Latest News
THE Organised Labour has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s claims that an agreement had been reached on new national minimum wages in his nationwide broadcast to mark Democracy Day.
According to labour, as at the time negotiations ended on June 7, there was no agreement reached by the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage.
Rather, two figures such as N250, 000 from labour and N62,000 from government and Organised Private Sector, OPS, were arrived at and ought to have been submitted to the President.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has urged labour, to be realistic in their demand for a new minimum wage for workers, saying that the relief Nigerians were expecting would not come only in the form of an increase in wages but from other packages lined up by the government.
In a statement by Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, acting President, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, labour noted that anything to the contrary was not only doctored but won’t be accepted by labour.
Reacting to the President’s speech, Adeyanju, said: “The NLC attentively listened to the Democracy Day presidential address delivered by Senator Bola Tinubu, especially concerning the ongoing National Minimum Wage negotiations. While the President may have accurately recounted parts of our democratic journey’s history, it is evident that he has been misinformed regarding the outcome of the wage negotiation process.
“We appreciate the President’s commitment to those fine democratic ideals, which allowed the work of the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee to proceed unhindered despite some hiccups. However, we had expected Mr President to have used this understanding as one of those who were in the vanguard of the struggle with us around the nation to rescue Nigeria from the hands of the military to harmonise the two figures submitted to him by the Tripartite Committee in favour of workers and masses. It would have been a fitting Democracy Day gift.
“The NLC would have expected that the advisers of the President would have told him that we neither reached any agreement with the Federal Government and the employers on the base figure for a National Minimum Wage nor on its other components. Our demand remains N250,000 and we have not been given any compelling reasons to change this position, which we consider a great concession by Nigerian workers during the tripartite negotiation process.
“We are, therefore, surprised at the submission of Mr. President over a supposed agreement. We believe that he may have been misled into believing that there was an agreement with the NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC. There was none and we must let the President, Nigerians and other national stakeholders understand this immediately to avoid a mix-up in the ongoing conversation around the national minimum wage. We have also not seen a copy of the document submitted to him and will not accept any doctored document.
“However, we want to reaffirm our belief that the President on whose table the Tripartite Committee’s report presently resides would prepare an Executive Bill, which content will reflect the true demand of Nigerian workers. We think that this is an opportunity for him to demonstrate his love for Nigerian workers and the masses by shunning the pieces of advice that may be coming from those whose intentions are continuously focused on hurting the poor and struggling workers of Nigeria. Mr President should not allow these individuals and groups to sabotage his promise of lifting Nigerian workers out of poverty.
“President’s advisers did not tell him the truth that the leaders of the trade unions were intimidated and harassed. It is, therefore, important that Mr President understands that we were threatened severally by his operatives perhaps without his consent.
“Series of media propaganda calculated to intimidate and harass us were, and, are still being waged against the trade unions by senior officials of this government. Fully armed soldiers surrounded us while we were in a negotiation with the government and despite denials, recent statements by senior officials of the government reaffirmed our fears contrary to the assurances by the government. “However, we remain assured that the President’s democratic credentials will come to the fore in favour of Nigerian workers and masses.
“It is also important that Mr. President should know that most of his officers are working round the clock to set up the leadership of Congress and the trade unions. We never agreed on a 5-year duration of the minimum wage Act though we acknowledge that the President mentioned 5 years or less.
“We also agreed that inflation should be pegged at a level for a certain amount to be agreed as minimum wage. This is to bring clarity to what the report should contain.”
FG to labour: Relief will not come only from an increase in wages
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who spoke at the opening of the 2024 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria held in Abuja, said: “On the matter of the new minimum wage, which the FG is very committed to reviewing, realistically and sustainably.
“As I have repeatedly said, FG is not opposed to the increase of wages for Nigerian workers but we keep on advocating a realistic and sustainable wage system for the workers a wage system that
will not undermine the economy, lead to mass retrenchment of workers and jeopardize the welfare of about 200 million Nigerians.
