The Senate and the House Representatives on Monday postponed plenary till Tuesday March 21, 2023.
The two Chambers had adjourned plenary till Tuesday March 14 to enable lawmakers partake in the Governorship and Assembly elections initially fixed for March 11 but shifted to March 18, 2023.
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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately direct compliance with the terms of the order by the Supreme Court in its judgement delivered on 3 March 2023 in respect of the naira redesign policy.
NBA’s position is contained in a statement on Monday by its President, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN).
Part of the statement reads: “Nigerians may not be too enchanted with our Judiciary, and this may have arisen from unsubstantiated and spurious allegations of judicial misconduct, the fact however remains that we still must look to the Judiciary as the only and final resort, to protect our rights as a people and secure probity in public life.
“The Supreme Court has spoken for the people of this nation and has appropriately issued orders to the Executive and the orders of the court must be complied with.
“We cannot under any guise or pretence accept or tolerate any appearance of autocracy or dictatorship.
“Our system of democratic governance has come to stay, it must not only be respected by all and sundry but must also be jealously guarded and protected.
“This is the greatest test or challenge to our constitutional democracy and the Executive
cannot afford to disregard the orders of the Supreme Court made for the benefit of the people that elected it to power.
“I therefore on behalf of all Nigerians, call on the President to immediately direct
compliance with the terms of the orders made by the Supreme Court in its judgement
delivered on 3 March 2023.”
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele is playing his “last card” in the closing chapter of the high-stake power-play that has embroiled Nigeria in the past six months.
The CBN boss, who has disobeyed the Supreme Court judgment that the old N500 and N1000 notes remain legal tender until December 31, is determined to influence the outcome of the March 18 governorship election in Lagos State against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sources said last night that the apex bank has released N500 million in new bank notes to shore up the campaign of the Labour Party (LP) in the state.
Lagos is Nigeria’s economic nerve centre and the stronghold of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The LP secured an upset against APC in the February 25 presidential polls in the state when its candidate, Peter Obi, polled 582,454 votes as against the 577,606 scored by Tinubu’s APC.
It was learnt that the N500 million windfall was mobilised through high-level CBN agents in Lagos. It was described as “Oga’s own contribution to the takeover-Lagos-from- Tinubu’s-influence, now that he has become the president-elect and will be relocating to Abuja”.
It was learnt that Emefiele had worked to ensure that Tinubu did not emerge as presidential candidate and president-elect.
Also, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai had said that the CBN governor resolved to work against Tinubu because he failed to get the APC presidential ticket.
Sources said the cash bonanza is intended to give undue advantage to the LP candidate, Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, over the two other major contestants – incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC and Mr. Olajide Adediran of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose campaign and mobilisation have been seriously affected by the cash squeeze caused by Emefiele’s Naira redesign policy.
Besides, Emefiele, who hails from Delta North, is said to be an enthusiastic promoter of the “Igbo agenda” to install “our own in Alausa come May 29”.
To perfect the plot, the cooperation of a senior military officer in command position in Lagos, is said to have been secured by Emefiele.
The commander, the sources said, is expected to provide “military muscle” to the “agenda” to take over Lagos.
He was said to have similarly played a “spoiler role” on February 25 by deliberately deploying troops to provide “cover” for the massive rigging in Ajah, Lekki areas in favour of LP’s Obi.
The commander also allegedly provided “cover” for the massive rigging reported in Amuwo-Odofin, Ojo, Alaba and Iba areas. For instance, troops at his behest, reportedly “detained” the Oniba of Ibaland in his palace, ostensibly to “prevent him from being able to mobilise his people to vote Tinubu”. Troops similarly invaded the palace of Elegushi in Ikateland and openly brutalised APC supporters in viral videos. Oba Saheed Elegushi is known to be a staunch Tinubu supporter.
Emefiele, whose controversial policy is widely believed to have specifically targeted Tinubu ahead of the presidential poll, is highly unfavoured to continue in office after President Muhammadu Buhari bows out on May 29.
Incidentally, he had mounted a multi-billionaire bid for the APC presidential ticket last year in flagrant breach of the provisions of the CBN Act forbidding political partisanship.
Before he eventually chickened out of the race in May 2022, the CBN governor, according to an affidavit deposed to by the Department of State Security (DSS), had allegedly been involved in “terror financing”.
“A network of gangs and elements to help in the realisation of his presidential ambition was said to have been recruited,” said the source.
The latest secret cash largesse to the LP candidate’s campaign is coming at a time many Nigerians groan under acute cash scarcity as daily languish in endless queues at banking halls and ATM centres across the country without being able to access their savings, despite a Supreme Court order on March 3 mandating the revalidation of the N200, N500 and N1,000 notes till December 31, 2023.
Aside Emefiele’s N500 million cash, the LP has also reportedly received $2 million cash from a famous retired billionaire general, who hails from the North.
The said general had openly endorsed Obi on the understanding that he would “protect my business” interest, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
The businessman was said to have been shocked, following the announcement of Tinubu by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as President-elect.
The provision of dollars for LP is to match the APC candidate in the Lagos polls “dollar-for-dollars”, the source added.
The billionaire General is widely known to be among the “group of five generals” who had done everything possible in cahoots with some others to stall the declaration of the results of the presidential election when it became clear that Tinubu was heading for clear victory.
His latest “investment” in Rhodes-Vivour is said to be an “emotional last dice” geared towards preserving his shock, being a Lagos resident who has just completed a new home believed to be worth $25 million.
No fewer than 35 persons have been killed in the Southern Kaduna area of Kaduna, and Katsina states.
