Chris Ngige, Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, who is seeking to contest the presidency, says he won’t resign even though his continued stay in office contradicts section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 by remaining in office.
 
He added that he has not received any specific instruction from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on his ambition.
 
The APC had given a deadline to cabinet ministers and other executive appointees at both the states and federal levels to resign their appointments if they intend to participate in the coming primary elections to avoid any possibility of violating the provisions of the newly amended Electoral Act.
 
Section 3(i) of the party guidelines for the nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections states that “No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for the purpose of the nomination of candidates.
 
“Any political office holder interested in contesting for an elective office shall leave Office 30 days prior to the date of election or party primary for the office sought.”
 
However, speaking to some journalists after the week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Ngige denied knowledge of the APC directives that all appointees should resign ahead of the May 30 presidential primary.
 
Ngige, a member of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet, maintained that his decision to stay on as a member of the Federal Executive Council is in line with the 1999 Constitution, as amended, adding that the March 18 judgement of the Federal High Court in Umuahia, struck out Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act.
 
Asked when he will resign in line with his party directives, Ngige said, “Because I don’t know about that I’m hearing for the first time from you. But like I always say, I’ll be guided by the letters and spirit of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
 
“You are pushing me into something that is not necessary to discuss because that aspect of the law, enacted by the National Assembly, via the Electoral Act, that section 84(12) has been struck down by a court of law and the cases are on appeal.
 
“And for now, no matter how bad the judgement is, that’s the maximum jurisprudence, no matter how bad the law is, it is a judgement of court, it should be obeyed, until upturned or stayed.
 
“But there is no stay, there’s no atonement of that particular pronouncement, and the party is on appeal. So, the judgement is still subsisting, that aspect of the law was injurious to some persons and should not have been there.
 
“I also know that the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria in certain sections, section 107, 137 and 88, prescribes disqualification clauses for people who are going for election and that prescription is supreme because it’s in the Constitution and the Constitution is grand-norm of all laws.”
 
Pressed further that his party has asked all appointees in his cadre to resign, he said, “No, it’s not there. It’s not in the works at all. But I will make some consultation with the party, I will find out.”
 
When reminded that the same party is aware that the judgment of court has not been vacated, Ngige added, “I have not seen that pronouncement from the party. I have not seen any release from the party. It has not been conveyed to me or to anybody. I’m an aspirant, I’m a presidential aspirant, so I’ll find out and if it is true, I will then know what to do.”
 
 
 
 

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Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says he will now pay for his family's food bills from his own pocket.
 
He faced criticism after a TV report alleged extravagant expenditure at his private home, which currently functions informally as his official residence.
 
He later disclosed that $26,400 (£21,000 or approximately N11 million at the official exchange rate of N415 to $1) of taxpayers' money was spent each month, including $7,400 (approximately N3 million) on food, BBC reports.
 
Mr Bennett, who is a self-made millionaire, insisted that his conduct had been within the rules.
 
His office also said his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, had spent three times more in total - $84,300 per month - at the prime minister's official residence in Jerusalem and his private home.
The BBC's Yolande Knell in Jerusalem says there were regular reports in the Israeli press about lavish spending on restaurant food and hair-styling when Mr Netanyahu was prime minister.
 
Mr Bennett, who controversially decided to continue living in his private home in the Tel Aviv suburb of Raanana after taking office last June, has attempted to paint himself differently, our correspondent adds.
 
However, last weekend a Channel 13 TV report alleged that the prime minister's household spent large amounts of taxpayers' money on staff, cleaning and take-away food.
 
Mr Bennett defended himself in a Facebook post on Sunday, declaring that such spending had "dramatically decreased" during his premiership and that "attempts to present me as a hedonist are simply funny".
 
He explained that his family of six did not employ a cook - as prime ministers are entitled to do - and instead ordered meals from restaurants. The Netanyahu family, he claimed, had spent $11,100 each month on food.
 
Mr Netanyahu's Likud party said in response that the Bennett family's food bill just covered "personal matters" because their home was not used for official events, and that the Netanyahu family's monthly "personal take-away expenses" had not exceeded $400.
 
On Wednesday, the prime minister acknowledged the criticism by members of the public, and announced that he would pay for his family's food.
 
"Although our behaviour was in accordance with the rules, I am aware of the feeling created in the public. Therefore, I announced to the staff of my office that from now on, all of my family's food expenses will be paid from my personal account," he said in a statement.
 
"I am not in this job for money or respect, but to serve the citizens of Israel with all my might, and that is what I'll continue to do."
 
Mr Bennett set up and sold two hi-tech companies for more than $250m before entering politics. He earns $16,500 a month as prime minister, while the average monthly salary in Israel is $3,400.
 

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File Photo

The Senate has urged the National Commission for Museum and Monuments to upgrade the Akassa Slave Trade Centre to a National Slave Trade Museum.
 
The call was contained in a resolution reached by the Senate, a sequel to the consideration of a motion to that effect.
  File Photo
The motion was entitled, “The need to establish National Museum at the Akassa Slave Trade Centre in Bayelsa State to preserve National Heritage.” 
 
The motion was sponsored by Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo (Bayelsa East), Dr. Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to the Senate President, said in a statement on Wednesday.
 
