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Following the Supreme Court’s verdict on financial autonomy for local government councils in the country, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, on Thursday declared that the electoral body has the capacity to conduct elections for the third tier of government if provided with necessary resources.
Yakubu, who spoke when he appeared before the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC and Electoral Committees in Abuja, maintained that the electoral umpire, under his leadership, has the capacity, competence, human resources and adequate experience to conduct local government elections across the 774 councils of the country.
He justified his position with the successes already recorded by the commission in the six Federal Capital Territory Area Councils, including frequent off-season and bye-elections conducted by the INEC.
The Chairman said the fact that the commission had been conducting elections at the federal and state levels over the years successfully was an indication that it has all it takes to conduct council polls.
He said: “So if this responsibility for the conduct of local government elections is transferred to INEC, can INEC cope? The answer is yes, INEC can cope. What are we? By definition, INEC is the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Right now, we do national elections, we do state elections, we do local government elections.
“A national electoral commission may be expected to implement only the presidential and National Assembly. We also do governorship elections, we do state assembly elections, and we do area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory.
“Our track report actually proves that we can do it. Take the case of the Federal Capital Territory. I would like to say one or two things about the FTC local government elections.
“There are six area councils of the FCT. So there are six chairmen of area councils, and there are 62 wards in the FCT. Each ward has a councillor for the election of councils.
“This is one part of the country where INEC has conducted local government elections and it has resulted in the following.
“First, it is perhaps the only part of the country where local government elections are held regularly.
“Second, there has never been a caretaker committee for any Area Council in the FCT. INEC has been conducting the elections regularly.
“Thirdly, there is stability of tenure or security of tenure. It used to be three years, but in 2022, the National Assembly amended the Electoral Act to provide for a four-year tenure for area councils in the FCT. So, they enjoy the security of tenure.
“No single political party has ever won elections in all the constituencies in the FCT, not one.
“In fact, what is interesting now is that out of the six chairmen of the FCT, actually the council and the constituencies are evenly split between the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party which won three councils each.”
Yakubu also noted that FCT councils are made up of urban and rural communities, an indication that it has adequate experience to do so in any part of the country.
“So, in terms of capacity to do it, we can do it, we have been doing it in the Federal Capital Territory.
“However, if the decision of the National Assembly is to amend the constitution. I need to put that responsibility back to you (that) we need an engagement with the National Assembly.
“There are certain special amendments that are to be done for us to be able to handle those additional responsibilities.
“For instance, will the Federal Government continue to fund the elections for the states and the local government will fund this?
“The second proposition we have had is that there should be a new federal electoral commission for local government elections.
“Sadly, there is another argument that does not want the state electoral commissions to conduct local government elections in the spirit of federalism, but they should find a way of ensuring that they improve on the conduct.
“Right now, the law has not been amended. The same constitution that creates INEC also creates the State Independent Electoral Commissions.
“So, it is up to the National Assembly to amend the law to transfer that responsibility to INEC. If that is done, the question is can INEC cope? Yes, we can.
“We have said that we should not be unbundled beyond the conduct of electoral activities rather than elections. There are two activities we handle. That is what is called electoral activities, not necessarily related to elections.
“We believe that some of these responsibilities can be handled by other agencies. And this point has been made consistently since 2008 by committees established to reform our electoral processes beginning with the Justice Mohammed Uwais Commission in 2008, that some responsibilities should be removed from the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
The chairman, while assuring the joint panel that INEC had made adequate arrangements to conduct the two off-cycle elections in Edo and Ondo States, also said the commission had prepared budgets for the outstanding by-elections in about seven federal and state legislative constituencies.
Yakubu also explained to the federal lawmakers that the agency’s 2024 budget is currently being adequately funded by the Ministry of Finance.
In terms of the performance of the N40 billion appropriated for the commission in the 2024 budget, he said the Ministry of Finance broke the INEC budget into 12 tranches.
“Every month they give us one-twelfth of the budget for the year. And for the last seven months, since the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Finance has been releasing the sum of N23.3 billion to the Commission, which is one-twelfth of the 40 billion as of yesterday (July 24)
“The monthly releases to the Commission, this year, is now N23.3 billion out of 40 billion. That is 58.3%. What is outstanding is N16.6 billion amounted to 41.67% not released,” he stressed.
