageous nomination forms of the APC and abandoning their office to campaign as presidential aspirants. In the process, they engaged in gross abuse of office. In Lagos City Council v Ogunbiyi, (1969), All NLR 297, 299, Ademola, CJN, stated that: "Abuse of office is use of power to achieve ends other than those for which power was granted for example for personal gain to show undue favour to another or wreak vengeance on an opponent to mention but a few."
 
Even though belatedly, President Buhari has asked such Ministers to resign their appointments. The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has abused his office much more than the former Ministers. Since it has been confirmed that he has become a registered member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), INEC has expressed fear that the sensitive materials kept in the Bank might be compromised. Apart from undermining the commitment of the INEC to conduct a credible election in 2023 the involvement of Mr. Emefiele in partisan politics is going to further sabotage the economy under his watch. President Buhari should sack Mr. Emefiele without any further delay.  
 
 
FEMI FALANA SAN 

 

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says it has arrested 36 suspected internet fraudsters in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
 
A statement by the Commission's Head, Media & Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, on Wednesday said the suspects were arrested by its operatives of the Enugu Zonal Command.
 
The anti-graft agency gave the names of the suspects as including "Chukwuma Destiny, Emenalom Precise, Nwaeze Obinna, Ogbonna Monday, Raymond Chigozie, Mmadu Bright, Chigozie Sixtus, Ike Joachim Uchechukwu, Ifeanyi Uzor, Iwuanyanwu Divine, Nwoke Udojah, Patrick Micheal, Chukwu Hillary, Charles Nneji, Nwachukwu Chibueze, Obinna Ajem, Egwu Williams and Samuel Michael.
 
"Others are Ike Joseph, Ekperi Ikechukwu, Iwwohen Ikechukwu, Joshua Emmanuel, John Dickson, Madu Sixtus, Onyemauche Tochukwu, Chibueze Miracle, Precious Uchenna, Amamasim Bright, Ibeawuchi Obumneke, Ihugba Chikmso, Chima Charles, Christian Mahakwe, Okorie Arinze, Chukwu Kenechukwu, Mahakwe Charles and Chima Fidel"
 
According to the statement, the suspects were arrested at Owerri, Imo State following credible intelligence linking them to cyber-fraud targeting mostly foreign nationals.
 
"Items recovered from them include several phones, laptops, passports, one Lexus ES 350 with NYCN registration number IMO 44, one Mercedes Benz GLK with registration number KTU 729 HD and one Toyota Camry with registration number KTU 720 HL."
 
The Commission said the suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of its investigation.

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Omoyele Sowore

Convener of the #RevolutionNow movement and founder of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore has taken a swipe at those who accuse him of playing a role in bringing President Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015.
Sowore made the rebuttal during his appearance as a guest in the first of the series of Presidential Aspirants Interviews put together by the online Talk show 90MinutesAfrica, hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo and Chido Onumah on Sunday.

Omoyele Sowore SaharaReporters Media/Dotun Olawoye
Goodluck Jonathan became the first incumbent president in Nigeria to lose re-election when his party lost the presidential election to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015. Since then, some supporters of the former president and his party, the PDP, have continued to blame Mr. Sowore and others who were critical of the Jonathan administration for enabling the ascension to power of President Buhari.
Some people suggested that Sowore was paid huge sums of money to work for Mr Buhari during the 2015 election.
Sowore described the allegations as mere propaganda, saying that former President Goodluck Jonathan was the major culprit in bringing Buhari to power.
“Goodluck Jonathan mismanaged Nigeria so badly that Buhari became attractive to people who were looking for an alternative,” the 2023 presidential aspirant of the African Action Congress (AAC) noted.
 
The founder of Sahara Reporters said he had never met Mr. Buhari. “Even when Buhari visited the United States after he won the election, he requested to see me but I declined. I have never met Buhari before and I don’t have any plans to meet him,” Sowore said.
He explained that everything he did in exposing the corruption and mismanagement in the Jonathan government was strictly his duty as a publisher of Sahara Reporters.
Sowore also spoke on sundry issues during the interview, including his ordeal under the Buhari government, his inability to see his family, and his call for a revolution.
He acknowledged the slow pace of acceptance of his ideas by Nigerians but expressed optimism that with time they will understand that it is the only way to achieve a better country.
“I understand that Nigerians are slow with taking in new ideas, but we have to be consistent and persistent in telling them about the need for this revolution. We can’t afford to sit down and expect things to work out themselves,” he argued.
Sowore said the clamour for zoning will not bring about the desired social justice in Nigeria, describing it as an “overly simplistic” solution to the complex problems besetting the nation.


