The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed the Electricity Bill 2022 to allow states and individuals to generate and distribute electricity.
This was disclosed by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Gabriel Suswam (Peoples Democratic Party, Benue) in his presentation after the plenary.

According to him, the bill will help policy and regulatory measures to improve power generation, transmission and distribution capabilities of the sector.
“Since electricity is on the concurrent list in the constitution, the bill has allowed state governments to license people who intend to operate mini-grids within the states,” he said.
“The bill also gives legal backing to renewable energy. If you decide to generate one megawatt of power using solar as an energy source, that is also provided for.
“That is the only way the power problem would be solved. The space is now open; there is little restriction as to who can generate power and distribute it.
“What is obtainable now is that any power that is generated must be put on the national grid for transmission and distribution.”
The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, midway through consideration of the bill, sought to know the role and operational capacity of banks that had taken over Distribution Companies (DisCos) indebted to them.
After the passage of the bill, the Senate President assured of a quick passage by the House of Representatives followed by assent by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said, “We believe that this piece of legislation can change the fortunes of the electricity industry in Nigeria for the better.”
Senator Suswam also explained that the takeover of the DisCos by banks was duly carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
He further disclosed that the Nigerian government had disbursed $100m to Siemens to kick-start transmission in the distribution end of the power sector.
SaharaReporters on Wednesday reported that Nigeria's National grid collapsed for the sixth time this year.
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company on Wednesday on its Twitter page announced the collapse of the grid which occurred at about 11:27 am.
“Dear Customers, we regret to inform you of a system collapse on the National grid at precisely 11:27 am today, Wednesday, July 20th.
“We are in talks with the Transmission Company of Nigeria to ascertain the cause of the collapse and a possible restoration timeline.
“We will keep you updated on the situation,” the power company announced.

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Rauf Aregbesola

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has filed a debt recovery suit against Ademola Adeyinka, the Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

According to a statement of claim supported with a statement on oath by AMCON’s supervisor, David George, and filed before a Federal High Court in Lagos by Oluwole Olukole, an Ibadan-based lawyer, Adeyinka allegedly owes N167,242,515.22, The Punch reports.

AMCON is a corporation established by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria Act 2010 (as amended) and duly empowered for the purpose of acquiring eligible bank assets from Eligible Financial Institutions and efficiently resolving the Eligible Bank Assets.

Adeyinka was a banker with Intercontinental Bank Plc (acquired by Access Bank Plc) but is now a politician with residential addresses in Lagos, Osogbo and Abuja.

AMCON said the defendant at all material times was a customer of the erstwhile Intercontinental Bank Plc and operated accounts with the bank at their Plot 999C Danmole Street, Victoria Island branch in Lagos.

AMCON averred that the defendant sometime in 2008 applied for and was granted a credit facility for N50 million only to purchase shares of blue-chip companies quoted on the stock exchange acceptable to the bank.


It said that the facility was to be paid back within 270 days and repayment was to come from operational cash flow but not limited to the sale of the shares.
 
The claimant averred that it disbursed the funds under the facility and that the defendant utilised the facility by issuing cheques to various relevant parties to the transaction that were honoured by the bank.

“Upon the disbursement of the facility to the defendant, the defendant rather than honour the express terms of the facilities failed and /or refused to repay the debt and kept accumulating interest,” it said.
 
AMCON further stated that sometime in 2011, some staff members of Intercontinental Bank loyal to the senior management of the bank tried to delete and in fact deleted some computer files belonging to some customers, including that of the defendant.

Efforts to have the files of the defendant totally gone proved futile as the bank had backup files to reprint the documents they tried to delete, and retrieve the same.
 
“The effect of this act of sabotage was to render some files and documents of the defendant, including the offer letter illegible and not very clear,” AMCON said.


The claimant pleaded that when the facility of the defendant expired, it was not repaid by him and that it degenerated to a non-performing loan of N69,280,723.57.

It said the continuous refusal of the defendant to liquidate his indebtedness to the bank occasioned great hardship for the bank which led to AMCON taking over the non-performing facility from Intercontinental Bank Plc.

Pursuant to its powers under the AMCON Act 2010 (as amended), the claimant said it purchased the defendant’s outstanding indebtedness arising from the facility granted her by Intercontinental Bank Plc.

Consequently, all rights including but not limited to the right to institute an action in respect of any indebtedness were assigned to the claimant by the bank.

The claimant contended that the defendant has failed and/ or refused to settle the outstanding indebtedness to date despite repeated demands.

It added that the indebtedness has continued to grow at an interest rate of 15% per annum and would continue to grow until full liquidation of the outstanding indebtedness.
The claimant said it has incurred various substantial costs in its efforts to recover the indebtedness of the defendant by engagement and/or payment of various professional services/fees including but not limited to the institution of this action.

The claimant stated that the defendant has numerous accounts with other banks where he has money standing to his credit and that he also has millions of shares standing to his credit at the Central Securities Clearing System Plc.

The claimant’s claims against the defendant are for the payment of the sum of N167,242,515.22 being the outstanding balance as of 29th September 2020 of the credit facility granted by Intercontinental Bank Plc to the defendant (which debt was purchased by the Claimant) but which the defendant has refused to pay despite repeated demands.

Meanwhile, the court has adjourned till after vacation for the report of service.
 

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Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari.

A Report by SBM Intelligence has shown how the rate of malnutrition has increased among children in Nigeria since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power in 2015.

 

According to the report, information and data were gathered from different interview sessions conducted in 10 states across the country to examine how inflation has aggravated food scarcity in the country, particularly among young children.

The report reads in part: "Interviews were conducted in 10 states across the country (Abuja, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Imo, Kogi, Lagos, Rivers and Sokoto) to examine if the present economic condition has affected the diet of children. That is to say, are children now seen with signs of malnutrition?

 

“Respondents in Sokoto confirmed that children are beginning to show signs of malnutrition in the region. One of the respondents had this to say: ‘The average Northerner does not care so much about the food he eats or whether the food is a balanced diet. They just make sure there is something in their stomach. They do not care if the food given to the children is balanced as well. The recent economic situation, especially the increase in prices of foodstuff has made the situation worse. So will say yes, more children are now showing signs of malnourishment. They look pale when they come to school.

 

"Judging from this respondent's statement, we can infer that more people have fallen below the poverty line. A respondent in Kogi, a petty trader, said that her husband, who is a university lecturer, has not been paid his salary for months because of the ongoing ASUU strike, hence the family is struggling to feed.

 

“From her point of view, her family can still afford food for now, but she does not know what will happen if the ASUU strike and nonpayment of salaries continue till the end of the year. She also mentioned that children are increasingly being seen in the streets with signs of malnutrition.

 

"Those who hitherto could easily provide their families with three square meals a day are now struggling to keep up because of economic hardship. Some have dropped to two meals, but most have been reduced to one. This was according to a respondent in Edo State. A staff member of the state university in Edo said that he currently has challenges feeding his family as he has not been paid for seven months.

 

“According to him, some of his colleagues are suffering the same fate. ‘So why will you not see children with malnutrition when there is not sufficient money for a balanced diet?’ he asked.

