Author: The Nation

• Talks between govt, TUC, NLC on palliatives implementation for June 19

Organised Labour last night put off its planned strike over the removal of petrol subsidy by the Federal Government.

The decision was announced after yesterday’s marathon meeting between a government team and leaders of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The NLC served a strike notice due to commence tomorrow, the day after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his inauguration address declared that “fuel subsidy is gone”.

The presidential announcement led to a knee-jerk reaction from petrol marketers, who immediately shut down filling stations and hiked product prices.

Prices of other commodities went up astronomically. 

Yesterday’s meeting was a follow-up to two earlier meetings on May 31 and June 4.

The communiqué issued last night said: “Following the engagements between the Federal Government and TUC/NLC, with the intervention of the Speaker, House of Representatives to resolve the disputes that arose from the withdrawal of subsidy on PMS, the following resolutions were reached:

“The Federal Government, the TUC and the NLC to establish a joint committee to review the proposal for any wage increase or award and establish a framework and timeline for implementation.

“The Federal Government, the TUC and the NLC to review the World Bank Financed Cash transfer scheme and propose the inclusion of low-income earners in the programme. 

“The Federal Government, the TUC and the NLC to revive the CNG (compressed natural gas) conversion program earlier agreed with Labor centres in 2021 and work out detailed implementation and timing. 

“The Labour centres and the Federal Government to review issues hindering effective delivery in the education sector and propose solutions for implementation. 

“The Labour centres and the Federal Government to review and establish the framework for completion of the rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries.

“The Federal Government to provide a framework for the maintenance of roads and expansion of rail networks across the country.

“All other demands submitted by the TUC to the Federal Government will be assessed by the joint committee.”

It was decided that the proposed strike will be called off.

The resolution added: “Consequently, the parties agreed follows: the NLC to suspend the notice of strike forthwith to enable further consultations.

“The TUC and the NLC to continue the ongoing engagements with the Federal Government and secure closure on the resolutions above.

“The Labour Centers and the Federal Government to meet on June 19, 2023, to agree on an implementation framework.”

The resolution was signed by TUC President Festus Osifo; NLC President Joseph Ajaero; TUC Secretary General Nuhu Torò and NLC General Secretary Emmanuel Ugboaja.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachollom S. Daju, and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila signed for the Federal Government.

Others in the government’s team at the meeting were former Edo State Governor and Senator-elect Adams Oshiomhole; the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari; former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Dele Alake; and House of Representatives member James Faleke.

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele; former Minister of State for Labour and Employment Festus Keyamo (SAN); Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) Zacch Adedeji; and Executive Vice President, Downstream of the NNPCL Yemi Adetunji were also present, among others.

The resolution came hours after the National Industrial Court in Abuja restrained Labour from proceeding with the strike.

Read Also: Call off strikes, Tinubu urges health workers

Justice O. Y. Anuwe issued the order while ruling on an ex-parte motion by the Federal Government through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and moved by Director, Civil Litigation, Federal Ministry of Justice Mrs. Maimuna Lami Shiru.

The order will remain in force pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice dated June 5.

The judge said her action was informed by the argument by the Federal Government’s lawyer that the strike if allowed, will cause incalculable damage to the nation.

She said: “Having therefore considered the totality of this application, I make the following orders: 

“The defendants/respondents are hereby restrained from embarking on the planned industrial action/or strike of any nature, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated 5th June 2023. 

“It is ordered that the defendant/ respondents be immediately served with the originating processes in this suit, the motion on notice and the order of this court hereby made. 

“The motion on notice is hereby fixed for hearing on 19th June 2023. Hearing notices to that effect shall be served on the defendants/respondents along with the other processes.”

The suit marked: NCIN/ABJ/158/2023 has the NLC and TUC as defendants, while the Federal Government and the AGF are listed as the claimants.

Justice Anuwe, in the ruling, agreed that the proposed strike action is capable of disrupting economic activities, the health and the educational sectors.

She said by Section 7(b) of the National Industrial Court (NIC) Act 2006, her court has exclusive jurisdiction in matters relating to the grant of any order to restrain any person or body from taking part in any strike, lockout or any industrial action or any conduct in contemplation or in furtherance of a strike, lockout or any industrial action. 

The judge added that sections 16 and 19(a) of the NIC Act 2006 also empower this court to make orders or grant urgent interim reliefs. 

She added: “The urgency enumerated in the affidavit of urgency and counsel’s submission reveals a scenario that may gravely affect the larger society and indeed the well-being of the nation at large. 

“Counsel has pointed out that students of secondary schools nationwide, especially those writing WAEC exams will be affected; the tertiary institutions who have only just resumed after a long ASUU strike will also be affected, not leaving the health sector, amongst other sectors; and above all, the economy of the nation. 

“In my view, this is a situation of extreme urgency that will require the intervention of this court.”

