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The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal for Sokoto/Zamfara States sitting in Sokoto, on Monday, sacked a member of the House of Representatives representing Yabo/Shagari federal constituency of Sokoto State, Umar Yusuf Yabo Danmaje.
The Tribunal further ordered Danmaje to pay a sum of N500,000 as damages to the petitioner as a cost of action instituted against his election at the Tribunal.
In a unanimous judgement read by the Tribunal chairman, Justice Ashu A. Ewah, the Court declared the election of Danmaje as member representing Yabo/Shagari federal constituency in the House of Representatives as null and void.
Other members of the Tribunal include Justice Helen N. Hammanjoda and Justice Ali T. Changbo, respectively.
Justice Ewah said the election, which was initially conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2023 and rerun election on February 3, 2024, was marred with malpractices some polling units, hence the exercise was inconclusive.
The Tribunal also ordered INEC to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Danmaje and conduct a fresh election in the affected polling units of the constituency within 90 days.
The election is to be conducted in four affected polling units of the two local government areas of Yabo and Shagari in the federal constituency of the state.
The four polling units where INEC was asked by the Tribunal to conduct election are three polling units in Shagari LGA and one polling unit in Yabo local government area, respectively.
The affected polling units include; Dagawa Maji Kira, Dagawa Mai Zane, Shiyar Magaji, Kesoji Shiyar Hakimi, Jaredi Maji Kira and Mazoji, all in Shagari and Yabo local government areas of Sokoto State.
[Leadership]
The House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals says the country is losing N9 billion annually to illegal mining activities across the country.
This is as the Nigerian Army said it had arrested 387 suspects in connection with illegal mining activities in the last seven months.
Chairman of the committee, Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi who disclosed this on Monday at a public hearing organised by the committee to investigate issues of illegal mining in the solid mineral sector, said the menace had hampered the country’s ability to maximize the benefits from its mineral resources.
He lamented that only a paltry three percent royalty was being paid by the few licensed miners in the country.
According to him, the negative impacts of illegal mining have led to insecurity and conflicts over control of mining sites and their resources.
He said these conflicts had escalated into violence thereby exacerbating existing political and social tensions in affected communities.
“This public hearing is aimed to investigating illegal mining activities, under-reporting wins (extract E-Products) by mining and quarry licence operators, utilisation of financial interventions in the Nigerian solid minerals sector amounting to trillions of naira within the solid mineral sector and also the Nigeria minerals and Mining Act (Amendment Bill) and Nigeria Solid Minerals Development Company (establishment bill) respectively.
“Nigeria is losing N9 billion annually to illegal mining activities in the country. The leadership of the 10th House of Assembly has found it expedient and as a sense of duty to carry out these investigative hearings to necessitate transparency and accountability, public participation, policy formation and identify challenges and solutions that will ultimately lead to the revamping of our solid mineral sector.As we are all aware, illegal mining poses substantial risks to our nation’s economy, environment, and security.
“The unregulated exploitation of our natural resources jeopardises the sustainability of the mineral sector, leading to environmental degradation and revenue loss that could otherwise benefit our communities and nation as a whole.
“It is imperative that we take as a matter of urgency, decisive steps and necessary action to address this issue and ensure that our solid mineral sector operates within the framework of the law, protecting our natural resources for future generations”, he said.
This is just as the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa disclosed that those involved in illegal mining activities had links with top personalities who give them cover.
Speaking on why illegal mining continued to take place despite move by the federal government to curtail it, Director Of Operations, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ignatius Ilo, who represented the Chief of Defence staff, said that most people involved in the process had connections backing them up, adding that foreigners also came into the country to carry out the illegal act.
Speaking also at the hearing, the representative of the Nigeria Army, Colonel Tajudeen Lamidi, said that the Army had arrested 387 individuals in connection with illegal mining
While declaring the public hearing open, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas who was represented by the House Leader, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, noted that illegal mining was a growing socio-economic challenge in Nigeria, adding that it had led to loss of ecosystems and increased poverty level, especially among peasant farmers who depend solely on environmental resources for a living.
He said, “The rise in illegal mining highlights fundamental social, institutional and structural problems in the country, therefore today’s interaction is aimed to provide enough guidance on curbing the menace of illegal mining, and also assess the role played by the Regulators in the process of their regulatory functions in the particularly as it relates to mining practices.”
