₦airaland Forum

A bill seeking to create 74 seats for women in the national assembly has passed second reading in the house of representatives.

The green chamber voted in favour of the bill during plenary on Tuesday, in a bid to encourage more female participation in politics.

Sponsored by Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker, and 12 other lawmakers, the proposed legislation seeks to alter Sections 48, 49, 71, and 117 of the constitution to create one “special seat reserved exclusively for women in the senate and house of representatives for each state of the federation and the federal capital territory (FCT)”.

The bill proposes to take effect after the term of the current national assembly elapses, and is subject to review every 16 years.

The bill also proposes to alter Section 91 of the constitution to provide for three special seats “reserved exclusively” for women in houses of assembly of each state of the federation.

Leading the debate, Joshua Gana, co-sponsor of the bill, said the proposed legislation is aimed at addressing a “profound imbalance and the under-representation of women in the national assembly and at sub-national levels”.

He said the bill is “anchored on the fundamental principle of equitable representation, and aims to empower women by ensuring their voices are not only heard but that they actively contribute to shaping the legislative landscape, and the overall development of our nation”.

“The issue of gender equality and representation lies at the heart of our constitutional democracy,” he said.

Gana added that even though the constitution guarantees equal rights, the representation of women in the legislature has been “alarmingly low”.

“In the 7th, 8th, and 9th assemblies, women accounted for only 6.4%, 6.1%, and 2.7% of the senate respectively; and 6.4%, 3.05%, and 4.7% of the house of representatives respectively,” he said.

“These statistics underscore the urgent need for proactive measures to ensure equitable representation and amplify the voices of women in our legislative houses at the national and sub-national levels.

“The rationale behind this amendment is grounded on the principles of fairness and inclusivity.

“Globally, Nigeria lags behind in women representation in parliament, ranking among the lowest. Countries that have implemented affirmative action, like Rwanda and Andorra, have seen significant strides towards gender equality in governance.”

The legislator said the bill proposes a “temporary measure of seat reservation” for women to catalyse similar progress in Nigeria, “ensuring that women’s perspectives and priorities are fully integrated into our national and sub-national decision-making processes”.

‘BROAD CONSENSUS’

Contributing to the debate, Akin Rotimi, spokesperson of the house, said there is a “broad consensus” that it is necessary to have more women in parliament.

Kingsley Chinda, minority leader, supported the bill, saying parliament needs to correct the deficiency.

“We must make deliberate effort to solve problems where we see them,” he said.

Kelechi Nwogu from Rivers, corroborated Chinda’s argument, saying women should be given a “better opportunity” in politics.

Several other lawmakers who contributed to the debate, opposed the bill on the premise that it is against the provisions of the constitution on equal opportunity for all.

Ghali Tijani from Kano said rather than reserve special seats for women, political parties should deploy mechanisms to improve women’s participation in politics.

Olamijuwonlo Alao Akala from Oyo, Patrick Umoh from Akwa Ibom, and Billy Osawaru from Edo also opposed the bill, citing violations of the constitution.

Following the debate, Kalu proposed to withdraw the bill, noting that he may be biased as the lead sponsor since he was presiding.

“I will step down the bill until the day I am not presiding,” he said.

Ahmad Satomi from Borno countered Kalu, insisting that he should put the bill to a voice vote.

“It does not matter if you are presiding,” Satomi said.

Subsequently, Kalu put the bill to a voice vote. The “ayes” were louder than the “nays,” but he ruled in favour of the “ayes”.

A similar bill was considered in the 9th assembly during the constitution amendment process. The senate and house of representatives voted against it.

The Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) Hope Uzodinma has said that despite the global economic downturn, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has done very well in Nigeria.

He said the hardship being experienced in the country was a product of the global economic meltdown but assured Nigerians that the country will soon get out of the tunnel.

The Imo Governor gave this verdict on Monday after leading three other members of the forum to pay solidarity visit on the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje at the party National Secretariat in Abuja.

Addressing newsmen after a closed door meeting with the party’s Chairman, Governor Uzodinma noted that the current hardship is global but noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration has put in place policies to bring the country out of the woods.

“The truth of the matter is that the APC has done very well in Nigeria. What is happening currently, is a global economic problem.

“We in Nigeria under our own leadership, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also bringing out policies to ensure, given the kind of economy he met, given the kind of situation he saw when he came, he has started the treatment and by the grace of God, I am very confident that very soon Nigerians will be jubilant about how he has managed to navigate the waters,” he said.

Uzodinma, who was accompanied by Ondo Governor Lucky Ayiedatiwa; his Ekiti counterpart Abiodun Oyebanji and Bassey Otu of Cross River State, said their visit was to primarily commiserate and solidarise with National Chairman and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

He said: “We are here, you know of course we are governors of APC. APC produced us and we are in Abuja for a meeting and of course in obedience to the discipline of partly and loyalty to party, we have to visit the Secretariat to talk with the leadership of the party, the chairman and member of the National Working Committee and above all, commiserate with the chairman who also lost his mother-in-law; and also show solidarity with the chairman and managers of our party.

“Those who are serving us, the national leadership of our party, providing service, they are managing our party day to day, there are looking after the policies of the party, they’re in charge of the administration of the party and of course, we members of the party and also critical stakeholders are committed to following and encouraging them as a way of showing support and that is solidarity.”

On the forthcoming Edo and Ondo Governorship elections, the PGF Chairman expressed optimism for the party’s victory at the polls.

He informed the Edo National Governorship Campaign Council will be inaugurated and flagged off on July 20 in Benin, the Edo State capital.

Commending the visiting Governors, Ganduje said their visit was a blessing to the party leadership.

Expressing confidence in the Governors, Ganduje said: “So, we are so happy about it and we have confidence in them. We will do all it takes to ensure that we maintain good relationship with our governors all over the country and we will help to protect their interests and there is no doubt that they’re also assisting the party, they are making the party to be proud as an institution.”

The presidency says the suspension of taxes on importation of food commodities is not yet official.

In a chat with TheCable on Monday, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, said the measures are still under consideration.

“The measures are not yet official,” he said.

In a statement released earlier, Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, said duties, tariffs and taxes on imported maize, husked brown rice, wheat and cowpeas — through land and sea borders — have been suspended.

Kyari said a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities will be enforced as part of measures to be implemented over the next 180 days to ameliorate food inflation in Nigeria.

He said the measures are part of the accelerated stabilisation and advancement plan recently presented to President Bola Tinubu by the economic management team (EMT) under the Presidential Economic Coordination Council (PECC) constituted by the president in March.

The minister said multiple taxes and levies, infrastructural challenges and “sheer profiteering by marketers and traders” have contributed to rising food prices.

In a now-deleted post on X, Onanuga had also announced the measures.

The Federal Government on Monday announced the suspension of duties, tariffs and taxes for the importation of some food items through land and sea borders.

The foods include maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas.

Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed this while announcing a 150-Day Duty-Free Import Window for food commodities.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Kyari said: “150-Day Duty-Free Import Window for Food Commodities, suspension of duties, tariffs and taxes for the importation of certain food commodities (through land and sea borders). These commodities include maize, husked brown rice, wheat and cowpeas.

“Under this arrangement, imported food commodities will be subjected to a Recommended Retail Price (RRP).

“I am glad to reiterate that the Government’s position exemplifies standards that would not compromise the safety of the various food items for consumption.

“In addition to the importation by private sector, Federal Government will import 250,000MT of wheat and 250,000MT of maize. The imported food commodities in their semi processed state will target supplies to the small-scale processors and millers across the country.”

A federal high court in Lagos has ordered Sadiya Umar Farouq, former minister of humanitarian affairs, to account for payments of N729 billion to 24.3 million vulnerable Nigerians.

Umar Farouq was minister from 2019 to 2023 in the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a judgment delivered by Deinde Dipeolu on June 27, Farouq was ordered to provide the list and details of the beneficiaries who received the payments, the number of states covered and the payments per state.

The ruling followed a freedom of information request from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

In the certified true copy of the judgment provided by Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director of SERAP, the judge said:

“I therefore grant an order of mandamus directing and compelling the Respondent to provide the following information to the Applicant:

“Details of the proposed payments of N729 Billion to 24.3 million Nigerians for six months, including mechanisms and logistics put in place for the payments and list of beneficiaries.

“Details of how the proposed beneficiaries have been selected, the number of states covered and the projected payments per state.

“State whether the payments will be made in cash, through Bank Verification Numbers or other means.

“Explain the rationale for paying N5,000 to 24.3 million poor Nigerians, which translate to five percent of Nigeria’s budget of N13.6 trillion for 2021.”

In December, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited the former minister over the alleged laundering of N37 billion by one James Okwete, a contractor who worked with the ministry.

The chairman of the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State, Hashim Dungurawa, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu was destabilising the State by trying to impose the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, on the Emirate because they both share same Yoruba background.

He stated this on Sunday while addressing journalists in Kano on the achievements of the ruling NNPP in the State in the last one year.

Dungurawa stated that there was no reason Emir Bayero would be given special protection by the Nigerian Army, Police, DSS and other security agencies against the interest of the state government.

He warned that President Tinubu’s alleged meddling into the Kano Emirate tussle would backfire against the President in 2027.

“Your perceived stance on the ongoing Kano Emirate Tussle would surely work against you in 2027 because if you think you can use it to gain ground in Kano when the chips are down you will realise your mistakes.

“If the President thinks he will use a few of his kinsmen in Kano and the alleged Bayero’s Yoruba lineage to continue to keep the deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero in the State, let him wait for 2027, we will show him that those people will not help him,” Dungurawa warned.

He then appealed to the President to see reason in doing all he could to bring to an end to the Kano Emirate debacle by ensuring that the deposed Emir was taken away from Kano.

The NNPP State chairman explained that his party will still field the national leader of the party, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as its presidential candidate in 2027 election cycle, assuring that the latter would be the next president of Nigeria.

Dungurawa further called for a review of the 2019 election outcomes, insisting that the immediate-past governor of Kano State and APC national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, didn’t win the second term election as Kano State governor.

President Bola Tinubu has laid the foundation for the official launch of the Resettlement Scheme for Persons Impacted by Conflict (RSPIC) to address the humanitarian crisis caused by internal displacements across Nigeria.

The project marks a shift in the government’s approach to internal displacement and conflict resolution and a commitment of President Tinubu to not just provide temporary relief but long-term rehabilitation and reintegration of affected communities.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the pilot phase of the project in Tudun Biri, Kaduna State, President Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, in a statement by the VP’s spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, on Friday, said, “There couldn’t have been a better place for the take-off of this intervention than this diverse state.”

According to the President, “Kaduna State has offered us a launchpad to venture into the communities dislodged by conflict. For so long, we have been held hostage by the fear of ourselves and allowed preventable incidents to escalate into transgenerational disputes.

“Today, we gather to say, ‘Enough is enough.'”

Earlier in February, VP Shettima had inaugurated a steering committee to coordinate the implementation of the initiative in fulfillment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise to improve the lives of all Nigerians.

The committee chaired by Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, also has representatives of governors of the benefiting states as members.

Other members of the committee include the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari; representatives of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), BUA Group, Dangote Group and the Director General of NEMA, among others.

The project will initially focus on seven states that have been disproportionately affected by farmers-herders conflicts. They are Sokoto, Kebbi, Benue, Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, and Kaduna State.

President Tinubu said the administration is determined to break the cycle of violence and displacement that has plagued various parts of the country for years. “Our journey to this point has been long and arduous, but today, we converge in this historic city to demonstrate our resolve to overcome adversity.”

The RSPIC is designed as a multi-faceted intervention that goes beyond mere infrastructure development. According to the President, the scheme will “construct residences, roads, schools, and essential facilities for victims of conflict” while also providing “a dignified environment to live and to dream.”

Governor Uba Sani’s efforts in promoting unity were particularly praised by the President, who noted, “In just about a year in office, His Excellency Governor Uba Sani has been an inspiration for unity in this beautiful state. His approach is not only a template for other state governors but also for the nation at large.”

President Tinubu said, “The non-kinetic interventions we have explored since taking office are best demonstrated by our state governors, and Kaduna is a light of hope in this aspect.”

The President noted the national significance of the project saying “Conflict and displacement, to us, are not merely regional issues; they are national concerns that demand a unified response. They threaten the very fabric of our society, and it is only through justice, distribution of democratic dividends, and collaboration that we can overcome these challenges.”

The President also made a direct and emotional appeal to those affected by conflict: “To those who have been displaced by conflict, I say this: We see you, we hear you, and we stand with you. Your strength and resilience inspire us all, and under my leadership, we commit to bolstering our nation’s security infrastructure and advancing peace.”

“Now is our time for permanent solutions. This intervention is ours together,” the President added.

Earlier in his address, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State praised the initiative, stating, “Today is a day of joy because we are about to set the stage for the transformation of this community.”

He outlined ongoing efforts to support Tudun Biri, including “constructing a six kilometres road and building a skill acquisition centre” and a clinic to cater to the medical needs of the people.”

Governor Sani expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, describing the choice of Tudun Biri for the project as “a clear demonstration of the President’s commitment to wiping off the tears of Tudun Biri people and the poor, vulnerable and underserved in our country.”

Also speaking, Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, noted the broader implications of the project as it translates to the improvement of the welfare of the citizens.

She stated, “Let us remember that every brick laid, and every path paved is a symbol of our shared commitment to a future where peace and prosperity and unity reign supreme.”

Umar added that the project would “pave the way for similar initiatives in other states that would follow.”

Responding, the Dangaladiman Zazzau and District Head of Rigasa, Arc. Mohammad Aminu Idris, said: “We are happy that this pledge is being fulfilled. This is a commitment on the part of the government which we are very proud of.”

He expressed gratitude on behalf of the Zazzau Emirate Council, noting, “We sincerely thank Mr President for honouring this promise.”