Of the figure, 17, including a policeman, were reportedly killed in Zangon-Kataf communities in Southern Kaduna.
Eighteen persons were killed in Kankara council area of Katsina State.
The Nation learned that trouble started in the Zangon-Kataf area on Thursday when a young herder was tied to a tree and killed by some locals around Ungwan Juju.
Our correspondent also learnt that the situation became compounded on Saturday afternoon following a misunderstanding between security operatives and some Fulani men at a checkpoint in Ungwan Wakili, which led to a Fulani man and a policeman being shot at a checkpoint.
Later that evening, a group of local youths, who went fishing, were attacked and one of them was said to have been killed with machetes by the retaliating herders.
A senior military source from the area told our correspondent: “On Thursday last week, one Umar Sambo (a herder) was killed while returning from grazing his cattle around Ungwan Juju in Zangon Kataf LGA.
“When his brother, identified as Safiyanu, could not find him, he reported to the security agencies, who then launched a search operation. His body was finally discovered at Ungwan,” the source said.
He said the tense security situation became compounded on Saturday evening, when there was a clash between security operatives and some Fulani at a checkpoint in Ungwan Wakili, which led to the death of a Fulani man and a policeman.
According to him, “Ungwan Wakili village of Atyap Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf LGA was attacked by unidentified persons around 8:40pm on Saturday, in an apparent reprisal following the killing of the herder.”
He said troops of Operation Safe Haven mobilised to the village to repel the attack, but about 16 to 17 persons were already killed, with seven persons wounded.
“Also worthy of note is that, after after a policeman accidentally shot and injured a herder and a colleague at the checkpoint at Ungwan Wakili Junction, a mob action occurred in Ungwan Wakili.
“While the police evacuated the area, a crowd of locals and herders gathered at the scene, and in the confrontation that followed, one local was killed. Two motorcycles belonging to herders were burnt,” the security source explained.
The local government authorities have imposed a 24-hour curfew in the affected communities to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
In Katsina, 18 villagers were feared killed on Saturday night in Kankara Local Government Area when suspected terrorists clashed with local vigilantes
Findings revealed that communities where the clashes occured include: Majifa, Gurbi, Danmarke, Gidan-Anchor, Gidan- Saika,Dan- Mangoro and Gidan- Sale.
It was learnt that while five people were killed in Gurbi, 13 people were killed at Majifa,Makera and Gidan Jifau settlements.
Many injured persons were being treated at the General hospital,kankara as at yesterday afternoon, it was said.
Police spokesman Gambo Isah said he could only confirm the clash at Majifa, but added that details were sketchy.
A rehabilitated ex-fighter of Boko Haram, Alayi Madu, and the traditional ruler of Kajola, a border community between Ondo and Edo states, Baale Akinola Adebayo were among 37 persons arrested with over 2.2 tons of illicit drugs seized in the past week.
They were arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and in raids across 12 states, according to a statement by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi..
Babafemi said yesterday that NDLEA officials, in the early hours of Friday, stormed Kajola forest where they destroyed three cannabis farms measuring 39.801546 hectares.
He said the owner of the farms, Ba’ale of Kajola, Akinola Adebayo, 35, was arrested on the farm at 2:30am, alongside two other suspects, Arikuyeri Abdulrahman, 23, and Habibu Ologun, 25, believed to be his workers.
The statement reads, “In the same vein, a 26-year-old Alayi Madu, who was a Boko Haram fighter for 15 years before he surrendered to the Nigerian military in 2021 was intercepted by NDLEA operatives on Thursday 9th March along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway with 10 kilograms of skunk, which he said he bought in Ibadan, Oyo State and was taking the consignment concealed in a sack to Maiduguri, Borno State.
“In his statement, Madu said he is from Banki town, Borno State and joined the notorious terrorist organisation, in 2006 when he was nine years old. He said he repented and surrendered to the military in 2021, after which he underwent rehabilitation and de-radicalisation processes at Umaru Shehu rehabilitation centre, Maiduguri and Malam Sidi de-radicalisation centre, Gombe before he was discharged after spending six months.
“Thereafter, he travelled to Ibadan, Oyo State where he worked as commercial motorcycle rider (Okada rider) before going into drug trafficking and his eventual arrest along Abuja-Kaduna express road.
At the Lagos airport in Ikeja, operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a consignment of 11.90kg of heroin and 500grams of skunk concealed in deep freezers, which were part of a cargo that arrived from South Africa on Tuesday 7th March onboard Ethiopian airline via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Agency’s sniffer dogs were deployed to locate where the illicit drugs were hidden in the cargo and in no time, they identified the cartons packed in the deep freezers.
“A total of four suspects that played active roles in the movement of the drugs and a truck driver have been arrested so far in connection with the seizure. They include: Dairo Quam; Oluwaseun Ogunmene; Adeleke Abdulrasaq; Bamidele Adewale and Oluwafemi Ogunmeru.
“Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives attached to the Gate C departure hall of the MMIA on Thursday 9th March intercepted a passenger, Aigbedion Philomena, heading to Italy via Addis Ababa on an Ethiopian Airline flight. When her bags containing body cream, hair attachments, drinks, and some food items were searched, a total of 1.20kg tramadol capsules concealed inside gift wrapping sheet and covered with old daily newspapers were discovered.”
“At the Idiroko land border, NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence on Thursday 9th March
intercepted a commercial Toyota Camry Salon Car with reg. number JJJ 756 HB (Lagos) along Ilase-Akoko road, Idiroko with 34 compressed jumbo size wraps of imported skunk weighing 17kg and concealed in two cooking gas cylinders. Two suspects in the car, Benjamin Ajose, 48 and Oluwatobiloba Ajayi, 37, were arrested.