 

"Some of our respondents in Abuja and Lagos said that the present economic condition is not the cause of the signs of malnutrition being seen in some children. According to a respondent, a doctor, many children had not been eating properly for a while, so the current economic situation reflected by the continuous rise in food prices only serves to compound what was already an issue. He further explained that prior to now, poor Nigerians have been having issues with their diet, but those who were getting along could begin to show signs of malnutrition.

 

"A teacher in Port Harcourt said that she observed that her students have been coming to school with reduced rations of food and snacks.

 

“’Some don't even come with food or snacks at times, and the food that some of the poorer children bring to school does not look nutritious.’ She noted that the poor kids she teaches have been losing weight lately.”

 

The report also explained how the average cost of making a pot of jollof rice went up from N8,595 to N9,311 at the end of Q2 2022, an 8.3 percent increase.

 

It was noted that Bauchi had the highest cost at N11,600, followed by Wuse II at N11,300. The noticeable pattern here is that the Northern states had a higher cost of making a pot of jollof rice despite their farming and livestock rearing occupations.

 

“This trend is accounted for by increased insecurity in those states. Traders who purchase from the rural markets are boycotting those areas. Transportation costs have greatly increased, not only because of fuel shortages but also because of the risk involved in travelling those kidnap-infested roads,” it said. 

 

 

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In 2014, Muhammadu Buhari, as a member of the opposition criticised the then President, Goodluck Jonathan ‪over a strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
 
ASUU is currently on strike after embarking on industrial action on February 14, 2022, over President Buhari’s government’s failure to honour an agreement on issues relating to funding of universities, and lecturers’ salaries and allowances.

The ongoing strike action by the university lecturers’ union is in its fifth month. In 2020, also under Buhari’s government, the union was on strike for 9 months.
The industrial action has crippled academic activities in government universities across the country.
 
On Tuesday, Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, was granted approval by President Buhari to resolve issues of contention regarding the ASUU strike.
 
In an old video trending online, Buhari was heard castigating then-President Jonathan’s administration for failing to reach an agreement with the lecturers’ union.
 
Speaking about the 2014 National Conference convened by the ex-President, Buhari picked holes with the timing of the event which came at a time ASUU, Polytechnic lecturers and other arms of tertiary institutions unions were on strike.
 
He faulted the government for earmarking the sum on N7 billion for the confab, saying a serious government would not spend so much money on frivolity while the tertiary institutions workers were on strike.
 
“If you could recall, at the time the government said it was voting N7 billion for the conference, ASUU was on strike. And teachers of other tertiary institutions, like the polytechnics, were on strike,” Buhari had said.
 
“This strike was on for almost an academic year and a serious government, if they had N7 billion to throw about, would go and negotiate with ASUU and the teachers’ organisations and the teachers’ unions of the tertiary institutions of the polytechnics downwards so that our children will remain in schools.
 
“The National Assembly is there, if you want to amend the constitution so why go and take N7 billion that we could not afford when our children are on the streets? I think this government has the capacity for wrong priorities that are hurting us as a nation.”

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Bunmi Makinwa

In a situation where standards continue to spiral downwards there is cause to celebrate small gains. Conducting a state gubernatorial election in Osun State recently with few major hiccups is therefore worthy of laurels. In the Osun State gubernatorial election, it does appear that good preparation prior to the election and effective actions on July 16, 2022, the election day, coalesced positively for successful conduct.

Who deserves recognition for the success and why? What can be gleaned from the election for improvement of future elections in Nigeria?

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Ademola Adelekedefeated incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party in declared results of the election. Although the last word on the results may not have been heard yet, it is timely to take a deeper look at several aspects of the election. The real winners, often left unnoticed, are those who enable democracy to gain some traction, taking a step forward.

In a previous write-up a few weeks back, in anticipation I had stated: “Also in Osun State, gubernatorial election will take place on July 16 this year, almost one month after that of EkitiState. Both states will set the tone for how future elections will play out in South-West of Nigeria and many parts of the country.”

A lot of tension preceded the Osun election. There were many reasons for APC and PDP to be desperate, as they were during the election in Ekiti. Among the reasons are that having won in Ekiti, APC would like to win also in Osun and for the time being confirm its dominance in South-West, the fief of its presidential flagbearer, Bola Tinubu. 

For PDP, coming third after APC and Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ekiti election was humiliating and Osun election presented yet an opportunity for redemption in a state where it once reigned. Besides, PDP could reassert its claim that the party’s candidate Adeleke actually had won in Osun State in the last gubernatorial election of 2018, and that the election was rigged in favour of Oyetola. Never mind the court judgment that affirmed APC’s victory.

Reports from election monitoring groups indicate that vote buying by political parties occurred in many places in Osun State. The reports show though the cases were less frequent compared to what happened during the election in Ekiti State. 

Some violence was also reported as were cases of tampering with votes and disruption of voting in some places. Yet, the reports showed that in comparison to what happened during the Anambra State gubernatorial election in November 2021and in Ekiti State in June 2022, the situation in Osun was much improved. Such progress is worthy of recognition.

In Osun, people were organized, persistent in making sure that they voted, and determined to make sure that their votes were recorded correctly. Overall, people took voting seriously and would not entertain any diversionary tactics or be derailed from their objective to vote for their candidate. It is reported that some voters collected vote inducement monies when offered by political parties but the voters still voted their choice as much as possible. It is proper that Osun people should be commended for their resolve to make their votes count. 

It would appear that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had learned many useful lessons from past elections. Osun State, from various reports and news coverage, saw a better prepared electoral agency. Voting materials and personnel were deployed correctly and arrived on time at voting venues. It was widely seen that the new electoral equipment and facilities worked. The use of bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) which started with the Anambra election has proved to be a game changer. The machine reads voters’ cards, authenticate them, and cannot be manipulated. 

Election returns were captured at locations and reported on INEC portal quickly. One could watch live reporting of electoral process and decisions on various news media outlets. At the collation and reporting centres, INEC officials were appropriately measured in their delivery of results. Voting documents were duly signed by party agents. Election officials provided answers to questions and solved problems as they arose.  

In the few voting centres where significant disruptions occurred - voters were attacked or hindered from voting, or ballots were destroyed willfully, or ballot boxes were seized by thugs - the returns were cancelled. 

On its part, INEC performed very well, restored faith in the organization, and merits commendation.

Largely, the security personnel showed heavy presence and cooperated to assist smooth voting. They prevented people who wanted to disrupt proceedings, cause confusion or be violent. The security forces reduced opportunities for vote buying, maintained law and order, and ensured that voting went on smoothly. The security and intelligence services did the right thing and earn themselves a laurel.

The stakes were high at Osun. In continuation of the propensity for the ruling party at federal level to use its overarching authority and manipulate security services for nefarious activities, APC could have combined its control of state and federal governments to impose its will. Indeed, the election could have been deadlocked or indecisive, and could have got enmeshed in violent confrontation due to flagrant disregard of people’s choice. Refreshingly, none of these unwelcomed scenarios happened. Osun State and federal government deserve big cheers.

There is no hiding place for misdeeds and wrongdoing, thanks to online and Internet technology. In the same breath, positive happenings and situations are easily made known. Whilst the news media carried out their reporting and analysis in Osun during the election, citizen “journalists” and the general public sent out information constantly and relentlessly too. With mobile phones, tablets and similar devices, constant and relentless information emerged as photos, videos, texts and voice notes inthe public space. 