Petrol sales drop as ex-depot price hits N479.50 per litre

Also yesterday, the NNPCL released a new ex-depot price of N479.50 per litre of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol to the marketers. 

Marketers are worried that the NNPCL is giving them the product paid for at the old rate since eight months ago for the new rates.

They are concerned about recovering money to pay for the loans, with which they purchased the “tickets”.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), National Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, confirmed the new ex-depot price.

NNPCL Chief Communication Officer, Malam Garba Deen Muhammad, was not available for comments.

Maigandi said: “Some depots are selling at the rate of N479.50. That is the ex-depot price.

“Banks are charging based on the money they lent to you. Again, we, the independent petroleum marketers have already purchased the product from NNPCL for eight months. 

“Now, they are saying they will give us the product for this new rate and not the old rate. 

“And it is with our money they (NNPCL) bought this product. These are part of the challenges we are encountering now.”

Maigandi said the new pump prices have affected the demand for products.

He said what marketers pay for one petrol truck is higher than what they used to pay for three.

“Sales have drastically reduced. Marketers rely on bank facilities. The money you used to get one truck, you have to triple it before you get one.”

According to him, the demand has reduced by 80 per cent.

He said: “The product is very much available, but people are not buying. Demand is as low as by 80 per cent decline.

“It is only 20 per cent that is buying the product now. Had they removed the subsidy gradually, it would have been very good.

“We are not against the removal of subsidy at all, but the way it was done is where the problem is.”

Maigandi urged the Federal Government to reconcile the outstanding tickets and provide palliatives.

• Akpabio, Wike, Umahi visit Aso Villa

Governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the aegis of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) yesterday reiterated their backing for the endorsement of chieftains for National Assembly presiding offices.

PGF Chairman and Governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodimma, spoke when he received the campaign team of the Abbas/Kalu joint ticket, led by the Joint Task –10th Assembly Coalition at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.

He said the party has made the best choice for the National Assembly. 

The leadership of the party had endorsed Tajudeen Abbas from Kaduna State and Benjamin Kalu from Abia State as their preferred candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively. 

Uzodimma said the least the governors should do is to ensure that the party’s preference and vision is actualised come June 13th.

He commended members of the coalition who are drawn from the eight political parties that won seats in the 10th House, saying they made the right decision to support the joint ticket.

Uzodimma said: “I congratulate you once more for the success you achieve in the last election and for coming together to form an alliance towards the speakership race. You have taken a good decision to support these two gentlemen. 

“What we are practicing today is democracy and APC is the ruling party and you have a responsibility now to help the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to succeed, and we all know that the most sensitive arm of government is the legislature and if we make a mistake with it, the other two arms will be affected.

“If the parliament is right, the government will be right, and I want to urge you to reach out to those who are aggrieved to persuade them to see the reason to agree with us. 

“When you have a situation such as this, you will tell others your party is the best and this instance, APC is in the majority and we have to demonstrate maturity by forging a common front in unity.”

Read Also: I’ll be Speaker come June 13, says Tajudeen Abbas

Uzodimma appealed to other aspirants to close ranks with the party’s preferred candidates and work together for a purposeful legislature capable of promoting and projecting the interest of Nigerians.

He said Abbas’ choice by the party was not an imposition.

Uzodimma added: “There’s no such thing as imposition. It’s for the benefits of all of us, and the synergy will help us to achieve more for our people back home. 

“If you say that, it means you’re willing and ready to disagree with the majority including the government. We know you have the power of appropriation, but when you appropriate, what about cashbacking?

“You certainly don’t want to go home after four years and tell your people you couldn’t achieve anything because you were not cooperating with the executive for their benefit. But when you work in harmony, you will reap the benefits of the cooperation and your people back home will be the better for it.”

The governor also told reporters after the meeting that the APC governors have resolved to demonstrate maturity and work with the choice of the party, adding that Abbas and Kalu represented the best in the present circumstance.

According to him, the National Assembly is not about what zone produces a presiding officer, but about who is capable of handling the dynamic of current socioe-conomic situations.

He said the PGF is confident that Abbas and Kalu will deliver to Nigerians the kind of legislature that will engender economic rejuvenation of the masses.

Abbas, Kalu and the the SouthEast Zonal Chairman of Joint Task – 10th Assembly, Nnolim Nnaji (PDP Enugu) commended the governor for hosting the team and assuring them of his colleagues’ resolve to support the project.

They restate their readiness to ensure a united 10th Assembly and work towards actualising the programmes and policies of the Tinubu administration.

Kalu thanked Uzodinma for throwing his weight behind the ticket.

Kalu explained that his candidature was not for individual recognition, but the mandate of the Southeast.  

• LP tenders results from eight more states

CANDIDATE of the Labour Party (LP) in the February 25 presidential poll Peter Obi did not win in Nasarawa State, a witness, Ibrahim Hamza, told the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) yesterday.

Hamza is a witness called by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate Atiku Abubakar.