“We want labour to understand that the relief that Nigerians are expecting, and that they fully deserve, will not come only in the form of an increase in wages.
“It will also come as efforts to reduce the cost of living and to ensure that more money stays in the pockets of Nigerians. And this is where programmes like the Presidential CNG initiative come in,” adding that the CNG programme alone, by replacing or complementing petrol usage with CNG, will cut transportation costs by as much as 50 per cent.
[Vanguard]
Christopher Musa, the chief of defence staff (CDS), says Simon Ekpa, a self-acclaimed disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), must be arrested and prosecuted.
Musa spoke on Wednesday during a Channels Television special broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 2024 Democracy Day.
Ekpa is based in Finland and has continued to issue the sit-at-home order in IPOB’s and Kanu’s names.
Musa accused the government of Finland of shielding Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed prime minister of the IPOB.
In February 2023, Helsingin Sanomat (HS), a newspaper in Finland, reported that Ekpa was arrested by police at his residence located in Lahti but was released after hours of questioning.
In December 2021, TheCable profiled Ekpa as someone who uses disinformation to fight for the secession of the south-east from Nigeria.
In September 2021, the Biafra agitator denounced Nigeria and vowed to return the medal he won for the country at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships.
Musa called on the federal government to take decisive action, including exploring diplomatic options to curb the menace of the factional leader of the IPOB.
“We have repeatedly complained about the issue of Simon Ekpa. He is in Finland, and the Finnish government is giving him all the support, and he is doing what he is doing,” the CDS said.
“The comments he is making mean people are being killed and nothing is being done. This is democracy.
“If the European Union is supporting democracy and this is happening and they are not taking action, then they don’t mean well for Nigeria.
“We have said that in clear terms. We need to diplomatically find means of getting him out of whatever it is that he is doing. He must be arrested, and he must be prosecuted.
“Look at it from the other way, assuming he is in Nigeria, he is doing that to the Finnish government. Do you think the European Union will allow that to happen? They definitely will not.”
[TheCable]
We, the undersigned civil society organisations in Nigeria, received with serious concern the decision by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Dr. Solomon Arase. We note that the State House Press Release dated June 10, 2024 through which the removal was announced did not disclose any reason for the said removal. We are also concerned that this removal appears to have violated the established legal procedure for the removal of the PSC Chairman. Section 5, subsection 1 of the PSC Act provides:
“Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 4 of this Act, the Chairman and any other member, may at any time be removed from office by the President acting on an address supported by a two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be removed for inability to discharge the functions of the Office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause of misconduct).”
We are worried that such a decision by the president further undermines the independence, effectiveness, and confidence of the Commission to discharge its mandate without undue interference as stipulated by the Police Service Commission Act.
Civil society is saddened that this is coming at a time when we are investing a lot of resources in support of the Federal Government towards police reform, which can be seen through various trainings supported by local and international partners and the recent recruitment of 10,000 police personnel.
While we welcome this recruitment, we are worried about the renewed and needless controversy associated with the power games around police recruitment, despite the Supreme Court‘s judgment of July 11, 2023, which affirmed the power of the commission under the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act, 2001 to handle police recruitment functions.
We also note that Section 6 (2) of the PSC Act stipulates that
“The Commission shall not be subject to the direction, control or supervision of any other authority or person in the performance of its functions other than as is prescribed in this Act”.
We believe that this controversy does not serve the interest of the NPF as an institution or the interest of the country.
Today, Nigerians are celebrating Democracy Day. One of the fundamental attributes of a democratic system is respect for the rule of law and due process, thus Mr President should holistically address this issue. We therefore call on the President to reverse this purported removal of the Chairman of the PSC and fully constitute the Board of the Commission. We also call for a conclusion of the police recruitment process, including training and deployment, considering that even the IGP stated recently that more than 20,000 police personnel needed to be recruited annually to boost police manpower requirements. The numbers for recruitment can also be boosted through the Cadet ASP short course.