All actors – INEC, party officials, security personnel – were alert and kept in check. Kudos to the media, activist journalists and people who use their smart gadgets to capture information and monitor activities during the election. They all get a well-deserved recognition.  

It is early to draw conclusions on how well future elections will be organized in Nigeria. The factors that make for a fairly well-organised election at state level are not all similar to what characterize nation-wide elections, especially for presidential election. 

In fact, when many states have elections at the same time for various offices, the resources – INEC, security personnel, media and monitoring groups – are over-stretched. The resources are not adequately available to cover every area of need. The close coverage and attention given to a one-state and one-office election cannot be replicated country-wide. 

However, to institutionalize democracy, elections and voting where people’s choice prevails is absolutely crucial. It is necessary that people themselves demand to have their choice respected by making their votes count. 

Perhaps well-conducted and free elections will mark thebeginning of the realization that elected officers are to serve the electorate.

Bunmi Makinwa is the CEO of AUNIQUEI Communication for leadership. For more reading, visit www.bunmimakinwa.com

 

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  Bunmi Makinwa Disable advertisements : 

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal has convicted and sentenced Senator Peter Nwaoboshi to seven years imprisonment for money laundering.

 

In the judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero and affirmed by Justices Obande Festus Ogbujinya and Peter O. Affen, the court also ordered that the two companies of the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District at the National Assembly be wound up.

The companies are Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd, in line with the provisions of Section 22 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2021.

 

The ruling was sequel to an appeal to challenge the judgement of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, which on June 18, 2018, discharged and acquitted Nwaoboshi of two counts of fraud and money laundering.

 

 “The Economic the EFCC had arraigned the three defendants over the acquisition of a property named Guinea House, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos, for N805 million. Part of the money paid to the vendor, precisely a sum of N322 million, transferred by Suiming Electrical Ltd on behalf of Nwaoboshi and Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd, was alleged to be part of the proceeds of fraud.

 

“But in his judgement, Justice Aneke held that the prosecution failed to call vital witnesses and tender concrete evidence to prove the elements of the offences for which it charged the defendants.

 

“Justice Aneke said the evidence of PW2 ‘proved that the third defendant obtained a loan of N1.2 billion from Zenith Bank for purchase of additional equipment and as provision of working capital," the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had said in a Twitter post.

 

It added, “However, ruling on the EFCC’s appeal on Friday, the Court of Appeal held that the trial judge erred in dismissing the charges against the respondents. It said the prosecution had proved the ingredients of the offence and consequently found the defendants guilty as charged.”

 

But delivering judgment in Appeal NO. CA/LAG/CR/988/2021 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Applicant and Peter Nwaoboshi, Golden Touch Construction Projects Ltd and SUIMING Electrical Limited as Respondents, Justice Bayero set aside the judgment of Justice Aneke in No. FHC/L/117C/2018.

 

The justices held the in the judgment SaharaReporters obtained Certified True Copy, that the trial Court ought not to have discharged and acquitted the Respondents.

 

The judgment partly read "this is an Appeal against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division delivered on 18th June, 2021 in which the lower Court discharged and acquitted the Respondents for the offences of Money Laundering and Conspiracy Contrary to Sections 15 (2)(d) and 18(a) of the Certified True Copy Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.”

It stated that “Sometime in the year 2014, the 3rd Respondent (whose alter ego is the 1st Respondent) applied for and was granted a term loan by Nigerian Import Export Bank (NEXIM) of the sum of N322,000,000.00 to Delta State Government for the purchase of Guinea House acquired by the 2nd Respondent. This transaction also reflects as credit in the statement of account of Delta State Government which is Exhibit F-F1 particularly on Page 1647 of the record.

“PW4 is the investigating officer who investigated the petition (Exhibit P1). He testified about the conduct of his investigation and his testimony is at Pages 990-999 of the record of Appeal. Through him, the Prosecution tendered Exhibits E, E1, F, F1, G and H. Exhibits E and E1, the responses from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) which shows the incorporation documents of 2nd and 3rd Respondents and also confirmed 1st Respondent as the controlling mind of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents manifesting either as promoter, alter ego, director or shareholder of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents.

“Exhibits F-F1 are the Sterling Bank account records and statements of Delta State Government through which the 3rd Respondent paid N322,000,000.00 for the purchase of Guinea House on behalf of the 2nd Respondent; and that Exhibit G is the cautionary extra-judicial statement of the 1 Respondent wherein he confessed to engineering the unlawful transaction in relation to the purchase of Guinea House using the 2nd and 3 Respondents whose minds are one and the same thing with his...

"The above overwhelming credible oral and documentary evidence adduced by the prosecution without any rebuttal from the Respondents, shows that the prosecution adduced sufficient evidence and proved the essential ingredients for the offences of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and Conspiracy to commit the said offence Contrary to Sections 15 (2)(d) and (3), and 18 (a) of the Act. The trial Court ought not to have discharged and acquitted the Respondents.

 

"A summary analysis of the evidence before the trial Court when juxtaposed to the essential ingredients of the two count offences charged leaves no doubt that the prosecution has adduced credible evidence which proves the commission of the offences by the Respondents contrary to the decision of the trial court that nothing else was proved by the Prosecution.

 

"The judgment of the lower Court in Charge No. FHC/L/117C/2018 delivered on 3 September, 2021 discharging and acquitting the Respondents for the offences Money Laundering and Conspiracy Contrary to Sections 15 (2)(d), 15 (3) and 18 (a) of the Money Laundering. (Prohibition) Act, 2011, is hereby set aside.

 

"The 1 and 2nd Respondents are hereby found guilty for the offence of Money Laundering contrary to Section 15 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and are hereby convicted. While the 3d Respondent is found guilty for the offence of Conspiracy contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and is hereby convicted."

 

On the sentence, the court held, "As regards the 1st Respondent he is hereby sentenced to imprisonment for seven (7) years in accordance with Section 18,(3) of the money laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011.

"As to the 2nd and 3rd Respondents this Court hereby orders for the winding up of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents and all their properties to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria Pursuant to Section 22 (2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011."

 

 

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The decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to nominate Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima as her presidential and vice presidential candidates respectively, has thrown the country into palpable political and ethnoreligious tension; given that both candidates are of the Islamic faith, which has altered the established political tradition and further jeopardized the delicate structural balance of Nigeria.

 

Constitutional Requirements for the Office of President and Vice President

 

As the controversy rages on, this op-ed attempts to dissect the legal perspective and the implications of the same faith candidacies adopted by the APC. As a preliminary point, it should be noted that the faith or religious identity of a candidate is not a prerequisite or a qualifying criterion for eligibility into elective offices. Thus, the issue is not whether Kashim Shettima is qualified to be the Vice President within the purview and contemplation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

 

The office of Vice-President is established by Section 141 of the 1999 Constitution which states that “there shall be for the Federation a Vice-President”, while Section 142 (1) of the Constitution prescribes the process of nomination and election of Vice President as follows:

 

“In any election to which the foregoing provisions of this part of this Chapter relate, a candidate for an election to the office of President shall not be deemed to be validly nominated unless he nominates another candidate as his associate from the same political party for his running for the office of President, who is to occupy the office Vice-President and that candidate shall be deemed to have been duly elected to the office of Vice-President who nominated him as such associate is duly elected as President in accordance with the provisions aforesaid.”

