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The 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has urged Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State to investigate the twin tanker explosions in their states thoroughly.
Atiku made the call while condoning with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the fire incidents.
Posting on X, with the title: “My condolences to the families of the victims of the twin tanker explosion in both Rivers and Ogun States,” Atiku wrote: “It hurts to say that I feel the anguish of those who have lost loved ones in these twin disasters. For those who lost their lives in these incidents, it is my prayer that their souls shall meet the promise of God’s mercies.
“For the bereaved that they left behind, I also pray that the Almighty shall ease the pains in your hearts and grant everyone the fortitude to bear the unfortunate loss.
“It is also my prayer, that everyone who has lost valuable belongings and property to the disaster, the Almighty shall enlarge His provisions to you and please you with something better than what was lost.
“My heartfelt condolences also to both Governor Similayi Fubara and Dapo Abiodun of Rivers and Ogun, respectively. I urged them to ensure that the government carries out thorough investigations into the incidents. -AA”
[DailyPost]
Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has said that his team is winning the ongoing political battle in the state with Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Fubara spoke on Monday, April 29, when participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC-17 Syndicate 5) of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Fubara said: “You know, we are a government that does not believe in violence even when we are being provoked on all sides.
“What we want to use to fight our battles is AI. So, sincerely, we are winning with AI. When I said it, it was not a mistake. I know what I mean.”
Addressing the visitors, the governor said: “We feel very honoured at this particular time to have you in our State, especially considering the high level of security and intelligence work that you are doing.
“It will give us a good image as against what is being rumoured everywhere that the streets of Port Harcourt, are being paraded by cultists, kidnappers and all sorts of criminal elements.
“You might have also gone round and seen for yourself that Rivers State, even in the face of the political crisis, is also peaceful.
“This is because the management of the State, as of today, has always emphasised that peace is the only way and solution for development. So, I am happy that your presence here has also helped to make us score another point before our detractors.”
The governor said policy makers needed to draw up futuristic plans that to strengthen governance when implemented while also protecting the interest of the people.
Fubara in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Nelson Chukwudi, emphasised that his administration was ready to leverage AI to significantly enhance operational efficiency and transform citizen experiences.
The governor said that advanced societies were accelerating the use of artificial intelligence for a faster data-driven decision-making process
He said: “Today, we are moving from the aspect of physical battle to intellectual battle and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the right model to use to fight crime.
“As a state, we did not hesitate to accept your invitation because we want to tap into it. We want to be part of this success, knowing fully well that your success will also rub off on our state.
“I heard you say here that, at the end of the visit, your report will be part of what would be used to formulate policies.
“It’s very important and we know quite alright that, for us to do better than what we are doing, we need policies that are strong, futuristic, and can strengthen governance as well as policies that would protect the interest of the common man.”
Fubara assured that his administration was determined to work with the institute to build a strong synergy that would ease the processes of governance.
He directed the Secretary of the Rivers State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, to sustain contact with the group so that its final report could be made available to the state.
He said: “It is important we get the final report so that it can help us in some of our planning and other strategies”.
The governor said that to build a very successful nation, it was important for everybody to work as a team.
“Such teamwork will diminish tendencies to engage in unhealthy rivalry and frustrate politics of bitterness, particularly because government was a continuum.
“After my administration, another person, definitely, will take over, but what is important is for us to work for the common interest of everybody, not for self. If we are talking about self, we will be very destructive. Our policies will be very myopic and short-sighted.
“I want to urge everyone to think first about the well-being of our country. I want to appeal to everybody, let us stop this politics of bitterness and play politics of friendship.
“Let us liken it to a football match: somebody has to win, somebody has to lose. There will be another tournament, and you will try again to see if you can reclaim your medal. That is the way life should be seen.
“It shouldn’t be an issue of unnecessary competition. It shouldn’t be an issue of unnecessary rivalry that leads to bitterness, leads to sickness of the bone. We should try and emulate better relationships”, he said.
In his speech, the Head of the delegation, Didacus Egor Egbeji, said that officers at the rank of not less than deputy directors were in the state for a weeklong study tour as part of the requirements of their 10-month course at the institute.
Egbeji, who is also the Deputy Commandant of the National Institute for Security Studies, explained that the participants were strategic leaders who, in the next 5 years, would likely head their different agencies and would be using gains from the training to ensure efficiency at their agencies.
He said: “The training has to do with different modules. We have the security module; we have the crisis management module; we have the governance module; and we have the strategic module. As we are here, the other groups are in states, such as Cross River, Abia, Enugu, Zamfara, and Kogi.
“We are expected, after this one-week tour, to go back to the institute to make a presentation of what we found in Rivers State in terms of the theme of the course which is “Artificial Intelligence, Security and Emerging Economies in Africa: Challenges and Prospects.
“It is after this submission that we are also expected to embark on a study tour of six African states. By the end of next month, after the tour of the African states, by September, we will embark on a tour of six other countries across the globe.”
[TheNation]
The Executive Director of Citizens Advocacy for Social Economic Rights, Frank Tietie, has said it is disgraceful for Nigeria to be facing the Premium Motor Spirit crisis.