We will use this opportunity to also call on the National Assembly to maximise its powers of checks and balances over actions by the Executive. The total disregard for the rule of law in this instance further fuels the fears of the Nigerian people about the vulnerability of the operations of the Nigeria Police by the political class. This is not good for our democracy and standing in the comity of nations.
We are looking forward to a quick and positive resolution of the situation for the good of a thriving democracy and the good of the country.
Signed:
1. Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Center (RULAAC)
2. NOPRIN Foundation
3. Open Society on Justice Reform Project
4. Confluence of Rights, Nigeria
5. Criminal Justice Network of Nigeria
6. Justice for Peace and Development Initiative
7. Legal Resources Consortium
8. Centre for Community Empowerment in Conflict and Peacebuiding - Kaduna
9. Rural and Urban Development Initiative
10. Dataphyte Foundation
11. Equity International Initiative (EII)
12. Centre For Youth Participation Dialogue and Advocacy (CYPA), Africa
13. Advocacy Hub International.
14. Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development IRIAD
15. Human Right Advocacy and Monitoring Group (HURAMG)
16. Creative Minds Center for Youth and Community Development (CM-CYCD)
17. Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS)
18. Kuyimiki Development Initiative (KDI)
19. Centre for the Advocacy of Justice and Rights
20. Centre for Transparency Advocacy
21. Koyenum Immalah Foundation
22. Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
President Bola Tinubu has admitted that his reforms have created hardship for Nigerians.
But he added that they are necessary to bring about the needed change the country had longed for.
Tinubu made this declaration in a national broadcast to commemorate the 2024 Democracy Day and the 25th year of uninterrupted democratic rule in the country.
He said that as a beneficiary of the historic efforts of the heroes of democracy, he was morally bound to preserve the present form of government.
“I stand uniquely placed in this regard. I was among those who took the risk to midwife the birth of our democracy. I am now a direct and obvious beneficiary of the fruits of those historic efforts.
“As President of this nation, I am morally and constitutionally bound to preserve this precious form of governance.
“I vow to do my utmost best to protect your rights, freedoms, and liberties as citizens of Nigeria.
“Even more than that, I pledge to do whatever is necessary to cement democracy as our way of life,” he said.
The President thanked Nigerians for the opportunity to lead the country and promised not to turn his back on them.
He called on Nigerians to beware of those trying to exploit the current challenges in the country to undermine and destroy the democracy for which so much had already been given.
According to him, as Nigerians, we must remind ourselves that no matter how complicated democracy may be, it is the best form of governance in the long run.
“We must also be aware that there are those among us who will try to exploit current challenges to undermine, if not destroy this democracy for which so much has already been given.
“These people do this not to make things better but to subject all other people and things to their control and dominance until the point that, if you are not counted among their elite, then your life will be small and no longer owned by you,” he said.
Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun has urged Nigerians to have faith despite the economic challenges they are facing, stressing that the country is “still at the baby steps of democracy”.
Abiodun, while emphasising the need to be steadfast and trust the democratic process, urged Nigerians to continue to support the government and its policies.
The governor gave the charge on Wednesday during the Democracy Day Celebration prayers held at the family home of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections, Late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola in Gbagura, Abeokuta.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Abiodun expressed immense pleasure that Nigerians are celebrating 25 years of unbroken democracy which was laid by the late Abiola and appreciated the Federal Government for setting aside the day not just to honour his memory but also to celebrate democratic rule in Nigeria.
“We give glory to Almighty Allah that we are all here today and that democracy has continued to thrive. There are challenges, we are still at the baby steps of democracy but our call is that everybody works together to support ourselves, support our institution so we can succeed at this governance we are practicing now. We know that ultimately this is what will give us the best leadership,development and everything that we want.
“I also use this opportunity to commend the efforts of our leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for all that he is doing for us in Nigeria and seek the prayer and support from all of us for guidance and success. We should continue to pray for our leaders so that Allah will guide them and they will to lead us aright.”
Abiodun added that his administration would continue to honour the legacy of the Late Abiola particularly as he was a prominent son of the state.