 

Regarding qualification and disqualification, Section 142 (2) read along with Section 131 of the Constitution states that the indices of qualification and disqualification applicable to the office of President shall apply to the office of the Vice-President. In other words, a person shall be qualified for election to the office of Vice-President if: (a) he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth; (b) he has attained the age of forty years; (c) he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; (d) he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.

 

From the foregoing, there is no doubt that Senator Kashim Shettima has met the constitutional requirements to be nominated as the Vice-Presidential candidate of the APC.

 

Principle of Federal Character

 

As earlier cautioned, the real issue is not about qualification; the real question or issue is whether the decision by Tinubu and the APC to select and nominate Shettima as their Vice-Presidential candidate despite being of the same faith as the Presidential Candidate is in conformity with the constitutional principle of federal character?

 

I will preface my attempt to answer the above question by drawing our attention to Section 10 of the Constitution which is construed by a jurisprudential school of thought as the provision that entrenches the secularity of the Nigerian state, by declaring emphatically that “the Government of the Federation and of a State shall not adopt any religion as State religion.”

 

In essence, while there is a general consensus that Christianity and Islam are the ‘dominant’ religions in Nigeria, the Constitution forbids any act or omission which seeks, tends or purports to elevate either religion as a state religion. In discussing the Muslim-Muslim ticket, or Christian-Muslim ticket, we should bear in mind that these religions are not the official religions of the Nigerian State and cannot be elevated as such having regard to the constitutional encumbrance in Section 10.

 

The federal character principle at the federal level is rooted in Section 14 (3) of the Constitution. For clarity, the provisions are reproduced verbatim infra:

 

“14(3) The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.”

From the above provisions, the composition of the Government of the Federation, and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria, promote national unity, and also command national loyalty, and ensure that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government.

 

Some commentators have contended that religion has nothing to do with the federal character principle and that in any event, elective offices are not subject to federal character. This argument is flawed and we shall illustrate this momentarily. Before exposing the flaws in this argument, there is a fundamental question that must be addressed and it goes thus: what is the federal character of Nigeria?

 

The word “character” can simply be defined as the attributes, traits, mannerisms, physical makeup, culture or personality of a person, society, nation or thing. The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) in its 1977 report, defined Federal Character as follows:

 

“The distinctive desire of the peoples of Nigeria to promote national unity, foster national loyalty and give every citizen of Nigeria a sense of belonging to the nation notwithstanding the diversities of ethnic, origin, culture, language or religion which may exist and which it is their desire to nourish, harness to the enrichment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

 

More concisely, Section 14 (3) of the Constitution reproduced supra is unequivocal on the purport of the federal character principle. The intention of the framers of the Constitution is not in doubt. Federal character is intended to promote national unity, and also command national loyalty, and ensure that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government.

 

It is conceded that the federal character principle in Section 14 falls under the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Chapter II of the Constitution which is non-justiciable. It is non-justiciable because it cannot ordinarily be enforced in a court of law. This is because by virtue of Section 6 (6) (c) of the Constitution, the judicial powers of the courts shall not extern to any issue or question as to whether any act or omission by any authority or person is in conformity with the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy set out in Chapter II of the Constitution. This position was reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in the case of ATTORNEY GENERAL OF ONDO STATE V. ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION (2002) 9 NWLR (PT.772) 222.

 

However, there are instances where the principles enunciated and provided for in Chapter II will be justiciable. One of such instances is where the Constitution itself makes a principle in Chapter II justiciable. Another instance is where the National Assembly enacts a law to guarantee the justiciability of a given matter or item in Chapter II. See the case of AG Ondo State supra and Section 4 (2) read along with item 60 (a) Part 1 of the Second Schedule to the Constitution on the exclusive legislative power of the National Assembly to enact a law for the enforcement and justiciability of Chapter II.

 

I have already posited in this piece that Senator Shettima is constitutionally eligible to be nominated for election to the office of the Vice President. I also espoused that the gravamen of the argument is not about his constitutional qualification.

 

Has the APC Breached the Federal Character Principle?

 

The question begging for answer therefore is, has the APC in any shape or form contravened the Constitutional principle of federal character by opting for Muslim-Muslim Presidential Candidacies in defiance of federal character and the established political tradition practised since the birth of the Fourth Republic in 1999?

 

The answer to this poser is not a simplistic one. However, a community reading of the provisions of Sections 14, 15, 131 (c), 142 (2), 221, 222 (b) and 224 of the Constitution offers not only clarity, but a definitive answer on whether the Muslim-Muslim presidential candidacies adopted by the APC is inconsistent with the spirit and letters of the Nigerian Constitution, particularly as it relates to federal character. I shall now examine the said provisions in brevity.

 

Section 15 of Chapter II contains the Political Objectives of the country and subsection 2 thereof states that “…national integration shall be actively encouraged, whilst discrimination on the grounds of place of origin, sex, religion, status, ethnic or linguistic association or ties shall be prohibited.” Subsection 4 of Section 15 similarly states that “The State shall foster a feeling of belonging and of involvement among the various peoples of the Federation, to the end that loyalty to the nation shall override sectional loyalties.”

 

By virtue of Section 221 of the Constitution, only a political party can canvass for votes for a candidate. The combined effect of Sections 131 (c) and 142 (2) of the Constitution makes it imperative for any person seeking the office of President and Vice President to belong to a political party and be sponsored by that political party. Section 222 (b) states that no association by whatever name called, shall function as a political party unless “the membership of the association is open to every citizen of Nigeria irrespective of his place of origin, circumstance of birth, sex, religion or ethnic grouping.”

 

Lastly, Section 224 of the Constitution provides that the Aims, Objectives and Programme of every political party must conform to the provisions of Chapter II of the Constitution. As earlier contended, Sections 14 (3) and 15 (2) and (4) of the Constitution falls under Chapter II. I also stated earlier that while Chapter II is not ordinarily justiciable, it becomes justiciable where the Constitution itself (in another provision) creates an exception for justiciability.

 

In the instant case, the APC as a political party has an obligation to conform to the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy in Chapter II of the Constitution, including the federal character principle under Section 14 and the political principles in Section 15 which mandates that “…national integration shall be actively encouraged, whilst discrimination on the grounds of place of origin, sex, religion, status, ethnic or linguistic association or ties shall be prohibited” and to also foster a feeling of belonging and of involvement among the various peoples of the Federation, to the end that loyalty to the nation shall override sectional loyalties.

 

The next question that all Nigerians of good conscience must answer with honesty is: has the Muslim-Muslim presidential candidacies of the APC breached the federal character principle? Put differently, has the APC by nominating presidential and vice-presidential candidates from the same faith promoted national integration, national unity and national loyalty or has it promoted disunity, sectional loyalty and disintegration?

 

From all that we have witnessed since Shettima’s nomination was made public, it should not be difficult to reach a conclusion that the APC has violated the federal character principle.

 

It amounts to intellectual duplicity to argue that religion is not an integral part of the federal character of Nigeria. In 2015, the APC rejected Muslim-Muslim ticket because it violated the federal character principle. If the APC no longer believes in federal character, the starting point should be for the Party to propose a Constitutional amendment to expunge federal character from the Constitution. Quota system should also be abrogated. Until this is done, it is mischievous and dubious for the APC to blatantly ignore the duty imposed on it by the Constitution to conform to federal character under the ridiculous pretext that it nominated Muslim-Muslim candidates based on “competence.”