The lawmaker, in his presentation, noted that Akassa is a settlement at the southernmost tip of Nigeria in Bayelsa State where the Nun River estuary meets the Atlantic Ocean, with a lighthouse that had stood since 1910.
 
Degi-Eremienyo said that due to the proximity of Akassa to the Atlantic Ocean, the settlement had always been a traditional trading site in Nigeria, especially in the business of palm oil trade during the colonial era.
 
He recalled that before the abolition of the slave trade, it was one of the major centres in the country where the harrowing effects of the transatlantic slave trade were felt, adding that, “during the British colonial years, it was the site of an outpost of the Royal Niger Company.”
 
He further recalled that “the Akassa settlement, in the 17th century, now a sprouting town, was where the Nembe People in today’s Bayelsa State waged a war valiantly against the British in 1895 with 22 war canoes and 1,500 foot soldiers due to the high-handedness of the Royal Niger Company and the obnoxious taxes imposed on the local people by the company.”
 
According to him, in the year 1899, the charter of the Royal Niger Company was revoked, an act seen to be partly a consequence of the war as from January 1, 1900, the company sold all its possessions and concessions in Africa to the British government for £865,000.
 
He stated that some of the relics of the slave trade such as slave house; slave masters’ administrative block and quarters; slave jetty; slave transit tunnel; white-men graveyard, can still be found, even though erosion of past decades had eroded some of the antiquities.
 
The lawmaker observed that “with the current efforts made by the government to diversify our economy, the Akassa Town is a veritable historical/heritage centre which will boost our tourism potential and consequentially earn us foreign exchange if its heritage is well preserved.”
 
 
 

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Afenifere, a pan Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, has called for a Government of National Unity (GNU) in Nigeria ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Afenifere said this was necessary because the administration of Muhammadu Buhari was incapable and unwilling to tackle Nigeria’s problems.

According to the group, a Government of National Unity will help tackle security challenges and midwife the coming of a new democratic government.
The pan-Yoruba group stated this on Wednesday through a communique issued after a meeting held at the country home of its Acting Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, in Ogun State.
 
The communique signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, said, “After extensive deliberations, Afenifere resolved as follows: The situation in the country is now so dire that there is an urgent need to approach the issue in a more decisive manner.
“In view of the seriousness of the situation and considering the fact that the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari has shown that it is incapable and unwilling to tackle the identified problems, Afenifere hereby strongly advocate for a Government of National Unity.
 
“Such a Government of National Unity is to tackle the insecurity problems and midwife a new Democratic Government.”
Afeneifere also reiterated its call for state police in the country, citing as an example the success of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Operation Amotekun.
Amotekun is a security outfit based in the six southwest states of Nigeria.
It added, “Once again, Afenifere is reiterating its position that Restructuring of the Nigerian State must take place before the much-vaunted elections.
“We also recommend that States that are ready must be allowed to establish their own Police Forces. The performance of Amotekun Security Network in the South West in conjunction with the Nigerian Police has shown clearly that all the criticisms against state police are unfounded and self-serving.”
 
 

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Russia exchanged Trevor Reed, a former American marine held in a Russian prison for three years, for its citizen Konstantin Yaroshenko, who was serving a 20-year sentence in the United States on drug charges.
 
According to Al Jazeera, the prisoner swap took place on Wednesday as the result of a lengthy negotiation process, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel.
 
Russian State TV aired footage of Reed being brought to Vnukovo airport ahead of his return to the US. The exchange took place in Turkey, Reed’s father, Joey Reed, told American broadcaster CNN.
 
“The American plane pulled up next to the Russian plane and they walked both prisoners across at the same time, like you see in the movies,” he said.
 
The deal would have been a notable diplomatic manoeuvre even in times of peace. It was all the more surprising because it was done as Russia’s war with Ukraine has driven relations with the US to their lowest point in decades.
 
The White House confirmed Reed’s release with President Joe Biden saying in a statement Reed “is free from Russian detention”.
 
“I heard in the voices of Trevor’s parents how much they’ve worried about his health and missed his presence,” Biden said. “And I was delighted to be able to share with them the good news about Trevor’s freedom.”
 
He added the negotiations for Reed’s release “required difficult decisions that I do not take lightly”.
 
The US president did not directly name Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who was serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the US. He was arrested in Liberia in 2010.
 
The US Justice Department has described Yaroshenko as “an experienced international drug trafficker” who conspired to distribute thousands of kilograms of cocaine around the world.
 
The swap seemed unlikely to herald any larger breakthrough between Washington and Moscow. A senior Biden administration official cautioned the negotiations centred on a “discrete set of prisoner issues” and did not represent a change to the US government’s condemnation of Russia’s violence against Ukraine.
 
“Where we can have discussions on issues of mutual interest we will try to talk to the Russians and have a constructive conversation without any way changing our approach to the appalling violence in Ukraine,” the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the administration.
 
Reed was arrested in the summer of 2019 after Russian authorities said he assaulted an officer in Moscow during a night of heavy drinking. He was later sentenced to nine years in prison, though his family has maintained his innocence and the US government has described him as unjustly detained.
 
Reporting from Moscow, Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari noted Reed launched a hunger strike in March.
 
“Reed was arrested in 2019 and charged with assaulting and endangering the life of a police officer here in Moscow,” she said. “He was given a sentence of nine years in 2020, which is close to the maximum sentence of 10 years he could have got.”
 