He also pledged that his government would not relent in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Ogun State.
“We would continue to uphold and support this family as we continue to uphold the dividend of democracy across the state.”
Earlier In his sermon, Mufasir Agura, Alhaji Daud Toriola, described Abiola as “food and drugs” due to the role both played in the body system, saying though he is gone, the lives he touched while alive still speaks of his impact.
Mr Ameen Abiola, speaking on behalf of the Abiola family, thanked everyone for coming annually to remember the late MKO Abiola, particularly the state government for its unwavering support and the recent renovation of the family home.
He thanked the Federal Government for declaring June 12 as Democracy Day and honouring the late Abiola, saying the gesture goes a long way towards protecting the legacies he left behind.
The Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, says the country’s electoral processes have been monetized.
The party spoke in a statement signed by its acting national publicity secretary, Comrade Muhammed Ishaq, to commemorate the Democracy Day.
The statement said, “The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) joins Nigerians across the country to commemorate the occasion of our 25 years of uninterrupted civilian rule. As we mark this milestone, we cannot help but reflect on the journey thus far and the state of our democracy.
“While we congratulate Nigerians on this achievement, we must also acknowledge that our democracy has not been as robust as we had hoped.
“Despite the return to civilian rule, we have not witnessed significant advancements in social democracy, and instead, we have seen a regression of civic rights and a deterioration of material wellbeing. It is a stark reminder that our democracy is still a work in progress.
“Furthermore, the last general elections serve as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in deepening our democracy. The monetization of the electoral process, lack of transparency, and disenfranchisement of voters have eroded the very foundation of our democracy. It is imperative that we take immediate action to address these issues and ensure that power truly resides in the people.
“We call on civil society organizations, professional associations, and community groups to rise up to the challenge. It is time for us to organize and mobilize the populace to demand better from our leaders and institutions. We must work together to reclaim our democracy and ensure that it serves the interests of all Nigerians.
“The PRP believes that a true democracy is one that is participatory, inclusive, and accountable. We urge all Nigerians to join hands in promoting a culture of transparency, accountability, and good governance. It is only by working together that we can build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come.”
President Lazarus Chekwara of Malawi has announced a 21-day national mourning.
This is to honour the country's Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine other persons who died in a plane crash.
The President directed that all flags be flown at half-mast throughout the mourning period.
The body of Chilima and his co-passengers were found in the wreckage of the ill-fated plane on Tuesday, June 11, after the plane crashed earlier on Monday.
The deceased had left the country’s capital Lilongwe on Monday on a condolence visit to the family of a former cabinet minister, Ralph Kasambara, only for their own families to now become homes for condolences.
The Dornier 228 aircraft carrying them had gone missing, and searchers found on Tuesday that it crashed over the Chikangawa Forest Reserve in the northern part of Malawi.
Malawi is thus currently in a national mourning mood, which commentators see as reflecting the country’s respect and recognition of the contributions of the vice president and the other prominent victims of the air crash.
Chilima was reputed for having strong feelings against corruption, although he had himself recently faced corruption charges.
He was accused of receiving money in return for influencing the award of some government procurement contracts, but he denied the allegations, and prosecutors dropped the charges last month.
Chilima died in that ghastly air crash on Monday after he had just returned from an official visit to South Korea the day before.
He was in his second term as vice president after serving from 2014-2019 under former President Peter Mutharika.
Fully known as Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima, the late vice president was a 51-year-old economist and politician who had earlier served as the Minister of Economic Planning and Development, as well as Head of Public Sector Reforms.
Born on February 12, 1973 in Ntcheu, Malawi, Chilima was the first child of Henderson Brown Chilima of Ching’anga Village, T/A Njewa, Lilongwe and Elizabeth Frances Chilima of Mbilintengerenji Village, T/A Champiti, Ntcheu.
Chilima spent most of his early life in Blantyre, where his parents were working.
After his primary and secondary schools, he proceeded to the University of Malawi where he graduated with a degree in social sciences in 1994.