Dignitaries who attended the event included Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi; Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe; Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Musa Dangiwa; representatives of the governors of Kano, Katsina and Kwara States.

Others are the representatives of the chairman of Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan; the representative of the chairman, House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Management, Hon. Joseph Bassey; Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Liman; Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, and Secretary to Kaduna State Government, Dr. Abdulkadir Muazu Mayere, among many others.

Nigeria’s debt to petrol suppliers has surpassed $6 billion, doubling since early April, Reuters is reporting.

According to the report on Thursday, the development comes as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited strives to cover the gap between fixed pump prices and international fuel costs.

The report noted that the NNPC started struggling early this year when late petrol payments were over $3 billion.

“The company has still not paid for some January imports, traders said, and the late payments amount to $4 billion to $5 billion,” the publication said.

Under contract terms, the report said the NNPC is obligated to pay within 90 days of delivery.

“The only reason traders are putting up with it is the $250,000 a month (per cargo) for late payment compensation,” an industry source told Reuters.

According to sources, at least two suppliers have already withdrawn from current tenders after reaching their self-imposed debt exposure restrictions to Nigeria.

This means they would not provide any more petrol unless they are paid, Reuters added.

“Traders thrive in risky environments, but they place limits on how much credit they allocate per trade in order to avoid too much exposure on one borrower. These limits vary by company based on their size and where they operate,” the publication said.

Nigeria’s tenders to buy petrol in June and July were consequently smaller, traders told Reuters.

Two sources said the NNPC will import about 850,000 tonnes in July via tender — down from the typical 1 million tonnes in previous months.

President Bola Tinubu had announced the removal of the petrol subsidy when he took over in May last year, saying “its ever-increasing costs” could no longer be justified “in the wake of drying resources”.

Prior to the removal, the federal government had said it would spend up to N3.3 trillion on petrol subsidy between January and June 2023.

Petrol subsidy has remained a controversial issue in Nigeria as spending continues to deplete the country’s revenue. But the removal has since worsened the living conditions of Nigerians as petrol prices, coupled with a weak currency have stoked inflation to unbearable levels.

While there are speculations that subsidy has been reintroduced partially, the federal government has dismissed the claims on many occasions.

The Federal Government has confirmed signing Samoa agreement, saying the law on same sex marriage supersedes the agreement.

The agreement reportedly has some clauses that compel underdeveloped and developing nations to support the agitations by Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community for recognition, as condition for getting financial and other supports from advanced societies.

Named after the Pacific Island Samoa, where it was signed, the agreement is gradually gaining traction, despite opposition by many countries that cherish Islamic and Christianity values, in addition to the sensitivity of their cultures.

The issue has generated controversy, with some clerics and human rights activists, criticising the government over the agreement.

But in a statement on Thursday night, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information, gave further clarity to issues on the agreement.

“On 28 June 2024, Nigeria signed the Samoa Agreement at the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium. The partnership agreement is between the EU and its Member States, on one hand, and the members of the OACPS on the other.”

“Negotiations on the agreement started in 2018, on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly. It was signed in Apia, Samoa on the 15th of November 2018 by all 27 EU Member states and 47 of the 79 OACPS Member states.

“The agreement has 103 articles comprising a common foundational compact and three regional protocols, namely: Africa –EU; Caribbean-EU, and Pacific-EU Regional Protocols with each regional protocol addressing the peculiar issues of the regions.

“The African Regional Protocol consists of two parts. The first is the Framework for Cooperation, while the second deals with Areas of Cooperation, containing Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth and Development; Human and Social Development; Environment, Natural Resources Management, and Climate Change; Peace and Security; Human Rights, Democracy and Governance; and Migration and Mobility.

“Nigeria signed the Agreement on Friday 28 June 2024. This was done after the extensive reviews and consultations by the Interministerial Committee, convened by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Federal Ministry of Justice (FMOJ). It was ensured that none of the 103 Articles and Provisions of the Agreement contravenes the 1999 Constitution as amended or laws of Nigeria, and other extant Laws.

:In addition, Nigeria’s endorsement was accompanied by a Statement of Declaration, dated 26th June 2024, clarifying its understanding and context of the Agreement within its jurisdiction to the effect that any provision that is inconsistent with the laws of Nigeria shall be invalid. It is instructive to note that there is an existing legislation against same sex relationship in Nigeria enacted in 2014.

“It is necessary to assure Nigerians that the President Bola Tinubu Administration, being a rule-based government will not enter into any international agreement that will be detrimental to the interest of the country and its citizens. In negotiating the Agreement, our officials strictly followed the mandates exchanged in 2018 between the EU and the OACPS for the process.

“The Samoa Agreement is nothing but a vital legal framework for cooperation between the OACPS and the European Union, to promote sustainable development, fight climate change and its effects, generate investment opportunities, and foster collaboration among OACPS Member States at the international stage.”

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says President Bola Tinubu has failed Nigerians.

PDP noted that Tinubu’s bad leadership had plunged Nigerians into hardship and worsened the precarious economic situation.

The opposition party said Tinubu’s administration had failed to address the problems caused by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a post on its X page, PDP wrote: “The Tinubu administration’s bad leadership has plunged Nigerians into unimaginable hardship, exacerbating the country’s already precarious economic and social conditions.

“Since assuming office in 2023, the APC led administration’s policies and actions have only served to worsen the lives of Nigerians.

“One of the most significant hardships faced by Nigerians is the escalating cost of living.

“The administration’s economic policy has led to a surge in inflation, making it difficult for Nigerians to afford basic necessities like food, healthcare, fuel, education, etc. The prices of staple foods have skyrocketed, leaving many families struggling to make ends meet.

“Another area where the administration’s leadership has failed Nigerians is in the provision of basic infrastructure.

“The country’s power sector remains in shambles, with frequent blackouts and a lack of reliable electricity supply.

“This has not only hindered economic growth but also made life difficult for citizens who rely on electricity for their daily needs.

“The administration’s handling of the fuel subsidy crisis has also added to the hardship faced by Nigerians.

“The purported removal of the subsidy has led to a significant hike in fuel prices, making transportation and other essential services unaffordable for many Nigerians.

“This has had a ripple effect on the entire economy, leading to increased prices of goods and services.”

PDP blamed the insecurity in the country due to increasing cases of kidnapping and banditry on Tinubu’s failure.

It added: “Furthermore, the administration’s failure to address the country’s security challenges has left Nigerians feeling vulnerable and unsafe.

“The rising incidence of terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping has made life difficult for citizens, who live in constant fear of attack or abduction.

“The healthcare sector has also suffered under the Tinubu administration, with a lack of adequate funding and resources leading to a decline in the quality of healthcare services. This has resulted in unnecessary deaths and suffering for many Nigerians who cannot afford basic medical care.

“In conclusion, the hardship faced by Nigerians under the Tinubu administration is a direct result of bad leadership and poor governance by the APC government.