In a statement, the Reed family thanked Biden “for making the decision to bring Trevor home” as well as other administration officials and Bill Richardson, the former US ambassador to the United Nations who the family said travelled to Moscow in the hours before the Ukraine war began in hopes of securing Reed’s release.
 
“Today, our prayers have been answered and Trevor is on his way back safely to the United States,” the family said.

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A member of the House of Representatives representing Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Ikengboju Gboluga, has allegedly threatened to ruin the life of Ondo South Senatorial Chairman, Elder Amos Fadope, over an ad hoc delegates list.
 
In the leaked audiotape obtained by SaharaReporters, Gboluga on Tuesday while speaking in Ikale dialect on the phone, called the senatorial chairman an Idiot and threatened to ruin his life.
 
The House of Representatives member also threatened to sack the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) local government chairman, Mr Adewo Olorunsola, popularly known as Dangote, for including the name of one Niyi Arogbo, said to be loyal to the Ondo South Senator as a delegate ahead of the PDP primary in May.
 
"The list Dangote submitted at Akure, I have just seen it. In Ilutitun Ward 2, he submitted Niyi Arogbo’s name, your favourite for Tofowomo.
 
"I am telling you this, you will be in big problem. If I don’t remove Dangote as the Chairman of the local government, call me a bastard. I know you are involved with it, you are an idiot, I will ruin your life," the lawmaker said in the tape.
When SaharaReporters contacted Fadope to confirm the call captured on tape, he said, "Yes, he (Gboluga) called me and began to allege that I cancelled some names from the Ad hoc Committee delegates’ list of the party in the coming primaries in one of the wards at Illutitun.
 
“I told him I was not in charge, that I didn't know anything about it, but he didn't even allow me to talk. He began to brag and started cursing me that he was going to destroy me.
 
"His brother also called me and started threatening me that if they cannot get me, they will get my children," he said.
 
Fadope added, "The delegates’ list was only submitted to him by Dangote who only collated it as submitted to him by all the party ward chairmen across the 13 wards of Okitipupa in line with the decision of the ward leaders and executives across the board.
 
“Writing of delegates’ list is the sole responsibility of each of the ward leaders and executives. Each list from the ward was submitted to the local government party chairman, who also has a responsibility to submit it to me for onward submission to the state executives.
“Gboluga is threatening my life and calling me an idiot despite the support I gave him to emerge as the candidate of the party in 2019.”
However, efforts made by SaharaReporters to speak with Gboluga were not successful. His media aide, Niyi Iwakun, promised to call back but never did.

 

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Isaac Adewole, a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God misled the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to issue legal advice in the case of money laundering and bribery involving staff members of Wema Bank Plc, documents seen by SaharaReporters have shown.
 
SaharaReporters had reported how top management staff members of Wema Bank fraudulently moved N1.7 billion to account number 0122367964, domiciled in the financial institution and operated by Adewole.
 
According to Adewole’s statement of account obtained by the newspaper, on January 28 2021, via transaction ID No: M35660, he received the sum of N424,811,000 from Caverton, N160,000,000 from Dana and N630,000,000 from Beam Energy, all with the same transaction number.
 
On June 18, 2021, via transaction ID No: M104031, the pastor received the sum of N300,000,000 via NIP transfer from an undisclosed account source.
 
Also on the same June 18, 2021, via transaction ID No: M104031, Adewole received the sum of N270,000,000 from Messrs Morrifoil Oil and Gas Ltd., all totalling N1,784,811,000.
 
In order to ascertain the legitimacy of these transactions, all the companies who were on record in the narration in the statement of account were invited for questioning by policemen from Area G, Lagos State Command led by ACP Ibrahim Zungura.
 
Each of them denied having made any of the payments attributed to them.
 
They also made statements to deny involvement and wrote to the police to dissociate themselves from the transactions.
 
Also, the statement showed that the funds deposited in Adewole’s account were not removed in that order or in the sums deposited but carefully removed in different tranches.
 
Subsequently, a case with suit number MIK/B/6/2022 was instituted by the police in a Lagos magistrates court in February 2022.
 
However, the case, which had Adewole, managing director of Shibahwells Energy, and Kingsley Ananwude, a staff member of Wema Bank, as defendants, was struck out following legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Lagos State which stated that the pastor reported the illegal transactions to Zone 2 police station.
 
The DPP advice however said all the companies who were on record in the narration in the statement of account denied doing any transaction with Adewole to warrant them sending him such an amount of money.
 
“Adewole Isaac admitted collecting Page A4 title document and also cleared the doubts as to the rumour of money laundering through his company’s account by reporting the case to Zone 2 in which DPP is prosecuting the staff involved in the diversion,” part of the Legal Advice signed by the DPP read.
 
However, documents obtained by SaharaReporters showed that Adewole didn’t report the fraudulent transactions in his Wema Bank account to Zone 2 police station as claimed but another fraudulent case entirely, involving his former employees and Access Bank.
 
“I refer to your letter dated 29th December 2020, requesting for police investigation report in a case of conspiracy, stealing, fraud, money laundering, threat to life and criminal collusion reported to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos by Olarewaju Bamgbose ‘m’ and Isaac Adewole ‘m’, Directors of Star Orient Nigeria Limited located beside JUHI 2, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos against Dare Osomo ‘m’, former Managing Director of Star Orient Nigeria Limited, Tope Munis ‘m’, an officer of First City Monumental Bank (FCMB), Access Bank Plc and others. Another case of fraud and forgery was reported separately at Airport Police Command against Access Bank, which was subsequently transferred to Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos for Consolidation,” a police report signed by DCP Umar Yusuf on behalf of the AIG in charge of Zone 2, Onikan, read.
 