“In Akwa Ibom state, Mrs. Hope Iniobong David, 42, was arrested with bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,112kg (1.1 tons) in her house at Ediene Abak in Abak LGA, while operatives in Kogi state on Thursday 9th March recovered 25 cartons, containing 50,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection weighing 200kg in a Toyota Hiace bus marked LAM 652 LG, Kogi, travelling from Lagos to Abuja.
“Also, in Ogun state, operatives arrested a female drug dealer, Bola Egbebi in Ota LGA, with different quantities of Cannabis Sativa, Methamphetamine, Tramadol 225, Skuchies, Molly and Codeine cough syrup, while in Gombe state, another female drug dealer, Fatima Hassan (a.k.a Boss) was arrested on Saturday 11th March in her house at New Mile 3 area of Akko LGA with three and half blocks of skunk weighing 3.245kg. Two other female drug dealers: Folake Ladipo and Adeola Babatunde were arrested with 49.5kg skunk on Friday 10th March in Mushin area of Lagos state.
“In Kwara, operatives on patrol along along Ilorin-Jebba highway on Tuesday 7th March arrested two suspects: Ismaila Saidu and Dahiru Abdullahi with 50 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 578 kilograms, while in the FCT Abuja, 15 suspects were transferred by the Nigerian Army with 35 bags of cannabis weighing 384.3kg.”
overnorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 18 elections in Katsina State, Dr Dikko Umar Radda, appears the candidate to beat as candidates of other parties continue to throw in their towel in support of his candidacy. The Nation can report that several weak candidates in the governorship race are stepping down to bargain for political patronage and reach out for alliances with the ruling APC in the state
The one-week shift in the governorship/house of assembly elections has provided additional leeway for fresh alliances and window of opportunities for fresh negotiations and realignments. As things are in the state, the APC is the beautiful political bride that is welcoming other parties that are constantly thronging the party’s office in the state for negotiations; while the main opposition PDP appears left out in the lurch as nothing seems to be going on at the moment in the party.
While throwing his weight behind Radda, Katsina NNPP deputy governorship candidate, Alhaji Muttaqa Rabe Darma, said he has endorsed the APC candidate, Dr. Radda, for the seat. The NNPP’s deputy governorship candidate said Dr. Radda’s victory would boost development in the state. According to him, the state is in need of someone with the capacity to govern with sincerity and honesty. “Dr Radda has the capacity, the qualifications and experience to move the state out of the woods; we need to attain our goals.”
He called on NNPP supporters to back the APC candidate in the March 18 election. Responding, Dr Umar Radda appreciated Darma for the support and pledged to run an inclusive government if elected. In a related development, the Katsina State chapter of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) has also endorsed the APC candidate. The party’s consultative committee, led by the party secretary, Abubakar Aminu Birchi, deputy governorship candidate, Alh. Sade Salisu Daura, chairman of Candidates’ Forum, Surajo Sa’ad, and chairman of Chairmen’s forum, Abubakar Sa’adu, declared the party’s endorsement when the committee paid a courtesy call on Governor Aminu Bello Masari.
The National Working Committee of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) has suspended its Benue State chairman, Dr Gwadue Hough, alongside other erring executives in the state. It would be recalled that Dr Hough and some members of the party had adopted the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Titus Uba, for the March 18 polls.
But the Benue State governorship candidate of YPP, Roberts Orya, through his media aide Emmanuel Lubem, dismissed the decision as mischievous, null and void, saying he (Orya) is still very much in the race. The endorsement of the PDP flagbearer did not also go down well with the National Working Committee of YPP, which had suspended the Benue state chairman of the party and other erring members. In the letter of suspension, the YPP NWC said its former chairman’s conduct constituted illegality, gross misconduct and a flagrant disregard for the party’s constitution. The YPP said Chief Roberts Orya is still the flagbearer of the party in Benue State.
Also, the Forum of Benue State House of Assembly contestants under the YPP and all the Local Government executives of the party have dissociated themselves from the position of the Benue State chairman, pledging unalloyed loyalty and solidarity for the party’s governorship candidate, Chief Orya.
In Adamawa State, both incumbent Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who is also the candidate of the PDP and leading challenger, Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani of main opposition APC have benefitted from recent endorsements by smaller candidates for the governorship election. It started for Binani last Sunday, March 5, when the governorship candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the state, Alhaji Umar Mustapha, otherwise called Otumba, announced the stepping down of his candidacy for Binani.
Now, Fintiri of the PDP who with Binani make the two top contenders for the governorship seat in Adamawa State got his own backing from minor contenders last Wednesday. Six such candidates, little heard of before then, gathered at the Government House in Yola to say they were opting out of the governorship race to canvas votes for Fintiri. The six were Bello Babajo of Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Yahaya Choli of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Maina Abba of National Rescue Movement (NRM), Amron Dadsu of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Muhammad Shuwa of Action Democratic Party (ADP), and Abdulkadir Adam of Action Peoples Party (APP).
Bello Babajo of the APM who spoke for the six candidates, said their action was informed by a desire to ensure progress in the state. A total of 14 parties and respective candidates were registered for the 2023 governorship election in Adamawa State. The two-way adoptions by and of governorship candidates in the state so far mean that seven have exempted themselves from the race as at March 12. In addition to the major two so far adopted, namely APC’s Binani and PDP’s Fintiri, the following remain in the race: Mohammed Tahir of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Umar Ardo of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ibrahim Baba-Inna of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Umaru Babangida of Action Democratic Congress (ADC), and Hussaini Tahir of Action Alliance (AA).