 

Without federal character, Buhari would not be the President today. Bola Tinubu is the presidential candidate of the APC partly because of federal character. Zoning is a product of federal character. Those who seek to exclude religion from their interpretation of federal character are doing so dishonestly. If there is nothing wrong with a Muslim-Muslim ticket, then there should be nothing wrong with a Christian-Christian ticket, North-North ticket or East-East ticket. Politics and democracy have been said to be about numbers. But politics and democracy in a heterogeneous country like Nigeria must be deliberately tailored to foster a sense of inclusion and national integration. That is why the federal character principle is enshrined in the Constitution. Representation is an indispensable ingredient of democracy.

 

Those who keep retorting that Nigerians who are not comfortable with the decision of the APC should focus on their preferred political parties should reread the constitutional provisions enunciated above, including Section 224 which imposes a duty on all political parties to adhere to federal character. It smacks of arrogance and crass insensitivity to dismiss the legitimate views of those who are justifiably disenchanted by the destructive and dangerous politics of identity and exclusion that the APC has now fully embraced.

 

Conclusion

 

There is a reason why the framers of the Constitution made it mandatory for the membership of all political parties to be open to people of all religions. It is to ensure that all religions are treated fairly in the ‘distribution’ of leadership positions in the country. It is to ensure that a political party does not operate in a sectarian manner. It is to prevent a political party from projecting itself as a Muslim Brotherhood, or as a Christian Brotherhood, or as a brotherhood for African traditional worshippers.

 

Since the APC has chosen a sectarian and divisive path, it is left for the Nigerian electorates to determine whether the path chosen by the APC is in the best interest of Nigeria bearing in mind the existing mistrust in the country, and the multi-religious and multi-ethnic character of Nigeria and vote accordingly in 2023.

 

Given the unpardonable mismanagement of Nigeria’s diversity, and the grievous damage that President Buhari and the APC have inflicted on this country in the last seven years, one would have expected the APC to read and respect the mood of the nation and be circumspect, and not resort to desperate political gimmicks and divisiveness that will further polarize our country. Shamefully, the APC decided to remind us that allowing it to assume power in 2015 remains a tragic mistake of history.

 

Inibehe Effiong is a Lagos-based legal practitioner and human rights activist.

 

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday told the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kashim Shettima that he will respond to his speech when he is handing over to him and his boss, Bola Tinubu.

Buhari said this while hosting Shettima at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday.

"I will respond to your speech when I am handing over to you and your boss. God willing, you are going to win," Buhari was quoted in a statement released by Garba Shehu Senior Special Assistant to the President on Wednesday.

Buhari, who received the VP candidate shortly after he was unveiled by the leadership of the party and Tinubu, the party’s presidential candidate, said he was very happy with the choice of the former governor of Borno State as Tinubu’s running mate.

“I wish you the best. Your consistency at the party is very respectful.  You served your two terms as Governor and finished well. You have kept touch with your base. At every important occasion or event, you are maintaining support for the one who succeeded you.  This is commendable,” he said.

The President expressed strong optimism that the APC ticket will emerge victorious in 2023.

In his remarks, Shettima thanked Buhari for his “empathy, support and positive role," leading to his emergence as running mate to the APC presidential candidate.

He praised the President for having “a special place in your heart for Borno and Northeast,” adding, “I can cite 20-30 instances of support you have rendered, for which you will be remembered."

Shettima asked Buhari to appreciate his successor, Babagana Zulum who was with him, along with the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, for his support.

He said he would not be for the “troika of Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri,” but for all of Nigeria, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or geographical place of origin.

 

 

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File photo used to illustrate story.

The Nigerian Senate, on Wednesday, passed a bill to establish the National Social Security Commission.

The piece of legislation seeks to put in place a National Social Security protection funding to cater for the needs of the unemployed, aged and underage children below 18 years, from broken marriages.

Also covered in the bill are dependents left behind after the death of the family's breadwinner.

 

The passage of the bill followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters, a statement by Dr. Ezrel Tabiowo, Special Assistant (Press) to the Senate President said on Wednesday.

Chairman of the Committee, Ibrahim Shekarau (NNPP - Kano Central), in his presentation, said the bill seeks to provide the Legal and Institutional framework for the establishment of the National Social Security Commission for the regulation, management and administration of various social services and benefits to Nigerian citizens.

 

"Ultimately, the Bill seeks to provide a comprehensive Legal and Governance framework for the proper administration and management of all-inclusive, integrated, preventive, promotive and transformative National Social Security regime that provides flexible sustainable periodic social benefits and grants to eligible indigent Nigerian Citizens that are within the scope of the Social Security (Minimum standards) Convention, 1952 (NO 102) of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and particularly Contingencies arising therefrom," he said.

 

The lawmaker explained further that, "the proposed Social Security Commission under this Bill shall provide indigent Nigerians Citizens with comprehensive preventive and/or curative Medicare, from sicknesses resulting from any morbid condition of whatever cause."

 

"Specifically, the Commission when establish by the leave of this Senate shall provide a well-structured impactful, and sustainable social interventions to eligible unemployed Nigerians, old-aged Nigerians, underage children below 18 years resulting from broken marriages and survivors resulting from loss of family's breadwinner," he added.

 

The bill was passed by the upper chamber after a clause-by-clause consideration by the Committee of the Whole.

 

 

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A media rights advocacy group, International Press Centre (IPC) has condemned in the strongest terms, the police assault on The Punch reporter, Matthew Agbaje, in Lagos State while carrying out his lawful duty.

Agbaje was reportedly assaulted and brutalised at Berger bus stop on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday by five police officers who were allegedly on illegal duty.

The police officers were said to be dragging and pushing a bus driver, during the time the reporter was on his way to the office. He decided to record the incident with his phone but the policemen pounced on him, punched, slapped, and handcuffed him to a bus despite identifying himself as a journalist.

The IPC described the incident as an “abominable act” by the policemen whose responsibility is to protect and defend members of the public instead of assaulting them.

In a statement by its Press Freedom Officer, Melody Lawal, the centre said, “The International Press Centre (IPC), condemns the assault on The Punch reporter, Matthew Agbaje, who was handcuffed to a commercial bus as he was punched and slapped for attempting to expose policemen on illegal duty at Berger bus stop on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday, July 18th, 2022.

“Reports reaching the IPC Safety Alert Desk indicate that Agbaje was on his way to the office when he saw some policemen, about five of them, dragging a bus driver. He was recording the incident with his phone when the policemen pounced on him, despite showing them his identity card.

 

“IPC totally condemns this abominable act by security operatives who are saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and properties. Journalists must be treated with dignity because of the important responsibility they have to the citizens and society.

“IPC is therefore calling for immediate action against the police officials involved. The Commissioner of Police should thoroughly investigate this incident and other illegal activities being carried out by police officials on that route. The perpetrators should be made to face the appropriate punishment for their actions.”

 

A regional quarterly report on Freedom of Expression (FOE) by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), published by SaharaReporters in May 2022 showed that Nigeria recorded 5 cases of freedom of expression violations.

 

It put Nigeria in second place behind Ghana as the most repressive country in West Africa during the first quarter (Q1) of 2022.

 

The report which covered January-March 2022, showed that Nigeria recorded three physical attacks on journalists and two attacks on media houses. These violations were classified under Arrest/Detention and Seizure/Destruction of property.