While the police report was issued on the Zone 2 case on 18th February 2021, Adewole on June 18, 2021, four months after via transaction ID No: M104031, received the sum of N300,000,000 via NIP transfer from an undisclosed account and N270,000,000 from Messrs Morrifoil Oil and Gas Ltd.
 
The result of the investigation by policemen in Zone 2 is the criminal prosecution in Charge No. ID/15422C/2021 – The State of Lagos Vs. Dare Osamo & 2 Others, pending before Honourable Justice O Ogala of the Criminal Division of the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja and has nothing to do with the Wema Bank’s illegal transactions.
 
Furthermore, the investigation also established a case of abuse of fiduciary/statutory duties (among other cases) against Dare Osamo during his period as “Managing Director of Star Orient and this is now the subject of multiple civil court actions at the Federal High Court, Lagos to wit:
 
(a) Suit No. FHC/L/CS/874/2020–Star Orient Nigeria Limited v. Dare Osamo & 2 Ors.
 
(b) Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1017/2020–Dare Osamo & Another v. Isaaki Adewole & 5 Ors.
 
(c) Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1054/2021 – Star Orient Nigeria Limited v. Dare Osamo & Fina Trust MFB Ltd.

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Ordinary National Diploma certificate holders of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State have appealed to the management of the institution to change the Ordinary level (O level) requirement for admission into the Higher National Diploma Programme.
 
The students said they had just returned from the Industrial Training programme with the hope of continuing their HND at the institution but were informed that there had been a change in the requirement for admission.
 
One of the affected students told SaharaReporters on Wednesday, “They changed the O level requirements from the one they used in admitting us to OND without informing us. We had already paid for the application form before they announced a change in the O level requirements.
 
“They did that just because they know we are voiceless and no one to fight on our behalf. I’m one of the students affected by the sudden change of requirements in O level.
 
“We’ve written letters to the school management but they keep pushing us forth and back.”
 
In a letter to the acting rector, Olarongbe Afolabi, the students pleaded with the school to consider those who had completed their OND from the school and grant them admission.
 
The letter sighted by SaharaReporters reads, “We the returning student of The Federal Polytechnic Offa (F18/P18 OND) of the School of Communication and Information Technology from The Department of Library and Information Science were out of campus for Industrial Program, which is a necessary part of the educational program in every polytechnic in Nigeria at large.
 
“With due regards to your amiable office, we bring to your respectable office about O level requirements demanded on the admission into Higher National Diploma program which has been updated denying admission for the returning students into Higher National Diploma program. These new requirement has affected over 60% of the returning students from the Industrial one-year training program.
 
“We, therefore, seek for the school management and authorities’ quick intervention to please reason with us the returning industrial training students.
 
“Collectively, we hereby solicit that the requirements should be lifted in favour of us who have chosen Fedpoffa (Federal Polytechnic, Offa) right from the beginning till this moment. Kindly please treat it as urgent while we patiently wait for feedback. Thank you for the cooperation.”

 

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On the 31st of March, 2021, one of my lawyers, Samuel Ihensekhien Jnr drew my attention to a “display of naked power” by the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, who was seen in a viral video with his security detail, assaulting a citizen, Clement Sagwak, at Banex Plaza, in Wuse Abuja.
The organisation identified the victim to be a 22-year-old worker of Jul Reliable Guards Services Limited posted as a security guard to the Plaza.
The viral video of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Mr Danladi Umar, and his aides, assaulting Mr. Sagwak, requires very little annotation. It illustrates an unambiguous example of lawlessness, arrogant disdain for public morality and the violation of rights and dignity of a private citizen. It reveals in unmistakable terms, the culture of impunity in our country.
The subsequent incompetent and poorly worded statement by the CCT’S spokesman, Ibraheem Alhasssan and a follow-up interview by Mr Umar himself, which attempted to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians, offer neither exculpation nor mitigation for what must be considered in any decent society, gross misconduct and potentially, criminal malfeasance.
The subsequent harassment of Mr Sagwak and the arrest and detention, without charge of Mr. Peter Onyiuke, a phone repairer at the Banex Plaza, Abuja by the Nigeria Police, lends further confirmation to the culture of impunity, arrogant misconduct and misuse of state power.