“Justice cannot be achieved by zoning the presidency to any region in which you still leave the political elites who are the source of injustice to determine who emerges as the winner,” he noted.
 
On what he has endured because of his RevolutionNow campaign, the activist expressed sadness about his inability to attend his brother’s burial and take care of his aged mother because of his detention by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Sowore's movement was restricted to Abuja as part of his bail conditions until April 2023 when the restriction was lifted.
 
He visited his hometown in Ondo State last week after three years. He said he was heartbroken seeing his mother “paralysed from neck down.”
“When I was released in 2019, she had two years visa and my intention was for us to get on a plane and travel for medical checks and get her treated in the US but that never happened,” Sowore lamented.
“I didn’t realise that what the military was doing in 1993 will become a child’s play in 2022 under a civilian regime.”
The activist vowed to continue the struggle until Nigeria is free from the stranglehold of the corrupt political elite.
“I was born a Nigerian,” Sowore declared. “I refused US citizenship because I wanted to face the consequences of being born a Nigerian.”

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Civic groups, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) have lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for ordering members of his cabinet vying for elective office to resign.
Buhari had during the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday asked all his ministers contesting the election in 2023 to resign on or before Monday, May 16.

In a statement, the groups said the directive reflects responsiveness to the yearnings of the citizenry.
They also said such would douse fears about the credibility of the electoral process ahead of the 2023 election.
The statement reads: "The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) commend Mr. President for taking this laudable step and listening to the call of Nigerians towards a free and fair election, following the issuance of his directives that all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) running for elective office must submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday, the 16th of May, 2022.
"We hope that this directive takes full effect pending legislation on the Court of Appeal’s decision to void Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 which made it mandatory for political appointees to resign from office before they could vote as delegates or vie for any elective position.
"It is worthy of note to mention that this action puts to bed worries of complicity in the impunity with which some political appointees have expressed their political interests ahead of the upcoming general elections in total disregard for the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the sensibilities of Nigerians whose collective resources have been diverted to satisfy personal political ambitions.
"These illegalities have been well condemned by the public and the President’s decision at this time is indeed a welcome one and reflects responsiveness to the yearnings of the citizenry.
"We also call on all political parties to demonstrate ethical and moral standards that ensure a democratic election and avoid the commercialization and proliferation of money politics which has disqualified patriotic Nigerians from partaking in the elections."

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Civil society organisations have called on Nigerians to sign a petition demanding the immediate resignation of Godwin Emefiele from his position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria following his involvement in partisan politics.
 
The groups, including BudgIt, CISLAC, CLP, Dataphyte, EiE Nigeria, said Emefiele joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in February 2021 and neither his party members nor the leadership thought of it as contrary to the spirit and the letter of his terms of engagement as CBN Governor.
 
The collective groups urged Nigerians to stay focused on demanding the quality of leadership Nigeria requires in the 21st century to leverage its human and natural resources.
 
They said, “As is typical in an election season, various political players are indulging in tactics that are inconsistent with democratic values.
 
“The high cost of nomination forms, unknown form buyers, media disinformation and other political gimmicks are some ways politicians, especially the governing party, are distracting citizens from focusing on the key issues of governance and leadership that Nigeria needs at this time.
 
"At the minimum, Nigeria deserves a leader with: a strong commitment and respect for the rule of law and judicial integrity. An understanding of and respect for the separation of powers — legislative, executive and judiciary.
 
“The ability to uphold the Nigerian 1999 Constitution (as amended) for equity and justice. A development drive in the direction of preserving the dignity of Nigerian citizens.”
 
They added that it is important to remind Nigerians of these critical issues in light of the decision by Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to contest for the office of president.
 
“The CBN Act (2007) was written to protect the CBN from external political interference, not expecting that the interference could be internal at the highest level.
 