[DailyPost]
The operatives of the Department of the State Services (DSS) in Katsina State Command, have recovered 2,000 bags of rice out of the 20 trucks donated to the state by the Federal Government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the recovered rice was allegedly diverted by some government officials.
NAN also reports that the gesture by the Federal Government was to cushion the effects of the current economic hardships in the country.
The DSS officials in the state, who confirmed the negative development, however, declined further comments on the issue and preferred to be anonymous.
An investigation conducted revealed that the 25kg bags of rice were deposited in a store at the Central market, Katsina.
It was some people who alerted the DSS on Wednesday night, who immediately swung into action.
The Chairman, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the state, Mr Abdulrahman Abdullahi, expressed shock over the issue.
Abdullahi lamented how the Federal Government donated the palliatives to the vulnerable but were allegedly diverted by some unpatriotic people.
The chairman vowed that they would continue to follow the case up to its logical conclusion.
He, therefore, advised the government to investigate the matter with a view of punishing those behind the diversion.
Also commenting on the matter, a resident of Katsina, Suleiman Kofar-Durbi, said that was an unfortunate development.
“It is unfortunate that I received the information yesterday night that the President provided relief to the vulnerables and some people diverted it.
“People are experiencing hardship due to the current economic situation in the country, the government should investigate the matter thoroughly and bring culprits to book,” he said.
The Chairman, Market Traders Association, Alhaji Shehu Usman, said that the rice was brought into the market by someone who was not a trader.
“Someone asked his brother to keep the rice for him in his stores in the market.
“We are calling on our members to be careful in receiving such items from people outside for keeping in the market,” he said.
Responding to the matter, the Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to Gov. Dikko Radda, Mr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the rice was allocated to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, by the Federal Government.
‘He said, ‘The minister directed the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure Development, Alhaji Nasiru Lawal to keep it and he decided to take the rice to the market for safe keeping.
‘The rice allocated to the minister were 1, 200 bags.”
(NAN)
The President General of the apex Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has died at the age of 82.
His son, Jide Iwuanyanwu, announced his death in a statement on behalf of the family on Thursday.
According to the statement, “The Iwuanyanwu family of Umuohii Atta, in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo state announces the demise of our Patriach Engr, Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu-Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo.
“He died on Thursday July 25, 2024 after a brief illness. He was aged 82.
“Chief Iwuanyanwu before his death was President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and President of Owerri Peoples Assembly.
“Chief Iwuanyanwu is survived by his wife Lady Princess Frances Iwuanyanwu, many children and grand children, including Dr Mrs Nwadiuto Iheakanwa -Managing Director, Champion Group of newspapers. Details of the burial
will be announced later by the family after due consultations.”
Born on 4 September, 1942, Iwuanyanwu was a Nigerian politician and businessman, considered one of the richest Igbo men in Nigeria.
Iwuanyanwu was the 11th President-General of Ọhanaeze Ndigbo; preceded by George Obiozor.
In 1963, he gained admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he studied Civil Engineering. Because of his notable feats in academics while in his early years in the University, he was awarded the prestigious German Academic Exchange Scholarship covering fees, boarding, holiday tickets and feeding, promptly facilitated by the Federal Republic of Germany. This award was for a few talented students of African descent.
He was the founder of the Daily Champion newspaper.
He had attempted to be president of Nigeria three times and failed on all occasions.
He was the founder of the Iwuanyanwu Nationale Football Club (now Heartland F.C.), which won several national and international championships. He was the Chairman, National Sports Development Fund, and, Chairman, Nigerian Football Association USA “94” and Cup of Nations Fund Raising Committee.
[PM News]
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has insisted that the federal government is no longer paying subsidy on petrol.
He made the assertion on Thursday during a media briefing in Abuja.
According to him, since President Bola Tinubu declared an end to the fuel subsidy regime on May 29, 2023, the government has not made any provision in the budget for subsidy payment and has not made any subsidy payment outside the budget as well.
“Mr President said on May 29 that subsidy is gone. Subsidy is gone. We do not have a line in the budget for subsidy payment. We do not have payments being made whether in the budget or out by the federal government of Nigeria or even the federation directly for subsidy,” Edun said.
He submitted that what has been happening is a situation where the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is carrying the burden of the spike in exchange rate variation as part of its responsibility to ensure the availability of petrol in the local market.