Last week, five governorship candidates were claimed to have stepped down and 7 political parties were said to have collapsed their structures and endorsed the APC governorship candidate, Mohammed Bago, in Niger State. The leader of the coalition of the governorship candidates and candidate of the Allied People Movement (APM) Aliyu Mohammed announced that they have stepped down for the APC candidate and would work for his victory at the polls.
The other governorship candidates include Buhari Yakubu Yarima of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mohammed Isah Bello Maikujeri of the Action People Party (APP), Abdulazeez Salaudeen of Accord Party and Mohammed Aliyu Balaji of Action Democratic Party (ADP). But the names of the political parties who said they have collapsed their structures for the APC are currently unknown.
However, two governorship candidates in the state have come out to say that their parties have collapsed their structures for the APC candidate. The candidates include Khadijah Abdullahi Iya from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Mallam Umar Karat Aliyu from the Young Progressive Party (YPP). Both claimed that the announcement of parties collapsing their structures was meant to steal their supporters’ votes and demoralise intending voters. The PDP and APC governorship candidates, Isah Liman Kantigi and Umar Bago, have used the window of extension by INEC to intensify their campaigns and meetings with strategic stakeholders across the state.
Nasarawa State candidate of the Labour Party, Joseph Ewuga, has stepped down his ambition to govern the state for the candidate of the PDP, David Umbugadu, ahead of the March 18th governorship election. Speaking to journalists, Ewuga said Umbugadu had better leadership qualities than him and urged all his supporters to vote for the PDP candidate.
He said, he had consulted all the stakeholders of the party both within and outside the state to arrive at such a decision. The LP had won the February 25th presidential election in Nasarawa State with 191,361 votes; while the ruling APC in the state came second with 172,922. The PDP came 3rd with 147,093 votes.
Surprisingly, the LP did not win a single seat of either the Senate or House of Representatives seats; the PDP won only one senatorial seat while the APC won 3 House of Representatives seats, the SDP won two senate seats and two House of Representatives seats. But the National Rescue Movement (NRM) gubernatorial candidate in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abubakar Musa Sambo, who was equally said to have stepped down for the PDP candidate, denied ever taking such a decision.
Speaking to Journalists in Lafia, the NRM governorship candidate said two major political parties had approached him to jettison his candidature and declare his support for them but he declined their efforts. He declared that he is still in the race and confident that he would emerge victorious at the polls considering the efforts he had put up to actualise his ambition. The governorship candidate of SDP in the state, Muhammed Alfa Mustapha, in a recent interview, said he is going ahead with the election. “If anybody should step down for another person, I think Governor Sule of the APC should be the one to step down for me because my party won more NASS seats than his APC,” he said.
Our correspondent equally gathered that the governorship candidate of NNPP, Abdullahi Yakubu Maidoya, who has equally been campaigning vigorously across the state ahead of the March 18 elections vows to remain in the battle field till the end. But a great boost for Governor Sule came when the two senators-elect for SDP Ahmed Aliyu Wadada (Nasarawa West) and Godiya Akwashiki (Nasarawa North) as well as Dahiru Sarki (Lafia/Obi) and Jonathan Gaza (Karu,Keffi,Kokona) federal constituency abandoned their SDP gubernatorial candidate and vowed to work for the re-election of Governor Sule of the APC.
As the rescheduled governorship elections draw near, the Taraba State PDP governorship candidate, Agbu Kefas, is enjoying more support through endorsements. Kefas will however compete with four other top contenders namely; Emmanuel Bwacha of the APC, Danladi Baido of the SDP, Joel Ikenya of the Labour Party and Prof Sani Yahaya of the NNPP, in what promises to be the most competitive election in the history of the state.
While his major opponent, Bwacha is battling with litigation issues against members of his party, Kefas has been enjoying series of endorsements lately. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is the first to endorse Kefas. In a letter signed by the State Secretary, Bishop Manasseh Silas Rifore, CAN asked Christians to vote for the PDP governorship candidate, Agbu Kefas. Col. Agbu Kefas (rtd) of PDP for the governor as her endorsed candidate,” the letter read.
Although the endorsement by CAN has generated a lot of uproar in the state, The Nation can authoritatively say that churches in the state have started mobilising their members in response to CAN’s directive. Although the Muslim Council has not come up with an official directive, it is being speculated that the Muslim community is rooting for the only Muslim contender of the top five, Prof Sani Yahaya. Also, another group known as the 2019 Governorship Candidates Forum in Taraba State has endorsed the PDP governorship candidate as the preferred candidate ahead of the 2023 governorship election in Taraba.
In a press briefing in Jalingo, the Forum’s Chairman, Kefas Sule, who is a Labour Party chieftain, stated that Taraba was blessed in all ramifications and all that it needed was good leadership. “That Taraba State is abundantly blessed with everything that is required to guarantee good quality life for the citizens is not in doubt. The problem has always been the quality of leadership. If we get the leadership question right, every other factor will fall into place and our State will become a reference point in Nigeria,” he stated.
Last-minute endorsements and counter endorsements have hit major political parties in Oyo State, as the polls postponement appears to be described as opportunity in disguise for the parties to also make some public denials of the endorsements.
Specifically in Oyo state, two leading candidates including the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde of the PDP and his counterpart from the APC, Senator Teslim Folarin have recorded series of endorsements from other political parties. But, despite the endorsements by the other parties, including those who even have governorship candidates in the forthcoming election, no governorship candidate have endorsed another candidate.