Tietie said he was surprised, shocked, and deeply embarrassed by the ongoing fuel scarcity in Nigeria when he featured on a programme on Arise TV on Monday.
He stressed that the purpose of subsidy removal for efficient petroleum supplies has not been achieved as there were long queues everywhere.
“I am surprised, shocked and highly embarrassed that this is happening after all the much talked about subsidy removal to ensure efficiency in the supplies of petroleum products.
“It is highly disgraceful that this is happening after a certain somewhat explanation by the NNPCL that the queues and shortage of PMS were a result of logistics problems. What a nebulous way to take Nigerians for granted. Whether it is logistics associated with lack of trucking facilities or anything that has to do with transportation,” he said.
He lamented that people are hawking fuel in jerricans in front of establishments like Transport Hilton and NNPCL in Abuja despite the scarcity in legal filling stations.
This, he said, demonstrated the inefficiency of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the regulatory authority responsible for ensuring stock availability.
He also criticised their negligence towards national security and job security for officials while taking Nigerians for granted.
“The resilience of Nigerians will always be considered something to be abused when you simply say logistics and nothing happens when it is four days after the so-called logistics problem.
“There is scarcity and queues are everywhere. In fact, one of the most embarrassing things you can experience is that in front of the NNPCL in Abuja, you will see people hawking petrol in jerricans. Another very terrible scene is the situation where one of Nigeria’s foremost hotels that hosts many International conferences, Transcorp Hilton, right in front of Hilton advertising to the world, you will see all of these persons hawking petrol in plastic jerricans,” he added.
Despite the logistics problem highlighted as a factor responsible for the scarcity of fuel, Tietie said there is enough fuel for sale in the black market.
He added that the NNPCL has not been efficient in discharging its role.
“Does it mean that these ruffians have a way of solving logistic problems more than the NNPCL? Somehow, this must stop because we must stop this idea of making our country a laughing stock.
“It all sounds like a joke because you said there are queues everywhere and when you go to the front of the Hilton, you will see some people hawking petrol. You go to the front of NNPCL, well it is understandable that you have two major petrol stations in front of the NNPCL headquarters and you will see street urchins hawking fuel.
“This is a result of clear inefficiency on the part of the NNPCL this time. It probably extends to the authorities- the Nigerian Mainstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority. They are supposed to be responsible for ensuring that there is some measure of stock in storage,” he stated.
Their negligence, he said endangers national security.
“What this means is that this authority and NNPCL are toying with Nigerian security. When you cannot guarantee for days the supply of PMS that is the mainstay of your national economy then it’s clear you are taking for granted the national security. That is the reason why the president is not calling them to order.
“Whereas we don’t have energy security, we have job security for the officials of the NNPC and NNPDRA and that’s the reason we continue to have it not minding what Nigerians are going through,” Tietie added.
Speaking further, Tietie said he is disappointed in the government for allowing such a situation to persist in a major oil-producing country like Nigeria.
He stressed that refineries in Nigeria would not function due to the benefits it give to a certain establishment class.
He added, “We all know that it is for certain mysterious reasons that refineries have refused to work whereas we understand it benefits a certain establishment class in this country that the refineries won’t and will never work no matter the commitment of any of the administrations whether it was Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammad Buhari or the current administration of Bola Tinubu.
“The refineries won’t work. Everybody is expecting the Dangote refinery to kick off so we can have a measure of the availability of PMS. We run a country in such a manner that takes the people for granted and we will now see people run the government and states without any sense of responsibility and shame.
“How can we as a major oil-producing country in the world have this kind of situation? And then we have an NNPCL that wants to pride itself that it is competing with a certain Saudi ARAMCO whereas it cannot provide any form of energy security for its country.
“In fact the NNPC is supposed to be a fallback on in terms of energy security meaning that it takes pride in being the sole importer of petroleum products. Why should we even be importing petroleum products in the first place? and if we must import, it will be to cater to issues of unnecessary disruption if ever we go to war, for example, not a norm that we should constantly have this uncertainty.
“Those who are running NNPCL should foresee any disruption problem that is about to come and the NNDPRA should have enough stock. What these guys are doing is just making a laughing stock the administration of President Bola Ahamed Tinubu.”
Residents of Lagos and other areas in Nigeria are currently facing difficulties in obtaining PMS as many filling stations have remained closed over the weekend.
Despite assurances from the Nigerian NNPCL that logistical challenges causing the fuel scarcity had been resolved, long queues at filling stations have persisted. Some stations were found to be selling PMS for prices between N700 and N800, providing an opportunity for black marketers to exploit desperate Nigerians by selling a litre for N1,000 or more.
[Punch]
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has announced a new minimum wage of N70,000 for civil servants.
The governor made this known on Monday, while inaugurating the Labour House.
Obaseki named the Labour House after Adams Oshiomhole, Senator representing Edo North, and former governor of the state.
“The new minimum wage regime in Edo will take effect from May 1, 2024,” the governor said.