Also, a report jointly produced by the MFWA and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in 2021 showed that Nigeria recorded over 300 press freedom and freedom of expression violations during the first four years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

It is worrisome how Nigeria and the troubled Guinea Bissau found themselves in the same position on violation of freedom of expression, even without a war going on in the country.

Meanwhile, Ghana recorded 11 violations to rank first as the West African country with the highest cases of press freedom and freedom of expression violations during the period under review.

Journalists in Nigeria and many other West African countries experience attacks and intimidation by security agencies including police, and the military.

On October 20, 2020, during the nationwide #EndSARS protest in Nigeria, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and military officers physically assaulted and damaged the gadgets of journalists in Lagos, Abuja and some parts of the country.

Similarly, on October 20, 2021 journalists, including one Daily Post correspondent, Sikiru Obarayese, were physically assaulted at the Lekki Toll Gate by the police.

 

 

 

 

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Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has expressed fear over a threat by the members of the National Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) to shut down airports across the country in solidarity with the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

 

The minister who spoke with State House Correspondents on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja warned that if ANAP should carry out its threat, it would be disastrous to Nigeria’s security.

SharaReporters earlier reported that aviation workers threatened to go on solidarity strike in solidarity with university lecturers’ union, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which has been on strike for five months.

According to a report by TheCable, Sirika, while expressing his fear over ANAP’s threat, said, “I’m naturally concerned about this. If the aviation union will shut down in support of ASUU, I would say they have no need to. I will also say that we should begin to look at civil aviation as a critical national security enterprise. It has all the implications.

 

“We should not contemplate or think about an aviation disaster. We should also think about the general activity on the economy of Nigeria without civil aviation.

 

“This is democracy, you can push for demands, but in pressing for demands, you should be reasonable in doing so.

 

“So, civil aviation workers, I think, should not be part of this. Yes, I am concerned and yes, we’ve spoken to them and I don’t think they will join because they know that there’s a huge responsibility for lives on their heads. If you’re an air traffic controller, it involves national security. It involves the capability of preventing external aggression and so on and so forth.

 

“I believe that they are very aware of the enormous responsibility upon them in civil aviation and they should continue to see it so and continue to be as law-abiding as we want them to be.”

 

The minister asked the aviation unions to reconsider the planned action, adding that there is a “huge responsibility of lives on their heads.”

 

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The Nigerian Government on Thursday debunked a piece of viral news that President Muhammadu Buhari ordered education minister, Adamu Adamu to resolve the lingering strike embarked upon by university lecturers within two weeks.

This was contained in a statement released via the verified Twitter handle of the government on Thursday.

The statement is titled, ‘On University Strikes, Government Is Ready For Business.”

The government explained that Adamu requested that the labour and employment minister, Chris Ngige should allow him to lead and conclude what he had earlier commenced with the striking lecturers.

The statement reads: "The outcome of the meeting held by President @MBuhari on Tuesday with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to end the agitations by university unions ought to be beyond spin-doctoring and conjectures.

 

"It is a pity that almost all media houses allowed themselves to be deceived by interested sources that are not the authorized spokesmen of the government.

“Neither during nor after the meeting was any ultimatum given to the Minister of Education. During the meeting, Minister @NigEducation requested that the Minister @LabourMinNG  hands off the negotiation to allow him lead and conclude what he had earlier on started with the ASUU.

"And he promised that he could get an agreement within the shortest possible time, possibly two to three weeks.

 

“In carrying out this assignment, the minister will carry along all relevant ministries and agencies with statutory functions and duties relating to the issues involved.

"@NGRPresident is optimistic that agreements can be reached in an even shorter period if all parties/stakeholders are not unrealistically obstinate. We appeal to the parties to work together to end the strikes.

"On the part of the administration, all doors remain open for dialogue and the resolution of the issues.

"We appeal to the media not try to spread misinformation. The orchestrated media narratives seeking to present an entirely different picture, attributed to sources, in the last 24 hours are not helpful at all.”

 

Lecturers in Nigerian federal and state universities, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), have been on strike since February 14, 2022, to force the government to implement agreements reached by both parties in 2009 among other demands.

 

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A young man who identified himself as Emmanuel Ojochagbe Peter has lamented the extortion of N2,000,000 from him by policemen in the Federal Capital Territory.

He said the incident occurred on Tuesday around Byazhin in Kubwa, Abuja.

Narrating the incident in a series of tweets, Peter said he was treated like a criminal by the policemen who accused him of being a kidnapper.

 

According to him, he was later forced to transfer N500,000 four times to one Atatu Ramatu with First Bank account number 2038518054.

“I was dragged in a bus by six police men yesterday at Byazhin across kubwa, they collected my phone from me by force, asked me to unlock my phone which i did after going through my phone and seeing nothing they started calling me a kidnapper,” he tweeted.

 

“I started begging that i was innocent, then they said I better cooperate with them or else I won’t like what’s going to happen to me, I said please sir I’m cooperating, we where on the road going to their station that’s what they said.

 

“They then forced me to open my bank app and transferred five hundred thousand (500,000) four times because my limit per transaction is 500,000, thats how they sent 2 million naira from my account and dropped me off at Gwaripa.”

 

DSP Josephine Adeh, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Federal Capital Territory, however, told SaharaReporters that she was not aware of the case. She asked for Peter's Twitter handle, saying she would take up the matter. 

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The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police in the Nigeria Police Force, Abba Kyari, on Wednesday, told Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court that he had the opportunity to escape from Kuje prison during a recent attack on the facility by terrorists but chose not to. 

Kyari, who spoke through his lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), said the gate of the prison was wide open but rather than escape, he and four other former members of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), in detention over drug offences at the prison hid like rats.

According to him, after seizing the prison for over three hours, the terrorists opened all the gates and forced inmates to escape but he refused to run away.

 

IS fighters have claimed the June 5 attack on Kuje prison during which hundreds of inmates, including terrorists, were freed.

According to a report by Vanguard, his lawyer, Ikpeazu, while addressing the court argued that the prison attack established “a special and exceptional circumstance” that should warrant the court to release Kyari and his men on bail, pending the determination of the charge against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

 

He said, “My lord, every living soul in this country will agree that there was not just a breach, but that there was a grand terrorist attack by an organization that not only successfully invaded the Kuje prison, but took control of it for over three hours.

“However, the Applicant, being a law-abiding citizen, refused to take off.  If there is anything to establish that the Defendants will not jump bail, it was that circumstance.

 

“The gates of the prison were left open for over three hours.

“In fact, the Defendant hid like a rat because the organization that conducted the attack went from cell to cell, saying they wanted to take him and the others to the desert.

 

“I don’t know where else in the world, where certified crime fighters that have endangered their lives and abandoned their families to serve the country, are kept in the same cubicle, with same criminals they made their arrest possible, with some of them facing death penalty.

 

“These people have suffered. They are traumatized by the events of that night. You can imagine what it felt like, witnessing the attackers planting explosives everywhere in the prison.”

 

Ikpeazu further noted that the Defendants anticipated that the prison could be attacked, hence, their bail application earlier.

 

The lawyer added that the Defendants, having been suspended by the police and in detention for over five months, do not have the capacity to interfere with witnesses the NDLEA intend to produce against them.