The witness, who acted as PDP’s State Collation Agent (SCA) during the election, claimed that Obi would not have won his state if the election was free and fair.

He claimed to have signed the result sheet under duress, confirmed that by the scores allocated to parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Obi won the state.

Hamza said: “I am not happy with the result. I don’t want the court to accept this result. Labour Party cannot come first in Nasarawa State. That is impossible..we have the authentic result. It is with the National Collation Agent (of the PDP).”

When asked if the said National Collation Agent was still alive, the witness said he did not know.

The witness said he signed a clean copy of the result sheet, which he claimed was later mutilated after he had signed, alleging that all the cancellations in the result sheet occurred after he had signed.

Hamza, who was testifying as the 10th petitioners’ witness (PW10), said these while being cross-examined by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), lawyer to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He told the court that, although he did not know the percentage of votes that Atiku scored in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), he was satisfied that the PDP candidate met all the constitutional requirements and provisions to be returned as the winner of the election.

Under cross-examination by lawyer to INEC, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), Hamza said he voted during the election after being duly accredited by INEC officials.

He said election results were duly computed, but we’re not uploaded electronically as required.

The witness, who said his party had agents in all the polling units across the state, said: “It was at the point of uploading that the system failed. It happended not only in my polling units, but also in others around the state.”

Under cross-examination by lawyer to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), Hamza, who said he was not present at all the polling units during the election, told the court that he visited about 50 to 60 polling units in four wards.

Another witness, Abraham David (PW9), while being cross-examined by lawyer to INEC, Abdullahi Aliyu (SAN) said although Atiku scored 15 per cent of the votes in the FCT, he is entitled to be returned as winner, because even Tinubu who did not score 25 per cent in the FCT was declared the president.

David, who said he acted as PDP’s Collation Agent at the FCT, said his party had agents in all polling units who informed him about what happened in their areas.

The witness, under cross-examination by Olujimi, said although he claimed, in his statement, that INEC collated unlawful votes, he failed to include the figure of the votes he claimed were unlawfully collated in his statement.

David, who claimed that INEC officials did not perform their constitutional responsibilities during the election, said he could not identify the said officials by name.

PW 8 Mohammed Madaki, who said it was the law that a candidate who did not score 25 per cent in the FCT cannot be declared president, noted that since Atiku did not score 25 per cent in the FCT, he was not entitled to be declared president.

Read Also: Atiku, Obi contest states won by each other at tribunal

Under cross-examination by Aliyu, the witness said he did not witness all the cases of malpractices he claimed in his statement, but that his party’s agents at the polling units witnessed what transpired.

While being cross-examined by lawyer to the APC, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Madaki said he has lived in the Abuja for about 35 years and that the FCT was the same as other states in the country.

Madaki, who claimed to have written his statement by himself, was however, unable to explain the word “conscientiously” which was used in the statement.When asked by Fagbemi to tell the court the meaning of conscientiously,  Madaki said: “I can’t remember.”

Former Transportation Minister, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, who featured as PW 7 said he acted as PDP’s State Collation Agent in Rivers State during the election.

Sekibo said he voted after he was duly accredited, noting that although his state has over 6000 polling units, he visited about 20.

Under cross-examination by Mahmoud, the witness said although he claimed, in his statement, that people were prevented from voting in eight local government areas, he was not present at all the local government areas, but only got information from his party’s agents.

 Sekibo said results were not uploaded as required in the polling units he visited and was also told that similar incident occurred in other polling units across the state.

When asked to identify the alleged agents of Tinubu and the APC he claimed caused the disturbance that made it impossible for people to vote, Sekibo said he did not know them by name. He said he concluded based on the way the people acted.

Under cross-examination by Fagbemi, Sekibo admitted not including in his statement the figure allocated to the PDP as its score for the election.

He said the agents of his party, who were assigned to all the polling units are still alive.

Further hearing in the petition has been fixed for 9am today.

Also yesterday, the LP and its candidate Obi tendered results from eight more states, bringing to 20 the number of states in respect of which they have tendered CTCs of results in prosecution of their petition.

Their lawyer, Benbella Anichebe (SAN) tendered from the bar, CTCs of results from 13 local government areas in Ebonyi State, 13 local government areas in Nasarawa State, 25 local government areas in Delta State, 23 local government areas in Kaduna State and 27 local government areas in Imo State.

Another petitioners’ lawyer, Mrs. Valerie Azinge (SAN) tendered results from 18 local government areas in Ondo, seven local government areas in Sokoto and 21 local government areas in Kogi State.

Mrs. Azinge said her clients plan to tender more Forms EC8A from Sokoto as they receive more from INEC.

A third lawyer from the LP/Obi legal team, Patrick Ikwueto told the court that his clients filed an application on June 2 containing questions for INEC to respond to.

Ikwueto said INEC’s responses to the interrogatories were necessary for the prosecution of their petition.

Further hearing resumes in the case at 2pm today.