Recall the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, have been pushing for a new minimum wage for workers across states. This is coming on the heels of the hardship occasioned by the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The removal of subsidy on petrol and unification of the forex windows in 2023, immediately led to food inflation and a spike in the prices of other goods and services.
Meanwhile, the national minimum wage has been pegged at N30,000 since April 18, 2019.
However, this sum has been described as “grossly inadequate” and “poverty wage” in the face of prevailing economic hardship.
More details coming on the minimum wage announced by Obaseki.
The Northern governors and monarchs have commended Aliko Dangote, billionaire businessman and president of the Dangote group, for the N15 billion food intervention programme launched to cushion the burden of economic hardship on Nigerians.
The governor of Nasarawa and Benue who joined others to laud Dangote’s effort said the scheme was monumental in scope and impactful.
Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue who was speaking during the weekend at the commencement of the food distribution in the state described Dangote’s action as ”multifaceted philanthropic efforts benefiting the poor and vulnerable populace of the state”.
Alia who was represented by Abah Isaiah, his senior special assistant appreciated Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) for supporting the state with twenty thousand bags of 10kg rice.
Sen. Suswam Opposes Establishment of State Police, Citing Immaturity of Nigeria
He disclosed that a committee has been constituted to distribute rice palliatives to the poor, vulnerable, and all local government areas in the state, including non-governmental and faith-based organizations.
Other members of the distribution committee are; foundation for justice, development and peace; first step action for children initiative; Benue state emergency management agency (SEMA); national orientation agency (NOA), Benue directorate; and Islamic charity.
Alia said that the food intervention would support its citizens living in IDP camps that are yet to return to their farms, commending Dangote for creating thousands of jobs through the Dangote Cement Plant in Gboko.
He added that the job creation and economic activities as precursors to peace and stability.
Alia urged host communities to support Dangote, stating they would do everything possible to ensure its success in Benue
“We would do everything possible to make sure that Dangote succeeds in Benue. I also want to urge you to support this company,” he said.
“As you can see there is a cordial relationship between the Dangote Cement Plc and the host communities. You can see how Dangote staff and host communities have been relating with each other.”
The governor urged the company to continue its charity work in the state, stating that the state is ready to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
Speaking further, Abdullahi Sule, governor of Nasarawa, said the intervention would ‘undoubtedly’ ease economic hardship being faced by many Nigerians.
Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe, deputy governor of the state who represented Sule said each LGAs of the state were allocated 2,000 bags apart from Karu and Lafia who were allocated 2,500 bags each.
He lauded Dangote, describing him as the “father of charity in Nigeria.”
Jonathan Kunde, general manager of Dangote Cement Plant Gboko, praised the peaceful and supportive communities over the years and promised them of more interventional schemes.
Zaki Atoo Mande, a monarch and representative of the host communities pledged the support of the communities towards the continuous realization of a hitch-free mining and production activities.
Muhammad Shaibu, emir of Tunga in Nasarawa, said the ADF’s National Food Intervention Programme is supporting the government to cushion the impact of economic hardship being experienced in the country.
“The Aliko Dangote Foundation is not only a gift to Nasarawa State, but to all Nigerians,” he said.
Ibrahim Galadima, district head of Tunga
described Dangote as God’s gift.
The Adamawa state also said it received its share of one million 10Kg rice distributed nationwide by the foundation, he added that thirty-five thousand beneficiaries, primarily vulnerable and disadvantaged, have received support to combat hunger due to the country’s current economic situation.
Abdullahi Bello Dan Musa, chief operating officer of Dangote sugar refinery numan, confirmed successful distribution across zones and almost completed the exercise in Taraba.
He added that the foundation has partnered with community leaders in the state to ensure the commodity is delivered to its intended beneficiaries.
Anthony Chiejina, spokesperson of the company, stated that the food initiative is part of the foundation’s ongoing commitment to aiding the Nigerian government and populace in overcoming economic challenges.
Ivase Eugene, a representative of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and deputy general manager social performance and community relations, said the company was sharing one million bags of 10kg rice in all LGA of the country.
On March 24, Dangote launched a N15 billion food intervention programme to cushion the burden of economic hardship on Nigerians
During the launch in Kano, Dangote said the distribution of food items will run from March to early April, adding that over one million 10kg bags of rice will be distributed across the 774 LGAs of the 36 states of the federation, including the federal capital territory (FCT).
The Foundation had equally distributed thousands of bags of rice to beneficiaries and vulnerables in FCT with at least 48 charity organizations and orphanages involved in the process.
The former presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from Abia State, Chief Cosmos Ndukwe, has announced his resignation from the PDP.
Chief Ndukwe posted his resignation letter on his official Facebook page on Monday.
Chief Ndukwe was once a Councillor, Deputy Local Government Chairman, Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor of Abia state, Deputy Speaker of Abia 6th House of Assembly, and also a presidential aspirant under the PDP umbrella.
Stating his reasons for leaving the party, he wrote, “My decision to resign as a member within the party stems from personal reasons and my reflection on my current commitments and aspirations.
“After careful consideration, I have concluded that porting out of PDP is the best course of action for me now”.
However, in his letter, he did not state if he was joining another party or quitting politics.