 

“They cannot even have access to the two convicts that are presently under the protection of the powerful prison service.

 

“Moreover, there is a constitutional presumption of innocence in favour of the Defendants,” he said.

 

He, therefore, prayed the court to ignore NDLEA’s contention that Kyari and his men are being investigated over their alleged complicity in money laundering.

Similarly, the lawyer of the 2nd defendant, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), told the court that NDLEA had in a counter-affidavit it filed in opposition to the fresh request for bail of the detained police officers, noted that “hoodlums who undertook the breach, seized the prison facility for over 3 hours, but to the glory of God, no one died.”

Oyewole, who accused NDLEA of lying, said a security operative was killed during the attack. 

He also held that NDLEA’s counter-affidavit was grossly unreliable because it was not deposed to by a prison official.

 

But the NDLEA’s Director of Legal Services, Sunday Joseph, prayed the court to refuse the Defendants’ fresh bail application, saying there was no evidence to prove that Kyari and his men were being confined with criminals.

He added that under the rule of law, no inmate ought to be accorded any preferential treatment and that nothing was placed before the court to warrant the reconsideration of the earlier ruling of the court that denied the Defendants bail.

 

“We, therefore, urge your lordship to refuse the application,” he said.

 

After listening to the two parties, Justice Nwite adjourned the ruling on the Defendants’ fresh application for bail till August 30.

 

The NDLEA accused Kwari and other officers involved in the case of unlawfully tampering with 21.25 kg of cocaine seized from two drug traffickers- Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwane.

The anti-narcotics agency also accused them of dealing cocaine weighing 17.55kg.

Kyari was also accused of attempting to bribe a senior officer of the agency with $61,400 at a restaurant in Abuja.

 

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The Christian Association of Nigeria has disassociated itself from suspected Christian bishops who attended the unveiling of the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kashim Shettima on Wednesday.

 

The Christian body described such persons pictured at the venue of the event dressed in robes as desperados.

The Vice President of CAN for 19 Northern States and Abuja, who doubles as the association’s chairman in Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph Hayab, who addressed journalists in Abuja, said their effort would only add to their many ropes but would not change the need for fairness and justice.

According to Hayab, the people paraded as bishops at the APC event “did not have enough time to learn how to wear Bishop garments”.

“Take a closer look at their photo and you will see another Nollywood movie,” he said.

Many Nigerians, particularly Christians and Christian bodies have condemned the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of the APC. Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the party, who is a Muslim, has insisted on having Kashim Shettima, a fellow Muslim, as his running mate. Tinubu is from Southern Nigeria while Shettima, a former Borno governor, is from the Muslim-dominated Northern part of the country.

CAN also accused Tinubu’s camp of desperately trying to sell Shettima to Christians, and doing everything, including lying to push out a wrong narrative.

“CAN wonders why the desperation. First, a story was out claiming to have come from the Chairman of CAN Borno state only to be refuted. Secondly, there was another lie that BAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) and his running mate were on their way to meet CAN President one night. A meeting that was not true and was on a night that the CAN President was in Alabama USA attending Baptist World Alliance Conference of which he is the Vice President.

 

“Another desperation story was that they met Papa Adeboye which the RCCG later refuted. If Christians are not important why the desperation?

 

“BAT is free to hire mechanics and other artisans and sew clerical garments for them. An effort that will only add to their many ropes when the political exercise is over but will not change the need for fairness and justice that CAN is calling for.

 

“CAN appreciate that we are in a democracy, no need to do funny and dubious things just to prove a point because it will in the end bounce back. BAT team should simply do what is right and stop the drama," he said.

 

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The Spokesperson for Nigeria Police Force, Muyiwa Adejobi has said no police officer has the right to check another person's mobile phone except if such a phone is marked as an exhibit in a pending case before a court of law.

Adejobi said this on his Twitter handle on Wednesday, explaining that any police personnel found doing that should be described as a scavenger.

"No policeman has the right to check one's phone anywhere except the phone is an exhibit in a case under investigation. Any policeman who does that is not a policeman, but rather a scavenger," he tweeted.

In October 2020, the then Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu also banned personnel of the police from indiscriminately browsing through mobile phones and laptops belonging to members of the public.

“All Tactical Squads must also desist from the invasion of the privacy of citizens, particularly through an indiscriminate and unauthorized search of mobile phones, laptops and other smart devices,” Adamu said in a statement.

Often tagged ‘stop and search’, hundreds of Nigerian youths have fallen victim to extortion. Many have been forced to make self-indictive statements by personnel of the Nigeria Police. The police usually tagged them as fraudsters even if it was only a cryptocurrency application that was found inside their phone.

Such illegal demands by police personnel to check the mobile phones and laptops of members of the Nigerian public have led to extrajudicial killings, extortions, illegal arrests and harassment.

In November 2019, leaders in Nigeria’s tech industry launched a campaign for survivors of attacks by Nigeria police officers on young tech entrepreneurs and workers for the commencement of legal proceedings.

No policeman has the right to check ones phone anywhwre except the phone is an exhibit in a case under investigation and that phone must have been marked exhibit. Any policeman who does that is not a policeman, but rather a scavenger https://t.co/24nRArfv0T

— Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi (@Princemoye1) July 20, 2022

The #StopRobbingUs campaign was launched in September 2019, seeking an end to the practice of unlawful arrest, attack, kidnap and forcible withdrawal of funds from young people with laptops or any electronic gadget by officers of the Nigerian police.

Amnesty International said in a 2016 report that victims of SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad- now defunct) brutality “are subjected to various methods of torture and ill-treatment to extract information and ‘confessions.’”

 

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Muslim Youth Forum of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, stormed the party’s secretariat in Abuja in protest against the party’s choice of Kashim Shettima as the running mate to its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu for the 2023 general elections.

 

The protesters who were at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, said they decided to embark on the protest during the official unveiling of the former Borno State governor to register their grievances against the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

One of the protesters, Malam Abdullahi Bilal Muhammadu who spoke to The Punch said that the Forum was displeased with the APC’s decision which has exempted Christians in the North from politics at the federal level.

 

Muhammadu said, “We are here to register our grievances, to register our utter dismay with regards to the choice of party’s presidential candidate in the person of His Excellency, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu of deciding to run on a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

 

“We are here today to solidarize with our Christian brothers in the North who may have felt that they have exclusively been exempted from the scheme of affairs of the national polity.

 

“They contribute significantly here in Northern Nigeria. They have been their brothers’ keepers. They have been identifying with us in all our activities despite the fact that we are of a different faith.

 

“We deemed necessary and compelling that if Southern Nigeria is going to bring a Muslim ticket for us, then it is wise and rational for us, for the party, as well as youth party, because they have other Christians with credentials and leadership experience that are supposed to be running mate.

 

“We choose today because it is the official unveiling of the running mate and we felt that today, our grievances will reach the appropriate authority; and until the needful is done, we will continue to register our grievances to identify with our Christian brothers in the North to be on the ticket.”

 

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The management of Arthur Jarvis University in Cross River State has shut down the institution indefinitely following the gunmen attack and kidnapping of one student of the university on Tuesday night.

 

The school in a circular issued on Wednesday by the acting Registrar, Ughas Ngozi Felicia, directed parents and guardians to move out their children and wards from the school premises within 24 hours.