“The administration’s policies and actions have only served to worsen the lives of ordinary Nigerians, who are struggling to make ends meet. This administration has failed in its promises to Nigerians and has failed to address the problems caused by its party in the eight years of the Buhari administration.”

The federal government has launched a new initiative to establish an operating model and framework for Economic and Financial Inclusion, aiming to transform Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

The project is designed to combat poverty and catalyse sustainable economic growth from the ground up.

Vice President Kashim Shettima said the initiative symbolises the commitment of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to enhancing financial and economic inclusion across Nigeria.

According to a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, Senator Shettima spoke on Wednesday during the Kick-off meeting for the initiative to set up an Operating Model for Economic and Financial Inclusion for the Office of the Vice President.

The federal government had on April 25, 2024 unveiled the Aso Accord on Economic and Financial Inclusion, a multi-pronged blueprint designed to achieve universal access to financial services.

The accord represents a core pillar of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to transform the nation into a $1trillion economy by 2030, while combating poverty and insecurity through broad-based prosperity.

Addressing members of the team and other stakeholders at the maiden meeting, the Vice President noted that the idea is to provide access to capital and eradicate poverty through legislative interventions and critical policies.

According to Shettima, at the heart of every strategy championed by President Tinubu, there has been the need to prioritise inclusive economic growth and development.

He listed some positive results the efforts have yielded to include the recent upgrade of Nigeria’s credit outlook to positive by Fitch Ratings, noting that it is in recognition of the reform progress under President Tinubu.

“While such an upgrade by a distinguished institution reflects growing confidence in our economic trajectory, particularly in light of policy changes aimed at easing our debt service burden, we remain mindful of the short-term impacts of these reforms.

“Hence, we are prioritising measures to mitigate immediate effects, from the Student Loan Act, which democratises access to education, to the relentless efforts of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in combating food insecurity”.

VP Shettima pointed out that due to the administration’s belief that its approach to inclusive growth must be strategic and sustainable, economic and financial inclusion was elevated to the agenda of the National Economic Council (NEC), where all governors of the 36 states and the FCT minister participate in crucial policy deliberations alongside other stakeholders.

He implored members of the implementation team and all stakeholders involved in the initiative to recognise the weight of their responsibility, saying what they have at hand is a vital national assignment.

The Vice President stated: “You have been entrusted with a vital national assignment, and I have full confidence that you will bring your best efforts to ensure its success.

“As we embark on this essential initiative, I call upon each of you to contribute your insights, expertise, and dedication. Only through such resolve and discipline can we forge a robust operating model that will drive economic and financial inclusion across our nation, ensuring every Nigeria has the opportunity to thrive.

“I also implore the implementation team to engage all stakeholders fully. There is no greater calling than developing solutions to alleviate the impact of ongoing economic reforms on over 30 million financially excluded Nigerians, propelling Nigeria towards sustainable and inclusive growth”.

Also speaking during the meeting, Technical Advisor to the President on Financial Inclusion, Dr. Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro, reported substantial progress in implementing the Aso Accord on financial inclusion and a series of initiatives aimed at broadening financial access across the nation.

Dr. Zauro, while acknowledging the role of Vice President Shettima in supporting the signing of the accord and ongoing implementation, reported that discussions on financial inclusion have now reached the highest levels of government, including NEC.

“Since its signing, the operationalisation of the accord has received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through the Lagos Business School (LBS),” Dr. Zauro said.

He further explained: “We have been setting up the operating model and legal framework to ensure that the project takes off smoothly and is aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda. “Working on the team are also Augmentum Advisory, Banwo & Ighodalo, and Ndarani (SAN) & CO.,” Dr. Zauro said.

He disclosed that the team is planning capacity-building initiatives and “high-profile training for permanent secretaries and Commissioners of Finance to ensure that practical knowledge on financial inclusion would be injected where they are needed.”

Earlier, the Project Manager at the Lagos Business School, Prof. Olayinka David-West, commended the Tinubu administration for putting economic and financial inclusion on the front burner by signing of the Aso Accord earlier in April.

She said the team at the Lagos Business School working with its counterpart in the VP’s office and other stakeholders is looking at the legal framework for financial inclusion as well as giving the initiative the convening power, and national coordination to drive ownership across the country.

The project manager said though the Lagos Business School collaborating with other partners has over the years made deliberate efforts at entrenching financial inclusion across the country, the initiative of the present administration will serve as a gateway to successfully operationalising the policy nationwide.

Prof. David-West said the engagement with the Vice President seeks to identify the right platforms and structures aimed at galvanising the relevant authorities to key into the initiative.

Also present at the meeting were the National President of Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN), Mr Fasasi Sarafadeen; Senior Lecturer, Lagos Business School, Dr Nkemdilim Iheanachor; Project Leader, Augmentum Advisory, Mr Kolajo Ajibola, and the Project Team Lead, Mr Stephen Abure, among others.

A former speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara on Wednesday said lawmakers’ monthly earnings can not last them for more than three days.

This was as he urged the legislators to open their finances to dispel the insinuation that they were taking a humongous monthly salary.

Dogara made this disclosure while speaking at the first-ever legislative open week of the House in Abuja.

According to the Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, his monthly salary was less than N400,000 during his time as a Rep member, while his monthly allowance as a presiding officer was N25 million, stressing that the lawmakers’ earnings have been on the front burner for a while even though their allowances cannot last them for more than three days.

He said, “While I was a Speaker, my salary was less than N400,000. I don’t know if it has been increased now. My total impress was N25 million, and I told my accountant to open a separate account for the impress, and I never for once took any money out of that account. Everything that came into that account was used to cater to the needs of constituents.

“My accountant complained of the level of demand on the account, and I told him if the money there is finished, borrow it. When money comes, you return it to where you had taken money from.

“I am saying this so Nigerians will give their legislatures breathing space and know that the narrative is not true about members’ pay.

“We all know that democracy is expensive, and if we think that it is too expensive, maybe we should ask our political scientists to develop for us a local model that will be cheaper for us.”

The former speaker further urged the lawmakers to stop the people from bullying them into surrendering the current democracy for whatever reason.

Recall that recently, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, said the current salaries of federal lawmakers cannot take them home to do the jobs they were elected to do.

While stressing that the take home pay of the average lawmaker is a ‘far cry’ from what people insinuate, Kalu called for understanding, saying the call for the slashing of their salary by 50 per cent is not the solution to the current problem.

Kalu said, “At the moment, talking about the salary of the National Assembly. I have said this over and again; it is not as much as people think. Salary is different from allowance, which is meant to do the jobs our constituents have sent us to do.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, said on Tuesday, that whenever he checks case files and sees the amount stolen, he wonders how the country still exists.

In a statement by EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the chairman stated this while receiving the management team of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, led by its chairman, Mohammed Shehu.

“When I look at some case files and see the humongous amount of money stolen, I wonder how we are still surviving. If you see some case files, you will weep. The way they move unspent budget allocation to private accounts in commercial banks before midnight at the end of a budget circle, you will wonder what kind of spirit drives us as Nigerians,” Olukoyede said.