He also thanked Abia state PDP for their support and expressed appreciation for all the role the party played in his political career.
Burkina Faso has suspended a swathe of international news organisations, some indefinitely, for airing accusations of an army massacre of civilians, with the communications regulator CSC adding more outlets over the weekend.
Among those named are French newspaper Le Monde, British publication The Guardian, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and French broadcaster TV5 Monde.
They were suspended for reporting on a Human Rights Watch (HRW) statement accusing soldiers of killing at least 223 people in revenge attacks on two villages on February 25.
Other news media named by the CSC in an order dated Saturday, were French regional newspaper Ouest-France, African website APAnews and the Swiss-based Agence Ecofin.
Already on Thursday, the CSC announced it had directed internet service providers to suspend access to the BBC, VOA and HRW from Burkinabe territory for two weeks.
The military rulers of Burkina Faso have dismissed as “baseless” the HRW report on the massacre, which found 56 children were among the dead.
“The killings at Nodin and Soro led to the opening of a legal inquiry,” communications minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo said in a statement late Saturday.
He expressed his surprise that “while this inquiry is underway to establish the facts and identify the authors, HRW has been able, with boundless imagination, to identify ‘the guilty’ and pronounce its verdict”.
HRW described the massacre as “among the worst army abuse in Burkina Faso since 2015”.
“These mass killings… appear to be part of a widespread military campaign against civilians accused of collaborating with Islamist armed groups, and may amount to crimes against humanity,” the New York-based group said on Thursday.
– ‘Grave and abusive decisions’ –
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned what it called “grave and abusive decisions” from the junta.
In an email sent to AFP, the defender of press freedom said it “reminds the authorities that the publication of general news on the country’s security situation must not be a pretext for the worst attacks recorded against the media in recent months”.
According to the Burkina statement, “The media campaign orchestrated around these accusations fully shows the unavowed intention … to discredit our fighting forces.”
“All the allegations of violations and abuses of human rights reported in the framework of the fight against terrorism are systematically subject to investigations” followed by the government and the UN high commissioner for human rights.
The latest suspensions against media come after a series of similar moves, both temporary and indefinite, that have been taken since Captain Ibrahim Traore came to power in September 2022.
Under Traore, the junta has distanced Burkina Faso from France, which ruled the country until 1960, and has already targeted a number of French media outlets.
The West African nation has been battered by a jihadist insurgency that swept in from neighbouring Mali in 2015.
Thousands of civilians, troops and police have been killed, two million people have fled their homes, and anger within the military at the mounting toll sparked two coups in 2022.
AFP
The United Kingdom (UK) government has announced a crackdown on criminals such as terrorists, drug dealers, and fraudsters who use cryptocurrency to raise and hide money.
According to the UK government, over £1 billion illicit transactions occur via cryptocurrency annually.
The UK Home Office made this known in a recent post on its X official page declaring that the law enforcement agencies have been given the greenlight to go after those involved.
Vanguard reports that the UK has embarked on diverse policies bordering on immigration, economic and financial matters.
“Over £1 billion in illegal crypto transactions take place in the UK each year,” the UK Home Office said. “Drug dealers, fraudsters and terrorists use crypto to hide and raise money.
“We’re giving law enforcement new powers to seize, freeze and destroy crypto assets,” it added.
This clampdown on illegal cryptocurrency operators in the UK is coming weeks after major stakeholders are found culpable of criminal activities.
In late March, FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced to 25 years in prison in the United States, for the securities fraud conspiracy that doomed his cryptocurrency exchange and a related hedge fund, Alameda Research.
Bankman-Fried also was ordered to pay $11 billion in forfeiture at the sentencing in Manhattan federal court.
In another development, five days ago, the US prosecutors wanted Changpeng Zhao, the founder and former chief executive of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, to serve three years in prison after he pleaded guilty to violating laws against money laundering.
Foreign students likely using university courses as cheap means to obtain visas, UK laments
In February, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Olayemi Cardoso, said that over $26 billion in illicit flows has passed through the crypto platform Binance in the last year.
The revelation led to the arrest and detention of two Binance executives by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The two officials detained were Tigran Gambaryan, a US citizen and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, a British-Kenyan who is a regional manager for Africa.
According to the ONSA, the duo were charged with four counts of tax evasion and with laundering over $35 million.
Meanwhile, Anjarwalla escaped from the custody of the security operatives, but was arrested by Kenya authorities, days later.
The Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has refuted claims that he has a hand in the impeachment of the state’s former Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu.
Ighodalo who described the allegation as fake, added that the claims was cooked up to tarnish his reputation.
This was contained in a statement released by his media team on Monday.
The statement read, “While we would not usually join issues in response to every passing comment, it has become imperative to address the recent spurious allegations by former Deputy Governor Phillip Shaibu.
“It is necessary for the record, to state in no uncertain terms, that Mr. Asue Ighodalo has had no role or involvement in any form whatsoever in the very public process leading to Mr. Shuaibu’s impeachment and subsequent removal from office by the Edo State House of Assembly.