The action of Danladi Umar was challenged by a team of lawyers including Samuel ihensekhien jnr esq,who was substantive lawyer to ensure we get justice for Mr Sagwak. One of those efforts was a petition to the Nigerian Senate to investigate Mr. Danladi Umar.
While the petition was entertained by the Senate, Mr. Umar was hoping to benefit from the Nigerian system when he filed for a motion challenging the powers of the Senate to investigate him.
A Federal High Court in Abuja says the Nigerian Senate has the power to investigate Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar.
Delivering Judgement on Tuesday, Justice Inyang Ekwo, said the CCT boss failed to display high moral public standards by his conduct and with the Code of Conduct Bureau being a product of an Act ratified by the National Assembly, it, therefore, has powers to investigate his conduct.
The court subsequently dismissed the suit by Mr Umar seeking to stop his investigation by the Senate Committee Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, for lacking in merit.
While I sincerely commend the Judiciary on this judgement, the Senate must not be allowed to betray Mr Sagwak and majority of upright Nigerians.
Like Abba Kyari like Danladi. We have a lot of Abba Kyaris in all the institutions. Men are the institutions in Nigeria, which is very wrong. What we need now are institutions that are working. Government officials shouldn't be above the law irrespective of religion, tribe or colour.
While they have done little to address some of the challenges facing Nigeria, the Nigerian Senate must rise to the occasion this time around to defend a commoner like Sagwak by helping to discipline Mr Danladi Umar accordingly.
Mr Umar had in the video clearly demonstrated an inability to uphold the high standards, in personal and public conduct, expected of judicial officers, which his office by the requirement of the law demand of others. His conduct has desecrated the office of the Chairman of CCT and has undermined public confidence in the ability of the Tribunal to hold public officials accountable for their misconduct. His position is therefore no longer tenable. He should resign his position immediately or be removed through the provisions enshrined in the Constitution lest the stench of his personal misconduct attract opprobrium to one of the hallowed pillars of governance.
In addition, Mr Umar should be properly investigated for possible criminal prosecution since assault remains a criminal offence under our laws.
Just like we saw during the EndSARs protest and the attempt by those in authority to shield DCP Abba Kyari, this culture of impunity and arrogant disdain for the ordinary citizen and misuse of state power must stop. One Love!
Chief Patrick Osagie Eholor is the Global President of One Love Foundation.

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Stella Oduah, a Nigerian Senator and former Minister of Aviation has arrived at the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a screening exercise ahead of the party’s National Assembly primaries.
 
SaharaReporters had reported how Oduah secretly returned to the PDP, from where she had defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
 
She had on August 27, 2021, left the PDP for the APC.
Oduah subsequently secretly obtained the PDP party’s nomination form to return to the Senate to represent Anambra North Senatorial District.
 
“Senator Stella Oduah has finally dumped the APC and moved to the PDP after days of playing hide and seek game. Having used Abubakar Malami, the AGF (Attorney General of the Federation) to frustrate and hang her trial and prosecution at the Federal High Court, Abuja before Justice Inyang Ekwo on allegations of fraud, embezzlement and siphoning of N7.9 billion when she was the Minister of Aviation,” a source had told SaharaReporters.
 
It was learnt that Oduah was currently being grilled at the PDP national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja by the party’s National Assembly Screening Committee for Anambra, led by Ude Okoye.
 
Meanwhile, the Senator has failed to publicly announce her defection from the APC to the PDP.
 
The move comes a few days after the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) orchestrated different strategies to compromise and frustrate the prosecution of the Senator who has corruption cases hanging on her neck.
 
“The trio of Abubakar Malami, Governor Mai Mala Buni and Senator Ahmad Lawan are feeling used and dumped by Stella Oduah, having been briefed and realised that she has used them to frustrate her prosecution and betrayed their 'agreement' and 'accord' by finalising arrangements to dump APC for PDP in the next few days,” a source had said.
 
SaharaReporters exclusively reported in 2021 that Oduah’s trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a N7.9 billion fraud may be scuttled going by her secret plot with Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and Malami.
 
“February 22 (2021) has passed but she was not arraigned. April 19 has also passed. She is working very hard using Senate President and AGF to either scuttle arraignment or frustrate the trial. Alternatively, they are planning to water down the trial through the prosecution via the EFCC chairman.
 
“Another way is through the prosecutor, Dr Hassan Liman, a close friend of Lawan and the AGF,” the source had revealed to SaharaReporters.
 
Oduah is being prosecuted on 25 counts of money laundering alongside Gloria Odita, Nwobu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Limited, Crystal Television Limited, Sobora International Limited and the China Civil Engineering Construction Company Limited.
 
SaharaReporters gathered that the arraignment of the Senator was aborted at the Federal High Court in Abuja during the last adjourned date (Monday, November 22nd, 2021) over a letter written by Malami.
 
When Oduah and three others were called into the dock to take their plea, counsel for the 7th and 8th defendants, Ogwu James Onoja (SAN), objected to the arraignment on the ground that his clients were being persecuted by EFCC.
 
According to him, the aggrieved defendants had petitioned Malami, seeking a review of the charges against them.
 
Ogwu informed Justice Inyang Ekwo that the AGF, upon receipt of the petition, wrote the chairman of EFCC to remit the case file to his office for a review, adding that in flagrant disregard to the AGF’s letter, the EFCC had bluntly refused to remit the case file to the AGF.
 
He tendered a certified true copy of the AGF’s letter as received by the EFCC chairman and urged the court not to go ahead with the arraignment until the petition had been resolved in the interest of justice.
 
However, a lawyer for the EFCC, Ofem Uket denied any knowledge of the AGF's letter, adding that as a staff member of EFCC, he was just sighting the letter for the first time in court.
 
The counsel urged the court to disregard the petition by the defendants and proceed to arraign them.
 
He said that the AGF would have come to the court if he had any opposition to the arraignment.
 
However, Justice Ekwo said that since the petition was raised as both a statutory and constitutional matter by the defendants, he would not proceed.
 