[DailyTrust]
The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has announced that it has shelved the conduct of aptitude test for 2024 Direct Entry candidates.
The Board instead said that other placement criteria will be considered for Direct Entry admissions.
JAMB announced this on Monday in a post on its official X handle.
“Attention 2024 DE Candidates! This is to inform you that the Board has shelved the conduct of aptitude test for the year, other placement criteria shall be considered for your admission while adequate preparation goes into the exercise ahead of next year,” JAMB said.
[DailyPost]
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has mandated the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to come up with an amendment bill to the 2024 Budget to be presented to the National Assembly for legislation.
The planned amendment to the national budget, it was explained, became necessary as a result of new fiscal developments, including the impending new national minimum wage.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to journalists after the 8th FEC meeting of 2024, presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
According to the minister, President Tinubu is expected to hold a follow-up meeting with leaders of the organised Labour on Thursday this week, after which the proposed amendment bill to the budget would be passed on to the National Assembly for consideration.
It would be recalled that President Tinubu had met with the leadership of the organized labour on Thursday last week over the minimum wage issue.
The Tripartite Committee of the new National Minimum Wage had submitted two separate figures to the President following the disagreement among the different stakeholders.
While the government team and the organized private sector had offered N62,000, the organized labour made a demand of N250,000.
President Tinubu upon the receipt of the committee’s report, had promised to meet with the relevant stakeholders to harmonize the figure before transmitting the executive bill to the National Assembly.
Details shortly…
[TheNation]
The Federal Government says it has dispatched 20 trucks of rice to each of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
It said the new move is part of measures to ease the economic burden of Nigerians.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Monday.
Idris said each state has received truckloads of rice, each containing 1,200 bags of 25kg rice for onward distribution to the most vulnerable persons and families.
He said the consignment is the first step by the federal government to provide support to all the sub-nationals.
The Minister noted that state governments are expected to distribute the commodity to bring down the current hardship in the country.
Details later…
[Punch]
A Kano State High Court, on Monday, granted a perpetual injunction restraining the 15th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado-Bayero, and four other dethroned emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye from parading themselves as emirs.
The applicants are the Attorney General of Kano State, the Speaker Kano State House of Assembly and the Kano State House of Assembly, who through their counsel Ibrahim Isah-Wangida Esq, filed a motion exparte dated May 27.
The applicants sought a court order restraining Ado-Bayero, and Four other dethroned emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye from parading themselves as emirs.
The respondents are: Ado-Bayero, Alhaji Nasiru Ado-Bayero Bichi emir, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar ll, emir of Karaye, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad-Inuwa, emir of Rano and Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim-Gaya, emir of Gaya.
Others are the Inspector General of Police, Director of State Security Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Nigeria Army.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, held that the Kano State House of Assembly had powers to amend and propose a bill for the peace and good governance of a state under section 4 rule 6,7(b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“The Kano State Governor has the right to ascent the proposed bill to law after being passed by the state assembly”
The court also restrained the Police and other security agencies from violating, disobeying or tempering the Kano State Emirate (Repeal) Law 2024.
“The deposed Emirs shall surrender all movable and immovable properties in their possession that belong to the Kano State Emirate Council to the state government” Adamu-Aliyu said
She held that the first respondent legal counsel withdrawal without notice to other parties is unprofessional and that moving their motion is as good as not filing it since it has been abandoned.
The judge said the act of the 6th to 9 respondent for smuggling the first respondent to Kano after the enactment of the Emirate Repeal Law 2024 disregards what they have sworn for the protection of life and property.
Earlier, Counsel to the applicant, Mr Ibrahim Isa-Wangida, urged the court to discount the respondent’s affidavit of facts under order 39 rules 1 and 2 of the Court.
Counsel to Ado-Bayero, Mr Abdul Muhammed SAN, informed the court that they have an affidavit of fact dated July 3, 2024, attached with a notice of appeal and a motion of stay of proceedings.
He urged the court to stay of proceedings pending the hearing and determination of the motion at the appeal court.
NAN reports that Ado-Bayero’s counsel on July 4, withdrew their legal services before the court.
Counsel to the 3rd, 4th and 5th respondents, Hassan Tanko-Kyaure, moved his application for an extension of time dated July 2 and counter affidavit in response to the originating motion.