Aside the APC and PDP, the Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Accord (A) among others are also major parties contesting the coveted seat. The PDP whose candidate, Governor Makinde, who is seeking re-election has enjoyed some endorsement from a faction of the LP, a decision which the LP candidate Tawfiq Akinwale has openly condemned and denied. Akinwale had not only lashed out at the party leadership who took the decision, he has also reiterated that he has not and will never step down for any candidate, no matter the cost.
The embattled LP leadership, while announcing their endorsement of Makinde, had accused the LP governorship candidate of not having the means and capacity to deliver at the polls. The situation is not different with the Accord Party whose factional leaders also threw their weight behind Governor Makinde. Also shocked by the decision and action, the Accord Party governorship candidate, Oloye Adebayo Adelabu, also expressed disdain and the leaders. The national leadership of the party was also shocked on hearing the news and it immediate announced the sack of the state executives and leadership behind the controversial endorsement of Makinde. The National Chairman, Mohammad Nalado, also issued a statement announcing the sack and the constitution of new state leadership. He went further to address a letter to the INEC and all security agencies informing them of the development, reiterating that Adelabu is and remains the party governorship candidate in the rescheduled election.
On the part of the APC governorship candidate, Senator Folarin, the SDP has also at an emergency stakeholders meeting announced its adoption, noting that the APC candidate has been so approved by other stakeholders across other parties. The SDP governorship candidate, Micheal Lana, has not made any public comment on whether he is for or against the coalition between his party and the APC candidate. Additionally, no fewer than 11 deregistered parties also during a press conference queued behind the APC candidate, insisting that he has a better plan for the state than the incumbent.
A new twist to the gale of coalition by the “minor” parties, however, was the insistence of the parties that they were only supporting the governorship candidates of their preferred parties but that their house of assembly candidates of their various parties are still in the race. The gale of endorsement got more interesting as unconfirmed reports claimed that a former governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja has held series of meetings with all the opposition parties and directed them to work for the APC candidate. Ladoja was behind the merger and coalition of political parties that worked to deliver Governor Makinde in 2019 when he defeated the candidate of the then ruling APC, Adelabu, who is re-contesting on the platform of Accord party.
Although there is no formal alliance, splinter groups within political parties in Akwa Ibom have realigned ahead of the March 18 governorship poll. For instance, some support groups within the Labour Party popularly known as the Obedient Movement have pledged their support to candidates of popular parties.
While some of Obedient groups are rooting for the governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party(YPP), Obong Bassey Akpan, others are supporting the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Umo Eno. Unconfirmed report has it that the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Architect Ezekiel Nya-Etok, has surrendered to the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party(NNPP), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe. The state publicity secretary of the PDP, Borono Bassey, had also disclosed that some governorship and House of Assembly candidates of opposition political parties have secretly pledged their support for Pastor Eno.
With days left to the Delta state gubernatorial and Assembly polls, the candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Delta State, Mr. Efe Ekure, has withdrawn from the governorship race. He declared his support for the APC candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. In a signed statement weekend, Ekure said he had collapsed his structure and urged his supporters to vote for Senator Omo-Agege, adding that he is the most qualified to lead the state. He urged his supporters to channel their “supports in that direction.”
Ekure maintained his decision to withdraw from the race was the result of wide consultation with team members and stakeholders. According to him, his withdrawal is to allow him focus on his business while nurturing his political profile for future political engagement. He added that it was imperative to give the state to the best hand a chance to lead.
In Kaduna State, major political parties have refused to form alliance ahead of the governorship and state assembly elections rescheduled for March 18. It would be recalled that six smaller political parties had last week formed alliance with the major opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). They include: Young Progressive Party (YPP), Action Alliance (AA) Allied People’s Movement (APM), Action People’s Party (APP), All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
On the other hand, the governorship candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Salihu Abubakar, has stepped down for the candidate of APC, Sen. Uba Sani. Meanwhile, major opposition parties like the PDP, Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and Action Democratic Party (ADP) have insisted on going to the polls without alliance, with each believing that it can defeat the ruling APC.
In Ebonyi State, there is confusion as reports of four governorship aspirants stepping down for the APC candidate, Francis Nwifuru, in the forthcoming election were quickly dispelled by some of the candidates. This is even as one of the candidates was ousted by the Supreme Court days later, which further muddled the waters.
Nwifuru, a two-term Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, currently represents Izzi West constituency at the state assembly. The gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Edward Nkwegu; that of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Mr Sunday Adolawam; and the Action Alliance (AA) governorship candidate, Mr Chukwuma Nwandugo were alleged to have dumped their gubernatorial pursuits to rally round the APC governorship aspirant.
Nwifuru had been visiting the candidates trying to build consensus. The trio are from the Izzi clan same as Mr Nwifuru and their being in the race is said to be a major stumbling block to Mr Nwifuru’s emergence as it may lead to splitting of votes from the clan, which is predominant in three council areas in the state. The national president of Izzi Nnodo Youth Forum, Ben Nwovu, had announced the stepping down of the candidates at a briefing in Abakaliki without any of the candidates present.
The announcement came at a time when one of the candidates, Mr Nkwegu, was ousted by the Supreme Court as candidate of Labour Party. The Supreme Court held last week that Mr Spendour Okoh is the governorship candidate of the party. However, reports soon emerged at the weekend that Mr Okoh has already relinquished his candidature to another Izzi man and former Minister of state for Health, Fidelis Nwankwo. But Mr Nwovu called on Mr Fidelis Nwankwo to stop allowing himself to be used in deceiving members of the public into believing that he is the Labour Party’s governorship candidate in the next election, as the youths would apply legal means to stop that, if he continues with such antics.
Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of NNPP Dr Sunday Adolawam has debunked the statement that he has collapsed his party structure to support the candidate of APC in the forthcoming elections. Dr Adolawam made this clarification in a statement released through his spokesperson, Mr Victor Uraku in Abakaliki the state capital.