Oduah’s planned arraignment before then in the corruption charges had been stalled five times, largely due to her absence in court.

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Governor Samuel Ortom has ordered the immediate arrest of the leaders of the 'Hunters and Forests Security Guards’ in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
 
The group was described as illegal by the state government.
 
A statement by the state government on Wednesday, signed by Nathaniel Ikyur, Chief Press Secretary, said on Tuesday, “an illegal group known as Hunters and Forests Security Guards caused heavy security breaches on the streets of Makurdi and shaved a young lady's hair”.
 
 
 
The governor in the statement distanced himself and his administration from the activities of the organisation that forcibly shaved a young lady's hair on the street of Makurdi saying "they are not an agency of the state government".
 
 
 
He maintained that the state government has no relationship with the hunters’ security outfit and will not in any way condone their operations in the state.
 
 
 
"The Hunters and Forest Security Guards is not a creation of the Benue State Government and we absolutely do not have any relationship with it in whatever form. As the Chief Security Officer of the State, I am appalled by the unlawful acts of these people and I condemn this in unequivocal terms and state categorically that my government has nothing to do with this group and its actions," the statement said. 
 
 
 
Ortom stressed that his government does not condone injustice of any form and inhuman treatment of persons based on gender, social, political religious or ethnic segregation.
 
 
 
The governor emphasised that as a government, which has been at the forefront of the fight against insecurity and all forms of injustice and discrimination against her people, he would not fold his arms and watch some lawless persons maltreat his people.
 
 
 
"I have repeatedly maintained that I will never allow criminals to take over the state. Benue citizens are law-abiding and we cannot allow illegal bodies to operate and harass people here," he said. 
 
 
 
Consequently, some leaders of the group have been arrested by the police for breach of security in the state.
 
 
 
Those arrested include Ajonye Peter, State Commandant; Leva Luther, Deputy Commandant; Jov Peter Charles, Administrative Officer and Godwin Adinya, State Adviser.
 
 
 
The governor charged the police to properly investigate those involved in the act and ensure that justice is done in order to serve as a deterrent to other persons or groups that may want to take the law into their hands to visit mayhem on innocent citizens
 
A video had gone viral showing members of the hunters's union forcibly shaving a woman’s hair in the state.
 
The hunters had stopped a motorcycle carrying the lady with gold-tinted hair, forced her to sit on the ground, and shaved her hair.
Many Nigerians on various social media platforms had urged the state government to punish the men for assaulting the woman.

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Yul Edochie, son of Nollywood veteran actor, Peter Edochie has come under fire after he disclosed that he has a second wife, actress Judy Austin.
 
Yul, who took to the social media also announced that he had welcomed a son, Star Dike Munachimso, from his second wife.
 
He wrote on Instagram, “It’s time for the world to meet my son. His name is STAR DIKE MUNACHIMSO YUL-EDOCHIE. Born by my second wife, Judy Austin. And I love him so much, just as much as I love my other children.”
 
 
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc2eumBs0Ah/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
However, the announcement did not go down well with his first wife, May, who reacted adversely to the news of her husband’s second marriage.
 
May wrote in the comment section of her husband’s post, “May God judge you both.”
 
Netizens considered it to be very unthoughtful of Yul to take to social media to announce his extramarital affairs, which elicited such a reaction from his wife of 17 years.
 
Others said they expected so much more from Yul considering the fact that he is the son of Pete Edochie, who is presumably one of the wisest elders in the entertainment industry.
 
Below are some of the reactions:
https://twitter.com/esther_stan/status/1519325522710388737?t=d3V6GG18nPteZ-RgxYXlyw&s=19
 
https://twitter.com/ItsTosin/status/1519325347254259712?t=pFXWSffbFTabjraCn1huAA&s=19
 
https://twitter.com/Bakhita30260280/status/1519323947199836162?t=RmUpy1wG_jbY8i5bGc07ZA&s=19
 
https://twitter.com/sheni_coker/status/1519316151339307008?t=auMsV7yHMRb044cCIaa-dQ&s=19
 
 
https://twitter.com/Bwoy2good/status/1519321503807979520?t=T0L9YkPVe4rZp53th7n58g&s=19
 
https://twitter.com/fredd_lugano/status/1519321336845377540?t=FYU6CP0AkLVeJfmDzAIK3w&s=19
 
https://twitter.com/Tee_Classiquem1/status/1519315154118320129?t=PspGQ_4C1wnCJ38cGIIlpA&s=19
 
https://twitter.com/Hrm_lavish/status/1519307045022969859?t=tLruqPvW45aEobJ_Or3Rsw&s=19
 
https://twitter.com/starrrrrrgirl/status/1519313742328221701?t=58Ogc_jHNU04clXcbzdiMw&s=19
 
https://twitter.com/AdetolaOlutosin/status/1519313687441465345?t=o8NMXf7VTMf7g1IH2Y3xaQ&s=19
 
https://twitter.com/cuteklassiq/status/1519304832234012672?t=pfrF1sbi8yCKSCXJDbQPGw&s=19
 
https://twitter.com/SmarteeyPants/status/1519293145858641920?t=gBDFyonb91D2NnoQNIjvMw&s=19

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The Ekiti State Police Command says it has arrested four suspects for the rape and cyberstalking of a 28-year-old woman (name withheld).
 