He urged the court to set aside the Kano State Emirates Council (Repeal) law 2024, adding that due process were not followed and urged the court to dismiss the applicant’s application with a cost of N1 billion.
Counsel to the Inspector/General of Police, Mr Sunday Ekwe, told the court that he had nothing to present.
NAN reports that the applicants, 3,4and 5th respondents moved their applications, for extension of time, notice of preliminary objection, setting aside exparte order, joinder application, examining deponent, application for the Judge to recuse herself and originating summon.
NAN reports that the State House of Assembly on May 23, dissolved all the four newly created Emirate council’s in the state and Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf, reappointed Lamido Sanusi, as the Emir of Kano.
Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, says Nigerians can now apply for and obtain visas to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Idris said the federal government has reached an agreement with the UAE to allow Nigerian passport holders to obtain visas for travel to the Arab nation starting today, July 15.
More to follow…
[TheCable]
Inflation: NBS rates Bauchi, Kogi and Oyo states as most expensive places to live in Nigeria
AFOLABI
The National Bureau of Statistics has said that Bauchi, Kogi and Oyo are the most expensive states to live in Nigeria.
This is according to NBS’s consumer price index and inflation report for June released on Monday.
The report showed Bauchi with a headline inflation of 43.95 percent, Kogi(39.91 percent) and Oyo(39.15 percent) in June on a year-on-year basis.
However, on the flip side, Borno, Benue and Katsina States recorded the least rise in headline inflation.
Accordingly, Borno’s inflation stood at 25.90 percent, Benue (at 27.52 percent) and Katsina(at 29.21 percent).
On a Month-on-Month basis, however, June 2024 recorded the highest increases in Yobe (3.79 percent), Abuja (3.45 percent), Ondo (3.38 percent), Nasarawa (0.71 percent), Osun (1.19 percent) and Kano (1.27 percent) recorded the slowest rise in Month-on-Month inflation.
DAILY POST earlier reported that Nigeria’s headline inflation rose to 34.19 percent in June.
The Federal Government has admitted there is food insecurity in the country but assured Nigerians that the situation is being addressed and the prices of commodities will soon come down.
Food inflation has reached over 40 per cent in recent months according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), pushing the prices of essential commodities beyond the reach of millions of Nigerians.
But the Minister of State for Agriculture Aliyu Abdullahi said with several programmes by the Federal Government, the prices of commodities will reduce.
“You will see a lot of programmes trying to dampen [reduce prices] the situation,” he said on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“Agriculture has a time frame. Now, a lot of production is ongoing. We are in the rainy season and if you look at the fields, there is a lot of cropping going on. Those croppings are not food,” Abdullahi said.
“They will only translate to food after three months. So, until then, this story you are talking about will continue.”
The minister said the country had in the past relied more on rainy season farming.
“We realised over the past few years that we have not been taking our dry season agriculture seriously,” he said but noted that the ministry is addressing it.
Justice Haleema Salman of the Kwara State High Court, the presiding judge in the April 5, 2018 bank robbery in the ancient town of Offa, Offa Local Government Area, has reserved judgement in the six-year trial of six suspects in the bloody bank robbery for August 2, 2024.
The presiding judge on Monday adopted final written addresses which contained arguments of the two lead counsels in the matter, Rotimi Jacob (SAN) for the state and Mathew Emeribe, the defence counsel.
In Court on Monday, the prosecution and defence teams adopted their addresses one after the other on point of law.
However, the presiding judge said that the August 2, 2024 date for judgement is tentative.
Six suspects: a policeman, Michael Adikwu (deceased), Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham were arrested in connection with the bloody armed robbery incident.
Ayoade Akinnibosun and four others are currently standing trial in the case which began on November 11, 2018.
It is recalled that on April 5, 2018, some suspected armed robbers attacked five commercial banks in the ancient Offa town in the Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing over 30 persons in the process, including nine policemen.
The five suspects, Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, and two others were charged to court by the Police for criminal conspiracy to rob the banks, murder of nine policemen and other citizens, and illegal possession of firearms.
Michael Adikwu died in police custody while the remaining five pleaded not guilty.
More...
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has suspended the enforcement of the digitalised central motor registry (e-CMR) indefinitely.
In a statement on Sunday, Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said the suspension will enable “mass enlightenment and education” of Nigerians on the initiative.