The deputy governorship candidate of the African Democratic Party in Abia, Ms Ifeoma Okoya-Thomas, has reportedly announced her intentions to dump the ADP for the Labour Party. Okoya-Thomas was said to have disclosed to close sources her reason for joining Labour Party was her strong belief that LP would give the people of the state the desired democratic dividends. According to Ms Okoya-Thomas, Abians had suffered in all spheres because the state had been in the hands of incompetent leaders, stressing that the Abia people are unhappy.
The reality on the ground in Plateau State is that there are three political parties contending for the March 18 election. They are APC, LP and PDP, meaning that the political game on the Plateau has been scaled down to a 3-man contest: Barr Caleb Mutfwang of the PDP, Dr Nentawe Yilwada of the APC and Dr. Patrick Dakum of the LP.
As at the time of party primaries last year, there were six governorship candidates, APC, LP, PDP, APGA, YPP and PRP. Out of the six, only three are standing firm and strong. The other three political parties like APGA, PRP and YPP have already fallen by the side for the reason that they lack necessary wherewithal to convince voters to cast their votes for them. At the flag-off of APC in Wase in January 2023, the governorship candidate of YPP Manji Gontori openly announced the collapsing of the entire party structure into APC. Gontori urged all his supporters to vote APC in all elections.
Apart YPP that made its alliance with APC public, APGA and PRP ensured that their alliance decisions are shrouded in secrecy. Unconfirmed rumour has it that PRP is going into alliance with APC for the governorship election while APGA is rumoured to working closely with PDP. However, the outcome of the presidential and National Assembly elections has given the PDP governorship and Houses of Assembly candidates strong grassroots’ base, having won two of the three senate seats in the state and also claimed 5 of the 8 House of Representatives, leaving the remaining three House of Reps seats for APC.
Invariably, it is the ruling party APC that appeared much more interested in alliance with other political parties to firm up their position in the March 18 election. With the opportunity of a shift in the election from 11th to 18th, political parties are seen visiting ethnic nationalities across the state and seeking endorsement at the same time. The two major religious bodies, JNI and CAN have been playing hosts to the contending political parties, but the religious bodies have been very careful and avoiding adopting any party candidate.
Leaders of thoughts in the three senatorial districts of Cross River State have agreed on the need to maintain a formal rotational sequence as it concerns the position of governor in the state. The decision followed two separate meetings in separate days held in Yala local government, northern district and in Ikom local government area in central district.
The two meetings were held by the respective district leaders with leaders from the Southern district who lobbied them on the need to have a formal rotational sequence that move within the three senatorial districts. Speaking at Okpoma, Yala LGA in the premises of High Chief Higgins Peters where leaders of the northern district gathered, Etubom Bassey Eyo Ndem, who led a delegation of over 30 elders from the southern district said the essence of the meeting was aimed at peaceful coexistence between the two brothers/sisters and a continuation of what was started many years ago by our forefathers who reached what was established as Calabar-Ogoja Accord.
The meeting reaffirmed their absolute faith in the accord and more particularly the resolutions contained in the communique from its previous meeting of 10th November 2018, which had stated that the office of the governor of Cross River State shall rotate sequentially between the three constituent senatorial districts of the South, Central, and North for equity, brotherliness, justice, and accommodation.
The meeting noted that at the advent of democracy in 1999, the Southern Senatorial District had the first two terms of 8 years, led by Mr Donald Duke. This was followed by the Central Senatorial District’s term of 8 years, led by Senator Liyel Imoke. Subsequently, the Northern Senatorial District is coming to the end of its 8-year term, led by Ben Ayade. “That it is only fair, just, and equitable that the office of Governor should return to the South in the 2023 general elections, and continue to move sequentially thereafter. That the leaders of Southern and Northern Senatorial Districts will do all that may be required to take along the youths of the senatorial districts in order to uphold the principles of equity, justice and accommodation, ensure continuity, and bridge any gap between the Leaders.”
Those who reject naira notes risk prosecution in many states, governors warned yesterday.
The state chief executives are angry that transporters, traders and other businesses are refusing to accept the notes.
This is in contravention of the March 4 Supreme Court judgment ordering that the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes would remain legal tender until December 31 and co-exist with the new ones.
Some of the banks that have been issuing the old notes refuse to accept them, insisting that customers go through the strenuous process stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the old notes to be banked.
The plaintiff-states are preparing to initiate contempt proceedings against the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and CBN governor Godwin Emefiele at the Supreme Court.
But it was learnt yesterday that the CBN may soon speak on the issue.
A senior official, who pleaded not to be named because he was not authorised to speak, said the bank will have some information for Nigerians between today and next week after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.
The official said the CBN was aware of the suffering as a result of the currency crisis.
“The CBN will soon speak on the development. We are aware of what Nigerians are going through.”
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) described the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari and the CBN to comply with the Supreme Court judgment as an invitation to a crisis.
It also noted that the much-touted benefits of the naira redesign could not justify the pains Nigerians were passing through due to its poor implementation.
“President Buhari is under oath to defend the constitution of Nigeria.
“As his long-term supporters, it will be remiss of us if we fail to warn that the much-touted benefits of the Naira redesign can never justify the damage to his credentials,” the forum said in a statement by its Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu.
The ACF added that “10 days is long enough time for the government to find a way towards complying with a court order which import is central to the achievement of peace, order and good governance in the country”.
Pointing out that the policy has led to “runaway inflation, huge crowds, long queues in banks, and pockets of riots in some states”, it said the “current approach of the CBN” has made some governors believe that “naira-confiscation” could set off a crippling depression.