He also said public corruption ranks as the biggest cause of corruption in Nigeria, adding that if public corruption was taken out of the polity, the country would fare better than many countries of the world.

“A situation where somebody would hold a public office or position of trust for years and you call him to account and he says, no, he would not account, is not acceptable,” he said.

He stressed that transparency and accountability should be embedded in both the public and private sectors for optimal development of the country.

According to him, corruption poses a huge challenge to the country, even as he expressed optimism that the prevention mechanisms of his leadership would ensure that the commission stays ahead of the devices of the corrupt to ensure that Nigerians have good governance experiences.

“The preventive framework for tackling corruption offers more prospects for results and impact. To this end, the EFCC now has a Department of Fraud Risk and Assessment and Control.

“Let’s look at our system of revenue generation. It is a system that allows leakages in mobilisation and appropriation of funds. If we don’t look at the system, we will continue to chase shadows. In this direction, we are not just going to investigate and recover; what we have decided to do in the EFCC is policy review. If we can block some of these leakages and have 50 per cent of capital project execution in Nigeria, the country would be fine,” he said.

The RMAFC chairman lauded the longstanding collaboration between his organisation and EFCC and stated that the visit was motivated by the need to explore more areas of collaboration between the two agencies of government, especially in the direction of recovering unremitted or lost government revenues.

“It is important to bring to the fore that the collaboration between RMAFC and EFCC is crucial in addressing the challenges of unremitted revenue to the Federation Account. On this note, we are calling on EFCC for more collaboration, not only in the area of enforcement but also intelligence gathering and data sharing as regards government revenue from any source,” he stated.

Shehu also called on EFCC to further assist RMAFC in the area of capacity building for its staff on revenue monitoring.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has hailed President Bola Tinubu for appointing Nyesom Wike as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

Akpabio spoke during the flag-off of the construction of the Kugbo Bus and Taxi Terminal in the Karu District of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

He said the decision to construct bus terminals has also shown the minister’s desire to not only construct roads but also provide services that will make life more comfortable for FCT residents.

He said the terminal will serve as a hub that will facilitate the efficient movement of people, ensure traffic decongestion and improve the overall quality of life for FCT residents.

“The development of this bus terminal is more than just a construction project. It is a testament to the good works and commitment of you (FCT Minister) and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Akpabio said.

The Senate President said Tinubu’s picking of Wike as the FCT Minister was the right choice.

He said: “This bus terminal you are talking about, I looked at the picture, and I saw where they are going to be seated, waiting for their bus to come and it is almost as if they are inside a major terminal at the airport.

“This is for me, another major wonder of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. This is the way to cater for a city of this nature. This is a way to take care of the people of the Area Councils and also the FCT residents and visitors alike.

“So, I believe that your appointment is a square peg in a square hole and I must thank the President for having the eyes to pinpoint those who can perform and bring them in. He did this in Lagos and today Lagos is one of the best, one of the largest economies in the whole of Africa, when we are talking about cities.”

Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, says the increase of interest rate to almost 30 percent by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will stifle growth.

Speaking on Tuesday during a three-day summit organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Abuja, Dangote said the country is battling “a very high” interest rate.

In May, the monetary policy committee (MPC) of CBN raised interest rates from 24.75 percent to 26.25 percent

The business tycoon said he understands that the CBN aims to tame inflation by increasing interest rate.

“Right now, at 30 percent, there is no way anybody can create jobs. If the interest rate is 30 percent, there would not be any job creation because we are actually stifling growth,” he said.

“So, interest rates can remain at 30 percent but then no growth will happen unless that interest rate goes down.”

‘DANGOTE CEMEMT AND TAXES’

The billionaire said Dangote Cement alone paid “more taxes” into the coffers of the government “than the entire banking industry” in 2023.

Dangote also said protecting industries would not lead to monopoly, adding that it is common knowledge that foreign investors only enter the market when they see that local investors are also doing well.

“I am convinced that when government policy becomes more supportive and protective, investors will be more willing to collaborate and partner with the government in resolving other challenges such as infrastructure deficits, market instabilities and macro-economic issues such as inflation and foreign exchange volatilities,” he said.

The businessman reiterated that Nigeria has all it takes to develop and sustain a globally competitive manufacturing sector.

Dangote called for re-thinking of the country’s industrialisation policy, through learning from leading western and eastern countries that are actively protecting their domestic industries.

Amid the increasing demand for an efficient and responsive police system, the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele on Monday lamented the dysfunctionality of the Nigeria Police, pointing out that as currently constituted, the police was not properly established to succeed in the country.

Bamidele, also Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, further observed that any police structure that did not reflect Nigeria’s federal realities would not effectively address the roots of security challenges facing the federation.

He made these remarks at the 2024 Distinguished Personality Lecture Series jointly organised by the Department of Political Science and Institute of Legislative Studies, University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

The lecture, titled “Constitutional Amendment and the Political Dynamics of State Police in Nigeria,” was chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, who was represented by Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Oyelola Ashiru.

At the lecture were the Chairman, Senate Chairman on Agriculture, Senator Saliu Mustapha; Chairman, Senate Committee on Trade and Investment, Senator Sadiq Umar; Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Akintunde Yunus; Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN) and Director General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman.

Speaking at the session, Bamidele dissected diverse socio-economic and political forces responsible for the dysfunctionality of the Nigeria Police and reeled out antidotes to the problems of policing in Nigeria.

While warning against the incessant deployment of the armed forces without compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, Bamidele faulted the undue establishment and operations of vigilante groups and security outfits at the state levels without national legal framework.

Bamidele explained that the incessant deployment of the armed forces for the purpose of maintaining law and order internally was at variance with their mandate under the 1999 Constitution and did not portray Nigeria as a truly democratic and internally stable democracy.

The senate leader observed that the challenges facing the Nigeria Police “are numerous. How the police are organised, managed, governed and funded can determine its ability to deliver on its constitutional mandate of protecting the life and property of Nigerians.

“Understanding these dynamics can help in appreciating what needs to be done to improve security in the country. It is clear that Nigerians do not fully appreciate the depth and scale of the challenges facing the police.

“I maintain that the police have not been set up properly to succeed in this nation. Effective policing in Nigeria is almost impossible unless there are fundamental changes. Indeed, the constraints faced by the police are used as excuses for various misconducts and unprofessional behaviours by many officers of the force.

“Despite many attempts by its leadership of the Nigeria Police to enforce discipline and even sack bad eggs, operational misconduct is still prevalent in the ranks of police operatives, and this undermines their capacity to decisively respond to pervasive insecurity nationwide.”

He further argued that the regular deployment of the Nigeria Armed Forces across the federation was, no doubt, an indication that the present police structure could no longer address the present security challenges of our nation.

To correct these anomalies, the senate leader canvassed the adoption of decentralised police model to address a myriad of security challenges currently undermining the country’s internal cohesion and disincentivizing investors from coming into the federation.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike has lashed out at the senator representing the territory, Ireti Heebah Kingibe.