“If there is any doubt to the implied and expected neutrality of the CBN, Nigerians should be reminded that the materials for our elections are kept in CBN offices across the country and the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (an agency of the CBN) prints some of our election materials.
 
“Separation of powers is at the heart of any democracy, and it is for this reason that by our laws, the CBN Governor cannot be appointed or removed at will by the executive arm of government.
 
“In addition, for the same reason, two-thirds of the Senate, not a simple majority, is required for the Governor’s removal by the legislative arm. Therefore, the breach of this principle by Godwin Emefiele should not stand.
 
“We remain resolute in our stance: Godwin Emefiele’s political ambition hinders the independent decision-making his role requires, and therefore a liability to the credibility of the Central Bank, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and our electoral process. He should therefore resign immediately to pursue his partisan interests or the National Assembly should commence the process to terminate his appointment.
 
“Nigerians can lend their voice to this call by signing the petition here: www.change.org/meffymustgo.”
 
The statement was jointly signed by Seun Onigbinde, BudgIT; Auwal Rafsanjani, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Atinuke Odukoya, Centre for Women's Health and Information; Ngozi Iwere, Community Life Project (CLP); Joshua Olufemi, Dataphyte; ‘Yemi Adamolekun, EiE Nigeria; Ayodeji Fadugba, Kili Ceramics.
 
Others are Ier Jonathan-Ichaver, Sesor Empowerment Foundation; Princess Hamman-Obels, The Electoral Hub; Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) and Ayisha Osori.
 
 
 
 

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Adamu Garba, a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has left the party.
 
Garba made his resignation from APC known in a letter addressed to the party chairman in Karewa ward, Adamawa State.
 
The development comes hours after he announced that he would no longer purchase the N100 million presidential form of the ruling party despite raising N83.2million in donations for the purchase of the form.
 
He had said his decision to shun obtaining APC presidential form was due to consultations with his campaign team.
 
He said N81.75 million had been generated from private donations while N1.4 million was generated from online donations, giving a total of N83.2 million.
 
He, however, promised that the funds would be returned to the donors as he encouraged them to send an email with evidence of payment.
 
Giving reasons for his resignation, Garba said the APC as a party has lost its moral bearing and has taken to some exclusionary practices which are against standard democratic tenets.
 
“More importantly, as a young man, who believes in the future of Nigeria and had high hopes in APC before now, I cannot continue to retain membership of a party that favors money beyond competency, vested interest beyond common interest, chronic elitism beyond public good, politics of exclusion beyond inclusion,” he said.
 
“I do not, in all honesty, sincerely and with consciousness believe that any young man in Nigeria has a future or model worthy of emulation for the benefit of Nigeria in APC, I believe the party has drifted so much from the original beliefs of its foundation to a something more cynical, undemocratic institution.
 
“I further believed that the party has failed in its promises to deliver public good over the years, betrayed the public trust, and has turned out to be doing much worse than what we fought so hard to dethrone in the then PDP government. Worst is the issue of internal security that the party paid more attention to propaganda media statements that listening to the yearning of the people.
 
“Moreover, the party seems to encourage its enemies than its friends, favors its adversaries than its loyalist, hates the prospect of the new generation of leaders beyond just youth leadership seats, and has no credible, practicable plans for the future of Nigeria as we get into the heart of the turbulence of the 21st century.
 
“Attached to this letter is a copy of my APC membership slip. As I chart a new path for what I believe is best for Nigeria, I pray that APC will, over time recover its lost soul.”

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The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Southwest Zone D has condemned the statement credited to the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, asking students not to disrupt political activities over the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
 
Students had begun to stage protests in different parts of the country, threatening to stall all political activities until the Nigerian government came to a resolution with their lecturers.
 
Lawan on Tuesday while meeting with NANS President, Sunday Ashefon alongside other officials of the union appealed to them to continue on the path of consultation and avoid confrontation.
 
Reacting, Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji, Coordinator of NANS (Zone D) said nothing will stop the student body from shutting down the country and disrupting all commercial activities until ASUU is called for negotiation by the government and schools are reopened.
 
Olatunji asked why Lawan was just coming out after students had been at home for over 85 days.
 
The statement read, “The Leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students has frowned on the statement made by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, saying that students should avoid confrontation but should rather continue the consultation exercise.
 