“This is quite apart from the real possibility of the crisis morphing into a serious social disorder leading to the possible breakdown of law and order throughout Nigeria.
“We do not believe nor can we advise him to pay such a heavy price on account of a policy whose immediate goals are not entirely clear to a majority of Nigerians,” the ACF added.
Also yesterday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) asked the CBN and banks to make naira notes available to Nigerians.
NLC Head of Information, Benson Upah, said: “A conscious effort should be made to make naira available to the ordinary Nigerians.
“That duty resides with the CBN and the banks.”
TUC Secretary General, Comrade Nuhu Toro, also urged the Federal Government to make naira notes available to reduce the hardship being experienced by Nigerians.
Many governors said there would be consequences for rejecting the old notes.
Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu said the rejection of old notes amounted to a contravention of the law.
Ikpeazu, in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chris Ezem, warned that any individual, bank or business concern that rejects the old currency risked sanctions.
The statement reads: “Further to the Supreme Court ruling extending the validity of the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes as legal tender till December 31st 2023, Abia State Government advises Abians and residents in the state to feel free to carry out their financial transactions with the old naira notes alongside with the new notes as stipulated.
“Any individual, group or business entity that rejects the old notes will be contravening the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and stand the risk of facing sanctions.”
Some business owners who accept old notes in the state sell at more than 20 per cent above the normal costs of items.
For instance, bread sellers sell a loaf for N1,000 to a buyer with a new note but N1,200 if it is an old note.
Ikpeazu’s counterpart in Osun, Ademola Adeleke, requested the state’s CBN director to direct the banks to halt “the practice of paying out notes to their customers and rejecting same from depositors”.
Adeleke, according to his spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, described the action of the banks as maltreatment of residents of the state.
Rasheed said: “Governor Adeleke has consequently called on the CBN to direct the banks operating in the state to correct the anomalies.
“The state director of the CBN is specifically requested to direct the banks to halt this unhealthy practice.
“If banks will not accept old notes as deposits, they must stop issuing old notes for withdrawal. The current pain being inflicted on our people must stop.”
Also, the Kano State government urged businesses and residents to accept the old notes as legal tender.
Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Malam Muhammad Garba, said in a statement: “It has come to the notice of the government that some business owners such as supermarkets, malls, banks, restaurants, hotels, traders in markets, filling stations, motor parks, among others, are in the habit of rejecting the old naira notes.
“This non-acceptance by some selfish individuals is further worsening the already tense situation exacerbated by the non-availability of the new naira notes.
“Business and economic activities are seriously affected by the naira redesign and unfortunately some self-centred individuals are cashing in on the situation to cause further hardships on the people by not accepting the old naira notes during transactions.
“The people have suffered enough untold hardship and therefore the state government would not fold its arms and allow a few selfish elements in our midst to worsen the situation.”
The Ondo government will this week move against individuals and business owners rejecting the old notes.
The Bayelsa government called on banks, business operators, transporters and traders to obey the Supreme Court judgment.
Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ayibaina Duba, said in a statement: “While the state government is not against the naira redesign policy of the CBN or the Federal Government, it is, however, not comfortable with the method of its implementation that has resulted in further hardship on people of the state and, indeed, the country.
“The government, therefore, urges business operators in the state, particularly banks, traders and keke (tricycle) to take into consideration the Supreme Court ruling in order to reduce the pains of people of the state.”
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu last week appealed to residents in the state to stop rejecting them.
Chief Press Secretary to Governor Akeredolu, Richard Olatunde, told our reporter that further action would be taken this week to ensure compliance.
The Taraba government urged residents to comply with the Supreme Court judgment.
Bala Dan Abu, the spokesman of Governor Darius Ishaku, said: “There is a subsisting Supreme Court judgement validating the use of the old naira notes until the 31st of December and as a law-abiding government, we support that position.
“It would be wrong for any law-abiding government to go against the decision of the Supreme Court which is the last court of resort in the country.”
Ogun Governor Dapo Abiodun urged residents to abide by the Supreme Court judgment.
His Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, said it was illegal to reject the old denominations as a means of exchange.
“We stand by the Supreme Court pronouncement. It is illegal to reject it,” he said.
The Adamawa State Government urged residents to continue transacting with the old notes.
Director General of Media and Communications, Mr Solomon Kumanga, said: “His Excellency, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, has always lamented the scarcity of the notes and the hardship that the naira design change has been causing the people.
“He has always appealed that the right thing is done to ease the hardship.”
Niger, which is among the state governments that sued the AGF at the Supreme Court, warned traders and businesses against rejecting the old notes.
Chief Press Secretary to Benue State Governor, Nath Ikyur, said the government would soon decide on the consequences of rejecting old notes.
“Very soon, the government will make a pronouncement,” he said.
Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Declan Emelumba, said he had not discussed the issue with Governor Hope Uzodimma.
“I will bring it up and get back to you,” he told our reporter.
Kaduna government, one of the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case, is yet to prescribe any sanction for the rejection of old notes.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said would continue to arrest and prosecute those involved in the production and circulation of fake redesigned notes.
The Commandant-General of the corps, Ahmed Audi, said in Abuja yesterday that cases of fake note circulation had become worrisome.
He said that in less than a month, the NSCDC had arrested and seized fake notes worth millions from some syndicates.
Audi said the suspects took advantage of the low circulation of new notes to massively produce counterfeit notes.
“Many innocent Nigerians must have fallen victim to their scheme while they collected bank money transfers and exchange of foreign currencies.
“The arrest of these syndicates will help us fish out more criminals who have decided to take advantage of the economic situation in the country to scam people,” he said.