Speaking during the flag-off of the construction of the Mabushi Bus Terminal in Abuja, Wike said Kingibe would lose the support of FCT residents in the next election.

The former Rivers State Governor said it was disheartening that instead of collaborating with the FCT Administration, Kingibe was instead angry that residents are reportedly praising him (Wike).

“I overheard somebody on Arise TV this morning. Unfortunately, I heard the person is a member of the National Assembly and it is unfortunate I say so. With all due respect, what you don’t know, you don’t know, what you know you know, and the good thing for you is to tell people you don’t when you don’t know, then people will educate you.

“The Honourable Minister of State and my humble self-have not been in office for more than 11 months and the person is angry that they are praising us. If you don’t want or you are angry about that, go and hang yourself on a transformer.

“If we have done well, we have done well. If we haven’t done well, we haven’t done well. I am proud to say that in the short time that Mr President has appointed us, we have done well.

“You said there are no hospitals. You, as a legislator, what have you done? How many bills have you sponsored for us to improve our education and health sector,” he queried.

He challenged Kingibe to contest in 2027, insisting that she would fail woefully.

According to Wike, what happened in the last election that brought Kingibe into power would not repeat itself.

He stressed that FCT is his territory and he is not afraid.

Wike urged people to accept the truth, stressing that he would not beg anyone to be their friend.

DAILY POST recalls that Kingibe had, during the television programme, criticised the Wike-led administration in the FCT, saying she is not a friend of the minister.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, dismissed the fundamental human rights suit filed by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, against the Federal Government.

Kanu sued the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Department of State Service for N1 billion in damages for alleged rights violations.

The IPOB leader, in the suit marked FHC/CS/1633/2023, claimed that the DSS and its Director General violated his right to a fair hearing by allegedly preventing his lawyers from having unhindered interactions with him while he was being detained in preparation for his defence in his criminal trial.

Justice Omotosho, while delivering a judgment on the suit, held that Kanu failed to provide credible evidence to sustain his claims that his interactions with his lawyers were interfered with, that he was denied unhindered access to his lawyers, and that DSS officials eavesdropped on his conversations with his lawyers, which constituted a breach of his right to a fair hearing.

Seriake Dickson, chairman of the senate committee on ecology and climate change, says the masterminds of oil theft in the Niger Delta reside outside the region.

In a report by NAN on Friday, Dickson said the “big players” are based in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the world.

The senator spoke during a visit to the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, at Oporoza, Warri, Delta state.

“Those big players behind the crude oil theft are not from the region but are based in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the world,” he said.

“We have no means and no capacity to engage in the high-level operations that result in the daily loss of Nigerian crude oil produced from our place.

“Those who have the capacity to compromise and infiltrate the national security system and infiltrate the national petroleum system; those who have the capacity to hire the tankers and shuttle vessels, they are not Ijaws.

“We do not have the capacity to do that! We do not even have the experience to be involved in that kind of operation.”

Dickson said such high-level operations needed a lot of resources, coordination, funding and international networking.

He urged Nigeria to step up her game in the international arena by pushing for the designation of the country’s stolen crude oil.

“Those who, on a daily basis, underdeclare what is produced; those who have refused to properly monitor and record what is produced for over 50 or 60 years should take the blame,” Dickson said.

“It is not the Ijaw youth – harmless people without the capacity and without the technical know-how.”

Dickson also commended the traditional ruler for ensuring peace in his kingdom and the entire Niger Delta.

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The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has asked construction giants, Julius Berger, China Civil Engineering and Construction Company and the Raynolds Construction Company to mobilize to the site or risk termination of their contracts.

Umahi said this while speaking during the Stakeholders’ Engagement on Alignment of 3b and 4 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway held at Ibom Hall, Uyo Akwa Ibom State, on Saturday.

The minister said after the expiration next week of the 14 notices earlier given to the contractors, any of them who failed to mobilize to the site will have this contract terminated.

Umahi expressed disappointment that the contractors have been giving excuses of non-payment of compensation as reasons for not mobilizing to the site while noting that the Akwa Ibom State government had already settled the compensation issues as it concerns Calabar-Itu road.

He said, “If you talk to them, they will say it is because of compensation and this governor, Akwa-Ibom State, had settled compensation issues, so we are giving them a marching order to ECECC to mobilize at least 3 sections of that road.

“Mr President has given enough money to fund the projects. The same thing with Julius Berger, by the end of this coming week, if Julius Berger fails to remobilize to the site and the ECECC fails to mobilize to at least 3 sections of the road, the jobs will be terminated.

“The worst of the road in the entire South-South remains this Akwa Ibom to Cross River through Itu and Odukpani and also the section that is being done by RCC. RCC had collected over N40bn on that road 15 kilometres of roads, N156bn inherited from the past administration, they are playing tricks. We have been on them to change their mindset, and by the end of next week, our 14 days notice of termination of the contract will elapse, and we will terminate the projects and give to those who have mastery of laying concrete.”

Also speaking during the Stakeholders’ meeting, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, called on the state governor, Umo Eno and all the stakeholders to show maximum cooperation to the contractors when the project kicks off.

He appreciated the President, Bola Tinubu, for listening to his plea to ensure that the Coastal highway passes through Akwa Ibom State and for the construction to be carried out at the same with tje Lagos section so it would be completed in record time.

“I want to sincerely thank Mr President for listening to my plea that the road be constructed simultaneously in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States” Akpabio

In his remarks, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, disclosed that his government had paid compensation with regard to the Calabar-Itu road.

He also assured that his administration would give adequate support in terms of security and other logistics to ensure the completion of the road in record time.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has indicated that the Senate would consider approving the purchase of a new presidential jet if a request is made by President Bola Tinubu.

Akpabio clarified his stance during Thursday’s plenary session in response to criticisms on social media regarding his earlier remarks about the aircraft acquisition.

However, Akpabio said that there has been no formal request presented to the Senate seeking approval for the acquisition of a presidential plane.

He said: “We care about the president and we care about the Nigerian people. We will approve things that will benefit the Nigerian people.

“We will approve things that would improve the living standard of the people. At the same time, we will also take cognizance of the duties of the president.

“If his vehicle is bad, we will repair the vehicle. If his plane is bad, we will approve money for the repair of the plane. So that is not an issue. There is nothing before us. I don’t think you should worry about it.”

He added: “Somebody called me from BBC, that what I said in Senator Mongunu’s house, was false and should be disregarded, that I was now saying that I will not approve.

“That is what you can call anticipated blackmail. The professors of the story know very well that maybe there is a problem with the presidential fleet and that where they will go will be the parliament.

”And so they are now trying to do anticipated blackmail to tell us if they bring it, do not look into it.

“So I think that we should ignore them because of what we are doing here. I read the president’s correspondence to us. Nothing was touching on a plane or no plane, but I can tell you that when you hear stories such as the death of the vice president of Malawi as a result of a defective plane. And then you hear students such as the death of the president of Iran as a result of defective aircraft.