He returned to his alma mater to pursue a master’s degree in Knowledge Management, graduating in 2006. On 10 August 2015, Chilima received his Ph.D in Knowledge Management from the University of Bolton, United Kingdom.
The Tinubu-led Federal Government has opened up on why it decided to obtain a $2.5 Billion loan from the World Bank to fund the 2024 budget.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, has mentioned that the upcoming 2024 budget will be partially funded by the ₦50 billion Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) managed by the National Sovereign Wealth Investment Authority (NSWIA).
Nonetheless, the minister highlighted that the ₦50 billion would not suffice to support the “Renewed Hope Transformational Projects”, leading the federal government to request a $2.5bn loan from the World Bank.
Bagudu disclosed this during a briefing with the joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on National Planning and Economic Affairs regarding the proposed Supplementary Appropriation Bill.
The Minister further mentioned that the World Bank’s management would soon convene to make a decision on the loan’s approval.
Bagudu explained that the entire supplementary budget, still in the process of being formulated, would be directed towards four specific transformational projects.
These projects consist of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, the proposed Sokoto-Badagry Road, the completion of ongoing railway projects lacking counterpart funding from the federal government, and the rehabilitation and expansion of dams and irrigation schemes to enhance agricultural production.
Additionally, Bagudu mentioned that the budget plan would provide increased financial support for projects related to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to boost the country’s energy market position.
The head of the Senate’s Budget Committee, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, observed that making changes to the budget for 2024 could be a more effective approach than creating a new spending bill, considering the significant expenses involved in its preparation.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recent June 12 Democracy Day speech
The rights activist described the President’s speech as a mere historical narrative devoid of addressing present challenges.
Adegboruwa, while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, expressed his disappointment, noting that the speech did not address the critical issues plaguing Nigeria’s democracy.
He argued that despite the commemoration of June 12 and its significance as the day of the annulled 1993 presidential election won by MKO Abiola, the government’s commitment to democratic values has not translated into tangible progress.
The Senior Advocate emphasized that greater expectations are placed on someone like Tinubu, who played a pivotal role in the democratic struggle and now holds a position of leadership.
Adegboruwa said, “I listened to the speech of the president, unfortunately, I am unable to agree that anything has changed.
“I am sorry, I am not impressed in anyway at all by the speech of the President, in the sense that it is just rehearsing history.
“For me, looking at the past one year and indeed, our collective history from the time we started agitating for democracy, things have gotten worse, nothing has changed at all.”
The Human rights lawyer highlighted the significance of the June 12 struggle, emphasizing the need for recognition of the annulled 1993 election and true federalism in Nigeria.
He expressed disappointment that the dream of better elections and democratic principles remains deferred, citing unanswered questions in recent polls.
Adegboruwa called for the release of wrongfully detained Nigerians and engagement with constituent units to ensure true federation.
He criticized the president’s speech for lacking a roadmap to achieve true democracy, reflecting a broader sentiment among citizens and activists for substantial changes beyond ceremonial gestures.
A former Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro has demanded a review of the budget of Senate and House of Representatives as a strategy to reduce cost of governance.
Obanikoro lamented that democracy has become expensive.
He stated this while speaking with newsmen in commemoration of Nigeria’s Democracy Day.
He urged the government to make the budget of the National Assembly more transparent.
“It is expensive because we have made it so. Let me give you a good example because we borrowed this system from America.
“In America they don’t provide accommodation for lawmakers, they fend for themselves when it comes to that, they live basically on salary and very small fringe benefits.
“Democracy doesn’t have to be this expensive, that is one thing we don’t get right,” Obanikoro said.
Speaking further, he argued that if the budget of the two legislative houses would be made transparent, the recent calls for a parliamentary system of government would have been avoided.
“When the budget is more transparent, and people can go online and see what is allocated to every member of the National Assembly and can also input into the process, I do believe that will make the process or the institution less expensive.
”This clamour that the bicameral system of legislature should be jettisoned will reduce if the budget is reduced, because the idea is that there are some budgetary provisions that should never be in our books and we must be bold enough to expunge them.