“These claims are completely without merit, and Mr. Ighodalo categorically denies any such involvement. These allegations are a clear attempt to unjustly tarnish his reputation and divert attention from the actual issues at hand.”
He, however, called on the public to disregard the claim, saying, “We urge the public and the media to regard these false statements with well-deserved skepticism.”
Ighodalo had earlier said he remained focused on running a governorship campaign based on issues and devoid of distractions.
On April 8, the state House of Assembly impeached the embattled state deputy governor after the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up by the state Chief Judge to probe allegations of misconduct against Shaibu.
Shaibu was probed on allegations of perjury and leaking of government secrets
The scarcity of premium motor spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, continues to affect various parts of Nigeria, leading to the proliferation of black marketers who are selling the product at exorbitant prices, reaching as high as N1,200 per litre in some locations.
Reports from across the country indicate that many filling stations remain closed, while those dispensing petrol have long queues. Some stations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and several states have increased their prices, selling petrol at between N750 and N800 per litre. However, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) outlets are dispensing at N617 per litre, albeit with longer queues.
The scarcity has left many motorists stranded, with some residents resorting to trekking long distances. In Jigawa State, black marketers were seen selling petrol for N1,100 per litre, while in Lagos, dispatch riders were distributing fuel to black marketers. Transport fares have also increased in affected areas, such as Abeokuta and Akure.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has attributed the scarcity to a lack of stock at most depots in Lagos. However, the NNPCL has maintained that there is product availability and that the situation should clear up shortly.
In Cross River State, elders and youths in Okuku and Ishibori communities sealed petrol stations selling the product for N1,200 per litre following a protest by commercial motorcyclists. Station owners claimed that the unavailability of the product forced them to increase prices.
At the Apapa depot, some marketers who spoke to newsmen disclosed that there has been a drastic drop in the level of imports.
They lamented that priority attention was only for trucks loading products to Abuja at the detriment of other locations, especially Lagos and neighboring states
They said there was a strict instruction from higher authorities that only trucks heading to Abuja should be loaded.
Another marketer at the Apapa depot who simply identified himself as Alhaji kabiru said the shortage in supply may worsen in Lagos by Tuesday because of the priority attention given to trucks heading to Abuja.
“A particular depot in Apapa here that received 5,000 metric tons (200 trucks) of petrol on Thursday has loaded over 100 trucks for Abuja but our trucks that are meant to service Lagos outlets have been on the queue since Friday without consideration for us”.
In Abuja, black marketers are smiling to the bank as they pepper motorists with scathing petrol prices.
Mohammed Wudil, a taxi driver plying the Lugbe-Abuja Airport corridor has this to say over the scathing issue: “Never in my wildest imagination did I think that I’ll sleep in the filling to get petrol after the government had deregulated it and yanked off subsidy payments on it. “But how wrong I was. Today, at almost N700/litre, I’m still chasing petrol tankers at night to know where they’ll discharge their products so I quickly queue their overnight so I’m among the first set to be served in the morning.
“But this was not the promise made to us when they removed subsidy. If you’re queuing and sleeping at the filling station to buy petrol at N170/litre, so you can well, it’s worth the stress. But at N690/litre?”
Another motorist, Mrs Mary Agu, a civil servant said she could not help but be at a filling station by 4am. “I’m a woman and my hubby is not around. So, I run the house. But since this scarcity horror began about a fortnight ago, I hardly sleep well because once my fuel indicator stick points downwards below half tank, I’ll start panicking.
“When will this torture end? The petrol is even like methylated spirit. It practically disappears without any meaningful trip. “Black market is hell. You’ll buy a litre for N1,200 or N1,100 at best. Who can survive on that? What of inflation that has pushed products’ prices to unimaginable heights? This is totally unacceptable”, she said. Black marketers who spoke to Daily Sun said the development was a golden opportunity to make brisk business as inflation and growing unemployment was battering them with reckless abandon. Musa Janjere, a 20-year old petrol hawker on Kubwa-Zuba expressway said he has a flourishing rapport with petrol attendants at filling stations. “We take our cans to them at night and they fill them up for an extra charge. So, it’s a win-win situation for me and them. “The profit is worth the stress. So, it checks out”, he said.
Aliyu Sani, another hawker who sells across from the NNPC towers in the Central Business District, mentioned that this time marked a period of thriving business for him.
“I make about N15,000 to N25,000 profit daily depending on how many cans of fuel I am able to sell. I buy 10 liters for around 7,000 and sell at 10,000-12,000. I suspended my pop corn and ground nut business to switch to this because it is more profitable. I hope the scarcity continues so that I can save up enough funds to start up a provisions store like I have always dreamed of”, he said.
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The National Assembly has shut down calls for the creation of a new constitution, instead of the statutory amendments or reviews which have been ongoing in the last 20 years.
The federal legislature said the process of creating a new constitution would lead to anarchy and chaos, adding that a country cannot throw its existing Constitution away on any account.
The National Assembly, which is resuming from its recess, added that a country cannot discard its grundnorm but will fine-tune it to meet emerging realities after promulgation or enactment.