The position of the Minister is coming at a time the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria recently said, the landing cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, was ₦1,117/litre as of July 16, 2024.
The figure was based on the prevailing rate of ₦1,500 per one US dollar in the nation’s exchange market.
The claim by the marketers is yet to be rebuffed by the federal government.
As the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for August draws close, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday entered an emergency closed-door meeting with top traditional rulers, security top brass in his government and governors of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The high-delegation meeting was held at the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The APC governors were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.
Some first-class traditional rulers were spotted at the meeting with the President. They include the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III; and other traditional leaders across the country.
The meeting was also attended by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; as well as ministers and other members of the President’s cabinet.
A delegation of Islamic scholars (Ulamas) later joined the high-powered meeting with the President.
Last-Minute Efforts
Tinubu, former Lagos governor, who was sworn in as President in May 2023, has appealed to displeased youths to shelve the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for next month.
As part of moves to placate aggrieved citizens, the President sent a bill to raise the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 to the National Assembly this week. Both chambers of the legislature speedily passed the bill on Tuesday, awaiting the President’s assent.
On Thursday, the military authorities warned that unscrupulous elements plan to hijack the protest and use it to stage anarchy like what was recently witnessed in East African country Kenya.
The police had also warned against bloody demonstrations come next month just as Uzodimma surmised that the protest could be hijacked and turn violent like the EndSARS nationwide protest against police brutality back in October 2020.
The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organisers of the protest have been faceless.
Prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows
Nigerian activist, Omoyele Sowore has released a list of 14 demands from Nigerians to President Bola Tinubu's administration ahead of the planned nationwide protest.
The convener of #RevolutionNow said the list will give the government an idea of issues to address.
Sowore took to his Twitter page to share the demands.
He said, “So far, these are the commonest but fundamental demands from those who have responded to pursuing a general set of DEMANDs to #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria for the Days of Rage revolt scheduled for the end of July until August 2024.”
According to Sowore, the 14 demands are:
“1. Scrap the 1999 Constitution and replace it with a People-made CONSTITUTION for the Federal Republic of Nigeria through a Sovereign National Conference to be immediately followed by a National Referendum.
“2. Toss the Senate arm of the Nigerian Legislative System, keep the House of Representatives (HOR), and make lawmaking a part-time endeavour.
“3. Pay Nigerian Workers a minimum wage of nothing less than N250,000 monthly.
“4. Invest heavily in education and give Nigerian students grants, not loans. Aggressively pursue free and compulsory education for children across Nigeria.
“5. Release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally and demilitarize the South East.
“6. Renationalise publicly owned enterprises sold to government officials and cronies.
“7. Reinstate a corruption-free subsidy regime to reduce hunger, starvation and multidimensional poverty.
“8. Probe past and present Nigerian leaders who have looted the treasury, recover their loot, and deposit it in a special account to fund education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
“9. Restructuring of Nigeria to accommodate Nigeria’s diversity, resource control, decentralisation and regional development.
“10. Reforms of Security Agencies to stop continuous human rights violations and duplication of security agencies and enhance the physical security of Nigerian citizens.
“11. Establish a Special Energy Fund immediately to drive massive, corruption-free power sector development.
“12. Immediate Reconstitution of the Nigerian Electoral Body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove corrupt individuals and partisan hacks appointed to manipulate elections.
“13. Massive investment in public works and industrialisation will help employ Nigeria’s teeming youths.
“14. Massive shake-up in the Nigerian judiciary to remove cabals of corrupt generations of judges and judicial officers that continue denying everyday citizens access to real justice.”
Sowore has declared the 'Days of Rage' protests to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the 2019 #RevolutionNow demonstration. He is urging nationwide mobilisation and calling for people to join the movement.
President Bola Tinubu has given assent to the North-West Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2024, and the South-East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2023.
The bills were signed by President to accelerate development across geo-political zones in the country, said presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale.
The two bills were earlier passed by the National Assembly.
“The North-West Development Commission is set up to facilitate the reconstruction of roads, houses, and business premises destroyed by multidimensional crisis, as well as tackle poverty, literacy level, ecological problems, and any other related environmental or development challenges in North-West states,” Ngelale said in a statement.
“In addition, the South-East Development Commission is established to ensure the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses, and other infrastructural damages suffered by the zone, as well as tackle ecological problems, and other related environmental or developmental challenges in South-East states.