Adejobi said the e-CMR scheme is not a “revenue-generating platform but an initiative to digitise policing for effectiveness and general safety” of Nigerians.
He added that Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, has urged police officers not to extort the public in the name of e-CMR certificates.
“The inspector-general of police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has ordered an immediate suspension of the proposed enforcement of the e-CMR initially scheduled to commence on the 29th of July, 2024,” the statement reads.
“This is to give ample benefits and effectiveness in solving the challenge of vehicle related crimes, and protection of individual and corporate vehicle ownership.
“In the same vein, the IGP charges all police officers to desist from requesting for e-CMR certificates as individuals found extorting or exploiting members of the public on the guise of not having e-CMR certificates will be sanctioned accordingly as the enforcement which will be done by only dedicated officers has been suspended till further notice.”
THE CONTROVERSY
On Saturday, the NPF said it will commence the enforcement of the e-CMR by July 29.
Adejobi had said the e-CMR is a real-time online archive of vehicle data designed to support police investigations and combat vehicle-related crimes.
Responding to the development, the Nigerian Bar Association — Section of Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL), asked the police to stop the issuance of e-CMR certificates and refund all monies to vehicle owners.
The NBA-SPIDEL threatened to initiate legal action if the police failed to act accordingly within seven days.
The statement was signed by John Aikpokpo-Martin, chairman of NBA-SPIDEL, and Funmi Adeogun, its secretary.
In its response to the statement, Adejobi said the police have the right to initiate any approach aimed at curbing crime in the country.
Reacting to the statement, Akorede Lawal, spokesperson of the NBA national leadership, said Aikpokpo-Martins and Adeogun did not seek the consent of the association before writing to the police.
Lawal also said the duo have been removed as executives of NBA-SPIDEL since February 2024.
Nigeria’s food inflation has reached an all-time high of 40.87 per cent as the Bola Tinubu-led government embarked on reforms that have spiked the cost of living.
Figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday show that in June 2024, the headline inflation rate increased to 34.19 per cent relative to the May 2024 headline inflation rate of 33.95 per cent.
The country’s inflation has risen on a year-on-year basis by 11.40 per cent compared with the 22.79 per cent recorded last year.
Food inflation has also grown to 40.87 per cent on a year-on-year basis. Compared to last year, the figure is 15.62 per cent points higher compared to the rate recorded in June 2023 of 25.25 per cent.
NBS said food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices: Millet Whole grain, Garri, Guinea corn, etc (Bread and Cereals Class), Yam, Water Yam, Coco Yam (Potatoes, Yam & Other Tubers Class), Groundnut Oil, Palm Oil, etc (Oil & Fats Class) and Catfish Dried, Dried Fish-Sadine and Mudfish (Fish Class), etc.
NBS said, “On a month-on-month basis, the Food inflation rate in June 2024 was 2.55 per cent which shows a 0.26 per cent increase compared to the rate recorded in May 2024 (2.28 per cent).
“The rise in Food inflation on a Month-on-Month basis was caused by the rise in the rate of increase in the average prices of Groundnut Oil, Palm Oil, etc (Oil & Fats Class), Water Yam, Coco Yam, Cassava, etc (Potatoes, Yam & Other Tubers Class), Tobacco, Catfish Fresh, Croaker, Mudfish Fresh, Snail, etc, (Fish Class).”
In May last year, President Tinubu removed fuel subsidies which led to hike in energy cost while the Central Bank of Nigeria floated the currency leading to the depreciation of the currency to N1560 per dollar.
Also, banditry and kidnapping in the food-producing hub of the country have persisted as farmers for years do not have access to their farmlands.
In some areas, farmers pay fines to bandits to access their farms.
Banks are increasing lending to the private sector with an average monthly N1.6 trillion facility over the past two months.
The N1.6 trillion pushed credits to the private sector to N74.31 trillion.
Latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) indicates that credit to the private sector (CPS) rose by 65.9 percent or N29.52 trillion to N74.31 trillion last May compared to N44.79 trillion recorded in the same period last year.
A month-on-month breakdown shows sustained growth in lending over the past two months with additional credits of N1.39 trillion and N1.71 trillion in May and April 2024 respectively.
The CPS includes loans, trade credits, other account receivables, and banks’ support to the private sector within a period.
The CPS is a global measure of the banking sector’s balance sheet resilience and contribution to the national economic agenda.