The spokesperson for the command, Sunday Abutu, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
 
According to Abutu, the victim was invited to a hotel in Ado-Ekiti, by her boyfriend where she met him smoking weed and drinking alcohol with four friends.
 
She was allegedly offered a bottle of drink suspected to have been spiked as she lost consciousness after taking the drink.  
 
Upon regaining consciousness, she discovered that one of the suspects was raping her while others including her boyfriend were filming the act and making fun of her.
 
The victim begged the suspects to delete the video but instead, they posted it on TikTok.
 
The statement read, “The juvenile Welfare Centre (JWC) of the State CID, Ekiti State Police Command, on 21/04/2022 arrested one Miracle Emmanuel '19 yrs', Bello Tunde '20 yrs', Peace Osho '20 yrs' and Emmanuel Oluwaseun '22 yrs' for conspiracy to wit Rape, Rape and Cyber Stalking against a 28-year-old woman.
 
"The victim narrated that on 5/4/2022, her boyfriend, one Victor who is currently at large, invited her to Lovely Hotel, Ado-Ekiti. She obliged after much persuasion and went to the hotel to see Victor.
 
"To her dismay, according to her, on getting to one of the hotel rooms where Victor lodged, she met him with about four (4) of his friends who were all drinking alcohol, smoking weeds and catching fun
 
"According to the victim, she was offered one of the bottles of drink which she took and became unconscious. She regained her consciousness at a point only to discover that one of the suspects was having sexual intercourse with her while others were videotaping them and making fun of her
 
"The victim said she begged them to conceal the video and delete it but to her surprise, the video was later posted on social media via Tik-Tok. She immediately reported the case to the Police who swung into action and arrested the four (4) suspects while effort is ongoing to arrest the other fleeing suspect who is at large.
 
"One of the suspects confessed that he actually had sexual intercourse with her in the presence of the other suspects. All the suspects arrested will be charged to court for prosecution.”

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 2, 2022, to hear various applications in a suit seeking the extradition of Abba Kyari, the suspended deputy commissioner of police (DCP).
 
The matter was adjourned by Inyang Ekwo, presiding judge, on Wednesday, after Pius Akutah, counsel for the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami asked the court for more time to enable parties to respond to processes served on them.

He noted that he had filed a motion for an extension of time on April 19.
 
Mahmud Magaji, Kyari’s counsel, did not object to the application.
 
The judge then adjourned the matter until June 2 for a hearing.
 
On March 23, the matter was stalled following the AGF’s failure to serve court processes on the defendant.
Kyari has been declared wanted in the United States over alleged conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft.
In July 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) indicted Kyari in a $1.1 million fraud involving Ramon Abass, aka Hushpuppi, a self-confessed international fraudster. And a US district court for the Central District of California had issued a warrant for his arrest.
Kyari, who has denied the allegations, has since last August been suspended by the Police Service Commission as a deputy commissioner of police and head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
This followed the recommendation of the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba. The police chief recommended the suspension as a temporary measure while the police investigate Kyari’s relationship with Hushpuppi.
Meanwhile, Kyari is also facing trial regarding alleged drug dealing in a case filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

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A wire fraud suspect, Adedunmola Gbadegesin, has been extradited to the United States where he is wanted in a case of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. 

Gbadegesin, who was arrested on September 2, 2021, is alleged to have defrauded an American woman living in Kentucky, US of over $148,000 (N61.5 million based on the official rate of N415.42 to $1).
 
The spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Wilson Uwujaren said his extradition was coordinated by the agency following a request from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
 
This in turn followed a February 11, 2022 Order by Justice D.E Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/765/21, he said.
 
The suit granted a request to extradite the suspect to the United States to answer for criminal charges bordering on a romance scam, wire fraud and money laundering.
 
Upon arriving in the United States, the suspect is billed to appear before a United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, where two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering have been filed against him.
 
 
 
 

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Senate

The Senate has passed a bill seeking to amend the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2013, and prohibit the payment of ransom to kidnappers in Nigeria.
 
The passage of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013 (Amendment) Bill, 2022, followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
  Senate
The report was laid by the Committee’s Chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), before consideration, Dr. Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to the Senate President said in a statement on Wednesday.
 
Bamidele, in his presentation, said the bill seeks to outlaw the payment of ransom to abductors, kidnappers and terrorists for the release of any person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped.
 
According to the lawmaker, “the overall import of this bill is to discourage the rising spate of kidnapping and abduction for ransom in Nigeria, which is fast spreading across the country.”
 
He disclosed that in the memoranda presented to the Committee, a plethora of issues relating to the subject matter of terrorism and terrorism financing in line with global best practices were raised.
 
He assured that the amendment to the Terrorism Act would set standards and regulatory system intended to prevent terrorist groups from laundering money through the banking system and other financial networks.
 
He added that “having policies in place to combat financing of terrorism will surely reduce or eliminate privacy and anonymity in financial and other sundry transactions as it relates to the subject in our society.”
 
He explained further that the need to comprehensively review the Terrorism Prevention Act arose from the unfavourable ratings of Financial Act Task Force (FATF) recommendations of Nigeria’s Mutual Evaluation Report and consequent placement of Nigeria in FATF’S International Cooperation and Review Group Process with its impending sanctions on Nigeria’s economy.
 