Twenty-one more survivors of last Thursday’s train-bus collision in Lagos have been discharged.
Their discharge yesterday brings to 53, the total number of injured civil servants being conveyed in the bus to their office when the crash happened at Sogunle.
Forty-three other injured passengers of the bus are still on admission at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, General Hospital Odan-Lagos and General Hospital, Gbagada.
A National Youth Corps (NYSC) member, Oreoluwa Aina, who was one of the six that died in the accident, has been buried.
The Nation also gathered that the driver of the bus, Okwuwaseun Osinbajo, was hospitalised at the weekend. Health Commissioner Akin Abayomi, who gave the number of newly discharged persons in an update on the accident, said “ Total number of patients on admission as of today March 12, is 43.
“There are 39 patients at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), two at the General Hospital Odan-Lagos and another two at the General Hospital, Gbagada.
“The total number of patients or passengers discharged is 53.”
Abayomi added that the fatality figure from the accident remains at six.
The bus driver was said to have been rushed to a public hospital in Oyingbo after allegedly passing out in custody.
A source said he suffered internal bleeding on the day of the accident, which was not discovered until he was taken to the hospital.
The source said: “He suffered internal bleeding from the accident but did not know. He was rushed to the hospital where he underwent surgery on Saturday.
“He was at the Post Surgery Ward between Saturday and Sunday morning but has now been moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).”
Before her death, 28-year-old Aina was posted by the NYSC to the Curriculum Services Department of the state’s Ministry of Education in Alausa for her primary assignment.
Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayo, Coordinator of the NYSC in the state, Yetunde Baderinwa and the bereaved family members were at Aina’s burial at Atan Cemetry.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said at the weekend that it will not allow any political party access to its data base containing biometric information of all registered voters.
INEC National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education Barrister Festus Okoye stated this while speaking on Channels TV‘s politics today.
He said all the parties have already been given copies of register of voters as well as their polling units in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Okoye also said that the Commission hopes to conclude reconfiguration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) by Tuesday for deployment to the polling units.
He however said that any BVAS that fails to provide a backup system for the results of the Presidential and National Assembly election will not be reconfigured for the March 18 Governorship and Assembly elections.
While dismissing a backup plan for the IREV during the governorship election, Okoye said when there are.challenges with upholding polling units results during the election, the ICT department is equipped to deal with such challenges.
On the controversy surrounding the posting of the Director ICT days before the election, Okoye said all Administrative Secretaries of the Commission are Directors adding that decision was taken in the best interest of the nation.
He said the decision was taken at a time when the commission was panicky about whether there were going to be new Resident Electoral Commission while preparing for elections.
He said at that stage the Commission needed to post it’s best hands to serve as Administrative Secretaries and manage the elections in the absence of the Resident Electoral Commissioners.
On the judgement directing the Commission to allow two individuals to vote with the Temporary Voters card, he said the commission has already filed an appeal as INEC is the only body allowed by law to determine what can be used for voting.
He said the slip given to the individuals during registration was to let know that they have been registered while the information the provided are being processed.
Mouthpiece of Northern Nigeria, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has described the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari’s and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to comply with the Supreme Court’s judgment, which declared the old naira notes remain legal tender till December 31 as invitation to crisis in Nigeria.
It said the policy has done serious damage to the credentials of President Muhammadu Buhari as a democrat and stickler for the rule of law.
The Northern socio-cultural group, in a statement on Sunday by its Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu, said Buhari is under oath to defend the Constitution and the much touted benefits of the policy can never justify the damage to his credentials as a democrat and a stickler for the rule of law.
ACF said: “Some ten days ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria held that the President, Muhammadu Buhari, breached the Constitution of Nigeria in the way he issued a directive to the CBN for the redesign of the Naira without consulting with the National Council of States and the Federal Executive Council.
“It went further to rule that the unconstitutional use of powers by the President on the Naira redesign has breached the fundamental rights of Nigerian citizens in various ways.
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“The state Governors have persistently argued that the policy which permitted the CBN to place an embargo on the circulation of old N500 and N1,000 Naira notes while not providing their replacement in sufficient amounts, had triggered severe cash shortage and chaos in the economy.
“It has led to runaway inflation in food and other commodities. Huge crowds and long queues form around bank offices and ATM points across the country as people struggle to get the new cash which have remained extremely scarce. It has triggered riots and other forms of civil unrest.
“The current approach of the CBN”, argued the state Governors, “raises concerns about the respect for the civil liberties and rights of Nigerians as it relates to their freedom to use legitimately earned income as they so wish”. They believe that the CBN is in truth pursuing a policy of “Naira-Confistication” which would possibly set off a cripplying depression.
“Monday, the 13th of March, 2023, marks the 10th day when the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that CBN’s Naira Redesign policy is unlawful and that its implementation should stop. Whatever the CBN or anyone else say about the benefits of the policy, which evidently are many, is of little comfort as soon as the highest court in the country has deemed that it is, or, at least the manner of its implementation, breaches the law.
“Ten days is long enough time for the government to find its way towards complying with a court order which import is central to the achievement of peace, order and good governance in the country.
“President Buhari is under oath to defend the constitution of Nigeria. As his long term supporters, it will be remiss of us if we fail to warn that the much touted benefits of the Naira redesign can never justify the damage to his credentials as a democrat and a stickler for the rule of law.
“This is quite a part from the real possibility of the crisis morphing into a serious social disorder leading to the possible breakdown of law and order throughout Nigeria. We do not believe nor can we advise him to pay such a heavy price on account of a policy whose immediate goals are not entirely clear to a majority of Nigerians.”