The growth in lending and support to the private sector underlines the resilient balance sheet of banks and their responses to the CBN’s push for increased lending to bolster economic activities.
The data illustrate the importance of the banking sector emerging as the backbone of the country’s economic renewal agenda.
Banks’ lending and support to the private sector rose from N71.21 trillion in March 2024 to N72.92 trillion in April. They rose to N74.31 trillion in May 2024, representing a month-on-month increase of 1.9 percent and 2.4 percent for May and April 2024 respectively.
The latest CPS data came on the heels of a recent report on capital importation which showed that banks attracted nearly two-third of capital importation.
Analysts had said this was a measure of confidence in Nigerian banks as foreign investors gradually took a more active stance in the nation’s economy.
Experts agreed that increased private sector credit implies a major boost for the economy as there is a link between credit to the private sector and economic growth.
Some studies have continuously found that increased lending by banks directly leads to an increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Experts at Cordros Capital said they expected the re-enforcement of CBN’s limit on the loans-to-deposits macro-prudential ratio for Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to continue to drive the willingness of commercial banks to create risk assets.
A study by the CBN concluded that “credit is growth-enhancing, even when trade openness, monetary policy, investment climate, and infrastructure are low.” The study found that private-sector credit increases economic growth.’’
The balance sheet strength of banks also determines the flow of credits, with the continuing increase in lending amidst macroeconomic headwinds underpinning Nigerian banks’ resilience and stability.
In a study on ‘Balance Sheet Strength and Bank Lending During the Global Financial Crisis’, researchers at International Monetary Fund (IMF) examined the role of bank balance sheet strength in the transmission of financial sector shocks to the real economy.
The study found that “banks with strong balance sheets were better able to maintain lending during the crisis.”
According to the study, banks that were ex-ante more dependent on market funding and had lower structural liquidity reduced the supply of credit more than other banks.
“However, higher and better-quality capital mitigated this effect. Our results suggest that strong bank balance sheets are key for the recovery of credit following crises, and provide support for regulatory proposals under the Basel III framework,” the IMF report stated.
Managing Director, Arthur Steven Asset Management Olatunde Amolegbe, said the growth in credit to the private sector could be attributable to an increase in economic activities.
He, however, pointed out that other factors such as inflation and devaluation could moderate such increase
Chief Executive Officer, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) Muda Yusuf, said the credit outlook remains cautious. He called for an expansive distribution of credits across all tiers of companies and sectors.
According to him, there are major concerns in terms of the distribution of credits across sectors and companies with small businesses, which contribute more to job creation and economic inclusion, not likely to benefit much.
He noted that banks tend to be wary of credit risk concerns associated with lending to small businesses and certain sectors. Yusuf added that efforts should be made to drive inclusive and stable credit access to all sectors, including growth and employment elastic sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, real estate, and mining and construction.
CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso had said the ongoing recapitalisation would strengthen banks further to drive the $1 trillion national economic target and support stable economic growth.
According to him, additional capital would not only provide a substantial buffer for banks against potential economic challenges but also enhance Nigeria’s banks’ capability to support massive economic growth and play competitively globally.
Experts agree that considering the increase changing dynamics in the banking sector and the overall economy since the last recapitalisation, it has become necessary to strengthen the banks’ financial positions.
The owner of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote, has announced August 2024 as the new date to roll out fuel supply in the Nigerian market.
Dangote disclosed this on Sunday while speaking to journalists.
He noted that it has resolved its crude oil supply issues with the help of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL and the Nigerian federal government.
He stressed that the crude supply challenge was resolved last week after the federal government intervened.
The journalists were on a guided tour of the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery, which is located at Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos.
Outside fuel supply, he said that the refinery’s fertiliser unit would resume production in two weeks.
This would give farmers more access to fertiliser for their farm products.
“Ramping up production to reach 500 kbpd (15 crude cargoes a month) by next August, 550 kbpd by end of the year, and 650 kbpd by Q1 2025.
“Gasoline production to commence in July with sales from August,” a report released by the company stated.
This showed a long walk to the commencement of full-scale production at the Dangote Refinery, which was commissioned on May 22, 2023.
Dangote had earlier stated that the facility would kick off the supply of fuel in Nigeria in mid-July 2024.
In a similar development, the company announced that NNPCL no longer has a 20 per cent but a 7.2 per cent stake in the refinery.