According to the circular quoted by AIT, all the students of the university who are currently taking their examinations will continue in the next academic session on a date that will be announced later.

 

Also, final-year students who have their final research defence pending would be notified of the new date in due course.

 

The circular read, “The Management has approved the commencement of the 2021/2022 vacation with effect from Wednesday, July 20, 2022.

 

“All students are hereby expected to vacate the University premises, the date of resumption for the new academic session will be communicated in due course.

 

“All outstanding examinations will be taken at the beginning of the next session. Final year students will be notified of the date/details of their Project Defence.”

 

SaharaReporters earlier reported that gunmen suspected to be kidnappers stormed the institution on Tuesday night, kidnapped one student and wounded others.

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A former lawmaker representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has said he has since left the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, adding that a recent resignation letter circulating online did not come from him.

He, however, said that he was still part of the family of the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu.

Abe, who stated this while speaking on TVC Television Programme on Wednesday morning in Abuja, maintained that he left in order to seek fortune somewhere else.

This position was confirmed by Parry Saroh Benson, the spokesperson for Senator Abe in a statement obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday.

Abe said: "I have since left the APC in Rivers State but the letter circulating round is not from me. I am still part of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu's family and has no issue with him whatsoever.

"I am a part of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu's political family and I'm also part of his own family, and that is a very separate thing, from the politics of Rivers State.

"Yesterday, there were some funny letters circulating on the internet, that I have resigned from the APC because Asiwaju refused to intervene in the politics of Rivers State; that is ridiculous, all politics is local, I have no interest whatsoever in the APC in Rivers State.

"When people talk about resignation, how do I resign from the party I don't even know who the ward chairman is, so I couldn't have written a letter to people that I don't know, what I know from the Constitution of the APC, and the constitution of the country is that there are several means by which you leave the party, and one of the means is by way of resignation. So resignation is just one of the ways that are available to members to leave the party.

"You can leave by resignation, you can leave by death, you can withdraw your membership, you can join another political party, the way the APC is sinking in Rivers State, it makes no sense for any politician that has serious political interest in the State to remain in the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.

"I have no stake in the APC in Rivers State, I don't know anybody that is in the entire executive of the APC in all the 319 wards in the State. I don't even know who my ward chairman is neither do I know any ward ex-officio, officer of the party. I don't have anybody who is running for any office in the APC in Rivers State that I know, except Asiwaju who is running for President.

 

 

"I have absolutely no stake in the party in Rivers State and all politics at the end of the day is local. And so it will be irresponsible of me to stay in the APC in Rivers State and support a party in which I have no stake in their victory.

"So it is clear to everybody who is watching the politics of this country that my future in the politics of Rivers State is not tied to the All Progressives Congress and so it is clear that I'm no longer a member of the APC in Rivers State as far as that goes, but the purported letter flying around wasn't authored by me and I know absolutely nothing about it. And, it does not reflect my views and my opinions as far as the politics of Rivers State is concerned.

"I have said in the coming days a lot of things will unfold but the issue of me and the APC in Rivers State I think that was decided a long time ago.

"I don't know why people are still speculating and writing letters on an issue that I have made public a long time ago that I'm not part of the APC as far as Rivers State is concerned."

 

On Tinubu’s presidential ambition, Abe opined that most Nigerians are looking for assurances as to what the future portends.

"Nigerians are looking for assurances as to what the future portends as it concerns Asiwaju presidency, because whether we like it or not, a lot of families are going through difficult crisis at this time.

"I don't think the biggest concern in any family now is the church that Shettima attends. I think what people want to hear about everywhere now are issues of what is going to happen to security.

"What is going to happen to the economy, how is this going to affect their life, and the lives of their children, those things are the critical issues.

 "I don't think the issues of the Vice President being a Christian or a Muslim is the most important issue that Nigerians are facing at this time. After all, the current Vice President is a Christian. If that were to be the most important thing for most people then we shouldn't be complaining right now.

"I understand that there are a lot of people who may be feeling shortchanged or disturbed or even worried by the level of rhetorics that is going on around this issue.

"I think that the responsibility of those who believe in the presidency of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu is to reassure them and explain to them how this presidency will tie into their own goals and aspirations for the future and I think that is what is critical to those who want to support Asiwaju in this country."

Abe and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi have been at loggerheads in the state, leading to the APC crisis there.

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, Amaechi and Abe’s factions conducted parallel primaries that produced two sets of excos.  Amaechi’s faction produced Tonye Cole as its governorship candidate while Abe emerged as the candidate of his own faction.

 The National Secretariat of the party forwarded Cole’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission as its candidate for the state.

 

However, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt barred all candidates produced by the primaries of the APC in the state and also restrained INEC from recognising any candidate of the party for the 2019 elections.  

 In the suit filed by Abe, the court directed INEC to remove all APC candidates from ballot papers and other electoral materials. It also declared the direct and indirect primaries held by the factions as illegal, null and void.

 

But in February 2019, Amaechi’s faction challenged the decision of the High court at the Court of Appeal and won. It secured a judgment that cleared the way for all APC candidates to contest the election.

On February 8, 2019, the Supreme Court nullified the ruling of the Court of Appeal which allowed APC to field candidates in Rivers State in the general elections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  Sahara Reporters, New york. Disable advertisements : 

Ruth Bitrus, who is believed to be one of the kidnapped girls from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok in 2014 has been found, the Nigerian Army has said.

 

This was confirmed by Troops of Operations Hadin Kai.

They said Ruth Bitrus escaped from Boko Haram captivity with her child.

 

Theatre Commander of Operations Hadin Kai, Major General GC Musa, made this known in Maimalarin Barracks during the official handing over of medical equipment by the North-East Development Commission to support the military on Wednesday.

 

 

He said, "You would recall that some weeks ago, we rescued two Chibok girls and their children, I will like to inform you that we have rescued another in the course of our operations.

 

“We will not rest until Leah Shaibu and other Chibok girls are returned and united with their families. We won’t rest until all of them are safely returned. Ruth Britus was rescued from Sambisa Forest with her son,” Maj Gen. Musa said.

 

In June, SaharaReporters reported that the troops rescued two Chibok girls, Mary Dauda and Hauwa Joseph, after they escaped from the Boko Haram camp in Gazuwa, located about nine kilometres from Bama Local Government Area of Borno.

This was made known in a tweet posted to the Nigerian Army’s verified Twitter handle, @HQNigerianArmy.

“Troops of 26 Task Force Brigade on patrol around Ngoshe in Borno State on 14 June 2022 intercepted one Mrs Mary Ngoshe and her son. She is believed to be one of the abducted girls from GGSS Chibok in 2014. Further exploitation ongoing,” the tweet read.

 

On the night of April 14, 2014, 276 mostly Christian female students aged between 16 and 18 were kidnapped by the Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno.

 

Before the raid, the school had been closed for four weeks due to deteriorating security conditions, but the girls were in attendance to take their final physics examination.

 

Also, 57 of the schoolgirls escaped immediately following the incident by jumping from the trucks on which they were being transported, and others have been rescued by the Nigerian Armed Forces on various occasions.

 

In January, the Kibaku (Chibok) Area Development Association (KADA), on behalf of the entire Chibok community, indicated that 110 of the 276 girls abducted were still unaccounted for.

News AddThis :  Original Author :  Sahara Reporters, New york. Disable advertisements :