He stated that the National Task Force on improving Nigeria’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime in Nigeria, proposed improvement on the Act in order to address the deficiencies noted in its provisions so as to align with the required standard as obtainable in other jurisdictions.
 
He emphasised that the proposed repeal and enactment Bill was geared towards improving the effectiveness of countermeasures against terrorism, terrorism financing and proliferation financing.
 
The lawmaker noted that the repeal is aimed at providing an adequate framework for improved international collaboration, inter-agency cooperation and freezing of terrorist funds/assets.
 
Bamidele said, “The passage of this Bill will save Nigeria from being included among countries in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List with its attendant negative consequences, which might ultimately result in international sanctions that would affect the image of the country in the comity of nations.”
 
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks after the bill was passed, said the bill would complement the Nigerian government’s efforts in the fight against insecurity when signed into law by the President.
 
He said, “It is our belief here in the Senate, that this bill, by the time signed into an Act by Mr. President, will enhance the efforts of this government in the fight against terrorism, kidnapping, and other associated and related vices.
 
“This is one piece of legislation that can turn around not only the security situation in Nigeria but even the economic fortunes of our country.
 
“We have done so much as a government, in terms of infrastructural development across all parts of this country, but because the security situation is not the kind of situation that we all want, this tends to overshadow all the tremendous and massive developments in our country.
 
“I believe that the Executive will waste no time in signing this bill into law, and it is our hope that this additional piece of legislation will achieve the purpose for which it has been worked upon by the Senate, and, indeed, the National Assembly and, for the reason for which it would also be signed by Mr. President.
 
“Let me make it very clear here, that the fight against insecurity, whether it is kidnapping, terrorism or whatsoever, is not the sole role of a government.
 
“The contribution and support by citizens are essential because our security agencies need vital and critical information against terrorism and other things that make life difficult for us.”
 
The bill was passed by the chamber after it scaled third reading on the floor.
 
The Senate, thereafter, adjourned the plenary session till May 10, 2022, for the Sallah break.
 
 

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Russia has banned 287 British members of the house of commons from entering its country.
 
Russia had earlier in the month banned Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister, and some members of the British cabinet from entering the country.
 
Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov’s department in a statement on Wednesday said the sanctions were in response to Britain imposing similar restrictions on 386 members of its own lower house of parliament.
 
A translation of a statement reported by state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti said the sanctions were being applied “on the basis of reciprocity”.
 
The country also accused the British government of fuelling “unwarranted Russophobic hysteria”.
 
“In response to the decision taken by the British government on March 11 to add 386 State Duma deputies to a sanctions list, in a reciprocal move, personal restrictions are being placed on 287 members of the House of Commons,” the ministry said.
 
In March, the UK government imposed sanctions on 386 Russian parliamentarians over the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
 
The sanction was imposed on those that voted to recognise Luhansk and Donetsk regions — two breakaway territories of eastern Ukraine — as independent regions.

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Nigeria's Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba has bought the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC’s) nomination and declaration of interest forms for the 2023 presidential election.
According to reports, a group, Project Nigeria pooled resources for the Minister to obtain the form.

His decision has started drawing criticism from many public commentators who believe it is insensitive considering Nigerian students who are currently at home due to a strike occasioned by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment; and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, are some other ministers who have officially declared interest in the 2023 presidency.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress has insisted that all its members currently holding political appointments and seeking participation in the party’s forthcoming primaries must quit their positions.
According to the party, the move is in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Section 84 (12) of the Act stipulates that political appointees, including ministers, commissioners and special advisers should quit to be eligible to participate either as delegates or contestants at the convention of their political parties.

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A conduct of drug tests has been requested to be part of the screening of the ruling All Progressives Congress candidates for the 2023 presidential election.
Buba Marwa, the chairman of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Wednesday said he had asked for the permission.

Marwa made this known while speaking at an award event for NDLEA officers in Abuja on Wednesday afternoon.
Former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Ministers of Transportation as well as Labour and Employment, Rotimi Amaechi and Chris Ngige, are among several other APC presidential aspirants who have signified interest.
Marwa stressed that he hoped other political parties would also participate in the exercise.
How Marwa planned to carry out the exercise was not immediately clear, but his proposal might be due to previous charges of drug use among politicians.
Femi Babafemi, a spokesman for the NDLEA, said that additional details of the drug test for politicians would be made public later.

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Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter could facilitate the return of ex-US president Donald Trump to the platform, according to a report by AFP.
Musk had recently bought the micro-blogging platform for a record $44billion.

In January 2022, Twitter had suspended Trump permanently for allegedly using his account to incite violence.
But according to the report, the Tesla chief’s deal to acquire Twitter sets him up to revisit the ban on the brash Republican — a move that could roil US politics as the nation marches towards the 2024 presidential race and a potential Trump re-election bid.
Trump had earlier said he would not return to Twitter even if offered.
On Monday, he told Fox News that he would instead stay on his fledgling Truth Social platform, which has struggled to fully get off the ground.
However, many remain sceptical Trump would be able to resist rejoining Twitter if given the chance.
Musk has not directly addressed the Trump question.
Analysts believe Musk is driven primarily by a desire to control a visible marketing platform more than aspirations to shape American politics.
But many read Musk’s criticism of Twitter content policies as suggesting he will lift the Trump ban.
“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,” Musk said on Monday while announcing the deal.

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