“We cut the budget size of the National Assembly to a reasonable level that an average Nigerian can live with,” Obanikoro, added
More...
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has debunked reports of contesting the 2027 presidential election alongside the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir-El-Rufai.
Naija News learnt that Akpabio’s posters have flooded some parts of Abuja, suggesting that he and El-Rufai would run for the presidency in 2027.
However, Akpabio, in a statement on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, described the posters flying around as the handiwork of mischief makers.
Akpabio stated that he has no interest in contesting for the presidency but is currently preoccupied with collaborating and providing the required legislative support to President Tinubu to reset Nigeria.
The Senate President urged security agencies to launch serious investigations into the matter to unravel the promoters of the “ugly enterprise.”
The statement reads, “The attention of the office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to posters circulating in some parts of Kaduna associating the President of the Senate with a supposed El-Rufai 2027 political ambition.
“This is the handiwork of mischief makers and familiar fifth columnists and those bent on opening up windows for tar brushing of the President’s loyalists. The action is spurious and mischievous.
“Senator Akpabio is presently preoccupied with the responsibility of collaborating and providing the required legislative support to President Bola Tinubu to reset Nigeria and make the nation regain its pride of place in the comity of nations.
“This is exactly what Senate President Akpabio, as the Chairman of the National Assembly has been doing since June 13, 2023; and has NEVER at any time contemplated running for President in 2027 or at any other time.
“It is therefore, embarrassing for anyone to link the person of Senate President Godswill Akpabio to an insipid presidential ambition, when a competent, trusted and tested leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR is in the driving seat, effectively navigating the contours of purposeful leadership and adept governance with his renewed Hope Agenda.
“We implore members of the public to disregard this unbridled mischief intended to distract Nigerians from the purposeful and positive interventions the Senate under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio is demonstrating.”
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday said the majority N62,000 minimum wage proposal by the federal government and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) was negotiated in good faith.
The president’s assertion was disclosed in his speech to mark the 25th anniversary of Democracy celebrated June 12.
Recall the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma had expressed optimism, that the federal government and OPS N62,000 proposal would be enacted as law.
According to him, “Arising from what happened in 2018, when the government lost after offering N24,000 and OPS and Labour offered N30,000.
“When the recommendation got to the then-president, he approved and took the opposition party. In the same margin, we expect when this gets to the president, he will also take the majority position”.
However, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Festus Osifo while reiterating the organised labour demand of N250,000 told THE WHISTLER “There is nothing really about the majority proposal, because Labour creates wealth, and we are those who create wealth, we are those who wear the shoes and know where the shoe pinches also.
“We believe that Mr President is reasonable enough and understands what Nigerians are passing through having promised Nigerians a living wage, that he will consider our positions and our Plight”.
But addressing the N62,000 minimum wage proposal, the president said, “In this spirit, we have negotiated in good faith and with open arms with organized labour on a new national minimum wage.
“We shall soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon as part of our law for the next five years or less.
“In the face of labour’s call for a national strike, we did not seek to oppress or crack down on the workers as a dictatorial government would have done. We chose the path of cooperation over conflict.
“No one was arrested or threatened. Instead, the labour leadership was invited to break bread and negotiate toward a good-faith resolution”.
In the end, our national greatness will not be achieved by travelling the easy road, it can only be achieved by taking the right one, the president said
‘What We Have Is State Capture Not Democracy’ – Peter Obi Decries State-Sponsored Attacks On Journalists
AFOLABI
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, has said Nigeria is not practising democracy but experiencing state capture with increasing attacks on journalists.
Journalists have come under increasing attacks with a number of them abducted and thrown into jail without trial for months under the administration of Bola Tinubu.
But Obi decried the attacks on media practitioners insisting that true democracy forbids such state-sponsored attacks on free speech while speaking on Wednesday to Mark the 25th democracy day celebration.
Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 after years of military rule.