“President Tinubu believes in building the nation on the fulcrum of fairness, equity, and unity; hence, he is committed to ensuring equitable development, inclusive governance, and the provision of qualitative services to all Nigerians — no matter where they reside — while knitting even more tightly together the national fabric.”
President Bola Tinubu has identified those responsible for insecurity in the country.
According to Tinubu, the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria is being driven by “well-organized” non-state actors.
The president emphasized that a united effort from law enforcement agencies is essential to address this issue and called for the cessation of inter-agency rivalries.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre in Abuja, Tinubu, represented by Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, highlighted the complex nature of the security challenges facing the nation.
He remarked, “The security situation in the country is a complex blend of threats posed by well-organized non-state actors.
“Addressing it requires a concerted approach by all stakeholders within the security architecture. I, therefore, call for the elimination of inter-agency rivalries and urge law enforcement agencies to embrace a coordinated, collaborative approach.”
Tinubu reiterated his administration’s commitment to reforming the Nigerian Police Force, pledging investments in arms, equipment, and the recruitment and training of police personnel to improve their numbers, quality, and readiness.
Acknowledging the government’s determination to combat insecurity, Tinubu noted a significant increase in cybercrime threats.
He stated, “Our administration is steadfast in its fight against all forms of criminal activity. Cybercrime is an emerging and evolving threat. We are witnessing an increase in activities by cybercriminals, online fraudsters, and cyber terrorists who exploit the Internet for their destabilizing activities.”
He highlighted the challenge posed by rapid technological advancements, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the introduction of 5G technology, which have expanded the scope of cyber threats.
Since 2020, Nigeria has seen a surge in the use of social media to spread subversive messages and incite violence.
To address these challenges, the Federal Government has revised its national cybercrime strategy to mitigate these multifaceted threats. “Our objective is to usher Nigeria into a bright future driven by a prosperous cyberspace and digital economy,” Tinubu said.
He emphasized the importance of cybersecurity for the nation’s social security and economic development, positioning Nigeria as a credible destination for foreign investment in the digital sector.
Tinubu also urged collaboration between the new center and the Office of the National Security Adviser to ensure heightened scrutiny of online activities.
“I hope that this centre will complement the ONSA in the protection of our critical national infrastructures by enabling a greater level of scrutiny of the online activities of those who seek to cause damage to our national interests,” he added.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, noted that the center has made significant progress in addressing cybercrime-related incidents. “The center has been proactive in dealing with high-profile cybercrime infiltrations and attacks,” Egbetokun said.
He reported that many of these attacks targeted both government and non-governmental organizations, with numerous suspects arrested and prosecuted.
“Seventy percent of the stolen funds and assets have been recovered. As we embark on this new chapter for the Nigerian Police Force, I stress that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility requiring cooperation from all stakeholders.
“Together, we can build a resilient and secure cyberspace that enables our nation to thrive and prosper in the digital age,” Egbetokun concluded.
Bashir Ahmad, a former Media Aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has faulted the alleged decision of organizers of the August 1 protest to add the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, to their demands.
Ahmad vowed never to join the protest if Kanu’s unconditional release was part of the demands of the protesters.
Posting on X, the former presidential aide wrote: “You should not expect me to join a protest where the unconditional release of terrorist Nnamdi Kanu is listed as one of the non-negotiable demands. Never!”
Popular activist and convener of the nationwide protest, Omoyele Sowore, had unveiled the key demands to be tabled to President Bola Tinubu’s government.
Daily Post reports that the nation’s economic situation has propelled citizens, particularly the youths, to stage a mass protest nationwide.
Despite efforts by the government to quell the move, Nigerian youths have insisted on embarking on the protest in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
The looming protest titled, ‘Days of Rage’, or ‘EndBadGovernance’, is aimed at drawing the attention of the Federal Government to the unfortunate economic situation of the country.
Part of the demands listed by Sowore is the unconditional release of Kanu.
The IPOB leader has been locked up by the Nigerian Government despite courts granting him bail.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it is fully capable of managing the conduct of local government elections if tasked with the responsibility.
The chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu said this on Thursday, July 25, when he appeared before the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on preparations for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
He said INEC has the capacity to handle the local government elections but that would only be possible pending when the law is amended to permit it to do so.