Meanwhile, the House Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, has so far received 13,500 memoranda on various subject matters.
The Nigerian Constitution has been subjected to five alterations since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999, with the first and second alterations providing for the Financial Independence of the National Assembly and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and granting the Supreme Court jurisdiction on appeals from the Court of Appeal on the election of governors and their deputies.
The third and fourth alterations, among others, established the National Industrial Court under the Constitution as a superior court of record and provided for the funding of the Houses of Assembly of States directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state.
The fifth alteration under the 9th Assembly, amongst others, reinforced financial autonomy for State Houses of Assembly and Judiciary, decongested the Executive List, and deleted reference to the provisions of the Criminal Code, Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Act, Criminal Procedure Code or Evidence Act.
However, in the current National Assembly, the committee on the constitution amendment was set up in the Senate on February 14, 2024, while that of the House was inaugurated on February 26, 2024.
Since the 10th National Assembly began the process for the sixth Constitution amendment, there have been renewed calls for the abolishment of the present laws of the land and enactment of a new one.
Such demands had emanated from eminent leaders, elder statesmen, and serving and former governors who called for the complete abolishment of the 1999 Constitution, citing its lack of legitimacy and inability to address the country’s challenges.
Some of such calls were made at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos during the National Dialogue on the Constitutional Future of Nigeria in honour of renowned legal luminary, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, organised by the Patriots with the theme: “Lawful Procedures for Actualising a People’s Constitution for Nigeria.”
A former secretary-general of the Commonwealth and Chairman of the Patriots, Chief Emeka Anyaoku had stressed that the current constitution lacked the legitimacy expected in a pluralistic country like Nigeria, and called for the adoption of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference or the convocation of a nonpartisan constituent assembly to develop a truly federal constitution.
Leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, also called on President Bola Tinubu, who he said had been an advocate for a new constitution, to set up a committee to deliver a new constitution within three months, arguing that the National Assembly cannot oversee the process due to its origins in the flawed 1999 Constitution.
For a constitutional lawyer, Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), the 1999 Constitution is fundamentally flawed and cannot be amended. “One million amendments multiplied by one million amendments added to another one million amendments cannot change the constitution because it is fundamentally flawed,” he said.
Also, a former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, noted that the National Assembly could promulgate a law to begin the process of a new constitution, similar to the doctrine of necessity used during the health challenges of the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua.
Tambuwal, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, said, “We can as well resort to another doctrine of necessity to come up with the legislation to enable us to commence the process of having a new constitution.”
Similarly, former governors James Ibori, Kayode Fayemi, and Obong Victor Attah have also emphasised the need to secure the support of Tinubu for a new constitution while Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State threw his weight behind the agitation for a truly federal constitution in Nigeria to devolve power to the federating units.
In the same vein, the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) said the perennial amendment of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly should cease and that the lawmakers should instead commence work on a new grundnorm for the country.
The forum’s chairman, Dr Samuel Gani said after five alterations to the Constitution without any significant positive impact on the country, the National Assembly should commence work immediately on adopting the report of the 2014 National Conference which included a draft Constitution.
This is just as there have been agitations for the return to parliamentary system of government to replace the presidential mode, which is being championed by some members of the House of Representatives who have introduced three bills to that effect.
The bills seek to alter the Constitution to transition from the current presidential system to a parliamentary system at all levels – federal, state, and local government.
But speaking to LEADERSHIP, spokesperson of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Hon Philip Agbese declared the demands for abdication of the current Constitution as a call for anarchy and chaos as a country cannot throw its supreme law away on any account under a democratic dispensation.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen had admitted that some citizens are calling for the Constitution to be entirely discarded instead of amendment, but that even more mature democracies have accepted this position as the United States had ratified 27 amendments to its Constitution.
“While some citizens argue that the document should be entirely discarded, it is important to remember that democratic consolidation can only be incremental and gradual,” Abbas said.
Giving an update on the Constitution amendment process in the House, Agbese disclosed that the Committee is still receiving memoranda till Tuesday, April 30, while 13,500 memoranda had so far been collected on various subject matters.
The Constitution Review Committee’s spokesperson also said the panel will be holding town hall meetings to train experts on the various subject matters on which memoranda had been submitted.
“We are still receiving memoranda. We have extended deadline for the collection of memoranda. We initially set the deadline for April 10 but that has been extended to April 30. We have so far received 13, 500 memoranda on various subject matters.
“These include state police, state creation, devolution of power, local government autonomy, etc. We have subcommittees looking at the various subject matters. By next week (Tuesday or Wednesday) we are holding a town hall meeting to train experts on the various subject matters,” the lawmaker said.
Constitution Reforms Will Be Taken Seriously – Senate
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, the chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, said the issue of the amendments will be taken seriously as the lawmakers resume on Tuesday.
“The issue of constitutional review will be taken seriously. Issue of electoral reforms will be taken seriously also. Already, committees had been constituted in the Senate before we went on recess. We are going to hold critical meetings with stakeholders.
“We are going to move to the zones, which is necessary, to get the input of Nigerians and their desires in the constitution amendment and the electoral reforms,” Adaramodu said.