Obi said as the country marks democracy day commemorating 25 years of striving to be a democratic country, the fundamental question remains if the country is truly democratic.
He said an unexamined life is not worth living, “so it is now time to re-examine what we have been doing over this quarter of a century.
“Democracy, as we know, is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
“While we may say that in 1999 we started in earnest in the right direction, today we have deteriorated into what can be classified as classical state capture. Instead of benefiting all, it has become a deprivation to all.”
He stated that the consequences of not being a true democracy have led to leadership failures that have resulted in “uncontrolled systemic corruption, high levels of insecurity, lack of freedom of speech, increasing poverty rates, and unprecedented levels of hunger and hardship, which remain unsolved and are growing geometrically.”
True democracy, he said, should be people-oriented, where the rights of citizens are respected, the laws are obeyed, the leaders remain accountable to the people, and people’s welfare and care, especially for the poor, become paramount and high priorities.
He pointed out that to “further illustrate that we are not truly democratic and have only produced the vices enumerated above, we are now ranked as follows:
“In the measurement of democracy, we have a democracy index score of 4.23, which ranks us low on the Global Democracy Index.
“In the Corruption Perception Index, we are ranked 145th among the 180 countries measured, showing a high level of corruption in Nigeria.
“In the Rule of Law Measurement, we are ranked 120th out of 142 countries measured in the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, indicating that Nigeria suffers from gross disobedience to the rule of law.”
He referenced that the “2024 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) describes Nigeria as one of West Africa’s most dangerous and difficult countries for journalists.
“Nigeria ranks 112th out of 180 countries where journalists are regularly monitored, attacked, and arbitrarily arrested.
“We are ranked 109th out of 125 countries measured on the Global Hunger Index.”
He called for a return to a truly democratic nation, the fear he said was achieved on June 12, 1993, by collectively voting for democracy. “We must stand in defence of Nigeria’s democracy today.
“I urge everyone to respect and protect the institutions of the democratic state, obey the governing laws of the state, be accountable to the people, and fulfil the responsibilities of responsible governance as contained in the constitution.
“As we build a New Nigeria, these tenets shall be the pillars of our true democracy. It is possible,” Obi said.
Our attention has been drawn to a message circulating on WhatsApp claiming that the licenses of some commercial banks (including Fidelity Bank) may be seized soon.
As the law enforcement authorities work to bring the mischiefmakers behind the false and malicious post to book, it has become necessary to debunk the story and point out the following:
1. The said message is attributed to a faceless author.
2. The Central Bank through a press release issued on 4 June 2024 confirmed that there are no plans to revoke the licenses of additional banks, stating that such allegations are false and intended to trigger panic in the financial system.
3. Fidelity Bank recently secured approval of the CBN, SEC, NGX and other regulators to embark on it’s capital raising drive. This is a mark of endorsement of the bank as no regulator would approve such an exercise if it did not find the bank in a good standing.
4. Fidelity Bank has been on a growth trajectory in the past three years, increasing PBT by a compounded Annual Growth Rate of 64%, Deposits by 33%, and Risk Assets by 32%. A review of the published financials of Nigerian Banks as of December 2023 showed that Fidelity is ranked 6th across several measures like total assets, total deposits, and total risk assets.
5. The Bank has consistently paid dividends, which has endeared us to shareholders. Two years ago,we introduced the payment of interim dividends. The average dividend yield in the past three years is 11% which ranks amongst the best in the country.
6. Fidelity Bank has maintained one of the healthiest NPL and capital adequacy ratios in the industry.
7. Global Ratings agency, Fitch, last week upgraded our LongTerm Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to Positive from Stable, while affirming the rating at 'B-'. They also affirmed our National Long-Term Rating at 'A(nga)' with a Stable Outlook.
8. Our full year audit was recently carried out by reputable audit firm -Deloitte attesting to the efficiency of our operations
We urge members of the public to continue to disregard the story as it is entirely misleading.
Signed.
Dr Meksley Nwagboh
Divisional Head, Brand and Communications
Fidelity Bank Plc.