He pointed out that the Commission had been conducting area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory which has been devoid of the problems associated with the conduct of local government elections.
He pointed out some advantages of INEC handling elections to include that there are regular elections as when due, stability of tenure, and also that there has never been a caretaker committee in the FCT.
He noted that there has never been a time one political party has won all the seats at the elections as is common in the states.
He said if INEC handles the election, it would be better for democracy.
He, however, said this can only happen if the constitution is amended to take the responsibility from state electoral commissions.
Details shortly…
More...
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, on Thursday declared its support for theplanned August 1 nationwide protest against President Bola Tinubu.
Afenifere’s Publicity Secretary, Justice Faloye, however, said the body would not be part of the protest.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Faloye warned against violence during the nationwide protest.
According to Faloye: “Afenifere is not planning to be part of the protest but we support the fundamental human rights of Nigerians, however, we have been warning against the hardship. You can’t tell a hungry man not to wait.
“Afenifere has been saying we need economic and political restructuring of this country; but all we have is palliative, which are superficial moves.
“We acknowledge their rights, we saw this, but you, the government, don’t want to take responsibility for your economic policies. Tinubu imposed the 10 days of rage on himself due to his policies. It’s not that we support the protest, but we understand that it’s an organic reaction.
“We support anybody who wants to support the protest against government policies, which we understand are anti-people.
“We don’t support violence but peaceful protest to voice your concerns, in most cases; it’s not the people that are the problem but the government and the political thugs that are the issue. We support the protest.”
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has appealed to residents of Abuja not to partake in the planned nationwide protest against hardship.
Wike made the appeal while interacting with residents after he inspected the ongoing construction of a 5-kilometre access road to Saburi 1 and 2 in Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, in Abuja on Thursday.
Some unidentified Nigerians have planned to embark on a peaceful protest over hunger and insecurity in the country beginning on August 1.
However, the minister said that President Bola Tinubu is aware of the concerns of Nigerians and is working hard to address the challenges.
Describing the current hunger and suffering as a temporary situation, the minister said that the ongoing reforms and policies would soon yield the desired results.
He alleged protest is being organized by some politicians in a bid to destabilize Tinubu’s administration.
A traditional festival, ‘Oro’ has been scheduled for August 1 to 15 in Lagos State.
The Oro festival, among others, is a prominent festival in the Yoruba tradition.
It’s celebrated by male descendants and usually characterised by a daytime procession and high-pitched sounds in some areas or across the community as the case may be.
It’s believed that females and non-indigenes mustn’t be present during the ritual rites of the festival.
Some netizens have argued that this announcement was made to stop the planned nationwide protest which was scheduled for August 1 to 10.
Disclosing this, a Lagos media on X with username, @Lagospedia wrote, “Public Announcement:
“Attention Residents and Visitors of Lagos
“Please be informed that the Oro Festival will be observed in various communities across Lagos from 1st of August to August 15.
“This traditional Yoruba cultural event involves significant rituals.
“Retweet for awareness.”
[ThisNigeria]
With eight days to go, the planners of the nationwide protest are set to hit the streets against the crippling economic hardship in the country.
As the hunger protest movement gains momentum, with thousands of youths set to take action, national and state authorities have warned the organisers to tread softly.
In the same vein, leaders from the southern and northern parts of the country have also joined the government to oppose the plan.
State governors have cautioned against the protest, saying it is potentially dangerous.
And for the second time in two days, the minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, has appealed to the planners not to take the laws into their hands but to embrace dialogue.
He said while President Bola Tinubu’s government acknowledges every Nigerian’s right to engage in protests, it is equally committed to ensuring that these activities do not disrupt public order or violate the rights of others.
Idris, who stated this when he received the Charismatic Bishops Conference on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja on Wednesday, said the government is aware that some people would want to hijack the planned protest and unleash violence on innocent Nigerians.
“You see, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu believes in the freedom of everyone within the confines of the law to do what he thinks is right for him. “Therefore, the President is not an opponent of protest of any kind but the President is an opponent of violence and anything that will negatively hamper the wellbeing of Nigerians. He believes and he has always been saying that within the tenets of democracy, you have every right to do whatever you want to do provided that right does not infringe on another person’s right.