“It sounds obnoxious to hear such a statement and it is not worthy of note for the Senate President to come out after many days students had been on the street roaming, campuses closed. We have made a lot of consultations long before now, done a lot of press conferences, granted interviews on different dailies and nothing was done to open back our schools.
 
“We have not done bad should we confront at a time like this. We have exhausted all the Cs of Aluta and the last C which is Confrontation is what we are prepared for now.
 
“If disrupting political activities will make our schools to be open, we shall do it and heaven will not fall. We can't continue to consult till the world comes to an end. We can't continue to consult when the strike is going to 100 days. We can't continue to consult when the Federal Government is not ready to take charge and take necessary actions.
 
“We cannot continue to consult when people at the helm of affairs are busy going about to get their party ticket for the presidency, leaving behind the core responsibilities they are saddled with. Political gladiators chose to focus more on the forthcoming election and put our future on the brim.
 
“How we wish they can utilize that kind of energy and efforts in solving ASUU/FG long time issues but the reverse is the case. Mr Senate President, Sir, Ahmad Lawan; a minute mistake can metamorphose into a lifetime regret and as such we shall shut down all commercial activities of the country and as well stampede all political parties' primary elections.
 
“We are bold to say that nothing will stop the shutting down the country and disruption of all commercial activities until ASUU is called for negotiation by FG and our schools are open. This problem is long overdue and we want it fixed once and for all, as such, we are ready to pay the price to ensure the problem is fixed.
 
“Our time has been wasted as Nigerian students which they cannot make reparation for and we cannot allow it to continue like that. We are tired of all this gay saying from political gladiators. We need quick intervention and implementation so that we can return back to school.”
ASUU had embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14 to press home its demands, with the prominent ones being the renegotiation of the ASUU/FG 2009 agreement and the sustainability of the university autonomy by deploying UTAS to replace the government’s “imposed” (IPPIS).
 
Other demands include the release of the reports of visitation panels to federal universities, distortions in salary payment challenges, funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowance, poor funding of state universities and promotion arrears.
 
On March 14, the association extended the strike action by another two months to afford the government more time to address all of its demands.
 
The union in a statement by its President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke on Monday said it would be rolling over the ongoing strike for another 12 weeks.
 
 
 
 

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Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmad may have resigned his appointment following his principal’s directive that members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) seeking to vie for any elective position must resign.
 
A check on his Twitter account on Wednesday afternoon showed that Ahmad had removed “Personal Assistant on New Media to @MBuhari, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” from his profile.
 
He now claims to be ‘Digital Communication enthusiast’.
 
Ahmad is seeking to represent Gaya, Ajingi and Albasu federal constituency of Kano State in the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
 
He is to challenge the incumbent occupier of the seat, Mahmoud Abdullahi Gaya, who is also of the ruling APC.
 
Buhari earlier in the day directed that all members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) running for elective offices should submit their letters of resignation on or before Monday the 16th of May, 2022.
 
Among those affected are Ministers of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; Labour and Productivity, Chris Nigige; Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu and State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who have all joined the presidential race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
 
Others are Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, who has declared interest in the governorship position in his home state of Kebbi.
 
Running for the governorship position in Abia State is the Minister of State Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar while the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen has also declared her interest to contest for the senatorial seat in Plateau State.
 
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, is also rumoured to be interested in running for governor of Gombe State.
 
His counterpart in the Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has also purchased the N50 million APC nomination forms to succeed Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 governorship poll.
 
Though not a cabinet member, SaharaReporters gathered that Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may also be affected by the presidential order.

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The Senate has adjourned sitting till June 7, 2022, to enable lawmakers to participate fully in the Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship, and State Houses of Assembly primaries.
 
The motion for adjournment was moved by the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Shuaibu Lau (Taraba North), Dr. Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to the Senate President said in a statement on Wednesday.

File Photo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in a Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 general elections released on  February 26, 2022, directed political parties to conduct their primaries for the nomination of candidates from April 4 to June 3, 2022.
 
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks, moments before the close of plenary on Wednesday, explained that the decision to adjourn plenary was to enable lawmakers to participate fully in activities and processes leading to the conduct of party primaries for the various elective positions ahead of the 2023 general elections.
 