LEADERSHIP reports that bills and memoranda have been received with the issues of devolution of power, true federalism, local government autonomy, parliamentary system, state police, and giving roles to traditional rulers, among other issues being raised.
The bills are coming as private and member bills while the executive has announced it will submit bills in the amendment process.
All the bills, if passed by the National Assembly, must get two-thirds approval from the 36 state houses of assembly.
[Leadership]
A retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ambrose Aisabor, has said adopting state police is non-negotiable.
According to him, the clamour for state police raged over the failure of the federal police.
Daily Trust reports that the discussion on state police has been revived recently with President Bola Tinubu and state governors supporting it.
Aisabor in a chat with our correspondent yesterday, said the new dynamics in security have made state police imperative.
He said, “The argument is that state governors will misuse the outfit. Is the federal government not presently misusing the federal police? So many civilized countries are practicing multilevel policing. There are always safeguards for checks and balances. When you look at what we are having now, most of the police requirements are already being borne by the various state governments.
“Apart from salaries and allowances which the federal government is responsible for, other logistics needs of the police are being handled by governors.”
Governors will hijack it – Ogun traditional ruler
A first-class traditional ruler in Ogun State, the Eselu of Iselu kingdom, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, has rejected the call for the establishment of state police, saying the country was not ripe for a decentralised policing system.
Oba Akinyemi expressed fear that the state governors may hijack the apparatus of state police to intimidate and victimise members of the opposition parties in their states.
Oba Akinyemi spoke in an interview with journalists on the sideline of his birthday ceremony, held in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
The traditional ruler argued that if the existing police force is well equipped, funded and motivated, it will be better positioned to fight insecurity and other criminal activities confronting the country.
[DailyTrust]
Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State has again come under attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
DAILY POST learnt that the attack, which occurred late Sunday evening, claimed some lives, with many others critically injured.
Sources disclosed that the herders attacked mourners at Ugwuijoro Nimbo community, leaving behind tears and sorrow.
Some of those killed were identified as Okeh Simon Ugwu Oruku, Okeh Chukwuebuka, Julius Ogbonna Odiegwu and Gabriel Ugwor Ezea.
A gruesome video sighted by DAILY POST Monday morning showed a deserted community.
The voice in the video cried out that the invaders took the villagers by surprise and shot sporadically at the mourners.
Tables and chairs could be seen scattered in the compound where the mourners had gathered, with lifeless villagers also seen in the pool of their blood.
DAILY POST recalls that Nimbo was also attacked in 2016, leading to the death of scores.
The incident attracted a nationwide outrage then.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Enugu State Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe is yet to respond to an enquiry sent by DAILY POST on the latest attack.
[DailyPost]
- •Enugu, Ekiti, Ondo get the nod to generate, distribute power
Can state governments truly take on the challenge of generating, transmitting and distributing electricity, given the substantial capital required for such projects? Would governors prioritise investing in initiatives that may not yield significant returns during their limited tenures? The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, consistently highlights the prolonged gestation period of electricity projects as a major hurdle. Rather than solely blaming weak regulation for the industry’s challenges, he advocates for the recapitalisation of electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) or involvement of core investors capable of meeting the sector’s financial and technical demands. He actively seeks new investors to help reduce Aggregate Technical Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses.
Since the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) delegated oversight powers to Enugu, Ekiti and Ondo states last week, energy experts have raised pertinent questions about their potential impact on operations. Will these states merely regulate existing underperforming firms, or can they enact meaningful changes? Shedding light on the country’s energy mix, NERC’s Vice-Chairman, Musliu Oseni, revealed on April 3, that gas plants and hydroelectric sources account for 75 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively. However, the feasibility of state governments generating, transmitting and distributing electricity remains a subject of debate. While some doubt their financial capacity and question their motives, others ponder whether they will explore renewable energy opportunities or solely focus on leveraging existing power infrastructure for revenue. With NERC’s recent decision to cede regulatory power to state bodies such as the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC), the landscape of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) has shifted after 19 years of NERC’s monopoly.
On April 22 2024, this move marked a significant departure from the status quo, as regulatory authority was transferred to the Ekiti State Electricity Regulatory Bureau and the Ondo State Electricity Regulatory Bureau the following day.
According to NERC Chairman Sanusi Garba and Commissioner Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Dafe C. Akpeneye, regulatory oversight was transferred to Enugu, Ekiti and Ondo states effective May 1, 2024. This decision, rooted in the amended Electricity Act 2023, marks a significant shift from the previous centralisation of the electricity market. The NERC management emphasised that decentralisation became feasible after presidential assent was granted to relevant amendments of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on March 17, 2023.
Sanusi and Akpeneye added that “Paragraph 14(b) Part II of the Second Schedule to the 1999 CFRN which provides that “a House of Assembly may make laws for the state with respect to generation, transmission and distribution of electricity to areas not covered by a national grid system within that State” was amended to “a House of Assembly may make laws for the State with respect to generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity to areas within that state.”