“We shouldn’t ever sit and allow such to be at the ocean. It wouldn’t be. The Senate is very responsible. The National Assembly is very responsible. We will look into issues that will benefit the governance of the country.

Akpabio added: “Irrespective of anticipatory blackmail because those people know very well that something like that might come in the future. And if it’s a necessity, the Senate will look into it. But there is nothing like that before us now.”

President Bola Tinubu has approved the National Construction and Household Support Programme during the National Economic Council meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

According to a statement issued by the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, the programme is aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, strengthening the economy, and providing immediate economic relief for Nigerian households.

Ngelale added that the programme, which was supported by the NEC, includes financial allocations and infrastructure projects across all geo-political zones in the country.

He added that a key component of the programme is the approval of the N50,000 uplift grant to be distributed to 100,000 families per state for three months.

Ngelale revealed that another N155 billion was earmarked for the purchase and distribution of assorted foodstuff across the nation to address concerns about food security and affordability.

He disclosed that the programme will also cater to infrastructure projects, including the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, which will traverse seven states and is considered key for agricultural sustainability. He added that the states along this axis form the food belt of the nation.

Other infrastructure initiatives include the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Trans-Saharan Highway. Tinubu also approved full counterpart financing for the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri Railway and the Ibadan-Abuja segment of the Lagos-Kano Standard-Gauge Railway.

In addition to the projects, Ngelale said the NEC approved the allocation of N10 billion to each state and the Federal Capital Territory for the procurement of buses and implementation of the Compressed natural gas uplift programme.

According to the presidential spokesman, provisions were also made for labour unions and civil society organizations.

During the NEC meeting, Tinubu urged state governors to collaborate in meeting the needs of citizens and boosting food production in the country.

He said, “Our states must work together to deliver on the critical reforms required of us to meet the needs of our people. Time is humanity’s most precious asset. You can never have enough of it. It is getting late.

“We are ready and able to support you in the form of the mechanization of your agricultural processes and the provision of high-quality seedlings.

“We are prepared to provide solar-powered irrigation facilities to support our farmers across seasons, but we must now produce. We must produce the food our people eat, and it will require coordination and intentionality between members of the National Economic Council (NEC).

“There is nothing we are doing that is more important than producing high-quality food for our people to consume, buy, and sell. We create jobs in the production of it. And that is before we generate wealth by exporting the excess. It is not beyond us to achieve this for Nigerians.

“How much support do you need from me, and in what form? I am prepared to provide it. But we must achieve the result. We must deliver on our targets at all levels. Please report back following your consultations and submit to my office within seven days.”

The National President Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) Kabiru Minjibir on Wednesday urged the federal and state governments to employ the services of Labour leaders in the sensitive positions in government.

Minjibri who is also the National Deputy President Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), gave the call during a courtesy visit by the Special Adviser on Labour in Kogi State, Comrade Onuh Edoka and other stakeholders.

His visit to Congress is in response to allegations against the state over failure to pay N30,000 minimum wage.

In his defence, Edoka said, “The N30,000 minimum wage was a matter of confusion coming from somewhere. We got to know that there was a report made available to the divisional headquarters of the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

“Kogi state was mentioned amongst states yet to implement the N30,000 minimum wage and as a government of continuity and consolidation, the current Governor is paying the same N30,000 minimum wage across the board to all workers in Kogi state”.

However, Edoka assured that “The issue of hostile relationship between the Kogi state government and Labour unions have become a thing of the past.

However, Edoka assured that “The issue of hostile relationship between the Kogi state government and Labour unions have become a thing of the past.

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has announced that President Bola Tinubu has approved the upgrade of the Ibadan Domestic Airport, Alakia, to an international airport.

Makinde disclosed on Wednesday at the state’s Government House in Ibadan.

In a viral video on social media, the governor was captured as saying, “The President has graciously approved my request for the upgrade of Ibadan Airport to an International Airport.”

The PUNCH had reported that the ninth Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Aviation and other relevant authorities to upgrade the Ibadan Domestic Airport, Alakia, to the status of an international airport.

The resolutions followed the presentation of the motion sponsored by Senator Kola Balogun (PDP-Oyo South) during plenary on “The need to upgrade the Airport with modern facilities.”

The motion was co-sponsored by 37 senators.

Ademola moved the motion, saying that the airport needed to be upgraded with modern facilities because of Ibadan’s potential to attract economic development both locally and internationally.

“Hosting an international airport in Ibadan will propel the tourist sector and provide a communication link which is vital between different groups of people involved within the region.

“The upgrade will also attract foreign investments to the region and ultimately increase the gross domestic product of Nigeria.”

Supporting the motion, Senator Francis Fadahunsi noted that the airport was built in 1983, saying that since then, it had never been upgraded.

The then President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, referred the motion to the Senate Committee on Aviation for further legislative action after unanimous approval of the motion.

The Ibadan Airport was unveiled by the former Senate President, Joseph Wayas, in June 1982.

Former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi has said that most households in Nigeria now resort to prayers when they are sick, instead of procuring medicines to treat themselves.

Obi stated this on Wednesday at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, while delivering a keynote address during the 6th Public Lecture of the Board of Fellows, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (BOF-PSN).

He bemoaned the state of the nation’s health sector saying many pharmaceutical companies have left the country, making drugs very expensive for the poor, which is reason most homes now resort to prayers.

Obi, who was the keynote at the event with the theme, ‘Access to Quality Medicine in An Unstable Environment’, said rather than partner local pharmaceutical industries for manufacturing of high quality drugs, government has instead been issuing licences for importation of drugs and collection of revenues from the importers.

“I visited a primary health centre in an outskirt of Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and, discovered that there were 50 pregnant women in the hospital, and, there was just one medical staff attending to them.

“There are about 24,000 primary health centres in the country, but how many of them are functional?

“The allocation to health as contained in the current national budget is nothing to write home about. There is need to prioritise issues concerning health such that in addition to providing health insurance to all the citizens, there should be a deliberate policy by government to ensure local production of drugs and medicines.

“We need to dismantle the type of leadership we have in the country, and, everyone must show commitment to install a government that will provide good governance, otherwise, we can’t move forward.

“[b]The prices of drugs today are so high that in most homes, the only good medicine they know is prayers. We can not continue like this[/b],” he said.

Earlier, the chairman BOF-PSN, Dr Joel E. B. Adagadzu praised Obi for his commitment and sacrifices in championing the crusade for a new Nigeria.

He stated that pharmacists in the country are also committed to improving the health sector in the country.

The leadership crisis within the Labour Party escalated yesterday as the Labour Party National Transition Committee (LPNTC) demanded the immediate resignation of Chairman Julius Abure, disrupting a National Working Committee (NWC) meeting with Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate in attendance.

The labour leaders, who forcefully entered the venue of the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja convened by former presidential candidate Peter Obi, insisted that Abure’s tenure, along with those other executive members, would expire by the end of this month.


Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, chairman of the Labour Party National Transition Committee (LPNTC), expressed the committee’s determination to forge ahead.