He said, “Processing of forms for House of Representatives and Senate has started and we are expected to submit our completed forms tomorrow (Friday).
 
“And, of course, we have some of our colleagues here who are going for governorship seats of their states.
 
“It is very important that we participate in the process that affects us directly, as well as those that do not affect us directly - that is the State Houses of Assembly, Governorship and Presidential.
 
“Consequently, we have to adjourn to enable us participate fully in all these activities because we are supposed to be active participants. So, I wish all of us the best of luck.
 
“For the Presidential candidates, we are four and we pray that one of us will emerge as the candidate of the ruling party.”
 
The chamber adjourned plenary, thereafter, till June 7, 2022.
There was a public outcry in 2018 when a former senator representing Kaduna Central district, Shehu Sani, disclosed that Nigerian senators were entitled to monthly expenses of N13.5 million, in addition to their monthly salaries of more than N720,000.
It was later disclosed that Nigerian Senators were one of the highest-paid parliamentarians in the world.

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A Kogi State-born popular musician, John Zachari Abisho, who was allegedly tortured by some political thugs loyal to the state governor, Yahaya Bello, three years ago has reportedly died.
He died after sustaining multiple injuries, including chest pain following the beating he received from the suspected thugs for singing an anti-government song.
 
Abisho, who hailed from Imane in the Olamaboro Local Government Area of the state was said to have died on April 24th 2022 at a hospital after battling severe chest pain.
 
SaharaReporters gathered that he was attacked, beaten and abducted by some thugs believed to be working for the governor.
The singer was kidnapped two days before the 2019 governorship election in the state while on his way to Imane, his hometown.
 
From the moment he regained his freedom and the day he died, he was said to be going in and out of hospitals, receiving treatment for chest and body pains.
 
A source told SaharaReporters on Wednesday that Abisho died of harrowing pains after he was physically assaulted and beaten to a stupor for mocking those behind his previous attack in one of his songs.
It was learnt that his motorcycle was stolen during the initial attack.
He was said to have boasted in the song that he had acquired a new motorcycle and that God had put his enemies to shame.
 
It was learnt that some loyalists to the governor not comfortable with the song accused the singer of denting the governor’s image in his song.
 
They were said to have been angered by the perceived allegiance of the musician to the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, which they considered a threat to the popularity of the governor.
 
The source said, "Two days before the governorship election, he (Abisho) was going to (Imane), his hometown under Olamaboro Local Government Area but while on his way, a tinted Toyota Sienna blocked him and abducted him. He was blindfolded and taken to a forest where he was tortured.
 
"On that day, those who witnessed the incident raised the alarm but they did not know the people. We started calling his mobile phone but it did not connect.
 
"But a week later, he called me and narrated what happened to him. He was able to find his way out of the forest but he could not disclose his location to me because he did not know to trust again.
"Since that time until his death, he was not himself. He had been moved from one hospital to the other until it became worse and he died," the source said.
 
It was learnt that the musician refused to return to his house for fear of being attacked again as he could no longer trust anybody.
The situation compelled his friend to reach out to a pastor who later harboured him in his house from where he was taken to hospital for treatment.
 
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters gathered that a candlelight procession organised by his friends and scheduled for May 3, 2022, at Ankpa where he was living, was cancelled following a threat by the police to arrest the organisers.
 
“We went to Ankpa Divisional Police Station to seek permission for the candlelight procession but they told us that if they see anybody at the event, they will arrest us,” the source added.
 
Efforts to get the spokesperson for the state police command to react were unsuccessful as calls to his mobile phone were not answered. He also did not also respond to text messages sent to him.
 

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Supporters of the former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu on Wednesday in Abuja engaged in a free-for-all at the International Conference Centre (ICC) following a disagreement that ensued over the sharing formula for the money given to them.
 
The supporters threw caution to the wind as they engaged one another in a brawl, leading to pandemonium in the area.
 
Trouble started shortly after the former Secretary to the Government of Federation, Babachir Lawal, who was there to submit nomination and expression of interest forms on behalf of Tinubu, left the venue.
 
The group of supporters, who had positioned themselves at strategic locations at the centre, were given a bail of money which triggered the fight.
 
One of the supporters was sighted running away with the money as others went after him. He was eventually caught and mercilessly beaten.

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