“Why everybody is very cautious and very wary of this national protest is because we have seen what has happened around the world. We know it’s almost impossible to hold this protest and then have peace at the end of the day. We cannot do that because some people are waiting to take the laws into their own hands,” he said.
Idris explained that President Tinubu is fully aware of the genuine concerns and complaints expressed by Nigerians across the nation, and he is actively working to implement effective policies aimed at alleviating the challenges faced by the citizenry and bringing relief to all Nigerians.
The minister said in an unprecedented move, Tinubu is fashioning out a policy of paying stipends to all young university and polytechnic unemployed graduates in the country pending their formal employment in any sector of the economy.
He explained that because of the President’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers, even after the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage concluded its assignment and submitted its report, the President sustained his engagement with the Organised Labour Unions until an amicable resolution was reached, which gave birth to the N70,000 national minimum wage.
Idris said the introduction of the Compressed National Gas (CNG) policy by the President is a game changer in the country’s economy because of its ability to bring down the cost of transportation by about 60%, thereby providing a viable alternative for petrol and diesel.
In his remarks, Archbishop Leonard Kawas, the president general of the Charismatic Bishops Conference, disassociated the conference from the planned national protest, saying some groups had approached them about joining the protest.
“Your Excellency, recently, we received calls from other religious organisations asking us to join in preparation for a nationwide protest that would start on 1 August 2024. We are here to let you know that we do not think the same. We have decided to go all out and call for a truce.
“We have decided to sue for peace and humbly request that our brothers and sisters who are aggrieved in one way or the other that they should give us some time while we continue to communicate and negotiate with this government on areas that are pertinent to them,” he said.
He said after the 2024 Synod, the bishops had resolved to partner with the federal government in prayers and advocacy for the success of the Tinubu Administration.
The Charismatic Bishop Conference also used the occasion to present a Meritorious Service Award to the minister.
Rally Potentially Dangerous, Say Governors
Meanwhile, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has strongly opposed the nationwide protest scheduled for August 1-10, labelling it ill-timed and potentially dangerous.
The governor made this comment to State House correspondents after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa alongside former Senate President Pius Anyim and Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru.
Governor Uzodinma, who is also the chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and the Progressive Governors’ Forum, expressed serious concern about the timing and potential consequences of the proposed demonstrations.
The governor highlighted the fragile nature of Nigeria’s current political climate, warning that poorly managed protests could lead to dire consequences.
Drawing parallels to the 2020 EndSARS protests, which began peacefully but later turned violent, the governor warned of the risk of the planned August demonstrations being hijacked by criminal elements.
He urged citizens to remember the lessons from that experience and be wary of creating opportunities for similar incidents.
Uzodinma also questioned the motives and organisation behind the planned protests.
He said, “Democracy is about the opinion of the people, and the protest is allowed in a democratic setting. Every protest must be reasonably conceived to be able to make political sense.
“I think it’s too early at this time in the life of this government for anybody to come out to say he wants to protest. First of all, there have not been any engagements where those who are sponsoring the protest were able to tell us the reasons for the protests.
“Second, given the global situation today and the insecurity in the country, we have a very fragile political environment that, if not managed and protected very well, may collapse the entire country.
“So those who are going to protest, what is the reason for the protests? And suppose they have no reason for the protests; in that case, I think I’ll advise well-meaning Nigerians, citizens of this country who are making sacrifices – some of us have paid the supreme price for the existence of this country – we should guard our country very jealously.
“I think it is the wrong time for anybody to do any protests because the implication of doing that, if care is not taken, is that it may be hijacked. Like the EndSARS experience, where criminals now hijacked an innocently conceived agitation by young Nigerians,” he said.
Northern, Southern Leaders Caution Planners
Also yesterday, leaders from both the Southern and Northern regions of Nigeria, along with various other stakeholders, pleaded with the country’s youths.
These respected leaders, who are part of the Citizens Network for Peace and Development in Nigeria (CNPDN), in a press statement urged the younger generation and other Nigerians who intend to participate in the highly-anticipated nationwide protests to reconsider their plans.
The leaders highlighted that meaningful progress is never achieved through violent protests or any form of unrest and that hardship is a challenge faced globally, not just in Nigeria.
They expressed concern that the protests may be infiltrated by hoodlums and troublemakers, potentially leading to a dangerous outcome.