“The issue at hand is the expiration of Abure’s tenure and that of the National Working Committee by the end of this month. We cannot afford a leadership vacuum. We have attempted to resolve this issue peacefully. If we can find a resolution without resorting to conflict, that would be ideal.

“Today’s events suggest that we must either find our way forward or make our way forward. Rest assured, we will not tolerate lawlessness. If anyone attempts to undermine our efforts, we are more than capable of responding,” Omar said.

According to him, the committee had been granted the mandate by stakeholders to organise a new and all-inclusive national convention.

Meanwhile, Peter Obi addressed the labour leaders outside the party secretariat, emphasising his intention to reconcile all aggrieved party members.
Obi urged the party leadership to continue their efforts to bring together all dissenting party members and supporters.

“I will ensure that every discord within the party is addressed promptly. Leaders of the party must come together and determine the future of our organisation,” Obi said.


He stressed the importance of the recent reconciliation between the party and estranged former leaders, led by former Deputy National Chairman (South) Lamidi Apapa, stating that it would greatly benefit the party.

“The reconciliation we witnessed today is critical for the growth of our party. Everyone must reconcile with each other,” Obi said, adding that “reconciliation is a priority for me. It is something I do every day, even within my own family. When we have disagreements with our loved ones, we reconcile. Today, during the meeting, I emphasised that I have come to initiate the process of reconciling our party.
“The individuals present here are members of our family whom we must reconcile with. We will sit down together and decide the future of our party. I am ready for a reconciliation meeting whenever you choose.”

After the crisis, the embattled Labour Party national chairman, Julius Abure, commended Obi for trying to make peace among the warring parties in the party.


In a statement released by Labour Party national publicity secretary, Obiora Ifoh, Abure expressed satisfaction with Obi’s leadership role in revitalising the party and steering it towards becoming a formidable entity capable of bringing about the desired new Nigeria.

Abure said, “The Labour Party appreciates your reconciliation efforts, and we will provide our full support. We are not the aggressors here.

“We have always sought peace because we cannot approach future elections with divided loyalty. We have made it clear that we are focused on the 2027 elections, which is why we are the only party to have nominated our candidate.

“We know where we are heading and refuse to be distracted. We will undoubtedly reach our destination of creating a better nation for Nigerians.”

Meanwhile, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) national transition committee have called on Julius Abure to resign from his position as national chairman of the party.

The NLC, together with some party members, gathered at the Labour Party headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday to demand the his immediate resignation.

LEADERSHIP reports that the LP crisis has taken another dimension but Abure seems to have got the backing of some powerful people in the party.

Led by acting chairman Abdulwaheed Omar, NLC chanted solidarity songs and called for Abure’s resignation, citing the expiration of his tenure as party chairman.
Abure has consistently said he was duly elected during their convention in Asaba, Delta State earlier this year.

However, upon arrival at the party’s headquarters, NLC members found the gates shut and were met with resistance from security officials.
In an attempt to gain entry, the police used tear gas to disperse the protesters.
The protesters persistently urged the security personnel to open the gate as their voices echoed in the air.

jesutowoloju:
There's still hope
All we need now is prayers

Residents of Torough community in Ukum Local Goverment Area of Benue State are now selling their farm produce to raise the N20 million tax slammed on them by bandits or face serious attack.

Sources in the community told journalists that the local militias have threatened to unleash an attack on the community if the money is not paid in the next few days.

As a result of the threat, our correspondent learnt that residents of the community had shared the amount with each house to contribute N50,000.

One of the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being killed said, “Already, the money has been shared according to household, but the least amount is N50,000.

“Some have started disposing of their farm produce and livestock to raise the levy, while others have contacted their relatives outside to raise the levy so as to avert the attack of the bandits.”

The source added that nobody in the village, including the village head, would dare report the matter to the security so as not to anger the local militias.

Another source hinted that the authority of the local government is aware of the development.

Ukum LGA is the flashpoint of criminality in the state where killings and kidnapping reign supreme.

Recall that prominent people, including the state Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Matthew Abo, as well as past local government chairmen, have at one time been kidnapped in the local government.

When contacted, chairman of the local government, Victor Iorzaa, confirmed the development and said that he had reported the situation to the police and state security council.

The chairman identified a notorious militia leader, Full Fire, as the person behind the development

Iorzaa said, “The report is true, and the person behind it is Full Fire. He was the person that connived with Fulani recently to attack our people; he has been working with Fulani people and terrorising the area for the past five years.

“He is a bandit. If you remember, two weeks ago, the military launched an attack on his house.

“The people of the area are living in fear that the community is the most troubled place in the LG. If one is going to the village, don’t be surprised that before you get there, the person will be attacked.

“I have reported the matter to the police and also the state security council. Full Fire lives at the border community with Taraba State. ”

While commending the state governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, for his efforts at combating crime in the state, the local government chairman also applauded security operatives for curtailing the excesses of the militias.

He added, “But security operatives are doing their best to curtail them.”

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene, said if such a thing happened, it would not have been reported to the command.

Also, the Security Adviser to the Governor, Joseph Har, said bandits were on the run in the state and could not have the luxury of collecting tax from the villagers.

Har said Alia’s administration was doing everything possible to mitigate activities of bandits, kidnappers, and militias, amongst others, in the State.

Har said, “The issue of this illegal levy has become a common practice with bandits everywhere worldwide because they use it to survive. However, only an irresponsible government will fold its hands to allow that callous thing to happen.

“The criminals have been having a very tough time recently, and they are really having the heat and can’t have the balls to wait and collect any tax.

“Most of them have fled their camps (you can find out) and we intend to sustain the momentum until we run them down or they surrender. There is reduction in the impunity of these bandits and the basket will get filled again.”

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Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state has assisted one of the daughters of the late Emir of Kano, Zainab Jummai Ado Bayero, her brother and her mother, who were about being evicted from their apartment in Lagos.

In a statement, the governor’s spokesperson, Mr. Sanusi Bature, said he arrived Lagos in the early hours of Tuesday 25th June, 2024 to meet with the General Manager of the apartment where the Ado Bayero family had lived since early this year, Mr. Sunel Kumar, who vowed to evict them today.

Bature said the governor’s intervention followed an out cry in the newspapers by Princess Zainab Bayero on behalf of her mother and brother who were allegedly neglected by the royal family after the death of late Ado Bayero.

Zainab, her brother and her mother have reportedly been facing difficult times since the demise of the late Emir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero.

The statement said the princess, her mother and brother thanked the representative of Kano governor for the gestire.

“You came at the right time, we were about to be forcefully evicted from the facility for our inability to pay the rent, they said today is final, we must move out by 3:00 pm and you came just fifteen minutes to the time, they have already mobilised youths to remove us out of the apartment, Alhamdulillah for your arrival,” Zainab reportedly stated.

On his own part, Bature stated that the governor’s humanitarian intervention was “due to the fact that many citizens of Kano feel that the matter did not portray the royal family and Kano in good light”.

“They are not only members of the Royal Family, they are our Muslim sisters and brother, currently in need,” Bature said.