The NERC management highlighted that this amendment granted legislative autonomy to federating states in Nigeria, allowing them to legislate on electricity generation, transmission and distribution within their jurisdictions. As Enugu, Ekiti and Ondo states seize this opportunity to separate their electricity markets from NERC control, other states like Oyo, Kaduna, Edo, Nassarawa, and Lagos are reportedly following suit. This shift not only alters the landscape of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry but also redefines the states’ roles in power generation and distribution.
However, the true test lies ahead as these states must now demonstrate the financial capacity to operate independently beyond mere legislative authority.
It’s important to remember the presence of the Federal Government-owned Nigerian Electricity Supply Company (NESCO) in Jos, Plateau State. Originally established to support the thriving tin production business of the Nigerian Tin Mining Company, NESCO continues to operate even after the decline of tin mining in the area. Today, it remains active, supplying electricity to various customers in the city.
Before the 2023 Electricity Act, several states had expressed interest in establishing and managing their own power plants. Lagos State, for instance, embarked on this path over 15 years ago, seeking to generate its own electricity. Similarly, Edo State stands out as a success story with its 550MW Ossiomo Gas Power Plant, supplying power to various consumers. More recently, the Aba Geometric 188MW Power Plant, in partnership with Aba Power Limited Electric (APLE), resumed electricity supply to the Aba business cluster, marking a significant departure from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). While these power plants may not be operating at full capacity, they continue to operate and contribute to the electricity supply.
But how has the order transferring power to the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission changed the landscape of the power market in the state? Basically, NERC has, in compliance with the Act, granted the ESERC power to regulate its intra-state electricity market activities once the order takes effect.
NERC ORDER NO: NERC/2024/039 states that: “On completion of the transfer under subsections (2) and (3), whichever occurs later in time, the commission shall have no further regulatory responsibility whatsoever for electricity market activities carried on entirely within the state to which regulatory responsibility has been transfered.”
The law has further empowered the state commission to incorporate and license a company: powers firm that it oversights. NERC said: “B. EEDC shall complete the incorporation of EEDC SubCo within 60 days from (1st May, 2024), the effective date of this Order and, EEDC SubCo shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from EERC. C.EEDC shall identify the actual geographic boundaries of Enugu State and carve out its network in Enugu State as a standalone network with the installation of boundary meters at all border points where the network crosses from Enugu State into another state.”
In essence, the state commission will now grant licenses to companies owned by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) for operation within the state. However, the EERC will not regulate the activities of the EEDC in areas beyond the state’s territorial boundaries.
Additionally, any significant electricity firm emerging within the state will also be subject to licensing and regulation by the EERC. Despite its name, the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission lacks regulatory authority over the EEDC’s franchise areas in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Imo States. These states will continue to fall under the oversight of the NERC until they establish their own regulatory commissions. This is so because the EA 2023 says, “Notwithstanding the provisions of section 63(1) and subsection (5), the generation, transmission, system operation and distribution of electricity in a State that has not exercised its option under subsection (2) shall continue to be regulated by the Commission in accordance with the provisions of this Act until such a time as that State exercises the option.”
In the instance of transferring regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Ekiti State to the Ekiti State Electricity Regulatory Bureau (EERB), NERC stated that it has issued an order based on the state’s application for a regulatory bureau. This action aligns with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), facilitating the transition of regulatory responsibilities from the Commission to the EERB.
Accordingly, the transfer Order by NERC has the following provisions:- Direct Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company PLC (IBEDC) to incorporate a subsidiary (BEDC SubCo and IBEDC SubCo) to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Ekiti State from BEDC and IBEDC. BEDC and IBEDC shall complete the incorporation of BEDC SubCo and IBEDC SubCo within 60 days from 22 April 2024 and the sub-companies shall apply for and obtain licences for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from EERB, among other directives. All transfers envisaged by this order shall be completed by 22 October 2024.”
But unlike Enugu State that all its notable electricity market activities are hitherto under the franchise of only Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), Ekiti State electricity market business has been under the operation of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) and Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), hence the above NERC order. Similarly, NERC also transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Ondo State to Ondo State Electricity Regulatory Bureau (OSERB) in compliance with the same Act. The commission said: “The transfer Order by NERC has the following provisions: Direct Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to incorporate a subsidiary (BEDC SubCo) to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Ondo State from BEDC. BEDC shall complete the incorporation of BEDC SubCo within 60 days from 22 April 2024 and the sub-company shall apply for and obtain licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from OSERB, among other directives. All transfers envisaged by this order shall be completed by 22 October 2024.”
The EA 2023 is explicit that the BEDC shall now register a distribution branch company that is licensed by the OSERB. From the view of the foregoing, the Act has brought the operators nearer to its customers in the above mentioned states. Since the new commission or bureaus will oversee their licensees, there is the high hope that it will result in a better customer relation and improved service delivery. However, some industry players have always raised the questions about source of funding since Nigeria’s commercial banks seem to have shut their doors of lending against the power sector. Owing to their huge exposure to the industry and the unwillingness of both governments and private investors to service the debts, the local banks are out of the options. Thus, only the next few years shall tell whether the new electricity legislation has induced more light or darkness.
[TheNation]