The statement reads, “We have appealed to the organisers of the planned protest to halt it, as protests have never been the solution to any problem in the world. The situation in Nigeria is not unique to our country alone; it is a global issue. Through this medium, we advise our young people not to join the protest, as such protests can easily be hijacked by unruly elements, rendering the original purpose ineffective. “Furthermore, we urge President Tinubu to address the nation and reassure the citizens that he has the best intentions for our beloved country.”
LEADERSHIP recalls that President Tinubu had already pleaded with the organisers to postpone the protests and allow his administration more time to implement programmes that will benefit the people.
The planned protests, scheduled for August 1, have gained momentum on social media, with hashtags such as ‘EndBadGovernance,’ ‘TinubuMustGo,’ and ‘#Revolution2024’ trending.
The impending protests are driven by grievances over the high cost of living and the economic challenges in Nigeria, which have been attributed to the removal of fuel subsidies, the fluctuating value of the national currency, and other economic reforms implemented by the Tinubu administration.
60 Reps Ask Tinubu To Dialogue With Youths
In their reaction, the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives urged the Tinubu-led federal government to dialogue with planners of the protester towards addressing their concerns.
The opposition lawmakers reached this resolution during a session they held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
Speaking with journalists after the dinner, chairman of the Caucus, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, discouraged the planned protest, especially given the insecurity in parts of the country.
The minority leader urged the government to sit with the protesters and also look into some of the issues they had raised.
“We are not going to encourage any protesters because in the past, we have observed in most cases that even peaceful protests have been overtaken by hoodlums, and with the insecurity in some parts of the country, you may not have control of the gathering of people. Some unscrupulous people may use the opportunity to create chaos.
“So we are discouraging any protest but we appeal to government to dialogue and also look at critical areas that are necessary and address them amicably,” he said.
The opposition leader called on the government to use the carrot-and-stick approach to addressing the country’s insecurity problem.
No Going Back, Students Declare
Amidst the pleas for truce, Nigerians who have resolved to join the protest are the National Association of University Students (NAUS), the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), and the National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education Students (NANCES).
This was contained in a memo addressed to all students, student unions, student associations and affiliated organisations covering Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, which was made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday.
The memo was jointly signed by Comrade Obaji U. Marshal national president, NAUS; Amb. Shuaib Ishaka Yahaya, Senate president, NAUS; Comrade Ridwan Opeyemi Munirudeen, national president, NAPS; Comrade Adeniji Boluwaji Temitope, Senate president, NAPS; Comr. Egunjobi Samuel Oluwaseun, national president, NANCES and Kur Isaac Ushahemba, Senate president of NANCES.
The students said they have taken the collective decision after due and painstaking consultations on the way forward for Nigerian students.
“The present economic quagmire occasioned by the rising cost of living, hike in cost of commodities , hike in petroleum price, hike in electricity tariff, insecurity, poor funding of our institutions which presently affects more than 80% of the population in the country is felt most by young Nigerians studying for various academic qualifications across tertiary institutions.
“This development has led to poor socioeconomic welfare for students, a loss of interest in academic activities and a fall in grades, an increase in crimes and criminality, and an increase in violence on campuses and their environs.
“Furthermore, the inability of federal, state and local governments to provide adequate immediate and long-term palliatives, especially for Nigerian Students, to cushion the effect of the high cost of living, is rather disappointing and also raises the alarm of the student movement in the country, of a seeming lack of initiatives and ideas on the most effective approach to sustainable economic recovery and growth.
“Hence, the trio of NAUS, NAPS and NANCES, representing the voices of millions of Nigerian students, emphatically condemn the lackadaisical attitude of the government and declares a National Day Of Protest For Nigerian Students starting from Monday, July 29th, 2024 till further notice, having communicated the government through various means including media but nothing has been done,” the memo said.
It added that the protest is a way for them to exercise their rights and drive home their demands to the federal and state governments.
“More directly, the trio of NAUS, NAPS AND NANCES frown at the ‘I don’t care attitude’ of the government towards reducing the current hardship being undergone by all of us, especially the students, which contributes to the impoverishment of Nigerian students.”
“The trio of NAUS, NAPS and NANCES therefore urges all Nigerian students to prepare for the National Day of Protest from the 29th of July, 2024.
“With this notice, student union officials are enjoined to be in touch with their respective associations for updates on the protest, as security agencies will also be put on notice,” it added.
[Leadership]